Making the right start ’em, sit ’em decisions can be the difference between winning and losing your fantasy football matchup each week. Throughout the 2026 NFL season, we’ll break down the best fantasy football starts and sits at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, defense, and kicker. Using matchups, usage trends, advanced stats, injuries, and scoring opportunities, this weekly Start ’Em, Sit ’Em guide will highlight the players you should trust in your lineup, and the ones you may want to leave on the bench.
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Quarterbacks to Start
Patrick Mahomes KC
Patrick Mahomes’ return from last year’s knee injury wasn’t perfect, but I saw enough against Denver to feel considerably better about starting him in Week 2. Mahomes completed only 15-of-27 passes for 184 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, but he added 23 rushing yards and another touchdown to finish with 22.7 fantasy points. The rushing production was probably the most encouraging part considering this was his first regular-season game back from the torn ACL and LCL. He looked comfortable escaping the pocket and extending plays rather than playing like a quarterback trying to protect his knee. The passing efficiency still has room to improve, as PFF gave Mahomes just a 56.2 passing grade with zero big-time throws, but he also didn’t record a turnover-worthy play. Against a Denver defense that I expected to be one of the toughest matchups he’ll see all season, I’ll take that for his first game back.
I’m much more interested in Mahomes against Indianapolis. The Colts allowed Baltimore to score 41 points in Week 1 and had very few answers for Lamar Jackson, especially once he extended plays and attacked them outside of structure. That’s encouraging after we immediately saw Mahomes willing to use his legs again against Denver. Indianapolis also has to find a way to deal with Kansas City’s passing attack without being overly aggressive and giving Mahomes opportunities to punish the blitz. Mahomes obviously doesn’t give us the same rushing ceiling as Jackson, but he doesn’t need to. After surviving Denver and still producing more than 20 fantasy points, he gets a significant matchup upgrade against a Colts defense that gave us very little reason to fear it in Week 1. I’m comfortable putting Mahomes right back into my lineup as a QB1.
Jaxson Dart NYG
Jaxson Dart looked considerably better in Week 1 than I expected against Dallas, completing 23-of-29 passes for 230 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions while adding 11 carries for 54 yards. That rushing workload is what really pushes Dart into my starting lineup. He doesn’t need to throw for 300 yards every week when he’s capable of giving us 50-plus yards on the ground, and we’ve consistently seen that rushing ability translate to fantasy production when he’s been healthy. His passing efficiency against Dallas was impressive as well, finishing with a 79.3% completion rate, 7.9 yards per attempt, and a 134.2 passer rating. PFF was a little less impressed with the performance, giving Dart a 68.5 passing grade, but he still avoided the major mistakes that can destroy a fantasy performance while producing three touchdowns through the air.
The Rams are a much different defense than Dallas, but this matchup became considerably more appealing with Myles Garrett expected to miss multiple weeks following knee surgery. Los Angeles played Week 1 without Aaron Donald and will now be without Garrett, the centerpiece of its pass rush. That’s significant against Dart because pressure is probably the easiest way to disrupt a young quarterback before he can create outside structure. I’m not expecting another three passing touchdowns, and playing the Rams on the road is certainly a tougher environment than facing Dallas at home. What keeps Dart inside my QB1 range is the rushing. Eleven carries give him access to fantasy production even if his passing efficiency takes a step backward, and that’s a floor most quarterbacks simply don’t have. After seeing the Giants immediately unleash him as both a passer and runner, I’m starting Dart again in Week 2.
Brock Purdy SF
Brock Purdy didn’t play a perfect game against the Rams, but he gave fantasy managers exactly what we needed. Purdy completed 25-of-34 passes for 205 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception, and added five carries for 29 yards, finishing as a top-10 fantasy quarterback in Week 1. His underlying passing metrics weren’t nearly as dominant as the three touchdowns suggest. PFF gave him a 58.4 passing grade; he averaged only 4.9 air yards per attempt and recorded two turnover-worthy plays. What I liked considerably more was how San Francisco handled pressure. According to Fantasy Points Data, Purdy posted the lowest pressure-to-sack rate among qualified quarterbacks last season at just 9.0%, and he wasn’t sacked on any of his 36 dropbacks in Week 1. Even when everything isn’t clicking downfield, Purdy has become extremely good at preventing pressure from completely destroying drives.
Now he gets one of my favorite quarterback matchups of Week 2 against Miami. The Dolphins generated very little pressure in their opener and don’t present anything close to the same challenge Purdy just dealt with against the Rams. Miami also allowed Las Vegas to score 27 points, and now it has to travel across the country to San Francisco. The 49ers should be able to dictate this game offensively, and Purdy has more than enough talent around him to take advantage. My only concern is that San Francisco could build a significant lead and lean heavily on the running game, limiting Purdy’s second-half volume. That’s a game-script concern rather than a matchup concern. After producing three touchdowns in a much more difficult environment, Purdy gets a significant downgrade in defensive difficulty and is one of my favorite quarterback starts of Week 2.
