For our complete Week 2 rankings, subscribe to Fantasy Consigliere, and listen to The Fantasy Consigliere Podcast for added insights ahead of the weekend.
Quarterback
Start of the Week: Jared Goff (v TB)
The Buccaneers are down three of their top four cornerbacks after the opener, so a plus matchup for Goff becomes even more favorable as Detroit stays at home for another playoff rematch. On Sunday night, the pace was slowed down to limit the overall production for the Lions, but there will surely be bigger days ahead for Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta to pair with Jameson Williams, and Goff had 320.0 passing yards per game with a 4:0 touchdown-interception ratio in two outings versus the Bucs in 2023 (including playoffs). We have him as our overall QB6 for Week 2.
Start: Jayden Daniels (v NYG)
Daniels had a large chunk of his passing production (which was modest with 184 scoreless yards) come when the game was out of hand with Washington failing to get the offense going in the opener—but that didn’t prevent the rookie from putting up 28.16 fantasy points thanks to a couple of rushing touchdowns. Basically, Daniels already looks like a fantasy force because of what he can do as a runner, and New York’s defense disappointing last week makes this a more comfortable matchup than expected at home.
Start: Justin Fields (@ DEN)
Although it didn’t lead to much fantasy success in Week 1, ability as a runner also makes Fields a worthy start based on the pure upside—and he’ll be facing a Denver defense that just allowed Geno Smith to run free for a 34-yard touchdown in the opener. Also, the Broncos are an opponent that Fields should have confidence against after he threw for 335 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception against them last October. Get the dual-threat quarterback in lineups as a top-ten play.
Start: Daniel Jones (@ WAS)
Jones is not a confident recommendation based on how the Giants played in the blowout loss to Minnesota, and he shouldn’t really be a consideration outside of superflex leagues. However, the Commanders are an opponent that he has typically showed well against with a 5-1-1 record and 10:3 touchdown-interception ratio, and New York has the playmakers to produce versus a very vulnerable secondary. Furthermore, Jones has rushed for 71+ yards in three of the past five games versus Washington, which is something the Giants should emphasize in Week 2.
Sit of the Week: Trevor Lawrence (v CLE)
The Jaguars were certainly not alone in struggling to get going through the air last week, but Lawrence completed just 12-of-21 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown—and now takes on a Cleveland defense that has three excellent cornerbacks to match up with Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis, and impressive rookie Brian Thomas Jr. Last year, Lawrence struggled in a December loss to the Browns with three interceptions, so he ranks as a low-end QB2 this week.
Sit: Justin Herbert (@ CAR)
Herbert had to be happy about the opener with his tackle duo of Rashawn Slater and No. 5 overall pick Joe Alt mostly keeping him upright while second-round rookie Ladd McConkey led the team in receiving and found the end zone—but he only had 144 yards and a touchdown through the air for a Chargers team that wants to play conservatively under Jim Harbaugh. With the league-worst Panthers up next and having lost their best defender in Derrick Brown (knee), Herbert probably won’t be chucking that ball around the yard, so his QB1 odds are decreased.
Sit: Aaron Rodgers (@ TEN)
The arm talent clearly hasn’t gone anywhere for Rodgers, but his mobility appeared limited on Monday night, and the Jets remained stale offensively with a free play for a touchdown to Allen Lazard being the only real spark when the four-time NFL MVP was on the field. Tennessee is another team with three outstanding cornerbacks to make things tough on New York as they hope to avoid 0-2, and Rodgers will have a lowered ceiling until Mike Williams becomes a full-time player coming off a torn ACL.
Sit: Kirk Cousins (@ PHI)
T.J. Watt generating pressure on seemingly every snap doesn’t help, but Cousins didn’t look like himself in the opener—which is understandable in his first game back from a torn Achilles. The numbers put up by Cousins against the Eagles throughout his career were a surprise to me (303.7 passing yards per game with a 26:9 touchdown-interception ratio in 11 matchups), but Philly has a new-look secondary under Vic Fangio, and I wouldn’t trust Cousins in a hostile road environment at this point.
Running Back
Start of the Week: De’Von Achane (v BUF)
This could go out the window if Achane (ankle) is inactive, but for anyone concerned about him on a short week, the upside is too high to leave on the bench. Last year, Achane combined to rush 18 times for 157 yards (8.7 YPC) and three touchdowns in two games versus Buffalo, and the receiving skillset is something I expect will remain a huge part of Miami’s offense after Achane caught all seven of his targets for 76 yards in the opener. If he’s out there, Achane is a top-seven option at running back.
Start: Rhamondre Stevenson (v SEA)
Stevenson was the clear workhorse for New England as he turned 28 touches into 126 yards and a touchdown in the upset win over Cincinnati, and there is no reason to expect that will change this week as the Patriots try to pull off another victory. The Seahawks have the makings of a top defense under Mike Macdonald, but there is some weakness against the run, and New England will exploit that more than Denver did a week ago. We have Stevenson in the clear RB2 ranks.
