By Cody Smith
It's finally here! The 2020 season begins on Thursday night and I couldn’t be more excited!
Once again I’m going to bring you my rankings this season along with some players I like/am choosing to avoid for the week, as well as some injury news to keep an eye on.
Without further ado, let’s get the season underway!
Injury Notes
Miles Sanders has been “week-to-week” with a lower body injury that many seem to believe is a hamstring issue. This is something to keep an eye on as the week progresses, but considering this injury has been around for a while and the Eagles did not feel the need to add to the backfield recently in free agency. I would imagine Sanders sees at least some action in Week 1.
Joe Mixon is still listed as questionable with migraine issues, but I’m sure those have cleared up recently thanks to his four-year, $48M contract extension. He should be a full go on Sunday.
Melvin Gordon has been hampered with a rib injury for some time now but did practice on Friday. He should be good to go for Week 1.
David Montgomery’s groin injury that caused quite a stir on social media was supposed to keep him out two-to-four weeks. That happened two weeks ago, giving him an outside shot to play in Week 1.
DeAndre Hopkins and his new contract extension returned to practice on Wednesday. Hopkins had reportedly had a hamstring issue but should get the green light for this weekend.
Amari Cooper has missed quite a few practices in a row lately, though no injury has been reported for the Dallas wide-out. Keep your eyes on Cooper just in case, and have a second option ready, though he doesn’t play until Sunday night.
A.J. Brown has also missed a few practices lately with an undisclosed injury suffered back on August 28th. I believe Brown should be fine, but keep a close eye on his status or any breaking news.
DeVante Parker is another wide-out being nagged by a hamstring injury at the moment, but he was back practicing on Tuesday and Wednesday, meaning he should be good to go this weekend barring a setback.
A duo of Colts tight ends are currently injured with Trey Burton’s calf injury and Jack Doyle’s neck injury. Burton is expected to miss a few games to start the season, opening the door for Doyle, or perhaps even Mo Alie-Cox.
Quarterbacks I like
Patrick Mahomes isn’t the most bold choice here to start the season, but he does face last season’s 30th ranked pass defense on Thursday night when he takes on the Texans. In last year’s playoff game against Houston, Mahomes completed 23-of-35 passes for 321 yards and five touchdowns. A repeat could be in the cards this Thursday.
Ben Roethlisberger makes his much-anticipated return to the gridiron Monday night when Pittsburgh faces off against the New York Football Giants. Only the Dolphins and Cardinals allowed more fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks than the Giants last season, giving Big Ben a nice season-opening match-up. He’s a QB1 for me this week.
Quarterbacks to avoid
Baker Mayfield starts the season with a tough match-up, as the Browns take on the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens were the second best team against the pass last season, and were able to hold Mayfield to under 18 fantasy points in both of the teams match-ups last season. Baker could bounce back this season, but I’m not expecting a strong Week 1.
Kirk Cousins is another guy in streamer territory that I’m staying away from this week. Like Mayfield, Cousins opens against a division rival in the Green Bay Packers, a team that limited Cousins to a COMBINED 19.7 fantasy points in two games last season. Stay away from Cousins this week.
Quarterback Rankings
1. Patrick Mahomes vs. Hou
2. Lamar Jackson vs. Cle
3. Russell Wilson @Atl
4. Drew Brees vs. TB
5. Dak Prescott @LAR
6. Josh Allen vs. NYJ
7. Matt Ryan vs. Sea
8. Deshaun Watson @KC
9. Kyler Murray @SF
10. Carson Wentz @Wsh
11. Tom Brady @NO
12. Ben Roethlisberger @NYG
13. Cam Newton vs. Mia
14. Matthew Stafford vs. Chi
15. Aaron Rodgers @Min
16. Jimmy Garoppolo vs. Ari
17. Tyrod Taylor @Cin
18. Philip Rivers @Jax
19. Teddy Bridgewater vs. LV
20. Gardner Minshew vs. Ind
21. Jared Goff vs. Dal
22. Mitchell Trubisky @Det
23. Derek Carr @Car
24. Kirk Cousins vs. GB
25. Ryan Tannehill @Den
26. Baker Mayfield @Bal
27. Drew Lock vs. Ten
28. Joe Burrow vs. LAC
29. Sam Darnold @Buf
30. Daniel Jones vs. Pit
31. Ryan Fitzpatrick @NE
32. Dwayne Haskins vs. Phi
Runningbacks I like
Josh Jacobs has the perfect opportunity to get off on the right foot in 2020 as he opens the season against Carolina, who was worst in the league at defending the run last season. The combination of the Panthers being bad against the run and Jacobs being a bell-cow back in the Las Vegas' offense should lead to big fantasy numbers.
