Fantasy Football 2014: Week 1 Projections and Lineup Advice for Top Players

Just like the real NFL teams, fantasy football players all start the season with a fresh slate full of endless possibilities. Nobody wants that blissful optimism to reach a screeching halt with a Week 1 loss.

Does opening the year 0-1 end any chances of a playoff run? Of course not, but such an agonizing wait for the first win can drive the most tranquil fantasy manager mad.

Unfortunately, we don't hold a direct outcome over the NFL games. As great as it would be to steal Bill Belichick's headset and tell Tom Brady to air it out, we don't possess that power. The best we can do is construct an optimal lineup.

You know to start Peyton Manning, LeSean McCoy and Calvin Johnson, but the decisions get tougher for other big-name players. So after projecting how the upper-echelon superstars will perform, let's see if certain other intriguing players warrant a spot on the Week 1 starting squad.

Player	Opponent	Projections
Quarterback
Peyton Manning	Indianapolis Colts	340 YDs, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Dew Brees	at Atlanta Falcons	330 YDs, 2 TDs
Andrew Luck	at Denver Broncos	290 YDS, 4 TDS, 2 INTs
Matthew Stafford	New York Giants	280 YDs, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Tom Brady	at Miami Dolphins	260 YDs, 2 TDs
Running Back
LeSean McCoy	Jacksonville Jaguars	120 Rush YDs, 40 Rec. YDs, 2 TDs
Jamaal Charles	Tennessee Titans	115 Rush YDs, 65 Rec. YDs, 1 TD
Adrian Peterson	at St. Louis Rams	134 Rush YDs, 1TD
Matt Forte	Buffalo Bills	125 Rush YDs, 66 Rec. YDs
DeMarco Murray	San Francisco 49ers	100 Rush Yds., 45 Rec. YDs, 1 TD
Wide Receiver
Calvin Johnson	New York Giants	9 Rec., 140 YDs, 2 TDs
Demaryius Thomas	Indianapolis Colts	11 Rec., 145 YDs, 1 TD
Brandon Marshall	Buffalo Bills	13 Rec., 150 Rec. YDs
Dez Bryant	San Francisco 49ers	8 Rec., 80 YDs, 1 TD
A.J. Green	at Baltimore Ravens	7 Rec., 90 YDs, 1 TD
Tight End
Jimmy Graham	at Atlanta Falcons	9 Rec., 105 YDS, 1 TD
Rob Gronkowski	at Miami Dolphins	4 Rec., 50 YDs, 1 TD
Julius Thomas	Indianapolis Colts	6 Rec., 85 YDs, 1 TD
Vernon Davis	at Dallas Cowboys	4 Rec., 40 YDs
Greg Olsen	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	8 Rec., 75 YDs

Robert Griffin III, QB, Washington Redskins (at Houston Texans)

Robert Griffin III's season of redemption may have to wait a week before kicking into high gear.

After a sensational rookie campaign, the multi-faceted quarterback vastly underwhelmed last season, suffering a sophomore slump while never looking fully healthy.

There's also the matter of his falling out with jettisoned head coach Mike Shanahan, detailed in Les Carpenter's piece on Bleacher Report. Griffin admitted to Carpenter that he's still hurt and confused by Shanahan's actions, yet he's ready to move on.

"I don’t need to try and understand what happened last year," Griffin said. "I need to continue to grow as a football player, as a man, as a person for this team. That’s been the goal this entire offseason. It’s not to try and understand what happened last year."

Move on he shall, but not against the Houston Texans, who boasted the league's No. 3 pass defense last season. Despite all their offensive woes, the defense never wavered. 

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

They also continue to excel in batted passes, leading the league with 70 tipped passes off the line of scrimmage over the past three years, per FiveThirtyEight's Reuben Fischer-Baum. J.J. Watt alone has generated more deflections than the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars.

After beginning the 2013 with three 300-yard games, Griffin has since not reached that mark. A rebound is possible, but not certain. Considering the rough matchup, I'd take a week to scout him while safely storing him on the bench.

Projections: 170 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 35 rushing yards

Verdict: Sit

Joique Bell, RB, Detroit Lions (vs. New York Giants)

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Reggie Bush is the star, the big name even casual football fans recognize. Yet Joique Bell proved just as worthy a fantasy option from the Lions backfield.

Aside from grabbing eight touchdowns on the ground, Bell made his living in Point Per-Reception (PPR) formats, grabbing 53 receptions for 547 yards. He finished with 1,197 total yards, 56 more than workhorse running back Zac Stacy.

Bell enjoyed his best fantasy game against the New York Giants last season, combining 91 rushing yards and a touchdown with 10 catches and 63 receiving yards. What do you know, Bell is facing the Giants this Monday night.

Bush suited up against New York, yet he received 12 carries to Bell's 20. Over the season's final three games, each running back touched the ball 53 times, including receptions. Don't be shocked if Bell snatches a few more looks between the tackles under a new coaching scheme.

He's a worthy No. 2 running back or flex play for his Monday night clash.

Projections: 18 carries, 77 rushing yards, 1 TD, 5 receptions, 35 yards

Verdict: Start

Eric Decker, WR, New York Jets (vs. Oakland Raiders)

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

How will Eric Decker transition from playing with Peyton Manning to teaming with Geno Smith? Week 1 gives us a first glimpse at some clarity.

Drafters are now far too smart to ignore such a seismic change in teammates. Despite tallying 87 receptions, 1,288 yards and 11 touchdowns as part of the Denver Broncos' record-setting offense, he was the 34th wideout drafted on average, per FantasyPros.

During the 2011 season, Decker flashed star upside to begin the season. With Kyle Orton under center, he caught 20 passes for 270 yards and four touchdowns. Then Tim Tebow wrestled away the job but let's not talk about that.

While overly erratic, Geno Smith often amassed 6.88 yards per attempt during an inconsistent rookie season. He showed the ability to throw a deep spiral and now he has an actual NFL starting wide receiver at his disposal.

Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

Don't go expecting Decker to finish as a No. 1 wideout, but he might actually become a draft-day bargain considering how far he fell. Oakland ranked No. 20 in passing offense with a 66.0 opposing completion percentage. This is the matchup for him to prove he's still fantasy relevant.

Look for him to do so by finding the end zone in his New York debut. Over the past three seasons, the 6'3" star has scored 32 touchdowns, eight of which occurred in the pre-Peyton era.

Projections: 6 catches, 68 yards, 1 TD

Verdict: Start