Week 1 was frustrating for a lot of Fantasy managers. Christian McCaffrey (calf) didn't play, Puka Nacua (knee) was injured and none of the top tight ends showed up. And Marvin Harrison Jr., Drake London, and Chris Olave, among others, have many managers in a panic.
Let's calm down for a second. Let's see what happens in Week 2. Let's not make wholesale changes to our roster -- yet.
It's OK to worry about certain situations, like when is McCaffrey going to play or if Nacua will be the same elite receiver when he's eventually healthy. Kirk Cousins and Deshaun Watson looked awful, and how did the Bengals lose to the Patriots in Week 1?
But it's too soon to make a full judgment on every team. Don't give up on your early draft picks yet unless they're injured or you happen to have a stacked bench.
We have a lot to learn in Week 2. And hopefully, the players who are making us nervous show signs of life to make everyone who is in a panic feel at ease.
Start of the Week
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In full disclosure, I wasn't expecting much from Dobbins this season prior to training camp. He was coming off last year's Achilles injury, and he's missed 43 games in his career due to injuries. But going to the Chargers was a good destination since he was reunited with offensive coordinator Greg Roman, and all Dobbins had to do was prove he's better than Gus Edwards.
That seemingly happened in Week 1. Against the Raiders, Dobbins blew up for 135 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, and he caught all three of his targets for 4 yards. He had runs of 46 and 61 yards, and he reached a top speed of 19.9 mph, which was impressive. Edwards still had one more carry than Dobbins, but he averaged just 2.4 yards per carry. We'll see what happens with their carries in Week 2, but I expect Dobbins to dominate against the Panthers.
Carolina just allowed 26 carries for 121 yards and two touchdowns and six catches for 40 yards on six targets to Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams in Week 1. And now standout defensive tackle Derrick Brown (knee) is out for the Panthers. This should be another big week for Dobbins, and I like him as a No. 1 Fantasy running back in Week 2.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Quarterbacks
QBs to Start
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Murray didn't have his best game in Week 1 at Buffalo with 16.2 Fantasy points, but there were some positives, including 57 rushing yards. He only passed for 162 yards and a touchdown, but playing the Bills on the road isn't easy. He's back home against the Rams, and I still trust Murray as a must-start quarterback in all leagues. Last year, he scored 22.4 Fantasy points against the Rams in Week 12, and hopefully he can replicate that level of performance this week.
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Daniels looked like a Fantasy star in Week 1 at Tampa Bay with 28.2 points behind 88 rushing yards and two touchdowns, along with 184 passing yards. This will be his first home game for the Commanders, and he should excel against the Giants. It would be great if Daniels -- or Brian Robinson Jr. -- can end Washington's 22-game drought without a 100-yard rusher, and Daniels came close last week to accomplishing that feat.
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Prescott managed Dallas to a win last week at Cleveland with 179 passing yards and a touchdown, but he should perform better this week at home against the Saints. In his last five home games in the regular season in 2023, Prescott passed for 1,650 yards, 15 touchdowns and two interceptions, and he added 66 rushing yards and a touchdown. He scored at least 21.9 Fantasy points in each outing and averaged a whopping 33.3 points over that span. He also has scored at least 23.6 Fantasy points in four of his past five home openers, so this is a great setup for Prescott in Week 2.
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Mayfield struggled against Detroit at home last season in Week 6, but he's been a different quarterback since then. He just scored 37.7 Fantasy points in Week 1 against Washington, and he's now scored at least 20.3 Fantasy points in seven of his past eight games going back to last season, including the playoffs. The Lions held Matthew Stafford to 16.7 Fantasy points last week, but I expect Mayfield to stay hot in Week 2. It helps that the expected point total for this matchup is the highest of the week at 51.5, and Mayfield should do his part to light up the scoreboard.
