Welcome back to my weekly Start/Sit HUB! Mike Hubbard Jr here, providing you with information that can help you win your fantasy league week in and week out. For all things fantasy football, follow me on Twitter (@FantasyHubbard) and Instagram (@fantasyhubbard). You can tweet me or message me on either social media with any questions you might have regarding the fantasy football season.
Happy week 2 fantasy followers! We got to dip or toes into the season last week and now it’s time to jump right in. Whether you are 1-0 or 0-1, the season is young and so much can happen between now and fantasy playoffs so keep your head up, adjust weekly, and put your team in the best position to win.
Last night was the TNF matchup between the LA Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs. What a weird game. Chargers looked in control and were cruising, until they weren’t. Herbert threw 3 TDs and Mahomes threw 2 TDs. The Chiefs escaped with a win thanks to a huge INT return for a TD early in the 4th quarter. After that the Chargers seemed depleted and then Herbert got hurt. He was clearly in pain in what looked to me like his ribs took a beating. He finished the game and even got LA to cover the spread, but Herbert owners everywhere were and probably still are holding their breath. We will have to monitor his injury closely up until his next game.
Week 2 has some interesting matchups to look forward to. Sunday there are currently 7 different games that have a spread of 5+ including 5 games with a 7.5+ spread. Also, for the first time since week 11 of the 2020 season, the Detroit Lions are favored to win a game. That game is against Washington in Detroit with a spread of 2. My favorite Sunday matchup is the Dolphins travelling to Baltimore. Both teams are looking strong early and the books have Ravens favored by 3.5. I could see Miami’s defense holding strong and making Lamar Jackson’s day very hectic. Don’t sleep on Miami.
I’m here every week during the fantasy football season with start and sit suggestions that can impact your team each week. My decisions as always include obvious and not so obvious picks. I would also like to clarify that my sit suggestions are based on the assumption you have or can add a player that has a better chance at success. Good luck this week and continue to check out my weekly articles.
START OF THE WEEK
Start – Saquon Barkley – Welcome back Barkley! That’s the Saquon people wanted when they drafted him. A total game changing force that puts the entire team on his back. Barkley had 164 rushing yards with a rushing TD, and also contributed 6 receptions for 30 receiving yards on 7 targets. Barkley led the team in almost every offensive category except for receiving yards and receiving TDs. This week he gets the Panthers defense inside Giants home stadium. The Panthers gave up 141 rushing yards last week to Nick Chubb in Carolina. Finally feel some confidence starting Barkley this week.
Jets @ Browns
Start – Donovan Peoples-Jones – DPJ was targeted 11 times in week 1. The Browns love to run the ball, but what was a little unexpected was that the Ravens only managed 63 rushing yards and no TDs against the Jets. Chubb and Hunt should still have great games and I’m sure you’re starting them regardless, but I’m interested to see how DPJ follows up his heavily targeted performance. Browns are at home and are favored by 6. If the targets keep coming, hopefully he can increase his receiving yards and look to find the end zone.
Sit – David Njoku – Njoku had a rough week 1 where he was targeted just once and caught that for 7 yards. This week I’m expecting the Browns to establish the run game and eventually air it out. DPJ and Cooper are the top pass catchers for Brissett right now so tread lightly with Njoku this week. The potential is clearly there when you’re facing the Jet’s, but I would start at least 15 other TEs ahead of him this week.
Commanders @ Lions
Start – Amon-Ra St. Brown – Amon-Ra basically picked up right where he left off at the end of last season. He started this season against the Eagles and put up 8 receptions for 64 receiving yards and a TD on 12 targets. He had 4 more targets than any other receiving options. I could see this becoming a regular thing. He has now 7 consecutive games with double digits targets and that is fantasy gold and music to his owner’s ears. He takes on Washington this week after Christian Kirk just lit them up for 117 yards. Fire up St. Brown.
Sit – Logan Thomas – Thomas isn’t a bad option for streaming this week but I’m going to stay away. Logan might be able to be a top 15 TE this week but that being said, I like 14 other TEs before him if you have any decent options. Wentz did target Thomas 6 times in week 1, but Curtis Samuel, Antonio Gibson, Terry McLaurin, and Jahan Dotson all finished with better fantasy numbers. I don’t know if Washington can put up 38 on Detroit like Philly did, but you might want to hope so in order to keep all of these pass catchers fed.
Buccaneers @ Saints
Start – Michael Thomas – Thomas played week 1 against Atlanta and cashed in 2 receiving TDs. He caught 5 of 8 targets for 57 yards. He reestablished his dominance quickly and Jameis Winston took advantage of it. Thomas now faces the stout Tampa defense, but they’ve only played the Cowboys thus far and half the game was without Dak. Not saying the Bucs defense isn’t as good as people think, just saying Saints should test them a lot more than the TD-less Cowboys.
