SI Fantasy: Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Start and Sit in Week 2
Which Tampa Bay Buccaneers should you start, or sit, in fantasy football this week?
Sports Illustrated's fantasy branch has introduced its weekly, in-depth 'Start 'Em, Sit 'Em' feature to give you the best advice you can get in fantasy football. And as the Buccaneers own one of the most threatening offenses in the NFL, you can expect numerous Bucs to be included on a weekly basis.
So, which Tampa Bay players should you start, or sit, in week two against the Atlanta Falcons? Quarterback Tom Brady, for one, is considered the start of the week at quarterback.
Tom Brady vs. Falcons (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX): Brady was spectacular in his first start of the season, throwing four touchdown passes and scoring 27.2 fantasy points in a win over the Cowboys. I'd keep him in your starting lineup this week too, as the Bucs host the Falcons. Their defense allowed nearly 29 fantasy points to Jalen Hurts last week and has given up the seventh-most points to quarterbacks since Week 9 2020.
Keep in mind, Brady could have eclipsed the 30-point mark had he not thrown two interceptions against the Cowboys - and those turnovers were not due to poor passes. Running back Leonard Fournette bobbled a screen pass into the first interception, and the second came on a Hail Mary to finish the first half.
Speaking of Fournette, SI Fantasy recommends that you keep Foruentte on your bench this week. Fournette's play was uninspiring in week one as he averaged 3.6 yards per carry on nine attempts and tallied 27 yards on five receptions, failing to produce a score in either department.
Head coach Bruce Arians also said that Ronald Jones II will start at running back this week. Although the Bucs will rotate their backs early on, Arians and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich have a tendency to run with the back who has the hot hand, and Jones will have the first opportunity to heat up against Atlanta.
Another SI-recommended start in week two would be wide receiver Antonio Brown, who exploded onto the scene with a team-leading 121 receiving yards across five catches against the Cowboys, including a 47-yard touchdown.
Brown was the third Tampa Bay wideout picked in fantasy drafts, but he led the trio in points in the opener. I expect all three, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Brown, to be solid options this week when the Bucs host the Falcons. Their defense has surrendered the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers since Week 9 2020, including 41.3 points to the Eagles last weekend.
The final Buccaneers start by SI is tight end Rob Gronkowski. Gronkowski caught all eight of his targets for 90 yards and two scores vs. Dallas, including one that was checked into by Brady at the line of scrimmage and showed off the tandem's long-standing chemistry.
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