Fantasy: Start, Sit, Stash, Quit - Week 1

SSSQ is a weekly look at under-the-radar fantasy players to consider starting and potential busts you should leave on your bench. We also identify breakout candidates to stash on your roster and players you can safely cut.

For the rest of your lineup decisions, consult our Week 1 rankings. You can also listen to the Week 1 preview episode of theScore Fantasy Football Podcast.

Start

Ryan Tannehill, Titans

vs. Cardinals

The arrival of Julio Jones guarantees Tannehill will produce another solid year from an efficiency standpoint, and he's done that regularly since becoming the Titans' starting quarterback.

Jones and A.J. Brown are healthy and ready to go to work against the Cardinals' subpar cornerbacks. With all due respect to safety Budda Baker and some who are in Arizona's front seven, the team's corners are a fatal flaw that will be picked on all season.

This game has been given the second-highest projected point total of the weekend (52), and Tannehill and his elite weaponry will thrive in a shootout against Kyler Murray.

Boone's projection: 267 passing yards, 3 passing TDs, 23 rushing yards

Other QBs to start

• Jalen Hurts at Falcons
• Matt Ryan vs. Eagles

James Robinson, Jaguars

at Texans

After a season when he averaged the seventh-most fantasy points per game among running backs, Robinson has been thrust into the starting lineup again with minimal competition for touches. Travis Etienne's season-ending foot injury pushed Robinson to the starting role, but soon-to-be 31-year-old Carlos Hyde's diminishing effectiveness is also a factor.

To start his sophomore campaign, Robinson will get to feast on a Texans defense that somehow looks worse on paper this year than in 2020. And that likely decline is no easy feat considering how vulnerable Houston was to running backs last season.

Fire up Robinson in all formats as a top-10 option.

Boone's projection: 92 rushing yards, 16 receiving yards, TD

Other RBs to start

• Raheem Mostert/Trey Sermon at Lions
• Ty'Son Williams at Raiders

Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers

at Lions

Any concerns about the hamstring issue that kept Aiyuk out of practice last week can likely be put to rest after he resumed full participation leading up to the opener.

Aiyuk is a devastating route-runner who flashed elite upside while averaging the 14th-most fantasy points per game among wideouts from Week 3 onward last year, and he's poised to capitalize on a weak Lions secondary. The only thing that could hold him back is if the 49ers dominate on the ground and don't need to test Detroit through the air.

Boone's projection: 107 receiving yards, TD

Other WRs to start

• Tee Higgins vs. Vikings
• D.J. Moore/Robby Anderson vs. Jets
• Corey Davis at Panthers

Tyler Higbee, Rams

vs. Bears

Higbee topped 80 yards in five straight games during his mini-breakout down the stretch of the 2019 campaign. Teammate Gerald Everett missing time was a key to unlocking that high-end production.

With Everett departing in free agency, Higbee will get a full season to establish himself as a difference-making fantasy starter, and his first matchup should help. The Bears were the fourth-friendliest fantasy opponent for tight ends in 2020, and they don't project to improve much in that area.

Boone's projection: 74 receiving yards, TD

Other TEs to start

• Jonnu Smith vs. Dolphins
• Austin Hooper at Chiefs

Sit

Justin Herbert, Chargers

at Washington

Following an outstanding rookie campaign, Herbert will now try to avoid the sophomore slump that can sometimes plague second-year quarterbacks once defensive coordinators get more film on them.

The bigger concern this week is Washington's defense, which gave up the third-fewest fantasy points (16.7) to opposing quarterbacks in 2020, and now the unit should be even better following the additions of corner William Jackson and first-round linebacker Jamin Davis.

Herbert will produce plenty of impressive outings this season, but get ready for Washington's defense to give him fits in Week 1.

Boone's projection: 231 passing yards, TD, INT, 11 rushing yards

Other QBs to sit

• Joe Burrow vs. Vikings
• Tua Tagovailoa at Patriots

Josh Jacobs, Raiders

vs. Ravens

Many in the fantasy community seem intent on burying Jacobs, especially after Vegas signed Kenyan Drake during free agency. However, Drake can easily soak up the 50 targets and 121 carries that Jalen Richard, Devontae Booker, and Theo Riddick received last year, all while not impacting Jacobs much. The game script will be the key.

Jacobs' best performances came in contests when the Raiders were leading or at least kept the score close. They're four-point underdogs this week at home versus a stout Ravens defense. Unless Jon Gruden's squad can pull off the upset, this likely won't be a productive matchup for Jacobs, who should be viewed as an RB3/flex play.

Boone's projection: 49 rushing yards, 12 receiving yards

Other RBs to sit

• Austin Ekeler at Washington
• Devin Singletary/Zack Moss vs. Steelers

Kenny Golladay, Giants

vs. Broncos

Golladay was sidelined with a hamstring injury for most of August - a particularly tough fate for a receiver joining a new team. He won't get any free passes against a rebuilt Broncos secondary that should be among the league's best if first-round corner Patrick Surtain II lives up to expectations.

In fact, you should approach the Giants' entire offense with caution early in the season after injuries prevented Golladay, Saquon Barkley, and Evan Engram from practicing with Daniel Jones for significant stretches of the summer.

Boone's projection: 43 receiving yards

Other WRs to sit

• Ja'Marr Chase vs. Vikings
• Jakobi Meyers vs. Dolphins
• Mike Williams at Washington

Mike Gesicki, Dolphins

at Patriots

We highlighted Gesicki as a bust candidate during the offseason after the majority of his quality 2020 fantasy outings came when there were injuries among the team's receiving corps. Now Will Fuller is suspended for Week 1, but the Dolphins drafted Jaylen Waddle in the first round to go with DeVante Parker, Preston Williams, Albert Wilson, and Co.

The 25-year-old will also face a Patriots defense that allowed the third-fewest fantasy points (5.7) to tight ends last season, and New England is getting several key players back on that side of the ball.

Boone's projection: 34 receiving yards

Other TEs to sit

• Gerald Everett at Colts
• Jared Cook at Washington

Stash

Damien Williams, Bears

While other fantasy managers drafted high-end backups like Tony Pollard and Alexander Mattison, you can swoop in and grab someone with nearly as much upside off the waiver wire for free.

Prior to opting out in 2020, Williams (4% rostered) proved he can be a fantasy star when given adequate volume, and he's one David Montgomery injury away from being the lead back in Chicago.

Rashod Bateman, Ravens

Bateman (13% rostered) is likely to miss at least the first month of the season after undergoing core muscle surgery in mid-August. You might not want to burn a bench spot on him for that long, but he's the perfect injured reserve candidate.

Stash the Ravens' first-round receiver, then profit when he returns and emerges as Baltimore's unquestioned top option during the second half of the season.

Quit

Gus Edwards, Ravens

There aren't many players you need to give up on immediately after your drafts and heading into Week 1. So we'll take the low-hanging fruit here and remind everyone to drop Edwards (74% rostered), who suffered a torn ACL in practice this week. The Ravens' backfield is starting to look cursed in 2021 after the original starter J.K. Dobbins (16% rostered) tore his ACL just over a week ago.