Week 1 is in the books, which means half of your fantasy football lineup decisions already look like strokes of genius and the other half… well, let’s just say you’ve got some explaining to do. Don’t worry—we’ve all been there. Week 2 brings new matchups, new headaches, and a fresh round of “Should I really bench this guy?” debates. Luckily, our Featured Pros have done the heavy lifting for you. They’ve combed through the numbers, trends, and gut instincts to deliver their favorite Starts and Duds of the week. So before you overthink your flex spot for the fifth time today, take a deep breath and let the experts steer you in the right direction.
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Fantasy Football Week 2 Start/Sit Advice: Sleepers & Duds
Fantasy Football Week 2 Sleepers
Which player outside of the top 100 in the FantasyPros flex rankings is a good sleeper start and why do you think he has upside this week?
Dylan Sampson (RB – CLE)
“I doubt he stays outside of the top 100 for long, but Dylan Sampson is a must-start this weekend. In a close game for its entirety, the rookie caught all eight of his targets along with 12 rushing attempts. In a game against a pissed off Ravens squad that will have a large lead most of the day, there should be even more targets going Sampson’s way. This may be the last time to use him with Quinshon Judkins coming in, but it is a great spot.”
– Michael Tomlin (Fantasy Six Pack)
“Dylan Sampson is a clear sleeper for Week 2 at Baltimore. The Ravens just lost a heartbreaking game to the Bills in prime time, and they get to take their frustration out on the Browns. Expect the Ravens to score early and often, which will lead to plenty of passing volume for the Browns. Sampson not only got 50% of the carries, but he also tied for 2nd in targets and led the team in receptions. Even if Quinshon Judkins joins the team for Week 2, Dylan Sampson should be in your lineups.”
– Will Urion (FantasyNow+)
“Dylan Sampson was outstanding in Week 1, finishing as the RB9, scoring 17.3 PPR fantasy points against the Cincinnati Bengals. However, he struggled on the ground, totaling 12 rushing attempts for 29 yards (2.4 yards per attempt). Yet, the rookie was outstanding in the passing game, leading the team with eight receptions for 64 receiving yards. Furthermore, Sampson had 66.7% of the backfield touches in Week 1, including 88.9% of the running back targets. While Quinshon Judkins could make his NFL debut on Sunday, expect Sampson to be the Browns’ lead running back until the former Ohio State star is up to speed. Meanwhile, he faces a Baltimore Ravens defense that gave up 24.7 fantasy points to the Buffalo Bills backfield in Week 1, including 11.7 in the passing game. Cleveland will be chasing points most of the game, leading to more targets for Sampson.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
Wan’Dale Robinson (WR – NYG)
“Wan’Dale Robinson is an excellent sleeper flex option if his Week 1 usage is anything to go by. He finished second on the team in targets with eight, securing six of them for 55 yards. This shows that he will be a key piece of the Giants’ passing game, especially in PPR leagues where his high target share gives a safe floor. His role as a high-volume slot receiver makes him a good flex play with some upside for a solid fantasy outing.”
– Luke Renton (The Franchise Tag UK)
Trey Benson (RB – ARI)
“Trey Benson is currently the overall 113 and RB39 consensus-ranked player for Week 2. He tallied eight carries for 69 yards and one reception for 6 yards. While most of his yards came in a massive 52-yard scamper, he gets the Panthers in Week 2, a team that let Travis Etienne look like a demi-god in Week 1. Even with James Conner getting the bulk of the touches, I have no doubt that Benson will return solid flex value (with the potential to reach low-end RB1 territory).”
– Tim Metzler (FantasyPros)
Rhamondre Stevenson (RB – NE)
“Rhamondre Stevenson, 106th overall, is somewhat intriguing to me this week. The Patriots face the lowly Dolphins coming off a brutal loss in Week 1. Last week, Stevenson got seven carries for 15 yards while Henderson got five carries for 27 yards. Neither were all that impressive, but Henderson did a lot more with his carries than Stevenson did with his. That being said, the cheaper price on Stevenson makes him attractive to me. He might even be on waivers in some shallower leagues. Against the Dolphins last week, the Colts used Jonathan Taylor and DJ Giddens for a combined 30 carries, and I expect the Patriots to try to copy that game plan. More volume tends to mean more fantasy points, and at RB37, I think Stevenson has a lot of upside.”
