Week Two is over and how ’bout them Bucs! Tampa Bay adds the world champs to list of teams they’ve improbably beaten since replacing Winston with Conor McGregor.
Week Two also produced a rare divisional victory for Andy Dalton in prime time. Sadly, the Bengals lost super-star-in-the-making Joe Mixon for a few weeks in that game. Luckily for them, they have a capable veteran who is probably available on your waiver wire, waiting in the wings to hold down the fort while Mixon recovers from a knee scope. Let’s talk about Gio and everyone else you should be putting in a claim for this week.
GIO BERNARD:
Drafted in 2013, Gio has been a mainstay in the running back room for the Bengals for years. Once again, he finds himself thrust into the role of lead back. He isn’t the athlete that Mixon is, few people are, but he is plenty talented to take on the role of a workhorse back. Bernard has good hands too, which helps boost his value in fantasy. He is owned in just 36% of leagues.
ANTONIO CALLAWAY:
The Josh Gordon saga has finally come to an end in Cleveland which opens the door for Callaway to step into a huge workload each week. Callaway is smaller than Gordon, but we saw his electric playmaking skills on display in the preseason. In his first week sans Gordon, Callaway hauled in a 55-yard touchdown bomb to beat the Saints pull even with the Saints before the Browns Browns’d it up. Callaway is not a carbon copy of Gordon physically, but he is every bit the the playmaker. Callaway is available in 95% of leagues.
JAVORIOUS “BUCK” ALLEN:
Buck Allen should have been picked up after Dixon moved back into his estate on the IR last week. Flacco likes him, and he is the pass-catching specialist not only in that backfield but also the entire team. One week without Dixon and Allen puts up 12.5 in a .5ppr. That is RB2 production for some teams and Flex worthy in all leagues. Pick up Allen, or you can go Buck yourself. He is owned in just 19% of leagues.
AARON JONES:
The Packers backfield was the subject of much debate this offseason. Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams, and Ty Montgomery were all in the mix, and fantasy analysts had a field day debating who would emerge as the workhorse back in an Aaron Rodgers-led offense. Then Jones got suspended, and Williams was handed the keys to the car, which he promptly crashed. Williams has been wholly ineffective through the first two weeks of the season. Part of that is due to the fact he was up against two of the very best defenses in all of football during those two weeks but optics are optics, and the Packers will need to make the change to Jones. Aaron Jones is available in 40% of leagues.
COREY CLEMENT:
Ajayi temporarily left last week’s game with a back problem and his knee issues are among the most well-documented in the league. Even when not banged up, Darren Sproles is distracted renewing his AARP membership. Corey Clement is young, dynamic, has great hands and looked phenomenal in the Superbowl. With Wentz coming back I fully expect the Eagles to open up their playbook and Clement is going to be involved. Clement has Flex value even if Ajayi stays healthy. If Ajayi is forced to miss time Clement, much like Gio Bernard, instantly presents high RB2/low RB1 upside. Clement is available in 77% of leagues.
RYAN FITZMAGIC:
Is it time to seriously consider picking up and rolling with Fitzy as your long-term starter? Maybe not. But he certainly is startable again in week three. Fitzpatrick will lead a Bucs team that has put up 75 points in just two games against a Steelers defense that has already surrendered 63 points this season. I hate to say it but this game has all the makings for another offense explosion, and Fitzpatrick will be at the helm. Fitzmagic is available in 69% of leagues
DAN BAILEY:
Play with kickers? Don’t believe in curses? Try out the Vikings latest kicker du jour. Available in 89% of leagues.
