Well Rush Nation, Week Two starts tonight. When Monday Night Football ends, 12.5% of the fantasy football season will have been completed. And that is a sobering thought. Therefore, it is important to have the right Starts and Sits this week, to avoid any of you out there getting to off to a 0-2 start in leagues.

Last week’s column was largely successful. Brandin Cooks getting the injury and being restricted and Tyler Boyd not performing didn’t look good. However, Cam, David Johnson, and sitting most of the Giants would have help you get off to a good start this season. That is what starts and sits is for.

As we are in season now, my aim is to cover even more players now. Therefore, my confidence Starts and Sits picks for Week Two are as follows:

Starts

Tom Brady-QB Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Brady’s debut against the Saints was always going to be difficult. However, I don’t think many expected Brady to turn the ball over twice, including a pick 6. We all know that Brady doesn’t like to lose and I expect him to bounce back. His matchup this week is against the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers is a defense I am targeting all season to make picks against, until shown otherwise. With the Bucs put at -9 vs the spread, expect Brady to return QB1 numbers this week.

Aaron Rodgers- QB Green Bay Packers

Last weeks QB1 overall showed what he has to give the Packers as he took apart an appalling secondary performance by the Vikings. I don’t expect him to put up at many fantasy points this week, but with the Lions secondary banged up, I expect Rodgers to exploit mismatches in the coverage and get Adams and Valdes-Scantling into the end zone. Should be another good week for Rodgers and the Packers.

Jonathan Taylor- RB Indianapolis Colts

The JT hype train is in full force. Those who listen to the podcast know how high I was on Taylor coming out of college. And now, with the unfortunate injury to Marlon Mack, ending his season, it’s wheels up for Taylor. The Colts play the vikings who were killed on the ground by Green Bay last week. I expect the Colts coaching staff to have seen that tape and pound the rock with Taylor, whilst also involving Hines as the change of pace back. I have Taylor as a RB1 this week.

JK Dobbins- RB Baltimore Ravens

Another rookie that must be started is JK Dobbins. Dobbins found the pay dirt Week One vs the Browns. But what was key to see is he got all the red zone looks and carries. Ingram was heavily faded. Now I do expect Ingram to be involved more this week vs Houston, given how Edwards-Helaire dominated the Texans front, it could be a good day for Dobbins and potentially Ingram. Dobbins is a solid RB2 play this week.

T.Y Hilton- WR Indianapolis Colts

I have already mentioned how the Vikings were carved apart Week One by Green Bay. I expect Rivers to target Hilton heavily and really exploit one of the worst secondary’s in the NFL with some deep plays. Expect Hilton to be involved more this week and return a WR2 week for you.

Marquise Brown- WR Baltimore Ravens

Last week Brown put up over 100 yards receiving against the Browns. However, I also expect him to put close to similar numbers up against this week against the Texans. Lamar Jackson showed he can pass the ball, passing for over 300 yards for the first time of his career. He won’t have quite as many yards this week passing, but Brown should eat.

Jared Cook- TE New Orleans Saints

With Michael Thomas out now, I expect Cook to get a higher volume of targets, as will Sanders and Smith. Cook had a very solid game in the middle vs the Buccaneers and he will be motivated to be playing against his old team, the Raiders. Cook will have a TE1 performance this week.

Dallas Goedert- TE Philadelphia Eagles

It’s fair to say Week One that Goedert looked better than Zach Ertz. And, as I said on the podcast this week, with Ertz having contract issues and confrontations with the GM, it could all open up for Goedert to be the lead TE in Philadelphia. Also, with still some Wide Receiver injuries and a banged up Offensive Line, Goedert will continue to get lots of targets and lots of looks in the offense.

Sits

Carson Wentz- QB Philadelphia Eagles

I said on the podcast this week that I am worried about Carson Wentz. Especially with that Offensive Line being as banged up as it is. 8 sacks vs. the Washington Football Team front line is a massive is not something that was expected. This week, they get to face Aaron Donald and the Defensive Line that really made a statement vs Dallas. Expect the same again this week from Wentz and therefore Bench him and bring in Minshew. 

Jared Goff- QB Los Angeles Rams

Goff played well vs. Dallas from a game perspective. However, for Fantasy Football, that game manager style will not give you much upside or get you top 12 QB numbers. Not to mention, the Eagles do have a good defensive unit. Expect Goff to turn the ball over this week. 

Melvin Gordon- RB Denver Broncos

Despite Philip Lindsay being out with turf toe, which will affect him for most of the season, I will be sitting Melvin Gordon everywhere. The Steelers mauled Saquon Barkley Week One and they will look to stifle the run and run out to a big lead early vs. Denver. 

Joshua Kelley and Antonio Gibson- RBs Los Angeles Chargers and Washington Football Team

These picks I’ve lumped together as they are sits for the same reason. I really like both players. However, Kelley is facing the Chiefs and Washington is facing Arizona. Both the Chargers and the Football Team will be facing negative game scripts. Arizona are projected to win by 7 in the spread and Kansas City by 8. That will mean Tyrod Taylor and Dwayne Haskins will have to throw the ball more and chase the game. I have them both at the bottom of the RB3 conversation, therefore I favour many other RBs over these two.

Jamison Crowder- WR New York Jets

He had a monster game Week One vs. the Bills. However, don’t be fooled by that going into this match-up vs. The 49ers. Whilst he is Darnold’s most relevant and reliable target, he will be swamped by Robert Salah’s defense. He would have seen the tape from Week One on Crowder and he is not going to allow Crowder to break off a 65 yard catch and run on a screen past like the Bills did when the game was already won. Sit Crowder.

DeVante Parker and Preston Williams- WRs Miami Dolphins

DeVante Parker is questionable for this week, which will make people want to play Preston Williams. The simple advice I can give you is to fade all Dolphin players full stop. The Running Back situation is a mess. Williams will, at best, be the lead target man if Parker is out, but end up double covered with Tre’Davious White. Or, If Parker is out there running decoy’s he is still going to be covered heavily and not see as many targets. Just fade all Miami options this week. Gesicki is perhaps the only desperation play and even then I don’t like it.

Noah Fant- TE Denver Broncos

Evan Engram was shut down by the Steelers last week, same as Barkley. I would expect Fant, who didn’t get any traction in the second half vs. Tennessee, to get a similar treatment this week and show numbers that are about half of what he produced Week One. He is a Touchdown dependant option at best this week, but others have a better chance.

T.J Hockenson- TE Detroit Lions

Don’t expect Hockenson to recreate his Week One numbers against the Packers. The Packers will dominate the time of possession in this game and there is a chance Kenny Golladay will see the field in Week Two. Either way, this is not a match-up that favours Hockenson. Irv Smith and Kyle Rudolph saw 3 catches for 39 Yards with no TD last week combined. T.J. Hockenson will see similar numbers this week and again, becomes Touchdown dependant at best. And for starts and sits candidates, match-ups make it important when measuring the likelihood of Touchdown’s being scored.

This bumper edition of Starts and Sits has covered 22 players for you to consider this week. However, I know that many of you will have questions on other players. Therefore, if you do have more questions, you can either join our Patreon and subscribe to any of the tiers from $3 a month upwards and get access to our exclusive Slack channel. Or you can post them on Twitter and I will try and get to them over the weekend.

However, until next week Rush Nation, when I return with more starts and sits, Keep Rushing.

– Murf (@murf_nfl)