Fantasy Football Week 1 Sleepers: 6 Must-Start Players You’re Overlooking (Ep. 2171)
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.
19 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Sep 4, 2026
Published
Fri, September 4, 2026
6
Player insights
6
Players mentioned
Topics
Jadarian PriceJordan MasonMalik WillisMark AndrewsQuentin JohnstonWan'Dale Robinson
Player analysis
Player insights
Jadarian Price
PositiveSleeper14:06
Derek Brown and Pat Fitzmaurice highlight Jadarian Price as a strong Week 1 start with Zach Charbonnet sidelined. Brown expects Price to lead the backfield in volume against a Patriots defense that struggled against zone runs, and both analysts prefer him over consensus rankings for Week 1.
Insight pageJordan Mason
PositiveSleeper1:49
Pat Fitzmaurice and Derek Brown view Jordan Mason as a strong Week 1 sleeper start, projecting him as the lead back in Minnesota's run-heavy scheme. Despite being ranked RB38 in ECR, both analysts are significantly higher on him, with Brown suggesting he could reach 15-17 carries and top-15 RB status if he finds the end zone.
Insight pageMalik Willis
PositiveSleeper5:22
Derek Brown and Pat Fitzmaurice identify Malik Willis as a top-12 QB candidate for Week 1 due to his rushing floor. Brown notes the Raiders' defensive struggles against mobile quarterbacks last year, and Fitzmaurice ranks him as QB13, arguing that his rushing equity makes him a viable starter regardless of long-term job security.
Insight pageMark Andrews
PositiveSleeper22:33
Derek Brown and Pat Fitzmaurice recommend Mark Andrews as a strong Week 1 start against the Colts. Brown highlights the Colts' defensive struggles against tight ends and notes that Lamar Jackson's history of targeting tight ends, combined with the absence of Isaiah Likely, makes Andrews a prime candidate for a touchdown-heavy performance.
Insight pageQuentin Johnston
PositiveSleeper8:54
Pat Fitzmaurice and Derek Brown are bullish on Quentin Johnston for Week 1, citing his fit in the Mike McDaniel system and a favorable matchup against the Cardinals. Fitzmaurice ranks him WR35, while Brown believes Johnston will emerge as the Chargers' WR1, noting his catch-and-run ability is well-tailored to the offense.
Insight pageWan'Dale Robinson
PositiveSleeper18:31
Pat Fitzmaurice and Derek Brown view Wan'Dale Robinson as an undervalued Week 1 start, particularly in PPR formats. Fitzmaurice notes his familiarity with Brian Daboll and expects high-volume, short-area targets, arguing he should be ranked inside the top 40 for Week 1.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
0:00This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed Human. Call 1-800-GRAINGER, click Grainger.com, or stop by.
0:04Grainger, for the ones who get it done. Hello everybody, welcome into Fantasy Pros.
0:09I'm Ryan, warmly joined by Derek Brown and Pat Fitzmaurice.
0:12We are looking ahead to Week 1. Guys, it is upon us.
0:16We are no longer doing just a whole bunch of draft content.
0:20We are now doing weekly content. We've got a short episode here for you today talking some sleeper starts in Week 1.
0:27It's kind of interesting, Fitz, thinking about the notion of a sleeper start in Week 1 because typically it's just the guys
0:34you drafted to fill your starting lineup. But there are certainly circumstances where sometimes you would say, hey, I know this player
0:41was going later, but for Week 1, great matchup.
0:44I really like him. Maybe I am going to put him in over the guy who was in my starting flex because I drafted him around earlier.
0:53I'm curious who you guys pick here. Reminder for everybody that our consensus rankings and tiers can be found at FantasyPros.com slash rankings.
1:00That's both for drafts, if you still have any going on, but also for weekly starting decisions.
1:05Fitz, let's start with you. Who's your first sleeper start here?
1:09It's Jordan Mason at home against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1.
1:13We just talked about him on a key question show we did, a guy who became kind of a draft value, I think, late.
1:21I slept on him for a lot of draft season thinking it was going to be more of a running back by
1:28committee in Minnesota, but I now think that Jordan Mason is the lead guy.
1:32I think he's going to fit a run scheme that apparently is leaning more on outside zone stuff this year, which seems to be up Mason's alley.
1:41Vikings offensive line, a lot of injury problems last year.
1:44They missed Christian Darrisaw for some of the season.
1:47Healthy now. And I don't think the Green Bay run defense is a pushover.
1:52It was kind of a middling run D last year.
1:55We'll see this year, but it's certainly not a daunting matchup at home for the Vikings.
2:00So I think Mason could be effective, maybe a little less effective in PPR leagues because we know he is not much of a pass catcher.
