Identifying Week 2 sleepers and avoiding potential duds can make all the difference for your team. Whether you’re looking for under-the-radar players poised for a breakout or trying to dodge early-season letdowns, our team of Featured Pros has you covered. In this article, we’ll dive into the key players you should start and those you might want to bench based on expert insights and analysis.

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Week 2 Fantasy Football Start/Sit Advice

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?

Mike Gesicki (TE – CIN)

“Mike Gesicki could be in for a big week against a Kansas City defense that couldn’t stop Baltimore’s Isaiah Likely (21.6 half-PPR points) in Week 1. Gesicki, who plays a similar role to Likely in the Bengals offense, caught three of four targets in last week’s loss, with the lone incompletion being an end zone target. Cincinnati needs a bounce-back win, and getting Gesicki involved appears to be a way they can challenge a tough Chiefs defense. The bar is low to be a relevant fantasy TE, and in this climate, Gesicki could be the overall TE5 with less than ten fantasy points in Week 2.”
– Nate Polvogt (Optimus Fantasy Football)

Jeff Wilson Jr. (RB – MIA)

“With no Raheem Mostert for the Miami Dolphins, fire up Jeff Wilson Jr. this week against the Buffalo Bills. De’Von Achane is also ailing for the Dolphins and is being called a game-time decision for Thursday night. Rookie Jaylen Wright was a healthy inactive in week 1, leaving Wilson to serve as the third running back to Mostert and Achane. The Bills conceded a rushing TD to James Conner last week, and there is no reason to believe Miami will not count on Wilson for 15-18 touches minimum if both of their top two running backs are sidelined. Even if Achane plays, Wilson will get enough work to garner high-end RB3 consideration this week. ”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)

Wan’Dale Robinson (WR – NYG)

“Wan’Dale Robinson had a solid Week 1 performance, totaling 8.8 half-point PPR fantasy points on a team-high 12 targets. More importantly, he ran 83.9 percent of his routes from the slot, posting a 26 percent target per route run rate from the slot and 34 percent overall last week, all team-highs (per Fantasy Points Data). Meanwhile, the Washington Commanders gave up the third-highest yards per route run average (3.09) and the highest receiving first downs per reception rate (17.8%) to slot receivers in Week 1. Furthermore, three of Baker Mayfield‘s four passing touchdowns against the Commanders last week were by a slot receiver. While Daniel Jones is an awful quarterback, Tommy DeVito had three passing touchdowns in the Week 11 matchup against Washington last season. Robinson has top-24 upside, thanks to the matchup.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)

“I like Wan’Dale Robinson and his 12 targets from Week 1 to see a similar opportunity against an inferior Commanders defense this week. Washington made Baker Mayfield look like a star last week, but they also allowed Chris Godwin and Rachaad White to eat underneath in the passing game. Robinson is Mr. Necessary in the Giants’ passing attack, and with what I can only assume will be a focus on stopping Malik Nabers, Wan’Dale should be open a ton. Twelve targets are again achievable with the high likelihood of increased production against a limited Washington pass defense.”
– Jeremy Shulman (Fantasy Football Universe)

Allen Lazard (WR – NYJ)

“Allen Lazard is back! He caught eight of nine targets for 89 yards and two touchdowns! Owners shouldn’t chase touchdowns, but targets are a great indicator of wide receiver success! Aaron Rodgers loves Lazard and is laser-focused on him. This will continue in Tennessee this week and in upcoming weeks as the Jets get their offense rolling.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)

Jalen McMillan (WR – TB)

“Jalen McMillan should be on your sleeper radars in Week 2. He was able to score a touchdown last week and almost had two if he had not dropped one. He plays the Lions this week. That should be a shootout, as the Buccaneers will likely be playing catch-up. He played more snaps than both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin last week. He could produce for you in Week 2.”
– Steven Pintado (The Fantasy Coaches)

“Buccaneers WR3 Jalen McMillan has plenty of upside in your FLEX spot this week. In his NFL debut, the former Washington Huskie ran a route on 88% of Baker Mayfield‘s dropbacks. He caught one of his three targets for a 32-yard TD. He almost caught another TD earlier in the game. Considering the projected shootout on deck versus Detroit, McMillan could have another busy week.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)

