Last-minute pickups for Week 2: Juwan Johnson, Rams defense lead the way

At assorted points during the fantasy football season, injuries, bye weeks and breaking quality tin origin you to request reinforcements for your phantasy lineup. Every Friday passim the 2025 NFL season, Matt Bowen volition connection up immoderate late-week pickup options to assistance capable those holes, with an accent connected deeper leagues.

Because of that, this file volition absorption mostly connected players rostered successful little than 50% of ESPN leagues, with occasional exceptions.

As we participate Week 2, we already person wounded quality successful San Francisco, arsenic 49ers backmost Brock Purdy is doubtful to play connected Sunday with enarthrosis and toed injuries. So, we're going to commencement with a brace of signal-callers with streaming entreaty who looked truly bully connected the Week 1 tape.

Quarterbacks

Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers (17.9% rostered; vs. Seahawks)

Rodgers erased immoderate questions connected his strategy acceptable successful Arthur Smith's discourtesy aft throwing 4 touchdowns successful the Week 1 triumph implicit the Jets. Rodgers was truly businesslike with the shot (22 of 30 passing), and Smith moved the pouch connected footwear schemes to springiness his backmost much cleanable throwing platforms. I don't expect Rodgers to driblet different 25-point crippled this week, but the operation of play-action and quick-game concepts enactment present against the Seattle defense.

Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons (26.5% rostered; astatine Vikings)

Penix scored 24.02 points successful Week 1 against the Bucs, showing his quality to tally this discourtesy similar a constituent guard, which included rushing for 21 yards and a touchdown. He tin springiness you numbers connected scramble attempts. We indispensable support an oculus connected the presumption of wide receiver Drake London (shoulder). That matters here. If London tin go, Penix volition beryllium successful a presumption to administer the shot to aggregate playmakers against a Vikings defence that gave up 24.2 points to Caleb Williams connected Monday night.

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Eric Karabell: Michael Penix Jr. decidedly a top-20 phantasy QB

Eric Karabell breaks down his affirmative phantasy takeaways from Michael Penix Jr. successful Week 1.

Running backs

Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals (54.5% rostered; vs. Panthers)

Jame...