Fantasy Football Week 1 Start 'Em Sit 'Em
by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen
Sportz Nation - 9/9/2026
Quarterbacks
Start 'Em
Baker Mayfield vs CIN
Now that his contract dispute is officially come to an end, Baker Mayfield can put his full focus towards his week one matchup against the Bengals. Sure, the Bengals' defensive line has improved and Mayfield lost his #1 target in Mike Evans, but I still believe this game has all the makings to be high scoring.
I do not trust the Bengals' secondary against a play-action heavy scheme the Buccaneers are likely to run. Cincinnati did not really prioritize secondary help in the offseason at all, making me believe Mayfield could have a field day passing the ball. His weapons are healthy, he is healthy, and I think he is going to have a big-time performance against a team that had one of the worst defenses in football a year ago.
Jared Goff vs NO
While I do think the Saints defense will be average this season, this is an extremely tough draw to start the season. Jared Goff is prone to fast season starts, which I think continues in full force come Sunday.
Having now had a full year under his belt without Ben Johnson, I think Goff and the Lions offense as a whole will be much improved from the inconsistency they showed last year. Goff has all the weapons he could ask for, in the run as well as pass game, which should open himself up for the opportunity to throw for 205+ yards and multiple TDs. If he can limit the turnovers to open the season, Goff should be a must-start against a new-look Saints defense that may need time to develop.
Sit 'Em
Drake Maye at SEA
I fully realize a lot of New England fans are not going to like this take, and in no way do I think Drake Maye will come up on this list again this season, but he should not start on your teams this week unless you didn't draft a backup QB.
Seattle's defense may have lost a few pieces over the offseason, but they are still one of the best in the league, and the Patriots have to fly across the country and face the 12th man in the first game of the season. Drake Maye's connection to AJ Brown already looks crisp, but I do think it will take a feeling-out period before they have enough chemistry to overcome those odds.
Jayden Daniels at PHI
I'm still on the fence for the Commanders' season this year, even if I do believe we'll see 2024 Jayden Daniels reappear. The Commanders' offensive line has a lot of questions heading into the season, and for them to have to go to Philly in a HUGE NFC East matchup right away is going to spell trouble.
Philly's pass rush is good, but their secondary is one of the elites in the league. Even the Commanders adding Stefon Diggs to pair with Terry McLaurin won't mean much when they have to square up with Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, and the rest of this deep and talented defense.
Running Backs
Start 'Em
D'Andre Swift vs CAR
Not a lot of analysts and experts have talked about the potential year D'Andre Swift could have this year. As the clear RB1 in what could be a top-5 total offense in 2026, Swift has a great chance to be a legitimate starter right out of the gates.
Swift's passing upside as well as his rushing volume make him a very interesting prospect against a Carolina defense that struggled at times to stop the run last season. Especially in PPR leagues, I expect Swift to be a valuable and vital piece in a Bears offense that could put up a lot of points on the board Week 1.
Jordan Mason vs GB
Jordan Mason is another guy who is getting severely undervalued in my eyes. Of course, there is a major ball security concern with Mason, which is why his stock is not as high as it maybe should be. Yet, my expectation is that he has honed in on that hole in his game and will come out as the RB1 for Minnesota in 2026.
With Green Bay banged up already along the defensive line, including Micah Parsons, Mason should have a great opportunity to thrive should he get the carries. Aaron Jones is no more than a third-down back at this point in his career, so Mason could see 15-20 touches in this game. Look for Mason to provide solid numbers, especially if he can get in the end zone.
Sit 'Em
James Cook at HOU
After signing his long-awaited extension before last season, James Cook and the Bills showed exactly what he can do as a bell cow and receiving back that led the league in rushing yards. Even as the RB5 for ADP, Cook is still part of an RB-by-committee squad and, more importantly, will be facing Houston.
That's really all this comes down to, so much so that I almost put Josh Allen on my sit 'em list too. Houston was a Top-3 defensive unit all year last year, and while they're better against the pass, they went out and improved the middle of the field this offseason and may come into 2026 even better.
Ashton Jeanty vs MIA
Two weeks ago, Jeanty suffered a high ankle sprain so bad that the whole team stopped practice and had a prayer. When we heard the injury wasn't as serious as we thought, we were relieved, but that doesn't help the fact he hasn't practiced since. Asked just yesterday, Raiders coach Klint Kubiak answered "Yes" to the question, "Do you think Jeanty will suit up for the season opener?"
It stinks for Jeanty's fantasy owners because a game against Miami should normally be an automatic huge game for players. I believe we will see backup Mike Washington Jr. take most of the snaps against the weaker team to give Jeanty more time to recover in what could be a game the Raiders firmly have in their control by halftime.
