 @  Wednesday, Sep 09 2026, 8:20 PM |
OVERVIEW
In fantasy we HATE Thursday night match-ups. And this year the league has done us even dirtier by starting on a Wednesday -- in a rematch of the last Super Bowl.
Both teams made it to the Super Bowl last year thanks in large part to the strength of their respective defenses. So there may not be a lot of offensive fireworks in this first game of the season. In fact, the only player we see as a must-start is JSN, who is simply match-up proof -- and who outside the top 5 WRs in the NFL are you seriously starting over him?
We are very interested to see how AJ Brown performs in his first game as a Patriot. He's an elite deep ball threat -- and Maye has outstanding touch on these downfield passes. So we'd be willing to roll the dice with Brown in our starting lineups even against this tenacious Seattle D. Even after Maye's dropoff in the playoffs last season we are still high on him as fantasy prospect, but we want him to prove to us that he can perform against elite defenses, few of which he faced last season in the all-time easy schedule he and the Pats faced. As such, we are a bit down on him to start the season against the Seahawks. If you have a better option, say a Dak Prescott or Matthew Stafford, this may be the week to sit Maye. Otherwise, you probably have to roll with him. Considering that T. Henderson is officially out, this may be a nice spot for R. Stevenson to serve as a bell cow RB. If that is the case, he may see enough volume to make him fantasy-worthy, but we question how much upside he will have with what may not be QUALITY touches. We're viewing him as a middling RB2 this week.
It will be interesting to see what the Seahawks do in the running game. With Charbonette out for the immediate future, rookie R. Pierce will have an opportunity to make a name for himself. The youngster could find some rough sledding against the tough New England front 7. Otherwise, not much to get excited about (other than JSN) on Seattle's side of the ball.
We'd advise looking for a more score-friendly game for deep sleepers and DFS bargains.
MUST STARTS
SMITH-NJIGBA, JAXON
START 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM
BROWN, A.J.
START 'EM IF YOU HAVE TO
MAYE, DRAKE
PRICE, JADARIAN
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
DESPERATION PLAYS
HENDERSON, TREVEYON
DOUBS, ROMEO
STEVENSON, RHAMONDRE
HENRY, HUNTER
 @  Thursday, Sep 10 2026, 8:35 PM |
OVERVIEW
A Week 1 Thursday nighter -- that isn't even the first game of the year. A rivalry between two division foes that are planning on a deep playoff run. A lo-o-o-ong journey to the Outback. And what we have here is a recipe for... well, we honestly can't be sure.
If ever there was a team that is "all-in" for a Super Bowl run, it is the LA Rams. They made a huge trade to acquire the NFL's #1 ranked player in Myles Garrett. The offense returns mostly intact, and they even managed to lure Aaron Donald back out of retirement. Meanwhile, the 49ers have plenty of talent of their own -- but they enter the season with plenty of health concerns.
This game sports a number of players who were drafted very early in fantasy drafts. Those players include Puka Nacua, CMC and Kyren Williams, and all three are must-starts this week. The caveat is McCaffrey, who’s been on the injury for the past couple of weeks but is expected to start this week -- and if he is 100% healthy should be his usual league-winner self.
Speaking of health, keep a close eye on reports regarding George Kittle. He made the trip to Aussie and has reportedly looked fine, but he is making a VERY quick return from an Achilles injury. If he is healthy enough to play, you should still exercise caution in starting him as he could be on a pitch count early in the season. Above all else, make sure you have a fall-back option, especially in TE premium formats. The same is true of Mike Evans: we'll find out soon if his presence on the injury report in the pre-season was precautionary due to wea-and-tear (re: age) -- or if he remains a concern. For the Rams, Adams is another aged receiver who has the potential to post nice numbers (especially in the TD department), but his utilization is going to be questionable.
The reigning MVP, Matthew Stafford, was a top 5 fantasy QB last year in most formats, given his incredible passing production. However, his lack of mobility limits his fantasy upside --and it is hard to imagine him posting the same kind of crazy numbers he did last year. Regardless, there is no reason to feel uncomfortable starting him this week against the 49ers.
Sleeper? Well, given the hype that has followed him in recent weeks, De'Zhaun Stribling can no longer be considered a true sleeper. That said -- and assuming he himself is healthy -- we like Stribling as a flex option this week.
