Fantasy Football Week 1: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

When the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers kick off the 2021 NFL season Thurdsay night, fantasy football season will be off and running. 

No fantasy manager wants to start the season off with a loss, and that pressure can lead to problems. Some managers may scrutinize every lineup decision, never mind the peripheral choices that are hard enough to make to begin with.

Well, I'm here to help you set your fantasy lineups for both the week and season to come.

Once again in 2021, I'll be reviewing questions posed by Bleacher Report app users and answering some of them here. Hopefully, those answers will aid both the folks asking those questions and fellow readers alike.

Let's get this party started, beginning with the player whose fantasy value spiked more than anyone else's this summer. 

Three's a Crowd

Nick Wass/Associated Press

How would you rank Gus, Sanders, Swift? -- @seahawksgo

We'll rank these running backs in reverse order, because who doesn't like building suspense?

The low man on this list is D'Andre Swift of the Detroit Lions. A groin injury has dogged him throughout the offseason, although head coach Dan Campbell said he's expected to play Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.

However, San Francisco allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs in 2020. The Lions are also likely to fall behind and abandon the run.

In the middle, we have Miles Sanders of the Philadelphia Eagles. The third-year pro is at least healthy to start the season. But we don't know how much Boston Scott will cut into his workload, and the Atlanta Falcons (Philly's opponent in Week 1) were quietly a bottom-10 matchup for running backs last year.

That leaves Gus Edwards of the Baltimore Ravens, who will take over lead back duties after J.K. Dobbins suffered a season-ending ACL tear in the preseason.

The Ravens signed veteran back Le'Veon Bell to their practice squad on Tuesday, and he may eventually eat into Edwards' workload. But in Week 1, Edwards should see a heavy workload against a Las Vegas Raiders defense that allowed 4.6 yards per carry and the ninth-most rushing yards in the NFL last season.

The Call: Gus Edwards

Flex Fun

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"Half PPR, need a flex. Damien Harris, Darrell Henderson or Shenault?" -- @rerescene 

Two names popped up more than any other in this week's questions when I first glanced at them.

One was the aforementioned D'Andre Swift. The other was Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr.

Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence showed some affinity for targeting Shenault in the preseason. And on Sunday, the Jags face a Houston Texans defense that is scaring exactly zero people this season.

However, Shenault is also the riskiest of the three plays here. He'll get the fewest touches of the trio, and if the Jaguars have a second-half lead, they could turn their offense over to running back James Robinson.

From all indications, Darrell Henderson Jr. will be the Los Angeles Rams' lead running back Sunday night against the Chicago Bears. But Sony Michel lurks behind him as a potential goal-line vulture, and the Bears gave up the eighth-fewest PPR points to running backs in 2020.

That brings us to Damien Harris of the New England Patriots, who faces the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Harris isn't much of a factor in the passing game, but he should be New England's short-yardage and goal-line back with quarterback Cam Newton now gone. He projects to see at least 12-15 carries against Miami.

The matchup isn't great, but Harris is the best bet here for a touchdown. He gets the nod.

The Call: Damien Harris

A Good Problem to Have

Bruce Kluckhohn/Associated Press

James Robinson or David Montgomery Week 1 full PPR? -- @ALMNJB

This isn't much of a decision at all. 

David Montgomery of the Chicago Bears had a fantastic second season in the NFL. He gained 1,070 yards on the ground, averaged 4.3 yards per carry, caught 54 passes and finished the season sixth in PPR points among running backs.

However, Montgomery's Week 1 matchup is a nightmare. The Los Angeles Rams allowed only 91.3 rushing yards per game last year (third-fewest in the league) and gave up the fourth-fewest fantasy points to running backs.

Meanwhile, Jacksonville Jaguars running back James Robinson had an even better 2020 season. The undrafted rookie piled up over 1,400 total yards and 10 touchdowns and finished the year as a top-five fantasy option.

While Montgomery's Week 1 matchup is a nightmare, Robinson's is a dream. The Houston Texans were dead last in the league in run defense last year (160.3 yards per game) and gave up the most PPR points to the position last season.

With rookie tailback Travis Etienne out for the season, Robinson should once again be heavily involved in the Jaguars offense. He's the call here, and it isn't close.

The Call: James Robinson

Wondering About Wide Receivers

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

PPR – Jerry Jeudy, DeVonta Smith or Marquez Callaway? Pick one. -- @dandrs2

While the last question was something of a no-brainer, this one is much trickier. All three of these young wide receivers have something going for them.

New Orleans Saints wideout Marquez Callaway became a fantasy darling after tearing up the preseason. He's dirt-cheap at DraftKings in Week 1 and could be the No. 1 wideout for the Saints while Michael Thomas is out.

However, Callaway and the Saints also draw star cornerback Jaire Alexander and a Green Bay Packers defense in Week 1 that gave up the fourth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers in 2020. That knocks him out of the running here.

