Fantasy football is back, and it feels so good. Along with the many other great things about Week 1, it also gave us our first week’s worth of data for the FantasyPros fantasy points allowed tool. Of course, one week is a very small sample… but it’s better than nothing.
With help from Week 1’s data, last year’s data and a healthy dose of context, we can try to identify teams that are particularly weak or particularly strong at defending certain fantasy positions. Without further ado, here are the best and worst fantasy matchups at each position for Week 2.
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Fantasy Points Allowed: Best & Worst Matchups (Week 2)
Week 2 Quarterback Fantasy Football Matchups
Good Matchup: Tua Tagovailoa (QB – MIA) vs. New England Patriots
The Patriots gave up 18.5 fantasy points to Geno Smith in Week 1, which lands them right above average as the 15th-softest defense to opposing quarterbacks so far this season. In 2024, they were just barely below-average in points allowed to quarterbacks, ranking 17th in the league. So how are they an easy matchup for Tua Tagovailoa, coming off an embarrassing loss to the Colts?
Well, for one, Smith was unlucky to finish with just 18.5 points. He threw for a massive 362 yards, but was held short of a huge game by finishing with one interception to go with just one passing touchdown. For another, that 17th ranking from last year is misleading.
The Patriots actually gave up the third-highest expected points added (EPA) per dropback in the league; they just struggled so much offensively that opposing signal-callers didn’t have to do much to beat them. After one game this season, they’re giving up over twice as much EPA per dropback. For managers in deep or 2-QB leagues, Tua deserves one last chance at home in the Miami sun against this New England defense.
Bad Matchup: Daniel Jones (QB – IND) vs. Denver Broncos
Thanks to their absolute domination of poor Cam Ward in Week 1, the Broncos are currently allowing just 2.5 points per game to opposing quarterbacks. They ranked more middling in fantasy points allowed to the position last year, 15th-highest. But once again, EPA tells a different story: Denver’s stacked defense gave up by far the lowest EPA per dropback in 2024, and they’ve picked up where they left off in 2025.
Enter Daniel Jones, fresh off dominating the aforementioned embarrassing Dolphins in Week 1. Jones’ mobility has always given him fantasy upside, and he’s landed in a good situation with Shane Steichen and plenty of weapons in Indianapolis. But this Broncos defense is stacked, and he’s still Daniel Jones. Add Danny Dimes off the waiver wire if you wish, but don’t start him this week — he’s likely to come crashing back down to Earth.
Week 2 Running Back Fantasy Football Matchups
Good Matchup: James Conner (RB – ARI) vs. Carolina Panthers
James Conner had a juicy matchup in Week 1 against the Saints, and his performance left a little to be desired. He finished with a solid 12.4 half-PPR points thanks to a receiving score, but he split work with Trey Benson and didn’t get much going on the ground. Luckily, he goes straight from one cushy matchup to another.
In 2024, the Panthers allowed by far the most points per game to opposing backs. They gave up over 500 more yards on the ground than any other team. So far, they have picked up right where they left off, allowing Travis Etienne to rack up 143 yards on just 16 attempts. Conner’s long-term outlook is cloudier with Benson’s emergence, but he is still a smash start against Carolina this week.
Bad Matchup: Isiah Pacheco (RB – KC) vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Yes, the Eagles allowed Javonte Williams to score nearly 20 fantasy points in Week 1. But that was almost entirely thanks to two goal-line touchdowns. Williams averaged just 3.6 yards on his 15 attempts… and that was without Jalen Carter. I still expect the Eagles to be the brutal running back matchup they were last season, giving up the second-fewest points per game to the position.
Meanwhile, Isiah Pacheco’s Week 1 usage was uninspiring, to say the least. He played fewer than 50% of the Chiefs’ offensive snaps and carried the ball just five times. Kareem Hunt was heavily involved, and rookie Brashard Smith saw a few snaps on passing downs. With this role, Pacheco is nowhere near a weekly must-start, so he’s actually a must-sit in this tough matchup.
Week 2 Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Matchups
Good Matchup: Jerry Jeudy (WR – CLE)/Cedric Tillman (WR – CLE) @ Baltimore Ravens
In 2025, the Ravens ranked third in the league with 30.9 points per game given up to opposing wide receivers. On Sunday night, Buffalo’s receivers racked up over 40 points against them.
Of course, Joe Flacco is no Josh Allen. But he could easily reach 50 pass attempts as the Browns do their best to keep pace with Lamar Jackson and King Derrick Henry. Fire up Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman with confidence as WR3/Flex options.
Bad Matchup: Michael Pittman Jr. (WR – IND) vs. Denver Broncos
I liked Michael Pittman Jr. coming into this season, and so far, I’m feeling good about that call. Unfortunately, Pittman should probably stay on fantasy benches for Week 2 despite his impressive 2025 debut.
The issue is that, no matter how good Josh Downs‘ yards per route run on a 50% snap share is, Pittman is the Colts’ No. 1 WR. And that means he will get a healthy dose of reigning Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II in Week 2.
Per Pro Football Focus (PFF) data, Surtain was responsible for just one target and zero receptions in Week 1 against Tennessee. Calvin Ridley escaped him long enough to still finish with eight targets, but the rest of Denver’s secondary is no pushover, either — Ridley finished with four catches for 27 yards. I expect a similarly uninspiring stat line from Pittman this Sunday.
Week 2 Tight End Fantasy Football Matchups
Good Matchup: Dallas Goedert (TE – PHI) @ Kansas City Chiefs
No team allowed more yards to opposing tight ends in 2024 than the Kansas City Chiefs (70.8). In Week 1, they gave up 68 yards to the combination of Tyler Conklin and Will Dissly. I don’t know if there is something in Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme that doesn’t prioritize tight ends or if this is just a personnel issue, but Kansas City clearly struggles to cover tight ends.
That sets up perfectly for Goedert, who is the definition of a borderline TE1. He is consistently on the field (85% route participation rate in Week 1) for an elite offense, but he’s certainly not a priority for that offense. Still, he’s capable of occasional big weeks. If the matchup is anything to go by, this could be one of them.
Bad Matchup: Travis Kelce (TE – KC) vs. Philadelphia Eagles
We can stick with this Super Bowl rematch for a bad tight end matchup. In 2024, the Eagles allowed just 34.8 yards per game to opposing tight ends, the lowest number in the league. In Week 1, they held Jake Ferguson to just 23 yards on five catches (six targets). Now, they get the chance to shut down the newly engaged and soon-to-be-36-year-old Travis Kelce.
Of course, the name Travis Kelce is a lot more threatening than the name Jake Ferguson. But this isn’t the Kelce of old. In Week 1, he finished with just a 10% target share, even in a game the Chiefs played without their top two receivers. He saved his day with a 37-yard touchdown, but the rest of his stat line was one catch on three targets for 10 yards. Kelce will find tough sledding against this Eagles team (which held him to 39 scoreless yards in the Super Bowl, by the way), so I recommend benching the future Hall of Famer if you have another option.
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Ted Chmyz is a fantasy football contributor for FantasyPros.com. Find him on Twitter and Bluesky @Tchmyz for more fantasy content or to ask questions.
