Week 2 of the NFL season is here! Thursday Night Football is always hit-or-miss from a fantasy perspective; you can make or break your week in the first game of the slate. With that in mind, let’s dive into my start/sit fantasy picks for Packers vs. Commanders on TNF.
Check out my full Week 2 start/sit article with picks at each position here!
TNF Must-Starts
- Jayden Daniels
- Josh Jacobs
- Terry McLaurin
Start ‘Em: Jacory (Bill) Croskey-Merritt (Commanders) at Packers
*Insert Bill Nye the Science Guy meme*
There were a lot of questions about Washington’s backfield committee heading into the year, with Austin Ekeler being seen as the “starter” and assumed third-down back. While the veteran did earn the receiving work as expected, it was Croskey-Merritt who led the way on the ground.
Bill flashed elite burst and power in his regular-season debut, taking 10 carries for a whopping 82 yards and a touchdown. That production will certainly earn him an uptick in opportunities during Washington’s next matchup.
Speaking of matchups, the Packers were a force to be reckoned with last week against the Lions, which may spark some doubt about Bill’s fantasy outlook in Green Bay. While I do have to give significant props to that defensive line, I believe a lot of Detroit’s problems could be chalked up to the loss of Ben Johnson, Frank Ragnow and Kevin Zeitler. The Commanders are working with a lot more continuity up front that carried over from 2024, which should allow them to move the ball effectively on the ground. Croskey-Merritt is a strong RB2 on Thursday.
Sit ‘Em: Matthew Golden
Golden entered Week 1 with mountainous expectations, with many expecting the rookie to quickly emerge as Jordan Love’s top target. That still may happen, but it certainly did not in his NFL debut.
The speedster was only on the field for 66% of Green Bay’s offensive snaps, seeing only two targets and catching both for 16 yards. It was a game the 22-year-old will hope to put in the rear view mirror as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, this has become a consistent issue for Packers receivers. While Jayden Reed flashed immense potential at times last year, he also barely impacted the game on multiple occasions. Green Bay takes the receiver-by-committee approach to another level, and credit to them, it’s been successful. While many fantasy managers hoped Golden would buck that trend, it appears that may not be the case. You should keep the rookie on your bench until he produces consistent fantasy value.
Check out my full Week 2 start/sit article with picks at each position here!
Start ‘Em: Deebo Samuel (Commanders) at Packers
As it turns out, serving as a team’s leading receiver while the actual top guy holds out throughout the entire preseason has its benefits. Shocker.
While Terry McLaurin struggled to get anything going, Deebo found consistent success as Jayden Daniels’ go-to target, catching seven of 10 targets for 77 yards, also rushing once for 19 yards and a touchdown.
After an offseason of “washed” accusations for the 29-year-old, Samuel looked like the dynamic playmaker we’re used to seeing on Sundays. The Packers are a tough matchup, but Deebo should remain heavily involved in Washington’s passing attack. He has high-end WR2 upside this week.
Those are my start ’em, sit ’em TNF fantasy picks! Stay tuned for more fantasy advice later this week.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
