The one or two weeks between your fantasy draft and the beginning of the NFL season are some of the worst days of the year. You sit there, staring at your lineup and thinking about how you're a stone-cold lock to win your league. Then Week 1 rolls around and you realize that you may have drafted the worst fantasy team of all time.
There's no need to worry, we still have 13 more weeks of regular season matchups until the fantasy playoffs begin. Your lineup will go through changes and should be constantly adjusted. But one of the hardest places to make adjustments is at the Flex. Should you go back to the player who underperformed, or is it time to make a change?
After combing through the Sporting News' rankings, we've identified five different players who you should consider moving into your Flex spot this week. If you have been going back and forth about any of these players, save yourself some time and get them into your lineup.
WEEK 2 FANTASY PPR RANKINGS
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Fantasy Football Week 2 Flex Finder: Sleepers who can pay off in the Flex position
Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Najee Harris was on this list in Week 1, and we're dipping right back into the well. Harris didn't have a particularly productive outing in Week 1, but he had a role that is more than viable for Flex-level production.
Harris saw 20 carries, accounting for 77 percent of the running back rush attempts. This could be a symptom of Jaylen Warren's hamstring injury, but the expectation is still that he will lead the way on the ground for the Steelers. Harris now gets the Denver Broncos who allowed over five yards per carry to Kenneth Walker last week. Expect Harris to compile his way to a strong outing this week. A punch-in touchdown would be the cherry on top.
WEEK 2 FANTASY ROSTER MANAGEMENT ADVICE
Trade Report | Start 'Em, Sit 'Em | Usage Report | Sleepers | Busts | Weather
Jeff Wilson Jr., RB, Miami Dolphins
It's only Week 2, and we've already reached the point where we can patch holes in our lineup thanks to injuries. With Raheem Mostert already ruled out and De'Von Achane listed as a game-time decision, Wilson has a massive opportunity in front of him.
Mostert's chest injury knocked him out for two drives last week, and Wilson was the primary beneficiary of his absence. He played just 11 snaps last Sunday but saw five carries and ran a route on three snaps.
Wilson seems to be the direct backup to Mostert and should see a significant role in the offense now that he is unavailable. This should be a back-and-forth game with the Bills where Wilson is leaned on as a part of the Dolphins' rushing attack. If Achane is unable to play, Wilson should be valued to an even higher degree as an RB2 this week.
Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, New York Giants
Wan'Dale Robinson is more of a "break glass in case of emergency" option at the Flex this week. But in deeper leagues or on rosters that are in shambles, he is a viable option in PPR leagues.
Starting receivers against the Commanders' secondary in 2023 was as easy as sweating in a sauna. It seems like we're in the same situation again this year after Baker Mayfield picked apart this defense all afternoon in Week 1.
Robinson had an impressive Week 1 in his own right. He commanded a 26-percent target share and posted a respectable 11.8 PPR points in the process. But his 50-percent catch rate was uncharacteristic of someone who sees low-aDOT slot targets like Robinson. He is unlikely to see this sort of target share again, but he should see a bump in his catch rate. Robinson provides an appealing floor in PPR leagues thanks to his role in the Giants' offense.
Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Brian Thomas Jr. is a rookie receiver who we raved about throughout the offseason. He came out and impressed in his rookie debut. The best play was one that didn't even show up in the box score. He blew by All-Pro corner Jalen Ramsey on a deep corner and drew a long pass interference call.
Yeah that's Brian Thomas torching Jalen Ramsey and drawing pass interference 40 yds downfield https://t.co/6dlEhL6Xsi pic.twitter.com/WCNhJI3naS
— JetPack Galileo (@JetPackGalileo) September 10, 2024
The biggest concern with Thomas was that he would not be a strong target earner. He went out there an earned a target on 22 percent of his routes and played a significant role in the Jaguars' offense. The Jaguars have a tough matchup in the Browns this week, but after his Week 1 performance, Thomas is approaching "set it and forget it" territory when it comes to filling out your Flex spot.
WEEK 2 DFS: Best Values | TNF DFS Lineups | Top DFS Stacks
Brandin Cooks, WR, Dallas Cowboys
We'll be picking on the injury bug one more time this week. Jerry Jones has indicated that the Cowboys' No. 2 option, tight end Jake Ferguson, may have a chance to suit up this week. This seems like a case of ol' Jerry getting a bit ahead of himself. All signs point to Ferguson staying sidelined in Week 2.
This leaves Cooks as Dak Prescott's secondary pass catcher behind CeeDee Lamb. Cooks' Week 1 was solid all around and was capped off by a trip to the endzone. He was an offensive contributor throughout the game and his usage rivaled Lamb's.
| Dallas Cowboys | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Position | Route Participation | Target Share | TPRR | aDOT | Air Yards Share | EZ Targets | Wide Rate | Slot Rate | Inline Rate |
| CeeDee Lamb | DAL | WR | 83% | 28% | 0.31 | 10.7 | 35% | 0 | 35% | 66% | 0% |
| Brandin Cooks | DAL | WR | 71% | 22% | 0.28 | 11 | 28% | 0 | 72% | 28% | 0% |
| Jake Ferguson | DAL | TE | 49% | 19% | 0.35 | 12 | 26% | 0 | 6% | 41% | 41% |
| Jalen Tolbert | DAL | WR | 60% | 6% | 0.1 | 7.5 | 6% | 0 | 86% | 14% | 0% |
There were questions all offseason about the Cowboys' ability to maintain their offensive dominance. They answered those questions by putting a hurting on one of the best defenses in the NFL. Expect Cooks to play a meaningful role in an elite offense until Ferguson returns.
