Kenneth Gainwell (ribs) has been ruled out for Thursday night's game against Minnesota. Now, we get to see if D'Andre Swift or Rashaad Penny can be reliable options for Fantasy managers in Week 2.
In Week 1 at New England, Gainwell was the lead running back for Philadelphia. He played 62 percent of the snaps and had 14 carries for 54 yards and four catches for 20 yards on four targets.
Swift played 29 percent of the snaps, but he only had one carry for 3 yards and had one catch for no yards on two targets. Penny was actually a healthy scratch, and Boston Scott was the No. 3 running back. He had one carry for 3 yards and one catch for 7 yards on one target.
For Week 2 against the Vikings, it will likely be a committee approach, but I'll use Swift as a low-end starter in all leagues. Nick Sirianni is fond of Swift, and he said Wednesday that "I see (Swift) being able to play any role that he's in because of the type of back and the skill set that he has."
Penny should be viewed as a flex, and we'll see if his debut for the Eagles can lead to more playing time moving forward, especially if Gainwell's injury lingers. It wouldn't surprise me if Penny had a breakout performance given his history of big games, but that's not something you should count on.
Scott is the wild-card here given his history with the Eagles, but I would be surprised if he got more work than Swift or Penny. At best, use Scott as a desperation flex in deeper leagues.
I'm excited to see what happens Thursday against the Vikings. It would be nice if someone -- Gainwell, Swift or Penny -- took ownership of this backfield because then we would have a potential starting Fantasy running back in all leagues.
Start of the Week
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Did you know that Jared Goff has not thrown an interception in his past 10 starts and 359 pass attempts? He joins Bart Starr, Tom Brady, Milt Plum and Derek Carr as the only quarterbacks to go 10 consecutive starts without an interception. And those 359 passes without an interception is third all-time in NFL history, with only Brady and Aaron Rodgers having longer streaks.
It's impressive, and Goff doesn't get the credit he deserves in Fantasy and reality for being a quality quarterback. For this week, I like him as a top-10 Fantasy passer against the Seahawks.
Last year, in Week 4 against Seattle, Goff had his best game of the season with 41.2 Fantasy points. He passed for 378 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, and his performance was part of a trend -- Goff loves playing at home.
In nine home games last year, Goff averaged 26.5 Fantasy points per game. This is his first home game of the season, and I expect the trend to continue.
Seattle just allowed Matthew Stafford to pass for 334 yards in Week 1, and I expect Goff to pick apart this secondary as well with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs.
Goff disappointed us in Week 1 with just 16.1 Fantasy points at Kansas City, but things will be different this week. He's back at home, and Goff should go off in Detroit.
Jacob Gibbs projects even bigger things than I do for an AFC South receiver. You can find that and a lot more in his Week 2 Fantasy Football Lineup Advice column at SportsLine.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Quarterbacks
QBs to Start
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One of the reasons I loved Tagovailoa as the Start of the Week in Week 1 was because Fantasy managers didn't seem willing to trust him at the Chargers. When I wrote this story last week, he was only started in 54 percent of CBS Sports leagues. Now, after he went nuts against the Chargers for 33.1 Fantasy points, Fantasy managers are apparently still hesitant since he's just started in 69 percent of leagues as of Wednesday. I know it seems like a daunting matchup at New England, but Tagovailoa is actually 4-0 against Bill Belichick in his career. While he's healthy, he's a top-10 Fantasy quarterback in all leagues.
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Richardson is expected to play in Week 2 at Houston despite dealing with a knee bruise, and hopefully he can build off his solid NFL debut against the Jaguars when he scored 22.9 Fantasy points. It won't be an easy matchup since the Texans just held Lamar Jackson to only 6.6 Fantasy points in Week 1, but I'm still going to use Richardson as a low-end starter in all formats. I'm hopeful he'll run more than the 10 carries for 40 yards and a touchdown he had against Jacksonville, while continuing to throw the ball well when he was 24-of-37 passing for 223 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Richardson will be a roller-coaster of Fantasy production this year, and I'm hopeful he'll have another quality outing in Week 2 like he did in Week 1.
