Fantasy Football Rankings Week 2: Sleepers, starts, sits (2024)

Jake’s fantasy football rankings for week 9 feature sleeper picks, starts and sits.

While the NFL season sputtered to a start for many teams, we’re on to Week 2 fantasy football goodness. We already have a potential new RB2 in Jeff Wilson, the return of Robbie Anderson and Curtis Samuel, and Saquon Barkley and Michael Thomas looking like world-beaters again. So, let’s get to some fantasy football sleepers for Week 2, including some desperation throws — which feature a player shaking off an Achilles injury like it’s nothing.

#CheckTheLink-age
Waivers | True SOS (APA — Wednesday update)
Fantasy Football 101 (starts, sits, trading and more)
All in Football (video pod)

2022 Week 2 Fantasy Football Sleepers

🚨 HEADS UP 🚨

These are sleepers. They will not mimic my rankings 100%. This is chasing upside and often carries more risk, but based on APA matchups, you can “go for broke” if needed.

QUARTERBACK

POSSIBLY START: Trey Lance, SF — Lance’s Week 1 made you cringe.

But the field did him no favors. Lance salvaged a horrid performance with 13-for-54 rushing, which is why we’re excited about his upside. Russell Wilson threw for 340 yards against the Seahawks, while Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon combined for 19-101-0 on the ground.

HAIL MARY START: Justin Fields, CHI — Fields outscored Lance thanks to actually throwing touchdowns, and while he didn’t have as much success running the ball, he did attempt 11 rushes. The Packers defense looks rather susceptible this year, especially doing little to stop the ground game.

RUNNING BACK

POSSIBLY START: Darrell Henderson, LAR — Cam Akers is in the doghouse and/or still recovering from the soft tissue injury, so while we have to bench him and wait, Henderson is in play as an RB2. The Rams host the Falcons in a get-right game, and the Falcons’ defense is one of the weakest — the Saints dominated the ground game in Week 1, even allowing Mark Ingram to average 5.5 YPC on his four rushes.

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POSSIBLY START: Rex Burkhead, HOU — Dameon Pierce still has the higher long-term ceiling, but even if he pushes for more carries in Week 2, Burkhead is clearly the third-down and pass-catching option. This is playing the matchup, as the Broncos look to rebound at home, and they shouldn’t have as many problems scoring against the Texans (maybe don’t fumble twice at the goal line?). That means this would be a Burkhead-type game anyway.

HAIL MARY START: Ken Walker, SEA — The Seahawks surprised everyone with the upset, and while Geno Smith played well, there wasn’t any backfield help outside of Rashaad Penny. While Penny put up a nice 12-for-60 on the ground, Walker should carry some of the load with the potential for goal-line work given his size and style. Hoping for a touchdown in Walker’s first game is the prayer here.

WIDE RECEIVER

POSSIBLY START: D.J. Chark, DET — Going back to the well after Chark rewarded sleeper starts in Week 1, and as mentioned in waivers both weeks, he’s a top-two receiver for Jared Goff. The Commanders let Christian Kirk go off, and Zay Jones have a nice day on top of that.

POSSIBLY START: Josh Palmer, LAC — With Keenan Allen out (assumed), Palmer steps up to start alongside Mike Williams. Carter is more of the slot option (also covered in waivers), and Palmer has similar upside to Allen if given a similar target share. The game against the Chiefs projects as a high-scoring affair, which puts all starters in play.

HAIL MARY START: Sterling Shepard, NYG — Shepard — like James Robinson — shocked the world with his return and his movement on the field.

He continues to be the only reliable Giants receiver, especially with Kenny Golladay unable to separate, Kadarius Toney buried on the roster and Wan’Dale Robinson hurt.

TIGHT END

POSSIBLY START: Tyler Higbee, LAR — If Van Jefferson remains sidelined, Higbee can continue to be the third option after Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson. Additionally, assuming the Rams offensive line struggles — even though it’s the Falcons — Higbee can benefit from Stafford throwing quicker and shorter given the lack of pocket time.

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HAIL MARY START: Logan Thomas, WSH — Thomas returned from injury and had the third-most targets (six) for the Commanders, turning them into 3-for-45. That’s nothing to go crazy over, but the Lions present Thomas with upside to repeat, if not improve, on those numbers, especially with the trio of receivers all looking great through one game.

Fun with Rankings!

No one asked for this one, but who said they all had to be reader requests — though, still feel free to suggest yours. To celebrate my new podcast opening with the Mega Man 2 Dr. Wily Fortress theme, I’m ranking the best Mega Man bosses of all time. No, I’m not including Mega Man X bosses, as that could be a category of their own, so just the classics.

Metal Man — Best weapon ever… so good, it kills himself late in the game… the sound effect of it is great too with a long-lasting supply and multi-direction throw. Plus, he’s one of the coolest looking. No one else comes close; Metal is the Cooper Kupp of Mega Man bosses.
Shadow Man — Honestly, he’s a bit like Metal’s brother. He’s an alien robot ninja! Plus, his weapon and song are the best in MM3. Plus, he’s holding a giant ass shuriken!
Snake Man — If Serpentor was turned into a Mega Man boss, this is him. Fun stage, music, look and best animal-centric boss.
Knight Man — This has a special place in my heart because growing up, I used to draw my own Mega Man designs and always drew a knight version. Look at this boss! If more people didn’t dismiss MM6 as a whole, more would love him as one of the best with his shield, wrecking ball chain.
Flash Man — One of the better level themes, and his weapon stops time! You can argue this is a Top 5 weapon of all time, and the dude looks a bit like a linebacker to boot.
Slash Man — Take Blanka and Wolverine, turn them into a Mega Man robot, and poof, you have one badass design with a dinosaur to fight on his stage!
Skull Man — Take Wood Man, improve him in every way, including making him part goth, part Halloween, part nightmare.
Quick Man — More great music, tough level with lights turning out and those one-hit death beams. Quick Man is one of the most dangerous robots with a cool weapon that also significantly hurts Metal Man. That’s kudos on its own.
Pharoah Man — Cool design, his stage too — which keeps you on your toes — cool in the animation, and his charged weapon is an orb above you that can take out stage baddies and keep going.
Gemini Man — Level was original and cool with the color blocks and orbs, and he has duplication ability.
Splash Woman — She has a frigin laser trident! Yes, no sharks with frigin laser beams… it’s a trident with one. Plus, somehow the only woman boss ever?
Crash Man — Would rank higher — as his design is pretty cool, the Crash Bomber can destroy walls for secrets, and the music is again great (a theme for all of MM2) — but he’s defeated so easily by some mini tornadoes.
Sword Man — Okay, MM8 is pretty bad, but this boss is pretty pretty pretty cool. Huge sword, can separate his body and turn into a spinning death wheel, plus the sword shoots projectiles, then once Mega Man has it, becomes a flaming sword. Yas!
Elec Man — Great theme, great power, great appearance. If MM1 didn’t have so many exploitable ways to beat their bosses, Elec(tric) Man would be Top 5.
Fire Man — There were a few fire/flame-related bosses, but Fire Man is the original. He’s one of the easiest to beat, but his weapon for Mega Man turns into a fireball thrown and four that circle around him for protection. Again, he gets points for being an O.G.

Week 2 Fantasy Football Projections

🚨 HEADS UP 🚨 These can differ from my rankings, and my ranks are the order I’d start players outside of added context, such as, “Need highest upside, even if risky.” Also, based on 4-point TDs for QB, 6-point rest, and Half-PPR

***These are NOT updated Sunday morning, FYI***

Week 2 Projections Download – Saturday Update

Week 2 Fantasy Football Rankings