Quarterbacks to Sit
Justin Herbert LAC
Justin Herbert’s Week 1 performance was disappointing for fantasy, but I don’t think he played nearly as poorly as the box score suggests. Herbert completed 17-of-27 passes for 209 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while adding five carries for 29 yards, finishing outside the top 20 quarterbacks. According to Fantasy Points Data, Herbert ranked third among qualifying quarterbacks in highly accurate throw rate and seventh in catchable-target rate, so accuracy wasn’t the primary issue. The bigger problem was that Los Angeles couldn’t consistently finish drives, and Herbert was sacked three times in a 26-14 loss. This isn’t me suddenly questioning Herbert’s talent after one game. I’m questioning whether the situation around him gives us enough ceiling to start him over the other quarterbacks available this week.
The biggest variable is Ladd McConkey’s health. McConkey left Week 1 with a rib injury and opened the week without practicing, and Herbert’s efficiency changed dramatically without him. NFL’s Week 2 matchup analysis had Herbert averaging 10.3 yards per attempt with McConkey on the field compared with only 5.4 after he exited. That’s especially concerning against a Raiders defense that just generated five sacks against Miami. If McConkey is cleared and looks close to full strength, I’m much more willing to move Herbert back toward the QB1 conversation. If McConkey is out or clearly limited, Herbert loses his best separator and most reliable target against a defense capable of creating pressure. With several quarterbacks drawing much better situations this week, I’m comfortable leaving Herbert on the bench unless we get encouraging news on McConkey before Sunday.
Joe Burrow CIN
Joe Burrow wasn’t terrible in Cincinnati’s Week 1 win over Tampa Bay, but it wasn’t the type of performance that makes me excited to start him in a significantly tougher matchup. Burrow completed 25-of-35 passes for 254 yards with one touchdown and one interception, finishing with 7.3 yards per attempt. Cincinnati scored 33 points, but Burrow wasn’t responsible for the type of fantasy production we’d normally expect when this offense reaches that number. There were some encouraging signs: he completed more than 70% of his passes and was sacked only once, but nothing from Week 1 makes me want to ignore what Houston can do defensively.
The matchup is already enough to make me cautious, and Burrow’s back tightness adds another variable. He was limited Wednesday and didn’t throw during the portion of practice open to reporters, although Burrow has downplayed the issue as normal soreness and said he expects to play. I’m treating that as something to monitor rather than the reason to bench him. My bigger concern is facing Houston on the road. The Texans gave up 36 points to Buffalo in Week 1, so they’re certainly not invincible, but this remains a defense built around creating pressure and making quarterbacks uncomfortable. Unlike Josh Allen, Burrow isn’t going to give us a massive rushing floor if the passing game struggles. Between the road matchup, Houston’s pass rush, and a merely decent Week 1 passing performance, I’d rather look elsewhere at quarterback in Week 2, with the back tightness giving me one additional reason to be cautious.
Matthew Stafford LAR
Matthew Stafford is the easiest quarterback sit for me this week because there was almost nothing encouraging about the opener. Stafford completed just 15-of-25 passes for 155 yards with zero touchdowns and an interception as the Rams scored only seven points against San Francisco. He finished as the QB32 for the week, but the advanced numbers were arguably even worse than the fantasy result. Stafford ranked near the bottom of the league in several passing-efficiency and accuracy metrics while averaging only 6.2 yards per attempt. The Rams did leave points on the field, Stafford threw an interception in scoring range, and was stopped on a quarterback sneak at the goal line, but that doesn’t change how disjointed the passing offense looked for most of the game.
I’m not expecting Stafford to suddenly be finished after the season he had last year, but the Giants gave me enough in Week 1 to make this an easy wait-and-see situation. New York held Dak Prescott to 175 passing yards on 34 attempts, limited CeeDee Lamb to 44 yards and George Pickens to 28, and didn’t allow Dallas to complete a pass longer than 17 yards. The interesting part is that the Giants did all of that without recording a sack, so this wasn’t simply a pass rush overwhelming Dallas. Their secondary held up throughout the game and forced Prescott to consistently work underneath. Stafford also gives us essentially zero rushing production, meaning he needs passing yards and touchdowns to deliver a useful fantasy score. I expect Sean McVay to get this offense playing considerably better eventually, but after what we saw in Week 1, I need Stafford to prove it before I’m putting him back into my fantasy lineup.
Running Backs to Start
Aaron Jones Sr. MIN
Aaron Jones wasn’t somebody I was particularly excited about after Week 1, but his situation changed dramatically with Jordan Mason heading to injured reserve following surgery for a fractured thumb. Jones rushed 12 times for 40 yards and a touchdown against Green Bay while Mason handled 15 carries for 59 yards and a score, with the two backs essentially splitting the workload. Jones played 42.6% of Minnesota’s offensive snaps and handled half of the running back red-zone carries, but he wasn’t particularly efficient, averaging just 1.92 yards after contact per attempt without forcing a missed tackle. Normally that type of performance wouldn’t have me moving Jones into my starting lineup, but Mason’s absence eliminates the biggest obstacle standing between him and a significantly larger workload.
