NFL Week 1 Fantasy Football Live Lineup Advice and Updates

Before I wrap this week's live blog, a quick bit of advice.

Relax.

No one wants to start the season 0-1. Or to see one of their star players lay an egg. But it's going to happen. It already has.

Enjoy the first full Sunday of NFL football this year. Let the chips fall where they may.

Then freak out tomorrow.

No, really--don't. It's a long season.

Pace your panic attacks.

There's no shortage of excitement surrounding the Los Angeles Chargers offense after the team hired Mike McDaniel as OC.

Now, the Bolts open the season against a Cardinals defense that ranked 27th in the league a year ago.

Justin Herbert. Omarion Hampton. Ladd McConkey. Quentin Johnston.

Start 'em if you've got 'em.

There are some concerns with Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty after he injured his ankle in the preseason--we could see more Mike Washington Jr. against Miami than we might usually.

But against a Dolphins defense that was bad before purging veteran talent in the offseason, Jeanty is at the very least a high-end RB2--and the potential is there for a huge opener if he's 100 percent.

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson was among the top-five tight ends last year in both receiving yards and catches. With Jordyn Tyson hurt he's the No. 2 option in the Saints passing attack And the Saints are going to have to throw the ball Sunday to keep up with the Detroit Lions.

He's quietly a top-10 fantasy play in Week 1.

Fantasy managers sometimes have a tendency to overthink things early. To get caught up in matchups and self-doubt and get cute with Week 1 lineup decisions.

Yes, Josh Allen's Week 1 matchup is bad--the last time he faced Houston he was sacked a career-high eight times.

But we've known about this matchup for months, and you didn't draft Allen early to sit him out of the gate.

Start him--with tempered expectations.

No real surprises here--we already knew McMillan would sit and that Odunze was expected to play, although the latter remains a risky fantasy play in Week 1.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan was already a no-brainer start, but with the Chicago Bears all kinds of beat up entering the season, batterymate Jalen Coker is a sneaky-good WR3 or "flex" play.

Now if Bryce Young can just get them the ball.

Stop snickering.

This is actually good news for fantasy managers who have Darnold or Jaxon Smith-Njigba rostered. A hip injury could have lingered for weeks, and while Drew Lock played relatively well against the New England Patriots, the sooner Darnold's back the better it is for JSN.

Many fantasy managers probably don't have much recourse but to start Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins against the Jacksonville Jaguars

But those who have a viable alternative should seriously consider giving him the week off. Jacksonville allowed just 85.6 rushing yards per game last year--fewest in the NFL.

Last year, no team in the NFL allowed more rushing yards per game than the 147.1 yards the Cincinnati Bengals surrendered.

There are legitimate concerns about the backfield spilt between Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell in 2026.

But Irving should absolutely be in fantasy lineups this week as an RB2 with RB1 upside.

Nothing, apparently--at least for a while.

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown injuring his ankle in the season opener was bad. News that he could miss six weeks is that much worse--especially after a disastrous Patriots debut from Romeo Doubs.

Mack Hollins and Demario Douglas will be popular names on the waiver wire in Week 2.

This is an easy call.

In theory, you could wait on Nabers and then pivot to Worthy if Nabers doesn't play. But Worthy could just as easily catch one pass for eight yards as have a decent game.

This manager has a viable Plan B in Metcalf who draws a plus matchup to start the season against the Atlanta Falcons.

Roll with DK.

Fade Alec Pierce.

Good matchup aside, he's not 100 percent. His quarterback is coming off an Achilles tear. There's just too much uncertainty to trust him as more than a boom/bust "flex" option--and it's likely to be the latter.

Mind, you, this isn't to say that Adam Schefter is lying. Or that the Raiders don't hope that tight end Brock Bowers won't miss much time after a meniscus trim earlier this week.

But missing just one game after such a procedure would essentially be unheard of. 2-4 games is a more realistic timetable.

Michael Mayer isn't Bowers. But he's a top-12 fantasy option while Bowers is out--starting today against the Miami Dolphins.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce is coming off the first 1,000-yard season of his career. He got a fat payday in the offseason.

And where possible he should be on fantasy benches in Week 1.

The Baltimore Ravens struggled against the pass a year ago. But Pierce has been banged up all summer long, he'll likely be on a snap count Sunday and he's a high-variance wideout even when he is healthy.

To say he's a risky start this week is an understatement.

Usually weather doesn't become a major consideration for fantasy managers until later in the season.

But with multiple games being played in sweltering heat today and players not yet in mid-season form in terms of conditioning, the heat could have an impact in Week 1.

Don't sit a player just because it's hot. But if you are deciding between similarly-ranked players for say a "flex" spot and one's playing in a dome...

Ain't saying. Just saying.

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers is one of Week 1's trickier calls.

On one hand, he logged full practices Thursday and Friday and the Giants face the rival Cowboys at home in primetime--a showcase game.

On the other hand, from all indications he's a true game-time decision, and the Sunday night start makes waiting for him risky.

If you have a player you can pivot to Sunday or Monday night, Nabers is worth waiting for. But don't risk a zero on the hope he'll play.

There's no guarantee he will.

The Chicago Bears are expected to have their full compliment of passing-game weapons Sunday--despite a calf injury, wide receiver Rome Odunze is expected to play.

He's a risky WR3 start in a matchup where he could be on a snap count.

It's good news for fantasy managers of Jeremiyah Love that the rookie is expected to play in Week 1.

However, after spraining his ankle in the preseason, Love could cede more work than usual to Tyler Allgeier against the Los Angeles Chargers.

He's a so-so RB2 start against a stout Chargers defense.

After spending most of the summer as one of the biggest fantasy hype darlings, seeing rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling of the San Francisco 49ers go down in the opener was bad.

Learning that the youngster will miss at least a month with a sprained ankle is that much worse.

If Thursday's win over the Rams was any indication, we're going to see a lot of Deebo Samuel in September.

The good news is that wide receiver Garrett Wilson and the New York Jets draw a plus matchup to open the season with the Tennessee Titans.

The bad news is that Geno Smith is New York's quarterback--and it's the Jets.

If New York's offense struggles out of the gate, fantasy managers of the likes of Wilson and running back Breece Hall are going to get uneasy--quickly.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers is set up well to start the 2026 season with a bang in a highly favorable fantasy matchup with the Colts.

The biggest potential pitfall could be game script--if the Ravens get out to a big lead the second half could feature more Derrick Henry and less throwing the ball.

But Flowers is still a locked-and-loaded fantasy WR1 in Week 1.

If you drafted Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London or tight end Kyle Pitts Sr., there isn't much recourse but to start them and hope.

But the Falcons starting a banged-up third-string quarterback doesn't exactly send one into the season brimming with confidence.