A massive part of succeeding in fantasy football is playing the match-ups and setting the right lineup.  Obviously there are some players, like Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell, that should never be left on your bench no matter their opponent, but for most this is not the case.  Below are my picks for who you should start and who you should sit this week at each position.

Quarterbacks

​Start

Kirk Cousins v SF
It's taken a while for the Cousins to really start clicking with his offence but I think the bye will have really helped the Redskins and I expect that to show against the 49ers on Sunday.  A home game against one of the worst teams in the league is the perfect recipe for a top fantasy performance from Cousins.

Sit

Jared Goff v JAX
The Jaguars have absolutely killed QB's this year allowing an average of only 5.45 fantasy points against in standard scoring. Ouch!  Goff has had an excellent start this year but I don't see him having his best day through the air against a dominant Jacksonville defence. Keep him on you bench this week!

Running Backs

​Start

Shane Vereen v DEN
Let me make one thing clear, I'm not saying you should be starting Vereen over your regular running backs, however, I do think he's a superb PPR streaming option for those with bye week problems.  The last time the Giants were without OBJ was the opening game of the season, a match that saw Vereen haul in 9 receptions and I expect to see a similar stat line against the Broncos.  The Broncos may have given up the fewest points to RB's this year but Vereen's value is as a receiver and with the No Fly Zone interested in the Giants' receivers, the veteran back should have nice matchups against linebackers.  If you're in a PPR pinch this week, look to Shane Vereen.

Sit

Aaron Jones v MIN
The rookie had a break out game in the Packers' win against Dallas on Sunday night, rushing for over 100 yards.  However, with Montgomery likely to be back in some capacity this weekend and a tough matchup against a solid Vikings defensive unit, Jones is a player that I'm likely to leave out of my lineup this week.

Wide Receivers

​Start

Danny Amendola v NYJ
When on the field, Amendola is quietly becoming Brady's favourite target and that's leading to high fantasy production, particularly in PPR leagues.  Unless the matchup is awful, and this week it definitely isn't, I'm going to have Amendola as a permanent fix in my flex. 

Sit

Jarvis Landry v ATL
Landry has somehow managed to be reasonably consistent so far this year, despite Cutler continuing at QB for the Dolphins.  However, I expect the Atlanta defence to be extra disruptive coming off their bye and if this is the case, Cutler, and therefore Landry, will struggle.  Even if Matt Moore comes in at some point in this game, he didn't seem to target Landry that often at the back end of last year so that won't save him either.  Jarvis is a low end flex play this week at best.

Tight Ends

​Start

George Kittle v WAS
Kittle had 7 receptions against the Colts last week, third amongst all tight ends.  Thats not bad.  I think he's becoming the number two target in the 49ers offence behind Pierre Garcon, so why not take a punt on the rookie against a Redskins team that has been kind to the TE this year?

Sit

Ed Dickson v PHI
My analysis for Dickson is identical to that of Marcedes Lewis a few weeks ago.  Last week was an anomaly, don't do it.

A massive part of succeeding in fantasy football is playing the match-ups and setting the right lineup.  Obviously there are some players, like Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell, that should never be left on your bench no matter their opponent, but for most this is not the case.  Below are my picks for who you should start and who you should sit this week at each position.

Quarterbacks

​Start

Trevor Siemian v OAK
Oakland gave up 365 passing yards to Kirk Cousins last week and I expect to see Siemian have his season high passing total this week against a tepid Raiders defence.  Trev played much better than expected through the first two weeks and despite having a poor game last week, he's set to bounce back as he returns to home turf in Week 4.

Sit

Cam Newton v NE
It's easy to get sucked into matchups and a see that the Patriots give up the most points to opposing QB's but don't let that fool you into thinking the Cam will have an easy day in Foxborough.  Newton hasn't looked right so far this year following his offseason shoulder surgery and until I see him looking healthier, I'm keeping Cam out of my lineup no matter who he's playing.

Running Backs

​Start

Joe Mixon v CLE
I know it was only one game but Mixon is finally trending upwards and getting close to the number of carries he deserves.  The talent is unquestionable and I'm predicting a break out week for the rookie against a Browns team that looks to be heading to yet another awful season.

Sit

Marshawn Lynch v DEN
The Denver run defence looks almost as good as their pass defence this year and even managed to hold Zeke Elliott to under 10 yards rushing just a few weeks ago.  To make a long story short, Beast Mode is going to struggle this week, refrain from starting him.

