Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 1: Top Matchup Plays and Sleepers for Opening Games
Unless you're in a league that's waiting until almost the last minute to draft, you should already have your fantasy football roster in place. Now, it's time to turn your attention to Week 1.
The 2022 NFL season gets underway Thursday night, when the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams host the Buffalo Bills. That enticing matchup will be followed by 14 games on Sunday and a Monday night contest featuring the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks.
For the most part, there shouldn't be too many difficult start/sit decisions for fantasy managers in the opening week. No teams are on a bye and the majority of players are healthy, so you're likely rolling with the top names you drafted at each position.
However, good/bad matchups may impact some managers' decisions, or maybe there's a less-heralded sleeper player you want to roll the dice on right away.
As the beginning of the NFL season nears, here's some early start/sit advice for Week 1.
Start 'Em: Trey Lance, QB, San Francisco 49ers
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If you ended up with Trey Lance on your fantasy team, he likely was the first (and potentially only) quarterback you selected. It's now time to hope he's in store for a second-year breakout.
There's a bit of risk with playing the 22-year-old right away this season, as he wasn't too impressive during limited action in his rookie campaign. Mostly serving as the backup to Jimmy Garoppolo, he passed for 603 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions in six games, while also rushing for 168 yards and a score.
Now, Lance is the starter, and there's reason to believe he is set up for success. The 49ers have a talented offense around him, which should ease his transition into being their QB1.
In Week 1, San Francisco has a favorable matchup against the Chicago Bears, which have a younger defense going through a period of transition. That should allow Lance to have a strong season opener, so fantasy managers should feel confident in starting him.
Start 'Em: Chase Edmonds, RB, Miami Dolphins
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Entering training camp, the Miami Dolphins had a crowded backfield picture. Over the offseason, they signed Chase Edmonds, Raheem Mostert and Sony Michel, and they returned Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed.
Michel was released as part of Miami's final roster cuts, and the team didn't bring in Edmonds and Mostert to have them sit. So both of those backs are likely to have a role in the offense this season. But that can make for difficult decisions for fantasy managers, especially before we even see the Dolphins' offense in action in a regular-season game.
Edmonds should get plenty of touches, though, particularly because he'll contribute to the passing game. In 28 games over the past two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, he ran for 1,040 yards and three touchdowns while also notching 96 receptions for 713 yards and four scores.
It seems like the 26-year-old has higher upside than Mostert, especially in points-per-reception leagues.
Edmonds should be in fantasy lineups for Week 1, when Miami opens with a home matchup against the New England Patriots. No matter how the game goes, he'll be getting the ball in his hands a good bit.
Sit 'Em: Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets
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A lot of fantasy managers have been high on Breece Hall this summer, as the New York Jets' rookie running back is a talented player with a ton of potential. That's why he often got drafted before the end of the fourth round in many leagues.
Later in the season, the 21-year-old could be the clear-cut starting RB in New York's offense. But that isn't the case right now. In fact, the Jets may even start Michael Carter, who is entering his second NFL season and had some solid showings as a rookie in 2021.
Hall will surely get some touches, though, and his workload will likely increase as he gains experience. However, he cannot be trusted in Week 1, when he'll be making his NFL debut in New York's opener against the Baltimore Ravens.
That's not a favorable matchup for the Jets' running game, either, as the Ravens allowed only 84.5 rushing yards per game last season, the fewest in the NFL.
Leave Hall on the bench until better matchups (and more playing time) arrive.
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Start 'Em: Christian Kirk, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
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The Jaguars signed Christian Kirk to a four-year deal worth up to $84 million to be their No. 1 wide receiver, and he should be one of the top targets in the passing game for second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
However, Kirk wasn't getting taken until the middle rounds of most fantasy football drafts.
The 25-year-old is one of the most intriguing sleeper receivers entering the season, considering he should be heavily involved in a Jacksonville offense that is likely to be better than it was in 2021.
If Lawrence takes a big step forward, playmakers such as Kirk could end up as breakout fantasy players.
The Texas A&M product was a solid player during his four-year tenure with the Arizona Cardinals, but he was often blocked on the depth chart by other top receivers. Still, he's coming off a 2021 season in which he set career highs in catches (77) and receiving yards (982) while also scoring five touchdowns.
The Jags open the season against the Washington Commanders, which allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game (254.9) last year. Plus, Chase Young is still out, so that could give Lawrence more time in the pocket. And because of that, Kirk could have a big debut for Jacksonville, making him worthy of a fantasy start this week.
Sit 'Em: Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks
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The Seattle Seahawks have a receiving corps featuring a pair of strong playmakers in Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. But that unit could be in for some trouble this season, considering Geno Smith is opening the year as the team's starting quarterback.
Coming off three straight seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards, Lockett's fantasy value has taken a hit because of the Seahawks' QB situation. He's been one of the top deep threats in the NFL, but Smith may struggle to connect with the 29-year-old for big plays the way that Russell Wilson did in previous years.
In Week 1, Seattle hosts Wilson's Broncos, and it could be a tough time for Lockett. Not only could the Seahawks' passing attack struggle, but he may also draw coverage from Denver cornerback Patrick Surtain II, who is coming off an impressive rookie season.
If you have no other options, you may need to take a chance on Lockett and hope Smith outperforms expectations. But if there are other strong choices, it may be wise to sit the Kansas State product and wait for a better matchup or a potential QB upgrade.
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