Week 1 gave us plenty of surprises, but don’t overreact to the box score. The best fantasy managers are already looking at usage, opportunity, and matchups to spot players ready to break out before the rest of the league catches on. These are 4 must-start players for Week 2 who may have been sitting on your bench but should be in your lineup this week.
These aren’t the obvious stars you’d start regardless of matchup.
Must-Start QB Jordan Love
Jordan Love is coming off a bizarre Week 1, but the fantasy upside was impossible to miss.
Love threw for 387 yards and 2 TDs on attempts, finishing with the second-most passing yards in the league in Week 1. He also connected with Christian Watson for an 81-yard touchdown and finished with 19.5 fantasy points.
The biggest reason I want Love this week is volume.
With Josh Jacobs potentially still unavailable, Green Bay could once again be forced to lean heavily on Love and the passing game. He already attempted 42 passes in Week 1, and this is a realistic path to another 35+ attempts against New York. The Jets did play well defensively in Week 1, but that performance came against Cam Ward, so I’m not ready to draw major conclusions from one game.
Love has already demonstrated the ceiling, and with Watson, Golden, and the rest of this receiving corps, I’m starting him as a QB1/QB2 this week.
Must-Start RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt
This is one of my favorite under-the-radar starts of the week.
Croskey-Merritt handled 16 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 while accounting for roughly 50% of Washington’s running-back carries. He was clearly the team’s ball carrier, with Rachaad White receiving seven carries and Kaytron Allen getting four.
The efficiency wasn’t amazing- 3.9 YPC- but that’s not what I’m focused on.
The volume is.
Croskey-Merritt also ran 14 routes, just one fewer than White, giving him at least some receiving-game path to production…And now he gets Dallas.
The Cowboys allowed 394 total yards and 165 rushing yards in Week 1 against the Giants. ESPN’s Week 2 matchup analysis specifically highlighted Crossley-Merritt as one of the running backs to target against Dallas.
If Washington gives him 15+ touches again, Bill has legitimate RB2/FLEX upside.
Must-Start WR Matthew Golden
If you drafted Matthew Golden, this is the week I want him in my lineup.
Golden immediately showed why Green Bay invested heavily in him.
He saw a team-high 12 targets, catching six for 95 yards, while accounting for 26.2% target share, 30.3% first-read share, and three red-zone targets. He also generated 2.38 yards per route run. That’s not fluke touchdown-dependent production.
The Packers are already treating him like a major part of the passing game
The Jets present a tougher matchup than Minnesota, but there’s an interesting schematic angle: New York used two-high coverage at a high rate in Week 1, and Golden was more productive against two-high coverage last season, with his target-per-route-run rate jumping from 14 % against single-high to 21% against two-high.
Christian Watson obviously exploded for 147 yards and two touchdowns last week, but don’t let that scare you away from Golden.
12 targets in Week 1 is the number I care about
Golden is a WR3 with WR2 upside this week.
Must-Start TE Jake Ferguson
This is the classic buy-low/start-low spot.
Ferguson had just 2 catches for 6 yards on 2 targets in Week 1. That’s obviously ugly, but that’s exactly why he’s unlikely to be an automatic start for a lot of fantasy managers this week. I’m willing to bet on the bounce-back.
Ferguson played 76% of Dallas offensive snaps in Week 1, so the playing time is still there.
More importantly, Washington has been extremely vulnerable to tight ends. The Commanders allowed the most yards per target and fantasy points per opportunity to tight ends last season, and Dallas Goedert just torched them for 4 catches, 77 yards, and 2 touchdowns in Week 1.
Now Ferguson gets the same defense in a game where Dallas should have to throw the ball. Two targets aren’t enough, but the snap rate, matchup, and expected passing volume are enough for me to go right back to Ferguson.
If you drafted him expecting him to be your TE1, don’t panic after one week. Start him.
My Week 2 Must-Starts
QB: Jordan Love
WR: Matthew Golden
The common theme: don’t chase Week 1 fantasy points- chase opportunity.
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