Happy week 2 of the 2024 NFL season! Let’s have a fun season of fantasy football and get you on your championship run. Welcome back to my weekly Start/Sit HUB! Mike 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).
Week 2 begins with Thursday Night Football in Miami where the Dolphins face the Buffalo Bills. Both teams are looking to start 2-0 after a rocky week 1. As mentioned in my waiver hub, both teams had to come back from 14-point deficits only to emerge with a win. Last season Josh Allen and the Bills swept the Dolphins in the regular season in a blowout win and a bit closer win. The over/under has changed to 48.5 and the line has changed to Dolphins favored by 2.5. I’m expecting Josh Allen to go off with his legs and arm per usual to do whatever it takes to be in this game even without most of his receivers from last season. I think Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle will both need big games for Tua in order to get to 2-0. I think an upset could be brewing in Miami. My prediction is a Bills win by a score of 26-24. Give me a Josh Allen and Jaylen Waddle TD each. We should be in for a good battle Thursday.
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.
TNF START/SIT
Start – James Cook – To be clear the best starts in this game would have to go to Josh Allen and Tyreek Hill, but I went with Cook this week. James is a huge part of the Bills offense and is getting the Dolphins this week. Miami just let Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne combine for 117 rushing yards and a rushing TD. The Dolphins could have trouble defending not only Allens rushing abilities, but then have to defend Cook both on the ground and through the air. James finished week 1 with 19 carries for 71 rushing yards and caught 3 passes for an additional 32 receiving yards.
Sit – Jeff Wilson Jr – I was going to suggest sitting Mostert this week but he apparently beat me to the punch and will be inactive for TNF. That leaves Achane as the main RB1 with Jeff Wilson and Jaylen Wright behind him. Achane could be inactive as well or be limited, but Wilson most likely would be sharing snaps and is going against Buffalo. The Bills limited James Connor to 50 rushing yards on 15 carries averaging 3 yards per rush. Jaylen Wright could also be a surprise and be used more in the Dolphins running game. I’m thinking the Dolphins will want to air it out this week.
TNF is over and week 2 is in full motion. Josh Allen and the Bills beat Miami 31-10. Tua threw 3 INTs and eventually had to leave the game after an ugly collision resulting in another concussion for Tua. James Cook went off with 3 total TDs in the first half! Josh Allen didn’t have to do much to get this win. Achane was the sole Dolphins player that had a good fantasy outing.
Some of the games I look forward to in week 2 include the Bucs/Lions, Rams/Cardinals, Bengals/Chiefs, and Eagles/Falcons. All 4 games have a total of 47.5 or higher so hopefully a lot of touchdowns.
START OF THE WEEK
Start – Anthony Richardson – Richardson may have lost to the Texans, but he certainly had himself a day in fantasy. He only completed 9 passes which resulted in 202 passing yards and 2 passing TDs. We continue to see him rush a lot and week 1 was no exception rushing 6 times for 56 rushing yards and a rushing TD. That should be the case again this week in Green Bay. Jalen Hurts threw for 278 yards and rushed an additional 33 yards against Green Bay last week. I think Michael Pittman will have a bigger impact this week and you know Richardson will be looking downfield to Alec Pierce and/or Josh Downs after last week’s deep ball threats, when he isn’t tucking the ball and running. Richardson should have a good day.
Saints @ Cowboys
Start – Dak Prescott – I’m rolling with Dak this week against New Orleans. I think him and CeeDee Lamb have a huge day. New Orleans defense isn’t to be taken lightly; however, the Cowboys are a substantially better overall team than the Panthers. Cowboys made a great Browns defense look mediocre and will plan to do the same in Dallas this weekend.
Sit – Ezekiel Elliot – Zeke had a decent week 1 against the Browns rushing 10 times for 40 yards and he caught both of his targets for 9 receiving yards. Elliot scored a rushing TD, but he wasn’t the only RB getting work. Rico Dowdle had 8 carries of his own and a reception too. The Saints are coming off a dominating win over the Panthers so they should have confidence and are usually great at rush defense. Panthers only mustered 58 rushing yards total in week 1.
Buccaneers @ Lions
Start – Jahmyr Gibbs – Gibbs and Montgomery ran a combined 28 times in week 1. It’s clear Gibbs and the Lions are going to continue running the ball. Gibbs is pivotal in the Lions offense, especially in the pass game. He was targeted 6 times and caught 4 of those for 34 yards last game. The Bucs defense allowed Austin Ekeler over 60 total yards and Brian Robinson racked up 89 total yards and a TD. With Goff not being the mobile QB that Jayden Daniels is, the Lions will be using Gibbs and Montgomery a ton, especially in a closer game.
Sit – Rachaad White – Rachaad had a dismal rushing performance averaging just 2 yards per rush totaling 31 yards. His receiving is what gave him a good PPR performance catching all 6 of his targets for 75 receiving yards. The Lions allowed only 4 yards to RBs in the pass game in week 1. If that isn’t a concern, Bucky Irving might be. The rookie RB had a much better rushing performance rushing 9 times for 62 yards and even got in the passing game catching 2 of 3 targets for 14 receiving yards. Irving isn’t going away and that could hurt Rachaad owners.
