Fantasy Football: John Brown, Andre Johnson Among Week 2 Starts, Sits

What’s the only thing better than winning your first fantasy football matchup?

Winning again in Week 2!

The second week of the NFL season kicked off with a crazy affair in Kansas City on Thursday night that saw Peyton Manning emerge from the grave and somehow lead the Denver Broncos to victory.

That contest will be hard to top, but there are plenty of intriguing storylines to make this upcoming weekend very interesting, especially from a fantasy perspective. Who will fill the void left in Dallas by Dez Bryant? Can Andre Johnson turn things around in Indianapolis?

Those are just some of the questions addressed in this week’s Starts and Sits. Let’s get right into it.

STARTS
Joseph Randle, Running Back, Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys already love to run the ball, and with Bryant on the shelf, Randle should see even more touches against a Philadelphia Eagles defense that allowed over 100 rushing yards to the mediocre Atlanta Falcons run game.

John Brown, Wide Receiver, Arizona Cardinals. Brown is a little guy with big potential. He saw seven targets and hauled in a touchdown in Week 1 and has a favorable matchup against the Chicago Bears, who allowed three passing touchdowns last weekend.

Lamar Miller, Running Back, Miami Dolphins. Miller was a bit underwhelming in his 2015 debut, but a Week 2 matchup against the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars — who allowed 105 yards on the ground in Week 1 — should help him bounce back just fine.

Chris Ivory, Running Back, New York Jets. The run game is what drives this offense, and Ivory is the workhorse. He’ll get plenty of touches once again Monday night against a soft Indianapolis Colts run defense.

Steve Smith Sr., Wide Receiver, Baltimore Ravens. Smith’s farewell tour got off to a slow start in Week 1, but he gets a perfect opportunity to turn things around against an Oakland Raiders secondary that lost two key members — Charles Woodson and Nate Allen — to injury last Sunday.

SITS
Matthew Stafford, Quarterback, Detroit Lions. Stafford had a decent enough 2015 opener, but he gets a Minnesota Vikings team this Sunday that was stingy against the pass and bad against the run in Week 1. Expect a decrease in output from Stafford in this one.

Andre Johnson, Wide Receiever, Indianapolis Colts. If T.Y. Hilton’s injury still is bothering him, Johnson could be Indy’s top wideout. That also means he’ll see plenty of Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis, and after Johnson’s disappointing Week 1, that doesn’t inspire confidence.

LeGarrette Blount, Running Back, New England Patriots. Blount returns to action after a one-game suspension, but he shouldn’t be in your fantasy lineup against a Buffalo Bills run defense that arguably is the best in the NFL.

Alfred Blue, Running Back, Houston Texans. Blue is not Arian Foster, and that was painfully obvious in his quiet Week 1 performance against the Kansas City Chiefs. Don’t expect anything more in a road matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

Devin Funchess, Wide Receiver, Carolina Panthers. Speaking of quiet, Funchess was targeted just twice last Sunday (with one drop) and appears to still be assimilating into Carolina’s offense. Better things are ahead for the rookie, just not quite yet.

Have a fantasy football question for Darren? Send it to him via Twitter at @darren_hartwell

Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images