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Let's just forget Week 1 for Jones and the Giants. They played a dominant Dallas defense, and Jones barely had time to do anything as he was sacked seven times and hit several others, finishing 15-of-28 passing for 104 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. He did run 13 times for 43 yards, but it was a miserable game all around in a 40-0 loss. He'll rebound this week against the Cardinals, who allowed Sam Howell to score 17.2 Fantasy points in Week 1, but that included two turnovers. Jones should be considered a low-end No. 1 quarterback in all leagues.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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I thought Carr did well in Week 1 against the Titans with 305 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception, and he should have the chance for another quality outing in Week 2 at Carolina. While the Panthers are No. 4 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks after one week, that's because the Falcons ran all over Carolina's defense. The Saints will test this secondary, which just lost cornerback Jaycee Horn (hamstring), and Carr should be considered a low-end starter in one-quarterback leagues for Week 2.
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Purdy was once again fantastic in Week 1 at Pittsburgh, and I'm glad he's all the way back from the elbow injury he suffered in last year's NFC Championship Game. I was skeptical, and he proved me wrong, completing 19-of-29 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns, along with 20 rushing yards against the Steelers. He scored 20.8 Fantasy points against Pittsburgh, and he should be in a similar range in Week 2 against the Rams. I consider him a low-end starter in one-quarterback leagues in this matchup.
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Mayfield is only worth starting in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues, but he did well in Week 1 at Minnesota, scoring 20.0 Fantasy points with 173 passing yards and two touchdowns, along with 11 rushing yards. He completed 21-of-34 passes, and Mayfield should have moments like this when the matchup is right, including in Week 2 against Chicago. The Bears just allowed Jordan Love to score 29 Fantasy points in Week 1, and I like Mayfield's chances to have another good game since he'll lean on Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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The positive for Cousins is the Eagles are dealing with significant injuries on defense, including cornerback James Bradberry (concussion) and safety Reed Blankenship (ribs). The negative for Cousins is he'll be without center Garrett Bradbury (back), and left tackle Christian Darrisaw (ankle) is also banged up. Cousins scored 20.5 Fantasy points in Week 1 against Minnesota, and he should be in that range again this week. But just remember this is another prime-time game for him, and he was miserable at Philadelphia last year in Week 2 when he scored 10.8 Fantasy points thanks to three interceptions.
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Prescott didn't have to do much in Week 1 against the Giants with the Cowboys defense having a dominant performance. He only scored 6.3 Fantasy points, and Prescott could have another down game in Week 2 against the Jets. In their past 15 games going back to last season, the Jets have allowed nine passing touchdowns and 15 interceptions, including three interceptions of Josh Allen in Week 1. This should be a low-scoring game with a projected score of 39.5 points, and Prescott is only worth starting in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
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Smith was a huge letdown in Week 1 against the Rams with just 11.1 Fantasy points, and I wouldn't be surprised if he struggled again in Week 2 at Detroit. Now, he did have a huge game at Detroit in Week 4 last season with 35.7 Fantasy points, but this Lions defense is much improved since then. And Smith might be playing behind a banged up offensive line this week since the Seahawks lost both tackles, Charles Cross (toe) and Abraham Lucas (knee), to injury Week 1. As a result, Seattle signed 41-year-old tackle Jason Peters, so Smith could be running for his life in this matchup.
