We’re back and we’re ready to roll for the 2023 NFL Season. I’d like to start by thanking those of you who rode with us these past 3 seasons and by welcoming the new crop of future league winners. Let’s have some fun this season and win some titles.
Week 1 is by far the toughest week to gauge due to the small sample size of work from the preseason and whatever information beat writers are spewing on Twitter (or X, I guess). No one wants to lose in Fantasy but going 0-1 is a quick blow to your confidence early on in the year. Hopefully this list of my favorite starts and sits (which could also be described as my least favorite starts) helps you make those decisions a little easier for you.
You can always hit us up on Twitter @TheUpsidePlay with your questions and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
Week 1 Starts of the Week
Geno Smith vs the Los Angeles Rams
If you haven’t looked at the Rams defensive depth chart yet, I suggest you do so. It’s very bad. 8 of the projected 11 starters on defense are either rookies, players drafted in round 6 or later, or undrafted free agents. Geno will be able to exploit them with ease with DK, Lockett, JSN and Kenneth Walker. The 2022 Comeback Player of the Year led the NFC in TDs thrown and with that cast of weapons and against a glorified college defense he should be able to pick up right where he left off.
Miles Sanders at the Atlanta Falcons
Miles Sanders comes over to Carolina as the unquestioned RB1 and draws a matchup with a defense that finished top 10 in rush yards allowed. The Panthers are already dealing with injuries to their top 3 receivers so they might have to trot out Jonathan Mingo, Laviska Shenault and Hayden Hurst as their top pass catchers. Sanders is a solid pass catcher in his own right and could help a young Bryce Young in the passing game. I think a 10+ point day in PPR leagues is very much in sight even without a TD.
Antonio Gibson vs the Arizona Cardinals
I will be honest here, this play is very much a “well he’s playing Arizona and they have a terrible defense play”. But even with that fact he’s in line for a solid share of the RB snaps with former Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy coming over. Bieniemy used a lot of 2 RB committees in KC and always valued the pass catching aspect a ton. Jerrick McKinnon has had 2 good seasons under Bieniemy and we could see Gibson follow in those footsteps and even provide way more than McKinnon did in the run game. Gibson is a solid Flex option this week and could even sneak his way into a top 20 finish in a favorable matchup.
DeAndre Hopkins at The New Orleans Saints
D-Hop still has a ton of football in him and he showed it last year. After his 6 game suspension Hopkins played in 9 games and saw 10+ targets in all but two games but still scored over 13 fantasy points in them. Hopkins now goes to Tennessee where they are dying for a Top WR to come in after they dealt AJ Brown to Philly. Yes the matchup isn’t as favorable and the QB isn’t the best… but we’ve seen this story from Hopkins year in and year out and we know he can perform with an average QB in a run first system. Hopkins has great upside and he’s out to prove a lot of people wrong.
Week 1 Sits of the Week
Cam Akers at the Seattle Seahawks
This one hurts me a lot. I am the biggest Cam Akers truther out there but I just can’t start him this week. Cooper Kupp has already been ruled out and the Rams Offensive Line is a bottom 5 unit football. I think the Rams will have a tough time moving the ball against a solid Seahawks defense so a TD dependent play like Akers is probably a better fit on the bench than in your starting lineups this week.
New York Jets Running Backs vs the Buffalo Bills
Who is it going to be? Are they going to ease in Breece Hall coming back from his ACL tear or are they going to go with Dalvin Cook who was also rehabbing multiple injuries in the offseason? We just don’t know what's going on there and it could legitimately be a 50/50 split which isn’t worth the headache in week 1. Unfortunately this situation is a wait and see backfield for me right now.
Pat Freiermuth vs the San Francisco 49ers
This is simple, The 49ers are incredibly good at defending the TE (as well as every other position). This game has some potential weather implications as well so I just don't feel comfortable with the Muth going against a brick wall in the rain but if you have to start him with all the TE injuries already happening for week 1, I project him for around 5-6 points without a TD.
Daniel Jones vs the Dallas Cowboys
Daniel Jones is maybe a good QB. He has some solid rushing upside but he’s still unproven as a passer. In 2 games vs Dallas last year he threw for 424 yards 1 TD and 1 pick while adding 94 yards rushing. Wan’Dale Robinson was already ruled out and Darren Waller already popped up in the injury report so Jones vs a Good Dallas D is an easy sit for week 1.
Please follow us on Twitter (X) @TheUpsidePlay for weekly gambling picks, news and, our personal favorite, our Sunday Morning Start / Sit Q & A. We hope to see you there!
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