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You have lineup questions, we have lineup answers — at least we hope so. Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em is here to help fantasy managers make difficult roster decisions. And you know what is a good move? Starting CeeDee Lamb. But that’s too obvious, so you won’t see such simple analysis here. Instead, we’re exploring more debatable situations. And if you can’t find a player you are looking for, please check out the latest NFL Fantasy lineup rankings.
Start ‘Em
I’ve pounded the table for Richardson since he was drafted fourth overall last year, including in last week’s edition of this column. He’s played in just three full games in his career thus far, but he’s averaged 25.5 fantasy points in those contests, running for at least 40 yards and a score in each — meaning 10 fantasy points were generated in each game without him having to throw a single pass. Richardson does have a rocket arm, though, which was on display in Week 1 against Houston. OK, so he didn’t complete even half of his throws in the season-opener (47.4% completion rate). Who cares when it comes to fantasy football? There will be ups and downs on the real-life gridiron, but in terms of point production, it seems like Richardson was built in a lab to break this game we love so much. He is a weekly must-start, and I only included him here because that will soon become so obvious that I won’t be able to write about him.
Welcome to the NFL, Jayden Daniels! The rookie went off for 28.2 fantasy points against the Bucs, enough to make him QB3 in points on the week — and he did it while throwing for just 184 yards, compensating for his lack of air production with 88 yards and two scores on the ground. Daniels’ rushing ability gives him this kind of upside on a weekly basis, making him a QB1 immediately: Consider that in Week 1, he led the NFL in both goal-line carries (three) and goal-line touchdowns (two). Plus, it is likely that he’ll only get better as a passer as he becomes more comfortable, and this week’s matchup against the Giants might provide the perfect opportunity for that to continue to happen. Get Daniels in all your lineups this week.
Goff had a disappointing Week 1 — but you can say the same for most of the signal-callers in the NFL. Goff only threw for 217 yards and one TD in the Lions’ win over the Rams, which turned out to be a lower-scoring contest than anticipated. One down week is not enough to make me shy away from Goff, not ahead of a favorable home matchup. Over the previous two seasons, Goff averaged over 20 FPPG in Detroit. In Week 2, he’ll face a Bucs defense that allowed the fourth-most passing yards in the NFL last season. The last time these two teams met, in the Divisional Round of the 2023 playoffs, Goff threw for 287 yards and two TDs. Oh, and as I mentioned in the blurb above, Tampa just allowed Jayden Daniels to put up a monster day. Keep riding with Goff this week!
Purdy might not have put up huge stats against the Jets on Monday, but he played a really good game, handling a tough defense extremely well. I know what you’re thinking: I don’t care about that, I just care about fantasy points! Well, Purdy is in a much better position to score said fantasy points this week against the Vikings than he was against Gang Green. Yes, Minnesota shut down the Giants’ offense, but I think that says more about New York than it does anything else. I am willing to take a shot on Purdy and the talented 49ers attack generating big numbers this week.
Mayfield went off against Washington in Week 1, throwing for 289 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 21 yards, finishing with just under 30 fantasy points. The Lions have a tough defense, but Mayfield could still end up in a shootout with Detroit’s potent offense, given the indoor setting and the fact that he put up 349 yards and three TDs in Tampa’s playoff loss there back in January. The Bucs QB is a high-upside option that you might be able to pluck off the waiver wire.
Sit ‘Em
Sitting one of the top QBs in the NFL in this matchup, against a Carolina team that just coughed up 47 points to Derek Carr and the Saints? Maybe I’m going out on a limb, but I think this game has trap written all over it. The Bolts’ Week 1 win over the Raiders was a slow-paced, low-scoring affair in which Herbert threw just 26 times, logging 144 yards and a touchdown, failing to clear 11 fantasy points. He attempted just one deep pass, and nearly 70 percent of his passes were under 10 air yards. It is hard to dink and dunk your way to big fantasy days — and this matchup in particular could become a blowout in which the Chargers rely heavily on the run. Unless Herbert throws for three or four TDs, this could be another low-output fantasy day for him. I would seek QB production elsewhere.
Williams’ welcome to the NFL was not nearly as friendly as Jayden Daniels’. The Bears QB completed just under half his passes for 93 yards, ran for a mere 15 yards and finished with seven fantasy points. Don’t be swayed by Anthony Richardson’s huge fantasy day against Houston in Week 1, because the Colts’ QB completed just nine passes. The Texans created pressure 38 percent of the time, which was a higher rate than the Titans managed against Williams on Sunday. There will be weeks to start the No. 1 overall draft pick, but at this point, before we’ve seen him break through, it is tough to trust him, especially with some of his receivers banged up.
Rodgers’ return to the NFL field on Monday Night Football was a success because he stayed healthy. He also showed flashes of his old self with some really pretty throws, especially one to Allen Lazard for a touchdown. But to me, his mobility and movement in the pocket did not look right; it just seemed awkward. He also appeared to want to get rid of the ball at the first glimpse of pressure. And the Titans were much more successful in generating pressure in Week 1 than the Niners were against Rodgers. The four-time MVP hits the fantasy bench until we see better numbers.
Cousins had a rough Week 1, throwing for just 155 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, scoring just 6.2 fantasy points. Oof. He struggled to move around the pocket. There was no play-action. And even when Cousins wasn’t under pressure, it seemed like he was looking to check down, given that he averaged less than 5 air yards per throw in clean pockets. To be fair, the healthy Steelers defense presented a very difficult matchup. The Eagles’ defense is not at the same level, but Philly is tough upfront and will create pressure. Cousins is in a new offense and still less than a year removed from a torn Achilles. Until we see proof that he’s back at full speed, he has to be benched in fantasy.
Watson struggled mightily against Dallas, throwing for 169 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He continued to flail against zone coverage, tossing both of his picks when Dallas was in zone. Watson also went 0-for-7 on deep passes — he’s been one of the worst deep-ball throwers in the NFL since joining the Browns. He did add 39 yards on the ground but still only scored 10.7 fantasy points. We have now seen 13 games of Watson in Cleveland, and there’s been a whole lot more bad on the field than good. Not every game will be against a defense as good as Dallas’, but I do not see how you can go with Watson, given how low the floor is.
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