You never want the biggest storyline to come out of any given week during the NFL season to be injuries, but here we are. The quarterback position was particularly hammered in Week 2, with the likes of Jaxson Dart (season-ending knee injury), Jayden Daniels (dislocated elbow), and Caleb Williams (hamstring) headlining the group of wounded NFL stars.
While that was the big -- and unfortunate -- storyline to come out of the week, there were other fascinating developments. For instance, Deshaun Watson looked ... good? As we noted last week, Watson was at a fork in the road in his career as he took on the Bucs in Tampa. We thought he'd go the wrong way and find himself benched. Instead, he turned in one of his best performances since arriving in Cleveland. His 121.9 passer rating in a 23-19 win over Tampa Bay was the third-highest of his Browns tenure. It also likely saved him his job for at least one more week.
See, even when you think you're expecting the unexpected, the league turns itself on its head. Well, now it's time to dive into Week 3 and highlight three storylines/performances that are somewhat flying under the radar, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them thrust into the spotlight after this week's action.
Josh Downs posts 100-plus receiving yards
If you're deep in the NFL weeds on Twitter/X, Josh Downs is a familiar name. He's been an advanced-stats darling and one of the big deep-league sleepers heading into the year for fantasy. Soon enough, the NFL at-large will know who Downs is, maybe even as soon as this week.
With Alec Pierce on injured reserve due to a heel injury, a path is cleared for Downs to be the No. 1 option in Indianapolis' offense. We already got a glimpse of what Downs can do in Sunday's Week 2 matchup against the Chiefs. In the 33-30 loss, he caught seven of his nine targets for 72 yards. Six of those seven catches came over the final three quarters when Pierce was sidelined.
What makes Downs so special is his ability to separate. Coming into Week 3, the Colts wideout leads the NFL in average separation score, according to Fantasy Points Data.
Watching him against K.C., that checks out.
Josh Downs Route Running. pic.twitter.com/nDEwFDKnUq
— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) September 21, 2026
Pair that concentrated target share with a Texans secondary that hasn't been as sharp as it was in 2025, and Downs could be in line for a massive day in Week 3 at Lucas Oil Stadium. In Week 1, both wideout DJ Moore (100) and tight end Dalton Kincaid (130) reached at least 100 yards receiving against Houston. Last Sunday, no Cincinnati receiver reached the 100-yard receiving threshold, but Tee Higgins had 95 yards while Ja'Marr Chase posted 75 yards and two receiving touchdowns. Downs may not be as much of a household name as those players, but he's primed for a true breakout performance.
Steelers are held without a touchdown again
Pittsburgh's offense is archaic. It moves at a snail's pace and offers little to no explosive threat. Last week, the Steelers were held out of the end zone, falling to the Patriots 20-3. Those three points tied for the fewest Aaron Rodgers has scored in a game he started and finished.
Through two weeks, the Steelers offense is bottom-three in the league in points per game (11.5), yards per game (249.5), yards per play (3.8) and third-down efficiency (20%). Pittsburgh is also tied for 28th in the NFL in red zone touchdown efficiency (33.3%).
| Steelers offense in 2026 | Stats | NFL Rank |
|---|---|---|
PPG | 11.5 | 30th |
YPG | 249.5 | 30th |
Yards per play | 3.8 | Last |
Third down | 20% | 31st |
There's just no deep ball presence in the Pittsburgh offense, with Rodgers 0-for-11 on throws of 20-plus air yards. He's 0-for-6 on deep balls when specifically targeting DK Metcalf.
There are really no signs of this subsiding for the Steelers, so it stands to reason that they could be held out of the end zone yet again when they host the Bengals in Week 3. After deploying loads of resources to address the problem this offseason, Cincinnati has turned a corner defensively. Last year, it ranked 30th in scoring defense (28.9 points per game allowed) and is now eight (16.5) in the NFL through two weeks. The Bengals have tallied at least eight sacks and four takeaways through two games for the first time since 1995.
| Bengals defense in 2026 | Stats | NFL Rank |
|---|---|---|
PPG allowed | 16.5 | T-8th |
Rush YPG allowed | 74.5 | 3rd |
Sacks | 8 | T-1st |
Takeaways | 4 | T-3rd |
This Bengals defense is coming off a Week 2 win where they held the Houston Texans to two field goals and stonewalled them from the end zone on four red zone trips. They might pitch back-to-back TD shutouts as they face Pittsburgh.
