Fantasy football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: 23 players to start or sit in Week 1

Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season is officially underway, and fantasy football managers already have plenty to think about.

The defending champion Seattle Seahawks opened the season with a Super Bowl rematch against the Patriots, picking up a win. The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams squared off in Melbourne, Australia

one night later, giving fans an early taste of what promises to be another unpredictable NFL season.

Now, the wait is over for the rest of the league. A full schedule of games is on tap Sunday, followed by the first "Monday Night Football" matchup of the season. With several divisional battles on the schedule, there are plenty of intriguing games – and fantasy storylines.

Of course, Week 1 is always one of the most difficult

weeks to navigate in fantasy football. Managers who drafted A.J. Brown or Brock Bowers are already dealing with uncertainty moving forward, while those who landed Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Mike Evans can feel a little more comfortable about their lineups.

With 28 of 32 teams set to take the field Sunday and Monday, fantasy managers have some difficult decisions to make before kickoff. If you're on the fence about who to start, who to sit or which players could make the biggest impact in Week 1, we've got you covered.

Here are our start 'em and sit 'em recommendations for Week 1 of the 2026 fantasy football season:

Fantasy football start 'em: Week 1 QBs

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (vs. New Orleans Saints)

The Saints are actually better against quarterbacks than most realize, as they allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points per game (FPPG) to quarterbacks last season. Even so, Goff is close to a must-start given his proven track record of success in Detroit.

Goff has been one of the most consistent quarterbacks in fantasy football the last three seasons, never throwing for fewer than 4,500 yards or 30 touchdowns. That consistency – along with a strong Lions supporting cast that features Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs – makes Goff a high-floor start.

Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Arizona Cardinals)

Herbert was able to log a strong fantasy season in 2025 despite being pressured a league-high 288 times, per Pro Football Focus. He should have an easier time staying clean in 2026, with tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt in the fold, and that could raise his ceiling.

Even if Herbert's protection doesn't take an immediate step forward, he shouldn't have any issues against the Cardinals. Arizona had a 31.6% pressure rate last year, which ranked 26th in the league, per the NFL's Next Gen Stats. The Cardinals didn't upgrade their edge rush rotation during the offseason, so Herbert should have plenty of time to pick apart a shaky-looking Arizona defense that surrendered 30.75 points per game during the preseason.

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (at New York Giants)

Prescott attempted the second-most passes in the NFL last season behind only Bo Nix. The 33-year-old may not be asked to throw quite as much in 2026, as Dallas' defense looks significantly improved from its league-worst unit last year, but he should still do more than enough to be a top-10 fantasy quarterback.

The Giants struggled to contain opposing quarterbacks last season, surrendering the eighth-most FPPG to the position. Prescott threw for 361 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in his lone full outing against New York, so he could be similarly positioned to thrive to open the fantasy season.

Jaxson Dart, New York Giants (vs. Dallas Cowboys)

The Cowboys spent a lot of resources during the offseason to upgrade their defense, adding players like Rashan Gary, Jalen Thompson and first-round pick Caleb Downs to the fold. Christian Parker, who comes from the Vic Fangio coaching tree, could eventually lead the unit to success, but it may take time to gel early in the season.

If that happens, Dart should be positioned to take advantage of a Cowboys defense that allowed the most FPPG to quarterbacks last season. That included a league-high eight rushing touchdowns to the position, a stat that marries well with Dart's dual-threat capabilities.

Fantasy football sit 'em: Week 1 QBs

Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. Cleveland Browns)

The Browns suffered a couple of major losses on defense over the offseason. The aforementioned Garrett was traded to the Rams while defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz left the team after being passed over for Cleveland's head coaching job in favor of Todd Monken.

Despite these departures, the Browns are still returning most of their 2025 starters, and their defense ranked fourth in defensive EPA allowed per play last season, per the NFL's Next Gen Stats. That may make it hard for Lawrence – who was buoyed by an outlier nine rushing touchdowns in 2025 – to find high-level success in his first game of the 2026 campaign.

Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Denver Broncos)

Mahomes is expected to play in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season despite tearing his left ACL and LCL during a December 2025 game against the Los Angeles Chargers. The 30-year-old quarterback may need time to shake off the rust, so it's fair to assume he might get off to a slower start than usual in 2026.

