Dart Hits the Bullseye and Josh Allen Is a Trap: Your Week 1 Cheat Sheet
The Smash Start Nobody's Talking About
Jaxson Dart is a legit must-start in Week 1 and most people are still sleeping on him. The Giants rookie draws Dallas, which ranks dead last in the league against quarterbacks. Dead last. 32nd. Dart is projected for 21.7 points against a defense that cannot stop anyone at the position, and with a SOS adjustment of plus 4.3 baked into his ROS outlook, this kid has real legs beyond just one week. If you're in a two-QB or superflex format and he's sitting on your bench, fix that.
Javonte Williams is the other one. He's projected for 19.7 points against a Giants run defense that checks in at 31st in the league. Dallas gets the ball rolling in a smash spot, the implied total is favorable, and Williams is the featured back in that offense. Start him with full confidence.
The Fade of the Week: Josh Allen
This is the call that will cost some people. Josh Allen is the consensus top fantasy QB and everyone is starting him without a second thought. Don't. He draws Houston in Week 1, and the Texans rank first in the league against quarterbacks. First. His adjusted projection drops to 17.4 points, which is nearly five full points below Jalen Hurts this week. In a single-QB league, Allen is still startable. But if you have a streaming option in a good spot, this is the week to consider it.
Waiver Wire: The Real Adds
Devaughn Vele at New Orleans is the most-added player in the game right now, with over 839,000 adds. That kind of volume means opportunity is real. New Orleans has a very easy remaining schedule with favorable weeks sprinkled throughout the season. Vele is worth the stash even beyond Week 1.
Bryce Young in Carolina is trending up hard, with over 156,000 adds and a projected 16.58 points this week. His ROS ranking is climbing and he has a primary role secured. Grab him now before the window closes.
Injury to Watch: Zay Flowers Is Out
Zay Flowers is out this week with a hamstring injury, and that matters for Baltimore's passing game. Lamar Jackson is still a must-start in a smash matchup against Indianapolis, ranked 28th against quarterbacks. But the target distribution shifts. Watch for whoever steps into that slot role to see elevated volume in what projects as a high-scoring game. Jackson's 22.5 projected points are safe. The boom upside on his pass catchers just got reshuffled.
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