Fantasy Football Whiplash! | Week 2 Injuries, Notes, Waivers

by Samwise · Featured
fantasy football whiplash injuries

Welcome to “Fantasy Whiplash!” where I’ll floor it around the turns each Tuesday with the fantasy football news and injuries that affect your team and league.

This weekly series will include a little bit of everything: Waiver mentions, news & notes on upcoming games, gambling lines that may influence your lineup, and even some notable starts/sits. Being that it is early in the 2025 season, you’ll find this to be an abbreviated version compared to “Fantasy Whiplash!” in the past. Never fear, dear reader. The information comes in a long-winded stream of consciousness rivaled only by the YouTube show of the same name.

Above all, the aim is to keep you informed about all the latest noteworthy developments in the NFL and how they impact you, the manager. This may include trending thoughts by industry analysts on Twitter/X and my takes on certain subjects. The aim is to benefit everyone, from the casual fan to the accomplished veteran.

Get it? Good. Let’s keep the stream of consciousness flowing and become a go-to stop as you embark on another week.

Pedal to the metal, let’s ride.

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Fantasy Football News

From Start To Finish?

What a start to the 2025 campaign! Right off the bat, Jalen Carter started the fireworks in salivating fashion. In a move that both Cosmo Kramer and Haliey Welch would envy, Carter welcomed Dak Prescott to the City of Brotherly Love

Of course — because we all hate instant replay unless it’s satisfying our salaciousness — UPON FURTHER REVIEW, fans deemed it was, in fact, Prescott who did the initial hocking of the loog. Nevertheless, the opening night game continued with more heated exchanges until the defending Super Bowl Champions emerged victorious with a 24-20 victory over a bitter rival.

Gone In 240 Seconds

On Sunday Night Football, the Baltimore Ravens had the Bills on the ropes as Lamar Jackson wanted to show Josh Allen just what he thought of the latter taking home the MVP last season. All was going fine (Baltimore was up 15), and Buffalo got to work. Next thing you know, the lead was eight. On the ensuing possession, Derrick Henry (169 yards, two touchdowns on 9.4 YPC) soiled the field in the form of a fumble with 3:15 remaining in the game, and the Bills fell on the ball.

The Bills scored another touchdown but failed on a two-point conversion. Inexplicably, Baltimore punted the ball away with time on the clock, and everyone knew what was coming. A few quick passes from the MVP to move Buffalo down the field before fill-in kicker Matt Prater kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired.

One of the best NFL games in recent memory … unless you’re a fan of soft-shell crab. The Bills will face the 0-1 New York Jets of New Jersey (Central Park adjacent) in Week 2, while the Ravens host the hapless Cleveland Browns (0-1) in an AFC North “showdown.” Must-see TV.

How to Suppress the Opposition

Perhaps there is no more “McCarthyism” in 2025. To that, I refer to the Monday Night Football affair between the Vikings and Bears in an NFC North tilt at Soldier Field. After all, first-time starter J.J. McCarthy was held down by a merciless bully in the form of the Chicago defense for much of the game. With half of the third quarter having wound down, Minnesota had accounted for just 77 yards of total offense and trailed 17-6.

Young McCarthy ran a vicious smear campaign directed at head coach Ben Johnson, quarterback Caleb Williams, and the Chicago defense. McCarthy to Justin Jefferson: Touchdown. McCarthy to Aaron Jones: Touchdown. “Crazylegs” McCarthy: Rushing touchdown. The Bears scored once more on a Williams pass in the end zone to Rome Odunze at the two-minute mark, but the damage was done. The Vikings boarded their longships and headed back to the Twin Cities 1-0. Next week, they will host the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

Fantasy Football Injury Watch

Quarterbacks

  • Brock Purdy (SFO) is questionable for Sunday with shoulder and toe injuries. If he is unable to suit up, the job belongs to (wait for it) Michael McCorkle Mac Jones. If you are going to add him in a pinch, good luck with that.

Running Backs

  • Somehow, we don’t have any major running back injuries to report from the first week of the season.

