You have lineup questions, we have lineup answers -- at least we hope so. Start 'Em, Sit 'Em is here to help fantasy managers make difficult roster decisions. And you know what is a good move? Starting Ja'Marr Chase. But that's too obvious, so you won't see such simple analysis here. Instead, we're exploring more debatable situations. And if you can't find a player you are looking for, please check out the latest NFL Fantasy lineup rankings.
NOTE: Unless otherwise indicated, all stats come from NFL Pro, Next Gen Stats or NFL Research.
Start 'Em
Hopefully you started Fields in the opener. He scored nearly 30 fantasy points, finishing as the week's QB2. As expected, the Jets' new signal-caller was heavily used near the goal line, scoring two short rushing touchdowns, and he finished the game with 12 carries for 48 yards. What really stood out, though, was his production in the pass game. Making a number of impressive throws on the move, Fields finished with a 73 percent completion rate and was 5-for-7 on passes of 10-plus air yards. He now faces a Bills defense that was run over Sunday night, giving up a whopping 238 yards on the ground to the Ravens. Fields brings too much upside in a game in which the Jets could be chasing points.
Herbert faced a very tough Chiefs defense that has given him trouble in the past, and this time, he lit up Steve Spagnuolo's unit in Brazil. Herbert went for 318 yards and three touchdowns Friday night, scoring nearly 28 fantasy points and finishing as the QB5. Ladd McConkey and Keenan Allen, who combined for 13 catches and 142 yards, give Herbert two options he can consistently rely on. This week, he heads on the road to face the Raiders, who allowed 287 passing yards to Drake Maye in a sloppy rain game. That was after allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to QBs in 2024. Herbert threw for 346 yards and two touchdowns in his last game in Vegas. He looks like an option you can trust -- as long as the Chargers allow him to air it out.
Murray was able to capitalize on an advantageous matchup last week, throwing two touchdowns and running for 38 yards to score over 18 fantasy points. He has another plus matchup this week against the Panthers, who created the fewest QB pressures in Week 1 and have significantly struggled against the run in recent years. That should translate to fantasy points for Murray -- and James Conner is certainly a must-start, too. Plus, Carolina allowed the fourth-most fantasy PPG to QBs last season, including a league-high 35 passing TDs. Murray brings a safe floor and upside in this matchup.
I originally had Brock Purdy penciled in here, but with everything surrounding him and the 49ers right now, we pivot! Going against a tough Eagles defense in Week 1, Prescott was a victim of one of those “played a good game, but didn’t translate to fantasy points” performances. He has a bounce-back opportunity against another divisional foe in the Giants, whom he has averaged 22 fantasy PPG against in his career. Five different times, he has thrown for more than 300 yards and at least three touchdowns. In his last two games against New York, he has seven TDs and one giveaway. The Giants created pressure at the third-lowest rate in Week 1 and tied for the second-most total yards allowed. With good protection, Prescott will be able to get the ball to his top receivers, as he did in Week 1. The ceiling is high in this one for Prescott and the Cowboys.
I trusted Maye last week and he slogged his way to 15.78 fantasy points in a rain-soaked game. The Pats allowing him to throw 46 times is a win, though. It wasn't the day fantasy managers had hoped for, but he gets a chance to make up for that this week against the Dolphins, who are very thin in the secondary. We saw Daniel Jones carve them up for 272 yards in a lopsided contest. This is likely a secondary I plan to stream against all season. Plus, Miami generated pressure at the fourth-lowest rate in Week 1. If you are looking for a streamer, Maye brings upside.
Sit 'Em
This one is a little spicy, but I didn't like what I saw from the Lions on offense in Week 1. They averaged 3.8 yards per play, which was lower than in any game during the Ben Johnson era. Detroit's offensive line had issues, which undoubtedly made Goff more uncomfortable than usual. The Bears are a tough matchup, as they allowed the fewest pass TDs and second-fewest fantasy PPG to QBs last season. They also generated a lot of pressure against the Vikings on Monday night. The risk for "sitting" Goff is that he's playing at home, but I want to see this team look more like the Lions of old. He is not a must-sit, but I am playing Justin Fields, Kyler Murray and Dak Prescott, among others, over him.
Stroud threw for 188 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception in Week 1 against the Rams, who generated pressure over 40 percent of the time. The bad news for Stroud is that the Buccaneers generated pressure at a higher rate than the Rams last week. I have big concerns about Houston's offensive line and it ultimately hurting Stroud's production -- like it did last season. The Bucs may seem like an appealing matchup on paper, but until we see Stroud produce behind this line, I am not trusting it.
Rodgers had something to prove against his former team, and accomplished that mission. However, I'm not buying the four-touchdown performance in a win over the Jets as Rodgers turning back the clock. He did look good -- scoring on a play-action throw to Ben Skowronek, a goal-line shovel pass, a swing to an RB from the 5-yard line and another play-action pass to an open receiver behind the secondary -- but it was just his second four-TD game since the start of the 2022 season. Rodgers, who still has the arm talent, won't continue his 13 percent TD rate -- and he was sacked on 13 percent of his dropbacks. Given that he has topped 300 yards just once since the start of the 2022 campaign and that he doesn't run much, Rodgers needs three or four touchdowns to have a big fantasy day. I don’t expect that against a tough Seahawks defense.
When I first saw the Week 2 matchups, I considered having Lawrence as a "start" option due to his opponent. However, Lawrence struggled in the pass game (178 yards, one TD and one INT) despite facing the lowest pressure rate league-wide in Week 1. He missed on throws to both Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter from a clean pocket. The thought was that superior talent around him and a new play-caller in Liam Coen would elevate the former No. 1 overall pick. It's tough to believe in a QB who just misses open receivers without any pressure in his face. This week, he faces a Bengals defense that created pressure at an above-average rate in Week 1 and held Joe Flacco to negative EPA per dropback (-0.11), per Next Gen Stats. Lawrence must show more in advantageous matchups before we can trust him.
Week 1 was great for former New York quarterbacks. This former Giant notched two goal-line TDs and threw for another score on his way to nearly 30 fantasy points in his Colts debut. I warn you: Do not chase the fantasy points. We have seen a lot of Jones, and he pops every so often with a big fantasy day. More commonly, though, he is not a QB to start in fantasy. He has just one season with more than two rushing TDs (2022), so until we see him consistently used near the goal line, it's fair to be skeptical. Plus, last week's big outing came against the Dolphins. This week, he faces a much tougher Broncos team.