– Andrew Hall (FantasyPros)
Kayshon Boutte (WR – NE)
“Kayshon Boutte was a wide receiver that most fantasy owners weren’t thinking about heading into the season, but then Week 1 happened! He had six receptions for 103 yards! He was Drake Maye‘s top-targeted receiver. This week, he gets to play the terrible Miami Dolphins secondary. He was probably one of the top three waiver claims in all leagues, and now he is a great sleeper for teams heading into week 2!”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)
“Kayshon Boutte – Over his last four games played, Boutte has averaged 5.5 catches, 87.5 yards, and 0.5 touchdowns (14.5 Half PPR points). In week 1, Boutte led the team in routes (44) and target share (17.78%) – we should expect this to continue as Stefon Diggs only ran 19 routes and is still ramping up in his recovery from injury. Boutte saw almost all of his yards come through the air, ranking 3rd in the league in air yards and only accumulating 3 yards after the catch. The Patriots get the Dolphins this week, whose defense was 30th in EPA in Week 1 (only behind the Bills and Ravens) despite playing the Colts. It’s somewhat likely we see Miami’s defensive woes continue as injuries in their secondary pile up.”
– Charlie Sisian (The Fantasy DC)
JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR – KC)
“JuJu Smith-Schuster is outside of the Top 160 in FantasyPros Flex rankings, but you can bet your boots I’m calling him a sleeper start in Week 2. With Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy out for the next few weeks, this team is desperate for pass catchers. The injury to Worthy comes at a terrible time, as we have a Super Bowl rematch ahead of us. Being embarrassed in the Super Bowl last year, the Chiefs will be extra motivated for this game. Since Travis Kelce is no longer a weapon you can run your offense through, Hollywood Brown is left as the only other option. Last week, Smith-Schuster played 80% of snaps and caught all five targets for 55 yards. I expect he’ll easily outproduce that in Week 2.”
– Ellis Johnson (FantasyPros)
Jonnu Smith (TE – PIT)
“Jonnu Smith (Flex Rank 124, TE19) is a sneaky Week 2 start after catching five passes for 15 yards and a touchdown in his Steelers debut. He led the tight end room in snaps and targets, and it’s clear that Aaron Rodgers trusts him, especially in short-area and red zone situations. His familiarity with the offensive system earned him schemed touches, and the usage suggests a defined role moving forward. The Week 2 matchup offers soft coverage against tight ends, giving Smith a chance to build on his early momentum. If you’re streaming or digging deep for a flex play, Jonnu is a viable dart throw with touchdown upside.”
– Lawrence Iacona (Gridiron Experts)
Calvin Austin III (WR – PIT)
“Calvin Austin played on 80% of the snaps and ran a route on almost 97% of his snaps. Garnering a 20% target share, sign me up. They get the Bills this week, and Austin’s role in this offense deserves more attention. He is going to be a hot waiver wire pick up, and he is definitely someone you can consider as a WR3 or a flex play.”
– David Heilman (Sports Gambling Podcast Network)
Bhayshul Tuten (RB – JAC)
“The runway is starting to clear for rookie Bhayshul Tuten to take off. Jacksonville’s trade of Tank Bigsby to Philadelphia pushes everyone up one rung on the Jaguars’ depth chart. Perhaps no one benefits more than electric rookie Bhayshul Tuten. When it comes to Bhayshul “Rootin'” Tuten, his talent is obvious. He’s the fastest RB north, south, east, and west of the Pecos, in the 2025 NFL Draft, according to Yosemite Sam Ringo. I’m not sure if Tuten will hit this week, but sooner or later, Bhayshul is going to make a fantasy impact. Ringo’s comp- a smaller version of the former Bronco and Redskin, Clinton Portis.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)
Elic Ayomanor (WR – TEN)
“Elic Ayomanor is an easy choice for a sleeper start heading into Week 2. Ayomanor checked all of the boxes in a challenging matchup against the Denver Broncos. That game showed us that Cam Ward is the real deal, and he needs a second solid option in the receiving game. Ayomanor finished first in unrealized air yards and top ten in first read target share. There are a lot of encouraging signs for the rookie out of Stanford. If I needed a desperation play, I would look for Ayomanor as a quality pickup for week two and beyond.”
– Ryan Prosick (Fantrax)
Darnell Mooney (WR – ATL)
“Darnell Mooney is currently day-to-day, but I believe he should be back on the field this week for Atlanta. Last season, he came close to topping 1,000 receiving yards for the second time in his career and set a career high in touchdowns. Drake London is also day-to-day with a shoulder injury. Mooney could be a top-24 WR in fantasy points per game this week, with top-15 upside if London misses the game against the Vikings.”
