Decisive action.
It is an increasingly encouraged manner of being, conveying confidence and effectiveness. We want leaders who are willing, in the face of chaos and uncertainty, to behave swiftly and without unnecessary pause. No more waffling about details or missing information. The edict is to act now because if we don't, then what does it say about our instincts and the trust we have in them?
Gone are the days of mulling and hand-wringing. Best to forge ahead at all costs. Evolution may be a process but who has time for long-held scientific theories when there are conclusions to which to jump? Monitoring situations and allowing patterns to develop seem like hallmarks of a vintage era that included rocking chairs and lemonade sipping. We have never had so much information both at our fingertips and blared at our beings.
Surely with so many facts we should be able to isolate a single feeling that propels us forward. Or at least sideways. Maybe backward? No matter. Because movement of any kind is better than sitting still. Wading in the unknown is useless. It's uncomfortable and, well, weak. And nobody has time to be anything other than occupied ... except with our thoughts. Those can be complex and problematic. Definitely don't allow space for parsing those. It's simply not efficient.
Or is the constant churn depleting our reserves and forcing us to ends without means? What if we added a dash of patience to the equation? Tweaked the algorithm so that processing and speed weren't diametrically opposed. Admitted that not knowing is one thousand percent annoying and also an essential part of decision-making. Copping to the truth of indecision doesn't make us dumb. It forces us to pause and review before further mucking up an already messy situation.
I don't know what I want to eat for dinner tonight. I'm not sure my best friend should forgive her brother for an uncharacteristic (but truly hurtful) gaffe. And the jury is still out on my daughter's new soccer coach. I'm going to need more time and data before advising on any of the above.
Similarly, I am legitimately concerned about my shares of Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton ... but not, yet, to the point of full-blown panic. I'm also superfrustrated by Trevor Lawrence's inability to connect with Brian Thomas Jr., though I'm hopeful Liam Coen can salvage the situation. And I'd be lying if I told you that I was resolute in my approach to the Packers' wide receiving corps.
It is OK to acknowledge that we don't know everything. And that some situations (at least at the present moment) are too nuanced or complicated to inspire a clear-cut choice. We have to dwell in the dwelling. As much as that stinks. While plenty of room for error remains, better to be resolved than rash.
Daniel Jones, QB, Indianapolis Colts: There existed understandable uncertainty around Jones, given numerous years of underwhelming play. What a pleasant surprise, then, to witness his improbable (and still young) rebound. The former Giant has stunned as fantasy's QB2 in back-to-back efforts. His 29 fantasy points versus a lousy Dolphins D could be explained away, but his nearly 23 fantasy points versus Denver -- a defense that had held starting QBs to 14.9 FPPG since the start of last season -- demands respect.
Jones isn't remaining efficient only through the air, with a top-six positional completion percentage (71.4%). Additionally, he is padding stats with his legs. In fact, Jones has recorded four rushes inside the 5-yard line, which is the second most among signal-callers over the last two weeks (Josh Allen has registered five, and Jalen Hurts has logged three). That further buoys Jones' stock, even as the 3.5-point favorite versus Tennessee. Consider Jones a top-12 fantasy QB in a week rife with injuries at the position.
Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams: While progress is preferred, regression is also a trend fantasy managers need to track. Williams has been a top-10 fantasy producer at the position over his past pair of campaigns. Sensibly, he entered this season in the RB1 conversation. Over two weeks, however, he has fallen outside of the top 18 fantasy backs, averaging 11.9 fantasy points per game (RB21). While the 25-year-old has touched the ball 19 times in back-to-back outings, he's been far from efficient, averaging under 4.0 YPC in each contest. That's concerning, particularly when noting that his efficiency was down from 5.0 YPC in 2023 to 4.1 YPC in 2024.
Furthermore, Blake Corum has looked fresh and increasingly more involved. In fact, the former Wolverine's snap count has gone up since Week 1.
Week 1: Williams 81% snaps, Corum 18% snaps
Week 2: Williams 70% snaps, Corum 31% snaps
Sean McVay's postgame comments punctuated the numbers, as he said that the RB split was "much more in alignment" with how he envisioned the backfield looking. Moreover, Williams isn't a priority given how well the passing game has been humming. The aerial attack figures to be in full swing again this weekend, as the Rams are 3.5-point underdogs at Philly on Sunday. Without guaranteed volume and in light of waning efficiency, Williams needs to be downgraded and treated more like an RB2 (in the RB15-ish range) heading into Week 3.
Javonte Williams, RB, Dallas Cowboys: Williams might not possess the same level of tackle-busting burst that he did back in 2021, but the vet appears resurgent on his new squad. The 25-year-old has averaged an impressive 2.6 yards after contact (RB8), proving there's still juice in those legs. In turn, Brian Schottenheimer has entrusted the bulk of the Boys' backfield to Williams, who has recorded 33 carries (RB10) and drawn nine looks (RB9) since the start of the season. Interestingly, the only other players to clear 30 totes and nine targets have been Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson and Bucky Irving.