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Sit in 2QB/Superflex (Start/Sit)
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Stafford looked great in Week 1 at Seattle with 24-of-38 completions for 334 yards, along with 11 rushing yards, and the Rams found players in the passing game with Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell stepping up with Cooper Kupp (hamstring) out. But for this week, Stafford should struggle against the 49ers, and he has a terrible history against San Francisco. In his past four meetings against the 49ers, Stafford has six total touchdowns, five interceptions and a fumble, and he averaged just 230.5 passing yards per game. He's not a recommended start in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
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Garoppolo was a pleasant surprise in Week 1 at Denver when he scored 19.1 Fantasy points, but I don't like his chances to succeed in Week 2 at Buffalo. The Bills are playing their first home game after a crushing road loss at the Jets, and they should take out their frustration on the Raiders. I'm hesitant to start Garoppolo even in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
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I had high hopes for Pickett this season, but he looked awful in Week 1 against San Francisco. Granted, the 49ers have a great defense, but everything fell apart for Pickett in Week 1, including losing his No. 1 receiver in Diontae Johnson (hamstring) for several weeks. Pickett's offensive line also is banged up, and the Browns defense looked dominant against the Bengals in Week 1. I'm not expecting Pickett to play well on Monday night, and I wouldn't start him in any leagues in Week 2.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Running Backs
RBs to Start
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Under the circumstances, there was a lot to like about Conner's performance in Week 1 at Washington. Without Kyler Murray (knee) and facing a solid Commanders defense, Conner had 19 total touches (five catches on five targets) and averaged 4.4 yards per carry. He played 84 percent of the snaps and should continue to be a workhorse for the Cardinals as long as he's healthy. This week, he's facing a Giants defense that will definitely improve from its Week 1 embarrassing 40-0 loss to Dallas, but the Cowboys did have three rushing touchdowns in that game. Conner is a solid No. 2 running back in all leagues in Week 2.
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Cook didn't have the best debut in Week 1 at the Jets, but I expected him to struggle against a stout defense. What you have to like is he was the clear RB1 for Buffalo with 16 total touches (four catches on six targets), and he played 59 percent of the snaps. While he could lose goal-line work to Damien Harris and Josh Allen, I love that the Bills gave Cook so many opportunities in the passing game since he was second in targets behind Stefon Diggs. Buffalo is favored by 9.5 points this week, so the Bills should be able to lean on Cook against the Raiders, who allowed 10 catches to Denver's running backs in Week 1 on 12 targets.
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I was disappointed with White at Minnesota in Week 1 since he got 19 total touches (two catches on two targets) and played 79 percent of the snaps, but he managed just 49 total yards and 6.9 PPR points. I'm going back to him this week against the Bears given the matchup at home. Tampa Bay isn't expected to be favored in many games (the Buccaneers are minus-3), and Chicago is still chasing Aaron Jones, who had 127 total yards and two touchdowns for the Packers in Week 1. White isn't likely to do that, but he should be a useful No. 2 running back in most leagues.
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Jahmyr Gibbs should go off in this game, especially if the Lions play him more than just the 19 snaps he had in Week 1 at Kansas City. He looked impressive with six missed tackles on his seven carries, and he's a definite starter in all leagues in Week 2 against Seattle. But Montgomery isn't going away, and Lions coach Dan Campbell clearly loves his bruising running back. Montgomery played 55 snaps against the Chiefs and finished with 21 carries for 74 yards and a touchdown. His lack of work in the passing game is discouraging, but Montgomery should be a candidate to score each week. And in Week 1, the Seahawks allowed three rushing touchdowns to the Rams duo of Kyren Williams (two) and Cam Akers. Also, when these teams met in Detroit in Week 4 last year, Jamaal Williams had 19 carries for 108 yards and two touchdowns.
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Keep an eye on Kendre Miller (hamstring) and if he can return in Week 2 after sitting out the Week 1 game against Tennessee. If he's out against the Panthers, Williams should be a solid No. 2 running back in all leagues against the Panthers. With Miller out and Alvin Kamara suspended against the Titans, Williams played 75 percent of the snaps and had 20 total touches (two catches on two targets). He only managed 52 total yards, but I expected him to struggle against a tough Titans defense. Carolina's defense isn't as good against the run, and Atlanta just abused the Panthers for 131 rushing yards and two touchdowns in Week 1, along with nine catches for 46 yards and a score on nine targets. This could be Williams' best game of the year.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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You have to love that Pacheco ran more routes than Jerick McKinnon in Week 1 against Detroit, and if Pacheco's role in the passing game expands, he'll be a quality Fantasy running back moving forward. Against the Lions, Pacheco had eight carries for 23 yards and four catches for 31 yards on four targets, and he led the Chiefs backfield in playing time with 48 percent of the snaps. The last time Pacheco faced the Jaguars in the playoffs last season, he had 12 carries for 95 yards and one catch for 6 yards on one target, and the rematch should be a shootout with an expected point total of 51.5. I like Pacheco as a low-end starter in all leagues.
