We are two weeks into a long NFL season. Yet, fantasy football managers can be quite impatient with slow stars, especially from players they expected more from. Justin Fields was looking like a league winner after his elite QB1 outing in Week 1. He followed that up with a clunker, combined with an injury. Should fantasy managers hold the New York Jets QB1 while he recovers, or move on?
Should You Drop Justin Fields?
The answer is no. Despite his awful Week 2 performance, dropping Fields would be premature after just one bad game. His Week 1 showing serves as a reminder of his elite QB1 upside that makes him worth holding through this rough patch.
Fields posted 29.5 fantasy points in Week 1 against Pittsburgh, completing 16 of 22 passes for 218 yards and one touchdown while adding 12 carries for 48 yards and two rushing touchdowns. This dominant performance showcased exactly why fantasy managers invested in Fields, as he finished as the QB2 for the week.
Justin Fields is balling.
PITvsNYJ on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/L0Vfru5N2H
— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025
Week 2 told a dramatically different story against Buffalo. Fields managed just 4.0 fantasy points, completing only three of 11 passes for 27 yards while adding five carries for 49 yards before leaving with a concussion. He failed to reach even the most modest expectations and was actually outscored by his backup, Tyrod Taylor, who threw for 56 yards and a touchdown in limited action.
The concerning nature of Fields’ Week 2 collapse cannot be understated. His 4.0 fantasy points represented one of the worst quarterback performances in recent memory, and his total QBR of 1.1 tied for the second-worst by a Jets quarterback since the metric began in 2006. The Bills’ defense completely neutralized his dual-threat ability, holding him to minimal production through the air and on the ground.
However, context matters significantly when evaluating this performance. The Jets fell behind early against a superior Buffalo offense, forcing them into a one-dimensional passing attack that doesn’t play to Fields’ strengths. When trailing by multiple scores, teams abandon the run game and designed quarterback runs that make Fields so valuable in fantasy formats.
Fields is obviously not a great passer, but there will be easier matchups than Buffalo ahead and better game scripts that allow him to utilize his rushing ability. The Bills’ defense came into Week 2 motivated after allowing 40 points to Baltimore in Week 1, and they took out their frustrations on an overmatched Jets offense.
The veteran quarterback has too long a track record of being a fantasy QB1 to dump him after one admittedly disastrous outing that likely cost fantasy managers their matchups. His rushing ability provides a weekly floor that most quarterbacks cannot match.
Current circumstances around the league actually make Fields more valuable, not less. With Jayden Daniels, Joe Burrow, Brock Purdy, and JJ McCarthy all dealing with injuries, the list of startable quarterbacks is shrinking rapidly. This scarcity increases the value of players like Fields, who can provide QB1 upside when healthy.
Regarding his concussion, while head injuries are nothing to scoff at, they typically don’t cost players without a lengthy history of them more than a week. Fields has no significant concussion history, suggesting he should return relatively quickly. At worst, Fields should return in Week 4, if he even misses Week 3.
Fantasy managers have flexibility in how they handle Fields’ situation. If roster space is tight and other players need to be dropped, holding Fields makes sense given the quarterback shortage league-wide. If Fields is ruled out on Friday, fantasy managers can place him on IR and add another quarterback for free. If he clears the concussion protocol, then start him as normal in Week 3.
The Week 2 performance was undoubtedly frustrating, but one game doesn’t erase Fields’ proven ability to produce fantasy points. His rushing upside and track record of QB1 seasons make him worth the wait through this temporary setback.
