Sneaky Starts: Week 2

Sep 16, 2020

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All but the luckiest fantasy owners at some point need to find the proverbial diamond in the rough—a waiver wire or bench player capable of putting up some points in a pinch. This weekly feature is dedicated to that part of fantasy football. It's not pretty, but it's part of the game.

Let's take a look at the top Sneaky Starts for Week 2...

Quarterbacks

Ryan Tannehill, Titans (vs. JAX)

Tannehill scored 19.4 fantasy points against a fairly tough Denver defense in Week 1. That was good enough for a QB15 finish, though last season a 19.4-point average would have been the eighth-highest in the league. The Jags gave up 363 yards passing to Philip Rivers last week, so Tannehill should produce in Week 2.

Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers (@ NYJ)

Garoppolo was a Sneaky Start last week and he delivered 259/2 against the Cardinals. He has another nice matchup against the Jets, who just yielded a QB3 performance to Josh Allen.

Gardner Minshew, Jaguars (@ TEN)

Minshew scored 20.8 on the Colts last week (173/3). The matchup this week isn’t great, but Minshew mustered 208/2 plus 18 yards rushing against the Titans in Week 3 of last season.

Joe Burrow, Bengals (@ CLE)

Burrow finished with a decent fantasy day (16.3 fantasy points) which shows the value of his ability to run (eight carries, 46 yards, TD). Life should be easier in Week 2 against a Browns defense that got smoked by the Ravens in Week 1.

Mitch Trubisky, Bears (vs. NYG)

Trubisky bought himself another week as the starter after guiding the Bears to an unlikely comeback against the Lions. He also posted a healthy 24.3 fantasy points behind 242/3 as a passer. He has another good matchup against the Giants, who just got worked over by Ben Roethlisberger and Co.

Running Backs

He’s not a sneaky start, but Jonathan Taylor is a top-five play this week in all formats. With Marlon Mack done for the year, Taylor holds first-round value.