Key Starters and Tough Calls - Week 2 Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football Include Zach Charbonnet, A.J. Brown, Keon Coleman

September 13, 2025

Scott Engel supplies you with fantasy football lineup starts/sits for Week 2 (2025). He features key NFL players to start when faced with tight Week 2 fantasy football lineup decisions.

Welcome back to our Key Starters and Tough Calls article for Week 2 of the 2025 season. Scott Engel's Week 2 Lineup Spotlights column features key players to start or sit when faced with challenging lineup decisions. "The King" highlights players that may be causing some close start/sit calls for you this week.

The fantasy football players covered in this Week 2 article are based on Scott's Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available in the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. You can get access to his full player rankings and also unlock a full suite of tools and analysis for in-season usage.

When mulling over the players presented here for Week 2 lineups, be sure to also consult the RotoBaller staff fantasy football rankings and free Who Should I Start? tool for comparing up to four players. The skill position analysis below is based on Scott's Week 2 PPR rankings. Good luck in Week 2, RotoBallers!

Running Backs - Fantasy Football Week 2

Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks

It was widely reported this preseason that the Seahawks were expected to run the ball more under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. But Seattle could not employ an effective ground game in their season-opening loss.

Still, Zach Charbonnet did provide the only offensive TD of the day for the Seahawks, and his role in the offense was larger than projected. He carried the ball 12 times, and Kenneth Walker III had 10 attempts. This should continue to be a timeshare situation, as both RBs complement each other well. Charbonnet is physical, and Walker is capable of scoring from anywhere on the field when he is in top form.

Walker may be coming along more slowly after he did not play in the preseason, so if you have to start one Seattle RB for now, it should be Charbonnet. He will likely be the more regular goal-line runner of the two. Consider starting him at a flex spot in NFL Week 2.

Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings

Vikings RB Aaron Jones on Jordan Mason: “He’s different… a hard guy to tackle” — and has been a great fit in the RB room 💪@heykayadams | @Showtyme_33 | @Vikings #Skol pic.twitter.com/uQYrWnpub8

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) August 21, 2025

Much like Charbonnet, Mason is the more bruising type in a timeshare scenario, and is showing enough to be considered as a viable flex option. The former 49er ran with force and determination in the season opener, averaging 4.5 yards per carry.

Aaron Jones Sr. is not going away, and Minnesota has seemingly found an ideal RB combo. Jones caught a TD pass in the season opener, and Mason banged his way for tough yardage. Jones will likely catch more passes, but Mason figures to be the clearer goal-line and short-yardage option. He will be capable of elevating his fantasy output in any given week with a rushing TD or two.

The Vikings should be able to move the ball effectively against the Falcons, putting Mason into position for some potential scoring runs. He will battle hard for every yard outside of the goal line area, so expect at least adequate fantasy output vs. Atlanta in NFL Week 2. Jones, who continues to perform admirably, also deserves some flex consideration.

Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs

During the preseason, we saw and heard reports that Pacheco was ready for a rebound season. The Chiefs didn’t bring in any significant competition for Pacheco at RB during the offseason, so it appeared the decision-makers were confident that the best version of him would resurface.

But those of us who bought into the tales of Pacheco’s resurgence, including me, were highly disappointed by his season-opening debut. He rushed for just 25 yards, playing just over 50 percent of the snaps. We will have to wait and see if he gets more of a workload this week against the Eagles, but it is obviously very uncomfortable to start him.

It’s too early to panic on Pacheco because if he performs well enough against a Philadelphia defense that will have Jalen Carter back, he will deserve starting consideration again. But I want to see the “real” Pacheco, who runs relentlessly, before I recommend getting him back into lineups. I would only start him this week over the types of RBs who may have uncertain workloads, such as Najee Harris and Kenneth Gainwell.

Wide Receivers - Fantasy Football Week 2

A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles

AJ Brown & Jalen Hurts Week 1 Stats
- 35% WR target share (lowest of Hurts’ career)
- 100% zone defense by Dallas
- 5% target share for AJB
- 13% of Hurts’ passes went 10+ yards; 30% last year
- AJB: 1 target, 1 catch & 8 yards
- New OC

What does it mean for AJB? @RotoBallerNFL

— Rob (@RobLorge) September 5, 2025

You didn’t enjoy the first week of fantasy football if Pacheco and Brown were two of the projected starters drafted. Brown was held to one catch by Dallas in the season opener, and now some fantasy players are questioning whether to reserve their second-round pick in NFL Week 2.

