Week 1 Fantasy Picks: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em for Dolphins vs Patriots

Two AFC East rivals are set to clash in Week 1 as the Miami Dolphins travel to Foxborough to take on the New England Patriots. New England is currently a 3-point favorite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

If you need some help with your fantasy football lineup, here's some start 'em, sit 'em advice for this Week 1 clash.

Damien Harris Fantasy

Start Damien Harris, RB, New England Patriots: Week 1 will be a huge opportunity for Damien Harris, who was recently solidified as the Patriots' No. 1 running back following the Sony Michel trade. The Dolphins' defense isn't necessarily a mouth-watering matchup, but they did rank just 22nd in Football Outsiders' run defense DVOA metric last season. Additionally, the backfield could be solely his and James White's. Rookie Rhamondre Stevenson is nursing a dislocated finger, which could shrink the rushing options for Bill Belichick on Sunday. Don't be surprised if Harris finds the end zone at least one in this one. Plus, the spread suggests New England may be nursing a slim lead late and trying to run out the clock.

Myles Gaskin Fantasy

Start Myles Gaskin, RB, Miami Dolphins: The other starting running back is a good option in this matchup. Myles Gaskin ranks as just RB30 on The Duel's Week 1 PPR rankings, but this game provides little fantasy excitement for the rest of your options. It should be a slog based on the 43.5 over/under and 3-point spread. New England's defense also ranked dead last in run defense DVOA last season. The defense will be improved with several starters returning, but there's not a ton of Dolphins starters we'd give the nod to in this week. If you have to choose, go with the lead back in Gaskin.

Jakobi Meyers Fantasy

Much unlike the rushing defense, both the Dolphins and Patriots' secondaries excelled in 2020. Miami rated as the league's sixth-best unit by pass defense DVOA metrics last year. Add in the 1.31 passing touchdowns this secondary gave up, which ranked as the second fewest, and it spells trouble for New England's pass-catchers like Jakobi Meyers. Not to mention the rookie quarterback Mac Jones making his NFL debut. This won't be a high-powered aerial assault for either side, making the Pats' receivers one to avoid.

Jaylen Waddle Fantasy

Sit Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins: Fantasy managers should consider sitting Jaylen Waddle for many of the same reasons. This game will be won on the ground. New England gave up just 34.11 PPR fantasy points to opposing wideouts in 2020, ranking in the top 10. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa notched only 145 passing yards against the Pats in Week 15 and expect a similar outcome in this one. There's just not enough targets and passing yards to like the receivers in this matchup.

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Adam Taylor McKillop is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Adam Taylor also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username atmckillop. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.