5 Players With Tough Week 2 Matchups

We all have those superstars on our rosters who should be automatic starters week after week, right? Not so fast. I don’t believe in the old adage “always start your studs”, as it’s sort of lazy and not entirely accurate if you want the most out of your fantasy squad.

In this new column at 4for4, each week I’ll take a look at individual matchups and point out the players who I think could struggle, even if they’re elite. I’m not saying to sit them without question, but as the title goes, these are players with tough matchups, meaning you'll have tough lineup decisions to make.

Week 1 Wrap-up

Not to toot my own horn too much, but I have to point out that I nailed my picks last week with the exception of Derrick Henry. Aaron Rodgers and Cam Newton came in as QB23 and QB35, respectively, and Calvin Ridley checked in as the fantasy WR27 in PPR points. Tyreek Hill left the game on a cart so he obviously doesn’t count.

Week 2 Risky Plays

Aaron Jones vs. Vikings

Jones struggled last week against the Bears on Thursday night, posting just 4.9 PPR points. Sorry Jones managers, but it’s not looking so hot for the Packers lead back in Week 2. He faces a Minnesota defense that suffocated the Atlanta backs last week, allowing just 48 rushing yards the entire contest from their backfield.

Most of you probably drafted Jones in the fourth round which may not allow much wiggle room in the running back department, but you may want to consider other options this week if you have them.

Stefon Diggs @ Packers

Another guy you most likely paid a decent price for, Diggs could struggle in Week 2 against an improved Green Bay secondary. Kirk Cousins had only 10 pass attempts in Week 1 which should go up this week, but with a hamstring injury already an issue, it may be tough going for the speedy wideout on Sunday.

I’m not saying to bench Diggs for your WR3/4 or other bench players, but you’ve been warned.

Devonta Freeman vs. Eagles

What was more troubling than the 27-year-old running back's 8-19-0 line from Week 1 was the timeshare he was a part of with Ito Smith. Freeman saw 27 snaps to Smith’s 25, and he did less with his carries overall, including the loss of the football via fumble. Atlanta’s offensive line was an issue during the preseason and carried over into Week 1, which is not a good sign for Freeman’s potential to improve this week.

In addition, Freeman gets the Eagles on Sunday night—a defensive unit that held Washington to just 28 rushing yards in their season opener. If you can sit Freeman, you may want to think about rolling with another back this week.

Russell Wilson @ Steelers

This is all location—and a little Seahawks offensive scheme. Wilson only threw the ball 20 times in Week 1 and while he managed a decent fantasy performance in the end, he could put fewer points on the board this week in Pittsburgh. It’s no secret the Steelers play better at home and Seattle trends the opposite way, so that’s also a factor here.

This game could easily turn into a run game special with James Conner and Chris Carson leading both teams in volume, so you may want to leave Wilson on the bench in favor of a quarterback with higher potential in Week 2.

David Montgomery @ Broncos

After a summer filled with excitement for the rookie back, Montgomery saw just seven touches in Week 1 against the Packers. Hopefully, Matt Nagy will find a way to get him more involved moving forward, but I don’t think it will be this weekend. Denver did allow a solid performance from fellow newcomer Josh Jacobs on Monday night, but he also had 24 carries and didn’t have to share the backfield with two other runners.

I’m not saying to panic and try to get rid of Montgomery, but Vic Fangio should have his front seven in a better position to shut down the run in Week 2, so play him at your own risk.