After DeVonta Smith's fantastic final season at Alabama culminated in a national championship and a Heisman Trophy, the Philadelphia Eagles traded up to No. 10 to snag him in this year's NFL draft. He draws a great matchup with an Atlanta Falcons defense that allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to receivers in 2020, but he's a risk until we see how he fits with Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, his former teammate at Alabama.

The best play of this group is Jerry Jeudy of the Denver Broncos, who opens with a middling matchup against the New York Giants.

Jeudy has a new quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater. But given Bridgewater's penchant for short passes and Jeudy's status as Denver's underneath receiver, the second-year pro seems likely to pace the team in catches and targets.

He has the best floor vs. ceiling fantasy combination in Week 1. 

The Call: Jerry Jeudy

Backfield Befuddlement

Jed Jacobsohn/Associated Press

Who to start at my flex—Raheem Mostert or Chris Carson? -- @irvinggonzalez 

This question wasn't included because of the players involved. It's because there's a lesson here: When a question is asked can be even more important than the question itself.

For the season, you would be hard-pressed to find a fantasy pundit who would recommend Raheem Mostert of the San Francisco 49ers over Chris Carson of the Seattle Seahawks. Carson has topped 80 rushing yards per game in two of the past three seasons and has 21 rushing touchdowns over that three-year span.

Most importantly, Carson doesn't have a talented rookie back lurking behind him on the depth chart waiting to pounce and seize control of the backfield.

But while Trey Sermon might take over at some point this season in San Francisco, Mostert is the lead back for now. And now is all we care about here.

Carson's 2021 season begins in Indianapolis against a Colts team that allowed the fewest rushing yards in the AFC last year. On the other hand, Mostert's campaign begins against a Detroit Lions defense that surrendered 134.9 rushing yards per game, fifth-most in the league.

Mostert has the mostest value in Week 1.

The Call: Raheem Mostert

Three from Five

Emilee Chinn/Associated Press

Start 2 WR and flex, .5 PPR. Jeudy, Shenault, AB, Corey Davis, Diontae Johnson? -- @Twilos

This is emblematic of the problem that a good draft can create for fantasy managers. When all of your options are decent, it can be difficult to determine which guys to roll out there.

One of the starting spots goes to Diontae Johnson, who is now the No. 1 wide receiver in the Steel City. Johnson's 4/40/0 line on seven targets last year in a Week 13 matchup with the Buffalo Bills isn't especially impressive. However, he piled up double-digit targets in 10 games last year. 

Spot No. 2 goes to Tampa Bay's Antonio Brown, who was quietly a top-25 PPR receiver from Week 11 on last year. With the Dallas defense focused on Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, Brown should see plenty of single coverage against a Cowboys team that gave up the fifth-most PPR points to wide receivers in 2020.

The third spot is trickier. Corey Davis of the New York Jets showed a rapport with rookie quarterback Zach Wilson in the preseason, but the Carolina Panthers were a bottom-10 matchup for receivers last season. We already talked up Jerry Jeudy as a startable option in Week 1, but his matchup isn't nearly as good as Laviska Shenault Jr.'s. He's facing a Houston defense that allowed the sixth-most PPR points to wideouts in 2020.

It's close, but Shenault's matchup and a full point per catch is enough to alleviate game-script concerns.

The Call: Diontae Johnson, Antonio Brown, Laviska Shenault Jr.

Don't Get Cute

Aaron Doster/Associated Press

Pick 2…Zeke, Gus Edwards, CEH, Josh Jacobs and Gaskin? -- @mattcliffe

The title here pertains to Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys.

Yes, Elliott draws an absolutely brutal matchup to open the season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' league-leading run defense. But you didn't spend a first-round pick on Elliott so he could sit on your bench. He's a go regardless of matchup.

We've already gone over the juicy matchup that Baltimore's Gus Edwards has with the Lions and their tissue-paper defense in Week 1. He has RB1 upside and should absolutely be in lineups.

Here's where things get tricky.

Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas Raiders draws a brutal Week 1 matchup with Baltimore's No. 8 run defense and now has to contend with new arrival Kenyan Drake in the backfield. He's a pass.

Myles Gaskin of the Miami Dolphins has the best Week 1 matchup of the last three options, as the Patriots were a top-half matchup for running backs in 2020. But the workload concerns that led to his falling into flex territory in drafts this summer haven't gone away.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire of the Kansas City Chiefs is nursing a sore ankle, and the Cleveland Browns gave up the seventh-fewest PPR points per game to running backs last year. But he's expected to play Sunday at Arrowhead, and he was drafted as a high-end RB2 for a reason.

Roll with the players you drafted as starters in Week 1.

