Fantasy Soccer Week 2 Fades & Busts: Prime rookies seemingly belong in your bench

Welcome to the second of 17 weekly articles spotlighting the fantasy fades of the week! I’m your host, Matt Okada, and I'll be bringing you half a dozen potential busts each Friday, from now till fantasy championships.

As a word, simply because a participant earns a "fade" or "bust" designation doesn't mechanically imply they need to be benched — it will depend on the remainder of your roster or the choices in your waiver wire. However you can anticipate them to fall in need of expectations (after I get them proper). I embody a "What to Do" part for each participant to assist with that.

With out additional ado, right here is my listing for Week 2 of the 2026 season.

QB Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers vs. Las Vegas Raiders

Shedding Ladd McConkey final week was devastating for the Chargers offense. Take a look at these numbers, courtesy of Subsequent Gen Stats: with McConkey on the sphere, they averaged 6.3 yards per play, and on 17 dropbacks, Herbert logged a 128.4 passer score, 10.3 yards per try and a 47.1% first-down price. With McConkey off the sphere, L.A. averaged 4.2 yards per play, and on 17 dropbacks, Herbert dropped to a 42.3 passer score, 5.4 yards per try and an 11.8% first-down price.

McConkey was their greatest receiver by far and the engine of the offense … however suffered a rib damage within the second half and is at the moment day-to-day (and never working towards).

In what feels just like the unlikely likelihood McConkey performs on Sunday, it’s going to seemingly be in a considerably restricted vogue. That's not encouraging for Herbert's fantasy prospects. Additionally, the Raiders considerably improved their protection on paper this offseason, and it confirmed — albeit, in opposition to the Dolphins — in Week 1. Nakobe Dean, Kwity Paye, Quay Walker and Treydan Stukes all made influence performs … and centerpiece Maxx Crosby had 1.5 sacks of his personal. Herbert is extremely proficient, however there are crimson flags heading into Week 2.

What to do ❓ Herbert is exterior my prime 12 quarterbacks for the week, so if in case you have a succesful QB2 or a streamer, play them as an alternative. That actually contains guys like Brock Purdy, Jaxson Dart and Trevor Lawrence, however it additionally would possibly embody Jordan Love, Baker Mayfield and even Bryce Younger.

RB Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Generally in fantasy, a working again might be helpful regardless of taking part in for a subpar offense. For that to happen, they normally must be a wonderful receiver or have a wonderful offensive line (or ideally each). Sadly, Quinshon Judkins has neither … and his offense isn't simply subpar, it's atrocious. In Week 1, Cleveland solely cracked the crimson zone twice, and solely scored one subject purpose on these two drives (the opposite, they turned the ball over on downs). Solely one in every of their first six drives led to Jacksonville territory (and it concluded with a Deshaun Watson interception).

In the meantime, Judkins totaled simply 33 dashing yards (fewer than Watson) on 12 carries, and his 2.8 yards per carry, 25% success price, -0.25 EPA/carry and zero explosive runs had been all bottom-tier amongst working backs. He caught two passes for 17 yards, which was a really slight enchancment over his averages from 2025, however merely not sufficient in a recreation Cleveland trailed from begin to end. Till one thing modifications drastically for the Browns — if it ever does — Judkins goes to be very arduous to belief on a weekly foundation. In a recreation the place the Browns are 8.5-point underdogs in opposition to the Buccaneers, with an implied whole of 16.5 factors, he's effectively exterior RB2 territory.

What to do ❓ In the event you don't have a greater choice, Judkins will seemingly see double-digit touches, which makes him an "okay" play in your FLEX. However he’s not an RB2, and in any type of PPR scoring, it's in all probability smarter to look to a mid-range huge receiver like Stefon Diggs or Jalen Coker.

RB Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals vs. Seattle Seahawks

It's going to be robust to bench Jeremiyah Love, contemplating how proficient he’s and what his draft capital insinuates for his (eventual) utilization. However we have now to work with the information we have now. In Week 1, coming off a preseason ankle sprain, Love logged fewer snaps, carries and dashing yards than Tyler Allgeier, who's nonetheless technically listed because the starter on their depth chart. Moreover, Love noticed simply 2.8 anticipated yards per carry, fewest amongst all working backs with not less than 5 carries in Week 1, and averaged -0.7 yards earlier than contact per carry, forward of solely the Pittsburgh backs and the Atlanta backs.

Whereas Love did his greatest to take advantage of out of the hand he was dealt — forcing six missed tackles and gaining 4.5 yards after contact per carry — it's going to be arduous for the rookie to put up constant RB1 numbers on this offense. Now, he attracts a matchup with the Seahawks in Week 2. They've allowed the bottom explosive run price and EPA/carry to working backs because the begin of final season and are second in opposition to the place in success price, yards earlier than contact per carry and missed sort out price on rushes. Lengthy story brief, they're in all probability the hardest matchup for RBs and Love is already beginning at a drawback on this offense.