MUST STARTS
NACUA, PUKA
WILLIAMS, KYREN
MCCAFFREY, CHRISTIAN
START 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM
LOS ANGELES RAMS
ADAMS, DAVANTE
KITTLE, GEORGE
START 'EM IF YOU HAVE TO
STAFFORD, MATTHEW
EVANS, MIKE
DESPERATION PLAYS
CORUM, BLAKE
PURDY, BROCK
 @  Sunday, Sep 13 2026, 1:00 PM |
OVERVIEW
The Jets and Titans are two teams that were miserable last season -- but both enter 2026 with some measure of hope.
Let's start with the Jets. Even at their worst in recent years they have still boasted a number of talented players. In particular, RB Breece Hall and WR Garrett Wilson are both fine players, who would be superstars on any other team. While no one will be confusing Geno Smith with Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes, he is at least a competent QB who should be able to help these other career Jets get to a better place. That's why we honestly like both Hall and Wilson this week against a porous Tennessee defense.
Actually, with Robert Salleh now in charge, maybe the Titans defense will improve? Still, we are not enthusiastic about anyone on the offense, except for maybe Tony Pollard. If the defense is indeed improved, there is a decent chance that the game plan will be for Pollard to pound the ball against the hapless Jets run defense. Otherwise, we are not loving the Titans offense, starting with 2nd year Cam Ward, who looked lost at times in the preseason. Ward's struggles have also trickled down to the likely ineffectiveness of their 2026 first rounder, WR C. Tate.
This one could get ugly, so we otherwise advise staying away for fantasy purposes.
START 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM
HALL, BREECE
WILSON, GARRETT
START 'EM IF YOU HAVE TO
POLLARD, TONY
DESPERATION PLAYS
TATE, CARNELL
 @  Sunday, Sep 13 2026, 1:00 PM |
OVERVIEW
Both the Ravens and Colts were teams that -- as Charles Dickens would say -- saw the best of times and the worst of time in their 2025 campaigns. In fact, it is easy to forget that the Colts were the best team in the NFL for several weeks into the season. Then injuries (especially to starting QB D. Jones) and other factors brought their season to a screeching halt. Meanwhile, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens looked like their usual dominant selves at times too -- but also fell victim to various injuries (and a very difficult schedule) to see them fall short.
In 2026 Lamar Jackson will be playing for a new coaching staff in Baltimore -- and that could provide him with a nice shot in the arm, as his relationship with John Harbaugh had reportedly gone sour. When healthy, he rivals Josh Allen as the top QB in fantasy, so you are starting him without question. The seemingly immortal D. Henry could very well flirt with the top season rushing yardage winner (as he does most seasons). He may not be a great option in the passing game, but that is why you drafted him as a top 7-10 fantasy RB than a top 5 one. Either way, you are starting him every week. WR Z. Flowers may not be quite in that every-week starter caliber like Jackson and King Henry, but unless the situation is dire, you are going to plug him in most weeks. This should not be one of those dire weeks, so feel free to roll with him.
Daniel Jones appears to be healthy, and we saw last year how much more effective the offense was with him at QB than it was when he went on IR. We still suggest avoiding him in all but the deepest of 2QB or Superflex leagues, given the injury concerns. T. Warren would normally be a no-brain starter, but he is coming off an injury too, so keep an eye on those injury reports heading up to Sunday. Meanwhile, Jonathan Taylor remains a plug-and-play starter, provided he is healthy, and he appears to be healthy heading into Week 1. Alex Pierce may eventually emerge as the quality fantasy option at WR that we thought he would be a couple of months ago, as the dude has been crazy good in leading the league in fantasy points per target in each of the last 2 seasons. But off-season surgery has us a bit worried. Wait until you can see with your own eyes what he looks like before risking plugging him into your lineup.
A sneaky play we like this week is Baltimore WR Ja'Kobi Lane. The young WR will be playing opposite Flowers (on whom the secondary will be more focused) and with the Colts worried first and foremost about keeping Jackson in the pocket and shutting down Henry, Lane may be able to find some soft spots in the secondary.
MUST STARTS
JACKSON, LAMAR
HENRY, DERRICK
WARREN, TYLER
TAYLOR, JONATHAN
START 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM
FLOWERS, ZAY
START 'EM IF YOU HAVE TO
BALTIMORE RAVENS
LOOP, TYLER
ANDREWS, MARK
DOWNS, JOSH
 @  Sunday, Sep 13 2026, 1:00 PM |
OVERVIEW
This has the makings of being a shootout -- and by extension a great place the shop for fantasy potential.
