It’s now time to see how well you did in your fantasy draft.

Will your sleeper pay off Week 1?

Was drafting a running back in the first round a mistake? 

A strong Week 1 is good, but you can bounce back from it. There’s a chance the waiver wire could be your friend before Week 2…because there will always be those Week 1 studs that will go from 5% ownership to 90% by the second game.

Here is our Fantasy Football Sit/Start for Week 1 of the 2018 NFL season…and enjoy our strange MS Paint masterpiece of Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.

I want to explain what I mean by “sit” and “start.” Of course you are going to start some of the guys i say to bench this week, because you probably used high draft picks or a lot of money in an auction for them. My ‘sit’ players are guys I am just not completely sold that they will have good weeks. If you have a guy that you are on the fence about, maybe this will help you pick between the players.

I didn’t want to make this SIT’EM section very long since there’s no need to drop guys, because hey, it’s the last week of the season. Just make sure the guys you are playing aren’t getting rested and you should be okay this week.

START’EM

• QB Philip Rivers (Los Angeles Chargers) – Rivers has carved up the Chiefs when they travel to Southern California. The Chiefs secondary isn’t as stout as last year as they traded Marcus Peters and Eric Berry is dealing with a heel injury. This is pretty much an automatic 2+ TD day, with a good chance of more.
• WR Will Fuller (Houston Texans) – Fuller was one of QB Deshaun Watson’s favorite targets last season. He had monster games and even though they face the Patriots this weekend, I think he will catch a few deep balls for the Texans. Secondaries have to use an extra body on WR DeAndre Hopkins, so the deep ball option should be there a few times.
• RB Royce Freeman (Denver Broncos) – Freeman scored three touchdowns this preseason and won the starting job. I loved him at Oregon and thought Denver got a steal on draft day. Seattle’s run defense will be tough since they have some Pro Bowl talent in their front-seven, but Freeman should get enough volume to be a RB2 or flex this week.
• QB Kirk Cousins (Minnesota Vikings) – Cousins got a huge contract this offseason and he is given a good homecoming opponent. The 49ers gave up a lot of fantasy points to opposing QBs last season. They didn’t do much to improve their secondary. WR Adam Thielen is dealing with an injury, but he is expected to suit up. Cousins could be a top-five fantasy QB this week.
• RB Peyton Barber (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – Barber is another running back that busted his ass in camp and won the starting job. He faces the Saints, who have ball hawks in the secondary, but their front-seven isn’t great against the run. The Bucs also have QB Ryan Fitzpatrick starting this game for the suspended QB Jameis Winston. Due to Fitzpatrick’s penchant for throwing interceptions, they may want to rely heavily on the ground.
• Baltimore Ravens Defense & Special Teams – This is an easy one. The Ravens should be able to carve up Bills QB Nathan Peterman. I have a feeling Buffalo is in for a long season if they keep him as the starting quarterback.
• WR Robert Woods (Los Angeles Rams) – Rams QB Jared Goff just knew where Woods was last season. He was a deep threat and he also broke a few short passes for long gains. The Rams face the Raiders, a team that just traded their best player on defense. Woods should be a solid WR3 or flex against Oakland.
• TE Jack Doyle (Indianapolis Colts) – Doyle is in for a huge season for the Colts. They are light on wide receiver talent and need strong tight end play this season. They signed TE Eric Ebron this season, but considering QB Andrew Luck likes two-tight end formations, Ebron shouldn’t eat into Doyle’s on-field time. Luck will be looking for him this weekend against the Bengals. 
• TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Jacksonville Jaguars) – I loved the Jags acquiring Seferian-Jenkins this offseason. He was a stud in college and has been very productive at times, but hasn’t found a long-term home. He will make QB Blake Bortles more comfortable, as he has a nice checkdown option. They face the Giants, a team that was piss-poor against tight ends last season. They gave up 13 touchdowns to tight ends last season.
• Los Angeles Chargers Defense & Special Teams – The Chargers open the season against the Chiefs, who are starting second-year QB Patrick Mahomes. I’m a big fan of DE Joey Bosa this season and I’m not sure the Chiefs can effectively block him. He will be pressuring the young quarterback and could cause a turnover (or two).
• RB James Conner (Pittsburgh Steelers) – I know you spent $70 on Le’Veon Bell in your fantasy auction, but the dude hasn’t reported to the team. The Steelers are planning on starting Conner against the Browns, even if Bell arrives before the game. Conner was a great running back in college, but a cancer diagnosis really put the brakes on his career. He won that battle, but didn’t look like his old self when he came back. I’ve heard great things about him this preseason and Bell could have really messed up by holding out. He ‘could’ be Wally Pipp‘d if Conner has a huge opening game.
• QB Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) – Stafford gets to kick off the season against the Jets weak secondary. They gave up 30 touchdown passes last season. Stafford has also been very good at home, so the recipe doesn’t look good the Jets.
• RB Jordan Wilkins (Indianapolis Colts) DEEP LEAGUE ALERT – Going into the preseason I thought rookie RB Nyheim Hines could be the rookie running back to watch this season. He could be fantasy-relevant at times, but Wilkins is the rookie running back I want on the Colts. RB Marlon Mack appears to be the starter, but he missed some time with a hamstring injury (and he’s iffy about playing against the Bengals).

