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

Game Info

Kickoff: Sunday, September 20th at 8:20 PM ET

Location: CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA

Betting Odds: SEA -4, 45 total via Oddsshark

Network: NBC

New England Patriots

Quarterback

Cam Newton (Start, QB1)

Well, well, well, it sure looks like Cam Newton is back atop the NFL world after delivering a vintage Cam performance in Week 1 against Miami. He went 15 for 19 with 155 yards through the air while also carrying the ball 15 times for 75 yards and 2 touchdowns. It was an efficient day through the air, but with an aDOT of 5.32 (7th lowest among QBs) it appears that the dink-and-dunk, ground-and-pound New England offense is here to stay. And that’s fine, as long as Cam is healthy, because he’s capable of doing both effectively.

When it comes to Cam, most of his fantasy value is going to be on the ground. Seattle only allowed 72 yards on the ground in Week 1, but that was mostly due to Atlanta abandoning the run after going down 14-3 in the first quarter. Seattle allowed the 11th most rushing yards last season and they did more to address the secondary than the line in the offseason, so they are gettable. Since 2018, only two QBs have run the ball eight or more times against Seattle; Last year, Lamar Jackson had 14 carries for 116 yards, and in 2018 it was Cam Newton who carried the ball 8 times for 63 yards. All of this is to say Cam should be able to get his yards on the ground.

His yards through the air? Well, that’s another story. Again, his fantasy value is contingent on him being an effective ball carrier, but the pass yards and TDs are an added bonus whenever he can get them. Seattle allowed 450 yards to Matt Ryan last week so that revamped secondary still needs some time to gel. New England doesn’t have the weapons that Atlanta has, but Julian Edelman is no slouch and at least N’keal Harry is talented. There’s an opportunity for Cam to improve his passing numbers with an additional week of chemistry in this offense, especially against a defense that’s still working out all the kinks. Cam is a solid QB1 this week.

Running Backs

Sony Michel (Start, RB3), James White (Start, Flex), Rex Burkhead (Sit), J.J. Taylor (Sit)

Yuck. The Patriots were a run-heavy team in Week 1 but it was the dreaded RBBC approach that left those of us rostering someone in their backfield scratching our heads. Besides Newton, Sony Michel was the lead back in the offense, earning 37 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Rex Burkhead was next in line, with 32 yards on 7 carries, while James White and J.J. Taylor had 5 and 4 carries, respectively. When it comes to which back to start this week, it has to be Michel, though I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a similar distribution of carries in the backfield this week. The kicker for Michel is that he should see the goal line carries and that gives him the edge over the rest.

As I mentioned in the Cam blurb, Atlanta threw the ball 50 times and didn’t run it enough to give us a good indicator of how good/bad Seattle’s run defense is this year but it wasn’t great last year so I’m inclined to give Michel the benefit of the doubt on the ground. When it comes to the Patriots’ third-down back, James White, I do like him in this matchup and I expect him to improve on his three target game from last week. He’s a valuable member of this offense and he’ll get his looks, which should at least return value as a PPR flex option, though I wouldn’t be shocked if he had a better overall day than Michel.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Julian Edelman (Start, WR2), N’Keal Harry (Start, Flex), Ryan Izzo (Sit), Devin Asiasi (Sit), Dalton Keene (Sit)

The passing attack of old is no more in New England but that doesn’t mean that Julian Edelman won’t still get his targets. In fact, his seven targets led the team and his 8.7 aDOT is in line with his career numbers. He had one bad drop on his first target of the game where it looked like Newton got the ball there a bit later than he expected, but that should get better with time. In a game where New England will likely need to throw the ball more than 19 times, Edelman should be the main beneficiary of that volume since he’s the clear cut best receiver on the team. I like him as a solid WR2 this week.

When it comes to N’keal Harry, there’s some good and some bad. The good is that he caught five of his six targets. The bad is that those six targets came with a 3.7 aDOT, he converted those catches into only 39 yards, and he looked soft and unwilling to take a hit or fight for extra yards with the ball in his hands. Whether that’s because of a lingering injury or just because he’s not that type of player, for a guy who was hyped up as a physical force in college, this is bad news. I have him as a flex start simply because he’s the clear second option in this passing game not named James White, and the volume should be there, but I don’t feel confident about him blowing up this week.

Stay away from the tight ends. Ryan Izzo led the group with a 98.4% snap count but he was only targeted once. He’s primarily a blocking tight end and that’s about it. Neither Devin Asiasi or Dalton Keene made it onto the field in Week 1, and until they do they should stay on your waiver wire except in the deepest of leagues. They are not a fantasy consideration in Week 2.

Seattle Seahawks

Quarterback

Russell Wilson (Start, QB1)

Russell Wilson was an absolute force last week, completing 31 of 35 passes for 4 touchdowns while chipping in 29 yards on the ground. The Patriots have one of the best defenses against the pass in the league, only allowing 182 yards through the air in Week 1 and the 2nd fewest passing yards in the league in 2019. But Wilson is a stud and if you drafted him, you’re starting him. Despite the poor matchup, Wilson should still put up solid numbers worthy of QB1 status in a 12 team league, just temper your expectations a bit.

Running Backs

Chris Carson (Start, RB2), Carlos Hyde (Sit)

It’s interesting to see that Chris Carson received one fewer carry than Carlos Hyde in Week 1, but Carson is clearly the most talented back on the team and should be treated as such. Carson got involved early and often in the passing game, catching all six of his targets for 45 yards and two touchdowns. That’ll do, especially against a Patriots defense that allowed the 6th fewest rushing yards last season. There is hope, however, since both Donta Hightower and Kyle Van Noy are no longer with the team, and their linebacker corps is a shell of its former self with two rookies playing pivotal roles. That could bode well for Carson’s chances to repeat his receiving performance, which is why I like him as an RB2 this week. Hyde doesn’t appear to have that same upside, and he’s merely an injury replacement in waiting for your fantasy teams.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Tyler Lockett (Start, WR2), D.K. Metcalf (Start, WR2), Greg Olsen (Sit)

Make no mistake about it – these receivers will struggle to get open against one of the best secondaries in the league, but they’re still worth starting. Regardless of whichever guy has to go up against reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore, they will still have to face another cornerback who played lights out last week. J.C. Jackson received an 81.5 grade (4th overall) from Pro Football Focus for his work against Miami, and Bill Belichick uncharacteristically went out of his way to praise him in his postgame remarks after clinching the game with an interception. Oh, and cornerback Jonathan Jones is also one of the best slot corners in the game. My guess is that D.K. Metcalf will pull the Gilmore card and I like him a little less than Tyler Lockett as a result, but they should still see plenty of targets and the volume alone makes them worth starting.

At tight end, Greg Olsen appears to be the number one guy at the position after playing on 66.1% of the snaps and hauling in all four of his targets for 24 yards and a touchdown. His 4.8 aDOT in the game is not what you want to see for fantasy purposes, and I fear his usage will continue to be in the dink-and-dunk department as needed with a sprinkling of touchdowns here and there. He’s not worth starting against this defense.

-Ben Brown (@FelixTheDog23 on Twitter, iamatechnician on Reddit)