Week 1 Fantasy Football Matchups: Start/Sit Advice (Games 13-16)

Below is part three of our Week 1 start/sit and fantasy football matchups analysis, providing advice and recommendations on matchups that we love, matchups that we hate, and some high risk/high reward players as well. Check back for part two of our matchups piece tomorrow. Also see: Start/Sit Analysis for Games 1-8 and Games 9-12.

Editor's Note: make sure to also bookmark our famous fantasy football waiver wire pickups list to find those waiver wire gems, and dominate your football leagues. Our waiver wire list is updated throughout each week of the fantasy football season, for all positions. Good luck RotoBallers!

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
• Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
• Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• NFL rookie fantasy football rankings
• Best ball fantasy football rankings
• Superflex fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Cowboys @ 49ers, Sunday 9/7 4:25 PM

Tony Romo - San Francisco's defense may not be as dominant this year as it was in years past; suspensions and injuries will do that to any unit.  If you've ended up with Romo as your QB1, don't get cute with the matchups.  Romo will produce numbers in a contest where he will likely be asked to throw early and often: Dallas' D simply isn't good, and the Niners have given Colin Kaepernick a whole host of new weapons to play with this season.  Look for pass-happy offensive coordinator Scott Linehan to call Romo's number often, as he did with Matt Stafford in Detroit.

DeMarco Murray - You probably drafted him in Round 1 or 2.  You don't sit him.

Dez Bryant - See above.

Terrance Williams - Williams looks poised to benefit from Dallas' coaching hire and porous defense, but the 49ers are still a tough matchup.  If you're in an 8-man league, you probably aren't touching him this week.  In deeper leagues, he may crack your flex spot.

Colin Kaepernick - Dallas' defense may not be as good this year as it was last year, and last year the Cowboys surrendered the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks in the league.  Kaep has Michael Crabtree from Day 1 this season, as well as the always reliable Anquan Boldin and new addition Stevie Johnson.  Look for Kaepernick to post great numbers in Week 1.  Start him with confidence.

Michael Crabtree - When Kaepernick and Crabtree play together, Crabtree puts up top-10 receiver numbers.  Don't look at Dallas to change that trend.

Frank Gore - Eventually Gore's wheels will fall off.  However, until they actually do, assume that Gore will be a reliable RB2 in nearly every game San Francisco plays.

Vernon Davis - Davis' scoring was very touchdown dependent last season (13 TDs), so expect a slight downturn in numbers from him over the season.  Just not this week.  Davis is Kaepernick's number-two option in the aerial attack, and I can't stress enough how bad that defense is.

Colts @ Broncos - Sunday 9/7 8:30 PM 

Andrew Luck - The Broncos' passing defense has improved with the addition of Aqib Talib and rookie corner Bradley Roby, but Luck is something special.  You probably made him the fourth or fifth QB off the board, and that's just not a guy you sit.  He'll get his points.

Trent Richardson - True story: In an 8-man league I'm in, Richardson did not come off the board until the end of the eighth round.  And the guy who drafted him didn't even show up, so he autopicked Trent Richardson and Ray Rice on the end of the snake.  All seven of us in the draft laughed at him.  I don't know what possessed you to add Trent Richardson to your roster, but you may want to fix that.  The Colts' line still isn't great, and neither is Richardson.  Sit him.

Reggie Wayne - See Frank Gore, but replace RB2 with WR3.  Wayne isn't as dominant as he once was, but if you've ended up in a position where Wayne has cracked your starting lineup, run with him.  Luck has to throw somewhere.

T.Y. Hilton - The Colts aren't going to run on the Broncos.  The streaky Hilton may need to step up, but until he proves his reliability, he's a flex play at best.

Literally any Bronco you drafted - The Colts' D isn't great, and the Denver offense is legendary.  Start 'em unless it turns out they were popping substances at a beach volleyball tournament or something in an insane attempt to one-up Wes Welker.

Giants @ Lions - Monday 9/8 7:10 PM

Eli Manning - Eli is another player whose presence on your roster should really only be explained by your playing in a 12-man, 2 QB league, and if you are, kudos to you for sticking that out and balling with the deep leaguers. Start him in that case.

Victor Cruz - Probably the only legitimate fantasy receiving option the Giants have going into Week 1.  He's Manning's favorite option, and the Lions' secondary has been that defense's Achilles heel for a while now.

Rashad Jennings - Despite the strength of the Lions' front four, Jennings has looked strong in the preseason, and the Giants are at their best when they rely on the run.  Start him as an RB2.

Rueben Randle/Odell Beckham Jr. - The Giants' offense was a fantasy catastrophe last season.  Stay away from these guys pending massive improvement from the Giants' passing game.

Matt Stafford - Stafford has been put in a position to succeed by the Lions' offense.  He's been a quality starter for a couple years now, but this is his year to take a step forward.  Start him.

Calvin Johnson - If you sit him, tell your nurse that the straps on your straitjacket have come undone.  It's for your own protection.

Golden Tate - With the Giants keying on Megatron, Tate should be wide open all day.  In week 1, he's a solid flex pick in deep leagues.

Joique Bell/Reggie Bush -  Despite the split backfield, both Bell and Bush put up solid RB2 numbers last season.  The Giants' front four is no longer what it was during their Super Bowl runs.  Start either or both backs at RB2/flex.

Chargers @ Cardinals - Monday 9/8 10:20 PM

Philip Rivers - Rivers bounced back in a big way last season, producing reliable totals for fantasy owners, if not fantastic ones.  While Patrick Patterson and the Cardinals' secondary will present a challenge, look for Rivers to produce his 16-18 points this week.  Start him in deeper leagues, but there might be better options if you're in an 8/10-man league.

Keenan Allen - Allen's rookie season was incredible, and the word coming out of training camp is that his game has stepped up for year 2.  He's a solid WR2 play this week despite the Cardinals' secondary.

Ladarius Green & Antonio Gates - Even though Gates is nearing the end of his career, he is still a solid TE to start in 12 team leagues. Green looks poised to take over soon though, and he may be the San Diego TE you want this year and in the years to come.  If you didn't grab one of the Big 3 tight ends, Green is as good a "plug in and hope for a TD" option as you'll find.  If he's your starting TE, start him. Same with Gates.

Ryan Mathews - I'm not high on Mathews, as the Chargers have both Danny Woodhead and Donald Brown (the latter of whom they just paid very good money) in their backfield.  With the potential for a 3-headed monster in San Diego, I'd avoid Mathews against a good Cardinals run D.

Carson Palmer - Not an option unless, like with Eli Manning, you're in a 2-QB league. He does have some very high quality receiving options so he could be a surprise producer.

Andre Ellington & Jonathan Dwyer - The news has been all about Ellington's foot injury. He's likely out Week 1, and likely longer than that.  Bench him.  Dwyer is a low-end flex play.

Larry Fitzgerald - If you own Fitzgerald, he's likely your WR2.  San Diego's pass defense isn't threatening enough to warrant moving him out of that spot.  Play him for WR2 numbers.

Michael Floyd - He may end up surpassing Fitzgerald at some point, but until he actually does, assume he's the WR2 in Arizona.  He may have some flex play this week, but he shouldn't be relied on for more than that.