Mass A.J.ESPN Staff Writer
CloseFantasy contributor to college football, baseball, and basketball. Author of the book, “Yes, it’s hot in here.”
So many changes from week to week in the NFL, and we’re here to make sure you’re on top of everything heading into the first week of the 2022 NFL season.
The Weekly Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet provides a roundup of the best tips from all the fantasy football content ESPN has put out over the past seven days. You’ll find answers to the week’s biggest start/sit questions and other pertinent matchup tips from our team, including Field Yates, Mike Clay, Eric Karabell, Tristan H. Cockcroft, Matt Bowen, Seth Walder, Al Zeidenfeld, Eric Moody. , Liz Loza, ESPN pundits Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, plus all of NFL Nation. It’s all the best advice in one useful article.
Here’s what our experts are saying about Week 1 in the NFL:
Welcoming some winning receivers
It’s not too late to play with friends and family. Selected leagues now start over for week 2. Start >>
Every year, fantasy managers are faced with a slew of new names that they’ll need to become familiar with as a group of rookies are ready to prove themselves worthy of being drafted to join the ranks of the NFL. This season is no exception, but of particular note is the large pool of potential candidates being considered by NFL Nation to become fantasy breakout stars from the WR position. Here’s a look at some of this year’s “Most Likely to Succeed.”
Drake London, Atlanta Falcons: With a 6-foot-4 frame to play as a borderline X-receiver or hit inside as a big slot target, London is the pick here, given the volume he should see against the tight end. Kyle Pitts. He pulls the seams, works the outside matchups and wins in the red zone. Bet on traits and skill with the newbie here. –Bowen
Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints: Temper expectations for all Saints pass receivers as Thomas, Alvin Kamara, Olave and Jarvis Landry will have to share the cake. But Olave is a good route runner who looks polished for a rookie, and Jameis Winston will love his ability on the field. Olave is an especially good option in dynasty formats. –Mike Triplet
Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers: The rookie wide receiver seemed to gain the confidence of Aaron Rodgers and had a great preseason. That could be all it takes to supplant one of several veteran regular wide receivers. –Karabel
Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders: It’s fair to say that Dotson had one of the best performances among offensive skill players during OTAs and minicamps, and that has carried over into training camp and preseason. Dotson will play a key role on offense, finally giving Washington an outside receiver to complement Terry McLaurin. — grumpy
David Bell, Cleveland Browns: Purdue’s third-round pick enters a relatively open wide receiver situation with the skills to provide immediate help on out-of-the-slot receptions. –Karabel
Join the Jacksonville bandwagon?
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It may be too much to consider the Jacksonville Jaguars as potential playoff favorites in the NFL, but that doesn’t mean fantasy value can’t be found in the team’s pool.
In Week 1, the Jaguars will meet the Commanders, and Mike Clay likes the matchup between Jacksonville’s new WR Christian Kirk and Washington’s Benjamin St-Juste: “Maybe St-Juste will make a leap in his second season, but the 2021 third-round St-Juste lined out on 98% of those plays, which is remarkable considering he’s expected to fill the slot between Kendall Fuller and William Jackson III in 2022. That’s enough evidence to think Kirk ( 79% of the spot with Arizona in 2021) is poised for a big day in his debut as Trevor Lawrence’s top target.”
It’s not just passing that the Jaguars could succeed in Week 1. Matt Bowen sees good things for RB Travis Etienne Jr.: “Anyone who’s seen Etienne this preseason knows what I’m talking about here… You could feel his speed. Dynamic versatility. And the dual threat traits in a new Jacksonville offensive system that will deploy Etienne as a pass catcher, as we saw during his time at Clemson, where he recorded 102 career receptions. James Robinson (Achilles) he’s scheduled to play in the Jacksonville backfield on Sunday against Washington as well. While that will reduce Etienne’s overall volume, I still have him rated as my RB16 this week in PPR formats against Will, a zone-heavy commanders defense.”
Looking for the latest injury news before kick-off? Take a look at all the inactives from Week 1 here.
On the hill?
If you’re not following the NFL offseason that closely, you may have missed the fact that the Kansas City Chiefs traded WR Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins for a bunch of draft picks. Our experts weigh in on how that deal will affect both teams going forward.
