Fantasy Football Week 1 is here and the start or sit questions for the bench is always tough for the first game and some starter options include Steven Jackson, Cam Newton, Jacquizz Rodgers, Shane Vereen, Montee Ball, Marshawn Lynch, Kendall Wright and Demaryius Thomas, while players like Josh Gordon, Percy Harvin and Antonio Gates should be on the bench for the first 2014 matchup of the season and Cam Newton is a game time decision for the Bucs on Sunday.
Steven Jackson, Shane Vereen, Montee Ball and Lynch are some players to start at RB in Week 1. Steven Jackson will be a player to watch all season since he is coming off of a year with injury issues, but for Week 1 he should be a good start option. For fantasy owners worried about his health, this could be the only week of the season where he is fully ready to do, so team owners should take advantage. Jackson is the main back and he should get the bulk of the work in week 1, even if Devonta Freeman and Jacquizz Rodgers eventually take some of that away.
Lynch is a solid start in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, as they have a run defense that has some holes and while they are improved from last year, expect Lynch to get some strong work in the first game. Lynch is coming into the season after a run of three great years, going over 1200 yards each time including last season when he had 1257 yards and 12 touchdowns. The previous season he had 11 scores and 1590 yards for a career high and he has not had less than 11 TDs in each of the past three years and he is expected to be strong again this year.
Jackson had been healthy for most of his career up until last season and he played in just 12 games last year and rushed for 542 yards, his leads amount since back when he was a rookie. Jackson rushed for over 1000 yards every season apart from his rookie year and last season and now he is expecting to bounce back from that. Jackson had six touchdowns last season and that was his mist since back in 2010 when he had the same and 2008 when he had seven and he could also be the top goal line option for the team.
Ben Tate is also another good start option and while the Browns have a tough matchup with the Steelers to open the season, expect Tate to get plenty of work. The Browns have Josh Gordon out for the season and he comes in with the first true chance to start after playing in Houston behind Arian Foster. Vereen is also coming off of an injury year and he is expected to be the top running back in NE with Stevan Ridley. Last season he had 47 catches and that was more than his rush attempts and while he played in just eight games, je is expected to be fully healthy and is a strong start in PPR leagues.
Montee Ball and Kendall Wright are also solid start options, as they have good matchups in Week 1. Josh Gordon and Wes Welker are bench players for the first four weeks and Gordon is for the rest of the season after he was suspended, while Welker was banned four games.
