Week 2 is here and now it’s time to take a look at some of the best and worst matchups in my Week 2 Fantasy Matchup Guide. This article will take a look at the points per game allowed by each opponent.
*The graphics below will show the player in question. The data under them highlights their opponent and how many points per game they gave up to that position in 2023. The number next to their name is their matchup rank. Rank 1 is the easiest matchup, Rank 32 is the toughest matchup. Pts/Game data are taken from Full PPR leagues at Sleeper.
Quarterbacks
Matchups to Target
Start Patrick Mahomes, obviously. The Jacksonville Jaguars gifted rookie Anthony Richardson a solid NFL debut, and surely Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs will get it right quickly.
Lamar Jackson is also an obvious start against a Cincinnati Bengals team that was destroyed by the Cleveland Browns in Week 1. While the Bengals will certainly be motivated to bounce back, it’s still a nice matchup for Jackson.
Kirk Cousins was plagued by turnovers in Week 1 on his way to more than 300 yards passing. In Week 2 he gets a tough Eagles defense that looked vulnerable against the New England Patriots. This one is a matter of which Philadelphia Eagles team you believe will show up. Either way, Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings are going to have to score to hang with the Eagles.
Ryan Tannehill has a matchup with a Los Angeles Chargers defense that was dismantled by Tua Tagovailoa in Week 1. Hopefully, this soft defense is enough to overcome Tannehill looking totally washed. Start him if you need to and pray he finds his game.
Baker Mayfield looked serviceable in Week 1 against the Vikings and gets a Week 2 matchup with a Chicago Bears team that looked inept against the Green Bay Packers last week. Mayfield isn’t a sexy start, but he is a desperate start in a Superflex league.
Mac Jones was the QB2 in Week 1 and this week he faces the Miami Dolphins. Whether or not the New England Patriots can hang with Miami is a mystery. They will have to in order to stay competitive. Start Jones in Superflex leagues and hope he is for real.
Matchups to Avoid
The quarterback avoids list is comprised mostly of easy sits. Many of these players weren’t good in Week 1 against far easier competition, so there’s no reason to start them here. Kenny Pickett, Bryce Young, Joshua Dobbs and Zach Wilson all looked average at best in Week 1 and they are rewarded with tough matchups in Week 2. Even in Superflex leagues, sit them all if you can.
Anthony Richardson looked far better than anyone could have hoped in Week 1, but he faces a Houston Texans defense that typically gets destroyed by the ground game so much that their opponents don’t need to pass. The only hope for Richardson this week is to be carried by his rushing totals.
Russell Wilson had Sean Payton zoom in to save the day. Unfortunately for the Denver Broncos, it was much of the same in Week 1. The Broncos are going to struggle to score against most opponents and this week will be no different. It’s time to send Wilson to the waiver wire.
Running Backs
Matchups to Target
Bijan Robinson and Josh Jacobs have cupcake matchups, that just raise their ceiling. Both are top-five backs in Week 2 and are must-starts.
Rhamondre Stevenson faces the Dolphins, who hemorrhaged points to Austin Ekeler and Joshua Kelley last week. Look for Stevenson to have a successful week.
Rachaad White and Jamaal Williams were two of the most disappointing running backs in Week 1, but both got easier matchups in Week 2. Both are worth starting this week as they are essentially playing for their jobs. Look for them both to have big days as they attempt to hold off backfield competition.
The Indianapolis Colts have a great matchup against a Texans defense that has been terrible against the run for years. Unfortunately, with Jonathan Taylor on the IR, it’s unclear if any of them are startable. Evan Hull is injured and Deon Jackson was bad in Week 1. They are all risky starts but can be flexed if desperate.
Matchups to Avoid
This week’s running back waiver wire darling Kenneth Gainwell is going to be a sit. Not only does he get a bad matchup with the Vikings, but he will face them while nursing a rib injury. It may be tough to do so, but leave your shiny new toy on the bench this week if you can.
Joe Mixon and the Bengals looked lost in Week 1 and hope to rebound this week. The only problem is, they get a Baltimore Ravens defense that might be even better than the Browns team that pummeled them last week. Start Mixon if you have to, but lower your expectations.
Austin Ekeler gets a tough Tennessee Titans runs defense this week. Not only that, but Ekeler is in jeopardy of missing the game due to injury. It’s very possible the Chargers give Joshua Kelley a larger workload to take some wear and tear off Ekeler. You probably can’t afford to sit Ekeler either but be warned, this is a potential landmine.
Isiah Pacheco, Brian Robinson and Javonte Williams are easy sits this week. Not only do they get terrible matchups, but they also appear to be sharing their backfield in some fashion. Robinson is the most appealing of the three as Antonio Gibson seems to have a small role, but not a great option.
Wide Receivers
Matchups to Target
The best matchups for the wide receivers in Week 2, largely belong to the studs. Amon-Ra St Brown and Amari Cooper both get top-five matchups this week and should be great options.
Keenan Allen and the Chargers could be in for another shootout this week and he should be in store for heavy usage. Start Allen in any league that you have him.
DeAndre Hopkins, DJ Moore and Terry McLaurin all got off to slow starts in Week 1, but they all get significantly easier matchups this week to help fix what ails them. None of the three-figure to be on high-scoring offenses, but all three should produce as WR2’s for fantasy.
