2023 NFL Fantasy Football Start/Sit – Week 1

How are you feeling about your team before Week 1?

Did you play it safe with your picks or did you take some risks with some young talent?

There are a lot of question marks at quarterback right now. Will the three rookie starting quarterbacks struggle early in their careers? Can Patriots QB Mac Jones do enough early in the year to keep Coach Belichick happy?

Will any Detroit Lions shine in their opener against the Chiefs?

Here is our Fantasy Football Sit/Start for Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season…and enjoy our awesome MS Paint masterpiece of QB Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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 Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars) – The Jaguars face the Colts this weekend and Indy’s secondary has a lot of holes. Lawrence should have a solid day, and with two running backs with good hands, he should have a big week.
  • WR George Pickens (Pittsburgh Steelers) – I’m expecting a big jump for Pickens in Year Two. His quarterback has a year under his belt and Pickens’ elite hands should push him towards 80+ catches this year. He should find the ball a handful of times against the Niners.
  • TE Kyle Pitts (Atlanta Falcons) – I don’t like Atlanta’s offense as a whole against the Panthers, but Pitts will be difficult to bottle up. When healthy, he’s always been a big part of the offense.
  • RB Deon Jackson (Indianapolis Colts) – Colts backfield has been a bit of a mess this preseason. RB Jonathan Taylor has contract drama and an injury that hasn’t completely healed. He will be out for the first handful of game. Also, RB Zack Moss appears destined to miss the opener. Jackson is RB1 in Indianapolis, and if you’re in a deeper league, I’d take a flyer on rookie RB Evan Hull.
  • QB Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks) – The Seahawks host a secondary-starved Rams team on Sunday. If Seattle’s offensive line can give Smith some time in the pocket, he should have some open receivers. He could have a big game this week.
  • Philadelphia Eagles Defense & Special Teams – I’m not a fan of the Patriots this year and the Eagles travel to New England this weekend. The Patriots offense has some holes and they don’t even seem to be that sold on QB Mac Jones themselves.
  • RB Raheem Mostert (Miami Dolphins) – The Dolphins backfield is dealing with injuries and Mostert appears to be the benefactor. Backup RB Jeff Wilson Jr. will miss the first four games and rookie RB De’Von Achane is nursing a shoulder injury that could limit or eliminate him from playing.
  • WR Calvin Ridley (Jacksonville Jaguars) – Ridley will have positive matchups against a depleted Colts secondary. Ridley hasn’t played in nearly two calendar years (injury & gambling suspension) and he will be hungry for the ball.
  • RB Josh Jacobs (Las Vegas Raiders) – Jacobs is a post-hype sleeper this year. Everyone is predicting his demise and many expect RB Zamir White to leapfrog him at some point. Jacobs is still only 25 years old and he should play better than his draft slot.
  • TE Darren Waller (New York Giants) – I love Waller this year. Giants QB Daniel Jones had to throw to third & fourth string pass catchers the last two years. I’m super high on Waller and think he will give Jones a big passing stat boost.
  • WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Kansas City Chiefs) – Chiefs TE Travis Kelce (knee) is currently slated to miss Thursday’s opener against the Lions. He hyperextended his knee in practice and I would expect him to miss some time. Valdes-Scantling should benefit from Kelce being out. He’s a big target and should carry some of the extra workload.
  • Chicago Bears Defense & Special Teams – The Bears may not have an elite defense this year, but I like their odds against the Packers. These teams know each other well and Chicago will want to pounce on the Packers in their first Aaron Rodgers-less game.
  • QB Jared Goff (Detroit Lions) – Goff turned his career around last season, and this year’s surrounding cast is even better. He has a backfield with backs with good hands and I love the addition of rookie TE Sam LaPorta. Goff should do better than expected against the Chiefs.

SIT’EM

  • RB Javonte Williams (Denver Broncos) – Williams blew his knee out last year and they aren’t going to immediately throw him to the wolves. I’m expecting a larger role for backup RB Samaje Perine early this season.
  • QB Desmond Ridder (Atlanta Falcons)  – Ridder did not impress me in his rookie year. He was in over his head and I don’t like his matchup against the Panthers in Week 1. Carolina’s young secondary could lead to the Falcons leaning on their running game.
  • WR Chris Godwin (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – Godwin is going to struggle without QB Tom Brady. The Bucs are just now starting their rebuild and he will have to work for his catches with QB Baker Mayfield under center. Let’s just say, the balls aren’t going to be hitting him between the numbers as much.
  • RB Antonio Gibson (Washington Commanders) – It appears that Brian Robinson Jr. and Gibson will be in a shared role this year. I personally believe Robinson is the more-talented back and should do more with his touches. Gibson may be a flex option early in the year, but he could sink farther down the rankings deeper into the season.
  • QB Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers) – As I said earlier, I’m not a fan of Love coming into the season. The Bears fans will let the sort-of-young quarterback know that he isn’t welcome. This will officially be the first season of the Love Era and I don’t see it going well.
  • WR DeAndre Hopkins (Tennessee Titans) – Hopkins has made a name for himself by racking up fantasy stats with mediocre quarterbacks. He may have his worst one in QB Ryan Tannehill. He still managed to get double-digit targets person game in the past, but that will be rare in the Titans run-first offense.
  • TE Dalton Schultz (Houston Texans) – Schultz might be the most talented player on Houston’s offense. He’s used to catching 5+ balls a game with the Cowboys, which could happen in Houston, but with far less red zone targets.
  • New York Jets Defense & Special Teams – The Jets defense will be a very good fantasy defense this year, but I would avoid them against the Bills in Week 1. That being said, they would be a ‘set and forget’ defense for a large majority of the remaining games.
  • TE Dalton Kincaid (Buffalo Bills) – Kincaid is a young, talented tight end, but TE Dawson Knox is still in Buffalo. I’d rather start Saints TE Juwan Johnson or Chargers Gerald Everett early this year.
  • San Francisco 49ers Defense & Special Teams – The Niners have a tough matchup against the Steelers in Week 1. It’s unknown if they can come to terms with holdout DE Nick Bosa before Sunday, and many expect it could take awhile to get Bosa’s contract situation settled.
  • WR Marquise Brown (Arizona Cardinals) – It looks like Brown could be in for another down year in Arizona. QB Kyler Murray (knee) will miss the first few games and backup QB Joshua Dobbs will be starting. Arizona’s offense could struggle in Week 1 against the Commanders.

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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 X at @Sweetbob