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Mostert's Fantasy managers got good news in Week 1 when De'Von Achane was made inactive as a healthy scratch at Los Angeles, and Mostert only had to share touches with Salvon Ahmed, allowing him to play 73 percent of the snaps. We'll see what happens in Week 2 at New England, but Mostert should once again lead the Dolphins backfield in playing time. Now, against the Chargers, Mostert only saw 12 total touches (two catches on two targets), and we got lucky that he scored a touchdown. I expect more work against the Patriots, and Mostert liked playing in Foxboro Stadium last year when he had nine carries for 29 yards and eight catches for 62 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. I like Mostert as a high-end flex in all leagues for Week 2.
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I like Javonte Williams as a flex option this week against the Commanders, but I also like Perine in the same range. The Broncos seem to feel the same since both running backs played the same amount of snaps (45 percent) in Week 1 against the Raiders. Perine had the better game with 11.8 PPR points compared to 9.7 for Williams, and something similar could happen in Week 2 against Washington. If you have both running backs on your Fantasy roster, lean toward Williams, but don't be surprised if Perine once again has a better performance given his usage.
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One of the more surprising stat lines from Week 1 was Allgeier against the Panthers. Even with Bijan Robinson now on the roster, Allgeier still led the Falcons with 15 carries, which he turned into 75 yards and two touchdowns. And he added three catches for 19 yards on three targets. It wasn't like Robinson was bad (10 carries for 56 yards and six catches for 27 yards and a touchdown on six targets), but it's clear the Falcons are going to lean on both running backs. Robinson played 63 percent of the snaps, and Allgeier was at 56 percent. Against the Packers this week, Allgeier should be considered a flex in all formats if he's going to continue to get that much work in tandem with Robinson, who remains a must-start option in all leagues.
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The Ravens and Fantasy managers got awful news in Week 1 when J.K. Dobbins was lost for the season with a ruptured Achilles. He was headed for a breakout year, and it ended way too soon against the Texans. Now, we have to see how Baltimore will replace Dobbins, and Edwards and Justice Hill should split touches. I like Edwards better than Hill, but both should be involved, starting this week against the Bengals. Cincinnati couldn't stop Nick Chubb last week when he had 18 carries for 106 yards, along with four catches for 21 yards on four targets, and I expect the Ravens to use Edwards as a physical presence to lead the ground game. He's a flex in all leagues, with his value higher in non-PPR.
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RBs to Sit
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Harris struggled in Week 1 against San Francisco with six carries for 31 yards and two catches for 2 yards on two targets, and he split playing time with Jaylen Warren (33 snaps to 25). Warren didn't do much with his snaps with three carries for 6 yards and five catches for 12 yards on six targets, so Harris' role should remain the same. That said, Pittsburgh's offensive line is banged up with right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor (concussion) and right guard James Daniels (leg) dealing with injuries. And the Browns run defense just limited Joe Mixon to 13 carries for 56 yards and three catches for 17 yards on five targets in Week 1. Harris is just a flex option at best in Week 2.
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The boxscore said Akers got 22 carries in Week 1 at Seattle, and he scored a touchdown. But everything else was horrific against the Seahawks since he managed just 29 rushing yards, had no targets and was outplayed by Kyren Williams, who had 15 carries for 52 yards and two touchdowns and two targets. Williams played 65 percent of the snaps to just 35 percent for Akers, and you can't start Akers in Week 2 against the 49ers. I wouldn't use Williams either, but if Akers is in a secondary role against the San Francisco defense, this boxscore could be atrocious.
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I would still start Herbert over Roschon Johnson if I had to choose a Bears running back in Week 2 at Tampa Bay, but this could be the last time we say that. Herbert struggled in Week 1 against Green Bay with nine carries for 27 yards and three catches for 37 yards on five targets. Johnson, meanwhile, had five carries for 20 yards and a touchdown and six catches for 35 yards on seven targets, with most of his playing time coming late in the blowout 38-20 loss. For this week, I would try to avoid both Chicago running backs against a tough Buccaneers run defense on the road. Just keep an eye on the usage for both running backs, and Johnson could be on the verge of taking the starting job.
