The first week of the season saw a number of solid performances from running backs. In fact, a total of five runners finished in the top 10 in fantasy points on NFL.com.
What a difference a week makes.
There wasn't a single back in the top 10 in Week 2. Clinton Portis was the closest, coming in at No. 11. In fact, quarterbacks ruled the roost. A total of six field generals finished in the top 10, one of which (J.T. O'Sullivan) was a starter in two percent of NFL.com leagues. The other three players came at the wide receiver position, but none of them were named Randy Moss, Reggie Wayne, Braylon Edwards or T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
Instead, Calvin Johnson, Santana Moss and Brandon Marshall posted the most significant numbers. The week also saw some nice performances from rookies, as Darren McFadden, and Jonathan Stewart had nice stat lines. It was also a decent week for backup runners, a sign that the committee is alive and well around the league.
McFadden, Stewart, Ahmad Bradshaw, Darren Sproles and Michael Bush are just a few of the reserves that had more fantasy points than their team's starter.
Here's a look at the five best and worst performances from Week 2:
Studs
Jay Cutler, RB, Denver (38 points): Make no mistake about it, Cutler has arrived and is now an integral part of the fantasy landscape. He threw for 340 yards and tossed four touchdown passes in a controversial win over San Diego. Now he'll get to face a New Orleans defense that is riddled with injuries. He's a must-start option.
Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego (33 points): Cutler isn't the lone quarterback in the AFC West who's making a huge impact. Rivers threw for 377 yards and three scores of his own in Week 2. He now has more passing yards, more touchdowns and more fantasy points than Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Carson Palmer and Ben Roethlisberger.
Anquan Boldin, WR, Arizona (32 points): Boldin might not be thrilled with his current contract (or his team), but fantasy owners were all smiles after his 140-yard, three-touchdown performance against Miami. He does tend to disappear in some weeks, but Boldin is still without question one of the better wide receivers in the NFL.
Kurt Warner, QB, Arizona (32 points): I couldn't have been happier when the Cardinals named Warner their top quarterback, and performances like he had against the Dolphins is the reason. The veteran threw for 361 yards and three touchdowns in the contest and should now be seen as a must-start fantasy option in most formats.
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay (31 points): Brett who? Rodgers has made good on our sleeper expectations after two weeks, and he looked strong in a win over Detroit. He threw for 328 yards with three touchdowns and showed confidence, moxie and some elusiveness in avoiding pass rushers. He faces the Dallas Cowboys this Sunday night.
Other notables:Eli Manning, QB, N.Y. Giants (28 points); Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit (24 points); Santana Moss, WR, Washington (24 points).
Duds
Carson Palmer, QB, Cincinnati (1 point): What has happened to Palmer and the Bengals' offense? He threw for 134 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in a loss to Tennessee and has fewer touchdown passes than Bills punter Brian Moorman after two weeks! Palmer is an enormous risk for Week 3 against the New York Giants.
Ryan Grant, RB, Green Bay (2 points): Grant had a tremendous matchup against the Lions, but it was Brandon Jackson who made the greater fantasy impact. There's still some debate as to whether or not Grant's hamstring should be a real concern, but he's failed to meet the expectations of fantasy football owners after two weeks.
Larry Johnson, RB, Kansas City (2 points): The fact that Johnson failed to do anything against the Oakland Raiders, who he's dominated in recent seasons, is a real eye opener. He faces another great matchup in Week 3 against Atlanta, but can Johnson be trusted with Tyler Thigpen under center? Most owners don't really have a choice.
Randy Moss, WR, New England (2 points): Moss would have had a better stat line in Week 2 had Matt Cassel not thrown a duck on what would have otherwise been a long touchdown. Moss would have scored if Tom Brady was under center, but performances like this will happen more often with Cassel at the helm. Moss faces Miami in Week 3.
LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego (2 points): There might never be a more famous big toe in fantasy football than the one that's hindering Tomlinson. He was limited to 26 yards on 10 carries in a loss to Denver and has now failed to produce in the first two weeks. He has started off slow in past seasons, but this injury is a bit worrisome.
Other notables: Braylon Edwards, WR, Cleveland (2 points); T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, Cincinnati (2 points); Chad Johnson, WR, Cincinnati (3 points).
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