This article is part of our Start vs. Sit series.
As we enter Week 2, having seen the full slate of Week 1 and a soupcon of Week 0 games, the trick is trying to parse what is valuable data and what is a striking example of the perils of sample size. For some, the tendency is to believe what validates your preconceived ideas. For others, it's to believe everything unexpected that happened is not a fluke but the start of a trend. Of course, the fact both are so easily done speaks to the fact that, well, we have a lot to learn. We also don't have a lot of time to learn it! College football's regular season is short.
There is some to take from Week 0 and Week 1, and some of it I feel fairly confident in. I was certainly surprised by some of what we saw. I thought TCU would house Colorado (a nice win en route to a 5-7 season for the Buffs). I also thought Fresno would upset Purdue. This, though, is about fantasy decisions. Here are some players to start and others to sit for Week 2.
AAC Starts and Sits
START
Seth Henigan, QB, Memphis at Arkansas State
Henigan was a mixed bag against Bethune-Cookman in Week 1, which is not ideal. He completed 75 percent of his passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns, but also two interceptions. In his prior two seasons starting for Memphis, though, Henigan has never thrown more than eight picks, so that feels like
As we enter Week 2, having seen the full slate of Week 1 and a soupcon of Week 0 games, the trick is trying to parse what is valuable data and what is a striking example of the perils of sample size. For some, the tendency is to believe what validates your preconceived ideas. For others, it's to believe everything unexpected that happened is not a fluke but the start of a trend. Of course, the fact both are so easily done speaks to the fact that, well, we have a lot to learn. We also don't have a lot of time to learn it! College football's regular season is short.
There is some to take from Week 0 and Week 1, and some of it I feel fairly confident in. I was certainly surprised by some of what we saw. I thought TCU would house Colorado (a nice win en route to a 5-7 season for the Buffs). I also thought Fresno would upset Purdue. This, though, is about fantasy decisions. Here are some players to start and others to sit for Week 2.
AAC Starts and Sits
START
Seth Henigan, QB, Memphis at Arkansas State
Henigan was a mixed bag against Bethune-Cookman in Week 1, which is not ideal. He completed 75 percent of his passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns, but also two interceptions. In his prior two seasons starting for Memphis, though, Henigan has never thrown more than eight picks, so that feels like a fluke. I don't know if facing Arkansas State will prove any tougher than an FCS defense, to be honest. Butch Jones' team got demolished 73-0 by Oklahoma, allowing a staggering 12.8 passing yards per attempt after finishing in the bottom 10 in that stat last season.
SIT
Preston Stone, QB, SMU at Oklahoma
Stone's first game as SMU's starter went well, as he threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns. That was against Louisiana Tech, though, who had arguably the worst defense in the FBS last season. This is a bit about the Sooners blanking the Red Wolves last week, but it is as much about Brent Venables as a defensive mind and as a recruiter. This defense is going to be much tougher in 2023, I believe.
ACC Starts and Sits
START
Malik Rutherford, WR, Georgia Tech vs. SC State
George Tech's offense is still building a passing offense, and it may have something under center with Haynes King. Ah, but who will he throw to? Well, in Week 1, Rutherford got seven targets, which he turned into five catches for 85 yards. The Yellow Jackets couldn't pick up the upset over Louisville, but they should be able to throw their weight around against an FCS squad.
SIT
Kevin Concepcion, WR, NC State vs. Notre Dame
There was some real excitement for Concepcion heading into this season. The true freshman was immediately named a starter. Brennan Armstrong and Robert Anae were reuniting! And then…the Wolf Pack offense struggled against UConn. Concepcion was indeed the lead receiver but with only four catches for 36 yards. Notre Dame averaged a solid 6.5 passing yards per attempt allowed last season, and so far, it is down to 6.1 on that front.
Big 12 Starts and Sits
START
RJ Harvey, RB, UCF at Boise State
The Broncos were stomped 56-19 by Washington in their first game. Now, the Huskies have the potential to have one of the five best offenses in college football, but 56 points is significant. This is as much about me thinking UCF's offense could be a top-20 outfit, though. Harvey only needed 10 carries to net 84 yards and a touchdown in Week 1, and he added a 50-yard touchdown reception as well. Yeah, it was Kent State, but last season, Harvey averaged 6.7 yards per carry and had 215 receiving yards, so I can see him building on that.
SIT
Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas at Alabama
Maybe Texas skipped over prepping for the Rice Owls, but its offense was operating at a B-minus level in that one, and I would have liked to see more before a trip to Tuscaloosa. Could Worthy be one of the top receivers in the country? Absolutely, but I'm going to risk him in any lineups with a visit to the Crimson Tide looming.
Big Ten Starts and Sits
START
Jeshaun Jones, WR, Maryland vs. Charlotte
Jones picked up five catches for 57 yards and a touchdown against Towson in Maryland's first game, a solid beginning to the year. Last season, he had 44 catches for 557 yards and four scores, but he is in line for a bigger role this season. We haven't learned anything about Charlotte's defense this year, as it has only played SC State, but it was in the bottom five in points allowed per game and passing yards allowed per attempt last season.
SIT
Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa at Iowa State
There are so few guarantees in life, so we need certain lodestars. One thing we can always rely on in this world is that when the Hawkeyes and the Cyclones square off, neither offense is scoring more than 20 points. Obviously, there's some stuff going on at Iowa State that has impacted the roster, but it was top five in rushing yards allowed per carry last season, and it knows it can focus on stopping Johnson. Brian Ferentz's Drive for 25 is going to take another step back in Week 2.
