Fantasy football owners are hoping the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions set the tone for Week Two. The Bills defeated the Lions 41-31 on Thursday night, in a game where the majority of the offensive stars showed up and showed out. It will take more than a few players, though, to emerge victorious. With that said, here are five intriguing fantasy football sleepers who could be the difference-makers this week.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki was option one for quarterback Joe Burrow in Week One. Strangely enough, that could happen again this week. The Bengals will face the Houston Texans, who uncharacteristically gave up 36 points in the season opener, after averaging 17.4 points allowed last year.
With the Texans’ great cornerbacks, Burrow may decide to target Gesicki in a similar fashion to how Bills TE Dalton Kincaid was by QB Josh Allen last week. Kincaid exploded against the Texans in Week One, with five grabs for 130 yards. Gesicki repeating Kincaid’s exact performance is probably far-fetched, but even half that yardage is still a solid day at the office. Another 70-plus yardage total is on the board, making Gesicki a solid fantasy football sleeper option for the week.
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman is suddenly the de facto number one option. The Ravens will be without receivers Zay Flowers, who had a monster Week One, and exciting young rookie Ja’Kobi Lane. Baltimore will likely focus on running the ball against a New Orleans Saints defense that allowed 165 yards on the ground last week. That should, however, open up play-action opportunities, which could bode well for Bateman.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson said himself that he believes the former Minnesota Golden Gopher will get many more targets this week. Flowers and Lane accounted for 37.5 percent of the target share last week, and a good helping of that should go to this week’s “number one” WR. For fantasy football owners who suddenly need help at receiver (perhaps Flowers’ owners), Bateman could be a solid sleeper option for Week Two.
The Ravens are not the only team missing their WR1, as the Texans will be without Nico Collins due to a hamstring injury. As a result, fourth-year receiver Xavier Hutchinson should see increased work. Hutchinson was targeted six times in the season-opener, and in a thin receiving room, two or three more targets could be headed his way.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka had five catches for 63 yards against the Bengals last week as the number one option. Those numbers do not jump off the screen, but they are respectable nonetheless. Hutchinson could have a similar line this Sunday, which would be a solid game for this fantasy football sleeper.
The Green Bay Packers should have a much more favorable matchup this week against the New York Jets, which should bode well for running back MarShawn Lloyd. The Jets allowed only 68 yards on the ground last week against the Tennessee Titans, but that was likely because the Titans were playing from behind all day. Titans RB Tony Pollard had only seven carries in that contest, but he averaged five yards a pop. In a game where the Packers are the favorite and should be playing from ahead, their attack should be more balanced.
It has been tough sledding for Lloyd since entering the league in 2024, with multiple injured reserve stints, including one for appendicitis. If he ever plans on proving he truly belongs, it needs to happen sooner rather than later. In this favorable matchup, the 220-pounder could find the end zone for the first time in his career. This should be a solid fantasy football sleeper for this week.
The last fantasy football sleeper on the list is Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young, who is owned in only 31 percentage of leagues (via Yahoo). Young posted huge numbers in the Panthers’ loss against the Chicago Bears last week, passing for 361 yards and three touchdowns.
The skepticism that remains for Young is fair, as there was a lot of “good game, bad game” throughout the 2025 season. The former Heisman winner seems to have it figured out, however, against division rival Atlanta Falcons. Young has thrown for 820 yards, with six TDs and no interceptions in his last three meetings against the Dirty Birds.
Waking up for this game has never been an issue for Young, and this week should not be any different. Fantasy football owners whose regular QBs have tough defensive matchups should definitely consider this sleeper. Another big game against Atlanta is surely on the board, especially with nickel back Billy Bowman Jr. still out and cornerback A.J. Terrell questionable with a shoulder issue.
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The fantasy football landscape changed quickly, especially at receiver. Collins and Flowers are on the shelf, and A.J. Brown is expected to miss approximately six weeks with a high-ankle sprain. Additionally, WRs Chris Olave, Puka Nacua, and Ladd McConkey all carry the questionable tag and could be game-time decisions. That is football, though, and a backup plan is always needed.
Finding suitable replacements can be challenging, but hopefully this list helps you get through this fantasy football week. Happy Week Two and good luck to all!
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