The forgotten Sammy Watkins turned in an epic performance in week 1 of the fantasy football season.
Even though he’s playing on the highest-scoring offense in the league, we forgot about Watkins and how he could be a difference maker if he stays healthy. And he showed that with a 46 point fantasy performance in week 1 against a supposedly good Jaguars offense.
He wasn’t the only surprise in week 1, so we’ll see if he, along with other receivers, can stay consistent from week-to-week. Here’s the start ‘em, sit ‘em guide for week 2 fantasy football wide receivers.
Start
Sammy Watkins vs. Oakland Raiders
Stick with the hot hand. Watkins was mostly relegated to a WR3 role in the preseason, only to see his value skyrocket after week 1, especially with the injury to Tyreek Hill.
With Hill out multiple weeks, it appears Watkins will man the No. 1 role in Kansas City’s offense, which puts him among the top-10 at the position. There’s no need to research this one. Start Watkins for the foreseeable future.
D.J. Moore vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay’s defense didn’t look completely putrid in week 1, a far cry from last year’s unit. But I’m still not trusting them, especially on a short week on the road.
That should open up some opportunities for Moore, who was targeted 10 times during Carolina’s week 1 loss to Los Angeles, nabbing seven receptions to go with 76 yards. Moore should be the second-most attractive weapon on that roster, which will give him some consistency.
He’s not a sure-fire bet since this offense is not a great passing offense, but he’s worth a start as a top-end WR2 in week 2.
Tyler Boyd vs. Cincinnati Bengals
I know that Boyd was outshined by John Ross in week 1, but I still liked what I saw from Boyd. He was still targeted 11 times and caught eight of those passes.
I’d like to see him get more yardage (only 60 yards), but I’m encouraged by the targets. San Francisco looked improved on the defensive side of the ball in week 2, but I’m not buying it just yet, especially with back-to-back road games.
Boyd should be Andy Dalton’s favored receiver in week 2, so I’m expecting him to be a top-end WR2.
Sit
Kenny Golladay vs. Los Angeles Chargers
The Lions are looking to run more and it appears that Danny Amendola and T.J. Hockenson have carved out a role in this offense.
That means that Golladay can’t be considered much more than a WR3, if not worse. He was targeted nine times in week 1, which I like. However, he caught only four of those balls. He may be used as more of a received to take the top off the defense, which will result in a more boom-or-bust fashion.
The Chargers have been good against the pass in recent years, and allowed only 155 yards to receivers in week 1 against the Colts. I expect a similar result in week 2.
Robby Anderson vs. Cleveland Browns
I was disappointed in what I saw from Sam Darnold in week 1. The Bills defense is really good, but I didn’t see the maturation that I expected from him in year 2.
Therefore, I’m taking a step back from him and this offense until I see more of a glimmer of hope. Usually I’m not the king of overreaction, but in this case, I just can’t trust this offense.
The Jets are going to have to show me something before I can consistently trust their wide receivers and quarterback going forward.
Tyler Lockett vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
I’m not giving up on Lockett, but I’m not going to trust him either.
He attracted only two targets in week 1 against Cincinnati. And that’s kind of how this offense has been run in recent years, with no clear-cut dominant wide receiver. That creates a problem for consistency, especially if you’re considering Lockett as your WR2.
And while Pittsburgh was horrendous in week 1, I’m not going to overreact (which many of you will say I’m doing with the Jets). The Steelers are regularly a pretty good defense, so I’ll stick with that until I see continued decline.
