Fantasy Football Buys & Fades For Week 2 From The Receiver Score: Marvin Harrison Jr. & More

Josh Downs: Buy

The model loves Downs’ 94% route participation. He ran 8 quick-game routes and 6 in-breakers, giving Daniel Jones shorter options and opportunities to find him working across the field. Receiver Score thought the Week 1 workload should have been 9.9 expected points (actual was 5.5). This Ravens defense had the top coverage grade in the model as well, so better days are coming for Downs and the rest of the Colts passing game. The model has him as a WR3 with upside to jump into a WR2 role if the route participation stays.

Alec Pierce: Neutral

Pierce ran 10 in-breakers on 22 routes, showing the team’s willingness to use him across the field instead of just as a deep threat. His 65% route participation also came with a planned workload limit following ankle/heel surgery. I’m interested in seeing that broader receiving role as his workload builds. He’s a boom-bust WR3.

Keenan Allen: Fade

Allen ran a route on 76% of Indianapolis’ dropbacks, behind Downs at 94% and Warren at 88%, even with Pierce still working through a limited workload. The model liked his 9 quick-game routes, but the projected route share is slated to come down, and that will drop him below a useful threshold.

Tyler Warren: Buy

Warren ran 30 routes at 88% participation and was moving at the snap on 7 of them, giving him opportunities to get free releases and get a full head of steam on his routes. His per-route grade was 98, and he ran a bunch of routes off of play-action. Another situation where better days are ahead. He’s a top-5 TE that you’re starting every week.

Steelers Pass Catchers To Buy & Fade Ahead Of Week 2

DK Metcalf: Buy

Metcalf ran a route on 98% of Pittsburgh’s dropbacks and earned 9 targets for a 26% target share, so the 8.0 PPR points came with plenty of involvement. Pittsburgh gave him 14 quick-game routes and 7 verticals, giving him chances to be involved at all three levels of the field - different than his 2025 deployment. His routes were worth 16.0 expected points in Week 1, so the model believes he’s a buy as a low-end WR2.

Michael Pittman Jr.: Fade

Pittman ran 39 routes at 91% participation but drew only 3 targets, compared with Metcalf’s 9 on a similar amount of playing time. There are parts of his usage the model likes, including 5 of his 11 in-breakers coming off play-action, but his expected TPRR was still a modest 16%. The model thinks he’s probably a roster-clogger based on his role, talent, and ROS opponents.

Pat Freiermuth: Buy in TE-Premium, Stream Elsewhere

Freiermuth’s 72% route participation came with 8 play-action routes and 7 routes in motion, so Pittsburgh is giving him ways to get involved beyond releasing from a traditional inline alignment. I like acquiring him in TE Premium, but he is a streaming option in other formats.

Buy or Fade Falcons Pass Catchers For Week 2?

Drake London: Buy

London ran a route on 96% of Atlanta’s dropbacks, and his 5 quick-game routes, 5 in-breakers and 4 outs gave him several ways to earn targets without relying on deep throws. He also went in motion on 6 of his 25 routes, continuing the kind of usage the model liked entering the season even though he finished with only 4.9 PPR points. With Cooper Rush starting because Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix were unavailable, I’m still buying London’s talent and role while allowing for better QB play as the season progresses. The sentiment is pretty low, so now is a good time to buy low. Michael Penix, get well soon!

Kyle Pitts: Neutral

Pitts ran 7 verticals on 21 routes and had only 1 route off play-action - that is a difficult combination when the offense is already struggling to move the ball through the air. His 81% route participation is enough to keep me interested, but the model doesn’t like how much of his work was on downfield opportunities. I want to see this offense with Tagovailoa or Penix before making a stronger call, especially whether Pitts gets more opportunities underneath and across the field. Currently a hold situation.

Packers Pass Catchers To Buy & Fade In Fantasy Football

Matthew Golden: Buy

Golden ran 40 routes at 87% participation and earned a target on 30% of them, giving us a much better picture of his involvement than we had from the preseason. I’d still like fewer verticals after he ran 13 in the opener (that’s a lot), but earning that many targets while leading Green Bay’s WRs in route participation is encouraging. The model still considers him a buy and approaching WR3 levels with this usage and expected pass volume.

Christian Watson: Buy

Watson’s 83% route participation was the most encouraging part of his 32.7-point opener. A larger workload with maintained efficiency was central to why I liked him before the season. He ran 14 verticals on 38 routes, so the shorter preseason route tree didn’t fully carry over, but Love’s willingness and ability to throw downfield are why I’ve been more comfortable with this role for Watson. His actual and expected TPRR were both around 20%, and he was moving at the snap on 6 routes, giving him some help releasing into that downfield work. The model is upgrading him to an upper-tier WR2.

