Week 2 fantasy football matchups, starts and sits Published: Sep 14, 2017 at 09:34 AM Week 1, while low scoring in a lot of places, was still a helluva a lot of fun. As usual, there were plenty of surprises, both good (look at that Jags defense!) and bad (wtf happened to the offense?), but we need to be cautious to not overreact too strongly to a one-week sample size. There are always mirage teams who impre s in Week 1 before falling back to normal in Week 2. I try to avoid those landmines in the matchups below, but this week will go a long way towards revealing which teams are for real in fantasy this year. As with last week, below I go game-by-game and player-by-player for every Week 2 contest. Those looking for quick-hitting start/sit/flex/stream analysis will find that listed for the main players for every team. Below that, I do my best to preview the game with additional insight, stats, and analysis to contextualize my recommendations. This proce s is going to evolve as I get better at writing this thing solo, and we get more data the further we get into the season. This column wouldn't be po sible without our incredible research teams, both and the fine folks at . So thanks to all of you and all that you do. Now, enough blathering on. We've got lineups to set, and matchups to explore. Time to dive in. Detroit Lions at New York Giants, 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN (Monday) Lions , QB: SIT , RB: SIT , RB: SIT , WR: START , WR: SIT , WR: SIT , TE: START D/ST: SIT Week 1 was a fantastic showing for the offense and , but I'm concerned about this matchup. They travel to New York into the teeth of a dynamite defense, featuring an elite secondary. and will likely lock down and , so I'd leave both on the bench this week. I know, Golladay was electric in Week 1, but, not to be a total skeptic here, let's see the kid do it again versus a great defense before truly believing. This should open things up for and over the middle. tagged the for seven catches, 59 yards and a touchdown on nine targets last week, though caught just three pa ses for 32 yards from the slot. Tate caught all nine of his targets from the slot in Week 1 for 93 yards. This backfield, like many acro s the NFL, is a me s. While Abdullah saw 18 touches in Week 1 he managed just 41 total yards, and the matchup isn't much better against the stout defensive front. be worth a shot in deeper flex in PPR leagues, as he did catch six pa ses last week. However, you simply can't feel good about these backs right now. Giants , QB: SIT RBs: See below Jr., WR: START , WR: SIT , WR: SIT , TE: SIT D/ST: START Woof, that offensive display in Week 1 was painful to watch. I'd pretty much avoid starting all of the pieces from this group aside from Jr., who should be on track to play this week. There's a chance he'll be a "decoy," but if Beckham's playing I'm playing him. Once again, be sure to slot him into the flex and add someone like to give yourself roster flexibility on Monday night. OBJ's probable return takes the shine off 's target total, as the second-year pro hauled in seven of eight looks in Week 1 -- for a measly 44 yards. Even though Beckham will be back, I'd avoid trusting until we see proof this offense can get back on track. They've scored 20 or fewer points in seven straight games now dating back to last year. This backfield is one to avoid as well unle s you're playing in a PPR format, in which case is worth a look. He led the in targets (10) and receptions (nine) last week and could be used in the short pa sing game as a substitute for the running game, which completely stalled against the (10 carries, 30 yards). The defense at home could be worth a look, especially in DFS as people may be off this group after the dominant showing in Week 1. However, they have the pa s-rush and secondary that could notch a few sacks and turnovers in what figures to be a lower scoring game. COMPLETED GAMES Houston Texans at Cincinnati Bengals, 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC (Thursday) Texans , QB: SIT , RB: SIT , WR: FLEX , WR: SIT TEs: SIT D/ST: START Rookie will start, but having to travel on the road against a strong defense on a short week is a recipe for disaster. Watson's mobility will put him on the streaming radar in the future, but leave the rookie on the bench in Week 2. He averaged just 4.4 yards per attempt and completed 52 percent of his pa ses against the . While and put up solid totals, that was due to insane volume. The front seven allowed just 3.8 yards per carry to the backs, and with the Houston offensive line still a me s, that darkens the forecast for . Especially since is seeing volume in the pa sing game (five targets to Miller's two) and head coach Bill O'Brien said this week that rookie would start seeing more opportunities. Timeshare backs on struggling offenses aren't worth starting in fantasy. led all receivers in Week 1 in percentage of team air yards with 56.04 but managed just seven receptions on 16 targets for 55 yards and a touchdown. He's a flex at best this week against a secondary that allowed just 3.7 air yards per completion, the lowest total in Week 1. That's partially the offense, but it doesn't bode well for the pa sing attack, especially with returning from suspension. All three tight ends on the Houston roster suffered a concu sion in Week 1 and aren't startable on a short week. It's unlikely commits five turnovers again, but a rebound could be in order for the ' talented defensive unit, especially given the porous offensive line (allowed five sacks). Bengals , QB: STREAM RBs: See below , WR: START , TE: START D/ST: START Pretty much everything that could go wrong for did in Week 1. His ground game sputtered, his protection failed, he threw costly (and ill-advised interceptions) and had a tipped pa sed fall to the as well. He faces a tough task trying to reset his system on a short week against a talented Houston defense, but at home, he'll be at least streamable. Week 1 surely represented an