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Fantasy Fill-Ins: Week 1

Welcome to Fantasy Fill-Ins, where each week I play a type of “Mad Libs”-style game that gives you perspective about the fantasy football landscape.

The guys at RotoBallers were nice enough to let me run wild with the idea of suggesting players to go all in on, and players to avoid, in a different and hopefully fun way. So now, with my sweet book of “Fantasy Football Prompts and Suggestions: Week 1,” let me now pencil in some of my favorite Fantasy Fill-Ins for Week 1.

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

 

Fill In the Blank, Fantasy Football Style

Carlos Hyde will either be on my bench or will ruin my week.

Admittedly there won’t be a lot of weeks where I would recommend a 49ers player to give you big offensive production, though Hyde is forecast to be the best offensive weapon for this team if he can stay healthy. This game feels especially painful to me for fantasy purposes in week one; Week 1, a late Monday night, and though it will be played in Santa Clara, I have a very real feeling that the brand-new “Ramily” in Los Angeles will be showing off how well they can travel.

The Los Angeles Rams have arguably one of the best front-seven defenses in the league, anchored by talented players like Aaron Donald AND Robert Quinn, and should be much better at stopping the run this year. Even if they have their week-to-week struggles, Carlos Hyde is a good matchup for a team like the Rams, given that Hyde’s preseason has been shaky due to a possible concussion. Even if he gets lucky with a touchdown at some point, I can’t imagine Los Angeles game-planning a strategy that doesn’t focus on Hyde come Monday.

 

Hey Golden Tate, can you autograph one of your touchdown reception balls?

This also applies to Marvin Jones. Hell, it could apply to Anquan Boldin too for one simple reason; the already crippled Indianapolis Colts defense will be missing as many as five (!!) starters, including Vontae Davis. No one quite knows the role Tate will fill throughout 2016, but Indianapolis isn’t in a position to gameplan right now and may have to double their answer on offense to account for their troubles on defense.

Tate is a talented receiver who may have an up-and-down year or be a stud, but Week 1 is a lock for a high-scoring game for the Lions and Colts. You’re starting Golden Tate in your eight man league, ten man league, twelve man league, daily fantasy, monthly fantasy,

 

As for me and my running back slot, we will serve DeAngelo Williams

Remember when DeAngelo Williams serving in Le’Veon Bell’s shoes was a big deal? This year, it feels like Williams and his temporary starting role have generally been ignored. The Steelers-Redskins game will be incredibly high scoring, and though DeAngelo Williams is almost certainly been claimed in every league, he has the potential to be an RB1 in Week One. If you own him, start him. If you start him and he does well, get ready to trade him before Bell comes back in Week 4.

 

Please don’t hit me if I tell you to avoid Jarvis Landry this week

Yes, he was my pick for Fantasy MVP and *dodge* yes, I’ve noted how much I’ve loved Ryan Tannehill *duck* and *dip* OK, STOP THROWING THINGS! If you drafted Jarvis Landry because I’ve declared my love for all things Dolphin, this week will be disappointing. Landry might get some garbage time work, but I don’t want to deal with a whole game of watching Richard Sherman shake the man’s confidence.

 

The heart wants what the hearts wants, and my heart wants to pick up Spencer Ware

Kansas City opens up their season at home, against a San Diego team that has a better secondary than defensive line. Andy Reid doesn’t enjoy throwing the ball much as is, and Spencer Ware found the endzone in every instance he was handed the ball more than ten times last season. If the Kansas City defense can keep the Chargers in check, and Spencer Ware is the starting RB, then he’s worth a start.

Of course, as I started writing this Ware was closer to 25% owned in Fleaflicker leagues, and as of publishing has since jumped up closer to 60%. However, if you’re in a ten-man league and can spare a bench spot, he’s probably still available.

 

I found this Robert Woods on the waiver wire, can I just have him?

