Favorable QB & TE Matchups for Week 2 (2021)

Zach Berger

Every week this season, Fantasy In Frames is going to help you stream quarterbacks and tight ends by going over which ones have some of the most favorable matchups each week.

“Streams and mountains never stay the same.” – Gary Snyder

Now after that deep quote to make you think, let’s talk about streaming. Football is back! Hopefully, you are 1-0, but it is okay if you are 0-1. Either way, you can make the playoffs and go after the championship glory so do not give up already! Week 1 was exciting for some players and disastrous for others. Avoid overreacting in either direction because we barely know anything still. Some information is better than no information, like before Week 1, but a player’s projection is not set in stone based on their performance last week. Now is the time to take advantage of your league-mates fears and make trades and find value on the waiver wire. It is time to take advantage of matchups and pick up players to help you stay undefeated or earn your first victory of the season. Below is a list of quarterbacks and tight ends that have exploitable matchups in Week 2 with the potential to boom on your roster.

All players below are rostered on less than 50% of teams on ESPN.

Quarterbacks to Stream – Week 2

Jameis Winston (@ CAR) – 45% rostered in ESPN:

The potential latest sponsor of Lasik should be Jameis Winston after his 5 TD performance in Week 1! Winston only had 20 pass attempts in the blowout against Green Bay. According to NextGen Stats:

  • Had 6th most time to throw (2.91 secs/throw)
  • 5th in average completed air yards (8 yards)
  • Had the 2nd longest completed air distance pass (59 yards, Russell Wilson was 59.4 yards)

The Carolina Panthers are not a defense that you fear as a matchup, and Winston will continue to throw the ball well against them. You should not expect 5 TDs again, but Winston will throw more and have more passing yards to pad his fantasy points. Winston is capable of being an every-week starter, which is the type of QB you want to find on waivers so you do not have to continue streaming each week.

Teddy Bridgewater (@ JAX) – 9.4% rostered in ESPN:

Teddy “Two Gloves” Bridgewater looked like a competent and effective QB in Week 1, and you love to see that. Jerry Jeudy is out injured several weeks, but the Broncos still have talent at the skill positions. The Broncos have a balanced offense and Bridgewater was able to throw for the 10th most yards in Week 1 (264 yards). According to FantasyData.com, was 7th in air yards (308 yards) and 15th in deep-ball completion % (25%). Bridgewater playing against the Jacksonville Jaguars is the biggest reason why he is a streamer for Week 2. Jacksonville somehow made the Houston Texans, who people predicted would have the number one draft pick for the 2022 NFL draft, look like Super Bowl contenders (they are not).

Mac Jones (@ NYJ) – 21.8% rostered in ESPN:

Mac Jones had a solid first career game, but nothing spectacular for fantasy football. On the positive side, he has a 74.4% pass completion on 39 pass attempts and he was 4th in the NFL, according to FantasyData.com, in deep-ball completion % (66.7%). He threw only one touchdown, but no interceptions so not terrible. Mac Jones makes the streamer list because he is playing against the New York Jets in Week 2. Last week, Sam Darnold was able to throw for 279 yards and 0 interceptions against the Jets. I expect Mac Jones to have the first multiple-TD game of his career against the Jets.

Tight Ends to Stream – Week 2

Jared Cook (vs DAL) – 36.3% rostered in ESPN:

What year is this? Yes, Jared Cook is a tight end to pick up and play in Week 2 of the 2021 season. Cook only had a 58% snap share, but still had 8 targets (17.4% target share). That led to 5 receptions for 56 yards, 11.2 yards per reception. Cook did not score a TD, but he was tied for the most redzone targets by a TE in the NFL in Week 1 (2 targets). Cook plays against the Dallas Cowboys, who gave up 2 TDs to Gronk last week. Cook has a solid target opportunity for a TE streamer and a better than average chance at scoring a TD, which is what you want for your streamer.

Cole Kmet (vs CIN) – 24.2% rostered in ESPN:

Cole Kmet is asserting himself as the TE1 on the Chicago Bears. Kmet had a 73.9% snap share and 5 receptions on 7 targets for 42 yards. That was tied for 2nd on the team for targets, and a 17.5% target share. According to NextGen Stats, Kmet had the 5 best YAC per reception for TEs with 6.1 yards. That is great to see that Kmet can be dynamic after the catch because Andy Dalton did not throw the ball far down the field in Week 1. That may have been because of the Rams stout defense, and Dalton trying to get the ball out of his hand quickly before the pass rush sacked him. Kmet plays against the below-average defense of the Bengals in Week 2 so with that snap share and target share I like his chances for a TD.

Adam Trautman (@ CAR) – 5.1% rostered in ESPN:

No, I did not write the wrong Saints TE. Juwan Johnson is the “hot” TE name this week because he scored 2 TDs last week. My process is not to chase TDs, but to chase opportunities (snaps and targets). Trautman led all of the Saints on targets with 6, which was a 30% target share because Winston only threw the ball 20 times. Unfortunately, Trautman only came down with 3 receptions for 18 yards, but I am encouraged by his high target share and 82.3% snap share. Winston will throw more against the Carolina Panthers in Week 2, Trautman will have the potential for more opportunities.

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