• It didn’t take long for Deebo Samuel to make an impact with the Commanders: Samuel led the team in targets in Week 1, including five on passes thrown 10 or more yards downfield. Samuel had only six career games with five or more downfield targets before joining Washington.

• Justin Fields with a debut to remember: Fields opened the season with one of the best passing performances of his NFL career, earning a 90.4 PFF grade — his first game above 90.0. He was especially sharp throwing downfield, completing 6-of-7 passes for 113 yards, one touchdown and a perfect 158.3 passer rating on throws of 10 or more yards.

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NFL Week 2 is here, and with it comes a fresh wave of advanced data and analysis.

PFF’s media research team has been hard at work this week, preparing for kickoff — pulling data-driven insights and talking points for our broadcast partners around the league. Now, we’re sharing those same nuggets with you. So, whether you’re looking to win your fantasy matchup, hit on your bets or just get smarter about the game, these are the key storylines to know for every Week 2 contest.

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Washington Commanders at Green Bay Packers

It didn’t take long for Deebo Samuel to make an impact with the Commanders. He led the team in targets in Week 1, including five on passes thrown 10 or more yards downfield.

That marks a notable shift from his typical usage. Samuel had only six career games with five or more downfield targets before joining Washington. If this trend continues, he could offer more fantasy value than usual as a downfield threat rather than just a short-area playmaker.

The Packers also leaned into the vertical passing game in Week 1, and Jordan Love delivered one of his best performances in that area. He completed 8 of his 13 passes thrown 10-plus yards downfield for 167 yards, two touchdowns and four big-time throws, earning a 93.1 PFF passing grade — the third-highest on such throws in his career.

Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens

 The Browns may have found a new weapon in the passing game in rookie running back Dylan Sampson, who led the team in receptions (8) in Week 1. He consistently turned short targets into gains, producing 93 yards after the catch (second in the NFL) and 41 receiving yards after contact (third). His average depth of target was -3.6 yards.

Since the start of 2024, the Ravens have allowed the seventh-most receptions (84) and fifth-most receiving yards (690) to opposing running backs.

On the ground, Baltimore picked up where it left off last season, racking up a league-high 238 rushing yards in Week 1 against the Bills. Only two players had five explosive runs in Week 1 — Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson. That duo gave Cleveland trouble last year as well, combining for 11 explosive runs — the most the Browns allowed to any opponent.

However, Cleveland’s run defense was excellent in Week 1, holding its opponent to a league-low 2.0 yards per carry and zero explosive runs allowed.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Cincinnati Bengals

 Travis Etienne Jr. opened the season in dominant form, handling a full workload as Jacksonville’s lead back. He racked up 143 rushing yards, with 92 coming after contact—an average of 5.8 yards after contact per attempt.

That mark was the highest of Etienne’s career in games where he logged at least 10 carries, showcasing his balance and ability to create beyond his blocking.

On the other side of the ball, Al Golden’s debut as Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator was an efficient one. The Bengals blitzed on just 13% of dropbacks—the second-lowest rate in Week 1—but still generated a 38% pressure rate, tied for 13th.

Trey Hendrickson, who held in during training camp, led the team with eight pressures and looked in midseason form.

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys

The Giants got exactly what they were hoping for from No. 3 overall pick Abdul Carter in his NFL debut. Carter led the defense with four total pressures, including the first half-sack of his career.

His 18.2% pressure rate not only led the team but also ranked second among all rookies with at least 15 pass-rush snaps in Week 1.

If Week 1 was any indication, the Cowboys’ passing game will be defined by vertical shots this season. Dallas attempted throws of 20-plus yards on 21% of dropbacks, the second-highest rate in the league.

That aggressive approach could test a New York secondary that struggled in this area last year. The Giants allowed a 120.4 passer rating on deep passes in 2024, the second-worst mark in the league.

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions

Darnell Wright continues to establish himself as one of the league’s top young offensive tackles. In Week 1, the Bears’ right tackle didn’t allow a single pressure across 43 pass-blocking snaps — the seventh clean sheet of his career.

For Detroit, pressuring the quarterback was a challenge against Green Bay. The Lions posted just a 26% pressure rate, ranking 28th league-wide, and generated only one quick pressure (under 2.5 seconds).

