Sit/Start Week 1: Reviewing All Fantasy Relevant Players In Every Single Game

Kickoff: Sunday, September 11th at 4:25 PM ET

Location: Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, CA

Betting Odds: LAC, -3.5, 52 Total on Oddsshark

Network: CBS

Las Vegas Raiders

Quarterback

Derek Carr  (Start, QB1)

Derek Carr is going to lineup with his former college teammate Davante Adams. Last year Carr was on par for a QB6 week with Henry Ruggs and now he has an severely upgraded version of him in Adams. In 2021, Carr threw the fifth most deep ball attempts (77) and the tenth most red zone attempts (86). Now he has someone to utilize those targets and I think Sunday will be a big game in figuring out the pecking order in the AFC West. Carr is going to have to keep up with Justin Herbert and that equally explosive offense on the other side and I’m backing that he does just that this week. I have him as a QB1 and FantasyPros ranks him as their QB13.

https://twitter.com/RaiderNationBOS/status/1565918816542101504

Running Backs

Josh Jacobs (Sit), Zamir White (Sit)

QUEDAN 8 DÍAS

Continua la cuenta regresiva para el debut de los Raiders en la temporada

Ahora recordamos cuando Josh Jacobs se despacho con 3 Touchdowns para derrotar a Carolina en la Semana 1 del 2020#RaiderNationpic.twitter.com/7zykoPc87L

— Raiders México (@LVRaidersMex) September 3, 2022

Josh Jacobs and Zamir White’s situation is something I can’t figure out. Last year Jacobs had his best receiving season with 54 catches and 348 yards. New year, a new coach and Josh McDaniels is bringing his running back by committee approach to Las Vegas. Insert Zamir White, who has become a darling in camp and showed out in the preseason. This means I don’t want to figure out this situation, and I’ll let this game dictate how to approach the future. Sit them both, Jacobs is RB19 and Zamir White  is at RB58 on FantasyPros for Week 1.

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

Is there another receiver in the league that’s as good at ghosting cornerbacks than Davante Adams? 👻 pic.twitter.com/Lmrx5nUoW7

— Ghostball (@GhostballNFT) September 1, 2022

Davante Adams (Start, WR1), Hunter Renfrow (Start, WR3), Darren  Waller (Start, TE1)

Davante Adams is the best wide receiver in the league and will look to prove that on Sunday against one of the best corners in J.C. Jackson. Adams is coming off his best season with 123 receptions, 1,553 yards, and 11 TDs. Adams is the red zone target that Derek Carr has been needing to elevate his game. FantasyPros has him at WR4, and he’s a WR1 for me this week. Hunter Renfrow is another receiver who had his best season last year with 103 receptions, 1,038 yards, and 9 TDs. Renfrow did most of his damage underneath and in the slot, running 64% of his snaps in the slot. He also had the sixth most red zone targets in 2021. Look for him to get plenty of targets and opportunities to score in this game. I have him as a WR3, and FantasyPros puts him at WR39. Darren Waller was injured last year but is looking like a solid option at TE this year, with Adams taking up double teams. I’m starting Waller as a WR1 in this game as I expect it to be a high-scoring affair. FantasyPros has Waller at TE5.

LA Chargers

Quarterback

Justin Herbert (Start, QB1)

Justin Herbert's top 5 plays against the Raiders. ⚡️

Is he adding to this highlight reel on Sunday?

📺: #LVvsLAC — Sunday 4:25pm ET on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/7rgVki9T0a pic.twitter.com/SKB8G7JpHy

— NFL (@NFL) September 6, 2022

Justin Herbert threw for 605 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception last year against the Raiders. He was a QB1 both weeks that he played Vegas, and I don’t think that changes on Sunday. Herbert threw the second-most pass attempts in 2021 (672), and in his second year under OC Joe Lombardi, I think Herbert is going nuclear again. The Raiders ranked 21st against the passing game and didn’t upgrade their secondary. For me, this is a no-brainer, you’re always starting Herbert as a QB1, and currently, FantasyPros has him at QB3.

Running Backs

Austin Ekeler (Start, RB1)

Austin Ekeler’s volume last year was rivaled by only Najee Harris. Ekeler was incredibly successful last year against the Raiders, going for 244 scrimmage yards and four TDs. The Raiders allowed the sixth most fantasy points to the running back position last year with 21.7/game. This is another no-brainer as the Chargers do not yet have a viable second back to take touches from Ekeler. So start him as an RB1; FantasyPros currently has him at RB4.

RT 🔁 if you started Austin Ekeler on your fantasy team
pic.twitter.com/xXAHOi7Q3X

— PFF (@PFF) November 22, 2021

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

Keenan Allen (Start, WR1), Mike Williams (Start, WR1), Josh Palmer (Sit), Gerald Everett (Sit)

Just want Mike Williams to come back to the Chargers after watching this I know he’s gonna produce and be even better next season pic.twitter.com/ZzPdTb5xOv

— 𝅙 (@Y0Le0) January 21, 2022

Keenan Allen has three 100-reception seasons in a row, and I don’t think that changes this year. Allen is a handful to cover, and the Raiders don’t have the secondary to stop him or running-mate Mike Williams. Allen had the fifth-most red zone targets (25) and did most of his work out of the slot (52.6% slot snaps). Williams had a career year with 76 receptions, 1,146 yards, and 9 TDs. One thing to note about Williams in 2021 was his ADOT was 10.7, meaning he was running shorter routes than he ever has, leading to more receptions. He had 23 red zone targets in 2021, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he utilized more in the red zone. FantasyPros has Allen and Williams at WR15 and WR14, respectively. I think they both have WR1 potential in this big AFC West opener. Josh Palmer and Gerald Everett are both guys that need to prove their worth in fantasy, and I think the best way to let that play out is to sit both guys until proven wrong. Palmer is WR68, and Everett is TE17 on FantasyPros for Week 1.