Fantasy football sit-and-start advice is always relative and league-specific. Many starts and sits are obvious, so this column will instead focus on fringe options that require serious thought. Good luck with your Week 2 lineups.
Starting pitcher: Isaiah is a good candidate
I expect Mark Andrews to have a great comeback, but he and Likely will remain top 10 fantasy tight ends this season. Likely is the real deal, going 8-88-1 last week with Andrews on the field. Plus, Baltimore used the 12-man system on over 50% of the snaps in Week 1, with Andrews and Likely running 39 plays together (their season-high in a single game last year was 16).
Regardless of Andrews’ health, he’s suddenly likely to be a weekly fantasy starter.
Zamir White, who lost snaps and points to Alexander Mattison last week, will be benched and will have a tough game on Sunday (Vegas’ projected team points total is the league’s lowest at 16.5).
Starting pitcher: JK Dobbins
Few players saw a bigger boost in fantasy value than Dobbins in Week 1. He led the league in rushing yards above expected while Gus Edwards was in the bottom five. Despite being caught from behind on two different long touchdowns, Dobbins was tied for fastest speed of a RB ball carrier. He has also thrived in the passing game, boasting the highest explosive run rate (9.4%) of all running backs since entering the league in 2020.
The Panthers gave up the sixth-most fantasy points to running backs last year and just lost their team’s best defensive player in Derrick Brown, and durability could end up being an issue for Dobbins while he returns from Achilles surgery, so another big performance in Week 2 could create an opportunity for a high trade.
Starter: Dak Prescott
Prescott deserves to be in your fantasy lineups against Dallas in Week 2, despite facing a tough opponent. Last year he averaged 8.6 yards per pass at home (6.8 on the road) and 308.8 yards passing with a 22:3 TD:INT ratio in eight games. A significant increase in pre-snap motion by New Orleans could keep this game competitive and lead to more passing volume for Dallas. The Cowboys have the fourth-highest team scoring total this week (26.5 points), so be confident in putting Prescott in your lineup.
Subscribe to Yahoo Fantasy Forecast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you prefer.
Starter: Jared Goff
Goff boasts one of the most extreme differentials among quarterbacks, averaging 5.8 more fantasy points at home than away since joining Detroit. The Lions are still a run-heavy team, but Tampa Bay has a pass-funnel defense that allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to running backs last year but the eighth-most to quarterbacks. Jameson Williams’ breakout gives Goff another legitimate weapon. Detroit is projected to have by far the higher team total (29.5 points) this week, so I’m treating Goff as a top-10 quarterback.
Jalen McMillan quietly led the Buccaneers in routes in his NFL debut last week, and the rookie should be a fantasy sleeper in this fast-paced indoor matchup.
Sit: Christian Watson
Jaden Reed is tough to bench, but should be relegated to a flex option at best, considering he’s the No. 1 fantasy WR with 0.5 PPR scoring in Week 1. Green Bay’s overall passing attack will suffer with Malik Willis starting, who has a career 5.2 YPA and a 0:3 TD:INT ratio. Willis had the worst catchable ball rate in his last extended game, but his low aDOT won’t help Watson.
Reed has excelled against zone coverage (the Colts used zone coverage at the fourth-highest rate in the league in Week 1), but Kenny Moore is also one of the best slot corners in the league, and Reed ran 82% of his routes from the slot in Week 1. Green Bay is expected to play slower than usual this week on offense and score fewer than 20 points, so all of Green Bay’s wide receivers are worth considering benching in Week 2.
But Josh Jacobs should be a confident starter.
Starter: Amari Cooper
Cooper is coming off a tough Week 1 in which he missed a tough matchup and an easy 36-yard touchdown. His 16-yard reception was accompanied by an NFL-best 170 yards through the air. Deshaun Watson obviously needs to play better, but with David Njoku out, Cooper should get double-digit targets. Jacksonville’s star cornerback Tyson Campbell is on injured reserve, so there should be no hesitation in starting Cooper after last week’s poor showing.
Starting pitcher: Brock Purdy
Purdy had a predictably slow fantasy game last week against the Jets. Jordan Mason had the same number of touches (29) as Purdy’s pass attempts. With Christian McCaffrey moving forward, Mason should be a top-10 fantasy running back regardless of the matchup. But he could be feeling some pain after a short week with the most carries of his career (including college), and a stout Brian Flores run defense is not a favorable matchup.
Fresh off the NFL’s highest YPA in history last year, Purdy will be back with a fully loaded passing attack (no CMC) in Week 2. Brandon Aiyuk should improve from his rusty performance in Week 1, and Purdy should be big on the interior against a pass funnel defense featuring an injured Harrison Smith. Purdy is a strong Week 2 fantasy starter.