They’ll aim for a bounce-back performance against a familiar opponent. In two games against Chicago last season, Detroit totaled seven sacks, nine quarterback hits and 16 quick pressures, resulting in a 35% pressure rate.

New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins

After two quiet seasons, Kayshon Boutte opened Year 3 with a statement performance. The wide receiver led New England in receiving and logged the first 100-yard game of his career.

One of Boutte’s calling cards is his contested-catch ability. Since entering the league, he’s won 71% of his contested opportunities — and that continued in Week 1, where he secured two of three such targets.

For Miami, a major bright spot came at left tackle. Patrick Paul, making just his fourth career start, didn’t allow a single pressure across 47 pass-blocking snaps.

San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints

Second-year wideout Ricky Pearsall is quickly carving out a role as San Francisco’s primary deep threat. Among 57 wide receivers with at least five targets in Week 1, Pearsall led the group with a 21.0-yard average depth of target.

The Saints had reason for optimism in Week 1, thanks to rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler’s poise under pressure. Against Arizona’s blitz, Rattler wasn’t sacked once on 10 blitzed dropbacks and completed 7 of his 10 pass attempts.

His 86.1 overall PFF grade against the blitz ranked second league-wide in Week 1 — an early sign he can handle pressure at the NFL level.

Buffalo Bills at New York Jets

Justin Fields opened the season with one of the best passing performances of his NFL career, earning a 90.4 PFF grade — his first game above 90.0. He was especially sharp throwing downfield, completing 6-of-7 passes for 113 yards, one touchdown and a perfect 158.3 passer rating on throws of 10 or more yards.

Buffalo’s defense struggled in that area again in Week 1. The Bills posted the league’s third-lowest coverage grade on downfield throws (28.5) after finishing last in 2024 (23.3).

Second-year wideout Keon Coleman appears poised for a breakout. He led the team with 11 targets, including eight beyond the sticks, turning those into six receptions for 96 yards — all top-three marks among pass-catchers in Week 1.

On the defensive side, Brandon Stephens has now allowed 34 catches beyond the sticks since 2024 — the most among qualified cornerbacks. By contrast, Sauce Gardner has surrendered just 12 such catches, tied for the fourth fewest over that span.

Seattle Seahawks at Pittsburgh Steelers

Sam Darnold locked in on Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Week 1, targeting him on 57% of his routes, the third-highest mark in any game since the start of last season (min. 15 routes). Smith-Njigba, who recorded just 119 of his 1,130 receiving yards from out wide in 2024, nearly matched that total against the 49ers with 91 yards from outside alignments.

Jalen Ramsey earned an 87.5 coverage grade in Week 1, fifth among all cornerbacks. He aligned in the slot on 11 of 14 coverage snaps through the first three quarters, then shifted outside for six of nine snaps in the fourth — recording two forced incompletions on Seattle’s final drive.

The Steelers leaned heavily on yards after catch in Week 1. Of Aaron Rodgers’ 244 passing yards, 172 came after the catch — the highest YAC rate (70%) among quarterbacks. D.K. Metcalf posted a career-high 67 YAC, fourth-most league-wide, while six Steelers pass-catchers recorded at least 10 YAC. The Seahawks allowed the second-most YAC in the NFL last season (2,191) and gave up 126 in Week 1, tied for seventh-most.

Los Angeles Rams at Tennessee Titans

Matthew Stafford put offseason concerns about his back to rest with a dominant Week 1 performance. He earned a 92.9 PFF grade, the highest among all quarterbacks heading into Week 2. He did so with a quick-trigger approach, as his 2.33-second average time to throw ranked second-fastest among starters.

Jeffery Simmons continued to be a force up front for Tennessee, accounting for half of the Titans’ total pressures with seven in their opener. In 2024, Simmons generated 22% of the team’s total pressures — the 14th-highest share by any defender leaguewide.

Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts

Fresh off signing a contract extension, Nik Bonitto wasted no time proving his value. The Broncos edge rusher posted a 43.0% pass-rush win rate — second-highest among all defenders in Week 1 — and generated pressure on 29.0% of his pass-rush snaps. His 91.6 PFF pass-rushing grade ranked second at the position.

