Week 2 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Highlighting Matchups to Exploit and Avoid

Week 2 started with a defensive matchup between the Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday Night Football.

The Texans will field another defense that should remain in your weekly lineups. Quarterback Andy Dalton owners look to abandon ship. Fittingly, Bengals offensive coordinator Ken Zampese took the fall for the abysmal offensive performances, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport:

Heading into Sunday, we'll find out whether opening-week performances started a trend or flashed as a blip on the radar. Should we expect the Los Angeles Rams offense to continue lighting up the scoreboard with head coach Sean McVay pulling the strings?

Will the Jacksonville Jaguars stifle another AFC South offense? If so, should fantasy football owners respect their defense as a season keeper?

Week 2 also gives owners a few matchups to love and avoid at all costs. Who should you start? Which players belong on the bench?

Start 'Em

1. Derek Carr, QB, Oakland Raiders vs. New York Jets

2. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers vs. Atlanta Falcons

3. Javorius Allen RB, Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns

4. Todd Gurley RB, Los Angeles Rams vs. Washington Redskins

5. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals vs. Indianapolis Colts

Sit 'Em

1. Tyrod Taylor, QB, Buffalo Bills vs. Carolina Panthers

2. Carlos Hyde RB, San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks

3. Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

4. Rishard Matthews, WR, Tennessee Titans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

5. Jason Witten TE, Dallas Cowboys vs. Denver Broncos

Start 'Em: Derek Carr, QB, Oakland Raiders vs. New York Jets

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Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr targeted Tennessee Titans cornerback Adoree' Jackson seven times in coverage during their Week 1 matchup. According to Pro Football Focus, the rookie defensive back allowed four receptions for 47 yards and a touchdown.

Carr will see another favorable matchup with two rookie safeties in the New York Jets secondary. Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye will need to stay alert, with wideouts Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree running crisps routes on the perimeter.

Furthermore, the Raiders quickly integrated tight end Jared Cook into the offense. He racked up five catches for 56 yards in Week 1. Jets inside linebacker Darron Lee allowed four catches for 56 yards and a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills in New York's season opener, per Pro Football Focus.

Raiders offensive coordinator Todd Downing may opt to set the tone early. Expect Carr to aggressively attack the Jets pass coverage in various spots on the field. He's in a favorable matchup that should help owners rack up 25 or more points.

Sit 'Em: Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Minnesota Vikings offense lit up the New Orleans Saints secondary in the first game of the Monday Night Football double-header, but owners should hit the brakes on placing wideout Adam Thielen in their lineups for Week 2.

Thielen led the Vikings wide receivers corps in targets (10), receptions (nine) and receiving yards (157). Unfortunately, he's going into Sunday's game with a quarterback who's battling a knee injury, per ESPN's Adam Schefter: 

According to Minneapolis Star Tribune reporter Ben Goessling, Sam Bradford is listed as questionable for Week 2:

Based on Sam Bradford's injury history, it's not a good sign for fantasy owners who expected to see Thielen continue to blossom within the offense.

Bradford may suit up to play against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, but he's damaged goods until proved otherwise. No, he's not a mobile quarterback who uses his legs, but you wonder how his knee injury affects his mechanics and willingness to get rid of the ball before deep routes develop downfield. Keep Thielen on your bench.

Start 'Em: Javorius Allen RB, Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns

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The Baltimore Ravens recently placed running back Danny Woodhead on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. He notched three receptions for 33 yards in the regular-season opener against the Bengals. The roster move frees receiving opportunities for Javorius Allen out of the backfield.

In his rookie year, Allen caught 45 passes for 353 yards and two touchdowns. The team listed him as a healthy scratch for several games during the previous campaign. Now he's set up for a breakout season as a dual-threat running back. 

As a ball-carrier, Allen logged 21 carries, two more than Terrance West in Week 1. Whether it is due to quarterback Joe Flacco's offseason back issues or not, the Ravens displayed a deep commitment to the ground attack, which bodes well for those who grabbed Allen off the waiver wire.

Based on the prospective volume of touches, he's a must-start player against the Cleveland Browns.