Week 1 of the NFL season delivered plenty of surprises, but fantasy football managers must turn the page to Week 2.
It’s tempting to overreact to one poor performance, but there’s no reason to panic after just one game. Colston Loveland, for example, was held without a catch despite the Bears putting up 59 points. That’s certainly frustrating, but it’s far too early to hit the panic button.
Whether you’re 1-0 or 0-1, a long fantasy football season still lies ahead.
Unfortunately, the injury bug has already hit the tight end position, with Brock Bowers undergoing a knee procedure and being listed as day-to-day heading into Week 2.
Fortunately, the position has plenty of depth, with promising young players joining a group of reliable veterans. For fantasy
managers dealing with injuries or disappointing starts, the waiver wire could provide some intriguing streaming options this week.
Here is a breakdown of who you should start and who you should sit at tight end in Week 2:
Fantasy football start 'em: Week 2 TEs
Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills vs. Lions ('Thursday Night Football')
The Buffalo Bills have their home opener this week on "Thursday Night Football" when they host the Detroit Lions. It's not your ordinary opener as they will unveil their new stadium.
Kincaid is a breakout candidate in 2026 and he ran 22 routes on 32 dropbacks by Josh Allen in Week 1. That's 69% route participation which is a jump from the 44.2% he averaged last season. He played 42-of-57 snaps overall, his highest mark since Week 9 of 2024. All point to fantasy goodness moving forward. He paced the position in receiving yards after one week with 130 against a tough Texans defense.
Detroit just allowed Saints tight ends Juwan Johnson and Noah Fant to combine for seven catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1. With another big performance Kincaid would enter weekly must-start status.
Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens vs. Saints
The 31-year-old is back in weekly start territory when the Ravens host the New Orleans Saints in their home opener. Baltimore’s passing game could funnel more opportunities his way with Zay Flowers dealing with a hamstring injury after exploding for 150 yards and a touchdown before leaving Week 1, while rookie Ja’Kobi Lane suffered a fractured wrist. That leaves Lamar Jackson with fewer established weapons, and Andrews remains one of his most trusted targets. Andrews had a 17.6% target share in the first half with Flowers on the field but that jumped to 42.9% in the second half after Flowers exited.
He also led Ravens tight ends with 49 snaps and caught four passes on six targets (which tied a team-high) in Week 1. Detroit’s Sam LaPorta caught six passes for 57 yards against New Orleans in Week 1. Jackson looked comfortable operating Declan Doyle’s offense, making Andrews an intriguing Week 2 play and bounce-back candidate this season.
Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears vs. Vikings
The Chicago Bears battle the Minnesota Vikings in their 2026 home oepner in Week 2 and don't expect Loveland to be a non-factor like he was in Week 1. The former first-rounder had zero catches on two targets in the Bears Week 1 blowout over the Carolina Panthers.
Chicago's offense passed the eye test in Week 1, and head coach Ben Johnson has said he wants to make history. Caleb Williams can continue to target his wide receivers Rome Odunze, Luther Burden and Kalif Raymond along with veteran tight end Cole Kmet but the upside is too immense for the 22 year-old.
Chicago traded DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills and Loveland finished his rookie campaign strong with 25 targets across Chicago's two playoff games. In his last 12 games combined, he caught 59 passes for 790 yards and six TDs. Those stats reaffirm why we're not panicking, and neither should you. He ran 34 of a possible 38 routes in Week 1 so expect those to formulate into fantasy points moving forward.
Hunter Henry, New England Patriots vs. Steelers
The veteran in New England is stepping back into a familiar role after A.J. Brown suffered a high ankle sprain. Brown was placed on injured reserve, meaning he’ll miss at least four games. Henry had a 17% target share and 74% route share last season. The Patriots offense struggled to put long drives together in Week 1, but should have better success against the Pittsburgh Steelers defense at home.
There's little target competition outside of 32-year-old Mack Hollins and free agent aquisition Romeo Doubs who struggled in the opener. Henry lit up Pittsburgh last season to the tune of eight receptions on 11 targets for 90 receiving yards and two touchdowns. In fact, he's had multiple touchdowns in 3 of 4 career matchups against the Steelers. Expect Drake Maye to bounce back and lean on his security blanket.
Fantasy football sit 'em: Week 2 TEs
Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars at Broncos
Trevor Lawrence and Strange connected on two of three targets for 23 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. Jacksonville's next matchup comes on the road at Mile High against the Denver Broncos.
Denver allowed Travis Kelce to break loose for a 59-yard catch in Week 1, but take that mistake away and the future Hall of Famer would have finished with a measly two-catch, 12-yard day. Lawrence has plenty of mouths to feed with a trio of wide receivers in Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, and Brian Thomas Jr., which pushes Strange further down the pecking order. The Broncos defense will likely come into their home opener looking to right the ship after a poor Week 1 performance.
Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals at Texans
One of the most popular waiver wire recommendations for Week 2 is a recommended sit. Unfortunately for managers who roster someone like Bowers and hoped to find gold in Gesicki this week, it's a poor matchup.
The Cincinnati Bengals hit the road to face the Houston Texans, who were the NFL's No. 1 defense in 2025. In Week 1, Kincaid made his mark against Houston, but don't expect that trend to continue. With Azeez Al-Shaair patrolling the middle of the field, it's difficult for most tight ends to have big days against this Texans defense.
Week 1 was an outlier for Gesicki, who failed to reach double-digit fantasy points in all but two games last season. After Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins' slow start last week, Joe Burrow will likely get them more involved in Week 2. You don't have to leave Gesicki on waivers, but you should make arrangements to keep him out of lineups this week.
Fantasy football start 'em, sit 'ems, Week 2
Looking for more fantasy football advice? USA TODAY Sports has you covered:
→ Need an edge under center? Here are the best quarterback options to start and to sit in Week 2.
→ A good running back makes all the difference. A bad running back can cost you. Here's who to start and who to sit in Week 2.
→ Defense (and special teams) can win you championships – including your fantasy league's. Here are some of the best D/ST units to start and sit in Week 2.
→ The wide receiver position is one of the deepest each season. Set yourself up for success in Week 2 with start 'em, sit 'em advice for wideouts.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em tight ends for Week 2 fantasy football
