Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes steals the show in Week 2

One week might have been a fluke, but after a second consecutive dominant performance, it’s time to acknowledge the amazing things quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and Patrick Mahomes are doing this season. 

Fitzpatrick threw for over 400 yards with four touchdowns for the second game in a row as he led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to big play after big play. In the first half alone, he connected for not one but two 75-yard TD passes — one to DeSean Jackson and one to tight end O.J. Howard. 

Meanwhile, Mahomes showed both his strong arm and his delicate touch in tossing six TD passes against the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Mahomes becomes the first quarterback in NFL history with 10 touchdown passes in the first two games of a season. 

Not bad for a guy who was, on average, the No. 15 quarterback (and 120th overall player) taken in drafts this season.

Injury repercussions

There were several important players on this week’s injury report and it’s instructive to look at how their teams dealt with the situation. 

— QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers. I’ll be the first to admit I didn’t think Rodgers would be very effective playing on a bum knee against the vaunted Minnesota Vikings defense. Turns out, I must have forgotten he’s Aaron Rodgers. 

Even throwing off his back foot, Rodgers was deadly accurate (as usual), completing 30-of-42 passes for 281 yards and a touchdown. 

— RB Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars. Fournette didn’t play because of an injured hamstring, so the Jags merely beat up on the New England Patriots by utilizing T.J. Yeldon in the running game (10-58) and Corey Grant in the passing game (six receptions, 56 yards). The real story was how QB Blake Bortles picked apart the Pats secondary to the tune of 377 yards and four touchdowns. 

— RB Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons. We knew Freeman would have some sort of a timeshare with Tevin Coleman. With Freeman possibly out 3-4 weeks with a knee injury, Coleman looks like a potential RB1. He had 16 carries for 107 yards and also caught all four of his targets for 18 yards.

— WR Marquise Goodwin, San Francisco 49ers. The Niners were without their best deep threat and it showed against the Detroit Lions. QB Jimmy Garoppolo frequently turned to short passes, with Pierre Garcon leading the way (four catches, 57 yards). RB Matt Brieda was the star on offense with 11 carries for 138 yards, including a beautiful 66-yard touchdown.

You weren’t worried, were you?

Every player can have a bad game, but when it happens in Week 1, fantasy owners can get especially nervous. 

Hopefully those fears have been calmed by the Week 2 performances of TE Travis Kelce (7-109, 2 TD) and WR Chris Hogan (3-42, 2 TD).

Then again, there IS cause for concern

Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson had an average draft position of 2 this summer. That’s also the number of poor fantasy games he’s had this season. 

Johnson was bottled up by the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, rushing for just 48 yards on 13 carries and — even worse — catching only one pass (two targets) for 3 yards. That’s just not getting it done. And it’s not all his fault either; the Cardinals have scored a total of six points in eight quarters. 

Early waiver wire

If for some reason, no one believed in Fitzpatrick and failed to pick him up last week … consider the Bucs QB and his 8:1 TD/Int ratio as a solid roster addition. 

The knee injury Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon suffered on Thursday will keep him out for at least a couple weeks. As a result, veteran Giovani Bernard will get the most work out of the backfield going forward. He had six carries and four receptions against the Ravens.

Thursday’s breakout performer had to be Baltimore Ravens wide receiver John Brown, who caught four passes (on 10 targets) for 92 yards and a touchdown. He looks like Joe Flacco’s big-play guy.

Now that the Cleveland Browns have cut ties with wide receiver Josh Gordon, it might be time for rookie Antonio Callaway to shine. Callaway caught three passes for 81 yards and a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jesse James was one of the major beneficiaries of Ben Roethlisberger’s 452-yard day. James caught five balls for 138 yards and a score. 

Broad Shoulders Award

While the quarterbacks were lighting up the stat sheets, our weekly honor to the player who single-handedly carried his fantasy owners to victory goes to a wide receiver. 

Stefon Diggs of the Minnesota Vikings caught nine passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns and he also caught the tying two-point conversion to send Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers into overtime. 

That overtime allowed him to tack on three more catches and 17 more yards to his totals. Diggs finished with a weekly best (non-QB) 35.9 fantasy points (PPR scoring). 

Follow Steve Gardner on Twitter @SteveAGardner