Both QBs are entering the season with big chips on their respective shoulders. Just 2 years removed from MVP-worthy numbers, Joe Burrow wants to erase the monicker of being "injury prone" for once and for all. Baker Mayfield -- also just 2 years removed from an elite season as a passer -- feels disrespected by the Buccaneers who refused to even talk to him about a contract extension. A pissed off Baker Mayfield is great for fantasy. News Flash! Baker just signed a three-year extension with the Bucs, so maybe that chip isn't quite as big -- but the Bucs are underdogs in this one, which should still provide him with a little juice. You already knew that Burrow was a must start this week, but we also expect Baker to put up great numbers himself.
Burrow isn't the only Bengal we love this week. WR Ja'Marr Chase and RB Chase Brown should be in your lineup every week -- and this week is certainly no exception. T. Higgins may not be the permanent set-him-and-forget-him that J. Chase is, but you are rolling with him most weeks, including this week.
The Bucs' star skill position players are not in the same league as the Bengals', but the match-up this week against a dreadful Cinci defense means that you can safely start most of them too. That includes RB B. Irving, who was somewhat of a whipping boy in fantasy circles during the preseason. While we do have some questions about him for the long haul, we do really like him this week against the Bengals to the point where we could even see him outperforming his RB2 status. Provided WR Emeka Egbuka's toe doesn't sideline him, we like for him to help Baker keep pace in the passing game as well.
Two sleepers we like this week, both for the Bucs. One is RB Kenny Gainwell, and I do honestly believe that there will be enough volume for both Gainwell and Irving to eat healthy. Gainwell was a PPR monster for Pittsburgh last year in the passing game, and the Bucs can very well resort to going with him in that role if this game turns into a track-meet as we expect it will. Two years ago Godwin was a significant part of Baker's career year, now back from injuries (and with Mike Evans gone), we like for Godwin to play an important role in the Bucs' passing game.
MUST STARTS
BROWN, CHASE
CHASE, JA'MARR
BURROW, JOE
START 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM
HIGGINS, TEE
EGBUKA, EMEKA
IRVING, BUCKY
START 'EM IF YOU HAVE TO
MAYFIELD, BAKER
DESPERATION PLAYS
MCPHERSON, EVAN
MCLAUGHLIN, CHASE
GAINWELL, KENNY
GODWIN JR., CHRIS
 @  Sunday, Sep 13 2026, 1:00 PM |
OVERVIEW
Can you say blowout? Of course, Herm Edwards coined the expression "That's why you PLAY the game!" -- so we won't jump to any conclusions. Especially in Week 1, when often crazy things happen.
At first glance, given that the Jags are heavy favorites, you would think that they would be a rich mine for fantasy goodness. But the strength of the Browns is definitely their defense -- even WITHOUT Myles Garrett. So, sorry to you Trevor Lawrence, B. Tuten and Parker Washington owners -- we do not see any of them as must-starts this week. While we would NOT advise you to bench any of them, we simply not loving any of them this week for fantasy. You know who we do love? The Jacksonville defense. How so? First, they are a fine defense loaded with quality players in all three levels of play -- but we also expect them to feast off a pretty bad Cleveland offense.
How bad is that Cleveland offense? Well, the starting, QB D. Watson (and we all know his dreadful story), was booed off the field by his home town fans the last time we saw him. The Browns decided to hand him the starting job -- but "fortunately" for them they start on the road against a tough Jacksonville defense. The only player for Cleveland that we are at all comfortable starting is TE H. Fannin Jr. who may see some volume in the check-down arena. Cleveland has a couple of promising rookie WRs in Concepcion and Boston who may eventually become fantasy relative -- but not yet. And forget about J. Jeudy.
Looking for a fantasy deep sleeper? How about D. Sampson. We're still not sure if Judkins is going to be healthy enough to play -- and even if he is, if the Jags are winning this one in blowout fashion, Sampson could serve as the 3rd down RB in come-from-behind mode.
