Ready for Sunday? We have last-minute Week 2 sleepers, surprises, trends to watch and more

1 month ago 42

Multiple Contributors

Sep 13, 2025, 06:00 AM ET

Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season is here, and our NFL analysts person you covered astatine the 11th hour. Don't miss our last-minute prep for a loaded slate.

First, analytics writer Seth Walder breaks down 3 stat trends that could beryllium pivotal this weekend. Then phantasy shot writer Eric Moody runs done 5 players who are rostered successful nether 50% of ESPN phantasy shot leagues arsenic of Saturday and could beryllium started successful a jam. That's followed by NFL expert Ben Solak predicting 3 perchance large surprises and NFL expert Matt Bowen picking 1 cardinal matchup to watch. Finally, sports betting expert Pamela Maldonado gives her favourite stake of Week 2.

Can J.J. McCarthy find ways to bushed Jessie Bates III successful the Vikings' walk game? Does Juwan Johnson person phantasy upside this week? Could James Conner person a large rushing day? And which NFC South squad could propulsion an upset? Let's dive in.

Jump to:
Stat trends | Fantasy sleepers
Potential surprises | Key matchup
Best stake of the week

Walder: Three cardinal stat trends that could find Week 2 winners

Can QB Caleb Williams hole accuracy issues against the Lions?

Williams' accuracy woes were connected afloat show successful Week 1. He recorded a 29% off-target complaint and a negative-13% completion percent implicit anticipation (CPOE), which were some the worst among each quarterbacks per NFL Next Gen Stats.

What stands retired the astir astir Williams' vocation accuracy numbers is that the problems are peculiarly pronounced erstwhile throwing extracurricular the numbers. He really is astir mean erstwhile throwing betwixt the numbers, with a 0% CPOE since the commencement of past season. But extracurricular the numbers, that drops to minus-4%. And his 28% off-target complaint extracurricular the numbers is outdone lone by Colts QB Anthony Richardson Sr.

In general, this really makes maine somewhat much bullish connected Chicago due to the fact that of Williams' caller coach. No squad threw much betwixt the numbers past play than Ben Johnson's Lions. But facing Detroit's defence mightiness not beryllium the perfect matchup. The Lions faced throws betwixt the numbers lone 46% of the clip past season, the third-lowest complaint successful the league. We don't yet cognize if the Lions volition deter middle-of-the-field targets successful the aforesaid mode nether caller antiaircraft coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, but the signifier mostly held Week 1 against Green Bay (41% of targets betwixt the numbers).