Start/Sit: Dolphins Fantasy Football Preview Week 2

Jan 3, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry (14) carries the ball as New England Patriots middle linebacker Jerod Mayo (51) gives chase during the second half at Sun Life Stadium. The Dolphins won 20-10. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry (14) carries the ball as New England Patriots middle linebacker Jerod Mayo (51) gives chase during the second half at Sun Life Stadium. The Dolphins won 20-10. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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As expected, Miami’s offense had problems getting anything going against Seattle’s defense last week. The matchup doesn’t look good again this week with the Dolphins going up against another tough defense in New England.

It surprised many how close the Miami Dolphins were to upsetting the Seahawks in Seattle last week. What wasn’t surprising though was how Seattle’s defense dominated much of the game. The matchup never looked friendly and any fantasy owner that was bold enough to start their players against Seattle should have known the risk going in. Although New England’s defense is nowhere near as dominant as Seattle’s, this week’s matchup is still not ideal for Dolphins fantasy owners.

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We’ll preview each of Miami’s offensive weapons and let you know whether to start or sit them this week based on the matchup.

Ryan Tannehill

Tannehill had a rough outing last Sunday completing just 55% of his passes and under 200 yards with zero touchdowns. Of course, just like we’ve seen in previous seasons it wasn’t entirely his fault. Kenny Stills dropped a surefire 71-yard TD pass in the first half. Had the pass been completed, Tannehill would’ve finished the day with respectable numbers at the least.

As great as the receiving corps looks on paper, the group has a tendency to make some key mental errors at times, outside of Jarvis Landry. These errors generally stall drives at a screeching halt. The Patriots defense is known to give up a ton of yards, but are well-disciplined in the red zone and prevent opponents from scoring. It’s only Week 2 of the NFL season so there are no teams on a bye. Tannehill is nothing more than a backup fantasy option until proven otherwise, so there’s no reason to insert him your lineup this week.

Sit

Jarvis Landry

Landry did not have his best game against Seattle but he did about as good as you can expect going against the Legion of Boom. This week’s matchup is a little more favorable for Tannehill’s favorite receiver, though not entirely ideal. As I said earlier, the Patriots do give up yards and Landry will get a lot of targets in hopes to keep the chains moving for Miami.

New England is ranked in the bottom half of the league against wide receivers, putting Landry in line to have at least a decent afternoon. In PPR leagues, Landry is pretty much always a must start. Unfortunately for his owners, he doesn’t get to the endzone as much as you’d like for him to, and this game is shaping up to be no different. No doubt he will get his chances though, and he should finish with an impressive day racking up yards and receptions, regardless if he scores or not.

Start

Arian Foster

Foster couldn’t get anything going on the ground in Seattle, but did catch 3-of-5 targets for 62 yards out of the backfield. The Dolphins used Foster as their workhorse back with Jay Ajayi declared a healthy scratch. Ajayi is expected to return this week and Miami could be inclined to use both in a committee.

The Dolphins cannot expect Foster to be their workhorse throughout the season and remain healthy. Foster’s injury history mixed with Miami’s backfield woes leaves him as a must miss this week, and arguably, the rest of the season.

Sit

Kenny Stills

I’m not going to lie. I’m a bit peeved still at Stills for dropping that ball on Sunday. The Dolphins are simply not a good enough team to miss on opportunities like that and expect to win the game. After impressing all preseason and even jumping DeVante Parker as Tannehill’s #2 receiver, Stills finished the game with just one catch on five targets.

This may surprise some people, however, as I’m cautiously optimistic that Stills will have a bounce back performance this week in New England. Stills improved his route running this offseason to go along with his skills as a deep threat. Tannehill could look to target Stills more in the open field this week, leaving open the opportunity for some big gains. It’s likely that you have better options to start than Stills, and if so, stick with it. However, for those desperate enough or in deeper leagues, Stills could be a viable WR3 this week.

Start

Jordan Cameron and other Dolphins Tight Ends

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Drop