San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy fell short in Sunday's 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Purdy finished the game having completed 28 of 36 passes for 319 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He added two scrambles for 12 yards on the ground. Minnesota's defense kept the pressure on Purdy all afternoon, as he found himself absorbing a career-high six sacks. Purdy did make many quality throws and his lone interception came from a nice defensive deflection that may have been a simple incompletion if the ball hadn't popped upward in traffic over the middle. Purdy's other turnover happened when the ball slipped out of his hands as he threw and went directly to a waiting Jihad Ward, being ruled a fumble. Today's game represents the second disappointment in a row for fantasy owners. Next up for the 24-year-old signal-caller is a road matchup versus the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will try to pick up a second-straight win in a Week 2 matchup versus the Vikings in Minnesota on Sunday. He'll be going up against a defense that was almost exactly league-average in 2023 for fantasy points per game allowed to opposing quarterbacks, but who held Purdy to 272 yards, two interceptions, and one touchdown last year (albeit without stud tackle Trent Williams and receiver Deebo Samuel). The Vikings made mostly minor changes to their defensive personnel in the offseason, most notably losing standout edge rusher Danielle Hunter and replacing him with first-round pick Dallas Turner. In their opener last week, the Vikings made New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones look horrible but how much credit goes to the defense versus Jones' ineptitude is debatable. Last week, Purdy was solid but rather unhelpful for fantasy managers in a home victory over the New York Jets, with 231 yards passing, 11 yards rushing, and no touchdowns or picks. At any rate, he'll have his whole complement of receivers in this one -- save for running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) -- so Purdy should be in for a decent day, especially with wideout Brandon Aiyuk getting another week of practice under his belt. Look for Purdy to find the end zone in Week 2, as he sits on the fantasy QB1/2 border.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had a solid outing in leading his team to a decisive victory over the New York Jets on Sunday night. Purdy completed 19 of 29 passes for 231 yards and did not record any touchdowns or turnovers. The Jets' defense, missing edge rusher Haason Reddick due to a holdout, failed to apply significant pressure. The 49ers took control of the game by halftime, allowing Purdy to focus on game management rather than pushing for big plays. San Francisco dominated possession, holding the ball for 38 minutes and 40 seconds and scoring on eight offensive drives before taking a knee on their final possession. The 49ers ran 70 plays compared to the Jets' 49. As the season progresses, expect Purdy to deliver higher-scoring performances, with his next opportunity coming against the Vikings on Sunday.

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle led the team's backfield with 11 touches in the Week 2 loss to the New Orleans Saints. He logged seven carries for 30 yards and added four catches for 29 yards. With the Saints jumping out to an early lead, the Cowboys were forced to pass more, creating a favorable game script for Dowdle. Although he didn't catch a pass for more than nine yards, Dowdle served as a reliable safety valve for quarterback Dak Prescott, often catching checkdowns. Next week, the Cowboys face a tough matchup against the Baltimore Ravens' stout front, which held the Las Vegas Raiders to just 27 rushing yards. This could force the Cowboys to rely on the passing game again, making Dowdle a potential streaming option in PPR formats.

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle was involved in the team's game plan in Week 1 against the Browns but will need to improve his efficiency before becoming a fantasy player worth starting in most leagues. Dowdle saw eight carries for 26 yards in Week 1 as he alternated drives with starter Ezekiel Elliott. He did add one catch for six yards. Dowdle's 3.3 yards per carry leaves something to be desired although his usage was somewhat encouraging for his standalone value. In Week 2, expect Elliott to be the featured goal-line back. Dowdle could once again see some game time but he will need to do more with his opportunities to become fantasy-relevant. Fantasy managers with options at the position would be wise to take a wait-and-see approach with Dowdle in Week 2.

