Fantasy football starts and sits for Week 2

Week 2 of fantasy is the week to start to try and listen to your gut.

Did your star player just have a bad week, or are you set up for a long ride this year?

Did your bench player or high priority waiver wire pickup have a career game, or is it a trend for where they will go the rest of the season?

We will try to answer some of those answers this week.

Starts

Running Backs

Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos: It is clear that there will be a split between Williams and Melvin Gordon this season. Even with Gordon outperforming the rookie in Week 1, most of that production came on a long touchdown carry. This week the rookie will face a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that gave up the third most points to opposing running backs in Week 1, according to Fantasy Pros. Even for this matchup, Williams and Gordon’s seem like must-starts.

AJ Dillon, Green Bay Packers: Yes, the Packers offense put up a stinker in Week 1 on the road. They are returning home, and there will be some pride on the line as they face the Detroit Lions. Dillon was taken out of the game as the Packers were playing catch-up for most of Week 1, but that shouldn’t be the case this week. Also, the Lions defense got ran all over in Week 1 as well.

Wide receiver

Seattle Seahawks wide receivers: The Tennessee Titans defense simply wasn’t prepare for the Arizona Cardinals assault through the air in Week 1, and in Week 2 they get the Seahawks who present a similar challenge. Russell Wilson can give the pass rush troubles with his mobility like Kyler Murray did, and the Seahawks have Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf who should both go off this week.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers: The Chicago Bears couldn’t stop the Los Angeles Rams last week in the air, and the Bengals run a pretty similar offense. Not to mention the wide receivers in Cincinnati may even be better than the Rams. We saw Joe Burrow hit Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase for touchdowns in Week 1. There should be three passing touchdowns in this one. It seems to be anyone’s guess as to who will get them, but I’d say Higgins seems like the safest option since he had a touchdowns and a catch down to the 1-yard line.

Tight end

Logan Thomas, Washington Football Team: Those who are worried about Thomas with Ryan Fitzpatrick going down have at least one week where they don’t have to worry. Tyler Heininke tossed a touchdown to Thomas in Week 1, and he should be a regular safety blanket for the quarterback in garbage time.

Defenses to stream

• Denver Broncos defense at Jacksonville Jaguars
• Tampa Bay Bucs defense vs. Atlanta Falcons
• Arizona Cardinals defense vs. Minnesota Vikings

Sits

Running backs

Myles Gaskins, Miami Dolphins: The Buffalo Bills look like they once again have a pretty formidable defense against running backs again this season. Those who play Gaskins are honestly looking for those points per reception payoffs, and he will need quite a bit of those this week as he probably isn’t going anywhere on the ground.

Mark Ingram, Houston Texans: Call it a gut feeling, but Ingram’s Week 1 success and volume doesn’t seem repeatable. It makes sense for running back needy teams to still take a chance on him in the FLEX, but this backfield seems much too muddied for Ingram to be a reliable play week after week. Not to mention the Texans may be playing from behind more this week than in Week 1 as they face the Cleveland Browns.

Wide receivers

Zach Pascal, Indianapolis Colts: One of the waiver wire darlings this week after catching two touchdowns Week 1. You should still keep Pascal for future use. However, do not expect too much from him this week against a Rams’ defense that is far better at shutting down the passing game.

Robby Anderson, Carolina Panthers: Anderson only caught one pass in his revenge game against the Jets with Sam Darnold as his quarterback again. It is hard to tell if that is a trend that will continue, but the New Orleans Saints’ defense is fresh off shutting down Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. The Panthers do not seem like that a bigger matchup than that. Anderson as a boom-or-bust play has the most to lose.