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The 2021 NFL season is nearly upon us, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys location to kick off Week 1 on Thursday evening. For fantasy managers, this implies or no longer it is time to swap from pre-draft planning to in-season roster administration.
Managers who drafted properly are inclined to maintain alternatives at a few positions and in all likelihood some hard picks to make. We’re right here to succor by inspecting the finest matchups, top alternatives and stat projections for Week 1.
We will also dive into some early waiver-wire guidelines for managers having a glimpse to take an edge in roster building.
Picks and rankings are in accordance with contrivance-per-reception (PPR) scoring.
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1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs: 355 passing yards, 20 rushing yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens: 225 passing yards, 60 rushing yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
3. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals: 250 passing yards, 40 rushing yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
4. Josh Allen, Buffalo Payments: 300 passing yards, 30 rushing yards, 2 TDs
5. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks: 300 passing yards, 20 rushing yards, 2 TDs
6. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers: 335 passing yards, 2 TDs
7. Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 275 passing yards, 2 TDs
8. Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans: 275 passing yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
9. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers: 270 passing yards, 2 TDs
10. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams: 270 passing yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Paying too grand attention to Week 1 matchups would perhaps also be detrimental attributable to offseason turnover.
As a substitute of poring over the matchups, or no longer it is better to persist with previous manufacturing and overall rankings in Week 1. Kansas Metropolis Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will likely be going by means of a revamped Cleveland Browns defense, nonetheless he serene has the very best floor of any quarterback in fantasy.
Originate no longer let matchups be your deciding ingredient in Week 1. Making picks in accordance with the opposition will likely be more fruitful later within the season as soon as each person knows how defenses are going to create.
That stated, some Week 1 matchups are laborious to drag on. Tom Brady will face a Cowboys defense that ranked 28th in contrivance allowed closing season and did with regards to nothing to upgrade its drag speed within the offseason. Likewise, Lamar Jackson is a dual-threat quarterback going by means of a Las Vegas Raiders defense that ranked 24th against the bustle in 2020.
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1. Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers: 135 scrimmage yards, 5 receptions, 2 TDs
2. Dalvin Cook dinner, Minnesota Vikings: 120 scrimmage yards, 4 receptions, 2 TDs
3. Alvin Kamara, Unusual Orleans Saints: 100 scrimmage yards, 6 receptions, 2 TDs
4. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans: 140 scrimmage yards, 1 reception, 1 TD
5. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers: 120 scrimmage yards, 3 receptions, 1 TD
6. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers: 100 scrimmage yards, 5 receptions, 1 TD
7. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts: 105 scrimmage yards, 2 receptions, 1 TD
8. Cut Chubb, Cleveland Browns: 115 scrimmage yards, 1 reception, 1 TD
9. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals: 110 scrimmage yards, 1 reception, 1 TD
10. Antonio Gibson, Washington Football Team: 120 scrimmage yards, 2 receptions
Whereas proven manufacturing and projected roles can maintain to bewitch precedence in Week 1—our top three working backs had been likely the first three gamers taken for your fantasy draft—properly being and availability have to also be taken into story.
Cowboys working aid Ezekiel Elliott, let’s say, would possibly perhaps well presumably be a top-5 aid in diversified weeks. Nonetheless, Dallas has a few gamers on the reserve/COVID-19 record who can also drag over the opener.
Per Michael Gehlen of the Dallas Morning Information, nine Cowboys maintain no longer too long ago been placed on the reserve/COVID-19—including wideout CeeDee Lamb and guard Zack Martin, who has been ruled out.
“He is frustrated obviously,” coach Mike McCarthy stated, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. “But, hey, this is the area we live in honest now.”
With one of his finest blockers out against a Buccaneers crew that ranked first against the bustle in 2020, Elliott will battle to even manner the cease 10.