apocalyptic scenario for the Red Rifle (I hope). This backfield is an absolute me s and shouldn't be trusted in fantasy. led the way in terms of playing time with a 45 percent share of snaps compared to 's 38 and 's 17 (he was the "starter" for what it's worth). As for touches, Mixon led the way with 11 for 24 yards, followed by Bernard with eight for 79 yards, with Hill closing it out with seven for 24 yards. Yeah, you want no part of this in your lineups right now. is back, y'all. He saw 34.5 percent of the team targets in Jerome Robinson Jersey Week 1, managing 74 yards on five receptions. That type of volume makes him impo sible to remove from starting lineups, though that should have already been a given. Don't fret over 's minimal usage (one target). The barely threatened the end zone with just eight plays inside the ' 20, which is where Eifert dominates. Tight ends basically need touchdowns to be fantasy relevant at this point, and there are few better at scoring them in the league than Eifert. The defense is a must-start this week. They netted a sack and an interception against the despite Flacco only attempting 17 pa ses all game. Even better is that the are coming off a game where their quarterbacks were sacked 10 (!) times. Home teams on Thursday games average 8.11 fantasy points per game since 2000 (includes kickoff and games). Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m. ET on CBS Browns , QB: SIT , RB: FLEX , RB: SIT , WR: FLEX , WR: SIT , TE: SIT D/ST: SIT 's fantasy career is off to a nice start following a QB9 performance in Week 1, but he absolutely should not be streamed or started in Week 2 against the . Three of the four pa s rushers were below the league average in average separation from QB, a pa s rush metric from Next Gen Stats. That means they were often in 's grill, which makes sense given his four interceptions, one fumble, and five sacks. is more wide receiver than running back now after not playing a single snap in the backfield in Week 1. That torpedoes his upside, and he needs to be benched. handled 85 percent of the backfield carries and saw two targets as well. Pittsburgh has an underrated run defense, so don't turn away from Crowell based on his low yards per carry average. He's a low-end RB2 or flex given the volume and scoring upside near the goal-line. The only piece of the Cleveland pa sing offense worth a look this week is , who caught five of six targets for 53 yards and a score in Week 1. Coleman led the team with 20 percent of Kizer's targets and 21.98 percent of his intended air yards. He's the best bet to get by the talented secondary for a score. On 63 offensive plays, the tight ends went out for 31, 28, and 16 plays between , , and , respectively. Steer clear of this tight end committee for now, though DeValve's line of 4-52-0 on five targets is something to watch moving forward. Ravens , QB: SIT , RB: FLEX , RB: FLEX , WR: SIT , WR: SIT D/ST: START is still working his way from a preseason back injury, and as a result only attempted three pa ses of more than 10 air yards in Week 1 (completing zero). The were roasted by (11 catches, 182 yards) in Week 1, but there are few teams Brown roast at this point. They held the rest of the pa s-catchers to a paltry 6.2 yards per catch average and a 52 percent catch rate, though did hit paydirt twice in the red zone. For now, we should avoid this pa sing attack until Flacco gets right and their pa s attempts increase. and tied for the team lead in targets ... with four. Without Maclin's busted coverage 48-yard touchdown, DANNY WOODHEAD would have led the team in receiving and he left the game in the first quarter. and , however, are both in flex consideration as the should control this game and will look to protect Flacco with a heavy dose of rushing attempts. The tied for the lead with 42 team rush attempts in Week 1 (Bills), so there will be opportunities abound in this backfield. Allen gets a slight bump in PPR as the likelier Woodhead replacement. The defense at home against a rookie quarterback is a must-start. Just look at what they did to on the road last week. Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m. ET on FOX Bears , QB: SIT , RB: FLEX , RB: FLEX , WR: SIT , WR: SIT , TE: SIT D/ST: SIT nearly authored a fourth-quarter, come-from-behind, upset victory for the in Week 1, but fell just short. He looked like a capable enough starter to move this offense along but isn't on the fantasy radar against a talented defense we've yet to see on the field in 2017, despite the obvious REVENGE narrative. and are the twin turbo engines that drive the offense. They combined for 29 touches, 179 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1 against a frisky defense, and should receive the volume nece sary to produce at worst as flex options in this one. Howard's value as a locked-in RB1 is quickly evaporating with Cohen's increasing role, but he was on the field for eight more plays than Cohen. The speedy rookie might be the better start of the two, though, as the Bucs allowed the seventh-most receiving yards to backs in 2016 in addition to 4.22 yards per carry and 12 rushing scores. No wide receiver saw more than four targets in Week 1, though more could be up for grabs with 's season-ending injury. This entire pa sing attack is one to avoid for now, though (six targets, four catches, 39 yards) could be on the deep streaming radar in PPR formats. The defense managed just one point against the and now has to travel on the road for the Bucs home opener. There are plenty of better options available. Buccaneers , QB: START , RB: FLEX , WR: START , WR: FLEX , TE: START , TE: SIT D/ST: START has flirted with fantasy QB1 status thus far in his profe sional career, and it could all come together in 2017. The were the only team in the NFL without a play of 50-plus yards in 2016, but new arrivals had four such receptions alone. saw the highest percentage of a team's targets in 2016 with 30.3 percent but Jackson's arrival should cut