Quarterbacks
Start – Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
Alex Smith looked very impressive last Thursday on the road against the reigning champions. He threw for 368 yards and four touchdowns. Week two sets up favorably for the Chiefs pass game when they play an Eagles defense that has had key injuries in the secondary.
Sit – Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
After an impressive week one win against the strong Giants defense, the Cowboys take on the “No Fly Zone” and the Broncos in week two. The Cowboys will look to feed Zeke more against a poor run defense that gave up plenty of yards to Melvin Gordon, while limiting Phillip Rivers for three quarters of the game.
Running Backs
Start – Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars
Coming into the season, there were worries that Fournette would be sharing the backfield with T.J. Yeldon and Chris Ivory, and that he wasn’t 100% healthy. In week one, he proved all the doubters wrong by rushing for 100 yards and a touchdown. With Allen Robinson going down for the year and Blake Bortles still at QB, Fournette will be the focal point of the offense.
Sit – Adrian Peterson, New Orleans Saints
In Peterson’s revenge game, coach Sean Payton decided against fully utilizing the greatest runner of his generation. Peterson only had six rushes for 18 yards and was targeted once out of the backfield. Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram both saw more touches and snaps then A.P. against the Vikings. This backfield will most likely ride the hot hand all season long making the individuals hard to trust week to week.
Wide Receivers
Start – Jeremy Maclin, Baltimore Ravens
The Cleveland Browns gave up over 180 yards and a touchdown to Antonio Brown in week one. Jeremy Maclin had a quiet but explosive week with a 47-yard touchdown but only four receptions. Expect Joe Flacco to target his #1 option more time this week, making him a great play in PPR leagues.
Sit – Sammy Watkins, Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams offense started off the season better than anyone thought they would and Jared Goff is coming closer to removing the “bust” label from his name. All of these factors are positive for Watkins, but the receiving corps in LA is surprisingly talented. Cooper Kupp is an emerging star and Robert Woods is a quality possession receiver. The Rams play Josh Norman and the Redskins this week, so the offense might take a step back.
Tight Ends
Start – Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings
Kyle Rudolph was not as involved in the offense during the Vikings first win against the Saints, but not because of his poor play, but rather the wide receivers had an exceptional game. Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs were both in the top five receiving yards week one. Sam Bradford has always preferred short yardage passes and big bodies in the red zone which is why Rudolph is one of the best starts this week.
Sit – Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys
Jason Witten is one of the steadiest tight ends in fantasy football, but going up against the Broncos defense this week could provide challenges. As mentioned before, Dallas will go into this game with a run-first approach, meaning less passes overall. In addition, the Broncos held Hunter Henry and Antonio Gates to just three combined targets.
Kickers
Start – Matt Bryant, Atlanta Falcons
One of the best kickers in the 2016 season was Matt Bryant, which should be no surprise considering the Falcons were the best offense in the league. The Falcons are heading home to face the Packers in week two, which will lead to an aggressive team resulting in a shootout.
Sit – Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis Colts
The Colts offense looked terrible against the Rams, and with Andrew Luck out yet another week, we cannot expect much from either Jacoby Brissett or Scott Tolzien. The Colts face off against the Cardinals this week, whom, on paper, have a better defense than the Rams.
Defenses
Start – Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens were the first team to shut out an opponent in 2017 after keeping the Bengals scoreless. The matchup is even more favorable in week two, when the Ravens take on the Browns, who are still trying to find their starting quarterback and identity on offense.
Sit – Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings defense held two future hall of famers in check during their Monday night game against the Saints, but don’t expect the defense to hold up another top offense for a second straight week. The Steelers have the best playmakers in the league with Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell, not to mention Ben Roethlisberger.
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