Free tool · Week 1 · Sep 8 – Sep 14 · No signup
Week 1 start/sit: who to start this week
The players this week's schedule lifts, the ones it drags down, and how many points the matchup is actually worth — so a flex decision stops being a guess.
Week 1 · Sep 8 – Sep 14
Start them — week 1
Ranked by how much the matchup adds to a normal week for that player.
| Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen HurtsQB · PHI | vs WAS | 24.5 | +2.5 | vs WAS grades good matchup — worth about 2.5 points above his normal week. |
| Baker MayfieldQB · TB | @ CIN | 23.3 | +2.8 | @ CIN grades smash spot — worth about 2.8 points above his normal week. |
| Lamar JacksonQB · BAL | @ IND | 24.2 | +1.2 | @ IND grades neutral — worth about 1.2 points above his normal week. |
| Joe BurrowQB · CIN | vs TB | 22.7 | +1.5 | vs TB grades neutral — worth about 1.5 points above his normal week. |
| Justin FieldsQB · NYJ | @ TEN | 20.8 | +1.9 | @ TEN grades smash spot — worth about 1.9 points above his normal week. |
| Saquon BarkleyRB · PHI | vs WAS | 20 | +2.1 | vs WAS grades good matchup — worth about 2.1 points above his normal week. |
| Ja'Marr ChaseWR · CIN | vs TB | 20.8 | +1.3 | vs TB grades neutral — worth about 1.3 points above his normal week. |
| Justin HerbertQB · LAC | vs ARI | 19 | +2.3 | vs ARI grades smash spot — worth about 2.3 points above his normal week. |
| Malik NabersWR · NYG | vs DAL | 18.6 | +2.4 | vs DAL grades smash spot — worth about 2.4 points above his normal week. |
| CeeDee LambWR · DAL | @ NYG | 18.2 | +0.6 | @ NYG grades good matchup — worth about 0.6 points above his normal week. |
| Bucky IrvingRB · TB | @ CIN | 16.1 | +1.9 | @ CIN grades smash spot — worth about 1.9 points above his normal week. |
| A.J. BrownWR · PHI | vs WAS | 16.3 | +1.7 | vs WAS grades good matchup — worth about 1.7 points above his normal week. |
Sit them — week 1
Names the schedule works against. Elite players still start; treat this as the tiebreaker for a flex spot.
| Player | Matchup | Proj | Swing | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drake MayeQB · NE | @ SEA | 14.6 | -2.8 | @ SEA grades nightmare — about 2.8 points below his normal week. |
| Josh AllenQB · BUF | @ HOU | 20.6 | -2.7 | @ HOU grades nightmare — about 2.7 points below his normal week. |
| Patrick MahomesQB · KC | vs DEN | 19.5 | -2 | vs DEN grades nightmare — about 2 points below his normal week. |
| Jayden DanielsQB · WAS | @ PHI | 20.7 | -1.8 | @ PHI grades nightmare — about 1.8 points below his normal week. |
| Jordan LoveQB · GB | @ MIN | 18.4 | -1.6 | @ MIN grades nightmare — about 1.6 points below his normal week. |
| Jaxon Smith-NjigbaWR · SEA | vs NE | 11.4 | -1.5 | vs NE grades nightmare — about 1.5 points below his normal week. |
| James CookRB · BUF | @ HOU | 10.8 | -1.4 | @ HOU grades nightmare — about 1.4 points below his normal week. |
| Bo NixQB · DEN | @ KC | 17.2 | -1.4 | @ KC grades nightmare — about 1.4 points below his normal week. |
| Nico CollinsWR · HOU | vs BUF | 14.4 | -1.2 | vs BUF grades tough — about 1.2 points below his normal week. |
| Kenneth Walker IIIRB · SEA | vs NE | 9.7 | -1.2 | vs NE grades nightmare — about 1.2 points below his normal week. |
| Kyler MurrayQB · ARI | @ LAC | 18.4 | -1.2 | @ LAC grades nightmare — about 1.2 points below his normal week. |
| Josh JacobsRB · GB | @ MIN | 12 | -1.1 | @ MIN grades nightmare — about 1.1 points below his normal week. |
Reading the swing column
Swing is the honest version of a start/sit call. It says how much better or worse this week is than a normal week for that specific player, in points. A plus two is real but small; it breaks a tie between two similar flex options and nothing more. A minus three on a fringe starter is the reason to play the other guy.
What it will never tell you to do is bench a player who is simply better. Matchup moves the margins. Talent and volume decide the week.
Start or sit by position
Full matchup-adjusted rankings for one position at a time.
Start/sit for every week this season
Each week keeps its own board, so a week 1 call stays readable after the games are played and next week's rebuilds on Tuesday.
FAQ
- How are start and sit calls made?
- Each player's season projection is converted to a weekly baseline, then adjusted for the defense he faces and the strength of his own offense. The swing column is the difference from his normal week, so you can see how much the matchup is actually worth.
- Should I ever bench a star because of a matchup?
- Rarely. The matchup swing is a few points either way, which is smaller than the gap between an elite player and a replacement. Use this board to settle flex spots and close calls, not to bench a first-round pick.
- Does it update every week?
- Yes. The week rolls over on Tuesday and every call is recalculated from the schedule automatically.
- Can I compare two specific players?
- Yes — the start/sit optimizer takes any two players in your scoring format and returns a head-to-head call with the reasoning.