When it comes to Week 2 of fantasy football, remember that Week 1 was just that – one week. It certainly would be wise to use Week 1’s results as you make your decisions for Week 2.
But don’t go exclusively off Week 1. Some things that happened in Week 1 might be good indicators, but other events might have been flukes. You have to factor in current matchups and injuries as you make your final lineup decisions for Week 2.
With that in mind, here are some last-minute fantasy football thoughts for Week 2.
Start San Francisco’s defense
It appears as if Cincinnati plans to throw the ball a lot with new coach Zac Taylor. That could play nicely into the hands of the 49ers’ defense. Against Tampa Bay last week, San Francisco had two interceptions returned for touchdowns among the four turnovers it produced. The 49ers also sacked Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston three times. The Bengals may have a better offensive line than the Bucs, but quarterback Andy Dalton isn’t nearly as mobile as Winston.
Saquon Barkley will get the ball more
The New York Giants running back only got 15 touches in the opening loss to Dallas. That’s ridiculous. Barkley is one of the most versatile and explosive players in the league. He’s a threat to score any time he touches the ball. Giants coach Pat Shurmur took a lot of heat from the New York media for not utilizing Barkley enough. Who knows if Shurmur even pays attention to the media? But Shurmur doesn’t need the media to design his game plan. He just needs to use common sense and get the ball to Barkley as much as possible against Buffalo.
Stay clear of Damien Williams
Williams remains the starting running back for Kansas City. But it doesn’t look like he’ll be a good fantasy starter going forward. That’s because he’s sharing carries with LeSean McCoy. In the opener, Williams got more touches, but McCoy played very well. McCoy’s role is probably going to increase and he could end up getting more touches than Williams as the season goes on.
Leonard Fournette is a definite starter this week
If you have the Jacksonville running back, you have to start him when he plays against the Texans. Fournette should get the ball more often than usual. That’s because rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew will be making the first start of his career. The Texans have a pass rush that features J.J. Watt, so it’s fair to assume the Jaguars don’t want Minshew throwing too often. The solution to that is to put the ball in Fournette’s hands as often as possible.
Keep an eye on Davante Adams
Although the Green Bay receiver had just four catches for 36 yards in the opener and now faces a tough Minnesota defense, Adams is a good fantasy starter this week. In two games against Minnesota last year, he had 12 catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns.
Lamar Jackson might be a two-week wonder
If Jackson is going to be an elite quarterback, it’s going to take him some time to establish that. The Baltimore quarterback threw five touchdown passes last week. You have to keep that in perspective because it came against the Dolphins. But Arizona doesn’t have a great defense either. So, Jackson is a good guy to start in fantasy this week. Once he plays against some stronger defenses, we’ll see what he really is all about.
Philip Rivers could light up the Lions
After Austin Ekeler showed in the opener that he’s more than an adequate replacement for holdout Melvin Gordon, Detroit’s defense is going to have to focus a lot of attention on the running back. That should free up some opportunities in the passing game for the Chargers and Rivers can win a shootout with Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford. Also, don’t be afraid to start Ekeler even though he’s no longer going to catch anyone by surprise. He’s still going to score some fantasy points as a runner and a receiver.
Be cautious with Ezekiel Elliott
Just because Elliott now has a game and some more practice time under his belt after holding out for the entire preseason before getting a new contract, doesn’t mean the Dallas running back is ready to put up huge numbers. In the season opener he carried 13 times for 53 yards and a touchdown. So, you might think his numbers will be even better against Washington this week. But you need to consider this – when the Cowboys traveled to Washington last year, Elliott had one of the worst games of his career, gaining just 33 yards on 15 carries.
Stay away from Kirk Cousins
The opener against Atlanta made it clear that the Minnesota starting quarterback should be nothing but a backup in fantasy. Cousins attempted only 10 passes against the Falcons. That made it pretty obvious this year’s plan for the Vikings is to run the ball a lot and not ask too much of their highly-priced quarterback. Besides, he’ll be going against a Green Bay defense that appears much improved over last year. The Packers sacked Mitchell Trubisky five times and held the Bears to three points.
Ben Roethlisberger is due for a big game
The Steelers were humiliated by the Patriots in the opener. That can’t be sitting well with Roethlisberger, who is an intense competitor. He’ll be out to show last week was a fluke and he’ll be playing in front of a Heinz Field crowd. More importantly, he’ll be going against a Seattle defense that gave up 418 passing yards to Cincinnati’s Andy Dalton last week.
Start every Saint you’ve got
Quarterback Drew Brees, running back Alvin Kamara and receiver Michael Thomas are automatic starters every week. But receiver Ted Ginn, tight end Jared Cook and kicker Will Lutz all should have big days. That’s because the Saints are playing the Rams. Yes, Los Angeles has a good defense, but this game is an unusual one. It’s a rematch of last season’s NFC Championship Game. Everyone remembers the pass-interference call that didn’t happen. The Saints remember it more than anyone. In addition to being an offensive guru, New Orleans coach Sean Payton is a master motivator. He’ll have his team ready for this one and he’s probably been game planning for the Rams since about an hour after the NFC Championship Game ended.
Pat Yasinskas has covered the NFL since 1993. He has worked for The Tampa Tribune, The Charlotte Observer and ESPN.com and writes for numerous national magazines and websites. He also has served as a voter for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
