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Fantasy Football: 5 Bold Predictions For Week 2 Of 2016 NFL Season

By Timothy Downs
Published on: 15:18 PST, Sep 14, 2016

Week 2 of the 2016 NFL season is rapidly approaching, which means it won’t be long before fantasy football aficionados set their lineups and brace for a weekend of American football that projects to be laden with enough storylines and plot twists to make your favorite Rom-Com jealous.

A number of unforeseen developments take place in the NFL every week, which is what makes attempting to predict what to expect that much more fun. The saying, “the truth is stranger than fiction” applies to fantasy football just as it does so often in our everyday lives.

With that in mind, here’s a look five bold fantasy football predictions for Week 2 of the 2016 NFL season.

[Image by Rob Carr/Getty Images]

Joe Flacco Electrifies

Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco isn’t exactly known for having elite fantasy showings, but things project to change this week as the Ravens travel to take on the lowly Cleveland Browns.

After a solid performance against the defensively stout Buffalo Bills in which he tallied 258 yards, one TD and most importantly a win, Flacco is primed to make mincemeat out of the Browns on Sunday.

Flacco appears to have built a rapport with veteran deep-ball receiver Mike Wallace, as Wallace finished with three receptions for 91 yards and one TD against Buffalo.

Joe now has two wide receivers, Wallace and red-shirt rookie Breshad Perriman, that he can stretch the field with. Meanwhile, Steve Smith Sr. and Kamar Aiken are still adequate weapons despite quiet showings in Week 1.

Against a Browns team that has Joe Haden and not much else at conrnerback, expect Flacco to electrify with 300 yards and three TDs.

A.J. Green Outscores Odell Beckham Jr.

The New York Giants will host the New Orleans Saints in Week 2 in what the swell folks in Las Vegas expect to be the highest-scoring game of the week (O/U 52.5). But that doesn’t automatically mean Odell Beckham Jr. is going to explode for a monster stat line.

In Week 1, Giants QB Eli Manning was perfectly content with spreading the ball around the field in key spots, as both rookie Sterling Shepard and veteran Victor Cruz caught touchdowns, while Beckham Jr. finished scoreless.

In contrast, Cincinnati Bengals QB Andy Dalton, to no one’s surprise, locked in on A.J. Green and exploited the New York Jets. Despite being covered by Darrelle Revis, Green finished with 12 receptions for an unfathomable 180 yards and one TD over 14 targets.

Thus, despite the fact that Beckham Jr. has the better matchup on paper and is playing at home while Green faces his AFC North rival Pittsburgh Steelers, you should expect A.J. to far exceed Odell in fantasy points this week.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins Hits Paydirt, Again

After catching a 30-yard touchdown pass in Week 1 against Atlanta, it’s fair to assume Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter will make a sincere effort to get TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins more involved in Tampa Bay’s offensive gameplan in Week 2.

Seferian-Jenkins possesses immense talent, but a few injuries in addition to a poor attitude has prevented him from flourishing to this point in his young career. With some of that behind him, the sky is the limit for Austin assuming he gets the snaps necessary to excel.

The Arizona Cardinals have admittedly showcased an intimidating defense in recent years, but one position they have struggled to defend is tight end. Thus, don’t be surprised if Seferian-Jenkins sees more targets this week, especially in the red zone, and ultimately finishes with a solid line that includes a touchdown.

Ameer Abdullah Pulls A Vanishing Act

After a disappointing 2015 rookie campaign, Ameer Abdullah got off to a solid start in his first game as an NFL sophomore last week. Abdullah tallied 63 rushing yards over 12 carries for a sensational 5.3 yards per carry and produced in the pass attack with five receptions for 51 yards and one TD.

Don’t expect more of the same from Ameer in Week 2.

The Tennessee Titans, while far from an impregnable defensive juggernaut, did a phenomenal job defending the run in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings. Tennessee held Minnesota to just 65 rushing yards and, most impressively, rendered future Hall of Famer, Adrian Peterson, a complete non-factor as he was only able to muster 31 yards over 19 carries.

While I totally understand the Titans were able to place extra emphasis on stopping Peterson due to the fact that Minnesota was playing Shaun Hill at quarterback, I’m still willing to be bet Tennessee will do a solid job on Abdullah considering how stingy they were in Week 1.

[Image by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images]

Matt Ryan Nowhere To Be Found

If you know anything about Matt Ryan, you know he’s a completely different player at home in the friendly confines of the Georgia Dome than he is on the road. In Week 2, the Atlanta Falcons travel across the country to take on the improved Oakland Raiders in a matchup that isn’t conducive to fantasy football success for Ryan.

With Bruce Irvin and Khalil Mack in his face all game, expect Ryan to look lost in this one. You’re best served by fading Matt, as he projects to finish with 200 yards, one TD and three INTs.

[Featured Image by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images]

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