What a Sunday we just enjoyed! The NFL is always full of incredible plays and big surprises, and Week 2 of the NFL season was no different. We have a double-header this week, and I’ll look at the games and the fantasy impact below. First, here’s three takeaways from the rest of what we’ve seen in Week 2.

Playoff Teams from 2022 that are in trouble
You don’t want to start 0-2. It puts you in a huge hole to start the season and the odds of rebounding and being in the playoffs or a top seed aren’t great. And yet, we have three teams that were playoff teams in 2022 and figured to be contenders in 2023 that find themselves in that situation. The Minnesota Vikings had a surprising Week 1 loss to the Buccaneers then followed it up with a loss on Thursday night to the Eagles. Not the start a 13-4 team from 2022 was looking for, but now they’ll have to rebound. We also have the Los Angeles Chargers, whose coach Brandon Staley could already be on the hot seat, starting 0-2. The Chargers made the playoffs last year and were set to be a trendy playoff contender again. But despite some good work on offense, the Chargers came up short at home against the Dolphins in Week 2 and against the Titans on the road Sunday. But perhaps the most alarming is the Cincinnati Bengals, who were in the AFC Championship Game the past two seasons. I picked the Bengals for the Super Bowl and yet, after getting completely shut down by the Browns in Week 1 the Bengals lost at home to the Ravens. Not only are the Bengals 0-2, but they also lost two games in the division. That’s not a great sign for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

Surprising 2-0 teams
On the flip side, we’ve seen a couple teams that have gotten off to a hot start. Not all the 2-0 starts are a surprise, but the Falcons, Commanders and Buccaneers have been a fun surprise. The Falcons technically finished last in the NFC South last season. But they have plenty of talent and I thought they could make the playoffs out of the division in 2023. The Falcons ran all over the Panthers for a Week 1 win and rallied from behind for a big comeback win over the Packers in Week 2. It’s a good start for a team looking to make some moves. The Buccaneers might be even a bigger surprise. The team finished just 8-9 with Tom Brady in 2022. Now, with Baker Mayfield slinging it, the Buccaneers got a big win on the road against the Vikings in Week 1 and then bested the Bears at home in Week 2. Now, we get to see how tough the Buccaneers can be as they face the Eagles on Monday Night Football in Week 3. The Commanders got a win over Arizona at home in Week 1, which was expected. In Week 2, after being down 21-3, the Commanders rallied for a 35-33 win over the Denver Broncos. The NFC East is competitive, but the Commanders are making an early statement with their 2-0 start.

The Rams are for real
The veterans Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald are making the most of the young bucks playing with them. The Rams didn’t beat the 49ers on Sunday, but they played a see-saw game that was much closer than most would have expected a few weeks ago. Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell look good at receiver, while Kyren Williams is playing strong at running back. This team is a frisky 1-1 and we haven’t even seen Cooper Kupp back yet!

And now, let’s look at the Monday night games.

New Orleans Saints (1-0) at Carolina Panthers (0-1)

We get a pair of divisional matchups for Monday night, starting at 7:15 Eastern with an NFC South Battle. While the Falcons and Buccaneers are already 2-0, the Saints could join them to make for an interesting early race. The Panthers, meanwhile, would like to avoid the 0-2 start. We have veteran Derek Carr leading the Saints against rookie Bryce Young and the Panthers. But what about fantasy?

For the Saints, I like Carr as a QB2 this week. In the passing game, Chris Olave is the best of the in the passing game and is a start for me. In Week 1 both Michael Thomas and Rashid Shaheed had nice games, but can you trust them? I have both in the flex range depending on your other options. Meanwhile Jamaal Williams figures to lead the way in the backfield. He didn’t have a great Week 1, but I have him in the flex range as well.

For the Panthers, Young didn’t have a great Week 1. The offensive line is a question, and I don’t think that improves greatly here. I have Young in the QB3 range. I like Miles Sanders out of the backfield and Hayden Hurst at tight end. Those are the two on the offense I’d be starting. As far as receivers, I need to see more before I’m trusting anyone.

I’m taking the Saints here to go 2-0.

Cleveland Browns (1-0) at Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1)

The second Monday night game, which kicks off at 8:15 Eastern, features an AFC North battle. It’s also a tale of two teams coming off very different Week 1 performances. The Browns dominated the Bengals, pulling off a 24-3 win. The Steelers, meanwhile, got dominated by the 49ers in Week 1. They can ill-afford to fall to 0-2 after two home games. But what about the fantasy implications?

For the Browns, you’re starting Nick Chubb, a Top 5 option at running back. Among the passing game, I have Deshaun Watson as a low-end QB1. He can also do it with his legs. I like Elijah Moore as a WR3 and David Njoku as a low-end TE1, especially with Amari Cooper likely to miss the game. If you were counting on Cooper, have a backup option ready.

For the Steelers, Diontae Johnson is out. Kenny Pickett is more of a QB3 for me, so you hopefully had better options. In the backfield, I still like Najee Harris the best, but he’s more of a middling RB2 right now. I like Pat Freiermuth as a start at tight end and I also like taking a shot on George Pickens, who should be the top passing game option.

I’m taking the Browns to go to 2-0. Enjoy the games!

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.