Sometimes, Week 1 comes and goes, and we end up with more questions than answers. Is what happened really what’s happening? There have been plenty of examples of massive anomalies occurring early, and then it’ll take us a few weeks to adjust back to normal.
Well, if you’re stuck, I’m here for you. Here are my start ‘em and sit ‘em picks for Week 2, with an emphasis on guys who may have over- or underperformed in the week prior.
Start ‘Em: Justin Fields, QB, New York Jets (at BUF)
It didn’t take long for us to be reminded that Justin Fields is an elite fantasy quarterback. While the New York Jets couldn’t quite come away with the win, they took the Pittsburgh Steelers to the brink in a 34-32 shootout that saw Fields go for 218 yards passing, 48 yards rushing, and three total touchdowns.
The Steelers were projected to have one of the league’s elite defenses, but did little to hold the Jets’ offense in check — RB Breece Hall and WR Garrett Wilson both looked excellent. More importantly, the offensive line was fantastic despite the loss of Alijah Vera-Tucker. Should that unit continue its dominance, it will pave the way for its skill talent to continue to find success.
Despite the loss of Alijah Vera-Tucker, the Jets’ run game is among the best in the NFL. With an elite OL, a deep stable of backs, TEs/WRs/FBs in support, and top-notch design, the Jets have a serious modern operation.
My favorite plays from Week 1 🧵🧵🧵 pic.twitter.com/gOG2nWrDu6
— Max Toscano (@maxtoscano1) September 11, 2025
This week, the Jets face a Buffalo defense that was just run over by Baltimore in Week 1. The Jets have a similar formula to the Ravens, albeit with no Derrick Henry — a hyper-mobile quarterback and a strong run game that can keep this defense on its heels. Keeping the ball out of Josh Allen’s hands will be paramount to New York stealing a win.
This feels game-script proof for a strong Fields fantasy outing. They’ll have to score to keep up with the Bills, and it seems unlikely that the Jets will be able to lay off the gas at any point. Even if this is a slow-burning game, Fields’ rushing gives him a sound floor.
Trey Benson, RB, Arizona Cardinals (vs. CAR)
Good news for the Trey Benson truthers of 2024 (it’s me). He broke into the lineup and saw actionable work in a close Week 1 game against the New Orleans Saints. This is still a James Conner paragraph. Start him with confidence against a weak Carolina Panthers run defense. But if you’re desperate at running back, Benson now poses a reasonable option.
Conner still had the lion’s share of snaps (65% vs 33%), but Benson’s nine touches to Conner’s 16 show a closing workload gap. This is a massive disparity in snap count and production from the 2024 version of this tandem, where Conner was a true workhorse.
I am not advocating for Benson as a sneaky breakout; you should still start true RB1s over him. However, injuries have already begun to pile up, and not all rosters were able to go heavy at the position (it’s me, again). So, if you’re in a pinch, I think Benson can be a play.
Once again, the Panthers will be one of the weakest defenses in the league, especially against the run, and the Cardinals love to ground-and-pound when they can. It would be helpful if they could put them away with more certainty, which they could not achieve against the Saints.
But being able to do so would guarantee more Benson snaps and touches. Either way, this is a defense to target, and this offense plays right into that weakness.
Jordan Mason, RB, Minnesota Vikings (vs. ATL)
It didn’t take long for Jordan Mason to take his place in this backfield. Mason and incumbent Aaron Jones Sr. split the backfield 30 snaps to 28 in Mason’s favor. Jones was the passing-downs back, but that work only netted him three receptions (granted, a long touchdown came from that), whereas Mason owned the carries with 15 to Jones’ eight.
On paper, the Falcons’ defense looked improved, holding RB Bucky Irving to just 37 yards on 14 attempts. However, on top of OL Tristan Wirfs’ absence, Tampa largely abandoned the run game as its offense struggled to get going. Three of Tampa’s first-half drives were three-and-outs, and they only held one extended drive throughout the game.
The Vikings suffered similar issues in their first week. However, they never let the run game go, a decision that paid off well by the second half. Mason didn’t even get a touch until the very end of the first quarter, and still managed to see a favorable workload.
HC Kevin O’Connell is a rare offensive playcaller who seems to be able to keep balance, even when things aren’t going well. For a team that had eight three-and-outs and was behind a majority of the game, O’Connell maintained the run and an even split between his two backs.
