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Sit Start Running Backs for Week 2 Fantasy Football

Running back sit start Week 2 fantasy football picks for 2025. Matt's top RB starts and sits including Kenneth Walker, Javonte Williams, Dylan Sampson.

Fantasy football continues cranking up as we head into Week 2 of the NFL season! Here at RotoBaller, we're dishing out the sit/start advice for running backs to help you dominate your matchups.

RotoBaller's Matt Donnelly drops his top running back starts and sits for Week 2, looking at players like Kenneth Walker, Javonte Williams, Dylan Sampson.

Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (channel Sirius 210, XM 87) - every weekday morning at 6:00 AM ET as well as Sunday Gameday at 6:00 AM ET. You can also find new weekly shows on YouTubeSpreaker, SpotifyiTunes and on the site under RotoBaller Radio podcasts. Win more in 2025 with RotoBaller!

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

2025 Fantasy Football: Week 2 RB Starts/Sits

Matt Donnelly's top RB starts and sits for Week 2 of the 2025 fantasy football season:

Thanks for listening to today's episode! Be sure to tune in throughout the week, and to also follow RotoBaller on Twitter, YouTube, Spotify and iTunes for the latest fantasy news and analysis.

 

Week 2 Fantasy Football Outlooks

Kenneth Walker, Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III is a flex player with upside in Week 2 when Seattle visits the Pittsburgh Steelers. Walker's 40% Week 1 snap share was concerning. That number figures to rise, given that Walker was working back from injuries throughout the offseason, but he does not appear poised to maintain the workhorse role he once held in this backfield. Walker was the preferred pass-catching running back in Week 1, which gives him a solid base in fantasy.

Seattle is facing a Steelers' defense on Sunday that should be solid all-around. However, they just got torched on the ground and through the air by a Jets offense that many considered to be below average coming into the season. With Seattle now having a week to see what their new offense looks like, they should be able to make adjustments and have more success in Week 2. Walker has lost his status as an RB2, but he can be started in your flex.

Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams is "clearly" the starter, according to offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. After some offseason uncertainty about how Dallas would deploy its backfield, Williams put concerns to rest with a strong Week 1 showing in Philadelphia. He logged 17 touches for 64 total yards and two touchdowns, proving he can handle goal-line work and sustain drives.

''Schottenheimer later admitted he wished he had given Williams even more opportunities, which signals that his workload could increase moving forward. That's encouraging news for fantasy managers, especially given Dallas' lack of a true challenger for lead-back duties. Looking ahead to Week 2, Williams draws a favorable matchup against the New York Giants, who were gashed for 220 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just 32 carries by Washington in Week 1. The Giants' front seven struggled mightily at the point of attack, giving Williams a chance to post another high-volume day with scoring upside.

Williams is a strong RB2 with RB1 upside this week. His locked-in goal-line role, combined with the Giants' weak run defense, makes him a must-start. If he continues to dominate touches in this backfield, he could quickly become one of the most reliable fantasy starters of the season -- health permitting.

Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson will head on the road to take on the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2. Sampson turned in an excellent pro debut in a one-point loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, catching all eight of his targets for 64 yards. He also dominated the backfield work, earning 12 carries to starter Jerome Ford's six in the contest.

Sampson appears to be locked into the pass-catching role in the Cleveland offense, a spot that should be productive against a Ravens defense that allowed James Cook to catch all five of his targets for 58 yards in Week 1. Sampson sets up as a high-end RB3/flex option with upside heading into fantasy contests in Week 2. Jerome Ford and Quinshon Judkins are both expected to be involved in the running game as well.

 

Who Should I Start Tool

Not sure who to start? Check out the Who Should I Start tool:

Who Should I Start for 1?

Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to start...

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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 2 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Kenneth Walker, Javonte Williams, Dylan Sampson. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 2. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.

Week 2 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Kenneth Walker, Javonte Williams, Dylan Sampson. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 2.

Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.

Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!

How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.

Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.

Popular Week 2 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 2 (2025)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.

 

Popular Week 2 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons

Below are some popular Week 2 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for Kenneth Walker, Javonte Williams, Dylan Sampson compared to others:

Kenneth Walker III
vs
Derrick Henry
Kenneth Walker III
vs
George Pickens
Kenneth Walker III
vs
Jeremiyah Love
Kenneth Walker III
vs
Brock Bowers
Kenneth Walker III
vs
Malik Nabers
Kenneth Walker III
vs
Nico Collins
Kenneth Walker III
vs
Omarion Hampton
Kenneth Walker III
vs
Chase Brown
Kenneth Walker III
vs
Saquon Barkley
Kenneth Walker III
vs
Chris Olave
Kenneth Walker III
vs
Justin Jefferson
Kenneth Walker III
vs
Jahmyr Gibbs
Kenneth Walker III
vs
Bijan Robinson
Kenneth Walker III
vs
Christian McCaffrey
Kenneth Walker III
vs
Jonathan Taylor
Kenneth Walker III
vs
James Cook III
Javonte Williams
vs
Garrett Wilson
Javonte Williams
vs
Emeka Egbuka
Javonte Williams
vs
Breece Hall
Javonte Williams
vs
Davante Adams
Javonte Williams
vs
Tetairoa McMillan
Javonte Williams
vs
Jameson Williams
Javonte Williams
vs
Kyren Williams
Javonte Williams
vs
Luther Burden III
Javonte Williams
vs
Rashee Rice
Javonte Williams
vs
Ladd McConkey
Javonte Williams
vs
Bucky Irving
Javonte Williams
vs
Jahmyr Gibbs
Javonte Williams
vs
Bijan Robinson
Javonte Williams
vs
Christian McCaffrey
Javonte Williams
vs
Jonathan Taylor
Javonte Williams
vs
James Cook III
Dylan Sampson
vs
Omar Cooper Jr.
Dylan Sampson
vs
Ka'imi Fairbairn
Dylan Sampson
vs
Braelon Allen
Dylan Sampson
vs
AJ Barner
Dylan Sampson
vs
Kimani Vidal
Dylan Sampson
vs
Tank Bigsby
Dylan Sampson
vs
Kaytron Allen
Dylan Sampson
vs
Brian Robinson Jr.
Dylan Sampson
vs
Isaac TeSlaa
Dylan Sampson
vs
Christian Kirk
Dylan Sampson
vs
Troy Franklin
Dylan Sampson
vs
Jahmyr Gibbs
Dylan Sampson
vs
Bijan Robinson
Dylan Sampson
vs
Christian McCaffrey
Dylan Sampson
vs
Jonathan Taylor
Dylan Sampson
vs
James Cook III

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