Dallas Cowboys And Two Other Defenses to Sit in Week 1 of Fantasy Football Matchups
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The first week of the fantasy football season springs hope eternally only for certain teams to be set up for failure. Michael Rovetto starts with quarterbacks to sit for Week 1. We continue below with some defenses to bench.
Some defenses are going to just go belly up to open the season. From bad matchups to unexpectedly worse performances, it always happens. Sadly, one awful decision on a defense can spell doom for the opening week.
This week, there feel like so many defenses could be called questionable plays. Whether it’s due to circumstance, injuries, or just a matchup against an established offense, there appears to be many more red flags. Also, weather should not play as much of an issue. Let's defend err dig into the defenses.
Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles
If you are wondering how the Dallas Cowboys ranked on defense in 2024 with Micah Parsons. The Cowboys were 31st in points allowed. Teams averaged 4.8 yards per carry and piled up 25 rushing touchdowns. Unforunately, Dallas faces Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts on Thursday night football.
All Barkley did last year was top the 2,000-yark mark rushing. Hurts added 630 more yards on the ground. Meanwhile, Dallas is hoping that Dak Prescott can keep their defense off the field. That does not even touch on the Philadelphia passing game. It was more closer to 50-50 than the early 2024 version of the Dallas offense under Prescott.
For a defense that allowed 30+ points twice last season against Philadelphia, Week 1 offers little salvation. The defending Super Bowl champions want to make a statement and expect to face little resistance against a Cowboys team still trying to find an identity on the defensive side of the ball.
Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals
The Browns were downright abysmal in 2024 from an offensive and defensive standpoint. 2025 starts off arguably worse as they face a Cincinnati Bengals team bent on erasing the bad taste of the previous year. Joe Burrow and the Bengals' offense face a Browns team that was 32nd in turnover differential.
One of the most ominous issues is that Cleveland does move the ball err needle on offense enough. This places their defense in awful positions where an opposing offense can take advantage. Dallas did this in Week 1 in 2024. With a slew of coaching additions on defense in particular, change may not come fast enough for this AFC North clash.
Projections suggest Cleveland might get around five fantasy points based on standard formats and that might be generous. It might be a dog day afternoon once again.
New York Giants vs. Washington Commanders
The New York Giants went 3-0 during the preseason. With the games that count starting this weekend, will reality set in? Washington wants to desperately prove that 2024 was no fluke. Jayden Daniels leads a potent offense against a Giants team trying to right itself defensively. New York was 28th in turnover creation and 31st in interceptions for 2024.
Those numbers have to improve and Washington is not the most ideal matchup here. Washington's run-pass balance was right at 50-50 for 2024. Expect the mobility of Daniels and clock control to cause the Giants more than a few headaches on Sunday.
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