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The Buccaneers secondary is a mess with Zyon McCollum (concussion), Bryce Hall (leg), Josh Hayes (ankle) and Antoine Winfield Jr. (ankle) all getting injured in Week 1 against Washington. That should allow Goff to rebound from a subpar performance against the Rams in Week 1 when he scored just 13.4 Fantasy points and play like a top-10 quarterback in Week 2. He scored 26.4 Fantasy points at Tampa Bay last year in Week 6, and Goff has scored at least 20 Fantasy points in 16 of his past 22 games at home going back to 2021.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Stafford only scored 16.7 Fantasy points in Week 1 at Detroit, but he passed for 317 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He did that with his offensive line falling apart, and Puka Nacua (knee) left the game as well. Nacua is out for Week 2, and the offensive line is still an issue, but Stafford is still worth using as a low-end No. 1 quarterback in all leagues. This is a great matchup against the Cardinals, who allowed Josh Allen to pass for 232 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1 (he also added 39 rushing yards and two touchdowns). And last year at Arizona in Week 12, Stafford passed for 229 yards, four touchdowns and one interception for 31.4 Fantasy points.
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Fields is expected to start in Week 2 with Russell Wilson (calf) still banged up, and hopefully Fields can do enough to solidify himself as the starter for the rest of the season. In Week 1 at Atlanta, Fields didn't have to do much with 156 passing yards and 57 rushing yards for 11.9 Fantasy points. The last time he faced the Broncos in Week 4 last year with the Bears, Fields had 335 passing yards, four touchdowns and one interception, and he ran for 25 yards as he scored 35.9 Fantasy points. It would be great if he could do that again in Denver this week.
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I didn't expect Purdy to have a big game against the Jets in Week 1, and he scored 10.3 Fantasy points because he failed to throw or run for a touchdown. He should improve this week against the Vikings, even though Purdy struggled at Minnesota in Week 7 last year when he only scored 14.8 Fantasy points. The Vikings played an inept offense last week against the Giants, but this is a big step up in competition against the 49ers, who have an implied total of 26 points this week. I like Purdy as a low-end starter in all leagues.
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QBs to Sit
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Williams struggled in his NFL debut in Week 1 against Tennessee when he was held to 93 passing yards and just 15 rushing yards for 7.2 Fantasy points. The Titans might prove to have one of the better pass defenses in the NFL this season, but Williams definitely looked like a rookie making his first start. Things might not improve much in Week 2 at Houston, and Williams is only worth starting in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
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I expected Lawrence to have a big game in Week 1 at Miami, but he was held to just 13.3 Fantasy points with 162 passing yards and one touchdown, along with 8 rushing yards. I'm hopeful for better production in Week 2 against Cleveland, but the Browns defense just held Dak Prescott to 13.5 Fantasy points in Week 1. Lawrence scored 23.4 Fantasy points at Cleveland in Week 14 last season, but I need to see him post a quality stat line at this point before trusting him in one-quarterback leagues. At best, Lawrence is a mid-range starter in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
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Smith did OK in Week 1 with 19.8 Fantasy points against Denver, and I expect him to be OK at best in Week 2 at New England. I would only start him in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues this week. The Patriots just held Joe Burrow to 8.1 Fantasy points in Week 1, and this New England defense might be better than we thought. It was a long time ago, and Smith is a different quarterback since then, but his last two trips into Gillette Stadium in 2013 and 2014 with the Jets resulted in a combined 440 passing yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.
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Rodgers looked rusty in his return to action from last year's Achilles injury in Week 1 at San Francisco, and he scored just 10.6 Fantasy points. That was against a good defense on the road, but it won't get any easier this week at Tennessee. The Titans defense, which upgraded their secondary and coaching from last year, just held Caleb Williams to fewer than 100 passing yards and 7.2 Fantasy points. Rodgers should do better than that, but he's only worth using in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
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Cousins did not have the debut the Falcons or Fantasy managers were hoping for in Week 1 against Pittsburgh when he passed for 155 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions and scored just 8.2 Fantasy points. Rust was likely a factor since this was Cousins' first game since suffering his Achilles injury, and facing the Steelers defense didn't help, even at home. We'll see if things improve in Week 2 on Monday night, but playing in prime time hasn't always worked out well for Cousins. The Eagles will pressure Cousins, and he needs to prove himself first before Fantasy managers can trust him. He's a questionable option even in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues this week.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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I'm hopeful Tee Higgins (hamstring) can play in Week 2 at Kansas City, and that would help Burrow, who should be considered a low-end starter at best in one-quarterback leagues. He scored 8.1 Fantasy points in Week 1 against New England, which was worse than Bryce Young, Will Levis, Kirk Cousins and even Tyrod Taylor. Burrow should play better in Week 2, and he has a solid track record against the Chiefs with 732 passing yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions, as well as 56 rushing yards and a touchdown in two career meetings in the regular season. But until Burrow looks like himself again, I would rather start Jayden Daniels, Baker Mayfield and Jared Goff ahead of Burrow in all leagues.
