[brid autoplay=”true” video=”1385528″ player=”10951″ title=”2023 Fantasy Football Rookies” duration=”173″ description=”0:24 Jahmyr Gibbs 1:05 Kendre Miller 1:54 Jaxon Smith-Njigba ” uploaddate=”2023-08-19″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/snapshot/1385528_th_64e0200ad8139_1692409866.jpg” image=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/snapshot/1385528_sd_64e0200ad8139_1692409866.jpg” contenturl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/sd/1385528.mp4″ width=”480″ height=”270″]
After a long offseason, it’s finally here, it’s football season! Although your draft will provide the core of your fantasy rosters, it’s vital to constantly improve your roster, taking advantage of good match-ups and future opportunities. Every week, I’ll be bringing you an article answering two simple questions: Who should I stream this week, and who should I stash for the future?
To keep things simple, we’ll define a streamer as any player you might not usually start who is a viable option for this week. We’ll define a stash as any player you can probably find on waivers that you should stash for the future, either because they have a favorable match-up coming up or because they could become a future starter for your team.
Please also check out my rankings at ffdfantasyfootball.com, and I answer all start-sit questions on Instagram @thefantasyfirstdown.
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QB Streamers:
Jared Goff (DET): This game has shootout written all over it. The Lions conceded the third most points last season, but they have an impressive offense that should lead to points for both sides. Last year, the Chiefs were most effectively attacked through the air, so Goff could easily have a very busy game. Consider starting Goff over Anthony Richardson in his first-ever game or over Aaron Rodgers against the brutal Bills defense.
Derek Carr (NO): It’s scary starting Carr in his first game for the Saints, but he faces the Titans, who were excellent against the run last year and awful against the pass. The Saints also lack Alvin Kamara, so they’re going to need to move the ball through the air.
Baker Mayfield (TB): The Buccaneers face a Vikings defense that conceded the fifth most points to quarterbacks in fantasy last season. In Superflex, Mayfield has more upside than most low-end options.
QB Stashes:
Sam Howell (WAS): The Commanders have an array of excellent pass-catching options, and Howell is an underrated runner, earning over 800 rushing yards in his final year at UNC. If you don’t have an elite passer, Howell is worth stashing just to see what happens in Week 1.
RB Streamers:
JK Dobbins (BAL): The Ravens face the league’s weakest rushing defense in the Texans. Dobbins is a questionable start most weeks, but even in PPR, he’s a solid option this week.
Jamaal Williams (NO): With Alvin Kamara suspended and Kendre Miller battling a hamstring injury, Williams will be the bell-cow back for the Saints. While the Titans are a tricky rushing match-up, the volume is enough to make Williams a reasonable start if you were planning on using someone like Jonathan Taylor in Week 1.
Brian Robinson (WAS): The Commanders face a weak Cardinals run defense and should find themselves ahead for most of the game. Robinson could easily find himself getting an unusually high number of carries, making him a solid start, especially in non-PPR or half-PPR.
Raheem Mostert (MIA): With Jeff Wilson out for much of the season and Devon Achane battling a shoulder injury, this is Mostert’s backfield. The Chargers have been weak against the run in the past, so it’s possible Mostert has a big week. He’s a viable flex start in non-PPR or half-PPR.
RB Stashes:
Jaylen Warren (PIT): Warren is my favorite running back stash. Najee Harris couldn’t play two snaps in the pre-season without being swapped out for his young teammate, with Pittsburgh signaling their intent to use both backs heavily. This feels a lot like the Tony Pollard/Ezekiel Elliott situation in 2021/22, and we know that Pollard was the man to own there. Likewise, Warren could become the superior back this season. As a huge bonus, if Najee gets injured, Warren becomes an RB1.
Running backs get injured more than any other player in football, with the average Top 36 running back in fantasy missing two games per season. For that reason, your best bet in fantasy is to roster running backs who are an injury away from an every-down role. Each week, I’ll be listing my favorite RB stashes, only including players you won’t be starting most weeks.