Start: J.K. Dobbins (@ CAR)
Gus Edwards drew the start and handled most of the early work for the Chargers last week, but Dobbins took full advantage of his opportunities by rushing ten times for 135 yards and a touchdown to make him the favorite for carries moving forward. As stated, the Panthers just lost their best defender (and run stuffer) with Derrick Brown going down, so Dobbins should find running room behind a top offensive line, and Carolina allowed all three of Alvin Kamara (15 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown), Jamaal Williams (11 carries for 38 yards and a touchdown), and Taysom Hill (five carries for 35 yards) to produce in Week 1.
Start: Tony Pollard (v NYJ)
The Jets couldn’t stop Jordan Mason and the running game for San Francisco on Monday night, so Pollard—coming off an opener in which he operated as the clear lead back with 19 touches for 94 yards and a touchdown—is positioned to build on his Titans debut, especially with the team perhaps being hesitant to let Will Levis air it out. In general, New York is probably overrated versus the run after allowing the eighth-most rushing yards in 2023, but look for screen passes to Pollard if Robert Saleh’s defense decides to sell out to stop the running game.
Sit of the Week: Najee Harris (@ DEN)
Harris handled 21 touches for 79 yards last week, and the body blows were key in helping Pittsburgh win a slugfest over Atlanta. That said, fantasy owners surely would have liked more efficiency from him, and I’m expecting a similar performance this week as the Steelers take on a Denver defense that has shown they will fly around the field despite allowing a couple of big plays to Seattle in Week 1. I’d say Najee is likely to disappoint from a fantasy perspective if he’s unable to find the end zone, so he’s a shakier low-end RB2/FLEX.
Sit: Zamir White (@ BAL)
The opener was a worst-case scenario for White’s season outlook, as he was contained with just 46 total yards on 15 touches, lost a fumble, and saw Alexander Mattison turned nine touches into 62 yards and a score. Now, Las Vegas has already stated they will have a “hot hand” approach moving forward, and the Ravens are not the opponent for White to catch fire against. We still have the Georgia product as the preferred option to Mattison this week and beyond, but he’s on very thin ice.
Sit: Chuba Hubbard (v LAC)
It’s unfair to suddenly write off Hubbard after a blowout loss where Carolina abandoned the run, but the starter saw fewer carries (three) than Miles Sanders (four) in the first half and wasn’t targeted in the passing game, so it wasn’t a good start to the season by any measure. This week, Hubbard will face a Los Angeles defense that you could immediately see will be much tougher against the run under the new coaching staff, and the Panthers might not gel up front until Jonathon Brooks (knee) is back in a few weeks. Hubbard is outside our top 36 at running back.
Sit: Rachaad White (@ DET)
White was a major part of the passing attack in Week 1 by catching all six of his targets for 75 yards, but he was bottled up as a runner (15 carries for 31 yards) in a game where rookie runner Bucky Irving turned nine carries into 62 yards. Detroit’s top run defense held Kyren Williams to 2.8 yards per carry last week and expect to get DJ Reader (quad) back on Sunday, so White might need to produce as a pass-catcher once again—making him more of a midrange RB2 rather than a borderline top-12 option.
Wide Receiver
Start of the Week: Malik Nabers (@ WAS)
I thought Nabers might go off in his debut, but this matchup against the Commanders really sets up for him to have a breakout performance—especially after Mike Evans (5/61/2) and Chris Godwin (8/83/1) both exposed Washington’s paper-thin secondary. The Giants playing through Nabers after a solid opener with five receptions for 66 yards is needed for them to avoid an 0-2 start in a season with high expectations, and we have the electric rookie as our overall WR7 for Week 2.
Start: Marvin Harrison Jr. (v LAR)
Harrison had an extremely quiet debut with one catch (on three targets) for four scoreless yards, but the opponent wasn’t easy with Sean McDermott’s defense typically playing stingy coverage on the perimeter. I’d anticipate the Cardinals will do whatever they can to get the prized rookie wideout going this weekend, and Los Angeles has a smaller cornerback group that can be exploited—including down the field as shown by Jameson Williams on Sunday night. Keep Harrison in lineups as a top-15 option.
Start: DJ Moore (@ HOU)
Moore was someone to avoid last week because of a matchup versus L’Jarius Sneed and the sticky Tennessee cornerbacks, but I’m less worried about a matchup versus Derek Stingley Jr. on Sunday night with the hopes that Chicago moves their top weapon around the formation to create favorable matchups. Based on the connection shown between Caleb Williams and Moore in the summer, the Bears should focus on getting him the ball at all three levels, and Houston showed some holes in coverage last week against Indy. Consider Moore an upside WR2 in primetime.
