It was a ho-hum week in the NFL’s opening showcase for the wide receiver position.
A familiar pair, Antonio Brown and A.J. Green, totaled 24 fantasy points, while two Saints, Brandin Cooks and Willie Snead, also went over the 20-point barrier. Oh, and Larry Fitzgerald keeps drinking from the fountain of youth as he managed 20 fantasy points.
That’s today’s NFL, where wide receivers are generally more consistent than running backs. Brown and Green are elite. And it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out New Orleans will have wide receivers toward the top on a semi-regular basis.
Even though the big names performed (for the most part, we’re looking at you Dez Bryant who did nothing), there were a few surprises. Will Fuller showed that two receivers could actually survive in Houston and Mike Wallace came back from the dead with one of his patented long receptions for touchdown for the Ravens.
But don’t get too swayed by the new kids on the block. It’s only week 1, so proceed with caution. Here’s my week 2 start ’em, sit ’em wide receivers guide.
Start
Will Fuller vs. Kansas City Chiefs
I liked what I saw from Fuller in week 1 and it appears that he’s going to be that No. 2 option that Houston has been looking for.
DeAndre Hopkins is still the man, but I was a bit less excited for his season this year based on the inevitability that his massive amount of targets from last year would have to shrink. The Texans were looking for a solid No. 2 toward the end of last season, and finally, it appears that Fuller could fit that bill.
He managed 11 targets in week 1 against Chicago, totaling five receptions and 107 yards receiving. He’s young, so there will be peaks and valleys. But Houston is poised to have a much better offense this season and Fuller fits those plans.
And don’t worry about Kansas City’s defense being tough on the Texans. San Diego was knifing their way through the Chiefs’ defense until Keenan Allen got hurt. I expect the same kind of offensive ability in week 2 for the Texans.
Mohamed Sanu vs. Oakland Raiders
I’ve been a believer in Sanu in the past when he played for Cincinnati. Now with Atlanta and an opportunity for more targets, I’m even higher on his potential.
Sanu managed eight targets, tied with Julio Jones and Jacob Tamme for the most in week 1 for the Falcons. That’s an encouraging sign, even if Sanu was seen limping after the game against Tampa Bay.
There’s no news indicating he will be injured this week and that’s a good sign for fantasy owners with Sanu on the roster. The Raiders were exposed mightily by the Saints’ passing game, with two receivers ranking in the top-four among wide receivers in week 1.
The Raiders might not play that bad this week in the secondary, but even a slight improvement would still mean a big payday for Sanu fantasy owners. Sanu has the ability to haul in catches if the targets stay in the eight to 10 range. I expect the Falcons to keep airing it out, meaning Sanu could be in for a good day.
Michael Crabtree vs. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons were horrendous on the defensive side of the ball in week 1 against Tampa Bay. Unfortunately for their fans, the Raiders will employ an even better offensive attack in week 2.
That’s a good sign for fantasy owners who invested in the Raiders during the offseason.
And while I have some doubts about Crabtree’s overall outlook for the season, he should be fine against the Falcons after turning in a solid performance in week 1. He caught seven balls on nine targets and totaled 87 yards.
If those numbers can continue, Crabtree will easily be in the WR1/WR2 conversation each week. Everybody’s been on the Raiders bandwagon in the preseason and it appears that offense has made the strides that everyone was anticipating.
I expect that to keep up this week against the Falcons in what should be a high-scoring affair.
Sit
TY Hilton vs. Denver Broncos
Be on high alert for any Indianapolis receiver in week 2 against Denver. But the person I’m most concerned about is Hilton, who relies on those downfield passes from quarterback Andrew Luck.
Donte Moncrief has established himself as more of a possession receiver, and those are the players who do better against the Broncos. Just look at last week with Kelvin Benjamin. Sure, he’s the No. 1, but he also can make those tough grabs for first downs.
Hilton is a quality fantasy wide receiver, but he’s just not the most reliable option at moving the chains. Luck loves to air it out, but it won’t be as easy against the Broncos’ secondary.
I’m starting Moncrief over Hilton in this matchup. It’s tough to sit your likely WR1 or WR2, but sometimes the matchup just doesn’t fit.
Tyler Lockett vs. Los Angeles Rams
Lockett is more a long-range play for fantasy owners who is going to deliver little production in the early going.
He was targeted eight times Sunday, but hauled in only three grabs, and just didn’t look like a fit into Seattle’s offense just yet. That’s OK. He’s still young and this season is a long haul, so I’m not giving up on him yet.
But I’m not playing him this week against the Rams. Don’t be fooled by week 1. The Rams always play the Seahawks tough. And with Russell Wilson’s injury, this is a nightmare matchup for a player who doesn’t seem ready to make that leap into a WR2 in fantasy football.
I’m staying away from Lockett until I see him get more engaged in the offense.
Marvin Jones Jr. vs. Tennessee Titans
I get it. Everybody’s losing their mind about Detroit’s wide-open offense. I was impressed, too.
But if past history tells me anything, it says to not overhype week 1 results and to not trust the Lions on a week-to-week basis.
The Titans aren’t bad against the pass. They were a decent pass-defense last season and Tennessee won’t play the up-and-down game the Lions played last week against the Colts.
Jones Jr. is the big-play guy in Detroit, which worries me when I see a trap game ahead. The Lions will struggle to get the ball downfield against a defense last year that ranked in the top-10 in passing yards allowed.
The Lions will struggle more this week to move the ball and will crash back to earth. Golden Tate is worth a start, but I’m passing on Jones Jr.