into that. The hope is that this improves Evans' efficiency, but that remains to be seen. Either way, Evans is a WR1 until further notice, while Jackson makes for a nice flex. only attempted two pa ses of 20-plus air yards against the , completing one -- his 88-yard touchdown to . With serving his three-game suspension, will likely handle lead-back duties. He a sumed that job for three weeks last year and finished as the RB14, RB10, and RB13 in standard scoring. The could be a tough matchup, though, as they're coming off allowing just 2.65 yards per carry to the likes of and . Rodgers is at least at home, so he's a low-end Patrick Beverley Jersey flex play. Don't let 's high draft status trick you into starting him. is one of Winston's preferred red zone options (16 targets, eight touchdowns in 2016), and is the better bet for a touchdown in this game too. The Bucs defense is a solid play at home this week, especially since they're barely owned in NFL.com leagues after mi sing Week 1. Minnesota Vikings at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m. ET on FOX Vikings , QB: SIT (OUT) , QB: SIT , RB: FLEX , WR: FLEX , WR: FLEX , TE: START D/ST: SIT Everything for this offense has changed with the news that will sit out with a knee injury and will start. If you have options to play instead of and , I'd try to roll with them instead. This could increase 's workload, but it also might force the to load the box and make Keenum beat them. This is a disaster for with so little time to proce s what this change might mean. Do the best you can to fill the holes in your lineup and hope Keenum can keep this offense afloat. While the defense is one of the youngest, most talented squads in the league, you do not start defenses on the road in Pittsburgh where the averaged 28.3 points and 397 total yards last year. Steelers , QB: START , RB: START , WR: START , WR: FLEX , TE: FLEX D/ST: SIT By this point, you've likely heard of the home-road splits narrative. Well, for purposes he averages nearly seven more points per game and twice as many pa sing touchdowns per game at home. Get him in your lineup. It's tough to take much from the run defense in Week 1 as the ground attack was, well, grounded. managed just 3.2 yards per carry on 10 attempts in Week 1, a shockingly small workload, but that should increase after a week of practice. If you're worried about sitting against the secondary you might want to consider gardening as a pastime instead of . is the bigger question mark, as he looked a bit rusty after mi sing much of the offseason while serving a suspension. Roethlisberger did target him on what could have been a deep touchdown, but the chemistry wasn't there and the play fell incomplete. Bryant is a constant big-play threat and makes for a fine flex this week in case he gets back on track. Yes, scored twice in Week 1. No, I don't think that is production we should rely on. If he leads the team in red-zone targets again in Week 2, then he'll have our attention. It'll be hard to sit the defense after a strong opening performance now that they return home, but Bradford was taken down just once against the and flashed remarkable accuracy. If the offenses start trading blows here, the scoring upside goes out the window for this group. New England Patriots at New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m. ET on CBS Patriots , QB: START RBs: See below , WR: START , WR: FLEX , TE: START D/ST: SIT hasn't had back-to-back games with zero pa sing touchdowns since 2006, and the were just carved up by to the tune of 346 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Brady had two games without a pa sing touchdown last year, and threw four and three touchdowns in the subsequent games, respectively. With extra time to prepare and adjust the offense sans , , and (po sibly) , expect Brady to come back with a vengeance. Fortunately for fantasy players, Week 1 offered some backfield clarity in New England. is the go-to option near the goal-line, giving him touchdown upside in the flex. and are on the PPR flex radar, as this game script seems more destined to suit their skill sets. White had more opportunity in Week 1, but Burkhead was targeted in the red zone and deep. should be in starting lineups: he's back in a dome against his former team featuring a mediocre secondary. Giddy up. Don't overlook this week after a disappointing Week 1. shredded the from the slot to the tune of 147 yards, and Hogan played 54 percent of his snaps in the slot in Week 1 with Amendola and Edelman out. Brady trusts Hogan far more than recent acquisition , too, so there's plenty of upside for Hogan in what figures to be a high-scoring game. was shadowed for most of Week 1 by , who e sentially neutralized the most dangerous tight end in the league. The don't have an , and with the offense looking for answers in the pa sing game don't be surprised if Brady turns to old reliable early and often. was only targeted three times against the but caught all three for 26 yards and a touchdown. The defense was boat-raced on their home turf against the in Week 1. A road trip to the house built is not one fantasy players should join in on. Saints , QB: START RBs: See below , WR: START Jr., WR: FLEX , TE: START D/ST: SIT The performance on Monday night was a bit of a fantasy nightmare, but they scored a touchdown on just one of their trips to the red zone after scoring on 66.2 percent of trips in 2016 (third in the NFL). didn't turn the ball over, but his lone touchdown to s only netted him a QB16 finish. Back in the comfy confines of the Superdome, Brees should push to finish as the QB1 against the defense. Brees is the only quarterback with a 100-plus pa ser rating against Bill Belichick defenses (min. 100 attempts), and he has a 10-1 touchdown-interception split against the since 2000. Brees also throws 2.94 touchdowns per game at home versus just 1.88 on the road and averages nearly 31 fantasy points per game since 2011. The also just conceded the QB1 performance