Start: Jameson Williams (v TB)
Again, the Bucs won’t have their No. 2 through No. 4 cornerbacks this week, and even a secondary at full strength will be having trouble with the speed and vertical ability of Williams in a featured role this season. Tampa Bay will also be without All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. on the backend, and that should only increase the confidence Jared Goff has in uncorking a deep ball. I’d rather play Jamo over typical WR1/WR2 options like DK Metcalf and George Pickens.
Others: Amari Cooper (@ JAX), Andrei Iosivas (@ KC)
Sit of the Week: George Pickens (@ DEN)
Speaking of Pickens, he had a strong opener with six receptions (on seven targets) for 85 yards, with the highlight being a 40-yard downfield grab where he made an excellent adjustment on the ball. Unfortunately, the talented wide receiver might be cooled off by a matchup with Pat Surtain II—who just limited DK Metcalf to three receptions for 29 yards in shadow coverage last week. Pickens has the skillset to beat anyone, but he’s downgraded to the WR3 range based on the matchup.
Sit: Calvin Ridley (v NYJ)
The Jets being successfully attacked by the 49ers through the air on Monday night likely says more about San Francisco’s offense than it does New York’s defense, so Sauce Gardner and company remain a group to avoid for opposing wideouts. And as stated, the Titans might be hesitant to dial up too many passes with head coach Brian Callahan saying they “might’ve won the game” by just punting every time they got the ball last week—so Ridley is a low-floor FLEX with a capped ceiling in Week 2.
Sit: Courtland Sutton (v PIT)
Drake London was here last week because of the matchup versus Joey Porter Jr., and Sutton is another big-bodied wideout that Pittsburgh’s shutdown cornerback usually has no problems containing. I know it’s tough to bench a guy that just saw 12 targets, but Sutton should be less of a factor based on the coverage from Porter, and Sean Payton has made it known he wants to run the ball more moving forward. Sutton will be a better play next week when the Broncos take on the Bucs.
Sit: DK Metcalf (@ NE)
Metcalf being a sit in back-to-back weeks to begin the year is tough for a star talent that was drafted early, but the matchup versus Pat Surtain II is being followed up by a battle with Christian Gonzalez—though I will say Metcalf “bullying” the second-year cornerback for a big play wouldn’t be a surprise. Still, his outlook is just slightly improved compared to last week when Metcalf was limited to 4.4 fantasy points.
Others: Michael Pittman Jr. (@ GB), Chris Olave (@ DAL)
Tight End
Start: of the Week: Colby Parkinson (@ ARI)
There is no doubt about Parkinson being a key component of Sean McVay’s offense with four receptions (on five targets) for 47 yards in the opener, and he notably played 88% of the offensive snaps to be a clear full-time player. The offense will funnel through Cooper Kupp at an insane clip with Puka Nacua (knee) out, but the Cardinals had paid plenty of attention to Dalton Kincaid last week and could have a similar strategy for Kupp; I like Parkinson as a top-15 option.
Start: Cole Kmet (@ HOU)
The Bears could be without Rome Odunze (knee) on Sunday night, so Kmet—even after a disappointing opener with one target and 48% of the snaps played—is someone I would look to for an expanded role. If Houston doesn’t fix some of the issues they showed in coverage last week, Kmet might be able to find holes further down the field for Caleb Williams to hit, and he should be a factor in scoring territory, too.
Start: Mike Gesicki (@ KC)
Gesicki is another weapon that didn’t see the playing fantasy owners would like with just 35% of the snaps played, but he still saw four targets on just 18 snaps—including a would-be touchdown that was overturned by review. I think it’s fair to throw out the game last year against the Chiefs when Gesicki was in the directionless New England offense, and the only other matchup versus Kansas City saw him go for a 5/65/2 line in 2020.
Sit of the Week: Jake Ferguson (v NO)
Jerry Jones expressed optimism about Ferguson (knee) playing this week, but he’d be a risky fantasy option due to the prospects of a decreased role combined with a tough matchup against the Saints—not to mention the possibility of a setback. I’d rather roll with one of the start recommendations in Week 2 lineups.
Sit: Jonnu Smith (v BUF)
Smith only played 28% of the snaps for Miami last week, and now he gets a less favorable matchup with the Bills being one of the toughest matchups for opposing tight ends. Perhaps the outlook would be boosted if De’Von Achane joins Raheem Mostert (chest) on the sideline, but Smith isn’t enough of a focus right now to feel good about.
Sit: Luke Musgrave (v IND)
This is sort of a free space to discuss Green Bay’s offense with Jordan Love (knee) out, as Josh Jacobs and Jayden Reed might be the only solid starts until the starter returns based on the lack of passing success for Malik Willis to begin his career. Focusing on Musgrave, he didn’t catch either of his two targets in the opener, and Tucker Kraft was a full-time player (96% snaps played) compared to just 25% of the snaps played for the former Oregon State standout.