MUST STARTS
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
START 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM
FANNIN JR., HAROLD
WASHINGTON, PARKER
START 'EM IF YOU HAVE TO
JUDKINS, QUINSHON
TUTEN, BHAYSHUL
LITTLE, CAM
DESPERATION PLAYS
CONCEPCION, KC
THOMAS JR., BRIAN
LAWRENCE, TREVOR
 @  Sunday, Sep 13 2026, 1:00 PM |
OVERVIEW
This one is hard to get excited about, as both teams (aside from major off-season coaching staff overhauls) are a bit -- sorry Atlanta and Pittsburgh fans -- on the dull side.
First, let's go with the obvious, you are starting B. Robinson. If anyone EVER advises you to sit him (as long as he is healthy), do not ever talk to that person again! You're also starting Drake London (whom you drafted as a top 10 fantasy WR), and Kyle Pitts should be in your lineup (until we decide otherwise) every week, especially in TE-premium formats. So there is no drama whatsoever with those three spots. Hmmm. Given that Atlanta is loaded at those 3 positions, shouldn't this offense be more explosive? Well, that is where the QB situation comes in -- and despite Tua being given every shot in the world to win the starting position outright, he really crapped the bed in the preseason. He's just keeping the bench warm until Pennix (who is no Peyton Manning -- or even Matt Ryan -- himself) is fully healthy. Stay away from Tua.
It's hard to trust any of the Pittsburgh offensive players for fantasy. A. Rodgers is old and we haven't even got a look at him at all in preseason. We're not loving any of his receivers -- but would be willing roll out DK Metcalf as a flex or lower tier WR3. We feel the same way about their RBBC situation with Warren and Dowdle as we worry about either seeing enough touches to serve as a starter but feel like either could perform well enough in a flex role. Also, with Tua's propensity for making mistakes, we actually like the Steelers defense to come away with some sacks and turnovers.
A Super Super Sleeper? How about the other B. Robinson RB in Atlanta -- Brian Robinson Jr? For as great as Bijan has been thus far in fantasy circles, one of the issues is that his TD production has been usurped by T. Allgeier serving as a vulture. With Allgeier now gone to Arizona, that role has been ostensibly replaced by Brian Robinson Jr. -- so look for him to come in on goal-to-go situations and snag a cheap TD along the way.
MUST STARTS
ROBINSON, BIJAN
LONDON, DRAKE
START 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
PITTS SR., KYLE
START 'EM IF YOU HAVE TO
WARREN, JAYLEN
DOWDLE, RICO
METCALF, DK
DESPERATION PLAYS
BOSWELL, CHRIS
 @  Sunday, Sep 13 2026, 1:00 PM |
OVERVIEW
Let's get a couple of thing out of the way right up front. First, with the coaching overhaul, we have no way of knowing what to expect from the Bills' defense. Sean McDermott and his bend-but-don't break nickel-based defense are now a thing of the past. Enter Jim Leonhard, who plans on implementing a more pressure-based 3-4 look. While McDermott's design allowed opposing offenses to run roughshod over them, they typically ranked toward the top of the league in passing. Will, Leonhard's more aggressive style lead to more turnovers and stops -- or will it leave them more susceptible to big plays? Only time will tell.
From an offense standpoint, last year's OC Joe Brady is now the new head coach. So it stands to reason that the offense with Josh Allen will be similar -- with a few new wrinkles expected to be thrown in. Speaking of Josh Allen, Houston has always been a house of horrors for him. As a rookie he was knocked out of a game there -- and wound up sitting for several weeks. (He hasn't missed a start since.) He returned in the 2019 playoffs, where the Bills lost a heartbreaker in overtime. He had one of his worst games as a passer in that stadium in 2024, completing just 30% of his passes. Last year in a Thursday night game, Allen was sacked 8 times and the offense struggled to move the ball at all. Regardless, don't overthink this. In virtually every fantasy league, Josh Allen was the first QB to come off the board. If he's on your roster in a re-draft league, you are starting him, period. In DFS, though, we advise not paying up for him to fit in your lineup this week. Even against a top offense like Buffalo's you should feel safe starting Houston's D. Like we said, they sacked Allen 8 times last season and forced 2 INTs.
When we last saw CJ Stroud he was getting abused by the Patriots in the playoffs. While we aren't sure what the Bills defense will look like on Sunday, it is difficult to trust Stroud, so we advise staying away in all formats. We have our concerns about Nico Collins too for similar reasons, but he's had some success against Buffalo in the past and is close to an every-week start. Temper expectations for him (and possibly avoid him in DFS) to err on the conservative side.
