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2013 Fantasy Football: Week 1 NFL Thursday Matchup & Sit/Start Advice

Rotoballer.com's week 1 NFL matchups and fantasy football analysis by Lou Cappetta. We bring you comprehensive week 1 fantasy football advice so you can set your week 1 lineup with confidence .

Welcome to the 2013 fantasy football season! The drafts are over, teams are set, and the week one matchups begin tonight Thursday, September 5th, when the Baltimore Ravens begin their NFL title defense against the Denver Broncos.

 

Everyone wants to get a fast start to the season, and wants to get an any edge they can in deciding what matchups to play and who to avoid, so every Thursday here at RotoBaller.com we will be bringing you matchup previews for each week's games, so you can plan your weekly lineups with confidence. For each matchup, we will highlight one set of players we love, one set of players to avoid, and once bye weeks start we'll analyze who is owned in 50 percent of leagues or less for each game.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

So here are the matchups we love and hate for week one. For further questions and advice, comment below or check out the RotoBaller.com chat room!

We will be posting updates to this piece Friday morning with all of the Sunday NFL matchups, and then updating it again over the weekend with the Monday NFL matchups.  Stay tuned!

 

Week 1 NFL Matchups: Fantasy Football Analysis & Sit/Start Advice

Baltimore Ravens @ Denver Broncos, Thursday 9/5 8:30pm

Matchup We Love: Denver's WRs
The Broncos have three stud receivers in Demayrius Thomas, Eric Decker, and now Wes Welker. Throw in QB Peyton Manning, an opposing defense that lost Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, and the game being in Denver, and that sounds like a recipe for success. Analysis: Start Thomas, Decker, and Welker with confidence, and don't be surprised if at least one of them has a big day.

Matchup We Hate: Denver's RBs
Running backs by committee can be a killer for fantasy owners, and the Broncos three-headed monster of Montee Ball, Ronnie Hillman, and Knowshon Moreno are poised to provide plenty of sit/start headaches until somebody puts a stranglehold on the starting halfback job.  Analysis: Montee Ball makes for a decent flex play, but it may be wise to use a different option if you have one. Leave Hillman and Moreno on your bench until their roles are better defined.

Key Injuries:
Dennis Pita TE, BAL (out), Jacob Tamme TE, DEN (probable)

Start 'Em:
Demayrius Thomas, Eric Decker, Wes Welker, Peyton Manning, Ray Rice, Torrey Smith

 

Don't forget to check back at RotoBaller.com this weekend for any last minute updates, Monday night matchups, and our suicide pool pick of the week. Good luck with your decisions in week one.

 




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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

CFB

Brent Pry Could Return to Virginia Tech as Defensive Coordinator
Mike Evans

Could Return in Week 15
Trey Benson

Might Not Return This Season
Darcy Kuemper

Ends Losing Streak With Shutout Performance
Nikolaj Ehlers

Collects Three Points in Saturday's Win
Ilya Sorokin

Ties Franchise Record With 25th Shutout
Sam Bennett

Bags Season-High Four Points Saturday
Jordan Kyrou

Sustains Lower-Body Injury Saturday
Dominic James

Hurt on Saturday
Maxx Crosby

Trending Toward Playing Against Broncos
Chris Olave

Set to Play Vs. Bucs
LaMelo Ball

Won't Suit Up Against Denver
Immanuel Quickley

Questionable for Sunday Afternoon
Deshaun Watson

Expected to Stay With Browns Next Year
Klay Thompson

Downgraded Versus Houston
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Out Again on Saturday Evening
Tyler Herro

Will Miss Another Game on Saturday
Jimmy Butler III

Out Again on Saturday Night
Draymond Green

Ruled Out Versus Cleveland
Jose A. Ferrer

Mariners Acquire Jose A. Ferrer from the Nationals
Mason Marchment

Expected to Return Saturday
Danila Yurov

Returns From Two-Game Absence Saturday
Jesperi Kotkaniemi

Available Saturday
Harry Ford

Traded to the Nationals
Shane Pinto

to Miss Two Weeks
David Pastrnak

Misses Fifth Consecutive Game Saturday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Remains Out Saturday
Nikita Kucherov

