Week 1 of the NFL season has finally arrived! Fresh off your fantasy football drafts, you likely know which guys are making your lineups to open the year. That said, there’s never a shortage of tough decisions, so let’s break down my start/sit picks for Week 1.
Quarterback
Start ‘Em: Drake Maye (Patriots) vs. Raiders
Week 1 is arguably the trickiest slate of the year to set your fantasy lineups. We believe we can predict workloads, target shares, and favorable matchups, but it’s really just a combination of projections and carryover from the previous season.
Maye was one of my favorite fantasy values in drafts this year, and I’m putting similar stock into a hot start for the second-year signal caller in New England. The Patriots added multiple high-caliber weapons for Maye to utilize in Stefon Diggs and TreVeyon Henderson, along with a potential dynamic deep-ball threat in Kyle Williams. The offensive line has also been upgraded thanks to the arrivals of Will Campbell and Morgan Moses on the outside.
Along with those improved situations, Maye also boasts strong rushing upside, and he’s set to face a Raiders defense that isn’t overly frightening outside of Maxx Crosby. We should see a strong start to Year 2 of the Drake Maye experience in Foxborough.
Sit ‘Em: Justin Fields (Jets) vs. Steelers
This isn’t the revenge game scenario that fantasy managers would typically salivate over.
From a full-season standpoint, Fields offers clear fantasy upside thanks to his rushing capabilities. However, there’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the entire Jets offense heading into the year. While their new quarterback is dynamic carrying the football, there are blatant questions about his ability to succeed in the passing game. A matchup against the Steelers of all teams is not the time to test your luck with Fields. There will be plenty of opportunities for the 26-year-old to produce at a high level, but this isn’t one of them.
Check out all of my Week 1 fantasy start/sit quarterback picks here!
Running Back
Start ‘Em: Tony Pollard (Titans) at Broncos
The Broncos enter this year fresh off a top-five finish in the rushing yards allowed department in 2024, holding opponents to just over the century mark on the ground per contest.
That said, there’s a lot to love about Pollard’s projected workload to open the season. With Tyjae Spears on IR, the veteran is primed to serve as Tennessee’s bellcow. Pollard will also likely be rookie Cam Ward’s safety blanket out of the backfield, and he’s certainly a capable receiver, catching at least 39 balls in four straight campaigns.
We could be looking at 20-25 touches per game for the 28-year-old to start the season, and volume is king in fantasy football.
Sit ‘Em: D’Andre Swift (Bears) vs. Vikings
While I do like Swift’s full-season fantasy outlook, this isn’t the ideal matchup right off the bat. Brian Flores has made a living by selling out to win the battle at the line of scrimmage, and the Vikings found plenty of success doing so last year. Minnesota allowed the second-fewest rushing yards per game at 93.2.
Swift is in a prime position to retain his role as the clear top running back in Chicago, and the Bears appear to have improved on that side of the ball, but this is by no means a finished product. Ben Johnson still has his work cut out for him, and it could take weeks before Caleb Williams and company are fully up to speed against starting-caliber NFL defenses. There are better fantasy options at RB in Week 1.
Check out all of my Week 1 running back start/sit picks here!
Wide Receiver
Start ‘Em: Emeka Egbuka (Buccaneers) at Falcons
If you’re looking to jump on the Egbuka hype train, it’s too late. You’ve missed it.
The rookie has quickly ascended from fan favorite in a crowded depth chart to the clear-cut No. 2 receiver with multiple key Buccaneers dealing with injuries. Egbuka’s talent is undeniable, and he’s consistently produced flashes of immense potential throughout training camp.
The rookie should step immediately into a strong target share in a high-octane passing attack conducted by Baker Mayfield, fresh off his best season as a pro. All signs are pointing up for Egbuka’s fantasy prospects.
Sit ‘Em: George Pickens (Cowboys) at Eagles
Just like Fields and Swift, this “sit” pick isn’t indicative of my season-long fantasy projections for Pickens. In fact, I think signs are pointing towards this potentially being his best NFL season. Dak Prescott is the most talented quarterback he’s caught passes from by a considerable margin, and the Cowboys run a rampant passing attack.
That said, it’s worth noting that Pickens and Prescott haven’t been on the same page for a decent chunk of preseason. The flashes have been present, but the rapport is still in need of fine-tuning. That’s something that will come with time, but you probably have better options at receiver than the 24-year-old, especially considering the matchup. Philly allowed the second-fewest passing yards per contest last year and appear set to dominate opposing wideouts once again.
Check out all of my Week 1 wide receiver start/sit picks here!
Tight End
Start ‘Em: David Njoku (Browns) vs. Bengals
One of my two favorite mid-round draft targets at tight end (Evan Engram being the other), there’s a strong chance that nobody will benefit more from Joe Flacco manning the Browns offense under center than Njoku.
Flacco took over as the Browns’ starter for the last five weeks of the 2023 season. Njoku only played the first four of those contests, but he recorded the most fantasy points over that four-game span of any tight end by a massive margin. The veteran doesn’t appear to have lost a step since then, heading into his ninth NFL season. Flacco should look to his old friend early and often in the season-opener against Cincinnati.
Sit ‘Em: Jonnu Smith (Steelers) at Jets
Arthur Smith and Jonnu Smith. The inevitable pairing.
Unfortunately for the latter Smith, that’s not necessarily a good thing. Jonnu is fresh off a monstrous career year in which he finished as PPR TE4, finally showcasing the elite playmaking abilities many foresaw in him during his early years with the Titans.
Sadly, following that elite campaign, the Dolphins turned around and traded him to Pittsburgh. The Steelers offense doesn’t project to be terrible, but it’s hard to see anything more than four to six targets coming Smith’s way in this new offense. He’s a sit until proven otherwise.
Check out all of my Week 1 start/sit fantasy tight end picks here!
Those are my start/sit Week 1 fantasy football picks! Stay tuned for more fantasy football positional start ’em, sit ’em analysis throughout the week.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