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We'll see how the Commanders use Gibson and Brian Robinson Jr. in Week 2 at Denver, especially if the Broncos have a lead. In Week 1 against Arizona, Robinson dominated playing time at 61 percent of the snaps to 35 percent for Gibson, who only had three carries for 9 yards and one catch for 10 yards on one target. I like Robinson as a flex against the Broncos, with Gibson someone to keep on the bench, and take note that Denver just shut down Josh Jacobs in Week 1 with 21 total touches for 71 yards (two catches for 23 yards on three targets). If Robinson or Gibson don't score, it could be a tough game for the Washington backfield.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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It was awesome to see Hall play like he did in Week 1 against Buffalo with 10 carries for 127 yards and one catch for 20 yards on two targets in his first game back from last year's torn ACL. He looked explosive with a 26-yard run and an impressive 83-yard gain where he reached a top speed of 20.54 mph. While most of that came with Zach Wilson under center, I'm nervous to trust Hall this week against this Cowboys defense, which just destroyed the Giants and held Saquon Barkley to 12 carries for 51 yards and three catches for 12 yards on four targets in a 40-0 blowout. Hall will continue to share touches with Dalvin Cook, and Dallas will definitely focus on stopping both while daring Wilson to throw. I would only use Hall as a flex option in this matchup, but I'm extremely encouraged with how healthy he looked in his 2023 debut. Hopefully, that leads to some great performances moving forward.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Wide Receivers
WRs to Start
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Flowers' performance in Week 1 against Houston wasn't a fluke, and we said all offseason he would be the No. 1 receiver for Lamar Jackson. Flowers had nine catches for 78 yards on 10 targets in his NFL debut against the Texans. To put that in perspective, Jackson completed just 17 passes on 22 attempts, so he was locked in on Flowers. Now, we'll see what happens if Mark Andrews (quadriceps) is able to play in Week 2 at Cincinnati, but I would still use Flowers as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues even if Andrews is active. Rashod Bateman and Odell Beckham Jr. are just No. 3 Fantasy receivers at best in this matchup.
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Williams had a frustrating performance in Week 1 against Miami with four catches for 45 yards on five targets, and he briefly left the game in the second quarter after taking a strong shot to the head. Hopefully he can stay healthy in Week 2 at Tennessee, and this is a great matchup for him. The Titans secondary looked much like it did in 2022 in Week 1 against the Saints when Derek Carr passed for 305 yards, and three receivers (Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed and Michael Thomas) all scored at least 11 PPR points. Keenan Allen should have a huge game in this outing, as should Williams, who is worth trusting as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all formats.
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Last week, I had Chris Godwin in this spot, but I said you can start both Buccaneers receivers against the Vikings. Evans had the better outing with six catches for 66 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets, while Godwin had five catches for 51 yards on six targets. I like both Buccaneers again in Week 2 against Chicago, and this could be the last home-opener for Evans, who is a free agent after this year. It was great to see Baker Mayfield keep Evans playing at a high level in their first game together, and Godwin will hopefully follow suit against the Bears. Both of them should be considered No. 2 Fantasy receivers in all leagues.
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The addition of Calvin Ridley was bad for Kirk in Week 1 as he didn't see a lot of action against the Colts. He was third in playing time at 60 percent of the snaps compared to 81 percent for Ridley and 89 percent for Zay Jones, and Kirk had just one catch for 9 yards on three targets. This week, Kirk will rebound against the Chiefs in a game where the Jaguars should be throwing a lot. The expected point total is 51.5, and Kirk loved facing Kansas City in 2022. In two meetings, Kirk had 16 catches for 157 yards and three touchdowns on 26 targets. Ridley is clearly the alpha of this receiving corps now, but don't judge Kirk yet after what happened in Week 1. He should play well this week and is worth using as a low-end starter in all leagues. And Jones can be used as a No. 3 receiver as well after he had five catches for 55 yards and a touchdown on seven targets against the Colts.
