2022 Fantasy Football Breakout Players: Week 2
Isn’t it great to have football back! Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season was a whole lot of fun — at least for me. And we’re now on the precipice of Week 2, beginning with a duel between AFC West rivals, Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers, two of the AFC’s top teams. Last week, we kicked off who would be our Week 1 fantasy football breakout candidates; let’s see how they performed:
- Romeo Doubs, WR, Packers: 4 rec., 37 yards, 1 car., 11 yards
- Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jaguars: 24-42, 275 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
- Elijah Mitchell, RB, 49ers: 6 car., 41 yards
- Mike Davis, RB, Ravens: 2 car., 11 yards
- Jameis Winston, QB, Saints: 23-34, 269 yards, 2 TDs
Not the most ideal week, but it was Week 1 for us all, right? Anywho, let’s have a better Week 2! Let’s jump into it!
Jeff Wilson, RB, San Francisco 49ers
This is the second consecutive week I have listed a Niners running back as a breakout candidate. Mitchell was good in the season opener, but he could be out two months with a sprained MCL. Wilson was the only other Niners tailback to receive snaps, though it be a running back by-committee situation with Ty Davis-Price, Jordan Mason and Marlon Mack — who recently signed to the practice squad — behind Wilson. But I expect Wilson to get the bulk of the carries against Seattle this upcoming week.
DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
Smith, the presumptive No. 2 receiver behind A.J. Brown — who commanded the lion’s share of targets Week 1 — did not catch any of his four targets. The game script ultimately did not suit Smith for most of the matchup, but owners who started him still got a goose egg in the score total. Smith will go up against Minnesota this week on Monday Night Football. The Vikings did a good job of keeping everything underneath with their shell coverage, but they are going to face a much steeper test on the road this week. So, I expect Smith to breakout, or at least not go scoreless this upcoming week.
Allen Robinson, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Robinson is an established receiver, but he hasn’t technically broken out with Matthew Stafford yet! He received just two targets and 12 yards in his Rams debut, despite being open on a fair majority of his routes. I expect Robinson to have more of a rapport with Stafford the rest of the season — beginning in Week 2 against Atlanta. He’s got to emerge at some point in that offense, right?
Robert Tonyan, TE, Green Bay Packers
Tonyan’s coming off a torn ACL suffered in Week 8 of last year, so he’s expected to be eased in. He received just 36.1 percent of the snap share in Week 1 after recording 60-plus percent in 2020 and 2021 (before his injury). He had five targets, three receptions and 36 yards in the opener. Tonyan had at least five targets in 10 of his 24 games and 13 touchdowns from 2020-21. Though that was with Davante Adams in the mix. Rodgers is in need of a reliable target, so don’t be surprised if Tonyan — who was second in receptions (52) in 2020 — becomes that guy, especially in the redzone.
Jamaal Williams, RB, Detroit Lions
Williams did score twice last week after earning 13 touches for 30 yards, so he might not be considered the biggest breakout candidate in the world. But the Lions top tailback D’Andre Swift, who had 18 touches last week, has not practiced in each of the last two days and is currently listed as questionable on the injury report. Expect a bigger role for Williams against Washington this upcoming week, especially if Swift gets ruled out (it’s unclear if that will happen right now.)
A Few Honorable Mentions: Trey Lance, QB, 49ers; Irv Smith Jr., TE, Vikings; Cam Akers, RB, Rams; James Cook, RB, Bills; Cole Kmet, TE, Bears; Chris Olave, WR, Saints
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