Fantasy Football: 3 Starters And 3 Sitters For Week One
· Yahoo Sports
The first weekend of the NFL and fantasy football season is finally here! This is that time of year when all fantasy owners can be optimistic, having a clean slate to work with. For some, Week One already means tough decisions about which player(s) to roll with and who to put on the pine. With that in mind, here are three fantasy football starters and sitters for the rest of this week’s action.
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Start: Tyler Shough Vs. Detroit Lions
Aug 28, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) warms up before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn ImagesNew Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough likely has one of the most favorable fantasy football matchups this week. The over/under for the Saints’ game against the Detroit Lions is the second-highest of the week at 49.5. That line reflects not only the Lions’ high-powered offense, but also their weak secondary. Detroit will be without both starting safeties, Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, as they deal with knee and Achilles injuries, respectively. The team also released starting cornerback Terrion Arnold this offseason after his arrest on multiple felony charges.
That leaves the Lions with starting safeties on the wrong side of 30, a 29-year-old starting CB who will be 30 soon, and a fifth-round rookie at the other corner. Shough should have plenty of chances to feast on this weak secondary unit. Most fantasy football owners probably drafted Shough as option two. If option one has a tougher matchup, however, then this is probably the better choice.
Start: Houston Texans Defense Vs. Buffalo Bills
Dec 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) celebrates with teammates after returning an interception for a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn ImagesWhile Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen can be Superman, the Houston Texans defense has been his kryptonite since DeMeco Ryans took over. Allen has faced Ryan’s Texans twice in the regular season, and both performances were unforgettable. In the 2024 matchup, Allen went 9-for-30 for 131 yards and a touchdown. The following year, Allen had a zero-touchdown, two-interception performance.
Texans’ edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter each had two sacks in that most recent matchup. There is no reason to believe they cannot repeat that performance this Sunday at home. Start the Houston defense with confidence this week in fantasy football.
Sit: DJ Moore Vs. Houston Texans
Aug 15, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver DJ Moore (2) runs with the ball after making a catch aginst the Carolina Panthers during the first half at New Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn ImagesSticking with that same game, the Bills’ newly acquired wide receiver DJ Moore may be better off on the bench to start the fantasy football season. The Texans not only have top-tier pass rushers, but also a tough secondary led by All-Pro CB Derek Stingley Jr. Back in 2024, Moore faced this Houston team and was held to 53 yards on six catches. The former Maryland Terrapin is also coming off the worst season of his career, with career lows in receptions and yards.
Only time will tell if that was more about the chemistry with the Chicago Bears or if Moore has lost a step. Moore said during the preseason that the chemistry is good with Allen, so the former could be true. Even if it is, though, this week is unlikely to be a get-right spot. Fantasy football owners are probably better served looking elsewhere at WR this week.
Sit: Quinshon Judkins Vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jun 11, 2026; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (10) runs with the ball during minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn ImagesIt will probably be a case of good player, bad situation this season for Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins. The Browns, unsurprisingly, are a mess and arguably have the worst starting QB in Deshaun Watson. Cleveland did add talent at WR in the first two rounds of the 2026 draft, but only so much can be expected in their first NFL game. As a result, Judkins will likely see plenty of loaded boxes against the Jacksonville Jaguars unless the Browns prove they have a passing game worth respecting.
Jacksonville also allowed the fewest rushing yards in 2025 and has that entire front seven returning in 2026. All signs point to a tough first week at the office for Judkins, and perhaps single-digit fantasy football points.
Start: Tre Tucker Vs. Miami Dolphins
Aug 27, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker (1) runs after the catch against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Jack Jones (25) during the first quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesWith All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers ruled out with a knee injury, Tre Tucker becomes the default number one option for the Las Vegas Raiders against the Miami Dolphins. While this may be a bad-on-bad matchup, Tucker showed last year that he can be productive against weaker defenses. One example was that monster Week Three game last year against the Washington Commanders, where Tucker posted a 9/145/3 stat line. Tucker had a couple more solid performances in the first half of 2025, but essentially fell off a cliff in the second half.
In Tucker’s defense, some of the squads he and the Raiders faced down the stretch last year were the Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, and Kansas City Chiefs. All four of those teams allowed under 200 passing yards per game last season. The Dolphins are light-years away from that caliber of defense, which should mean playmaking opportunities and double-digit fantasy football points for Tucker on Sunday.
Sit: Patrick Mahomes Vs. Denver Broncos
Aug 28, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) warms up against the Seattle Seahawks prior to a game at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn ImagesWhile the Kansas City Chiefs got the band back together in a sense this offseason, they probably will not play their greatest hits against this stout Denver defense. Patrick Mahomes had his best years, including two MVP campaigns, when Eric Bieniemy was offensive coordinator. Bieniemy is returning to Kansas City in that same role after three years away, as the squad looks to return to the glory days. The team also added Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker to the backfield to hopefully give Mahomes a respectable run game again.
While the Chiefs will probably be fine ultimately, it will likely take another week for them to look like their old selves. The Broncos’ defense was elite last year, finishing second in yards allowed and third in points allowed. With all those starting defensive pieces returning in 2026, led by two-time All-Pro Patrick Surtain Jr., more of the same is likely.
Mahomes is also coming off that torn ACL, so he will likely need a few weeks to get his feet back under him. Fantasy football owners are surely anxious to get Showtime Mahomes back in the lineup, but that Monday night matchup has the makings of a low-scoring affair.
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End Of My Fantasy Football Rant
Exciting times are here again, as the NFL and fantasy football have returned. Even though we are just getting underway, those feelings may also include stress, as critical fantasy football decisions have to be made already. Most owners probably feel the Week One starters are in place based on draft position, but sometimes, that is not the case after further review.
So much of fantasy football is about making the tough choice, even if that means benching a player you took in the first five or six rounds. Pay attention to the information in front of you, as an early-season loss can ultimately make all the difference. Good luck to all this year, and happy Week One!
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