2:08But in standard half point PPR, I think Mason is a guy you might want to consider for a flex spot in week one.
2:16This is somebody, Debra, that you have grown to really like for draft purposes as a value.
2:21Do you like him here right off the bat in week one as well?
2:26Absolutely. If we see the Minnesota Vikings come out with a run heavy offense and attack, like Mason could get 15, 17
2:33carries in week one if he gets in the end zone.
2:37Like we're talking about, like he's possibly a top 15 back week one.
2:41Love it. Will you be ranking him pretty aggressively?
2:44I'm not sure where he is in consensus right now.
2:47I don't have that. I will be ranking him aggressive versus consensus.
2:51And I'm looking at right now. He is RB 38 right now in the ECR for week one.
2:56Yeah, I will. I will definitively be above that.
2:59He's one spot behind Aaron Jones actually in ECR.
3:02Wow. Running back rankings right now. Like 37. Like 37.
3:05Above him. Like Chuba Hubbard. Like what are we doing here?
3:09Yeah. No, I think this is this is a good one.
3:12This is somebody you don't have to draft as a starter, but you should be interested in starting in week one.
3:19All right. Let's get to your first one here.
3:22Debra. If you got a quarterback with a tough match, tough matchup, you need to look at possibly starting Malik Willis in week one.
3:30He gets the Raiders. I think that Malik Willis is going to put up a crap ton of points in week one.
3:37He's going to run a ton. Last year, the Las Vegas Raiders gave up the fourth most rushing yards to design quarterback runs.
3:44Their defense. Yes, they added a lot of players in the offseason and stuff, but it takes time to gel.
3:51How much is that really going to raise the ceiling on the floor for this past defense that last year they gave
3:58it the 10th highest passer rating and the ninth highest passing success rate.
4:02Right. So Malik Willis, whether he's good or not, he's going to freaking run.
4:06If he runs as much as we all think he's going to do, he's going to be a top 12 quarterback in week one.
4:14And yet right now in week one rankings, he's QB 19.
4:18OK. Yeah. Fitz, are you ahead of or below consensus in terms of week one?
4:22I am above consensus on Malik Willis. I have got him.
4:26Sorry. Let me just switch over. I was on the running backs.
4:30I've got Malik Willis QB 13. Let's go. 13.
4:33Awesome. Let's go. Ahead of Jackson Dart, Baker Mayfield, Brock Purdy, Kyler Murray, Bo Nix, Jordan Love.
4:38Yeah, I'm all in. I feel like Willis, like the reason he's not higher in season long draft rankings is because of,
4:45oh, like, is he going to get the opportunity all year?
4:49Week to week with the rushing equity we're expecting, like, I don't see why he should be outside the top 15.
4:55Like pretty much any week he is starting in season long.
4:59I understand if you want to be hesitant or whatever, it's an upside swing.
5:03But week to week, like that rushing is there any game he's starting.
5:08So I. To your point, too, with the short leash, does everybody not realize that the Dolphins cut or traded away every
5:15other quarterback on that roster outside of Malik Willis?
5:18Quinn years gone. Gone. Cam Miller, gone. Mark Gronowski, gone.
5:21And I'm not saying that he should have a short leash, to be clear.
5:25No, no, but that's been the narrative all offseason.
5:28That has been the narrative. Yeah, yeah. All right, Fitz, let's go to your next sleeper start.
5:34Quinton Johnston of the Chargers. And I've got him wide receiver 35.
5:37So I think he's a viable start in leagues where you're required to start three receivers every week.
5:43Maybe he's a flex guy. I just, I think QJ is going to shine in the Mike McDaniel system, which has plenty
5:50of crossing routes and, you know, plays that are going to get Quinton Johnston, the ball in his hands on the run.
5:57And that's where he shines in the catch and run stuff, ball in hand stuff.
6:02Juicy home matchup for the Chargers against the Arizona Cardinals, who I think are probably going to have one of the worst defenses in the league this season.
6:11And it's possible that we might not see that big a gap in value between Ladd McConkie and Quinton Johnston this year,
6:18because I think the McDaniel system is so well tailored to Quinton Johnston.
6:22Oh, and another thing, like if the Chargers use as much 12 personnel as we think, or even some 13 personnel where
6:29they play Charlie Kohler, David Njoku, or Rondé Gadsden on the field at the same time.
6:35Like that's good for the receivers. It sort of concentrates whichever receivers are on the field when it's multiple tight ends, rather
6:42than 13 personnel where you're chopping up those targets between three receivers.
6:45I like it with just two. And I think QJ is going to have, if he can stay healthy, I think he's
6:53poised for a really good season this year. Fitz, do you think there's a degree of inconsistency with any wide receiver outside of the elite of the elite?
