Recapping Matthew Berry's Love/Hate For Week 2 Fantasy Football: Justin Jefferson & More

We've got one full week of regular-season action in the books, which means it's time to separate the players you can trust from the ones you need to be actively fading. Before we get into the full Love/Hate breakdown from Matthew Berry's Fantasy Football Happy Hour Show (subscribe here!), a couple of quick housekeeping items from around the league:

Nico Collins hurt his hamstring in practice and may not suit up in Week 2. If he sits, keep an eye on the Texans' WR room—Kayshon Boutte, Xavier Hutchinson and Jaylin Noel all become deep-league flex plays in the WR4 range, and Dalton Schultz climbs into low-end TE1 territory.
The Vikings placed RB Jordan Mason on IR with a thumb injury, which pushes Aaron Jones back into a workhorse-y RB20 range and makes Demond Claiborne at least worth a speculative add (RB58) in deeper formats.

Now, let's get into who Matthew Berry LOVES and HATES for Week 2 in fantasy football.

Quarterbacks Matthew Berry Loves In Week 2

Dak Prescott vs. WAS: Prescott averaged 21.3 PPG at home last season, and Washington just got torched for 14.5 yards per completion and three touchdown passes in Week 1. Dallas carries a top-five implied team total (27) in a game with the second-highest total on the board (50.5). This is a smash spot.
Brock Purdy vs. MIA: Miami's secondary is a mess, and San Francisco's implied team total (29) is the second-highest in Week 2. Over the last two seasons, Purdy is averaging 23.5 PPG whenever the 49ers score at least 23—and this game screams "they'll clear that number."

Others receiving votes: Jaxson Dart is quietly averaging 41 rush yards a game as a starter (22.4 PPG, QB4 range) heading to LA ... Matthew Stafford gets 11 days of rest and averaged 2.8 TD passes per game at home last year ... Tyler Shough has hit 20-plus points in four of his last six starts and should be in for another pass-heavy script against Baltimore.

QBs Matthew Berry Hates In Week 2

Trevor Lawrence @ DEN: Since the start of last season, Denver is giving up the second-fewest yards per pass attempt in the league and the third-lowest touchdown rate. Yes, the Broncos had a rough Week 1 defensively, but I wouldn't bet on that continuing here.

Running Backs Matthew Berry Loves For Week 2 Fantasy Football

Kenneth Walker vs. IND: Walker handled 21 of 24 team RB touches through three quarters (74% snap rate) and was targeted on 40% of his routes, tying for the team lead. Indy just gave up 163 total yards and three touchdowns to Derrick Henry. Run, don't walk.
Ashton Jeanty @ LAC: A 99 utilization score in Week 1 tied Bijan Robinson for the league lead. Jeanty's carried a 19% target share over his last 10 games (only dipping below 14% twice) and has hit 25-plus touches in three of his last four dating back to last year.
Bucky Irving vs. CLE: RB9 in Utilization Score in Week 1 with a 26% target share and every single RB red-zone touch. Cleveland allowed 121 rush yards and 4.8 YPC to Jacksonville's backs last week, and Irving out-routed Kenneth Gainwell by eight last game.

Others receiving votes: Chuba Hubbard handled 72% of Carolina's RB touches (78% snap rate) before starters got benched ... Aaron Jones should now own the goal-line and passing-down work with Mason out ... Kyle Monangai out-routed D'Andre Swift and played every two-minute snap ... Kaelon Black had 58% of San Francisco's RB rushes in a game where the Niners are a 13.5-point favorite.

RBs Matthew Berry Hates In Fantasy Football For Week 2

Travis Etienne @ BAL: Etienne matched Kendre Miller's rush attempt count in Week 1, with 69% of his fantasy points coming through the air. Alvin Kamara is expected back, which only further squeezes his passing-game role, and New Orleans as 8.5-point underdogs isn't a rushing-friendly script.
MarShawn Lloyd @ NYJ: RB39 in Utilization Score in Week 1 with a 45% snap rate and a microscopic 2.5% target share. Chris Brooks played 63% of the red-zone snaps. Not the workload you want.

Pass Catchers Matthew Berry Loves For Week 2 In Fantasy Football

Justin Jefferson @ CHI: A 37% target share from Carson Wentz in Week 1, and Jefferson's averaging 93 receiving yards and 18.0 PPG across six career games with Wentz under center. Carolina's receivers also averaged over 10 yards per target against this Bears defense last week.
DeVonta Smith @ TEN: A 27% target share and a 13.7 aDOT (with three deep looks) in Week 1. Tennessee allowed an 85% catch rate and 16 yards per reception to Jets receivers, and they've given up the sixth-most fantasy PPG to the position since last season began.
Mike Evans vs. MIA: Miami's corners were ranked 32nd in Mike Clay's preseason position group rankings. Evans was WR14 in utilization score in Week 1 with a 25% red-zone target share and led all 49ers receivers in routes run.
Dalton Kincaid vs. DET: Top-five TE in Utilization Score in Week 1, and his 69% route rate was higher than any game he played all of last season. Detroit just allowed 27 fantasy points to Juwan Johnson and Noah Fant.

Others receiving votes: Parker Washington was WR13 in Utilization Score last week and draws Pat Surtain on the boundary this time ... Matthew Golden led the team in both target share (30%) and routes run in Week 1 ... Quentin Johnston gets a boost with Ladd McConkey banged up, and Vegas allowed 19.1 yards per reception to Miami's receivers ... Mark Andrews posted a 25% target share in Week 1 with Zay Flowers and Ja'Kobi Lane banged up.

Pass Catchers Matthew Berry Hates In Fantasy Football Week 2

Marvin Harrison Jr. vs. SEA: An 8% target share in Week 1—fifth on his own team—with zero red-zone looks. Seattle has allowed the third-fewest fantasy PPG to wide receivers since the start of last season.
Brian Thomas Jr. @ DEN: Denver's allowed the third-fewest yards per game to perimeter receivers since last season and the second-lowest completion rate on deep passes over that stretch. He's also been limited in practice this week with a shoulder injury.
Harold Fannin Jr. @ TB: A 14% target share in Week 1 was his lowest in a completed game since Week 5 of last year, and his 3.3-yard aDOT ranked TE25 in utilization score. Cleveland also carries the third-lowest implied team total in Week 2.

Players Mentioned in this Article

JustinJefferson
WRMIN
PPG
27.2
Proj
12.5

Published Sep 17, 2026, 12:55 PM ET