Week 1 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Advice on Top Fantasy Football Stars in Opening Games

So, you made it through mock-draft season, aced every step of your pre-draft preparation process and assembled a roster sure to keep you competitive for the 2019 fantasy football campaign.

Nothing left to do but kick up your feet and savor the long-awaited return of NFL action, right?

Not exactly. Or, not at all, actually. Picking the right players is simply step one. In-season roster management is often not only the tougher task, but also the one separating league champions from bubbles-bursted fantasy dreamers.

Your roster is only as good as you allow it to be. To maximize its potential, you must ace the difficult calls of starting the right players and sitting the wrong ones.

We'll point you in the right direction with starts and sits at every position, plus a closer look at three of our top recommendations.

Start 'Em

QB: Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (at Miami)

RB: Kerryon Johnson, Detroit Lions (at Arizona)

WR: Josh Gordon, New England Patriots (vs. Pittsburgh)

TE: Hunter Henry, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Indianapolis)

D/ST: Detroit Lions (at Arizona)

Sit 'Em

QB: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons (at Minnesota)

RB: Damien Williams, Kansas City Chiefs (at Jacksonville)

WR: Jarvis Landry, Cleveland Browns (vs. Tennessee)

TE: Jimmy Graham, Green Bay Packers (at Chicago)

D/ST: Houston Texans (at New Orleans)

Start: Lamar Jackson at Miami

Once Lamar Jackson snagged the starting quarterback spot in Baltimore last season, he set the fantasy world on fire. From his first start in Week 11 through the end of the season, he tallied the eighth-most fantasy points at the position, per Fantasy Pros, and averaged an absurd 17 rushes for 79.4 yards.

The second-year dual threat QB is almost guaranteed to get off on the right foot this season.

His first assignment is a Dolphins defense that surrendered 391.1 yards per game in 2018 (fourth-highest in the NFL), then unashamedly leaned into a tank job this summer. Leading tackler Kiko Alonso and top two quarterback sackers Robert Quinn and Cameron Wake all found new homes over the offseason.

Now, consider the location—sunny South Florida. An early September afternoon tilt there might sweat out some quarterbacks, but Jackson will feel right at home, because he is. He grew up in nearby Pompano Beach and played his high school ball in Boynton Beach.

Finally, he might offer more passing upside than people realize. The Ravens want more of an aerial element to this offense, and the former Heisman Trophy winner tallied more than 3,500 passing yards in his sophomore and junior seasons at Louisville.

Sit: Matt Ryan at Minnesota

Mike Stewart/Associated Press

Matt Ryan looks an awful lot like a week-to-week starter, and he probably is for the bulk of his fantasy owners. Just last season, he was the second-highest scoring player in fantasy while posting his second-best marks in passing yards (4,924), passing touchdowns (35) and completion percentage (69.4). The only time he beat those numbers was in 2016, when he was the NFL's MVP.

All of that said, this is one of the few times it might make sense to bench him, provided you have a serviceable replacement. That has less to do with Ryan himself than it does the matchup.

CBS Sports' Dave Richard explained:

"Ryan's last two games against Mike Zimmer's Vikings totaled one touchdown and two interceptions with a low-for-him 63.3 completion percentage. His last great game against Minnesota came in 2014 when Zimmer didn't have a complete secondary or a scary pass rush. He's had both since then and it's rattled Ryan. Furthermore, Julio Jones has been held in check his whole career against Zimmer's scheme, which isn't surprising since the Vikings have afforded six receivers to get over 100 yards over the past three seasons!"

This Minnesota defense is frighteningly good. In 2018, the Vikings allowed the third-fewest passing yards per game (196.3) and nearly had as many interceptions (12) as touchdowns allowed (15, the NFL's lowest mark). They also tallied 50 sacks (tied for third-most), which is a scary-high number for Atlanta's inexperienced offensive line.

Start: Josh Gordon vs. Pittsburgh

Josh Gordon's reinstatement at least moved him back to a prominent place on the Patriots' passing hierarchy, if not to the top of their post-Rob Gronkowski passing offense.

Gordon played three games without Gronkowski last season. In those contests, Gordon was targeted 28 times, which he turned into 13 receptions for 311 yards.

"Gordon was nearly a top-20 receiver from Week 5 through Week 14 last season, and he still boasts massive statistical upside, with rare size and speed for the position," ESPN's Eric Karabell wrote. "He is a perfect fit for a Patriots offense that lacks wide receiver depth and anyone reliable at tight end."

With Tom Brady under center and a raucous Gillette Stadium behind him, Gordon looks primed for WR1 production this weekend.

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Still can't figure out your fantasy football lineup for the week? Check out Your Fantasy Fire Drill with Matt Camp, and he'll solve your problems live. Submit your questions and tune in every Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET, only on the B/R app.