Last year the one player for Buffalo who had a decent day was James Cook, who could do the same this time around with a defense (even a great one like Houston's) zeroing in on Allen. Also, there has been plenty of talking among those in the know that the Bills are expected to make more use of their RBs (including Cook) in the passing game, and the best bet to slow a fast pass rush is the screen game. Cook was drafted in most league as a top 5-6 fantasy RB, so you're starting him.
Aside from Collins, the only other Houston offensive player we'd recommend is David Montgomery. If the Bills run defense is as bad as it was last season, he could have a field day.
One of the things that hurt Buffalo against Houston last year was the lack of any sort of downfield threat. They hope the addition of DJ Moore will solve that problem. We'll stop short of recommending Moore this week, as Allen may not have the time to air the ball out against this defense. That could open up things underneath to the likes of D. Kincaid and K. Shakir, who should at least register in PPR formats, provided that he is healthy enough to play.
MUST STARTS
COOK III, JAMES
ALLEN, JOSH
HOUSTON TEXANS
COLLINS, NICO
START 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM
MONTGOMERY, DAVID
START 'EM IF YOU HAVE TO
BUFFALO BILLS
DESPERATION PLAYS
MOORE, DJ
KINCAID, DALTON
FAIRBAIRN, KA'IMI
 @  Sunday, Sep 13 2026, 1:00 PM |
OVERVIEW
Hear us now and believe us later. This game could very well be more explosive (and competitive) than you may think.
Everyone is expecting a big performance from Ben Johnson's Chicago offense, and we agree. You drafted Colston Loveland as a top 3 fantasy TE, and we expect him to perform to that level out of the gate. We see Caleb Johnson as a top 8-10 fantasy QB this week, which is where we've also ranked him seasonally. After frightening reports about D. Swift leaving practice early with an injury last week, we can all breathe a sigh of relief that he now appears to be a full go for this game. We like Luther Burden as a WR2 this week, which likely means that you are starting him. We see Odunze as more of a WR3 or flex play, which also means that he should be in plenty of lineups as well.
None of these Bears recommendations are earth-shattering. What is surprising is that we actually do like a number of Carolina players as well. Bryce was a bit of an after-thought in fantasy drafts, going undrafted in the majority of typical 1QB leagues -- and even overlooked in some SuperFlex leagues as well. However, we like him in this spot as a QB2/SuperFlex option, and we LOVE him as a low-cost option in DFS. Chuba Hubbard has become something of a whipping boy in the fantasy community , but (Surprise! Surprise!) Jonathan Brooks does not appear to be 100% healthy heading into the season, so Hubbard could actually serve as the primary back this week. In that role, we like him in the RB2 conversation. T. McMillan is coming off a very productive rookie campaign, and we expect him to continue that success in his second year. We like him as a solid WR2 option.
Looking for a Sleeper? How about Jalen Coker? We have a feeling that he will see a good number of targets this week and wind up with double-digit fantasy points in PPR formats.
MUST STARTS
LOVELAND, COLSTON
START 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM
BURDEN III, LUTHER
SWIFT, D'ANDRE
MCMILLAN, TETAIROA
START 'EM IF YOU HAVE TO
ODUNZE, ROME
WILLIAMS, CALEB
DESPERATION PLAYS
SANTOS, CAIRO
BROOKS, JONATHON
HUBBARD, CHUBA
 @  Sunday, Sep 13 2026, 1:00 PM |
OVERVIEW
There should be plenty of quality options (for both teams) in this match-up.
Let's start with the Lions, whom we expect to perform as a top 5 offense in 2026 and, hence an excellent source of fantasy wealth on a weekly basis. Obviously both J. Gibbs and Amon Ra are weekly must-starts regardless of opponent. We also like Sam LaPorta this week, as he finally appears to be healthy and will want to start off the season right as potentially a top 5 fantasy TE. We have Jameson Williams as a borderline WR2/WR3, which means he's startable in most formats. Jared Goff should have a good enough day passing the ball to make him a must-start in 2QB leagues; however, his lack of rushing numbers make it hard to suggest starting him in a typical 1QB format.
