Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 1: Top Matchup Plays and Sleepers for Opening Games
The 2024 NFL season is finally upon us. For fantasy fans, this means it's time to shift from draft strategies to in-season matchups and roster management.
Week 1 will kick off with the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens on Thursday. The week brings a full slate—byes won't begin until Week 5—along with a few difficult lineup decisions. Early season matchups can be difficult to predict since teams aren't exactly the same as they were a year ago.
You'll find a little help here, with some early start 'em and sit 'em picks based on past performances, projected roles and roster makeup. We'll also dive into a couple of sleeper options for managers in deeper leagues.
Start 'Em: Aaron Jones, RB, Minnesota Vikings
1 of 5
At New York Giants
We're going to avoid obvious must-starts here, like Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, Breece Hall and the rest of the "safe" running backs who pretty much are never coming out of starting lineups.
During his heyday with the Green Bay Packers, Aaron Jones was in the weekly "must-star" category. That's no longer the case, as he battled injuries throughout 2023 and is now with the Minnesota Vikings.
Durability will be a concern for the 29-year out this season, and he's sure to command defensive attention with Sam Darnold under center for Minnesota. That said, he's a fine play against the New York Giants in Week 1.
The Giants have a stout defensive front and should be better than they were against the run a year ago (31st in yards per carry allowed). Jones carries significant point-per-reception (PPR) value, though, and with only Ty Chandler on the active roster behind him, he should see a heavy workload.
Sit 'Em: Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
2 of 5
At Atlanta Falcons
Najee Harris is no longer an every-down back for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Thanks to last year's emergence by Jaylen Warren, Harris might not even see the bulk of the backfield work this season—Warren was the more explosive player.
There will still be weeks when Harris is worth a flex start, though, because of his PPR upside. This, however, is not one of those weeks.
Atlanta had one of the league's most underrated defenses last season—it ranked ninth in yards per carry allowed—and typically fared well against inside runners like Harris. It won't have the same defense, of course, but with Raheem Morris now running the show, it shouldn't see a major regression.
Harris projects as a boom-or-bust, touchdown-dependent option in Week 1. Managers should look elsewhere unless they're extremely thin at the RB position.
Start 'Em: Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3 of 5
Vs. Washington Commanders
Managers aren't going to find many opportunities to sit Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans this season. He's been a steady fantasy producer for a decade, and he formed a strong rapport with quarterback Baker Mayfield last season.
"I just think we're in a very good spot, the two of us right now. It's the same with Chris as well," Mayfield said, per Scott Smith of the team's official website.
Chris Godwin is more of a hit-or-miss option in fantasy, but he has a strong chance to reward managers in Week 1. As Mayfield noted, Godwin does have chemistry with his quarterback, and he has a chance to thrive with rookie Jalen McMillan pushing him back in the slot.
The Washington Commanders defense should be better under new head coach Dan Quinn, but a quick turnaround in pass defense is unlikely. The Commanders didn't invest nearly enough in their secondary this offseason, and no team allowed more passing yards in 2023.
With rookie QB Jayden Daniels leading a new-look Washington offense, this game has shootout potential, which is good for Godwin.
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Sit 'Em: Calvin Ridley, WR, Tennessee Titans
4 of 5
At Chicago Bears
Week 1 will provide fans with their first extended look at Calvin Ridley as the Tennessee Titans' newest playmaker. While the Titans do employ DeAndre Hopkins and Tyler Boyd, Calvin Ridley is expected to be their new No. 1 receiver.
Hopkins has been dealing with a knee injury, and his status for Week 1 remains uncertain. That makes Ridley a tempting option for the opening slate.
However, this simply isn't a great matchup. The Chicago Bears defense showed a ton of growth down the stretch last season, and it has a strong defensive front that will present problems for Tennessee's shaky offensive line.
Ridley is also likely to draw frequent matchups with standout Chicago corner Jaylon Johnson.
Expect Will Levis' growth under Brian Callahan to take a few weeks to really yield results. Ridley will be a much more attractive fantasy option in October than he is right now.
Week 1 Sleepers
5 of 5
Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford won't be a trustworthy weekly option this season, and he'll be even less viable if and when Nick Chubb returns to the lineup. However, he should see a heavy workload against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1.
The Browns have serious questions at offensive tackle, and Dallas' pass rush remains dangerous, Cleveland should look to counter with a lot of running against a defense that ranked 15th in yards per carry allowed last season.
D'Onta Foreman is a threat to steal the red-zone work, so Ford is a mid-tier flex option at best. However, his PPR floor (44 receptions in 2023) is high enough to justify a start in deeper leagues.
Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Green Bay Packers
How quickly will the Philadelphia Eagles' new-look secondary jell in 2024? That's the big question managers of Green Bay Packers pass-catchers should be asking this week.
The reality is that we don't know. Philly's defense should be better than it was a year ago (31st in passing yards allowed), thanks to an influx of DBs and the hiring of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. However, the Eagles didn't play their starters at all in the preseason, so there could be growing pains.
It's worth taking a flier on Packers wideout Dontayvion Wicks in deeper leagues this week. The Virginia product emerged as a potent receiving threat as a rookie (581 yards, 4 TDs), and there's a decent chance he evolves into one of Jordan Love's go-to targets in 2024.
This week, the Eagles are likely to focus on slowing Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed and Luke Musgrave, which will leave opportunities open for Wicks.
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