Should the game script improve, Mason should see more carries and possibly a shot at the end zone. It would help if QB JJ McCarthy started the way he finished last week, but Mason and Jones were still viable options even with everything going wrong.
Ricky Pearsall, WR, San Francisco 49ers (at NO)
It’s the last man standing for San Francisco. Plenty are wondering if Ricky Pearsall is a viable start now that QB Brock Purdy is out. This isn’t an ideal play in most cases, as I’m not sure there will be enough points to go around for an explosive performance, but I wouldn’t shy away from Pearsall unless you have a great alternative.
Mac Jones doesn’t scare me for fantasy. He isn’t a great starter, but he’s a solid backup and more than capable of feeding his best weapons.
In fact, in Jacksonville last season, RB Brian Thomas Jr. didn’t have his breakout finish until Jones came in in relief of Trevor Lawrence. Jones knows his best chance at success is getting the ball to the talent, and now there’s no other receiving talent to get the ball to.
Christian McCaffrey will get his fair share of receiving targets. But as things stand now, George Kittle is on IR, Jauan Jennings is banged up, and Brandon Aiyuk isn’t close to a return. That might put Kendrick Bourne, a free agent, in place to start against the Saints.
Pearsall is coming off a four-reception and 108-yard game in a 17-13 win over Seattle. He can be productive against a great defense in a low-scoring game. The Saints should be more susceptible to big plays, so I like this opportunity for Perasall, even with a backup quarterback.
Hollywood Brown, WR, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. PHI)
It’s the last man standing for Kansas City as well. The Chiefs’ receiving corps has been impressively unlucky, losing Xavier Worthy last week to friendly fire while already down rookie Jalen Royals to a knee injury and Rashee Rice to a suspension. That leaves Hollywood Brown as the only proven receiver remaining, unless you still believe in JuJu Smith-Schuster.
In fact, it’s the leftover receivers that give me hope for Hollywood in the Super Bowl rematch. Tyquan Thornton works well as a deep threat and field spacer, whereas JuJu is good for underneath and possession work. That puts Brown in a position to be the team’s “X-factor” receiver, someone that HC Andy Reid can move around to get into good looks.
Hollywood Brown earned a whopping 16 targets last night🤯
Is he a lineup lock going forward without Worthy and Rice?
— PlayerProfiler (@rotounderworld) September 6, 2025
TE Travis Kelce would be the other beneficiary. But whereas Brown had 10 receptions on 16 targets last week, Kelce had just two catches on four targets. One of those went for a long touchdown late in the game, but the lack of looks, even after Worthy went down, is concerning.
This is an important game for the Chiefs, who are unlikely to see a positive game script against the formidable Eagles. Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt combined for just 41 yards against the Chargers. If they can’t get the run game going, then they’ll be forced to pass.
There’s a very real scenario where Brown is the most talented pass catcher available for Mahomes, and I’m willing to take that bet in a crucial revenge game.
Tyler Warren, TE, Indianapolis Colts (vs. DEN)
Seeing the Denver Broncos for your players’ matchups will always strike fear, but you should still load up the rookie with confidence. This should be an interesting litmus test of trust because a handful of managers likely drafted another tight end as well as Warren. But unless you invested in an elite one, there should be no question here.
Broncos DC Vance Joseph has historically struggled with covering the position. In both 2019 and 2023, Joseph-led defenses allowed the most yards and touchdowns to tight ends in the season, allowing a combined 2,200 yards and 26 touchdowns over those two years. This hasn’t been a constant issue with this scheme, but it is an exploitable area.
I certainly would not expect Daniel Jones to throw another impressive game, but that could benefit Warren. Denver’s tremendous defense has strengths in the pass rush and at cornerback.
However, with Dre Greenlaw still out, there’s room to operate in the middle. No one will act as a better security blanket on this team than Warren, who should be available underneath and on check downs, and has the talent to turn them into a little more.
Tyler Warren was as advertised in Week 1
three receptions on the Colts first drive. 96 yards on 7 targets in total.
53 of 70 snaps in a blowout win – after three different Colts TEs played 450+ snaps last season
We’re looking at a Top 5 TE in fantasy football pic.twitter.com/1X3tL8BMVf
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) September 8, 2025
Warren is already the preferred target anyway, leading in targets and receptions in their Week 1 blowout win over Miami. Michael Pittman Jr. caught the lone receiving touchdown, but it feels like Warren is due. There’s no worry from me for the rookie, even against an elite defense.