“When digging this deep, targeting players from games with the highest projected point totals seems like a good strategy. At the time of writing, the over/under for the Lions-Bucs matchup is 2.5 points higher than any other game. That brings us to a rookie who led his wideout group in snaps and routes in Week 1 — Tampa Bay’s Jalen McMillan. The 22-year-old only garnered three targets, but this is an ideal game environment for this type of dart throw.”
– Elisha Twerski (USA Today)

Jaylen Wright (RB – MIA)

“Jaylen Wright was one of my sleepers this summer, and while Jeff Wilson could get the call on Thursday to fill in for injured starter Raheem Mostert, I’ll go with Wright as my first choice. Wright is more explosive than Wilson, imo. And, like his teammates, Mostert and Achane, Wright is electric in the open field and is a home run threat every time he touches the ball. One of his best strengths is his ability to contribute in pass protection, which is critical for rookies to get on the field. I guess what I’m saying is, “When it comes to picking a longshot breakout player at RB, Jaylen just might be Mr. Right for your fantasy team; however, when it comes to telling funny jokes, Mark Ringo will always be Mr. Wrong haha!””
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)

Brock Bowers (TE – LV)

“Week 1 wasn’t a smashing success for Las Vegas tight end Brock Bowers, but with six receptions on eight targets in his first NFL game, it’s a positive sign. Many fantasy managers worried that the Raiders quarterback situation wasn’t enough to support multiple fantasy options and assumed the offense would only allow Davante Adams to produce. In Week 1, it was Bowers, not Adams, who was the team leader, as the Raiders seemed to be building around their young first-round rookie. A TE3 finish in his first career start is a great sign of things to come, and he is a great start for anyone who didn’t land a top-six tight end in their drafts. His matchup with the Ravens is also ideal, as Baltimore allowed the six most fantasy points to the position in Week 1, even though that’s a limited sample size, and I’m willing to take a chance on the rookie and fire him up in Week 2.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Football Universe)

Greg Dortch (WR – ARI)

“With one of the highest implied team point totals for Week 2, the Arizona Cardinals is an offense I’m targeting when looking at FLEX options. That means Kyler’s guy Greg Dortch is in the mix against the Rams. Dortch had more targets than all other Cardinal WRs combined in Week 1, and he even got a carry against Buffalo. Marvin Harrison, Jr. will get going soon enough, but don’t sleep on Dortch to continue his production in Week 2.”
– Bart Wheeler (Hail to Fantasy Football)

“Greg F***** Dortch. We’ve been praising him all off season for a reason. This absolute legend is going to lead the Cardinals in receptions this year. How’s that for a “Hot Take.” This week, we have the mighty Dortch ranked within the top 40 wide receivers. The Rams’ defense is pretty sus, but they seemed to do a decent job covering St-Brown and Laporta last week, so we expect them to focus more on MHJ and Trey McBride, which bodes well for Sir Dortch.”
– Fantasy Football Goonz (Fantasy Football Goonz)

Colby Parkinson (TE – LAR)

“Colby Parkinson is primed for a big Week Two. Parkinson led all tight ends in routes run and was eighth in route participation rates at the position. For such a thin and touchdown-dependent position, give me the guy that is tied to an elite offense and has elite usage/participation rates.”
– James Emrick-Wilson (Armchair Scouting)

Jaylen Warren (RB – PIT)

“It’s time for a wake-up call for potential sleeper Jaylen Warren, who had a rather flat performance in Week 1 against Cincinnati. Warren had a 31 percent snap share percentage, and I anticipate this to increase in Week 2 as Warren is further removed from a hamstring injury during the preseason. Warren and Pittsburgh take on Denver this week, and the Denver defense has been an opposing team’s running back best friend dating back to last season, allowing an opportunity for a get-right game for a guy ranked out of the top 100 flex players in Week 2. If looking for a bonus dart throw for a huge upside and equally risky floor is Adonai Mitchell. We just saw the floor performance for Adonai Mitchell in Week 1, one reception for 2 yards. There is a huge upside with 82 air yards on five targets in Week 1 as well. If Mitchell and Richardson can connect on some of these deep targets, it could be fireworks for Mitchell in Week 2.”
– Derek Dennington (The Good Old Boys Fantasy Football Podcast)

“Jaylen Warren is a good start this week, although Najee did get the majority of the work. I expect Najee to get the majority of the work again as he is the bigger back, which is what OC Arthur Smith enjoys. However, the Denver defense looked atrocious, and the Steelers’ passing game was mid-tier. This game should be an easy one for Pittsburgh and one in which both running backs find an opportunity to make plays that benefit our fantasy teams.”
– Miguel ‘SC’ Romero (Fantasy Football Universe)

Duds

Which player inside the top 40 in the FantasyPros flex rankings is likely to disappoint fantasy managers this week?

