Fantasy Footnotes: Romo goes down, Eagles crash and burn, Fitzgerald resurrected
Every gameday during the regular season, theScore's fantasy editors recap the most important news and notes from around the league.
At this time last year, the Dallas Cowboys were well on their way to an NFC East title with the trio of Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, and DeMarco Murray leading their formidable offense.
How quickly things change.
Fast forward one trip around the sun and the Cowboys will enter the foreseeable future with their fortunes resting on the shoulders of Brandon Weeden, Terrance Williams, and a middling collection of tailbacks.
Murray bolted in free agency, Bryant suffered a significant foot injury in Week 1, and Romo went down with a broken collarbone Sunday, likely taking whatever fantasy value the Cowboys' offense had left with him.
Where does this offense go from here? The presence of Weeden behind center probably tells us everything we need to know. The Cowboys are going to run the ball.
Lean weeks are ahead, but the Cowboys can weather the storm with their NFL-best offensive line leading the way for a timeshare of Joseph Randle, Darren McFadden, and Lance Dunbar.
If things fall right, the Cowboys can stay in the mix until Romo and Bryant return.
Whether fantasy owners with a stake in the Cowboys can do the same remains to be seen.
Eagles crash and burn
It wasn't supposed to be this way.
On the heels of a blistering preseason, fantasy analysts buzzed about the potential of Sam Bradford and DeMarco Murray in what promised to be a prolific Eagles offense.
With an accurate quarterback behind center and Murray running behind one of the NFL's best offensive lines, Chip Kelly's offense would finally reach its potential.
That was the narrative, at least. How wrong we all were.
Bradford missed throws left and right Sunday and turned the ball over repeatedly, and the Eagles' ballyhooed rushing attack did nothing to bail him out.
For much of the afternoon, the Eagles had negative rushing yardage. At one point, all three running backs were in the red.
Murray, the team's prized free-agent acquisition and the NFL's 2014 rushing leader, was particularly dreadful. Through two games in green, Murray has totaled 11 yards.
The Eagles have no choice but to stay the course. Kelly's offense has been proven to work in the past, and better days are surely ahead once Bradford and all the new pieces get more comfortable.
Fantasy owners invested in the team have little choice but to stay on the Eagles' roller coaster. But they're to be forgiven if the ride so far has them feeling a little queasy.
Fitzgerald resurrected
Larry Fitzgerald looked like a player who found the fountain of youth Sunday, shedding Bears' defenders with ease en route to a 112-yard, three-touchdown performance - the first three-score day of his career.
Fitzgerald was passed over in many fantasy drafts this summer, largely because of his age. The list of wideouts age 32 and older who have produced strong fantasy seasons is a short one.
On the heels of a sub-par season, conventional thinking pegged Fitzgerald as over the hill.
Two games into this year, Fitzgerald is making that assumption look foolish.
It comes down to health - both Fitzgerald's and his quarterback's.
The nagging leg injuries that slowed Fitzgerald down last year are in his past. He looks explosive and hungry. He looks like a young man again.
So does Carson Palmer, who is showing no signs of the ACL injury that ended his 2014 season prematurely. With a clean pocket around him, Palmer is proving to be lethal.
Add Bruce Arians - a coach who knows more than a little about maximizing the value of savvy veteran wideouts, to the mix and the stars have truly aligned for Fitzgerald.
Is it so crazy to think this season could mark a return to WR1 value for the player many wrote off as washed up?
Notable Fantasy Lines
Carson Palmer, QB, Cardinals
185 yards passing, 4 TDs, INT
For a second straight week, Palmer looked excellent. He's a locked-in QB1, and if he stays healthy, it shouldn't surprise anyone when he finishes the season as a top-five fantasy quarterback.
Tom Brady, QB, Patriots
466 yards, 3 TDs
Brady shredded the Bills' vaunted defense. It's remarkable what he's doing at age 38.
DeAngelo Williams, RB, Steelers
77 yards rushing, 3 TDs
It was fun while it lasted, but the party is over. Le'Veon Bell returns from suspension next week, relegating Williams to a backup role.
Matt Jones, RB, Redskins
123 yards rushing, 23 yards receiving, 2 TDs
Jones out-carried Alfred Morris and easily looked like the Redskins' most effective runner.
Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings
134 yards rushing, 58 yards receiving
Peterson fumbled the ball three times, but the Vikings just kept feeding him the rock.
Giovani Bernard, RB, Bengals
123 yards rushing, 16 yards receiving
Jeremy Hill was benched for fumbling, allowing Bernard to show the world he's still a dynamic player with the ball in his hands.
DeMarco Murray, RB, Eagles
2 yards rushing, 53 yards receiving
Incredibly, Murray turned 13 carries into only 2 yards. He spent most of the day in the negatives and only broke out of the red in garbage time.
Ameer Abdullah, RB, Lions
9 yards rushing, 9 yards receiving
The Lions got down early and it took their flashy rookie out of the game plan. Better days are ahead.
Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers
195 yards receiving, TD, 2-PT
Best wide receiver in football?
Allen Robinson, WR, Jaguars
155 yards receiving, 2 TDs
The breakout has arrived.
Odell Beckham, Jr., WR, Giants
146 yards receiving, TD
There's the OBJ we know and love.
Travis Benjamin, WR/KR, Browns
115 yards receiving, 3 TDs
Benjamin scored twice through the air and once on a punt return. The Titans had no answer for his speed.
Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers
0 catches
A lot of owners were burned on this one. Evans started, but didn't look fully healthy.
Crockett Gillmore, TE, Ravens
88 yards receiving, 2 TDs
If you started Gillmore on your fantasy team, give yourself about 500 pats on the back. You deserve it.
Injury Ward
Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys
If there's a silver lining here, it's that Romo's injury is to his non-throwing shoulder. He will return this season, but probably not until mid-November at the earliest. He's safe to cut in most fantasy leagues.
Matthew Stafford, QB, Lions
Stafford, who appeared to be in a lot of pain after the game, is headed for X-rays on his chest. His prognosis is unclear.
Lamar Miller, RB, Dolphins
Miller left Sunday's game with an apparent ankle injury and did not return. He was spotted walking with a significant limp after the game.
Waiver Wire Targets
Tyrod Taylor, QB, Bills
He's for real. And he must be owned in all fantasy leagues.
Matt Jones, RB, Redskins
It didn't take long for Jones to prove he's the best running back on the Redskins. Not only should he be owned in all leagues, he's a viable FLEX starter with RB1 upside.
Dion Lewis, RB, Patriots
Lewis fumbled for a second straight week but managed to avoid Bill Belichick's doghouse. He's proving to be a better version of Shane Vereen and the Patriots seem intent on making him a crucial component in their offense.
David Johnson, RB, Cardinals
He's better than Chris Johnson. By the end of the year, he might prove he's better than Andre Ellington, too.
Michael Crabtree, WR, Raiders
With Derek Carr back under center, the Raiders' offense woke up. There could be some value here.
Travis Benjamin, WR/KR, Browns
You can't count on punt and kick return touchdowns, but Benjamin is proving to be one of the NFL's most dangerous deep threats.
Crockett Gillmore, TE, Ravens
The Ravens' lack of offensive weapons has allowed Gillmore to become a big piece of the offense. Until rookies Breshad Perriman and Maxx Williams are ready to make an impact, Gillmore could remain a low-end TE1.