Further complicating Mahomes' path toward a productive fantasy day is that the Broncos have one of the NFL's best defenses. They have enjoyed particular success against Mahomes, who hasn't scored multiple touchdowns in a game against the Broncos since 2022, so it's best to steer clear of the two-time MVP.

Fantasy football start 'em: Week 1 RBs

Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bengals

Bucky is a sleeper entering 2026 after an injury-riddled season. Before his injury, through the first four weeks of 2025, Irving was third among all RBs in receptions (19) and receiving yards per game (48.3). Irving should excel in this one as a receiver and on the ground against the Bengals defense, which allowed the most fantasy points per game to running backs last season.

Cincinnati ranked 32nd in rushing yards allowed (147.1 per game) and 31st in yards per carry allowed (5.21). They added Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen on the defensive line, but don't let that stop you from trusting Bucky in Week 1. This game has the highest projected total of the week (50.5), so there should be plenty of fantasy goodness to be had.

David Montgomery, Houston Texans vs. Bills

The Texans' new weapon has a strong Week 1 matchup in his debut. The Bills surrendered the eighth-most fantasy points per game to backs a season ago, including the most rushing touchdowns to opposing backfields.

The Texans ranked eighth in RB rush attempts in 2025, so Montgomery should see plenty of opportunities with his new team. He has also ranked top 10 in goal-to-go rush attempts in six of his seven career seasons, so he's likely to find paydirt in this one. He's a rock-solid RB2 for fantasy managers with legitimate touchdown upside.

Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys at Giants ("Sunday Night Football")

Williams staked his claim as one of the top breakout stars in 2025 and cashed in during the offseason with a contract extension in Dallas. He should eat in Week 1 against the Giants on "Sunday Night Football" at MetLife. New York traded away Dexter Lawrence and has done little to fill the void he left behind in run defense that ranked 31st against the run in 2025, allowing 145.3 rushing yards per game and the fifth-most fantasy points per game.

Williams is a strong bet to find the end zone this week. In his one game against the Giants last season, he finished as RB4 that week, rushing for 97 yards and one touchdown on 18 carries while reeling in six of seven targets for 33 yards. Williams is a must-start as a staple in one of the league's top offenses.

Fantasy football sit 'em: Week 1 RBs

Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns at Jaguars

The Browns' second-year back has some long-term upside, but he gets a horrible matchup in Week 1 against the Jaguars defense that allowed the third-fewest fantasy points per game and the fewest rushing yards to opposing backs last season. Cleveland is a 7.5-point underdog, which suggests they may be forced to abandon the run if they go down early.

This will be Judkins' first game back since suffering a significant injury: a fractured fibula and dislocated right ankle in December. As a large road underdog, it's likely backup running back Dylan Sampson gets more usage than expected as Judkins is eased into action.

Marshawn Lloyd, Green Bay Packers at Vikings

Lloyd has catapulted up fantasy rankings and draft boards since Josh Jacobs was placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List. Green Bay hits the road in Week 1 for a tough divisional matchup with the Vikings, who allowed the tenth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing running backs a season ago.

Green Bay added Kaleb Johnson and has Chris Brooks available to take meaningful snaps as well. A report Tuesday, Sept. 8 indicated the Packers could deploy a committee to start the season, creating a legitimate threat to Lloyd's workload. Lloyd has played only one regular-season game, totaling six carries for 15 yards, and hasn't played an NFL regular-season snap since 2024. Lloyd has no strong track record to trust in Week 1.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders at Eagles

The Commanders' second-year back is trending towards becoming a touchdown-dependent option for fantasy managers. With Rachaad White signing in Washington in the offseason, Croskey-Merritt will likely not be on the field during obvious passing situations, so there isn't a strong three-down role until proven otherwise.

Philadelphia finished last season as a respectable run defense, and with a healthy Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, they pose a challenge for the Commanders' meager offensive line. Croskey-Merritt had also missed some practice time over the last few weeks with a lower-body issue, adding to the chance he splits more work than expected. There's some long-term intrigue if the Commanders can play from ahead, but Croskey-Merritt can be left on the bench in Week 1.

Fantasy football start 'em: Week 1 WRs

Makai Lemon, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. Washington Commanders)

Lemon was the Eagles' No. 20 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The rookie wideout did not have the most impressive of preseason showings: three receptions for three yards and a dropped pass leading to an interception against the Bengals in the Eagles' final exhibition game of the year. Prior to that, he missed time at training camp with a hamstring injury.

