Typically, we like our wide receivers to be on the right side of touchdowns. Instead, we are only hauling in injuries this week. Some solid fantasy football options crack our injury report in Week 2, and all bear monitoring before Sunday's kickoff. Whether they play in the early window or you have to wait until after the first witching hour, start 'em, sit 'em decisions will definitely be affected.
The good news is Jerry Jeudy and Davante Adams didn't even wind up on their teams' respective injury reports this week, but DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Watson, Brandin Cooks, and Puka Nacua are all "questionable." Staying on top of the latest news for these WRs could be the difference between 2-0 or 1-1. (Or, even worse, 1-1 and 0-2.)
Below, we'll give you the latest news on these key "questionable" WRs and break down how their injuries could potentially affect the Week 2 fantasy landscape.
WEEK 2 INJURY UPDATES:
RBs | TEs | Cooper
Is DeAndre Hopkins playing Week 2?
UPDATE: ESPN's Adam Schefter reported late Saturday night that Hopkins is expected to play on Sunday against the Chargers.
UPDATE 2: Hopkins is officially ACTIVE.
Hopkins (ankle) popped up on the injury report after suffering the injury on the final drive in the Titans' loss in New Orleans last week. His status is further clouded after missing practice all week, but he's earned a "questionable" designation regardless. It's a sign that Hopkins is a true 50-50 that could go either way, which could be enough to scare off fantasy owners who aren't sure of the severity. Tennessee kicks off their Week 2 action at 1 p.m. ET at home against the Chargers.
WEEK 2 FANTASY: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
However, if he does play, you'll want Hopkins in your lineup against a Chargers' secondary that was essentially nonexistent in Week 1. Tyreek Hill torched them for 215 yards and two touchdowns, and Tua Tagovailoa finished with 466 yards. Tennessee's offense won't be confused with Miami's anytime soon, but Los Angeles' struggles indicate a good matchup is on the horizon for Hopkins if he plays.
If he can't go, that represents an upgrade in fantasy status for Treylon Burks and Chig Okonkwo. Regardless, you'd likely want to seek options elsewhere with an inconsistent Titans' passing attack. The best options available in a majority of Yahoo leagues would be Romeo Doubs (@ Falcons) and Rashid Shaheed (@ Panthers). Otherwise, you'll probably have a viable option on your bench.
WEEK 2 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Is Christian Watson playing Week 2?
UPDATE: ESPN's Adam Schefter reported late Saturday night that Watson is NOT expected to play on Sunday against Atlanta.
UPDATE 2: Watson is officially OUT.
Watson (hamstring) is another true game-time decision in Week 2. The Packers receiver missed Week 1 after suffering a hamstring injury in the lead-up to their game in Chicago. After missing practice on Wednesday and Thursday, Watson appeared to be heading for another inactive on Sunday. A glimmer of hope popped up on Friday when the receiver practiced in a limited capacity. Green Bay will play the Falcons in the early window at 1 p.m. ET, meaning whether Watson plays or not, those that roster him will have plenty of options to pivot to.
If Watson plays, he becomes a high-risk, high-reward option as a likely flex candidate. The limited nature of Friday's practice is enough to make the more cautious among us stay away, but others will take the plunge and hope for the best. We'd assume the Packers won't risk further injury if they let Watson play, but there's no indication of the workload he'd have in what would be his season debut.
Should Watson sit out, the situation in the Packers' passing attack becomes much clearer. Once again, Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed would assume the top spots in the receiver room and are available in a majority of Yahoo leagues. Outside of Green Bay, owners might want to consider their bench options or others like Rashid Shaheed (@ Panthers), Rashee Rice (@ Jaguars), or Zay Jones (vs. Chiefs).
WEEK 2 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Is Brandin Cooks playing Week 2?
UPDATE: ESPN's Adam Schefter reported late Saturday night that Cooks is NOT expected to play Sunday against the Jets.
UPDATE 2: Cooks is officially OUT.
Cooks (knee) joins the list of true game-time decisions after missing practice all week in Dallas. He picked up the MCL sprain and it might cost him seeing action in Week 2. Injuries of that nature typically result in missed games, but the Cowboys have said that Cooks didn't need to practice this week to suit up. Fantasy owners also will have to wait for an update on his status with kickoff set for 4:25 p.m. ET against the Jets in the late window.
If Cooks plays, we would lean on the side of caution and consider other options, whether that's on the bench or waiver wire. There's no indication of how active Cooks would be in the Cowboys' offense, especially against a Jets' secondary that is capable of shutting down even the best of passing attacks. If Cooks is ruled out early, we'd consider options in the early window like Romeo Doubs (@ Falcons), Rashee Rice (@ Jaguars), or Zay Jones (vs. Chiefs). Should you decide to wait, Rashid Shaheed (@ Panthers) becomes a worthwhile option that's widely available in Yahoo leagues and doesn't play until Monday night. In-house options that will see a boost include Michael Gallup and Jalen Tolbert.
WEEK 2 DFS:
DK lineup | FD lineup | Best stacks | Best values
Is Puka Nacua playing Week 2?
UPDATE: Nacua is officially ACTIVE.
Nacua (oblique) was a fantasy darling in Week 1 and quickly became a big waiver wire pickup in the absence of Cooper Kupp. "New Kupp" was a favorite target of Matthew Stafford, seeing the ball a whopping 15 times in the opener. Teams that picked him up couldn't wait to put him in their lineups, but that was before an oblique injury put his status up in the air. With the Rams not kicking off against the 49ers until 4:05 p.m. ET, it becomes a question if you're willing to wait.
Since Nacua likely wasn't on your roster before Week 1, it's safe to say you have other available options on the team. If he plays, Nacua has high upside and should be in your lineup even against a stout San Francisco defense thanks to his target share. We'd look to your bench options first since they are likely better than the options on the waiver wire we listed for each of the other receivers on the injury report this week.
