Quarterbacks

Start ‘Em

Justin Herbert (vs. Mia) – Herbert has an enticing matchup this week against a Miami Dolphins team that will be without Jalen Ramsey. Herbert threw for 367 yards in week 14 last year against the Dolphins and posted a 76.5 completion percentage. Expect similar results for Herbert along with 2 passing touchdowns.

Sit ‘Em

Aaron Rodgers (vs. Buf) – Rodgers has a tough matchup in his opening game with the New York Jets. The Jets offensive line will be tested all game long and even without Von Miller the Bills will be able to generate pressure. Rodgers struggled last year at Buffalo when he threw for just 203 yards.

Running Backs

Start ‘Em

Aaron Jones (vs. Chi) – Jones is in for a big day when the Packers visit the Chicago Bears. Green Bay is dealing with injuries to their top 2 receivers (Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs) which means more targets for Jones. We don’t know what to expect yet from Jordan Love but the Packers will likely rely on the run game in this one.

Sit ’em

Najee Harris (vs. SF) – Harris and the Pittsburgh Steelers have a tough opening matchup against the 49ers and their stout defense. San Francisco allowed only 3.4 YPC in 2022 and they just got Nick Bosa back in action. The Steelers will need to attack the 49ers defense through the air to have a chance in this one.

Wide Receivers

Start ‘Em

Jahan Dotson (vs. Ari) – Dotson is no longer under the radar after his impressive rookie season in Washington. The Commanders get a juicy matchup against a Cardinals defense that will struggle all season. Fellow receiver Terry McLaurin looks to be ready to play but he may not be 100% yet.

Sit ‘Em

DeAndre Hopkins (vs. NO) – We don’t know yet what to expect from Hopkins in this Titans offense. I plan to wait and see how he’s utilized before I put him in the starting lineup. The Saints will have a better-than-average defense this year and will be tough at home.

Tight Ends

Start ‘Em

Evan Engram (vs. IND) – It could be a long day for the Indianapolis Colts when Jacksonville comes to town. The Colts will need to play keep away to have any chance in this one. Expect Engram to have a big day against the Colts who struggled at times to stop tight ends in 2022.

Sit ‘Em

Kyle Pitts (vs. Car) – After a disastrous 2022 it’s hard to put your trust in Pitts. The Panthers finished in the top 10 in points allowed to tight ends last year. That along with the fact we don’t know what to expect from Desmond Ridder has me sitting Pitts this week.

Start of the Week

Jamaal Williams (vs. Ten) – Williams is a must-start for week 1. With Alvin Kamara sidelined due to suspension Williams will get the majority of the workload against the Titans. I don’t expect to see that many touches from rookie Kendre Miller until he gets up to speed. Don’t forget, Williams led the league with 17 rushing touchdowns last year.

The post 2023-24 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Week 1 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The current ADP below is for Half PPR scoring.

Jamaal Williams (Saints-RB) | ADP-109 | RB-38

Jamaal Williams was one of the biggest fantasy surprises last season with the Detroit Lions. Williams came out of nowhere and led the league in rushing touchdowns (17) along with 1,000+ rushing yards. He has since landed with the New Orleans Saints and it may be a perfect scenario for him.

Alvin Kamara is dealing with a legal situation that could cause him to miss time next season due to suspension. If that happens Williams should carry a majority of the load and that’s enticing for fantasy players. The Saints also drafted Kendre Miller during the 2023 NFL Draft but expect the rookie to be eased in slowly. At this current ADP picking up Williams is a no-brainer and a must-target in the mid-rounds.

James Conner (Cardinals-RB) | ADP-74 | RB-26

It’s a bit surprising that James Conner is not higher in the current ADP. Conner will be the focal point of the offense early on for the Arizona Cardinals as they wait for Kyler Murray to return. Expect a heavy workload for Conner who showed last year that when healthy he can be a top-10 back. Health is really the only concern going forward for Conner. If he can play in all 17 games next season I expect Connor to finish the RB15 territory.

Javonte Williams (Broncos-RB) | ADP-81 | RB-29

Javonte Williams is coming back from a serious ACL injury that cut his 2022 campaign short. Early indications are that Williams is recovering well from his injury and should be ready to go when the season starts. I am a big believer in Williams in the Sean Payton system as the RB could be in for a breakout year. He has all the makings of an elite running back with his speed and ability to break tackles. In 2021 Williams led the league in broken plus missed tackles forced at 17.2%. This was almost 3% higher than Rhamondre Stevenson who came in second place. If Williams is indeed fully healthy and ready for week 1 this will end up being a steal.

The post 3 Mid-Round RBs to Target in Fantasy appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Before the start of the 2022-2023 season, D’Andre Swift was a running back many were targeting as a breakout candidate. He had just finished the previous season with 1,069 total scrimmage yards and 7 total touchdowns. Swift was primed to be the RB1 for the Lions and the only real concern was his health. Fast forward almost a year and it’s safe to say Swift was a bust. He is no longer in Detroit as he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. How does that impact D’Andre Swift dynasty shares going forward? Let’s take a closer look at how to value the former Georgia Bulldog.

2022

In consensus rankings, before the 2022 season D’Andre Swift had an ADP in the early second round range. Some even had him creeping into the late first round. If you drafted him that high it was a gamble that didn’t quite pay off. Despite a handful of top 3 weekly finishes, Swift was never able to put up points consistently. He finished the season with 167.1 FP (Half PPR) which was respectable but not the production we need in an early round pick.

