5 breakout fantasy football stars to pick up for Week 1

1. Week 1 Fantasy Football Pickups – Ravens RB Gus Edwards

What happened to J.K. Dobbins in Baltimore is the latest example of why it is imperative to wait until after the preseason concludes to stage your fantasy draft. Dobbins looked like the clear head of the running back room in Baltimore before suffering a season-ending knee injury, creating a massive opportunity for Gus Edwards.

This isn’t news for most fantasy owners, who are well aware of Edwards from his turn as the Ravens’ starter at the end of 2018. Edwards has done well with a smaller workload, averaging at least five yards per carry in each of his three seasons with the Ravens, but Baltimore has yet to allow him to exceed more than 144 carries during the regular season.

That should change dramatically now that Dobbins is out for the year and last year’s starter, Mark Ingram, is in Houston. Edwards is ahead of only Justice Hill and Ty’Son Williams on Baltimore’s depth chart, leaving him as the clear top back in an offense that is one of the most run-heavy in the league.

It is true that Lamar Jackson will eat into some of the rushing workload in Baltimore, including in the red zone, but Edwards is still the clear bell cow of the backfield. Edwards is a priority pickup for Week 1 and should start this year as at least an RB2.