Fantasy Football Week 2 Quarterback Starts and Sits
By Erik Lambert
Sep 7, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) signals a play in the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
A flurry of interesting matchups make figuring out the fantasy football picture for key quarterbacks a tough call. Who should start and who should sit?
Starts
Colin Kaepernick vs. Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears really are in the midst of a rebuild on defense and one of the biggest problems they’ve had dating back to last season is handling mobile quarterbacks. So to say they must go on the road to San Francisco against Colin Kaepernick is a recipe for disaster.
Andy Dalton vs. Atlanta Falcons
Yes, it’s true that they won in week one but problems persist for the Atlanta Falcons defense. They still struggle to stop opponents and now must contend with a perfectly balanced offensive attack led by Andy Dalton. Using the run to help his play action, the Bengals quarterback should find huge plays down the field to A.J. Green.
Jake Locker vs. Dallas Cowboys
His debut under Ken Whisenhunt was a rousing success but now Jake Locker really has a chance to cut loose. He faces a Dallas Cowboys defense that has looked vulnerable since the beginning of the preseason and was gutted fairly easily by the 49ers in week one. If Locker gets protected, his receivers should eat up that weak Dallas secondary.
Russell Wilson vs. San Diego Chargers
Though their defense played pretty well in the opener against Arizona, the San Diego Chargers defense struggled to contain Carson Palmer on scrambling play. If he could do that, what will stop Russell Wilson? The Seahawks quarterback appears in a zone right now and he’s already seen the Chargers defense before. He knows how to attack it.
Sits
Ryan Tannehill vs. Buffalo Bills
His opener against New England wasn’t exactly flashy despite a rousing win but don’t expect Ryan Tannehill to get things going against Buffalo either. Their pass rush is one of the best in football and the Dolphins have struggled with protection dating back to last season. Expect them to keep it on the ground to keep Tannehill upright.
Matthew Stafford vs. Carolina Panthers
Crushing the New York Giants was probably a nice feeling but Matthew Stafford better buckle his chin strap because he won’t have it nearly as easy against the Carolina Panther. Their defense is among the league’s best, and their front four should be able to put pressure on Stafford most of the game, especially if Cam Newton can get them a lead.
Tom Brady vs. Minnesota Vikings
The last time Tom Brady saw a Mike Zimmer defense, it was one of the worst performances of his Patriots career. So to think the 37-year old, who looked very mortal against Miami will set the world on fire in a visit to Minnesota where Zimmer has another strong unit building is not very practical.
Josh McCown vs. St. Louis Rams
Bad luck is responsible for Josh McCown struggling more than anything. Not only has he not had his offensive coordinator available, he’s also set to face another top NFL pass rush for the second-straight week with an iffy offensive line. The St. Louis Rams will come after him all day, so fantasy football owners should keep him on the bench.