Two factors that we're not used to seeing could seriously impact Fantasy Football performances in Week 1, and both have to do with the COVID-19 pandemic. One, teams are traveling under unique conditions, which may make them a little uncomfortable. Two, teams didn't drill tackling over and over because training camp was shortened and they had around 10 padded practices. There was also no preseason football. Expect plenty of rushing, and plenty of defensive mistakes, which leads to a lot of scoring in Week 1.
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Here are my start, sit, sleeper, and bust calls for every game in Week 1, and if you need more lineup help, check out Jamey Eisenberg's Start 'Em & Sit 'Em, plus Heath Cummings' Week 1 previews for quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end.
10.0-7.00
6.99 - 5.01
5.00 - 0
Start 'em
Sit 'em
Start Him
Projections powered by
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The injury report really turned things in Wentz's favor. Looks like rookie speedster Jalen Reagor is going to play, creating downfield depth for the Washington defense to contend with. Speaking of that, top cornerback Kendall Fuller isn't expected to play, meaning Jimmy Moreland, Fabian Moreau and ex-Eagles cornerback Ronald Darby are going to be among those in Wentz's crosshairs. Yes, the Washington defensive line still figures to be a problem, but Philadelphia has a much better shot at coming up with successful plays to negate it -- including screen passes to Boston Scott and damaging bombs downfield when Wentz is out of the pocket.
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Start Him
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Scott finished last season with six-plus targets in each of four games, catching at least six passes in three of them. The Eagles fondly think of him as a version of Darren Sproles. In a pinch, Scott figures to primarily replace Miles Sanders against a Washington defense that has all sorts of question marks behind its beefy D-line. He's absolutely worth starting in PPR and certainly deserves flex consideration in non-PPR.
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Risky Starter
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In most matchups, McLaurin figures to be a must-start. But the Eagles acquired cornerback Darius Slay and could stick him on McLaurin. When asked about Slay shadowing cornerbacks in July, Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz basically said it depended on his other cornerbacks and if they could play outside if Slay had to play in the slot. Avonte Maddox has experience playing everywhere, but Nickell Robey-Coleman has been a slot cornerback basically his entire career. The Eagles might believe he'd have trouble lining up near the sideline. There was only one game last season when McLaurin played in the slot more than 13 snaps -- at Detroit, to get away from Slay. In that game, he had 30 yards on two catches when he was away from Slay and 42 yards on three catches over 10 targets against him. The Eagles know full well just how dangerous McLaurin is -- he scorched them for at least 125 yards and a score in each meeting in 2019 -- so expect them to blanket McLaurin quite a bit, even if Slay is on him. Tack on the Eagles pass rush getting to an under-protected Dwayne Haskins and there's some concern about McLaurin being amazing.
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10.0-7.00
6.99 - 5.01
5.00 - 0
Start 'em
Sit 'em
Bust Candidate
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Outside of him being in great physical shape, there isn't much to buy into with Bell. As ridiculous as it sounds, we can't confidently say Bell will touch the ball 20 times now that the Jets have Frank Gore. Save for a receiving score last year, he was inefficient in two games against the Bills last year. Maybe you could make the case that the Jets' O-line is better, but you can also say the Bills defense has been and will be capable of containing Bell.
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Sleeper
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As training camp rolled along, Moss continued getting rave reviews while Devin Singletary dealt with fumbles. The Athletic recently proclaimed that while Singletary may start, Moss "should see the same, if not more, carries than Gore did." Gore averaged nearly 11 touches per game. Against a Jets defense that isn't expected to be particularly tough against the run, it's within reason to believe Moss (and Singletary) will see plenty of touches. Moss' goal-line role propels him into consideration, especially in non-PPR.
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10.0-7.00
6.99 - 5.01
5.00 - 0
Start 'em
Sit 'em
Start Him
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The Patriots know the weaknesses of the Dolphins' two newest linebackers, Kyle Van Noy and Elandon Roberts. That's because they used to play for the Patriots! So even if the Dolphins know when White will be a factor, they don't necessarily have the scheme nor the talent to bottle him up. New England's run game is already banged up, so it wouldn't be surprising to see White handle a majority of snaps and touches.
