Fantasy Football: Three Redskins to Start vs. the Colts

Week 2 of the fantasy football season isn’t nearly as unpredictable as Week 1 but owners still need to proceed with caution when it comes to setting their lineups. There are no guarantees but, examining key matchups and the performance of both teams in Week 1 can give your team a high probability of winning.

Below are three Washington Redskins that should be started this week as the Burgundy and host the Indianapolis Colts at FedEx Field.

1. RB Adrian Peterson

Many were concerned about whether the 33-year-old could still have success as a running back in the NFL and that concern has been answered. Peterson showed that he is still a legitimate run threat, recording 96 yards on 26 attempts and averaging 3.7 yards per attempt.

The Colts allowed over 100 yards on the ground in their Week 1 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Bengals running back Joe Mixon had 95 yards on 17 attempts, averaging a staggering 5.6 yards per carry. Combining the struggles that the Colts’ defense had stopping the run with the Redskins home-field advantage (no matter how small), should give Peterson an edge in this contest.

2. RB Chris Thompson

Thompson laid any questions regarding his health to rest this past Sunday as he was a true headache for the Cardinals defense. Thompson showed explosive speed in all aspects of the game. His dual-threat-ability really puts pressure on a defensive front seven.

The Florida State product had 128 all-purpose yards in Sunday’s win over Arizona. The Colts had a difficult time handling the versatile nature of Mixon, who finished the game with 149 combined yards. Given the Colts issues in this area, Thompson should be able to repeat his Week 1 performance.

3. TE Jordan Reed

Tight ends in fantasy football have become a crap shoot. Even if you have a few of the best in the NFL, there’s still no promise that they will be the difference-makers in your lineup. With that in mind, Reed is a player that should be in the conversation when he is healthy.

The former Florida Gator creates all kinds of problems for defenses due to his size, strength and speed. This could be a tough call however, because of the Redskins ability to run the football effectively, taking away opportunities in the passing game.

Last week Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert scored 9.9 points against the Colts with his three receptions for 44 yards (14.7 yards per reception). Reed’s upside is his ability to be a considerable threat in the red zone, providing quarterback Alex Smith with a big target. With the high probability that he could come away with at least one touchdown, Reed is a must-start in Week 2.