Fantasy football Week 1 rankings: Who to start and sit

Start: Kelvin Benjamin

Kelvin Benjamin is a player subjected to a lot of criticism, and most of it is unjust. Benjamin burst onto the scene as a rookie with 73 catches, 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns, but his sophomore campaign was cut short before it even started as he tore an ACL in training camp in 2015. A 63-941-7 line is his 2016 return was deemed a disappointment by many, but for a first season back from a major injury (especially when the player has known weight issues), it was impressive.

Now, Benjamin returns as the top target on the team again, with a big Cam Newton bounceback on the horizon. Top 10 NFL draft pick Christian McCaffrey will be a huge part of the offense and add a level of dynamism that Carolina hasn’t had in years, and it will take the pressure off Benjamin on the outside. He had a strong preseason showing with eight catches, 107 yards, two touchdowns and some spectacular grabs.

The San Francisco 49ers had the NFL’s worst defense last season in both yards and points against, and while they have made sweeping changes across the board in coaching and on offense and defense, they will still have a tough time handling the Panthers in Week 1.