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10.0-7.00
6.99 - 5.01
5.00 - 0
Start 'em
Sit 'em
Sit Him
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Minnesota's pass rush lost Danielle Hunter for the start of the season, easing the pressure Rodgers should feel. But the Vikings still have new defender Yannick Ngakoue coming off the edge, so it's still not easy. Rodgers' O-line struggled with Minnesota BEFORE they added Ngakoue. It's part of the reason why Rodgers had 18 or fewer Fantasy points in each of his past five against Minnesota and 7 of his past 8. An unimproved receiving corps does him zero favors and the Packers' desire to run the ball could further cap Rodgers' upside.
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10.0-7.00
6.99 - 5.01
5.00 - 0
Start 'em
Sit 'em
Flex Starter
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Six of the Lions' seven highest-graded run defenders in 2019 by Pro Football Focus are either hurt or no longer with the team. To be fair, defensive lineman-and-a-half Danny Shelton and fast linebacker Jamie Collins followed the Patriot pipeline to Motown and will help replace some of the missing pieces, but it's still a Lions run defense that's ripe for the picking. Chicago is desperate to get Montgomery going, and after two full practices this week, it looks like he will play. This will be one of his easier matchups on the season -- so long as his groin injury doesn't limit him, assume he'll get 15 touches with a chance to score. I would trust teammate Tarik Cohen ahead of him as a flex in PPR.
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DFS Sleeper
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Somehow, Trubisky has tossed three touchdowns in each of his past three games against the Lions. Somehow, the Lions defensive line might have gotten worse this offseason as they opted to address other areas on the field. Trubisky and the Bears enter the game mostly healthy -- if their run game cannot get going, more work will fall on Trubisky's plate, and the matchup isn't bad for him to start rebuilding his confidence.
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Sit Him
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Stafford's triumphant return to the field is not only expected to be without his top receiver, but also without his new right tackle, Halapoulivaati Vaitai. That means Tyrell Crosby (527 career snaps over two seasons) will man the right side and make an already suspect O-line even more troubling against the likes of Khalil Mack (at least veteran Robert Quinn is unlikely to play). The loss of Golladay really eliminates Stafford's upside -- without him it's Marvin Jones, Danny Amendola (he's questionable), rookie Quintez Cephus and tight ends T.J. Hockenson and Jesse James. It's not quite enough to have blind faith in Stafford, even if the Bears are starting rookie Jaylon Johnson at cornerback. There are simply too many other quarterbacks with a better outlook in Week 1.
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Sit Him
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Before you think about starting Johnson, or any Lions rusher, know that this team has given 15-plus touches to a single running back in exactly 50% of the games Matt Patricia has coached. Johnson is best suited to lead this offense, but Adrian Peterson gained the trust of offensive playcaller Darrell Bevell years ago, and rookie D'Andre Swift figures to have at least a nominal role. Oh, and the Bears run defense is pretty good.
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Start Him
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The Bears tend to keep their cornerbacks stationary, so Jones could find favorable matchups against Buster Skrine and rookie Jaylon Johnson instead of having Pro Bowler Kyle Fuller in his face. That's good. It's also a positive that Jones should see plenty of quality targets from Stafford. Though Golladay got more on a consistent basis, Jones has long been a trusted resource for Stafford and certainly figures to fall into at least flex-worthy production, even in a less-than-ideal matchup. Jones' outlook is boosted by his 11-plus PPR points in 4 of his past 5 against the Bears, including 12-plus PPR points in both 2019 games without Stafford.
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10.0-7.00
6.99 - 5.01
5.00 - 0
Start 'em
Sit 'em
Sit Him
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It's true that the Seahawks were terrible covering tight ends in 2019, giving up 68.7 yards per game to the position. Know what else was true? The Jets were pretty good at it, allowing 43.9 yards per game. Know why? Jamal Adams was often assigned covering tight ends and allowed just two scores and 150 yards across 33 targets to anyone all last season. He figures to draw Hurst the most in coverage, and if not, the Seahawks have linebackers who can move with him.