– Nick Penticoff (Fantasy Football Astronauts)
Brenton Strange (TE – JAC)
“A very solid showing for Brenton Strange in Week 1 now sees him in a very solid position for this week against the Bengals. Strange recorded four catches for 59 yards a week ago, leading the Jags in receiving yards. Now, Strange faces a Bengals defense that conceded the second-most touchdowns to the tight end position in 2024. Cincinnati also allowed the Browns’ combo of tight ends to post 100 yards on them in Week 1. This matchup calls for points, in both directions, which may result in Strange finishing as a low-end TE1 at minimum for the week.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)
Kyle Pitts (TE – ATL)
“Kyle Pitts. We saw encouraging usage in Week 1, with Pitts catching seven passes for 59 yards on eight targets. With WRs Drake London and Darnell Mooney both dealing with shoulder injuries, Pitts should continue to have strong route participation and target numbers this week against the Vikings.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
Fantasy Football Week 2 Duds
Which player inside the top 40 in the FantasyPros flex rankings is likely to disappoint fantasy managers this week?
A.J. Brown (WR – PHI)
“I said it in the pre-season here, and I’ll say it again: A.J. Brown will not have the volume to warrant his lofty ranking. If you look at Jalen Hurts‘ spray chart of pass attempts against the Cowboys, only one completion more than 10 yards downfield. The Eagles stick to what they are good at: running the ball and throwing short, high-percentage passes. A.J. Brown does not figure into that enough anymore.”
– Michael Tomlin (Fantasy Six Pack)
“A.J. Brown is going to be a scary start this week. He gets Kansas City, and they have been good at taking away the team’s No. 1 WRs. Coming off a terrible performance and the consistencies we saw last season, do we bench AJ Brown? Probably not, unless you have some really solid options. The Eagles plan to run the ball and run the clock. Brown’s role could vary week to week in this offense, similar to last year.”
– David Heilman (Sports Gambling Podcast Network)
Breece Hall (RB – NYJ)
“Breece Hall could be a letdown for fantasy managers this week, despite a strong performance in Week 1 against the Steelers, where he racked up 107 rushing yards on 19 carries. The concern isn’t about his talent, but more about the matchup. The Jets are set to face the Buffalo Bills, a team that is historically a very tough opponent for fantasy running backs – I know Derrick Henry tore them apart, but he’s a completely different beast. While Hall was good in week 1, a difficult Bills defense and the likelihood of a negative game script for the Jets will limit production.”
– Luke Renton (The Franchise Tag UK)
“Breece Hall – Hall had a very encouraging Week 1, looking like the RB1 for the Jets and a great draft day value. That being said, I’m cautious to buy in too heavily right away, the Jets vs Steelers game was a close-fought offensive shootout which is not the game script we expect going forward for the Jets. This week, they play the Bills, who are favored by 6.5 in a game with a 46.5 O/U – giving the Jets 20 implied points. The larger issue, however, is that Breece was only 22nd in the league in snap share and gave away passing down work to Isaiah Davis (per PFF). We should expect the Jets to be trailing for a lot of this game, which could lead to Breece disappointing at his RB15 ranking.”
– Charlie Sisian (The Fantasy DC)
D’Andre Swift (RB – CHI)
“D’Andre Swift is 38 overall and RB21 for Week 2. He gets the Lions. After the Week 1 meltdown against the Vikings, the Bears are staring at a likely 0-2 start against Detroit. And Detroit is better than how they played against the Packers in Week 1. I’m looking for the Bears to fall short (and Swift too) in Week 2.”
– Tim Metzler (FantasyPros)
“I am firmly worried about D’Andre Swift. Yes, he had the exact role you wanted him to have with an 81% snap share. However, he did not look effective on Monday night. He had 3.1 yards per carry and was 29th in rushing yards over expected with -20. Of course, Minnesota is a tough matchup, but Swift did no favors for Caleb Williams and company in a tough loss. It will not get any easier for Swift as the Detroit Lions held Josh Jacobs to a quiet day of 19 carries for 66 yards. I would likely bench Swift this week if I were able to.”
– Ryan Prosick (Fantrax)
“D’Andre Swift was meh on Monday against Minnesota, and now faces a tough trip to Detroit against what is going to be an angry Lions defense after last week’s loss to Green Bay. Swift totaled 22 touches in the loss yet only managed 65 yards, an inefficient showing at best. Another question that must be asked is what version of the Bears offense (and Caleb Williams) will show up in Detroit on Sunday, the first half version that moved up and down the field, or the second half version that couldn’t do much of anything right. Swift isn’t a sit because of his safe floor, but expectations should be tempered until the Bears’ offense can figure itself out.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)
“D’Andre Swift. He’s on the road against a tough Lions run defense, and I suspect the Lions are going to be in an ornery mood after getting thumped by the Packers in Week 1.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR – SEA)
“Temper your expectations for Jaxon Smith-Njigba. While he was great in Week 1, ranking 3rd in the NFL in receiving yards, Smith-Njigba has only recorded 1.20 YPRR against Cover 3 during his career. The Seahawks’ Week 2 opponent, Pittsburgh, played Cover 3 at the 2nd highest rate in the NFL in Week 1. Expect the Steelers to slow down Smith-Njigba and think about looking at other options this week.”
