Throughout the 2024 season, NFL Network analysts will provide one bold prediction heading into each week's slate of games (see the full Week 2 schedule).
Cincinnati lost on opening weekend again -- falling to 1-4 in Week 1 in the Joe Burrow era -- struggling badly on offense. Meanwhile, Kansas City looked primed to repeat with an impressive win over Baltimore in the Kickoff Game. It seems like Sunday's game against the Bengals should be an "easy" victory for the Chiefs, especially with Tee Higgins likely out again. However, Burrow is 3-1 against Patrick Mahomes and will pull off the surprise of the weekend at Arrowhead.
At some point, you stop waking up feeling dangerous and you just are dangerous. That looks like the case for Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers under new offensive coordinator Liam Coen. This week, they’re facing the Lions in a game that looks like it could be a track meet. With three solid pass catchers and an explosive new scheme, Mayfield should continue his hot start to the year, finishing Week 2 as the fantasy QB1.
Derrick Henry will have a much better second game as a Raven. With game script on his side, Henry will run all over the Raiders, who allowed 7.7 yards per carry and a league-high 80 rush yards over expectation to running backs in Week 1, per Next Gen Stats. Baltimore's new back scampers for 120-plus yards and also gets those valuable goal-line touches, finding paydirt twice.
I know Marvin Harrison Jr. let you (and Michelle) down last week when he tallied just 1.4 fantasy points ... but I’m not giving up that quick. Harrison will have his breakout game on Sunday against a Rams defense that allowed 121 yards to Jameson Williams last week. Put me down for nine catches, 136 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns for the fourth overall pick.
Kyren Williams must love playing the Cardinals. In two games against the division rival last season, the Rams RB averaged 181 scrimmage yards and scored three total touchdowns. The fact that Los Angeles will enter Sunday's game against Arizona without star WR Puka Nacua only benefits the young rusher. Williams is going to eat, and by game's end, he'll be full from a quartet of touchdowns.
Full NFL Week 2 schedule
Thursday, September 12
Sunday, September 15
- Las Vegas Raiders at Baltimore Ravens (1 p.m. ET on CBS)
- Los Angeles Chargers at Carolina Panthers (1 p.m. ET on CBS)
- New Orleans Saints at Dallas Cowboys (1 p.m. ET on FOX)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions (1 p.m. ET on FOX)
- Indianapolis Colts at Green Bay Packers (1 p.m. ET on FOX)
- Cleveland Browns at Jacksonville Jaguars (1 p.m. ET on CBS)
- San Francisco 49ers at Minnesota Vikings (1 p.m. ET on CBS)
- Seattle Seahawks at New England Patriots (1 p.m. ET on FOX)
- New York Jets at Tennessee Titans (1 p.m. ET on CBS)
- New York Giants at Washington Commanders (1 p.m. ET on FOX)
- Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals (4:05 p.m. ET on FOX)
- Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos (4:25 p.m. ET on CBS)
- Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs (4:25 p.m. ET on CBS)
- Chicago Bears at Houston Texans (8:20 p.m. ET on NBC/Universo)
Monday, September 16
- Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN2/ESPN Deportes)