The Lions did precious little to improve their defense in the off-season. So, while their offense is certainly a great source for fantasy, their defense could also make their opponent's offense a decent source as well. Plug in Chris Olave as a starter and sleep well. Travis Etienne will be making his Saints debut on Sunday -- and we expect New Orleans to showcase him, especially with A. Kamara on the mend. After Olave, we expect the 2nd share of receptions to head toward Jauan Johnson, which places him in the discussion as a TE1 this week. If you are worried about George Kittle, for example, Johnson could be a great fill-in option.
Our Sleeper this week is QB Tyler Shough. When he took over the starting job in the 2nd half of last season, Shough emerged as a top 10 fantasy QB option. Yet, he was typically drafted as the QB20-22, making him a streamer for QB2 and QuperFlex leagues. This is one of those weeks you will want to start him if you are in a league where you can start 2 QBs. We also like him as a low-cost option in DFS.
MUST STARTS
GIBBS, JAHMYR
ST. BROWN, AMON-RA
OLAVE, CHRIS
START 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM
LAPORTA, SAM
ETIENNE JR., TRAVIS
START 'EM IF YOU HAVE TO
DETROIT LIONS
WILLIAMS, JAMESON
JOHNSON, JUWAN
DESPERATION PLAYS
BATES, JAKE
GOFF, JARED
SHOUGH, TYLER
 @  Sunday, Sep 13 2026, 4:25 PM |
OVERVIEW
Oh boy. This could very well go down as one of the absolute low watermark games of the season with two of the worst teams matched up against one another. Which... could just make it interesting enough to watch.
Besides, there are number of narratives that could be of interest. Let's start with Maimi, who gave up virtually everyone and anyone on their team that was fantasy relevant, besides D. Achane. That offense will stall enough to put a ceiling on Achane's scoring ability, but he should see enough touches in the passing/running game to make him worthy of being in your lineup every week. And we like for him to have some electric moments against the Raiders D. The biggest signing of the off-season was QB Malik Willis, who has shown plenty of upside when filling in for J. Love in Green Bay in the past. Willis is somewhat remedial as a passer (although he is blessed with amazing arm talent), but he can be sensational with his legs. The rushing provides a decent enough floor for Willis to serve as a QB2 in Superflex formats (with upside to be better). We like for him to start the season string against the Raiders, even if his receivers are bottom-of-the-barrel.
The Raider themselves are, shall we say, a work in progress. After all, they are coming off a 2025 season that was bad enough to place them in the position of drafting #1 overall in April's draft. They invested that pick on Mendoza, who will not be helping them this week. Rather, it will be veteran (and these days, journeyman) Kirk Cousins playing QB. He may be worth a roll of the dice in some DFS lineups as a low-price option, but otherwise stay away, even against a suspect Miami defense. However, especially in TE premium leagues, you should feel good about rolling with B. Bowers, whom you drafted as either the #1 or #2 fantasy TE in your league.
If there is a Super Sleeper here it could be TE Greg Dulcich. While new to the Dolphins, he's been around the league awhile and could represent the closest thing to a security blanket (besides Achane) that Willis has.
MUST STARTS
ACHANE, DE'VON
BOWERS, BROCK
START 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM
JEANTY, ASHTON
DESPERATION PLAYS
WILLIS, MALIK
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
 @  Sunday, Sep 13 2026, 4:25 PM |
OVERVIEW
With the Chargers viewed by many as a legitimate Super Bowl contender -- and folks openly questioning whether the Cardinals will even win a single game -- this one could get ugly really quickly.
The Chargers offense has plenty of weapons led by trigger-man Justin Herbert. While Herbert has struggled in big moments -- like playoff games -- he's otherwise proven to be up to the task when playing weaker opponents, which we would certainly classify the Cardinals as. He's got a steady crew of receivers in Ladd McConkey and Q. Johnston that should get theirs against Arizona. Last year's season was all but lost to rookie O. Hampton, but we expect him back this season with a vengeance. If the Chargers get ahead early, their defense could pin back their ears and come after the Cardinals' offense, which also makes the Charger defense quite attractive.
How about the Cardinals? Honestly, not much we like here. The only must-start option we see is TE T. McBirde who was drafted as the first or second TE in most fantasy drafts. No starters to fill in anywhere else, although Michael Wilson could fill in as a flex.
That said we do see two really sneaky plays for DFS. One is Tyler Allgeir, whom the Cardinals signed to a huge contract in the off-season. Rookie J. Love is banged up and Allgeir isn't being paid that kind of money to hang out on the sidelines, so we expect a decent size role for him, even if Love plays. Then there is J. Brissett, as we saw last season, even when the Cardinals absolutely sucked, Brissett was able to post some nice fantasy stats in garbage time. That could happen this week.