Marlon Mack is a name that many folks are forgetting about, thanks to Indianapolis’ addition of Jonathan Taylor in the 2020 NFL Draft. However, Mack should be the lead back in Week 1 while Taylor continues to lead the offense and get a few in-game reps. Last year against the Jags defense, Mack had games of 14-109-1 and 15-77-2, so don’t overlook his potential.
Runningbacks to Avoid
Don’t misconstrue my words here, because if you own Alvin Kamara, you’re starting him this week. This just isn’t a juicy match-up for the fourth-year veteran. Tampa Bay had a stout run defense last year, as they limited Christian McCaffrey to his lone single-digit fantasy performance. In two games last year, Kamara posted rushing lines of 16-62-0 and 13-75-0 against Tampa. Play Kamara but know that a mediocre game is more likely that a true top-tier RB1 game.
I’m also avoiding the duo that will be taking part in the same game, as Ronald Jones II and Leonard Fournette will more than likely be sharing duties to open the season. Bruce Arians has spouted many things this preseason about how great Jones is and how he is “the guy", but the team still brought in Fournette to help in the backfield. I’m keeping these guys on my bench until we see how this split is going to work out. Especially against the Saints, last year’s sixth best defense against the run.
Running Back Rankings
1. Christian McCaffrey vs. LV
2. Zeke Elliott @LAR
3. Josh Jacobs @Car
4. Saquon Barkley vs. Pit
5. Dalvin Cook vs. GB
6. Derrick Henry @Den
7. Kenyan Drake @SF
8. Clyde Edwards-Helaire @Hou
9. Miles Sanders @Wsh
10. Nick Chubb @Bal
11. Joe Mixon vs. LAC
12. David Johnson @KC
13. Alvin Kamara vs. TB
14. Todd Gurley vs. Sea
15. Austin Ekeler @Cin
16. Chris Carson @Atl
17. Le’Veon Bell @Buf
18. Aaron Jones @Min
19. James Conner @NYG
20. Kareem Hunt @Bal
21. Mark Ingram II vs. Cle
22. David Montgomery @Det
23. Melvin Gordon vs. Ten
24. Raheem Mostert vs. Ari
25. Antonio Gibson vs. Phi
26. Marlon Mack @Jax
27. J.K. Dobbins vs. Cle
28. Ronald Jones II @NO
29. Jordan Howard @NE
30. D’Andre Swift vs. Chi
31. Leonard Fournette @NO
32. Matt Breida @NE
33. Kerryon Johnson vs. Chi
34. Jonathan Taylor @Jax
35. Devin Singletary vs. NYJ
36. Sony Michel vs. Mia
37. Boston Scott @Wsh
38. James White vs. Mia
39. Tevin Coleman vs. Ari
40. Tarik Cohen @Det
41. James Robinson vs. Ind
42. Phillip Lindsay vs. Ten
43. Chris Thompson vs. Ind
44. Malcolm Brown vs. Dal
45. Cam Akers vs. Dal
46. Darrell Henderson Jr. vs. Dal
47. Duke Johnson @KC
48. Zack Moss vs. NYJ
49. Latavius Murray vs. TB
50. Chase Edmonds @SF
Wide Receivers I Like
Allen Robinson makes my list thanks to the wise decision the team made to stick with Mitch Trubisky as the starter. Trubisky and Robinson were solid together last year, as Robinson produced 98 receptions for 1,147 yards and seven TDs. In Week 1, Robinson faces the Lions, who were second-worst in the league at defending the pass last season. In two games last year, Robinson went 6-86-0 and 8-86-1, an average of 18.6 PPR fantasy points-per-game. Start Robinson with confidence this week.
Terry McLaurin gets the Eagles in Week 1 after absolutely torching them twice in his rookie season. The teams faced off in Week 1 last year as well, and the rookie hauled in five receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown, en route to becoming one of the hottest waiver wire pickups in the early season. Later in the year McLaurin went off again, posting a 5-130-1 line. Even with the addition of Darius Slay to the Eagles defense, I feel like McLaurin could still produce a solid game.
Wide Receivers to avoid
Tyler Boyd/A.J. Green get my hate list started for many reasons. First off, they’ll be catching passes from a rookie quarterback in his first start with no preseason experience to get him acquainted to the speed of the game. Next, the opponent. Cincy is taking on the loaded secondary of the LA Chargers in Week 1, which will be a daunting task for any wide receiver this season, let alone one dealing with a rookie under center. Temper expectations, and perhaps even bench your Bengals' wide receivers in this one.