Handcuffs: Jaylen Warren, Dalvin Cook, Tank Bigsby, Samaje Perine, AJ Dillon, Elijah Mitchell, Zach Charbonnet, Tyjae Spears, Zamir White, Tyler Allgeier, Chuba Hubbard, Devin Singletary, Ty Chandler, Keaontay Ingram, Joshua Kelley, Jerome Ford
WR Streamers:
Jahan Dotson (WAS): With Terry McLaurin very questionable for week 1 and possibility limited if he plays, Dotson becomes the WR1 for Washington. While the Cardinals weren’t a great match-up for opposing wide receivers last year, his likely volume should be sufficient to start him.
Michael Thomas (NO): The Titans were awful against the pass last year and didn’t draft a single defensive player. While Chris Olave is an obvious must-start, Thomas is a reasonable streamer in a very good match-up.
Chris Godwin and Mike Evans (TB): The Vikings have a very weak secondary, and the Buccaneers have very few weapons. That makes their two key pass catchers well worth starting.
Skyy Moore (KC): It’s hard to know which receivers will be involved for the Chiefs against the Lions, but we know it’s a great wide receiver match-up, so it’s worth starting Skyy Moore if you have him.
WR Stashes:
DJ Chark and Jonathan Mingo (CAR): It’s hard to know who the main man in Carolina will be, but it’s safe to assume one of the Panthers wide receivers will step up. It’s worth stashing whichever Panthers receiver is available in your league.
Darius Slayton and Parris Campbell (NYG): Copy and paste my comments regarding the Panthers above. The Giants do have a strong pair of non-receiver weapons in Darren Waller and Saquon Barkley, but it’s worth taking a gamble on Slayton and Campbell just in case one proves to be the clear WR1 in East Rutherford.
Michael Wilson (ARI): The WR1 in Arizona is likely Marquise Brown, but this team will be behind in a lot of games, so they’ll have to pass a lot. It’s worth picking up their other every-down receiver just in case Joshua Dobbs or Clayton Tune proves capable of viably running an offense. Wilson is also a good red zone weapon, so if he can stay healthy, he could surprise a lot of people this season.
TE Streamers:
Tyler Higbee (LAR): The Rams face last year’s weakest team against tight ends in the Seahawks. With Cooper Kupp likely to miss the match-up, Higbee could easily be LA’s top pass catcher.
Logan Thomas (WAS): This is a deep pull, but the Cardinals conceded the second most points to tight ends last season, and the Commanders are likely without Terry McLaurin. That could lead to some solid volume for the anticipated starting tight end for Washington.
TE Stashes:
Chig Okonkwo (TEN): The Saints are the toughest match-up for tight ends in the league, so Okonkwo isn’t someone I’d want to start this week. But if he plays the majority of snaps as anticipated, he’ll be well worth having later in the season.
Dalton Kincaid (BUF): We really don’t know how Buffalo plans to use their tight ends, and it will probably vary over the course of the season. But because there’s a lot of upside, it’s worth rostering the rookie Bill just to see what happens.
Luke Musgrave (GB): The Packers have a difficult match-up for their rookie tight end in Week 1, but if he plays every down as expected, he’ll be a great option against the Falcons in Week 2.
K Streamers:
Graham Gano (NYG): The Giants face the Cowboys in what should be a high-scoring game against a team that conceded a lot of field goals last season.
Jason Myers (SEA): The Seahawks are heavy favorites against the Rams in what could be a big win. The Rams conceded a lot of points to kickers last year, and their defense has only gotten worse in 2023.
DST Streamers:
Jaguars DST (JAC): The Colts were 2022’s best DST match-up, and they’ve got a rookie quarterback with questionable accuracy this season. The Jaguars DST should be the lucky recipient of a lot of juicy fantasy points.
Seahawks DST (SEA): If the Rams are without Cooper Kupp, they’ll really struggle to move the ball against Seattle. That could mean a lot of risks taken and a lot of turnovers or sacks.
Please note I won’t be listing any kicker or DST stashes, as you should never roster more than one of either of these positions.
Remember to check out my full rankings for all positions at ffdfantasyfootball.com.