Without even 5% of fantasy football players owning the guy, Robert Woods is my pick this week for a super-deep league lotto ticket play. Woods had a consistent 2016 preseason according to Buffalo Bills Insider Chris Brown, earning himself the role as the #2 guy in Buffalo. But in a game where Buffalo is going to try their hardest to get any offensive production, and with very good CB Jimmy Smith covering Sammy Watkins all game long, Robert Woods is a very decent option in deeper leagues. Woods is available in nearly every league, and while I understand the hesitance in starting him, he could be a very popular waiver wire pickup in the future.  

 




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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Ante Delija

Suffers His First UFC Loss
CFB

Dylan Raiola Suffers Season-Ending Injury
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Gets Knockout Win
Themba Gorimbo

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 110
Jayden Daniels

Suffers Dislocated Elbow on Sunday Night
Jeremiah Wells

Gets Back In The Win Column
Yadier del Valle

Remains Undefeated
Jayden Daniels

X-Rays Come Back Negative on Jayden Daniels' Left Arm, MRI to Come
Jaelan Phillips

Gets Dealt to Eagles for a Third-Round Pick
Isaac Dulgarian

Cut By UFC Following Submission Loss
Daniel Frunza

Still Winless In The UFC
Charles Radtke

Dominates Daniel Frunza
Allan Nascimento

Gets Submission Win
Philipp Kurashev

Stays Hot on Sunday
Cody Durden

Suffers Second-Round Submission Loss
Lucas Raymond

Extends Point Streak With a Goal
Jake Guentzel

Notches Two Points as Lightning Continue Winning Streak
Leo Carlsson

Establishes New Career High With Six-Game Point Streak
Jonathan Huberdeau

Guns Down Flyers
Matthew Schaefer

Has Historic Multi-Goal Game
Jaylen Warren

Records First Career Two-Touchdown Game in Week 9 Win Over Colts
Michael Pittman Jr.

Leads Colts With Nine Catches in Week 9 Loss at Pittsburgh
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Continues Historic Pace, Racks Up 129 Yards in Week 9 Win
Tory Horton

Catches Two Touchdowns in Week 9 Win at Washington
Sam Darnold

Nearly Flawless in Dominant Sunday Night Win at Washington
Jayden Daniels

Suffers Gruesome Left-Arm Injury on Sunday Night
Kyren Williams

Goes Over 100 Rushing Yards, Scores in Dominant Win Over Saints
Davante Adams

Continues Red-Zone Dominance in Week 9 Win
Dalton Kincaid

Leads Bills in Receiving Yards in Week 9 Win
Geno Smith

Throws Four Touchdown Passes in Week 9
DJ Moore

Scores Two Touchdowns, Involved in Several Ways Sunday
Kyle Monangai

Capitalizes on Expanded Role in Week 9
Matthew Stafford

Adds Four More Touchdowns in Sunday's Win
Brock Bowers

Snags Three Touchdown Passes in Grand Return
Brian Thomas Jr.

Injures Ankle in Victory Against Las Vegas
Puka Nacua

Injures Ribs Sunday, Could Have Returned
Rico Dowdle

Delivers Another Huge Showing in Lead-Back Role
Cooper Kupp

Ruled Out for Week 9
Kevin Porter Jr.

Suffers a Knee Injury, Out at Least Four Weeks
Quinn Hughes

Returns to Practice Sunday
Roman Josi

Moved to Injured Reserve
Max Scherzer

Doesn't Plan on Retiring
Michael King

Becomes Free Agent After Declining Mutual Option
Ayo Dosunmu

Sidelined for Rematch Versus the Knicks
Cole Smith

to Miss 3-6 Weeks
Walker Kessler

to Undergo Further Testing on Injured Shoulder
Ryan Reaves

Placed on Injured Reserve
NYI

Max Shabanov Not Close to Returning
Jusuf Nurkić

Jusuf Nurkic Getting the Start on Sunday Night
Ryan Kalkbrenner

Available Versus Utah
Tyson Foerster

Won't Play Sunday
LaMelo Ball

Won't Play on Sunday Night
Sean Couturier

Returns to Flyers Lineup Sunday
LaMelo Ball

Not Expected to Play on Sunday
Austin Cindric

is A Driver to Avoid for Phoenix DFS Lineups
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Named World Series MVP
Alex Bowman