Starting pitcher: Ramondre Stevenson
New England has another low point total this time around, but I ranked Stevenson a top-15 fantasy back this week. He had a stellar Week 1, dominating New England’s backfield touches and also posting the fourth-highest RB route share in the league. Stevenson had 118 of his 120 rushing yards after contact Sunday. Seattle showed a much-improved run defense in Week 1 against Denver, but the Seahawks allowed the second-most fantasy points to running backs last season. Stevenson looks like a big win for those who drafted him.
Downgrade DK Metcalf, as he will likely be tagged by Christian Gonzalez (and Seattle should remain a run-oriented team even with Kenneth Walker out).
Sit: Calvin Ridley
Will Revis’ first game under coach Brian Callahan was disastrous, averaging just 4.0 yards per attempt and finishing with an ugly pick-six. The Titans had a lackluster offense and posted a better-than-expected passing percentage of -3.5%. DeAndre Hopkins is not on injured reserve and is expected to play more snaps this week, and the Jets gave up disproportionately few fantasy points to wide receivers last season. Ridley will likely be held back against a tough secondary in a slow-paced matchup.
Starting pitcher: Brian Robinson Jr.
Robinson dominated Washington’s backfield in Week 1, scoring a touchdown and being stopped twice at the 1-yard line. Robinson won 15 of 17 running back opportunities through the fourth quarter (Austin Ekeler had one carry and one target).
Robinson is an underrated receiver who should benefit from the running ability of Jayden Daniels This matchup could be sneakily fast-paced, so keep Robinson in your fantasy lineups on the rare occasion the Commanders have the upper hand.
Starting pitcher: Demarcus Robinson
With Puka Nacua out, Robinson will play a key role. Last week, he recorded a 92% route participation rate and a much higher average target depth than Tyler Johnson. The Rams are the best offense for fantasy wide receivers, and Robinson recorded 100% production against man coverage last week, which Arizona used at the seventh-highest rate in the league. The Rams have a number of injuries on the offensive line and could struggle to operate, so Robinson is a fantasy sleeper this week.
Sit: Joe Burrow
Burrow will get better as the season progresses, and it’s good news that Cincinnati finished Week 1 with the highest passing percentage expected (KC was second). This game should be fast-paced as well, but nearly 70% of Burrow’s passes in Week 1 came up short despite being pressured at the third-lowest rate of his career. Burrow has become a master of the checkdown since opposing defenses began employing two-high safeties at a high rate. The Bengals used pre-snap motions at the fourth-lowest rate in the league in Burrow’s first game without OC Brian Callahan.
Burrow will continue to be without Tee Higgins this week against a Chiefs defense that allowed just 6.0 yards to quarterbacks and the sixth-fewest fantasy points last season. Rujarius Snead is gone, but only Cleveland allowed fewer yards (4.5) at home last year than Kansas City. Burrow is available if needed, but with 15 fantasy quarterbacks ranked in the top 10 this week, there may be better alternatives.
However, Isaiah Pacheco is in a great position and deserves DFS consideration.
Starter: Najee Harris
Harris had 22 of 30 running back opportunities for Pittsburgh last week when the Steelers’ passing percentage was below expectations. Justin Fields is expected to start again on Sunday, and the Broncos allowed the most schedule-adjusted fantasy points to running backs last season and the fifth-most in Week 1. Pittsburgh is a favorite to win with a defense that can stifle rookie Bo Nix, and the game script should be favorable. Jalen Warren may get more of the work, but Harris is a strong fantasy starter this week.
George Pickens will be a bench candidate in a tough matchup with Patrick Surtin keeping an eye on him.
Sit: Caleb Williams
Williams averaged a poor 3.2 yards per possession (!) and posted a third-percentile CPOE (-19.7) in an NFL debut to forget. He joined Desmond Ridder as only two QBs in modern history to attempt 25+ passes and throw for fewer than 100 yards in a debut. Williams had as many fumbles (1) as rushing attempts, which is not what fantasy managers want to see.
Better days are ahead, but Williams’ transition to the NFL (with a shaky coaching staff) appears to come with some big obstacles. The Titans’ defense may be the real deal, but Williams will have to play his first primetime game on the road at Houston. The Bears will also likely be short on wide receivers, with Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze not practicing on Thursday. They benched Williams this week.
Starter: DeVonta Smith
Smith will be busy on Monday night with AJ Terrell guarding AJ Brown and Atlanta playing a solid run defense. Smith didn’t have a breakout performance in Week 1, but his fantasy value has risen. He’s been used more in the slot as expected, running 74% of his routes there in Week 1.
Additionally, the Eagles utilized motion on 48 of 73 plays (65.8%) in Kellen Moore’s first game as OC, the team’s best mark since 2020. Philadelphia used motion at the league’s lowest rate last year, but the offense will continue to benefit from the change.
Smith is a top 15 WR this week.
