2022 NFL Fantasy Football Start/Sit – Week 1

I’m so happy to have fantasy football back!

Hopefully we can make it throughout the season without having to track all of your fantasy team’s temperatures and testing statuses.

We have a lot of new faces in new places and the biggest is probably the cover boy this week, Denver Broncos QB Russell Wilson. He is expected to have a big year, and uh, let’s ride!

The Bills and Rams kickoff the season on Thursday Night Football. Are there any sleepers on those teams this year?

Here is our Fantasy Football Sit/Start for Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season…and enjoy our awesome MS Paint masterpiece of QB Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos.

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.

START’EM

  • QB Russell Wilson (Denver Broncos) – Wilson is in a much better position than he would have been had he stayed in Seattle. He has a lot of wide receiver talent and a tight end I really like (see below). Teams will need to respect Denver’s running game with Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon III, so Wilson will get some good match-ups. I expect him to torch his former team on Monday Night Football.
  • WR Hunter Renfrow (Las Vegas Raiders) – It’s unknown if TE Darren Waller will be healthy for Week 1, but some assume if they announce that he signed a new contract, his injury could have just been a ‘hold-in’ ploy and he’ll suit up. I think his hamstring issue is legit and could miss this week. Renfrow will still get a ton of targets with new teammate WR Devante Adams lining up on the other side. Renfrow is a little underrated going into this season and I think he over-performs this week.
  • TE Evan Engram (Jacksonville Jaguars) – I may not like a lot of things about the Jacksonville Jaguars offense, but adding Engram was a smart decision. He was rotting up in New York and only saw targets when the team was utterly demolished by injuries last season. He is a big target and has good hands. He will make QB Trevor Lawrence’s Year 2 growing pains a little less stressful. T-Law won’t have much time to throw against the Commanders, so Engram will be a nice short-yard option.
  • RB Cordarrelle Patterson (Atlanta Falcons) – Patterson was the Falcons MVP last season. He was exactly what the offense needed, and when he didn’t perform well, the offense couldn’t put many points on the board. Atlanta will need another big season from Patterson this year. He has great hands for a running back (because he’s a former wide receiver) and will be a huge asset for new quarterback Marcus Mariota. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Falcons offense looked more like an old West Coast passing system with quick, short passes. Once rookie WR Drake London is healthy, he could be a deep ball threat, but he could miss Week 1.
  • QB Trey Lance (San Francisco 49ers) – Lance has played great this preseason and the sky is the limit for him right now. His fantasy stock is tied to the health of George Kittle. I think if Kittle can stay healthy, Lance could have a Pro Bowl-level fantasy season. Lance faces a Chicago Bears defense that is trying to get younger and isn’t as talented as past seasons. I think Lance is set to have a solid week.
  • Baltimore Ravens Defense & Special Teams – This is probably one of the biggest no-brainer starts of the week. I love the Ravens secondary and if the New York Jets have to start backup QB Joe Flacco, they could eat him up. I do think the Jets could run the ball on the Ravens, but I think the defense forces some turnovers on Sunday.
  • WR Isaiah McKenzie (Buffalo Bills) – If the Bills hope to make a Super Bowl run, they need to make life easier for QB Josh Allen. The Bills backfield didn’t have much success in the second-half of last season. Allen was forced to run the ball himself. They hope to have a little more balance to their offense and maybe limit Allen’s injury risk. I like the Bills wide receivers this season. McKenzie should have a lot of success in the slot against the Rams.
  • RB Michael Carter (New York Jets) – I know the world loves rookie RB Breece Hall more than Michael Carter…but I love what I saw from Carter last year. If QB Zach Wilson can’t play (knee), the Jets will need to lean on their backfield on Sunday. If you’re in need of a flex, I think Carter, who has good hands, is a smart play in my opinion.
  • TE Albert Okwuegbunam (Denver Broncos) – I think Russell Wilson is due for a big year in Denver and he loves to look for tight ends in the red zone. Okwuegbunam may not get ten targets a game like some other tight end studs, but I think he will surprise a lot of people with his red zone targets. He should get some nice look against Seattle on Monday Night Football.
  • WR George Pickens (Pittsburgh Steelers) – This is probably more of a deeper league suggestion, but Pickens is so damn good. I loved him in college, but injuries killed his draft stock. He has been impressive this preseason and there’s a lot of buzz around him. It’s unfortunate that the Steelers named QB Mitchell Trubisky as the starter, as he would probably have a better passing offense with rookie QB Kenny Pickett under center. Pickens could be a decent stash player.
  • RB Kenyan Drake (Baltimore Ravens) – (Deeper Leagues Only) Drake has been a serviceable running back on many teams during his career. He is technically RB3 in Baltimore, but since J.K. Dobbins is expected to be out (knee) for Week 1, Drake could be a sneaky play in deep leagues as a complement to Mike Davis in the running and short-passing game.
  • Washington Commanders Defense & Special Teams – I’ve been bullish on the Commanders defense and think they could push their team towards the playoffs. Washington will make Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence’s think fast on Sunday. They will get to him a few times and could force a couple turnovers.
  • QB Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins) – I’ve been patient with Tua as he suffered a major injury in his final season at Alabama. It’s time for him to show up and play big to shut up his doubters. The Dolphins acquired WR Tyreek Hill and added a couple new faces in the backfield. I like his match-up at home against the Patriots. New England has stumbled out of the gates the last few seasons. I think Tua will have a very good week.

