Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold. Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Fantasy ballers: Airing it out in Week 2

By Bruce Ewing | Last updated Sep 10, 2024 3:42 PM ET

Not only did these players exceed their Week 1 fantasy projections, but all could do even better with favorable matchups on tap for Week 2.

Chris Godwin (WR), Tampa Bay Buccaneers

His 22.30 fantasy points against the Commanders were slightly less than teammate Mike Evans (23.10) but Godwin led the team in targets (eight), receptions (eight) and yards (83).

In Week 2, he’ll face a Lions defense that allowed the sixth-most passing yards per game last season and gave up the second-most passing yards (304) to the Rams in Week 1.

Godwin has struggled to stay healthy with various leg injuries in recent years but looked completely healthy against Washington and is a good bet to exceed his 12.87-point projection against the Lions.

Alec Pierce (WR), Indianapolis Colts

Unlike Godwin, Pierce doesn’t need a lot of targets to become fantasy relevant. The fourth-year wide receiver had three catches on three targets for 125 yards and a touchdown in a two-point loss to the Texans on Sunday. His efforts were good enough for 21.50 fantasy points, the 10th most among wide receivers in Week 1.

ANTHONY RICHARDSON 60-YARD DIME TO ALEC PIERCE.

: #HOUvsIND on CBS/Paramount+
: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/p0xddm5Kl1
— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024

A second-round pick in 2022, Pierce has always had big-play potential but rarely had a quarterback that could get him the ball. Last year, Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew averaged 6.7 yards per attempt.

In 2022, Matt Ryan averaged 6.6 yards per throw along with Sam Ehlinger, who averaged 5.7 yards per pass in four games. New starter Anthony Richardson led all NFL quarterbacks by averaging 11.2 yards per attempt last week.

According to Yahoo Sports, seven of Pierce's 76 career catches have gone for 40 yards or more. With Richardson throwing passes, Pierce could go off against a Packers defense that allowed 23.8 yards per catch to Philadelphia’s A.J. Brown on Friday night.

Sam Darnold (QB), Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota simply won’t stop San Francisco from scoring points in Week 2. The 49ers made a stout Jets defense look downright silly on "Monday Night Football," gaining 401 total yards in a 32-19 victory.

The Vikings held the Giants to a pair of field goals last week but won’t be so lucky at home against high-scoring San Francisco.

Darnold went 19-of-24, averaging 8.7 yards per pass for 208 yards and two touchdowns against New York, good enough for 15.62 fantasy points in Yahoo leagues. That’s slightly less than Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (16.14) but more than Arizona’s Kyler Murray (14.18) and Detroit's Jared Goff (12.38).

Of course, any quarterback throwing to a wide receiver like Justin Jefferson is always capable of having a big game. Jefferson had a modest four grabs for 59 yards and a touchdown against the Giants but could carry Darnold past his projected 15.07 points in Week 2.

Bruce Ewing

Bruce Ewing is 183 pounds of twisted steel and Happy Meals. His work has appeared on Yardbarker, 5th Down Fantasy, Inside the Iggles and MSN. Give a Philly fan a break and follow him on Twitter/X at @fantasybruce.

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