NFL Players You Should Start & Sit in Fantasy Football for Week 2

Week 1 of fantasy football brought some of the expected—Christian McCaffrey and DeAndre Hopkins went off. But it also brought plenty of the unexpected.

Sammy Watkins, Austin Ekeler, Lamar Jackson—where did that come from?!

One of the most important lessons to remember when playing fantasy is to never overreact to one week. For example, here are some players who erupted in Week 1 of the 2018 season: Ryan Fitzpatrick, T.J. Yeldon, Will Dissly, and Randall Cobb. Conversely, here are some players who really struggled in Week 1 last year: Ben Roethlisberger, Deshaun Watson, and Travis Kelce.

So, you may want to think twice before throwing all your waiver dollars at someone like D.J. Chark or Phillip Dorsett. You definitely don’t want to cut a guy like Baker Mayfield or Matt Ryan. When it comes to making a massive deal out of Week 1 of the NFL season, Just Say No!

That said, there are always some rather valuable takeaways from the first weekend of NFL action. For example, maybe the Cleveland offense will take some time to ramp up, and maybe Malcolm Brown will siphon red zone touches from Todd Gurley. Most importantly, a number of under-the-radar-fantasy stars, who may be free agents in your league, always emerge through the first week—like Eric Ebron in 2018 and Alvin Kamara in 2017. Bid on the waiver market accordingly.

As we start tinkering with our lineups for Week 2, take a look at the Complex team’s take on the players you should activate and the players you should bench this weekend.

Allen had an up-and-down first game—kind of like his entire first season, right? Facing AFC East rival New York, Allen was atrocious in the first half. However, despite his team losing the turnover battle 4-0, playing on the road, and falling behind 16-0 Buffalo won! You have to admire Allen’s mental fortitude, if nothing else. (Granted, that C.J. Mosley injury was fortuitous).

In Week 1, the second-year signal-caller threw completed 24-of-37 passes for 254 yards and one TD, tossed two INTs, and rushed 10 times for 38 yards and another score. Expect a better line this weekend, as he faces the Giants, who allowed the league's most passing yards (405) in Week 1, in their loss to Dak Prescott and the Cowboys. Prescott carved up Big Blue’s blitzing attack. Allen isn’t of Prescott’s caliber, but he should have a big fantasy day while enjoying his new and improved crop of wideouts.

The second-year QB from Louisville was the unquestioned star of Week 1, leading the NFL in total QBR (99.4). He also clearly had the best quote of the week. From his post-game press conference: “Not bad for a running back.” Jackson slung the ball all over the field, completing 17-of-20 pass attempts for 324 yards and five TDs—in just three quarters!—as the Ravens dominated Miami 59-10. Jackson looked like a bona fide MVP candidate in his South Florida homecoming.

Though we did stress not overreacting in the opening to this piece, Jackson at least looked like a bona fide starting QB capable of throwing accurately from the pocket. And he has another favorable matchup in Week 2, facing the porous Cardinals D. Arizona gave up 385 passing yards and three TDs to Matt Stafford in its opening game. Though L-Jax might cool off at some point, expect his hot streak to continue against Arizona.

Howard was viewed as a top tight end option heading into the season, as he aimed to bounce back from injuries that thwarted a promising 2018 season. He didn't have a great Week 1, catching only four passes for 32 yards and fumbling the rock once in the red zone. But the heralded Bucs offense was disappointing across the board. Tampa fell 31-17 to San Francisco, but the Niners’ passing defense looked stout.

Tampa’s Week 2 opponent has a suspect secondary that should yield big numbers for Jameis Winston’s attack. With the Bucs facing Cam Newton and the Panthers in an NFC South rivalry game this week, look for Howard to bounce back and please fantasy managers with a solid stat line. Last week the Panthers surrendered a touchdown to Tyler Higbee. Bruce Arians should look to leverage Howard’s height advantage against Carolina’s overwhelmed corners.

Bernard stepped in after Joe Mixon’s ankle injury early in Cincy’s narrow loss to Seattle. Initial evaluation of Mixon’s injury was reportedly “all good,” but he’s questionable for Week 2—and even if he does play, you can’t expect Mixon to be 100 percent.

Bernard didn’t post overwhelming numbers after entering the lead back role. He had seven carries for 21 yards against Seattle, as well as two catches for 42 yards. But Seattle has a stronger D than San Francisco, the Bengals’ second opponent, which gave up 4.7 yards per carry to the Bucs. Bernard is a dual threat as a runner and receiver; he’s always been good for at least 35 catches per season, so he’s especially valuable in PPR formats. He shouldn’t be your RB1 by any means, but if you’re on the hunt for a solid RB2 in Week 2, look no further than the veteran from North Carolina, who will have an increased role and has proven his consistency.

