Week 2 Start Decision Breakdowns: Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman or Allen Lazard, Dalton Kincaid or Isaiah Likely and More

Answering trending decisions involving players from the Thursday night game.

The Thursday night game in week 2 is a battle between the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins.

There’s not a ton of big start/sit decisions from the game, but there are some players fantasy football owners are looking for answers on. Tua Tagovailoa was part of a nine-quarterback start decision already.

Let’s break down some of the matchups now!

Looking for start/sit help? Be sure to check out the FantasySP Who Should I Start tool.

Start Khalil Shakir or Keon Coleman or Allen Lazard?

In week 1, Shakir played 33 offensive snaps, while Coleman was at 45. The offense had 62 snaps in total.

Coleman hauled in four of his five targets for 51 yards. He made one red zone catch on two targets.

Shakir made three grabs on as many targets for 42 yards and a touchdown. He caught his only red zone target.

Lazard played all 51 of the Jets’ offensive snaps in week 1. He made six grabs on nine targets for 89 yards and two touchdowns. He caught two of his three red zone targets.

The Bill receivers’ matchup against the Dolphins is average based on week 1 numbers. Miami allowed nine catches on 12 targets for 142 yards and a touchdown.

The Jets play the Titans in week 2. Tennessee’s defense allowed just 24 fantasy points to opposing wideouts in week 1, giving up 12 catches on 26 targets for 90 yards and no scores.

Coleman is projected for 10 PPR fantasy points, while Shakir is at nine and Lazard eight.

Fantasy owners prefer Shakir starting over Lazard (29-10%). Both guys are starting just 1% of the time.

Coleman is preferred over Lazard (36-8%). Both guys are starting 6% of the time.

Shakir is preferred over Coleman (20-17%). Both guys are starting 10% of the time.

I wrote about Coleman and Shakir in length in the Bills Week 2 Fantasy Outlook story. I prefer Coleman over Shakir because the rookie played more snaps in week 1. Shakir is more of a boom-or-bust guy, and would have had a worse fantasy day than Coleman without his touchdown in week 1. 

Coleman is the only one of the three receivers in this conversation who I’d consider playing in a standard league this week. The other two are deep league options.

Lazard’s week 1 showing was a surprising one, but it was definitely boosted by his two touchdowns. It’d be hard to not play him in a deeper league this week after that showing. Because he played a higher percentage of his team’s snaps, I’d take Lazard over Shakir by just a little bit.

So I’d take Coleman first, then Lazard and Shakir. Coleman is a possible starter in standard leagues, but really I’d only feel great starting these guys in deeper league setups.

Start Dalton Kincaid or Isaiah Likely or Dallas Goedert or Dalton Schultz or Brock Bowers?

Kincaid played 52 of the team’s 62 offensive snaps in week 1. He had just one catch on two targets for 11 yards. One of the targets was in the red zone, but he didn’t haul in the pass.

Likely was on the field for 53 of the team’s 80 offensive snaps in week 1. He made nine receptions on 12 targets for 111 yards and a touchdown. Likely had one red zone catch on three targets.

Goedert played 62 of the team’s 76 offensive snaps in week 1. He had four grabs on five targets for 31 yards. Goedert didn’t get a red zone target.

Schultz was on the field for 63 of his team’s 79 offensive snaps. He made three catches on as many targets for 16 yards. Schultz didn’t have a red zone target.

Bowers got 41 snaps in week 1, while his team was on the field for 60 total snaps. He made six grabs on eight targets for 58 yards, but none of that was in the red zone.

Kincaid goes up against the Dolphins on Thursday. Miami allowed just five yards on a catch and four targets to tight ends in week 1.

Goedert takes on the Falcons in week 2. Atlanta allowed opposing tight ends to go for 41 yards on six catches and seven targets in week 1.

Bowers takes on the Ravens this week. Baltimore allowed TEs to go for 71 yards on six catches and seven targets in week 1.

Likely takes on a Raiders’ defense that allowed 46 yards on three catches and four targets in week 1.

Schultz faces the Bears in week 2. Chicago allowed tight ends to go for 26 yards and a touchdown on four catches and targets last week.

Kincaid is the focus of the decision, so let’s look at his start/sit data. Kincaid is the preferred starter over Likely (64-21%), Goedert (76-12%), Schultz (88-3%) and Bowers (56-17%). 

It’s not surprising to see those lopsided numbers. Kincaid was an earlyish draft pick this season, and one down week isn’t going to deter fantasy owners much.

The week 2 projections also like Kincaid the best of this group, as he’s projected for 11 PPR points. Goedert is also at 11 PPR points, while Bowers and Schultz are at 10 each. Likely is projected for nine points.

I also think Kincaid is the easy top fantasy option from this group of tight ends. Don’t overthink things and start the best draft option from this season.

After Kincaid, things get tougher. I’d take Bowers next, then Likely, Goedert and finally Schultz.

Bowers looked good in his debut and has the best chance to factor heavily into his team’s offensive gameplan, so give me him second. I don’t think Likely will replicate his week 1 performance, but I also don’t think he’ll drop off in a big way, so give me him next in that offense desperate for pass catchers.

Goedert has less pass catchers around him than Schultz, so that’s why I’d take him fourth in this five-TE battle.

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