Fantasy football season is heating up, and Week 2 brings crucial start/sit decisions that could make or break your lineup. Smart managers know that overreacting to one week of results can be costly, but identifying the right matchups is key. Whether you’re chasing upside or playing it safe, these recommendations will help you navigate the toughest decisions of the week.
Start ‘Em: Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Jaguars
This is a bit of a riskier play given the performance of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ passing attack in Week 1. But we’re banking on talent and matchup here.
The Cincinnati Bengals may have limited the Cleveland Browns to 16 points, but this is still the same defense that couldn’t stop anyone last season.
Jacksonville’s passing attack wasn’t really needed in Week 1 as the Caroline Panthers never forced them to need to do much. Travis Etienne Jr. dominated on the ground, and the Jaguars rode him and their defense (or rather, the inept Panthers’ offense) to victory.
We were this close to a massive Travis Hunter play! pic.twitter.com/B7Fqrhysyu
— Ben Cummins (@BenCumminsFF) September 7, 2025
Travis Hunter was mainly an offensive player. Although he only played 64% of the snaps, he led the team in targets and ran six fewer routes than Brian Thomas Jr. The Bengals will undoubtedly make the Jaguars have to do more offensively than they had to against the Panthers.
The obvious concern here is that Hunter has to catch passes from a bottom-five NFL starting quarterback in Trevor Lawrence.
We are betting that either Liam Coen can find a way to get the ball to his playmakers, or a negative game script will generate a lot of volume. We have multiple paths to success here, and Hunter looks like the real deal.
A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
This may end up looking very poor in a week, but how can the Philadelphia Eagles really not target A.J. Brown after what happened in Week 1?
Brown saw one target, which didn’t come until the fourth quarter. That has never happened before, and it will probably never happen again.
Although the Eagles won the game, this feels like a squeaky wheel game for the man who preaches inner excellence. Brown is too talented not to see designed targets for a second game in a row.
The Kansas City Chiefs still possess one of the top run defenses. They were the best against the run last year and held Omarion Hampton to 15 carries for 48 yards in Week 1. We should see more passing volume from Jalen Hurts and better production from one of the most talented wide receivers in the game.
You probably weren’t thinking of benching Brown anyway, but fantasy managers are often very reactionary. Just in case you were, don’t.
Sit ‘Em: Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts
Josh Downs is an outstanding football player. Daniel Jones starting over Anthony Richardson Sr. will benefit the pass catchers. Unfortunately, that won’t matter if Downs isn’t on the field.
Fantasy managers hoping for an increased role from Downs were sorely disappointed in Week 1. The third-year receiver played just 50% of the snaps and earned a mere three targets. He was going ahead of Michael Pittman Jr. in fantasy drafts. After one week, it looks like that was a mistake.
Downs exclusively played from the slot and in three-receiver sets. He ran 10 fewer routes than Alec Pierce.
Now, he gets a Denver Broncos defense that may be the best in the league. They just held Calvin Ridley to a 4-27 line on eight targets and prevented Cam Ward from throwing a touchdown. This is a bad spot for the Colts’ passing attack and an even worse one for the guy playing half the snaps.
Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
Chris Olave saw a staggering 13 targets in Week 1. That’s an incredible volume, which establishes that he will have a safe floor this season. But where’s the upside? Can Spencer Rattler even throw a touchdown?
It took Rattler 46 pass attempts to complete 27 throws for 214 yards. He hyper-targeted his WR1, but that still only resulted in 12.4 fantasy points.
The San Francisco 49ers did struggle to contain Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but he’s a better receiver than Olave, and Sam Darnold is infinitely more talented than Rattler. Start Olave if you must, but understand that touchdowns will be hard to come by.
