Fantasy Football Start/Sit, Week 1: Brandon Marshall or Evan Engram?

Lets’s get right to it — Week 1 Fantasy Football starts and sits. We will skip the obvious, and try to focus on players that you will grind over all weekend until Sunday lock. I will always include some New York Giants on these lists, so be gentle in the comments when I call one a sit.

Starts

Carson Palmer, QB, ARI

He’s my age. Old. But when healthy and upright, Big Red can still sling it. I think it’s a fair assumption that the Lions defense will struggle to stop the David Johnson show, and I’m banking on a lot of his production coming through the air. I also think the Cardinals speed demons can torch the weak secondary of Detroit. My Palmer forecast is 300+ yards and 2-3 TDs.

Brandon Marshall, WR, NYG

Yes, this is both a romantic honeymoon pick, as well as worried Odell will sit pick. Marshall should be a fixture in the red zone all year, but should play an even bigger role with Beckham out, or at clearly less than 100 percent. I hope Eli Manning forces the issue to Marshall, and he hits my target of 7/80/1.

Eddie Lacy, RB, GB

"Not as fat" Eddie has been plodding through the preseason, but I’m OK with that. He always has. But with his first return to Lambeau as a non-Packer, I think we see vintage Eddie. I admit there’s a lot of risk, but I envision a shootout, with both defenses selling out to stop the pass, which should open up the running lanes. And we all know Pete Carroll will run with narrative street, feeding the big fella near the goal line just to rub it in his old team’s face. Forecast: 65 yards with 2 spikes.

Pierre Garcon, WR, SF

Garbage. Time. A lot of sharps love Garcon this year, and it mainly has to do with a bad defense, and the other starting WR being a track star with no hands. Brian Hoyer should be playing from behind all year, and he’s shown a proclivity to produce in those situations. Garcon is the only legitimate target in San Fran, and I’m counting on 10-15 of ‘em a game. Forecast: 8/72/1.

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Sits

T.Y. Hilton, WR, IND

This name should be jarring to see on the “Sits” list, but I have another name for you. Scott Tolzien. Andrew Luck’s backup inspires no confidence in the fantasy world, and even though you invested a premium pick in Hilton, I think you need to watch Week 1 play out before you can start anyone on the Colts offense. Forecast: 6/50/0.

Philip Rivers, QB, LAC

Los Angeles Chargers. That’s weird to write. Anyway, Rivers is a consistently solid fantasy QB with top 5 upside, but I’m not banking on that Week 1 in Denver. The Broncos should again contend for top defense in the NFL, and I just feel like there are safer QB options to stream this week. Palmer or Carson Wentz feel like safer plays. Forecast: 250 yds, 1 TD, 2 INTs.

Evan Engram, TE, NYG

Give the man some time!!! I love his upside as much as the rest of you psychos, but the expectations for ANY NFL rookie TE should be negligible. And loyal Giants fans starting him Week 1 of his career are probably setting themselves up to be disappointed. We don’t yet know Ben McAdoo’s plans, so we can’t pretend to have confidence in Engram’s playing time and target share. And boy, do I hope I’m wrong!! Forecast: 3/42/0.