We’ve only had two full weeks of N.F.L. football, but that is enough to indicate which players might be on the rise in terms of fantasy value. Here are four names to have on your radar moving forward.
Javonte Williams – RB – DAL
Javonte Williams is struggling on the ground, but his receiving profile is promising. He is 11th at running back in targets, catching eighth of nine looks from Dak Prescott. Williams consistently beats coverage, and his top-10 ranking among running backs in yards after the catch highlights his explosiveness as a pass catcher. This makes for a soaring fantasy trajectory when his rushing gets up to speed.
Matthew Golden- WR – GB
Matthew Golden is the clear No. 2 receiver in Green Bay with Jayden Reed suffering a potentially season-ending neck injury in Week 2. After two weeks, Golden ranked fifth among receivers in yards after the catch, 13th in receiving yardage, and was tied for fourth in targets. He followed that up by catching 5 of 12 targets for 100 yards and a touchdown last night against the Falcons. As a deep specialist, longer touchdowns are on the table for Golden, which could drive a spike in his fantasy value.
Dontayvion Wicks – WR – PHI
Dontayvion Wicks is generating chunk plays for an Eagles offense running low on pass catchers with a struggling running game. He is a top-5 receiver in deep target rate and yards per reception through two games. Jalen Hurts carries a passer rating of 145.8, targeting Wicks on the season. The tape won’t lie to his coaching staff as they plan moving forward.
Chuba Hubbard – RB – CAR
Chuba Hubbard is showing two-way value to start the year. He has effectively moved the chains on the ground while running the fifth-most routes among all running backs. Hubbard’s importance to the Carolina offense is growing rapidly with Jonathon Brooks headed to injured reserve. He is one of four running backs in the top 15 in both yards per carry and average separation on his routes.