NFL Week 2 Fantasy Football Start & Sit: Target Shares, Matchups, and Key Calls
Week 1 gave us our first glimpse into regular-season play-calling schemes, red-zone tendencies, and backfield rotations. However, the most common trap fantasy football managers fall into right now is overreacting to small sample sizes while ignoring the matchups ahead.
Chasing last week’s points is a quick way to start 0-2. Instead, focus on usage trends, defensive vulnerabilities, and game scripts. Here is your complete positional Start 'Em, Sit 'Em breakdown across quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, and defenses for Week 2.
Quarterbacks (QB)
🟢 Start 'Em
Caleb Williams (CHI vs. MIN): Williams is riding high following a 59-point offensive blitz in the opener. This week, he faces a Minnesota secondary that surrendered 39 points in Week 1. With Chicago's weapons clicking, Williams offers top-tier QB1 upside.
Brock Purdy (SF vs. MIA): Purdy fired three touchdown passes against the Rams and now catches Miami traveling cross-country on short rest. Kyle Shanahan’s offense should exploit Miami's intermediate coverage voids.
Bryce Young (CAR at ATL): Young has thrown multiple touchdown passes in three of his last four starts dating back to late last season. With Atlanta working through quarterback inconsistency and short offensive drives, Carolina should see extra possessions and short fields.
🔴 Sit 'Em
Justin Herbert (LAC vs. LV): Herbert’s passing rhythm stalled down the stretch in Week 1. With Ladd McConkey banged up, the ceiling drops substantially in what projects as a physical, low-tempo divisional clash.
Tyler Shough (NO at BAL): Shough took five sacks in Week 1 against Detroit. Taking that offensive line to Baltimore to face a defense that registered a league-high 52.9% pressure rate is a recipe for turnovers.
Malik Willis (MIA at SF): Miami struggled to orchestrate sustained drives in Week 1. Traveling to Santa Clara against Nick Bosa and a fast, physical 49ers front makes Willis an easy bench.
Running Backs (RB)
🟢 Start 'Em
David Montgomery (HOU vs. CIN): Montgomery racked up 28.9 fantasy points on 23 touches in his Houston debut. Cincinnati’s interior defensive line was gashed for over 20 fantasy points on limited touches in Week 1. Lock him in.
Rhamondre Stevenson (NE vs. PIT): Stevenson commanded 75% of backfield carries and secured five receptions in Week 1. Pittsburgh’s defense yielded 31.3 fantasy points to opposing running backs last week, giving Stevenson elite volume security.
Bucky Irving (TB vs. CLE): Irving showed borderline RB1 efficiency in Week 1. At home against an anemic Cleveland offense that struggled to sustain drives, Irving should benefit from a positive, run-heavy game script.
🔴 Sit 'Em
Quinshon Judkins (CLE at TB): Judkins averaged an inefficient 2.8 yards per carry on 12 totes with zero explosive runs behind an uneven line. Tampa Bay’s front seven proved stout against the run in Week 1.
Tony Pollard (TEN vs. PHI): Mired in a 50-50 snap timeshare with Tyjae Spears inside an offense that failed to generate 200 total yards in Week 1. Philadelphia’s defensive front is not a matchup to bet on for efficiency.
Travis Etienne (NO at BAL): Kendre Miller vultured valuable red-zone touches, and with Alvin Kamara returning to the fold, this backfield is trending toward a three-man committee on the road against a dominant Ravens defense.
Wide Receivers (WR)
🟢 Start 'Em
Parker Washington (JAX at DEN): Operating primarily out of the slot allows Washington to avoid Patrick Surtain II’s perimeter shadow. Look for Jacksonville to funnel high-percentage targets inside.
Mike Evans (SF vs. MIA): Evans showed immediate red-zone rapport with Brock Purdy, turning high-leverage targets into a score in Week 1. Expect repeated red-zone looks against an unsettled Miami secondary.
Jalen Coker (CAR at ATL): Fresh off a two-touchdown performance, Coker has steadily out-targeted Tetairoa McMillan over his last six games and continues to serve as Bryce Young’s preferred first read.
Emeka Egbuka (TB vs. CLE): Egbuka proved to be Tampa Bay’s primary separator in Week 1. He now faces a reeling Cleveland secondary that surrendered four passing scores in their opener.
🔴 Sit 'Em
DK Metcalf (PIT at NE): Reeled in just four of 10 targets in Week 1 and draws a difficult shadow assignment on the road against Christian Gonzalez.
Marvin Harrison Jr. (AZ vs. SEA): Harrison was limited to just one catch on three targets last week as Trey McBride dominated the target distribution. Seattle’s secondary is unforgiving against perimeter boundary receivers.
Quentin Johnston (LAC vs. LV): Managed just 3.7 fantasy points on six targets despite injuries opening up opportunities in the wideout room. His separation metrics remain a major red flag.
Tight Ends (TE)
🟢 Start 'Em
Isaiah Likely (NYG at LAR): Flashed instant chemistry in Matt Nagy’s scheme in Week 1. The Rams struggled to contain seam routes in their opener, giving Likely a strong floor and ceiling.
Dalton Kincaid (BUF vs. DET): Turned six targets into 130 receiving yards against Houston. Thursday night against Detroit projects as a high-octane track meet where Kincaid should see heavy volume.
Dalton Schultz (HOU vs. CIN): Schultz finished second on the team in targets in Week 1 and draws a Cincinnati defense that allowed nearly 21 fantasy points per game to tight ends last season.
Michael Mayer (LV at LAC): Acts as a high-floor safety valve over the middle. If Brock Bowers is sidelined or limited by his knee issue, Mayer's target share spikes significantly.
🔴 Sit 'Em
Kyle Pitts (ATL vs. CAR): The target distribution in Atlanta remains erratic with lingering quarterback questions, keeping Pitts' floor too low for comfort.
Harold Fannin Jr. (CLE at TB): Cleveland’s passing efficiency sat near the bottom of the league in Week 1, severely limiting tight end scoring opportunities on the road.
Defenses (D/ST)
🟢 Start 'Em
San Francisco 49ers (vs. MIA): Nick Bosa and Fred Warner held the Rams to seven points in Week 1. Hosting a turnover-prone Miami offense creates a prime defensive scoring scenario.
Baltimore Ravens (vs. NO): Baltimore recorded an NFL-best 52.9% pressure rate in Week 1. Now they host a New Orleans offensive line that just allowed five sacks.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. CLE): Cleveland surrendered 14 fantasy points to Jacksonville's defense last week. Tampa Bay has substantial sack and takeaway potential at home.
🔴 Sit 'Em
Detroit Lions (at BUF): Avoid streaming opposing defenses against Josh Allen in a projected Thursday night shootout.
Houston Texans (vs. CIN): Finished with negative fantasy points in Week 1 and now face Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase looking for a bounce-back performance.
Denver Broncos (vs. JAX): Struggled to generate consistent pass-rush pressure on Monday night, and Trevor Lawrence looked sharp and decisive in Week 1.
The Bottom Line for Week 2 in Fantasy Football
Don't chase last week's box scores. Look at snap rates, routes run, and structural defensive vulnerabilities before locking in your lineups this week.
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