The matchup makes the timing even better. Chicago’s defense was just shredded for 37 points by Carolina and struggled badly against the run, allowing the second-highest rushing success rate and eighth-highest explosive run rate in Week 1. Jones should now operate as Minnesota’s clear lead back without another established runner currently positioned to absorb Mason’s 15 Week 1 carries. The Vikings have promoted DeeJay Dallas and added Jerome Ford to the practice squad, so I’m not going to pretend we know exactly how the touches behind Jones will be distributed. I’m also not expecting Minnesota to suddenly give a 31-year-old Jones 25 touches. He doesn’t need that type of workload to return RB2 value in this matchup. Give me 15-plus carries, receiving involvement, and the red-zone role we already saw in Week 1 against a defense that couldn’t stop the run, and Jones becomes one of my favorite running back starts of Week 2.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt WAS
Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s Week 1 fantasy performance wasn’t anything crazy, but the underlying usage gave me exactly what I needed to see. He handled 16 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown against Philadelphia while adding one reception, finishing with 17 touches despite Washington playing from behind for much of the game. More importantly, Croskey-Merritt played 49.3% of the offensive snaps and handled 55.2% of Washington’s designed rushing attempts. Rachaad White finished with only seven carries, while Croskey-Merritt ran 13 routes compared with White’s 14. The one concern was red-zone usage, where Croskey-Merritt received only one of Washington’s five running back carries, but I’m much more interested in the fact that he already looks like the clear lead runner after one game.
Now the matchup gets considerably easier. Philadelphia has one of the toughest defensive fronts in football, yet Croskey-Merritt still managed 63 yards and a touchdown. Dallas allowed 111 rushing yards and a touchdown to Giants running backs in Week 1 while also struggling to consistently prevent runners from getting clean opportunities before contact. That’s exactly the type of matchup where Croskey-Merritt’s rushing volume can turn into a much bigger fantasy performance. The receiving ceiling remains somewhat limited, and I want to see him earn more opportunities near the goal line, but 16 carries against Philadelphia is a very encouraging starting point. If Washington stays competitive against Dallas, I’m expecting another 15-plus touch workload with much better efficiency. I’m comfortable starting Croskey-Merritt as an RB2/flex in Week 2.
Bhayshul Tuten JAX
Bhayshul Tuten’s Week 1 usage wasn’t perfect, but there was considerably more to like than the final fantasy score suggests. Tuten rushed 15 times for 66 yards and caught his only target for another 22 yards, giving him 88 total yards on 16 touches against Cleveland. He played 49.1% of Jacksonville’s offensive snaps and accounted for nearly 60% of the backfield opportunities despite the Jaguars running only 55 offensive plays. PFF also graded Tuten as one of the better runners from the opening week. The concern is that Chris Rodriguez Jr. Tuten didn’t control the early-down work as completely as I would like, while Rodriguez handled Jacksonville’s only goal-line snap and received most of the short-yardage opportunities. That keeps Tuten from being a completely safe play, but the overall workload was better than I expected from this committee.
Denver is a considerably tougher matchup than Cleveland, and that’s why I’m keeping Tuten in the lower-end RB2/flex range rather than treating him as a must-start. Four of his Week 1 carries came late with Nick Mullens at quarterback after the game was already decided, so I’m not blindly projecting his 16 touches forward. Tuten did show enough explosiveness to earn opportunities when the game was competitive, though, and his 22-yard reception was particularly encouraging because receiving work gives him another path to fantasy production if Rodriguez continues stealing short-yardage carries. There is definitely risk here, but after seeing Tuten lead Jacksonville in rushing, handle nearly half the snaps, and produce 88 yards on his opportunities, I’m willing to trust the talent and overall role as an RB2/flex in Week 2.
Running Backs to Sit
Jeremiyah Love ARI
Jeremiyah Love found the end zone in his NFL debut, but the touchdown covered up a backfield split that I’m not particularly excited about for Week 2. Love handled 11 carries and four targets against the Chargers, but Tyler Allgeier received 17 carries and out-snapped him 41-32. Allgeier ultimately finished with 19 touches compared with Love’s 15 opportunities, and Arizona consistently leaned on the veteran when it wanted to grind out the game late. My initial thought was that Love’s workload might have been intentionally limited after he spent much of the preseason dealing with a high-ankle sprain, but Mike LaFleur said afterward that Love wasn’t on a snap count. In other words, this wasn’t necessarily a temporary workload restriction. This might simply be how Arizona wants to use its two running backs right now.
That becomes much harder to trust against Seattle. Love is explosive enough to turn 12 or 13 touches into a strong fantasy performance, and the four targets were encouraging, but that’s asking for a lot of efficiency from a player who isn’t currently controlling his own backfield. The touchdown in Week 1 makes the final result look better than the underlying volume, and I’m not willing to assume Arizona suddenly flips the workload heavily toward Love one week later. His talent still gives him significant season-long upside, and I expect his role to grow as the year progresses, but right now we’re dealing with a rookie coming off an ankle injury, splitting work with Allgeier and facing a difficult Seattle defense. Unless I’m thin at running back, I’d rather leave Love on the bench and wait for his workload to expand.