Sit ‘Em: Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots (at MIA)
I was a massive believer in Drake Maye before the season, but it looks like we’ll have to pump the brakes a little. New England was ineffective in their opener against a vulnerable Las Vegas defense, so even an appealing Miami Dolphins matchup doesn’t quite sell me.
Sure, it’ll be tempting to play your exciting young quarterback against the team that just let Daniel Jones pop off for 30-plus fantasy points. In theory, this should be the perfect get-right game for a young offense. What worries me isn’t the exact matchup, but the location.
This game takes place in Miami at Hard Rock Stadium, where the Dolphins boast one of the league’s best home-field advantages in the early parts of the season. Miami is brutally hot and humid, and teams struggle there when forced to wear dark-colored uniforms as the Dolphins steal the all-white jerseys.
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It was early September in Miami when the Dolphins embarrassed the Denver Broncos 70-20, yet the trajectory of those two teams has gone the opposite way. Last season, the Bills handled the Dolphins 31-10 in week two, but Josh Allen only passed for one touchdown, 139 yards, and rushed for just two yards.
The gross reality of this game is that it’s likely to be slow and ugly. Miami’s offense was pitiful against the Colts. If they’re unable to apply any pressure to New England, there won’t be a good game script for Maye. That’s before we get to worrying about the Patriots’ offense and how they’ll function coming off a bad week and heading into a worse environment.
If possible, avoid playing Maye until we start to see an identifiable improvement from this offense.
Javonte Williams, RB, Dallas Cowboys (vs. NYG)
Javonte Williams outperformed expectations with his season-opening performance against Philadelphia. No one expected him to be able to run on the Eagles’ defensive line, and the reality is, he didn’t. Falling into the end zone twice did a lot for his managers. Hopefully, you sold high if you had the chance.
Williams’ workload should be enough to keep him in RB2/FLEX consideration, but I worry his floor is still quite low. His two scores have him already halfway to his career-high in total touchdowns in a season, and his two receptions for 10 yards didn’t look too promising either.
After Miles Sanders fumbled away the Cowboys’ shot to upset the Eagles, Williams may be in line for more work, but will still need a score to salvage a decent week. The Giants’ defensive line is also quite strong despite getting gashed on the ground. Washington got up early, had to worry about Jayden Daniels, and had more explosive rushers than Williams
Williams doesn’t have much upside without the big-play ability or receiving work. His touch floor may make him a reasonable play in a given week, but more often than not, you’ll need to chase high-upside scorers. Unless he’s truly recovered from the injuries that zapped his former ability, it’s unlikely he’s what fantasy managers are looking for.
D’Andre Swift, RB, Chicago Bears (vs. DET)
D’Andre Swift and Javonte Williams were essentially the same player in Week 1. True lead backs, 50-ish rushing yards, and a couple catches for 10-ish yards in the air. Swift had three more touches and one more yard than Williams last week, but didn’t get the two scores. The workload is really exciting for these players, but the efficiency is not.
Swift was not only less efficient per touch than Williams, but had a whopping 35.3% success rate on his carries. The lack of a run game ultimately doomed the Bears in their loss against the Vikings. DJ Moore was the only other player to get carries aside from Caleb Williams, so it’s clear that there was a lack of trust in rookie Kyle Monangai.
[Highlight] De’Andre Swift with the grown man power run as he bulls his way through for the first down pic.twitter.com/ndBIN7bl4L
— StreamFab (@StreamFab_X) September 9, 2025
Roschon Johnson has been cleared to return after a foot injury kept him out of the opener. If Johnson cuts into his touches at all, there might not even be a safe floor through volume.
The Lions know Swift well, but it isn’t an ideal “get-right” game for this rushing attack. Even with a negative game script, they managed to hold RB Josh Jacobs to a moderate 66 yards on 19 carries. Swift doesn’t have the same talent, and likely won’t have the same volume or game script to get near those numbers.
If you’re lacking options and need Swift to start at RB2 or in your flex spot, you’re hoping for a big play or a few goal-line touches to make it worth your while.
A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (at KC)
I get it. The notion of benching A.J. Brown is terrifying. The odds are that you don’t have an alternative anyway, so you probably aren’t going to bench him. I’m not here to doom Brown in the long term, but I think his skid may last another week.