What to do ❓ Love continues to be a borderline starter primarily based on utilization and expertise, however there's an actual likelihood he's a full dud in opposition to this protection. In the event you can pivot to somebody like David Montgomery, D'Andre Swift, Rhamondre Stevenson or Chuba Hubbard, do it. And as with Judkins, look to a large receiver in your FLEX as an alternative, if doable.

WR DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots

On the one hand, DK Metcalf racked up 10 targets in Week 1 in opposition to the Falcons, greater than triple what Michael Pittman Jr. noticed (three) and 4 greater than the next-closest Steelers wideout (Roman Wilson, six). Then again, he caught simply 4 of these targets for 40 yards, fewer catches than Pat Freiermuth and Jaylen Warren, and fewer yards than Pittman (58). He was formally credited with one drop, however appeared off and out of sync with Aaron Rodgers for many of the recreation. 

However this fade has much less to do with Metcalf, Rodgers and their obvious lack of chemistry, and extra to do with Christian Gonzalez. The Patriots cornerback tends to shadow No. 1 receivers, as he did in opposition to Metcalf the final time they met, again in 2024. In that recreation, Metcalf caught 4 of seven targets for simply 27 yards when matched up with Gonzalez, which was 82% of his routes. Final week, Jaxon Smith-Njigba noticed Gonzalez on 64% of his routes and didn’t catch both of his two targets in that matchup. You're getting a nightmare matchup for a receiver who's already on the perimeter of fantasy lineups.

What to do ❓ Bench DK Metcalf. There are a variety of FLEX-level huge receivers value taking part in over him … and I'd desire teammate Michael Pittman Jr. in the identical recreation.

WR Carnell Tate, Tennessee Titans vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Carnell Tate is an eerily becoming "huge receiver model" of the Jeremiyah Love fade this week. He was actually drafted the choose after Love again in April, and is extremely proficient, however performs in one of the ineffective offenses within the league and has a horrible matchup this Sunday.

Let's begin with the offense. Tennessee made it to the crimson zone simply as soon as in Week 1 — the one crew worse on that depend was the Falcons (zero) — with 2:42 remaining within the recreation (and the landing went to Elic Ayomanor). In the meantime, Cam Ward accomplished simply 59.4% of his passes for 4.4 yards per try (useless final in Week 1), whereas averaging simply 5.7 air yards per try (sixth-lowest). Whereas Tate did see six targets within the recreation, all of that context is detrimental to his recreation and his fantasy upside.

Now, he takes on the Eagles and their exterior cornerbacks, Quinyon Mitchell and Riq Woolen. Philly surrendered simply 5.9 fantasy factors to Washington's exterior receivers in Week 1 (fewest within the league), whereas permitting Stefon Diggs and Antonio Williams to thrive out of the slot. I'm not notably enthusiastic about Wan'Dale Robinson in Tennessee's offense both, however this matchup favors him over Tate considerably.

What to do ❓ As with Metcalf, it's straight to the bench with Tate. It doesn't matter the place you drafted him, there are not less than 40 huge receivers value taking part in this week as an alternative. To not point out, a rash of working backs who could be higher suited in your FLEX.

TE Kyle Pitts Sr., Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers

At this level, you may need seen a theme to this week's column: we’re avoiding the offenses that appeared actually abysmal in Week 1. And, sadly, Atlanta's in all probability takes the cake in that respect. Third-string QB Cooper Rush logged the bottom passer score (51.9), completion price over anticipated (-21.3%) and success price (30.8%) in Week 1, connecting on simply 12 of twenty-two passes. And to make issues worse, none of these 12 connections went to Kyle Pitts Sr., who posted a fantasy bagel on only one goal. Rush is more likely to begin once more in Week 2, however I'm truthfully not snug beginning Pitts even when/when Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. returns to well being, till we see this offense perform at an affordable stage.

To make issues worse, Carolina has a protracted and storied historical past of turning Pitts right into a fantasy bust. In 10 video games in opposition to his division rival, the tight finish has solely topped 9 fantasy factors as soon as, all the best way again in Week 8, 2022. On the entire, he's averaged 6.1 fantasy factors per recreation on this matchup, with fewer than six factors in 5 of their final six conferences. There are basically no inexperienced flags, and loads of crimson ones, for Pitts heading into Week 2.

What to do ❓ I do know the place is shallow, however attempt to discover a tight finish to stream over Pitts this week. That listing completely contains Isaiah Seemingly, who’s now a powerful TE1, but additionally contains names like Juwan Johnson, Michael Mayer, Dalton Schultz and Jake Ferguson.