Vincent Brown Is Must-Start in Fantasy Football Lineups in Week 2

Most of you already own Vincent Brown in fantasy football leagues, but Week 2 is the time to deploy him.

While he’s owned in 95.8 percent of ESPN leagues, Brown is still being started in less than 20 percent of lineups.

Don’t let his Week 1 performance, although decent, scare you away from playing him when the matchup is right. And this week against Philadelphia, it doesn’t get much better.

Last week, San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers didn’t have to throw much to put his team ahead early against the Houston Texans, but he still targeted the talented young receiver four times—Malcom Floyd had five looks and Eddie Royal received six—one of which was a 10-yard touchdown connection.

Despite receiving fewer targets, Brown played more significant action than Royal, per Pro Football Focus' Mike Clay.

Against the Philadelphia Eagles, Rivers will be throwing much more. The Eagles’ high-tempo and quick-strike offense is likely going to put up points a lot faster and earlier than Matt Schaub and the Texans managed in Week 1.

Without the luxury of building a big early lead, Rivers will have no choice but to keep passing to keep his team in the game. If the Eagles score as easily as they did last week, the Chargers will be passing to play catch-up for much of the game’s duration.

Coming into the season, he was touted as a potential breakout star. Now is the time to validate your reliance on offseason hype by putting him in your lineup.

Rivers shined praises for Brown before the start of the season, labeling him a sure-handed, strong route-runner and as a guy he trusts, per Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

We’ll see how highly he thinks of him when trailing and looking for answers in Philly.

Last week, Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins were playing from behind against the same Eagles defense Rivers and Brown will meet on Sunday. Griffin, like Rivers, also likes to spread the ball around. And while he did get everyone involved, it was the big plays that got his team back into the game.

Brown and Rivers have hooked up for big plays in the past. In 2011, his last significant action after missing all of 2012 due to injury, Brown averaged 17.3 yards per catch and totaled 329 yards and two touchdowns in limited activity.

Philadelphia’s pass defense is suspect outside of Cary Williams, who will likely be matched up against Malcom Floyd to take away Rivers’ biggest receiver. With Brown and Royal working from different spots on the field, they’ll both get the chance to exploit matchups against the rest of the team’s beatable secondary—and even against some linebackers.

It’s time to roll the dice with a competent receiver in a favorable situation. If you do it, it will pay huge dividends on your weekly matchup’s scoreboard.