Brown is coming off a one-target, one-reception, eight-yard game in a surprisingly close contest against Dallas. This was a brutal hit to Brown managers who were relying on him against a weak secondary to open the season, and had to sit with that performance through the first week.
Now, managers have to make an even harder decision — bench one of your best players, or suffer with him in your lineup and chance another dud “because I had to.”
#Eagles WR AJ Brown tells me he has seen all the crazy tweets and overreactions about his 1-catch game in Week 1:
“None of those things are true. I got zoned the entire game. … Just know I’m excited for Week 2.” pic.twitter.com/2kDvl11CRT
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 11, 2025
I’m here to tell you that if you have another viable receiver or flex option, I’d lean with them. Brown didn’t just have a bad game; he’s currently in a slump. Five of his last six games have gone under 50 yards, and three of them were under 15.
Even in the Super Bowl against Kansas City, Brown had just three receptions for 43 yards. The problem with the Eagles is that they don’t need to rely on him.
Even when RB Saquon Barkley doesn’t have a strong game, they have the means to win games through defense and QB Jalen Hurts’ legs. The possibility of Philadelphia getting ahead early against an injured Chiefs’ team and not needing to pass feels worryingly high.
Brown is a specific receiver. He absolutely eats against man coverage. He’s too big and too strong to man up, and still fast enough to eat against the best athletes. Thus, teams are playing heavy zones to counteract both him and to have extra eyes on Hurts in the backfield.
The Chiefs play their fair share of man, but still are in zone a majority of the time, and will likely do more so against the Eagles. Don’t panic yet on Brown, though. In fact, buy him low if his manager in your league is selling. However, I don’t love this matchup for him unless it becomes a shootout.
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals (vs. CAR)
Marvin Harrison Jr. started his sophomore campaign well with a five-reception, 71-yard, and one touchdown performance against the New Orleans Saints. While the base stats were fine, the underlying metrics still weren’t great.
Harrison did lead the team in targets with six, but that’s still low volume for their clear WR1 in a game that was closer than it should’ve been. The Saints had a chance to tie the game late. Thus, Arizona was not just trying to run out the game.
KEEP READING: Week 2 Fantasy WR Trade Targets Include Tyreek Hill, Quentin Johnston, and Marvin Harrison Jr.
QB Kyler Murray had just 29 attempts for 163 yards, and spread the ball out well in those limited opportunities. Eight different receivers caught a ball for the Cardinals, six of whom caught only one.
Now they face a Panthers team that is much easier to run on, allowing RB Travis Etienne to go for 143 yards in the opener. He’s a player we weren’t even sure was going to be the lead-back going into the season. The Cardinals love to run the ball under OC Drew Petzing, and the Panthers hate defending it.
It could be another story if Carolina forces a shootout. But we saw QB Bryce Young look more like his 2023 version instead of the late 2024 one we were hoping for.
Jaycee Horn as the nearest defender in coverage in Week 1
🔹 3 targets
🔹 1 catch, 7 yards allowed
🔹 2.8 passer rating against
🔹 A one-handed INT ⤵️🎥: @Panthers pic.twitter.com/TMEhu9J8ej
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) September 8, 2025
To make matters worse, Panthers corner Jaycee Horn is healthy and played incredibly against Brian Thomas Jr. last week. There isn’t another credible threat for Horn to shadow, so we’re looking at a brutal matchup and a terrible game script for Harrison.
David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns (vs. BAL)
For a beloved player around the league and in drafts, it’s a shame that we have to worry about him already. There’s a reality that Cleveland has to throw a lot to keep up, and that could result in finding David Njoku in the end zone. But you don’t want to rely on garbage time for your production, and that makes Njoku a sketchy bet.
Few would’ve predicted that rookie Harold Fannin Jr. would be so involved so early. Even supporters like myself would have figured it’d take time for him to integrate into the offense with his diverse skill set.
Instead, he nearly became the offense with a team-leading nine targets, seven receptions, 63 yards, and even a rush. It was far more than what was expected out of the gate.
Now, Njoku is competing for targets within his own position. He won the snap battle 61-51 over Fannin, but lost the target battle 9-6. It feels like those looks could switch at any point, but for now, we just don’t know.
Betting on the talent is one thing, but betting on Njoku in a bad offense with competition at his position feels like a losing battle, even if it hits every few weeks. Maybe I’m overreacting to week one, but I’m hitting the panic button here early.