Travis Etienne Jr. NO
Travis Etienne actually had some encouraging usage in his Saints debut, which makes this more of a role-based sit than a reaction to his fantasy score. Etienne finished with 16 touches and 78 total yards against Detroit, including seven receptions for 32 yards. That receiving involvement was excellent and gives him a much better PPR floor than I expected. The problem was the rushing workload. Etienne and Kendre Miller both handled nine carries, with Etienne playing 59.3% of the offensive snaps and accounting for only 39.1% of New Orleans’ designed rushing attempts. CJ Donaldson was also involved situationally. Making matters worse for Week 2, Kellen Moore said Alvin Kamara is expected to return against Baltimore, adding another established option to a backfield that was already more crowded than I expected.
Baltimore’s Week 1 rushing numbers weren’t particularly impressive, so I’m not sitting Etienne because I think the matchup is impossible. My concern is whether he gets enough valuable touches to take advantage of it. The Saints are going on the road against a Baltimore team that just scored 41 points, creating a legitimate risk of another pass-heavy game script. That could help Etienne’s receiving production, but now we’re trying to project how those passing-down opportunities will be divided with Kamara back in the offense. Seven receptions rescued Etienne’s Week 1 workload in PPR leagues, but I’m not comfortable depending on that again when Miller is taking early-down carries, and Kamara is returning. Etienne’s receiving role was encouraging; his control of the backfield wasn’t. With another mouth being added to the rotation this week, I’m leaving him on my bench.
Quinshon Judkins CLE
Quinshon Judkins’ Week 1 workload was better than his fantasy production, but almost everything else was concerning. He rushed 12 times for just 33 yards and caught both of his targets for 17 yards in Cleveland’s 34-10 loss to Jacksonville. According to PFF, Judkins averaged only 2.0 yards after contact per attempt, forced one missed tackle, and finished with a 54.0 rushing grade. He also failed to produce an explosive run. The positive is that Cleveland should continue treating him as its primary early-down runner, especially with Dylan Sampson now on injured reserve. The problem is that increased opportunity doesn’t necessarily equal increased fantasy value when the offense consistently finds itself in negative game scripts, and Judkins isn’t controlling the passing-down work.
Tampa Bay gives me another reason to wait. The Buccaneers held Chase Brown to 3.5 yards per carry in Week 1, and Cleveland now has to go on the road after falling behind Jacksonville 24-0 by halftime in the opener. That’s exactly the game script I’m worried about with Judkins because Raheim Sanders handled Cleveland’s third-down and two-minute work in Week 1. Judkins could easily see 15-plus carries if the Browns keep this game competitive, but his fantasy floor becomes extremely fragile if Tampa Bay jumps ahead and forces Cleveland into another pass-heavy script. He doesn’t have enough receiving involvement to consistently bail us out if the rushing efficiency remains poor. Sampson’s injury may give Judkins more early-down opportunities, but until those opportunities become more efficient or Cleveland proves it can keep him involved regardless of game script, he’s staying on my bench in Week 2.
Wide Receivers to Start
Quentin Johnston LAC
Quentin Johnston’s Week 1 box score was ugly, but I’m going right back to him against Las Vegas. Johnston caught only two of six targets for 17 yards against Arizona, but the opportunities were considerably more encouraging than the production. FantasyPros charted Johnston with seven true targets when including a penalty-erased opportunity, and he ran a route on 83.3% of Justin Herbert’s dropbacks. More importantly, most of Johnston’s opportunities came after Ladd McConkey left the game with a rib injury. McConkey was clearly Herbert’s top option before getting hurt, but he opened Week 2 by missing Wednesday’s practice and is currently day-to-day. With KeAndre Lambert-Smith already on injured reserve and McConkey’s status uncertain, Johnston could suddenly find himself operating as one of Herbert’s primary receivers.
That’s a role I’m willing to chase against Las Vegas. The Raiders generated plenty of pressure in Week 1, but Johnston doesn’t need ten short-area targets to pay off because his fantasy value has always been tied heavily to explosive plays and touchdowns. He scored eight touchdowns in each of the previous two seasons and averaged 14.4 yards per reception in 2025. Tre Harris is going to remain involved and actually ran the same number of routes as Johnston in Week 1, so I’m not treating Johnston like some suddenly guaranteed WR1. The combination of an 83.3% route rate, six official targets, and the possibility of McConkey missing the game gives him considerably more opportunity than his 17-yard opener suggests. If McConkey sits, Johnston becomes one of my favorite upside WR3/flex plays of Week 2. If McConkey returns close to full strength, Johnston becomes a more volatile flex rather than someone I’m forcing into my lineup.
Stefon Diggs WAS
Stefon Diggs didn’t play a traditional full-time role in his Washington debut, but almost everything he did when he was on the field makes me want him in my lineup against Dallas. Diggs led the Commanders with nine targets against Philadelphia and turned them into four receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown. According to PFF, Terry McLaurin ran a route on 92.1% of Washington’s passing plays while Diggs was at only 65.8%, which would normally concern me. The difference is what happened when Diggs actually ran a route. He was targeted on 36% of them, while FantasyPros charted him with a 26.5% official target share, a 33.1% air-yard share, and a red-zone target. Washington clearly made a point of getting him the football even without treating him as an every-down receiver.
