It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The 2018 NFL season is officially underway, and with it, the fantasy football season. Week One is full of unknowns in the fantasy world, as teams don’t really know what they are and are not good at. While guys like Antonio Brown and David Johnson will produce week in and week out, the grand majority of the fantasy football season is based on weekly matchups. Without further ado, here’s Last Word on Pro Football’s fantasy football week one starts and sits guide.
Fantasy Football Week One Starts and Sits: Start ‘Em
Isaiah Crowell
New York Jets running back Isaiah Crowell is poised for a big week against the Detroit Lions. A solid running back in his own right, the stars are aligning for Crowell to put up big numbers in Detroit.
For one, the Detroit Lions interior defensive line appears to be in terrible shape. As of this posting, their starting defensive tackles are Sylvester Williams and Ricky Jean-Francois. Both players are best served as depth, and Jean-Francois was cut on three separate occasions in 2017. Detroit’s linebackers aren’t much better, so New York should have great success pounding the ball up the middle.
Additionally, New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold will be making his NFL debut. New York will want to alleviate the pressure on Darnold, and the best way to do that is to utilize the run game. It’s not hard at all to imagine Crowell rushing for over 100 yards and a touchdown or two in the season opener.
Cooper Kupp
Second-year wide receiver Cooper Kupp had a great rookie season, recording 62 receptions for 869 yards and five touchdowns in his rookie campaign. He should continue to grow in his second year in the league and should only be a bigger part of a talented Rams offense.
Additionally, Kupp has a fantastic matchup on his hands. The 2017 Oakland Raiders allowed 3,858 passing yards in 2017, good for the seventh-worst in the league. This problem should only grow in 2018, as the Raiders shipped off defensive end Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears. Rams quarterback Jared Goff should have all day in the pocket, and Kupp shouldn’t struggle to separate from the Raiders defensive backs.
Andy Dalton
Starting Andy Dalton in Week One might not be the ideal plan, but you could certainly do a lot worse. Dalton is going up against a rather weak defense in the Indianapolis Colts, and the Cincinnati offense should thrive.
Indianapolis finished 28th in passing defense over the 2017 campaign and hasn’t done much to alleviate that problem in the short term. The Colts drafted three defensive players in the first 64 picks of the 2018 NFL Draft, and they are getting safety Malik Hooker back from the injured reserve.
That said, of the three rookies, only Darius Leonard is expected to start. Additionally, they lost last years top cornerback Rashaan Melvin in free agency. This defense is still largely comprised of question marks and underwhelming options, and Dalton should capitalize.
Additionally, Dalton will be aided by a healthy John Ross. After a disappointing rookie season marred by injury, Ross is finally healthy and ready to contribute. With A.J. Green on the other side of the formation, this duo should be a nightmare all season long for opposing defenses. Expect Dalton to put up a strong stat line in Sunday’s game.
Sit ‘Em
Rashaad Penny
Seattle Seahawks first-round pick Rashaad Penny is the poster boy for Week One sits. Despite his high draft selection, the rookie will come off the bench in his professional debut. A finger injury sidelined him for the majority of the preseason, and Chris Carson used Penny’s absence to grab the starting running back position.
Even if Penny did see the field, this is not a good matchup for him. Denver’s defense is one of the better units in the league, finishing 2017 as the leagues fifth-best run defense in terms of yardage. Seattle’s offensive line remains a work in progress, so Denver will probably win the battle in the trenches for most of the night. It’s hard for any running back to pick up yardage when the offensive line loses their battles, but this is especially true for a rookie.
Penny will likely steal back the RB1 position as the season goes on, but he won’t do it against Denver. Don’t release him, but don’t start him Week One.
Jimmy Garoppolo
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo should have a good season, but it looks like he’ll get off to a rough start. Jimmy G starts his year off against arguably the best defense in the league, the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings do not have a weak link on their defense. Whether it’s Anthony Barr at linebacker, Harrison Smith and Xavier Rhodes in the secondary, or any of their numerous pass rushers, there’s no smart way to attack this defense. With subpar weapons around him, it’s hard to see Garoppolo lighting up the stat sheet.
Jordy Nelson
This should be a season-long sit for Jordy Nelson. At age 33 and with a knee injury, Nelson is a shell of his past self. While he managed to put up respectable numbers with Aaron Rodgers as recently as last year, he’s clearly lost a step and struggles to separate.
Most of Nelson’s production last year came from his unparalleled chemistry with Rodgers. Rodgers is arguably the most talented quarterback in the game, capable of throwing guys open every single play. When Rodgers didn’t play last season, Nelson’s numbers plummeted.
Derek Carr is a good quarterback, but he’s not on Rodgers’ level. Additionally, Nelson and Carr have only had one off-season to get on the same page. Rodgers and Nelson had years. Expecting Nelson to do much of anything this season is asking for disappointment. If you have him on your fantasy team, it’s probably best to not only bench him, but to pick up a better option on waivers.
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