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Who should you start and sit this week? And which surprising running back could lead you to victory? Visit SportsLine now to get Week 2 Fantasy rankings for every position, plus see which RB comes out of nowhere to crack the top five, all from the model that has outperformed experts big-time.
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Running Backs
RBs to Start
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Robinson scored 17.9 PPR points in Week 1 at Tampa Bay, which was a nice surprise given the tough matchup. He only had 12 carries for 40 yards, but he scored a touchdown and caught three passes for 49 yards on four targets. He'll continue to share touches with Austin Ekeler, but it was great to see Robinson get as many targets as Ekeler against the Buccaneers. This week, Robinson gets an easier matchup against the Giants, who last week allowed Aaron Jones and Ty Chandler to combine for 111 rushing yards and a touchdown and five catches for 40 yards on five targets. Robinson has more than 100 total yards in three of four career meetings with the Giants, and last year in Week 11 at home, he had 20.2 PPR points against New York with 17 carries for 73 yards and seven catches for 59 yards.
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The Bengals' game plan was to stop Stevenson in Week 1 since he faced an eight-man front on 24 percent of his carries, but he still managed 25 attempts for 120 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 6 yards on three targets for 21.6 PPR points. He'll face a tougher test against Seattle in Week 2, and the Seahawks just shut down Denver's run game in Week 1, holding Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin to 18 carries for 50 yards and six catches for 1 yard on seven targets. But I'm going to buy this performance from Stevenson against Cincinnati and start him against Seattle at home as a No. 2 running back in all leagues.
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Ford dominated playing time and touches for the Browns in Week 1 against Dallas, and he finished with 12 carries for 44 yards and a touchdown and caught six passes for 25 yards on seven targets. His role in the passing game should matter in Week 2 against the Jaguars, who allowed De'Von Achane and Raheem Mostert to catch nine passes for 86 yards on 10 targets. Ford should again flirt with 20 total touches this week, and he should be considered a solid No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues.
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Christian McCaffrey (calf) will miss Week 2, which makes Mason a must-start running back in all leagues at Minnesota. He ran through the Jets defense with 28 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown, and he caught one pass for 5 yards on one target. It would be nice if the 49ers gave Mason more work in the passing game, but as is, Mason has top-10 upside in all leagues in Week 2.
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Harris dominated touches in Week 1 at Atlanta with 20 carries for 70 yards, and he caught one pass for 9 yards on two targets. We'll see if Jaylen Warren gets more work in Week 2 at Denver as he continues to recover from the hamstring injury that he suffered in training camp, but Harris should be considered a No. 2 running back in all leagues. The Broncos just allowed Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet to combine for 28 carries for 115 yards and a touchdown and four catches for 35 yards and a touchdown on six targets in Week 1, and hopefully Harris can find the end zone for the first time this week.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Moss only had 11 total touches in Week 1 against New England, but he played the majority of the snaps ahead of Chase Brown. Moss played 65 percent of the snaps compared to 33 percent for Brown, and Moss finished with nine carries for 44 yards and a touchdown and two catches for 17 yards on four targets. We'll see if the Bengals give Moss more work in Week 2, and I would use him as a flex at Kansas City. Last week, the Chiefs allowed Derrick Henry and Justice Hill to each score at least 10.6 PPR points.
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Charbonnet is expected to start in Week 2 with Kenneth Walker III (abdomen) listed as doubtful at New England. That makes Charbonnet a No. 2 running back in all leagues, and he has top-20 upside. Last week, Charbonnet had eight carries for 12 yards and caught two of three targets for 29 yards and a touchdown against Denver in the game where Walker was injured. Charbonnet would have the potential for 20 total touches in place of Walker, and Seattle will likely lean on Charbonnet as a workhorse running back, which we like.
