:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71338005/1419112638.0.jpg)
Week 1 of the fantasy football season is finally here! The action gets started on Thursday, September 8, as the Buffalo Bills hit the road to take on the Los Angeles Rams. The first Monday Night Football will see Russell Wilson in his revenge game as the Denver Broncos take on the Seattle Seahawks. Even if you are fresh out of your drafts, here are two quarterbacks to start and two to fade for Week 1 of the fantasy football season.
Quarterback Starts
Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers
Cousins faced his divisional rivals only once last year as he missed the other game. In Week 11, he threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns for 25.24 fantasy points. He finished as the QB6 that week. The Green Bay offense will take a step back this year, but it should be the same old performers for Minnesota. Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen and Dalvin Cook should all help Cousins be a worthy start this week.
Trey Lance, San Francisco 49ers vs. Chicago Bears
The dialogue on Lance has been all over the place as we head into the season's first week. Some analysts have him super high in their rankings, and others, like me, are waiting for him to prove himself as the starter before we give them recognition. That being said, a game against the Chicago Bears' defense should allow Lance to strut his stuff. The 49ers' defense will be able to handle Chicago’s low output offense giving Lance ample opportunity to shine.
Quarterback Sits
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Prescott is due to prove his worth to the Cowboys franchise this year. They have instilled their confidence in him, and he will have to avoid mismanaging the clock as he did in the 2022 playoffs. Prescott is usually a top fantasy quarterback and comes with major upside. Unfortunately, his second wide receiver, Michael Gallup, will miss this week due to injury, and his replacement is a rookie. Combine that with a tough matchup against the Buccaneers' defense, and I am fading Prescott this week.
Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders vs. Los Angeles Chargers
I am a big fan of Derek Carr this season with his shiny new Davante Adams in town. He plays in a tough division, though, and that will be on full display on Sunday. The Chargers could be without JC Jackson in the secondary, but it won’t matter. Khalil Mack will be opposite Joey Bosa, and they are expected to be in the Raiders backfield almost as much as Carr will be. Carr should have a great fantasy season, but it’ll get started in Week 2.