Wide Receivers
Start 'Em
Michael Wilson vs LAC
If you have listened to any of Sportz Nation's live streams on X (if not, make sure to tune in throughout the season!), you'll know how high I am on Michael Wilson this season. Not only do I think he can be a league winner, I think he shows it in week 1.
Marvin Harrison Jr. might improve this season, but when Jacoby Brissett took over and Harrison Jr. was injured, Wilson put up insane numbers that made him a legitimate WR1 in any league. With Arizona likely playing from behind in this one, Brissett will be forced to throw a lot in this game, which benefits Wilson even more. The proven connection Brissett and Wilson had to end 2025 and have likely developed during the offseason makes him a high-risk but very high-reward start in Week 1.
Quentin Johnston vs ARI
Taking from the same game, I like Quentin Johnston a lot against the Cardinals. It is extremely clear that the Cardinals are tanking this season for a high draft pick, so it is extremely likely the Chargers dominate this game the entire way through.
I expect the Chargers to score at least thirty points against Arizona, which makes it hard to believe Johnston won't have an impact at various points. Johnston showed major flashes as the WR3 in 2023 to start the season, so opening the season against one of the worst teams in football but as the WR2 now excites me in terms of what he could provide in Fantasy. Look for Johnston to have a few big plays down the field and possibly score a TD or two in what should be a blowout.
Sit 'Em
Rashee Rice vs DEN
It's no secret out of the Chiefs' camp that he's had a mixed bag this offseason. On top of his 30-day jail stint and recovering from his torn ACL last season, Rice hasn't looked like the quick and shifty receiver we're used to.
Add a Broncos defense to that, and I think we could see Rice get blanketed for at least most of the game. I'm a big fan of Rice having a breakout season this year now that Mahomes and he are theoretically healthy, but like I mentioned with Drake Maye and the Patriots earlier, their connection may take a while before we see it reach its potential.
Drake London at PIT
I have a feeling we're going to see Drake London appear on this list a lot, especially with the recent news that the Falcons will start Tua Tagovailoa this weekend. I have doubted London before, and time after time he has proved me wrong, even with some terrible QB play, but this year feels a lot different.
Not only will Tua need to manage the pocket against the Steelers' pass rush in Pittsburgh, but London will have Jamel Dean and Jalen Ramsey likely following his every move as the Falcons' only real receiving threat.
Tight Ends
Start 'Em
Juwan Johnson vs DET
I expect Juwan Johnson to have another hot start to the season, especially with rookie first-round pick Jordyn Tyson on IR. Tyler Shough will need a security blanket if he wants to move the ball downfield against Detroit, making Johnson a prime candidate for a great TE fantasy performance.
Johnson may not have had the red zone production you would expect from a big target like him in 2025, but that does not mean that carries over in 2026. I like Johnson to be the #2 target behind Chris Olave and a beneficiary of what should be a much improved run game with the arrival of Travis Etienne Jr.
Brenton Strange vs CLE
This should be another blowout of a game; Cleveland is not nearly as talented as Jacksonville. The Jaguars' offense was elite last year, which should turn Brenton Strange into a breakout candidate now that he is fully healthy.
Injuries plagued Strange's 2025 season. He never really was able to grow chemistry as the TE1 in Jacksonville with Trevor Lawrence, which is a big reason why his production wasn't to expectation. With that said, a fully healthy offseason and solidified role on the offense should make Strange a sleeper option to have a big Week 1 against a bad Cleveland team that regressed defensively.
Sit 'Em
Kyle Pitts at PIT
So the same reasoning for me sitting Drake London is going to apply here, but even more so because I am not a fan of Kyle Pitts in fantasy. In real life, I am; he's a phenomenal talent with great hands and an elite frame that should be used to move the chains in the middle of the field.
But it's Tua. I really don't know how else to put it. Stefanski's approach on offense is to run the ball and throw it to the boundaries, so unless Pitts is used more as a WR2 in this offense (which, now that I'm thinking about it, could actually work in a perfect world), then his ceiling in Pittsburgh should be about 4 catches for 40 yards.
Harold Fannin at JAX
Right... imagine exactly what I just said for Pitts but with a slightly less talented receiver... and a much less talented quarterback... against arguably a better defense.
I truly think Harold Fannin is the only Cleveland Brown worth anything in fantasy this year because Deshaun Watson or whoever plays QB in the future will have to check down and dump off the ball a lot this year. I'm also only about 50/50 on that prediction, but Fannin showed us the ability to get open and make plays last year, so I like his chances even with literally everything going against him. Still, though, it's the Browns, so I would seriously consider starting your backup TE until Fannin actually proves it this year.
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-Z.D.
-Matt Hylen
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