Dallas is exactly the matchup where I’m willing to trust that involvement. The Cowboys allowed Jaxson Dart to complete nearly 80% of his passes with three touchdowns in Week 1, and Washington should have a much easier time moving the football than it did against Philadelphia. Diggs’ role also gives him multiple ways to win. His 9.2-yard average depth of target in Week 1 wasn’t dependent entirely on low-percentage deep shots, and the touchdown showed Washington is willing to look his way in scoring situations. I would obviously feel better if his route participation jumps closer to 80%, and that’s something I’ll be watching closely. But nine targets on limited routes against Philadelphia are difficult to ignore. In a much better matchup against Dallas, I’m starting Diggs as a WR2/flex with legitimate touchdown upside.
Chris Godwin TB
Chris Godwin only caught four passes for 40 yards in Week 1, but his usage looked much more like that of a weekly fantasy starter than the final box score suggests. Godwin was immediately treated like a full-time player, running 32 routes and playing 49 of Tampa Bay’s 57 offensive snaps. That’s the biggest thing I wanted to see after the injuries that disrupted so much of his previous two seasons. Tampa Bay wasn’t easing him back into the offense. He remained primarily a slot receiver, lining up there on more than half of his snaps, and caught all four of his targets. The concern was how those targets were used. Godwin was primarily used underneath and accounted for very little of Tampa Bay’s air-yard production, so we’re going to need more meaningful opportunities for the ceiling to return.
I’m willing to bet on the volume improving against Cleveland rather than assuming Week 1’s four-target total represents his new normal. Cleveland isn’t an easy matchup on paper, and I’m not selling it as one. What I like is Godwin being essentially a full-time player immediately after entering the season with questions about how Tampa Bay would manage his workload. He’s still a reliable underneath and intermediate option for Baker Mayfield, particularly when pressure forces the ball out quickly. A receiver playing nearly every offensive snap in a good offense isn’t somebody I want to bench because he happened to draw only four targets in the opener. I’m starting Godwin as a WR3/flex and expecting his target volume to move upward in Week 2.
Wide Receivers to Sit
DK Metcalf PIT
DK Metcalf’s Week 1 usage was actually excellent, which is what makes this sit uncomfortable. Metcalf led Pittsburgh with 10 targets against Atlanta but turned them into only four receptions for 40 yards. There wasn’t much question about who Aaron Rodgers wanted to feature when throwing to his wide receivers, and that target volume is encouraging for Metcalf’s season-long outlook. I’m not treating one inefficient performance as evidence that his role has disappeared. The issue this week is what could be one of the toughest individual cornerback matchups on the slate.
Christian Gonzalez is the reason I’m willing to consider sitting Metcalf despite the target volume. New England has consistently trusted Gonzalez against opposing No. 1 receivers, and according to NFL matchup analysis, Gonzalez aligned across from Metcalf on 36 of 44 routes when Seattle played New England in 2024 and held him to three receptions for 24 yards on those direct matchups. That doesn’t guarantee New England uses Gonzalez the exact same way this week, especially with Carlton Davis also available in the secondary, but Metcalf should see plenty of difficult coverage regardless. Ten targets keep him firmly in the playable range, so this isn’t somebody I’m benching for a random waiver-wire receiver. If I have another strong WR2 or flex option, however, I’m willing to avoid the matchup and leave Metcalf on the bench for one week.
Tee Higgins CIN
Tee Higgins is another player I’m sitting because of the matchup rather than anything fundamentally wrong with his role. Higgins caught three of six targets for 59 yards against Tampa Bay and ran 30 routes, good for an 81.1% route rate. The production wasn’t great, but his usage remained valuable. PlayerProfiler charted Higgins with 117 air yards, while PFF had his average depth of target at 25.2 yards. He also nearly came down with another long reception in the second half before losing control as he went to the ground. Those are all reasons I’m not worried about Higgins over the rest of the season. He’s still operating as Cincinnati’s primary vertical complement to Ja’Marr Chase.
Week 2 is where I’m considerably less interested. Houston allowed 36 points to Buffalo in the opener, so I’m not going to pretend this defense suddenly looks unbeatable, but its personnel and pass rush create a much different challenge for Cincinnati. Joe Burrow is also dealing with back tightness, and Higgins’ downfield role requires Cincinnati’s protection to hold long enough for those deeper routes to develop. That creates more volatility than I want from a receiver who saw only six targets in Week 1. Higgins can obviously beat this recommendation with one deep completion or touchdown, but if I’m deciding between him and another legitimate WR2, I’m willing to avoid the combination of a difficult road matchup, Burrow’s health situation, and Higgins’ reliance on lower-percentage downfield opportunities. This is a one-week sit, not a change to how I view Higgins for the rest of the season.