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

  • George Kittle (SFO) has been placed on the IR with a hamstring injury suffered on Sunday. He must miss the next four games and has a three-to-five week estimate to return to practice. Kittle’s backup, 27-year-old Luke Farrell, is a fantasy non-factor.
  • Brock Bowers (LVR) exited Sunday’s game due to an apparent knee injury. Because he’s a big, strong football player, he says he’s “fine.” Still worth monitoring this week’s injury report in case he pops up. If he misses time, Michael Mayer is immediately in the conversation of a must-have. Managers with larger benches can even stash him now, just in case.
  • Evan Engram (DEN) left Sunday’s game before its completion. If he is sidelined, Adam Trautman would get the bulk of the snaps, but he is virtually fantasy irrelevant.

Walking the Waiver Wire

Several injury replacements and depth chart shakeups are listed above. If you don’t care for the selection, may I point you to aisle two for your shopping pleasure?

Quarterback

Jaxson Dart, New York Giants: There are likely several quarterback candidates on waivers if you need them. Daniel Jones sticks out as the most obvious after his Week 1 performance and a short-yardage game that suits his style. Here, however, is a recommendation if you have a slot on your bench that can be filled. “Sources” in the Giants’ organization went so far as to say Dart could start this week. That’s unlikely, but it may be a harbinger of things to come. Dart looked every bit the part in the preseason and could give fantasy teams with a lame-duck quarterback a shot in the arm.

Running Back

Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals: For those who missed the boat, Benson has forced a timeshare with veteran James Conner in Arizona. He should be treated the way Jordan Mason (MIN) has been all offseason. He’s more than a handcuff, and the likelihood of Conner surviving a full season injury-free again is somewhere between slim and none.

Wide Receiver

Marquise Brown, Kansas City Chiefs: 16 targets is no laughing matter, especially when the “funslinger” is Patrick Mahomes. Brown has a real opportunity to dwarf the 99-yard output from Week 1 going forward, just on sheer volume alone. That is, as long as his feet hold out.

Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers: No longer the butt of every joke, Johnston has proven his worth to Jim Harbaugh. The receiver has been running with the ones all summer, and that role did not change one bit when the Chargers brought back Keenan Allen. He had eight TDs a year ago and is off to a great start with two in Week 1.

Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns: Ever since the trade of Amari Cooper in 2024, Tillman has out-targeted Jerry Jeudy on five separate occasions. Tillman tied for the lead in targets on Sunday, walking away with just over 50 yards and a trip to the promised land. As long as Joe Flacco is the starting quarterback for the Browns, the receiver will hold his role as a plug-and-play bench flex option, but he is unlikely to be a lineup stalwart. He should be at the bottom of your priority list.

Calvin Austin III, Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers have a No. 2 wide receiver; that much is clear. Austin played 80% of Pittsburgh’s snaps in Week 1 and ran a route on 96.9% of passing plays. 70 yards and a dance in paydirt on a 20% target share is enough to turn heads. Like Tillman, Austin is a plug-and-play flex candidate, but being tied to a future HOF quarterback this season means you’re more likely to be “plugging him in” than not.

Tight End

Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints: Again, there is a collection of tight ends that all fit in the same category of opportunity: Brenton Strange, Noah Fant, Mason Taylor, and Harold Fannin Jr. But Johnson is head and shoulders above the pack and is dying to be prioritized. In Week 1, he finished behind only Olave in New Orleans targets. Johnson was given a nifty three-year extension worth nearly $10 million per year before the season. He now finds himself in a situation with two inexperienced QBs on the roster. If you need an upgrade or injury replacement, he should be atop the TE wishlist.

More “Whiplash!” to Come

Next Tuesday, I’ll be back with some more tangible information like quick hits, starts/sits, and waiver claims. Will Week 2 performances be season-long indicators that Week 1 did not deliver? I’ll see you back next Tuesday for all your fantasy football news needs.

Start your studs, trust your drafts, talk some smack, and get your popcorn ready. It’s time for Week 2 of the fantasy football season.

Be sure to check us out on “Fantasy Whiplash!” wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube at 9 p.m. EST every Tuesday night! It’s a completely different show from the hum-drum same-old!

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