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Fantasy football: Start-em, sit-em players for Week 2

By Jay Marsdale

FOXBORO, MA - SEPTEMBER 07: Kareem Hunt #27 of the Kansas City Chiefs stiff arms Duron Harmon #30 of the New England Patriots as he runs for a 4-yard rushing touchdown during the fourth quarter against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on September 7, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MA - SEPTEMBER 07: Kareem Hunt #27 of the Kansas City Chiefs stiff arms Duron Harmon #30 of the New England Patriots as he runs for a 4-yard rushing touchdown during the fourth quarter against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on September 7, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – DECEMBER 18: Free safety Tyrann Mathieu #32, strong safety Tony Jefferson #22, free safety D.J. Swearinger #36 and cornerback Patrick Peterson #21 of the Arizona Cardinals pose for a photo prior to the NFL game against the New Orleans Saints at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 18, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – DECEMBER 18: Free safety Tyrann Mathieu #32, strong safety Tony Jefferson #22, free safety D.J. Swearinger #36 and cornerback Patrick Peterson #21 of the Arizona Cardinals pose for a photo prior to the NFL game against the New Orleans Saints at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 18, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Start-em: Arizona Cardinals defense vs. Indianapolis

Scott Tolzien and Jacoby Brissett are both a gift and a curse. They are gifts for fantasy football owners of the Cardinals defense and curses on basically everyone else. The Cardinals defense has been so good under head coach Bruce Arians for so many years that they seem to be forgotten.

Patrick Peterson is still a top-tier cornerback, Tyrann Mathieu is still a great safety and their defense line can still sack the quarterback. The Colts offense line is responsible for the Andrew Luck injury that has essentially derailed the Colts’ 2017 season already.

Tolzien and Brissett are being thrown behind that same offensive line with far less talent than Luck. They have no chance. Tolzien is one of the few starting quarterbacks in the NFL that can say they have more interceptions than touchdowns. He has thrown nine interceptions and only two touchdowns. And Brissett is only in his second week with the team, and he is unproven as well.

Arians has nothing but respect for the Colts organization, but this one isn’t going to be pretty. They aren’t going to try to run the score up on the Colts, but with all the defensive touchdowns I’m expecting, it will be hard not to.

Other options: Raiders defense vs. New York Jets