Sit/Start Week 2: Reviewing All Fantasy Relevant Players In Every Single Game

Game Info

Kickoff: Sunday, September 18th, 1:00 PM ET

Location: Giant Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Betting Odds: NYG -2.5, 43 total via PFF.com

Network: FOX

Writer: Callen Elslager (@callen_elslager on Twitter and Reddit)

Carolina Panthers

Quarterback

Baker Mayfield (Start, QB2)

Baker Mayfield‘s Panther debut was pretty average with not too much of note taking place. However, this matchup with the Giants provides a nice bounce back opportunity against a defense which allowed more than 8 yards per attempt last week against the Titans. Mayfield finds himself right on the border in 2QB leagues for me, where I won’t blame you either way, and in 12-team leagues he’s right on that backend of starting QBs, which makes him a viable starting option against a weak New York defense.

Running Backs

Christian McCaffrey (Start, RB1), D’Onta Foreman (Sit)

This week sets up to be a major bounce back for Christian McCaffrey. Against a Giants’ defense which allowed 2 touchdown receptions to the backfield last week and over 4 yards per carry, Christian McCaffrey should remind fantasy managers why he was a top three pick in drafts this season. With all the work going to the hands of Christian McCaffrey, there remains no reason to start D’Onta Foreman or Chubba Hubbard outside of injury to McCaffrey.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

D.J. Moore (Start, WR2), Robbie Anderson (Sit, Flex), Tommy Tremble (Sit)

Take the same description I gave for Christian McCaffrey and plug it in to the description here for D.J. Moore. Though Moore struggled statistically last week, he still saw a 24% target share and now faces a Giants defense which allowed over 8 yards per attempt last week against the Titans. With this matchup, D.J. Moore should bounce back and return the value we looked at him for during draft season. The more interesting case come with Robbie Anderson. The positives is that Robbie Anderson saw a 32% target share and gets the same struggling secondary as D.J. Moore. However, we can’t forget that this is the same Robbie Anderson that has been a boom-bust option for years. While the matchup with the Giants suggests a spot in your lineup, in most cases, fantasy managers will have more consistent options that should still be started over him.

New York Giants

Quarterbacks

Daniel Jones (Sit, QB3)

Those of you who watched the Giants on Sunday saw that it was not a great week last week for Daniel Jones, even though the final stat line may suggest something a little better. Throw him now up against an improving Carolina defense with a receiver core that is a complete mess and Daniel Jones should find his way on all benches, even 2QB leagues and superflexes.

Running Backs

Saquon Barkley (Start, RB1)

No doubt about it, Saquon Barkley is back. Last week was the best we’ve seen Barkley look in years, taking well over half of the Giants touches in the backfield and earning 9.1 yards per carry, including multiple looks down by the goal line in the passing attack. Similar to Christian McCaffrey, Barkley will find his way as an RB1 the rest of the season with his backup, Matt Breida not finding a way into lineups, unless an injury takes place.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Kadarius Toney (Sit), Kenny Golladay (Sit), Wan’Dale Robinson (Sit), Sterling Shepard (Sit), Daniel Bellinger (Sit)

Let’s summarize the Giants’ passing attack with one word: No. The receiver which we were most excited about coming into the season on this team, Kadarius Toney, only was on the field for 11.7% of snaps, lowest amongst Giants receivers, and when he was on the field, he did not see a single target. Whether this was part of their gameplan to allow Toney time to ease his way back from his preseason injury, or him falling out of the offense as some reports have stated, there is no way he can be trusted in lineups this coming week. The Giants actual leader in targets last week was Richie James, who saw a 28.6% target share. While the Panthers allowed a breakout game last week for Donovan Peoples-Jones, the unpredictability of this passing attack makes it difficult to recommend any part of this Giants passing game for fantasy this week, making each option a sit this week.