Jayden Reed: Fade

Reed drew 7 targets, but his 63% route participation left him well behind Golden and Watson - not to mention 11 of his 29 routes were verticals. That puts more pressure on him to earn targets whenever he is on the field, with only 3 play-action routes adding little of the designed help I’d like to see. The model is concerned he becomes a roster clogger in managed leagues because the involvement can produce weeks' worth of chasing without enough consistent playing time to feel comfortable starting him.

Tucker Kraft: Neutral

Kraft’s 48% route participation doesn’t give us a clear picture given his gradual return from an ACL injury. Green Bay still used play-action on 3 of his 4 flat routes, giving him opportunities to catch shorter throws and work after the catch. I want to see how much of the passing game he gets once that ramp-up is complete before making a stronger judgment about his season.

Jaguars Pass Catchers To Buy & Fade In Fantasy Football Week 2

Parker Washington: Buy

Washington earned a target on 33% of his routes and scored 19.3 PPR points, continuing to give me reasons to like his role in Liam Coen’s offense. He ran 6 in-breakers on 18 routes, with 3 coming off play-action, which can create room to work across the field behind linebackers reacting to the run. His 72% route participation leaves room for more volume, but the target-earning and the way Jacksonville is using him in the middle of the field makes the model boost him to the upper tier of WR2s like Christian Watson. Also, we have to caveat the 72% route participation given that this was a blowout, which the model knows.

Brian Thomas: Fade

Thomas ran only 14 routes at 56% participation, while Meyers and Washington were at 80% and 72%, respectively. He left with a shoulder injury before returning, but he was still below a 65% route share before the injury, so the model does not like how much playing time he received. Half his routes came off play-action, but the amount of receiving work is the concern driving the model’s fade.

Jakobi Meyers: Buy

Meyers ran 20 routes at 80% participation, with 30% of his route tree dedicated to in-breakers (good for fantasy). Meyers’ per-route grade of 83 is very good, even though he lacked production. He drew only 2 targets, but had a 22% expected TPRR, so the model is buying the role and believes Meyers will be a WR3.

Brenton Strange: Fade

Strange’s 64% route participation is difficult to trust for regular fantasy production, especially with 7 of his 16 routes coming from the vertical family. Jacksonville paired 44% of his routes with play-action, but a 14.8-yard aDOT shows how much his receiving work leaned toward opportunities downfield. The model wants more routes or a broader role underneath before relying on him, because the current combination leaves a lot riding on a few big plays.

Buccaneers Pass Catchers To Buy & Fade In Fantasy Football Week 2

Emeka Egbuka: Buy Low

The model has Egbuka as a buy low because his 89% route participation came with 13 of his 32 routes in motion, which the model loves because it knows that movement can make it harder for a defender to disrupt his release. Tampa Bay also gave him 9 play-action routes and 6 in-breakers to help get him involved. The offense is putting effort into creating opportunities for him, and that gives me confidence in his role alongside Godwin. Egbuka is a WR2.

Chris Godwin: Buy

Godwin ran 10 quick-game routes, 9 in-breakers, and only 2 verticals, which the model loves in terms of route mix. Tampa Bay paired 4 of those in-breakers with play-action, and he participated in 89% of the team’s dropbacks, so the receiving role was strong despite only drawing 4 targets. With a 79 per-route grade and most of his work coming in areas where Baker Mayfield can get him the ball regularly, I’m comfortable buying. The model likes Godwin as a WR3.

Ted Hurst: Watch

Hurst ran 30 routes at 83% participation in his first NFL game, with 10 routes coming off play-action. The model didn’t like that he was used primarily as a downfield threat, but it knows he’s a rookie who has room to grow and expand his game. Also, it’s enough route share to keep him on the radar, but we could see Jalen McMillan soon, which would eat into the playing time.

Cade Otton: Fade

Otton ran 31 routes at 86% participation, but his 3.7-yard aDOT leaves him needing substantial catch volume or production after the catch to put together useful fantasy weeks. Receiver Score gave Otton a per-route grade of 35 (not great, Bob!). With Godwin and Egbuka both running routes on 89% of dropbacks and getting valuable receiving work themselves, the model doesn’t see enough reason to expect Otton to command the volume that this shallow role needs.

Bears Pass Catchers To Buy & Fade In Fantasy Football Week 2

Colston Loveland: Buy

Loveland ran 34 routes at 89% participation but drew only 2 targets and finished without a fantasy point, despite 11.8 expected points per the model. Chicago used play-action on 11 of his routes, including 3 of his 4 in-breakers, giving him opportunities to work into space behind linebackers responding to the run. The model still likes how Ben Johnson is using him and considers this a nice buying opportunity. If someone out there is willing to bail for a guy like Isaiah Likely, do it.

