Key Starters and Tough Calls - Week 2 Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football Include Zach Charbonnet, Marvin Harrison Jr., Mark Andrews

September 15, 2024

Scott Engel provides selected fantasy football lineup starts/sits for Week 2 (2024). He spotlights key NFL players to start when faced with tight Week 2 fantasy football lineup calls.

My weekly Lineup Spotlights are back on RotoBaller.com for the 2024 fantasy football season. Every week, I highlight players to choose as starting options when you are up against challenging lineup decisions.

The lineup picks featured in this rundown are based on my Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available as part of the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. Enter the promo code KING at checkout for an additional discount and gain access to my ranks in all formats, plus a full suite of tools and analysis for in-season use.

When considering these players for lineup usage, also check into our fantasy football rankings to see if they are ranked higher or lower than your other possible starters. The skill position analysis is tied to my PPR rankings.

Running Backs – Fantasy Football Week 2

Zach Charbonnet

The second-year RB will make his third career start on Sunday at New England, as Kenneth Walker III is expected to miss the game with an oblique injury. In his starts last season, Charbonnet rushed for 107 yards and a TD in two games and caught five passes. One of his receptions was a 39-yarder. Last week, the second-year man caught his first career TD pass.

Under new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, the Seahawks have a clear commitment to running the ball while attempting to set up the downfield passing game. In Week 1, Walker and Charbonnet combined for 28 carries.

The Week 2 starter for Seattle is versatile, and although the Seahawks rank 27^th in offensive run-blocking matchup grade against the Patriots, there are paths to good production for the backup who is ready to step forward.

DK Metcalf said he thinks the run game will be the bread and butter of the Seahawks offense, and that was part of Ryan Grubb’s initial message to the team this offseason.

Full exchange here: pic.twitter.com/o0eA0NThgI

— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) September 4, 2024

Charbonnet can add to his production in space as a pass-catcher, and the Seattle defense may position the offense favorably for scoring drives that could end with a TD run. I have Charbonnet ranked just outside my top 15 RBs this week. If you are desperate for RB help, consider projected complement Kenny McIntosh, who ran for a 56-yard TD in the preseason.

J.K. Dobbins

In Week 1, the ex-Raven rushed for 135 yards and a TD on just 10 attempts, busting loose for runs of 61 and 46 yards. Some fantasy players and analysts aren’t buying in yet, as Dobbins wasn’t able to fully outrun the defense on the 61-yarder. Still, the outing was impressive and signaled that the 25-year-old RB may be regaining better form.

Achilles and knee injuries have dragged Baltimore’s 2020 second-round draft pick down over the past three years, but there are now indications he could be on the way back to regular relevancy. Dobbins will share touches with Gus Edwards on an offense that emphasizes the ground game. Of the two, Dobbins is the one with the upside, and we may see more of it as the season progresses.

JK Dobbins is ABSOLUTELY back (unless he has to run over 25+ yards then he gasses out but hey I’m sure that improves throughout the year as his conditioning improves)

Crazy to say it, but LAC’s locked in RB1 moving forward.
pic.twitter.com/v29ZP8R5od

— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) September 8, 2024

The Chargers have a seemingly friendly matchup with the Panthers this week. Carolina allowed the second-most fantasy points to RBs in Week 1, and its defense might spend a lot of time on the field against Los Angeles. Consider Dobbins as a higher-end RB for this week’s matchup.

Brian Robinson Jr.

The Washington RB does seem to enjoy lining up against the Giants. In three of four career games vs. New York, Robinson has totaled 100-plus scrimmage yards. He rolled up 132 scrimmage yards when the teams last met. Robinson finished with 89 scrimmage yards in Week 1 and rushed for a TD,

Dynamic rushing QB Jayden Daniels keeps defenses off balance, and opponents are vulnerable to the Washington RBs. Austin Ekeler is certainly in the backfield mix, too, but Robinson did catch four passes for 49 yards last week. The Giants ranked 23^rd in fantasy points allowed to RBs in Week 1, and Robinson is a mid-range fantasy RB2 this week.

Wide Receivers – Fantasy Football Week 2

Marvin Harrison Jr.

One prominent storyline from Arizona’s Week 1 loss at Buffalo was the highly touted rookie being held to one reception. Harrison expressed frustration afterward, and Kyler Murray maintained confidence that the son of the future Hall Of Famer would bounce back quickly. We can give Harrison a pass this one time considering it was his first NFL game.

