Heading into a Week 2 match-up against the Buffalo Bills, the Raiders sit at 1-0 in search of a massive win on the road. While the offense looked good last week on the field, from a fantasy aspect, things were a little murkier. After all, who would’ve thought Jakobi Meyers would be the go-to guy over Davante Adams?
Furthermore, former Pro Bowler and slot receiver extraordinaire Hunter Renfrow didn’t even get a target from new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
On the ground, Josh Jacobs never really got it going with just 48 yards on nineteen carries. Behind him, Zamir White had just one carry proving he’s not a fantasy option going forward.
Raiders Josh Jacobs a must-start in Fantasy Football Week 2
Despite the rough start, Jacobs profiles as a must-start for this match-up. In a game where the Raiders are going to try and keep the ball out of Josh Allen’s hands, expect them to feed Jacobs often in an attempt to control the pace of the game.
After getting gashed for 172 rushing yards by the Jets' defense last week, the Bills' defense could find it difficult to stop last year's rushing leader.
Avoid Raiders rookie TE Michael Mayer and Raiders Defense
One player who should not be started in any format is rookie tight end Michael Mayer. While he is the starter for this Las Vegas team, the Bills' defense allowed just one catch to the Jets' Tyler Conklin last week. Add in the fact that Mayer is still a rookie at a position where we rarely see rookie breakouts, and it just doesn’t make sense even with the lack of quality options at the position.
Of course, as has been the case for the last 20 years it seems, there is absolutely no reason to start the Raiders defense. While Josh Allen did toss three interceptions last week and can get a little wild at times, this is still the Raiders we’re talking about. They don’t force turnovers.
Last week was an embarrassing one for the Bills who lost the game despite not having to face Aaron Rodgers for the majority of it. Expect them to try and make a statement against a poor defensive unit in Las Vegas.
On the injury list, Jakobi Meyers is out for this game with a concussion. It will be interesting to monitor if another receiver steps up and fills the void or will all of his work go to Adams?
In what may be a blowout in real life, the Bills are favored by -6.5, both Jacobs and Adams are likely to be the only fantasy-relevant players on the Raiders. However, those two should never be leaving your lineup anyway.