Week 1 Fantasy Streamers: Top QB, TE, and DEF Picks

It’s finally here! Week 1! We made it through the summer, and it’s time to set those fantasy football lineups. Not a lot of people stream in Week 1, and that’s okay. You drafted your guys; start them with confidence. But if you do need some help, I’ve got you covered!

Each week, I highlight five streaming options at QB, TE, and DEF. These players are available in at least 50% of ESPN leagues and can still provide a matchup edge. Let’s dive into this week’s picks and find you the upside you need.

Accountabilty

Am I any good at this? I’ll let the numbers speak for themselves. In this section, you’ll see how my Stream of the Week (SOTW) and Best Pick finish every week. Since I always provide five options, my Best Pick is the one that scores the most points, even if I didn’t designate it as the Stream of the Week. Essentially, the Best Pick line shows what you could achieve if you streamed only from my weekly lists.

Last year, my Streams of the Week scored better than the QB8, TE13, and DEF3. My best picks would have been the QB1, TE2, and DEF1. You can have a lot of success streaming this game we love.

Scores and rankings are based on PPR scoring and 4-point passing touchdowns. Most leagues use 6-point passing touchdowns, but data providers default to 4-point systems, so I’m keeping things consistent.

The data table will start in Week 2. Today, you just get the explanation.

If you want to see my old picks, this link will take you to my past Stream of the Week articles.

Week 1 Fantasy Streamers

Quarterback

Malik Willis @ LV

We are betting on the rushing upside here. I am not 100% sure what to make of Willis for the whole season, but I think he is worth a gamble early. In two seasons with Green Bay, Willis played what I would call four real games, where he either started or played enough to call it his game. In those games, he ran the ball 31 times and scored three rushing TDs. He also averaged about six yards per carry. If you’re telling me he is likely to walk out of this game with 48 rushing yards and a 75% chance to score a rushing TD, that is 11 fantasy points as a base. If he is halfway competent as a passer, 175 yards and a TD, that is 11 more points. Nobody is mad at 22 fantasy points from their streaming QB.

Other Options

• Tyler Shough @ DET
• Jordan Love @ MIN
• Jacoby Brissett @ LAC
• Aaron Rodgers vs. ATL

Tight End

Juwan Johnson @ DET

Fantasy managers ignored Juwan Johnson this preseason, and I think that was a mistake. With the injury to Jordyn Tyson, who should miss a month or two, this will essentially be the same Saints offense from last year. In that offense, Johnson averaged six targets per game and finished as the TE8 in fantasy. He doesn’t score a lot of TDs, so his upside is limited, but the volume makes up for it. Then they get Detroit this week. The Lions had some struggles against TEs last year and are banged up in the secondary. The Lions should run away with this game on offense, and that should mean a ton of second-half passing for New Orleans. All good things for Juwan Johnson.

Other Options

• Michael Mayer vs. MIA
• Chigoziem Okonkwo @ PHI
• Dalton Schultz vs. BUF
• Greg Dulcich @ LV

Don’t Miss Our Week 1 Fantasy Football Preview on YouTube. I debut my Streams of the Week there first!

Defense

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. CLE

Full disclosure: The Jags are rostered in about 60% of leagues now. I made these picks last week to prep for our early Week 1 show; hopefully you tuned in, and I commented that it was ludicrous they were available in 50% of leagues. Great job fixing that. I like the Jacksonville defense. They were the 3rd-best in fantasy last year and have talent at all levels. I LOVE this matchup. The Browns have a rebuilt OL and Deshaun Watson at QB. Deshaun Watson is bad at football. So you get a good defense against a bad QB. Yes, please! Plus, I have a feeling Travis Hunter will be working extra hard on defense to help his friend Shedeur Sanders get the job back in Cleveland.

Other Options

• Titans vs. NYJ
• Cowboys @ NYG
• Bears @ CAR
• Bills @ HOU

Be sure you’re following Ryan on X! If you’re looking for more, you can find Club Fantasy’s Week 1 rankings here!