Fantasy Football Week 1: Start ‘em, Sit ‘em
Ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girls. I have only three words for you. We are back.
That’s right. Start ‘em Sit ‘em season two, Ian’s record is back, you will be hearing from me every week from right now until the end of the regular season regarding your fantasy dos and don’ts for a second time! Let’s run it back!
What a season we have waiting for us. Stellar rookies (you’d know that already if you peeped my previous series👀), prove it years for multiple teams, revenge tours, all of our favorite pull-out-your-popcorn moments are visible on the horizon at last.
Quick shoutout to the boss man Jonny Bisby for letting me do this again, now let’s get into it.
Ian’s Record: 0-0
Start ’em
Justin Herbert (QB, Chargers) vs. MIA and Tua Tagovailoa (QB, Dolphins) @ LAC
Put most simply, this game should be an offensive shootout.
Both the Chargers and the Dolphins are coming off of frustrating playoff losses last year, and on paper both squads improved over the offseason. The Chargers have a new offensive play caller in Kellen Moore, and he’ll definitely look to air out Herbert downfield with LA’s towering wide receivers.
The Dolphins targeted their defense to improve over the offseason, hiring Vic Fangio and acquiring Jalen Ramsey for a bag of chips. Even though Ramsey unfortunately went down during training camp and is eyeing a December return, the addition of Fangio should harness a new defensive scheme and provide more offensive playing time for Tua and company.
If you have Tua, start Tua. If you have Herbert, start Herbert. If you have both, flip a coin.
Aaron Jones (RB, Packers) @ Bears
Jones should take the majority of snaps over AJ Dillon, so I’m going with him here to rack up some big plays instead of relying on Dillon to punch in from the goal line.
It’s a new era in Green Bay, as Jordan Love finally gets a shot at being a true QB1. As exciting as this is, I trust Matt Lafleur to set Love down easy in his second NFL start and give the running backs plenty of reps to break in.
Look for Jones to have a big week 1 against the Bears’ run defense that ranked second to last in 2022.
Adam Thielen (WR, Panthers) @ Falcons
While the Packers have a new QB under center, the Panthers look to have an entirely new offense – a squad that seems to be ready to win right out the gate.
New HC Frank Reich surrounded Bryce Young with viable weapons to aid in his first year. Miles Sanders is only 26, Hurst has a few years left in the tank, but who I really want to highlight is Adam Thielen, the undisputed new WR1 in Carolina.
Through preseason and training camp, Thielen has become a well-developed and viable playmaker for Young and the Panthers’ offense. He’s getting up there in age, but his role this season could be insanely helpful in maturing Young quickly and making him comfortable.
AJ Terrell will probably stick to him pretty tight, but the Falcons’ pass defense last year was in the lower end of the pack, allowing an average of 34.5 PPR points to wide receivers. With DJ Chark nursing a hamstring injury, look for Young to resort to who he’s already comfortable with.
Dalton Kincaid (TE, Bills) @ Jets
As seen on TV, the Jets’ secondary is absolutely no joke. Diggs and Davis should be contained pretty well, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be able to cover tight ends!
Regardless of what linebacker or nickel corner New York decides to put on him, Kincaid is super elusive and can catch just about anything. Buffalo’s best game plan here is to spread the ball around while favoring the TE position as their wideouts open up the middle of the field.
To top that all off, the Jets were not good against tight ends last year, allowing the ninth most PPR points to the position. Cha-ching.
Sit ’em
Daniel Jones (QB, Giants) vs. Cowboys
Fresh off a healthy contract extension, Daniel Jones and the Giants are entering this year trying to build off their impressive Wild Card victory against the Vikings last season.
It won’t happen this week, though.
The Cowboys’ defense is just too tough. New York has a more comprehensible wide receiver room than last year, but Dallas gave up the tenth fewest points to quarterbacks last season, and you just can’t ignore that.
That has nothing to do with Daniel Jones, but you get it. Pass.
Raheem Mostert (RB, Dolphins) @ Chargers
Mostert’s healthy, most likely the RB1 for Miami, but like I said with Herbert and Tua, this game’s likely going to be won through the air.
I’d also give it a week or two before you start putting Dolphins’ running backs in your lineups while we wait to see what McDaniel decides to do with Mostert and Achane, it’s very possible they turn into a community backfield.
The Chargers weren’t great against the run last season, but it’s tough to trust Miami’s offensive line right now as well. Pass.
Marquise Brown (WR, Cardinals) @ Commanders
What a sad, sad saga we are witnessing in Arizona.
While tanking is obviously not allowed in the NFL, this looks like as good a time as ever with USC QB Caleb Williams already tearing defenses up as he shoots for a second Heisman award – which would make him the second player to ever do it.
With Kyler Murray out until at least week 5, the only Cardinals player I would deem viable to start in your fantasy lineup is James Conner. With Joshua Dobbs starting under center, don’t expect any form of viable WR production against an underrated Commanders’ secondary.
Cole Kmet (TE, Bears) vs. Packers
I still like Cole Kmet. I think with a few weeks’ time he’ll still be a relevant playmaker in Chicago’s offense. But right now, with the addition of DJ Moore, I just don’t see where he fits in now that he has to share targets with Moore, Mooney, and Claypool.
The Packers also rock against tight ends, giving up the sixth fewest PPR points to the position last season. Not now, but hold onto him and we’ll see what happens together.
BYES: None