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Josh Allen was miserable in Week 1 at the Jets, and so was Davis, who only had two catches for 32 yards on four targets. But Davis has a terrible history against the Jets, and I expected him to struggle. He'll bounce back this week against the Raiders at home, mostly because Allen will make a statement in this matchup to quiet any doubters. And Allen needs to get Davis going, as well as Dalton Kincaid, to take pressure off Stefon Diggs. I would only start Davis in three-receiver leagues or unless you need a flex option with upside, but I expect him to have a big outing in Week 2 at home.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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It was great to see Collins step up in Week 1 at Baltimore in his first game with C.J. Stroud. Collins had 11 targets and finished with six catches for 80 yards, and he should continue to be the No. 1 receiver for Houston this year, as we said all offseason. This week, Collins gets to face a Colts secondary that just allowed Calvin Ridley and Zay Jones to catch 13 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns on 18 targets on the perimeter, and Collins should be considered a starter in all three-receiver leagues for Week 2. In deeper PPR leagues, you can use Robert Woods as a flex since he had six catches for 57 yards on 10 targets in Week 1.
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Doubs had a quality season-opener at Chicago in Week 1 with four catches for 26 yards and two touchdowns on five targets, and he did that at less than 100 percent because of an injured hamstring. He should be close to normal in Week 2 at Atlanta, and I'm hopeful that leads to more catches and yards, along with finding the end zone again. We'll see what happens with Christian Watson (hamstring) for this matchup, but if he's out again then that only enhances the value for Doubs as a go-to option for Jordan Love. Doubs is a solid starter in three-receiver leagues against the Falcons.
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Thomas did two things of note in Week 1 against Tennessee. For starters, he stayed healthy, which is great to see, and we hope he can make it through the entire season. But he showed a solid rapport with new quarterback Derek Carr with five catches for 61 yards on eight targets, including an impressive 25-yard grab down the left sideline. He'll continue to be a short-area target for Carr while Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed operate on the perimeter, but Thomas still has plenty of appeal as a starter in three-receiver leagues in Week 2 against the Panthers, who are down cornerback Jaycee Horn (hamstring), leaving a big hole in their secondary.
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If Reynolds gets just six targets then he should perform well in Week 2 against Seattle. Reynolds had a good game in Week 1 at Kansas City with four catches for 80 yards on seven targets, and he should be the No. 2 receiver in Detroit until Jameson Williams returns in Week 7 from his suspension. Going back to last season, Reynolds now has six games with at least six targets, and he scored at least 12 PPR points in five of them. One of those games was Week 4 against the Seahawks in 2022 when he caught seven passes for 81 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. I like Reynolds as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues in Week 3.
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I was too harsh on Toney after his struggles in Week 1 against Detroit when he had one catch for 1 yard on five targets, and one of his drops led to a 50-yard pick-six by Detroit's Brian Branch. He played in that game following a month-long absence from a knee injury, but he still tied for the team lead in targets. And Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid are still backing Toney, which is a positive sign. Hopefully, he's close to 100 percent for this matchup with the Jaguars, and this game should be a shootout with a projected total of 51.5. Based on Week 1, any of the Chiefs receivers could surprise us in this game, especially if Travis Kelce (knee) remains out. But I'll give a slight nod to Toney since he could have a squeaky-wheel outing if Mahomes leans on him against Jacksonville.
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WRs to Sit
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Here we go again with Wilson and Wilson. Garrett Wilson, who many Fantasy managers were drafting in early Round 2 with the hope he would get a significant boost with Aaron Rodgers, is now left with Zach Wilson once again as his quarterback. With Rodgers (Achilles) out for the season, I hope Zach Wilson can turn Garrett Wilson into the sophomore star we were expecting, but Week 1 against Buffalo was more of the same thing that we saw in 2022. He had five catches for 34 yards and a touchdown on five targets, but if you watched his amazing touchdown catch, he was basically playing defense to save an interception and got lucky. In nine games with Zach Wilson under center last year, Garrett Wilson averaged 8.6 PPR points per game. Granted, you don't want to judge this combination fully against the Bills because I'm sure all the Jets were shell-shocked after Rodgers got hurt in the first quarter, so kudos to them for winning. But it's not like Dallas in Week 2 is a slouch on the road. I would only start Garrett Wilson in three-receiver leagues this week.