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle didn't have the best start to his 2024 season. The 26-year-old was expected to split up the touches with veteran Ezekiel Elliott during Sunday's season opener. The two of them did split up the carries, but Dowdle failed to do much with them. He rushed eight times for 26 yards while hauling in one reception for six yards in the blowout win. Elliott didn't do much better on the ground with 40 yards, but he was able to find the end zone. The expectation is that these two will continue to split up the job until one of them pulls away with it. That being said, Dowdle should still have some streaming value in Week 2, but he has lost some appeal after that lackluster start.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper caught three of his eight targets for 11 yards in an 18-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2. It was another quiet outing for Cooper, who struggled with drops for the second consecutive contest. Cooper tied for the team lead in targets but was vastly outproduced by Jerry Jeudy, who went for 73 yards on five catches. Overall, the veteran wideout has just five catches for 27 yards through the first two games of the season. With Cooper struggling and with Deshaun Watson taking a liking to Jeudy in the passing game, fantasy managers should downgrade him to a WR4 heading into a Week 3 matchup against the New York Giants.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper turned in a disappointing Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys, catching just two passes for 16 yards and dropping a long would-be touchdown near the Dallas five-yard line. He will look to bounce back in a much more favorable matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road in Week 2. The Jaguars secondary struggled in Week 1, allowing both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to post 100-yard games. While the Cleveland offense looked bad in Week 1, Cooper should find more room to operate this weekend, making him a high-end WR3.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper caught two of his nine targets for 16 yards in a 33-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1. Cooper's nine targets led the team, but he could not do much with the looks as the Dallas secondary kept him wrapped up for most of the afternoon. It should have been a bigger game for Cooper, who dropped a would-be 36-yard touchdown pass around the Dallas five-yard line late in the fourth quarter. Cooper could bounce back as early as next week against a Jacksonville Jaguars secondary that just allowed both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to post 100-yard games in Week 1.

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler was quiet as a rusher Sunday afternoon but made his impact through the air. Ekeler caught all three of his targets for 47 yards. On the ground, he saw just eight attempts for 38 yards. The veteran running back was primarily deployed as a pass catcher in the season opener, and Week 2 was quite similar. Last week, he registered 52 receiving yards (which led the team) on four receptions. While Brian Robinson Jr. will continue to see the lion's share of rushing attempts, Ekeler will still hold fantasy value, especially in PPR formats as he is becoming a safety valve for rookie QB Jayden Daniels. Fantasy managers should continue to view Ekeler as an upside flex in PPR leagues, but in standard leagues where receptions are not scored, it is better to find production elsewhere.

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler led the team in receiving yards (52) in the season opener but had a limited role in the offense. In his Washington debut, Ekeler was exclusively deployed as a pass-catching running back as he saw just two rushing attempts, compared to Brian Robinson Jr.'s 12 attempts. However, through the air, Ekeler made the most of his limited touches as he caught all four of his targets. In addition, he ran 19 total routes and posted an average of 2.74 yards per route run, which was one of the best marks of the weekend. While the 29-year-old will typically serve as the No.2 option in a committee, his production on such limited touches is still worth noting as he still possesses some quality upside. For now, Ekeler remains a solid flex play in deeper PPR leagues but holds much less value in standard formats.

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler did not see a heavy workload on the ground but caught a team-high four receptions in the season opener. Ekeler shared the spotlight with Brian Robinson Jr. throughout the preseason but saw only two carries Sunday afternoon in Tampa Bay. However, he made up for that disappointing workload through the air as he caught all four of his targets for 52 yards. Ekeler made a nice 22-yard catch-and-run play in the second quarter, which helped set the Commanders up for their first touchdown. Fantasy managers should lower expectations for Ekeler heading into Week 2 in standard scoring but give him a slight uptick in PPR as he is clearly building a connection with his rookie QB making him a low-end flex play for the time being.

Minnesota Vikings running back Ty Chandler took 10 carries for 82 yards in Sunday's 23-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers. His long gain was a 25-yard scamper, and he did not receive a target. Chandler had one more rush than Aaron Jones in the contest and outpaced him by 50 yards on his way to a hyper-efficient 8.2 yards per tote. However, Jones did receive six targets in the passing game, hauling in five for 36 yards. Through two games, the Vikings' backfield split has been all over the place, with Jones out-carrying Chandler -- and out-producing him cumulatively -- in Week 1, although the latter caught all three of his targets that week -- one more than the former. The 26-year-old is unlikely to boast stand-alone value while sharing the field with the former Packer. However, the backfield split this week at least warrants an eye-brow raise and is a situation to monitor moving forward. Minnesota will take on the Houston Texans at home in Week 3.

Minnesota Vikings running back Ty Chandler is expected to return kicks following the latest depth chart update. Chandler is listed as the team's primary kick returner while Brandon Powell handles punt return duties. This development comes in the wake of Minnesota's decision to release talented returner Kene Nwangwu. Chandler has big shoes to fill but is likely up for the challenge after getting a taste of the job last year. He returned four kicks for 97 yards in 2023. Fantasy managers should keep in mind that just because he is returning kicks doesn't mean he won't see snaps out of the backfield. Minnesota is expected to rely on Chandler to take some of the workload off veteran Aaron Jones. Chandler might not see quite enough snaps to warrant any fantasy consideration immediately, but he's an intriguing insurance policy at the very least.

