Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, September 12th at 1:00 PM ET
Location: NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Betting Odds: JAX -2.5, 45.5 total via Oddsshark
Network: CBS
Jacksonville Jaguars
Quarterback
Trevor Lawrence (Sit, QB2)
You couldn’t ask for a better first game for Trevor Lawrence. He faces a team that does not have a good defense and the new-look Jaguars offense will be able to manage Lawrence’s throws to fit his skill set. The issue is that we have no real clue what Lawrence will be in the NFL despite the draft capital and preseason. He was right on the cusp of being drafted as a fantasy starter which puts most owners in a situation where they might not have a better option. The unknown leads me to look at more proven options even if the upside isn’t there.
Running Backs
James Robinson (Start, RB1), Carlos Hyde (Sit)
With the injury to Travis Etienne, James Robinson’s workload ticked up and his fantasy value jumped on a rocketship. Robinson looks to be a top 10 RB for the week, if not the year, after a top 5 performance last year. Even against a solid run defense in Houston, Robinson will see carries as new coach Urban Meyer looks to take the pressure off Trevor Lawrence. Carlos Hyde could steal some pass-catching work from Robinson but until we see him having a bigger role in the offense you can not start him for fantasy purposes.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
D.J. Chark (Start, WR2), Laviska Shenault (Start, Flex), Marvin Jones Jr. (Sit), Chris Manhertz (Sit), James O’Shaughnessy (Sit)
D.J. Chark is probably the only wide receiver that you drafted to be a starter and he will be that. I don’t expect a high volume of passes coming from the Jaguar’s offense but both Chark and Laviska Shenault should be fine. Shenault is a good flex option who could see red-zone targets. Marvin Jones Jr. may end up leading the team in targets and receptions for Week 1, he may even score, but he could also leave you with a zero. The glory of playing him and getting a surprise is not worth the heartache if you start him and he does nothing. Having him go off on your bench will stink but you can’t risk it in Week 1. The tight ends are not worth rostering right now until we see what they will be in this offense.
Houston Texans
Quarterback
Tyrod Taylor (Sit, QB3)
This is not who anyone wanted to see behind center Week 1 for the Texans. Deshaun Watson looks to be inactive for the game and Tyrod Taylor seems to be getting the start. The Texan’s offense looks to be a run-first team who has stocked up on running backs in the offseason and partially neglected the wide receiver core. We are a few years and a punctured lung away from when Tyrod was considered a long-term NFL starting quarterback. The Texans don’t look to be a high-scoring offense so Tyrod Taylor should only be considered in leagues where you can start 3 QBs.
Running backs
David Johnson (Start, Flex), Phillip Lindsay (Start, RB2), Mark Ingram (Sit)
The Houston backfield is filled with guys who are names the fantasy community knows but aren’t excited about anymore. It has been a murky offseason with both David Johnson and Phillip Lindsay getting game time with the first-team offense. I believe it is still Johnson’s job to lose, but Lindsay will be close in terms of carries. Mark Ingram will probably vulture a touchdown from those guys but won’t be worth starting for fantasy. Let’s all hope there is more clarity going into Week 2.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
Brandin Cooks (Start, Flex), Chris Conley (Sit), Nico Collins (Sit), Anthony Miller (Sit), Jordan Akins (Sit)
Brandin Cooks is the only one you probably have on your roster, let alone starting. He should see the bulk of the targets on a low-volume offense. Nico Collins is someone to watch as he has the size and break-out potential but he’s probably more of a dynasty stash at this point. Jordan Aikens has been a red-zone target in the past but everything is up in the air heading into the season with the dysfunctional Texans.
– Dustin Ludke (Dunit13dl on Reddit)