Okay boys and girls here we are again for one of my favorite segments; The Start’ Em and Sit’ Em columns. 2020 is going to be a crazy year for this column so let’s not waste any time and dive right in.
Starts
Start of the Week –
Ben Roethlisberger vs New York Giants
If there was a game for Big Ben to go off in it is this one on the road against the New York Giants. His injury history might worry you about being the start of the week right away, but it is hard to argue against a team that surrendered 30 touchdown passes in the 2019 season. Looking at his road stats in 2018 when he fully played a healthy season he scored 19 plus points in all but one contest. Start Ben with confidence.
Carson Wentz vs Washington Football Team
It’s odd putting injury prone Carson Wentz in the upper tier of the start category, but it is really hard to avoid his matchup against a team he plays well against. Even with receiving options Jeffery and Reagor out the numbers still suggest Carson Wentz will prevail with points against this Washington defense. In fact in five straight matchups with them, Wentz has scored almost 19 or more fantasy points. Give him a roll this week and start him.
Josh Allen vs New York Jets
Josh Allen proved last year he could handle the pressure, and now he gets another shot with a great weapon in Stefon Diggs. He has a chance at doing some real damage in this first matchup. In 2019, the Jets surrendered nearly 19 points to home quarterbacks, and with C.J. Mosley opting out of the season and the Jets backfield looking like garbage, Josh Allen should thrive in his debut for 2020.
Tom Brady vs New Orleans Saints
Brady is a weird one because all last season I ragged about sitting him because he didn’t have any weapons to work with. Now in Tampa Bay he has a plethora of receivers, running backs, and tight ends to help him out. He also faces a Saints defense that allowed 30 touchdown passes and an average of 28 points to quarterbacks. Brady should have no trouble for week one.
Cam Newton vs Miami Dolphins
Cam Newton is an interesting one here against an improved Miami defense, but honestly Big Bill probably has a game plan that works specially around Newton’s needs. If Newton is completely healthy, he remains a nightmare for other teams including the Miami Dolphins who allowed the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks in 2019.
Sleepers;
Jimmy Garoppolo vs Arizona Cardinals
Mitchell Trubisky vs Detroit Lions
Tyrod Taylor vs Cincinnati Bengals
Sits
Sit of the Week –
Aaron Rodgers vs Minnesota Vikings
I’ll say it again for the people in the back. Unless you are Aaron Jones or Davante Adams, I am not touching the Green Bay offense. This includes quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Though he seems to find ways to win, his stats suffer for it, especially last season with Aaron Jones running the ball the whole time. Keep him off your starting roster this week, I just don’t like the matchup since the Vikings signed Ngakoue.
Baker Mayfield vs Baltimore Ravens
Do I think the Browns offense will be better this year? Yes. Do I feel Baker Mayfield will be better this year? Perhaps, but it won’t start this week against the Ravens who dominated Baker for a majority of last season. I just don’t trust the matchup, but believe the kid will be better later in the 2020 season. It’d be best to save him for another game.
Jared Goff vs Dallas Cowboys
Some might look at this with a head scratcher, but honestly I have never been a fan of Jared Goff since he came to the NFL. His TD to INT ratio was way off last year and he goes up against the Cowboys who just allowed a mere 16 points to quarterbacks on average last season. His beginning games always concern me too, and he does well when there is a running game to compliment the pass. Unless Cam Akers is starting and playing throughout, we just won’t see that.
Daniel Jones vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Daniel Jones couldn’t have had a worse matchup heading into the season. It is at home, but it is against the dominant Pittsburgh Steelers defense. All you need to know is that the Steelers turned the ball over the most last year and Danny Dimes fumbled the ball the most. Something is gonna give in this game, and I think Jones will get destroyed. Avoid at all costs.
Kirk Cousins vs Green Bay Packers
Kirk goes against a Green Bay defense that kept him in check last season in 2019 by only allowing him to score fewer than nine fantasy points in both matchups. This could be a precise game plan of running the ball with Dalvin Cook, or Cousins has lost his edge. Regardless, I would have Cousins stay far away from your starting lineups this week.
Busts;
Joe Burrow vs Los Angeles Chargers
Sam Darnold vs Buffalo Bills
Ryan Tannehill vs Denver Broncos
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