Could Alex Bowman be A Sneaky Tournament Play for Phoenix?
Noah Gragson

Should DFS Players Roster Noah Gragson At Phoenix?
Erik Jones

Is Erik Jones Worth Rostering for DFS at Phoenix?
Connor McDavid

Records Three Assists in Saturday's Win
Michael McDowell

an Easy Recommendation for DFS at Phoenix
Vladimir Tarasenko

Ends Dry Spell With Three-Point Effort
Nick Suzuki

Collects Two More Apples
Timothy Liljegren

Sustains Upper-Body Injury
Nick Cousins

Injured on Saturday
Christopher Tanev

Leaves on Stretcher Saturday
Kevon Looney

Questionable Versus OKC
Chase Briscoe

Probably Won't Win the Title
Joey Logano

Could Play Spoiler in Championship Battle at Phoenix
Tyler Reddick

Seeking to End Winless Drought, but Probably Won't Have the Speed
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Looks to Protect Top-10 Points Finish at Phoenix
Brad Keselowski

Hasn't Been Fast at Phoenix With RFK Racing
Daniel Suarez

With Nothing at Stake, Expect Little From Daniel Suarez
Kyle Busch

Qualifies Well, but Will Probably Finish Worse Than he Starts
Chris Buescher

Ryan Preece has a Shot to Overtake Chris Buescher as RFK Racing's Lead Driver
Austin Dillon

Looks to Avoid Finishing Last in NASCAR Playoffs
AJ Allmendinger

A.J. Allmendinger Might be a Worthy DFS Option
Jakob Poeltl

to Remain Sidelined Sunday
Walker Kessler

Out on Sunday
Mitchell Robinson

Listed as Questionable for Sunday
Dillon Brooks

to Miss Fourth Straight Game Sunday
Jalen Green

Unavailable Against Spurs
Norman Powell

Questionable to Suit Up Against Lakers
Jeremy Sochan

Remains Absent Sunday
De'Aaron Fox

Still Out Sunday
Daniel Gafford

Makes Season Debut With Minutes Restriction
D'Angelo Russell

Cleared to Play Saturday
Deandre Ayton

Listed as Probable for Sunday
Paul George

Unavailable Sunday
Joel Embiid

to Sit Out Sunday's Action
Connor Brown

Won't Play on Saturday
Dylan Strome

Ready to Return Saturday
Shohei Ohtani

to Start Game 7 of World Series
Alejandro Kirk

X-Rays Come Back Negative on Alejandro Kirk's Hand
Alejandro Kirk

Goes for X-Rays After Being Hit on the Hand
Gleyber Torres

Undergoes Sports-Hernia Surgery
Bo Bichette

Not Expecting to Need Offseason Knee Surgery
George Springer

Back in Leadoff Spot for Game 6 of World Series
David Onama

Set For UFC Vegas 110 Main Event
Steve Garcia

Returns At UFC Vegas 110
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Set For Co-Main Event
Ante Delija

In Search For His Second UFC Win
Themba Gorimbo

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 110
Jeremiah Wells

Looks To Return To The Win Column
Yadier del Valle

Looks To Remain Undefeated
CFB

Arizona State Quarterback Sam Leavitt Out for the Season
Isaac Dulgarian

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Daniel Frunza

Looks For His First UFC Win
Charles Radtke

Looks To Bounce Back
Allan Nascimento

Set To Open Up UFC Vegas 110 Main Card
George Springer

"Strong Possibility" That George Springer Returns in Game 6 of World Series
Bryce Miller

Not Expected to Need Elbow Surgery
Washington Nationals

Nationals Finalizing a Deal to Hire Blake Butera as Next Manager
CFB

Arch Manning Listed as Questionable for Vanderbilt Matchup
CFB

Arion Carter Listed as Questionable Ahead of Oklahoma Matchup
Minnesota Twins

Twins Name Derek Shelton as Their New Manager
CFB

Jordyn Tyson Questionable for Iowa State Matchup with Hamstring Injury
George Springer

Not in the Lineup for Game 4 of World Series

RANKINGS

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RB
WR
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K
DEF
RANKINGS
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1B
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3B
SS
OF
SP
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