Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 1: Top Matchup Plays and Sleepers for Opening Games

A new NFL season brings with it a fresh round of debates in the fantasy football world.

No, we aren't talking about position rankings or average draft position anymore, but rather who should you start and who should you sit in Week 1.

We'll help solve a few of these arguments with a pair of starts and sits for the season's opening slate.

Start: Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers (at Chicago Bears)

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GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - AUGUST 26: Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers throws a pass in the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks during a preseason game at Lambeau Field on August 26, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

A first-round pick back in 2020, Love finally has the keys to Green Bay's offense following Aaron Rodgers' summer move to New York. Much like his predecessor, Love is seasoned enough to potentially hit the ground running at top speed.

He looked poised and productive this preseason, completing 21-of-33 passes for 193 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed five times for 32 yards, hinting how he can help fantasy managers with his arm and his legs.

The rebuilding Bears don't exactly seem like the most daunting defense on paper, so Love will have a chance to maintain his momentum, if not increase it.

Sit: Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Las Vegas Raiders (at Denver Broncos)

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ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 26: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the Las Vegas Raiders looks on before a preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on August 26, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

Garoppolo hasn't been great in fantasy terms, even in near-perfect conditions on some loaded San Francisco 49ers teams. Now that he's in Las Vegas, he no longer has access to the Niners' many playmakers or Kyle Shanahan's playcalling.

And, oh yeah, he'll tussle first with a Denver defense that allowed the fifth-fewest points to opposing quarterbacks last season, per Yahoo. The Broncos boast an elite secondary, headlined by Patrick Surtain II, who might be the NFL's best cornerback.

This is a brutal matchup—again, for someone who seldom sets the stat sheet ablaze regardless who he's facing. There will be weeks in which Garoppolo offers some fantasy value this season, but this isn't one of them.

Start: Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks (vs. Los Angeles Rams)

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SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 14: Kenneth Walker III #9 of the Seattle Seahawks runs the ball to score a 7 yard touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the second quarter in the NFC Wild Card playoff game at Levi's Stadium on January 14, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

It's possible Walker will wind up having the kind of season that makes it wild to think he ever faced start-or-sit debates. But some might be on the fence about his fantasy outlook, since Seattle crowded the backfield by adding a second-round running back (Zach Charbonnet) for the second consecutive year. Never mind what the first-round selection of Jaxon Smith-Njigba could indicate about the club's desire to air it out.

Don't overthink this, though. Walker is supremely talented, and that's enough to quiet any usage concerns. If he looks like he did last season—1,215 scrimmage yards and nine scores in 15 games (11 starts)—he'll be heavily featured in this offense.

And if he's heavily featured in this contest, his numbers could be incredible. ESPN's Mike Clay called this Los Angeles Rams defense "the shakiest and most unproven I've seen on paper since entering this industry." Walker will have a chances to run all over this unit.

Sit: Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets (vs. Buffalo Bills)

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FLORHAM PARK, NEW JERSEY - JULY 20: Breece Hall #20 of the New York Jets run drills during training camp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center on July 20, 2023 in Florham Park, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

It's never comfortable advising folks to look away from a top-shelf talent like Hall, who is one of the best long-term investments in fantasy football. But there are too many red flags flying at full-mast to act like we can't see them.

This will be his first outings since the ACL tear that cut his rookie campaign short. The Jets will be cautious with him, especially since they have the depth to do just that. They have two starting-caliber backs in Hall and Dalvin Cook, and Michael Carter is no slouch behind them.

Beyond the congestion, this is also a daunting matchup against a stingy defense. And if the Jets have trouble keeping Josh Allen out of the end zone, they may not stick with the running game very long. If your roster is deep enough to replace Hall with a viable alternative, that might be the move to make, at least until his role within this offense gets clearer.