Hill goes to Miami, where his quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has thrown only one touchdown pass of more than 30 yards in his career. Hill leads all NFL players in receiving touchdowns of at least 30 yards since he entered the league, so something has to give. I’m optimistic Hill will make Tagovailoa a better deep passer, and Hill’s game goes way beyond vertical presence. — Yachts
Who will be Patrick Mahomes’ henchman in the receiving game now that Hill is in Miami? The uncertainty of target distribution could be a concern for the players that make up JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore and Mecole Hardman. … Valdes-Scantling is one of the best Week 1 picks, a big-play, deep-threat guy who brilliantly matches an Arizona Cardinals defense that allowed the third-most vertical receptions (54) in 2021 and made minimal offseason moves to improve on that front. — Rooster
Smith-Schuster ($5,200 DraftKings, $6,400 FanDuel) is an excellent midrange play at wide receiver, playing in the game with the highest total of the day. The Cardinals allowed a touchdown on 7.9% of passes thrown to wide receivers, the second-highest total in the league in 2021. They also allowed the third-highest TD rate in the slot. –Zeidenfeld
Backs on a New York beat
Whether it’s Big Blue or Gang Green, our pundits seem to be thinking highly of the running back options playing for both New York teams this season.
• ESPN Fantasy Week 1 Staff Rankings
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Karabell Week 1 Superflex Ranks
• TNF review, overlooked players to watch
•Best and worst matchups by position
•The playbook for week 1
•The best players under pressure
•Bowen players to upgrade
•Matchups to explode in Week 1
• DFS Tips for Week 1
•Field pass: rookies, backfields
• Key Matchups of Week 1 WR/CB
According to Yates, the New York Jets’ Breece Hall is the most talented running back in this year’s class and has a real shot at becoming fantasy rookie of the year: “The Jets will be without Zach Wilson and they’re tied for the underdog Biggest of Week 1 (+7 at home vs. Ravens, per Caesars Sportsbook) Hall could defer some passing game jobs to Michael Carter, which is why I have Hall as RB27 for Week 1. At the end of the season I wouldn’t be surprised if he was closer to a top 15-18 weekly plays.”
New York Giants’ Saquon Barkley is back, says Al Zeidenfeld: “He looks as healthy as he has since returning from his ACL injury in 2020. There is absolutely no one who will challenge Barkley for plays and touches in 2022 and, in the new offensive scheme the Giants are running, he has the potential to be the overall RB1 of the season. Specifically in Week 1, the Titans allowed the fifth-most yards per RB catch (after the catch) the last season. This could be a huge boost for Barkley’s fantasy potential this week, given how prolific he is in the passing game.”
Quick hits, starts and sits
The Los Angeles Chargers’ Keenan Allen struggled in two games against the Los Vegas Raiders in 2021, totaling a receiving line of 13-88-0 on 19 targets. He managed just 23 yards on three targets on 32 routes against CB Nate Hobbs. The Raiders allowed the second-fewest slot fantasy points in 2021, so we’re downgrading Allen this week. — Clay
In his Week 1 FF Next Gen Matchup Advantage, Seth Walder points out Nico Collins of the Houston Texans: “Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley uses by far the most Cover 3 in the league (48% the year happened with the Raiders.) If the Colts are running Cover 3 nearly half the time, then Collins (6% exit routes, 9% deep fades) should get some deep one-on-one routes.”
I tend to gloss over tight end in most of my fantasy drafts (mainly because the “major” league I’ve played in for 27 years lumps WRs and TEs together, so we don’t use a lot of them), so I’m always looking for streamers. I like Austin Hooper this week against the Giants. Someone has to catch the ball for the Tennessee Titans, and with Robert Woods recovering from injury and Treylon Burks still getting used to the NFL, Hooper should be able to feast on that Giants defense. — Gratian
If you’re looking for a tight end sleeper, Hayden Hurst qualifies. The Cincinnati Bengals anticipate he’ll get the fourth-best opponents’ cover man on a lot of plays, because of Cincinnati’s talented trio of wide receivers, and he’ll be able to win those matchups. I’m not expecting massive numbers from him, but enough to get me through a few dry weeks. — Hunter
In a week filled with intriguing matchups due to quarterbacks switching teams and immediately facing those previous teams (Russell Wilson, Baker Mayfield), Justin Fields takes on Trey Lance. … I think Fields (47% on ESPN’s league list) is a future star in the making, and perhaps the best quarterback added before Week 2 if he destroys San Francisco’s defense on Sunday. If he has problems, he could end up being the most downtrodden QB. Hot seat, baby! –Karabel
I’m debating Rashod Bateman on the Jets or Smith-Schuster on the Cardinals. Both have solid matchups, but the game between Kansas City and Arizona seems to be full of fantasy fireworks (O/U of 52.5). Lots of question marks for both players debuting in roles/spots. I think I’m leaning toward ranking JuJu a little higher for the week because…volume. — Earthenware
The Saints’ Michael Thomas is likely to play in Week 1 against the Falcons after back-to-back limited tags on Wednesday and Thursday. Fantasy managers may see him as a high-end flexible option. We’ve hardly seen Thomas since his record-setting season with 149 receptions, 1,725 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 2019. Despite missing the entire 2021 season due to injury, Thomas played just seven games in 2020. It will be great to see. Back in action. — Grumpy
Source: www.espn.com