The second Thursday Night Football game of the new season features the Miami Dolphins hosting the Buffalo Bills in a pivotal AFC East matchup between two squads with Super Bowl ambitions.
Each team has plenty of fantasy football relevant players, with Josh Allen, James Cook, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and more likely to be on your roster. Both teams made dramatic comebacks to win in Week 1, but now we’ll see who’s leading the way early in a competitive division.
Buffalo swept the 2023 season series but star WR Stefon Diggs departed in the offseason. Miami, meanwhile, has the same top players, though they will be without RB Raheem Mostert. In what should be a high-energy, exciting game, here are some fantasy football players who will start and play in tonight’s game.
Don’t forget to also check out our full picks for starters, backups at every position in Week 2: QB | RB | WR | TE | K & D/ST
Starting Keon Coleman, WR, & Khalil Shakir, WR, Bills: Early results are promising for the two new receivers expected to be part of Buffalo’s offense. Coleman caught four of his five targets for 51 yards, including an impressive 28-yard sideline catch. Meanwhile, Shakir caught all three of his targets for 42 yards and a TD. Those numbers may not sound like much, but the Dolphins are a strong matchup for both receivers. Both Gabe Davis and Brian Thomas Jr. performed well in Miami’s win over Jacksonville last week, and Shakir recorded 105 receiving yards when the two teams met in January. Miami’s shaky defense should produce enough opportunities for both players to be in your lineup on Thursday night.
Starting Jeff Wilson, RB, Miami Dolphins: With Raheem Mostert officially out of the game, Jeff Wilson will continue to run the floor. De’Von Achane will likely get the bulk of the work if he plays, but Miami’s offense has plenty of room for both players. The Dolphins retained two high-quality fullbacks in 2023 and look set to do so again. Even with Mostert on the field in Week 1, it was Wilson who led the team in rushing yards at 5.2 yards per carry. Arizona averaged five yards per carry against Buffalo last week, and there’s little reason to think the Bills will suddenly be able to stop the Dolphins’ ground game. Plus, there’s still a chance Achane doesn’t play. If he joins Mostert on the sidelines, Wilson would be an elite player this week, and rookie Jaylen Wright is also worth keeping an eye on.
Sitting are Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox, TE, Buffalo Bills: You may feel like you should start at least Kincaid based on where you drafted him, but your expectations should be tempered at least. Buffalo’s two tight ends combined for just two catches and 34 yards in Week 1, with Knox surprisingly finishing with even more yards (23 to Kincaid’s 11). Josh Allen targeted 10 different players, with only Keon Coleman getting at least five targets. That’s good news for the Bills’ offense overall, since Allen isn’t focused on just one player, but it’s discouraging for his tight end fantasy prospects. You’re essentially relying on TDs for points unless that target distribution changes. Kincaid managed just four catches for 27 yards in this team’s October game in 2023, and his involvement in Week 1 suggests it may be a while before he becomes the guaranteed weekly starter you may have thought when you drafted him.
Sit Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa finished with a strong showing in Week 1, passing for 338 yards and a TD. However, he struggled in the first half and will now be without one, or both, of his top running backs. He also doesn’t offer any value as a runner, which lowers his fantasy ceiling. Tagovailoa was a disappointment against the Bills last year, finishing as the 18th QB with just 15 points in the first game and as the 24th QB with a mediocre 9.6 points in the second. Until Tagovailoa proves he can score points on this Bills defense, he’s too risky given the abundance of quality QB options around the league. You’re better off targeting this week’s matchup or even considering a dual-threat QB like Justin Fields and leaving the Dolphins’ signal-caller on the bench.
Now that you’re ready for Thursday night’s game, be sure to check out Michael Fabiano’s starting and reserve picks at the other positions:
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