Breakout/Fakeout Week 3: 2nd-Year WRs Put League On Notice

Week 2 brought a slew of great fantasy performances. In this version of breakout/fakeout, a trio of Year 2 wide receivers took steps to solidify themselves as top fantasy options moving forward.

Breakouts

Curtis Samuel (WAS)

Curtis Samuel breakout season is finally here. The six-year pro has 15 catches for 133 yards and two touchdowns in the first two games. In Week 2, Samuel led the team with eight targets. He had seven catches for 78 yards and a touchdown. Samuel also played the second-most snaps to Jahan Dotson and ran the third-most routes after Dotson and Terry Mclaurin.

The Commanders are expected to trail in a lot of games this season so Carson Wentz will be throwing the ball a ton. Samuel has solidified himself as one of the top options in the offense. Health seems like the only thing that can stop Samuel from besting his 2020 season when he finished with a 77-851-3 line.

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Jaylen Waddle (MIA)

One of the biggest fantasy surprises through two games is Dolphins’ quarterback Tua Tagovailoa leading the NFL in passing yards. Tagovailoa led a Week 2 comeback against the Baltimore Ravens with 469 yards and six touchdowns.

In that game, Waddle saw 19 targets… 19! He turned it into 171 yards and two touchdowns against Baltimore. One big concern in the offseason was could the offense produce enough volume to sustain two very productive receivers in Waddle and Tyreek Hill and so far, it has. Waddle and Hill are the WR3 and WR4 in fantasy scoring through the first two weeks, according to FantasyPros.

The running game isn’t as effective as Miami head coach Mike McDaniel would hope so far, which means more passing attempts. If Tua keeps slinging it as he has, Waddle will easily return greater value than where he was drafted.

Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET)

Another second-year wide receiver that has gotten out of the gates quickly is Detroit’s St. Brown. He’s proven he is for real in the first two games. St. Brown is showing us that his run to close the 2021 season was not a fluke.

St. Brown had nine receptions for 116 yards and two touchdowns on 12 targets against the Commanders in Week 2. T.J. Hockenson was next on the team with seven targets.

St. Brown is WR2 on the year behind Stefon Diggs. He’s hauled in 17 catches for 180 yards and three touchdowns this season. Similar to the Commanders, the Lions will be trailing in several games this season and will have to throw to chase points. St. Brown has commanded a 33.8 percent target share in the first two weeks and easily established himself as the go-to option in the receiving corps.

Rashod Bateman (BAL)

Bateman only has six receptions so far this season, but his big-play ability has been on display. He caught a 55-yard touchdown pass from Lamar Jackson in Week 1 before he took a slant 75 yards for a score in Week 2.

Bateman has a 20.7 percent target share and is the clear No. 1 wide receiver on a team that has struggled to run the ball without J.K. Dobbins. Dobbins is expected back soon but he shouldn’t be given a full workload right away. Baltimore should still rely on the passing game a little more and that starts with Mark Andrews and Bateman.

Fakeouts

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Michael Carter (NYJ)

Michael Carter has been productive in two games but barring injuries, he won’t be the clear-cut No. 1 running back in the offense. He played 22 more snaps than rookie Breece Hall but he only had four more touches than Hall (12-8).

Hall finished with more rushing yards (50-23) and Hall’s reception was a 10-yard touchdown. Ty Johnson also played and saw three targets. The rookie is viewed as the most talented running back in the room but in a three-headed committee, Carter is not expected to reach his potential.

Noah Brown (DAL)

Sometimes there are players where the targets, route participation, and snaps are there, but you just don’t believe in them. That’s where I am with Noah Brown.

The fifth-year pro is close to having his best season ever after the first two games. He has a 10-159-1 line so far. His best season to date was 2021 when he finished with 184 yards. So technically, this will be his breakout season but I don’t think it will last.

Michael Gallup is expected to return in either Week 3 or Week 4, which will eat into Brown’s work. The Cowboy offense can’t be trusted with Cooper Rush, so proceed with caution with Brown.

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