Our Week 1 fantasy football start and sit recommendations are now live with the 2024 regular season starting. Things get going Thursday night with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Baltimore Ravens. Who is fantasy relevant in this big matchup?
Without any sample size this season, it’s going to be hard setting great lineups. That’s magnified with a lack of understanding as it relates to how defenses are going to perform in 2024.
But we’re here to help. Below, we look at our Week 1 fantasy football start and sit at each position.
Related: Week 1 fantasy football quarterback rankings
Week 1 fantasy football start and sit: Quarterbacks
Start
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mayfield has a golden opportunity to open the 2024 NFL season with a strong performance. He’s set to go up against a Washington Commanders defense that yielded the most fantasy points to quarterbacks a season ago. That included giving up 39 touchdown passes against eight interceptions. Sure, new head coach Dan Quinn is defensive-minded. But Washington’s defensive backfield lacks the talent to slow down Mayfield and Co. He’s a sure fantasy bet in Week 1.
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Despite some issues with turnovers (18 interceptions) a season ago, Allen was able to finish as QB1 in fantasy football. It really is all about his dual-threat ability. We’re talking about a quarterback who combined for nearly 4,900 total yards and 44 touchdowns last season. Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals yielded the fourth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks in 2023.
Sit
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Purdy was great from a fantasy perspective as a sophomore last season, finishing as QB6. We’re not expecting him to duplicate that against the New York Jets come Monday night. First off, star receiver Brandon Aiyuk missed all of training camp due to a holdout. It’s an open question how that connnection is going to go. Secondly, New York yielded the fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks in 2023. This is not a good fantasy play.
Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
Rodgers returns after missing all but a few snaps last season due to a torn Achilles. In fact, he has not taken a snap in live-game action in a calendar year. There is certainly going to be some rust on the part of the future Hall of Famer on the road against San Francisco. It also doesn’t help that the 49ers’ dominant defense gave up 20 touchdown passes compared to 23 interceptions last season.
Related: Week 1 fantasy football running back rankings
Week 1 fantasy football start and sit: Running backs
Start
Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
Outside of Kamara’s contract situation, he’s 100% and ready to go as New Orleans opens its season against the Carolina Panthers Sunday afternoon. Carolina has rebuilt some of its defensive front. But this unit yielded the fourth-most fantasy points to running backs in 2024. With his dual-threat ability, Kamara is an obvious must start.
Joe Mixon, Houston Texans
Mixon takes over as Houston’s RB1 after coming over in an off-season trade with the Cincinnati Bengals. He’ll enjoy C.J. Stroud under center with Stefon Diggs as a major weapon at receiver. This means that teams will have to focus more on th Texans’ passing attack than anything else. Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts represents a prime opportunity for Mixon after he tallied 1,410 total yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
Sit
Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
Williams was absolutely a breakout star as a sophomore for the Rams last season, recording 1,350 total yards and 15 touchdowns. He also caught 32-of-48 targets. Unfortunately, Week 1 is not a great fantasy matchup for the former Notre Dame star. The Detroit Lions gave up the fewest fantasy points to running backs a season ago.
Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
Our last player included in this Week 1 fantasy football start and sit is reserved for the enigmatic Harris. He did tally north of 1,200 total yards. But the back put up just 1,035 rushing yards in 17 games. Those are not elite-level numbers by today’s standards. With Pittsburgh taking on an Atlanta Falcons defense that ranked in the top five stopping fantasy running backs last season.
Related: 2024 NFL defensive rankings
Week 1 fantasy football start and sit: Wide receivers
Start
Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Now entering his 11th NFL season, Evans has recorded at least 1,000 yards in each of his first 10 campaigns. He has also finished as a top-eight fantasy receiver five times over the past six years. It also doesn’t hurt that Evans is taking on a Commanders defense that gave up the most fantasy points to wide receivers last season.
Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers
We’re going under the radar with Doubs here. The youngster caught 59 passes for 674 yards as a sophomore last season. He has a great connection with quarterback Jordan Love. This should continue Friday in Brazil against an Eagles defense that yielded the second-most fantasy points to receivers in 2023.
Sit
Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers
As noted above, Aiyuk sat out all of training camp as he angled for a new contract. While he did get paid and will play Week 1, we can’t be too confident in his fantasy performance. That’s magnified with star cornerback Sauce Gardner of the New York Jets going up against Aiyuk.
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
As with Aiyuk, Lamb held out all of training camp looking for a new contract. Sure, he’ll be on the field Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. But this is not a good matchup. Cleveland ranked fourth in stopping fantasy receivers last season. Lamb is also set to go up against stud Browns cornerback Denzel Ward.
Related: 10 fantasy football busts for 2024
Week 1 fantasy football start and sit: Tight ends
Start
Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
With Jacoby Brissett under center and a lack of receivers, Henry wil be heavily featured in New England’s passing attack this season. Sure, he caught only 32 passes last season. But everything seems to indicate he’ll be more of a focus. The Pats also take on a Cincinnati Bengals defense that gave up the fourth-most fantasy points to tight ends last season.
Sit
Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
Andrews will be a go Thursday night against Kansas City after being involved in a scary auto accident earlier this summer. In no way does this mean that he’ll be fantasy relevant. Kansas City gave up the fifth-fewest fantasy points to tight ends in 2023.