SIT’EM

• WR Josh Gordon (Cleveland Browns) – Steelers CB Joe Haden is one of the best corners in the league. He ruins many wide receiver’s fantasy production. Also, they used to be teammates, so they have a lot of experience battling each other in practice. Gordon arrived late to training camp and has a new quarterback. A battle with Haden is a little too one-sided for Gordon.
• RB Marshawn Lynch (Oakland Raiders) – I don’t like Lynch’s odds of being very productive against the Rams. They signed DT Ndamukong Suh and they still have All-World DT Aaron Donald. The Rams are going to be a very, very tough team to run against this season.
• QB Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco 49ers) – Jimmy G got a ton of love/hype this offseason after turning around the Niners season after he was acquired. He was productive late last season, but many of his drives ended in field goals. He opens the season against the Vikings, who was tough against the pass last season. I don’t like Garoppolo this week.
• WR Sammy Watkins (Kansas City Chiefs) – Watkins has yet to live up to his potential. He is now on his third team and he didn’t wow anyone last year with the Rams. I mentioned that Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes could have issues with the Chargers pass rush. I believe the passing offense will go through TE Travis Kelce and WR Tyreek Hill. Watkins is the third-best receiving option on the Chiefs.
• RB Chris Carson (Seattle Seahawks) – The Seahawks haven’t had much of a running game since Marshawn Lynch ‘retired’ for a season. Carson is the de facto starter and I think he will eventually lose the job to rookie Rashaad Penny, who is dealing with an injured finger. I don’t see Carson haven’t a very productive day against the Broncos.
• TE Cameron Brate (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – Brate is a talented receiving tight end, but he has to share targets with another talented tight end, O.J. Howard. The Saints didn’t give up many fantasy points to tight ends last season. It might be a tough day for both tight ends.
• Denver Broncos Defense & Special Teams – The Broncos host the Seahawks this week. Seattle’s ‘Legion of Boom’ secondary has undergone a face lift. Safety Kam Chancellor retired, Richard Sherman signed with the 49ers, and Earl Thomas is really the only original member left (and he just reported to the team this week). We all know the Seahawks just aren’t the same team when play on the road. I like a few offseason moves the Broncos made, especially the signing of QB Case Keenum. He could have a good fantasy week against Seattle’s ‘Legion of Boom’ B-Team.

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About the Author…

Bobby Roberts (otherwise known as Sweetbob) is the creator of ‘America’s White Boy’ and contributor at Project Shanks. His writing has been featured on ESPN’s ‘SportsNation’, Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks, Guyspeed, and various other sites. You can follow him on Twitter at @Sweetbob.