Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 2: Smart Matchup Plays, Sleepers and More
It's certainly not all downhill in fantasy football after Week 1 of the NFL season, but roster decisions do feel a lot less fraught once there is some actual in-season data to back them up.
While we still have plenty of watching and learning to do, some major storylines emerged from Week 1 play. Some players we expected to play well, like Jacksonville Jaguars rookie wideout Brian Thomas Jr., delivered, making for an exciting season ahead.
Other players who were meant to play key roles on their teams this season, like Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams, officially have fantasy managers on high alert.
Taking into account Week 1 performances as well as Week 2 matchups, we'll take a look at some start and sit candidates for Week 2, as well as sleepers to look for on waivers this week.
These start, sit and sleeper recommendations are based on a 12-team redraft league using PPR scoring.
Start: J.K. Dobbins, RB, Chargers
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Week 1 stats: 10 att, 135 yds, 1 TD, 22.9 pts
Rostered: 49%
Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins is rostered in 49 percent of Yahoo leagues, so he's not exactly a sleeper heading into Week 2. But whether he's already on your roster or you have a chance to add him on waivers this week, make starting him for Week 2 a priority if you can.
Last year, a season-ending Achilles injury also proved to mark the end of Dobbins' tenure in Baltimore. But the Chargers saw how a healthy Dobbins could function in their system, and the move has already paid dividends for both parties.
In a Week 1 win over the Las Vegas Raiders 22-10, Dobbins averaged 13.5 yards per carry on 135 total yards, including a 61-yard touchdown run and another long breakaway. If Dobbins is already on your roster, you could try to strike while the iron is hot and trade him—but don't you want to see his season goes?
Sit: Javonte Williams, RB, Broncos
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Week 1 stats: 8 att, 23 yds, 3.3 pts
Rostered: 92 percent
Javonte Williams had a positional average draft position (ADP) of 26, meaning that, if you're in a 12-team league, he's likely someone's RB2 or go-to flex starter. So it's understandable if the thought of sitting him in Week 2 feels like a luxury you can't afford...and yet your team may not be able to afford him being in your lineup.
It was a tough opener for the Denver Broncos, who fell 26-20 to the Seattle Seahawks, and the backfield looked especially outmatched. Yet Jaleel McLaughlin manged to slightly outperform Williams, tallying 10 carries and 27 yards to Williams' eight carries and 23 yards.
The same was true in the passing game; though neither McLaughlin nor Williams made an impact, McLaughlin saw five targets to Williams' one, for a 41 percent and 11 target rate, respectively.
If Williams isn't performing on rushing downs and isn't making an impact in the passing game, it's simply inadvisable to start him until his role within Denver's offense becomes clearer.
Start: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jaguars
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Week 1 stats: 4 rec, 47 yds, 1 TD, 14.7 pts
Rostered: 82 percent
The Jacksonville Jaguars' season may have gotten off to a disappointing start as they lost by a field goal to the Miami Dolphins, but one bright spot was rookie wideout Brian Thomas Jr., who looks to be as good as advertised.
Thomas led the team—including veterans wideout Christian Kirk, tight end Evan Engram and pass-catching running back Travis Etienne Jr.—in receptions and target share (21 percent). Given his high rostered percentage, he's not likely to be available in your league.
However, his start percentage in Week 1 was only 15 percent, which makes sense as fantasy managers waited to see what kind of role he'd carve out for himself in Jacksonville. Wait no more—if he is on your roster, he's a must-start in Week 2.
Sit: Chuba Hubbard, RB, Panthers
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Week 1 stats: 6 att, 14 yds, 1.4 pts
Rostered: 65 percent
Whilst getting trounced by the New Orleans Saints en route to a 47-10 outcome, the Carolina Panthers didn't have the luxury of running the ball much. And while it's some consolation that Chuba Hubbard, whose positional ADP was 42 in this summer's drafts, led the team in carries, that doesn't really lessen the sting of his stat sheet. In PPR leagues, Hubbard brought in just 1.4 points.
Much of Hubbard's value lay in the fact that he can be involved in all facets of the offense. But he didn't have any receptions—or even targets—in Week 1. And he's facing a poor matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, whose defense allowed the Las Vegas Raiders just 71 total rushing yards in Week 1. Given this bleak picture, it's hard to recommend starting Hubbard in Week 2.
Sleepers to Consider
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To be considered "sleepers," players must be rostered in less than 40 percent of leagues.
Jaleel McLaughlin, RB, Denver Broncos: 38 percent rostered
Brandin Cooks, WR, Dallas Cowboys: 33 percent rostered
Isaiah Likely, TE, Baltimore Ravens: 28 percent rostered
Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 21 percent rostered
Demarcus Robinson, WR, Los Angeles Rams: 6 percent rostered
Tank Bigsby, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars: 5 percent rostered
Stats, scoring and ADP figures via Fantasy Pros
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