to of all pa sers last week. Backfield-wise, holy hell is this group a me s. Rookie led the group in snaps and carries, but no back mustered even 20 rushing yards. needs to ride the fantasy pine as he looks ill-suited for the offense, while Kamara and could be in the mix as low-end PPR flex plays. They each saw five targets in Week 1, catching four and five pa ses, respectively. should bounce back in this contest, especially if the switch back to a more pa s-focused approach. He led the team with eight targets last week. is in the mix as a floor play with upside. Despite his pedigree as a deep threat, the only targeted Ginn once on a pa s more than 10 yards past the line of scrimmage. It appears while is out that Ginn is playing a more short-range role while TommyLee Lewis is the downfield option. Cobby Fleener scored a touchdown and caught five of six targets for 54 yards. He'll be in the mix again, as his track record of performing well in fantasy while Snead is out continued. Don't you dare start the defense against . That is all. Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m. ET on FOX Eagles , QB: STREAM , RB: FLEX , RB: SIT , WR: START , WR: FLEX PPR , WR: SIT , TE: START D/ST: SIT was a solid streaming option last week, but a road trip to Arrowhead Stadium feels dicey. Last year the allowed a 55.7 completion percentage and 5.8 yards per attempt to opposing pa sers with a 7-10 TD-INT split. Wentz has some upside though with his new weapons and getting to face a defense in its first week without , but he should be on the lower end of your streaming quarterback radar. led the backfield in carries (14) but played just 35 percent of the offensive snaps. He's a low-end flex where you pray for a goal-line touchdown. Sadly, he's the only back worth playing in this offense presently, though has some appeal in deep PPR formats. This could be a nice bounce-back spot for . He played 49 percent of his snaps at left wide receiver in Week 1, which would set him up to mostly avoid , who predominantly covers the offensive right side of the field. Three players saw more targets than Jeffery in Week 1 -- , Sproles, and . If this trend continues, we may need to get a bit worried. Speaking of Agholor, he should be a safe PPR flex option this week after seeing eight targets in Week 1 in his new role as the slot receiver. The were tagged for eight catches and 121 yards from the slot by the . The lo s of is a huge one for this defense and could create an opportunity for Ertz to eat over the middle of the field, much like he did in Week 1 (eight catches, 93 yards). The defense is one of the most opportunistic units in fantasy, which helps them produce big point outings. The and , in particular, are very good at protecting the football. I'd look to stream the position instead of rolling with the here. Chiefs , QB: START , RB: START , WR: START , TE: START D/ST: START Was 's deep pa sing production in Week 1 an anomaly or a sign of what's to come from the in 2017? Smith hit three of his four pa ses of 20-plus air yards against the for 178 yards and two touchdowns and a 156.3 pa ser rating. In 2016 he completed under 30 percent of those attempts, for 453 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and a 66.1 rating. He's very likely to regre s back to more human production, but he at least has a good matchup in Week 2 to continue his hot start to the season. The gave up 240 yards and a touchdown to the struggling in Week 1 and lost to a dislocated ankle. What will do for an encore? It's impo sible to sit the electric rookie this weekend, and all fantasy eyes will be on how he follows up his historic debut. and are must-starts at this point. They were first and second on the team in targets last week, and both carried the ball as well. The pa sing attack in Kansas City is pretty concentrated, and those two are the primary beneficiaries. is an improving young pa ser but is still prone to outrageously boneheaded gaffes. He gave Washington a pick six last week and a fumble on an errant backfield pa s, along with a few other interceptable pa ses that weren't caught. The defense at home will be a solid start. Tenne see Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET on CBS Titans , QB: START , RB: START , RB: SIT , WR: FLEX , WR: SIT , WR: SIT , TE: START D/ST: SIT The offense relies on the running game, which stalled out of the gates in Week 1 as and combined to average just 3.83 yards per carry. This was a bit of a surprise as many expected the defense to still be a bit suspect. The on the other hand, held the backs to a measly 3.66 yards per carry thanks to new arrival looking other-worldly in the middle of that defensive line. Murray is still worth a start as the could revert back to the run-heavy approach that worked so well for them last year, but there is cause for concern. While looks like a star on the rise, this is a brutal matchup for the talented rookie as he's likely to draw plenty of coverage from and . Quarterbacks had a pa ser rating of just 68 when targeting Ramsey and 67 when targeting Bouye in 2016. That duo finished eighth and ninth in Matt Harmon's , too. Same goes for , as he's likely to see plenty of that combo as well. Ramsey is a game-time decision though, and his absence would be a big boost for this pa sing attack, so monitor his status closely. All of this could create space for , who was targeted eight times in Week 1 but managed just three catches. Speaking of Harmon, he's forecasting a bounce-back for Decker this week, which you can read about . The allowed just a 62.7 percent catch rate to tight ends in 2016 to go along with the seventh-fewest yards, but still looks like a decent start. The tight ends managed six catches for 60 yards, and if Davis/Matthews are locked up with Bouye/Ramsey all afternoon, Mariota could funnel the offense through Decker and Walker. If this new Jags offense continues rolling in Week 2, there's little reason to consider the defense in fantasy. A run-first, turnover-free