There was discussion about Williams fading over time or potentially losing touches to Miles Sanders or fifth-round rookie Jaydon Blue. But so far, so good. Blue has yet to suit up, and Sanders has logged a snap share of 19%, as opposed to Williams' 75% (RB10). As improbable as it might seem, virtual investors are wise to ride the wave while it's cresting. Williams is the ESPN consensus-ranked RB15 heading into a road match against a Bears run defense that has allowed the sixth-most rushing yards on the season.
Jameson Williams, WR, Detroit Lions: John Morton heard critics calling his offense "vanilla" after Week 1 and, fittingly, hung the MJ meme on Chicago in Week 2. While Williams was present for both outings, his presence was felt much more this past Sunday. The explosive wideout registered two grabs for 108 yards and a score on four targets versus the Bears, after posting a 4-23-0 stat line on five targets at Green Bay. This fluctuation suggests that the JMO Coaster is back in operation.
There was belief that Williams' skill set had broadened in 2024 and would become less "boom or bust" in 2025. Two games in, however, that doesn't appear to be the case. A deep threat with blazing speed, JMO has thrived as more of an aDOT king than a volume prince.
At this point, it seems fair to assume that he'll remain a high variant player, which makes his usage tricky for fantasy managers. But maybe not this week. The Lions are set to travel to Baltimore on Monday night for what is expected to be an awesomely high-flying affair, given the projected total of 52.5 points. With Detroit a 4.5-point underdog, it's likely Williams' ceiling will be an integral part of Morton's game plan. As such, he should be considered a high-upside flex in the WR30 range heading into Week 3.
Xavier Legette, WR, Carolina Panthers: Legette emerged as a trendy sleeper pick over the final weeks of August. There was optimism (by myself included) that the second-year player could extend his dynamic athletic profile into consistent production, especially given the absences of Jalen Coker and Adam Thielen. Over two efforts, however, the 24-year-old has converted just 4 of 15 looks for 8 receiving yards.
For context, Bryce Young has thrown the ball 90 times since the season opener! In Week 2, only eight of Young's 55(!!!) pass attempts went Legette's way. The second-year receiver caught a single ball for minus-2 yards Sunday. Interestingly, no wide receiver had managed negative receiving yards on eight or more targets over the past 25 years. So, yeah, his production is historically bad.
With Hunter Renfrow and Ja'Tavion Sanders more effectively folded into the offense, Legette isn't worth waiting on, even as a bye-week flex option. Feel free to cut bait and move along.
Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars: I don't mean this as a flex, but it's pretty awesome to be on a first name basis with Adam Schefter. He is a fount of information, intelligence and generosity. So when he offers to share a nugget of advice, the whole room gets quiet and listens, as we did Sunday morning during "Fantasy Football Now," when Adam suggested that Tuten's role was expected to grow. Not surprisingly, Schefty was correct. With Tank Bigsby off the roster, Tuten worked as Travis Etienne's clear backup, handling 26% of the backfield snaps in Week 2.
Week 1: Etienne 62%, Tuten 6%, LeQuint Allen 14%
Week 2: Etienne 66%, Tuten 26%, Allen 16%
Tuten acquitted himself well in his increased role, averaging 4.8 YPC and a splendid 3.2 yards after contact. He was also involved in the passing game, converting each of his targets for two grabs, 32 receiving yards and a dynamic red zone score. While Etienne remains the incumbent, Tuten has the quicks (4.32) and athletic profile to push for more touches. Investors will want to monitor this timeshare, even more so if Tuten makes noise versus a Texans defense that's coming off a short week.
Evan Engram, TE, Denver Broncos: Exercising patience is a prudent practice. But sometimes you just gotta cut bait. The tight end position is way too volatile to waste time hoping that a dud can morph into a star. It's undoubtedly tough to release a player whose situation appeared prime for production ... but not if the math doesn't math.
Engram has been nearly invisible since the start of September. The former Ole Miss standout has drawn just six total targets through two games while recording an average depth of target of 3.33 yards. In addition, he's been outsnapped by Adam Trautman, who has logged 61% of the team's snaps, compared with Engram's 37% (and Lucas Krull's 23%). While Engram has run 13 more routes than Trautman, his 34 routes run ranks 33rd at the position.
It is worth mentioning that Engram dealt with a calf injury in Week 1. So that might have been a factor in his lackluster 2025 start. Still, the emergence of Troy Franklin figures to compromise Engram's volume, making the tight end unstartable until he either returns to full health and/or draws an actionable number of looks. With so few options available, managers are in a tight spot. However, Isaiah Likely could be a desperation stream. Likely is expected to return from injury and could get some run (especially when noting Mark Andrews' underwhelming involvement) in what's expected to be a high-scoring affair (52.5) versus Detroit on Monday night.
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