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Fantasy Football Start Sit Week 2 (2025): How Bout Them Cowboys?

Predicting the opening slate of a new season is always a challenge. With no recent data, sticking with the players you drafted is generally the right call. 

Now we have a week’s worth of games in the books, so we can see usage and trends that help us make better-informed lineup decisions. 

Our Who to Start tool is an invaluable weapon in the arsenal of the well-prepared fantasy manager.

Quarterbacks

Dak Prescott should rebound against an opponent he's dominated.

Start 

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Prescott’s Week 1 stats don’t look great, but he played better than the numbers indicate. 

Per Pro Football Focus, Prescott was the No. 3 graded passer in Week 1. His 10.9-yard ADOT ranked third on the slate and indicated a willingness to challenge an Eagles secondary with new starters at safety and corner. But a league-high four drops limited his production. 

Things should ease up in Week 2 as Prescott and the Cowboys welcome the Giants into AT&T Stadium. New York’s offense struggled to sustain drives in Week 1. A similar performance would lead to more possessions and opportunities for the Cowboys on Sunday.

Dallas is projected to score the seventh-most points this week, and Prescott has a strong history against this opponent, averaging 322 passing yards and 3 TDs in his last 3 games at home versus the Giants. He has also won 13 consecutive games against them overall.

Sit

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

The Buccaneers got the win in Atlanta, but Mayfield didn’t look sharp. He completed only 53% of his attempts and was held to 167 yards.

Despite the three TDs, PFF graded Mayfield as the league’s worst passer in Week 1.

Things won’t get much easier in Week 2 as Tampa travels to Houston. The Texans’ defense boasts an elite pass rush and strong secondary, led by CB Derek Stingley Jr. 

Tampa enters this game projected to score only 20 points -- tied for 23rd on the week -- which is yet another hit to Mayfield’s appeal. 

Running Backs 

A pair of timeshare RBs are good options in Week 2. 

Start

Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings 

Monday’s usage splits were encouraging for Jordan Mason, who out-snapped Aaron Jones 30-28. Mason also got 16 opportunities to Jones’ 11. 

As expected, Jones ran more routes (13) than Mason (nine), but Mason accrued all three of Minnesota’s red-zone rushing attempts. 

That tells us Mason will be the main early-down runner and get most of the high-value touches near the goal line. 

This week, Minnesota hosts an Atlanta defense that allowed 21.5 fantasy points per game to RBs last season. The Vikings are 4.5-point favorites and have the ninth-highest projected total for Week 2. Mason should see plenty of work if the Vikings are protecting a lead. 

Tyrone Tracy, New York Giants

Very little went right for the Giants in Week 1, but Tracy controlled the backfield. 

He played 45 of 62 snaps (73%), had 10 of the 15 RB rush attempts, and drew five targets among 26 routes. Tracy got 15 opportunities while Cam Skattebo and Devin Singletary combined for only 7. 

Although he scored only 5.5 PPR points (39th), Tracy’s 9.1 expected points (28th) put him in RB3/flex territory. 

Sit

Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks 

We were high on Kenneth Walker’s breakout potential, but Week 1 saw discouraging usage. Zach Charbonnet dominated third-down and goal-line touches and was the more effective option.

Walker and Charbonnet rotated drives, but it was Charbonnet who got the longest drive. Charbonnet also took the reps inside 2 minutes. 

Charbonnet’s expected fantasy points for the week (11.3) ranked 19th, while Walker's (9.1) ranked 27th.

But seeing Walker be out-snapped and out-touched in Week 1. View Walker as an RB3 or flex play this week in Pittsburgh. 

Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs 

Isiah Pacheco is Kansas City’s nominal starter, but the committee backfield Andy Reid employed last season carried over into Week 1. 

• Isiah Pacheco: 48% snaps, 45% rush share, 45% route rate
• Kareem Hunt: 40% snaps, 45% rush share, 36% route rate

Pacheco and Hunt each got just five carries in Kansas City’s Week 1 loss. Pacheco was more effective, but he’ll need more opportunities to actually help our fantasy teams. And Hunt played four of the six snaps inside the 10-yard line. 

