After what feels like the longest offseason in NFL history, football is back! You’ve finished all of your drafts and had some time to bask in the glory of your undoubtedly stacked roster, but now is the time to make tough decisions. Which players can you truly rely on in your crucial Week 1 matchups? Well, that’s where I come in. Each and every week, I’ll be covering a handful of players that I believe will either exceed expectations or let your team down in a major way.
Starts: Quarterbacks
Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers vs. Cardinals
In two matchups against the Cardinals in 2019, Jimmy G scored 28 and 31 fantasy points while throwing for a combined 8 TD passes. The Cardinals did little this offseason to improve their secondary, so I’m expecting another high-scoring matchup and a strong season opener for Garoppolo.
Carson Wentz, Eagles @ Washington
The Eagles have averaged 28 PPG against the Washington Football Team since Doug Pederson became the head coach in 2016. This rivalry produces shootouts on a regular basis and, given the state of Washington’s secondary, I expect Wentz to put on a show in Week 1.
Starts: Running Backs
Josh Jacobs, Raiders @ Panthers
Given what you spent to draft Josh Jacobs this offseason, I know you were already planning to start him this Sunday. However, I included him here because I wanted to touch on his extreme upside. The Panthers were dead last against RBs in 2019, and their defense only got worse this offseason with some key players leaving in free agency. Jacobs is going to run all over the Panthers’ defense, and he could even catch a few passes if the game turns into a shootout.
James White, Patriots vs. Dolphins
Seemingly the only healthy RB in the Patriots backfield, James White draws a juicy matchup in Week 1. We know White won’t be used much as a rusher, but he’s the only reliable pass-catcher on the team besides Julian Edelman. Don’t be surprised when Cam Newton looks for White early and often this Sunday.
Tarik Cohen, Bears @ Lions
Like James White, Tarik Cohen is essentially the last man standing in the Chicago backfield. David Montgomery may play in Week 1, but he’s nursing a groin injury and the Bears have no backup RBs of consequence. As a result, Cohen may see a bit more work as a rusher in addition to his heavy passing-game utilization. He’s a great flex play in this favorable matchup against the Lions.
Chris Thompson, Jaguars vs. Colts
James Robinson may be listed as the starter on the Jaguars unofficial depth chart, but Chris Thompson will be on the field a ton in passing situations. He’ll likely be peppered with targets if (or when) the Jaguars fall behind. He was also seen running with the first team in practice during red zone drills, which means he could have an increased role near the goal line. That may seem strange given Thompson’s size, but he has established rapport with OC Jay Gruden and the team’s other options at RB are young and inexperienced.
Starts: Wide Receivers
DeSean Jackson, Eagles @ Washington
In 2019’s season opener, coincidentally against this very same team, DeSean Jackson caught 8 passes for 154 yards and 2 TDs. With Jalen Reagor and Alshon Jeffery nursing injuries, I expect Jackson to be heavily involved in the Eagles’ game plan this Sunday. He’s a flex option with true WR1 upside in Week 1.
Marquise Brown, Ravens vs. Browns
Marquise “Hollywood” Brown is another small speedster with WR1 upside. He scored 2 TDs in last year’s season opener on just a handful of offensive snaps. Now fully healed from last year’s foot injury, and with a full NFL offseason under his belt, Hollywood is ready to take his game to the next level. He’s the number one receiver on a prolific offense. While his matchup against star corner Denzel Ward looks bad on paper, the truth is that teams struggle to run man coverage against Lamar Jackson due to his rushing ability. Hollywood should see plenty of favorable coverage, and he only needs one big play to be worth a start.
Will Fuller, Texans @ Chiefs
Deshaun Watson will be forced to throw early and often against the Chiefs, which can only mean good things for Will Fuller. As his teammate Brandin Cooks battles a quad injury, Fuller has the chance to establish himself as the team’s clear top receiver. Whether it’s on a few splashy plays or a barrage of targets in a failed comeback attempt, I believe Fuller can deliver the goods in Week 1.
Jamison Crowder, Jets @ Bills
With Breshad Perriman and Denzel Mims nursing injuries, Jamison Crowder should lead the Jets in targets by a wide margin. And while the Bills notoriously have a strong defense, Jamison Crowder should be able to avoid shutdown corner Tre’Davious White in the slot. In any kind of PPR format, Crowder has a high floor and a relatively high ceiling for Week 1.
