By John Sarianides
Week one of the fantasy football season is upon us. Here are five position players I would play and not play in week one.
Quarterbacks
Good Bet
1. Marcus Mariota: Mariota is healthy and the love the match up against a vulnerable Raiders secondary that is prone to giving up big plays.
2. Aaron Rodgers, Packers: Rodgers three touchdown passes against the Seahawks at Lambeau last season. He always plays well at home. I think he will have a big day.
3. Matt Ryan, Falcons: The rebuilding Bears don’t get consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks and Ryan has a pleathora of weapons who can generate favorable match ups for him.
4. Ben Roethisberger, Steelers: I love Big Ben this week against a Browns defense that is suspect at corner and prone to giving up big plays. Roethisberger has had a lot of success against the Browns through the years.
5. Kirk Cousins, Redskins: Cousins still has plenty of weapons at his disposal and he is going up against an Eagles secondary that lacks talent and is thin at corner.
Bad Bet
1.Matthew Stafford, Lions: I like Stafford as a fantasy quarterback because he is consistent. I don’t like him this week however against the Cardinals defense.
2. Dak Prescott, Cowboys: Prescott struggled against the Giants opportunistic defense last season and I see more of the same against them in this game.
3. Cam Newton: Newton is still banged up and the Niners front seven is one of the toughest to run against in the league. They will keep him in check today.
4. Phillip Rivers, Chargers: Denver still has an elite defense and while Rivers has had success in the Mile High City, I don’t like the match up.
5. Blake Bortles, Jaguars: Why are you starting Bortles to begin with? The Texans have a top five defense and the interception prone Bortles will turn the ball over at least twice.
Running Backs
Good Bet
1. LeVeon Bell, Steelers: I love Bell against the Browns defense. Heck, I love all of the Steelers skill guys against Cleveland.
2. LeSean McCoy, Bills: The Jets have a stout front seven but McCoy is the centerpiece of the Bills offense. Sean McDermott wants to run the ball so McCoy will get plenty of touches today and beyond.
3. Marshawn Lynch, Raiders: Beast Mode is back and he will feast on a Titans defense that has been generous to opposing running backs since Dick LeBeau came to Nashville.
4. Bilal Powell, Jets: The Jets are going to be terrible offensively. Powell is their only legit play maker. New York will be trailing in most games this season so Powell will get plenty of touches, especially in the passing game. He is must start in PPR formats.
5. Adrian Peterson, Saints: He’s returning to Minnesota. Peterson will be fired up and on the basis of that alone, I think he pushes a 100 yards rushing and scores a touchdown.
Bad Bet
1. Matt Forte, Jets: The Jets will be trailing a lot this season so don’t expect him to get many touches. Even against the Bills
2. Theo Riddick, Lions: The Cardinals linebackers and safeties are athletic and can match up with Riddick out of the backfield. His PPR value is not as good this week.
3. Melvin Gordon, Chargers: I don’t like him this week against a stout Broncos front seven that can control gaps and get opposing offenses into second and long and third and long.
4. Frank Gore, Colts: I love Gore as a fantasy back. He is as reliable as they come. I don’t like him without Andrew Luck in the line up because he will see a lot of eight man fronts. Gore might vulture a score against the Rams but don’t expect much else.
5. LeGarrette Blount, Eagles: The Eagles running game is a mess. Not only that but head coach Doug Pedersen is a former quarterback who is a pass first guy. Blount might vulture a goal line touchdown but that’s about it.
Wide Receiver
Good Bet
1. Michael Crabtree, Raiders: Crabtree will feast on a suspect Titans secondary. He is Derek Carr’s number one red zone target.
2. Antonio Brown, Steelers: Joe Haden is now Brown’s teammate which means Brown won’t have an elite corner defending in man to man situations. Brown should have a big game today against a bad Cleveland secondary.
3. Eric Decker, Titans: I love this match up. Decker will probably see a lot of rookie cornerback Gareon Conley but he will still capitalize on it.
4. Julio Jones, Falcons: Expect a 100 yard, 1-2 touchdown performance today against a vulnerable Bears secondary.
5. Pierre Garçon, 49ers: I am a fan of Garçon in San Francisco. He will get a lot of targets in an offense that will struggle and on a team that will be playing from behind a lot. I love this match up against Carolina’s young secondary.
Bad Bet
1. Golden Tate, Cardinals: The Cardinals will match up Patrick Peterson on him. Enough said!
2. Demaryius Thomas, Broncos: I like the match up. I just don’t like Trevor Siemian. The Broncos don’t have a quarterback, which kills the fantasy value of Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders.
3. Dez Bryant, Cowboys: The Giants will match up Janoris Jenkins on Bryant. You saw what Jenkins did to Bryant last season right?
4. Alshon Jeffery, Eagles: The Redskins defense is suspect but Josh Norman is still in their secondary and he can defend Jeffery one on one no problem.
5. T. Y Hilton, Colts: Until Andrew Luck comes back, Hilton’s value is diminished ,which is a shame because the Rams secondary is vulnerable.
Tight Ends
Good Bets
1. Jimmy Graham, Seahawks: I love this match up for Graham. The Packers secondary is improved but still suspect. Seattle wants to pound the ball and target the tight end in play action. Graham could have a big game and season.
2. Gerald Everett, Rams: The rookie tight end has a lot of long term upside. He has a great match up against a mediocre Colts secondary this week.
3. Delanie Walker, Titans: The Raiders have struggled against opposing tight ends the last two years. Walker is Marcus Mariota’s most reliable target. He should have a productive game.
4. Jack Doyle, Colts: Scott Tolzien needs a friend in the Colts passing game and Doyle is that guy. Especially against an aggressive Rams defense.
5. Zach Ertz, Eagles: The Redskins gave up the second most points to tight ends last season. This is a great match up Ertz.
Bad Bets
1. Eric Ebron, Lions: Ebron has been a disappointment thus far in his career and this Cardinals match up will do him no favors.
2. Martellus Bennett, Packers: Its a numbers game in Green Bay. There are not enough footballs to go around.
3. C.J Fiedorwicz, Texans: I buy the Jaguars defense and I don’t like how little the Texans use the tight end.
4. Tyler Eifert, Bengals: Eifert struggles against defenses that are physical with him and can re-route him. That is exactly what the aggressive Ravens will do to him today.
5. Hunter Henry, Chargers: The Broncos secondary is actually better without T.J Ward. That is not good for Henry considering the Chargers like to move him around in formations. The Broncos can negate him by matching up with him.
Defense
Good Bet
1. Houston Texans: At home, emotional game, Blake Bortles. No brainer folks.
2. Arizona Cardinals: The Lions can’t consistently run the ball and don’t have a legit number one receiver. It’s a great match up for the Red Birds.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers are streaky most weeks but I love this match up against the hapless Browns offense.
4. Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons can rush the passer consistently and the Bears don’t have a legit perimeter threat on the outside.
5. Los Angeles Rams: The Rams have good long term potential. They are an excellent streaming option this week.
Bad Bets
1. Seattle Seahawks: I want nothing to do with Aaron Rodgers at Lambeau.
2. Green Bay Packers: I want nothing to do with this defense. PERIOD!!
3. New Orleans Saints: See Number two.
4. Cleveland Browns: No one is really going to play the Browns defense this week are they?
5. Chicago Bears: The vengeful Falcons will rip them apart. That being said, the Bears could be a good streaming option this season.