Welcome to The Fantasy Football Universe Week 1 Fantasy Football IDP Matchup Guide. This column will not tell you specifically who you should start or sit with, rather it will show you which players have the best and worst matchups from there. This isn’t meant to convince you to sit your studs in favor of streaming options it’s meant to help you determine which lower-ranked players could be streaming options best on a favorable matchup and which studs could be in for a down week based on a bad matchup.
*The information average of the team logo indicates the team and their matchup. I chose to list it by team instead of by players due to the wide variety of options at each position. Instead of “Sauce Gardner” it will simply say “Jets DB”. It’s up to you to decide which player from that position you like best. The other reason for this is due to the nature of the position. Some defenders will shadow a specific player while others will stay on their side of the field. This can be unpredictable and is open to interpretation and personal preference. The number next to that position group indicates their opponent’s matchup against that position. 1 would indicate the best fantasy matchup for that position, while 32 indicates the worst fantasy matchup.
The information under the team logo shows their opponent and the average points per game they are allowing to that position.
Defensive End Matchups
Must Start: Start Steelers DEs in Week 1. They start the 2024 season with a matchup against Kirk Cousins who wasn’t exactly a rushing quarterback in the best of seasons. Now, rehabbing from a serious Achilles injury that ended his 2023 season Cousins will be a statue of a quarterback in the pocket for the Falcons. I expect the Falcons offense to move the ball, so the Steelers should see plenty of chances to pile up sacks on the immobile Cousins.
Must Sit: Sit the Jets DEs. The San Francisco 49ers are a slow and methodical offense that will grind opponents to a halt. Add in a quarterback who doesn’t take many chances and qualifies as a game-manager and the Jets will struggle to rack up IDP points as they spend much of their day trying to chase down Christian McCaffrey.
Defensive Tackle Matchups
Must Start: For the exact reason you were sitting the Jets DEs, we are starting the Jets DTs. The 49ers should have this game well in hand and there will be ample opportunities for the Jets to rack up high tackle numbers as they try to get their hands on McCaffrey. I expect the 49ers to be milking the clock late in the game, which means more running straight up the middle at the heart of the Jets’ defense.
Must Sit: The Denver Broncos are a mess on offense. A rookie quarterback, a poor offensive line, and a run game full of uncertainty. This matchup has the potential for the Seahakws DTs to absolutely tee off on the Broncos behind the line of scrimmage. Look for the Seahawks to be in the Denver backfield early and often in this opening week tilt.
Linebacker Matchups
Must Start: It’s a good week to match up with the Broncos offense, so you will probably want to start all your Seahawks. As I stated above, a rookie quarterback making his first NFL start is certain to lead to opportunities. The Seahawks linebackers are likely to throw exotic blitzes and motions at the rookie all day and will undoubtedly rack up tackles, sacks, and interceptions all day long.
Must Sit: Jayden Daniels is going to be a problem for NFL defenses from the second he steps on the field in Week 1. That’s why you need to avoid Buccaneers LBs in Week 1. Daniels is fast, strong, and highly mobile and will be tough to take down. His rushing ability also means he can afford to be conservative with his throws instead of forcing it in. This combination will lead to opposing defenders recording fewer tackles, sacks, and interceptions. I anticipate that Daniels is going to become a weekly avoid in this column for IDP opponents.
Cornerback Matchups
Must Start: Matthew Stafford has always been a high-volume gunslinger who throws early and often and with the weapons he has at his disposal you can expect that to happen here. This will be Stafford’s first appearance to Detroit since the Rams were eliminated last season and Stafford is going to want to exact some revenge. If I know one thing about Stafford, it’s that his pride will cause him to rack up some impressive stats in this game, but that’s going to come with some turnovers. A risk-taking Stafford and some impressive new cornerbacks for the Lions are sure to make for a productive outing.
Must Sit: The Chiefs were a secondary to be feared last year behind L’Jarius Snead. Unfortunately, Snead moved on in the offseason and this year’s unit will not be nearly as daunting. Add in a matchup with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry and the Ravens factor to be the ultimate rushing team. It’s entirely possible that this Ravens squad sets an NFL record for combined rush attempts and chooses to ignore the passing game entirely. Steer clear of the Chief’s CBs in Week 1.
Safety Matchups
Must Start: Take everything I said above about the Lion’s cornerbacks and apply it here. Stafford is going to be antsy to sling the ball all over the yard and the Lons have an impressive assortment of rookie defensive backs that will look to make a statement against a former hometown hero. Start the entire Lions secondary in this game in what should be a shootout.
Must Sit: For the exact reasons I am starting the Lions’ safeties, I am benching the Rams’ safeties. Jared Goff has nothing to prove as he has already exacted his revenge on his former squad. Goff also is not known as a gunslinger and is more of a game-manager. Add in Dan Campbell’s predilection with an old-school rushing approach and the Lions figure to take far better care of the ball than the Rams do in this matchup.
If you enjoyed our Week 1 Fantasy Football IDP Matchup Guide, check out our weekly Sit & Start column to see all the players we are targeting and fading this week, and head over to The FFU YouTube Channel to see our daily videos.