Carnell Tate TEN
Carnell Tate’s NFL debut gave me plenty to like for the future, but I’m not willing to put him into my lineup against Philadelphia yet. Tate caught four of six targets for 38 yards against the Jets, and the lack of production wasn’t because Tennessee kept its rookie on the sideline. He played 88% of the offensive snaps and ran 33 routes for a 94.3% route participation rate. He also tied for the team lead with six targets, and his 31.6% first-read target share was the best on the Titans. That’s outstanding usage for a rookie in his first NFL game. The problem is that Tennessee’s passing offense couldn’t turn any of it into meaningful fantasy production. Cam Ward struggled, Tate didn’t receive a red-zone or end-zone target, and his six opportunities resulted in only 38 yards.
Philadelphia is a terrible spot to bet on that changing immediately. Tate primarily plays outside, putting him in position to see plenty of Quinyon Mitchell. RotoBaller’s matchup data has Philadelphia among the league’s toughest defenses for outside wide receivers, and Mitchell has already established himself as one of the more difficult individual matchups on the perimeter. I don’t need much more than that to be cautious with a rookie receiver playing in an offense that still has plenty to prove. None of this changes how much I like Tate’s underlying role. A rookie immediately earning a 94.3% route rate and team-leading first-read share is exactly the type of usage I want to chase over the course of the season. I just don’t want to chase it against Philadelphia. Keep Tate on the bench in Week 2 and revisit him when the matchup improves.
Tight Ends to Start
Michael Mayer LV
Michael Mayer’s Week 2 value comes down to Brock Bowers’ knee, but if Bowers misses another game, Mayer belongs in fantasy lineups. With Bowers sidelined against Miami, Mayer immediately stepped into the lead tight end role and caught six of seven targets for 32 yards. The yardage wasn’t exciting, but the underlying involvement absolutely was. Mayer ran 23 routes, the second-most of any Raiders player, and led the entire team with seven targets. He also played the clear majority of snaps across situations rather than simply replacing Bowers in certain packages. That’s exactly what I want when streaming tight ends. I’m chasing routes and targets first and worrying about efficiency afterward.
The Chargers also just gave us another reason to attack this matchup. Trey McBride saw 13 targets against them in Week 1 and finished with 24.5 fantasy points. I’m obviously not comparing Mayer’s talent or role in this offense to McBride, but the matchup combined with seven-target volume gives him a legitimate path to TE1 production. The obvious caveat is Bowers, who remains day-to-day after missing Wednesday’s practice. Mayer’s short-term fantasy value changes dramatically once Bowers returns, so this isn’t a recommendation I’m making regardless of Sunday’s injury report. If Bowers remains out, Mayer is one of my favorite tight end streamers of Week 2. If Bowers returns without significant restrictions, Mayer goes right back to my bench.
Dallas Goedert PHI
Dallas Goedert’s two touchdowns are going to grab most of the attention from Week 1, but the usage underneath them is why I’m willing to start him again. Goedert caught four of five targets for 77 yards and two touchdowns against Washington, finishing as the TE3. He tied for Philadelphia’s team lead with a 20% target share and also posted a 23.5% first-read share. According to FantasyPros, Goedert averaged 2.96 yards per route run and received two red-zone targets along with a deep target. The touchdowns obviously aren’t something I’m projecting every week, but this wasn’t a player catching two random scores on three routes. Philadelphia actually involved him throughout the passing game.
Now he gets Tennessee, and I see no reason to move away from him. The Eagles only asked Jalen Hurts to throw 25 times in Week 1, which makes Goedert’s five targets more meaningful than they initially appear. He accounted for 20% of the passing-game opportunities despite playing in an offense with plenty of competition for touches. That’s the type of role I’m willing to trust at a position where consistent volume is difficult to find. There will obviously be weeks when Philadelphia’s rushing offense takes over, and Goedert doesn’t see enough targets, but Week 1 showed us he’s still a meaningful part of the passing game and remains involved near the goal line. I’m keeping him in my lineup as a TE1 against Tennessee.
Juwan Johnson NO
Juwan Johnson might be my favorite combination of role and potential Week 2 game script from this group. Johnson caught only three passes against Detroit, but those receptions went for 54 yards and a touchdown, and the more important number was seven targets. He averaged 18 yards per reception and operated as Kellen Moore’s No. 1 tight end. That’s coming off a 2025 season in which Johnson quietly produced 77 receptions for 889 yards, so Week 1 wasn’t the first evidence that he can be a meaningful part of this passing offense.
Baltimore also creates the type of game environment where I want exposure to New Orleans’ pass catchers. The Ravens scored 41 points in Week 1, and there’s a very realistic chance the Saints are forced into another high-volume passing script on the road. That’s especially appealing for Johnson because I’m not asking him to survive on three or four opportunities and score a touchdown. He already commanded seven targets in the opener and showed the ability to create chunk plays with them. The three catches tell only part of the story. Seven opportunities, 54 yards, and a touchdown tell me New Orleans intends to use him as more than a blocking tight end. Assuming the illness that kept him out of Wednesday’s practice doesn’t linger, Johnson is somebody I’m comfortable starting in Week 2 if I’m outside the elite tier at tight end.
