Matthew Berry’s 10 Facts You Need To Know Before Week 2 of 2025 season

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/matthew-berry/news/matthew-berrys-10-facts-you-need-to-know-before-week-2-of-2025-season

Back once again with another edition of 10 Facts You Need to Know Before Week 2.

For those looking for “Love/Hate,” I am still doing it, but it’s no longer a written column. Instead, it’s the Thursday episode of Fantasy Football Happy Hour, which airs live at NOON ET on the NFL on NBC YouTube channel every weekday. It also airs on Peacock at 5 p.m. ET and, of course is available on demand on YouTube, Peacock, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Shout-out to my producer Damian Dabrowski who helped at various stages of this column. Any utilization stats quoted here are from the great Dwain McFarland’s free Utilization Report and the FantasyLife.com Utilization Tool.

Let’s get to it. Here are 10 Facts You Need to Know Before Week 2:

1. Last week, no team’s wide receivers dropped more passes than… the Dallas Cowboys.
1A. In Week 1, Dak Prescott had the fourth-highest aDOT in the NFL.
1B. In Week 1, the New York Giants allowed the sixth-most yards per completion.
1C. This week, the Cowboys have an implied team total of over 25 points, which is top 10 on the slate.
1D. This week, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys face the NY Giants.
2. Last week, no team had a higher pass rate over expected than… the Los Angeles Chargers.
2A. In Week 1, no team faced more pass attempts than… the Las Vegas Raiders.
2B. Dating back to last season, Justin Herbert has now finished as a top 10 fantasy QB in each of his last four games.
3. In Week 1, here’s the entire list of running backs who got at least one carry for the Cincinnati Bengals: Chase Brown. That’s it. That’s the list.
3A. In Week 1, the Jacksonville Jaguars ranked 27th in success rate against RB rushes.
4. In Week 1, the Carolina Panthers allowed 200 rushing yards and 6.3 yards per carry.
4A. This is a stat showing James Conner and Trey Benson could both be useful this week.
5. Last week, no running back in the NFL was targeted on more of his routes than… Dylan Sampson.
5A. The Cleveland Browns are 11.5-point underdogs to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2 on DraftKings.
5B. Am I making this point because I think the Browns will throw a lot on Sunday? Yes. That is the point.
6. More Browns throwing. In his last five full games, dating back to last year, Cedric Tillman is averaging 18.1 PPG.
6A. On a 21.6% target share.
6B. And 40% of the team’s end zone targets.
6C. And he’s outscored Jerry Jeudy in four of those five games.
6D. But go ahead, keep starting Jerry Jeudy over him.
6E. I mean, Cedric Tillman’s18.1 PPG would have been WR8 on a PPG basis last year, just ahead of Cee Dee Lamb, but sure, go ahead, keep ignoring him. What do I care?
6F. Am I now irrationally angry thinking about the disrespect Cedric Tillman gets? And completely off the rails, bailing on the “facts” premise of this column?
6G. You’re damn right I am.
6H. Club Ced is… Always. Open.
6I. Never forget that.
6J. Where was I?
7. Last week, no one had a higher target share on the Jaguars than Travis Hunter’s 27.6%.
7A. He had an 82% route participation.
8. Dating back to last year, in his last 14 games (14!), Jakobi Meyers is averaging 15.7 PPG.
8A. Among wide receivers who played at least six games last season, 15.7 PPG would have been WR15.
9. Last week, among tight ends who ran at least 15 routes, no one was targeted on a higher percentage of his routes than… Tyler Warren.
9A. I don’t have a specific fact for this, but on Sunday, don’t you think Michael Pittman is gonna be covered by Pat Surtain the whole game?
9B. Yeah, me too.
9C. So, if you were Daniel Jones, who would you throw to?
9D. Exactly.
10. Last week, no tight end had a higher snap rate, more routes run, more targets, and more receptions than… Juwan Johnson.
10A. I mean, I have him ranked 14th this week. Let’s not get crazy.
10B. But if you’re stuck, you could do worse and probably have.
10C. Just saying.