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

 Game Info

Kickoff: Sunday, September 20th at 3:25 PM ET

Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA

Betting Odds: KC -8.5, 49.5 total via Oddsshark

Network: CBS

Kansas City Chiefs

Quarterback

Patrick Mahomes (Start, QB1)

Patrick Mahomes finished just outside fantasy QB1 territory in Week 1 but still posted a 22.6 points day. His 211 passing yards was the fourth-lowest total in his career, excluding a game cut short by injury.  This week Mahomes gets faces a nasty defensive line that will pressure Mahomes; expect this offensive line to allow multiple sacks on the day. However, Mahomes will rise above and finish with a stronger game than last week. Kansas City ran the ball on 50% of the snaps last week when historically Mahomes has been closer to 60%. His pass volume should increase and a three hundred yard, multiple touchdown game is well within reach.

Running Backs

Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Start, RB1),  Darrel Williams (Sit)

Rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire took the league by storm on opening night, causing ‘Fantasy Twitter’ to react with enthusiasm and hyperbole. Late in the draft cycle, CEH started to come off the board as the overall 1.01 pick in high stakes leagues and there are positive signs that the price was not too high. Naysayers picked apart CEH’s performance in the red zone (he received seven carries inside the 10 for -2 yards) and the fact that Darrel Williams played most of the obvious passing down snaps. As the game wound on though, Williams played less and less, a trend that I expect to continue as the rookie gets up to speed. CEH received 67% of the team’s snaps and 37% of the team’s total touches, both top ten numbers for the week and they will increase as he gets comfortable blocking in the passing game. Start him with confidence this week, and while his matchup dictates a low-end RB1 projection he could bow that out of the water should he become involved on third down or punch one in at the goal line. With Williams, it will be a wait and see approach and he should be on your bench. This could quickly become a situation where he gets almost no work, giving managers a goose egg for the week. 

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Tyreek Hill (Start, WR1), Sammy Watkins (Start, Flex), Demarcus Robinson (Sit), Mecole Hardman (Sit), Travis Kelce (Start, TE1)

Anyone shows paid close attention to the Chiefs under Mahomes, you know that he loves to spread the touchdown love around to everyone. In 2018 twelve Cheifs scored receiving touchdowns and last season nine players caught a touchdown. In Week 1 of 2020, Mahomes found three different receivers for receiving touchdowns, including Sammy Watkins, who scored in Week 1 of 2019 but not again all season. Watkins was re-signed in the off-season and he was on the field for 80% of the team’s snaps. Kansas City believes in Watkins and managers should too, at least early in the season. In this explosive offense, Watkins can fall into flex plus value in any matchup. Tyreek Hill was quiet but salvaged his day with a touchdown. Hill is a player that is boom or bust but also matchup proof. Hill was targetted six times and most of them were in the short to intermediate areas of the field. As this team gets rolling, that is bound to improve. Demarcus Robinson and Mecole Hardman are worth monitoring but need to be on the bench this week, both are likely only bye week plays unless they get time due to injuries in the depth chart above them. 

Travis Kelce started right where he left off in 2019 with a TE1 performance in relatively easy fashion. Kelce is a player managers should never have to decide on, start with confidence.

Los Angeles Chargers

Quarterback

Tyrod Taylor (Sit)

Tyrod Taylor had a bad debut in Week 1 as the new L.A. Chargers starter, finishing with just 208 passing yards and zero touchdowns. Any rushing upside managers were hoping for was also disappointing, he had five designed runs for just -1 yards. Tyrod will be under pressure again this week, against this strong secondary and pass rush. Taylor cannot be trusted this week, even in leagues where you can start multiple quarterbacks. While he could throw his first touchdown of the season, he’s just as likely to have another goose egg. 

Running Backs

Austin Ekeler (Start, RB2), Joshua Kelly (Start/Flex)

There were positives and negatives in Austin Ekeler‘s Week 1 opener. Ekeler was on the field for 70% of the team’s snaps, which is encouraging after the team invested in Ekler in the off-season. However, he only a single target, a potentially huge blow to his fantasy upside. His receiving upside is what propelled him into fantasy RB1 territory but if the bulk of his opportunities come as rush attempts we could see him trending as a weekly RB2 instead. HC Anthony Lynn did state that he wanted to get Ekeler more involved but in the same breathe he stated that this scheme doesn’t favor the check down to running backs. Tyrod also does not tend to use his backs in the passing game much, so Ekeler’s usage is something managers need to keep a close eye on. Rookie Joshua Kelly played a quarter of the team’s snaps. and logged 12 carries including a nice touchdown on the ground. Look for Kelly to cement his role as the number two option in this backfield in Week 2, and 10-12 touches are all he needs to be a low-end flex play this week.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Keenan Allen (Start, WR2), Mike Williams (Start, Flex), Hunter Henry (Start)

Keenan Allen was quiet in Week 1 with just four catches for 37 yards but he was targetted eight times. Volume has always been Allen’s friend and this season should be no different. It may take this passing game a few weeks to really get cooking but Allen should find enough work this week to produce as a mid-range WR2. As mentioned earlier, Tyrod doesn’t tend to check down and prefers to push the ball down the field. He also throws a gorgeous deep ball and his main beneficiary is Mike Williams. Williams did make a nice grab in a deep ball and expect that to continue, as long as he is healthy and in the lineup. But Williams won’t move into that consistent WR2 territory until his touchdown volume of 2018 returns. Williams is a nice flex play this week, with hopes he finds the endzone. 

Tight end Hunter Henry looked good in opening week, receiving plenty of work down the field and finishing inside the top 12 tight ends despite not scoring a touchdown. Henry is an auto-start this week, the Chiefs are a bit leaky against the position and Henry will continue the volume work and may find the end zone.

-Marc Salazar (@dingwog on Twitter)