Sit – Mike Evans – Mike Evans had a solid week 1 in the Bucs rather easy win over the Cowboys. He finished with 5 receptions for 71 yards and a TD on 7 targets. All sounds great, but this week he takes on the Saints. More specifically he will be taking on Marshon Lattimore. Lattimore and Evans have played each other a lot and Lattimore gets the advantage almost every time. Evans clearly struggles against him and they are playing in New Orleans. This could be a better day for Julio Jones. As usual you always start your studs, so you are probably starting him so just be warned with this matchup.
Panthers @ Giants
Start – Saquon Barkley – SEE START OF THE WEEK AT TOP OF PAGE
Sit – Sit everyone in this game that does not have the last name Barkley, Moore, McCaffrey, or Anderson. No one else can really be trusted and neither defense has looked good. This game will most likely come down to whose offensive line players better.
Patriots @ Steelers
Start – Diontae Johnson – I think Johnson should be in for a good game this week. He has the most targets and receptions on the team so far with Mitch Trubisky, and the Patriots will probably be looking to contain Najee Harris (if he stays healthy and plays) which could benefit the passing game opportunities. If/when the Steelers need to air it out, Johnson is the best bet to be targeted. Nearly a third of Trubisky’s passing attempts in week 1 went in Diontae’s direction.
Sit – George Pickens – I don’t really like this game for fantasy purposes. Steelers you can start Johnson, Harris, and take a shot with Claypool and Freiermuth. Patriots you can start Damien Harris or Rhamondre Stevenson and hopes one outshines the other. Pickens made his rookie debut last week and was targeted just 3 times. He only caught 1 of those 3 targets and it results in just 3 yards. Patriots were great last year on defense defending the pass so Pickens can stay a bench stash until we see something promising.
Colts @ Jaguars
Start – Michael Pittman Jr – Pittman started this season with a bang. He caught 9 of his team high 13 targets and turned them into 121 receiving yards and 1 TD. Pittman had 6 more targets than any other Colt, 3 more receptions than any other Colt, and over 70 more receiving yards than any other Colt. Colt seems to be an appropriate term since he is a work horse. Matt Ryan got a bunch of pass catchers involved last weekend, but when it came time to needing yards and production, he went to Pittman. Colts should do better than a tie this week, but the Jags are going to try to bounce back after a frustrating loss to Washington. The Commanders Wentz threw for 313 yards against the Jags and WRs caught 4 total TDs. Plug him in and expect a top 10 WR finish for Pittman this weekend.
Sit – Trevor Lawrence – Trevor is due to increase his numbers and hopefully have a better season than last. He started the season last weekend by throwing for 275 yards and had 1 TD and 1 INT. He plays in Indianapolis in week 2 against the Colts who are going to want to take out their frustration after a shocking tie against Houston. Lawrence played the Colts twice last season and averaged just 192 passing yards and 1 TD in a loss and a win. I would avoid Lawrence this week and moving forward unless the matchup is too good to pass up and you don’t have a better QB. Lawrence has great potential but needs to show it more with his accuracy and decision making.
Dolphins @ Ravens
Start – Tyreek Hill – The Cheetah might be on a new team, but his stats remain the same. 8 receptions on 12 targets for 94 yards. No other Dolphin had over 5 targets. Already looks like he is Tua’s favorite target and that should continue this week against Baltimore. The Ravens let Flacco throw for over 300 yards in week 1 and Tua had 270 passing yards against the Patriots. Should be a fun game to watch, hoping for a lot of offense. Over/Under is 44.5.
Sit – Devin Duvernay – Duvernay had a great week 1 when he found the end zone twice. He was targeted 4 times and caught all of them for 54 yards. He has been a hot name on the waiver wire and for good reason. This week Lamar Jackson is playing a better defense and you can’t forget he has Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman as his top 2 pass catching options. Hopefully JK Dobbins will make his season debut and we all know the Ravens are usually a run heavy offense which could limit the passing game slightly. Duvernay certainly made a splash week 1, now we will have to see if it was a fluke or if he is TD dependent.
Falcons @ Rams
Start – Matthew Stafford – Stafford had a week 1 to forget. He started the season with 3 INTs and lost at home by 21 points after winning the Super Bowl in February. Cooper Kupp was the lone bright spot in a dreadful evening for LA. Stafford is a great QB and gets the Falcons defense this week. Atlanta just let Jameis Winston throw for 269 yards and 2 passing TDs. Stafford is looking to make a statement this week and show everyone why they are a threat to repeat. Stafford and Kupp are a great stack this week coming off an embarrassing loss and getting to play at home again. The difference between the Bills defense and the Falcons defense is light and day. I’m expecting a top 10 QB finish for Stafford this week.
Sit – Cam Akers – Oh boy this was a tough call to make. Cam had a terrible week 1 where he had 3 rushes for no yards. Henderson took the bulk of RB duties on the ground and in the air. Akers could certainly bounce back this week and calm everyone’s panicking, but I’m waiting until I see more. The Rams want more urgency from Akers so we will have to see how that translates on the field. For what it’s worth, despite the small sample size this season, the Falcons gave up just 61 rushing yards to the Saints RBs. If you take out Taysom Hills rushing yards on his 4 attempts, the Saints were held to 70 rushing yards total. I’m more comfortable sitting Akers until something positive comes from him.
