Fantasy football 2018, Week 1: Top 10 best matchups to attack
By Connor Ulrey
Football is back. No, seriously, we’re not messing with you this time: Football is actually back. What matchups should you attack in fantasy this week?
Before we begin, let me just remind you: Khalil Mack is a Chicago Bear. Seriously. Okay, now on to the topic at hand. Fantasy! Whether it be DFS or a league with your buddies who take everything a little too seriously, you’re looking for matchups to exploit this week.
Is it a certain quarterback known to shred a certain secondary, or a running back ready to take advantage of a lackluster defensive line? Stay tuned and find out.
Week 1 has a LOT to offer. Division rivalries, big debuts and everything in between highlight a huge opening week for the NFL.
We get one rookie debut in Week 1 with young hair, I mean heir, Sam Darnold under center for the Jets. We also get multiple new faces for franchises as Case Keenum, Sam Bradford, Kirk Cousins and Alex Smith all have new homes. Sophomore slumps? Can Mitchell Trubisky take control in Chicago and will Patrick Maholmes light it up? Will Goff lead the Rams to the promise land? I’m leaning towards yes.
Who are the no-brainers and who are the sleepers? Let’s dive in and talk about the 10 you should be looking at for week one of the NFL season.
10. Matthew Stafford vs. the Jets
This one seems like a no-brainer, but Stafford may not be in the conversation of QB’s who’ll light it up in Week 1. Going up against a Jets defense that’s vulnerable against the big play, Stafford might be one of the safest bets this week.
With one of the league’s best offensive lines and a receiver core coming into its own, there’s no reason the Lions won’t start 2018 with a bang on Monday night.
Golden Tate has found a home and a top spot in the Lions receiver core and pairing him with a pure deep threat pass catcher in Kenny Golladay presents a lot of opportunities for big plays.
What’s the main reason Stafford is an easy pick here? Yards. Stafford has always been a defense shredder. Even in the Lions’ worst years Stafford finds a way to finish with a ridiculous stat line. With a hopefully consistent running back core and talented receivers as well as hungry tight ends, he’s a perfect pick in this matchup on Monday Night Football.