Fantasy Football: Streamers to consider in week two

Football is finally back! What a Week 1, full of stars, duds, surprises, and even a few unexpected injuries. But the season is just getting started, and it's time to tweak and repair our rosters to get them ready for championship contention. If you drafted Jordan Love and feel like your season is over, don't panic. You've come to the right place.

This weekly article is designed to give you some streaming options to score as many points as possible from the QB, K, and D/ST positions. If you need more help deciding between two or more players, Andy, Mike and Jason's weekly rankings can be very helpful, as well as the Start/seat tool.

Without further ado, let’s look at some streamers for Week 2.

Quarterbacks

Baker Mayfield – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (42% on roster)

After a very solid 2023 season where he finished in the top 12, Baker Mayfield was once again a side topic in most drafts despite having nearly the same offensive weapons. He finished Week 1 as QB2 after completing 24 of 30 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns. It would be foolish to expect that kind of performance from him every week, but he's very good in favorable matchups. And guess what? This week he has a very exciting matchup against the Detroit Lions, who allowed the third-most fantasy points to QBs last season. This game has the third-highest over/under of the week, so stream Baker with confidence heading into this potential shootout.

Kirk Cousins ​​​​- Atlanta Falcons (53% on roster)

Don't give up on Captain Kirk just yet. Yes, he had a terrible performance in his first start as a Falcon, but he'll have a chance to rebound this week in a tough but tantalizing matchup against the Eagles. Philly has allowed the second-most fantasy points to the QB position in 2023, and in Week 1 they let Jordan Love throw the ball around before he got hurt. It might take some guts, but Kirk Cousins ​​can be streamed this week.

Matthew Stafford – Los Angeles Rams (60% roster)

Another relatively available streamer with a great Week 2 matchup is Matthew Stafford. He opened the season with a 300-yard record and reminded us what he can do with a healthy Cooper Kupp. He won't have his other elite wideout, Puka Nacua, on the injured list after suffering a knee injury last Sunday. But he has a great divisional matchup against the Cardinals, who allowed an average of over 19 fantasy points to QBs last season and have an improved offense capable of keeping up with the score like they did against the Bills last week.

Kickers

Jake Bates – Detroit Lions (13% on roster)

It's too early to tell, but Jake Bates could be this season's Brandon Aubrey. A little-known rookie kicker with a very accurate leg who plays on a high-scoring team. And as a bonus, he'll play all of his home games under a dome. He began his NFL career with a perfect record and converted every opportunity he had (two field goals and two extra points). The Lions are 6.5-point favorites against the Bucs in what is expected to be the third-highest scoring game of the week, so he has a chance to continue his good streak. Get him before your league mates hear about him.

Matt Prater – Arizona Cardinals (2% on roster)

I know it's hard to picture the Cardinals as a high-scoring team. But they almost beat the Bills in Week 1 and now face the Rams in a game that should again produce high points. The Vegas line is at 49.5 and the Cardinals are only 1.5 points behind. Matt Prater was perfect in Week 1, converting two field goals and two extra points. This offense will continue as long as Kyler Murray stays healthy, and Prater should get plenty of opportunities this week.

Joshua Karty – Los Angeles Rams (3% in the squad)

On the other side of the ball in the same potential shootout, Rams kicker Joshua Karty is another interesting rookie to watch this season. He also made two field goals and two PATs in Week 1 against Detroit and appears to be the answer to one of the Rams' biggest problems coming into 2023. It looks like they've finally found a reliable kicker who will have a chance to continue to prove himself this week against the Cardinals.

Cairo Santos – Chicago Bears (15% of squad)

Last week, Cairo Santos scored nearly half of his team's points and took advantage of all of his opportunities. You may not remember this, but last season Santos finished the season as K4 in fantasy football and even if Caleb Williams needs some time to get a handle on that offense, the Bears should be much better at moving the ball this season and giving their kicker enough opportunities to shine. This week they play the Texans in a game with a decent over/under of 46.5, making Cairo Santos a solid streaming player.

Defense and special teams

Los Angeles Chargers (8% on roster)

The key to outplaying defenses is targeting poor quarterback play, and it appears the target team this season — at least for now — is the same as it will be in 2023: the Carolina Panthers. Bryce Young had a rough start to the season, and it's clear the team is still rebuilding. The young QB completed just 13 of 30 passes and threw two interceptions. Dave Canales still has a lot of work to do, but for now, having the Chargers DST against the Panthers in a game with an over/under of 39.5 is a smart move.

Washington Commanders (18% of roster)

If we're talking about offenses with weak QB play, we have to have DST play Daniel Jones. After he looked awful in Week 1, throwing two interceptions, the Giants have confirmed that he will remain the starter, and that's good news for the DST streaming crowd. The Washington Commanders couldn't keep Baker Mayfield in check in Week 1, but keeping Danny Dimes in check should be a much easier task in a Washington game that's expected to produce few points.

Seattle Seahawks (54% on roster)

Not as available as the other options on this list, but the Seahawks' DST did a very good job last week against the Broncos. If they're available in your league, consider streaming them this week against New England. The Pats were better than expected offensively last week against the Bengals, but last season they were in the top 3 in points allowed for that position. This game has the lowest expected point total of the week, so the Seahawks' DST should even have a safe floor.

Indianapolis Colts (3% on roster)

Lastly, the Indianapolis Colts could also be playing against a below-average quarterback this week when they face the Green Bay Packers. Jordan Love will be out for several weeks and Malik Willis will be a backup at least this week. Willis has not been good when he has had the chance to play in the NFL. In 12 games, he has never thrown a touchdown and has already been sacked 15 times. The Colts should be able to take advantage of the situation here.