SIT’EM

  • RB Cam Akers (Los Angeles Rams) – Akers is a victim of the off-season hype machine. The Rams backfield is still a bit too crowded as I think Darrell Henderson Jr. will get a share of carries. He’s stuck in a time-share right now. He’s clearly not a 50/50 split, but I could see it being closer to a 60/40 split early this season.
  • QB Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars) – Lawrence got some new toys to play with in Jacksonville. His former college teammate RB Travis Etienne returns from an injury that cost him his entire rookie year and Jacksonville added WR Christian Kirk and TE Evan Engram. He will have a tough week against Washington’s speedy and powerful defense. I’d rather start QB Baker Mayfield or Tua Tagovailoa this week.
  • WR Mike Evans (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – Last season, Evans wasn’t the deep threat on his team. He ran shorter routes than in pervious years. He still had an outstanding season with fourteen touchdowns and over 1,000 yards, but his long was only 46 yards. I’m betting that QB Tom Brady will fall off a little this season. The veteran quarterback will still be better than most of the league, but his off-the-field distractions appear to be an issue right now. I’ll try my best to sell-high on Evans early this season.
  • RB Damien Harris (New England Patriots) – Harris isn’t slotted as the running back to get red zone touches. It looks like second-year RB Rhamondre Stevenson will the touchdown vulture in New England. Harris should still get yard quantity, but the quality isn’t there. There will be weeks when he busts a couple large runs and gets in the endzone, but those will not be consistent.
  • QB Mac Jones (New England Patriots) – As I said earlier, the Patriots have started slow the last few years. Also, the Patriots have been known to shit the bed in Miami during the Bill Belichick Era. I had using data over the course of many years, since there is so much turnover in today’s National Football League, but the stat is true. There are better options to start in Week 1. Look in the top section for a few options.
  • WR Adam Thielen (Minnesota Vikings) – I think the Vikings passing attack will be very good this season, but Minnesota is loaded on offense right now. Someone will take a hit when it comes to touches. Thielen is the guy I’m choosing for a regression in 2022. I’m more bullish on WR K.J. Osborn this season.
  • TE Mike Gesicki (Miami Dolphins) – Gesicki has been THE passing offense over the last couple years. He will still get some redzone targets this season, but the Dolphins new backfield and the addition of WR Tyreek Hill will make Gesicki a probably ‘touchdown or bust’ fantasy tight end.
  • Detroit Lions Defense & Special Teams – I know you’re in a tough position if you’re stuck with the Lions defense in fantasy football, but it could be an issue in deep leagues. The Lions have some issues on defense and it will take them a few years to get enough young studs on that side of the ball. They can be thrown upon and will give up a lot of yards through the air. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts should have a solid week against Detroit and I’d avoid starting the Lions defense this week.
  • TE Cameron Brate (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – The Bucs tight ends (not named Rob Gronkowski) haven’t had much success in Tampa Bay lately. Gronk missed some time last season and Brate had solid moments, but he fell out of favor after a couple bad routes or not getting to balls Brady thought he should catch. Brate will be on a short leash and I wouldn’t be surprised if TE Kyle Rudolph gets more targets.
  • Cleveland Browns Defense & Special Teams – The Browns may get a couple turnovers against former quarterback Baker Mayfield, but I think the Panthers will score a few touchdowns. We haven’t seen a healthy RB Christian McCaffrey in a long time. Also, Mayfield is going to be playing with a huge chip on his shoulder. I’d avoid starting the Browns defense this week.
  • Amari Cooper (Cleveland Browns) – As a Colts fan, I’ve lived through the ‘Jacoby Brissett Era’…and it wasn’t pretty. Cooper may turn into a huge fantasy playoff stud when QB Deshaun Watson returns, but I’m not touching Cooper while Brissett is under center. I’d rather start Colts WR Parris Campbell or Texans Nico Collins.

Follow us on Twitter @Sweetbob & ‘LIKE’ us on Facebook!

sweetbob-author-picAbout 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.