Buffalo Bills: Week 2 fantasy football outlook

The Buffalo Bills travel to Carolina to play the Panthers this Sunday to kick off week two. Who should you trust to put into your stating fantasy lineup this week?

There were some fantasy football surprises from Buffalo last Sunday when they hosted the New York Jets. Tyrod Taylor did a solid job of not trying to do too much, but the real shock was Mike Tolbert. The former Carolina Panther will face off against his old team this week.

Mike Tolbert came out of nowhere last week filling in for the number two running back position, and snagging a touchdown. The second sting running back scored the third most fantasy points on the Buffalo Bills last week.

Here are the ESPN standard scoring projections for week 2:

• Tyrod Taylor: 17.2
• LeSean McCoy: 10.9
• Zay Jones: 6.4
• Jordan Matthews: 7.4
• Charles Clay: 6.5
• Bills D/ST: 6
• Steven Hauschka: 6.8
• Mike Tolbert: 4.5
• Andre Holmes: 4.1

Tyrod Taylor will face a Carolina defense which allowed just 193 yards last week against the San Francisco 49ers. It will be a tough test for sure when you compare it to the New York Jets’ defense, but will not be the toughest test he will face this year. Expect similar production from Tyrod Taylor this week if he can minimize his risk.

The Carolina Panthers possess the 6th ranked run defense in the league currently. LeSean McCoy will most likely not miss a beat and continue to tear through what is looking like a monster season. He is a must-start RB1 once again. LeSean McCoy’s backup, Mike Tolbert, lacks skills in the passing game, so no worries about McCoy missing out on any of those points. Do yourself a favor and start McCoy once again.

Mike Tolbert will most likely be a non-factor without a touchdown. Although he stood out last week, he is a boom or bust type of guy. If you have the guts to put him in your starting lineup this week then more power to you, but I’m comfortable leaving him on the bench.

The Buffalo Bills wide receivers had decent production last week, but was it a product of the Jets’ poor secondary? Most likely. The Panthers secondary is nothing to write home about, but there will be little pressure on their defense because of Cam Newton and a solid offense. Jordan Matthews is the only receiver who is worth a start, but only for a flex in deeper leagues. Zay Jones still has room to improve, and the only reason Andre Holmes is on this list is because of the touchdown he pulled in last week.

Charles Clay was a surprise last week. The 6.5 projected points are right on point because he is a touchdown or bust guy. Clay could easily gather 60 or 70 yards through the air, but he won’t make a huge impact unless he keeps pulling in touchdowns. I wouldn’t start Clay unless it is a deep league, and you have no other options.

Cam Newton has been so up and down lately that it is tough to know how the Carolina offense will perform. Christian McCaffrey, Curtis Samuel, Kelvin Benjamin, and Jonathan Stewart are enough weapons to put fear in the heart of a defense. 6 points may be a little steep of a projection for the Bills D/ST, I would leave them on the bench this week.

Last Word

I would stay away from Bills players unless their names are Tyrod Taylor and LeSean McCoy. The wide receivers have too much uncertainty, and the defense may struggle. Charles Clay is intriguing, but you will most likely have better options at tight end for an action-packed week 2.

Next: AFC East Update: Week One Scores, Stats and Standings

What do you think of the Bills fantasy match-ups this week? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!