The first week of the NFL season is officially in the rearview mirror, and now fantasy football owners everywhere are trying to make the right start/sit decisions with their wide receivers. Will Emmanuel Sanders be able to capitalize on his new opportunity? Was Corey Davis just a one-week flash in the pan? Only time will tell for sure, but let’s look at the data and come up with the best projection possible.
Note that this list is primarily designed to deal with your flex spots. By nature, there’s going to be some variance between this list and your actual league. Use this article as a general rule of thumb, but ultimately the final decision comes down to you.
Running Back Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em
Emmanuel Sanders, Corey Davis Highlight Fantasy Football Week 2 Wide Receiver Start Sits
Start: Emmanuel Sanders
Michael Thomas is gone, which means that Emmanuel Sanders is the top receiver in the New Orleans Saints passing attack. While it goes without saying that Sanders won’t come close to replicating Thomas’ production, he should be a good play for your flex spot.
The longtime NFL veteran can get open at all levels of the field, including the quick and intermediate range that Drew Brees loves. He should see a decent percentage of Thomas’ vacated targets, and he could be the top red zone option in this offense. Last week, Sanders led the NFL with four red zone targets. If that usage continues, he has good odds of scoring a touchdown and leading the Saints in targets.
Sit: Corey Davis
Corey Davis set the world on fire in Week 1, recording seven receptions for 101 yards on eight targets. The former first-round pick is an athletic marvel that never quite lived up to his potential, similar to DeVante Parker a season ago. However, 2019 DeVante Parker is the exception, not the rule.
We’ve seen this type of performance from Davis before. The Western Michigan product has had the occasional blowup game but has never followed it up with any type of consistency. If he’s on your roster, your best move is to keep him on the bench for one more week. If he goes off again, then you can put him into your starting lineup.
Start: Julian Edelman
The New England Patriots started the first game of the post-Tom Brady Era with a run-heavy offense oriented around the legs of Cam Newton. Because of this, fantasy owners everywhere are concerned about the target-dependent Julian Edelman. Edelman didn’t do much in Week 1, but he still managed to record five receptions and seven targets in a game where Newton only threw the ball 19 times.
New England’s run-heavy offense was good enough to work against a bad Miami Dolphins team, but it won’t be enough to keep up with Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels implied that the offense will change in Week 2, and Edelman is the only reliable weapon in the passing game. He’s a great flex play in PPR leagues and should have a solid outing against a bad Seattle defense.
Sit: Keenan Allen
It’s a good thing Keenan Allen got his payday when he did. The big-money receiver struggled to develop any sort of chemistry with Tyrod Taylor, as LA’s new starter didn’t look his way too often. Mike Williams and Hunter Henry both finished in the top 20 of my (admittedly simple) Expected Fantasy Points model. Allen, meanwhile, came in all the way at 29. You obviously shouldn’t cut Allen, as this could’ve been a one-week fluke. However, he’s too dangerous to start. If Week 1 trends hold, then Allen is the third option in a low-scoring offense.
Start: Scott Miller without Chris Godwin
Chris Godwin is in concussion protocol and could miss Week 2’s matchup against the Carolina Panthers. If that happens, Scott Miller is a must-start in all formats. The Bowling Green product demonstrated immediate chemistry with Tom Brady last week, recording five receptions for 73 yards on six targets. Those targets are going to rise with Godwin gone, and the offense should improve with time. Brady might not have another 2016 in him, but the tape shows that he still has the raw talent to be one of the better passers in the league.
Sit: DeVante Parker
DeVante Parker had a magical season last year, but he’ll be hard-pressed to repeat his success in Week 2. The former first-round pick suffered a hamstring injury and will probably be limited in some capacity. Even if he is a full-go, he’s no guarantee to be the top option in the passing attack. Preston Williams is back, and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was favoring him in 2019 before his season-ending injury. Additionally, Parker will have to spend most of the day opposite star cornerback Tre’Davious White.
Auto-Starts (Better Than Emmanuel Sanders)
Davante Adams, Julio Jones, Tyreek Hill, Allen Robinson, DeAndre Hopkins, Adam Thielen, Calvin Ridley, Amari Cooper, Juju Smith-Schuster, DJ Chark, D.J. Moore, A.J. Brown, Mike Evans
Running Back Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em
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