Now it’s time to take in the available information, reflect on it, and move forward towards the rest of the 2026 NFL season. But following Week 1, what should we do? Of course, it’s only natural to want to react as we work on setting our Week 2 fantasy football lineups. The bigger question, though, is how should we react? There’s a balance between reacting appropriately and overreacting, so let’s walk that line. We have some sneaky starts for Week 2 of the NFL season that could make the difference either in your matchup or in a DFS lineup.
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Sneaky Starts for Week 2 of Fantasy Football
Malik Willis, QB, Miami Dolphins
Is this sneaky, crazy, or digging deep for no reason? Maybe it’s all of the above after the San Francisco 49ers’ defense shut down the Los Angeles Rams and Matthew Stafford in Week 1. But some of the blame for that should go to Stafford and the Rams, even if they aren’t as bad as they looked. Speaking of bad, Willis and the Dolphins didn’t look great on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders. And now, they are stepping up in weight class to face the 49ers. So maybe I did lose my mind?
But stick with me here. Assuming the 49ers blow the doors off the Dolphins- and why wouldn’t they?- the Dolphins would be playing from behind most of the day. That means we are opening things up for garbage time production from Willis. Maybe more importantly, he carried the ball six times for 39 yards and a touchdown. That floor is meaningful here.
Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers
After doing what he did in Week 1, is Young really that sneaky? If we are going to base our thought process on the fact that he’s rostered in just 54% of Fantrax leagues, I’m going with yes. Young generated some positive momentum at the end of 2025, and it seemingly continued into 2026. Now, not every game is going to have the same level of offensive output, but it was a positive development to see what Young was capable of.
He completed 23 of 37 passes for 361 yards and three touchdowns. Young did throw an interception, but he also carried the ball two times for 10 yards and a touchdown. As the Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons this week, Young should continue his success.
Check out all of our Week 2 Rankings: Flex Rankings | QB Rankings | RB Rankings | WR Rankings | TE Rankings | MOP Rankings
Aaron Jones, RB, Minnesota Vikings
At least for the next four weeks, it will be a little easier to manage the Vikings’ running back rotation. With Jordan Mason on Injured Reserve, there’s going to be a clear increase in Jones’ workload, which also increases his fantasy value. Jones began the season with just 12 carries for 40 yards, but he also scored a touchdown. With Mason sidelined, he should now be a factor in the passing game as well. It also helps that the Vikings are facing the Chicago Bears this week, so the conditions should be favorable for offense.
Quinshon Judkins, RB, Cleveland Browns
Judkins was drafted as a borderline RB2/Flex option, but the hope is that your roster was deep enough for him to remain on your bench in Week 1. I’m not here to say that I expect the Browns to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the expectation is that Judkins will have a larger role. In reality, he just has to.
The Buccaneers defense did struggle in Week 1, and it’s still unclear how much better we can expect them to be this week. Cleveland’s passing offense left a lot to be desired, so establishing the run game should be a priority. Judkins did have 12 carries in Week 1, but the problem is that he only gained 33 yards. He added two catches for 17 yards, and even if he scores a touchdown this week, the value will be there.
Devaughn Vele, WR, New Orleans Saints
This might be it for Vele to be considered a sneaky option. The New Orleans receiver is rostered in just 34% of Fantrax leagues, and it’s clear that he’s the number two receiving option. Granted, the Saints were playing from behind, but Vele did a great job of rising to the occasion. He caught seven of nine targets for 69 yards and a touchdown. Tyler Shough has the Saints offense moving at a nice clip. Vele should get caught up in that.
Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
We don’t want to rush to conclusions after Week 1, but I think it’s safe to say that the Tennessee Titans aren’t going to be very good this season. The Eagles need to replace the production that AJ Brown took with him, and at least for one week, it appeared that it would be coming from Wicks.
Yes, he was only targeted four times, but he turned that into two catches for 73 yards and a touchdown. All we need is a big play from Wicks to deliver a positive return on value, and he seems capable of that. As he gets more comfortable in the offense and with Jalen Hurts, I’d also expect that target number to grow.
TJ Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings
The Chicago Bears’ defense can’t be that bad, right? Even still, there’s a level of weakness involved, and the Vikings are set to capitalize on that this week. With Carson Wentz likely back under center, it bodes well for Hockenson as there’s a clear chemistry between the two. Hockenson caught four his five targets for 36 yards in Week 1. More importantly, he showed he still has a nose for the end zone by securing a touchdown catch.
Pat Freiermuth, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers is back in Pittsburgh for another year. This time, he’s reunited with Mike McCarthy. While Rodgers a clearly a different player from the last time they were together, he still has something to offer. To begin the season, Rodgers appeared to be locked in with his tight end. Freiermuth caught all five of his targets for 46 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. Now let’s look for that connection to continue.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 2 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!
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