Lamar Miller looks like he's a good play again this week. Andy Lyons/Getty Images
The first week is in the books and I have more sleeper plays for Week 2. Let’s take a peek at how I did last week, and then look ahead to this week’s slate of games. My criteria for a good game is around 100 total yards and/or a TD. Last week was a pretty good week considering the uncertainty of Week 1 in fantasy football, and the fact that I’m not picking studs. Here’s how I did in Week 1.
Derrick Henry (TEN): Wrong
James White (NE): Right
James Conner (PIT): Right (Holy Crap)
Lamar Miller (HOU): Right
JuJu Smith Schuster (PIT): Right
Chris Hogan (NE): Wrong
Jamison Crowder (WAS): Wrong
Eric Ebron (DET): Right
Jordan Reed (WAS): Right
Week 2
RB
James White (NE): This week, I like James White again. His matchup is not good, but he does have several things working for him. He plays with Tom Brady, Jeremy Hill is out for the year with a torn ACL, and RB Rex Burkhead is dealing with a concussion. White should get a lot of touches against the Jags.
James Conner (PIT): Start him every week until Bell comes back. That is all.
Lamar Miller (HOU): He was pretty good against the Patriots, and he might get even more opportunity against the Titans this week. Hey Bill O'Brien, let's give Miller some goal line opportunities! If the weather turns out to be an issue, Houston may focus on the running game.
Dion Lewis (TEN): They may lean on Lewis this week with Mariota banged up. Lewis could be deployed against the Texans in a similar fashion as James White and Rex Burkhead were last week. I don’t expect a ton of rushing yards against the Texans stout defense, but he should be active in the passing game.
TJ Yeldon (JAX): If Fournette is out with a hamstring injury, Yeldon becomes a must-start.
WR
JuJu Smith-Schuster (PIT): I love his matchup this week. Big Ben is at home and the Chargers WRs had huge games against the Chiefs last week. Roll with JuJu again unless Roethlisberger is unable to go or limited.
Cooper Kupp (LA): Kupp was active with 9 targets catching 5 of them and also scored in Week 1. He has a nice matchup in the slot where he shouldn’t have to deal with Patrick Peterson, so he’s looking good.
Josh Gordon (CLE): If Gordon is set to start this week, you have to like his chances in the Superdome against the Saints. They were dominated by the Bucs in Week 1, but keep an eye on his hamstring. I’m out on him if he’s not practicing all week.
Mike Williams (LA): Williams is a bit of a dart throw if you’re looking for a flex play this week. He had over 80-yards receiving against the Chiefs, and there’s nothing scary about his matchup against the Bills. Keep in mind, he’s not someone you HAVE to get in your lineup. The negative body clock could be an issue for the Chargers traveling all the way across the country. But if you’re desperate, he’s worth taking a chance on.
Brandon Marshall (SEA): Doug Baldwin is out and Jimmy Graham left in free agency. Somebody has to catch some passes in this offense, so why not Marshall? The Bears gave up quite a few plays to some big-bodied Packers WRs last week, and Marshall is a big dude. He's a low-end flex play.
TE
Jordan Reed (WAS): Reed was good in Week 1, and if you played him, you had to be happy. The Colts are not what you would call GOOD on defense. Give him another shot this week, before he gets hurt again.
Jack Doyle (IND): Doyle caught 7 balls last week, and Andrew Luck is still a little hesitant to push the ball down the field. Washington gives up points to the TE, so fire him up again.
Eric Ebron (IND): He had over 50-yards and a TD against the Bengals, so he’s worth using again. I was on him last week, and I think he’s worth using, especially with all the injuries to the TE position across the NFL in Week 1.
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Reynaldo López struck out seven over six scoreless innings, Orlando Arcia homered and the Atlanta Braves won their third straight, 6-2 over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.
López (2-0) allowed four hits and walked one in his third straight sterling outing to start the season.
“It’s like I’ve always said, for me, the important thing is to focus,” López said through an interpreter. “To have the focus during the outings and then, to be able to locate those pitches.”
He has given up one run in 18 innings for an ERA of 0.50.
“He threw the ball really well against a really good hitting club,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “Another solid one.”
Arcia hit a solo home run to left in the second and a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
Luis Guillorme and backup catcher Chadwick Tromp each hit a two-run double in the ninth to put the Braves ahead 6-0.
“Tromp has done a good job ever since we’ve been bringing him in these situations and filling in,” Snitker said. “I’ve got all the confidence in the world in him back there. ... He’s an aggressive hitter. He’s knocked in some big runs for us in the limited time that he’s played.”
Kyle Tucker homered for the Astros leading off the ninth against Aaron Bummer, and Mauricio Dubón had a two-out RBI single to cut the lead to four. After Bummer walked Chas McCormick to put two on, Raisel Iglesias induced a groundout by Victor Caratini to end it and secure his fourth save.
“They pitched well, and our guys are grinding out at-bats,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “Even in the ninth inning there, we’re grinding, fighting until the end.”
Hunter Brown (0-3) yielded two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks in six innings. Brown allowed nine runs in two-thirds of an inning in his previous start, last Thursday against Kansas City.
Brown said he executed better Tuesday than he had in his previous two starts.
“He mixed all his pitches well,” Espada said. “The breaking ball was effective. He threw some cutters in on the hands to some of those lefties. He mixed his pitches really well. That was a really strong performance.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Braves: 2B Ozzie Albies was placed on the 10-day injured list with a broken right big toe. IF David Fletcher had his contract selected from Triple-A Gwinnett to take Albies’ place on the roster.
Astros: RHP Justin Verlander (right shoulder inflammation) threw a side session Tuesday, but Houston will wait until Wednesday to see how Verlander feels before deciding whether he will make his first start this weekend against the Nationals, Espada said. ... RHP Luis Garcia (right elbow surgery) threw around 20-25 pitches off the bullpen mound, and RHP José Urquidy (right forearm strain) also threw off the mound, Espada said. ... LHP Framber Valdez (left elbow soreness) played catch off flat ground.
UP NEXT
Atlanta LHP Max Fried (1-0, 8.74 ERA) starts Wednesday in the series finale opposite RHP J.P. France (0-2, 8.22).