Week 1 Quarterback Start 'Em Sit 'Em: Should You Start Anthony Richardson, Aaron Rodgers, or Daniel Jones?

While it's great that Week 1 of the fantasy football season is here, it also brings the inevitable "should I start or sit him?" headaches that come with it.

Week 1 is a little bit easier because we're all still basking in the rosy glow of our draft and every player we drafted is about to have a career year. But no team is perfect, so I'm sure you're all sitting there weighing some sort of start/sit decision (or 12) this week. 

We've already covered running backs earlier this week, so let's take a look at the quarterback situation.

While it's great that Week 1 of the fantasy football season is here, it also brings the inevitable "should I start or sit him?" headaches that come with it.

Week 1 is a little bit easier because we're all still basking in the rosy glow of our draft and every player we drafted is about to have a career year. But no team is perfect, so I'm sure you're all sitting there weighing some sort of start/sit decision (or 12) this week. 

We've already covered running backs, so let's take a look at the quarterback start/sit situation for Week 1.

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No-Brainer Start 'Em

You drafted these guys as your starter. There's no reason to waffle on them based on matchups or anything like that. We don't even need to talk things through on any of these guys -- let's stop over-thinking things. Here's the order in which I'd start them this week: 

• Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

  • The Patriots are awful against quarterbacks who can run.

• Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

  • He may be without Kelce, but it's Patrick Mahomes.

• Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

  • Jackson is in line for a big comeback year.

• Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

  • The Jets have a good defense, but Allen is more or less matchup-proof.

• Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

  • If I had to move someone up on this list -- it would be Lawrence. I think he's going to have a huge game against the Colts.
    
    

• Justin Fields, Chicago Bears

  • Fields was a fantasy monster last season, and there's no reason he can't do it again if he stays healthy. Green Bay is first. 

• Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

  • Herbert has a tough matchup or else he'd be higher on this list. Either way, you have to start him.

• Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

  • Joey B would be higher too, but the Cleveland matchup is tough and I don't trust him coming off injury.

• Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

  • Cousins has a case to be higher with a juicy home matchup against the Bucs.

• Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

  • Tua is such a wildcard, but he has no shortage of weapons. While matchup isn't great, I trust him enough to keep him here.

• Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

  • I don't love the matchup against a tough Giants defense, but Dak should be a weekly starter with the weapons he has around him.

Still Start 'Em

These guys are a little more of a borderline decision, but they're worth starting this week. Here's the order in which I'd start them this week: 

• Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks

  • Smith has a case for the list above with the lowly Rams, but I think I still have pre-2022 Geno stuck in my head.

• Jared Goff, Detriot Lions

  • While I don't think the Lions will win, Goff should have an opportunity to put up a lot of passing yards on Thursday night.
    
    

• Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts

  • This is a major dice roll, but Richardson should be able to make up for a potentially poor passing game with his legs.

• DeShaun Watson, Cleveland Browns

  • Is Watson what we remember from before his suspension or the diminished version we saw last year? Probably somewhere in the middle, and that makes him dangerously close to being a sit. I'll roll the dice in most situations though.

• Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos

  • Russ has a great home matchup against the Raiders and should finish as a top-15 quarterback this week.

• Daniel Jones, New York Giants

  • Jones wasn't great against the Cowboys last year. I'd lean towards sitting him if I could, but I think he's still a top-15 quarterback this week.

Deep League Starts

These guys are basically "sits" in a 12-team league. But they're likely someone you should start in a superflex league or a 16-team league. Here's the order in which I'd start them this week:

• Sam Howell, Washington Commanders

  • One could argue Howell should be in the category above based on his matchup against the Cardinals, but I just can't go there. 

• Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets

  • While I think Rodgers will have a really good bounce-back year, I very much don't like this matchup and would sit him if I can.
    
    

• Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints

  • I like Carr quite a bit this year for fantasy purposes, but this is a relatively tough matchup and he has to go a few weeks without Alvin Kamara.

• Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers

  • I like Pickett quite a bit as well and would have him higher if it weren't for his matchup against the 49ers.

• Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

  • Love looked good in the preseason, but I'm in wait-and-see mode on him for now.

Sit 'Em

These guys are "sits" in pretty much any league except a superflex. Here's the order in which I'd start them this week if you absolutely have to:

• Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

  • I don't mind the matchup, but l'm not interested in relying on rookie quarterbacks in their first NFL start.

• Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Baker may actually put up some decent fantasy numbers this season. But I'd rather see him do it before I trust in that.

• Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

  • I really don't like the combo of: coming off season-ending injury + likely no Cooper Kupp + road game in Seattle

• Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

  • Purdy may not be a great quarterback, but he seems to get the job done. That said...I'm out on the Steelers road matchup.

• Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons

  • I'm not sure what the Falcons have in Ridder (neither are they), but he's way too much of an uknown for fantasy purposes. 

• Jimmy Garoppolo Las Vegas Raiders 

  • I have no interest in starting Jimmy Garoppolo at any point this season unless I have no other choice.

• Mac Jones, New England Patriots

  • The Patriots line is in shambles and Philadelphia's pass rush is arguably the best in the league.

• Ryan Tannehill, Tennesee Titans 

  • The Saints have a good defense, and none of us should be relying upon Tannehill anyway.

• C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

  • Stroud might be good eventually, but there's no way I'm starting him on the road against the Ravens in his first career start.

• Joshua Dobbs/Clayton Tune, Arizona Cardinals

  • Whoever starts at quarterback for the Cardinals...I'm not starting them for fantasy purposes.

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