Welcome to Week 2 of the 2024 season, and our Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em series. Preseason is done, it’s time to put our draft efforts out on the field, and then massively overreact to the outcome (joking!)
As always, if you are struggling with a decision you can checkout our rankings for each Week. Or, if you want a more personal touch, reach out on social media. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Or jump into our Discord server. All stats refer to 1/2 PPR, 6 point per passing touchdown leagues. The number in brackets next to an opponent is that teams rank against the position. Rank 1 is the best possible matchup, Rank 32 is the worst.
Start’Em
Matthew Stafford (Rams) v ARI (1)
Stafford got off to an average start in Week 1 as a high-scoring shootout with the Detroit Lions never materialized. Instead we saw a back and forth defensive struggle between the two. This week he matches up with the Arizona Cardinals who allowed 32 fantasy points in Week 1 and are primed to give up points early and often with a sub-par defensive unit. Stafford is a top 10 quarterback and is the highest he has been in my weekly rankings in two years.
Caleb Williams (Bears) v HOU (4)
Williams’ rookie season did not get off to the start he had hoped in sloppy Week 1 matchup with the Tennessee Titans. That should have been expected as a team with this many new offensive weapons is going to take some time to come together. Williams should bounce back against a Texans team that build for high-scoring shootouts.
Jayden Daniels (Commanders) v NYG (15)
Daniels got off to a decent start in his rookie season, mostly aided by two rushing touchdowns. In Week 2 the Commanders face the lowly New York Giants and this matchup should allow for Daniels to improve on his Week 1 totals. Daniels should be able to get in the end zone through the air and on the ground.
Sit ‘Em
Aaron Rodgers (Jets) v TEN (31)
Rodgers will start off the 2024 NFL season with the two worst matchups for quarterbacks. A week after struggling against the San Francisco 49ers, he faces the Tennessee Titans. While the Titans are by no means a defense to fear, they present as a run-funnel and are not nearly as vulnerable in the passing game.
Geno Smith (Seahawks) v NE (29)
Smith got off to a decent start in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos and will look to build on that start against the New England Patriots this week. The Patriots managed to upset the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 but are nowhere near a contender. Despite the obvious deficiencies in the Patriots as a whole, their defense will play up to their opponent and the offense will play a slow, grounding style that will limit the scoring in this one.
Will Levis (Titans) v NYJ (26)
Levis is the type of quarterback that will have on massively productive game, book-ended by two absolute duds. Unfortunately this is a scenario where he is likely to post another dud game. His assortment of offensive weapons is less than impressive and his decision making is suspect at best. The New York Jets are one of the best defenses in the NFL if not the best and are going to make for a miserable matchup this week.
Start ‘Em
JK Dobbins (Chargers) v CAR (2)
Dobbins emerged as the lead back for Los Angeles in Week1, much to the surprise of fantasy managers everywhere. He looked like his prime self in that matchup and this week faces off with a Carolina Panthers defense that look totally inept in Week 1 against the New Orleans Saints. If the backfield split continues this way, Dobbins will be a must-start once again in a prime matchup.
Josh Jacobs (Packers) v IND (6)
Jacobs wasn’t overly impressive in his Packers debut, but a game in a foreign country doesn’t always make for the easiest of situations. This week, Jacobs will go up against the Indianapolis Colts who are the 6th best matchup for opposing running backs. The Colts gave up 27.7 fantasy points to Joe Mixon and the Texans in Week 1. Jacobs should have a solid outing this week, especially when you consider that Malik Willis will be starting at quarterback for Green Bay and he is likely to lean heavily on the rushing attack.
Jerome Ford (Browns) v CLE (8)
Ford was the steal of draft season thanks to Nick Chubb’s lingering injury. In Week 1 he was solid despite facing an elite Dallas Cowboys defense. This week he gets a far easier matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguar who rank as the 8th best matchup for running backs after allowing 25.8 fantasy points to the Dolphins in Week 1. Fire up Ford as a low-end RB1 in this plus matchup.
Sit ‘Em
Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys) v NO (32)
Elliott turned back the clock last week to somehow remain fantasy-relevant but in Week 2, they face off with a vaunted Saints rushing defense that shut down the Carolina Panthers entirely last week. The Saints are the worst matchup for opposing running backs and limited the Panthers to only 4.3 fantasy points. Zeke is going to be a common sit, and that’s the plan this week.
D’Andre Swift (Bears) v HOU (28)
Swift finds himself in an offense that not only has too many mouths to feed but also didn’t produce enough fantasy points altogether. It’s going to be tough for Swift to carve out a large piece of this fantasy pie, but considering how small the entire Bears offensive pie has been to begin with, it’s a bad bet to place on him.
