Injuries can create one of the biggest edges in fantasy football. When a star is ruled out, the touches don’t disappear; they get redistributed. For Week 2 of the NFL season, there are already some impactful injuries, so here is what they mean for fantasy football and the players who benefit the most in FanDrill drafts using Smart Variations.
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#1 Joe Burrow (QB – CIN)
Joe Burrow has a lengthy injury history. He is currently dealing with back tightness and is questionable for Sunday’s game in Houston.
It was already a tough matchup for Burrow, but we all know what he can do against any defense. In a SuperFlex format, quarterback is the most important position to be right about. So here are two players you can replace him with through our Smart Variations feature.
Option A: Patrick Mahomes (QB – KC)
While Patrick Mahomes did not look his best in his return from the ACL tear, there were positive signs. He ran the ball well, including a 15-yard touchdown, against one of the NFL’s best defenses in the Denver Broncos.
I expect him to bounce back through the air against this poor Indianapolis Colts defense. Indianapolis played man coverage between the 20-yard lines at a 61.5% rate, where they allowed 13.4 yards per pass on those plays. Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy have the man-coverage beaters drawn up in the playbook, ready for the Colts.
Patrick Mahomes could have a huge Week 2 against a Colts defense that proved it cannot defend the pass in the opening week of NFL action.
Option B: Jordan Love (QB – GB)
I am all over every Green Bay Packer in Week 2 against the New York Jets. Some people may point to the fact that New York’s defense looked good against the Tennessee Titans, but I think that was more a product of the matchup.
Cam Ward is scaring me right now, as someone who loved him as a prospect, and the Titans’ offensive line is horrible. The Jets’ defense is not good. I went over this more in my previous article, “Stack Attack – NFL Week 2.”
Say what you want about the Packers’ collapse in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, Jordan Love still had 387 yards and two touchdowns. He is a good quarterback whether you want to admit it or not, and he can easily take advantage of this matchup.
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#2 Nico Collins (WR – HOU)
Nico Collins was limited in Wednesday’s practice and was a non-participant on Thursday due to a hamstring injury. I am not a doctor, but it doesn’t look good for his availability on Sunday. So here are two players you can swap him for in Week 2.
Option A: Emeka Egbuka (WR – TB)
Emeka Egbuka has a great matchup against the Cleveland Browns. They allowed Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers, who have similar roles to Egbuka, to score against their defense.
Egbuka’s usage is exactly what fantasy managers have been asking for since last season. He is getting a ton of motion and free releases, which makes any wide receiver’s day easier.
He also had the highest percentage of a team’s air yards at 65.1%. The role is there for Emeka to have a huge day in any given week, but especially against the Browns.
I know the offense did not look amazing against the Bengals, but turnovers are not something that sticks week to week. Baker Mayfield will not fumble the ball three times again.
Going against his former team, he will have that chip on his shoulder, which is when he performs best. In a game where Baker most likely will perform well, he will be looking for his No. 1 target all afternoon.
Option B: Cam Skattebo (RB – NYG)
Cam Skattebo and the New York Giants’ offense looked great against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. Skattebo scored 14 PPR points despite not recording a single target.
Last season, in games where he had a snap share over 50%, he averaged 4.66 targets, so I do not expect him to continue going without targets.
In the first Thursday Night Football game of the season, the Los Angeles Rams let the San Francisco 49ers run rampant on them, allowing 30 carries for 174 yards.
With no Myles Garrett for at least the next four weeks and Aaron Donald being questionable, the matchup is great for Cam.
While the Giants’ offensive coaching staff looked horrible entering the season, we should have expected Matt Nagy and Greg Roman to be able to design a run game. This team can run the ball, and Cam Skattebo will be the main beneficiary.
#3 Chris Olave (WR – NO)
Chris Olave had an amazing game against the Detroit Lions, catching 10 passes for 182 yards. He is Tyler Shough’s favorite target, but he was limited on Thursday after not appearing on the injury report Wednesday.
Option A: DeVonta Smith (WR – PHI)
DeVonta Smith had a disappointing Week 1 for fantasy football, with just three catches for 53 yards. However, the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Titans in Week 2.
DeVonta still led the team in route share (82%) and target share (27%), so the production is coming. The Titans allowed Geno Smith, yes, that Geno Smith, to complete 79% of his passes.
It is not unreasonable to think that Jalen Hurts and Smith can connect early and often in this game, especially with DeVonta Smith now being the team’s X receiver.
Without A.J. Brown in the lineup, Smith averaged a 38% target share and 2.66 yards per route run. I expect his first big game of 2026 in Week 2.
Option B: David Montgomery (RB – HOU)
While the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense looked solid against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, their run defense looked better due to the game script. The volume numbers aren’t there, but the efficiency metrics are, as they allowed Bucky Irving to get 5.6 yards per carry and catch seven passes.
That’s where David Montgomery comes in. He scored three touchdowns against the Buffalo Bills and received 62.5% of the team’s carries in that game. Clearly, Houston wants to run the ball, and Montgomery benefited from that game plan.
With a newly improved offensive line, the Texans’ run game has a chance to be good this year. Against the Bengals, Montgomery has a chance to dominate once again.
Joe Shea is a Fantasy Analyst for FanDrill. Follow him on Instagram @JoeSheaFootball and TikTok @JoeSheaFootball for more fantasy football content.
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