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One of the bigger surprises in Week 1 was Mattison playing more snaps than Zamir White against the Chargers, and Mattison was also used as a pass catcher out of the backfield. It worked as he caught four of six targets for 43 yards and a touchdown with five carries for 19 yards. He played 60 percent of the snaps compared to 38 percent for White, and we'll see what happens in Week 2 at Baltimore. Given the likely game script of the Raiders playing from behind, Mattison can be considered a flex option in PPR.
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Raheem Mostert (chest) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against Buffalo, and De'Von Achane (ankle) is a game-time decision. That should benefit Wilson and potentially Jaylin Wright, who was a healthy scratch for Week 1 against Jacksonville. Wilson had five carries for 26 yards against the Jaguars, but he could be looking at 20 total touches against the Bills if Achane is out. Wilson should be considered at least a flex in all leagues in Week 2.
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RBs to Sit
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Swift was awful in Week 1 against the Titans with 10 carries for 30 yards, and half of his 10 attempts went for one or fewer yards. He also had no catches on one target. Things will hopefully improve in Week 2 at Houston, but the Texans just held Jonathan Taylor to 16 carries for just 48 yards and a touchdown and no catches. I need to see Swift to do something positive before trusting him, and he's a flex at best in most leagues for Week 2.
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White was outplayed and played fewer snaps than Alexander Mattison in Week 1 against the Chargers, and that's alarming this early in the season. White had 13 carries for 44 yards and two catches for 2 yards on two targets, while Mattison had five carries for 19 yards and four catches for 43 yards, and a touchdown on six targets. Mattison also played 60 percent of the snaps compared to 38 percent for White, and we'll see what happens in Week 2 at Baltimore. Given the likely game script of the Raiders playing from behind, White will be tough to trust in this matchup.
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Elliott had a solid performance in Week 1 in his return to the Cowboys with 10 carries for 40 yards and a touchdown at Cleveland, and he added two catches for 9 yards on two targets. He alternated drives with Rico Dowdle for the majority of the game, and that seems like a pattern that will continue in Week 2 against New Orleans. Elliott will likely have to score to boost his Fantasy value, and we'll see if the New Orleans run defense is for real based on what happened in Week 1 against Carolina. The Saints held Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders and Mike Boone to a combined 15 carries for 43 yards and no catches on two targets. I would only use Elliott as a flex at best in Week 2.
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Hubbard (54 percent) played more snaps than Miles Sanders (37 percent) in Week 1 at New Orleans, but both nearly had equal touches and production. Hubbard finished with six carries for 14 yards and no targets, and Sanders had five carries for 22 yards and two targets. It was ugly, and this Panthers offense will be tough to trust heading into Week 2 against the Chargers, who just shut down Zamir White in Week 1. I was hoping Hubbard would be a good replacement option until Jonathon Brooks (knee) is ready to play, but if Week 1 was any indication, you can't use Hubbard as even a flex in deeper leagues.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Week 1 was bad for Williams, and I hope it's not a sign of things to come. He had eight carries for 23 yards and one catch for no yards on two targets at Seattle, and he was outplayed by Jaleel McLaughlin, who had more carries (10) and total touches (15). After a positive training camp and preseason, Williams looked poised for a quality campaign, but it started in horrific fashion. And it won't get any easier in Week 2 against Pittsburgh. At best, Williams is just a flex in the majority of leagues, and McLaughlin is also a risky flex play against the Steelers.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Wide Receivers
WRs to Start
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Washington's secondary was abused last week by Tampa Bay's receivers as Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan combined for 14 catches for 176 yards and four touchdowns on 17 targets. Nabers was OK in his NFL debut in Week 1 against Minnesota with five catches for 66 yards on seven targets, but even Daniel Jones should help Nabers exploit this Commanders secondary in Week 2.
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It was vintage Godwin in Week 1 against Washington with eight catches for 83 yards and a touchdown on eight targets, and he should have the chance for another big game in Week 2 at Detroit. Last year in Week 6 against the Lions, Godwin had six catches for 77 yards on seven targets, but I expect him to do even better in this matchup. Detroit just allowed Cooper Kupp and Tyler Johnson to score at least 12.9 PPR points in Week 1, and Godwin and Mike Evans should exploit the Lions defense in what should be a high-scoring affair.
