As you begin to finalize your fantasy football lineups for Week 2, let our staff members at the League Winnners help you with some of the tough start or sit decisions you may be facing.
Start
Tyler Boyd, WR – Cincinnati Bengals (Joe O’Leary)
Tyler Boyd got off to a slow start in week one with a 3/32 stat line. Better days are ahead for Boyd this week at Chicago. Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai recently said that the nickel corner is still open competition between Marqui Christian and Duke Shelley. The Bears got ravaged by slot wide receiver Cooper Kupp in week one as he went off for 7/108/1. All signs are pointing to a “get right“ game for Tyler Boyd in week two.
Ronald Jones, RB – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Jeremy Shulman)
I’m all in on Ronald Jones this week against the lowly Atlanta Falcons at home. I’m not sure I need to say too much about the matchup, but Miles Sanders finished as a fantasy football RB1 while Kenneth Gainwell was an RB2. Taken with the most massive grain of salt in existence, head coach Bruce Arians gave Jones a vote of confidence and named him the starter for Week 2. While I fully expect Leonard Fournette and even Giovanni Bernard to be involved, I expect RoJo to see 20 carries in this one and find the end zone. Fire him up as a high-end flex option in week two.
Kareem Hunt, RB – Cleveland Browns (Keith James)
The Texans had a nice win this past week vs. the lowly Jaguars, but the Texans are not a good football team. The Browns had a bad week this past week, blowing a lead to the Chiefs in what could be an AFC championship preview. The Browns are a good football team. I’m looking for Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt to have great games this week against the Texans. Chubb should lead the charge once again, but Kareem Hunt will see double-digit touches. Hunt will find the end zone yet again against a bad Texans run defense. Get Hunt in your lineups!
Jonnu Smith, TE – New England Patriots (Thomas Christopher)
The Jets defense is young. Their linebackers and safeties can be heavily exploited. Bill Belichick signed Jonnu Smith to wreck havoc in games just like this. I expect Smith to be peppered with targets and make his presence felt in the red zone, building off a good Week 1 start.
Marques Valdes-Scantling, WR – Green Bay Packers (Matthew Morris)
The Green Bay Packer’s offense fell flat in Week 1. So why trust anybody from the Packers offense, especially one not named Rodgers, Jones, or Adams? Despite an underwhelming three receptions for 17 yards, MVS led all Packers pass-catchers with eight targets. Further, Valdes-Scantling was fifth in the NFL with 156 air yards in week one. All of this adds up to MVS being a capable WR2 for the Packers. Facing a Detroit Lions team that gave up 311 passing yards against the 49ers, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and the entire Packers offense seems poised for a bounce back.
Sit
Mike Davis, RB – Atlanta Falcons (Joe O’Leary)
Falcons running back Mike Davis received solid volume on Sunday, but he couldn’t turn it into much. Davis carried the ball 15 times for just 49 yards. He added three receptions for 23 yards through the air. This week the assignment is a Tampa Bay defense that just stymied Ezekiel Elliott. If you have better options elsewhere on your fantasy football roster, you may want to use them this week instead of Davis.
Myles Gaskin, RB – Miami Dolphins (Jeremy Shulman)
I have Myles Gaskin on a few of my rosters as an RB3. He paid off in Week 1, putting up 76 total yards on 14 total touches. However, he’ll face a stout Bills defensive unit in Week 2 who held Najee Harris in check last week. To be clear, there aren’t many offensive lines worse than Pittsburgh’s, but I expect Buffalo to score points and render Gaskin useless on the ground. If they can limit him through the air like they did Harris, he’s better left on your bench. That’s where he’ll be on my rosters this week.
Michael Pittman, WR – Indianapolis Colts (Keith James)
Michael Pittman didn’t fare well against the Seahawks in week one, and in week two, things may get worse. Facing Jalen Ramsey and the LA Rams this week, Carson Wentz and the entire Colts’ passing game will struggle. With Wentz targeting his running backs and tight ends more than his receivers in week one, I epxect that trend to continue. Michael Pittman will be the go-to guy at some point, just not this week. If you are on the fence about Pittman in your flex, sit him in week two and wait for better days.
Devin Singletary, RB – Buffalo Bills (Thomas Christopher)
My original Sit was Will Fuller, but just before publishing it was declared he would not be available for Sunday’s game. After Zack Moss was a healthy scratch last week, there’s a belief that Devin Singletary is now the workhorse in Buffalo. I’m here to tell you to pump the brakes. It’s likely Zack Moss returns in this game. Even if he doesn’t, Singletary is a touchdown-dependent player. That’s not someone I feel comfortable to rely on in Week 2.
Sam Darnold, QB – Carolina Panthers (Matthew Morris)
Sam Darnold had a respectable week one with 279 yards and two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing). In week two, Darnold faces a New Orleans Saints defense that just suffocated a typically high-powered Green Bay offense. The Saints should be without their top cornerback in Marshon Lattimore, opening some potential for the Panther’s receiving options. However, the Saint’s defense is all-around solid and should have no issue covering for Lattimore’s absence. In this week’s divisional matchup, it won’t be easy to trust any Panther not named Christian McCaffrey for fantasy football.
