Week 2 of 2025 delivered a wave of fantasy busts across QB, RB, WR and TE, forcing managers to rethink lineups and smartly pivot for Week 3. Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy faltered in prime time, while a host of running backs—Henry, Hall, Charbonnet, Pacheco, Hunt and more—never found their footing. WRs like A.J. Brown, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Drake London cooled after strong openings, and tight ends such as Mark Andrews and T.J. Hockenson offered limited fantasy returns. Bounce-back potential remains for several, but risk has clearly risen across the board.

Rosters should shift toward safer floors and clearer use-cases in Week 3, with attention to upcoming matchups against softer defenses and potential in-game script shifts. The busts spotlight several buy-low windows, particularly at WR and TE, where targets and red-zone usage could swing dramatically with a favorable game plan. Fantasy managers should weigh the rest-of-season trajectory against Week 2 volatility and adjust accordingly.

Overall, Week 2 underscored the value of depth and matchup-fueled decisions. Staying ahead requires identifying hidden Week 3 opportunities among RBs with clearer roles, WRs in jam-friendly offenses, and TEs who still command a red-zone presence despite rough Sundays.

Buffalo heads to MetLife with momentum from a dramatic comeback, chasing a 2-0 start and continued AFC East control. Fantasy angles center on Josh Allen reaching 200 career passing TDs and climbing the Bills’ all-time scrimmage TD ladder, while Keon Coleman aims to maintain 100+ receiving yards in back-to-back games.

Joey Bosa’s pursuit of the NFL Top 100 sacks list adds edge-rush intrigue, as Buffalo seeks pressure on the Jets. With Jets quarterback challenges and Coleman’s growing role, this matchup could hinge on Allen’s efficiency, Coleman’s volume, and whether Buffalo’s defense can constrain the Jets’ offense in a high-leverage Week 2 test.

Jaire Alexander is inactive for the Ravens at Cleveland after a limited week of practice and a rough Week 1 showing against Buffalo, where he allowed a big gain and drew a costly DPI. Ravens coach John Harbaugh emphasized practice time as a key factor in his early-season form and said they’ll give him opportunities to bounce back. New starter Chidobe Awuzie filled in as the No. 3 corner last week. Baltimore also ruled out Keaton Mitchell, Patrick Ricard, Isaiah Likely, Carson Vinson and David Ojabo, with Ricard and Likely out again. Cleveland will be without two-time All-Pro right tackle Jack Conklin, a notable matchup edge for Baltimore’s pass rush. For fantasy, Alexander’s inactivity could tilt pass-game volume toward the Browns’ receivers, while the Ravens’ depth pieces may reshape snap shares on defense and special teams.

Meanwhile, Bills veteran Keon Coleman produced a notable late-game gain against Baltimore the prior week, highlighting the volatility of Ravens secondary depth and the impact of practice time on coverage. This game sets up a ball-control, multi-RB approach for Baltimore if Mitchell is healthy but sits again, leaving the backfield in flux. The confluence of these inactives and practice narratives creates a week-to-week puzzle for fantasy managers in lineups and DFS lineups alike.

Week 2 fantasy lineups hinge on clear roles and favorable matchups. Garrett Wilson should soak up targets against Buffalo, while Travis Etienne Jr. benefits from Tank Bigsby’s trade leaving him with extra touches in Jacksonville. Calvin Ridley’s volume remains solid despite a tougher matchup, and D.J. Moore projects steady targets facing Detroit. Marquise Brown could command looks with Kansas City short on WR depth, creating upside as a viable start in many leagues.

The article also highlights a powerful start/sit tool to compare up to four players, plus a snapshot of popular Week 2 searches. It emphasizes leveraging weekly projections, matchup data, and scoring formats to set optimal lineups for the 2025 season.