New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk turned three targets into two catches, 12 yards, and one touchdown during the team's 23-20 overtime loss against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2. Even though Polk wasn't very heavily targeted, he actually led all Patriots receivers in targets, catches, yards, and touchdowns in Week 2. In fact, K.J. Osborn was the only other Patriots receiver to even garner a target in this contest. This tells us that New England is committed to employing a run-heavy approach, making the receivers somewhat of an afterthought. Polk is an appealing dynasty target, but he lacks redraft appeal for the time being.

New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk hauled in his lone target for a gain of six yards during Sunday's Week 1 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Fans and fantasy managers alike were curious to see where Polk would rank in the pecking order, and now we have our answer. At best, he's the No. 3 receiver behind Demario Douglas and K.J. Osborn. It's worth noting that Tyquan Thornton saw more volume than him, too. Polk is avoidable in redraft leagues and nothing more than a bench stash in deeper dynasty formats.

New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk will make his NFL debut against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. A second-round pick out of the University of Washington, Polk could open the year as New England's No. 2 wide receiver. As the preseason wrapped up, both he and K.J. Osborn were competing for that role with Demario Douglas in line to serve as the No. 1 receiver. It's possible that Osborn draws the start given his experience in the NFL, but there's no denying that Polk flashed real potential this summer and will be on Osborn's heels, at the very least. Polk should be rostered in most dynasty leagues but lacks redraft appeal, especially with the Patriots projected to finish last in the NFL this year.

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson made the most of his three targets in Week 1, as he landed in the end zone in the blowout victory. Johnson split snaps and targets with Foster Moreau (concussion), who appears to be healthy going into Week 2 after suffering a concussion last week. Neither is a trustworthy fantasy play as long as both tight ends are available. Keep Johnson on the bench in a tough matchup against a stout Dallas defense.

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson scored a touchdown in Sunday's 47-10 win over Carolina. Johnson was targeted three times, securing two receptions for 26 yards and a score. He split time at tight end with Foster Moreau (concussion), who also caught a touchdown on a 16% target share. If Moreau misses Week 2, Johnson has much more intrigue than he would if Moreau were to play. Derek Carr showed in the win that he will not hesitate to spread the ball around this year, making most New Orleans pass-catchers inconsistent options at best. Johnson and the Saints will take on Dallas in Week 2.

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson opened camp up on the PUP list, but is now fully recovered from his June foot surgery. Johnson had a down season a year ago, finishing as the TE26 overall. The veteran is available in many leagues, but could emerge as a consistent target earner behind Chris Olave. He grades as a low-end TE2 for Week 1, making him a very deep option, but the matchup with Carolina is not a great one for tight ends. Leave Johnson on the waiver wire for now, but monitor his Week 1 target share.

About the only positive note for Denver Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich on Sunday in the 13-6 loss to the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers was that he garnered a team-high eight targets from struggling rookie quarterback Bo Nix. Dulcich was only able to come down with three of those eight targets for 16 yards receiving in a day in which the Broncos didn't score a single touchdown on offense. It's clear that Dulcich, and not Adam Trautman, is the team's top pass-catching option at the position after the first two games of the season. However, with the Broncos' offense looking like one of the worst in the NFL after the first two weeks, Dulcich isn't going to be on the fantasy radar in 12-team fantasy leagues or leagues that start only one tight end. The 24-year-old caught just two of three targets for 12 yards in the Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Denver Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich did not enter the 2024 season on the fantasy radar after playing in only two games in 2023 due to injury. Dulcich didn't do anything to excite fantasy managers looking for a waiver-wire pickup in the Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, either, catching two of his three targets for only 12 receiving yards. The 24-year-old UCLA product showed some promise in his rookie season in 2022 but also missed time with injuries. He has developed an injury-prone label and remains off the fantasy radar for the moment in most leagues in a Broncos offense that was hesitant to push the ball down the field with rookie quarterback Bo Nix in the season opener. Dulcich could see a few more targets in Week 2 against a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that allowed a TD to Kyle Pitts in Week 1 with rookie receiver Devaughn Vele (rib) out, but Ducich is a TE3 in fantasy until further notice.

After another injury-plagued year in 2023 in which he managed to play in just two games, Denver Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich went undrafted in most standard-sized, 12-team fantasy leagues. Dulcich opens his third year in the NFL listed as the No. 2 TE on Denver's depth chart behind Adam Trautman, although it's widely expected that he'll end up as the Broncos' most targeted tight end when all is said and done this year. The 24-year-old caught 33 of 55 targets for 411 yards and two TDs in 10 games as a rookie and has shown upside as a fantasy TE when healthy. The problem is he's rarely been healthy. Entering Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field, Dulcich will be an upside TE3 stash in deeper fantasy leagues. If he stays healthy and earns the trust of rookie quarterback Bo Nix as a safety blanket, Dulcich could become a waiver-wire consideration in shallower leagues.