By Ryan Bologna
We are starting to see some injuries across the NFL, and that means there are some interesting decisions to make this week in fantasy football. We’ve compiled whom the top experts recommend starting to help you set your lineups.
Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow hasn’t exactly had the best start to the season, but Sunday night is an opportunity against the Ravens defense. Baltimore held a Joe Flacco-led Jets offense to nine points and held their own against the Bills, but they did not perform very well against the Dolphins and Patriots. Three out of our five outlets like Burrow this week, especially if wide receiver Tee Higgins is able to play.
Outlets are not high on Matthew Stafford, and understandably so. He had a terrible game against San Francisco on Monday night, and he will face another tough defense with the Dallas Cowboys coming into Los Angeles on Sunday. Stafford managers should probably avoid starting him this week.
| Start ‘Em | Sit ‘Em | |
| NFL.com | Joe Burrow, Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, Jared Goff, | Aaron Rodgers, Geno Smith, Matt Ryan, Kenny Pickett |
| ESPN | Derek Carr, Joe Burrow, Russell Wilson, Jared Goff, Trevor Lawrence | Carson Wentz, Matthew Stafford, Ryan Tannehill, Zach Wilson, Jameis Winston |
| CBS | Kirk Cousins, Trevor Lawrence, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Derek Carr | Matthew Stafford, Geno Smith, Marcus Mariota, Matt Ryan |
| Yahoo | Joe Burrow, Derek Carr, Kirk Cousins, Trevor Lawrence, Russell Wilson | Matthew Stafford, Jared Goff, Geno Smith, Jimmy Garoppolo, Zach Wilson |
| Sporting News | Tom Brady, Derek Carr, Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers | Matthew Stafford, Jared Goff, Geno Smith, Jimmy Garoppolo, Zach Wilson |
Running Backs
Four out of five of the outlets we tracked suggest starting Miles Sanders this week. The Eagles travel to Arizona to play the Cardinals this week. Sanders has 356 yards and three touchdowns so far this year, and the Eagles offense looks like a machine. Sanders could be a good start this week.
It is clear that experts expect a low-scoring game between the Cowboys and Rams this week. All five outlets recommend sitting Ezekiel Elliott this week. No one said explicitly to sit Tony Pollard, but they also weren’t necessarily high on him this week either. Cowboys vs Rams might be one of the best games this Sunday, but outlets don’t expect a lot of fantasy points coming from it.
| Start ‘Em | Sit ‘Em | |
| NFL.com | James Robinson, Josh Jacobs, Miles Sanders, Nyheim Hines | Ezekiel Elliott, Tyler Allgeier, Mike Boone, Michael Carter |
| ESPN | Miles Sanders, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Rhamondre Stephenson, Devin Singletary Breece Hall | Ezekiel Elliott, Antonio Gibson, Michael Carter, Cam Akers, Tyler Allgeier |
| CBS | Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stephenson, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Miles Sanders, J.K. Dobbins, Devin Singletary | James Connor, Ezekiel Elliott, Cam Akers, Tyler Allgeier, Antonio Gibson |
| Yahoo | Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Miles Sanders, Najee Harris, Damien Harris, J.K. Dobbins | Ezekiel Elliott, Kareem Hunt, Antonio Gibson, Tyler Allgeier, Cam Akers |
| Sporting News | J.K. Dobbins, Alvin Kamara, Damien Harris, Breece Hall, Kareem Hunt | Melvin Gordon, Ezekiel Elliott, Cam Akers, Rashaad Penny, Devin Singletary |
Wide Receivers
Sunday’s game at home against the Falcons is an opportunity for the Buccaneers to get right. All five outlets see Chris Godwin as the main target for Tom Brady. The strength of Atlanta’s defense is on the outside, so it makes sense for Tampa Bay to attack the slot. Godwin has a lot of potential this week.
Most outlets suggest sitting D.J. Moore this week, and it is easy to see why. Ben McAdoo isn’t working as an offensive coordinator, the Baker Mayfield trade isn’t working out and the Panthers are facing the 49ers this week. Everything about the matchup would suggest sitting Moore.
| Start ‘Em | Sit ‘Em | |
| NFL.com | Chris Godwin, CeeDee Lamb, DK Metcalf, Curtis Samuel | D.J. Moore, Elijah Moore, Julio Jones, Michael Gallup |
| ESPN | Chris Godwin, Curtis Samuel, Gabe Davis, Drake London, DK Metcalf | JuJu Smith-Schuster, Robert Woods, Romeo Doubs, Allen Lazard, Adam Thielen |
| CBS | Chris Godwin, Adam Thielen, Chris Olave, Brandin Cooks, Terry Mclaurin | D.J. Moore, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Brandon Aiyuk, Darnell Mooney |
| Yahoo | Chris Godwin, Terry Mclaurin, Curtis Samuel, Chris Olave, Diontae Johnson | Allen Lazard, JuJu Smith-Schuster, D.J. Moore, Robert Woods, Brandon Aiyuk |
| Sporting News | Gabe Davis, Chris Godwin, Terry Mclaurin, Curtis Samuel, Allen Lazard | Diontae Johnson, Drake London, Amari Cooper, Tyler Lockett, D.J. Moore |
Tight Ends
Tyler Higbee isn’t recommended by three out of five outlets. He was left off of the other two not because they don’t like him this week, it’s because he is becoming a pretty obvious start. Unless you have one of the superstar tight ends in the league, Higbee is a must-start.
David Njoku was mentioned multiple times in the Sit ‘Em category. He will likely appear in this category again until Deshaun Watson returns from his suspension. Maybe at that point he will blow up, but don’t expect anything great from Njoku before then.
| Start ‘Em | Sit ‘Em | |
| NFL.com | Zach Ertz, David Njoku, Dallas Goedert, Gerald Everett | Dawson Knox, Irv Smith, Mo Alie-Cox, Evan Engram |
| ESPN | Tyler Higbee, Zach Ertz, Gerald Everett, Kyle Pitts, Dallas Goedert | Hayden Hurst, Robert Tonyan, Logan Thomas, Irv Smith, Evan Engram |
| CBS | Tyler Higbee, Gerald Everett, Logan Thomas | Dalton Schultz, David Njoku, Mike Gesicki |
| Yahoo | Tyler Higbee, T.J. Hockenson, Dallas Goedert, Gerald Everett, Kyle Pitts | David Njoku, Tyler Conklin, Irv Smith, Robert Tonyan, Evan Engram |
| Sporting News | Kyle Pitts, Tyler Conklin, Tyler Higbee, Dawson Knox, Hayden Hurst | Pat Freiermuth, Gerald Everett, David Njoku, Robert Tonyan, Irv Smith |