offense offers little in terms of fantasy production. Jaguars , QB: SIT , RB: START , WR: SIT , WR: SIT D/ST: START Doug Marrone's fever dream of running an NFL offense without pa sing the ball damn near came true in Week 1. only threw 21 pa ses, but was clean, avoiding turnovers and scoring one touchdown. He's off the fantasy radar in 2017 unle s the Jags are forced back into their pa s-happy 2015 offense, which seems unlikely. This is good news for managers with on their squads. The rookie saw 29 (!) touches in Week 1 and recorded the third-highest scrimmage yards total (124) of a player making their NFL debut since 2009. He did all this while seeing the highest percentage of carries with eight-plus defenders in the box (57.7), per Next Gen Stats. The held the backs to 3.9 yards per carry in Week 1, but the might have an advantage given this offensive philosophy shift. Against the 3-4 front the ran Fournette out of the I-formation nine times for 57 yards (6.3 ypc average). The also run a 3-4 defense, though they primarily played with just two down lineman and five defensive backs (nickel) against the to combat their aerial a sault. Even if the return to more base fronts, Fournette could grind out significant yardage from the I as we saw in Week 1. The didn't run once out of that formation in Week 1, so the might not be prepared for this type of physical ground a sault. With suffering a torn ACL, and step up as the top options in the pa sing attack, but neither is relevant. They tied for the team lead in targets last week with four. This run-always approach from Marrone truly takes the air out of the pa sing game. The defense started out hot and are worth another go at home against a Marcus Mariota-led offense that doesn't quite appear to be operating at peak efficiency just yet. Arizona Cardinals at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET on FOX Cardinals , QB: START RBs: See below , WR: START , WR: SIT (OUT) , WR: FLEX D/ST: START Well, that wasn't the start many fantasy analysts envisioned for the offense in 2017. turned in a disastrous performance (one touchdown, three interceptions) and the team lost (wrist) until December most likely, if not later. That being said, Palmer could be primed for a rebound. The are still without star cornerback , making them incredibly vulnerable to deep pa ses. Bruce Arians loves to throw deep, and his wide receiving corps is stuffed with speedy downfield threats ( , , Jaron Brown). It might be tough to go back to the well with Palmer after that performance, but completed four of his five deep pa ses last week for 112 yards and a touchdown against the . Johnson's injury also likely turns this offense into a bit more of a pa s-heavy unit, increasing Palmer's odds of redemption. As for how to replace Johnson, the team indicated they'll trot out some sort of committee, with as the early-down back, the change-of-pace/pa s-catching specialist, and Elijaa Penny as a short-yardage hammer. The team also re-signed veteran , so there's that. Williams is the best low-end flex option for now, but this might be Chris Paul Jersey a situation to avoid. In the pa sing attack, should smash in this game, especially after the struggled to control rookie slot man . Fitzgerald saw 13 targets in Week 1 and could push for 15-plus in this contest. It stinks that is OUT for this game with a quad injury, as he was in a great spot to bounce back. figures to be the next man up after seeing six targets in Week 1. He's a risky flex, but hsa upside given his speed and ability on deep pa ses. The defense was taken to task last week. That won't happen again facing either Scott Tolzein or . Colts , QB: SIT , RB: SIT , WR: SIT , WR: SIT , TE: SIT D/ST: SIT The fans get to return home in Week 2, which is about the end of the fantasy niceties I can muster in this section. will start, but that isn't likely to change the outlook here very much. The defense was just shellacked by the and could be looking for revenge, especially as Bruce Arians faces off against his old team. The fell behind so quickly last week that played a mere 37 percent of the snaps. His backup, , found the end zone in Week 1 during garbage time, but it'd be foolish to bank on that happening again. Until returns to save this offense, I'm still going to advise avoiding the skill position players at all costs. Buffalo Bills at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. ET on CBS Bills , QB: SIT , RB: START , WR: SIT , WR: SIT , TE: STREAM D/ST: SIT It warmed my heart to see deliver last week, even after I recommended sitting him, but that performance doesn't make him startable in Week 2 on the road against a ferocious Carolina defense. As expected, saw ALL of the touches last week (27 to be exact), racking up 159 total yards. He had a touchdown vultured from him by when he left briefly with an injury, but with 25-plus touches locked-in McCoy is impo sible to sit, even in subpar matchups. and combined for just seven targets and three catches in Week 1. They're not worth starting in this run-heavy, slow-moving offense. , on the other hand, proved to be a great streaming tight end in Week 1, and could be worth a shot in Week 2 again. Carolina allowed to catch five pa ses last week, and Clay is coming off a team-leading nine targets in Week 1. He's Taylor's go-to target right now and will be a factor if the get to the red zone as well. The defense delivered against the as expected, but they can be to sed back to the waiver wire for now. Panthers , QB: START , RB: FLEX , RB: FLEX , WR: START , TE: START D/ST: START threw two touchdowns against the but managed just 171 yards as the pretty much controlled that match from the opening whistle. As his shoulder gets healthier and he knocks off more rust, we could start seeing more of the old Cam, the one who was a god. He's a solid start this week against a secondary that lost via trade in the preseason. and have the look of a duo that could lead the league in running back production. The are deploying