Fantasy Football Start 'Em Sit 'Em Week 2

Sporting News

17 September 2017 at 8:03 am

Fantasy Football Start 'Em Sit 'Em Week 2

Having trouble with all your tough fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em lineup calls for Week 2. “The Decider” offers advice for season-long leagues and NFL DFS based on matchups, trends and more.

As a reminder, there are certain players who have earned the designation of being an "every-week start", so unless your team is loaded with depth, you should play them this week. Week 2 tends to be the biggest "overreaction" week of the season (both good and bad), so let's get to the this week's picks before you drive yourself crazy.

Fantasy Football Week 2 Start 'Em: Quarterbacks

Every-week starts (when they're playing)

Aaron Rodgers, Packers (at ATL), Tom Brady, Patriots (at NO), Drew Brees, Saints (vs. NE), Matt Ryan, Falcons (vs. GB), Russell Wilson, Seahawks (vs. SF)

Strong starts

Jameis Winston, Buccaneers (vs. CHI). The Bears gave up a ton of big plays to Matt Ryan at home last week. Winston will be eager to push the ball downfield to Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson in his season debut.

Cam Newton, Panthers (vs. BUF). Carolina will make it a point for him to get the ball downfield to Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen this week, and at home, Newton should roost against the Bills’ secondary.

Derek Carr, Raiders (vs. NYJ). It’s another sweet matchup for Carr back in the friendly confines of the Black Hole. He’s knocking on the every-week door.

Carson Palmer, Cardinals (vs. IND). Palmer blew an excellent road matchup in Week 1. He gets an even worse defense, so Bruce Arians should get him to rebound in Week 2.

Eli Manning, Giants (vs. DET). He was horrendous without Odell Beckham Jr. in Dallas. He’s supposed to get him back on MNF, and that alone is big.

DFS Bargain

Philip Rivers, Chargers (vs. MIA, $7,000 on FanDuel). Rivers was looking shaky in Denver until a couple turnovers revved him up. Now he's extremely bargain-priced in advance of lighting up the Dolphins.

Fantasy Football Week 2 Sit 'Em: Quarterbacks

Marcus Mariota, Titans (at JAX). Facing a red-hot Jaguars’ pass defense on the road isn’t inspiring after a disappointing game against the Raiders at home.

Dak Prescott, Cowboys (at DEN). He’s headed for a day against the Denver defense that will resemble his night against the Giants’ defense — better in reality than in fantasy.

Kirk Cousins, Redskins (at LAR). He’s back in his early-season funk, and facing a Aaron Donald-fueled Wade Phillips defense with an opposing head coach that knows his tendencies won’t help.

Matthew Stafford, Lions (at NYG). He came through with a big fourth quarter at home against the Cardinals, but the Giants’ defense is much tougher overall.

Sam Bradford, MIN (at PIT). The Steelers’ pass defense is a lot better than the Saints'.

Buyer beware

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers (vs. MIN, $8,000 on FanDuel). The Vikings frustrated Drew Brees in mostly a field-goal fest. Although Big Ben can stay hot in home sweet home, this is a little too rich for a tough matchup.

WEEK 2 DFS:
DK cash lineup | DK GPP | Top values | Top stacks | DFS lineup builder

Fantasy Football Week 2 Start 'Em: Running backs

Every-week starts (when they are playing)

Le'Veon Bell, Steelers (vs. MIN), Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys (at DEN), Melvin Gordon, Chargers (vs. MIA), Jay Ajayi, Dolphins (at LAC), Devonta Freeman, Falcons (vs. GB), LeSean McCoy, Bills (at CAR), DeMarco Murray, Titans (at JAC), Jordan Howard, Bears (at TB), Todd Gurley, Rams (vs. IND), Dalvin Cook, Vikings (at PIT), Kareem Hunt (vs. PHI), Leonard Fournette, Jaguars (vs. TEN), Ty Montgomery, Packers (at ATL), Lamar Miller, Texans (at CIN), Isaiah Crowell, Browns (at BAL), Carlos Hyde, 49ers (at SEA)

Strong starts

Marshawn Lynch, Raiders (vs. NYJ). They’ll roll in the Black Hole, giving plenty of chances for Beast Mode to rock an awful Jets defense.

Terrance West and Buck Allen, Ravens (vs. CLE). West played well in Week 1 and Allen will see a lot more touches in Week 2. The Browns’ run defense wasn’t as good as last week would indicate.

