Fantasy Football Fringe Options To Start In Week 1: Carnell Tate Is Going To Silence The Doubters

These are the fringe fantasy football options you've been wondering about all week that should be in your Week 1 lineup.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate (14) warms up before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In fantasy football, there are always players that you are on the fence about. They are right on that border, and you lament all week wondering if you should start them or sit them. These are those fringe fantasy options who should be in your lineup for Week 1.

QB Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Cincinnati Bengals defense is expected to be better this season. Well, we'll believe it when we see it. Until then, we are going to attack them until they show that they are improved; they do not scare us in the slightest.

However, it could be the Bengals' explosive offense that makes them even more attractive as a matchup. Cincinnati tends to score a ton of points. That gets their opponents into shootouts and forces them to keep throwing to keep up.

Mayfield has never been one to back down from a good old-fashioned shootout. After quite a few injury scares leading up to this game, it also sounds like he will have his full allotment of weapons, with Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan expected to play.

RB Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears

We are extremely high on D'Andre Swift this week. As a matter of fact, we have him ranked as an RB1 in our top 10. That doesn't mean Monangai can't have himself a strong game as well.

He finds himself in a great matchup against the Carolina Panthers, and we know that Ben Johnson loves to deploy two running backs. This is a back we were high on all offseason, and with him getting back on the practice field Monday after dealing with a knee injury since mid-August, we expect him to be close to 100% this week in Carolina.

WR Carnell Tate, Tennessee Titans

Nothing about the preseason or training camp scared us away from Tate, and we are willing to start him in Week 1. There are people in the fantasy community saying things like, "Wan'Dale Robinson might be the real WR1" or "Calvin Ridley is actually looking like he might bounce back this season."

Those people are fools. Tate is an elite wide receiver prospect, and that's why the.Titans drafted him fourth overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. We are going to see real quick why he is the undisputed WR1 in Tennessee.

TE Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen is going to be under siege all day against a spectacular Houston Texans pass rush. Because of that, he's going to have to get the ball out quickly all day. This will benefit his tight end immensely. Look for Kincaid to see a ton of targets and have a strong day in PPR leagues based on volume alone.

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