Week 1 of the 2016 NFL season began with Thursday’s season-opening rematch between the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos. But there are still 15 other games to be played.
That means there are plenty of decisions to make with your fantasy football lineup before Sunday, especially if you don’t have any Panthers or Broncos on your team. Here are five sleepers to pick up off waivers and start in your Week 1 lineup.
Spencer Ware, Kansas City Chiefs RB
Spencer Ware is entering Week 1 as a player the fantasy football community is buzzing about as this year’s most hyped sleeper. The Chiefs running back is turning into a trendy fantasy pick in season long drafts and owners will be rewarded right away as Jamaal Charles’ injury means head coach Andy Reid will be going with Ware as the feature back to open the season.
With Ware’s current fantasy hype, he won’t be a sleeper for much longer, so this will likely be the last time you see the Chiefs running back on these lists this season. If you have Ware on your roster or if you are looking for a solid DFS running back this weekend, it is a wise move to start the Chiefs Week 1 starter against a Chargers defense that was awful against the run in 2015.
Dorial Green-Beckham really does look like Plaxico Burress. pic.twitter.com/t7aybLEsdw
— Joe Giglio (@JoeGiglioSports) August 28, 2016
Dorial Green-Beckham, Philadelphia Eagles WR
DGB had a decent, but not great, rookie season with the Tennessee Titans before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in August in a surprising move. The deal has Green-Beckham looking for a new start with a top rookie quarterback under center for the second straight season, and the controversial former college star at Mizzou will be an important receiver for Carson Wentz this year.
With Jordan Matthews entering Week 1 nursing an injury, DGB is a quality sleeper start as he will likely be the primary target for Wentz in his NFL debut. It is a risk starting a wideout who has a rookie quarterback making his NFL debut, but the Browns’ passing defense was awful in 2015 before shipping out 2014 first-round pick Justin Gilbert to Pittsburgh. Starting Green-Beckham could be a big reward play this weekend if Wentz can come out strong. If the Eagles are moving the ball through the air, there should be plenty of fantasy points for the Eagles’ top receiving option.
Consejo de vida, necesitas a Derek Carr o a Amari Cooper en tu equipo de fantasy. 🏈🏈⚡️⚡️ | @Raiders pic.twitter.com/DYYHVfFYlg — NFL Latino (@NFLlatino) August 28, 2016
Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders QB
Despite a strong second season, Oakland Raiders signal-caller Derek Carr is still an underrated quarterback option in fantasy going into 2016. He gives fantasy owners an opportunity to exploit a player who is going unnoticed, despite having a favorable Week 1 matchup and an offense loaded with weapons to use to his advantage.
Going up against a New Orleans Saints defense that was one of the worst in the league last season, Carr has a very tasty matchup in a game that should be a shootout to open the season. Expect Carr to be slinging the ball all over the Superdome to Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, looking to exploit a suspect Saints defense as the Raiders open their season on the road. If Carr is on his game, he could be one of the top scoring Week 1 passers as the Saints will have a tough time stopping him.
Christine Michael, Seattle Seahawks RB
The Seattle Seahawks will be looking to move on from the Marshawn Lynch era this season as Beast Mode hung up his cleats in the offseason. That put the pressure on the Seahawks to find a replacement for one of the best running backs of the decade. Taking over for Lynch role falls on the shoulders of Christine Michael in the season opener as the Seahawks take on the Miami Dolphins.
Michael returned to the Seahawks from the Dallas Cowboys last season and put together a handful of impressive outings late in the season. He rushed for 192 yards in three regular season games, adding 70 yards in the playoffs for the Seahawks after coming back to the team late in the year. Those numbers should increase with more touches this season, now that Lynch is out of the picture.
While Michael failed to register a touchdown for the Seahawks last season, fellow running back Thomas Rawls is expected to see limited action in Week 1. That should open plenty of opportunities for Michael to find the endzone. The Seahawks’ running back job will likely go to the hot hand throughout the season, but Michael appears to be the must-start back in Seattle for Week 1, at the very least.
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Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans RB
The last sleeper on this list is a risky play with DeMarco Murray expected to get the majority of the touches for the Tennessee Titans. But rookie Derrick Henry could be a dark horse to have a breakout debut after a dominant preseason. The former Alabama star took the league by storm in August, proving why he won the Heisman in his final collegiate season with the Crimson Tide.
Henry will be the No. 2 back with the Titans all season behind Murray. But after running all over their opponents throughout the preseason, the Tennessee offense should feature plenty of running plays to open the season. That means there will still be enough touches for Henry to make an impact right away. With Yahoo owners starting Henry in only 11% of lineups, Henry is a true sleeper that could also be a nice option in DFS for owners looking to play a running back with a low start rate.
