What to do with seven start-sit decisions you might be dreading

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  Liz LozaSep 23, 2026, 08:18 AM ET

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  Liz Loza is a writer for fantasy football and betting at ESPN and host of the "Facts vs. Feelings" podcast. Liz also appears on "Fantasy Football Now" and contributes to the "Fantasy Focus Football" podcast.

Greetings from Bristol! The air is crisp with a whisper of fall, shackets have been dispatched, and Week 2 has slapped the sense right out of us. Or maybe it didn't? Perhaps the events of last weekend provided an opportunity to shift perspective. I don't like it, though. And I don't seem to be alone.

Walking through campus on Monday, the vibe was decidedly ... off. Folks seem a touch disgruntled. Not in a "drank one too many on Sunday night and now have to turn it around and show up to a bunch of meetings that could have been an email" kind of way. Instead, everyone looks uniquely puzzled. As though they witnessed some sort of phantasmic event but aren't entirely sure their memory of the happening can be trusted.

It's all giving ... shrug emoji.

There seemed to be a collective giddiness heading into and out of Week 1. Even if rosters sank below expectation, an actionable optimism persisted within the community. We were not going to overreact, goshdarnit! And many of us didn't. Until D.J. Moore left with a shoulder injury, CMC morphed into a goal-line gremlin, and the Chargers threw up on themselves for the second straight Sunday.

This is not what we were promised. And we're having trouble finding a path forward. Just stay the course and blindly believe? Or scrap everything and begin the work of patching together an entirely new creation? The answer is probably somewhere in between. But the labor required to kick-start a new endeavor in combination with a patchwork instruction manual feels more exhausting than inspiring. We just want to roll out competitive fantasy squads, after all, not build a nightstand from IKEA.

My head and heart pounded as this same sentiment developed in mutual fashion while watching the games unfurl in the company's "war room" last Sunday. A dedicated and centralized space for employees to take in the day's action, discuss emerging storylines, and strategize subsequent takes, this nondescript conference hall exists as a fascinating equalizer. Legends and laymen excitedly gather, allowing their jaws to drop and their brows to furrow in unison. I've learned much about both ball and life while posted up in this shared work space. It's wild. And I'm grateful.

When Chris Berman turned from the wall of screens -- his eyes as wide as the rest of the rest of ours -- and characteristically boomed, "Just when you think you know something. You know nothing at all," I was thankful for clarity. Because the truth is, we don't have any. And that's the twisted up glory of this whole thing. So, dig in. And revel in the unfolding.

Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys

Seemingly inspired by "Men in Black," Prescott employed a Neuralyzer on managers in Week 2, erasing their memories of his underwhelming 14-point outing the previous Sunday. The 33-year-old tossed four TDs and rushed for a solid 26 yards, besting the division rival Commanders by 17 points and gifting investors with a 29-point (QB3) fantasy performance. His four passing scores were tied for the most of the week (with Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford) while his 26 rushing yards ranked a respectable eighth at the position. With CeeDee Lamb locked in, George Pickens adding to his upside and Jake Ferguson providing cover, Prescott is set up for another productive showing versus Baltimore in Rio de Janeiro.

Oddsmakers agree, setting the game total at a hefty 52.5 (highest of the week). Notably, in his 29 career games that featured an over/under of 50 or more points, Prescott has thrown for 55 TDs while averaging 290 yards and 20.1 fantasy points per contest. While Prescott's arm has accurately registered a completion percentage of 73.8 (QB4), his legs have also contributed to his production, with 40 total yards so far on six carriers. With Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Jaxson Dart all sidelined, the veteran signal-caller figures to deliver top-eight virtual numbers in Week 3.

Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots

Hyper-productive as well as efficient, Maye put together a commanding sophomore campaign, averaging 21.2 fantasy points per game (QB3) and finishing second in MVP voting. His efforts convinced fantasy managers that -- despite a stiffer schedule, but with the addition of A.J. Brown -- he'd handily return on a fifth-round ADP investment. Currently fantasy's QB30 and with just one passing score on the board, that's hardly been the case two weeks into 2026. For reference, Maye has thrown the same number of TDs and for fewer yards than Aaron Rodgers, Baker Mayfield and Geno Smith. Meanwhile, he's registered the same number of interceptions as Cooper Rush (4).

Plagued by constant pressure, Maye has struggled to be decisive, holding on to the ball too long and forcing throws into unavailable windows. He's taken six sacks, registered a league-high number of turnovers and scored fewer than 10 points in both his matchups. His receiving corps is unlikely to bail him out anytime soon, as Kayshon Boutte was traded to Houston and Brown is likely to remain sidelined for another four games. I'm still ranking him as a low-end QB1, but he is heading into a Week 3 matchup against a Jacksonville defense that held both Deshaun Watson and Bo Nix to a single touchdown and an interception apiece.

Chuba Hubbard, RB, Carolina Panthers

Hubbard finished as fantasy's RB10 in both Week 1 and Week 2, commanding Carolina's backfield with 27 touches for 151 scrimmage yards and three total touchdowns. While there was initial optimism that a healthy Jonathon Brooks might overtake the incumbent back, a seemingly persistent groin injury has limited the 23-year-old to playing just 19% of snaps in Week 1 and 33% in Week 2. With Brooks now set to miss six weeks and only AJ Dillon remaining behind Hubbard on the depth chart, the vet is locked into another heavy workload for Week 3.

