QBs & RBs You MUST START In Week 2! (Fantasy Football Start/Sit)

Antonio Williams was highly productive during his limited opportunities, specifically noted for his performance on 11 routes run.

Bijan Robinson is an elite must-start player who demonstrated massive usage in Week 1 with 21 carries, nine targets, 173 yards from scrimmage, and a touchdown; his 41% target share was the highest by any running back in fantasy points data history, positioning him to potentially outscore Jahmyr Gibbs.

The source expresses skepticism regarding Bo Nix's top-10 ranking for Week 2, labeling him as 'busted' and noting he is not a good quarterback. He ranks in the bottom five in catchable throw rate and completion percentage over expectation, and the offense is characterized as incompetent by every measure, including EPA per play and points per drive.

The source projects Brock Purdy as the QB2 for Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins. Purdy leads all quarterbacks in EPA per dropback since the start of 2024 and ranks top-three in nearly every efficiency metric, including second in fantasy points per dropback and third in fantasy points per opportunity. He averaged 32 fantasy points per game in the fantasy playoffs last year and recently scored 22.1 points against a tough defense. Only Josh Allen is considered to have a higher fantasy ceiling in simulations.

Skepticism is warranted regarding Bucky Irving despite high rankings; he did not look special in Week 1 and faces a difficult matchup against a strong Cleveland defense.

Dak Prescott is projected as a top-five fantasy quarterback (QB5) for Week 2 against the Washington Commanders. The source cites a favorable schematic matchup against Dan Quinn's cover-three defense, noting Prescott is one of three QBs who routinely shreds that coverage. He is expected to bounce back after a Week 1 performance hampered by uncharacteristic drops from George Pickens.

The source highlights Dalton Kincaid as a key beneficiary of Buffalo's 12 and 13 personnel usage, which forced Houston to play nickel coverage and resulted in Kincaid consistently beating defensive backs like Kamari Lassiter and Derek Stingley.

Dontayvion Wicks is expected to have a big game against the Tennessee Titans defense, as the source notes the Titans' inability to cover in-breaking routes.

Drake Maye is a preferred start over borderline QB1s like Bo Nix and Patrick Mahomes for Week 2; his poor Week 1 performance is attributed to facing the league's toughest defense in Seattle, and he is ranked ahead of both Nix and Mahomes.

Jahmyr Gibbs remains in the elite conversation with significant touchdown upside and recorded 40 touches in his own right during Week 1.

Jalen Hurts is projected as the QB3 for Week 2 with 20.3 fantasy points against the Tennessee Titans. The source is encouraged by his 48 rushing yards in Week 1—his highest total in nearly a year—and views his hyper-mobility as a 'cheat code' that makes him a top-three fantasy option. His previous struggles were attributed to a lack of designed QB runs, a trend that appears to be reversing.

Jayden Daniels is a strong start for Week 2, projected as the QB6. The source highlights his 'Konami code' rushing upside as a primary driver for fantasy production, noting he will actively use his legs to make plays in a game featuring the week's second-highest over/under.

Joe Burrow is a preferred start over borderline QB1s like Bo Nix and Patrick Mahomes. While he has a reputation as a slow starter, the source views him as a high-upside play and prefers him over Trevor Lawrence in direct comparisons.

Jordan Mason has been placed on IR due to a broken thumb that required surgery, significantly impacting the 49ers' backfield usage.

Josh Allen is identified as one of the few quarterbacks with a higher fantasy ceiling than Brock Purdy for Week 2, with simulations suggesting only he is likely to outscore Purdy. Allen serves as a statistical benchmark for elite production; his 23.7 fantasy points per game average in healthy games is used to contextualize other players' performance, and he remains a standard-bearer for elite QB output alongside Lamar Jackson.

The source highlights Justin Fields' 2022 season as a benchmark for how increased design rushing volume (jumping from 2.8 to 7.6 runs per game) can elevate a quarterback's fantasy production from 13.2 to 25.6 points per game.

Justin Herbert is a sit candidate for Week 2, ranked as QB15. His efficiency is heavily dependent on Ladd McConkey; Herbert averaged 10.3 adjusted net yards per attempt with McConkey on the field compared to 1.1 without him. Additional concerns include a struggling interior offensive line and a run-heavy, slow-paced offensive approach as favorites against the Raiders. The source also prefers Trevor Lawrence over Herbert in start/sit decisions.

Rookie linebacker Kyle Lewis has been placed on injured reserve, a move the source suggests may force the defense to shift away from base coverage schemes.

Ladd McConkey is vital to the Chargers' offense, with film review showing he was open on every drop back in his recent game. The source notes the offense appears nonfunctional without him, as evidenced by the significant drop in Justin Herbert's efficiency when McConkey is off the field.

Lamar Jackson is used as a statistical benchmark for elite quarterback efficiency and production. The source notes that Brock Purdy's current efficiency metrics are high enough to rank ahead of Jackson in certain categories, and Trevor Lawrence's recent performance has been compared to exceeding 2019 Lamar Jackson levels.

While officially a 'sit' in projections, Malik Willis's fantasy value is tied to design rushing volume. The source believes the team plans to lean into his dual-threat ability, citing the 2022 Justin Fields breakout as a precedent for how increased rushing volume can serve as a fantasy 'cheat code'.

The source suggests Mike Gesicki could see increased opportunities if the Bengals continue to utilize heavy personnel (12, 13, 21) against nickel defenses, similar to how Dalton Kincaid succeeded against Houston. The source specifically recommends him as a target for player props.

The source argues Patrick Mahomes is living on his past reputation and has not been an accurate quarterback since Tyreek Hill left. He had zero completions over 10 air yards in Week 1 and relies on unsustainable plays, such as a 60-yard catch-and-run by Travis Kelce. While he may see a small bounceback against the Colts, he is viewed as a declining asset compared to other options.

Quentin Johnston was consistently open on every drop back in his recent game. Despite his ability to get open, he was missed by Justin Herbert on multiple occasions, including wide-open opportunities across the middle of the field.

Sean Tucker, who served as the goal-line back last year, may return to the backfield rotation in Week 2 after sitting out Week 1.

Despite a negative matchup against Denver's elite pass defense, the source argues Trevor Lawrence is a QB1 start and that his QB19 projection is too low. Lawrence has been elite over his last five games, averaging 29.8 fantasy points per game and 0.75 points per drop back, showing efficiency comparable to 2019 Lamar Jackson. The source prefers him over Patrick Mahomes, though notes Joe Burrow and Drake Maye are preferred options.