Fantasy Football Game of the Week, NFL Week 1
By Dan Salem
There are great matchups and then there are great Fantasy Football matchups. But which NFL Week 1 game is the best of the opening weekend?
Each Sunday during the NFL season, certain games stand out. These are not necessarily the games with the most on the line or with the most impact on the standings. Instead, these contests hold the most star power and fantasy football implications.
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These are the games every fan needs to watch, from the die hard to the guy pressured into joining a fantasy league with work associates. This is the fantasy football game of the week for NFL Week 1.
Two brothers from New York, Dan Salem and Todd Salem, debate Fantasy Football in today’s NFL Sports Debate.
Fantasy Football Week 1
It is a bit of a surprise to see some of the matchups for Week 1 of the 2017 season. Normally the first week isn’t so bleak. Besides the fact that the Dolphins–Buccaneers game was postponed, there are a slew of terrible quarterbacks ready to suit up and start in Week 1. It’s a fantasy football bummer all around.
When the Jets play the Bills, Josh McCown will possibly face off against fifth-round rookie Nathan Peterman. Buffalo is expecting to have Tyrod Taylor, but he suffered a preseason concussion that has kept him out of practice. Jaguars–Texans is Blake Bortles versus Tom Savage. Colts–Rams will see Scott Tolzien versus Jared Goff. Trevor Siemian, Brian Hoyer, DeShone Kizer, and Mike Glennon are all also involved in other games as starting NFL quarterbacks. This is Week 1!
That limits our options for fantasy football game of the week, but there are still some matches that are in need of constant monitoring.
Game of the Week
Todd Salem: The Giants–Cowboys game gets an honorable mention from me. If Odell Beckham Jr. was definitely playing, it would be in the discussion, but with him questionable to suit up, this contest may be without its biggest star. Seahawks–Packers is also close but lacks running back options. Instead, the real game of the week is a bit of a surprise.
Oakland and Tennessee don’t have the city cache that the other matchups do, but the fantasy implications are sprawling. With the Raiders, they have upper-echelon pieces nearly across the board. Derek Carr, Marshawn Lynch, Amari Cooper, and Michael Crabtree are starters in every normal fantasy league. Even Jared Cook has some buzz after his year with Green Bay last year.
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As for the Titans, they make up for a lack of stars with incredible fantasy-relevant depth. Marcus Mariota and DeMarco Murray obviously highlight the pack. But all of Rishard Matthews, Corey Davis, Eric Decker, Delanie Walker and Derrick Henry are must-own and viable flex options in most leagues. That is about as deep as any roster can possibly be in fantasy options. For Week 1, there is no game with more pieces than Raiders-Titans.
Dan Salem: The fantasy football game of the week must contain a ton of fantasy stars, but it should also be an exciting game in and of itself. That is why I must disagree with your ranking of our top games for NFL week 1. I’m flip flopping your picks. Week 1 belongs to the NFC East.
Honorable mention goes to Oakland versus Tennessee, because there are a bevy of fantasy relevant players throughout this matchup. Yet interest in the Titans has yet to grow beyond a simmer, so this actual football game is somewhat lackluster. There are no other games worth considering beyond Cowboys versus Giants.
I fully expect Odell Beckham Jr. to play in this football game, but if he doesn’t, that only makes Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard even more prominent in fantasy football Week 1. Eli Manning is not a flashy name, but he is a must start in fantasy.
Did you forget about Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, and Dez Bryant? Dallas also has top-tier tight end Jason Witten. There are a slew of fantasy studs on both sides of this matchup. Add in the fact that this will be an excellent football game between two NFC powerhouses, and this is the must-watch fantasy game of Week 1. This is our fantasy football game of the week.
Next: NFL 2017: 20 Bold predictions for Week 1
What about the worst fantasy football game of NFL Week 1? You noted a ton of forgettable quarterbacks starting games this week. Unfortunately for my ego, the worst game is probably Jets versus Bills. Both offenses are so unproven, that no reasonable fantasy owner will be counting on their players for points. This likely changes quickly, once playmakers emerge on the two New York teams. Indianapolis versus Los Angeles is also pretty poor. Andrew Luck is out and Sammy Watkins is an unknown until proven otherwise. At least the Rams do have a potential stud at running back, unless he continues to regress.