If Robert Woods has a similar outing against the Dallas Cowboys as he did last year, the Rams – and your fantasy team - are going to be in trouble Sunday night. In a Week 15 game against Dallas last season, Woods caught just four passes for 17 yards, while Tyler Higbee and Cooper Kupp had a field day against the Dallas' defense. I’m concerned it could happen again, if the Rams enter with a similar game plan to last season’s game.
Wide Receiver Rankings
1. Michael Thomas vs. TB
2. Tyreek Hill vs. Hou
3. Julio Jones vs. Sea
4. Allen Robinson @Det
5. Chris Godwin @NO
6. D.J. Moore vs. LV
7. Davante Adams @Min
8. DeAndre Hopkins @SF
9. Juju Smith-Schuster @NYG
10. Kenny Golladay vs. Chi
11. Adam Thielen vs. GB
12. Amari Cooper @LAR
13. Odell Beckham Jr. @Bal
14. Mike Evans @NO
15. Calvin Ridley vs. Sea
16. Julian Edelman vs. Mia
17. Terry McLaurin vs. Phi
18. Courtland Sutton vs. Ten
19. D.J. Chark vs. Ind
20. D.K. Metcalf @Atl
21. Tyler Lockett @Atl
22. Keenan Allen @Cin
23. Stefon Diggs vs. NYJ
24. T.Y. Hilton @Jax
25. Cooper Kupp vs. Dal
26. Will Fuller V @KC
27. Hollywood Brown vs. Cle
28. A.J. Brown @Den
29. Diontae Johnson @NYG
30. Jarvis Landry @Bal
31. Michael Gallup @LAR
32. Robert Woods vs. Dal
33. DeSean Jackson @Wsh
34. A.J. Green vs. LAC
35. Marvin Jones Jr. vs. Chi
36. Tyler Boyd vs. LAC
37. Sterling Shepard vs. Pit
38. Jamison Crowder @Buf
39. DeVante Parker @NE
40. Emmanuel Sanders vs. TB
41. Robby Anderson vs. LV
42. John Brown vs. NYJ
43. Golden Tate vs. Pit
44. Christian Kirk @SF
45. Preston Williams @NE
46. Darius Slayton vs. Pit
47. CeeDee Lamb @LAR
48. Jerry Jeudy vs. Ten
49. Henry Ruggs III @Car
50. Curtis Samuel vs. LV
Tight Ends I like
I’m going chalky again here and taking George Kittle as the first TE I like this week. Even when everyone on the 49ers is healthy, Kittle is the number one pass catching option on the team. With the wide receiving corps decimated, Jimmy Garoppolo will almost certainly be looking his way all game long. Kittle also draws a match-up with the Arizona Cardinals to start the season, a team that allowed 60 more fantasy points to tight ends than anyone else in the league in 2019. Kittle will be a monster in Week 1, and may even be the highest scoring player of the week.
Tyler Higbee gets a shot in Week 1 to replicate his huge Week 15 from last season against the Cowboys. In that game Higbee posted a line of 12-111-0 en route to 23.1 PPR fantasy points. He could do it again if the Rams feel like they want to attack with a similar game plan to last season’s game. Higbee should easily put up top-10 numbers this week.
Tight Ends to avoid
This one stings, but I’m going Mike Gesicki here in Week 1. Over the course of the season I project Gesicki to be a low-end TE1, but he faces the New England Patriots in Week 1, who shut down tight ends very well last season. In two games against the Pats last year, Gesicki posted lines of 1-11-0 in Week 2 and 4-34-1 in Week 17, not exactly the numbers you’re looking for to get the season started.
Austin Hooper also faces a tough battle in Week 1, in his first game with his new team. It often takes players some time to gel with a new team, and with a lack of preseason games to help make that happen, I would imagine Hooper gets off to a slow start. Pair that with the fact he is facing the Ravens in Week 1, and Hooper is a clear bench option this week.
Tight End Rankings
1. George Kittle vs. Ari
2. Mark Andrews vs. Cle
3. Zach Ertz @Wsh
4. Travis Kelce vs. Hou
5. Tyler Higbee vs. Dal
6. Evan Engram vs. Pit
7. Hunter Henry @Cin
8. Darren Waller @Car
9. Hayden Hurst vs. Sea
10. Noah Fant vs. Ten
11. Jared Cook vs. TB
12. Eric Ebron @NYG
13. Blake Jarwin @LAR
14. Jack Doyle @Jax
15. Irv Smith Jr. vs. GB
16. T.J. Hockenson vs. Chi
17. Jonnu Smith @Den
18. Mike Gesicki vs. NE
19. Rob Gronkowski @NO
20. Chris Herndon @Buf
21. Austin Hooper @Bal
22. Dallas Goedert @Wsh
23. Ian Thomas vs. LV
24. Tyler Eifert vs. Ind
25. Jimmy Graham @Det