I’m not going to waste your time telling you to start Ja’Marr Chase or Jahmyr Gibbs. These are seven calls where my Week 1 rankings are pushing me to be more aggressive, or more cautious, than the name value suggests.
Justin Herbert is a top-four quarterback for me. Patrick Mahomes is outside my top 15. Parker Washington is ahead of Brian Thomas Jr. this week. Those are some of my early leans for week 1.
Scoring: These calls use my current Week 1 Half-PPR rankings. Rest-of-season rank is included so you can see when I’m making a one-week call instead of changing how I value the player for the year. See the full Week 1 fantasy football rankings.
My 7 Week 1 Fantasy Football Start/Sit Calls
| Player | Week 1 RankWeek 1 | ROS RankROS | My Call |
|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Herbert QB · LAC | QB4 | QB7 | START |
| Patrick Mahomes QB · KC | QB16 | QB11 | SIT* |
| Jake Ferguson TE · DAL | TE8 | TE10 | START |
| Malik Nabers WR · NYG | WR26 | WR15 | SIT* |
| D’Andre Swift RB · CHI | RB33 | RB31 | SIT |
| Parker Washington WR · JAX | WR27 | WR36 | START |
| TreVeyon Henderson RB · NE | RB36 | RB28 | SIT |
*The Mahomes and Nabers calls depend on your alternatives. I’m not benching either one for a desperation play. The point is that I do not think their name value should automatically beat a healthy top-12 quarterback or top-24 receiver on my Week 1 board.
Have a Different Week 1 Decision?
Use the PFM Start/Sit tool when your lineup comes down to two players. Pick the lineup spot, search both names and compare them against the same Week 1 Half-PPR rankings behind this article. Rest-of-season rank adds another check when the weekly call is close.
Justin Herbert: Start Him, Even Over Bigger QB Names
I already had Herbert on my league-winner list, and Week 1 is the first spot where I’m willing to push that bet. I have him QB4, ahead of Dak Prescott, Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels and Patrick Mahomes.
The Chargers gave us a quick look at Mike McDaniel’s offense in the preseason finale when Herbert hit Quentin Johnston for a 65-yard touchdown. One preseason throw does not decide a fantasy ranking, but I like the combination of Herbert’s arm, the rushing floor he showed last season and a home opener against Arizona.
Patrick Mahomes: Sit Him If You Have a Top-12 Option
Yes, this one is uncomfortable. Mahomes is QB16 for me in Week 1 even though I still have him QB11 rest of season. Denver enters the year No. 5 in PFM’s defense ratings with an 84.4 grade, and that is enough for me to treat this as a one-week downgrade.
I would start Jared Goff, Trevor Lawrence or Matthew Stafford over Mahomes this week because all three sit inside my top 12. If Mahomes is your only quality quarterback, play him. I am not telling anyone to force a bad waiver move just to bench Patrick Mahomes.
Jake Ferguson: A Better Week 1 Start Than the Fringe TE1 Tier
If you waited at tight end and landed Ferguson, this is one of the weeks I am willing to use him confidently. I have him TE8, which puts him ahead of the streamer tier and right in the back-end TE1 range.
Dallas does not need Ferguson to lead the team in targets for him to matter. He can live on steady middle-of-the-field work and red-zone chances with Dak Prescott, and that is enough for me to prefer him over the touchdown-chasing options in the TE10 to TE16 range.
Malik Nabers: The Season-Long Rank Is Better Than the Week 1 Rank
This is probably the hardest receiver call on the list because I still like Nabers for the season. He is WR15 in my rest-of-season rankings, but I have him down at WR26 for Week 1 as he works his way back from last year’s knee injury.
John Harbaugh said on September 1st that Nabers started practice with the training staff before taking most of the team reps, and he described the plan as day-to-day. That is real progress. It is also not the same as giving me a full summer of normal work heading into the opener.
D’Andre Swift: Do Not Force Him Into a Flex Spot
Swift is the player that sits closeest to the start/sit line. I have him RB33 this week and RB31 rest of season, which tells you I see him as a fringe flex rather than a player I need to force into lineups.
The name is still stronger than the weekly role for me. Chicago has more ways to spread touches now, and if I already have a cleaner RB2 or flex option, I do not need to bet on Swift finding the end zone to save the week.
Parker Washington: My Favorite Deep Flex Call of Week 1
This is the call that probably looks strangest if you are still thinking about draft names. Washington is WR27 for me this week, while Brian Thomas Jr. is WR36. If those are the two players I am choosing between, I’m starting Washington.
Washington led Jacksonville last season with 58 catches for 847 yards and five touchdowns. Thomas finished with 48 catches for 707 yards and two scores. Liam Coen has made it clear that Thomas, Jakobi Meyers, Washington and Travis Hunter will all have plays designed for them, so this is not a bet that the rest of the receiver room disappears.
Thomas is healthy enough to play, which actually makes the ranking more interesting. I just like Washington’s Week 1 spot more than the market is likely to, and my board is willing to use him as a WR3 or flex.
TreVeyon Henderson: Do Not Force the Wednesday-Night Risk
This can still change before kickoff, but I am not starting Henderson as things stand now. He did not practice Sunday or Monday because of an ankle injury, and New England plays Wednesday night. Mike Vrabel said the Patriots would see how Henderson feels and what he is able to do before the opener.
I have Henderson at RB36 for Week 1 compared with RB28 rest of season. Rhamondre Stevenson is RB27 on my weekly board, so I am not treating Henderson like the clear New England back to force into a flex while the ankle is still limiting his work.
Ranks reviewed: September 8th, 2026. Week 1 Half-PPR rankings can move before kickoff as injury and availability news changes. Henderson and Nabers are the two calls on this list I would check again closest to game time.
Sources & Ranking Review
- PFM: Week 1 and Rest-of-Season Fantasy Football Rankings, Start/Sit Tool and 2026 NFL Defense Ratings. Current PFM ranks and matchup context used in this article.
- Los Angeles Chargers and Dallas Cowboys: Herbert’s preseason finale in Mike McDaniel’s offense and Dak Prescott’s expectations for the Cowboys offense.
- New York Giants: John Harbaugh’s September 1st update on Malik Nabers.
- Chicago Bears: Current Bears role and touch context were reviewed against PFM’s live Week 1 and rest-of-season rankings for D’Andre Swift.
- New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars: Week 1 injury report on TreVeyon Henderson and Liam Coen on Jacksonville’s receiver group and Week 1 readiness.
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