Week 1 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Breaking Down Tricky Fantasy Football Lineup Choices

Week 1 of the NFL regular season always presents a unique set of challenges as fantasy football gets underway again.

Although a handful of the choices will be simple based on an owner's top draft picks, filling out the remaining spots is usually difficult with limited information to make the decisions.

Every season, there are usually a wide variety of surprises in the openers.

Whether it's a player not being as heavily involved as expected or an unexpected player posting a monster score, things are far more volatile than they will be in the months ahead.

As a general rule, it's usually best to use a conservative strategy in Week 1 until there's more information available. With that said, there are still some borderline lineup choices a fantasy owner needs to make, so let's break down where some of those players on the fringe belong.

Start 'Em

Position	Player	Team
QB	Carson Palmer	ARZ
RB	Chris Johnson	NYJ
WR	Reggie Wayne	IND
TE	Zach Ertz	PHI
D/ST	Bears	CHI
K	Greg Zuerlein	STL

Carson Palmer was far more productive after the Arizona Cardinals' bye last season. In eight games, he scored at least 13 fantasy points in all but one contest and hit the 20-point mark three times.

He should pick up right where he left off against a San Diego Chargers defense that ranked 29th vs. the pass in 2013.

Chris Johnson saw his per-carry numbers drop last season and he also didn't flash the same level of explosiveness as he did in years past. Despite that, he still finished the season as the eighth-ranked running back in the league. It makes him a mystery option as he joins the New York Jets.

They face the Oakland Raiders this week, which is a good matchup and makes him worth the risk. Based on the comments passed along by Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, Johnson expects to see plenty of action:

"

At the end of the day, they wouldn't have brought me in here if I wasn't going to have a big role, if I wasn't going to be a big part of this offense," he said. "That's something I'm not worried about. I'm not worried about my role and how it's going to play out. As a free agent, they could've chosen a lot of different guys. They already had some guys in here that had some success. They weren't going to bring me in here for no reason.

"

Reggie Wayne returns to the Indianapolis Colts after missing the second half of last season due to an ACL injury. He's not the elite option he was at his peak with Peyton Manning, but should still see plenty of targets in a high-scoring game against Manning's Denver Broncos.

After trending in the right direction in the latter stages of his rookie campaign, Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz enters the season as an intriguing player at a shallow position. He figures to play a more prominent role starting in Week 1, including in the red zone, making him a fringe top-five TE.

The Chicago Bears defense doesn't figure to emerge as a reliable weekly option. However, the team's offense should have success against the Buffalo Bills, which suggests more attempts for EJ Manuel. An interception return for a touchdown is a definite possibility.

Kicker may be the toughest position of all to forecast simply because the scoring varies so much from week to week.

If you're still seeking a streaming option for the opening week, you could do worse than St. Louis Ram Greg Zuerlein and his powerful leg.

Sit 'Em

Position	Player	Team
QB	Tom Brady	NE
RB	Steven Jackson	ATL
WR	Steve Smith	BAL
TE	Kyle Rudolph	MIN
D/ST	Cardinals	ARZ
K	Dan Bailey	DAL

Tom Brady is still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but that doesn't necessarily translate to the fantasy game. He finished in the middle of the pack last season and will once again be working with an unproven receiving corps while hoping tight end Rob Gronkowski can stay healthy.

Speaking of injuries, the New England Patriots signal-caller was dealing with a calf ailment, but Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes it won't keep him sidelined:

While he's expected to play, he belongs on the bench against a solid Miami Dolphins secondary.

Steven Jackson didn't take a single carry during the preseason as the Atlanta Falcons look to keep him healthy. While it's not a bad move from the team's perspective, fantasy owners should exercise caution in Week 1 after he struggled last season.

Steve Smith has a fresh set of buzz following his move to the Baltimore Ravens. Alas, he wasn't the same receiver at the end of his stay with the Carolina Panthers. He's a complementary option against one of last year's top five pass defenses in the Cincinnati Bengals.

It seems like every season tight end Kyle Rudolph is pegged to finally break out with a huge season. While he did register nine touchdowns in 2012, he had less than 500 yards.

Some may hold out hope this is finally the year, but fantasy owners are better off using a wait-and-see approach.

The Cardinals defense ranked in the top five last season, but could start on a low note. It goes up against a Chargers offense that quietly ranked fifth in yards per game last season. Arizona will be a good option most weeks—just not this one.

Wrapping things up, Dan Bailey isn't worth dropping if you drafted him, but he's also not worth a flier for those who stream kickers weekly either. He should finish in the middle of the pack for the Dallas Cowboys in their opener against the San Francisco 49ers.

Fantasy rankings courtesy of ESPN.com.