But preseason performance alone should not be a reason to panic – let Ja'Marr Chase's struggles in his rookie preseason be a reminder of that. Lemon is slotting in next to the Eagles' projected lead wideout, DeVonta Smith, and is coming off of an outstanding final year in college. His Week 1 matchup against the Commanders is favorable, too. Washington allowed the second-most expected points added (EPA) on passing plays in 2025, and the team did not do enough to improve its pass defense in a convincing way this offseason.

Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts (vs. Baltimore Ravens)

Downs had a down year – no pun intended – in 2025 but appears set for a return to form in 2026. With Michael Pittman Jr. gone to the Steelers, Downs could see a boost in his target share. That's true especially early in the season, as Pittman's projected replacement – Keenan Allen – was a late free agent signing and could need more time to integrate into the Colts' offense.

Baltimore got off to a very slow start last year as its defense struggled to stop opponents' passing attacks. Even by the end of the year, the Ravens had allowed the second-most passing yards per game behind only the Cowboys. Downs (calf) and Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles) are both on track to play Week 1. They could have a real opportunity to take advantage of Baltimore's shaky passing defense, which could see another slow start as it adjusts to new head coach Jesse Minter's system.

Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Arizona Cardinals)

Johnston's 2025 season was a career year for him with 735 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on 51 catches. In 2026, he has even less competition for targets with veteran Keenan Allen departing for Indianapolis in the offseason. Ladd McConkey likely steps back into the Chargers' lead receiver role after finishing second on the team in catches in 2025, but Johnston is right there behind him in the No. 2 role.

Johnston is almost a no-brainer to start against the Cardinals – a team that ranked dead last in success rate allowed on dropbacks in 2025. Even with McConkey around to haul in most of the targets, Johnston should see plenty of looks of his own in his debut in the Chargers' new-look offense, coordinated by new OC Mike McDaniel.

Fantasy football sit 'em: Week 1 WRs

Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Denver Broncos)

Rice isn't expected to face NFL discipline after spending 30 days in jail this offseason for a violation of his probation. That is not why he should be considered for a bench spot in Week 1.

More relevant is his opponent and the quarterback situation he faces in Week 1. The Broncos boasted one of the best defenses in football last year – particularly against the pass, where they allowed the lowest success rate (38.5%) on dropbacks of any defense. Making things more difficult is for Rice is the fact he likely will be facing off against 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II on most of his routes. On top of that, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is making his first start back from a torn ACL and LCL he suffered last December. With Mahomes potentially rusty and the Chiefs emphasizing their run game with the signing of reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, Rice might not have a productive first week in 2026.

DJ Moore, Buffalo Bills (at Houston Texans)

Moore may be the Bills' new de facto No. 1 wide receiver after his arrival in Buffalo via trade this offseason, but that has not meant much in the post-Stefon Diggs era. In 2025, the Bills' leading receiver, Khalil Shakir, finished with just 719 yards and four touchdowns. That was after a 2024 season in which the leading receiver (Shakir again) had 821 yards and four touchdowns.

Buffalo's more "spread-the-wealth" approach to receiving output that began in 2024 correlated directly with three things: Diggs' departure from the team, Joe Brady's first year as full-time Bills OC and an uptick in rushing play percentage. In 2026, Brady is now the Bills' head coach but will still call plays for the offense.

As if those factors weren't bad enough indicators for Moore's Bills debut, he also has to make it in Houston. The Texans were the league's best team at limiting EPA and the second-best at limiting opponents' success rate on dropbacks. Essentially all of Houston's defensive core is back: Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter, Derek Stingley Jr. Plus, the Texans added safety Reed Blankenship. Moore's first matchup of 2026 does him no favors from a fantasy outlook perspective.

Fantasy football start 'em: Week 1 TEs

Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints at Lions

The Saints offense hasn't been as explosive since Drew Brees walked out the door, but fireworks may return in 2026. In the 11 games played with Tyler Shough in 2025, Johnson excelled, posting 11.5 fantasy points per game. He ultimately finished third among all tight ends in the NFL with 889 receiving yards.

Johnson posted career-highs in targets (102), receptions (77) and yards (889) a season ago. There's little target competition outside of Chris Olave, as rookie Jordyn Tyson remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. The Saints are expected to trail in this game which implies a passing game script. Start Johnson against the shaky Lions secondary in a game that has the second-highest total of Week 1 (49.5).

Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Bengals

Until proven otherwise, target the Bengals with the tight end they are facing.

Cincinnati allowed the most receptions to opposing tight ends in 2024 and followed that up with an historically bad 2025, allowing the most receptions again and a staggering 17.45 fantasy points per game to the position. Otton isn't a set-it-and-forget-it for most fantasy managers, but he is the top streamer of Week 1. For squads who plan to taxi a tight end off waivers most weeks, Otton should be your target this week.

The Buccaneers open the season on the road against the Bengals in what projects to be the highest-scoring game of the week. With Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan dealing with injuries, Baker Mayfield will likely lean on Chris Godwin and Otton in order to keep pace with the high-powered Bengals offense.

Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Commanders

With A.J. Brown out of town, Goedert has an opportunity to be the second option in Philadelphia's offense behind DeVonta Smith. Goedert clearly has the trust of Jalen Hurts: he accounted for 40.9% of the team’s targets inside the 10-yard line, which resulted in a career-high 11 TDs in 2025, and there's little reason to believe that number takes a significant dip in 2026 with Brown's 120 vacated targets. Goedert's targets per route when A.J. Brown was on the field was 18.8% over the last two seasons, and that number jumped to 27.1% when Brown was off the field.

The 31-year-old maintains his every-down role in 2026. Rookie first-round pick Makai Lemon will eventually pose a threat to Goedert's usage, but early on, the vet should be started with confidence. Philadelphia hosts the Commanders who surrendered the fourth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends in 2025.

Isaiah Likely, New York Giants vs. Cowboys ('Sunday Night Football')

The Giants host the Cowboys on "Sunday Night Football," and Likely should be a key cog for "Big Blue." The 25-year-old is expected to be a focal point in the passing game after following head coach John Harbaugh from Baltimore and signing a $40 million contract. He was stuck behind Mark Andrews on the depth chart with the Ravens but in 10 games without Andrews throughout his first four NFL seasons, he scored seven touchdowns.

The Cowboys allowed the second-most points in 2024, then allowed the most in 2025, yielding a league-high 60 touchdowns. They made sweeping personnel changes across the defense during the offseason but also have a first-time defensive coordinator.

Star wide receiver Malik Nabers' health remains in question and plenty of focus is on the return of Odell Beckham Jr. Likely is one of the most overlooked tight ends in Week 1 and has breakout potential. Start him with confidence.

Fantasy football sit 'em: Week 1 TEs

Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers at Vikings

Kraft would be ranked inside the top five at the position if we knew he had a clean bill of health. After an early season breakout during which he posted 700 yards and 7 touchdowns, he tore his ACL in November. He's on track to play in Week 1 when Green Bay plays Minnesota on the road but recent comments suggest he will be eased back into action.

Romeo Doubs left in free agency, vacating a team-high 83 targets, opening up Kraft as an elite option when healthy. Green Bay signed Jonnu Smith, which could signal that Kraft could be on a snap count. The Brian Flores-coached Vikings defense allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to tight ends in 2025. Kraft has the potential to anchor your lineup as the season progresses but proceed with caution this week.

Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills at Texans

The Buffalo Bills hit the road in Week 1 and open the season against the NFL's No. 1 defense. It's unlikely Kincaid will make a significant mark in this matchup against the Texans. He will continue to split work with Dawson Knox while competing with D.J. Moore for targets.

Kincaid is a breakout candidate in 2026 but temper expectations in Week 1.

Fantasy football D/STs rankings Week 1

1. Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. Cleveland Browns)
2. Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Arizona Cardinals)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (vs. Washington Commanders)
4. Seattle Seahawks (vs. New England Patriots)
5. Denver Broncos (at Kansas City Chiefs)
6. Houston Texans (vs. Buffalo Bills)
7. New York Jets (at Tennessee Titans)
8. Los Angeles Rams (vs. San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia)
9. Baltimore Ravens (at Indianapolis Colts)
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. Atlanta Falcons)
11. Minnesota Vikings (vs. Green Bay Packers)
12. Buffalo Bills (at Houston Texans)
13. Detroit Lions (vs. New Orleans Saints)
14. Dallas Cowboys (at New York Giants)
15. Tennessee Titans (vs. New York Jets)
16. Chicago Bears (at Carolina Panthers)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fantasy football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: 23 players to start or sit in Week 1