The highly anticipated Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season is back again, which means the start of another equally-important season: fantasy football.
Especially in Week 1 you’re likely starting all your big-name guys, not super worried about matchups. And if you are looking at matchups, maybe you’re shelving a defense to play next week instead and are on a one-week commitment.
Back by popular demand this season: the top five fantasy football sleepers each week. Maybe it’s guys you haven’t heard of. Maybe they’re rookies or on a new team? Maybe they’re filling in for an injury? Regardless, these picks ended up on the right side of the ball more often than not last season.
Let’s be honest, do you need to be told to start both quarterbacks in the Sunday Night Football Rams/Lions matchup or to start the Bills defense at home against Arizona, who will be on a cross-country trip and 1 p.m. start?
But you may need that extra oomph to start someone you’re on the fence with. You also may have taken a gamble in the draft, feel depleted at a position, and are looking to slyly slide someone in this week. And let’s be honest, this happens most weeks.
To help you out, this article contains my top five fantasy football Week 1 sleepers and why.
Geno Smith (SEA-QB)
vs Denver Broncos, 4:05 p.m. EST
I feel Denver is at a disadvantage in many positions on both sides of the ball. Most importantly, a rookie quarterback is starting his career on the road in a daunting stadium with underwhelming weapons. Miscues offensively and defensively will give the Seahawks offense more time on the field.
For Geno Smith, that pairs well with all his weapons being healthy for Sunday. I’ll be shocked if Tyler Lockett (thigh) misses the opener, he’s playing in some capacity, and D.K. Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Kenneth Walker will be out there.
Smith wasn’t a barn-burner fantasy-point-wise in most games last year, but the Broncos allowed the eighth-most points to quarterbacks last season. I usually feel comfortable with Smith reaching the 200-yard mark and two touchdowns. I think he can surpass this on Sunday, despite the Seahawks’ new offensive coordinator coming in from the University of Washington. Walker is one of the most underrated backs in the league, and when he gets going, so does Smith.
Aaron Jones (MIN-RB)
@ New York Giants, 1 p.m. EST
The Vikings won’t be frequenting this list much, but luckily, they’re playing a team that might be worse than them this season. I have no idea whether this will be a 10-7 game or high-scoring. Regardless, the game script against a poor team benefits Aaron Jones either way.
Jones should be fed carries if it’s close or Minnesota is winning despite a lackluster offensive line and Sam Darnold under center. Should the Vikings need to pass, he’ll get work in the passing game – and maybe more than strictly out of the backfield. His reception number was down in his final year in Green Bay mainly because of A.J. Dillon, but there was a time when Jones was the bell cow for the Packers.
This is also Minnesota’s easiest rushing matchup until its Week 7 bye, as dates with the 49ers, Packers, and Jets loom. If you want to justify drafting Jones, this is the week when he checks in at low-end RB2/Flex consideration on The Wolf’s Week 1 Rankings.
Javonte Williams (DEN-RB)
@ Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. EST
One season ago, Seattle allowed the second-most points to running backs, on average. Rookie QB Bo Nix is making his first NFL start, and giving him any extra help the team can, it will. The Broncos may be a run-heavy team until Nix has more game-time practice with his receivers.
These receivers also look different than the team’s supporting cast in recent years. Marvin Mims, a touted rookie last season, was mostly quiet. He could come into the matchup as Denver’s No. 2 behind Courtland Sutton after the Broncos axed both Tim Patrick and Lil’Jordan Humphrey at final roster cuts. Josh Reynolds also joins the Broncos this season – completing one of the most underwhelming casts to begin the season.
Williams, on a struggling Broncos team last season, had double-digit carries in all but two games. He also had six games with at least 15 carries. I like him around this number in Week 1. He checks in behind Aaron Jones at RB22 on our Week 1 Rankings.
Khalil Shakir, WR, Buffalo Bills
vs Arizona Cardinals, 1 p.m. EST
Buffalo exchanged Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis for rookie Keon Coleman and Curtis Samuel, while elevating Khalil Shakir to its de facto WR1.
This will be the toughest receiving corps quarterback Josh Allen has had in his career. Shakir, who only had 10 catches for 161 yards as a rookie, boosted his output to 611 yards on 39 receptions in year two.
Thankfully for him, Allen can make no-name receivers shine. This is probably part of the reason Davis was viewed as an asset and part of why he is no longer a Bill.
But you’re making a mistake if you don’t circle when West Coast teams are forced to travel and play bright and early at 1:00 PM on the east coast.
Arizona will also have a rocky offense and defense, likely giving the Buffalo offense plenty of time to practice its chemistry. Shakir is also the only top-three receiver on the team to have any gameday chemistry with Allen.
Zach Ertz (WAS-TE)
@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4:25 p.m. EST
As one of the reasons I like Javonte Williams this week is the same reason I like Zach Ertz. The Buccaneers don’t have much room from one season ago to be worse against tight ends. They gave up the second-most points to the position and allowed more than 100 receptions overall.
Ertz is the starting tight end in the nation’s capital until he loses it. I’ll worry about rookie Ben Sinnott taking over in later weeks.
Ertz’s veteran presence will help take the pressure off rookie QB Jayden Daniels and No. 1 receiver Terry McLaurin. The 33-year-old, like Aaron Jones, will bring leadership to a young offense and should be a safety blanket regardless of gamescript. I like Ertz for at least five catches, regardless.
