Week 1 Fantasy Football LOCKS: The Players We're Starting Everywhere 🔒 | Fantasy Focus

Brown is identified as one of the premier wide receivers for the Eagles and is included as a lineup lock from the source's playbook for Week 1 against the Commanders.

Ashton Jeanty is ranked in the top ten running backs for Week 1 fantasy football, listed fifth in the source's tier of backs ranked six through ten.

Breece Hall is ranked in the top 15 running backs for Week 1 fantasy football, listed in the source's tier of backs ranked 12 through 15.

Brock Purdy is available late in drafts and is cited as a viable late-round quarterback option, supporting the source's philosophy that premium draft picks should not be used on quarterbacks when quality options like Purdy are available in later rounds.

Caleb Williams is available late in drafts and is cited as a viable late-round quarterback option, supporting the source's philosophy that premium draft picks should not be used on quarterbacks when quality options like Williams are available in later rounds.

Cam Akers is ranked in the source's top 20 running backs for Week 1 fantasy football.

Chase Brown is ranked in the top ten running backs for Week 1 fantasy football, listed third in the source's tier of backs ranked six through ten.

Perennially underrated at WR; last year was top five in targets and receptions, seventh in receiving yards, sixth in receiving touchdowns. Ranked as a top-10 WR in a great spot against Detroit Lions, who are dealing with secondary issues including missing two starting safeties and their number two cornerback.

Playing the Detroit Lions, who have one of the highest implied totals of the week, meaning the Lions are expected to score a lot and will need to throw frequently. This high-scoring environment fits well for all Saints receivers, including Olave.

Listed as co-starter in the Jaguars backfield with Vishaal Toon. If LeQuint Allen is out, it opens up extra targets for Rodriguez. However, the source is not starting Rodriguez this week until seeing if he's involved in the passing game, as he was quietly more involved than realized in Jacksonville's passing game last season.

Christian McCaffrey is used as a positional comparison point in the discussion about whether fantasy managers should bench first-round draft picks for better matchups. The source notes that unlike running backs, where you might start a later-round pick over a first-rounder in a given week, quarterbacks are typically played throughout the season regardless of matchup.

Christian McCaffrey's value is largely matchup-proof; expectations may be slightly lowered when he faces elite defenses like the Seahawks, but matchup strength does not significantly impact his weekly ranking or usage the way it does for quarterbacks.

Christian McCaffrey is ranked in the top five running backs for Week 1 fantasy football, listed second in the source's tier of elite backs.

Dak Prescott is ranked QB9 in the consensus rankings for Week 1.

Was QB7 before getting hurt last season; coming off a major knee injury that could limit his upside. The Giants' offense was pumping out 3.5 touchdowns per game last year, which is unsustainable year-to-year. Additionally, there's massive depth at QB, making him less of a priority despite his previous production.

In Superflex leagues, Jones has been one of the source's favorite QB2 targets and is viewed as a value this year. However, when looking at top 10-12 starting QB options week-to-week, he's not there right now due to massive depth at the position.

Devon Achane is ranked in the top five running backs for Week 1 fantasy football, listed third in the source's tier of elite backs.

Derrick Henry is ranked in the top ten running backs for Week 1 fantasy football, listed fourth in the source's tier of backs ranked six through ten.

Drake May is not recommended as a Week 1 start against the Seahawks. The source indicates Mike Clay and Field Yates are in the 'sit him' category, while Daniel Dopp was initially in the 'start Drake May' category. However, Dopp ultimately decided to sit May in his personal lineup, choosing to start Patrick Mahomes instead on Monday night. This suggests May is not a preferred Week 1 play despite being the Patriots' starting quarterback.

Drake May is ranked outside the top 15 quarterbacks by the panelists (ranked 14th), reflecting a philosophical difference in how the source evaluates top-five quarterbacks with rushing upside versus other analysts. The source discusses whether rushing quarterbacks warrant top-five rankings despite their cheat-code ability.

Drake May's Week 1 ranking is in line with the source's offseason philosophy on the quarterback position: patience is advised, and there is no need to draft May early when quality options like Trevor Lawrence, Justin Herbert, Brock Purdy, Caleb Williams, and Matthew Stafford are available late.

Ranked as a top starting QB option in Superflex leagues for week one, preferred over Matthew Stafford and Tyler Shuck.

Helani is a depth piece in the Seahawks backfield and not expected to receive significant early-season volume. The source projects him for only 6 carries and 1-2 targets in Week 1, well behind Jadarian Price. The source explicitly states Helani is 'not a veteran start guy' and should not receive a veteran start on the first drive, indicating limited role expectations despite being a good player.

One of the higher climbing players in rankings during preseason; ranked as a top-8 TE. The Giants' cut of Darius Slayton suggests confidence in Likely, who will be on the field when the team is throwing. He got a good contract this offseason and is a sneaky back-end TE1 option.

Ja'Marr Chase is ranked in the top five running backs for Week 1 fantasy football, listed first in the source's tier of elite backs.

