Wide Receiver Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks For Fantasy Football Week 1

SI Fantasy insider Michael Fabiano breaks down which wide receivers you should trust and which you should avoid in Week 1 of the fantasy football season.

Start Em, Sit Em Wide Receivers: Week 1 /

Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football. This column will not cover elite wide receivers like Justin Jefferson or CeeDee Lamb. Instead, I'll look at the players you have questions about who could exceed or fail to meet expectations.

For your final lineup decisions, be sure to check out my weekly fantasy player rankings which will be updated daily.

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Fabs’ Top 10 Wide Receivers for Week 1

1. Tyreek Hill vs. Jaguars
2. Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. Rams
3. CeeDee Lamb at Browns
4. Justin Jefferson at Giants
5. A.J. Brown vs. Packers (Fri.)
6. Puka Nacua at Lions
7. Mike Evans vs. Commanders
8. Cooper Kupp at Lions
9. Garrett Wilson at 49ers (Mon.)
10. Drake London vs. Steelers

Complete Week 1 wide receiver rankings can be found here.

Be sure to check out start 'em, sit 'em picks at other positions as well: Quarterback | Running Back | Tight End | Kicker & Defense

Week 1 Start ‘Em: Wide Receivers

Start of the Week

Nico Collins at Colts (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Collins has more competition for targets in 2024, as the Texans added Stefon Diggs to the pass attack. Still, it’s hard to overlook his success against this week’s opponent, the Colts. Last season, he beat them for 341 yards and a combined 62.1 points. Indianapolis also allowed the third-most points to perimeter receivers among home defenses last year, so Collins and Diggs have nice matchups.

Start ‘Em

Drake London vs. Steelers (1 p.m. ET, Fox): London is one of the season’s biggest wide receiver breakout candidates, so he’s going to be active in most leagues. He has a nice matchup too, as the Steelers allowed the third-most receiving yards to perimeter wide receivers among visiting defenses last season. That includes three games where this unit surrendered at least 23.4 points, and as many as 42.2 points, to a perimeter man.

Malik Nabers vs. Vikings (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Nabers was the second-most valuable rookie in most redrafts, and he finds himself in a good position to succeed in Week 1. That’s due to a matchup against the Vikings, who surrendered 17 touchdowns and the fourth-most points to wideouts last year. Nabers, who should see a lot of targets from Daniel Jones, is a viable WR2/flex starter.

Christian Kirk at Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Kirk has been dealing with an injured calf, but he should be good to go this week. Barring any setbacks, he’ll be a nice flex option in what could be a high-scoring affair against the Dolphins. Last season, their defense gave up the third most points to slot receivers among home defenses. Overall, Miami allowed a total of 13 opposing wide receivers to score 15-plus points against them last season.

Chris Godwin vs. Commanders (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): Godwin was tough to trust at times last season, but he does have a nice matchup in the first week of the new campaign. The Commanders were bad against receivers last season, allowing 29 touchdowns and the second most points to the position. Washington was bad on the road too, allowing the third-most receiving yards among visiting defenses. This is good news for Godwin.

WRs With Good Matchups

• Michael Pittman Jr. vs. Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• DJ Moore vs. Titans (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Jaylen Waddle vs. Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

Week 1 Sit ‘Em: Wide Receivers

Jan 7, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) celebrates after a play against the Los Angeles Rams during the first quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports / sergio estrada-usa today sports

Sit of the Week

Brandon Aiyuk vs. Jets (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): Aiyuk is returning from a much-publicized holdout, so he didn’t see any preseason or training camp work. Could that affect his snap count? Maybe, but I’m more worried about the matchup against CB Sauce Gardner and the Jets. Last season, no visiting defense in the league allowed fewer fantasy points to perimeter receivers than the Men in Green. Aiyuk comes with plenty of risk.

Sit ‘Em

George Pickens at Falcons (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Pickens should see a career-high in targets in 2024 as the Steelers’ alpha wideout, but I don’t love him in Week 1. He’s in a tough spot against the Falcons, who allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to perimeter receivers among home defenses a year ago. So, unless he’s able to break a big play downfield vs. Atlanta’s defensive backfield, Pickens could be in for a tough return to Georgia.

Diontae Johnson at Saints (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Johnson is the Panthers' new alpha wideout after an offseason trade, but you have to worry about his quarterback, Bryce Young, and a matchup against the Saints. Last season, their defense allowed the fifth-fewest points to perimeter receivers among home defenses. What's more, they allowed just one touchdown. So, while Johnson might be a volume-based flex option, his matchup is a tough one.

Tyler Lockett vs. Broncos (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS): Lockett was a player I avoided in drafts, simply because I like Jaxon Smith-Njigba to emerge as the second-best fantasy wideout on the roster behind DK Metcalf. The veteran also has a tough matchup this week, as the Broncos visit Lumen Field for an interconference tilt. Last season, Denver’s defense allowed just 13 touchdowns to wideouts. Lockett should be on fantasy benches.

Ladd McConkey vs. Raiders (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS): I loved McConkey in drafts and think he’ll be in the top two in terms of targets in the Chargers offense. Still, I’m not sure he’s going to come out of the gate with a big stat line against the Raiders. Last season, this unit was tough against slot wideouts and allowed just 38.6 receiving yards per game to the slot as a visiting defense. As a result, I’d keep the rookie on the sidelines this weekend.

WRs With Bad Matchups

• DeAndre Hopkins at Bears (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Adam Thielen at Saints (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Jerry Jeudy vs. Cowboys (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)

Don't forget to check out the top start 'em, sit 'em picks at other positions while you make your Week 1 fantasy football lineup decisions too! Quarterback | Running Back | Tight End | Kicker & Defense