Jonathan Stewart and Christian McCaffrey, Panthers (vs. BUF). They’ll do a much better job together overworking the Bills’ run defense than Matt Forte and Bilal Powell did.

Tevin Coleman, Falcons (vs. GB). Atlanta will use as much speed in the passing game as possible to throw off the Packers’ defense and keep up in a shootout.

Jacquizz Rodgers, Buccaneers (vs. CHI). It will be a very good game for the entire Tampa Bay offense, and Rodgers should rack up some nice yards from scrimmage with a chance for a short score.

DFS bargain

Mark Ingram, Saints (vs. NE, $6,200 on FanDuel). He’s the ticket to both trying to keep the Patriots’ offense off the field and exploiting their weakness in running backs coverage. He’s a steal of a RB2.

Fantasy Football Week 2 Sit 'Em: Running backs

Kerwynn Williams, Cardinsals (at IND) He’s tempting as the so-called lead of the David Johnson replacement committee. But with Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington also right there in the mix, stay away from Arizona’s remixed backfield until there’s some true clarity in usage.

Ameer Abdullah, Lions (at NYG) “Big Snacks” Harrison is awaiting Detroit’s limited running game on Monday night.

James White, Patriots (vs. NO) New England can do plenty of damage with Rob Gronkowski, Brandin Cooks and Chris Hogan in the passing game against New Orleans. White’s touches are too untrustworthy in a game like this

Frank Gore, Colts (vs. ARI) He’s likely to show up in this column often, especially when he draws a run D as good as the Cardinals and is giving up touches to rookie Marlon Mack.

Thomas Rawls, Seahawks (vs. SF). He’s supposed to return from his ankle injury, but this backfield has become an absolute mess over the usage of him vs. Eddie Lacy vs. Chris Carson vs. C.J. Prosise.

Buyer beware

LeSean McCoy, Bills (at CAR, $8,600 on FanDuel). The monster volume is nice and he’s coming off a highly productive game, but Carolina’s defense can contain him as the focal point of the game plan.

Fantasy Football Week 2 Start 'Em: Wide receivers

Every-week starts (when they are playing)

Antonio Brown, Steelers (vs. MIN), Julio Jones, Falcons (vs. GB), Odell Beckham Jr., Giants (vs. DET), Mike Evans, Buccaneers (vs. CHI), Jordy Nelson, Packers (at ATL), A.J. Green, Bengals (vs. HOU), Amari Cooper, Raiders (vs. NYJ), Doug Baldwin, Seahawks (vs. SF), Michael Thomas, Saints (vs. NE), Dez Bryant, Cowboys (at DEN), Brandin Cooks, Patriots (at NO). Alshon Jeffery, Eagles (at KC), Tyreek Hill, Chiefs (vs. PHI), Demaryius Thomas, Broncos (vs. DAL)

Strong starts

Davante Adams, Packers (at ATL). Don’t be disheartened by Randall Cobb suddenly playing a big role in Week 1. Adams rebounds with a score and at least 80 yards.

DeSean Jackson, Buccaneers (vs. CHI). Winston won’t waste any time in delivering a long touchdown to his new deep-threat toy.

Adam Thielen, Vikings (at PIT). He should be busy with plenty of catch-up catches in the second half as the pressure will make it harder on Bradford to push it as much to Stefon Diggs.

Tyrell Williams, Chargers (vs. MIA). Keenan Allen and Travis Benjamin did their damage in Denver. It’s Williams’ turn for a big play that takes him into the end zone against the Dolphins’ secondary.

Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers (vs. BUF). Newton will get him the ball a lot more, taking advantage of his size in the end zone at least once.

DFS bargain

J.J. Nelson, Cardinals (at IND, $5,300 on FanDuel). Fire up Larry Fitzgerald, too, but Nelson became an interesting sleeper here instead of John Brown (quad), ruled out Friday with his latest injury. Nelson had five catches on six targets in Week 1, leading to 43 yards and a TD. That should go up with Brown not in there.

Fantasy Football Week 2 Sit 'Em: Wide receivers

Brandon Marshall, Giants (vs. DET). Odell Beckham Jr. returning will help, but he looked a little lost out there in first game with Big Blue. Take a wait-and-see approach with him.

DeVante Parker, Dolphins (at LAC). The Chargers’ pass rush will make it hard for Jay Cutler to stretch the field in his Miami debut, especially with Parker being blanketed well outside.