Price is viewed as the RB1 of the Seahawks backfield and projected as a low-end RB2 even against the Patriots' strong run defense. The source projects 16 carries and 2 targets for Price in Week 1, with the expectation that he will be the clear feature back. George Helani is projected for only 6 carries and 1-2 targets, with Emmanuel Wilson receiving minimal touches. The Seahawks finished second in carries and fifth in rushing touchdowns last season, providing significant volume opportunity. Price is ranked RB20 in projections and should push past 15 touches.

Hurts is QB1 in the source's Week 1 projections and QB2 in consensus rankings against the Commanders. In 9 career full games against Washington, Hurts averages 23.7 fantasy points per game and has at least 18 points in 7 consecutive full games. Last year, 12 quarterbacks hit 18 points against the Commanders. The source is 'unimpressed' with Washington's defensive personnel despite their new coaching staff, and expects Hurts to have a huge start to the season. The Eagles have a light regular season schedule, suggesting this strong performance could continue beyond Week 1.

Jalen Hurts is highlighted as a strong Week 1 start against the Commanders due to the favorable matchup; the source notes he was a mid-range QB1 last year despite an atrocious offensive situation, and with an improved offensive line and better scheme this year, he should perform well. The source expresses confidence in starting him Week 1 specifically because of the matchup advantage.

James Cook is ranked 11th among running backs for Week 1 but faces a tough matchup against the Houston Texans, which is part of why he's outside the top ten in the source's rankings.

Tough matchup against the Houston Texans; ranked outside the top 10 running backs partly due to this opponent.

Javante Williams is used as an example of a later-drafted running back (RB14) who might be started over a higher-drafted back like Ken Walker (RB9) in a given week due to favorable matchup. The source uses this as an analogy for how quarterback matchups might influence start decisions.

Javante Williams (RB14) is ranked higher than Ken Walker (RB9) for Week 1 and may be started over Walker despite Walker's higher overall ranking, illustrating how matchup strength can elevate a lower-ranked back's weekly value.

Jaden Daniels is ranked QB7 in the consensus rankings for Week 1.

Jaden Daniels faces a super tough matchup in Week 1 against the Eagles' elite defense, which features a strong front four and secondary. The source ranks him QB5 (though another panelist has him at QB7), and notes the difficulty of the matchup as a concern for Week 1 performance.

Jaden Daniels was initially ranked QB5 but downgraded to QB10 for Week 1 due to a difficult matchup; the source respects the matchup difficulty and adjusted expectations accordingly, though acknowledges Daniels remains a top-10 quarterback option.

Jaden Daniels fell off a little last year and is coming back off an injury facing a tough defense in Week 1; the source suggests defaulting to other top-five quarterback options with leg mobility upside over Daniels in this specific matchup, noting that Matthew Stafford likely would have outscored him even if Daniels had stayed healthy all last year.

Jeremiah Love has never finished in the top 50 at running back and is ranked in the source's top 20 for Week 1, which the source uses as a cautionary example of a player some analysts like despite a lack of historical production.

Joe Burrow rounds out the top-5 quarterbacks in the consensus rankings for Week 1.

Jonathan Taylor is ranked in the top five running backs for Week 1 fantasy football, listed fourth in the source's tier of elite backs.

Josh Allen is ranked QB3 in the consensus rankings for Week 1, behind Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts.

Josh Allen is identified as the only 'elite elite' quarterback tier, distinct from the 'very, very excellent' tier that includes other top-10 options; this suggests Allen's value is less matchup-dependent and more consistently premium than other quarterbacks.

Justin Fields is ranked QB10 by one panelist, placing him outside the top-five rushing quarterbacks despite his mobility upside. The source discusses whether such mid-tier quarterback rankings make sense given the positional depth and matchup-dependent nature of the position.

Herbert is a lineup lock and QB2 in the source's Week 1 rankings against the Cardinals. The Chargers have the highest implied team total in Vegas at 29 points this week. The Cardinals were bottom-10 in passing yards allowed per game last season and allowed only five teams more passing touchdowns than any other team last season. Herbert's matchup is described as 'really nice' for the first week of the season.

Justin Herbert is available late in drafts and is cited as a viable late-round quarterback option, supporting the source's philosophy that premium draft picks should not be used on quarterbacks when quality options like Herbert are available in later rounds.

Justin Herbert has finished in the top 10 for the last four years and some analysts at the source like him as a quarterback option.

Ranked as WR6 this week; the key to his production is Kyler Murray's performance. If Jefferson only receives five or six targets in week one, it would be a major red flag and cause overreaction, as he should be getting significantly more volume from Murray.

Concerns about Kyler Murray's target distribution; Murray previously said it's not his job to get Marvin Harrison the football, which is problematic. With Jefferson, if Murray isn't getting him the ball, Murray is the problem, not Jefferson. The expectation is that Jefferson must receive adequate volume.

