After Week 1:
Jordan Love leads the league with 387 passing yards, while Love has attempted the most passes (42). Baker Mayfield has the highest completion percentage at 82.1%, while Trevor Lawrence has thrown the most touchdowns (4). Maye has thrown the most interceptions (3), while Deshaun Watson and Malik Willis have taken the most sacks (5). Love has completed the most passes over 20 yards (7) while Love and Lamar Jackson lead the league with one completed pass over 40 yards (3). Finally, Love has the longest completion at 81 yards.
Here are my favorite QB/WR stacks for Week 2.
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5. Tyler Shough ($5,300) & Chris Olave ($7,200), Saints at Ravens
The matchup isn’t particularly great, as Baltimore has playmakers on defense and held the Colts to 166 yards passing with a 61.3 completion percentage. The pressure rate was 11th-highest. That said, Daniel Jones wasn’t able to make all the throws due to his Achilles injury and the Colts had Jonathan Taylor. The running backs for New Orleans pale in comparison while the defense wasn’t great against Detroit. Baltimore will likely put up points in this one, which would require New Orleans to respond aggressively.
In Week 1, Shough attempted 56 passes, completing 35 for 410 yards and three touchdowns. And we have a pretty good idea where most of the throws will be going. Chris Olave garnered a team-high 13 targets, hauling in 10 for 182 yards. There should be a ton of volume for the passing attack of New Orleans and this game could be a back-and-forth affair.
4. Brock Purdy ($6,200) & Mike Evans ($6,600), 49ers vs. Dolphins
San Francisco is implied to score 29.5 points, the second-highest number of the entire week. The 49ers are also the biggest favorites at 13.5. Conventional wisdom would say that the run game will take precedence, and that may eventually be the case, but many times we have seen this situation in which an overmatched team gets completely walloped through the air early on.
In Week 1, Kirk Cousins threw 30 times for three touchdowns. In Kirk Cousins fashion, he racked up only 160 yards and threw two interceptions. I don’t think Purdy follows in those footsteps. Against the Raiders, the Dolphins defense had the fourth-lowest pressure rate while being middle-of-the-pack in blitz rate.
Purdy should have no issues shredding apart this defense like a well-seasoned sushi chef. Both Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel Sr. garnered seven targets in Week 1. Evans mostly ran shorter routes to combat the Rams pass rush. A vintage Evans performance with a few downfield heaves and some mortars into the end zone seems likely.
3. Jayden Daniels ($6,300) & Stefon Diggs ($5,300), Commanders at Cowboys
It’s only one week, but the Dallas defense is due deux. Jaxson Dart completed 79.3% of his passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns. The pressure rate was the fifth-lowest despite blitzing at the ninth-highest rate.
Daniels wasn’t great in Week 1, completing 18-of-34 for only 164 yards, but he did throw for two touchdowns and the Philadelphia Eagles defense is very good. Now, protection, or lack of it, is an issue for Daniels, but his mobility negates some of that concern. In addition, Diggs, who led the team with nine targets, lined up mostly in the slot and provides a quick hitting option for Daniels.
2. Baker Mayfield ($5,600) & Emeka Egbuka ($6,400), Buccaneers vs. Browns
Tampa Bay lost in Week 1 and Mayfield did not throw a touchdown, but he went 23-of-28 for 216 yards. Three lost fumbles did him in. Cincinnati was able to generate the sixth-highest pressure rate while blitzing at the sixth-lowest rate. Cleveland had the 21st pressure rate and blitzed at the second-lowest rate. Last season, Cleveland was seventh in blitz rate. The 15 missed tackles were the second-most of the week. Oh the difference that a coordinator makes. No Jim Schwartz equals no bueno for the Browns defense.
Egbuka led the pass catchers with six targets. While it’s unlikely that the Browns offense pushes the Buccaneers to maintain aggression, there should be plenty of possessions and the efficiency should be high. I’m feeling a 20-for-24 day with 248 yards and three touchdowns, with two of those to Egbuka.
1B. Carson Wentz ($4,600) & Justin Jefferson ($7,800), Vikings at Bears
Did you see what Bryce Young did to the Bears defense in Week 1? 23-of-37 for 361 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Chicago was second in pressure rate and 10th in blitz rate, but that only translated to two sacks and a 107.5 quarterback rating for Young, the eighth-highest.
A big reason for the calamities of the Bears defense is the rush defense. It allowed 125 yards on 22 attempts (5.7 avg) and two touchdowns. That forces safeties closer to the box, which can then be exploited with play-action and deep shots. And Minnesota has one of the best wide receivers in the game with Justin Jefferson, who garnered nine targets in Week 1, turning those into eight catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns.
I do think the Vikings defense could cause some problems for Chicago, but it’s within the range of outcomes that this Bears offense is truly historic, which would mean that the Vikings would have to respond aggressively through the air on offense. Now, is Wentz a great quarterback? He is not and there’s a reason he’s with his sixth team in his career. That said, he is a veteran, has a plethora of options and a great play caller behind him.
If Kyler Murray is cleared to play, then all bets are off.
1A. Caleb Williams ($6,800) & Luther Burden III ($5,700), Bears vs. Vikings
I do have the utmost respect for Brian Flores and he’s going to dial up pressure and try to confuse Williams. In Week 1, Flores dialed up the blitz a league-leading 71.7% of the time, resulting in four sacks and the third-highest pressure rate. That said, the defense allowed 353 passing yards, two touchdowns and the 160 yards after catch were the fourth-most. There were issues covering receivers from the slot and that is where Burden is deadly.
In Week 1, Kalif Raymond led the team with nine targets with Burden second with five. This offense will likely have different target leaders on a week-to-week basis, but I like Burden to feast in this one, especially since it will likely be difficult to let longer routes develop. Quick hitters to Burden and let his athleticism do the rest.
Ben Johnson stated that he’s gunning for the points scored record. Motivation is half the battle.
