Fantasy Football DvP Mismatch Report For Week 2: Which Players to Start or Sit?

I gotta tell ya, after the sluggish Wednesday and Thursday night games, I wasn’t excited for more of the same on Sunday. Then Week 1 delivered the highest-scoring NFL Sunday since the 1970 merger, and we love it for fantasy football.

Week 2 is already here, and you know the drill. The fantasy season is a marathon run at a sprinter’s pace. Let’s examine the matchups, hope for more fireworks, and identify a few potential duds along the way.

Week 2 Fantasy Football DvP Matchups To Target

WR Mike Evans vs. Miami Dolphins

Returning from Australia, the 49ers were gifted a home matchup against a Dolphins team coming off a 14-point loss to the Raiders. Mike Evans’ Week 1 numbers can easily be replicated. Five third-down connections told us everything we needed to know. Despite limited time together, Brock Purdy and Evans are already in sync.

You know who isn’t? This Dolphins defense.

Miami surrendered three receiving touchdowns in Week 1, including a 15-yard score to Jack Bech on, you guessed it, a key third down.

Expect Purdy to look Evans’ way again when it matters most. Hell, Evans might not need to play in the fourth quarter. By then, he could already have all the fantasy points you need.

WR Justin Jefferson at Chicago Bears

My friend and co-conspirator Marcas Grant said on The Guillotine CHOP Show that he preferred watching Justin Jefferson to Kyler Murray.

Splat!

On Minnesota’s 11th offensive snap, Murray escaped the pocket and got sandwiched between two Packers defenders. He was quickly ruled out with a concussion.

Jefferson kept rolling, catching eight passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns without Murray for most of the game.

J.J. McCarthy is buried, leaving Carson Wentz to hold things together until Murray returns. Fortunately, Chicago is next. The Bears damn near scored 60 points while allowing almost 40 in Week 1.

Shootout, anyone?

Jefferson’s history against Chicago says he eats again, even if Wentz starts.

Gulp!

QB Baker Mayfield vs. Cleveland Browns

Facing the team from a place where everybody once knew your name can be a good thing. For Baker Mayfield in Week 2, it could be great.

Mayfield welcomes Cleveland, the franchise that drafted him before giving up on him, to Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers are also coming off a Week 1 loss to Cincinnati.

Yep, Baker is pissed.

Mayfield admitted Tampa Bay’s sideline communication was a problem in Week 1. It better be fixed, especially after Cleveland allowed fellow former No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence to throw four touchdowns.

Four scores may be a tall ask, but a bounce-back performance is not. Fire up Baker as a low-end QB1.

Avoid These Week 2 DvP Matchups

RB Quinshon Judkins at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

None of us wants to keep piling on the Browns, but damn, they make it easy. That brings us to Quinshon Judkins.

The matchup may look slightly easier, but Vita Vea is still clogging the middle, and Deshaun Watson remains Cleveland’s starting quarterback. Tampa Bay has little reason to respect the passing game, which means stacked boxes, limited running lanes and another potentially frustrating fantasy performance.

Not in Week 2, folks. Maybe there is light at the end of this long, miserable tunnel, but we are not there yet.

QB Malik Willis at San Francisco 49ers

How can you enter Week 2 with any confidence in Malik Willis? Whether you heeded the warnings during draft season or not, here we are. Two turnovers and only one touchdown will not get it done.

Sure, that came against a Raiders defense that looked fierce in Week 1, a complete 180 from last season. Still, Willis gave fantasy managers little reason to trust him.

Now he gets a 49ers defense that made last year’s MVP look like a complete novice. What the hell do you think they’ll do to Willis?

Dolphin chum. That’s the only answer.