Wide Receivers

​Start

Adam Thielen v DET
While Diggs gets all the headlines due to his touchdowns, Thielen actually has more receptions AND more yards than his teammate and with a relatively good matchup against the Lions, Thielen is a PPR must start this week.

Sit

T.Y. Hilton v SEA
As tempting as it will be to play Hilton this week after he finally put up good numbers in Week 3, but you have to remember that it was against Cleveland.  I know the Seahawks haven't looked as good as expected so far this season but they're still a huge step up from the Browns and I can't see T.Y. making you happy this week.

Tight Ends

​Start

Jason Witten v LAR
Tight end has been the hardest position to predict so far this year, which is often the case, and this week is no different.   However I do expect Witten to have a solid game against the Rams and hopefully pick up a touchdown.

Sit

Marcedes Lewis v NYJ
Last week was an anomaly, don't do it.

A massive part of succeeding in fantasy football is playing the match-ups and setting the right lineup.  Obviously there are some players, like Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell, that should never be left on your bench no matter their opponent, but for most this is not the case.  Below are my picks for who you should start and who you should sit this week at each position.

Quarterbacks

​Start

Jay Cutler v NYJ
I never thought I'd be telling people to start Cutler but it looks like I just might be.  Okay, maybe don't start him over  Derek Carr or Matt Ryan, but I think Jay could have a solid game against a weak Jets team, making him a great streaming option this week.

Sit

Andy Dalton v GB
After his first two weeks it should be a given that Dalton shouldn't be in your lineup, however some people might be hoping for a bounce back.  Well I can tell you that it won't be happening this week.  Green Bay's defensive front destroyed the less than impressive Seahawks O-Line in Week 1 and I can see Mike Daniel's and the gang causing big problems to a similarly bad Bengals offensive line this week.  Leave Andy alone until further notice. 

Running Backs

​Start

Ty Montgomery v CIN
Montgomery was my must start running back last week and I will happily give him that title again in Week 3.  The game script is likely to be positive for Ty coming up against a Bengals team in turmoil and I have no doubts that he'll be an RB1 this week. 

Sit

Ameer Abdullah v ATL
I have a feeling Atlanta are going to get a good lead early in this contest, forcing Stafford and the Lions to quickly abandon a run game they don't have much confidence in in the first place.  This will leave Abdullah starved of touches as Riddick continues to see the bulk of the passing work.  Abdullah is a flex option at best.

Wide Receivers

​Start

Doug Baldwin v TEN
This is going to be the breakout week for angry Doug, it has to be.  Baldwin has has suffered massively from the lack of quality on the Seahawks offensive line as it's forced Russell Wilson to spend most of his time scrambling around the field instead of looking for his number one target.  With a matchup against the Titans, a team without a particularly special pass rush or secondary, I can see Baldwin putting up WR1 numbers and hopefully pull in a touchdown.

Sit

Larry Fitzgerald v DAL
I know the matchup looks good on paper but Carson Palmer targeted both Jaron Brown and J.J. Nelson more than Larry Fitzgerald against the Colts last week and until I see anything change in Arizona, Fitz won't be gracing my lineup.

Tight Ends

​Start

Eric Ebron v ATL
I can't really explain this one, I just have a strange feeling Ebron's going to get a touchdown or two this week.

Sit

Evan Engram v PHI
The rookie tight end has been Eli's most reliable target through the first two weeks but I expect that to change against the Eagles.  The Philly front seven will have Manning on the ground before he even has a chance to look up and throw the perfect seam pass to Engram, so leave him on your bench this week.

A massive part of succeeding in fantasy football is playing the match-ups and setting the right lineup.  Obviously there are some players, like Antonio Brown and LeSean McCoy, that should never be left on your bench no matter their opponent, but for most this is not the case.  Below are my picks for who you should start and who you should sit this week.

Quarterbacks

​Start

Alex Smith v PHI
As we all know by now, Alex Smith and the Chiefs put in a dominant performance against the reigning Super Bowl champions on Thursday night and with a favourable matchup against an Eagles secondary without Ronald Darby, Smith is a great streaming option in week 2.

Sit

Joe Flacco v CLE
This might look like a nice matchup for Flacco but the Cleveland defence looked much better than expected against the Steelers on Sunday, despite missing Myles Garrett, and with the Ravens now looking like a run first team, I can't see Flacco lighting it up against the Browns.

