Welcome to Week 2 of The List! This season, our Rankings Team will be providing a few thoughts on players they are particularly high or low on this week to give some perspective on their FLEX and positional rankings. You can find these thoughts below, followed by our full Top 150 FLEX. Positional rankings are also available to help you make your toughest lineup decisions of the week!
Bryce Young made the Jaguars’ defense look a whole lot better than it actually is. This week, Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense get back on track in a big way. –Jay Felicio
I was ready to put Daniel Jones inside my top 15 until I saw his Week 2 opponent, the Denver Broncos. “Indiana” Jones is still worth starting in Superflex, but I’ll have to see more than one week of production before I’m ready to start him in difficult matchups. –Jay Felicio
I certainly believe that better days are ahead for Tua Tagovailoa, but I’m not willing to put him in my starting lineup until I see it on the field. He’s in a virtual tie for worst place with Russell Wilson. –Jay Felicio
I was one of the more bullish rankers of Jaxon Smith-Njigba heading into the season, and his Week 1 performance surpassed even my expectations for the Seahawks’ WR1. He finished with 13 targets on the day, a league-best 54.2% target share, converting 9 into catches for 124 yards. New Offensive Coordinator, Klint Kubiak, is clearly looking to push JSN vertically this season as his average depth of target jumped from 8.7 in 2024 to 13.7, and his 178 air yards are the 2nd most in the league. Smith-Njigba draws a somewhat difficult matchup against the Steelers’ secondary this week, but that should be offset by an uptick in pass attempts as the Seahawks project to be trailing in this game. He’s inside my Top 10 this week. –Eric Romoff
DK Metcalf‘s Steelers debut wasn’t anything flashy, finishing with 4 catches for 83 yards on 7 targets, but it was very promising as proof of concept. Concerns about an aging Aaron Rodgers‘ ability to move the ball through the air and Arthur Smith’s run-centric game plan were quelled as the Steelers dropped back to throw on 65.4% of their plays. More promising still is the way in which they used their newly acquired lead receiver. Rodgers, as has become his calling card, was able to place his passes in the perfect spot to let DK run after the catch, and his 68 yards after catch are currently 2nd among receivers. Week 1 is cause for optimism about how the two new Steelers will navigate the 2025 season, and I have Metcalf ranked as my WR21 heading into a revenge game against Seattle in Week 2. –Eric Romoff
The Year-2 breakout is off to a great start for Keon Coleman. The 33rd overall selection from last year’s class soldiered through an injury-plagued rookie season that gave him little opportunity to build momentum. After an off-season of glowing reviews in camp, the Bills came out of the gate with getting Coleman involved as a clear priority. Coleman’s route participation ballooned up to 93.4% – the 4th-highest in the league – and Joe Brady was finding ways to get him the ball, as evidenced by Coleman’s 7 first-read targets on the day. The big-bodied Coleman took advantage of his additional opportunity to the tune of an 8/112/1 outing, enough to finish the week as the WR2 in Week 1. Small sample sizes are tricky and I’d expect there to be less passing for the Bills this week against the Jets but Keon Coleman’s Week 1 performance has bought him a ticket up to the #32 spot in my rankings. –Eric Romoff
When the Panthers drafted Tetairoa McMillan with the 8th overall pick in this year’s class, it was clear that they intended for him to step in as the offense’s primary target from day 1. While he was clearly the priority for targets from Bryce Young, McMillan did not perform up to the level that his draft capital might suggest. He led the team with 9 targets but was only able to haul in 55% of them and struggled to create separation, getting open on only 33% of his routes. He’ll face a tough test in Week 2 against another rookie, Will Johnson of the Cardinals. Johnson is fresh off of a Week 1 performance that earned him the 2nd-highest rating among cornerbacks. This all culminates in Tet settling in on the cusp of WR3 territory this week, as WR23 overall. –Eric Romoff
One tight end I’m slightly down on for Week 2 is Tucker Kraft. The Packers tight end salvaged his Week 1 fantasy line with a touchdown, but the underlying usage wasn’t encouraging. He saw just four targets in a crowded pass-catching group, and now he faces a tough Commanders defense in Week 2. Expectations for Kraft should be lowered heading into this matchup. –Steve Pintado
A tight end I really like in Week 2 is Brenton Strange. He got off to a strong start in Week 1, as Trevor Lawrence frequently looked his way as a safety blanket underneath. Strange actually led the Jaguars in receiving yards, and now he draws a favorable matchup against the Bengals. Cincinnati just allowed both Browns tight ends to top 40 yards in Week 1, and with this game projected to be higher scoring, Strange should have plenty of opportunity to thrive again in Week 2. –Steve Pintado
After basically being a no-show in Week 1, Mark Andrews should rebound as a high-end TE1 in Week 2. He has an excellent track record against the Browns, scoring 11 touchdowns and averaging 53 yards across 14 career games. While Cleveland ranks as a bottom-10 matchup for tight ends so far this season, Andrews’ history and role in the Ravens’ offense point to him finishing as a top-five option at the position this week. -Steve Pintado