Monday Night Football Fantasy Picks: Who to Start, Who to Sit for Jets vs. 49ers Week 1

Who should be in your lineup for Monday Night Football as Aaron Rodgers and the Jets face Brock Purdy and the 49ers?

Aug 17, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) shares a laugh on the sidelines during the second half against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The first week of the new NFL season is nearly in the books and it's been a thrilling weekend for fantasy football players. We've got our first Monday Night Football matchup of the season coming up as Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets take on Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers in what some are calling a Super Bowl preview.

All eyes will be on Rodgers, whose Jets debut lasted just four plays in 2023 before he suffered a torn Achilles. Will he be the same player who won back-to-back MVPs just a handful of years ago or has Father Time caught up to the future Hall of Fame QB?

On the other side, the 49ers hope to avoid the dreaded "Super Bowl hangover" that many teams experience early in a season after coming up short in the big game. Star WR Brandon Aiyuk got his contract after a contentious holdout, but will his holdout cause San Francisco's offense to struggle?

Let's take a look at some fantasy players to target and some to avoid in tonight's matchup.

Jets vs. 49ers Fantasy Picks: Starts

Start Jauan Jennings, WR, & Jordan Mason, RB, San Francisco 49ers: Aiyuk's holdout kept him away from practice for a majority of the last couple of months. While he's familiar with the offense, it's reasonable to expect the 49ers to lean move heavily on third WR Jauan Jennings while Aiyuk gets back into football shape. Jennings was seldom-used in the regular season but made a major impact in the playoffs, catching five passes for 61 yards in the Divisional Round before hauling in four for 42 yards and a TD in the Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs. In Jordan Mason's case, we've frequently seen backup running backs find success in Kyle Shanahan's scheme and Mason is next up. Christian McCaffrey is questionable entering the contest and while he's expected to play, Mason should see enough snaps to put up some surprise points for fantasy owners as well. There's no reason for San Francisco to test McCaffrey's health in Week 1, so Mason should see a fair amount of opportunities during Monday's contest.

Start Tyler Conklin, TE, New York Jets: Aaron Rodgers has always loved targeting his tight ends, using them as safety blankets when ferocious pass rushes stare him down. It's no secret that the 49ers have one of the NFL's best defensive fronts, and Tyler Conklin should be a direct beneficiary of the heat Rodgers will feel. Conklin caught 61 passes for a career-high 621 yards in 2023. He didn't find the end zone, but that could change as soon as tonight with Rodgers under center. Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall will hog the volume in this offense, though Conklin will get enough passes thrown his way to justify a start.

49ers vs. Jets Fantasy Picks: Sits

Sit Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers: Based on where you likely drafted Brandon Aiyuk, chances are you feel that you have to start him. However, expectations should be tempered for a guy who missed nearly all of the offseason amid such a dramatic contract negotiation. Aiyuk should be a locked-and-loaded WR1 for most of the season, yet Week 1 is a terrible matchup for him. All-Pro CB Sauce Gardner will be shadowing him and New York is the toughest team against receivers in fantasy. In 2023, the Jets allowed a league-low 17.4 points per game to the position. Gardner is perhaps the best cover corner in the league, and the 49ers will likely rely on the running game and surprise routes from Jennings and Deebo Samuel while Aiyuk serves as more of a decoy. It's possible his conditioning will require a shorter snap count as well, so there are far too many risks associated with Aiyuk to trust him as a bonafide "must-start" player at this point. You won't be questioned if you start him anyway, but his expectations should be diminished for fantasy purposes based on how many questions there are surrounding his Week 1 availability and overall effectiveness.

Sit Mike Williams, WR, New York Jets: Working his way back from a torn ACL, Mike Williams is off the PUP list but didn't get a chance to practice much with his new team during the offseason. He theoretically is a perfect fit with Rodgers, who throws deep passes with tremendous accuracy that Williams could high-point for easy TDs. Until we know exactly how many snaps he'll play though, the former Charger is far too risky to put in your lineups. He has 15 catches for 204 yards and a TD in his last two games and has significant upside if he can stay healthy, but fantasy players would be wise to see how he looks in action before trusting him to produce. Expect Wilson, Hall, and Conklin to receive the majority of Rodgers' targets and look Williams' way once the schedule gets easier.