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

Game Info

Kickoff: Sunday, September 10th, at 1:00PM EST

Location: Caeser’s Superdome, New Orleans, LA

Betting Odds: NO -3   O/U 41 Total via PFF.com

Network: CBS

Writer: Matt Prendergast (@amazingmattyp on X/Twitter)

Tennessee Titans

Quarterback

Ryan Tannehill (Sit, QB2)

The Titans might very well have the least interesting, unexciting QB room in the NFL – I know who all the names are, but blargh. That neither Will Levis nor Malik Willis have posed any real threat to incumbent Ryan Tannehill – the 26th ranked quarterback coming into this year per FantasyPros…well, I wish Tennessee a lot of luck over the ensuing years of teeth-gnashing and wailing on the day their monster RB finally breaks down on the side of the road. Last season was mostly a wash for Ryan, failing to log in any QB1 performances in the 12 he actually played in. In short, while his previous two seasons were exceptional, age and injury appear to be dragging him down; should the Titans stumble out of the block, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Levis or Willis get some games under their belt; regardless, I’d avoid Tannehill this week (and subsequent weeks until proven otherwise) in lieu starting ‘literally any other quarterback you drafted’.

Running Backs

Derrick Henry (Start, RB1), Tyjae Spears (Sit, Flex)*

Until he throws a rod or blows a tire, you will continue to throw the hammer down with the truck that is Derrick Henry. Coming into this opener against a Saints run D that gave up 130.5 ypg last year, and mostly made lateral additions (and one ‘Rookie with an Injury History) for their interior line, Henry should come out of the gate strong, and that’s why you took him where you did. Tyjae Spears meanwhile, crushed the preseason, leading the league with a 4.73 Yards-After-Contact, and rolling in 9th in overall YPC (5.3) for RBs that had a minimum of 15 carries. He’s a real option to spell Henry this year, and pull some points on his own. If I’m in a huge league – say a 14-18 dynasty or guillotine – and have Spears, I’d likely roll the bones on him in a flex spot and see what happens. In a traditional set-up though, it’s way too soon to get cutesy.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

DeAndre Hopkins (Start, WR2) Treylon Burks (Sit, WR3), Chris Moore/Kearis Jackson (Sit), Chigoziem Okonkwo (Sit, TE2)

So it’s been two years since the once mercurial DeAndre Hopkins played a full season, and he hasn’t quite been that unstoppable destroyer of worlds you remember him as since he left for Arizona.  And also: he’s kind of a head case. But mostly because we have little to no data set to indicate how this new pasture will let him graze – especially as this one seems very much ‘not what he proclaimed he was looking for’ – I’m personally staying as far away from Nuk as possible this year. That said, if you drafted him, you’re running him this week – even if he’s not still the unstoppable force of nature of his best years, DeAndre is still a lot better than a lot of options, and not quite the ‘completely washed out’ husk that was the last Titans former All-Pro receiver import, Julio Jones.  On the other side of the field, I’m sitting Treylon Burks here mostly because I don’t trust his full recovery from the sprained LCL two weeks ago. From a pure ‘basic logic’ standpoint, I cannot imagine having either Chris Moore or Kearis Jackson on a roster at this time, let alone playing a role in any construct of a ‘winning game plan’.  As for long-term planning, I’m curious to see how Chigoziem Okonkwo may pan out this year – with a deeper bench, I wouldn’t mind holding onto him for a few weeks to see if there’s an increase in regular opportunities, but I fear with a Henry-centered offense, which the Titans will be running with again, combined with the presence of Hopkins, Burks and Spears as a potential hydra of supporting playmakers, Okonkwo is probably safe staying on your waiver wire for a bit.

New Orleans Saints

Quarterbacks

Derk Carr (Start, QB1)

I’m wringing my hands and gritting my teeth here, but to heck with all that common sense may say – I’d be happy to run Derek Carr as a lower-end QB1 this week, and giddy as a wee schoolgirl if I had him in a SuperFlex situation. Carr is a good arm, one who got run out of Vegas like an aged-out showgirl. In a thousand situations, if you made me choose between Derek and Jimmy G, I would never once pick the latter. I’d rather fail spectacularly than be blanketed in the false love of ‘caution’ and ‘safety’.  The Titans had an average-at-best performance against passers all last season, and their offseason mostly brought more strength to their already fierce run d, not the back-end crew. This leads to a grand opportunity for Derek to air it out a bit, and with two nigh-elite weapons (well, one certainly, and one who was nigh-elite, the last time we saw him regularly. Was that 3 or 4 years ago? I’m foggy), and a still-kinda-overlooked Tight End, I love him on a week their run game is going to be an issue.

Running Backs

Jamaal Williams (Start, Flex), Kendre Miller (Sit, Flex) *

The combination of a staunch Titans run defense added to the recent development of the ever-popular ‘hamstring issue’ so popular with the kids these days took one of my favorite preseason ‘late draft steals’ clean off the board for this week. With a more favorable matchup than this, I might still have gone risk-reward with Kendre Miller in a flex spot and crossed my fingers and toes and whatever else, but that’ll wait for another week,  Conversely, it’s been a bit since Jamaal Williams really had to carry the cross of being much of a 3 down back, but his occasional forays into assuming a  backfield majority shareholder position have generally been pleasant. I don’t love him for a lot of yardage, but targets and touches (not to mention potential red zone opportunities) will be more than enough for Jamaal to tear up a flex start this week.

Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends

Chris Olave (Start, WR1), Michael Thomas (Start, WR3 ), Rashid Shaheed (Sit, Flex), Juwan Johnson (Start, TE1)

I noted above in my overly zealous love for Derek Carr that this is a better-than-average to great matchup for this Saints air game – so naturally, I’m also bordering on manic excitement for the core of their hands crew. Chris Olave is a gimme, expect him to get you those WR1 stats you drafted him for right from the jump this season. Same goes for Juwann Johnson – he’s not yet reached his potential, but with last year’s emergence, nearly tripling his previous bests in targets, receptions, yardage, and touchdowns, I love this guy with Carr, who has been known to favor a Tight End with size and hands in recent history. If you grabbed Juwan late, you’re in for a spectacular value this year.  And then we come to the Great Unknown – the return of Michael Thomas to a regular role in New Orleans. Perhaps with Michael, it’s better to talk status rather than stats as we get reacquainted.  After a five year run of top-echelon performance, Mike Thomas hasn’t played a full season since  2019 – no amount of rehab and hype should make you wary early on. There’s a part of me that wants to say ‘wait and see’ – but I’ve faith the talent is still there, regardless of any potential lost athleticism, and that gets him a run at WR3 this week. I’m not so sure about Rashid Shaheed in either the immediate or distant future for fantasy value. At best he’s a deep bench player on your squad anyway in his current incarnation.