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10.0-7.00
6.99 - 5.01
5.00 - 0
Start 'em
Sit 'em
Bust Candidate
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After months of speculation, our first look at the revamped Browns offense comes against a Ravens defense that did a great job containing Beckham in 2019 (14 PPR/10 non-PPR points in one game, four PPR/two non-PPR points in the other). Last year's Ravens also allowed just three 100-yard games and 11 touchdowns to all receivers. In 2020, their pass rush has added Calais Campbell and their secondary is pretty deep. All of the other offseason factors -- a run-preferred offensive mindset, a new tight end, a tamed Baker Mayfield -- suggest more risk for Beckham as targets could become a problem. However, in Weeks 2 and 3 he should be fantastic.
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Start Him in PPR
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I've been working under the assumption that Hunt and Nick Chubb will split reps close to evenly. But one aspect where Hunt may have a significant edge is in obvious passing situations and the two-minute drill. That's because Hunt is a slightly better receiver than Chubb. It wouldn't be surprising to see the Browns trail in this game and have Hunt in position to pick up a bunch of receptions in a come-from-behind effort. Running back receptions would also be in play as a way to negate the Ravens pass rush. Risky? Yes, but probably worth it in a week where there's so much running back uncertainty.
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10.0-7.00
6.99 - 5.01
5.00 - 0
Start 'em
Sit 'em
Start Him
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The transition from Mack to Jonathan Taylor is going to happen eventually, but not in Week 1. As the incumbent, Mack will get plenty of carries against a beleaguered Jaguars run defense that somehow thinks it improved by adding Joe Schobert, Pro Football Focus' 43rd ranked linebacker in tackling efficiency in 2019, to the middle of their unit. Taylor might land mop-up duty but it'll be Mack who leads the way this week. Use him if you've got him.
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Sleeper
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The Jaguars safeties are ex-Packers washout Josh Jones and 2019 starter Jarrod WIlson, who allowed a 70% catch rate in coverage. Their linebackers aren't particularly dominant in pass coverage either. Doyle shouldn't have to pass block too much, opening the door for him to be a reliable red-zone target for Philip Rivers, who has leaned on his tight ends for what seems like three decades.
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Streamer
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The Colts' pass rush is definitely going to be a problem, but should Minshew really be freaked out throwing against Xavier Rhodes, T.J. Carrie and Rock Ya-Sin? None of them graded out well last year and all three will have to contend with the Jaguars' upstart passing game. Expect Minshew to throw (and run) plenty as the Jags chase points in their home opener. He's a better Week 1 choice than Tyrod Taylor.
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10.0-7.00
6.99 - 5.01
5.00 - 0
Start 'em
Sit 'em
Sleepers
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It would be so like Jon Gruden to scheme up Ruggs to make an impact in his debut. Helping the cause is a matchup against a very young Panthers defense. The pass rush is short on experience (Brian Burns had 7.5 sacks last year; the rest of the non-rookie D-line rotation totaled four sacks in 2019) and the secondary has some massive question marks (top corner Donte Jackson ranked in the bottom half of all cornerbacks in snaps per reception allowed last year per PFF). Ruggs' upside as a warp-speed receiver plays perfectly into the matchup, which could help Carr deliver an efficient, modest performance.
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10.0-7.00
6.99 - 5.01
5.00 - 0
Start 'em
Sit 'em
Bust Candidate
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We know Green figures to play and will have a promising young quarterback throwing him presumably a bunch of on-target throws. We don't know how healthy he is, or how much he'll play, or how possible a setback might be following a hamstring injury suffered in mid-August. We also should expect the Chargers to give outside cornerback Casey Hayward the green light to shadow Green anytime he lines up outside. Paired with a strong pass rush, the Chargers should make things rough on Joe Burrow in his first game. That won't help Green.
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10.0-7.00
6.99 - 5.01
5.00 - 0
Start 'em
Sit 'em
Start Him
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I can't think of two people who were excited to draft Cook, but the matchup against the Bucs suggests meaningful playing time and targets. There's no reason to believe the Bucs run defense has gotten worse, which might herd the Saints into throwing more. Cook's matchup against the Buccaneers linebackers and safeties (including rookie Antoine Winfield) should result in some looks from Brees, who especially counted on Cook in clutch situations last year.
