Here’s who you want in your lineup in Week 2, and who to avoid
1 min read
Guys who delivered big stat lines and Fantasy victories in Week 1 aren’t necessarily going to do the same in Week 2. Sifting through which backs to start and bench is tough work and we’re here to help narrow it down and find the right answers.
That means you might need more help than usual with those tough lineup calls, and you’ve come to the right place. Jamey Eisenberg’s Start ‘Em & Sit ‘Em calls at quarterback and wide receiver can help you find the answers for Week 2.
More Week 2 help: QB Preview | RB Preview | WR Preview | TE Preview | Waiver Wire
START ‘EM & SIT ‘EM
Running Backs
 LAR L.A. Rams • #27
Henderson dominated snaps in Week 1 against the Bears, playing 94 percent to just 6 percent for Sony Michel. I’d be fine with that continuing all season, and Henderson will eventually become a guaranteed starter in all leagues moving forward if the Rams trust him to that degree. Against Chicago, Henderson had 16 carries for 70 yards and a touchdown, along with one catch for 17 yards on one target. I’d like to see more work in the passing game, but maybe that comes with more comfort with Matthew Stafford. Last week, the Colts allowed Chris Carson to gain 117 total yards, including three catches. |
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 ARI Arizona • #2
Edmonds was a great PPR running back in Week 1 with 12 carries for 63 yards, along with four catches for 43 yards on four targets against the Titans. He’s more of a flex option in non-PPR leagues because James Conner will also be a factor running the ball, including near the goal line, but Edmonds should continue to be a primary weapon for Kyler Murray. The Vikings gave up five receptions to Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine in Week 1, and I can see Edmonds catching at least four passes again this week. |
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 DEN Denver • #25
I like both Broncos running backs this week against the Jaguars, who allowed all three Houston running backs (Mark Ingram, Phillip Lindsay and David Johnson) to score touchdowns in Week 1. Last week at the Giants, Gordon and Williams split playing time evenly, with both getting 50 percent of the snaps. Gordon had the better game with 11 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown — he ripped off a 70-yard score in the fourth quarter — with three catches for 17 yards on three targets. Williams had 14 carries for 45 yards, along with one catch for minus-4 yards on one target. Consider Gordon the better play this week, but both guys are No. 2 running backs in this matchup with Jacksonville. |
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DEN Denver • #33
I like both Broncos running backs this week against the Jaguars, who allowed all three Houston running backs (Mark Ingram, Phillip Lindsay and David Johnson) to score touchdowns in Week 1. Last week at the Giants, Gordon and Williams split playing time evenly, with both getting 50 percent of the snaps. Gordon had the better game with 11 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown — he ripped off a 70-yard score in the fourth quarter — with three catches for 17 yards on three targets. Williams had 14 carries for 45 yards, along with one catch for minus-4 yards on one target. Consider Gordon the better play this week, but both guys are No. 2 running backs in this matchup with Jacksonville. |
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 DET Detroit • #30
It was impressive to see Williams and D’Andre Swift both play well in Week 1 against San Francisco, and both are worth starting in Week 2 against the Packers. Swift is the better Fantasy option this week, and he had 11 carries for 39 yards, as well as eight catches for 65 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets against the 49ers. I like Williams as a low-end starter in PPR and a flex play in non-PPR leagues, and he had nine carries for 54 yards and a touchdown in Week 1, along with eight catches for 56 yards on nine targets. Jared Goff should continue to rely on Swift, Williams and T.J. Hockenson in the passing game (the trio had 30 targets in Week 1), and this is a revenge game for Williams going back to Green Bay. The fans loved him when he played for the Packers, so maybe we’ll even see a Lambeau Leap if he scores. |
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 CLE Cleveland • #27
The Browns are 12.5-point favorites at home, according to Caesars Sportsbook, and we could see Hunt playing a lot in the second half with Nick Chubb resting. Last season, when the Browns were playing with a lead, Hunt had over 500 total yards and six total touchdowns. He just had six carries for 33 yards and a touchdown at Kansas City in Week 1, along with three catches for 23 yards on three targets. I’ll take the over on him getting only nine total touches in this game, which should lead to a big outing. |
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 BUF Buffalo • #26
We’ll find out if Zack Moss will be active for this game, but it’s clear that Singletary is the best Bills running back now — and maybe all season. In Week 1 against Pittsburgh, Singletary had 11 carries for 72 yards, along with three catches for 8 yards on five targets. He’s from South Florida and went to Florida Atlantic, and in two games at Miami he has at least 76 total yards in each outing. |
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 NE New England • #28
Damien Harris, if he remains the starter after losing a fumble last week against Miami, should be considered a No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues. But in PPR, fire up White as at least a flex option. The Jets last week struggled to stop Christian McCaffrey and Chuba Hubbard in the passing game after they had 11 catches for 93 yards on 11 targets. White just had six catches for 49 yards on seven targets against the Dolphins in his first real game with Mac Jones. Jones to White might be a reliable combination all season. |