them in interesting ways, including from the backfield together. They combined for 20.7 standard fantasy points and 27.7 PPR points. Both are solid floor plays in the flex with touchdown upside. disappointed with just one catch for 25 yards on five targets, but it is encouraging that he saw 34.69 of Newton's targeted air yards. Benjamin is still a weekly start and should bounce back in a big way as Newton gets healthier. Same goes for and his 18 yards. He had fewer than 20 yards just once last year. The defense could end up as one of the best units in the league at the end of the year, and a home date with the offense should create plenty of opportunities for fantasy points. New York Jets at Oakland Raiders, 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS Jets , QB: SIT , RB: SIT , RB: SIT , WR: SIT , WR: SIT D/ST: SIT football is by and large an unpredictable game, but every once in awhile the NFL serves analysts a softball. That was predicting the offense, which was a disaster in Week 1 against the . The team mustered 214 total yards, which is just 32 fewer than accumulated on his own in Week 1. to sed two interceptions and likely won't find the going any easier against Oakland's fierce pa s rush, led by game-wrecker . Desperate PPR players could give a look, as he caught seven of his nine targets for 59 yards, but his ceiling is basement-level. Same goes for , a trendy breakout candidate this year who was out-snapped by 33-30 in Week 1. Powell did snag five receptions but turned those into a whopping 17 yards. Oakland will control this game and nothing is lining up well for the . Raiders , QB: START , RB: START , WR: START , WR: START , TE: STREAM D/ST: START It's all systems go this week for the offense. In Week 1 against the , the tied for the most plays run (74) yet still managed the sixth-most yards per play (5.7), despite not boasting the deepest or most talented offense outside of and . The offense is chock full of dynamic playmakers, and all of them need to be in your lineups. The gave up 408 total yards to the -- it'll be an upset if the don't threaten to beat that. It goes without saying to start the likes of , , , and , but don't overlook . He saw five targets, catching all five for 56 yards last week, but more noteworthy was his 15.6 percent target share. I that the would have to buck a recent trend of targeting tight ends for Cook to be fantasy relevant, and that might be happening. An Oakland tight end hit 15.6 percent of the team targets just once in 2016 ( , Week 2), and here Cook did it in his first game with the team. received nine targets against the last week, catching four for 53 yards and a touchdown. Stream Cook with confidence. The defense surprised last week, holding the loaded offense to just 350 total yards and 16 points. and company are in a prime spot to stomp the in front of the Black Hole. They're one of the best streaming options of the week. Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS Dolphins , QB: STREAM , RB: START , WR: FLEX , WR: SIT , WR: SIT , TE: SIT D/ST: SIT The King of YOLO Balls, DGAF, and , , is back in the NFL, folks. And since streaming is sort of the (calculated) YOLO approach to setting a fantasy lineup, it makes perfect sense that Cutler could be a nice replacement starter this week. The defense allowed to put up a top-five fantasy finish against them on Monday night, though that had a lot to do with Siemian's rushing score, I digre s. Cutler has the weapons and arm talent to make plays against this defense. Why not give him a shot? I guarantee it'll be a wild ride either way. Speaking of rides, hop aboard the Jay Train and get Ajayi into your lineups. and averaged just over four yards per carry on Monday, and Ajayi should see 20-25 touches in this bout. The wide receiver group is a bit of a mystery, but Cutler's preseason affinity for points to him being his No. 1 option this year. This is bad news for , a slot receiver who has survived in fantasy the last few years thanks to ma sive volume. Cutler doesn't have a great history of targeting his slot wideouts, even in his one year with Adam Gase (2015). Eddie Royal played in the slot for much of that year when healthy, but 44 percent of his targets came when was out of the lineup. Even worse for Landry is that he's battling a knee injury as well. I;d leave him on the bench, but the absence of (knee, OUT), could open up things for Parker and . could shadow one of them, but Verrett's lo s is a big one. Parker is the best play thanks to his combination of talent, athleticism and the favoritism of Cutler, but those in deep leagues could dial up Stills' number too. hasn't done much in fantasy without Peyton Manning, so until that trend changes he needs to ride the pine. Chargers , QB: START , RB: START , WR: START , WR: FLEX , TE: SIT , TE: SIT D/ST: START Only five teams in the NFL gave up more pa sing touchdowns than Los Angeles Clippers Jersey Miami last year. They signed veteran safety and drafted to try and fix this, but should be able to work his way through this secondary. Hell, he just to sed three touchdowns against the "No Fly Zone" in Denver. saw 23 touches against the , cementing the workhorse status we all presumed he'd have this year. He's an RB1. resumed his role as Rivers' favorite target, soaking up 30 percent of his pa s attempts. He'll have better odds of a big game out from under the coverage blanket the buried him under. ' seven targets were a welcome surprise and signal he's (for now) the second option in this aerial a sault. He's a decent flex option. I'd avoid chasing the production of this week based on his four targets, though he has the look of a boom-or-bust home run threat moving forward. The tight end position is, surprisingly, a concern. It's tough to tell if this was purely game-planning or a shift in philosophy from head coach Anthony Lynn, but saw just three targets while put up a goose egg. Gates led the way in playing time with 36 snaps to Henry's 23. Until their role in this