Week 1 is in the books, and half of us aren’t too thrilled with the results. There were plenty of busts to kick off the year, that's for sure. A.J. Brown had one of the quietest games of his career with just one catch for eight yards. Star quarterback Joe Burrow, who led the league in passing yards and touchdowns in 2024, managed only 113 yards and a single score against the Browns. But don’t lose hope yet—it’s a long season, and we still have plenty of football to stress over. Let’s set those lineups and chase a Week 2 victory.
Starts
There are a few QBs in the league who are excellent in real life but don’t quite translate into great fantasy numbers. Justin Herbert is the prime example. He’s owned in nearly every league, but he was only started in about a third of them in Week 1. In that game, he spread the ball around, throwing for over 300 yards and 3 TDs against the Chiefs. His trio of WRs—Quentin Johnston, Ladd McConkey, and Keenan Allen—all thrived, each seeing 7+ targets and topping 60 yards. They also combined for three touchdowns. Now, they get a softer matchup against the Raiders. If Herbert keeps this up, he could turn into a must-start all season. Make sure he’s in your lineup this week.
The Broncos’ backfield was one of the most intriguing units heading into the season. Rookie RJ Harvey drew most of the buzz in training camp, but with JK Dobbins healthy, this offense looked like it could feature a true two-headed monster. When Dobbins is on the field, he’s a difference-maker. The big question was whether both backs would get enough touches to be viable fantasy starters. In Week 1, Dobbins led the team with 16 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown, while also adding two catches. If an explosive RB is seeing 15+ touches per game, he belongs in fantasy lineups. Plain and simple. Make sure he’s in your lineup this week against Indianapolis.
WR - Hollywood Brown Kansas City Chiefs (Phi)
With Xavier Worthy going down early and Rashee Rice suspended for the next five weeks, Hollywood Brown is an absolute lineup lock. That’s true even before looking at the numbers—but what am I here for if not to break those down? In the opener, Brown saw 16 targets, the second-most of his career. In an offense this explosive, any WR getting double-digit looks belongs in fantasy lineups. Keep an eye on Worthy’s injury, because Brown might be locked into your lineup for the next few weeks.
TE - Zach Ertz Washington Commanders (@GB)
What a career resurgence it’s been for veteran Zach Ertz. Dating back to the playoffs, Ertz has hauled in 14 catches for 144 yards and four touchdowns over his last three games. He’s quickly built a connection with star young QB Jayden Daniels, and the Commanders look like they have the potential to be one of the league’s top offenses. Ertz didn’t post a huge Week 1 line—just three catches for 27 yards and a touchdown—but his target share looks like it will carry a high floor all season. Add in his red-zone usage, and he needs to be on your roster before he really heats up. He has a strong chance to deliver again Thursday night in a matchup that could turn into a shootout.
Defense - Los Angeles Rams (@Ten)
This early in the season, choosing a defense can be tricky—but this week’s call looks pretty straightforward. The Rams opened the year by shutting down C.J. Stroud and the Texans’ offense, holding them under 200 passing yards and keeping them out of the end zone. If they can do that against a solid offense, there’s no doubt they can handle Tennessee. Rookie QB Cam Ward started his career slowly, completing just 12 of 28 passes for 112 yards and no touchdowns. I don’t expect much improvement in only a week. The Rams are the top defense to stream.
Sits
QB - Trevor Lawrence Jacksonville Jaguars (@ Cin)
Now entering Year 5, Trevor Lawrence has the tools and the weapons around him to be a viable fantasy starter. Right? Well, it sure didn’t look like it in Week 1. On the scoreboard, Jacksonville dominated—beating the Panthers 26–10—but Lawrence had a rough opening day. He threw for just 178 yards on 31 attempts with a 1:1 TD-to-INT line, and he wasn’t much of a factor on the ground, adding only 12 yards on four carries. Now he draws an iffy Bengals defense, but it’s not like Carolina is an elite unit either. Lawrence finished as a bottom-20 QB this week, and I don’t expect much different this time around. Wait and see if he improves.
RB - Kenneth Walker Seattle Seahawks (@Pit)
When a team has an RB duo, it’s always tricky to predict how carries will be split, especially with a new offensive coordinator. Week 1 didn’t exactly reassure that Kenneth Walker was Seattle’s clear No. 1 back. Walker had 10 carries for 20 yards, while Zack Charbonnet totaled 12 carries for 47 yards and a touchdown. Walker was still the primary receiving back, tied for second on the team with three targets—but that doesn’t make the 20-yard rushing performance any more comforting. This week, Seattle faces what could be another tough matchup against the Steelers. That defense did come out a little sluggish, allowing Breece Hall to rush for over 100 yards in Week 1. Even so, I’d still leave Walker on the bench as a “wait and see” option.
WR- George Pickens Dallas Cowboys (NYG)
This is arguably the most intriguing WR duo heading into the season—a high-powered offense led by a QB who throws the ball 35–40 times per game. That said, it wasn’t exactly a hot start for the team’s clear WR2. Dak Prescott threw 34 passes in Week 1, but only four went near George Pickens—not exactly what you’d call promising, especially with the Cowboys trailing on the scoreboard. He has an easier matchup against the Giants this week, but after that target share, I’m keeping him sidelined. It could easily be another three-catch, 30-yard game. Wait until Pickens and Prescott build more of a connection before adding him to your lineup.
TE - Mark Andrews Baltimore Ravens (Cle)
I usually try not to double down this early in the season, but this feels like a repeat of last year with the Ravens’ offense. Mark Andrews is still viewed as a viable TE option due to his name, but the problem is he completely disappears some weeks. Case in point: in Week 1, he had just a single target, which he caught for 5 yards. His floor is as low as it gets. Sure, he’ll score some touchdowns this season, but his highs don’t even out his lows. This is a team that wants to run the ball—29 total rushes against the Bills in Week 1. I’m keeping Andrews on the bench for the foreseeable future.
Defense- Dallas Cowboys (NYG)
Every week, there are one or two defenses at the top of the waiver wire that have favorable matchups but aren’t actually strong units. The Cowboys have a seemingly good matchup against the Giants, who failed to score a single touchdown in Week 1 against the Commanders. At first glance, it looks promising, but I still don’t trust it. Without their star edge rusher, the Cowboys’ defense was dominated on the ground by the Eagles’ run game in Week 1. I don’t expect the Giants to walk all over them, but they could still allow 20 points and record only one sack. That’s not what you want from a starting defense—better options are available.
