Welcome to Week 2, ladies and gentlemen! So that means it’s time for another Thursday night football fantasy preview. While reading this, I hope you got a win in your fantasy leagues in Week 1. Some explosive games could have easily changed the tide of your fantasy week, depending on who you have on your roster. But now it’s time to get back on the horse as we step into a new week of fantasy football. Week 2 is getting underway with the Buffalo Bills vs. the Detroit Lions. Both teams got wins in Week 1, with the Bills going to the wire against the Houston Texans. The Bills got out of Week 1 with a five-point win. The Lions also had a close game with the New Orleans Saints, eking out a one-point win in overtime.
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Thursday Night Football Fantasy Preview
With the Bills and Lions facing off in Week 2, it’s to see what players should be in your lineups. And no, we won’t be covering the big timers from both teams. Josh Allen from the Bills and Jahmyr Gibbs from the Lions are locks. You likely paid a pretty penny to get them on your rosters, so you won’t be removing them from your lineups.
Buffalo Bills
One person who will see more action in fantasy lineups this week is WR1 DJ Moore. Moore was great in his first game with his new team, posting a 5/100/1 stat line against a tough Texans defense. Moore made it look easy, seeing eight targets throughout the contest for a 27.6% target share. Moore needs to be in your lineup for Thursday night. The Lions’ defense gave up the most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers in Week 1, nearly 59 fantasy points!
If you are desperate at wide receiver, another person who might have a chance for some fantasy production is Khalil Shakir. Shakir finished second on the Bills in targets (6), and still seems to have a place with Josh Allen. If you’re looking for a viable flex option, Shakir might be the way to go. Tight end Dalton Kincaid and running back James Cook should also be in your lineups. Cook should not be on the bench this week.
Cook will be looking to bounce back this week after a subpar performance against the Texans in Week 1. Cook went 13 for 57 yards on the ground and added another three catches for 14 yards, finishing with just 9.9 fantasy points. The Lions gave up 25 fantasy points in Week 1 on the ground, and 80 yards and a touchdown against the Saints. Kincaid balled out in Week 1, finishing as the TE5 with 18 fantasy points. Another weakness the Lions have to account for is that they surrendered the second-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends, with 27 fantasy points.
Check out all of our Week 2 Rankings: Flex Rankings | QB Rankings | RB Rankings | WR Rankings | TE Rankings | MOP Rankings
Detroit Lions
One thing I want to point out is the changes the Lions’ offense has gone through. One player who saw a difference was wide receiver Jameson Williams. Williams saw nine targets against the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, which was fantastic to see. Though he only finished with 45 yards on four catches, the volume was nice to see. Williams’ involvement in the Lions’ offense, coupled with his dynamic playing style, makes him a viable starting option against the Buffalo Bills. The Bills were also bleeding fantasy points in Week 1, allowing the ninth-most fantasy points in their game against the Houston Texans. Of course, you are also starting Amon-Ra St. Brown. That goes without question, and I don’t think I need to break down why you should have him in your roster for this game. Or again, Jahmyr Gibbs, right?
Tight end Sam LaPorta is also another player who could be in line for a good game against a weak Bills defense. The Bills allowed the 13th-most fantasy points to tight ends, at 14.4 fantasy points. In Week 1, LaPorta tied for second among all tight ends in targets with eight. Though he didn’t find the end zone in Week 1, his strong target share allows score a touchdown sooner rather than later. If you are looking for a quarterback to start, Jared Goff is also an option. The Bills didn’t do themselves any favors when they went up against CJ Stroud. While the fantasy points don’t jump off the page, his stat line does. Both Goff and Stroud had similar numbers when you compare their statistics.
Goff finished throwing just over 200 yards and two touchdowns for a 16.4 fantasy-point performance in Week 1. The Bills present another opportunity to improve, as they allowed the 13th-most fantasy points to quarterbacks.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 2 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!
Final Thoughts
This game is giving off vibes that it could be another scoreboard scorcher. The Bills and Lions defenses are both giving up fantasy points to multiple positions. With the Bills and Lions sporting serious firepower at the skill positions, this game could come down to who has the ball last. Both teams are comparable in star fantasy power, even if you don’t want to put DJ Moore in the same class as Amon-Ra St. Brown. There are a lot of fantasy options for a Thursday night game, so you have some decisions to make. And that’s from both teams. We can only hope for another shootout performance, as both teams’ defenses lack a strong foundation to make consistent stops.
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