offense evens back out or becomes more clear, it's best to leave them on the bench. The defense is a decent start this week. Cutler was sacked 29 times the last time he played in an Adam Gase offense, and the Bolts boast one of the best pa s-rush duos in the league with and (who took down three times in Week 1). San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks, 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX 49ers , QB: SIT , RB: SIT , WR: SIT , WR: SIT , TE: SIT D/ST: SIT This one will be quick. The offensive arrow for the long-term is pointing up under the guidance of Kyle Shanahan, but after getting pulverized by the IN San Francisco (aka Santa Clara), the arrow is nose-diving as this unit travels to Seattle. The defense is coming off a dominant performance limiting and the to just 17 points in Lambeau Field and should make quick work of this Brian Hoyer-led group. Even and his volume-upside is a tough option to start given the ' swarming nature. While Hyde and will have plenty of usable weeks down the line, it's not worth the risk starting them this week. Seahawks , QB: START RBs: See below , WR: START , WR: SIT , TE: START D/ST: START The pa sing defense disappointed against the but should bounce back with a vengeance against the this week. Since 2010 the average 26.9 points in home games in September, and since 2012 average 30.3 points per game following a game in which they scored zero touchdowns. Also of note is this great find from Davis Hsu, where the average far more points on turf (like they have at home), than on gra s. I'd avoid starting the backs for now, though. is practicing and could return to game action, but it's up in the air how much he'll play. led the backfield in snaps last week, but and still remain. Patience is the best practice here. and are must-starts, though I'd put and on the bench for this one. Richardson played 83 percent of the plays last week to Lockett's 52, but if the get up early (which they should) that'll take some of the air out of the pa sing game, and these two rely on deep plays. Start the hell out of the defense this weekend at home. I hope you didn't need me to tell you that though. Washington Redskins at Los Angeles Rams, 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX Redskins , QB: SIT , RB: FLEX , RB: FLEX PPR , WR: START , WR: FLEX PPR , TE: START D/ST: SIT Turonvers sunk ' fantasy battleship in Week 1, and more could be on the way against the . Yes, the defense looked god-like against Scott Tolzein, but this is a talented unit getting its best player (Aaron Donald) back, and Cousins is on the road. This offense struggled in the preseason and those i sues carried over into Week 1. I'd stream the position instead of risking it with Cousins this week. remains the workhorse but gets swapped out for when the team falls behind as he offers next to nothing in the pa sing game. The NEED to get the ground game going, so there's potential volume coming Kelley's way, and we know he'll be a factor around the goal line. Thompson saw five targets last week and received four or more looks eight times last year. If the offense is for real and puts up points, Thompson could be a factor. saw 11 targets last week, and the just lost to a dislocated ankle. If the volume is there again for Pryor, he could do some damage in fantasy lineups. I won't fault anyone for benching this week after he caught just three of his seven targets for 14 yards. Crowder is a better play when this offense is humming, but right now Cousins' struggles trickle down to negatively impact the diminutive slot receiver. was second on the team in targets (eight), but only one of his looks came with 10-plus air yards, contributing to his low yardage output (36). Reed is a great red-zone weapon but received just one target near the end zone. Perhaps that changes in Week 2 as the look to get back on track. Washington netted a pick six against Wentz, but I'd leave them on the bench this week. The improved O-line could slow the Washington pa s rush, but if you take a chance on Washington just hope Goff turns back into a bit of a pumpkin after his impre sive Week 1 showing. Rams , QB: STREAM , RB: FLEX , WR: FLEX , WR: FLEX D/ST: START Are we witne sing the rebirth of ? Week 1 provided plenty of evidence for that as last year's No. 1 overall pick looked poised in the pocket and delivered darts all over the field. He's worth a stream in deeper leagues in case this is the start of something new and wonderful for Los Angeles football fans. Washington let the occasionally erratic drop 307 yards and two touchdowns on them at nearly 8 yards per attempt. The front seven allowed just 52 yards on 20 carries from the backs, a paltry 2.6 yards per carry ... otherwise known as an aspirational figure for . I kid, I kid, but Gurley is coming off a 19-carry, 40-yard performance (1.9 yards per carry) against the lowly . He'll still be a solid flex though given his pa sing game work (six targets). The backs ama sed seven receptions, 49 yards and one score against Washington. and are both worth a flex play this week. was able to get open deep and find space in the middle of the Washington secondary a few times, and all it takes is one big play for Watkins to justify his place in your starting lineup. Don't fear a shadow, as he played almost all of his snaps lined up against the offensive right side of the field, so both Watkins and Kupp could see a bit of him. Kupp tied for the team lead in targets last week, and could follow the path of to succe s against this unit. Much of Agholor's 14.6 fantasy points came on a broken play, but Kupp's ability to get open deeper downfield could serve him well in this game. He averaged more air yards per target (12.9) than Agholor (12.6), and Agholor's figure benefited heavily from the 40-plus air yards he got on his broken play touchdown. The defense welcomes back and gets to face a Washington offense that just gave up 22 points to the . If you streamed the last week, lock them into your lineup