Pacheco has not topped 8.1 PPR points in any of his last nine games. A rematch against a Philadelphia defense that limited him to 7 yards on three totes in the Super Bowl doesn’t feel like a ‘get right’ spot.

Wide Receivers 

George Pickens is set to rebound from a quiet opener.

Start 

George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys

A popular breakout candidate this summer, Pickens had a quiet opener, snagging 3 of 4 targets for 30 yards. But there were some positive takeaways in his usage. 

Pickens ran a route on a team-best 94% of dropbacks. He also caught both of his contested targets. 

Week 2’s home tilt against the Giants looks more inviting than a matchup with the Eagles. Dallas is projected to score the seventh-most points this week. 

This is a good rebound spot for Pickens and the Cowboys’ passing attack. 

Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders 

After catching eight of his 10 targets for 97 yards in Week 1, Meyers has now reached double-digit PPR points in 10 out of his last 12 outings. 

The guy is good. 

Against the Patriots on Sunday, Meyers was targeted on 27% of his routes. That’s in the range of high-end No. 1 WRs. 

Meyers also looked good after the catch in the new offense, forcing six missed tackles -- twice as many as any other wideout in Week 1. 

Las Vegas makes its home debut this week against a Chargers’ defense that allowed Meyers to rack up nine grabs for 123 yards and a TD in their last meeting. 

Sit

Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts

The Colts were one of the bigger surprises from the opening slate, piling up 418 total yards and controlling the clock for more than 38 minutes against a hapless Miami squad. 

But things will get tougher in Week 2 as Indianapolis hosts a far more formidable Denver defense. 

Pittman enjoyed a strong opener, drawing a 28% target share and catching six balls for 80 yards and a TD. Pittman will face a much stiffer challenge this week, running routes against Denver CB Pat Surtain. The Colts could move Pittman inside to avoid Surtain’s coverage, but Pittman saw a 12% decrease in targets per route run from the slot last season, per Fantasy Points. 

The Colts also are tied for the eighth-fewest projected points this week. Treat Pittman as more of a flex option than a starting WR. 

Terry McLaurin, Commanders 

We recommended sitting McLaurin last week, and he struggled to do much against the Giants, catching two passes for 27 yards. A Week 2 matchup against a Green Bay defense that didn’t allow any Detroit WR to top 45 receiving yards looks imposing. 

McLaurin may still be rusty after missing time this summer. Although he led the Commanders with 35 routes in Week 1, McLaurin averaged just 0.82 yards per route run, which ranked 70th of the 93 WRs who drew multiple targets. 

In Week 2, Washington must travel to Green Bay on short rest. It looks like another potential rocky spot for McLaurin. 

Tight Ends

Concerns about Evan Engram remain. 

Start 

Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

Pitts came to life in the second half of Week 1, catching five balls in Atlanta’s final two drives. Injuries to Blake Cashman, Harrison Smith, and Andrew Van Ginkel played a part in that, but the hope is that chemistry rolls over into Week 2 in Minnesota.

Shoulder injuries for Darnell Mooney and Drake London could boost Pitts’ target share.

Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints

Juwan Johnson is coming off an impressive 11-target outing that found him leading the position in PPR points.

Johnson was QB Spencer Rattler’s safety valve in a game where the Saints remained within striking distance. We could see a similar situation play out in Week 2 as New Orleans hosts San Francisco.

As 4.5-point home underdogs, New Orleans appears set up for another high-volume passing game script. 

Sit

Evan Engram, Denver Broncos

Before he hurt his calf in the fourth quarter, Evan Engram had only mustered a 31% route share against Tennessee. PFF ranked Engram 42nd out of 64 TEs graded in Week 1. 

The Colts only allowed Miami’s TEs to catch 2 passes for 20 yards last week. Denver’s projected total of 22.5 points is also the seventh-lowest entering Week 2. 

Even if he is cleared to play this week, you should lower expectations for Engram, who sits outside the top 15 TEs in our Week 2 rankings.

Next Up

Week 2 Matchups That Matter: Perfect Bounce-Back Spot For Bengals

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Jody Smith, Analyst

Jody Smith has been playing fantasy football for over 30 years, the last 15 as an analyst, writer, and editor. Jody's rankings have been among the most consistent, placing him inside the top-10 in multi-year accuracy.