Luther Burden III: Neutral

Burden’s 71% route participation leaves me wanting more playing time, although 8 of his 27 routes came off play-action. His 76 per-route grade (good, but not GREAT) makes me feel better, but we need to see that route participation tick up. The model considers him a WR2 and a hold.

Rome Odunze: Fade

Odunze ran 22 routes at 58% participation, well below Loveland’s 89% and Burden’s 71%, but we knew he was limited coming into the game. The real concern was the usage, which had 7 verticals on an already limited route total. The model is fading him - it does not believe this pass game can support three strong pass catchers, and unfortunately, Rome Odunze has the least favorable role.

Saints Pass Catchers To Buy & Fade In Fantasy Football Week 2

Chris Olave: Buy

Olave earned 13 targets on an 89% route share, and his 15 quick-game routes gave him plenty of chances to accumulate catches alongside 17 verticals. That balance is what I like about the role - he’s a three-level threat. The model thinks he should continue to produce.

Juwan Johnson: Buy

Johnson ran 51 routes at 82% participation and finished with 14.4 PPR points, with 15 flat routes giving Tyler Shough a steady underneath option. He also went in motion on 10 routes and was still moving at the snap on 8, adding ways for New Orleans to help him release into the passing game. The model likes this role as a back-end TE1 and definitely roster-worthy in 12-team leagues.

Devaughn Vele: Buy in Deeper Leagues

Vele’s 94% route participation is enough for me to consider him in deeper leagues, particularly with Jordyn Tyson on injured reserve. This is a bet on opportunity since he ran 58 routes, even though the model doesn’t love his per-route role. It’s hard to find WRs that run this many routes in deeper leagues.

Other Pass Catchers to Consider Buying & Fading For Week 2 Fantasy Football

Tre Tucker: Buy

Tucker’s 4.7 PPR points came on 87% route participation, with his routes carrying 8.9 expected points. Las Vegas used play-action on 8 of his 27 routes, including 3 of his 5 in-breakers, giving him chances to work across the field with nicely schemed-up plays. The model has him as a fringe WR3/Flex. There will be plenty of games where the Raiders need to throw more. No other Raiders WR is worth rostering.

KC Concepcion: Buy as a Stash

Concepcion ran 20 routes at 65% participation, with 7 coming off play-action and 5 in-breakers. The playing time still needs to grow, but there is enough involvement in his first game for the model to recommend stashing him for when he earns a larger role.

Makai Lemon: Buy as a Stash

Lemon ran 29 routes at 85% participation and was moving at the snap on 11 of them. Philadelphia gave him substantial playing time and helped him get into his routes immediately with free releases. Of course, he only earned 4 targets and scored 2.5 PPR points. The model still likes the idea of stashing a rookie who earned this much playing time early.

Jalen Coker: Buy

Coker’s 93% route participation and role are interesting. He ran 12 routes off play-action, and 10 of his 40 routes were out-breakers, accounting for 36% of his modeled route value. That much playing time and a meaningful role in the play-action game give him a case for continued fantasy relevance. The model likes him as a WR3.

Tetairoa McMillan: Buy

McMillan ran 39 routes at 91% participation, with 4 of his 6 in-breakers coming off play-action and a 73 per-route grade (higher than Coker’s). Carolina is still giving him opportunities to work all three levels of the field like an alpha WR. The model much prefers Tetairoa McMillan's role to Coker’s - he’s a WR2.

Isaiah Likely: Neutral

Likely had a big Giants debut with 8 targets and 27.8 PPR points, but he only had 68% route participation. It’s very similar to the Dalton Kincaid situation below, except he’s attached to a less elite QB and played against a poor pass defense. I’m neutral on the role and would look to move him after this performance if it gets me a player with more consistent receiving volume that’s ramping like Tucker Kraft or George Kittle. The Dallas defense graded out as one of the worst in the league, so that helped boost Likely’s performance.

Mark Andrews: Buy

Andrews ran a route on 79% of Baltimore’s dropbacks and commanded 26% of the targets, giving the model more confidence in his involvement than initially anticipated. His per-route grade was 91, with 6 play-action routes and 4 routes where he was moving at the snap, so there was useful design alongside the target earning. I like buying that receiving role, particularly with injuries to Zay Flowers and Ja’Kobi Lane potentially creating more demand for him in the near term. The model likes his opportunity to be a consistent TE1 with this deployment.

Dalton Kincaid: Buy

Kincaid ran 22 routes with a 13.4-yard aDOT, and Buffalo paired 3 of his 4 in-breakers with play-action, which created bigger plays. The model likes that Buffalo is using him beyond short outlets, although it still wants the route volume to grow before treating him like one of the position’s most dependable weekly options; this was promising, and he has the potential to be a top-6 TE ROS given the elite role and per-route metrics.