Fantasy Football 2018: Start or sit for Week 1
By Donnie Druin
Quarterbacks
Start
Ben Roethlisberger vs. Cleveland Browns– Le’Veon Bell will not be in action as the Steelers travel to Cleveland in week one. Second-year running back James Conner will get the nod as a starter, and has thoroughly impressed his teammates in preseason action. Yet Pittsburgh will look to lean on the arm of their 14-year veteran quarterback to lead them to victory. Big Ben is 21-2 vs Cleveland in the regular season, and with weapons such as Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster among other options, Big Ben should continue his success against the Browns.
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Matthew Stafford vs. New York Jets– Matthew Stafford has put up seven consecutive 4,000-yard seasons, and has a great chance to start 2018 off on the right foot vs a Jets defense that gave up the third most points the fantasy quarterbacks last season, according to ESPN. With no solidified running game set in place, Stafford should continue to see his success grow. Start Stafford with confidence in week one.
Sit
Russell Wilson vs. Denver Broncos– Russell Wilson, historically speaking, picks his play up in the second half of the season. It’s no secret the Seahawks are under-construction at different spots on the team, including their offensive line. Factor the poor offensive line play with a trip to Denver to play Von Miller and company, and Wilson’s superb fantasy appeal doesn’t work magic in week one.
Andrew Luck vs. Cincinnati Bengals– Fantasy football is about taking risks…or playing it safe, depending on who’s in your league. If Andrew Luck was fully healthy, we would boost him out of the “sit” category. Yet the unknown leaves us still waiting to see if Luck can regain his old touch. If you have a more viable option, roll with the other guy. Luck has a favorable match-up against the Bengals, but is it enough to take the caution tape off and roll him out in your lineup?