Tight Ends to Sit
Jake Ferguson DAL
Jake Ferguson’s Week 1 playing time wasn’t the problem. That’s actually what concerns me. Ferguson played roughly 75% of Dallas’ offensive snaps, ran a route on approximately 75% of the passing plays, and still managed only two targets on 27 routes. He caught both of them for six yards. Backup Brevyn Spann-Ford received the same number of targets despite running only eight routes. I’m not suggesting Spann-Ford is suddenly taking Ferguson’s job—the underlying playing time clearly says otherwise, but being on the field doesn’t automatically create fantasy value when CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and the Cowboys’ running backs are commanding the more valuable opportunities.
Washington is the part that makes this recommendation uncomfortable. The Commanders just allowed Dallas Goedert to produce 77 yards and two touchdowns, so this is objectively a good tight end matchup, and that’s enough to keep Ferguson from being an automatic bench. But I don’t want to chase the opponent while ignoring what Dallas showed us about Ferguson’s role in Week 1. Two targets on 27 routes is a 7.4% targets-per-route-run rate, and I need to see evidence that Dak Prescott is going to intentionally involve him rather than use him primarily as a checkdown option. The matchup gives Ferguson a better chance to rebound, but until the targets follow the routes, I’m comfortable sitting him for one of the higher-volume tight ends available this week.
Kyle Pitts ATL
Kyle Pitts’ Week 1 zero wasn’t simply the result of him barely playing. That’s what makes it concerning. Pitts failed to catch his only official target against Pittsburgh despite playing 39 offensive snaps and running a route on 22 of Cooper Rush’s 29 dropbacks. PFF found that Atlanta reduced Pitts’ involvement in several personnel groupings compared with last season, including his snaps in 12 personnel, while Charlie Woerner remained heavily involved as a blocker. FantasyPros charted Pitts with an 80.8% route participation rate but only an 8.3% adjusted target share. Those numbers aren’t necessarily contradictory. Pitts was still running routes when Atlanta threw the football, but his overall deployment changed in other situations, and those routes weren’t translating into targets.
The quarterback situation makes it even harder to trust him against Carolina. Cooper Rush struggled to push the football downfield in Week 1, Atlanta leaned heavily on the running game, and Bijan Robinson commanded 10 targets while Pitts was essentially invisible. The Panthers also held Colston Loveland without a fantasy point in their opener. I’m not going to overreact to one defensive result, especially from a game in which Chicago scored 59 points, but there’s nothing about the matchup that forces me to ignore Pitts’ usage concerns. An 80% route rate gives him obvious rebound potential, but routes only help fantasy managers when they eventually produce opportunities. Until Atlanta shows us Pitts can turn those routes into consistent targets, I don’t want him in my lineup.
George Kittle SF
Sitting George Kittle would normally sound ridiculous, especially against Miami, but this recommendation has almost nothing to do with the matchup. Kittle is still working his way back from the Achilles tear that ended his 2025 season, and San Francisco clearly managed him in Week 1. He played only 30 of 65 offensive snaps, roughly 46%, and ran just 13 routes. Kittle still drew five targets on those limited opportunities, which is actually extremely encouraging for his long-term outlook, but he turned them into only two receptions for 12 yards. Five targets on 13 routes is an incredible target rate, but it’s also not something I want to rely on repeating if he’s going to remain around a 50% snap share.
That’s what makes Kittle a conditional sit rather than somebody I’m automatically benching. His limited Wednesday practice isn’t enough for me to assume San Francisco will restrict him again; that could simply be normal workload management for a veteran returning from a major injury. What matters is what we learn about his expected Sunday role. If San Francisco indicates Kittle will remain around the 45-to-50% snap range, I’m willing to sit him for another legitimate TE1 rather than betting on extreme efficiency with limited routes. If we get indications that his workload is expanding, he’s immediately back in my lineup. Miami is a good matchup, Kittle remains an elite player, and five targets on 13 Week 1 routes show Brock Purdy still wants to feature him. This sit is entirely about playing time. Once that restriction disappears, so does my concern.
DEF to Start
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco is probably my favorite defensive start of Week 2, and this is one of the rare times where I’m chasing both the defense and the offense it’s facing. The 49ers held the Rams to seven points and 290 total yards in Week 1 while forcing two turnovers. They didn’t record a sack, which is obviously something I’d like to see change, but Nick Bosa and Fred Warner being healthy gives this unit considerably more upside than the final fantasy score suggests. The bigger story this week is the opponent. Miami scored only 13 points in its opener with Malik Willis at quarterback, and that’s the type of offense I want to target when streaming defenses.
Everything about the projected game script helps San Francisco. The 49ers are heavy home favorites, and if they build the lead we’re expecting, Willis could be forced into obvious passing situations where Bosa and the pass rush can start generating sacks. That’s where the ceiling comes from. I’m not simply betting on San Francisco holding Miami to a low point total; I’m betting on sacks and turnovers eventually following if the Dolphins are forced to chase points. After shutting down Matthew Stafford and the Rams in Week 1, the 49ers get a significant matchup upgrade and are an easy top-five D/ST for me.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay allowed 33 points to Cincinnati in Week 1, so this isn’t a start based on the final defensive box score. It’s almost entirely about attacking Cleveland. The Browns were down 24-0 by halftime against Jacksonville and ultimately lost 34-10. Until Cleveland proves it can consistently protect the quarterback, sustain drives and avoid negative game scripts, I’m going to continue looking at the defense playing against it as a potential fantasy starter.
