We're onto Week 2, and there was a lot of newfantasy footballinformation to take in after a record-setting Week 1 slate that saw half of the teams in the NFL reach 26 points (seriously).
It's worth mentioning, like last week, that matchups analysis like mine will only become more accurate as the season moves along. The Chicago Bears aren't going to score 59 points each week, the Chargers are not going to finish the season winless and Kenneth Walker is not going to finish the season with nearly 3,000 rushing yards.
That said, there was a lot to learn from Week 1, and I've identified six key matchups to know for our second saga of the season.
Note: Projections refer to player props in the betting and prediction markets, which are a valuable reference
tool for anyone playing fantasy football.
Best Week 2 fantasy football matchups
Jordan Love at the Jets
The Jets defense performed well in Week 1 despite a real lack of talent on that side of the ball. However, that was against a Titans offense that will hover near the bottom across every major offensive category all season. Tennessee's offensive line in particular is quite possibly the league's worst.
Yet, Titans QB Cam Ward was only pressured on 31% of his pass attempts in Week 1. Love, on the other hand, was constantly under fire against the Vikings, with a staggering 45% of his pass attempts coming under pressure (in typical Brian Flores fashion).
In a clean pocket, Love averaged an outrageous 9.9 yards per pass attempt and threw two touchdowns. Love should have much more favorable conditions in this matchup, and his passing yards prop of 257.5 yards is rightfully the third-highest of Week 2. Combined with the Packers' disappointing run game, Green Bay is going to dial up the volume for Love to get the first win of 2026.
Aaron Jones at the Bears
The Vikings employed a committee approach at running back in Week 1, but that's about to change in Week 2 now that Jordan Mason is headed to IR due to thumb surgery.
Aaron Jones is 31 years old and no longer an elite runner of the football like he once was. But, he's still a more than competent pass-catcher. The Bears allowed the Panthers backs to pile up 86 receiving yards last week, and Chicago also enters this matchup as 4.5-point home favorites.
QB Carson Wentz's mobility is far more limited than Kyler Murray, so we should see ample check-downs to Jones anytime he's under pressure. And, with the Vikings expected to trail, Jones now has pass-catching momentum from two angles. Jones' 81.5 total yards prop is actually *higher* than D'Andre Swift's this week, another indication that Jones is a locked-in fantasy starter in the right matchup for his skill set.
Mike Evans vs. the Dolphins
Technically, I could have written up any 49ers player against a Dolphins defense that just allowed a Brock Bowers-less Raiders team to put up 27 points.
We're going with Mike Evans to get back at "Big Fantasy" for telling you that Evans has a *tough* matchup this week. Every fantasy football platform is marking Evans' matchup with red ink, because yes, the Dolphins limited the Raiders' wide receivers last week. But, there's a big difference between Evans and the motley collection of Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor and Jack Bech.
No Raiders receiver reached 30 yards against the Dolphins' inexperienced cornerback trio, and that will change with Evans this week. Throughout this game, Evans will match up with a 5th round pick from last year or a journeyman corner with 19 career games played, all while having a several inch height advantage along with a 30-40 pound weight advantage.
After being targeted on nearly 1 in 3 routes in his 49ers debut, expect Evans to be a force coming off 10 days rest.
Worst Week 2 fantasy football matchups
Trevor Lawrence at the Broncos
The Jaguars QB just shredded a hapless Browns defense for 245 yards and four touchdowns, but this matchup is significantly more challenging.
Yes, the Broncos put up a historically bad tackling performance on prime time Monday Night Football against the Chiefs. However, the Broncos still have a filthy defense on paper, and one game against Patrick Mahomes shouldn't radically change how we view this unit overall.
However bad you thought the Broncos' tackling was against the Chiefs, it was even worse
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) September 15, 2026
Denver's 248 missed tackle yards allowed were the most in a single game in @NextGenStats' database. Their 29.8% missed tackle percentage is the third worst single-game score since 2018 https://t.co/Kd0zQjfUFl
Vegas is giving significant respect to the Broncos' defense, as Lawrence's pass yards prop is just 222 yards, and his pass touchdowns line of 1.5 is heavily shaded towards the under. In this same game, Bo Nix has better passing projections.
The Jaguars have a well below average offensive line, and the Broncos' pass rush should be able to exploit this. Think of Lawrence as just outside the fantasy QB1 radar in this matchup.
Cam Skattebo at the Rams
The Rams played in Australia without Aaron Donald, and essentially without Myles Garrett, who underwent knee surgery immediately following that game. Donald is expected back for Week 2, and the entire Rams defense is getting 11 days of rest for this contest.
The Giants moved the ball at will against Dallas in Week 1, controlling time of possession. This week, the Rams are 7-point favorites, which naturally does not bode well for New York's rushing expectations. Skattebo's rush yards prop is among the lowest at the position this week (50.5 yards), and his touchdown odds are below 50%.
Skattebo is nothing more than a flex play in a bounce-back spot for the Rams.
Carnell Tate vs. the Eagles
The Eagles corners are incredible, and they just held Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs to a combined six receptions for 69 yards. This was amplified by the Eagles' ferocious pass rush and the Commanders' porous offensive line.
This week, we get the more extreme version of this matchup mismatch, as the Titans have the actual worst offensive line in the NFL. Carnell Tate was targeted nearly three times further downfield than teammate Wan'Dale Robinson in Week 1.
Cam Ward will be relentlessly pressured like Jayden Daniels last week. Daniels, who was pressured on nearly 50% of his pass attempts, averaged just 1.7 yards per attempt in those scenarios. The Titans' team total is just 16 points, and Tate's receiving yard line is only 40 in the prop markets.
It will be a Herculean feat to get Tate the ball downfield in this matchup, and he should be parked on your fantasy bench in Week 2.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 6 best and worst fantasy football matchups for Week 2
