Weekly Fantasy Football – Selection of the runners of week 2
1. Ray Rice
By racking up 149 total yards and 2 touchdowns against one of the best defenses in the NFL and the defending AFC champions in Week 1, Ray Rice made a statement that he is on the short list of the best running backs in the league. However, the Ravens seemed to have a bit more motivation last week after being knocked out of the playoffs by their rivals. I’m not sure Rice can duplicate that performance, but he should have similar numbers against a weaker Tennessee defense.
2. Lesean McCoy
Michael Vick will lead his new “Dream Team” in Atlanta against his old team in what should be a shootout on Sunday Night Football. The Eagles feel the pressure to show off after all their offseason moves, and Atlanta will fight for their lives to stay 0-2. McCoy had 122 yards and a rushing TD last week, and could score bigger numbers as both teams will light up the scoreboard.
3. Darren McFadden
McFadden looked great with 150 yards mostly down the middle at Denver in Week 1. The Raiders are likely to return to their previous form and crumble as the season progresses, but at this point they looked like a contender in the AFC West. Lost in the Bills’ beating of the Chiefs was that Jamaal Charles had a solid game against a soft running defense. McFadden will also be able to take advantage of this defense for a great day.
4. Matt Forte
The Bears will need to score a lot of points to keep up with the Saints this week. Forte should be able to break through New Orleans’ weak running defense, and even if Chicago falls behind, he’s a great weapon outside or the backfield in the passing game.
5. Ahmad Bradshaw
Bradshaw had limited carries in Week 1 at Washington. After falling behind early, the Giants threw the ball for most of the game. They should settle into a more balanced attack against the Rams, who suffered a host of injuries in Week 1. If the Giants can get ahead early, Bradshaw should be given a solid workload to shorten the game and beat the already thin defense of the Rams.
Sleeper: Willis McGahee
The Broncos are a bad team, but the Bengals are even worse. With Knowshon Moreno slightly injuring his hamstring in Week 1, McGahee can become the starting running back against a terrible defense. Even if Moreno returns, McGahee will be a weapon in the passing game and potentially used in goal-line situations, which means fantasy points.