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Scott Engel breaks down his Week 2 fantasy football lineups analysis, spotlighting key NFL players to start and tougher lineup start/sit decisions to make.
Welcome to Week 2, RotoBallers! Below you will find some of my spotlight plays and tough lineup decisions for Week 2 of the fantasy football season.
These are based off my Premium Weekly Lineup rankings, available as part of the RotoBaller's NFL Premium Pass. Enter promo code KING at checkout for a 10% discount and get access to all of my ranks in all formats, plus a full roster of tools and analysis for the entire 2019 season.
Skill position picks here are mainly based on PPR ranks.
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Spotlight RB Starters for Week 2
Sony Michel, RB, NE (RB19): He is set for a big rebound performance after rushing for just 14 yards on 15 carries in the opener. He should get the ball early and often as he gets worked back into the flow of the New England offense. You may get more than one TD run out of Michel this week. I think this game will actually be competitive and look for Michel to finish some scoring drives for the Patriots.
Devin Singletary, RB, BUF (RB21): The rookie totaled 98 yards on nine touches in the season opener and will display his upside again vs. the Giants. Sean McDermott has said Frank Gore is the starter, but Singletary will produce the better fantasy numbers. If you can put him in your flex spot the return should be pretty good in terms of yards from scrimmage, and he may be the top option near the goal line.
Raheem Mostert, RB, SF (RB31): If you are in a deeper league or have some flex concerns, Mostert could do a nice job of filling a flex need. He will have to step forward with the Tevin Coleman injury and Matt Breida cannot be expected to carry a heavy workload. Mostert is a speedster who can score from anywhere on the field and he has some big play potential.
Spotlight WR Starters for Week 2
Michael Gallup, WR, DAL (WR21): He started off what should be a breakout season with seven catches for 158 yards against the Giants. The Redskins showed they could be beaten by downfield playmakers against Philadelphia last week. Gallup is going to deliver a few big gainers.
John Brown, WR, BUF (WR28): He set a Bills franchise record for the most receiving yards by a WR in his team debut with 123. Josh Allen will never hesitate to throw it downfield and Brown has the deep gears the QB and the Bills have been seeking. This will be another impressive week for the Allen/Brown combination.
D.K. Metcalf, WR, SEA (WR36): He looked healthy and dangerous in his pro debut, and deserves serious Fantasy WR3 consideration in Week Two. The Seahawks may have to throw the ball more to keep up with the Steelers, and Metcalf is already looking promising while working with one of the game’s best deep passers, Russell Wilson.
Spotlight QB Starters for Week 2
Dak Prescott, QB DAL (QB9): This is another game where the Cowboys can have their fun without leaning too heavily on their running game. Ezekiel Elliott will get his production through efficiency, and Prescott will spearhead the Cowboys offense for the second consecutive week. Expect at least two TD passes and possibly a rushing score.
Ben Roethlisberger, QB, PIT (QB11): You can expect a bounce-back performance in the Pittsburgh home opener. Ben and the Steelers will be sharply focused on putting a terrible Week 1 outing behind them. The Seattle secondary is the weakness of their defense and Roethlisberger will poke consistent holes in the secondary after Andy Dalton tore the unit up last week.
Spotlight TE Starters for Week 2
Jared Cook, TE, New Orleans (TE8): He was not a factor in New Orleans’ season opener, but look for him to be more involved in the passing game this week and going forward. Cook is coming off a career year and is the best big target that Drew Brees has now, other than Michael Thomas. He’ll be a frequent TD contributor who gets a lot of looks near the goal line.
Vance McDonald, TE, PIT (TE12): I have always been of the opinion that McDonald is overrated and overhyped in Fantasy, but I will make an exception this week. C.J. Uzomah had four catches for 66 yards vs. Seattle in Week 1, and tight ends have frequently been able to find some room over the middle against Pete Carroll defenses.
Tough Lineup Decisions to Consider in Week 2
Last week we pinpointed T.J. Hockenson over Austin Hooper, Jamison Crowder over Dede Westbrook, and Matt Ryan over Jameis Winston.
James White over Aaron Jones: I think White has a quality PPR floor. Antonio Brown is not going to be a major part of the Patriots offense just yet and White will be busy enough in a game that might be tighter than most expect. Meanwhile, Jones has another tough draw against Minnesota after getting stifled by the Bears.
LeSean McCoy over Duke Johnson: McCoy had a larger role than I expected in Kansas City’s opener and is a respectable flex play against the Raiders. Johnson did not get as much running work as I anticipated and Carlos Hyde was more involved than expected. McCoy can equal Johnson’s receiving load and is a better option for a rushing TD.
Marquise Brown over DeSean Jackson: Both of these speedy playmakers exploded in their season openers. But we know historically that Jackson can never be relied on, and Brown has a very enticing matchup against the very vulnerable Arizona secondary. Brown could turn out to be boom or bust too, but this won’t be the week when we find out if consistency will be an issue.
Calvin Ridley over Josh Gordon: The Eagles were lit up early by Case Keenum, and Matt Ryan should play better in the Falcons’ home opener. Gordon has a seemingly tasty matchup against the Dolphins, but there are other touches to be distributed in the New England offense, while Ridley should be a premier target for his QB.
Philip Rivers over Aaron Rodgers: The Lions aren’t the most intimidating opponent for Rivers, and if he keeps feeding Austin Ekeler, his numbers will be boosted. Rodgers gets another challenging opponent, Minnesota, after facing the league’s best defense in Week 1.
Darren Waller over David Njoku: Waller made good on the preseason buzz in the opener against Denver, catching seven passes for 70 yards. He should be a quality Fantasy starter in what may be a higher-scoring affair with the Chiefs. Njoku is a TD threat but I like Waller better for yardage and receptions.
More Week 2 Lineup Prep
