Fantasy Football Start/Sit Week 2: It's Not Crazy to Sit Caleb Williams This Week

One week of the NFL season is in the books, which means fantasy managers finally have some real data to work with.

Of course, figuring out how much stock to put into one game can be tricky. A breakout performance doesn't necessarily establish a new baseline while a disappointing Week 1 shouldn't automatically send a player to the bench.

That's where matchups, opportunities and underlying usage can help. With that in mind, let's look at three players to start and three players to sit in fantasy football for Week 2.

This article is geared toward 12-team, half-PPR scoring formats with only one starting quarterback -- though the general advice can be loosely applied to most formats. Injury information may change after this article is published. You can stay up to date with this week’s injury news via our NFL player news page.

All betting references refer to the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. All statistics via NFL Next Gen Stats and Pro Football Focus unless otherwise stated.

Fantasy Football Start ‘Em or Sit ‘Em (Week 2)

Fantasy Football Starts for Week 2

Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Bhayshul Tuten's first game as the Jacksonville Jaguars‘ lead back was encouraging enough to put him in the starting conversation for Week 2.

Tuten handled 15 carries for 66 yards in Jacksonville's 34-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns, averaging 4.4 yards per attempt. He also caught his lone target for 22 yards, giving him 88 scrimmage yards on 16 touches.

The workload is the biggest takeaway. Tuten had only 83 carries across 15 games as a rookie last season, but Jacksonville immediately entrusted him with 15 rushing attempts in the 2026 opener. That kind of volume gives him a relatively sturdy fantasy floor even without a touchdown.

The matchup at the Denver Broncos — despite what we saw last Monday — is tough enough to keep Tuten from being a lineup lock, but his role makes him an appealing RB2/flex play. If the Jaguars continue feeding him 15-plus touches, he should have enough opportunities to deliver another useful fantasy performance.

Tucker Kraft, TE, Green Bay Packers

Tucker Kraft didn't find the end zone in Week 1, but there was still plenty to like about his return to the Green Bay Packers‘ lineup.

Kraft hauled in three passes for 65 yards against the Minnesota Vikings, averaging an impressive 21.7 yards per reception. That came after Kraft averaged 16.2 fantasy points per game before suffering a season-ending knee injury in 2025.

Green Bay travels to face the New York Jets in Week 2. New York limited the Tennessee Titans to 140 passing yards in its opener, so this isn't necessarily a matchup to attack blindly. Still, Kraft's big-play ability and established role in the Packers' passing game make him difficult to leave on the bench at a thin position.

With six touchdowns in only eight appearances last season and 65 yards in his 2026 debut, Kraft offers a combination of yardage and touchdown upside that makes him a solid TE1 for Week 2.

Juwan Johnson, TE, New Orleans Saints

Juwan Johnson‘s 2025 breakout appears to have carried over into the new season.

Johnson established career highs with 77 receptions and 889 receiving yards last year. He opened 2026 by catching three passes for 54 yards and a touchdown in the New Orleans Saints' 31-30 loss to the Detroit Lions.

The Saints now travel to the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens allowed only 166 passing yards in Week 1. While that doesn't immediately scream favorable matchup, Johnson's role is more important than chasing one-game defensive results this early in the season.

Johnson has developed into a legitimate piece of the New Orleans passing attack rather than merely a touchdown-dependent streamer. Coming off an 889-yard campaign and another productive outing in Week 1, he's worth keeping in fantasy lineups.

Fantasy Football Sits for Week 2

Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears

This one isn't easy after Caleb Williams exploded in Week 1.

Williams completed 21 of 29 passes for 269 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Chicago Bears‘ 59-37 win over the Carolina Panthers. He added 65 rushing yards and another 2 scores on the ground, producing one of the week's biggest fantasy performances.

But Minnesota — this week’s opposition — has consistently given Williams problems through the air.

Williams has faced the Vikings four times in his career, and three of those four games have resulted in 210 or fewer passing yards. Over his last three meetings with Minnesota, Williams has thrown for 191, 210 and 193 yards while producing only 2 total passing touchdowns. That's an average of just 198.0 passing yards per game over that stretch.

Minnesota entered this season off a 2025 campaign in which it surrendered only 158.5 passing yards per game, the second-fewest in the NFL.

Williams' rushing ability always gives him a path to a good fantasy day, and he's obviously capable of making this recommendation look bad after what he did in Week 1. Still, this is a much more difficult assignment than Carolina. If you have another viable option in one-QB leagues, I'd be willing to leave Williams on the bench for Week 2.

Tony Pollard, RB, Tennessee Titans

Tony Pollard‘s Week 1 workload is concerning heading into an already difficult matchup.

Pollard carried the ball only seven times for 35 yards in Tennessee's 23-10 loss to the Jets. His involvement as a receiver didn't rescue the performance, either, as he caught one pass for minus-1 yard.

Now he gets the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles allowed 132 rushing yards in their opener, but it took Washington 32 attempts and a running signal-caller to get there, resulting in an average of only 4.1 yards per carry. More importantly for Pollard, it's hard to trust a running back coming off just eight total opportunities in an offense that scored 10 points.

Pollard can still be used if you're thin at running back, but I'd prefer to look elsewhere for an RB2 or flex play until we see his workload rebound.

RJ Harvey, RB, Denver Broncos

RJ Harvey is another back I'd be hesitant to start in Week 2 after a disappointing debut.

Harvey handled just three carries for 18 yards in Week 1, although he caught all four of his targets for 23 yards in the Denver Broncos‘ 31-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. That gave him only seven touches, making it difficult to trust him as an RB2 or flex option even though his involvement in the passing game provides some PPR appeal.

The matchup doesn't make things any easier. Harvey now faces the Jacksonville Jaguars, a defense that just held the Cleveland Browns to 87 rushing yards and recorded five sacks in a dominant Week 1 performance. The Jaguars also held the Browns to just 132 total yards through three quarters.

Denver's backfield could also remain difficult to project with J.K. Dobbins and Jonah Coleman competing for work. Harvey's receiving role gives him some upside in PPR formats, but until his rushing workload increases, I'd rather keep him on the bench.

Fantasy Football Start/Sit FAQ

Who should I start in fantasy football this week?

The best starts are typically players with strong recent usage, favorable matchups and a reliable path to touches or targets. Matchup-specific factors and changes in workload should also be considered before setting your lineup.

Who should I sit in fantasy football this week?

Players can be worth sitting when they face difficult matchups, have seen their role decrease or carry significant risk due to injuries or inconsistent usage. Even proven players can be matchup-based sits in a given week.

How do you decide who to start or sit in fantasy football?

Start/sit decisions should account for a player's expected volume, recent production, matchup, offensive role and game environment. Comparing those factors against your other lineup options can help determine which player offers the best combination of floor and upside.

Should I start a player with a difficult matchup?

It depends. A difficult matchup can lower a player's expected production, but high-volume players can still deliver strong fantasy performances regardless of the matchup. The player's role and expected opportunity should usually carry more weight than matchup alone. Another huge factor is whether or not you have quality alternatives on your roster.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.