– Will Urion (FantasyNow+)
“Jaxon Smith-Njigba, 30th overall, concerns me a little for Week 2. He had a great Week 1, catching nine of 13 targets for 124 yards and finishing as WR11 in PPR scoring. I don’t think that’s going to be the case in Week 2. The 49ers seemed to let him run all over them, but held up when the Seahawks got into the red zone, only allowing 13 total points. This week, JSN and the Seahawks face the Steelers in Pittsburgh. I know the Steelers just let the New York Jets hang 32 points on them, but the Seahawks are a very different team. I don’t see Smith-Njigba getting WR11 numbers again, so I’m tempering expectations from him this week.”
– Andrew Hall (FantasyPros)
Jonathan Taylor (RB – IND)
“Fantasy players shouldn’t bench Jonathan Taylor without question this week. However, temper your expectations against the Denver Broncos. Last week, the Broncos crushed the Tennessee Titans’ rushing attack, holding their running backs to 20 attempts for 62 yards (3.1 yards per attempt) and 8.1 PPR fantasy points, the fewest in Week 1. More importantly, the Colts’ offense won’t have the same scoring success this week after facing an awful Miami Dolphins team last week. While Taylor scored 12.8 fantasy points against the Dolphins, the star running back had two goal-line rushing touchdowns stolen from him by Daniel Jones. Hopefully, Taylor can rip off a big run or two because, without it, the star running back will have a quiet performance in Week 2.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
De’Von Achane (RB – MIA)
“The Dolphins’ offense in Week 1 was #notgood, and there are already rumors swirling that Mike McDaniel and Chris Grier could be on the hot seat. Miami faces New England at home this week, and the Patriots are coming off the 9th-best run-defense grade in week 1, per PFF. Last season against New England, De’Von Achane totaled just 50 rushing yards and four receptions for 23 receiving yards across two games. There’s no doubt he has the talent to take it to the house anytime he touches the ball, but this week’s matchup isn’t favorable.”
– Nick Penticoff (Fantasy Football Astronauts)
Saquon Barkley (RB – PHI)
“Top 40? Let’s make it Top 5. Relatively, Saquon Barkley may have a tough day at the office this week. Of course, you are always playing Barkley, and his volume should come through for fantasy. However, this Chiefs’ defense is elite against the run. Averaging the fewest points allowed to fantasy RBs all of last season, they followed it up by stuffing Omarian Hampton to under 50 yards on 15 carries. Despite an incredible game script for Barkley in the Super Bowl, the Chiefs held him to 57 yards on 25 carries. With Hurts being a threat for rushing touchdowns, I’m going to be ranking Barkley outside of RB1 territory for Week 2.”
– Ellis Johnson (FantasyPros)
Tony Pollard (RB – TEN)
“Tony Pollard (Flex Rank 32, RB20) is a potential Week 2 disappointment despite leading Tennessee’s backfield in touches during the opener. He turned 18 carries into just 60 yards and added one catch for 29 yards in a sluggish offensive showing. While the workload is encouraging, Pollard’s efficiency remains a concern; he averaged just 3.3 yards per carry and struggled to generate explosive plays. The Titans face a Rams defense that played fast and physical in Week 1, making this a tough spot for Pollard to deliver RB1 value. Fantasy managers expecting a bounce-back may be let down by a low-yardage, touchdown-dependent outing.”
– Lawrence Iacona (Gridiron Experts)
Drake London (WR – ATL)
“The Falcons have a rough matchup in week two, at least on paper. Atlanta has to go up north to take on the Vikings. Not only do the Vikings have one of the best defenses in the league, but crowd noise could be a factor when it comes to false start penalties and getting off the line of scrimmage. Drake London is currently day-to-day with a shoulder injury, which he suffered last week. One bad hit could send him back to the blue tent and crush fantasy managers’ hopes for a week two victory.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)
Tee Higgins (WR – CIN)
“Tee Higgins is a WR2 who is being ranked higher than some teams’ WR1 (Courtland Sutton, DK Metcalf, Mike Evans, Rickey Pearsall). He had a rough start to the year with 33 yards on three receptions. The most glaring stat is that he only had four targets. That is something that should worry fantasy managers, especially with him being ranked as a high-end WR2 ahead of some of the aforementioned players. Higgins is a great player, but consistency could be a challenge for him as the 3rd option as a pass catcher for the Bengals.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)
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