Each week there are some obvious starts and sits in fantasy football. Other decisions are not quite so simple. Here are some of my picks for Week 1 in the latest edition of Studs, Duds & Sleepers.
STUDS
QB: Anthony Richardson (IND at GB): The second-year QB was QB3 in Week 1. It’s a small sample size, but now in the four career starts in games in which he has finished, Richardson has eclipsed 25 fantasy points three times. His rushing line not only provides a nice floor, but leaves the door open for a huge upside.
RB: Derrick Henry (BAL vs. LV): Game-flow led to a disappointing Raven debut for Henry in last Thursday’s opener vs. Kansas City. That will likely not be the case in Week 2 as Baltimore hosts Las Vegas with the Ravens favored by 8.5 points. The guys Henry replaced, J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, just rushed for 161 yards on 21 carries vs. the Raiders. Henry will get a larger portion of the workload and is my RB1 for Week 2.
WR: Mike Evans (TB at DET): The Bucs’ passing attack was one of the biggest highlights of Week 1 and expect them to continue to air it out this week in Detroit in a game that currently has the highest total (51.5) on the board for Week 2. Evans pulled in two scores last week and should be able to build on his yardage output this time around.
TE: Isaiah Likely (BAL vs. LV): Last week’s breakout might have Likely being overvalued in some spots, but I don’t think it was a fluke. Regression is likely ahead and Mark Andrews is still a thing. However, with a lackluster receiving corps the Ravens’ offense has room for two tight ends to put up TE1 production. Both rank inside my top 10 at the position for this weekend.
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Get ready for kickoff to Week 2’s action w/Dan Clasgens & James Adams on the Fantistics Insider Football Podcast…
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DUDS
QB: Trevor Lawrence (JCK vs CLE): The Jags-Dolphins’ game in Week 1 was lower scoring than anticipated and we’ve already seen the total for Jacksonville’s home matchup vs. Cleveland this week dropped by a field goal since it opened, now sitting at 41.5. That leaves very little upside for Lawrence and the passing attack. His 12-for-21 effort for 162 yards and a TD last week doesn’t inspire much confidence which I rank him outside of my top 15 quarterbacks for this week.
RB: Aaron Jones (MIN vs. SF): Jones delivered a nice output in his Vikings’ debut with 17.9 fantasy points (0.5 PPR), but things will get tougher this time around matched up versus a tougher 49ers’ D. Only three teams allowed fewer points to fantasy RB’s last season than San Fran and watching them limit Breece Hall to just 93 total yards on 21 total touches in Week 1 is more impressive than it may seem.
WR: Calvin Ridley (TEN vs. NYJ): Ridley was an appealing WR3 candidate during the offseason, but after watching some of the struggles of Will Levis last weekend and having a stellar Jets’ D on tap I am going to let the veteran stay on my bench until he can play his way into my fantasy lineup.
TE: Dallas Goedert (PHI vs. ATL): Goedert is not passing the eye-ball test for me. He looks old and pedestrian. He flashed a 4/31 stat line in Week 1 and has now failed to reach double-digit points (0.5 ppr) in seven of his last eight regular-season contests.
SLEEPERS
QB: Justin Fields (PIT at DEN): Fields is not a great NFL quarterback. However, he can be an effective fantasy starter given his rushing capabilities. It didn’t muster too much in Week 1 vs. the Falcons, but I expect better results this time around if he does indeed get the start as expected at Denver. He’s fringe top 15 QB in Week 2 on my board.
RB: Brian Robinson Jr (WAS vs. NYG):It wasn’t pretty, but Robinson did score and appear to have the upper hand in the committee over newcomer Austin Ekeler in the Commanders’ backfield. He scored and saw double-digit carries and that output again has him in flex consideration for Week 2. Game script could play more in his favor here than it did a week ago when Washington was getting rolled by the Bucs.
WR: Greg Dortch (ARI vs. LAR): Dortch definitely emerged as a deeper PPR league option as he was targeted eight times by Kyler Murray in the Cardinals’ Week 1 loss, finishing with six receptions for 47 yards. With another high-scoring affair likely here if that target volume hold steady Dortch will be a viable fantasy lineup option.
TE: Colby Parkinson (LAR at ARI): With Puka Nucua sidelined there are targets up for grabs in the Rams’ passing attack and that only adds to Parkinson’s sleeper appeal this week and in the foreseeable future.
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