Fantasy Football: Joe Flacco, Jordan Mason, And 3 More Bench Players To Start Week 1

Discover five sneaky fantasy football bench players — including Joe Flacco and Jordan Mason — who have prime Week 1 matchups and could deliver breakout performances for your lineup.

Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason (27) runs with the ball against the Houston Texans in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. | Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

We all have those players on our bench with the great matchups that we just have a good feeling about. However, it's not always easy to start them over our dependable starter. Especially in Week 1. Still, sometimes making that tough call can pay off in a major way. These are the bench players you should consider starting this week. 

QB Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco (15) throws a pass during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Everyone who doesn't have an elite QB1 has at least glanced at Flacco at some point in this past week and thought about it for a second or two. We all know he's going to torch a horrific Cincinnati Bengals defense, but who is going to have the courage to pull the trigger on him? This game is going to be a shootout, and these two teams could put up in the area of 1,000 yards. This is a scary call, but it could be a good one. 

RB Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings

No one should be surprised if Mason leads the Vikings in carries this season and gets the majority of the goal-line work. Aaron Jones is on the wrong side of 30 and coming off the most carries of his entire career in 2024. The team wanted to get another back involved last season as well; however, they just didn't have the talent to do so. There is a reason they went out at the start of free agency and paid up for Mason. He's going to have a significant role.  

RB Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson (22) runs with the ball against Los Angeles Rams linebacker Elias Neal (58) during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

This simply comes down to Sampson being much more talented than Jerome Ford. He could be the starting running back in Cleveland, matched up against the Cincy defense. That should result in a nice fantasy day, even if it's a split backfield. With that said, if it comes out that Quinshon Judkins is going to be active, then that would muddy the waters a bit too much for us.  

WR Matthew Golden, Green Bay Packers

Golden looks set to be the Packers' WR1 in what could be a shootout against the Lions in Week 1. It sounds like Jayden Reed is on the wrong side of questionable and will be very limited if he's able to play due to a Jones fracture in his foot. If you hesitate to start the rookie, you are going to miss the breakout.  

TE Ja'Tavion Sanders, Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) on the field before the game at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

This is a guy I'm planting my flag on this season as a potential breakout star. He has a great matchup in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the team is going to need him. In the past week, they have lost both Adam Thielen and Jalen Coker. They traded away Thielen, then Coker landed on injured reserve. Sanders has a legitimate shot to be the second option in the passing attack in the Carolina Panthers' season opener.