Gambling angle to note: Pittsburgh's over/under point total for Week 3 is 18.5 (-105 to the under). Under 1.5 total touchdowns for Pittsburgh is +145 (DraftKings Sportsbook).
Emmett Johnson leads the Chiefs backfield in rushing
Naturally, all eyes have been on Kenneth Walker III over his first two games with the Chiefs. The Super Bowl LX MVP has been a home run free agent signing, totaling 369 scrimmage yards through two games.f His 290 rushing yards also lead the NFL, and he's tied with Jahmyr Gibbs for the most touches (56) through two weeks. It's that number that I think Andy Reid will want to manage when he can, and he may get an opportunity to take his foot off the gas with Walker in Week 3 against Miami.
The Chiefs are a double-digit road favorite (-10.5) against the Dolphins, which means this could turn into a blowout real fast. The Dolphins have lost by 14 points in Week 1 and then 22 in Week 2. If they follow a similar path, it wouldn't be shocking to see some Chiefs reserves play a large chunk of the second half, including standout rookie running back Emmett Johnson.
The Nebraska product has shown flashes in spot appearances through two weeks, and Reid even acknowledged that Johnson "will continue to get more snaps, and that will take a little bit of the load off Kenny [Walker]," via SI.com.
If the Chiefs build up a large enough lead, they could look to Johnson in the second half to pile up yards and churn the clock down. That could lead to a wonky box score where he leads the team in rushing because they want to preserve Walker from garbage time.
Gambling angle to note: Emmett Johnson is +2200 to have the most rushing yards in Chiefs-Dolphins. Johnson's O/U rushing yard total is 24.5 (-114 to the over) (FanDuel Sportsbook).
Kenyon Sadiq hauls in first receiving touchdown
The Jets have been feisty through the first two weeks. They pulled off an upset win over the Titans in the season opener, and then took the Packers to overtime last week. The offense is much improved than it was a year ago with Geno Smith at the helm, but there's room to grow. Part of that growth will likely come from New York's first-round rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq. Call it a hunch, but I think that starts this week, with the Oregon product finding the end zone as a receiver for the first time.
This matchup against the Detroit Lions has shootout potential. If the game gets away from the Jets, it'll force Smith into a pass-heavy game script, which in theory gives more opportunities for the likes of Sadiq.
It's been a modest start for Sadiq's career, catching just five passes over his first two games. That said, he is the most targeted tight end in the offense and has a tasty matchup against the Lions. Through two games, the Lions have given up 16 catches to tight ends (second-most in the NFL), 187 receiving yards (second-most), and — most importantly for this discussion — four receiving touchdowns (tied for most in the NFL). Sadiq has already found the end zone this season, but as a rusher. Here, I expect Smith and Sadiq to connect through the air.
Gambling angle to note: Kenyon Sadiq is +450 to score a touchdown in Week 3 (DraftKings Sportsbook).
Todd Bowles is officially on first-coach-fired watch
Todd Bowles entered the 2026 season with his seat on the warmer side. After an 8-9 season in 2025 that saw the Buccaneers on the outside looking in on the playoffs, Bowles essentially cleaned out his coaching staff, an indicator that he himself is on thin ice. Through two weeks, he hasn't done anything to cool things down. Instead, it's getting increasingly uneasy around Raymond James Stadium.
The Bucs are 0-2 to begin the season and are coming off a demoralizing loss to Cleveland in the home opener. Bowles' team led by 10 points in the third quarter but allowed Deshaun Watson and the Browns to claw back and pull out a 23-19 win. Watson, who had been clinging to his starting job, turned in a passer rating of 121.9 for the game. That's simply unacceptable.
Just as jarring, the Bucs had the football at the Cleveland 28-yard line at the two-minute warning. Then, a weather delay stalled the game for over two hours. Despite that added time to scheme what would've been a go-ahead scoring drive (plus all three timeouts in your pocket), they could edge out the win.
Now Bowles faces off against a Vikings team that has one of the toughest defenses in the league. Minnesota has the highest blitz rate (79%) of any team through two games in the last 10 years. They have the most quarterback hits by any team (25) through two games since the 2020 Steelers and are allowing the fewest yards per game (242.5) in the league. All that could result in a rough day offensively for Baker Mayfield, who has been loose with the football through two weeks.
If Tampa Bay loses here, the drum will only beat louder on Bowles' job security (or lack thereof). Specifically, their Week 5 matchup against the Cowboys in Dallas (Thursday Night Football) should be a date to keep an eye on if things don't subside, but the narrative could truly start after this contest.
Gambling angle to note: Vikings ML is -122 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
