As we get ready for Week 2, let’s take a look at the weather forecast for games around the league and what impact it will have for fantasy football. There are six games being played in stadiums with a roof. Outside of rain in Florida, there shouldn’t be much of a weather impact.
All times listed are Eastern Time zone. Forecasts for Week 2 are supplied by reports from the National Weather Service.
The weather forecast will be updated as needed.
Week 2 NFL Weather Report Fantasy Impact
Las Vegas Raiders at Buffalo Bills | Sunday, 1 p.m.
Kickoff forecast: Low 70s, mostly cloudy, winds 5-10 mph
There were some reports that this game could see precipitation in the second half, but that threat appears to have now faded. For all intents and purposes, this is as close to perfect weather conditions as you could ask for. Any players you would normally start in this game remain the case.
Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals | Sunday, 1 p.m.
Kickoff forecast: Low 70s, partly sunny, winds around 5 mph
There’s a chance of rain during this game, but current forecasts place it around 20%. A bigger concern is that there could be thunderstorms in the vicinity around or after 3 p.m. ET. If any lightning strikes get too close, we could see a game delay. It’s not a high likelihood and is more of an inconvenience than a major betting or fantasy impediment.
From a fantasy perspective, this weather forecast should not have a major impact on the game. There shouldn’t be enough rain to cause major concerns, and the wind should have little to no impact on the passing games.
Update:Â The latest forecasts suggest that storms should not enter the area until closer to 4 p.m. ET and may not impact the game at all.
Kansas City Chiefs at Jacksonville Jaguars | Sunday, 1 p.m.
Kickoff forecast: High 80s, 40% chance of thunderstorms, winds 5-10 mph
This game is a prime candidate for a delay due to lightning strikes in the area. Most of the storms are projected to come in after 3 p.m. ET, so it could have an impact in the second half. The good news is that the rain doesn’t appear to be accompanied by high winds.
There may be an impact on the offense from a pass-catching and fumbles point of view. However, the impact is unlikely to be high enough to alter the status of your fantasy options. If the rain gets heavy, we may see an increased usage in the run game, but that will also be somewhat game script and situation-dependent.
Update:Â While thunderstorms are still forecast, it is now expected to be closer to 5 p.m. ET.
Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Sunday, 1 p.m.
Kickoff forecast: Low 90s with heat index around 100, 40% chance of rain, winds around 10 mph
This game is intriguing in terms of the weather and could be one that we see a delay in. There are some forecasts of thunderstorms around noon, so they may be out of the area by the time the game is due to kick off. The rest of the day is expected to be light rain, which should not have a major effect.
This might be a game where we see things start off slow with some sloppy play if a big storm passes the stadium just before kickoff. We may also see warmups interrupted, which could lead to some players looking uncomfortable in the early going until they settle.
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The positive news is that the wind is not meant to be that strong, so the overall impact should be limited. There may be times that the pregame coverage will cut to Tampa, and it will look bad if a thunderstorm is passing through, but it’s a game to hold your nerve as a fantasy manager.
If there is a patch of wet weather early, it could lead to conservative offense and put the under in play. However, with the storms likely to come in waves, it’s hard to be sure when each storm will hit and the impact it will have.
Update:Â Patchy thunderstorms are still forecast in the area, but they are expected to be isolated and somewhat brief.
Los Angeles Chargers at Tennessee Titans | Sunday, 1 p.m.
Kickoff forecast: Highs in the low 80s, mostly sunny, winds around 10 mph
The Chargers and Titans matchup looks pretty comfortable weather-wise, and there’s unlikely to be much impact on the fantasy or betting elements of this game.
Washington Commanders at Denver Broncos | Sunday, 4:25 p.m.
Kickoff forecast: Mid 80s, sunny, winds 5-10 mph
The biggest threat to this game could be the wind, but current projections have gusts getting up to just 15 mph. From that perspective, if the wind does get up, it may be one to look to play the under and sit your pass catchers. For now, there is little change here from what you would normally be looking to do with your fantasy option.
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots | Sunday, 8:20 p.m.
Kickoff forecast: Low 60s, mostly cloudy, winds 5-10 mph
It looks like it’s going to be a lovely day and evening in Foxborough. There is some talk of showers around 1 a.m., so it will be worth watching to see if those look set to arrive earlier.
However, barring that, this looks to be a calm game weather-wise, which should suit the Dolphins’ high-octane passing game. Miami couldn’t have asked for a seemingly more placid New England evening than the one they’ve got.
New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers – Monday, 7:15 p.m.
Kickoff forecast: High 60s, mostly clear, very little wind
Much like the majority of this week’s weather forecast, there is no immediate cause for concern in Charlotte on Monday night. There are expected to be some wet weather and thunderstorms Monday morning, but they should be long gone by kickoff.
Making things even better is that the following days look clear, so there’s no real danger of bad weather rolling in earlier.
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers | Monday, 8:15 p.m.
Kickoff forecast: Low 60s, mostly cloudy, winds 5-10 mph
Browns and Steelers on Monday night could have a slight issue weather-wise just from the aspect of rain. Current forecasts place the chance of precipitation at around 20% on Monday, but with more than 24 hours until kickoff, that could change.
It isn’t totally clear when the rain is expected to hit Pittsburgh, so there is some element of caution. The positive news for fantasy managers is that the wind is expected to be low. The latest projections also have the worst of the weather coming before kickoff, when any impact should be mitigated in the game itself.
The simple fact here is that from a fantasy perspective, there were likely not many pass catchers you were counting on. Even then, the one you may have been looking at, Amari Cooper, is now questionable to play and a tough player to start with so much uncertainty.
Games Played in Stadiums With a Retractable Roof
- Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons | Sunday, 1 p.m.
- Seattle Seahawks at Detroit Lions | Sunday, 1 p.m.
- Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans | Sunday, 1 p.m.
- New York Giants at Arizona Cardinals | Sunday, 4:05 p.m.
- San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams | Sunday, 4:05 p.m.
- New York Jets at Dallas Cowboys | Sunday, 4:25 p.m.
It should be sunny during the game. When the Cowboys play late afternoon games, there’s always a chance for the sun to shine through the AT&T Stadium windows and get in a receiver’s eyes. This shouldn’t cause major issues from a fantasy perspective.
Home teams need to decide 90 minutes before the game if the roof will be closed. If there is any threat of poor weather in the area, they will usually choose to play it safe.
