Whether you're starting off 1-0 or 0-1, this week is a real make or break point in your season. No pressure, of course. But if your team is winless after two games, you may begin to think irrationally and look at the holes in your roster in search of solutions, while the 2-0 teams are sitting pretty atop the standings looking like an unbeatable force in your league. But before we start analyzing what your next step is going to be, your focus right now needs to be on putting out the best roster you can for the Week 2 slate of games. So, as you already know, we are here to offer you some sleeper starters and bold predictions in an effort to help you put up a W regardless of where you are in the standings. Here is Start Or Sit? Complex Sports Fantasy Football Tips (Week 2).
Oakland Raiders @ Buffalo Bills (1:00 ET)
START: RB Darren McFadden, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, WR Steve Johnson, RB Fred Jackson
SIT: TE Scott Chandler
Other than Darren McFadden, there is no other Raiders player that stands out on the offensive side of the ball. As for the Bills offense…41 points!? From a fantasy perspective, Ryan Fitzpatrick went off. Fred Jackson still hit double-digits without hitting the endzone, and Steve Johnson posted solid numbers for a wide receiver. All these guys should be in your lineup against an unproven Raiders defense. If you were in dire need of some tight end help, Scott Chandler may not have been the best option to pick up. Even though he had 5 receptions for 63 yards and two touchdowns last week, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Green Bay Packers @ Carolina Panthers (1:00 ET)
START: WR Steve Smith, Packers Defense
SIT: QB Cam Newton
In Week 1, Cam Newton had one of the best first game performances for a rookie QB in NFL history. Now in Week 2, he will be sent back down to earth. However, one thing that may remain constant is Cam’s bond with Steve Smith. Expect another solid game from Steve Smith, but keep him as a flex start at best.
Kansas City Chiefs @ Detroit Lions (1:00 ET)
START: RB Jamaal Charles, QB Matthew Stafford
SIT: QB Matt Cassel
The Jamaal Charles you saw in Week 1 will not be the Jamaal Charles you see throughout this season. Even though things may not look great this week against an improving Lions defense, Charles will eventually turn it around. As long as Matthew Stafford stays healthy, he is a great option at QB. With the Kansas City defense looking awful last week, we expect to see Stafford put up some great numbers and make many owners happy.
Cleveland Browns @ Indianapolis Colts (1:00 ET)
START: WR Reggie Wayne, TE Dallas Clark, RB Peyton Hillis
SIT: WR Pierre Garcon, WR Austin Collie
Today, life without Peyton is now in part two. It’s becoming apparent that as long as Kerry Collins is the Colts QB, Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon will continue to struggle. And if those difficulties persist, Collie may make for a good trade low option that you can stow away if Peyton returns.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Minnesota Vikings (1:00 ET)
START: QB Josh Freeman, RB LaGarrette Blount, WR Mike Williams, TE Kellen Winslow, RB Adrian Peterson
SIT: QB Donovan McNabb, WR Percy Harvin
The Buccaneers offense was a nightmare last week against the Lions. Just chalk that up as a fluke game. We expect a nice bounce back from all of Tampa Bay’s big name players.
Quick question: Does Donovan McNabb suck or does Donovan McNabb suck? Last week, McNabb passed for a grand total of 39 yards. And if you thought that was bad, Percy Harvin had 15 yards rushing and only 7 yards receiving against the Chargers. Fortunately for Harvin owners, dude took one back to the house and salvaged an awful fantasy day on the gridiron. This isn’t a fluke. A good wager may be when the “Start Ponder” chants begin.
Chicago Bears @ New Orleans Saints (1:00 ET)
Jacksonville Jaguars @ New York Jets (1:00 ET)
START: Maurice Jones-Drew, LaDainian Tomlinson, Santonio Holmes, Dustin Keller
SIT: Plaxico Burress, Shonn Greene
Now that’s what you call a bold prediction. Yeah, we know Shonn Greene is the starter but if Week 1 showed us anything, it’s that LT isn’t done yet. Even though the Jets’ running back timeshare heavily favored Greene, Tomlinson still outscored Shonn, 7 to 2. It’s a small sample size, but you gotta believe that if there are any goal lines carries against Jacksonville, LaDainian will be getting the carries.
Sorry Plax, we’re not believers just yet and you shouldn’t be either. Some people may point out the fact that Burress got nine targets (catching 4 of them) against the ‘Boys. But let’s be real, Sanchez won’t (and shouldn’t) be throwing the ball 44 times in every game this season.
Seattle Seahawks @ Pittsburgh Steelers (1:00 ET)
Dallas Cowboys @ San Francisco Redskins (4:05 ET)
Cincinnati Bengals @ Denver Broncos (4:15 ET)
Houston Texans @ Miami Dolphins (4:15 ET)
San Diego Chargers @ New England Patriots (4:15 ET)
Philadelphia Eagles @ Atlanta Falcons (8:20 ET)
St. Louis Rams @ New York Giants (MON, 8:30 ET)