Week 2 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Final Review of Most Difficult Fantasy Matchups

Each week, owners across the fantasy football world usually only have a couple of decisions to make. Yet, knowing those few lineup choices can be the difference between winning and losing, a lot of time is spent making them.

There are many factors in play when making these decisions, of course. At this stage, preseason expectations should still be considered, along with Week 1 performance and any injury situations that could change a player's role.

The most important one, however, remains the matchup. When dealing with fringe starters, going up against the lesser defense is often the most prominent deciding factor. So let's check out a group of players fantasy owners are probably debating and break down where they belong for Week 2.

Week 2 Start 'Em

Position	Player	Team
QB	Andy Dalton	CIN
RB	Darren Sproles	PHI
WR	Marques Colston	NO
TE	Delanie Walker	TEN
D/ST	Texans	HOU
K	Nick Folk	NYJ

Andy Dalton was quietly a top-five fantasy quarterback last season. He did nothing in Week 1 to suggest he's due for a major drop off with an 18-point outing. He's in line for another strong performance against an Atlanta Falcons defense that gave up 333 yards through the air last week.

JJ Zachariason of NumberFire sees plenty of fantasy upside:

Darren Sproles illustrated in Week 1 that he's going to get enough touches in the crowded Philadelphia Eagles offense to remain fantasy relevant. He should be in for a big game as part of a likely shootout against the Indianapolis Colts, which gave up over 360 total yards in their opener.

The Cleveland Browns gave up 376 passing yards to the Pittsburgh Steelers. That doesn't bode well heading into a clash with the high-powered New Orleans Saints. It's a golden opportunity for Marques Colston to build off his 110-yard outing last week.

Delanie Walker showed why he was a popular sleeper target as a low-end No. 1 tight end during draft season. He had three catches for 37 yards and, most importantly, a touchdown. He should find even more space to operate against the shaky Dallas Cowboys defense.

Even without Jadeveon Clowney, the Houston Texans' defense should have enough playmakers to shut down the Oakland Raiders. Derek Carr was serviceable in Week 1, but the sledding will get more difficult unless the running game steps up in a major way.

Kickers are the toughest position to predict because the scoring is so variable from week to week. That said, those desperately seeking a streaming option for Week 2 could do worse than Nick Folk, who opened the campaign with a solid nine-point showing.

Week 2 Sit 'Em

Position	Player	Team
QB	Robert Griffin III	WSH
RB	Stevan Ridley	NE
WR	Keenan Allen	SD
TE	Antonio Gates	SD
D/ST	Bengals	CIN
K	Dan Bailey	DAL

Robert Griffin III scored just eight fantasy points in Week 1, including none for rushing as he finished with just three carries for two yards. It's going to remain very difficult to rely on him until he starts putting his prior playmaking ability back on display.

He belongs on the bench for the second week, even though he isn't overly concerned about the poor showing, as noted by Mike Jones of the Washington Post.

"It's not always as bad as you think. We went out there and we did execute well," Griffin said. "We just hurt ourselves in the red zone with the turnovers, and we can't do that."

Stevan Ridley may still operate as the New England Patriots' main ball-carrier, but the presence of the more versatile Shane Vereen limits his upside. That's especially true this week against a Minnesota Vikings defense that gave up just 72 rushing yards last week.

Keenan Allen is a better fantasy asset than his 37-yard showing in Week 1 would suggest. Alas, he probably won't be able to prove it on Sunday. The Seattle Seahawks' vaunted defense tends to shutdown even the best offensive weapons.

A second straight Chargers member makes the list in Antonio Gates. His value is on the rise after a solid effort in the opener. The story remains the same, however. It's tough to recommend any fringe fantasy players against the Seahawks.

The Cincinnati Bengals' defense should be a viable fantasy commodity most weeks. That's not the case as the unit prepares to face the Atlanta Falcons, though. The game has all the makings of a shootout, which is bad news for fantasy owners.

Finally, Dan Bailey put just five points on the board in the opening week and things probably won't improve much against the Tennessee Titans. There are better options available until the Dallas Cowboys start showing more consistency on offense.