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

The 2020 fantasy football season is finally here, and it's already bringing us plenty of chaos. Whether you're dealing with banged up players like Mike Evans or Miles Sanders or you don't feel good about some of your players' matchups this week, most fantasy managers already have some tough decisions to make in Week 1.

Who to Start in Fantasy Football

If you need some help setting your lineup as you look to open the season with a 1-0 start, here's some start 'em, sit 'em advice for Week 1.

Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 1 Quarterbacks

Start Cam Newton (NE vs MIA): Cam Newton has been criminally underdrafted for most of the offseason, and there's a decent chance you were able to draft him as your No. 2 QB. Ignore that label this week, and plug him into your starting lineup. It's no secret that a healthy Cam is a terrific fantasy producer (on a per-game basis was QB8 in 2018 and QB5 in 2017), and he opens his New England Patriots career with a great matchup against the Miami Dolphins (second most fantasy points per game to QBs in 2019).

Sit Aaron Rodgers (GB at MIN): If Aaron Rodgers' reputation had you excited to pick him late in fantasy football this year, you're still going to want to wait at least a week to start him. The Minnesota Vikings were a brutal matchup for QBs last year (seventh fewest fantasy points allowed, fifth in Football Outsiders' pass defense DVOA rankings), and Rodgers posted just 14.4 and 8.3 fantasy points in two meetings between the rivals last year.

Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 1 Running Backs

Cam Akers (LAR vs DAL): One of the few rookie running backs that has a real shot to lead their backfields in Week 1, don't let Cam Akers' RB3 listing on the Rams' depth chart worry you. These preseason depth charts mean very little, and the Rams' Darrell Henderson is also nursing a hamstring injury. Akers was the Rams' top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, suggesting they view him as a lot more than a committee running back.

Sit Jonathan Taylor (IND at JAX): On the other side of the rookie coin, Jonathan Taylor's Week 1 outlook is pretty dismal. He may eventually take over lead back duties for the Indianapolis Colts, but he's going to start the season behind Marlon Mack on rushing downs and behind Nyheim Hines on passing downs. Keep him stashed on your bench for now.

Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 1 Wide Receivers

Start DeSean Jackson (PHI at WAS): With Alshon Jeffery out and Jalen Reagor banged up, DeSean Jackson is the Philadelphia Eagles' WR1 in Week 1. He exploded for an 8-reception, 154-yard game in Week 1 last year (also against Washington) before injuries limited him to just 14 more snaps through the rest of the season. That explosive upside means he's still got a huge ceiling as Philly's lead wideout this week, and that's especially true in a matchup with a Washington Football Team defense that allowed above-average fantasy production to WRs while ranking 27th in pass defense DVOA in 2019.

Sit Mike Evans (TB at NO): Mike Evans gets a really tough matchup this week against Marshon Lattimore, who held him to just a combined 4 receptions for 69 yards in two matchups in 2019. Making matters worse, Evans is also being listed as questionable with a hamstring injury. It hurts to sit someone you probably spent an early-round pick on, but Evans is just too risky to rely on in Week 1.

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Jason Schandl is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Jason Schandl also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username Jaymun. 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 his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.