Rachaad White (RB – TB)

“Rachaad White was saved in Week 1 by catching all six of his targets for 75 yards, helping him get to 13.6 half-PPR points, and tying him with Bijan Robinson for RB19 on the week. However, White is unlikely to have such luck in Week 2 against a stout Detroit defense. Rams RB Kyren Williams, a noted PPR darling for fantasy managers, managed four receiving yards on three catches against them last week. While White may see volume both in the passing game, it’s unlikely to amount to enough to keep in the top 40 flex players in Week 2.”
– Nate Polvogt (Optimus Fantasy Football)

“In Week 1, rookie RB Bucky Irving led the rushing attack with 62 yards on nine carries, including a 31-yard burst, averaging 6.9 yards per carry. Rachaad White struggled to find running lanes, managing just 31 yards on 15 carries (long of 15 yards). White averaged -2.1 rushing yards over expectation per attempt – the second-worst mark in Week 1. White’s pass-catching is still top-notch, but his continued struggles as a rusher are hard to ignore. Don’t think White goes to zero due to the receiving, but the carries could shift dramatically if Irving is just more efficient in this rushing scheme. The Lions held Kyren Williams in a check to under 3.0 yards per carry after they were one of the best-run defenses in the league in 2023, allowing the fewest rushing yards per game to opposing RBs. ”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)

“I was a Rachaad White truther all offseason, but in Week 2, he will find himself planted firmly on my bench. In Week 1, he grabbed the bulk of the pass-catching work, but a concerning trend that saw rookie Bucky Irving split the rushing work with him was concerning, especially considering Irving was far more effective with those carries. If you combine that with a matchup against the Lions rush defense that allows almost nothing on the ground, this is a recipe for disaster for White this week. Kyren Williams rushed for exactly 50 yards in Week 1 against this defense, which may be the highest total they’ve allowed in several years. I’m avoiding White this week wherever I can.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Football Universe)

“Last season, the Lions allowed the fewest fantasy points, second-fewest receptions, and zero scores to opposing running backs. That doesn’t bode well for Rachaad White, an inefficient runner who generated 45% of his fantasy points through the air in 2023. In fact, White’s lowest output of the year (5.3 half-PPR points) came against these very same Lions. He’s closer to a low-end RB2 this week.”
– Elisha Twerski (USA Today)

Tony Pollard (RB – TEN)

“Tony Pollard had a nice first week against the Chicago Bears and looked like the leader in the Titans backfield. Tyjae Spears was the preferred back on passing downs, and against the New York Jets, there could be plenty of passing down opportunities for Spears. The Jets had a rough outing against Jordan Mason and the 49ers, and they will look to right the ship this week against a Titans team that fell apart last week versus the Bears. Pollard needs to do it again in order to obtain every-week consideration, and this is his game to prove it.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)

“Tony Pollard looked great in Week 1! Fantasy owners should be excited! BUT….he plays against the Jets this week! The rest of the season is looking pretty good for Pollard as he seems to have captured the main role in the Titans backfield, but temper expectations this week against a great run defense.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)

“Tony Pollard worries me as a top-40 FLEX option in Week 2. He had a fine debut for the Titans in Week 1, and his 16 carries to four for Spears jumps off the box score page. But this week, he’ll face a tougher Jets run defense who should get back on track after getting torched by Jordan Mason on Monday night. The Titans could be playing from behind a bit more in this contest, and that would mean more involvement from Tyjae Spears as the passing down back. ”
– Bart Wheeler (Hail to Fantasy Football)

Josh Jacobs (RB – GB)

