The ‘Better Than a Sit/Start Article’, Sit/Start Article

This season the start/ sit will be a little different. Instead of going through every game, will give each position a must start, an meh start and a long shot start. There will also be a ‘temper your expectations’, you know someone you should sit but we both know you won’t.

This is Week 2. Embrace the weirdness that was Week 1 and we will move on.

QUARTERBACKS

MUST START

Kirk Cousins @ Philadelphia Eagles

I am not completely sure if this is an endorsement of Cousins or Justin Jefferson.

This is a Monday Night Football game with a 52o/u and the Eagles only favorite by two points. The oddsmakers think this is going to be a shoot-out and if Kevin O’Connell’s first game is any indication, he will be most happy to oblige.

Last week Cousins attempted 32 passes, completed 23, for 277 yards and two touchdowns. And that was in a game that was never in doubt for the Vikings.

MEH

Carson Wentz @ Detroit Lions

I am almost always trepidatious to suggest starting Wentz. And the Lions defense should be sneaky good (less sneaky because of Hard Knocks). But last week they allowed Jalen Hurts to pass for 243 yards on 18 completions!

Meanwhile in Washington Wentz was doing Wentz like things. You know throwing for 313 yards and four touchdowns while sprinkling in two inappropriate interceptions.

The over/under for this game is 49 and Detroit is favorite by -2.5. It will call for Wentz to do Wentz like things.

LONG SHOT

Matt Ryan @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Ryan attempted 50 passes last week. He had one touchdown and one interception on 352 passing yards. Jacksonville allowed Wentz to pass for four touchdowns.

Maybe it’s not such a long shot after all.

TEMPER YOUR EXPECTATION

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Tom Brady @ New Orleans Saints

I am sure you have heard the narrative, the Saints and Dennis Allen own Tom Brady. He is 0-4 against the Saints. Against New Orleans Brady has a 60% completion percentage, eight touchdowns, eight interceptions and has been sacked 13 times. 

In their last meeting (December 2021) the Saints won 9-0. It was the first time Brady had been held scoreless since 2006. Allen has been the defensive coordinator each time the Saints have spanked Brady. Expect the same.

RUNNING BACKS

MUST START

Darrell Henderson v Atlanta Falcons

Henderson played on 82% of the Rams offensive plays last week. That was the most snap share of any starting running back. He was involved in both the passing game and the run game. Forget the statistical anomaly of only 26 receiving yards on five targets and 47 rushing yards on 13 carries. No one is comparing the Buffalo Bills defense to the Falcons defense.

Case in point last week the Saints ground game accounted for 151 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons and that was with a hobbled Alvin Kamara.

MEH

Jeff Wilson v Seattle Seahawks

This designation is not a direct reflection on Wilson but on the running back situation that always happens in San Francisco. Wilson should be the “next man up”.

In their win Monday night, Seattle allowed the Denver Broncos running backs 101 rushing yards on 19 carries. That was with Denver rushing the ball on 31.25% of their offensive plays (26^th). San Francisco ran the ball the second-most 55.22%.

Looking for Seattle to have a little emotional letdown and 49ers needing a win the run game will dominate. Let’s just hope Kyle Shanahan stays with the (our) plan.

LONG SHOT START

Damien Harris @ Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers gave up 133 rushing yards last week. New England’s trio of running backs only rushed for 88 yards last week. Damien Harris led the running back room with 48 rushing yards on nine carries. He was on the field for 22 offensive snaps, Ty Montgomery had 20 and Rhamondre Stevenson had 14 offensive snaps.

The ‘problem’ is not only the running back by committee situation, but the play calling/caller is an unknown factor.

The Steelers’ run defense was subpar when TJ Watt was in the lineup. They were 32^nd last year in rushing yards allowed per game (143.8). And now there is no Watt for the foreseeable future. So, Harris should have a good day.

See aforementioned play calling/play caller running back by committee.

TEMPER YOUR EXPECTATIONS

Christian McCaffrey @ New York Giants

McCaffrey should feed here. He also should have fed last week. And maybe we should give the coaching staff in Carolina a break. Perhaps they are ‘easing’ McCaffrey into the season.

Last week McCaffrey was on the field for 81.13% of the offensive snaps. He had 10 carries for 33 yards and was targeted four times with four receptions for 24 receiving yards.

