The Ringer Fantasy Football Show

Marvin Harrison Jr., the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, had zero targets, zero catches, zero yards, and zero touchdowns in Week 2 against Seattle. The source questions whether Harrison has the mental makeup to be an NFL starting player and suggests he may not be able to handle the physicality of the league. The source compares his trajectory unfavorably to other busted high picks like Corey Davis and Laquan Treadwell, questioning if this is the worst wide receiver pick in NFL draft history if the trend continues.

Saquon Barkley did not perform well in the Eagles' Week 2 win over the Titans. He left the game immediately on his first touch and the Eagles averaged only 2.5 yards per carry, suggesting the running game was ineffective and Barkley was not a factor in the offense.

DeVonta Smith looked like a top-five receiver on the Eagles' final two drives against the Titans, delivering when it mattered most. The source credits Smith with awesome performance in the clutch moments of the game.

Jalen Hurts led the Eagles to a 24-20 comeback win over the Titans with heroic play on the final drive, looking the best he has in months. Despite throwing two interceptions (including a back-breaking one in the end zone) and the Eagles' poor offensive execution for most of the game, Hurts delivered when it mattered most. The source credits his second-half performance as fantastic and notes he had moments where he looked awesome, though the overall game was messy.

Drake Maye looked bad in stretches during the Patriots' Week 2 win over the Steelers, short-arming throws and appearing to aim the ball rather than letting it rip. The source notes Bill Simmons sent panic tweets midway through the game when Maye threw a terrible interception. Despite the Patriots' win, Maye's performance raised concerns about his development.

Ramondre Stevenson fumbled again in Week 2 against the Steelers, losing his lead-back role to Travon Henderson. The source notes Stevenson also fumbled against the Steelers last year, making this a repeat mistake. After the fumble, Henderson took over and the Patriots moved Stevenson aside, suggesting the team has lost confidence in him as the primary back.

Jalen Waddle returned to form in Week 2 with a team-high 10 targets against Jacksonville, catching 8 passes for 143 yards. The source credits the Dolphins with sending a message after Week 1's underutilization, making Waddle the focal point of the offense. He was moved all over the field—running crossers, motioning in, playing outside and in the slot—and the offense looked completely different with him as the primary target. The next closest receiver had only 3 targets.

The source criticizes DK Metcalf for dropping passes and being a poor fit for Aaron Rodgers' offense. Despite Metcalf's $132 million contract, he has been terrible and legitimately can't catch the football. The source previously defended Metcalf strongly when he had Russell Wilson as his quarterback, noting that pairing is perfect for his skill set, but Metcalf and Rodgers is a terrible combination. The source acknowledges Metcalf's drops are not solely the quarterback's fault but emphasizes the scheme mismatch.

The source singles out Darnell Washington as one of only two Steelers players worth owning (along with Jeremy Bernard), calling him cool while dismissing the rest of the team. This is in the context of the Steelers' offensive collapse and poor quarterback play, suggesting Washington is a bright spot in an otherwise dysfunctional offense.

The source declares Aaron Rodgers' season is over after a 20-3 loss to the Patriots. Rodgers is too old to move in the pocket and can't execute rollouts; while his arm is still functional, he lacks the mobility to escape pressure. The source notes Rodgers is averaging 3.5 yards per play and 11 points per game with the Steelers, who rank dead last in yards per play through two weeks. The source also criticizes Rodgers for not taking accountability in the postgame presser, instead blaming Mike McCarthy's play-calling rather than his own performance.

The source still ranks CJ Stroud ahead of Bryce Young when starting a franchise, despite Young's recent improvement, because Stroud's poor offensive line in Houston would be worse than Young's situation in Carolina. The source argues that if you switched Young to the Texans and Stroud to Carolina under Dave Canales, Stroud would play better due to scheme and line fit, but Stroud's current circumstances limit his upside relative to Young's recent trajectory.

The source argues Bryce Young is playing well in Carolina under Dave Canales, showing confidence and making plays reminiscent of his college days—spinning out of pressure, moving outside the pocket, finding receivers with lofted passes. The source credits Canales' coaching and Carolina's investment in offensive line protection as key factors; when asked to choose between Young and CJ Stroud for a franchise, the source still picks Stroud due to scheme/line fit, but emphasizes Young's resurgence in confidence and playmaking ability after looking shell-shocked his first two seasons.