I hate to use a cliché, but the “squeaky wheel” narrative applies to Harrison heading into Week 2. When a team’s top pass-catcher is held down in one game, the QB and offensive coordinator often make it a point to get him involved early and frequently in the next outing. Expect satisfactory production from Harrison against the Rams, who ranked 19^th In fantasy points allowed to WRs in Week 1.

Marvin Harrison Jr. didn’t cover up his dismay concerning his lack of production during the Cardinals' Week 1 loss to the Bills.

"I mean, obviously it wasn’t great. Definitely wasn’t what I expected."

🔗 https://t.co/qMyBN0l1XR

— The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) September 12, 2024

The same line of fantasy reasoning will also apply to Chris Olave and Drake London as they put quiet opening weeks behind them.

Calvin Ridley

The new Titans WR can seemingly deliver a decent PPR return in one of his less productive performances. In three of his last four games overall, Ridley has totaled 50-plus yards and caught six passes in two of those matchups. A 10-point fantasy performance won’t be the main culprit in a loss.

The draw against the Jets secondary, though, is obviously a major challenge, especially as New York looks to erase the stench of a frustrating Week 1 loss. The Jets were embarrassed defensively, and now get a matchup they can dominate on that side of the ball.

Tennessee’s PFF pass-blocking advantage rate for Week 2 is 25^th, and that ranking may not reflect just how much the New York defense should rattle Will Levis behind a shaky offensive line. Don’t assume the Titans can pad numbers in catch-up mode if they fall behind significantly. Ridley barely makes it into the No. 3 WR range this week, and I am benching him in some leagues.

Tyler Johnson

With Puka Nacau out, Johnson and Demarcus Robinson should get prime opportunities to fill in as top complements to Cooper Kupp. The Arizona secondary will be one of the worst units in the league this season, and Johnson can build on a career performance in Week 1.

Against Detroit, the ex-Buccaneer caught five passes for 79 yards, highlighted by a 63-yard catch and run. Robinson has more experience and comfort working with Matthew Stafford and can have the better floor of the two. Johnson, however, seems to be the upside play.

Both Los Angeles WRs are worthy of plug-in consideration due to the matchup and void created in the passing game by the Nacua loss. Johnson and Robinson are fantasy WR4/flex types for Week 2.

Quarterback And Tight End – Fantasy Football Week 2

Baker Mayfield

Mayfield was the second-highest-scoring fantasy QB of the opening week, finishing with 29.7 points; only Josh Allen outscored him. The Buccaneers QB is now getting serious fantasy starter consideration for Week 2.

Tampa Bay-Detroit has the highest Over/Under total for this week, at 51 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. I am not recommending you start Mayfield over Jayden Daniels or Kyler Murray. The Buccaneers, however, have the third-best pass-blocking advantage grade on PFF this week, so Mayfield makes it into my top 11 at QB over the likes of Matthew Stafford and Dak Prescott.

Mark Andrews

Many theories made the rounds as to why Andrews was held to 14 yards and caught both of just two targets in the season opener. The Chiefs aggressively looked to limit Andrews with extra defensive attention, and the three-time Pro Bowler may still be working back to the best version of himself after undergoing ankle surgery last November.

Mark Andrews getting the bulk of zone attention to open the shallow check to Isaiah Likely in the late second quarter.

The following play, the same thing vs Andrews and an attempt to a crossing route underneath to WR.

Ravens took what Chiefs gave them. They gave them Likley. pic.twitter.com/aWBEpEKzY2

— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) September 6, 2024

Yes, Andrews was totally outplayed by Isaiah Likely, but both can co-exist in the Baltimore passing game. Andrews was on the field for 74 percent of the snaps and Likely came in at 66 percent, according to FootballGuys. The Ravens have lacked a dependable No. 2 WR threat throughout the Lamar Jackson era, and Likely might unofficially function in that role.

Zay Flowers and Likely can challenge defenses more downfield. Andrews, though, is still very capable of operating as a regular chain-mover and playmaker on key passing downs. At the thinnest position in fantasy football, you have to stick with Andrews again in many cases, and the Ravens might feature two TEs in the passing game. He is my No. 8 TE for Week 2,

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