Colts @ Packers
Start – Anthony Richardson – SEE START OF THE WEEK TOP OF PAGE
Sit – Christian Watson – This may be obvious, but with Jordan Love not playing, the WRs get a pretty large downgrade having Malik Willis behind center. Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, and Watson all take a hit. Josh Jacobs is the only Packer I want anything to do with this week.
Jets @ Titans
Start – Garrett Wilson – Wilson saw 11 targets from Aaron Rodgers on MNF and that was Rodgers first full game with Wilson. Rodgers has some rust to shake off and playing the Titans should help with that. Breece Hall will get the bulk of the offensive touches, but he can’t get the ball every play. Wilson caught 6 of his targets for 60 receiving yards. Rodgers and Wilson should be automatic and each week the trust and stats will grow.
Sit – Tyler Conklin – I was hopeful in week 1 that Conklin would have a solid game with Rodgers but that wasn’t the case. Conklin only saw 2 targets and caught 1 of them for 6 yards. Titans are a better matchup for Conklin this week but until I see the chemistry grow with Aaron Rodgers I’m going to stay away and Sit Conklin.
49ers @ Vikings
Start – Jordan Mason – Mason went off on MNF after starting for the injured CMC. The third year RB rushed 28 times for 147 yards and a rushing TD. He blew his career highs out of the water and get the Vikings next with the likelihood that CMC doesn’t play again. Why rush McCaffrey’s healing when Mason can provide offense in his absence. Vikings went from facing one of the worst offenses in the Giants to now having an elite offense in SF in week 2. If the 49ers jump out to a big lead, there will be even more workload for Mason to drain clock. Feed the hot hand.
Sit – Brock Purdy – Purdy is in my sit spot here simply because I don’t think he will have to do much. He has great receivers around him, but the 49ers rushed the ball 29 times in week 1. I think the Jets defense is better than the Vikings so I’m expecting a heavy rushing offense once again this week. Purdy’s last 4 games including postseason and week 1 of this year, he has 3 total TDs and not multiple in any of the 4 games. Purdy I’m sure could put up huge numbers but it seems like he won’t have to.
Seahawks @ Patriots
Start – Kenneth Walker (if healthy) – Kenneth Walker is dealing with an oblique injury so monitor his status closely up until Sunday. If he goes, he’s a good start. If not, Zach Charbonnet is in a good position to produce as a replacement. Walker is a workhorse, only 4 NFL players have more than 20 carries through week 1. The Patriots gave up just 70 rushing yards to the Bengals, but I like Seattle’s chances at surpassing that.
Sit – Hunter Henry – Hunter Henry caught 2 of his 3 targets in week 1 resulting in 18 receiving yards on the day. The Patriots offense isn’t a strong one, especially in the pass game. Austin Hooper outperformed him with 4 targets and caught 2 of them for 31 receiving yards. I don’t want anything to do with either TE and mostly the entire offense.
Giants @ Commanders
Start – Jayden Daniels – Daniel’s rushed a lot in week 1. 16 times in fact. He tied Lamar Jackson with the most QB rushing attempts in the first week of action. Daniel’s gets the Giants this week where he could go off. With his legs and arm he can dominate a depleted Giants team. Daniel’s is a top 6 QB play for me this week.
Sit – Zach Ertz – Ertz is a good and usually reliable TE, but he’s in a sit spot this week until I see more from Washington’s offense. Jayden Daniel’s is behind center and in week 1 we saw a lot of rushing from him and 24 passes. Ertz was 1 of the 4 Commanders with 4 targets in week 1. The Giants are the Giants, so Jayden might run all over them. The Commanders offense has much to prove but this week would be the ideal week to go off.
Chargers @ Panthers
Start – JK Dobbins – JK Dobbins stole the show for LA in week 1 rushing for 135 yards on only 10 carries. He found the end zone on the ground and even had 3 receptions for those in PPR. Dobbins has a history of injuries, but when he is healthy, he looks great. The Panthers allowed the Saints to rush for 180 yards last week and I’m sure JK will want to continue that trend.
Sit – Diontae Johnson – I still have high hopes for Dontae Johnson this season but week 1 didn’t seem very promising. The good news is that Johnson was targeted 6 times. That’s about all the good news. He caught just 2 of his targets for 19 yards. Yes, that doesn’t sound great, but it’s the Bryce Young effect thus far. Bryce looked lost as can be completing just 13 of his 30 passes in week 1. I would say his receivers need to catch the ball more but watching him throw he missed a lot of open receivers. Until Bryce looks better throwing, it’s going to be a sit for Johnson and all Panthers for me.
Browns @ Jaguars
Start – Brian Thomas Jr – If I were a Jaguars fan, I would be hopeful and excited after watching the rookie Thomas play in week 1. He caught all 4 of his targets for 47 receiving yards and caught the only receiving TD for his team. Lawrence to Thomas could be a great duo moving forward. Only hesitance is that he is completing for targets with Gabe Davis, Christian Kirk, Evan Engram, and pass catching RB Etienne. Browns defense should be better this week than last, but I think Thomas can still have a good outing.
