FantasyNFL

Sit ‘Em: 11 Fantasy Football Players To Stay The Hell Away From In Week 2

by Scott Engel | 1:28 pm, September 14th, 2012

We’ve enlisted the help of a man who knows his fantasy, RotoExperts.com’s managing director Scott Engel, an inaugural member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association’s Hall of Fame, to identify the players you should stay the hell away from each week. Follow his advice, and you should be golden.

Ah, Week 2. So important. So crucial. If your team is 1-0, you certainly want to keep the momentum going and build on your opening week success. If you’re 0-1, falling into a 0-2 hole could be a killer. Starting the correct players is what we focus mainly on, but there are some guys who simply should be benched at all costs to avoid Fantasy disasters. This week, you’re going to want to stay the hell away from quarterbacks wearing green.

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1.1. Michael Vick vs. Baltimore

Vick looked absolutely awful for the most of the Week 1 win over Cleveland before stacking up some good Fantasy numbers late. It’s not going to get any easier against the Ravens, and you can use another option. Most Vick owners smartly drafted another quality QB and should go with the alternative. Vick is overrated and inconsistent. Plus, he is no longer a major threat as a runner, it seems. Vick is an erratic pocket passer and this is an unfriendly matchup for him.

2.2. Mark Sanchez at Pittsburgh

The Jets surprised everyone in the opener with a major offensive outburst. Don’t expect consistency, though, from a still flawed offensive attack. Sanchez has delivered quality Fantasy performances in the past, only to follow them up with a mediocre performance or a stinker. Don’t overreact to what you saw In Week 1. The Jets are not some sort of juggernaut, and the Steelers need to win at home in Week 2 and will be well prepared.

3.3. Kevin Smith at San Francisco

Smith ran well in the first week against St. Louis, but facing the 49ers on the road is a whole different ballgame. Only the very special running backs in the league can run effectively against the Niners right now. Smith is not too much above average, if at all. Ideally, the Lions would have Jahvid Best and Mikel Leshoure available. And those guys wouldn’t fare too well against the fearsome Frisco front seven.

4.4. Beanie Wells/Ryan Williams at New England

We may be obvious here, but we have to make sure you don’t even consider Wells. Injuries have taken their toll on Beanie, and he is looking like an upright, pedestrian RB. That does not mean you use Williams, either, because he’s not going to break through yet. Not this week. With Kevin Kolb back at QB, the Cardinals are set to fall far behind and will have to abandon their running game.

5.5. Trent Richardson at Cincinnati

Richardson is making his way back from a preseason knee scope and has yet to run with full burst and acceleration. He did run with strength and power against the Eagles last week, but it was apparent Richardson is not yet looking like the guy the Browns want to build around for the future. Play it safe and keep Richardson reserved for now. You’ll get him back in the lineup soon, though.

6.6. Kevin Ogletree at Seattle

Yes, he was the darling of Week 1, and now he can be the dud of Week 2. Ogletree’s breakout game in the opener means he gets more defensive respect going forward. Not everyone will be able to contain him, but a very good Seattle secondary is going to shut him down. Don’t overrate Ogletree going into the second week. Ogletree will certainly have some more quality performances going forward. It’s not happening this week, though.

7.7. Sidney Rice vs. Dallas

The Cowboys secondary handled some very good Giants wide receivers in the opener, and will certainly blanket Rice, as he is easily much more prominent in the passing game than any of the other Seahawks wide receivers. The oft-injured Rice is also battling a knee injury. Russell Wilson has a mediocre cast outside of Rice, and he lacks the targets to keep the chains moving regularly right now. Dallas can double-team Rice and dare Wilson to beat them with his other pass-catchers.

8.8. Kenny Britt at San Diego

If you received points for injuries and troublemaking, Britt would be a No. 1 overall pick. Britt has looked like a Fantasy superstar in the past when healthy, but he is recovering from two knee scopes and may see somewhat limited reps this week. He’s a big risk, because he may not be the Britt we have seen in the past just yet. Keep Britt reserved, and in the meantime, hope he stays out of trouble as well.

9.9. Dennis Pitta at Philadelphia

Pitta was a hot add for those who needed tight ends this week, and the Ravens offense is certainly looking more prolific with a new no-huddle attack. Pitta may be a regular read for Joe Flacco, but he is still going to be a secondary option in the Ravens offense, and Flacco is also going to spread the ball around a lot. Pitta needs to show us more before you can plug him in for sure.

10.10. Martellus Bennett vs. Tampa Bay

Yes, he is a talker, but he has never been able to back it up much. Bennett did score against the Cowboys, but he would have thrown a fit in the locker room afterwards had he not gotten an end zone look against Dallas. Facts are, though, throw it to Bennett three times and he’ll drop it at least once. Eli Manning does like to throw to his tight ends, but he won’t like throwing to Bennett too much, because he is now bound to disappear after making what will prove to be his highlight catch of the season in the opener.

11.11. Detroit Lions' Defense vs. San Francisco

The Lions were actually a top-ranked Fantasy defense last year, because they racked up turnovers and sacks even though they gave up lots of yardage. Forcing mistakes against the crisply-coached 49ers, though, will be no easy task. San Francisco’s offense is growing in diversity and is sure to take advantage of a very shaky Lions secondary. The Lions will give up too many points and will not be able to compensate otherwise.

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