5 best fantasy football pickups to make for Week 1

1. QB Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints

Rostered: 30.5%

In 2019, Jameis Winston led the NFL in both passing yards (5,109) and passing touchdowns (30). As a result, he finished third among all quarterbacks in fantasy points. To be fair, his usage in Tampa Bay’s offense was off the charts, as he also led the NFL in passing attempts (626). Regardless, Winston has proven himself to be a quality fantasy quarterback in the past.

Last season, Winston got off to a promising start with 12 passing touchdowns through his first five games (tied for 5th-most in NFL). Overall, he was playing, perhaps, the best football of his career. He posted a career-high quarterback rating of 102.8, and he posted a career-low interception percentage of 1.9 percent (excluding his 2020 season as a backup). Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending ACL injury in Week 8.

Winston’s supporting cast will be much stronger this season. After missing the entire 2021 season, former NFL reception leader Michael Thomas is expected to suit up Week 1, and offseason additions Chris Olave and Jarvis Landry are two more dynamic weapons for Winston in the passing game.

Winston will open the season against a vulnerable Atlanta Falcons’ defense, which allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks last season.

This week, Winston is a QB1 in most leagues, and he has upside for the remainder of the season.