Starts: Tight Ends
Hayden Hurst, Falcons vs. Seahawks
Starting Hayden Hurst in his Falcons debut is kind of a no-brainer. The Seahawks were downright awful at guarding tight ends in 2019, finishing 31st in points allowed to the position. Furthermore, I’m expecting this game to turn into a shootout early, with both teams attempting plenty of passes. Considering all of that, Hurst should have a high baseline of targets and real TD upside in Week 1.
Sits: Quarterbacks
Baker Mayfield, Browns @ Ravens
I’m just as excited as anyone to see the new-look Browns offense with Kevin Stefanski at the helm. However, we might not truly see what this team can do in Week 1 against a stingy Baltimore defense. After all, the Ravens limited Baker to just 15 and 14 fantasy points in two meetings last season. If you can, look for a QB with a more favorable matchup.
Daniel Jones, Giants vs. Steelers
There’s been some buzz surrounding Daniel Jones as he enters his sophomore season, and for good reason. He’s got a solid supporting cast and real rushing upside. The decision to sit Daniel Jones really comes down to the matchup. The Steelers defense tightened up in 2019, holding 9 of their final 10 opponents under 200 passing yards. Stash Daniel Jones on your bench and look for a passer with a softer opponent in Week 1.
Sits: Running Backs
D’Andre Swift, Lions vs. Bears
I’ve been drafting D’Andre Swift in the 5th and 6th round all offseason, and I’m as excited as anyone to see what he can do on the field. But I’m not ready to rely on him in Week 1. Kerryon Johnson is expected to start against the Bears, and the team just brought in Adrian Peterson, further muddying the waters. Meanwhile, Swift has been dealing with a leg injury and missing valuable practice reps. It may take some time for him to truly emerge.
Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones, Buccaneers @ Saints
The Tampa Bay backfield is too risky to trust in Week 1. Leonard Fournette is expected to become the team’s starter at some point, but joining the team ten days before kickoff really places him behind the eight ball. I expect Ronald Jones to operate as the team’s starter but, with Fournette and LeSean McCoy in the mix, he likely won’t get enough work to overcome an extremely tough matchup against the Saints’ front seven.
Latavius Murray, Saints vs. Buccaneers
Many people seem to subscribe to the notion that Latavius Murray has value as a standalone fantasy asset. Based on what we saw last season when Kamara was healthy, I view Murray as more of a straight handcuff. In a good matchup, he could have low-end flex value. But, 8-10 carries against a stout Buccaneers rush defense isn’t going to get it done for your team.
Sits: Wide Receivers
DeVante Parker, Dolphins @ Patriots
I know DeVante Parker famously got the better of Stephon Gilmore in the 2019 season finale, but Gilmore is still one of the league’s best shutdown corners. And I’m not expecting much from the Dolphins offense as a whole against the Patriots’ stifling defense in Foxborough. The fact that Parker has been limited all week with a hamstring injury is just another reason to bench him in Week 1.
A.J. Green, Bengals vs. Chargers
I don’t know how you could start A.J. Green this Sunday with any sort of confidence. He’s a 32-year-old WR taking the field for the first time in a year and a half after nursing yet another injury (hamstring) this past offseason. He’s matched up against one of the toughest secondaries in the league, and he’s relying on a rookie QB in his NFL debut to get him the ball. No thanks.
Deebo Samuel, 49ers vs. Cardinals
At the time of this writing, Deebo Samuel’s Week 1 status is still up in the air. If he is active on Sunday, please do not put him in your lineup. He’s way ahead of schedule in his recovery from a broken foot suffered in June, but it’s unlikely he’ll be given anything resembling a full workload if he plays. Keep Samuel on your bench and monitor the situation for now.
Sits: Tight Ends
Austin Hooper, Browns @ Ravens
If Baker Mayfield underperforms in Week 1, one or more of his pass-catchers must fall short of expectation as well. I’m expecting that Austin Hooper will be the odd man out. While personnel is at least partially to blame, Baker hasn’t shown a propensity to heavily target his tight end. Furthermore, new HC Kevin Stefanski utilized 2-TE sets at a high rate with Kyle Rudolph and Irv Smith Jr. in Minnesota. So, it’s possible that Hooper splits time and production with David Njoku. I recommend steering clear until we truly know what Hooper’s role in this offense will look like.
Thanks for reading this article! Look me up on Twitter at @fantasyfreezer if you’d like to hear more from me. I love answering fantasy questions, discussing trades, and engaging in friendly debates, so be sure to drop in and say hello.