As a reminder, we shouldn’t overreact to everything we witnessed in the first week. Brown’s silent outing was magnified because it came in the very first fantasy matchup of the new campaign. Many of the best WRs will log a down game or two throughout the course of the season. But if their overall performances are still strong, such disappointing performances will be quickly forgotten and forgiven.

When a prime WR like Brown is unproductive in a given week, his quarterback and coaching staff often make it a point to get him the ball early and often in the next game. Jalen Hurts will likely want to keep Brown heavily involved in the offensive flow while reminding opponents that his No. 1 WR is still a major threat.

Brown could see even more targets this week against the Chiefs with Dallas Goedert (knee) out for Week 2. Resist any urge to sit Brown this week.

Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills

Buffalo has been searching for a true No. 1 WR since Stefon Diggs departed, and after a bumpy rookie campaign, Coleman may be ready to claim the role. He certainly began his second pro season with a good outing on a big stage against the Baltimore Ravens. He caught eight passes on 11 targets for 112 yards and a TD in a rousing Bills victory.

Coleman is looking like a must-start fantasy WR3 for Week 2 as he faces a Jets secondary that allowed four passing TDs to the Steelers last week. Checking in at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, he is a big target who can be a frequent TD contributor. Josh Allen appears to have gained more trust in him, too.

Much has been made of Coleman’s perceived lack of separation ability, but that did not appear to be an issue in the opener, and his fantasy appeal will climb with another quality outing this week. Lock in Coleman as a starting WR3 or flex option for Week 2.

Marquise Brown, Kansas City Chiefs

Brown led all pass-catchers with 16 targets in the first week of the season, and he is obviously playing a bigger part in the Chiefs' passing game for now. Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy are both out this week, and Brown could see a healthy amount of targets in a Super Bowl rematch with the Eagles on Sunday.

The Philadelphia pass defense looked vulnerable enough in Week 1 vs. Dallas, so this should be good enough of a matchup to start Brown at least as a fantasy WR3 this week. In past seasons with other teams, he never quite delivered over a full season as a featured WR. But he is a very appealing streamer for now.

Quarterback and Tight End - Fantasy Football Week 2

Justin Fields, New York Jets

NFL Films' @gregcosell on the Jets offense led by Justin Fields🔊⬇️#NYJvsBUF #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/2H6PAjvoLa

— One Bills Live (@OneBillsLive) September 12, 2025

It didn’t take long, but Fields has rocketed up in my weekly rankings on RotoBaller, as he settled in just outside of the top five for NFL Week 2. Unless you roster another elite fantasy QB, you should not reserve the new Jets QB this week.

Fields rushed for two TDs last week against the Steelers, and there should be many more to come this season. The Jets’ brain trust has seemingly put full confidence in Fields to pilot the offense. He will be free to maximize his mobility as he sees fit, and there is no other QB on the New York roster to threaten his starting job. This is Fields’ team on offense, and he can perform with a clear head and proven, dangerous legs.

The Bills have frequently had trouble against mobile QBs, and being without injured DT Ed Oliver won’t be good for the Buffalo defense, either. In what could be a high-scoring divisional game, Fields is a surefire fantasy QB1 for Week 2. The only QBs I have ranked ahead of him for Sunday and Monday are Allen, Lamar Jackson, Hurts, and Joe Burrow.

Jonnu Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers

Fantasy leaguers who are looking for a replacement for George Kittle can consider Smith for this week. If he is not available as a free agent, it may not take much to land him in a trade. The matchup is favorable for quality production.

Seattle has been vulnerable to opposing TEs in recent seasons and surrendered a game-winning TD to a reserve TE in the season opener. The Steelers don’t have a consistently dependable WR2 in their offense, so the TEs may figure into the mix often enough, including this week. Smith might register his second TD of the season this week.

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