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 IND Indianapolis • #21
It was fun to see Hines get 15 total touches in Week 1 against the Seahawks, and hopefully that continues as he plays in tandem with Jonathan Taylor. Hines had six catches for 48 yards on eight targets, and Carson Wentz threw 15 times to his running backs, with Taylor catching six passes for 60 yards on seven targets. Indianapolis is thin at receiver now with T.Y. Hilton (neck) out, so Hines and Taylor should continue to be involved in the passing game. For this week, look for Wentz to get the ball out quick against the Rams, and Hines and Taylor should benefit again. |
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 BAL Baltimore • #28
I hope Ty’Son Williams remains the best running back for the Ravens, but his miscues in pass protection Monday night at Las Vegas could allow for Murray to take on a bigger role. For now, consider Williams a borderline starter in all leagues, with Murray more of a flex. In his debut with the Ravens against the Raiders, Murray looked a little sluggish with 10 carries for 28 yards, but he scored a touchdown. If the Ravens want to give the veteran more looks, Murray could benefit against the Chiefs, who just allowed three rushing touchdowns against the Browns in Week 1. |
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 TB Tampa Bay • #7
Bruce Arians said Ronald Jones will start against the Falcons after he fumbled in Week 1 against the Cowboys, but we’ll see how much work Jones gets. Fournette played the most of Tampa Bay’s running backs against the Cowboys, and he can be considered a flex option this week. He had nine carries for 32 yards, along with five catches for 27 yards on seven targets. The key for Fournette, Jones or even Giovani Bernard will be who gets the goal-line chances, and I still think Fournette works best in that role. Fournette also has scored at least 13 PPR points in two of three career games against Atlanta. |
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 ATL Atlanta • #28
The Buccaneers have the best run defense in the NFL, and they have allowed just one rushing touchdown to a running back in their past eight games in the regular season. Dalvin Cook in Week 14 last year is the lone running back with over 100 rushing yards against Tampa Bay in the last 25 outings in the regular season. Davis faced this defense once last year as the starter for the Panthers and had 44 total yards on 11 total touches (four catches). In his first game with Atlanta in Week 1 against the Eagles, Davis struggled with 15 carries for 49 yards, along with three catches for 23 yards on six targets. He’s a flex option at best in PPR. |
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 NYG N.Y. Giants • #26
I’m hoping this is the last time Barkley will be in this category, but I’m not ready to trust him yet in his comeback from last year’s knee injury. He played in Week 1 against Denver and only had 10 carries for 26 yards, as well as one catch for 1 yard on three targets. Washington held Austin Ekeler to 15 carries for 57 yards, although he scored a touchdown, and Barkley will likely need to score to save his Fantasy production this week. Better days are coming for him, so buy low if you can, but I would only start him as a flex option in all leagues for Week 2. |
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 JAC Jacksonville • #25
Robinson played more snaps than Carlos Hyde in Week 1 at Houston (47-25), but Hyde had more total touches, which is troubling (11-8). We’d like to see Robinson more involved, and hopefully that happens in Week 2 against the Broncos. But this is a tough matchup against a Denver defense that smothered Barkley in Week 1 and should be good against opposing running backs all season. Robinson can still be a flex option in most leagues, but I would sit him this week if you can. |
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 HOU Houston • #2
I liked Ingram as a sleeper in Week 1 against the Jaguars, and he delivered a strong performance with 26 carries for 85 yards and a touchdown. But he only had one target in the game, and he still shared playing time with Phillip Lindsay and David Johnson, who both scored touchdowns as well. The Browns will present a much tougher test for Ingram, and Cleveland just held Clyde Edwards-Helaire to 72 total yards on 17 total touches (three catches) in Week 1. If Ingram doesn’t score this week, his Fantasy production should be minimal. |
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LV Las Vegas • #28
Age: 23 • Experience: 3 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown |
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MATCHUP@ PIT PIT -5.5 O/U 47 |
OPP VS RB6th |
PROJ PTS10.7 |
RB RNK34th |
YTD Stats |
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RUYDS34 |
REC1 |
REYDS6 |
TD2 |
FPTS/G17 |
Jacobs was playing Monday with a toe injury, and he was limping around at times against the Ravens. He scored two touchdowns, which saved his Fantasy production, but he only had 10 carries for 34 yards, along with one catch for 6 yards on two targets. Kenyan Drake also had 11 total touches in the game, and we could see more of Drake if Jacobs continues to hobble on the field. For now, consider Jacobs just a flex option against a good Steelers run defense, especially with the Raiders playing on the road.
So who should you start and sit this week? And which surprising quarterback could lead you to victory? Visit SportsLine now to get Week 2 rankings for every position, plus see which QB is going to come out of nowhere to crack the top 10, all from the model that has out-performed experts big-time.