In a hypothetical franchise-building comparison, the source suggests Stroud would still be the pick over Bryce Young if starting a franchise from scratch at the same price, because Young's strong performance is partially attributable to Carolina's offensive line and coaching. The source states: "If you switched Bryce Young on the Texans behind that line and you gave CJ Stroud to Dave Canales in Carolina with, again, the offensive line Carolina has, I feel like Stroud would play better because the reason Bryce Young is playing well is that Carolina has paid a..." (transcript cuts off).

Waller caught two touchdowns from Bryce Young in the Panthers' win over the Falcons. The source humorously notes that "all he does is catch touchdowns" and expresses surprise that he is "even still in the NFL," referencing his retirement with a music video years ago. Despite his past, he "actually is still incredible."

Young is the second-highest scoring quarterback through two weeks, behind only Josh Allen. He has been "unbelievable" and is the only player with more fantasy points than JSN besides Allen. He threw two touchdowns to Darren Waller (one on a rollout, one layered from the pocket between two defenders) and had an overthrow to Jalen Coker. The source notes that watching Young "you just forget often... that this man did actually deserve to be the number one pick and like had the talent to... he was so talented that people were like, even though he's really small, I get it." Young is playing well enough that one the source chose him over Aaron Rodgers in the draft.

Allen is the only player with more fantasy points than JSN through two weeks. He put up 40 fantasy points against Detroit on Thursday night despite having the flu and shivering in a tub before the game. He had 248 passing yards, 72 rushing yards, and five total touchdowns with zero turnovers. Allen has nine touchdowns through the first two Bills games and is averaging 38 fantasy points per game, which is the highest scoring first two weeks of a season since 2000—"basically having the best two weeks in the history of fantasy football." The source emphasizes he is "the best player in the NFL and the best player in fantasy" and notes that "he could be your only good player and you still have a chance to win the fucking league."

Jackson had one truly terrible pass—a pick that basically ended the game against the Saints. The Ravens are now 15 losses after holding a double-digit lead since Jackson became a full-time starter, the most in the NFL. Despite playing well overall and moving the ball in chunks, Jackson and the Ravens lost in a pattern the source describes as inexplicable: "they played well. Lamar played well. Everything looked good. They were moving the ball in chunks and then they just lost." This is the Ravens' recurring problem, with 11 of their 15 such losses coming at home.

Olave has been "absolutely fantastic" and "absolutely bananas good" this year. The source emphasizes that a good sign for a quarterback is feeding your top player relentlessly, and Olave is receiving that treatment from Shough. Olave has also credited the guardian cap with reducing his anxiety and making him feel more secure, which the source observes translates to more assertive, dominant play on the field. He is described as "probably the least famous, great wide receiver in the league" and "very, very good," with exceptional performance through two weeks.

Through two weeks, Shough is the number five quarterback in fantasy and leads the NFL in passing yards (first or second depending on timing). He has orchestrated two consecutive comeback wins for the Saints: last week from down 21-0 in the third quarter to overtime, and this week from down 17-9 with six minutes left in the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter alone against Baltimore, he went 12 for 14 with 119 yards and two touchdowns. The source notes he has "really surprised" them, as he was expected to be a cautious Derek Carr-type prospect but has instead looked "really impressive" and "really good" since his poor first-half performance against Detroit.

Jaden Daniels dislocated his left elbow in Week 2 against Dallas, marking the third time this injury has occurred in his last four games. He previously dislocated the elbow in early November last year against Seattle, returned, and immediately re-injured it. The source expresses concern that this is becoming a recurring problem and suggests the more frequently an injury occurs, the easier it becomes to re-injure. The injury was non-contact, caused by the center tripping him, and the severity and timeline for return remain unclear.

Carson Wentz did not turn the ball over in Week 2 for the Vikings against Chicago, aside from one interception that the Bears dropped. He managed the game effectively in a low-scoring, rain-affected contest and led the Vikings to a 9-3 victory.

Colston Loveland had one catch for three yards in Week 2 for the Bears against Minnesota, indicating minimal involvement in the offense despite being a notable tight end prospect.

Deandre Swift fumbled at the one-yard line in Week 2 against Minnesota on first-and-goal, costing the Bears a touchdown. This was one of three critical plays (along with a Sam Rausch drop and a blocked field goal) that determined the outcome of the 9-3 loss.

