Week 1 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Fantasy Quarterbacks

Start 'Em, Sit 'Em (Week 1): QB | RB | WR | TE | Def./K

Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football leagues. This column will not cover elite NFL players such as Josh Allen, Bijan Robinson, Ja’Marr Chase or Trey McBride. Instead, it will focus on players who could exceed or fall short of their statistical expectations at each position. For all your final lineup decisions, check out my weekly player rankings, which will be updated daily in-season.

Note: Streamers listed are players started in fewer than 50% of Sleeper fantasy leagues.

Fabs's Five Top 10 Fantasy Quarterback Rankings For Week 1

Josh Allen at Texans
Joe Burrow vs. Buccaneers
Lamar Jackson at Colts
Jalen Hurts vs. Commanders
Justin Herbert vs. Cardinals
Dak Prescott at Giants
Caleb Williams at Panthers
Trevor Lawrence vs. Browns
Jared Goff vs. Saints
Jaxson Dart vs. Cowboys

Complete Week 1 quarterback rankings

Week 1 Start ‘Em Quarterbacks

Start of the Week

Justin Herbert vs. Cardinals (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Herbert sh8ould post a big stat line against what projects to be a vulnerable Cardinals defense. They ranked 24th against the pass last season, and nine quarterbacks beat them for multiple touchdown passes. Herbert has also had success against Arizona in the past, averaging 311.5 passing yards over two meetings. He also has been solid in Week 1 games, scoring at least 20.9 points in three of his last four openers.

Start ‘Em

Dak Prescott at Giants (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): Prescott has had plenty of success in his career against the Giants, averaging nearly 20 fantasy points in 15 meetings in which he has played at least 50 snaps. New York was one of the most vulnerable teams against quarterbacks at home last year, too, allowing 19.5 points per game. Las Vegas oddsmakers also see a high-scoring affair, with totals in the high 40s. Either way, look for Prescott to open the season with a strong fantasy number.

Jared Goff vs. Saints (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Goff is always one of the more underrated fantasy field generals, and this season is no different. He should have a nice start in 2026, as the Lions face a Saints defense that allowed nine quarterbacks to beat them for multiple touchdown passes a season ago. Vegas also foresees a high-scoring affair with totals near or at 50, and Goff has put up an average of 293 passing yards and 20.5 fantasy points in his last 16 games at Ford Field.

Jaxson Dart vs. Cowboys (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): Dart, my favorite fantasy breakout candidate among quarterbacks, has a chance to start the season with a bang against Dallas. While their defense should be better than it was in 2025, the Cowboys were still the most generous unit in the league against signal-callers last year. Dart was also solid at home, averaging more than 20 points per game … including five games in which he scored at least 19.8 fantasy points.

Baker Mayfield at Bengals (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Mayfield is coming off a down season from a fantasy perspective, but he’s still a viable starter when the matchup is favorable. That’s the case this week, as he faces a vulnerable Bengals pass defense. Just two teams allowed more points per game to road quarterbacks a season ago, and nine beat them for multiple scoring strikes overall. With a total in the low 50s, Vegas is also expecting this to be a high-scoring affair.

More Starts

Matthew Stafford vs. 49ers (Thurs. 8:35 p.m. ET, Netflix)
Trevor Lawrence vs. Browns (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
Kyler Murray vs. Packers (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS)

Quarterback Streamers

Tyler Shough at Lions (12% started)
Malik Willis at Raiders (6% started)
Aaron Rodgers vs. Falcons (2% started)

Week 1 Sit ‘Em Quarterbacks

Sit of the Week

Patrick Mahomes vs. Broncos (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): Mahomes is coming off tearing his ACL and LCL, so he could have a slow start to the season. What’s more, his Week 1 matchup against Denver is unfavorable. Their defense allowed just 14.2 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks in 2025, and just four beat them for multiple touchdown passes. What’s more, Mahomes has averaged fewer than 15 fantasy points in his last two games against them.

Sit ‘Em

Drake Maye at Seahawks (Wed. 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): I’m not telling you Maye is a “must sit,” but I also don’t think you should blindly start him based on his 2025 success. He struggled against tough defenses in the 2025 postseason, including being held to 2.9 fantasy points by this week’s opponent, the champion Seahawks, in the first half of the Super Bowl. Seattle also allowed just 14 points per game to quarterbacks last year, so Maye could struggle in Week 1.

Jordan Love at Vikings (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Love’s totals have declined in the past two years from a fantasy standpoint, so he’s no longer what I would call a reliable starter. In fact, I’d keep him on the sidelines this week against the Vikings. He has been held to 185 or fewer passing yards in each of his last two games against this NFC North foe, and visiting quarterbacks allowed an average of just 12.2 points per game against them in 2025. Love is a Superflex option only.

Jacoby Brissett at Chargers (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Brissett was a league winner in fantasy a season ago, but that was then and this is now. Going into 2026, the veteran has a brutal Week 1 matchup on the road against the Chargers. Their defense allowed the second-fewest points per game to quarterbacks a season ago, and only the Vikings allowed fewer touchdown passes. So unless you’re in a Superflex league, I’d keep Brissett on the sidelines for this matchup.

Daniel Jones vs. Ravens (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Jones was a fantasy star last season before he tore his Achilles, averaging nearly 19 points per game. And while I still like him in the long term, I’d rather sit back and watch how he performs early in the season rather than throw him into my lineup. The Colts have a lot of questions at wide receiver, too, as Alec Pierce and Josh Downs have dealt with injuries and Keenan Allen has barely had time to learn a new offense.

More Sits

Sam Darnold vs. Patriots (Wed. 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
Bo Nix at Chiefs (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
C.J. Stroud vs. Bills (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

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