Fantasy Football Week 2: Players to start and sit to win your fantasy football matchup
By Leo Howell
Week 2 of the NFL season is already upon us, and you need to make sure you’re ready to set your fantasy football lineup.
So whether you’re looking to get revenge for a Week 1 loss, or looking to start a winning streak with a second straight victory, here are some players you should definitely plug into your lineup, and some you should avoid in almost every league.
Players to start
Michael Vick, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia offense is for real this season. Don’t worry about the second half, because it was just an example of what happens when Chip Kelly takes his foot off the gas. The Eagles will want to keep the pedal down against the Chargers in Week 2, and Vick is obviously a key part of that.
Daryl Richardson, RB, St. Louis Rams
The Rams gave Richardson 25 touches against a tough Arizona defense, and he still delivered just shy of 100 total yards from scrimmage. He’ll have an even better opportunity this week against the Atlanta Falcons. Don’t worry about the return from suspension of Isaiah Pead, Richardson is the featured back in this offense.
Eddie Lacy, RB, Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers don’t have a well-known former college coach with a revolutionary offensive system, but they do have a good offense with a capable running back. That means you can’t expect Lacy to recreate LeSean McCoy’s performance against the Washington Redskins in Week 1, but you can expect Lacy to have a good game against Washington in week 2.
DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
See: Vick, Michael. Jackson is the go-to target in an excellent offense that’s facing a mediocre defense.
Brian Hartline, WR, Miami Dolphins
If you have Hartline, it’s probably thanks to a waiver wire bid this week. He needs to go straight from the free agent pool and into your lineup. The Colts’ defense will be one of the best matchups Hartline will face all season, so plug him in immediately, especially in a PPR league.
Players to sit
Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks
Russell Wilson just doesn’t throw the ball all that often anyways, and he’s certainly not going to throw the ball often (or not with any sort of success) against the 49ers. Wilson is a fine option on most other weeks, but if you have Michael Vick, Terrelle Pryor, EJ Manuel, or any other decent bench options, use them instead.
Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram, RB, New Orleans Saints
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers shut down the New York Jets’ duo of running backs in Week 1, holding them to just two yards per carry. The Saints are in the same boat as the Jets, as they lack a true every down runner. That means their backs will be in the same situation against the tough Bucs’ D. Don’t use the this week. (Darren Sproles, on the other hand, is a decent play. The Bucs’ linebackers don’t defend the pass well.)
Steven Jackson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
Jackson only touched the ball 16 times during Week 1, and faces a tougher test on defense as he returns to play his former team, the St. Louis Rams. It should be painfully clear that the Falcons are going to pass the ball as often as they can, particularly if the game is close. Jackson will be a better play in games the Falcons are favored to win by a large margin.
Greg Jennings, WR, Minnesota Vikings
Christian Ponder is a mess at the quarterback position. I don’t want any part of the players he’s tasked with throwing the football to. This week, his Vikings face the Chicago Bears. Stay away (far, far away) from Jennings. He’s not good enough to earn fantasy points on his own, and Ponder isn’t going to be good enough to get him the ball in good situations.
Kyle Rudolph, TE, Minnesota Vikings
See the paragraph above about Jennings. And throw in this: Rudolph is incredibly touchdown-dependent. There are so many options at tight end who catch the ball more often than he does between the 20’s. The Vikings aren’t going to be in the red zone often enough to keep owners of Adrian Peterson and Kyle Rudolph happy.