There were also some encouraging signs underneath Tampa Bay’s Week 1 performance. Josiah Trotter Jr. returned an interception for a touchdown, while according to Next Gen Stats, Calijah Kancey generated pressure on 18.5% of his pass-rush snaps, the second-highest rate among qualified interior defensive linemen in Week 1. His 0.69-second average get-off was also the fastest at the position. Tampa Bay only recorded one sack against Joe Burrow, but the ability to create interior pressure should matter considerably more against Cleveland. Jacksonville already showed us how profitable this matchup can be for fantasy defenses. I’m going right back to it with the Buccaneers.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are the riskiest of my three defensive starts because Week 1 wasn’t particularly encouraging. Arizona generated 393 total yards and reached the red zone five times against Los Angeles, while the Chargers finished with only one sack and no interceptions in a 26-14 loss. If we’re evaluating these defenses strictly by what happened in the opener, Los Angeles doesn’t belong anywhere near the other two starts.
I’m willing to give them another chance against Las Vegas. The Chargers did at least hold Arizona to touchdowns on only two of its five red-zone trips, and now they get a home divisional matchup where I’m expecting their pass rush to be much more impactful. This is primarily a bet that one sack and zero takeaways aren’t representative of what this defense will produce going forward. I don’t have the Chargers in the same tier as San Francisco or Tampa Bay, but the combination of home field, underlying pass-rush talent and a more favorable matchup gives them enough upside for me to go back to them as a Week 2 streamer.
DEF to Sit
Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota won its opener against Green Bay, but I’m not interested in carrying the Vikings defense into Chicago. The Bears just produced one of the most explosive offensive performances of Week 1, scoring 59 points and piling up 552 total yards against Carolina. One game doesn’t suddenly make Chicago an unstoppable offense, but it gives us enough evidence that this is no longer the type of matchup I want to attack with a fringe fantasy defense.
That’s especially true because Minnesota wasn’t dominant defensively against Green Bay. The Packers still scored 22 points and had success moving the football before Minnesota’s late comeback changed the game. Now the Vikings have to deal with a Bears offense coming off a 59-point performance. Defensive fantasy scoring is heavily dependent on sacks, turnovers and keeping the opponent’s scoring under control, and this matchup creates too many paths toward Minnesota losing the points-allowed portion of that equation. There are enough strong streaming defenses available this week that I don’t need to bet against an offense that just produced 552 yards.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh’s Week 1 fantasy performance was excellent, which makes this one of the more aggressive defensive sits. The Steelers generated a 15.4% sack rate against Atlanta, while T.J. Watt produced two sacks and a pick-six. Those are exactly the types of plays that win fantasy matchups, and I’m obviously not questioning the talent of this defense after one game.
The issue is projecting those splash plays forward against New England. Drake Maye wasn’t sacked once against Seattle in Week 1 despite dropping back more than 30 times, and his mobility gives him another way to escape pressure when the pocket breaks down. That’s a much different setup than Pittsburgh faced against Cooper Rush. A defensive touchdown can completely change the final fantasy score, and I’m never projecting a pick-six forward as part of a defense’s weekly baseline. Pittsburgh’s talent keeps it playable, so I’m not dropping the Steelers because of this matchup. But if I have access to San Francisco, Tampa Bay or another strong streamer, I’m willing to pivot rather than chase last week’s defensive touchdown and two-sack performance from Watt.
Kickers to Start
Trey Smack GB
Trey Smack went 3-for-3 on field goals in Week 1, including a 59-yarder, as Green Bay consistently moved into scoring range against Minnesota. That’s exactly what I want from a fantasy kicker: a productive offense creating opportunities combined with a kicker capable of converting from distance. Against the Jets, I’m going right back to Smack as one of my preferred Week 2 options.
Cairo Santos CHI
Chicago created nine kicking opportunities while scoring 59 points in Week 1, with Cairo Santos making his lone 40-yard field goal and all eight extra points. I’m obviously not projecting another eight touchdowns, but that’s actually part of the appeal. If Chicago continues moving the football, some of those touchdown drives should eventually become field-goal attempts against a tougher Minnesota defense. Santos is a strong Week 2 start.
Kickers to Sit
Wil Lutz DEN
Wil Lutz made his only field-goal attempt and extra point in Week 1, but Denver’s offense gave him almost nothing to work with in a 10-point performance against Kansas City. Lutz’s ability isn’t the concern; the lack of scoring opportunities is. Until Denver proves it can consistently sustain drives and get him into range, I’m looking elsewhere.
Harrison Mevis LAR
Harrison Mevis didn’t attempt a single field goal against San Francisco, finishing with only one extra point. The Giants matchup should help the Rams offense rebound, but I’m not automatically assuming that creates field-goal opportunities. Mevis remains a good kicker, but after receiving zero attempts in Week 1, I’d rather use someone attached to an offense that’s already creating consistent kicking chances.
