Our weekly fantasy football start ’em, sit ’em series features your best bets at the skill positions and players you should avoid. We also include our start of the week for the player who is guaranteed to produce that week.
Below is our week 1 edition and as per usual I picked these players based on the Half-PPR scoring system. Be sure to check out our fantasy football section for fantasy football advice and much more!
Quarterbacks
Start ‘Em
Jayden Daniels (@ TB) – Usually I tend to stay away from starting rookie quarterbacks in their opening game but Daniels is different. He is the most pro-ready pass thrower from this year’s draft and has shown all offseason that he is ready to lead this team.
In terms of matchup, Tampa Bay will likely throw blitzes at Daniels all game long. He will need to get the ball out quickly, but that is one of Daniels strongest assets. The Bucs will likely stifle the Commanders run game leaving plenty of opportunities for Daniels to put up points.
Sit ‘Em
Brock Purdy (vs. NYJ) – It’s been a great past couple of weeks for Purdy and the 49ers offense. First, they were able to reach a deal with Brandon Aiyuk and then this week they locked up star LT Trent Williams.
Despite the good news, I would temper my expectations for week 1. The Jets will once again have a top 5 defense and the San Francisco offense will likely be rusty to start the season. Hold on Purdy but only for this game.
Running Backs
Start ‘Em
Aaron Jones (@ NYG) – Jones will make his debut for the Vikings on Sunday and he has a juicy matchup. The Giants were one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season giving up an avg. of 132 yards per game. With Sam Darnold now in at quarterback, I expect the Vikings to lean heavily on Jones.
Backup running back Ty Chandler will play a role this season, but I expect that to happen down the line. If there’s one concern with Jones it’s his injury history.
Sit ‘Em
Zamir White (@ LAC) – White has been getting plenty of hype this offseason as the possible RB1 in Las Vegas. I will need to see this first before I start him. Expect Alexander Mattison to eat up touches as the Raiders figure out their running game.
Wide Receivers
Start ‘Em
Tank Dell (@ IND) – I’ve been high on Dell all offseason and I don’t see that changing as we start the season. Dell is the most explosive receiver on this talented Houston offense and I could see him finishing with more fantasy points than Stefon Diggs in 2024.
In this matchup, the Colts will be focused on Nico Collins who shredded them for 146 receiving yards last season. This will leave plenty of open opportunities for Dell to take advantage of.
Sit ‘Em
Keon Coleman (vs. ARI) – Who will be the new #1 receiver in Buffalo? There are a lot of questions that need to be answered for the Bills going forward. Newly acquired Curtis Samuel figures to play a big role along with Khalil Shakir. Shakir has the most chemistry with quarterback Josh Allen and the most upside.
The matchup for Coleman is a good one as the Cardinals struggled against the pass last season. Despite that, it’s best to sit Coleman until we see how he looks in this offense.
Tight Ends
Start ‘Em
Taysum Hill (vs. CAR) – Hill is probably the most intriguing fantasy football player this year. He is a true Swiss army knife who can be slotted in at multiple positions. There is always a risk starting Hill, but the upside vs. the Panthers is too big to ignore. I see Hill playing an even bigger role for the Saints this year.
Sit ‘Em
Kyle Pitts (vs. PIT) – Will this be the year Pitts finally breaks out? He finally has a top-tier quarterback in Kirk Cousins and a new offensive scheme. Unfortunately, Pitts is already showing up on the injury report with a hamstring issue. While I don’t want to give up on Pitts yet, I would sit him this week vs. the Steelers defense.
Start of the Week
Jared Goff (vs. LAR) – Get ready for a shootout in Detroit. This matchup will feature plenty of offense and has the highest o/u this week according to Vegas at 51.0. The last time these two teams met was in the Wild Card round of last year’s playoffs as Goff led the Lions to a 1 point victory.
Goff didn’t light up the board in terms of fantasy, but I expect a big day for him on Sunday. The Rams are going through a rebuild of sorts on the defensive side of the ball and Goff has been excellent a home. Expect 3 passing touchdowns for Goff this week and a top-10 finish.
