Last week in this space I told you to watch Anthony Richardson, Deshaun Watson, Jordan Love, Kenny Pickett, and Sam Howell. I did, and I came away pleasantly surprised that Richardson is ahead of where I expected him to be as a passer and slightly concerned that Watson still doesn't look all the way back. Neither moved in my most recent QB rankings update, but that's at least partially because I was already higher on Richardson and lower on Watson than the field.
I'm not sure we learned much of anything about the other trio. Sure, Love had great numbers but how much of that was Aaron Jones' magic and the Bears still-terrible defense? Pickett looked as bad as Love looked good, but what did we expect against Nick Bosa and the 49ers? Howell was a mixed bag, we'll keep watching those guys.
This week we're focusing on the biggest risers from Week 1, can they keep it up?
Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Was: WR72
Is: WR52
Everyone is talking about Nacua, and for good reason. It was one of the best debuts we have ever seen in the NFL. This week we find out if he's a must-start wide receiver until Cooper Kupp returns. The 49ers offer a stiff test, but it's easier to pass against them than it is to run, so the opportunity should be there for Nacua. If he tops 100 yards again, he'll keep rising. But I won't penalize him if he falls flat against a great defense.
Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams
Was: RB52
Is: RB33
I have very little in the way of expectations for Williams against San Francisco. What I am more interested in is his usage. He looked like the clear No. 1 back for the Rams for a stretch in Week 1, but Sean McVay has fooled us with his weekly running back usage in the past. Even if he's terribly inefficient, Williams will keep rising if he has more touches than Akers this week.
Tyler Allgeier, RB, Atlanta Falcons
Was: RB54
Is: RB34
While Williams was a surprise, it was a complete shock that Allgeier saw more carries than Bijan Robinson. As good as he was (in Week 1 and 2022) I am not so sure Allgeier loses touches in the near future. If the Falcons beat the Packers and Allgeier tops 15 carries then we should legitimately start thinking about this as a backfield with two Fantasy starters.
Justice Hill, RB, Baltimore Ravens
Was: RB101
Is: RB62
As you can see from the rankings, I am not, nor have I ever been, super excited about Justice Hill. But I am slightly more excited for him than I am Gus Edwards. That's because he looks to be both the passing downs back and the short yardage back. Does that continue into Week 2? Does Melvin Gordon further complicate the committee?
Zach Wilson, QB, New York Jets
Was: QB36
Is: QB27
Ugh, do we have to? For Superflex purposes, yes. Absolutely. In one-QB leagues, he's still a watch because of how he impacts Garrett Wilson. There is a significant chance that Wilson improved in the last nine months. He's still just 24 years old. That being said, he won't be good In Week 2. He's playing the Cowboys. Can he at least be better than Daniel Jones was in Week 1? Can he show us any reason for hope?
Also, you can head over to Sportsline to find my complete Dynasty Trade Chart with values for both Superflex and one-QB leagues. These will be updated once a week on Wednesday nights throughout the season and are based on 12-team PPR leagues where you start two running backs, three receivers, and a tight end. The values assigned to the players factor in a combination of current year projection, age, and my perception of the player's upside and risk. There is also a factor for replacement cost at a given position. You can find the Dynasty Trade Charts here.