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10.0-7.00
6.99 - 5.01
5.00 - 0
Start 'em
Sit 'em
Start Him
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Why rush him into lineups? It's taking a chance on Kyle Shanahan, whose entire track record is littered with out-of-nowhere breakout running backs. It's the 49ers offensive line, which might not miss a beat in terms of run blocking with Trent Williams at left tackle. It's a Cardinals run defense that might not be quite as improved against the run as it had hoped. Mostert reportedly looked very good in camp and seems motivated to prove he's the worthiest 49ers running back.
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10.0-7.00
6.99 - 5.01
5.00 - 0
Start 'em
Sit 'em
Start Him
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Starting who might be the fifth-best target in the Cowboys passing game won't get you excited often, but the Rams' linebackers appear to be serious liabilities in coverage and the Cowboys run a sophisticated offense (or at least they did last year). Be it zone or man coverage, Jarwin should be a focal point near and in the red zone. I like his chances to score.
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Sit Them
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Not only is there uncertainty about how much each of these guys play, but it appears a third running back, Darrell Henderson, figures to take some snaps away from both of them. The Rams may have learned an expensive lesson from leaning too much on Todd Gurley and can begin implementing a new approach this week. That lack of assured touches, particularly against a Cowboys run defense that has good run-stopping linebackers, makes them risky Fantasy plays.
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10.0-7.00
6.99 - 5.01
5.00 - 0
Start 'em
Sit 'em
Start Him
Projections powered by
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Roethlisberger admitted this week he'll be rusty in his first start, but even that won't be enough to help the Giants contain him. Pittsburgh's incredible depth among receivers and tight ends will result in some great matchups for Roethlisberger. The Giants' best cornerback might just be the one they signed recently -- Logan Ryan -- and he might play safety more often than in the slot. Pair that with an inferior pass rush, and Roethlisberger should have an incredibly easy time scoring.
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Sleeper
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The Giants simply don't have anyone who can reliably match up with Ebron. If it's a linebacker, it's probably someone who's not as fast. If it's a safety, Ebron will have the size advantage. Bank on the Steelers leaning on Ebron just as the Colts did as a red-zone threat, and Roethlisberger should take at least a couple of shots at him on short fade routes. Ebron might actually be start-worthy for the first three weeks of the season.
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10.0-7.00
6.99 - 5.01
5.00 - 0
Start 'em
Sit 'em
Sleeper
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The Broncos' loss of Von Miller is huge for the Titans. It should mean Ryan Tannehill is more comfortable in the pocket (Bradley Chubb figures to be limited), and it puts another vulnerable linebacker on the field for Smith to exploit. Expect him to get schemed up off play-action in the red zone, especially if a linebacker matches up with him.
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Sit Them
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Three months ago, Gordon figured to be the Broncos primary running back. In training camp, Phillip Lindsay earned a larger share of the run game and now both figure to split. The Titans run defense got a lot better with the addition of Jadeveon Clowney, who's been rated as a top-15 run stopper by Pro Football Focus each of the past two seasons and three of his past four. Gordon's only hope might be to fall into some good receiving numbers -- no running back had more than four catches or 17 receiving yards in any Lock's five 2019 starts.
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10.0-7.00
6.99 - 5.01
5.00 - 0
Start 'em
Sit 'em
Start Him
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Earlier this offseason, Deshaun Watson intimated the Texans would run more spread concepts. That means quicker throws to all of his pass catchers. Watson had 42 and 52 attempts in two games with the Chiefs in 2019, way more than the 33 pass attempts he averaged overall. He figures to be in that range again here, which should mean Fuller and (and Brandin Cooks! should see as many as eight targets. Cooks is dealing with a quad injury but apparently has practiced fast and separated from defenders even while below 100 percent. You know Fuller can fly. Kansas City's secondary is vulnerable without veteran Bashaud Breeland to begin the year; remaining top cornerback Charvarius Ward struggled with Fuller in 2019.
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Sneaky Sleeper
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The Chiefs aren't saying what specific role Hardman will have, but one should assume he'll be involved a little more overall this season and certainly in what should be a high-scoring game. He played over 53% of the offensive snaps only six times in 2019, and five came in the first five weeks when Tyreek Hill was mostly off the field. There's a little unnecessary risk in starting Hardman in Week 1, but the Houston secondary isn't great to begin with and will already have its hands full with Hill and Travis Kelce -- all without starter Gareon Conley on the field.
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