Running Backs

​Start

Ty Montgomery v ATL
Montgomery proved he could be a productive workhorse back against a strong Seahawks defence in the Packers season opener and I expect him to have an even better game against the Falcons .  With the Montgomery likely to see lots of passing work on top of his carries, the Green Bay RB is heading towards being a must start every week.

Sit

Isaiah Crowell v BAL
Crowell struggled against the Steelers rushing for only 33 yards from his 17 carries and I doubt he'll have much better luck against another division rival.  The Ravens defence looked nasty against the Bengals and completely shutdown the Cincinnati run game and I fully expect them to do the same against the Browns.

Wide Receivers

​Start

Larry Fitzgerald v IND
The Colts defence made Jared Goff and the Rams look like the best offence in the league and I have a feeling they might being do that a lot this year.  Despite Carson Palmer looking bad against the Lions, I can see him exploiting the lacklustre Indianapolis secondary that looks to be without Vontae Davis.  All this points towards Fitzgerald seeing lots of targets, making him a great flex option in PPR this week.

Sit

Dez Bryant v DEN
Denver didn't quite halt the passing game the way I expected against the Chargers but I still don't think Bryant has a chance of putting up high level production against Talib and co.  I expect to see the Cowboys lean more heavily on Zeke and the run game, leaving Des with few targets and great man to man coverage.

Tight Ends

​Start

Jared Cook v NYJ
Cook was involved more than expected in the Raiders passing game as he hauled in 5 receptions against the Titans.  With a week 2 matchup against the Jets, a team that struggled to contain Charles Clay last week, Cook has a chance of putting up good numbers once again in PPR.

Sit

Coby Fleener v NE
Despite their poor performance, the Patriots did manage to keep Travis Kelce reasonably quiet in week 1 and I can see them doing the same to Fleener.  

A massive part of succeeding in fantasy football is playing the match-ups and setting the right lineup.  Obviously there are some players, like Antonio Brown and David Johnson, that should never be left on your bench no matter their opponent, but for most this is not the case.  Below are my picks for who you should start and who you should sit this week.

Quarterbacks

​Start

Sam Bradford v NO
Although the Saints defence has improved this offseason, they're still along way away from being elite and remain a good fantasy matchup for quarterbacks.  Like most Saints games, the contest is likely to be high scoring with Bradford having to attempt to keep up with Drew Brees and his high powered offence.  Add to this that Bradford actually has some good weapons around him with Diggs, Thielen, Rudolph and Cook and the Vikings QB looks like a good option to start this week.

Carson Palmer v DET
At the end of last year Palmer started to return to his impressive form of 2015 and I think he might continue to produce at a high level as we start the season.  With both Jon Brown and David Johnson healthy and Larry Fitzgerald seemingly showing no signs of ageing, I can see Palmer exploiting a reasonably average Lions defence and being a solid play for week one.

Eli Manning v DAL
I'm not as optimistic as most when it comes to the potential of Brandon Marshall this year, but I am predicting great things for rookie TE Evan Engram.  With these additions, the Giants passing offence looks like one of the best in the league and, with the Cowboys secondary looking like one of the worst in the NFL, I fancy Eli to put up top 10 fantasy numbers this week.

Sit

Philip Rivers v DEN
As much as I think Rivers and the Chargers have a big year ahead of them, a Monday night game in Denver is probably the worst start possible when it comes to fantasy, I'll be benching the gun slinger this week.

Andy Dalton v BAL
The Bengals lost a lot of talent on the offensive line this offseason and failed to adequately replace it.  I think the strong Ravens defence will shut down Dalton and the Bengals offence, leaving the fantasy owners of the NFL's second favourite ginger quarterback disappointed.

Dak Prescott v NYG
Despite Zeke being cleared to play in week one, I expect Dak to struggle against one of the league's most formidable defences.  Janoris Jenkins is likely to take Dez Bryant out of the game and without him I can't see Prescott delivering high end fantasy numbers this week.

Running Backs

​Start

Isaiah Crowell v PIT
With it being rookie DeShone Kizer's first proper NFL game I expect Hue Jackson to lean heavily on the run game against the Steelers, so Crowell is likely to see a large volume of carries.  On top of that, many RB's exploited the Steelers' subpar run defence last year (none more so than Jay Ajayi) and I can see it still being a weakness for Pittsburgh in 2017.

