What's up RotoBallers. Below you will find our Week 1 NFL Monday Night matchups & fantasy football start/sit analysis for the 2016 NFL football season. Ben Ruppert breaks down the final portion of the Week 1 matchups to help you prepare your lineups to win this week. Be sure to also check out part one of this week's matchups analysis by Pierre Camus (@pfunk00), and part two of this weeks matchups by yours truly.

Each week of the NFL season, we will be breaking down individual matchups and providing you with some fantasy football advice and lineup recommendations based on matchups that we love, matchups that we hate, and some high-risk/high-reward players, as well. It’s essential to analyze the weekly NFL match-ups to find lineup sleepers and gems, while also avoiding those players who may turn out to be busts.

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Steelers @ Redskins- Sunday 9/12 @ 7:10 PM EST

Matchups We Love:

Kirk Cousins, QB, WSH

The Steelers allowed the fifth most passing yards last season, and few changes were made to the secondary. In order to keep up with the Pittsburgh offense, Cousins will be forced to throw often in this one. This season Cousins comes in with a better grasp on the offense as a whole, and that fact coupled with the experience gained while starting last season means Cousins could be in line for good numbers if he takes the next step forward. Cousins should throw for a good number of yards and a few TDs in this one.

Jordan Reed, TE, WSH

Jordan Reed was able to stay mostly healthy last season, and it led to him finishing as one of the top fantasy TEs in the league. In Week 1, he sees a Pittsburgh defense that was top-ten in fantasy points allowed to TEs in 2015. Cousins will look to Reed just like he did last season, and this game will help justify the draft pick to fantasy owners who took him in the third or fourth round. Reed is in an excellent spot to dominate again in 2016.

Eli Rogers, WR, PIT

With Markus Wheaton listed as out for Monday’s game, Eli Rogers will make his regular season debut as the number two receiver alongside Antonio Brown. While Brown draws the coverage of Josh Norman, Rogers will be able to use his quick feet and sure hands to catch passes from Big Ben in the slot (and possibly the outside as well). Rogers won the WR2 job over Sammie Coates during the preseason, and Roethlisberger has raved about his abilities. I see him having a nice welcoming party to the 2016 season in this one.

Matchups We Hate:

Matt Jones, RB, WSH

Matt Jones was given the starting RB job after the departure of Alfred Morris in the offseason. Jones flashed his talents with some huge games last year, but there are still plenty of doubters. In this Week 1 matchup, game flow may dictate Jones’ usage. With the Steelers' potent offense, it is very possible the team turns to Chris Thompson, who is the superior pass-catching back on the roster. Jones will get his opportunities on the ground, but don’t expect this to be a week he breaks out with a huge game.

Ben Roethisberger, QB, PIT

Big Ben was not nearly as efficient on the road as he was at home last season; he posted a 16:7 TD:INT ratio at home and a 5:9 TD:INT ratio on the road. With this game being in Washington against a top-ten secondary, Week 1 could spell trouble for Big Ben. The team will inevitably score enough points to save Roethlisberger from a fantasy perspective, but don’t be surprised if he puts up a lower than expected score. He will need to look towards Antonio Brown often, with Markus Wheaton, Le’Veon Bell, and new TE Ladarius Green all absent in this one.

Notable Players:

Antonio Brown, WR, PIT

The consensus number one pick in fantasy drafts will be counted on in a big way Monday night. With Martavis Bryant not playing this season and Markus Wheaton out, Roethlisberger will be forced to look Brown’s way much more. Even with All-Pro CB Josh Norman nipping at his heels all game, this should be another instance where Brown sees a large volume of passes go his direction. Just like every other game he will play this season, Brown has more than a good chance of dominating. He is one of, if not the top WR in the game, and will show why Week 1.

DeSean Jackson, WR, WSH

Kirk Cousins has a deep ball good enough that it will need to be utilized in this game against the Steelers quick strike offense. DeSean Jackson is the Redskins best deep ball threat, and will look to open up the offense against one of the weaker secondaries in the league. Jackson always carries that boom-or-bust potential, but I could see him scoring a long TD in this one. Look for Jackson to stretch the field for big gains in this one as the Redskins try to keep up with Pittsburgh.

 

Rams @ 49ers- Sunday 9/12 @ 10:20 PM EST

Matchups We Love:

Todd Gurley, RB, STL

Todd Gurley will head the offensive attack for the Rams, starting here in Week 1 against the 49ers. Last season Gurley didn’t start until Week 4 while recovering from a torn ACL, and he still racked up over 1,000 yards with 10 scores. This season the highly drafted second year RB will be fully healthy, will have gone through an entire offseason with the Rams, and will be in game shape right off the bat. Gurley will be more readily adjusted to start this season; couple that with his elite talent level and you have yourself a fully prepared all you can eat buffet of fantasy success. He will be utilized early and often in this one.

Vance McDonald, TE, SF

Vance McDonald emerged as one of Blaine Gabbert’s favorite targets down the stretch last season. Over the 49ers final seven games (six for McDonald, he missed Week 14 against the Browns), he amassed 262 yards on 21 receptions. That total represents 80% of the total yards gained by McDonald for the entire season (326 yards). Now that he and Gabbert have gained experience together and used an entire offseason to work on their timing, we should see this relationship continue to grow in 2016. With the tough Rams defense as their opponent, Gabbert will need to look for one of his favorite targets in McDonald.

Matchups We Hate:

Carlos Hyde, RB, SF

The Rams have a stout defense, and Hyde is mainly used as the physical running back in the 49ers' system while Shaun Draughn is the superior receiving back. With the Rams tough front-seven, it may be difficult for Hyde to get anything going in this one. I could see a heavier dose of Draughn, with Hyde still getting the most work but doing so inefficientyly. While his past two Week 1 games have been very solid (didn’t see much volume in 2014, but capitalized on his chances), I don’t see him repeating that effort this season.

Notable Players:

Blaine Gabbert, QB, SF

Blaine Gabbert enters 2016 as the 49ers starting QB, proving himself to be a more competent option than Colin Kaepernick last season. The conservative Gabbert went 3-and-5 in the 49ers final eight games, with a 10:7 TD:INT ratio. He found weapons he liked such as Vance McDonald, and Torrey Smith allows this unit to take the top off the defense as a major deep threat. His stats won’t be spectacular, but Gabbert should find his way to a TD or two in this one.

Torrey Smith, WR, SF

Torrey Smith left the Ravens and signed with the 49ers before last season and caught only 33 passes, but they went for 663 yards giving him 20.1 yards per reception. He, like most of the offense, looked better once Gabbert became the starting QB. This duo should take another step this season, and Gabbert will  be looking Smith’s direction in garbage time plenty throughout the year. Smith will prove to be volatile this season; having some huge games then showing little production in others.

Tavon Austin, WR, STL

Tavon Austin burst onto the scene last year with a very solid season, scoring from all positions with five receiving TDs, four rushing TDs, and a punt return for a TD. Austin is insanely quick with incredible skill, but it will be very hard for him to repeat that TD number in 2016. With Kenny Britt coming into the season as their number two receiver, Austin will figure to get more chances to flash his talents. The question will really be if current starting QB Case Keenum will be able to get Austin the ball on a consistent basis.

 

Let these Monday night games provide you with what you need to escape Week 1 with a win. Good luck!!