Michael Thomas or Drake London Start Em' Sit 'Em: Exploring Week 2 fantasy outlook for WRs

Michael Thomas and Drake London entered the 2023 NFL season in much different situations for fantasy football. Thomas came into the year with a bunch of red flags, including an alarming injury history and a new offensive system.

London appeared set for a huge offensive role as his team's clear-cut WR1, with little competition for targets.

At least for Week 1, it was Thomas who played a major role in his offense, while London was surprisingly irrelevant. This creates an interesting situation in Week 2 for managers with both of them on their fantasy rosters.

While London was expected to be a reliable fantasy player, it's fair to wonder if he should be benched for Thomas this week.

Is Michael Thomas a good pick in fantasy football Week 2?

Michael Thomas

Michael Thomas' days of being among the top wide receivers in the entire NFL are likely behind him. That doesn't mean he can't still be a solid contributor in fantasy football, as he proved in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season.

The veteran recorded five receptions on eight targets for 61 yards. Most importantly, he looked fully healthy for the first time in nearly four years.

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Despite Chris Olave emerging as the New Orleans Saints' clear WR1 during his breakout rookie campaign last year, Thomas is capable of being their WR2 if he can avoid injuries.

The Saints also upgraded their quarterback to Derek Carr this year, creating more opportunities for targets. Thomas has a history of being heavily targeted during his healthy seasons, making him an intriguing selection.

In Week 2 of the 2023 NFL season, Michael Thomas will face off against the Carolina Panthers. The veteran wide receiver can safely be ranked as a solid WR3 on fantasy rosters, with WR2 upside.

He also has a relatively safe floor, as he's exceeded 100 receptions in all three of his seasons in which he has appeared in every game. While the last time was 2019, he's off to a solid start this year.

Is Drake London a good pick in fantasy football Week 2?

Drake London

Drake London entered the 2023 fantasy football season with plenty of hype after a strong rookie campaign last year. He recorded 72 receptions on 117 targets for 866 yards and four touchdowns.

This was even more impressive considering the Atlanta Falcons were one of the worst overall passing offenses in the NFL last year. He's also the only legitimate wide receiver on their roster, further brightening his outlook.

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All of this resulted in London being selected as a WR2 on many fantasy rosters. He appeared to have a high ceiling due to his expected target share in the Falcons' offensive scheme, while the lack of options to challenge his touches in the passing game seemed to give him a safe floor.

None of that mattered in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season, as he posted an abysmal fantasy performance.

London really couldn't have been much worse than he was, being targeted just once and completely blank on the stat sheet. The Falcons instead heavily leaned on their excellent tandem of running backs, Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier.

While London's outlook this year suggests that better days are surely ahead, his disastrous Week 1 showed that his weekly floor may be much lower than anticipated.

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For managers thinking of making a deal for London or Thomas, make sure to check out the fantasy football trade analyzer first.

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Michael Thomas vs Drake London: Who should I start in Week 2?

Thomas vs London in Week 2

According to Sportskeeda's Start/Sit Optimizer, Michael Thomas makes for a better wide receiver option than Drake London in Week 2 of the 2023 fantasy football season.

The Optimizer predicts that Thomas has a better chance of scoring a touchdown this week, which is one of the main factors for his higher projection than London.

Matchups are always one of the most important factors to consider before setting a fantasy lineup. This specific case is a good example of that.

The Green Bay Packers have an excellent passing defense, including Jaire Alexander and Rasul Douglas as their starting cornerbacks. London will likely have a tough time getting open too often against either one of them, limiting his upside.

Michael Thomas has the better direct weekly matchup in Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers. His game script also appears to be more favorable, as the Falcons will likely rely on their ground game as much as possible again.

The Packers' rushing defense isn't as stout as their passing coverage, so Atlanta will probably try to take advantage.

The Saints, on the other hand, seem more committed to opening things up with their passing attack, especially after adding Carr during the offseason.