Conference USA Starts and Sits
START
Quinton Cooley, RB, Liberty vs. NMSU
The new-look Flames got a performance from Cooley that grabbed my eye. While he lost a fumble, the Wake Forest transfer ran the ball 16 times for 78 yards. New Mexico State's defense has been a concern so far. The Aggies allowed 41 points at home to UMass, a perennially poor team, and though they beat Western Illinois, giving up 21 points to an FCS team wasn't a good sign either.
SIT
Malik Jackson, RB, Jacksonville State at Coastal Carolina
Jackson's averaged 7.0 yards per carry, and he has a touchdown in both of Jacksonville State's games. That's encouraging. On the other hand, the ULM transfer has only carried the ball 25 times over those two outings, only one more than Ron Wiggins, and the quarterbacks run the ball for the Gamecocks as well. I don't see Jackson earning a bigger role, and Coastal Carolina just made UCLA's offense work for it. I'm not risking that being a fluke in Week 2.
MAC Starts and Sits
START
Dequan Finn, QB, Toledo vs. Texas Southern
Illinois played some sloppy football in Week 1, which certainly helped Toledo keep it close. When all is said and done, though, Finn threw for 230 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception while adding 20 carries for 75 yards and a score. Interceptions were an issue for Finn last season, but he threw 23 touchdowns and ran for nine more, so all in all, he was a productive player. Many MAC teams are facing FCS squads in Week 2, and Finn, as arguably the conference's best quarterback, stands out to me the most.
SIT
Samson Evans, RB, Eastern Michigan at Minnesota
Evans has been a touchdown machine the last two years, and last season, he also ran for over 1,000 yards. Minnesota is a formidable opponent, though. The Golden Gophers kept every Nebraska running back in check last week, and defensive prowess is not new. Let's not forget the Gophers only allowed 14.2 points per game last year.
Mountain West Starts and Sits
START
Andrew Peasley, QB, Wyoming vs. Portland State
The only good Mountain West matchups for Week 2 are with the teams who have FCS opponents on the docket. Last week, the Cowboys served as the Group of Five opponent for a Power Five team looking to bolster its record. Instead, Wyoming upset Texas Tech. Peasley led the way, throwing for two touchdowns and added 68 yards and a score on the ground. If he keeps that momentum going, he can pad his stats against Portland State.
SIT
John Lee Eldridge, RB, Air Force at Sam Houston
Eldridge only carried the ball four times in a walk over Robert Morris, but he ran for 72 yards. He's considered the top back for the Falcons, a team that runs the ball a ton. Sam Houston was shut out in its FBS debut. However, it also held BYU to 14 points. The Bearkats have offensive issues, but they also seem to have real defensive prowess. They could make things hard on Eldridge.
Pac-12 Starts and Sits
START
Gary Bryant, WR, Oregon at Texas Tech
Bryant had seven catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns against Portland State. That game was a blowout against an FCS team. Does it mean anything? Well, recommending Troy Franklin is not exactly illuminating, while Bryant has upside. Texas Tech gave up 35 to Wyoming, admittedly in a two-overtime game. I think it's worth taking a shot on Bryant. Two seasons ago, he did have 579 yards and seven touchdowns with USC.
SIT
Jacob Cowing, WR, Arizona at San Diego State
Cowing has had over 1,000 yards in each of his last two seasons, one with UTEP and one with Arizona. The Aztecs are perennially one of the toughest Group of Five defenses, and last season, it only allowed 6.5 passing yards per attempt, and this year, they are down to a mere 5.3.
SEC Starts and Sits
START
Andrew Armstrong, WR, Arkansas vs. Kent State
Armstrong was an FCS standout in 2022, tallying 1,020 yards and 13 touchdowns in 11 games. In his first game with Arkansas, admittedly against an FCS team, Armstrong had five catches for 78 yards and a score. Kent State lost a ton of players and head coach Sean Lewis in the offseason, and it looked brutal in Week 1. The Golden Flashes could end up the worst team in the FBS.
SIT
Jermaine Burton, WR, Alabama vs. Texas
Don't overlook the Longhorns' defense in this one. Texas looked strong defensively against Rice, and last season, it allowed only 21.6 points per game and 6.2 passing yards per attempt. Jalen Milroe looked good under center against Middle Tennessee State, which bodes well for Burton, but we still need to learn more about Alabama's new quarterback, and this matchup will be a real test for this passing game.
Sun Belt Starts and Sits
START
Marcus Carroll, RB, Georgia State vs. UConn
Carroll was a Week 1 standout. It may have only been Rhode Island, but he ran the ball 23 times for 184 yards and three touchdowns. Jim Mora may have something cooking at UConn, but it was middling against the run last season. I'm buying into Carroll as a Group of Five running back to believe in.
SIT
Nate Noel, RB, Appalachian State at North Carolina
Noel ran for 117 yards and a touchdown against Gardner-Webb in Week 1, but this could be a real step up in competition. He'll be visiting North Carolina, who might actually have a good defense. We don't usually see tough defenses for the Tar Heels, but South Carolina ran for minus-2 yards as a team in Week 1, and its lead back averaged 1.9 yards per carry.
