Fantasy football managers have one week of results heading into Week 2, and some players have made start and sit calls even harder than normal. The Week 1 breakout stars — Jalen Coker, Kaelon Black and Caleb Douglas — are forcing owners to decide whether those early performances are real or fluke. Meanwhile, some projected starters from last week disappointed, and the question is whether they deserve another chance.
Dave Richard has stepped in with a cheat sheet for Week 2 PPR leagues. His ratings cover every player under consideration for a starting role, and they come with a confidence scale that reads almost like a joke. The numbers run from 1 to 10, with 10 meaning Richard is fully behind the pick. That is the whole system.
The Confidence Scale Explained
Richard’s numbers are not projections. They are confidence scores. He pulls together data points, matchup outlooks and game-flow predictions into a single number, and the higher the number, the more he believes you should put that player in your lineup.
The scale is a 1-10, with 10 being the highest. A 10 means Richard is fully behind the pick. The cheat sheet lists every relevant player, so if you do not see a name, the advice is simple: do not start them.
Finding Your Player
The cheat sheet is searchable. Use your search function — CTRL+F on PCs and Command+F on Macs — to find a specific player. On a mobile device, you can type the name into the URL bar or scroll down by game. If you are still unsure, you can send Dave a note at @DaveRichard, and he will take a look, time permitting.
Remember to use the #AskFFT hashtag if you reach out. And if you are reading this on Sunday, the cheat sheet directs you to CBS Sports’ weekly rankings, which are updated in real-time.
What the Cheat Sheet Covers
Every player for this week is listed, so the sheet is exhaustive. The ratings apply to every PPR league, and the confidence scale is the same across all positions.
The cheat sheet is designed for anyone with a close start or sit decision. If you are not sure whether to trust a Week 1 breakout or cut a player who underperformed, Richard’s numbers are meant to settle it. The cheat sheet also includes matchup outlooks and game-flow predictions, so owners get more than raw stats.
How to Use the Cheat Sheet
The cheat sheet is straightforward. Find your player, read the confidence number, and make your call. A 10 means Richard thinks the player is a lock.
Here is how the process breaks down:
- Open the cheat sheet and search for your player.
- Read the confidence number next to their name.
- Compare it to your own research and instincts.
- Make your decision.
The cheat sheet is a tool, not a command. Richard’s numbers are his opinion, and the scale is a confidence meter, not a statistical model.
The Confidence Scale As It Stands
The confidence scale is the most entertaining part of this whole setup. A 10 means Richard is fully behind a player. The numbers are not projections, they are judgments dressed as numbers.
This is not a sophisticated analytics framework. It is a human doing what humans do best: weighing matchups, recent performance and gut instinct, then assigning a number to it. The scale is a confidence meter, not a statistical model.
What We Learn From This
The cheat sheet is a reminder that fantasy football is still mostly about judgment. Projections exist, but they are guides, not laws. The Week 1 results matter, but they are one game. The cheat sheet asks owners to balance that single result against everything else they know.
The cheat sheet also shows how much information fantasy managers have to process each week. There are hundreds of players, dozens of matchups, and endless small details that matter. A cheat sheet like Richard’s cuts through that noise and puts a number on the decision.
The confidence scale is a joke, but it is a useful one. It forces you to think about why you believe in a player, and it gives you a number to anchor your decision.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open the cheat sheet and search for your player |
| 2 | Read the confidence number next to their name |
| 3 | Compare it to your own research and instincts |
| 4 | Make your decision |
The cheat sheet is worth a look before you set your Week 2 lineup. The Week 1 breakout stars have made their case. Now it is time to decide whether you believe them.
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