McCaffrey finished the week as RB17 with 11.7 fantasy points in standard leagues and 15.7 fantasy points in PPR leagues.

This week Carolina plays the New York Giants. Last week the Giants gave up 26 fantasy points to the running back position (albeit it was Derrick Henry).

WIDE RECEIVERS

MUST START

Amon-Ra St. Brown v Washington

Washington just gave up 117 yards to Jacksonville Jaguars’ Christian Kirk and 65 receiving yards to Zay Jones. Last season the Commanders allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to the position.

St. Brown was on the field for 62 of the 69 offensive snaps last week. He was targeted a team high 12 times and led the team with 64 receiving yards. He also scored a touchdown.

Detroit’s implied total is 27. That’s at least two touchdowns for St. Brown, no?

MEH

Chase Claypool v New England Patriots

Now playing the part of Deebo Samuel will be Chase Claypool. Claypool was on the field for 92.06% of the offensive snaps. He was targeted five times and ran 39 routes. He also had six carries for 36 yards. Now with his four receptions on five targets, Claypool only amassed 18 receiving yards. To be fair quarterback Mitchell Trubisky only averaged 5.1 yards per attempt.

Last week the Patriots defense allowed Tyreek Hill 94 receiving yards and Jaylen Waddle 69 receiving yards and a touchdown. The hope here is that Claypool makes it to the endzone or at the very least become more productive in the passing game.

LONG SHOT START

Drake London @ Los Angeles Rams

The rookie gave you 12.4 fantasy points last week. He was on the field for 72% of the offensive snaps. He tied for team league in targets (7), led the team in receptions (5) and led the team in receiving yards (74). Ya!

This week he will go against a very determined Jalen Ramsey. Good money says this outcome will look very different than what Ramsey put on the field in Week 1.

TEMPER YOUR EXPECTATIONS

Mike Evans @ New Orleans Saints

The Evan versus Marshon Lattimore duel has been one sided. Evans averages 51.4 yards against the Saints while he gets 81.7 on average against all other teams. This week it becomes even more complicated as Evans appears to be dealing with a calf injury. I would be leery playing a healthy Evans against Lattimore, this is extra. This is also the pivot section. Depending on whether you are playing standard or PPR look for Julio Jones (PPR) and Russell Gage (standard).

TIGHT ENDS

START

Zach Ertz @ Las Vegas Raiders

Unless your name is Travis Kelce or Mark Andrews is there such a thing as a ‘must start’ tight end? Ertz is close this week. The Raiders allowed Gerald Everett in the end zone last week. Last year the Raiders gave up the third-most fantasy points on average to the tight end position.

Without DeAndre Hopkins on the field last season, Ertz finished as a top-10 tight end in 71.4% of his games.

Ertz TE10 finish last week was mostly due to garbage time points. But in fantasy it doesn’t matter.  

MEH

Dalton Schultz @ Cincinnati Bengals

The Dallas Cowboys are in dire straits (also a decent band) on the offensive side of the ball (the defense isn’t looking that great either). They will be starting Cooper Rush under center. Cee Dee Lamb has not proven he can hold the title as WR1 in that offense. And Jerry Jones wants to run the offense through Ezekiel Elliott who had 52 rushing yards on 10 carries last week (it might work).

Anyway, on a more optimistic note: the Bengals have allowed the most fantasy points to the tight end position in their last eight games. Just last week Pat Freiermuth had 75 yards on five receptions.

DON’T DO IT

Mike Gesicki @ Baltimore Ravens

This is just not the right fit for Gesicki. Last week he was on the field for 19 offensive snaps. He had one target, one reception for one yard and gave you 1.1 fantasy points.

“I Told You, I Don’t Want To Join Your Super-Secret Boy Band.”—Iron Man

It’s no secret Week 1 was weird. Like CMC RB17 fully healthy weird. Like Russell Wilson losing in Seattle being outplayed by Geno Smith weird. But it’s okay. Embrace the weirdness and let’s move on to Week 2.

Got any question come talk to me on Twitter @gladysLtyler or on GoingFor2 Discord channel #sit-start and for a really…really good time come on the GoingFor2 Discord #bleep-you. @TheBLeague says is a star…a bright shining star.

Good Luck this Week!

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