Sit – Deshaun Watson – Deshaun Watson had a day to forget in week 1 having lost handily to the Cowboys. Watson completed 24 of 45 passes making his competition percentage just over 50%. Watson had almost 40 rushing yards which was nice, but he just looked frazzled. I have little confidence in him with his off the field distractions and his on the field subpar play. One of his favorite targets Njoku is already confirmed OUT this week.
Raiders @ Ravens
Start – Derrick Henry – King Henry had the 1st NFL TD of the season against the Chiefs last week but later disappeared a little. He had 13 carries for 46 rushing yards in a tight loss. Lamar took control rushing for 122 yards to keep his team in the game. Now the Ravens get the Raiders who just let JK Dobbins (former Raven) run wild with over 13 yards per rush. This game could get out of hand, but hopefully that’s after Henry scores a couple TDs.
Sit – Zamir White – The Raiders are not only 0-1 but have the 1-0 Ravens to travel to. The Ravens are over a TD favorite at home. If the Ravens go up quite a bit early the Raiders will be forced to throw more. White had 44 rushing yards in week 1 and now faces a tougher defense. Davante Adams is the only Raider I am confident starting this week.
Rams @ Cardinals
Start – James Connor – James Connor is always a sneaky player to have on your fantasy team. He is a great dual threat RB that complements Kyler Murray well. Connor only rushed for 50 yards on 16 carries including a 20-yard rush, but he also caught 3 of his 4 targets for 33 receiving yards. Did I mention he scored a TD? The Rams allowed Jahmyr Gibbs over 70 total yards and David Montgomery over 90 yards on the ground. Connor is in a great position to succeed this week.
Sit – Tyler Johnson – It was tough to find a sit spot in this game because there is a lot of potential. I chose Tyler because even with the Puka injury, I like Kupp and Robinson most for targets and believe Kyren Williams will have a large workload. I’m rooting for Tyler but still iffy. Let’s see another solid outing and then we can talk.
Steelers @ Broncos
Start – Najee Harris – Najee Harris was expected to be splitting time and snaps with Jaylen Warren based off last season. Turns out it was all Harris and Fields in the run game in week 1. Najee got 20 carries and turned that into 70 rushing yards. Him and Fields should have another solid day pounding the rock.
Sit – George Pickens – I like the Steelers in this game, however I’m not high on Pickens this week. My decision is based solely on the Broncos defensive playmaker Patrick Surtain most likely draped all over Pickens. Justin Fields is most likely QB1 another week at least, so we can expect a lot of rushing from him. I like their connections in week 1 but this week I’m going to sit him.
Bengals @ Chiefs
Start – Isaiah Pacheco – Pacheco gets the Bengals this week in KC who just allowed Rhamondre Stevenson to rush for 120 yards and a score. Pacheco totaled 78 yards in his week 1 performance topped off with a TD against the Ravens defense. All signs point to Pacheco having a great fantasy performance this week.
Sit – Bengals D/ST – Cincinnati had a bad loss to the Patriots in week 1 which almost no one saw coming. Their defense however wasn’t terrible limiting the Patriots to 16 points but only had 1 sack and no INTs. KC is next and that’s not something Bengals defense wants to deal with right now. Mahomes and the Chiefs look better than ever on offense. Cinci defense can rest on the fantasy bench this week.
Bears @ Texans
Start – Joe Mixon – Mixon led the entire NFL in carries and rushing yards after week 1. He had 30 rushes for 159 yards. He scored a rushing TD and also caught 3 passes for 19 receiving yards. The Bears allowed Tony Pollard 82 rushing yards, 12 receiving yards, and a rushing TD. Bears will have their hands full defending Mixon and all the other playmakers on the Texans offense.
Sit – Caleb Williams – Caleb led his team to a comeback victory in week 1. Other than that, he didn’t do much for his fantasy owners. He had under a 50% completion rate with just 93 passing yards and 15 rushing yards. Not a TD to be found for Caleb. Texans let Anthony Richardson throw and run on them last week, but I can’t put Williams in the same tier after that week 1. Let’s wait for signs of progress before he becomes any sort of fantasy play.
Falcons @ Eagles
Start – AJ Brown – It was tough to not put Saquon Barkley here after his monster debut with Philadelphia in Brazil last week. But AJ was terrific also catching 5 of his 10 targets for 119 receiving yards and a TD. Brown led the Eagles with 10 targets out of Jalen Hurts 34 passing attempts. That’s almost 1 of every 3 passes going in AJ’s direction. Brown usually balls out in prime time with all eyes on him. I think Barkley and AJ Brown both have great performances ahead.
Sit – Kirk Cousins – Cousins didn’t look like himself last week in his loss to the Steelers. He had to deal with TJ Watt, which is hard by itself, but now has to go on the road to Philadelphia for a MNF game. Kirk is known for subpar performances in prime-time games and this could be another. Cousins has had great games against the Eagles in his past, but this week seems too much of a big ask for him to perform well. He’s not in my top half of QB rankings this week.