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Fantasy football: Jimmy Garoppolo and 4 other must-start quarterbacks in Week 2

By Peter Panacy

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to pass during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to pass during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 06: Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons gestures at the line of scrimmage during the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on September 6, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 06: Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons gestures at the line of scrimmage during the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on September 6, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers

Well, the Atlanta Falcons sure got off to a dud in Week 1, losing an uninspiring performance to the Super Bowl-defending champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, 18-2.

There’s no real way to say it, but Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was awful in the contest. He was 21-of-43 for 251 yards and an interception. And with offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian under the microscope for more-than-questionable game planning, one might want to consider benching Ryan until Atlanta figures out its offensive woes — many of which have carried over from 2017.

Ryan is currently starting in just 32.7 percent of ESPN leagues heading into Week 2, which isn’t totally surprising after he netted fantasy football owners a mere 8.8 points from Week 1.

Yet there are a few reasons to strongly consider getting Ryan back into a starting lineup. For starters, there’s the mini bye week, of sorts, from the Falcons opening up the season on Thursday, Sept. 6 and the added rest and game-planning time between then and their Sept. 16 Week 2 bout with NFC South division rivals, the Carolina Panthers.

And the game is at home for Atlanta, another bonus. While the Panthers made easy work, defensively, against quarterback Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1, a patchwork secondary in Carolina is still awfully suspect.

Especially when Pro Football Focus ranked the Panthers’ defensive backfield No. 29 in the league entering 2018.

Get Ryan back in your lineup and watch him take advantage of the wide receiver Julio Jones-versus-Panthers secondary matchup all day long.