Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 2: Choosing Top Fantasy Football Locks and Flops

The lineup decisions for Week 1 in fantasy football are often quite simple. Most people stick with their highest draft choices for better or worse. Things start to get a little more interesting in Week 2 and beyond as owners start spending more time debating who to start and who to sit.

There are still certain stars, such as Aaron Rodgers or Jamaal Charles, who remain must-start options despite low scores in their respective openers. That said, it's a group that will continue to shrink on a weekly basis, leaving more decisions up in the air from week to week.

Let's check out some players who are probably on the fringe for many fantasy owners heading into the second week of play and decide whether they belong in the starting lineup or on the bench.

Start 'Em

Position	Player	Team
QB	Jake Locker	TEN
RB	Shane Vereen	NE
WR	Brandin Cooks	NO
TE	Zach Ertz	PHI
D/ST	Buccaneers	TB
K	Dan Carpenter	BUF

Jake Locker looked and stayed healthy in Week 1. That's always a concern for the Tennessee Titans quarterback, but the talent is there for him to put up top-12 numbers at the position. He should back up his 19-point outing by scoring around 20 again, this time against a weak Dallas Cowboys defense.

In an era in which most teams are using a committee approach at running back, Shane Vereen's versatility makes him a terrific asset. Whether it's working as a traditional rusher or in a pass-catching role, he will get enough touches to score big against the Minnesota Vikings.

A lot of sleeper hype followed Brandin Cooks during training camp. While it's only one week, he certainly looked ready to live up to it with 14 points in his debut. The New Orleans Saints love to throw, which makes him a reliable option in Week 2 and beyond.

Chris Sprow of ESPN is also bullish on Cooks:

Zach Ertz showed why he has so much potential in the Philadelphia Eagles offense last week. He can stretch the field and is a big target once the team gets in scoring range. Those two factors make him an intriguing start against the Indianapolis Colts, which gave up three touchdowns to Julius Thomas.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers failed to take advantage of a matchup with Derek Anderson, who filled in for Cam Newton in Week 1. It's not time to give up on the unit, however. The group should bounce back against a St. Louis Rams offense with no shortage of question marks.

Dan Carpenter connected on three field goals to open the season. Given the fact the Buffalo Bills offense will likely bog down quite a bit in the red zone with EJ Manuel leading the charge, he should continue to get pretty consistent field-goal opportunities, which is good news for fantasy owners.

Sit 'Em

Position	Player	Team
QB	Tony Romo	DAL
RB	Steven Jackson	ATL
WR	Golden Tate	DET
TE	Kyle Rudolph	MIN
D/ST	Chiefs	KC
K	Adam Vinatieri	IND

The fact the Dallas Cowboys fell behind 28-3 before halftime and Tony Romo still finished with just nine points is not a good sign. That's usually when quarterbacks rack up huge garbage-time numbers. Keep him on the bench against the Titans in Week 2.

Steven Jackson remains the lead back for the Atlanta Falcons. Unfortunately for fantasy owners, it's an extremely crowded backfield, which means his number of touches will make it difficult to put up big numbers. That's especially true when they face a tough defense like the Cincinnati Bengals this week.

D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution passed along comments from Jackson, who admitted he must seize his chances: "That forces me to be true to the play call. Sometimes you have to get in a rhythm, but when you allow yourself to get into a rhythm, the game comes to you. Now, when you know your carries are going to be (less frequent), you have got to really trust your reads."

Golden Tate is going to really help the Detroit Lions' offense by helping move the chains and taking some attention away from Calvin Johnson. Yet, it might not translate into huge fantasy success on a weekly basis because Johnson is far and away the top target when the team gets in scoring range.

A touchdown helped Kyle Rudolph post a reasonable score in Week 1. It's important to note he had just two catches for 16 yards, though. It's risky to rely on TD production from week to week, so leave him on the bench until he becomes more heavily involved in the passing game.

The Kansas City Chiefs sport a solid defense that's worth starting most weeks. Alas, starting any unit that's going up against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos is not worth the potential downside. Stream a different group for this week.

Finally, Adam Vinatieri will find himself in another game in which his Colts are going to need touchdowns, not field goals, to keep pace with the Eagles. That points toward another single-digit score, and thus, there are better kicking options for Week 2.