The Call: Ezekiel Elliott, Gus Edwards, Clyde Edwards-Helaire

DraftKings DFS Question of the Week

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Who is the best discount WR play in DFS for Week 1? -- @darrylrulz21

One of the stars of this week's Start/Sit column is going to be all over DraftKings tournament lineups in Week 1. With a DK DFS Value of $5,600 salary and top-10 upside against the Raiders, Gus Edwards may never be more popular than he is right now.

While Edwards should help you free up some cash at running back, DK players looking to anchor a lineup with a tasty Patrick Mahomes/Travis Kelce stack also need to find some wide receiver help on the cheap.

Fortunately, there's no shortage of potential value plays.

Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts (vs. SEA) [DK DFS Value $4,100]

With T.Y. Hilton (neck) on injured reserve and Carson Wentz expected to play Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, Pittman could be in for a robust target share against a Seattle pass defense that gave up the seventh-most DK points to wide receivers in 2020.

A.J. Green, Arizona Cardinals (at TEN) [DK DFS Value $3,800]

There will be no shortage of managers trotting out DeAndre Hopkins this week against a Titans team that surrendered the fifth-most DK points to wide receivers last season. But Green impressed in training camp and can be slotted into lineups for a full four grand less than D-Hop.

Marvin Jones Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars (at HOU) [DK DFS Value $3,600]

While Jones may not have the sizzle of fellow Jaguars wideouts D.J. Chark Jr. and Laviska Shenault Jr., he has proved to be a reliable fantasy option and red-zone threat. He'll catch Trevor Lawrence's first touchdown pass just because no one expects him to.

Rapid Fire

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

As you may have noticed, we haven't had any quarterback quandaries yet. Most fantasy managers know who they will be starting under center in Week 1.

But there are still a few managers with decisions to make at the position, so we'll kick off the Week 1 edition of Rapid Fire there.

Have more Week 1 lineup questions? Leave them in the comments. I try to spend at least a few hours there each Friday and Saturday to help readers set their lineups.

Cousins or Fitzpatrick? -- @jangobango

Neither Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings or Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Washington Football Team are fantasy options that inspire cartwheels. But Cousins has quietly been a low-end QB1 in two of the last three years, and he faces a Cincinnati Bengals defense in Week 1 that isn't exactly imposing.

Joe Burrow or Ryan Tannehill? -- @seriousfan120

Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals got some buzz as a breakout candidate in fantasy circles this summer, while Ryan Tannehill of the Tennessee Titans is once again the Rodney Dangerfield of fantasy quarterbacks. But Tannehill gets an Arizona Cardinals defense in Week 1 that has all kinds of problems at cornerback. His first game with Julio Jones should be a good one.

Saquon, Hunt, Edmonds…2 spots? -- @vincewetmore

With Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants still working his way back from an ACL tear, workload is a genuine concern. But his rehab continues to progress well, and Kareem Hunt of the Cleveland Browns and Arizona's Chase Edmonds have similar worries about how many touches they'll get. Barkley's upside earns him one spot, while the other goes to the back (Edmonds) facing a Titans defense that allowed the seventh-most PPR points to running backs in 2020.

Saquon, Tee Higgins or DeVonta Smith? -- @KevDawg248

Knowing the scoring here would make a big difference. If this is a standard scoring league, Barkley is the play. He'll garner as many touches as the two receivers put together even if his workload is somewhat scaled back. However, the balance shifts in PPR formats. Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals is a more known and proven commodity than DeVonta Smith, and he gets a Vikings defense that surrendered the eighth-most fantasy points to receivers in 2020.

D'Andre Swift or Deebo Samuel? .5 PPR. -- @alex_rowland

D'Andre Swift and San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel have polar opposite outlooks in Week 1. Swift is a banged-up running back who could cede touches to Jamaal Williams, and he has a rotten matchup with the Niners. Samuel could see a bump in target share with Brandon Aiyuk nursing a hamstring injury, and he's facing a Lions defense that gave up the second-most PPR points to wide receivers last season. Roll with Samuel.

DeVonta Smith, Hollywood Brown or Ruggs III? -- @BHWM

After spending most of this article steering people away from DeVonta Smith, it's only fair to give the kid a moment in the sun. Henry Ruggs III of the Las Vegas Raiders and Marquise Brown of the Baltimore Ravens are a pair of wildly inconsistent downfield threats who have yet to live up to their potential. With a plus matchup against a bad Falcons defense, Smith is an easy "yes" here.

Trade Tyreek Hill for Saquon Barkley and Keenan Allen? -- @rayanmughal01

Apparently, it's Saquon Barkley week. Whether trading Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill for Barkley and Los Angeles Chargers wideout Keenan Allen makes sense depends largely on your tolerance for risk and need for help at running back. Barkley is an admittedly risky add, but he could provide a massive boost in the backfield if healthy. The drop-off from Hill to Allen also isn't that steep, as both were top-10 receivers last season. It's worth doing this deal if you need RB help.

Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com for details.

Fantasy points allowed data courtesy of My Fantasy League.

Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow him on Twitter at @IDPSharks.