Home SCB Fantasy Report Week 1 Fantasy Football: Trust or Bust?

Week 1 Fantasy Football: Trust or Bust?

by Chris Nicolaou

Trust or Bust is my brand new Fantasy Football segment. It is designed to give advice on who to play and who to keep on your bench for this week’s slate of games. This is a general piece of advice and it is not a definite figure. Everybody’s league and team is different and must be treated as such. Sometimes a ‘bust’ must be played because you have no other choice, or maybe you have a hunch. My best advice is to trust your gut. If there are any names not mentioned here, please contact me at @Cnic__ on twitter, I will be happy to give you personal, one-on-one advice as i do for many others. Also, if you have questions or disagreements about my placement of players unto either label, use the same method to contact me. I am human, most of the time, so I may have forgotten players, let me know if I have as well!

>>1:00PM Slate

NYJ @ BUF

Trust: Bilal Powell, LeSean McCoy, Matt Forte (in 12+ team leagues), Tyrod Taylor (in 12+ team leagues),
Bills D/ST

Bust: Jets D/ST, Robby Anderson, Zay Jones (until further notice)

Notes: I’d wait on Forte, Matthews and Taylor until I can get a grasp on how many touches they get and if Taylor can adjust to an offense without Sammy Watkins and two new wide outs.

ATL @ CHI

Trust: Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Devonta Freeman, Matt Bryant, Falcons D/ST, Jordan Howard, Tevin Coleman (12+ team leagues).

Bust: Mike Glennon, Bears D/ST

Notes: I’d wait on Kevin White, Mohamed Sanu, Austin Hooper and Taylor Gabriel until further notice.

BAL @ CIN

Trust: Justin Tucker, Terrance West, Danny Woodhead (in 12+ team leagues), AJ Green, Andy Dalton

Bust: Jeremy Hill, Giovani Bernard, Joe Mixon, Breshad Perriman, Tyler Eifert

Notes:  The Ravens run defense is very good, so this would be a good game to sit Bengals running backs.  It’ll also be a good way to gauge which Bengals running back gets the workload.

PIT @ CLE

Trust: Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell, Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, Isaiah Crowell

Bust: DeShone Kizer, Eli Rogers, Browns D/ST

Notes: Duke Johnson is interesting, smaller, fast running backs have success against the Steelers defense. I’d wait on the Steelers D/ST until they prove worthy of starting, too many question marks there.

ARZ @ DET

Trust: David Johnson, Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald, John Brown (in 12+ team leagues), Marvin Jones, Golden Tate, Matthew Stafford

Bust: Lions D/ST, Eric Ebron, Ameer Abdullah/Theo Riddick (trust in PPR), JJ Nelson

Notes: Start the Cardinals D/ST if you need to. I’m not a fan of Detroit’s running backs right now until one emerges. Kenny Golladay is a sleeper.

JAX @ HOU

Trust: Leonard Fournette, Lamar Miller, Texans D/ST, DeAndre Hopkins (not a fan, but can’t bench him)

Bust: Blake Bortles, Allen Robinson, Tom Savage

Notes: I wait on the Jaguars D/ST until proven, but if needed, they can be started.

OAK @ TEN

Trust: Derek Carr, Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree, Marcus Mariota, DeMarco Murray, Delanie Walker, Rishard Mathews

Bust: Marshawn Lynch, Derrick Henry Sebastian Janikowski, other Titans wide receivers until further notice.

Notes: Eric Decker will probably be the red zone target and Mathews the big play threat. How they work Corey Davis in, I am not sure.

PHI @ WASH

Trust: Alshon Jeffery, Zach Ertz, Kirk Cousins, Robert Kelley, Terrelle Pryor, Jamison Crowder, Jordan Reed

Bust: Eagles running backs, there are too many, Eagles D/ST, Redskins D/ST

Notes: A number two wide receiver needs to emerge before I start one, same with the Eagles running back situation.

>>4:05PM-4:25PM Slate

INDY @ LAR

Trust: TY Hilton, Frank Gore, Adam Vinatieri, Todd Gurley, Sammy Watkins

Bust: Colts D/ST, Donte Moncrief, Rams D/ST, Jared Goff

Notes: No Aaron Donald means I wouldn’t start the Rams D/ST, if he plays, they can be started.

SEA @ GB

Trust: Russell Wilson, Doug Baldwin, Jimmy Graham, Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson, Davante Adams

Bust: Seahawks D/ST, Ty Montgomery, Randall Cobb, Martellus Bennett, Packers D/ST

Notes: The Seahawks defense is good, be careful.

CAR @ SF

Trust: Cam Newton, Christian McCaffrey, Kelvin Benjamin, Greg Olsen, Panthers D/ST, Carlos Hyde, Pierre Garcon

Bust: Jonathan Stewart, 49ers D/ST, Brian Hoyer

Notes: Im not confident about McCaffrey or Stewart because I have no idea how/if they’ll be used. My Panthers guy says to trust in McCaffrey but Stewart may be the goal line back. Trent Taylor is a sleeper.

>>Sunday Night Football – 8:30PM

NYG @ DAL

Trust: Eli Manning, Odell Beckham, Brandon Marshall, Ezekiel Elliot (if starts), Dez Bryant, Dan Bailey

Bust: Paul Perkins, Evan Engram, Dak Prescott, Jason Witten,  Cowboys D/ST, Darren McFadden.

Notes: Giants defense is good, but the Dallas offense is good as well, especially with Ezekiel Elliot. Paul Perkins i’d wait on, the Giants don’t run the ball often.

>>Monday Night Football – 7:10PM & 10:20PM

NO @ MIN

Trust: Drew Brees, Michael Thomas, Ted Ginn, Dalvin Cook, Kyle Rudolph, Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen

Bust: Saints D/ST, Saints RBs (who gets a workload?), Willie Snead (suspended), Coby Fleener, Vikings D/ST, Sam Bradford

Notes: There is no clarity on the Saints running back situation, I wouldn’t start any of them.

LAC @ DEN

Trust: Melvin Gordon, Hunter Henry, CJ Anderson, Emmanuel Sanders, Demaryius Thomas, Broncos D/ST

Bust: Phillip Rivers, Keenan Allen, Tyrell Williams, Trevor Siemian

Notes: Denver takes away the pass so easily. It makes opposing QBs and WRs virtually unstartable. If you must, start them, but do not expect much. I don’t trust Sanders or Thomas because of their shoddy QB play and mediocre offensive line. Start either if needed, though.

SteelCityBlitz.com and Chris Nicolaou are not responsible for the let down of advice taken. Fantasy Football is a game of many variables and not all decisions could possibly be predicted accurately. If you take advice and it helps you, we will indeed enjoy taking all the credit.  

Graphic designed and created by: @DonreyMarinas

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