Start or Sit These Players on Monday Night to Win Week 1 Fantasy
The first Monday Night Football game of the season pits the Baltimore Ravens against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Week 1 is just the beginning. Fantasy Football is a four month journey, that hopefully concludes in a Fantasy Championship. I will be with you every step of the way, with recommendations on who to start and who to sit for every Monday Night matchup.
With out further ado, let’s make the moves required to wrap up your week one victory.
Quarterback
Monday Night Football Start/Sit Week 1
Derek Carr – Las Vegas Raiders – Sit
Derek Carr is a better QB than I believe he gets credit for. Carr had one of the best seasons of his career in 2020, throwing for over 4100 yards, 27 touchdowns, and only 9 interceptions.
A lot has changed in Las Vegas since last season, and it mostly changed for the worst. Nelson Agholor who meshed well with Carr, has left via free agency, and the Raiders completely rebuilt their offensive line making it worse in the process.
The good news is Darren Waller remains and the addition of Kenyan Drake will help as well. There will be plenty of weeks that you should start Derek Carr, week one however isn’t one of them.
The Baltimore Ravens were third best in the league a year ago versus the opposing team QB. They gave up on 16.7 points per game to the position. Entering 2021, The Ravens’ defense is stacked. The secondary is among the NFL’s best, and the D-line is the same one that stuffed Derrick Henry in the playoffs. The pass rush might be the weakness of this defense, but in this one versus the Raiders make shift O-line it will be just fine. Sit Derek Carr on Monday night.
Lamar Jackson – Baltimore Ravens – Start
Telling you to start Lamar Jackson seem silly, if you roster Lamar, you are starting him period, regardless of matchup.
This offseason the Ravens focused on adding pass catching weapons for Lamar. They attempted to sign Kenny Golladay, and Juju Smith-Shuster, and landed Sammy Watkins. They drafted Rashod Bateman, and Tylan Wallace. The additions are beat up for the most part, Sammy Watkins has missed time, Bateman is on IR and Marquise Brown is dealing with a soft tissue injury.
Despite the depleted WR core, Lamar still possess to give you starting level fantasy QB play with his legs alone. Initially this offseason I felt as though Lamar would run less often in 2021. The season ending injuries to J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill has changed my mind. Lamar is my QB2 this week start him with absolute confidence.
Running Back
Monday Night Football Start/Sit Week 1
Josh Jacobs / Kenyan Drake – Las Vegas Raiders Sit
Josh Jacobs ADP took a beating this offseason, and if you added him to you fnatasy roster in drafts this season, I believe you got yourself a nice back at a great value.
Kenyan Drake arrives via free agency after an up and down season in Arizona a year ago.
Their O-line is weak, and these two backs are certain to share the workload in the Vegas backfield. I anticipate Jacobs to be used more in the run game, and Drake to be used more in the passing game. When they enter the red zone, I have no clue how they will be used.
The Ravens run defense is legit, limiting opposing teams RBs to to a combined 20.7 points per game last season.