Tyson Bagent is the Bears' backup quarterback and will likely start in place of Caleb Williams for the next 1-2 weeks. The source notes the Bears organization loves Bagent, though questions whether he is actually good. Ben Johnson will have the opportunity to call plays with Bagent as the starter.

Caleb Williams suffered a hamstring injury in Week 2 against Minnesota and was carted off the field. Initial fears of an ACL or Achilles injury were allayed when reports indicated it was a grade-one hamstring strain. The source suggests he could miss a couple of weeks but may return by Week 4 or 5 against Green Bay, though the exact timeline remains uncertain.

CJ Stroud threw 55 times in Week 2 against Cincinnati, which the source characterizes as 'not a good thing.' The high volume was a result of the Texans' inability to run the ball effectively and being stuck in third-and-long situations repeatedly, forcing them into a pass-heavy game plan.

Xavier Hutchinson is filling in for the injured Texans receivers but the source describes him as someone who 'means well, but kind of can't catch,' suggesting he is not a reliable receiving option and is more of a placeholder than a fantasy-relevant player.

Tank Dell is on injured reserve for the Texans, joining Nico Collins and Jaden Higgins on the sidelines and leaving the Texans with a severely depleted receiving corps.

Jaden Higgins tore his ACL and is out for the Texans, further depleting their receiving corps alongside Nico Collins and Tank Dell.

Nico Collins is out for the Texans, which significantly impacts their passing game and forces them to rely on Xavier Hutchinson and other backup receivers. The source notes that without Collins, the Texans are 'in a tough spot' and their offense is severely hampered.

Montgomery had three touchdowns in Week 1 and was the best player on the Texans roster that week, but in Week 2 against Cincinnati he combined with Woody Marks for only 18 rushing yards. The source believes Week 2's performance is closer to the 'real David Montgomery' and suggests his Week 1 success was an outlier rather than a sustainable trend.

Jamar Chase made arguably the catch of the year in Week 2 against Houston; the source describes it as pure reaction with no anticipation—he turned around late, tracked the ball, caught it, and spun. Chase is described as matching the hype of being the best receiver prospect in 10 years and has been exactly what was promised since entering the NFL.

Joe Burrow has never started 2-0 in his career; the Bengals are 2-0 this year and have been famously slow starters historically. The source notes this is a positive development for the team's trajectory and suggests the improved defense is enabling early success.

Hampton fumbled in Week 2 against the Raiders, contributing to the Chargers' self-inflicted offensive struggles. The source notes he is 21 years old and has unusual eating habits (ranch dressing on spaghetti), but no specific fantasy role or usage projection is provided.

Herbert was outplayed by Kirk Cousins in Week 2; the source notes Herbert has been 'really bad' and compares him to a malfunctioning high-end stereo system with all the bells and whistles that never works in practice, suggesting his talent doesn't translate to consistent on-field performance.

Cousins 'outplayed Justin Herbert' in the Raiders' Week 2 victory over the Chargers, demonstrating superior performance in the same matchup where Herbert struggled significantly.

Willis outplayed Justin Herbert in the Raiders' Week 1 game, with Herbert posting worse statistics against the Raiders in Week 2 than Willis had the previous week. This comparison is used to highlight Herbert's struggles and the Chargers' offensive dysfunction.

Johnston dropped a pass in the Chargers' loss to the Raiders, contributing to the team's offensive struggles. The source notes 'Quentin Johnson dropped a bat' and 'He dropped one pass,' suggesting continued reliability issues.

Herbert had worse statistics against the Raiders than Malik Willis had the previous week, and the source notes he 'played like shit today.' The source criticizes his pocket presence, saying 'he actually kind of is bad in the pocket and has bad pocket presence' and that 'the way he moves in the pocket sometimes is stupid' due to 'lack of awareness.' Herbert 'tries to do too much' and 'holds onto the ball too long,' attempting to make every play. Despite his strong arm, his movement in the pocket is problematic, and he fumbled after trying to stiff-arm a defender. The source concludes 'I think I have to too' lean away from Herbert after previously considering it.

The source suggests Keenan Allen 'seems like he'll get suspended at some point,' which would further impact the Colts' receiving corps. With Pierce injured, the Colts' passing game will rely heavily on Josh Towns, Laquan Treadwell, and Tyler Moore.