Swift’s best game came in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. He totaled 175 scrimmage yards in the game, including this walk-in touchdown.

The rest of Swift’s season was filled with ups and downs including him missing 3 games due to an ankle injury. Health has always been a concern with D’Andre Swift and we can’t put the fears to rest until he plays a full season. Along with health, the emergence of Jamaal Williams cut into Swift’s 2022 value. Williams finished with an incredible 17 rushing touchdowns and was RB12 last season. No one saw this coming and it just goes to show that there are always variables we don’t account for in our predictions.

2023

D’Andre Swift is now with the Eagles and when you look at it, it’s a great situation for him. Detroit has gone all in on rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs which made Swift expendable. In Philadelphia, Swift is going to an already loaded offense that runs the RPO to perfection. Swift should thrive in his new home and will make the Eagles offense that much more dangerous.

D’Andre Swift’s Dynasty Value

Where do I rank D’Andre Swift’s dynasty value for next year? Currently, I have him as RB13 in our Dynasty Rankings. In comparison, KeepTradeCut has him currently as RB21. I am higher than the FantasyPros ECR currently and it’s because I really like the fit in Philadelphia. The only real concern is his health which is no surprise. D’Andre Swift is a BUY for me and if he can stay healthy watch out.

The post D’Andre Swift Dynasty Outlook Right Now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The highly touted New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara was arrested after the 2022 NFL Pro Bowl for being accused of “battery” for seriously injuring a man at a club. It was proven by video at the club that Kamara did cause substantial harm against the individual as the Saints RB punched the non-aggressor eight times.

The outlook for Kamara in the NFL is far beyond murky. The Saints Pro Bowl RB could face jail time for the incident in Sin City. If Kamara doesn’t receive a jail sentence, he could likely face a suspension for his reckless decision. It seems logical that a six-game suspension is very possible for Kamara. It’s a grim situation for the Saints offense, as Sean Payton has already retired from his play calling duties.

Here is a look at how valuable Kamara has been for the Saints offense in his career thus far:

• 4,238 career rushing yards
• 47 rushing touchdowns
• 3,263 receving yards
• 20 receving touchdowns
• 4.6 career YPC
• Five straight Pro Bowl selections

All in all, the chances of Kamara missing significant game time in 2022 are highly likely. With that said, the Saints need to be fully prepared to replace Kamara’s services in the short term with the utmost talent. Here are a few options that the Saints and General Manager Mickey Loomis could look at to fill the potential void at the starting RB position.

Sony Michel – Los Angeles Rams

The Rams RB Sony Michel is preparing for a Super Bowl showdown very soon, but his future afterwards is mysterious. It would make sense if the Rams RB exits a team that has Cam Akers back and healthy. Michel could really look to collect a bigger paycheck and a larger role on a quality team. The Rams also need all of the money they can get as they aim to keep Odell Beckham Jr. and Von Miller on the team.

Michel would fit in well in a Black and Gold uniform. The former Pats RB is 26 years old and coming off a season where he ran angry for 845 yards and four touchdowns. Michel could be a fine complement to Mark Ingram in the Saints Brees-less offense. Michel could also be a nice value pickup, as he will likely be not one of the most sought out RBs in free agency. The Saints could ink Michel on a one or two year deal for $3-4 million per season.

Jerick McKinnon – Kansas City Chiefs

The speed demon Jerick McKinnon came back from the dead for Andy Reid’s Chiefs offense in the 2022 playoffs. Between his battle with the Steelers and Bengals, the 29 year old RB accumulated 237 total yards. The Chiefs post-season is of course over, as Joe Burrow came back and edged out KC in overtime. McKinnon is now a free agent and it’s not clear where he could land next.

It would make sense if McKinnon, also known as “Jet”, returned to the Chiefs. He fits well in the Chiefs pass heavy offense and he may want to build on what he started in Reid’s offensive attack. If there was a quality team that needed McKinnon more and had a plan to give him the ball in space, it would be the screen heavy New Orleans Saints team. McKinnon is another veteran RB that the Saints could get on a cheap deal.

Tevin Coleman – New York Jets

The Saints are all too familiar with New York Jets RB Tevin Coleman, as he yielded his will against the Saints as an Atlanta Falcon. Coleman averaged 4.2 YPC and mustered 356 yards behind a lackluster Jets OL in 2022. The 28 year old back has a few years left before his breaks fall off. Coleman is an all purpose back that can be an upgrade over Ty Montgomery. Coleman probably isn’t too eager to return to the Jets as a backup to Michael Carter.

Trade for Detroit Lions RB Jamaal Williams

Mickey Loomis isn’t scared to trade for a player that is the right fit. Jamaal Williams is a talented RB2 on a losing team (to say the least) and a fair deal between the two teams could take place. The Saints could could send a fourth round pick to the Lions for Williams, who is coming off a career season. Williams had a career high 601 rushing yards in 2022 and he could look to upgrade that stat with a potential starting role for the Saints. If Kamara only misses six games in 2022, they will still need a younger RB2 long-term as Mark Ingram is 32 years old. If Kamara is out of the Saints lockerroom for a long period, the Saints could definitely look at bringing in a franchise starting RB. There isn’t a profile in free agency that would help the Saints long term, so it would wise to target a younger, quality RB via a trade. The Saints also have familiarity with Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell, as Campbell was the Saints tight ends coach prior to accepting the Lions head coaching gig.

The post Alvin Kamara facing suspension: running back targets for the Saints appeared first on Pro Football Mania.