He'll travel to Cleveland to take on a defense that remains getable despite not yet giving up a touchdown to the position. The Browns have allowed 4.6 yards per carry (ninth highest) and nine receptions (tied for 15th) to opposing running backs. This favors Hubbard's evolving skill set. Interestingly, two of Hubbard's three touchdowns this season have come through the air, and he ranks fifth among RBs in routes run (41), indicating his substantial involvement in the offense. Consider Hubbard a low-end RB2 come Sunday

Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

It's not that Tuten has been bad, it's just that he hasn't been great either. Averaging 12 fantasy points per game (RB19) the Jaguars' RB1, remains part of a four-man committee, sharing touches with Chris Rodriguez Jr., LeQuint Allen Jr. and Ameer Abdullah. Drawing just three targets through two efforts (RB39) and registering a snap share of 49%, Tuten has averaged 0.77 fantasy points per touch (RB45). His performance at Denver -- wherein he managed a solid 4.7 yards per carry and found the end zone for the first time this season -- allows room for optimism. Still, with limited opportunities to showcase his obvious explosiveness, Tuten's ceiling continues to be frustratingly capped.

Unfortunately, managers will likely have to exercise patience again in Week 3. Tuten is poised to face a Patriots' defense that has surrendered the eighth-fewest fantasy points to opposing RBs. While New England's rushing opponents have been far from a murderer's row, Zak Kuhr's unit has yet to give up a single score to the position. Moreover, no running back has managed even 10 fantasy points when facing the Pats. Thankfully, the schedule eases up for Tuten in Week 4 at Cincinnati. For the time being, however, investors should brace for a flex-worthy fantasy showing on Sunday. Tuten is the ESPN consensus ranked RB26 heading into the weekend.

Parker Washington, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Investors who bet on Washington picking up where he left off appear to have been rewarded. In addition to clearing 16 fantasy points in back-to-back contests, Washington has now managed five or more grabs and cleared 80 receiving yards in five straight outings. For context, only six players over the past five seasons have managed a five-game streak with 80 or more receiving yards. They include: Justin Jefferson (twice), Jaxon Smith-Njigba, A.J. Brown, Nico Collins, Ja'Marr Chase and Puka Nacua. That's certainly eye-popping company.

Proving to be Trevor Lawrence's go-to guy, Washington is tied for seventh among wide receivers with 18 targets, including a career-high-tying 12 looks against Denver last week. In addition to volume, Washington's success has been driven by his alignment. Operating as Jacksonville's primary slot option, Washington has logged 34 slot snaps compared to just 41 combined from the rest of the Jaguars' receiving corps This heavy inside deployment is crucial for Sunday's matchup, as it should allow him to avoid shadow coverage from New England's premier cornerback, Christian Gonzalez. Lock Washington into lineups as a low-end WR1 for Sunday's action.

Adonai Mitchell, WR, New York Jets

Managers willing to listen, could hear a drumbeat following Mitchell throughout the summer. Yet, because it was attached to the Jets and surrounding a player that had yet to break out, the sound was largely put on mute. Perhaps it's time to start listening.

Mitchell is quietly commanding an impressive role in this passing attack, sporting a robust 15.0 average depth of target that places him ninth across the league. He's also drawn a target share of 25% (WR25). What truly elevates his ceiling, however, is the downfield nature of that usage, as his average depth of target (aDOT) remains the deepest of any wideout commanding top-25 volume.

Furthermore, Mitchell has also drawn the same number of looks and run the same number of routes as Garrett Wilson. That sort of participation aligns nicely in a matchup against a vulnerable Lions secondary that has already surrendered 10 or more fantasy points to seven different receivers. With the Jets likely to be chasing points as 6.5-point road dogs, Mitchell's potential volume paired with his downfield ability make him an intriguing flex play in Week 3.

T.J. Hockenson, POS, Minnesota Vikings

Hockenson surprised in Week 1, converting four of five looks for 36 receiving yards and his first score of 2026. Those numbers earned the former Iowa standout a decent 13.6 fantasy points and a top-10 positional finish. Inclement weather and subsequently chaotic play upended his early momentum, however, as the veteran tight end posted a disappointing 5.9 fantasy points (TE23) the following week at Chicago. Yet, on a day in which Carson Wentz recorded just 11 completions, Hockenson still managed a target share of 20%. In fact, his four looks -- two fewer than Jefferson and one fewer than Jordan Addison -- ranked third on the team in aerial opportunities, signaling an encouraging workload moving forward.

With the weather calling for clear skies, Hockenson figures to bounce back at Tampa Bay in Week 3. The Buccaneers have allowed an average of 22.1 fantasy points per game (second most) to opposing TEs, surrendering a touchdown (including one to Blake Whiteheart) to the position in back-to-back efforts. For context, Mike Gesicki managed 18 fantasy points versus Tampa Bay in Week 1 and then failed to register a single catch versus Houston the following Sunday. It's an underrated matchup that Hockenson could exploit, particularly with Kyler Murray returning. Embrace the floor and plan for low-end TE1 production from No. 87.