NFL: Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers
Sep 13, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) is pushed out of bounds by Chicago Bears cornerback Malik Muhammad II (24) in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Week 2 of the NFL season is here and we’re going over some fantasy football lineup decisions for quarterback Bryce Young, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and running back Aaron Jones.
These three players had varying degrees of success in Week 1.
Young had one of the best fantasy showings of his entire career, but McMillan and Jones were only OK, with the former’s performance being soured by a fumble.
But it’s a new week, folks, so let’s dive into the details and see which of these players should be starting in Week 2.
MORE: Puka Nacua, Brock Bowers and more Week 2 injury updates
Tetairoa McMillan start or sit advice
NFL: Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) on the field in the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
McMillan took a back seat to Jalen Coker in Week 1, but we wouldn’t expect that to continue. One game is not enough to erase the fact that McMillan had more receiving yards in his first season than Coker has in 23 games over two-plus campaigns.
Don’t get it twisted: McMillan is still the WR1 in Carolina.
Even with McMillan not being the No. 1 guy last week, he still finished with five catches for 75 yards. McMillan’s outlook also received a boost after Bryce Young showed he might be primed to take another step in 2026 following his monster performance.
MORE: Fantasy football tight end rankings for Week 2
The Panthers’ Week 2 opponent, the Atlanta Falcons, surrendered the seventh-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers last week, but that was in a soft matchup against a weak Pittsburgh Steelers offense, and Atlanta may not have starting corner AJ Terrell in the lineup due to injury.
Tough matchup or not, McMillan showed more than enough last season and in Week 1 to continue to consider him an every-week WR2.
Verdict: Start
Aaron Jones start or sit advice
NFL: Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. (33) looks on during the first half against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Jones had fewer carries than Jordan Mason last week, but he still managed to find pay dirt and finished with 40 rushing yards. Not great, but not terrible, either.
This week, Jones has the potential to see even more work now that Mason won’t play, and the veteran will be on injured reserve for at least the next four games.
MORE: Fantasy football wide receiver rankings for Week 2
The Vikings’ Week 2 opponent, the Chicago Bears, gave up the sixth-most fantasy points to running backs last week. We like Jones as an RB2 play.
Verdict: Start
Bryce Young start or sit advice
NFL: Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) looks on against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second quarter during a preseason game at EverBank Stadium. Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
It’ll be hard to sit Young after he went off for 361 yards and three touchdowns last week while also rushing for another 10 yards and a touchdown.
Maybe this is a sign of things to come, or maybe Young simply took advantage of a bad defense in a shootout situation. We cannot say for sure.
What we can say is we still feel good about him against a Falcons defense that might be without its No. 1 cornerback and doesn’t have its best pass-rusher.