Seahawks @ 49ers
Start – Deebo Samuel – Deebo is such a threat anytime he touches the ball. He may have only caught 2 of his 7 targets for a measly 14 yards, but he also carried the ball 8 times for 52 yards and a score. Eli Mitchell is OUT due to injury so Jeff Wilson and Deebo should get the biggest workloads. Trey Lance looked subpar Week 1 so this would be a great game for him to show what he can do with his arm and not just his legs. Hoping for a top 10 WR week for Deebo and that feels well within reach.
Sit – Geno Smith – I get it, he played pretty well and upset Russ and the Broncos on MNF. He threw 2 TDs and passed for 195 yards. I expect the 49ers defense to be well prepared for this matchup and not make life easy for Geno. Geno got the win and had decent stats, but him and Seattle completely disappeared in the 2nd half. Geno is not a starter in fantasy right now.
Bengals @ Cowboys
Start – Joe Burrow – Burrow had a bizarre 5 turnover game which included 4 INTs and a fumble lost in their shocking defeat to the Steelers. Burrow and company travel to Dallas this weekend to take on the Cowboys. Both teams are 0-1 and looking to establish themselves. We can’t expect another 5 turnovers, especially all from Burrow. Burrow is primed for huge games every week with his surrounding cast of WRs and RBs. All Bengals starting offensive players are in a good position to succeed this week and it all starts with Burrow.
Sit – Ezekiel Elliot – Zeke rushed for 52 yards on 10 carries against the Bucs in week 1. He also caught 1 of 2 targets but had -1 receiving yards. Elliot gets the Bengals this week who just shut down the Steelers run game. They allowed Pittsburgh 75 rushing yards and only 30 of those yards were gained by RBs. Elliot might get a heavier workload with no Dak behind center but be weary of Zeke this week and moving forward. The gap between Zeke and Pollards fantasy outlooks are closer than most think.
Texans @ Broncos
Start – Javonte Williams – Javonte started his sophomore campaign against Seattle where he rushed for 43 yards and caught 11 of his 12 targets for 65 yards. Williams is a target beast so far with Wilson at QB. He had 5 more targets and 6 more receptions than any other Bronco. If the Broncos lead, he should get a good number of carries. If the Broncos struggle to score again, Javonte could be targeted immensely to nickel and dime his way down field. The sky is the limit for Williams this season, but the presence of Melvin Gordon definitely limits Javonte in rushing opportunities. I’m excited to see Williams breakout.
Sit – Dameon Pierce – Pierce finds himself in my sit category again. The rookie rushed 11 times in his debut but only made out with 33 rushing yards, and he caught his only target for 6 receiving yards. Rex Burkhead stole the RB spotlight for Houston after he was targeted a total of 8 times. Rex clearly is the receiving option of the RBs, and he also gets plenty of rushing attempts as well. The rookie will have to put on a show to establish himself in the NFL and in fantasy.
Cardinals @ Raiders
Start – Kyle Murray – Murray and the Cardinals may have gotten beat pretty badly by the Chiefs in week 1, but Murray held his own with 2 TD passes and 193 passing yards. He also scrambled up 29 rushing yards. He is a threat to take off which makes his floor a little higher. Murray might find himself trailing again (LV -5.5) in this game which should result in a good amount of passing. I like Murray as a top 10 fantasy QB this week.
Sit – Arizona DST – Arizona got lit up last week for 44 points by KC. This week they get another offense that can put up points. Carr, Adams, Waller, Jacobs, and Renfrow are a lot to handle and they are playing in Vegas. Arizona’s defense has a lot to prove before they are even owned in fantasy.
Bears @ Packers
Start – Aaron Rodgers – So I guess we are looking at a repeat of last season. Rodgers was downright terrible week 1 last season and here again this past weekend. He threw for 195 passing yards and had 1 INT and no TDs. Last season he played in primetime week 2 and lit up the Lions for 4 TDs. This season he gets the Bears in primetime for week 2. Rodgers absolutely owns the Bears, and he gets them at home this week. Last season Rodgers had 6 total TDs against Chicago and 0 INTS. He recorded wins in both of those games and averaged 268 passing yards. Looking for a huge bounce back game for the reigning MVP.
Sit – David Montgomery – Montgomery rushed for just 26 yards on 17 carries last weekend in an upset win over the 49ers. He did contribute 3 receptions for 24 yards as well. I believe the Packers will put up points early and force Justin Fields to have to air it out. Montgomery is a great RB, but this week isn’t a great matchup and he also has Khalil Herbert fighting for RB positioning and has looked good. There are easily 20 other RBs I like before having to start Montgomery.