Matchups to Avoid
Week 2 could see some high-end superstars potentially drop bombs in your fantasy lineup. Chris Olave gets a tough Carolina Panthers matchup but is still startable as a WR2, while Garrett Wilson gets a matchup with a stacked Cowboys defense. Add in Zach Wilson being thrust into the starting quarterback job in New York, and it’s going to be an uphill battle for Garrett Wilson in Week 2. Sit him if you’re deep at wide receiver.
George Pickens gets a Browns defense that just shut down one of the league’s best teams. Be wary! The Pittsburgh Steelers looked bad in Week 1 and with Diontae Johnson out of the lineup, this offense could struggle mightily to score.
Romeo Doubs and Courtland Sutton are not as high profile as the other receivers in this category, so they should be much easier to sit. Both get bad matchups and figure to be in-game scripts that could see their usage decline.
Zay Flowers looked electric in Week 1, but the Bengals are a tough matchup for wide receivers. This could go either way, depending on which Cincinnati team shows up. Sit Flowers if you can this week.
Tight Ends
Matchups to Target
TJ Hockenson is the prize in the tight-end group. He was TE3 coming into Week 2 and should easily find himself moving into the top spot after a matchup with the Eagles that figures to see both teams scoring at will.
The rest of the tight ends with favorable matchups are not as safe, as always. Cole Kmet looked great even as the Bears struggled to pass the ball in Week 1. Look for him to be a critical player in this offense in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Mark Andrews has a solid matchup. He will obviously be in your starting lineup regardless. The question, though, will be his health. If he plays, fire him up. If not, Isaiah Likely is a solid option this week.
Luke Musgrave and Hunter Henry are big, talented options this week as both get good situations. Start both as low-end TE1s.
Will Dissly is a dart throw on a puzzling Seattle Seahawks team, but in a potential shootout against the Detroit Lions, he is a decent bet for a touchdown.
Matchups to Avoid
The nice thing about tight ends is that they are mostly terrible. So, when they have a bad matchup, they are an easy sit.
Hayden Hurst was the best tight end of the six included here, but in a matchup with the New Orleans Saints that has been incredibly bad for tight ends, he is an easy sit. As for the other five, they are all no doubt sits. Durham Smythe, Austin Hooper, Jelani Woods, Logan Thomas and Zach Ertz didn’t exactly light the world on fire in Week 1 and against stiff Week 2 competition they are all best left on your bench.
Kickers
Matchups to Target
This week isn’t a great week for kickers. Most of the good ones are playing in outdoor stadiums and will have a limited ceiling. Dustin Hopkins, Brandon Aubrey and Eddy Pineiro all get matchups with teams that don’t allow many touchdowns. This forces them into multiple long-field goals. All three are solid starts this week.
Jason Sanders, Riley Patterson and Chad Ryland should all be involved in high-scoring matchups. They should have plenty of opportunities for extra points. The difference will be whether or not they get long-field goal opportunities.
Matchups to Avoid
Rain, outdoor stadiums and bad offenses. All three of these things typically lead to a poor outing for a kicker. Chris Boswell is not usually critical to the Steeler’s offense and must be sat in this matchup. Brandon McManus and Harrison Butker can be played, if needed. This game should see enough scoring to overcome the poor matchup. The Eagles, Cowboys and 49ers form the Holy Trinity of terrible matchups for opposing kickers. Sit Greg Joseph, Brett Maher and Greg Zuerlein this week with confidence.
Team Defense & Special Teams
Matchups to Target
At this point in the season, it’s very difficult to tell who will be an easy matchup for opposing DSTs and who just had a bad week. Three of the teams with the best-projected matchups are potential fools’ gold. The Arizona Cardinals get a Giants team that will be much better this week. The Las Vegas Raiders get a Buffalo Bills team that is a legitimate contender and figures to be playing angry. Both have good matchups in theory, but both should be avoided in anticipation of bounce back weeks by the Bills and Giants.
Denver is always a solid option on defense. Their offense is so bad, they have no choice but to be good. This week they also get a Washington Commanders team that struggled to score in Week 1. Denver is a top-five DST in Week 2.
Tampa Bay, Miami and Cleveland all get matchups that should result in low-scoring games with high potential for turnovers. All three are solid plays this week with Miami and Cleveland being top-six options.
Matchups to Avoid
The 49ers are listed as having the worst matchup based on Week 1 results. Ignore this completely. San Francisco is an elite DST and the Rams are not an offense to be feared. Start them regardless. The Jets are also an elite defense, but in Week 2 they get a matchup with a scary Cowboys offense. I wouldn’t drop the Jets or add a second DST, but they are going to be a tough start in Week 2.
New England is an elite DST, but the Dolphins are an elite offense. The Patriots are similar to New York. They are too good to drop but are a tough start. If you roster them, you likely have to suck it up and start them.
The Titans are an easy sit. The Chargers can score at will and should easily score 30+ points this week.
Atlanta and Chicago both face teams that looked good in Week 1. Both are a mystery as to whether or not they are actually good. They can both be started if you need to, but they have the potential to go wrong.
If you would like to take a closer look at our rankings, head over to www.theleaguewinners.com and check out our redraft and dynasty rankings.
