5 biggest Week 2 fantasy football sleepers: Fields, Williams, Pollard and more

You don’t need someone to tell you that Justin Jefferson is worth starting in fantasy every week. Likewise with a number of players who enter the week as projected top 10 players at their positions.

But sometimes, you find yourself in a bind. Maybe you have Christian McCaffrey on your roster and are currently dealing with whatever’s going on with his Achilles. At those times, you’ve got to reach down into the depths of the player pool and find some names. That’s where sleepers come into play.

To count as a sleeper, quarterbacks and tight ends need to be ranked outside the top 15 at their position on FantasyPros’ weekly rankings, while running backs are ranked outside the top 20 and wide receivers are ranked outside the top 25. Is all that pretty arbitrary? Yeah, it is, but isn’t everything in the world arbitrary? You didn’t come here for some philosophizing—you’re here for some football, so let’s get to talking football.

Justin Fields - QB - Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 2 ranking: QB16

The Steelers are planning to be without starting quarterback Russell Wilson again this week, which will lead to Justin Fields starting at QB for the team for the second week in a row.

In the season-opening win over Atlanta, Fields was his usual self, which is both good and bad. He was pretty accurate, completing 73.9 percent of his passes, but that was also because he wasn’t firing the ball deep. Per Next Gen Stats, Fields had the seventh-lowest intended air yards per attempt. In other words, he was taking what the defense gave him and focusing on the short passing game, which is why he ended up with just 156 passing yards. Meanwhile, the Steelers let him run, with Fields carrying the ball 14 times for 57 yards.

Fields is one of the best athletes at the QB position. If he’s carrying the ball 14 times in a game, he’s usually going to be able to break one or two off for a huge game. This is a guy who led the NFL in yards per rushing attempt in 2022 at 7.1, a season where he scored eight rushing touchdowns.

This week, he faces the Denver Broncos, a defense that actually did a solid job holding Geno Smith in check last weekend, except for the fact that Smith found the end zone on the ground. But Denver also allowed Kenneth Walker III to go over 100 yards. If Fields gets out and runs in this one, the Broncos' defense could have some problems on its hands.

Tony Pollard - RB - Tennessee Titans

Week 2 ranking: RB26

One major question this offseason was what the split would look like at running back in Tennessee. With Derrick Henry off to Baltimore, the position was going to be helmed by Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears, but what would that ratio look like? Close to 50-50, probably?

Nope. The Titans spent decent money on Pollard this offseason and gave him the first shot at the lead role. Against Chicago in Week 1, Pollard had 16 carries and four targets, while Spears had four carries and four targets. Pollard played 61% of the team’s offensive snaps while Spears was on the field for 45 percent of the contest.

And Pollard did good things with those snaps, finishing with 82 rushing yards and a touchdown while also catching three passes for 12 yards. The Bears defense just couldn’t really get a handle on Spears. Now, he faces a Jets team that got shredded by Jordan Mason in Week 1 to the tune of 147 yards. Pollard is ranked as a high-end RB3 play, but I view him as a top-20 option in Week 2.

Jameson Williams  - WR - Detroit Lions

Week 2 ranking: WR33

The Jameson Williams breakout season has arrived, y’all.

Coming into 2024, Williams was known for the occasional big play, but he wasn’t really a consistent threat. But in Week 1 against the Rams, Williams was targeted nine times, catching five passes for 121 yards and a touchdown.

This game represented a new career high for Williams in targets and yards while tying his best mark in receptions. If Williams is really going to get consistent looks, he has a shot to finish as a top-15 wide receiver in fantasy this year.

My only concern this week against an exploitable Tampa Bay defense is that Williams has been limited in practice with an ankle issue. But if he’s cleared to play, he’s a high-upside option for your fantasy roster.

Wan’Dale Robinson - WR - New York Giants

Week 2 ranking: WR55

The New York Giants were pretty bad in Week 1. Daniel Jones looked like one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL, which … I mean, fair, right? You won’t find many people who would say he’s better than like, what … the 25th-best QB, which might be generous.

But one thing that stood out to me was how often he was checking the ball down to wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson. He was targeted 12 times against the Vikings, catching six of those for 44 yards. He also added a 14-yard run.

Most weeks, this Giants offense is one to avoid, but this week they face the Commanders, who are arguably the worst pass defense in the NFL. If there’s ever a week for Jones to deliver big numbers, this is it. Robinson is a strong flex play in full PPR leagues and is available in most leagues still.

Juwan Johnson - TE - New Orleans Saints

Week 2 ranking: TE22

We have to take parts of New Orleans's dominant Week 1 win over the Carolina Panthers with a grain of salt. They were playing Carolina, after all. That team looks like a complete disaster at this point. Can they even reach 2023’s 2-15 record?

But one thing that’s likely notable is how much the Saints used the tight end position. Juwan Johnson and Foster Moreau combined for seven targets and both caught touchdown passes.

Most weeks, those two will likely cannibalize each other’s value, but Moreau is currently in the NFL’s concussion protocol, which puts his Week 2 status in huge doubt. That should be good for Johnson’s value this weekend, making him a strong streaming option if you’re someone who either didn’t invest in a tight end during your draft or are playing in a TE-premium or two-TE league.