Javonte Williams (Broncos) v PIT (24)
Williams faces off with the Steelers this week and they currently rank as 9th worst matchup for running backs. In Week 1, the Steelers held Bijan Robinson and the Falcons to 15.7 fantasy points, and Williams is not anywhere near the same tier as Robinson. The backfield is a mess and appears to be producing three running backs with no value.
Start ’em
Malik Nabers (Giants) v WSH (1)
Nabers faces the Washington Commanders in Week 2 and to say that they are a premium matchup for receivers is an understatement. In Week 1 they allowed 51 points to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and while the Giants are certainly not the same tier as the Buccaneers they should still be able to put up some points on this unit. Nabers is in store for a breakout week against what may be the worst defense in football. Fire him up confidently.
Drake London (Falcons) v PHI (3)
London and the Falcons suffered the same fate as the Bears and it appeared they needed some time to come together as a unit. The Falcons struggled against a stout Steelers defensive unit but should have a far easier time when they matchup against their Pennsylvania neighbor the Eagles. Philadelphia is the 3rd best matchup for wide receivers after allowing 46.9 fantasy points to the Packers in Week 1. Drake London now finds himself in a prime bounce back spot, so jump onboard.
Amari Cooper (Browns) v JAC (7)
Cooper and the Browns struggled in Week 1 against the Cowboys, but so do most teams. In Week 2 however, they get a chance to rebound against a Jacksonville defense that is far more fantasy friendly. If Cooper and quarterback Deshaun Watson can get back on the same page he should easily finish as a WR2.
Sit ’em
Courtland Sutton (Broncos) v PIT (30)
Sutton and the Broncos are a disaster and this week they get to face a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that ranks as the 3rd worst matchup for opposing receivers. The Steelers limited the Falcons receivers to only 11.7 fantasy points in Week 1 and are sure to make things difficult for rookie quarterback Bo Nix. This is yet another week where I will be looking to avoid the Broncos and all of their offensive weapons.
Stefon Diggs (Texans) v CHI (29)
Diggs is the victim of the good old too many mouths to feed. The Texans boast a three-headed monster at wide receiver and that makes for an inconsistent situation for fantasy. You also have to factor in that the bears have not looked in sync to this point and the Texans could be running the clock out with Joe Mixon by halftime.
Chris Olave (Saints) v DAL (24)
Olave and the Saints tore through the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, but it’s entirely possible that says more about how bad the Panthers are than it says about how good the Saints are. This week New Orleans faces the Dallas Cowboys who are a much tougher defense and will surely limit Derek Carr’s effectiveness. Add in the emergence of Rashid Shaheed and it could be tough for Olave to produce.
Start ‘Em
Hayden Hurst (Chargers) v CAR (1)
Hurst is definitely not the tight end I want to stream based on name alone, but this matchup against the Carolina Panthers is too good to pass up. The Panthers are the best matchup to the position after allowing three New Orleans tight ends to finish top 10 at the position in Week 1.
Juwan Johnson (Saints) v DAL (5)
Johnson was one of the three Saint’s tight ends to feast on the Panthers in Week 1 and this week he goes up against the Cowboys who allowed 10.6 fantasy points to the Cleveland Brown’s tight ends in Week 1. He isn’t going to have week-winning upside but if you are in need of a solid stream he is a good option.
Zach Ertz (Commanders) v NYG (14)
Ertz is doing what Zach Ertz does. He ruins the first half of a talent tight ends rookie season. Once again the Commanders get a juicy matchup and once again it will be Ertz and not Ben Sinnott who gets the bulk of the tight end targets. Consider Ertz a high-end TE2 with low-end TE1 upside this week.
Sit ’em
Cole Kmet (Bears) v HOU (32)
Kmet is yet another member of the Bear’s “Too Many Mouths to Feed Club”. An offense struggling to produce this much with so many talented weapons ahead of him on the depth chart makes for a tough scenario for Kmet. The bear face Houston who is the worst matchup for the position and has failed to give up a point to them this season.
Peyton Hendershot (Cowboys) v NO (31)
Hendershot looks to step in for the injured Jake Ferguson, but in a matchup with the New Orleans Saints that ranks as the 2nd worst for tight ends, I’m going to sit him regardless. Hendershot doesn’t figure to be heavily involved this week and shouldn’t be started despite his newfound opportunity.
Pat Freiermuth (Steelers) v DEN (26)
Freiermuth appears to be the second in targets on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Sadly, those targets are coming from Justin Fields who averages roughly 160 passing yards per game. Add in a matchup with the Denver Broncos who are so bad against every other position that they simply don’t need their tight end and I’m leaving The Muth on my bench this week.
Well, that’s it for our Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em for Week 2 of the 2024 season. Remember, you can check out rankings for each Week. Reach out on social media, you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Or jump into our Discord server.
Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em 2024 Week 2
Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em 2024 Week 2
