In Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season, the Las Vegas Raiders will face off against their divisional rivals, the Denver Broncos. What are the fantasy implications for Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers? Should you consider starting him in your fantasy lineups? We’ll break it down in the following sections.
Fantasy Football analysis: Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers
Last season, Jakobi Meyers was a reliable asset for the New England Patriots, racking up 67 catches, 804 yards, and six touchdowns. This season, he joins a Raiders passing offense spearheaded by new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. While star receiver Davante Adams is expected to be the focal point of the offense, Meyers is poised to capitalize on additional opportunities — especially if opposing defenses key on Adams.
Start or sit in Week 1 PPR leagues?
Sit. Meyers should not start in your Week 1 PPR league.
It comes down to your league size and roster configuration. If your league starts is on the larger size (12-14+ teams) with three starting wide receivers, then Meyers could slot into the WR3 or FLEX role in PPR formats.
Outside of that, you can probably avoid him, especially in a tough Week 1 matchup against the Broncos — who allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers last season. We still don’t know exactly what the Raiders’ new-look offense will feature, but Meyers is a reliable underneath pass-catcher for Garoppolo. That should translate to PPR production.
Start or sit in Week 1 standard leagues?
Sit. You should not start Meyers in your Week 1 standard leagues.
You can find better options in standard leagues. If you are in a large league (14+ teams) with three starting receiver spots, then perhaps you can give Meyers a look, but that’s it for standard leagues. While Meyers could spark fantasy value down the road, it’s hard to have faith in him with this tough matchup in Week 1.
Player(s) you would start ahead of Jakobi Meyers
I would rather look toward receivers like Gabe Davis of the Buffalo Bills, JuJu Smith-Schuster of the New England Patriots, and Skyy Moore of the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of Meyers.
For a PPR FLEX situation, running backs like Dalvin Cook of the New York Jets and Samaje Perine of the Denver Broncos offer more fantasy upside in Week 1.