MUST STARTS
HAMPTON, OMARION
HERBERT, JUSTIN
MCBRIDE, TREY
START 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
MCCONKEY, LADD
START 'EM IF YOU HAVE TO
DICKER, CAMERON
LOVE, JEREMIYAH
DESPERATION PLAYS
MCCONKEY, LADD
JOHNSTON, QUENTIN
HARRISON JR., MARVIN
WILSON, MICHAEL
 @  Sunday, Sep 13 2026, 4:25 PM |
OVERVIEW
This one has the makings of a blowout, as the Eagles remain one of the premiere teams in the league, and Washington (who has done little in the off-season to address issues that ailed them in 2025) is certainly not among the best. That said, we all know that strange things can happen in Week 1 -- and these are division rivals, so it it would not be out of the realm of possibility to witness the Commanders play the Eagles tough.
If Hurts, Barkley or D. Smith are on your roster, you drafted them as fantasy starters, and you should be more than happy to plug them in this week. Goedert is a borderline fantasy starter most weeks, but you should feel pretty confident giving him the nod against Washington in Week 1.
In many fantasy drafts, J. Daniels was drafted in the same vicinity as Hurts, and at season's end, they could very well score a similar number of fantasy points. However, this week with their respective opposing defensive matchups (Philly being an elite defense and Washington not-so-much), we much prefer Hurts. That is to say, unless you have another viable potential fantasy QB1 option this week, you probably HAVE to start Daniels anyway, just don't be incredibly disappointed if he has one of his lesser performances against the Eagles (and on the road in a tough environment).
Otherwise, we don't love Washington's skill possession players. Unless you have a VERY deep WR corps, you will likely want to roll with McLaurin this week. Meanwhile "Bill" Croskey-Merritt will have weeks where he merits consideration as a RB2 -- but this isn’t one of those weeks. You may have to roll with him as a Flex option -- and hope for the best. The only sneaky play we see from the Washington squad is the new addition, Stefon Diggs, for whom very little film is available and we suspect still has some tread on his tires. The potential streamer we like for the Eagles is Dontayvion Wicks, who should have some opportunities while rookie M. Lemon watches and learns.
MUST STARTS
SMITH, DEVONTA
HURTS, JALEN
BARKLEY, SAQUON
START 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
GOEDERT, DALLAS
DANIELS, JAYDEN
START 'EM IF YOU HAVE TO
MCLAURIN, TERRY
DESPERATION PLAYS
CROSKEY-MERRITT, JACORY
 @  Sunday, Sep 13 2026, 4:25 PM |
OVERVIEW
Say what you will about Brian Flores, but the man can really coach up a defense. Last season his unit kept the Vikings in many games, despite their struggles on the offensive side of the ball with QB JJ McCarthy playing miserably. McCarthy was so awful, in fact, that he even tanked the 2025 season for the ordinarily QB-proof Justin Jefferson. With Kyler Murray now behind center, we expect at least a level of competency at the QB position and Jefferson returning to his role as an every-week must start in fantasy.
We're advising that you play it safe with Murray. It's true that he has a solid floor thanks to his rushing ability, and he is in an offense that sports arguably the best supporting talent of his career (with a brilliant play caller to boot). However, we've seen precious little of him in the pre-season and wonder how long it will take him and his new co-workers to build the necessary chemistry.
As both Green Bay (and as we have already mentioned) Minny defenses are strong, there is not much in the way of fantasy options that we would highly recommend. In fact, Jefferson is likely your only must-start. You probably have to start T. Kraft, but beware of him possibly being on a pitch-count. While we do like Watson as a Sleeper on the season, we hope you have better options than him this week against the Vikings' top pass defense. Same with J. Love at QB.
Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you know that J. Jacobs is out for the near future. Hence, Marshawn Lloyd was a late darling in fantasy drafts. While we like his acquisition in fantasy drafts, we advise looking elsewhere this week given his relative lack of history and the tough match-up.
A sneaky play for this week could be Jordan Reed, who we've perhaps overlooked in fantasy circles due to his meager production 2025 (mostly due to injury). Coach LaFleur may look to mix in some gadget type plays to get Reed involved early in the game, and he could be a bit of a "secret" weapon.