Christian McCaffery v SF
After an electric preseason McCaffery is all set to light up the league and he has a great chance to do just that against the 49ers.  With Newton still not fully recovered from shoulder surgery, the Panthers will most likely try to protect him by having Cam check the ball down to McCaffery rather than scrambling out of the pocket making the rookie a great PPR option this week.

Todd Gurley v IND
I'm calling the Gurley bounce back this year and a game against the Colts is a great way to get that ball rolling.  The Indianapolis defence struggled against the run in 2016 and I can't see things changing much this year despite their offseason additions.  McVay also seems to want Gurley catching passes out of the backfield, further improving his fantasy output.

Sit

Leonard Fournette v HOU
The rookie out of LSU is still struggling with a foot injury and, with the Texans defence looking frighteningly good upfront, I can't see Fournette having a good week.  This season Fournette looks to be in for a large amount of carries but with a niggling injury and poor offensive line play looking like it will play a big factor, I'd leave Leonard on the bench this week.

Joe Mixon v BAL
Marvin Lewis has a history of working rookie running backs into the lineup incredibly slowly and I don't see things being any different with Mixon.  Despite his undeniable talent, I just can't see Mixon having enough volume in the run or passing game to be a starting fantasy RB just yet.  Add to this that the Baltimore defence looks to be one of the league's best and it's clear to me that Mixon should be left on the bench in week one.

Kareem Hunt v NE
I fully expect Andy Reid to get a great season out of Kareem Hunt in 2017, however I also expect Bill Belichick to find a way to keep him quiet in the NFL's season opener.   The Patriots were the worst fantasy match-up possible for an RB last season and I have no doubts that they will continue to be a fantasy players nightmare in 2017.

Wide Receivers

​Start

Pierre Garcon v CAR
Garcon thrived under Kyle Shanahan back in Washington and, if the preseason is any indication, the 49ers new number one wideout looks likely to be receiving an awful lot of targets in 2017.  With a favourable match-up against an poor Panthers secondary, I feel comfortable with Garcon as a top flex play this week, maybe even a WR2.

Michael Crabtree v TEN
Despite the Titans adding to their secondary in both free agency and the draft, I still see it as the biggest weakness in Tennessee.  Crabtree has been more productive in fantasy than Cooper over the past two seasons mainly due to his higher touchdown rate and I wouldn't be surprised to see him grab a few more TD's this Sunday.

Jamison Crowder v PHI
The addition of Ronald Darby will certainly help but the Philadelphia secondary remains a big worry for both the staff and fans of the Eagles.  Crowder already has a well established connection with Kirk Cousins and I don't think 8 or 9 receptions is out of reach this weekend, making Crowder a must play in PPR.

Sit

Keenan Allen v DEN
Receivers don't score well against Denver.  Ever.  That is all.

Davante Adams v SEA
Receivers don't usually score well against the Seahawks either and I don't feel Adams has the talent to find holes in the Legion of Boom.

T.Y. Hilton v LAR
Scott Tolzien looked incapable of getting the Colts offensive going in the preseason so I'd stay well away from all the pass catchers in Indy until Luck returns to the lineup.

Tight Ends

​Start

Zach Ertz v WAS
I predict that Ertz will lead the Eagles in receptions come the end of the year and I expect to see him make a good start against a team that he seems to enjoy playing against. Last year he had 10 receptions for 112 yards against Washington and I hope to see similar totals this time around.

Coby Fleener v MIN
Last season, when Snead was missing, Fleener's fantasy points tended to improve and with the receiver out with a three game suspension, Coby will be the number two target in one of the league's most pass heavy offences.  Unless you have one of the top 5 tight ends, put Fleener in your lineup this week.

Kyle Rudolph v NO
Rudolph was Bradford's go to guy last year and even though I expect the Vikings to open up the offence a bit more this season, the TE is likely to be targeted quite a few times against the Saints.

Sit

Hunter Henry v DEN
Until Antonio Gates breaks the NFL record for most receiving touchdowns by a tight end, Hunter Henry will remain behind Gates in the pecking order so until the veteran goes into the record books, I'd keep Henry out of your lineup.

CJ Fiedorowicz v JAX
The combination of Tom Savage and the Jags defence is not good for CJ by any stretch of the imagination.  Maybe he'll want Brock back?

Eric Ebron v ARI
I worry that Eric Ebron will have Tyrann Mathieu covering him for a lot of this game and if that's the case, I'd look to start another tight end.