once again. Dallas Cowboys at Denver Broncos, 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX Cowboys , QB: START , RB: START , WR: FLEX , WR: SIT , TE: SIT D/ST: SIT In his three games against top-10 pa s defenses in 2016 averaged 229.3 yards per game, completed 74.4 percent of his pa ses and threw five touchdowns with no interceptions. He picked up right where he left off in Week 1, authoring a masterful performance against the elite defense (scoring 17.12 fantasy points in the proce s). He's on the road this time, but Prescott is the real deal and is on the verge of becoming matchup-proof in fantasy. Did you know is really good at football? Well, he is, and because of that, he's going to get a ton of touches. was shut down by in Week 1, but he saw three targets in the red zone. Denver boasts three shut-down corners in Jr., , and , but all it takes is for Dez to snag one score to make him worth the start. lost work to in Week 1, a disappointing development for his PPR outlook. eviscerated the as per usual, but shouldn't be in your lineup this week against the . It might be tempting to ride with Dallas' defense again this week, but the offense should fare better than the did with their porous offensive line and no Jr. -- especially at home. Broncos , QB: STREAM , RB: START , WR: START , WR: START D/ST: SIT I 100 percent whiffed on last week, so I apologize. I like Siemian well enough, I just thought the matchup against a stout defense would prove too much for him to produce in fantasy. Whoops. The secondary was already a bit of a question mark before losing to a broken hand. With talented playmakers around him, Siemian is worth streaming again in Week 2, though don't be surprised if his output is a bit le s without the boost of a rushing score. could be the most overlooked featured back in fantasy from this summer. He played 69 percent of the snaps and handled 20 carries against the , and should be an RB2 against Dallas. The couldn't run the ball against the , but that's because the only position with more question marks than New York's offensive line might be its backfield. may have stolen the touchdowns, but and still led the team in targets. They're weekly plays and could bounce back against the weakened Dallas secondary. Denver boasts one of the best defenses in the league, but the are a brutal fantasy opponent. They don't turn the ball over or allow many sacks, making it nearly impo sible to score fantasy points. I'd sit the this week and stream the position. Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons, 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC Packers , QB: START , RB: START , WR: START , WR: START , WR: START , TE: STREAM D/ST: SIT Both the and disappointed a bit on offense last week, but we need to approach this game as if it will be an absolute shootout. These teams squared off twice last year, with point totals of 65 in each. and this entire pa sing attack, save , are absolute starts this week. The welcomed back star corner last week (who mi sed much of 2016), and he only allowed three catches on 29 coverage plays. However, the wide receivers roam around so much they won't be locked down by Trufant, who primarily covers the offensive right side. , , and were the three most targeted players on Green Bay in Week 1, and we shouldn't expect that to change. could be started, but I'm slightly concerned the may keep a tight end in to help pa s protect, as starting right tackle mi sed last week and won't play this week either as he was sent back to Green Bay with flu-like symptoms. The right side of the line allowed 1.2 sacks per game in 2016, but the Bulaga-le s right side conceded 3.5 in Week 1. That's bad news considering 2016's sack king, , primarily plays on that side of the line. has a chance to be the week's top scoring running back. After gutting out a strong performance against the elite front seven, he faces a defense that was gashed on the ground and through the air by the running backs in Week 1. No team allowed more targets (141), receptions (109), or receiving yards (870) to running backs than Atlanta last year, and that trend could be continuing into 2017. and caught 11 of their 17 targets for 61 yards and a touchdown last week. Montgomery's volume (23 touches, 89 percent playing time) and matchup are in concert here, so make sure he's in your lineup. The defense was great last week, but a road trip to Atlanta means the stop unit needs to be on the bench. Falcons , QB: START , RB: START , RB: FLEX , WR: START , WR: START , TE: SIT D/ST: SIT Much like with the , you're pretty much starting all of the if you have them. attempted half as many deep pa ses (20-plus air yards) last week as he averaged last year, but the could be his opportunity to get back on track. For whatever reason, was a touchdown machine at home last year with 11 of his 13 scores coming on familiar turf. He's still the back to start here, though can be flexed in this potential shootout. absolutely demolished the secondary in the NFC Championship game last year, but 167 of his 180 yards (and both touchdowns) came while was covering him, and the released Gunter earlier this week. I still like Jones' chances of smashing in this game, but don't overlook , who led the team in targets in Week 1 and destroyed the the first time these two teams faced off in 2016 with nine catches for 84 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. did a lot of damage on his two targets last year, but I'd personally like to see him more involved in the offense before starting him every week. I wouldn't fault anyone chasing his touchdown-upside in this one, though. The defense could sack Rodgers a few times in this one, but that won't be enough Rodney McGruder Jersey to make up for all of the points the should score. *-- Follow Alex on Twitter or "Like" his page on for more NFL and fantasy analysis. * This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be mi sing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an i sue.