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Matt Bowen
At varied factors throughout the fantasy football season, accidents, bye weeks and breaking information may cause you to want reinforcements in your fantasy lineup. Each Friday all through the 2025 NFL season, Matt Bowen will supply up some late-week pickup choices to assist fill these holes, with an emphasis on deeper leagues.
Due to that, this column will focus totally on gamers rostered in lower than 50% of ESPN leagues, with occasional exceptions.
As we enter Week 2, we have already got damage information in San Francisco, as 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is uncertain to play on Sunday with shoulder and toe accidents. So, we’ll begin with a pair of signal-callers with streaming enchantment who regarded actually good on the Week 1 tape.
Quarterbacks
Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers (17.9% rostered; vs. Seahawks)
Rodgers erased some questions on his scheme slot in Arthur Smith’s offense after throwing 4 touchdowns within the Week 1 win over the Jets. Rodgers was actually environment friendly with the ball (22 of 30 passing), and Smith moved the pocket on boot schemes to provide his quarterback extra clear throwing platforms. I do not anticipate Rodgers to drop one other 25-point sport this week, however the mixture of play-action and quick-game ideas work right here towards the Seattle protection.
Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons (26.5% rostered; at Vikings)
Penix scored 24.02 factors in Week 1 towards the Bucs, displaying his means to run this offense like a degree guard, which included speeding for 21 yards and a landing. He can provide you numbers on scramble makes an attempt. We should control the standing of vast receiver Drake London (shoulder). That issues right here. If London can go, Penix will probably be able to distribute the ball to a number of playmakers towards a Vikings protection that gave up 24.2 factors to Caleb Williams on Monday evening.
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Eric Karabell: Michael Penix Jr. positively a top-20 fantasy QB
Eric Karabell breaks down his constructive fantasy takeaways from Michael Penix Jr. in Week 1.
Working backs
Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals (54.5% rostered; vs. Panthers)
James Conner remains to be the lead again in Arizona and he paced the Playing cards with 16 touches in Week 1. Nevertheless, Benson nonetheless has worth in deeper codecs as a result of his utilization this previous Sunday. Benson noticed 9 touches within the win over the Saints, and he confirmed his big-play means on a 52-yard carry. Plus, I just like the run-game matchup towards a Panthers protection that allowed 143 yards speeding to Jacksonville’s Travis Etienne Jr. final week.
Kenneth Gainwell, Pittsburgh Steelers (7.4% rostered; vs. Seahawks)
It was Gainwell — and never rookie Kaleb Johnson — who shared the Steelers backfield with Jaylen Warren within the Week 1 win over the Jets. Gainwell noticed 54% of the snaps within the sport, ending with 10 touches, in comparison with 13 for Warren. Whereas the numbers for Gainwell did not actually pop (23 whole yards), the veteran does have pass-catching means, and we should always anticipate one other backfield cut up with Warren on Sunday.
Vast receivers
Olamide Zaccheaus, Chicago Bears (0.5% rostered; at Lions)
Zaccheaus caught 4 passes for 42 yards (8.2 factors) within the Week 1 Monday evening loss to the Vikings, and his seven targets have been the second most on the crew. There’s a clear on-the-field connection between Zaccheaus and quarterback Caleb Williams, and coach Ben Johnson can scheme for the vast receiver on screens and beneath throws that result in numbers after the catch. Search for Johnson to maneuver Zaccheaus across the formation this week, giving him free entry off the ball, towards a Lions protection that may play man-coverage.
Wan’Dale Robinson, New York Giants (30.6% rostered; at Cowboys)
Robinson missed some observe time with an ankle damage this week, so we’ve got to observe the reviews forward of sport time. If Robinson is able to go, nonetheless, he is a strong deeper-league slot in PPR codecs. Robinson caught six of eight targets for 55 yards (11.1 factors) within the Week 1 loss to Washington. A slot receiver who can get free beneath, he additionally will get enhance right here, as beginning nickel nook DaRon Bland is out with a foot damage.
Tight finish
Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints (34.0% rostered; vs. 49ers)
Johnson caught a team-high eight passes, on 11 targets, for 76 yards (15.6 factors) within the Saints’ Week 1 loss to the Cardinals. Working as an beneath/quick-game goal, Johnson discovered area and made himself out there to quarterback Spencer Rattler. The Saints tried 46 passes in that sport, and I’d anticipate the throwing quantity to remain up on Sunday towards the 49ers, which creates extra alternatives for Rattler to focus on his tight finish towards zone appears to be like.
D/ST
Los Angeles Rams (51.3% rostered; at Titans)
Take the Rams protection this week towards the Titans and rookie quarterback Cam Ward. In final week’s win over the Texans, the L.A. protection had three sacks, a compelled fumble and a choose (12.0 factors). Search for the Rams to assault the Titans’ safety schemes with loaded fronts to create the cross rush matchup they need, which can pace up the inner clock for Ward.