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Week 1 was a nightmare for London's Fantasy managers when he had no catches on just one target against Carolina. The Falcons run game was dominant, and Desmond Ridder attempted just 18 passes. Things will definitely improve for London moving forward, but we will likely need Atlanta to be chasing points for London's targets to spike. This week, he has a tough matchup against a good Packers secondary led by Jaire Alexander. London is barely worth starting in three-receiver leagues in Week 2.
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Pickens should see a boost in targets with Diontae Johnson (hamstring) out, but I would only start Pickens in three-receiver leagues against the Browns on Monday night. Without Johnson, we'll see if the Steelers will lean on Pickens more or just give more targets to Allen Robinson and Calvin Austin III. Against the 49ers in Week 1, Robinson led Pittsburgh in targets with eight and finished with five catches for 64 yards. Austin had six catches for 37 yards on six targets, and Pickens had five catches for 36 yards on seven targets. The Cleveland pass rush will make things tough on Kenny Pickett, and he might not have the time to connect with Pickens downfield. Also, in Week 1, the Browns held Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to a combined five catches for 39 yards on 17 targets.
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I'd like to see McLaurin post a quality stat line before starting him in all formats, and I would only use him in three-receiver leagues in Week 2 at Denver. I like Jahan Dotson better than McLaurin again, and he's a borderline starter in all leagues. In Week 1 against Arizona, McLaurin had fewer targets than Logan Thomas (eight), Dotson (seven) and Curtis Samuel (five). McLaurin finished that game with two catches for 31 yards on four targets, and his injured toe from the preseason could still be an issue. I hope I'm wrong about McLaurin, but if he's matchup up with Patrick Surtain II then I expect McLaurin to struggle once again in Week 2.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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You should have absolutely added Nacua in all leagues, and we saw his roster percentage rise from 7 percent on Tuesday to 60 percent as of Wednesday afternoon. Once waivers run Wednesday night, Nacua should be close to 100 percent rostered on all CBS Sports leagues. But it's OK to just keep Nacua on your bench this week, and I would only start him in three-receiver leagues. While he was awesome against the Seahawks in Week 1 with 10 catches for 119 yards on 15 targets, this is a step up in competition against the 49ers. It's not so much about Nacua having a bad game, but I worry about Matthew Stafford having the time to connect with Nacua on a consistent basis. And he isn't going to surprise the San Francisco defense after his performance against Seattle. I would also shy away from using Tutu Atwell and Van Jefferson in this matchup, and we'll see what Nacua does for an encore in Week 2.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Tight End
TEs to Start
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Engram had five catches for 49 yards on five targets in Week 1 at Indianapolis, and I'm expecting him to be more involved in this shootout with the Chiefs. Now, he didn't have a big game in two meetings with Kansas City last year, combining for eight catches for 45 yards on 10 targets in both outings, but I'll still start him in Week 2 in all formats. The expected point total for this game is 51.5, so it's not a bad idea to have as many players as possible associated with this matchup.
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I like how involved LaPorta was in Week 1 at Kansas City with five catches for 39 yards on five targets in his NFL debut. He should continue to get more work moving forward, and this is a great matchup against Seattle. While the Seahawks held Tyler Higbee to minimal production in Week 1 (three catches for 49 yards on three targets), Seattle was among the worst teams at defending tight ends in 2022. And last year, the Lions used T.J. Hockenson to beat up this Seahawks defense in Week 4 with eight catches for 179 yards and two touchdowns on 12 targets, so consider LaPorta a low-end starter in all leagues in Week 2.
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The Buccaneers allowed the most receptions to tight ends in Week 1 when T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver combined for 11 catches for 67 yards on 12 targets for the Vikings. That bodes well for Kmet, who had a solid Week 1 performance against Green Bay with five catches for 44 yards on seven targets. Kmet should remain a popular target for Justin Fields in this matchup, and Kmet is worth using as a low-end starter in all leagues.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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It's clear that Ferguson will be someone that Dak Prescott leans on this season, and he led the Cowboys in targets with seven in Week 1 at the Giants. That's important since Prescott attempted just 24 passes against New York. Ferguson only had two catches for 11 yards against the Giants, which clearly needs to improve, but I like him as a low-end starter in all leagues in Week 2 against the Jets.