“Many have high hopes for Josh Jacobs this week because of the matchup. The Indianapolis Colts got obliterated by Joe Mixon in Week 1, giving up 25.3 fantasy points on 33 touches. Yet, they also were destroyed by C.J. Stroud and the passing attack. Unfortunately, the Green Bay Packers will start Malik Willis this week, meaning the Colts can do everything to stop the run with the little threat of a competent passing attack. More importantly, Mixon had a massive Week 1 performance because of volume and not talent. His 13-percent missed tackle forced rate ranked 15th among 25 running backs with at least 12 rushing attempts, while he had a zero percent explosive run (per Fantasy Points Data). Expect Indianapolis to crowd the line of scrimmage and contain Jacobs, making Willis beat them.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)

Travis Etienne Jr. (RB – JAC)

“Travis Etienne going against the Cleveland Browns will be tough. We saw that even in a blowout win for the Cowboys, they couldn’t run on that Browns front seven. If Tank Bigaby is going to split carries moving forward, that means fewer opportunities for Etienne to have an RB1 upside in this game. You must hope he can see more than two targets in Week 2. Etienne may be someone you want to avoid this week.”
– Steven Pintado (The Fantasy Coaches)

“Travis Etienne is an easy fade after seeing fellow running mate Tank Bigsby look good on the same amount of carries. In fact, Bigsby nearly doubled Etienne’s production. Etienne saved his fantasy day with a touchdown, but there will be less room down in close against a stout Cleveland front. Etienne will also need to see more than three targets to produce high-end RB numbers, and I think he will falter again in Week 2, with the very real potential he doesn’t find the end zone. Bigsby could even challenge for goal-line work, but the real issue here is the limited production against a mediocre Dolphins defense last week.”
– Jeremy Shulman (Fantasy Football Universe)

Justin Jefferson (WR – MIN)

“I’m out on Justin Jefferson, not just for this week, but for this year. Kirk Cousins is long gone, and with Sam Darnold running the Vikings’ offense, I have major concerns. The true test starts this week, imo. The 49ers are a much tougher matchup than the N.Y. Giants. San Francisco should be able to put up plenty of points, and if they take the lead, we’ll see how the Vikes do if they’re forced to play from behind. Star DE, Nick Bosa, could pin his ears back to focus on rushing Darnold, who is not exactly the most elusive guy in the NFL. And remember, the 49’ers can generate a relentless pass rush without blitzing, which could lead to plenty of double teams that hinder Jefferson.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)

Rhamondre Stevenson (RB –  NE)

“You could probably bench Rhamondre Stevenson. The game script was ideal for him last week, but we think the Pats will be playing from behind in Week 2 against an underrated Seahawks team. He still could be a decent play, considering he is the alpha of this sketchy Patriots offense, but the upside is limited. Start Jameson Williams, Jordan Mason, or Tony Pollard instead.”
– Fantasy Football Goonz (Fantasy Football Goonz)

A.J. Brown (WR – PHI)

“My lean in Week 2 is toward AJ Brown, who is projected as the WR5 in half-point PPR as going up against Atlanta, which has been good at limiting points to opposing wide receivers dating back to last year. Couple that with one red zone target in Week 1, and the Eagles have both Barkley and Hurts and appear very happy to run the ball in the red zone, making touchdown opportunities more limited for pass catchers. Brown can make big plays, and his one-touch ability to score from anywhere on the field is lights-out; however, a tougher pass defense, I think, limits this in Week 2, and I predict Brown has a difficult time meeting or exceeding WR5 and the 14.5 half-point PPR projections in Week 2.”
– Derek Dennington (The Good Old Boys Fantasy Football Podcast)

Aaron Jones (RB – MIN)

“Aaron Jones is at the top for a disappointment this week. Not that he will not be used, because he will be. Jones is the only true back in the Minnesota backfield, at least the only one we can trust right now. Last week, he averaged 6.71 yards per carry against a bad New York Giants defense. This week, he does face a top-tier 49ers defense that held a better running back in Breece Hall to 3.38 yards per carry. Jones’s saving grace will be if he is able to find the end zone this week, but I do not expect him to have over 5 yards per carry this week, thus hurting his upside for Week 2.”
– Miguel ‘SC’ Romero (Fantasy Football Universe)

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