Out on Saturday
Jayden Reed

Activated Off Injured Reserve, Will Play in Week 14
Omarion Hampton

Activated From IR, Faces Uncertain Workload Monday Night
Cody Bellinger

Drawing Interest From the Phillies
MacKenzie Gore

Will the Nationals Trade MacKenzie Gore?
Justin Herbert

Officially Listed as Questionable for Monday Night Football
Justin Herbert

Chargers "Expecting" Justin Herbert to Play in Week 14
Yves Missi

Trending Toward Game-Time Decision
Khris Middleton

Questionable With Knee Soreness Against Hawks
Noah Clowney

On Track To Suit Up Against Pelicans
De'Anthony Melton

Questionable With Knee Management
Draymond Green

Questionable With Mid-Foot Sprain
Jimmy Butler III

Day-To-Day As Warriors Prepare For Cleveland
Mikko Rantanen

Picks Up Three Points Against Sharks
Kyle Connor

Scores in Fourth Consecutive Game
Beckett Sennecke

Notches Two Points in Friday's Win
Ryan Leonard

Suffers Upper-Body Injury Friday
Carter Hart

Day-to-Day With Lower-Body Injury
Brayden Point

Questionable for Saturday
Victor Hedman

Expected to Return Saturday
Byron Buxton

Twins Not Planning to Trade Joe Ryan, Byron Buxton
Patrick Williams

Dalen Terry Available Versus Pacers
Coby White

Returns With Minutes Restriction Friday
Ayo Dosunmu

Out Friday Against Pacers
Zach Collins

Available for Season Debut Friday
Robert Williams III

Donovan Clingan Out, Robert Williams III in for Portland Friday
Evan Mobley

Ready to Play Friday
Kristaps Porzingis

Coming Off the Bench Friday
Spencer Jones

Available Against Hawks
Ozzy Wiesblatt

to Miss 8-10 Weeks With Upper-Body Injury
Rome Odunze

has Fractured Foot, Labeled Week-to-Week
Sauce Gardner

Ruled Out for Sunday
Petr Yan

Looks To Reclaim Bantamweight Belt
Merab Dvalishvili

Set For His Fourth Title Defense
Joshua Van

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Aaron Jones Sr.

Cleared to Play in Week 14
Chris Olave

Listed as Questionable for Week 14
Alexandre Pantoja

Set For Fifth Title Defense At UFC 323
Tatsuro Taira

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Alvin Kamara

Ruled Out for Sunday
Brandon Moreno

Searches For His Third Win In A Row
Rome Odunze

Ruled Out for Week 14
Payton Talbott

A Favorite At UFC 323
Henry Cejudo

Set For His Retirement Fight
Drake London

Ruled Out vs Seattle
Jan Blachowicz

Set To Open Up UFC 323 Main Card
Lamar Jackson

Will Play on Sunday
Bogdan Guskov

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
CFB

Emmett Johnson Leaving Nebraska for 2026 NFL Draft
Dalton Kincaid

to be Questionable for Week 14
Tee Higgins

Clears Concussion Protocol, is a Full-Go for Sunday
CFB

Jam Miller Unlikely to Play in SEC Title Game
CFB

Penn State Expected to Hire Matt Campbell from Iowa State
Mike Evans

Not Quite Ready to Return This Week
Jayden Daniels

Will Start Against Vikings
CFB

Arkansas Targeting Ron Roberts for Defensive Coordinator Job
Jhostynxon Garcia

Pirates Acquire Jhostynxon Garcia From Red Sox
Cody Bellinger

Yankees Pushing Hard to Re-Sign Cody Bellinger
CFB

Penn State Eyeing Iowa State Coach Matt Campbell For Coaching Vacancy
Alex Bregman

Cubs Have Renewed Interest in Alex Bregman
CFB

Billy Napier Finalizing Deal to Become James Madison's New Head Coach
CFB

Buster Faulkner Set to Become Florida's New Offensive Coordinator
CFB

Joe Sloan Expected to be Kentucky's New Offensive Coordinator
CFB

Lane Kiffin Working to Keep Defensive Coordinator Blake Baker at LSU
CFB

Brian Daboll a Candidate for Penn State Head-Coaching Job?
Kyle Tucker

Visits With Blue Jays
Emilio Pagán

Reds Bring Back Closer Emilio Pagan on Two-Year Deal
Cedric Mullins

Rays Agree on One-Year Deal
Freddy Peralta

Brewers Considering Trading Freddy Peralta
Kyle Schwarber

Reds Serious About Adding Kyle Schwarber in Free Agency?
CFB

Brent Key Signing Five-Year Deal to Remain at Georgia Tech
CFB

Brian Hartline Expected to Land USF Head-Coaching Job
CFB

Collin Klein Expected to be Top Target for Kansas State if Head-Coach Job Opens
CFB

Chris Klieman Considering Stepping Down at Kansas State
CFB

D.J. Durkin Staying at Auburn Under Alex Golesh
CFB

Charlie Weis Jr. Permitted to Coach Ole Miss Offense in College Football Playoff
CFB

Five-Star Quarterback Jared Curtis Flips Commitment From Georgia to Vanderbilt
CFB

Florida Hiring Brad White as Defensive Coordinator
Kyle Schwarber

Giants Have Checked in on Kyle Schwarber
Willson Contreras

Willing to Waive his Full No-Trade Clause?
Edwin Díaz

Mets Still Interested in Re-Signing Edwin Diaz
Devin Williams

Agrees to Three-Year Deal With Mets
Cole Ragans

Red Sox Targeting Cole Ragans in a Trade?
CFB

Kentucky Hires Oregon Offensive Coordinator Will Stein As Head Coach
CFB

Kalani Sitake the Top Target for Penn State Coaching Job

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