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Fantasy Football Week 2: Late-Minute Wide Receiver Start ‘Em and Sit ‘Em Advice
Fantasy Football Week 2: Wide Receiver Start 'Em and Sit 'Em
Week 2 of the Fantasy Football season is among us, and hopefully you got off to a good start in your respective leagues in your quest for that elusive championship. This week, many owners are making last-minute changes to their roster, making sure they have the best players with the best matchups in their starting lineups to earn that much-needed victory. These moves might involve players who had nice Week 1 games like Jerome Simpson, and their performances may make you think about starting them this week, but that is a mistake. Even though those guys might have made a difference last week, you definitely don't want to be cute and sit your studs. After all, you drafted them early for a reason, and you should be relying on them week to week for the same reason.
This slideshow will focus on the later-round players that were drafted. These players are used as a WR3 or flex player. So, you won't see the names of usual suspects like Calvin Johnson, A.J. Green or Dez Bryant on this list. There are plenty of players who had favorable matchups last week that won't have the same luxury this week, like Greg Jennings and Stevie Johnson. And the same idea goes for those players who were playing against good defenses in Week 1.
Here, I'll list three wide receivers that you should start and three that should be benched, leading you to have the best lineup possible and guaranteeing a Week 2 victory against your fantasy opponent.
Bill Pivetz is a fantasy football writer for Rant Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @Mr_Piv1127.
Start: Denarius Moore
The Oakland Raiders aren't known for having fantasy-relevant wideouts. However, with Terrelle Pryor as the starting quarterback, the offense just got a little more exciting. Denarius Moore had 43 yards and a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts, scoring 10 points. This week, he goes against the poor Jacksonville Jaguars. This is a favorable matchup for Moore and the Raiders, and he should be a starting wide receiver for your team.
Sit: Jerome Simpson
As I mentioned in the introduction, Jerome Simpson took advantage of the Detroit Lions defense. He had a total of 140 receiving yards. This week, he and the Minnesota Vikings take on division rival Chicago Bears. Their defense is much better than the Lions', especially with Charles Tillman playing cornerback. Plus, Simpson still has Christian Ponder as his quarterback. Don't expect Simpson to have another 140-yard game this week. The Bears will pressure Ponder, forcing him to hand it off to Adrian Peterson, the Vikings' best and possibly only weapon.
Start: Steve Smith
Steve Smith's career saw a resurrection with Cam Newton at quarterback. Smith had 54 fantasy points in 2010. His total skyrocketed to 181 in Newton's rookie year. His value is still fairly high, especially in 2013. Smith had 11 points against a tough Seattle Seahawks defense. He could score even more this week against the Buffalo Bills as they have defensive backs Jairus Byrd and Stephon Gilmore out of action. Smith is still the No. 1 receiver. Brandon LaFell won't affect Smith's numbers.
Sit: Lance Moore
The New Orleans Saints are no doubt a pass-first offense. With weapons like Darren Sproles, Marques Colston and Jimmy Graham at his disposal, it would be tough for Drew Brees not to throw the ball. The Saints also have Kenny Stills and Nick Toon emerging in the offense, leaving Lance Moore on the outside looking in. In addition, the Saints play against Darrelle Revis and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week. Moore could end up with one or two points.
Start: Marlon Brown
The Baltimore Ravens have a new identity now that many key defensive players have left. Joe Flacco will throw the ball and throw it often, whether it's to Torrey Smith, Ray Rice or Dallas Clark. This week, the Ravens will be playing the Cleveland Browns. Smith, starting opposite of Marlon Brown, will have cornerback Joe Haden covering him. This will allow Brown to burn Buster Skrine and Tashaun Gipson in the secondary. Brown will make the most of his starting time while Jacoby Jones is out.
Sit: Mike Williams
Mike Williams of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has benefited greatly from the addition of Vincent Jackson. Before that, he was the No. 1 receiver and achieved little success. After, he's the No. 2 guy and is scoring a ton. Williams just missed recording 1,000 receiving yards, totaling 996 and nine touchdowns last year. However, as long as Josh Freeman continues to struggle under center, Williams will be a tough wideout to rely on week in and week out. I recommend benching Williams, especially this week. Williams has averaged fewer than 65 yards in six career games against the New Orleans Saints, his opponent this week.