Likes the matchup against the Lions; with no Jordan Tyson and a condensed target tree, Johnson is a viable week-one option if there are concerns with Kittle or Tucker Krabs. He was playing every snap for the Saints early in the season last year and will be on the field a lot.

Kenneth Walker III is ranked in the top 15 running backs for Week 1 but faces a tough matchup against Denver, which is part of why he's ranked lower in the source's Week 1 projections.

Ranked lower in the source's top 20 running backs due to a really tough matchup against Denver; can still be a good RB2 despite the difficult opponent.

Kyren Williams is ranked in the source's top 20 running backs for Week 1 fantasy football.

Lamar Jackson is ranked QB1 in the consensus rankings for Week 1, ahead of Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen, Justin Herbert, and Joe Burrow.

Was 24th in fantasy points per game last year, down from being top-five every year previously. New coaching staff, healthy Lamar Jackson, and Isaiah Likely's departure create uncertainty. However, he's still a force near the goal line, finishing top-10 in end-zone targets for seven consecutive seasons. Playing the Colts, who struggled against TEs last year and have a shaky linebacker situation. Ranked as a fringe top-10 TE option with bounce-back potential.

Just outside the top-30 rankings but plays the Chargers in week one. Was very good with Jacoby Brissett in four games last year, better than realized. Still fine to start him in week one.

Matthew Stafford is ranked QB8 in the consensus rankings for Week 1.

Matthew Stafford is available late in drafts and is cited as a viable late-round quarterback option; if drafted early, Stafford could be started over an early-round pick like Jaden Daniels in Week 1 due to favorable matchup, supporting the source's philosophy that premium draft picks should not be used on quarterbacks.

Matthew Stafford should put up some huge passing numbers in Week 1, though the source cautions he is unlikely to finish as QB3 again; Stafford was outside the top 16 all three of the last three years before his recent strong season, with two of those years outside the top 25, suggesting regression is likely despite a strong Week 1 matchup.

In a Superflex start-two scenario, Stafford is ranked below Drake Maye and Tyler Shuck. The source is out on Stafford being the same player he was last year, suggesting a decline in production or performance.

The source notes uncertainty about when Najee Harris will first take the field for the Giants, observing that it's unclear whether it will be the second quarter or second play; there's a legitimate feeling that Harris can help the Giants right away, but the snap distribution between him and Scadaboo remains to be seen.

Rashee Rice may receive some pass-catching role or opportunity in Week 1, though the source indicates this will be discussed in more detail later in the episode.

Averaged 9.8 targets per game when healthy last season; if he maintains that volume for a full healthy season for the first time in his career, he will be at least a mid-range WR1. Over the past 10 games starting in 2024, he accumulated 107 targets, suggesting top-five-ish target potential this season if fully healthy and the Chiefs don't dramatically shift their offensive approach.

The Chiefs have been top seven in pass attempts for six consecutive seasons; Mahomes probably isn't going to run as much this year and will be throwing the ball a lot. Rice is his top target, and he's first in yards after the catch over the last three seasons, delivering elite caliber play.

Rice was in the slot 44% of the time last season; Pat Surtain does not travel inside except for very rare occurrences and has not covered Rice at all in his career. Surtain will likely play his side on the perimeter, so Rice should avoid heavy coverage from Denver's top corner.

With Trevion Henderson sidelined (hasn't practiced since August 24th), Stevenson is projected as the clear feature back for the Patriots in Week 1 and beyond. The source projects him at RB16 with a top-5 to top-8 role in the Patriots offense, expecting 70-plus percent of snaps and potentially pushing 80 percent. Against the Seahawks' elite run defense (ranked #1 interior DL, allowed 3.5 yards per carry last season), Stevenson should still see 13-15 fantasy points due to volume, making him a top-20 play despite the tough matchup.

Rhamondre Stevenson is ranked in the source's top 20 running backs for Week 1 fantasy football.

Has been dealing with back and hip injuries but has been looking better in practice and feeling a lot better. No injury concerns heading into week one; ranked as a top-10 TE despite multiple mouths to feed in the Lions offense.

Saquon Barkley is ranked in the top ten running backs for Week 1 fantasy football, listed first in the source's tier of backs ranked six through ten.

Travis Etienne is ranked in the top 15 running backs for Week 1 fantasy football, listed in the source's tier of backs ranked 12 through 15.

Henderson hasn't practiced since August 24th and did not practice the day before the Patriots-Seahawks game. He traveled with the team to Seattle, which may indicate a return to practice is relatively close, but he is not expected to play in Week 1. The Patriots have a mini bye after this game, so a Week 2 return is possible. The source notes Henderson was significantly overdrafted during draft season (often costing a fifth-round pick), and his absence makes Ramondre Stevenson the clear feature back.

Trevor Lawrence is ranked QB10 in the consensus rankings for Week 1.

Trevor Lawrence is available late in drafts (round 11) and represents a viable alternative to early-round quarterback picks like Drake May; the source advocates for patience at the position and willingness to wait on Lawrence rather than using a premium pick on May.