You have lineup questions, we have lineup answers -- at least we hope so. Start 'Em, Sit 'Em is here to help fantasy managers make difficult roster decisions. And you know what is a good move? Starting Christian McCaffrey. But that's too obvious, so you won't see such simple analysis here. Instead, we're exploring more debatable situations. And if you can't find a player you are looking for, please check out the latest NFL Fantasy lineup rankings.
Start 'Em
Koo has been one of the best real-life kickers for years. His issue in fantasy? His offenses have often been slow paced and low scoring. That should be different now. That said, this is the type of matchup where the Falcons could move the ball but stall out before scoring a touchdown. Koo is a must-start in Week 1.
McPherson just got paid; now he'll look to make the Patriots pay in Week 1. The Bengals are one of the best offenses in the league when Joe Burrow is out there. But the Pats' defense is good enough to hold them to a field goal once or twice. Cincy likely will take the points in this one, seeing how New England's offense isn't exactly poised to light up the scoreboard in 2024.
"Dicker The Kicker" was money in preseason, and I expect that to carry over into the regular season. This could be a game where the Chargers get into field goal range but not much further. With this expected to be a lower-scoring battle, I'd expect Jim Harbaugh to take the points.
Shout-out to fantasy researcher Careen Falcone, who has been on the Cairo Santos train since Day 1! Santos was a very effective kicker for Chicago last year -- he just didn't always get a ton of opportunities due to an inconsistent offense. I expect that to be different this year. But the Titans did revamp their defense, which could lead to Bears drives stalling out in field-goal range.
Sit 'Em
Bass has experienced kicking misadventures of late, both in camp and dating back to last season. For years, he was a name you could trust in fantasy, but that changed down the stretch in 2023. He easily could regain his previous form, but the Bills often opt to be aggressive, which doesn't always lead to the most kicking opportunities. I would play it safe for now.
The Vikings drafted the Reichard in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The former Alabama kicker is the FBS all-time leading scorer. So, yeah, he is pretty good. And he could quickly blossom into an every-week starter. But how effective will this Vikings offense be? Reichard is a kicker to keep a close eye on, but not necessarily one to start in Week 1.
The longtime Steelers kicker had a great year in 2023 after a down 2022. But just because he makes field goals at a high rate, that doesn't mean you need to trust him in fantasy. Last season, Boswell had just 31 FG attempts. That equates to less than two per game. The Steelers just run a slower-paced, low-scoring offense. Until we see otherwise, you can stay away.
Gano is an effective real-life kicker, but how many opportunities will this offense give him? Perhaps the Giants can regain their 2022 form after an abysmal 2023, but until we see that, it is best to look elsewhere in the fantasy realm. You can certainly find a safer option in Week 1.