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There should be a squeaky wheel game coming for London in Week 2 at Philadelphia, and hopefully Kirk Cousins will look better after he struggled in Week 1 against Pittsburgh. London only had two catches for 15 yards on three targets against the Steelers, and Falcons coach Raheem Morris said, "We didn't get the ball to Drake enough." Cousins looked bad against Pittsburgh, and the Eagles won't be an easy matchup on Monday night. But Philadelphia allowed Jayden Reed, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs to combine for 11 catches for 201 yards and two touchdowns on 18 targets in Week 1, and I would still start London as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.
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I thought Williams would play well in Week 1 against the Rams, but he far exceeded my expectations with five catches for 121 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. He looked like a more polished receiver, which supports all of the positive feedback we heard about him this offseason, and he's poised to break out in his third season. For Week 2, he should stay hot against a depleted Tampa Bay secondary, and I would start Williams as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.
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McLaurin has a solid track record against the Giants, and hopefully that continues in Week 2. He's scored at least 13.0 PPR points in eight of his past nine meetings with the Giants, and McLaurin is worth using as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues. He was quiet in Week 1 in Jayden Daniels' NFL debut at Tampa Bay with two catches for 17 yards on four targets, but this should be the week where Daniels and McLaurin get on the same page. And last week, the Giants allowed Justin Jefferson, Jalen Nailor and Jordan Addison to score 31.5 PPR points, which bodes well for McLaurin's chances to have a quality outing at home.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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With Puka Nacua (knee) out, Cooper Kupp should dominate targets from Matthew Stafford, but Robinson and Tyler Johnson should also benefit. I'm going with Robinson over Johnson for now based since Robinson was with the Rams last season and should have a better rapport with Stafford. Last year, Robinson scored at least 13.2 PPR points in each of his final five games. And in Week 1 against the Lions, Robinson had four catches for 42 yards on seven targets. Johnson also did well with five catches for 79 yards on seven targets, and his role will expand with Nacua out. Consider Robinson a potential flex option in PPR in Week 2.
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It was great to see Flowers get 10 targets in Week 1 at Kansas City, and he had six catches for 37 yards. I'm hoping for a similar amount of targets in Week 2 against the Raiders but with a better stat line, especially the yards. In his past five home games going back to last year, including the playoffs, Flowers has scored at least 18 PPR points in three of them, so hopefully he stays hot at home in Week 2. I like Flowers as a high-end No. 3 receiver in all leagues.
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Dell was the odd man out in Week 1 at Houston since Nico Collins (17.7 PPR points) and Stefon Diggs (21.1 PPR points) both had big games. Dell only scored 7.0 PPR points against the Colts, but he should rebound this week. Dell was second on the team in targets (seven) behind Collins (eight), and Dell finished with three catches for 40 yards. I expect C.J. Stroud to lean on Dell more this week, and I like his matchup against the Bears. He's worth starting as a high-end No. 3 receiver in all leagues.
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Kirk had a rough game in Week 1 at Miami with only one catch for 30 yards on four targets. The CBS broadcast kept referencing the calf injury he dealt with in training camp, so hopefully he'll be closer to 100 percent in Week 2 against Cleveland. I would start rookie Brian Thomas Jr. ahead of Kirk this week, but I still like Kirk as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver. Last year, he had a bad Week 1 at the Colts with 1.9 PPR points, but he rebounded with 21.9 PPR points in Week 2 against Kansas City. Hopefully something similar happens this week.
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We'll see if Jake Ferguson (knee) can play in Week 2 against the Saints, but if he's out then that increases the value for Cooks even more against the team that drafted him in 2014. Cooks has faced the Saints three times in his career, and he's scored at least 16.4 PPR points in two of those outings with two touchdowns. He's coming off a quality Fantasy performance in Week 1 at Cleveland with four catches for 40 yards and a touchdown on seven targets, and Cooks has now scored a touchdown in eight of his past 13 games going back to last season. He's worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.
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WRs to Sit
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