Daniel Jones’ debut with the Colts started on a high note. The veteran quarterback excelled from a clean pocket, completing 9-of-10 passes when not blitzed for a league-best 142.1 passer rating. He also posted the third-longest average time to throw (3.38 seconds) in Week 1.

Carolina Panthers at Arizona Cardinals

Contested catches were Tetairoa McMillan’s calling card in college, where he hauled in 35 over his final two seasons — the most among Power Four wide receivers in that span. That skill set translated quickly to the NFL. In his debut with the Panthers, McMillan secured two of his three contested targets, showcasing the same physicality that made him a first-round pick.

Marvin Harrison Jr. could be tested in a different way this week. Carolina leaned on Cover-3 on 50.0% of its defensive snaps in Week 1 — the highest rate in the league. Harrison has seen limited volume against that coverage early in his career, with just 20 targets on 145 routes (13.8%) against Cover-3, producing 10 catches for 177 yards. Arizona will need to find ways to scheme him open if that trend continues.

Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs

Jalen Hurts leaned on his legs again in Week 1, tying his career high with nine scrambles and adding two touchdowns on the ground — just the second time he’s done that in a single game. His rushing threat remains a problem for Steve Spagnuolo’s defenses: the last time he faced Kansas City, Hurts totaled 60 scramble yards, the third-most ever allowed by a Chiefs defense under Spagnuolo.

Kansas City surrendered 369 scramble yards during the 2024 regular season, third most in the NFL.

Patrick Mahomes will hope for a better result than his last meeting with Philadelphia. In the Super Bowl, the Eagles pressured him on 17 dropbacks, limiting him to a 58.8 passer rating under pressure and forcing three turnover-worthy plays. Philadelphia’s six sacks outpaced Mahomes’ four completions under duress.

Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings

The Falcons’ trade-up for James Pearce Jr. late in the first round is already paying dividends. The rookie edge rusher notched four pressures in his NFL debut, leading all 2025 rookies in Week 1 with a 26.7% pressure rate among those with at least 15 pass-rush snaps.

Atlanta, in need of pass-rush help, may have found an immediate difference-maker.

In Minnesota, few debuts were more impressive than J.J. McCarthy’s. The rookie quarterback was poised in the clutch, completing 6 of 8 passes for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to rally the Vikings to a win. His 149.5 passer rating in the final frame was the highest by any quarterback in Week 1.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Houston Texans

After a turbulent 2024 season, Haason Reddick wasted no time making an impact in his Buccaneers debut. He led the team with eight pressures in Week 1 and posted a 25.0% pressure rate, quickly emerging as a top disruptor on Tampa Bay’s defense.

The challenge now falls to Houston’s offensive line. The Bucs blitzed at the league’s second-highest rate last season (50.0%), and pairing that with Reddick’s edge presence could stress C.J. Stroud’s protection. The Texans surrendered pressure on 50.0% of blitzed dropbacks in Week 1 and finished 28th in pass-blocking grade. If that trend continues, Tampa Bay may control the tempo in Week 2.

Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders’ passing attack is off to a fast start in the Geno Smith era. Las Vegas produced 10 explosive pass plays in Week 1 — more than in any game last season and the second most in the NFL. Smith attacked downfield aggressively, ranking second in average depth of target (11.0) and third in percentage of throws beyond the sticks (53.0%).

Since Jesse Minter took over as defensive coordinator last season, the Chargers have allowed an explosive gain on just 12.0% of coverage snaps — third best in the league — setting up a strength-on-strength matchup this week.

Up front, rookie Joe Alt’s transition from right to left tackle went smoothly in Week 1. He allowed zero pressures and posted a 91.4 pass-blocking grade — the highest of any offensive lineman. The other side of the line was shakier, with Trey Pipkins earning just a 46.2 grade, ranking 29th among 33 qualifying right tackles. That could be a problem against Maxx Crosby, who has aligned over right tackle on at least 75.0% of his snaps in every season since 2020. In 2023, Crosby generated four pressures against Pipkins across 38 matchups.