Rams' Darrell Henderson headlines a quartet of smart flex decisions for Week 2
Yahoo Fantasy analysts Matt Harmon and Dalton Del Don offer a pair of running backs and receivers to flex in week two of the 2022 NFL season.
Video Transcript
MATT HARMON: It's week two of the NFL season, and we are here to help you make some smart decisions, courtesy of NerdWallet. NerdWallet helps people make smart choices every day with their side by side comparisons of top financial products, and you know you can rely on us to help you make smart player choices in fantasy. So let's jump into flex decisions starting with some options at running back. Dalton, you guys kicked off here, man.
DALTON DEL DON: Darrell Henderson, you know, he didn't have a big week one, looking at the box score, but he absolutely dominated LA's backfield. He was second highest snap share rate among all running backs, first in route involvement, resulted in a career-high five catches. Cam Akers barely played. He might not have even seen the field, if rookie Kyren Williams didn't suffer a sprained ankle on the opening kickoff. Akers, sadly, looks finished since recovering from that Achilles surgery.
Henderson, meanwhile, Yes, he has durability concerns of his own, but he also averaged the most yards per carry in the history of college football. This week, with the Rams at home with extra rest, one of the biggest favorites on the board against an Atlanta defense whose best players are cornerbacks. I think Henderson-- forget flex, I have Henderson as a smart play as-- with upside to be a top 12 fantasy running back this week.
MATT HARMON: I'm 100% with you on that. I think Henderson is going to end up going down as one of the biggest draft values from this past year, at least that's the way it's looking right now. Another guy who's a value in drafts, and I think is going to be like a nice little flex every single week is Nyheim Hines. He had six catches on six targets last week. I'm going to take the over on both of those numbers in this upcoming match-up against the Jaguars. He ran the third most routes on the-- He. Had the third most targets on the team. Last week, he was plenty involved. Also, just as a pure receiver, he lined up out wide or in the slot on 26.9% of his snaps.
Rookie receiver, Alec Pierce, who had a big role in the first game there against the Texans is in the concussion protocol right now, so I think Hines is going to have to be more involved as a receiver. We know that's kind of a weaker spot on their depth chart. All right, let's move to the receiver position, Dalton. Give me your flex guy for this week.
DALTON DEL DON: Christian Kirk. People raised eyebrows when Jacksonville paid him like a top five NFL receiver during the offseason, but he kind of became underrated in fantasy drafts as a result. He put up some interesting stats when DeAndre Hopkins was off the field in Arizona, but forget all that. Now he's Trevor Lawrence is clear number one receiver. Lawrence looks primed to break out in year two without Urban Meyer, and he's been targeting Kirk like a true number one, 38% target share during the team's lone preseason game together, 12 targets in week one.
I mean, people are considering Kirk as a flex play this week. I have him as a top 15 PPR receiver moving forward. So I think he's a very smart play in week two.
MATT HARMON: I'm smiling on my end, Dalton. I got a lot of Christian Kirk teams. I'm very excited about that bit of analysis there. I'm also really excited about my guy, Curtis Samuel in Washington, but-- but the number two receiver there is still Jahan Dotson, and I think I'm even more excited about Dotson at this point. I think he's going to be in your flex consideration every single week. Like I said, really high on Samuel as their number three slot receiver, but Jahan Dotson ran the second most routes on the team behind Terry McLaurin at the wide receiver position.
He is that outside flanker guy. He's going to move into the slot a decent bit as well. He kind of fits both positions there outside at flanker and in the inside. That's great. He's going to get a lot of advantageous looks there, and you just see it, man. Like, he's a playmaker. He can win balls in tight traffic, that makes a lot of sense with Carson Wentz. I'm very excited about this entire Washington pass offense. I know that feels so, so weird to hear but, McLaurin is legit. Dotson's a really good player. Samuel's healthy, and he's rocking in that position. Even Logan Thomas is back.
So there's weirdly a lot of fantasy value in this Washington pass offense, and do not forget about Jahan Dotson. That guy is really good. He's going to be in flex consideration basically every single week. Be sure to get those guys on your roster for week two, and if you need it to make a financial choice, make it a smart one with NerdWallet, the smartest decision for all your financial decisions.