Injuries and disappointing starts have already torpedoed some teams. After beefing up your roster with the right waiver wire adds, knowing which players to start and who to bench is crucial. Let’s get that important victory in the second week with our Fantasy Football Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em Week 2.
QUARTERBACKS
Start ‘Em
Anthony Richardson (Indianapolis Colts)
Richardson secured the fourth-highest fantasy points during Week 1. He successfully connected on 24 of his 37 throws, accumulating 223 yards, one passing touchdown, and one interception.
However, his performance as a passer didn’t earn him a high grade, lacking any significant throws, and his average target depth of 5.3 yards ranked seventh-lowest among all quarterbacks. Nonetheless, he demonstrated his ability to amass passing yards through short passes.
Additionally, Richardson carried the ball 10 times, ranking second in rushing attempts among quarterbacks. Also, he gained 40 yards while reaching the end zone. This included six planned rushes for 24 yards. Notably, both he and Jalen Hurts were the sole quarterbacks to execute more than two designed runs, each resulting in over 10 rushing yards. This comes as no surprise, given that Richardson’s current head coach previously served as Hurts’ offensive coordinator.
In the upcoming week, he will face off against the Houston Texans, a matchup that can certainly be exploited.
Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins)
Tagovailoa emerged as the highest-scoring fantasy quarterback in Week 1. He completed 28 out of 45 throws, accumulating 466 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.
Impressively, he received the top quarterback grade (92.1) for Week 1 according to PFF. Tagovailoa was a top-10 fantasy quarterback in the previous season, boasting a strong average in fantasy points per game. As long as he stays healthy, he remains a must-start quarterback, regardless of the opponent.
In Week 2, the Dolphins are set to face the New England Patriots. The Patriots ranked in the lower half of the league in terms of conceding fantasy points to quarterbacks last season, particularly struggling in allowing passing touchdowns, ranking among the bottom five.
Sit ‘Em
Russell Wilson (Denver Broncos)
Russell Wilson’s first game with Sean Payton didn’t go as planned. He threw for just 177 yards, salvaging the day with two touchdowns. Wilson was without top WR Jerry Jeudy, but he just looks washed up.
While there’s hope for their continued development, facing the Washington Commanders’ defense presents a challenging task. It’s advisable to steer clear of Wilson this week.
Running Backs
Start ‘Em
Jamaal Williams (New Orleans Saints)
Williams failed to impress on the stat sheet against a formidable Titans run defense last week. However, his usage was noteworthy, with a 75% snap rate, a 62% route rate, 18 carries, and 2 targets.
Williams appears to be a solid bet for another 20+ opportunities in Week 2, especially with the Saints favored by 3 points against the Panthers. Carolina recently allowed 177 total yards and three touchdowns to Atlanta’s running backs.
Expect Williams to rebound from a sluggish start and compete for RB2 numbers on Sunday.
James Cook (Buffalo Bills)
Cook narrowly missed the top 24 fantasy running backs in Week 1, carrying the ball 12 times for 46 yards and catching four passes for 17 yards. Cook saw an increased role, playing a career-high 41 offensive snaps.
In Week 2, the Bills will face the Las Vegas Raiders, who allowed the third-highest fantasy points to running backs last season.
Despite the Raiders’ strong defensive showing last week, they still allowed 93 rushing yards on 21 attempts to opposing running backs. With the Bills expected to be heavy favorites, this sets up a favorable matchup for Coo and if the game does stay close Cook can score in the passing game.
Sit ‘Em
Cam Akers (Los Angeles Rams)
Cam Akers had a disappointing performance, playing only 35% of the snaps and managing a mere 29 yards despite 22 carries, plus a garbage time TD.
He didn’t see any targets, and Kyren Williams played a larger role, with 65% of the snaps, 15 carries, two targets, and two goal-line touchdowns.
Also, the Rams face the 49ers, who have been stingy against running backs. That makes Akers a very risky choice in this tough matchup.
Wide Receivers
Start ‘Em
Jahan Dotson (Washington Commanders)
Dotson’s performance in the opener was underwhelming, as he caught five passes for 40 yards without scoring. However, he was targeted 7 times, accounting for a solid 22.6% share.
While WR Terry McLaurin is likely to draw coverage from Broncos stud CB Patrick Surtain, Dotson will primarily face CB Damarri Mathis, who struggled last week, allowing eight catches, 95 yards, and two touchdowns in coverage.
This is a blow-up spot for the second-year wideout.
Zay Flowers (Baltimore Ravens)
Flowers had an outstanding Week 1. His average target depth of 2.6 yards was the shallowest among wide receivers with five or more targets. He also excelled with 34 yards after contact and avoided four tackles, both marking the best in his position for the season.
Baltimore’s utilization of Flowers suggests he has the potential for significant performances against any defense.
In Week 2, the Ravens are underdogs against the Cincinnati Bengals and will likely need to pass frequently. A healthy Mark Andrews might lead to increased passing opportunities in what could be a high-scoring game.
Sit ‘Em
Drake London (Atlanta Falcons)
It’s challenging to make a case for starting London this week, even though the Falcons may need him more in their passing game. London ran only 20 routes in Week 1 and dropped his sole target. He wasn’t a frequent first read for Desmond Ridder, who attempted just 18 passes.
Also, the Falcons have a tendency to avoid throwing the ball, so it’s advisable to keep London on the bench and consider trading him. There just wasn’t much to like about Atlanta’s passing game in Week 1.
Tight Ends
Start ‘Em
Sam LaPorta (Detroit Lions)
LaPorta didn’t post massive fantasy points in his debut, but his usage was promising. He ran routes on 73% of Detroit’s passing plays and garnered five targets, accounting for a 14.3% share.
He now faces the Seahawks defense that surrendered 334 yards to Matt Stafford last week. Despite this, TE Tyler Higbee only managed three receptions. LaPorta operates in the middle of the field, where he can exploit this defense.
Coming off of long rest the Lions may look to incorporate the rookie TE more in Week 2.
Sit ‘Em
Cole Kmet (Chicago Bears)
Kmet had a solid first game with five receptions for 44 yards. Kmet ran 43 pass routes, which ranked second at the tight end position in Week 1. His target rate of 16.3% and yards per route run of 1.02 were slightly above average.
However, the Bears and Justin Fields don’t consistently pass the ball enough, and Fields struggles with quick decision-making in the intermediate passing game.
That’s a bad mix when traveling to Tampa to face a tough Buccaneers defense. Despite Tampa’s struggles against tight ends last week, it’s doubtful that Justin Fields when have enough volume to help Kmet contend for top-15 fantasy numbers this week.
