The NFL has blessed us with a marquee matchup for the second straight week on Thursday Night Football. The Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills are both loaded with fantasy football talent. However, both teams have lingering question marks heading into week two. How much will the De’Von Achane injury affect this game? Who will emerge as Buffalo’s leading receiver?
Miami’s Running Back Room
Raheem Mostert has already been ruled out of Thursday’s contest, and Achane’s ankle injury has rendered the second-year speedster questionable. After week one, I made the hot take that Achane was a top-three option for the rest of the season at running back. However, his largest question mark, his health, is once again popping up.
The story to watch if he suits up is if his expanded role in the passing game will raise his floor enough to still be a safe play when not at full health. Achane is reliant on big plays, which may not come easily if his injury affects him. However, he can still be a strong RB2 this week in PPR formats if he catches four to five passes and continues to see redzone work.
In the absence of Achane, Jeff Wilson Jr. and rookie Jaylen Wright are the next men up. Wilson has been with the Dolphins since 2022 and has proven he can find success when given a role. He was already a part of the Miami rotation last week when Mostert and Achane were shaken up. Many considered Wright a phenomenal late-round pick in fantasy formats for just this scenario. He is the more direct replacement for Achane, possessing 4.3 speed.
If Achane is held out due to his injury, I expect Wilson to lead the team in carries. However, Wright would still have flex appeal due to his big-play potential in an elite offense. Both players should be off the waiver wire as of now, as Wright retains potential handcuff value while Wilson has RB2/flex appeal this week even if Achane is healthy, and is a strong RB2 if the young star is out.
Buffalo Bills Receiving Core
Entering this season, Dalton Kincaid was expected to be Josh Allen’s primary target amidst a breakout season. Curtis Samuel, Khalil Shakir, and Keon Coleman were set to battle for a coveted spot as second fiddle for an elite quarterback. The first game of the season shed some light, but a clear picture is still hard to make out.
Kincaid caught just one pass and was targeted twice. However, he had an encouraging 83% snap share, higher than any Buffalo receiver. The angle here will be if Josh Allen starts to target him the same way he did last season. Kincaid is certainly talented enough to be an elite tight end, so I expect him to have a strong game.
No Bills receiver dominated targets in a way that established them as the clear alpha of this offense. However, rookie Keon Coleman (73%) was the only one to have a snap share over 60%. His five targets slightly led the team. Will Coleman be able to take over this offense as a rookie? It looks very possible, especially with Samuel (27% snaps) barely seeing the field.
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