The Green Bay Packers’ offense returned in a big way against the Detroit Lions on Week 2 Monday Night Football, winning the game 35-17. Aaron Jones went Super Saiyan while those hoping for a big D’Andre Swift or Jamaal Williams game to help them win their fantasy football weeks were left disappointed.
Here are the biggest takeaways fantasy managers should draw from the final NFL game of Week 2.
The Packers Stars Are Who We Thought They Were
Week 1 was a nightmare scenario for anyone who invested heavily in the Packers offense and I for one didn’t think it was a fluke. After all, Aaron Rodgers had spent all off-season not playing football and more or less ensuring he had an out to leave the team at his earliest confidence. So when he came out and looked rusty as hell against the New Orleans Saints, I wasn’t surprised and bought into the panic.
Well, panic for not as the offense looked its usual self against the Lions. Rodgers threw for 225 yards and 4 touchdowns with 121 of those yards going to his most favorite receiver Davante Adams. Jones was a menace both on the ground and through the air, totaling 115 yards and 4 touchdowns. Those three stars looked every bit the elite fantasy player you drafted them as.
aaron rodgers good lord pic.twitter.com/2tlaJLktoe
— pete astronaut aboard the pitts-8 rocket rogers (@petemrogers) September 21, 2021
If you’re still holding onto either Randall Cobb or A.J. Dillon thinking they will have some small, niche fantasy value this year, it’s time to think again. Cobb played only 12 snaps Monday night and was targeted 3 times for 3 catches and 26 yards. Dillon meanwhile, does not seem to have the same standalone fantasy value that Jamaal Williams did last year with the Packers. Dillon only saw 19 snaps and 5 carries. When the game was out of hand, it was Kylin Hill running the ball, not Dillon.
Related: Week 2 Recap: Biggest Takeaways From Every NFL Game
Don’t Panic About The Lions’ Backfield
After Week 1 when both Swift and Williams finished RB1s, expectations were high for the Lions’ two-headed backfield heading into Monday night. Unfortunately, both feel well short of expectations. Swift only racked up 37 yards on 8 carries and saw his passing game work drop significantly, just seeing 5 targets for 41 yards on 4 catches. Williams was even less productive with 25 yards on 7 carries and catching all 3 of his targets for 12 yards.
While the counting stats aren’t great, it’s encouraging to still see double-digit touches for both backs. Swift was Jared Goff’s go-to target towards the end of the game when the Lions were moving the ball in garbage time. Stats are stats no matter when in the game they come, so we love to see Swift being the apple of Goff’s eye when the Lions are down big (which they will likely be often). Williams is a great buy-low candidate as he seems to have a 10+ touch floor and saw just slightly fewer snaps than Swift which is a good recipe for fantasy success.
Also, Quintez Cephus followed up a Week 1 which he was targets six times and caught a touchdown with a game in which he was targeted seven times a caught a touchdown. Against the Packers, with Tyrell Williams sidelined, Cephus caught 4-of-7 targets for 63 yards and a beautiful toe-tapping touchdown to start the game. Only T.J. Hockenson finished with more yards and more targets than Cephus. He’s not a bad speculative add in deep leagues, especially if Williams misses more time.