MUST STARTS
JEFFERSON, JUSTIN
START 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM
KRAFT, TUCKER
START 'EM IF YOU HAVE TO
GREEN BAY PACKERS
WATSON, CHRISTIAN
DESPERATION PLAYS
LLOYD, MARSHAWN
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
MURRAY, KYLER
 @  Sunday, Sep 13 2026, 8:20 PM |
OVERVIEW
This one has the makings of being a fantasy bonanza for a variety of players. That is largely because Dallas (like Cinci) is such a polarizing team for fantasy. On one hand, they boast an excellent source of reliable skill position talent across the board -- but they also have a defense that allows opposing skill position players to have big days. At least that is how it was last year, and we suspect that things will be similar heading into 2026. Meanwhile, the Giants simply aren't a very good football team, although they are certainly not without talent.
Both Dallas starting WRs, Lamb and Pickens, are elite and they are match-up proof, so you are starting them each and every week without question. If we were 100% convinced of M. Nabers' health, we'd also reference him as an every-week starter. Still, by most accounts, he is expected to give it a go this week, so advise rolling him out there (against a Dallas defense that gave up absurd passing/receiving totals in 2025). J. Williams isn't quite in that ever-week must-start level, but you can plug him in this week in what looks to be a high scoring contest and forget rest easy. Same with Dak Prescott. You likely drafted him as a bottom tier fantasy QB1, but he has a chance to emerge as a top tier option against the Giants this week.
Given what a great match-up the Dallas defense is for opponents, you should feel safe plugging in their skill position players as well. We already mentioned Nabers, and the same holds true for Skattebo. Like Prescott, Dart is in that lower tier of fantasy starters, and with a favorable match-up against the Cowboys (especially in a game script situation where the Giants could be trailing and/or fighting to keep up late), we like for Dart to post nice fantasy numbers.
At TE, with so many options on offense and against a not-so-great opponent, we don't view Jake Ferguson as a great option. On the other side, however, we like Likely (see what we did there?) as a bit of a Sleeper this week; he is startable at TE this week.
MUST STARTS
PICKENS, GEORGE
LAMB, CEEDEE
WILLIAMS, JAVONTE
START 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM
PRESCOTT, DAK
SKATTEBO, CAM
DART, JAXSON
NABERS, MALIK
LIKELY, ISAIAH
START 'EM IF YOU HAVE TO
AUBREY, BRANDON
DESPERATION PLAYS
FERGUSON, JAKE
 @  Monday, Sep 14 2026, 8:15 PM |
OVERVIEW
It is so unusual to witness a Chiefs team heading into the season that is not viewed as a favorite. In particular, it really does seem crazy that we are projecting Bo Nix to be the superior fantasy option over the great Patick Mahomes. But truthfully, neither QB is a great play this week against two fantastic defenses that know their division rivals very well.
Given the match-up, we also don't love Kenneth Walker this week, but you likely have to start him in re-draft leagues. The same goes for Waddle and Rice as you likely need to roll them out there based on the draft capital that was used to acquire both of them. Denver has a variety of receiving options for Nix to use, so it will be interesting to see how many looks Waddle gets in his first Denver start. Meanwhile, KC did not do Mahomes many favors in the off-season in terms of bringing in supporting talent (other than Walker). We're not expecting a huge week from the aging Kelce -- but he should provide a safe baseline/floor to make him at least startable in fantasy. The good news for Rice is that he does not have much in the way of competition amongst the Chiefs WR corps -- but that is also the bad news as the Broncos secondary should be able to roll coverages his way.
Speaking of Denver's defense, it is usually a must-start in fantasy, but we have so much faith in Andy Reid's play calling, that we'd advise looking elsewhere (especially in DFS). We also advise steering well clear of all RBs in Denver's backfield because we're not sure what that RBBC will look like.
Looking for a potential Super Sleeper or low-cost DFS option? How about Cyrus Allen? If Rice does draw a considerable amount of attention and the Broncos do a decent job holding Kelce in check, Allen could be the chief beneficiary.
START 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM
WADDLE, JAYLEN
RICE, RASHEE
WALKER, KENNETH
START 'EM IF YOU HAVE TO
DENVER BRONCOS
KELCE, TRAVIS
DESPERATION PLAYS
NIX, BO
DOBBINS, J.K.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
MAHOMES, PATRICK