The 2024 NFL Season is here, and with it comes some lineup questions. Which moves should you make to maximize your points? Let this weekly post be your guide as I offer one start and one sit suggestion at QB, RB, WR, and TE. These suggestions are based on my rankings against consensus each week. Because we want to measure our success, we check back each week for a recap of how I did.
For this project, a start is a player I think will finish Top 12 at QB or TE and Top 24 at RB or WR. A sit is a player I think will finish outside those metrics. Before we dive into this week’s suggestions, let’s review how we did last week. All scoring is courtesy of Fantasy Pros.
Start Suggestions
QB: Kyler Murray, QB15 Miss. Murray started hot, but the Cardinals fell off.
RB: James Cook, RB23 Hit. It wasn’t as good as I hoped, but he met the criteria.
WR: Drake London, WR80 Miss. The Falcons’ offense looked bad…
TE: Evan Engram, TE44 Miss. It wasn’t a good week for our big-time TEs.
Start Record: 1-3
Sit Suggestions
QB: Justin Herbert, QB24 Hit. There wasn’t much pop to the Chargers’ offense in Week 1.
RB: Zack Moss/Chase Brown, RB22/RB43 Miss. A touchdown propped up Moss, who saw just nine carries…
WR: Titans Receivers, WR52, WR67, WR95 Hit. The Titans’ pass offense wasn’t great.
TE: Brock Bowers, TE3 Miss. Bowers got many dump-offs that helped in a poor week at TE.
Sit Record: 2-2
And now, on to the Week 2 Picks.
Quarterbacks
Start: Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
About: Daniels had a strong debut. The team didn’t win, but he did rush for two touchdowns and went without turning the ball over. That’s not bad for a rookie QB on the road. The Commanders’ coaches want him to be more of a passer, but I suspect that will be a slow evolution. Now, the team is at home against a Giants’ defense that let Sam Darnold hang 28 points on them in Week 1. I like Daniels this week.
Sit: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
About: I thought Williams would look good in Week 1 at home against the Titans. Yes, the Bears won. But it wasn’t thanks to Williams, who threw for less than 100 yards and below 50 percent completions. Now, the Bears are on the road against a good Texans team in Prime Time. Williams will get there, but it won’t be in Week 2.
Running Backs
Start: Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
About: The Patriots were surprise Week 1 winners thanks in large part to Stevenson. He finished as RB7, rushing for more than 100 yards and a touchdown. Now, the team is home against the Seattle Seahawks. It’s not an easy matchup, but the Broncos offense found some success last week and Stevenson figures to be the workhorse again as the best player on the team. I like him to get plenty of volume and produce another Top 24 week.
Sit: Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos
About: Even without Audric Estime, who went on IR this week, there is competition for touches. Williams split with Jaleel McLaughlin, and the team figures to use undrafted rookie Blake Watson this week, too. In addition, the Broncos have a pitiful passing game that relies on dump offs at or behind the line-of-scrimmage. Combine that with facing the Steelers, and it’s an easy call to move Williams out of Top 24 territory.
Wide Receivers
Start: Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers
About: Deebo is more than just a receiver, he’s an offensive weapon. With Christian McCaffrey ailing on Monday night, he saw eight carries and a rushing touchdown. McCaffrey is still ailing and looks to be likely to miss Sunday’s game in Minnesota, too. That’s good news for those who roster Deebo. His pass-catching alone is enough to make him a Top 24 consideration, but when you add in rushing upside, it’s an easy call.
Sit: Diontae Johnson, Carolina Panthers
About: Acquiring Johnson was the big move for the Carolina Panthers this off-season. In Week 1, it didn’t pan out. Johnson caught two passes for 19 yards and was fourth among receivers on his own team. That’s not great. Add to that the fact the Panthers’ offense in general—and pass offense in particular—look rough, and it’s not a promising sign. Now, he gets a Chargers defense that was able to hold Davante Adams to five receptions for 59 yards. I’m not playing Johnson in Week 2.
Tight Ends
Start: Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens
About: I know what you’re thinking, but this isn’t about chasing points. It’s about recognizing talent and opportunity. Likely has the talent, and in this scheme, he’s functioning as a WR2 for the Ravens. Seeing as how their receiver group is under-whelming, that’s a great fit for a talented pass catcher. Will he see nine receptions for 111 yards again this week? Perhaps not, but I like him to keep getting volume and produce enough to be fantasy viable at a difficult position.
Sit: Tyler Conklin, New York Jets
About: Conklin was a great surprise and performer last season. The Jets didn’t have Aaron Rodgers last season. For most of his career, tight end hasn’t been a huge part of what Rodgers does in the passing game. That seemed to bear out Monday night as Conklin saw just two targets and caught a pass for six yards. Rodgers seemed laser focused on Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, and Breece Hall. With Mike Williams also jumping into the mix, that doesn’t leave enough volume for Conklin on a consistent basis.
Matthew Fox is a die-hard NFL fan and Broncos’ homer. He’s a member of the FSWA. You can find more from him on Twitter @knighthawk7734 or as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast, a part of the Campus2Canton Network.