Pierre Garcon, 49ers (at SEA) This is where it hurts that he’s San Francisco's only truly reliable option at wideout.

All Titans and Jaguars. Tennessee’s wideouts draw some tough coverage assignments across the board, while Jacksonville’s wideouts are too limited to take advantage of the other team’s deficiencies.

Kenny Golladay, DET (at NYG). The rookie will be shut down by one of the NFL’s best nickels in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Buyer beware

Michael Thomas, Saints (vs. NE, $8,000 on FanDuel). The Patriots are really good at taking away one thing, and Thomas will be playing the role of Travis Kelce this week.

WEEK 2 DFS:
DK cash lineup | DK GPP | Top values | Top stacks | DFS lineup builder

Fantasy Football Week 2 Start 'Em: Tight ends

Every-week plays (when they are playing)

Rob Gronkowski, Patriots (at NO), Travis Kelce, Chiefs (vs. PHI), Jordan Reed, Redskins (at LAR), Jimmy Graham, Seahawks (vs. SF), Greg Olsen, Panthers (vs. BUF), Kyle Rudolph, Vikings (at PIT), Delanie Walker, Titans (at JAX)

Strong starts

Zach Ertz, Eagles (at KC). Ertz will stay hot against the Eric Berry-less Chiefs.

Coby Fleener, Saints (vs. NE). When Brees sees Michael Thomas covered, he’ll simply go again to a good matchup for his other “big slot”.

Hunter Henry and Antonio Gates, Chargers (vs. MIA). Neither was involved much in the opener ,but as the Chargers have their way a bit in Week 2, one at least one will slide and score off Melvin Gordon’s strong running.

Cameron Brate, Buccaneers (vs. CHI). It’s hard to go wrong with playing any skilled Buc in your lineup, and Brate has a good chance to join the scoring fest.

DFS bargain

Jason Witten, Cowboys (at DEN, $5,600 on FanDuel). Witten will be used very much like he was against the Giants, which will be a sneaky good thing for his production again.

Fantasy Football Week 2 Sit 'Em: Tight ends

Tyler Eifert, Bengals (vs. HOU). Zero points from the team and one catch for four yards from him doesn’t make you want to roll the dice on a TD against the Texans D.

Martellus Bennett, Packers (at ATL). The Packers seem to enjoy three wide a lot more, and it’s hard to trust how much Aaron Rodgers will look to his new tight end at the moment.

Charles Clay, Bills (at CAR). He’ll come back down to earth hard on the road against the Panthers’ linebackers and safeties

Austin Hooper, Falcons (vs. GB). Unless you are in a very deep league, he’s not quite settled as a reliable play yet, as we need to see that last week’s big plays weren’t fluky given his low targets.

Buyer beware

Jordan Reed, Redskins (at LAR, $6,400 on FanDuel). Although you need to stick with him in yearly, Reed is a very low-upside play in daily when there are many solid players in a similar price range.

Fantasy Football Week 2 Start 'Em: Defense/special teams

Must-plays this week

Seahawks (vs. SF), Cardinals (at IND), Ravens (vs. CLE), Raiders (vs. NYJ), Texans (at CIN)

Strong plays

Bengals (vs. HOU). It's a desperate prime-time defense jacked up for Deshaun Watson making his first start behind a mess of a line.

Panthers (vs. BUF). Carolina keeps building on a nice early schedule.

Jaguars (vs. TEN). Hello, Sacksonville.

Giants (vs. DET). They will be pumped for MNF and in position to make several big plays.

DFS bargain

Chargers (vs. MIA, $4,300 on FanDuel). They have good potential for several more sacks of Cutler and a pick-six.

Fantasy Football Week 2 Sit 'Em: Defense/special teams

Falcons (vs. GB). Sure, they’ll be revved up for the new home opener, but Aaron Rodgers can quickly squelch that scoring enthusiasm.

Packers (at ATL). They were awesome in Week 1, but the talent just isn’t there in the secondary to duplicate against a higher-powered offense with a better line.

Steelers (vs. MIN). Bradford won’t have a great game, but he can do some dinking and dunking to make Pittsburgh a disappointing deploy.

Eagles (at KC). Arrowhead and an efficient Chiefs offense will help cool them off.

Buyer beware

Broncos (vs. DAL, $4,900 on FanDuel). Dak Prescott and the Cowboys are too careful with the ball to think there will be much here, especially after the Broncos didn’t sack Philip Rivers once.