7:02Do you think that this is largely going to be an up and down?
7:06Like you want to try and get the, you're trying to get lucky to pick the right weeks to start Quinton Johnson?
7:13Or do you think there will be a level of consistency week to week with him in this offense?
7:19Man, I'm hoping more consistency than we have become accustomed to in the past, because yes, he's been the classic better in best ball guy in recent years.
7:28Yeah. Debra, you have liked Quinton Johnson a lot in drafts.
7:32What do you think about him for week one?
7:35All in. I've been all in. I remain all in.
7:38I think he's going to be the wide receiver one for the Chargers.
7:42Nobody's wanting to hear it. I'm with it. Like, I think that because he operated in this role last year, like, again,
7:49speaking to the consistency, I do not believe in everybody thinks that I have a tinfoil hat on for all the entirety of the year.
7:57But like injury reporting in the NFL is a problem.
8:00Anytime that you've watched any Netflix documentary, so many different things come out in those that we never hear about that are never on the injury report.
8:09And I saw Greg Rosenthal out there talking about Ladd McConkie had a knee injury and stuff, and it wasn't reported on.
8:16Bro, you want to give the same insight about Quinton Johnson and his hamstring injury?
8:21Are we not going to talk about that? So I think QJ is going to be the wide receiver one for the Chargers this year.
8:29If you're not sure who to start, get fast, free starter set advice with the Fantasy Pros Who Should I Start tool.
8:36Compare your players and get instant recommendations powered by more than 150 fantasy experts.
8:40Set your best lineup today at fantasypros.com slash start.
8:43All right, guys. D-Rowe, your next one is up here.
8:46Going with Jadarian Price, man. I think he's going to have a surprising week one.
8:51I would be willing to roll him out there as an RB2 in a lot of lineups because a lot of spots,
8:58you're probably drafting him as your RB3 considering roster constructions.
9:02But no Zach Charbonnet to start the year. Jadarian Price, like I know everybody's like so worried about what can his usage be?
9:09Okay, I think he's going to get rushing volume.
9:12And this New England Patriots rushing defense. Yeah, sure, they held backs to the fifth lowest explosive run rate last year, but outside of that, they weren't good.
9:21Ninth highest rushing success rate. 11th lowest stuff rate.
9:24Again, Seattle rushing attack that is dependent upon zone runs.
9:27They gave the fourth highest rushing success rate to zone runs last year.
9:31So Jadarian Price, I think, can walk away with a much better stat line in week one than a lot of people
9:38give him credit because they're worried about George Helani.
9:41They're worried about Emmanuel Wilson. They're worried about, oh, well, you don't have to worry about Zach Charbonnet.
9:47So I think Jadarian Price is going to be the clear leader of that backfield in week one.
9:53Is there any part of you, Fitz, that wants to see it first with Price?
9:57Or are you kind of, I don't want to say all in, but are you also on board with putting him in
10:04as an exciting start here in week one? I've got him higher in my week one rankings than I had him in my draft rankings.
10:12I do think things are lined up. I mean, my biggest concern with Jadarian Price is that eventually Zach Charbonnet comes back
10:19and turns this into a backfield by committee, just as you're starting to play more important games in your fantasy season.
10:26I think Fitz is ready for the weekend because I believe he just called him Zach Charbonnet instead of Charbonnet.
10:33I thought I said Charbonnet, didn't I? Maybe I misheard.
10:36I thought I heard Charbonnet. Obviously, I know you know his name.
10:40I do like my running backs dry and oaky.
10:43I will plead the fifth. I will plead the fifth in this, but I will point out right now in week one
10:50ECR, I don't understand why Quinshawn Judkins, Jalen Warren, Basial Tootin are all ranked ahead of Jadarian Price.
10:55There's the three names ahead of Price, yeah. Or even Cam Scadaboo.
10:59Why? No. I'm putting Jadarian Price above all those guys.
11:02There's a reason why Fitz's fantasy baseball team name is Wines Above Replacement.
11:07I'll just say that. So good. So good. Who's your next sleeper start?
11:11Wandale Robinson versus the New York Jets. Yeah, we saw the Titans offense struggle in the preseason.
11:16And Cam Ward seemed kind of out of sync.
11:19The downfield passing game wasn't really working. I just wonder if Wandale Robinson rides to the rescue with these easy completions.
11:26Make things like take a little off Cam Ward's plate by just getting Wandale open in space.
11:31Short areas of the field. Quick completions. Catch and run.
11:35And we know that Titans offensive coordinator Brian Dable is very familiar with Wandale Robinson from their time together with the New York Giants.
11:42You know, like all along my worry in drafting Carnell Tate, where he's been going as sort of a mid-range to lower
11:49end wide receiver three is like, I can absolutely see a scenario where Wandale Robinson out targets him this year.
