Kareem Hunt start or sit: Week 2 fantasy football advice

The Cleveland Browns continue to lean on the strength of their backfield, which includes running back Kareem Hunt. As the Browns clinched a last-second win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, much of the battle was won through the ground game. After a strong fantasy performance in the season opener, we look ahead to Hunt’s Week 2 matchup and determine if he should start or sit among fantasy lineups.

Fantasy Football analysis: Browns RB Kareem Hunt

Hunt totaled 11 carries for 46 yards and caught four passes for 24 yards, but what little volume he saw in yardage he more than made up for in the endzone. He finished two touchdowns, one on the ground and one through the air, as he totaled 23 fantasy points in PPR scoring. He may have been out carried 22-11 by Nick Chubb, but it was Hunt that found the endzone on Sunday.

That presents the ongoing dilemma when deciding whether to start or sit Hunt in fantasy lineups. He will always battle for the share of carries with Chubb and could very well surrender goal-line opportunities to him, but Hunt is the favorable option when Cleveland opts to throw. Hunt is also a favorable option in PPR leagues after he saw four targets to Chubb’s one. The icing on the cake is this week’s matchup with the Jets, who surrendered the most fantasy points on average to opposing running backs last season (26.3).

Start or sit in Week 2?

The biggest obstacle in Hunt’s way is his own backfield teammate splitting touches with him, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing for fantasy managers. As long as the Browns opt to run the ball more than throw as they did in Week 1 (39 carries to 34 pass attempts) then Hunt’s fantasy potential is always favorable. Against a Jets defense that is historically accommodating to opposing fantasy running backs, Hunt is a start for Week 2.