NFL Week 1 Fantasy Football Matchup Guide: Key Players and Defensive Insights
Explore the top NFL Week 1 fantasy football matchups with insights on key players and defensive rankings to optimize your lineup decisions.
NFL Week 1 Fantasy Football Matchup Guide
Making the right lineup decisions in fantasy football can be challenging, especially in Week 1. This guide provides a detailed analysis of the most and least favorable matchups for quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends, helping you make informed decisions.
Quarterbacks
Matchup Highlight: Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. Carolina Panthers)
Lawrence has shown a knack for performing well against weaker opponents. Starting the season against a Panthers defense that ranked 31st against quarterbacks last season, Lawrence is a solid choice for Week 1.
Others to Like: Drake Maye, New England Patriots (vs. Las Vegas Raiders); C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans (at Los Angeles Rams)
Matchup to Avoid: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (vs. Minnesota Vikings)
Facing a Vikings defense that was seventh best against quarterbacks in 2024, Williams is a risky start in Week 1.
Running Backs
Matchup Highlight: Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals (at Cleveland Browns)
Brown returns as the Bengals' starting running back and faces a Browns defense that allowed the fifth-most rushing yards in the final eight weeks of last season.
Others to Like: Chuba Hubbard, Panthers (at Jaguars); James Conner, Arizona Cardinals (at New Orleans Saints)
Matchup to Avoid: Breece Hall, New York Jets (vs. Pittsburgh Steelers)
Hall faces one of the league's toughest defenses in a game with a low over/under, making him a risky start.
Wide Receivers
Matchup Highlight: Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at Atlanta Falcons)
Egbuka is expected to play a significant role in his NFL debut, especially with injuries to other Buccaneers receivers.
Others to Like: Jerry Jeudy, Browns (vs. Bengals); Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts (vs. Miami Dolphins)
Matchup to Avoid: DK Metcalf, Steelers (at Jets)
Metcalf faces a tough Jets secondary, making him a risky start in Week 1.
Tight Ends
Matchup Highlight: Hunter Henry, Patriots (vs. Raiders)
Henry was heavily used last season and faces a Raiders defense that was 30th in Adjusted Fantasy Points Allowed to tight ends.
Matchup to Avoid: Colston Loveland, Bears (vs. Vikings)
Loveland's usage is uncertain, and he faces a tough Vikings defense, making him a risky start.
Defensive Matchup Rankings
The matchup rankings provide a schedule-independent method to evaluate positional matchups each week, ranking all 32 opposing defenses in order of most to least favorable for opposing players at all four skill positions.
Quarterback Matchup Rankings
| DEF to Avoid | Opp. | Rk | Adj. FPA | DEF to Exploit | Opp. | Rk | Adj. FPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| @NYJ | 1 | -3.2 | @CLE | 32 | 1.7 | ||
| @LAR | 20 | 0.5 | @PHI | 31 | 2.6 |
Running Back Matchup Rankings
| DEF to Avoid | Opp. | Rk | Adj. FPA | DEF to Exploit | Opp. | Rk | Adj. FPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| @GB | 1 | -2.9 | @JAX | 32 | 7.9 | ||
| TEN | 2 | -0.3 | @NE | 31 | 0.5 |
Wide Receiver Matchup Rankings
| DEF to Avoid | Opp. | Rk | Adj. FPA | DEF to Exploit | Opp. | Rk | Adj. FPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIN | 1 | -5.4 | @CLE | 32 | 0.4 | ||
| @LAR | 21 | 1.2 | HOU | 31 | 1.1 |
Tight End Matchup Rankings
| DEF to Avoid | Opp. | Rk | Adj. FPA | DEF to Exploit | Opp. | Rk | Adj. FPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| @GB | 1 | -2.0 | @JAX | 32 | 2.2 | ||
| TEN | 2 | -1.9 | @NE | 31 | 2.6 |
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