11:56Now, the targets for Tate are more valuable because they're downfield targets.
12:00They're going to be some splash plays. But I just feel like Wandale could be set up for yet another high volume
12:07season where he flirts with 100 catches. Now, Fitz, you called him Wandale Robinson.
12:11No, I'm just kidding. This isn't a good pick.
12:14This is a great pick. Wandale has no business being outside the top 40 in week one, in my opinion, especially in any kind of PPR format.
12:23Because I think he's going to get a lot of targets.
12:26Even if you are still excited about somebody like Carnell Tate in terms of drafting him year long, even the best rookie
12:33receivers sometimes do take a couple of weeks, right?
12:36Justin Jefferson, the prime example of like, hey, it took him like a month and then he was elite right away.
12:43So even if you have the highest possible expectations for Carnell Tate, it's reasonable to say, hey, maybe it takes a week
12:50or two, especially since he didn't have a catch in the preseason.
12:54And Wandale has familiarity with Brian Dayball. Like you said, he I think is going to be used in a way that
13:01is really beneficial in a league that rewards, you know, catches with scoring.
13:05And like I said, any kind of PPR and to be outside the top 40, I think it's too low in week one.
13:12So I think this is a spot on call.
13:15Debra, where are you at on Wandale? I just want everybody to know at home, this is a massive move by Fitzy.
13:22Fitzy, who has not been a Wandale Robinson through over the last few years.
13:27Definitely not. A lot of shade at Wandale Robinson.
13:30This definitely is a big vote of confidence from Fitzy.
13:33And I'm with it, man. Like I already got through that game at the primer.
13:38Like I'm not worried about Jarvis Brownlee, the Jets slot corner in week one.
13:42Now he's been god awful during his tenure as an NFL player.
13:46So, yeah, I can definitely get behind Wandale. All right.
13:49We've got one more player here. Debra, a tight end from you.
13:53Yeah, I figured I'd play to the homer crowd here.
13:56I'm going Mark Andrews. I just look at it like Mark Andrews will not be ranked as a tight end one.
14:03If you waited on tight end, this is a good spot to start him this week.
14:08Looking at Colts defense at last year against the tight end.
14:12And the big thing that I want to highlight here, too, is that the volatility of defensive metrics is huge year to year.
14:19But a team like the Colts that is returning a ton of their personnel from last year, a little bit more sticky than like maybe some other teams.
14:28And honestly, we have seen over how many years, guys, Lou Anarumo defenses just struggle to always stop tight ends.
14:34So this isn't something new. So Mark Andrews can definitely feast in week one against the Colts.
14:40They gave it the fourth most yards per target, the 12th most fantasy points to receiving yards for tight ends and the 12th most fantasy points per opportunity.
14:49Maybe Andrews could come out and have a really strong week one and everybody's like, oh, Andrews is back, baby.
14:55Let's go. And maybe that doesn't continue for the entirety of the season.
15:00Week one. I think he's a really good start.
15:02Yeah, I mean, healthy Lamar, right, to start the year, unlike what we saw from most of last year.
15:08Lamar went healthy for those first few games last year was awesome.
15:12We've seen him come out with have a big game in week one with a new coordinator before.
15:18And he's in a dome. Like this is like just feels like it is built for a strong first impression from the Ravens offense.
15:26And I still, despite what Erickson and I keep betting against each other with Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews, I still think
15:33the most likely person in any particular, you know, drive that is ending in the red zone, the most likely person to
15:40catch a touchdown for the Ravens is still Mark Andrews, in my opinion.
15:44And if you think that the Ravens offense has a good day here, unless it's all going to Derrick Henry, I think
15:51Andrews has a good chance to catch a touchdown in this one.
15:55So I do like that call. Debra, I'm not convinced he's going to have any big yardage games this season, although this
16:02would be as you laid out a match where that could happen.
16:06But touchdown wise, I think it's spot on. Vince, what do you think about the matchup?
16:11We don't know what the, I like the matchup.
16:14And while we don't know what sort of role Andrews is going to have in Declan Doyle's offense, we know Isaiah likely isn't there anymore.
16:22And we know that in Lamar Jackson's seven full seasons as a starter, Ravens tight ends have ranked in percentage of team targets.
16:29First, fifth, first, first, tenth, fourth, and fourth. Lamar likes throwing to his tight ends.
16:34He likes throwing to his tight ends. And he's like best friends with Mark Andrews specifically, right?
16:40Like when plays break down, that's where he looks.
16:42So yeah, I think that's a good call. Those were our sleeper starts for week one.
16:48For Fitz and Debra, I'm Ryan Warmly. Thanks for tuning in.
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