We already told you to start Lamar Jackson and now we're doubling down with his main WR target Marquise "Hollywood" Brown. The Ravens are going against a weak Cardinals defense, and while it would be crazy to think Brown will be able to match his week 1 production, he's a legit deep threat for Jackson and this explosive offense. Start Hollywood!

Williams is the Raiders’ clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver, and Oakland doesn’t have many other options at receiver (though tight end Darren Waller and Josh Jacobs do steal touches). In Week 1 against Denver, the 27-year-old Williams hauled in six passes for 105 yards and a touchdown, including a 43-yarder. The former undrafted free agent has emerged as Derek Carr’s go-to weapon.

Following their strong performance in Week 1, Oakland faces a steep challenge against Kansas City in Week 2. Though the Chiefs are heavy favorites, KC gave up 347 passing yards in the its 40-26 win over Jacksonville. Gardner Minshew looked totally at ease, completing 22 of 25 passes in his NFL debut. Carr should have a big day at home, and the same goes for Williams.

Murray also had an up-and-down start to the season. He threw a pick and took five sacks against the underwhelming Lions defense. But he ultimately led his Cardinals to a comeback and almost a win against Detroit. Though his QBR of 32.6 was 23rd in the league, Murray eclipsed 300 passing yards (308) and threw for two touchdowns and one pick. He had plenty of opportunity, throwing the ball 54 times in the Air Raid offense's debut. For all that talk about his running ability, he ran only three times for 13 yards, the highlight being a 9-yarder.

This week poses a much bigger challenge as he travels to play the Baltimore Ravens. The Raiders made the Dolphins' offense look silly last week. Expect a beatdown in Baltimore...and a tough second week for the No. 1 overall pick.

Minshew stepped in for Jacksonville after Nick Foles suffered a broken clavicle on a rough hit. The sixth-round pick from Washington State was methodical, completing 22-of-25 passing attempts (88 percent!) for two touchdowns. Though he did throw one pick and take a sack, Minshew looked capable of filling in nicely while Foles recovers. He began his career with 13 straight completions—not a bad intro to the league. Though Jacksonville also traded for veteran Joshua Dobbs, Minshew will remain the QB1 for now.

Though his first performance was encouraging, he goes on the road to a tough environment this week and faces J.J. Watt & Co. D.J. Chark says Minshew is “fearless,” but Houston has tape and a week to prepare for the mustachioed QB with bravado. The Texans, angry following their chaotic, last-second loss to New Orleans Monday night, will give the rookie a tough day.

There were concerns about Lindsay’s potential fantasy output in 2019 because the Broncos had a group of talented backs, possibly limiting the second-year back’s potential as a RB1 after his breakout rookie season. Those concerns were validated in Week 1. In Denver’s loss to Oakland, Lindsay got 11 carries for 43 yards (3.9 yards per carry) while Royce Freeman got 10 carries for 56 yards (5.6).

Granted, Lindsay also hauled in four passes for 23 yards, but it was clear head coach Vic Fangio plans to leverage at least his two top backs—you can’t really call Freeman a handcuff to Lindsay, given their share of the top role. And Denver draws a nightmare matchup in Week 2, facing Khalil Mack and the Bears' vaunted D. In Week 1, Green Bay back Aaron Jones had only 39 yards on 13 carries—an average of 3 yards per carry.

Davis was a surprisingly high pick in drafts this year, as fans looked for a breakout campaign from the 2017 No. 5 overall pick from Western Michigan. But he was held without a reception in Tennessee's season-opening win against Cleveland, and he was only targeted three times. The Titans looked to other receivers, such as Delanie Walker and A.J. Brown.

Though Davis’ talent is undeniable, he’s just never put it together on the field on a consistent basis at the NFL level. That makes him a tough play for fantasy managers. And Tennessee has a tough matchup against Indy this week. Davis is on the verge of being cut in some leagues. Though that might be an overreaction, he certainly doesn’t belong in any starting lineups for Week 2.

Positive stories emerged from Dolphins camp this summer about Williams, an undrafted free agent from Colorado State. The 6'5" wide receiver made those murmurs look sound on Sunday when he scored Miami's only touchdown in its blowout loss to Baltimore. Ultimately, the rookie had three catches for 24 yards, and he was targeted five times.

Though we’re bullish on Williams’ long-term prospects—he’s too talented and too big not to succeed at the NFL level -- the Dolphins might end up having one of the worst offensive units in NFL history. This tanking squad doesn’t deserve to have any players on your fantasy roster. Oh, and they play a decent team this week—the Patriots, who made Pittsburgh’s respected O look like a shell of itself over the weekend. You might want to consider rostering Williams if he’s available—especially in keeper leagues—but don’t play him this week.

Yes, Sunday will be a big time revenge game for Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints, but we're not loving the QB against this Rams defense. Especially when you factor in the emotional win on Monday night, the Saints could be in for a letdown on the road. Look for a heavy dose of Alvin Kamara as well, which would bring Brees' numbers down a bit. If you have another QB option, plug them in.