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Kincaid had a quiet first game in the NFL in Week 1 at the Jets with four catches for 26 yards, but he caught all four of his targets. He played 80 percent of the snaps, and the Bills need to get him more involved to help Josh Allen get over his recent struggles. The Raiders just allowed Adam Trautman and Greg Dulcich to catch seven passes for 56 yards on seven targets, and Kincaid could be great if he got seven targets in this matchup.
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Musgrave should continue to be a go-to target for Jordan Love, even when Christian Watson (hamstring) is healthy. In his first NFL action in Week 1 at Chicago, Musgrave had three catches for 50 yards on four targets, and he should have caught a touchdown. Those will come, and Musgrave has plenty of appeal for Week 2 at Atlanta. The Falcons just struggled with Hayden Hurst in Week 1 for five catches, 41 yards and a touchdown on seven targets, and Musgrave should be considered a low-end starter in all leagues.
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TEs to Sit
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Schultz was someone I started to fade in training camp, and his Week 1 performance was part of the reason why. He played a lot as the primary tight end for Houston, but he had just two catches for 4 yards on four targets against the Ravens. I'm not sure there's much upside for him with C.J. Stroud, and I would try to avoid him in all leagues in Week 2 against the Colts.
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Everett had his chance to impress Fantasy managers in Week 1 against Miami and failed with just two catches for 21 yards on three targets. There are just too many mouths to feed in Los Angeles for Everett to consistently stand out, including fellow tight end Donald Parham. I would only consider using Everett in deep formats in Week 2 against the Titans.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Hurst was the best receiving option for the Panthers in Week 1 against Atlanta with five catches for 41 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. But that was a more favorable matchup. The Saints are a tough opponent, and last year New Orleans was No. 1 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends. The Saints already shut down Chigoziem Okonkwo in Week 1 with no catches on two targets, and Hurst should struggle in this matchup in Week 2.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
DST
DST to Start
Browns (at PIT)
The Browns defense played great in Week 1 against the Bengals, holding Cincinnati to just three points and 142 total yards. Bad weather and bad play by Joe Burrow helped Cleveland, but this defense has the potential to be nasty with Myles Garrett and Za'Darius Smith coming after the quarterback. This week, the Browns get the Steelers, who just lost Diontae Johnson (hamstring) and looked awful in a 30-7 loss to the 49ers, including two interceptions from Kenny Pickett. The Browns DST has top-five upside in Week 2.
Sleepers
- Giants (at ARI)
- Lions (vs. SEA)
- Buccaneers (vs. CHI
DST to Sit
Jaguars (vs. KC)
I liked the Jaguars DST in Week 1 against the Colts, and Jacksonville had four sacks and three turnovers, which was solid. But things change dramatically in Week 2 against the Chiefs, even if Travis Kelce (knee) remains out. Now, Kansas City was a little sloppy in Week 1 against Detroit, including a rare pick-six from Patrick Mahomes. But he wasn't sacked against the Lions, and I would stay away from the Jaguars DST in Week 2 if you can. This game also has the highest projected total of the week at 51.5, and there's the possibility of a shootout for Mahomes and Trevor Lawrence.
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
KICKERS
Kicker to Start
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Moody had a great debut with the 49ers in Week 1 at Pittsburgh, making 3-of-3 field goals and all three PATs. He should now be considered a No. 1 Fantasy kicker for Week 2 against the Rams. The 49ers offense will give Moody plenty of chances to score, and last week the Rams allowed Seattle's Jason Myers to attempt three field goals. Moody has top-five upside in this matchup on the road.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Kicker to Sit
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Zuerlein had a quality Week 1 performance against Buffalo when he made all three of his field goals and his lone extra point. He did that with Zach Wilson playing the majority of the game, which is encouraging, but this is a tough matchup for the Jets at Dallas. The Cowboys just shut out the Giants 40-0 in Week 1, and the Jets are due for a letdown after an emotional win against the Bills on Monday night. I would prefer to bench Zuerlein in all leagues in Week 2.
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