Fantasy Football: Production of two-minute drills is aborted

• Jake Ferguson has quietly become the most targeted pass catcher in crunch time: Sixteen targets. Twelve catches. Eighty-two meters. Two touchdowns. In PPR format, that’s 32.2 fantasy points generated purely from late-half drives — more production than most tight ends manage in three full games.

• Javonte Williams turned the two-minute exercise into his personal highlight: On just eight carries, he’s racked up 138 yards and a touchdown — the kind of production that turns a steady RB2 into a weekly winner.

Two-minute offense: the crucible where quarterbacks become legends or crash and burn like bargain fireworks in high winds. Whether it’s a final comeback or a goal at the end of the half, this condensed chaos is a gold mine for fantasy football production – if your players perform when it matters most.

Quarterbacks

The two-minute drill is a lie detector for quarterbacks. Either you lead with poise, precision and purpose, or you are exposed to the light with nowhere to hide.

Quarterbacks: Highest passer rating in two-minute practice situations (min. 15 attempts)

Bo Nix and Dak Prescott are the standouts in terms of balance, each throwing four touchdown passes in two-minute situations. This is not a filler of waste time; it’s the defining, momentum-shifting work that sets them apart. Prescott in particular could have added even more production if not for his receivers dropping a league-high five in two-minute situations.

And then there’s Baker Mayfield. The Tampa Bay quarterback is playing like a legitimate MVP candidate through the first half of the season. His five big throws put all the quarterbacks in rushing situations. He is the spark that ignites the late half surges and save games.

Spencer Rattler, despite being dragged down by a porous New Orleans offensive line that has given up four sacks in these high-pressure moments, has quietly built a two-minute resume that rivals Mayfield’s. With four big throws and a knack for moving the chains when all else breaks down, he’s the kind of fantasy option who can sneak in the back door and win your week, especially in super-flex leagues.

Top Rated Quarterbacks in Two-Minute Practices (Min. 15 Attempts)

But not all stories have heroic arcs. Cam Ward, Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco each threw two interceptions as the clock tightened, and the damage wasn’t limited to their teams — it’s fantasy shrapnel.

Ward and Tyrod Taylor have also been sacked 10 times in this span, with the Jets and Titans offensive lines functioning more like turnstiles than protectors – which is especially concerning for Taylor, who has just 91 dropbacks compared to Ward’s 276.

Running backs

The two-minute exercise should be a passing affair. That’s the rule. But a few runners have decided to go rogue.

Jonathan Taylor leads all running backs in carries (10) during two-minute stretches. He has only gained 43 yards, but those are tough, strategic yards that he earns when the defense is expecting the pass. It’s not flashy, but it’s fundamental. Watch him make that four-yard gain and you’ll see the Colts’ confidence in him as more than just a power forward: He’s a clock manager and momentum keeper who provides those crucial extra fantasy points that can tie up a matchup when the final scores are deadlocked.

Running backs: rushing stats in two-minute practice situations (min. 3 carries)

Conversely, Javonte Williams has turned the two-minute drill into his personal highlight reel. On just eight carries, he’s racked up 138 yards and a touchdown — the kind of production that turns a steady RB2 into a weekly winner. It’s not the volume that matters; it’s the explosiveness and impact at times when most backs block, run decoy routes or catch screens.

In contrast, Alvin Kamara, Kenneth Walker III and Ashton Jeanty were nearly invisible in these clutch situations. Kamara has one carry for -2 yards. Walker has a non-profit, and Jeanty has barely registered. None of them touched the ball in the red zone on a rush drive.

Running backs don’t need heavy volume in the two-minute drill, but if they get the ball — and capitalize — it can dramatically increase their fantasy output.

Wide receivers and tight ends

When time is short, the game becomes narrower. Teams stop spreading the wealth and lean on their most trusted hands. Therefore, the two-minute exercise acts as a magnifying glass for your tight ends and wide edges.

Start with Jake Ferguson, who has quietly become the most targeted pass catcher in crunch time. Sixteen targets. Twelve catches. Eighty-two meters. Two touchdowns. In PPR format, that’s 32.2 fantasy points generated purely from late-half drives — more production than most tight ends manage in three full games. That’s also why he’s the TE1 in standard scoring formats. Ferguson is not only good, he also has grip.

Justin Jefferson does what elite receivers do: rack up yards even when everyone knows the ball is coming his way. He leads all wideouts with 186 receiving yards in two-minute situations, with Denver’s Courtland Sutton next at 136. No touchdowns, of course, but the field tilts when Jefferson lines up. The defense is focused on him, and he still finds space.

Not only is Sutton keeping up with Jefferson, he’s doing it with style and scoring. He’s only behind by 50 yards, but where he really separates himself is in the end zone. Sutton has three touchdowns in these moments, the most among wideouts, proving that when the Broncos need a spark and a score, he’s the man.

Wide Receivers: Receive stats in two-minute practice situations (min. 5 targets)

But where there is feast, there is famine.

DK Metcalf, in a Steelers offense already short on passing volume — Aaron Rodgers ranks fifth in pass attempts (172) among quarterbacks with at least 150 dropbacks — has just two catches for 22 yards on the rush. Rome Odunze and Marvin Harrison Jr. were not much better, with 22 and 23 yards respectively.

Even more concerning for Odunze is that he has run just 17 routes in these situations – fifth-fewest in the NFL among receivers with at least five two-minute drill targets. These were supposed to be WR2s with WR1 upside, but in high leverage moments they were footnotes.

That lack of production is currently a ceiling. You can’t win fantasy matchups without late-game volume, and these players simply aren’t part of the script when it matters most.

The bottom line

The two-minute exercise involves winning, losing or stealing fantasy weeks. It rewards players who thrive in chaos – who play as if their legacy is at stake.

Whether it’s Mayfield’s MVP push, Rattler’s gritty rise, Javonte Williams’ unexpected outburst or Ferguson’s quiet dominance, the rushing attack is a lens for those who matter when everything matters.

And if your fantasy roster includes players missing in this crucial window, check out your playoff tiebreakers now. You’ll need them.