After a seemingly-endless offseason, the first week of the 2020 NFL season is right around the corner. Deciding who to start and sit isn’t easy, especially with no preseason. Guys like Terry McLaurin will need to overcome their situation, while someone like A.J. Green will probably need some time to get healthy. Let’s take a dive into all of the best start ‘em, sit ‘em matchups of the week to put together the best lineup possible.
Terry McLaurin, A.J. Green Highlight Fantasy Football Week 1 Wide Receiver Start Sits
Start: Terry McLaurin
Washington Football Team wide receiver Terry McLaurin is one of the most talented young players in the league and set to break out in a big way. The second-year pro is the only actual receiving threat of note in Washington and should have one of the most dependable target shares in the league. As discussed in his player profile, Dwayne Haskins actually played relatively well down the stretch and Washington’s improved pace of play in 2020 should only bolster McLaurin’s numbers. He’s a safe locked-and-loaded WR2 with WR1 upside on any given week.
Sit: A.J. Green
If he’s healthy and back to his old self, A.J. Green has a chance to make me look like a complete idiot for this pick. However, it’s been way too long since we’ve seen a healthy and effective version of A.J. Green. The former first-round pick missed the entirety of 2019 with an injury, and he reportedly hurt his hamstring in practice. Now paired with a new quarterback in Joe Burrow, I need to see Green perform on the field before I put him in my lineup.
Start: Will Fuller
When Will Fuller is healthy, you start him. The former first-round pick has had a tough time staying on the field, but when healthy he’s a true deep threat and the most reliable player on this roster. With no DeAndre Hopkins, Fuller is a safe bet to lead the team in targets and air yards. When Deshaun Watson is your quarterback, that means that you should be fantasy-relevant far more often than not.
Sit: Diontae Johnson
Diontae Johnson had a fantastic rookie season and should be a good NFL wide receiver. However, betting on him for fantasy means betting on an age-38 Ben Roethlisberger coming back from a serious elbow injury without missing a beat. Johnson and Roethlisberger do not have a pre-established connection, as Big Ben suffered his injury before Johnson broke out.
The Steelers will probably place a heavier emphasis on the run game, at least early in the season, and Juju Smith-Schuster should see most of the targets. Diontae Johnson is a good stash and offers plenty of upside, but he’s too risky for a Week 1 start.
Start: Marquise Brown
Marquise Brown is the unquestioned top receiver in one of the best offenses in the league. The former first-round pick was never truly healthy last year despite having more than his fair share of breakout performances, and he should only be better in 2020. Additionally, Baltimore’s presumed regression on both sides of the ball means that they’ll have to throw more often. This is good news for Brown, as he averaged nine targets per game in losses. Much like McLaurin, he should be a safe WR2 with WR1 upside on a weekly basis.
Sit: DeVante Parker
DeVante Parker is reportedly battling injury and is going up against arguably the best secondary in football. Stephon Gilmore is one of the best cornerbacks in the league, but Parker managed to get the best of him in their last matchup. However, that performance was very much an outlier, as Gilmore didn’t allow a catch to Parker in Week 2 and limited his production every other time since joining the Patriots. This matchup, combined with Parker’s questionable health, means that you’re better off leaving him on your bench in Week 1.
Auto-Start (Better Than Terry McLaurin)
Michael Thomas, Julio Jones, Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, D.J. Moore, Robert Woods, Chris Godwin, DeAndre Hopkins, Mike Evans, Tyler Lockett, Allen Robinson, Kenny Golladay, Adam Thielen
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