The NFL season got underway Thursday night with Green Bay defeating Chicago. Next comes a full slate of games on Sunday and two games Monday night.
We’re about to start finding out who will be the fantasy football stars and duds of the NFL season. We certainly won’t know everything after one week.
But here are nine last-minute fantasy football thoughts focused on matchups as Week 1 gets into full gear.
9. Chris Godwin is a rising star in Tampa Bay
Yeah, Mike Evans is Tampa Bay’s No. 1 receiver. He’s also one of the top receivers in the league. But he’s going to have some company this year. Bruce Arians isn’t as paranoid about giving away strategy as most coaches. In fact, Arians spent the whole offseason repeatedly telegraphing that he expects big things from Chris Godwin. Arians has gone as far as to suggest that Godwin never will leave the field on offense because he’ll be used on the outside and in the slot. Godwin could put up some big numbers against a mediocre San Francisco defense. By the way, that same defense tied for worst in the league by allowing 15 touchdown passes to slot receivers last year.
8. If you’ve got Tyler Boyd, start him
The Cincinnati receiver is likely to be the main target in the passing game against Seattle because A.J. Green is dealing with an ankle injury. Boyd could have a big day because he’s likely to be matched up against rookie cornerback Ugo Amadi.
7. Forget about the Indianapolis QB situation for now
Andrew Luck’s abrupt retirement pushed Jacoby Brissett into the starting job. There’s no question Brissett needs to have a big season for the Colts to be successful. But they may hesitant to put too much on his plate immediately. The Colts need to get big offensive production from somewhere else and the obvious answer is running back Marlon Mack. That could be a great move in the opener against the Chargers. Los Angeles allowed 101.6 rushing yards per game last year.
6. The Cardinals are a perfect matchup for Kerryon Johnson
If you’re looking to exploit a matchup in favor of a running back, there might not be a better choice than Detroit’s Johnson. Yeah, he’s a relative unknown and just earned the starting job. But the Cardinals have one of the league’s worst run defenses. The Cardinals allowed just under five yards per carry. Johnson probably won’t be an unknown after this week.
5. Don’t believe the Cleveland hype right away
Cleveland has been one of the most-talked about teams this offseason. There’s even been talk about the Browns being a Super Bowl contender (seriously). There are reasons for the optimism. Quarterback Baker Mayfield is coming off a solid rookie and he now has Odell Beckham Jr. as his top target. Cleveland is going to have a prolific offense. But it may take some time for things to really click. Mayfield and Beckham will be facing a strong Tennessee defense and the Titans have been game planning for this one all offseason.
4. Stay away from LeSean McCoy – at least for now
Yeah, the running back is a big name and Kansas City was very happy to pick the veteran up after the Bills cut him. McCoy eventually might do some good things for the Chiefs. But don’t expect that to happen in the opener against Jacksonville. He’s had very little practice time with the Chiefs and may not fully know the playbook yet. If you’re going to play a Kansas City running back, go with Damien Williams in the short term.
3. The matchup with the Jaguars might not be ideal for Patrick Mahomes
Yes, the Kansas City quarterback was the Most Valuable Player last season as he threw for 50 touchdowns. So, logic would say Mahomes should have a big game against a Jacksonville team that wasn’t very good last season. But you need to look a little deeper into this matchup. Jacksonville’s defense wasn’t that bad last year. In fact, the Jaguars were the only team Mahomes played last year that held the quarterback without a touchdown pass. Mahomes still will put up some numbers, but they might not be quite as prolific as the numbers he put up in most games last year.
2. Who’s going to catch passes in Oakland?
The Antonio Brown situation remains very fluid. The wide receiver could be suspended or even released very soon. There’s also a very slight chance he could play Monday night against Denver after issuing an apology to the team on Friday. But if Brown is on your fantasy team, don’t even think about using him until things sort out. If you want to play an Oakland receiver, go with Tyrell Williams or J.J. Nelson. Brown missed a lot of training camp. Williams and Nelson didn’t. They had much more time to build chemistry with quarterback Derek Carr.
1. Le’Veon Bell will make a statement
After sitting out all of last season in Pittsburgh, Bell appears poised to make a statement for the New York Jets. Unlike his former teammate, Antonio Brown in Oakland, Bell has taken the right approach. He has remained quiet and prepared hard. Bell is out to show he’s still one of the league’s best running backs and the Bills don’t have the defense to stop him.
Pat Yasinskas has covered the NFL since 1993. He has worked for The Tampa Tribune, The Charlotte Observer and ESPN.com and writes for numerous national magazines and websites. He also has served as a voter for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
