By The Hudsonian, Joshua Hudson
Welcome to football season!
Mine and everyone’s favorite time of year. It’s the time of year when you are filled with hope and optimism that this may in fact be the year that your team finally wins a championship.
Unless you’re a Browns fan that is. Sorry guys.
In all seriousness, with the start of the NFL season comes the start of Fantasy Football season. And that is truly what we care about.
Who to start? Who to bench? Who to take a flier on?
No worries folks. We here at Skrip Club Radio have you covered. Check out this week’s podcast for more on matchup previews and maybe a few other players we like that I won’t get to cover in this column.
One of the columns we want to bring you every week is a version of Start/Sit. Confidence picks if you will. Does everyone remember the game Kiss/Marry/Kill? This will follow those similar rules, but we’ll call it Start/Play/Bench.
“Start” in this case means you are starting these players with the ultimate confidence. They also are the high end players with the best matchups that you want to make sure you get into your starting lineup before a freak accident happens and you lose your phone or your Internet goes out.
“Play” in this case means they are some of the middle of the road players that you maybe drafted as number 2s, FLEX plays or roster depth that will provide respectable, starter worthy numbers this week.
“Bench” in this case means they are players who you absolutely want no part of this week. They have some of the worst matchups and will drastically underperform where they were drafted. Like top 10 guys who will finish outside the top 10, or FLEX plays you likely want to bench.
And here we go.
“Start”
QB Derek Carr (OAK): We remember how terrible the Saints defense is right? Okay. Just making sure we’re on the same page.
QB Matthew Stafford (DET): While I think the Colts have a middle of the road defense, they are also down quality in their secondary due to injuries. Game one of the post-Calvin Johnson Lions gets off to a very nice start.
WRs Allen Robinson & Allen Hurns (JAX): Jacksonville is out to prove a point. They upgraded their defense, they still have a good offense, and they are at home this week. I’m banking on a big week from both Robinson and Hurns.
WRs Amari Cooper & Michael Crabtree (OAK): See Carr, Derek. Big game for the Raiders offense.
WRs Golden Tate & Marvin Jones (DET): See Stafford, Matthew. Lions passing game starts off with a bang.
RB Ezekiel Elliott (DAL): Rookie QB, rookie RB. Rookie QB will rely on rookie RB. A lot. Improved Giants defense is a façade. They’ll look better because they’re playing a rookie.
“Play”
QB Tyrod Taylor & WR Sammy Watkins (BUF): Taylor is the unquestioned starter. He has confidence and a healthy Watkins. Ravens CB Jimmy Smith is going to
have his hands full with this connection.
QB Kirk Cousins & WR DeSean Jackson (WSH): I wasn’t as high on Cousins as most. I wanted to see last season repeated. But the Steelers are breaking in a new CB in Artie Burns, have a few injuries, and won’t be able to stop the deep ball to Jackson. Should be a fun pair to watch.
RB Spencer Ware (KC): Jamaal Charles isn’t ready. Ware has been getting the bulk in practice. The Chargers defense sucks. Pretty easy math.
WRs Brandin Cooks & Willie Snead (NO): Brees is awesome. The Raiders defense is improved, but Brees makes great defenses look bad. What do you think he’s going to do to one that thinks they’re great? Cooks and Snead will benefit.
RB Giovani Bernard & WR Tyler Boyd (CIN): A.J. Green gets the duty of visiting Revis Island. Dalton will likely pay him a few visits, but it won’t be an ideal vacation spot. Boyd on the other hand? He’s got hands and will have targets aplenty. Bernard is likely to be an attractive target out of the backfield while Hill gets stuffed and Eifert sits out due to injury.
WR Terrelle Pryor (CLE): He’s starting in place of the suspended Josh Gordon. He hooked up with RGIII for a few impressive deep balls in the preseason. Eagles weren’t exactly great at covering that same deep ball last year. If you want to gamble, here’s a wild card for a long TD or two.
“Bench”
WR Julian Edelman (NE): No Brady, bad Edelman. Most drafted him as a 2, but in PPR, he’s a reliable 1. You’re likely starting him, but don’t expect big numbers.
RB Danny Woodhead (SD): Last year, Kansas City found all kinds of ways to stop this PPR monster. I have no doubt they’ll do it again.
QB Cam Newton & WR Kelvin Benjamin (CAR): Look, you’re starting Cam and likely Benjamin. Some people will think Cam’s going to have revenge on his mind after that Super Bowl loss. I have no doubt the Panthers will win, but I’m not banking on big numbers. That Broncos secondary is still the best in the league and they do still have Von Miller rushing Newton. Welcome back from injury, Kelvin Benjamin.