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1. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers: 6 receptions, 140 yards, 1 TD
2. Tyreek Hill, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs: 5 receptions, 130 yards, 1 TD
3. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Payments: 7 receptions, 110 yards, 1 TD
4. DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals: 6 receptions, 120 yards, 1 TD
5. Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons: 5 receptions, 120 yards, 1 TD
6. A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans: 5 receptions, 110 yards, 1 TD
7. DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks: 5 receptions, 110 yards, 1 TD
8. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers: 5 receptions, 105 yards, 1 TD
9. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings: 4 receptions, 100 yards, 1 TD
10. Terry McLaurin, Washington Football Team: 6 receptions, 120 yards
When evaluating huge receivers, the person matchups would perhaps also be more essential than the crew matchups. Arizona Cardinals wideout DeAndre Hopkins, let’s say, is going by means of a Tennessee Titans crew that ranked 29th against the drag in 2020.
Nonetheless, offseason addition Janoris Jenkins is at risk of employ a lot of time shadowing Hopkins on this sport. Closing season, Jenkins allowed an opposing quarterback ranking of handiest 81.8, constant with Skilled Football Reference.
Hopkins is serene at risk of maintain a huge sport attributable to his high target piece. Nonetheless, he’s no longer any longer going to be as dominant as the crew matchup firstly suggests.
Managers mustn’t bench or begin a participant in accordance alongside with his individual matchup, nonetheless it surely’s colorful to know when one has the ability to create above or below expectations.
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1. Travis Kelce, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs: 5 receptions, 110 yards, 1 TD
2. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers: 4 receptions, 110 yards, 1 TD
3. Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders: 6 receptions, 90 yards, 1 TD
4. Sign Andrews, Baltimore Ravens: 6 receptions, 90 yards
5. T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions: 5 receptions, 85 yards
6. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles: 5 receptions, 80 yards
7. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons: 3 receptions, 75 yards
8. Logan Thomas, Washington Football Team: 2 receptions, 20 yards, 1 TD
9. Noah Fant, Denver Broncos: 4 receptions, 65 yards
10. Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams: 4 receptions, 60 yards
There are surely two tiers in the case of fantasy tight ends. That you just would possibly perhaps additionally maintain the elite three: Travis Kelce, George Kittle and Darren Waller. And then there would possibly perhaps be each person else.
There would possibly perhaps be a huge 2nd tier of tight ends within the aid of the three have to-begin alternatives. They are of reasonably equal cost, and they mustn’t require too many hard selections heading into Week 1.
The outlier right here is Atlanta Falcons rookie Kyle Pitts. He is unproven as a official, nonetheless the fourth overall pick within the 2021 draft has the bodily doable to affix the elite tier sooner in space of later. Must you shall be picking between Pitts and one other top-10 tight finish—no longer within the massive three, pointless to say—you can are looking to lean on Atlanta’s matchup right here.
The Philadelphia Eagles had been tied for the 11th-most fantasy contrivance allowed to opposing tight ends closing season, constant with FantasyPros.
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Realistically, managers mustn’t have to assault the realm of the undrafted earlier than the begin of Week 1. These having a glimpse to tinker with their bench likely did so honest after draft day.
Nonetheless, there are about a doable targets to bewitch display cloak of. Unusual England Patriots rookie working aid Rhamondre Stevenson, let’s say, can also no longer had been on many radars in leagues that performed early drafts. But his stock has jumped following a solid preseason and the replace of Sony Michel.
Peek gamers relish Stevenson who maintain considered a rise in stock over the previous week or so. These are these worth picking up earlier than the season starts.
Week 1 is a large space to scout for future waiver-wire targets. Inspire an scrutinize on operate-gamers to gape how they’re utilized early. If, let’s say, Washington Football Team rookie wideout Dyami Brown time and but again sees targets in his first official sport, he shall be worth a relate on the waiver wire.
The season’s first gameweek shall be a first rate space to begin evaluating which gamers for your bench would perhaps also be swapped. Originate no longer fail to recollect to trace accidents too. Injuries all the time occur, and if a bench participant is going to be out for several weeks, it shall be time to dump him for a waiver-wire target.
Originate no longer fail to recollect that the waiver wire is a software program that would possibly perhaps well maintain to be utilized from Week 1 by means of the championship spherical. Horny managers are all the time having a glimpse to upgrade their squads.
