Fantasy Football: Breaking down two-minute drill production

  • Jake Ferguson has quietly become the most targeted pass-catcher in crunch time: Sixteen targets. Twelve catches. Eighty-two yards. Two touchdowns. In PPR formats, 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 has turned the two-minute drill into his personal highlight reel: With just eight carries, he’s racked up 138 yards and a touchdown — the kind of production that transforms a steady RB2 into a weekly winner.

Two-minute offense: the crucible where quarterbacks become legends or crash and burn like a bargain fireworks show in strong winds. Whether it’s a last-gasp comeback or an end-of-half scoring drive, this condensed chaos is a gold mine for fantasy football production — if your players deliver when it matters most.

Quarterbacks

The two-minute drill is a lie detector for quarterbacks. You either lead with poise, precision and purpose, or you’re exposed under the lights with nowhere to hide.

Quarterbacks: Highest passer ratings in two-minute drill situations (min. 15 attempts)
NameAtts.Comp.YardsTDsINTsRating
Drake Maye282126420127.7
Justin Herbert271825520121.7
Carson Wentz362433520114.9
Bo Nix442632040111.9
Jacoby Brissett15913410111.5
Kyler Murray221412720109.5
Jake Browning262017810107.5
Baker Mayfield453038831106.5
Dak Prescott563742041104.8
Tua Tagovailoa221419121102.7

Bo Nix and Dak Prescott are the poster boys for poise, each throwing four touchdown passes in two-minute situations. This isn’t garbage-time padding — it’s drive-defining, momentum-shifting work that sets them apart. Prescott, in particular, could have added even more production if not for a league-high five dropped passes by his receivers 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-time throws lead all quarterbacks in hurry-up situations. He’s been the spark that ignites late-half surges and salvages games.

Spencer Rattler, despite being dragged down by a porous New Orleans offensive line that has surrendered four sacks in these high-pressure moments, has quietly built a two-minute résumé that rivals Mayfield’s. With four big-time throws and a knack for moving the chains when everything else breaks down, he’s the kind of fantasy option who sneaks in through the back door and wins your week — especially in superflex leagues.

Highest-graded quarterbacks in two-minute drill situations (min. 15 attempts)
NamePassing gradeTurnover-worthy playsBig-time throws
Josh Allen86.702
Justin Herbert85.202
J.J. McCarthy83.501
Dak Prescott82.724
Baker Mayfield82.315
Trevor Lawrence82.201
Drake Maye81.201
Jacoby Brissett77.302
Daniel Jones75.611
Russell Wilson73.902

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

Ward and Tyrod Taylor have also been sacked a combined 10 times in this window, 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 drill is supposed to 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 sequences. He’s gained just 43 yards, but those are tough, strategic yards earned in moments when defenses expect the pass. It’s not flashy, but it’s fundamental. Watch him churn out those four-yard gains and you see the Colts’ trust in him as more than a bruiser — he’s a clock manager and momentum keeper who delivers those crucial extra fantasy points that can swing a matchup when final scores lock in.

Running backs: Rushing stats in two-minute drill situations (min. 3 carries)
NameAttemptsYardsYards
per carry
YCO
per carry
MTF
per carry
% of carries for TD or 1DRuns of 10+ yards
Javonte Williams813817.313.600.5062.5%4
Tony Pollard5448.85.200.4060.0%2
Christian McCaffrey4287.03.300.2550.0%1
Tyjae Spears4287.04.300.7550.0%1
De'Von Achane4287.03.800.250.0%0
Zach Charbonnet7476.75.400.4328.6%1
TreVeyon Henderson3196.36.000.3333.3%1
Emari Demercado3186.02.300.330.0%1
Kyren Williams6325.33.200.1766.7%1
Jerome Ford4205.04.300.2575.0%1
Jordan Mason4194.82.800.0025.0%0
Chase Brown5244.82.800.0040.0%1
Chuba Hubbard3144.73.000.0033.3%0
Kyle Monangai3144.73.300.3333.3%0
Rico Dowdle5224.41.400.0020.0%0
Josh Jacobs3134.33.000.0033.3%0
Jonathan Taylor10434.33.000.1020.0%2
Austin Ekeler3124.02.300.0033.3%0
Quinshon Judkins3113.71.300.6766.7%0
Breece Hall8293.63.600.0025.0%0
Bucky Irving362.01.700.000.0%0
Rhamondre Stevenson591.82.400.000.0%0

Conversely, Javonte Williams has turned the two-minute drill into his personal highlight reel. With just eight carries, he’s racked up 138 yards and a touchdown — the kind of production that transforms a steady RB2 into a weekly winner. It’s not the volume that matters; it’s the explosiveness and the impact in moments when most backs are left blocking, running decoy routes or catching screens.

In contrast, Alvin Kamara, Kenneth Walker III and Ashton Jeanty have been nearly invisible in these clutch situations. Kamara has one carry for -2 yards. Walker has one for no gain, and Jeanty has barely registered. None of them has touched the ball in the red zone during a hurry-up drive.

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

Wide receivers and tight ends

When time is short, the game narrows. Teams stop spreading the wealth and lean on their most trusted hands. That’s why the two-minute drill acts as a magnifying glass on your tight ends and wideouts.

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

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, sure, but the field tilts when Jefferson lines up. Defenses key on him, and he still finds space.

Sutton isn’t just keeping pace with Jefferson — he’s doing it with style and scoring. He trails by only 50 yards, but where he truly 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 guy.

Wide receivers: Receiving stats in two-minute drill situations (min. 5 targets)

NameTgtsRecsYardsTDsYPRRRatingPlays of 15+ yards
Courtland Sutton8713603.02158.34
George Pickens7611602.07158.33
Jordan Addison5410203.40158.31
Kayshon Boutte6511404.38158.34
Quentin Johnston8610114.59156.33
Emeka Egbuka8612002.73156.34
Sterling Shepard555811.35154.61
Chris Olave9711001.93154.62
Deebo Samuel9810202.49150.93
Tre Tucker638002.42135.42
Tee Higgins645000.96131.91
Jaylen Waddle857102.96130.71
Jaxon Smith-Njigba11711513.71129.03
Amon-Ra St. Brown884201.62128.10
Michael Wilson754401.05127.40
Tyquan Thornton528703.63127.12
Jake Ferguson16128201.67125.51
Davante Adams643911.39124.31
Alec Pierce547434.11118.82
Sam LaPorta555802.23115.01

But where there’s feast, there’s famine.

DK Metcalf, in a Steelers offense already low on passing volume — Aaron Rodgers ranks fifth fewest in passing attempts (172) among quarterbacks with at least 150 dropbacks — has just two catches for 22 yards during the hurry-up. Rome Odunze and Marvin Harrison Jr. haven’t been much better, with 22 and 23 yards, respectively.

For Odunze, it’s even more concerning that he has run only 17 routes in these situations — the fifth fewest in the NFL among receivers with at least five two-minute-drill targets. These are supposed to be WR2s with WR1 upside, but in high-leverage moments, they’ve been footnotes.

That lack of production is a ceiling right now. 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 drill is where fantasy weeks are won, lost or stolen. It rewards players who thrive in chaos — who play like their legacy is on the line.

Whether it’s Mayfield’s MVP push, Rattler’s gritty emergence, Javonte Williams’ unexpected burst or Ferguson’s quiet domination, the hurry-up offense is a lens into who matters when everything matters.

And if your fantasy roster features players who vanish in this crucial window, check your playoff tiebreakers now. You’re going to need them.

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