Hey there, reader! I'm Matt. Most people call me Okada (there are too many Matts in the world). For the next 17 weeks, I'll be your guide on the Start 'Em, Sit 'Em fantasy journey.
As always, Start 'Em, Sit 'Em is geared toward helping fantasy managers make difficult roster decisions. You won't see "start Jahmyr Gibbs" or "sit Ben Skowronek" here. Instead, I'm exploring the players closer to the perceived fringe and aiming to optimize your lineups for another weekly win! Importantly, the new "Start of the Week" and "Sit of the Week" are the calls I have deemed the most notable in each category, not necessarily the most necessary players to start or sit.
Also, you'll see quite a few references in this year's column to NFL Pro, and the insights it provides through Next Gen Stats data dashboards, matchup evaluations, All-22 film, and the uniquely trained Fantasy AI Assistant. You can get access to all those tools yourself with an NFL+ Premium subscription!
P.S. Feel free to follow me on X -- @MattOkada -- and hit me with your questions, congratulations or complaints throughout the year.
Start 'Em
Start of the Week
Washington has consistently earned high praise throughout camp and the preseason, and justifiably so. He ascended as the WR1 over the second half of last season, leading the team with a 29.4 percent target rate and 3.2 yards per route run when he was on the field with Brian Thomas Jr. and Jakobi Meyers. He’ll be a legitimate fantasy WR2 out of the gate, and I’m not particularly concerned about a Browns defense that shipped away its best player in the offseason.
Notable starts
After trading a haul of picks, including a first-rounder, to Miami for Waddle this offseason, I expect the Broncos to weaponize him all over the field -- largely away from Chiefs stud rookie CB Mansoor Delane in this matchup.
Last year, the Falcons allowed the second-most touchdowns (17) and seventh-most yards (1,716) to outside wide receivers. They then watched CB Dee Alford depart in free agency. I also like Pittman over DK Metcalf as the top target for Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh.
In 2025, the Jets allowed a league-high 20 touchdowns, 115.6 passer rating and 0.28 EPA per dropback on underneath throws -- where new Titans wideout Robinson has always thrived.
A preseason standout, Stribling is an intriguing play in his NFL debut, as reports suggest he’ll likely command the slot role against Los Angeles. It's worth noting that Mike Evans is off the injury report and George Kittle (Achilles) is trending toward playing.
This is definitely a deeper play, but Coker could pick up where he left off last season against a Bears defense that allowed the second-most fantasy points to the position in 2025.
Sit 'Em
Sit of the Week
After an excellent 2024 season in which he scored 13 touchdowns, McLaurin was a massive fantasy bust last year, missing seven games. In the 10 games he did play, the Commanders WR1 averaged just 11.4 fantasy points per game and scored three touchdowns. Both he and Jayden Daniels could bounce back with better health in ‘26, but I don’t anticipate a hot start against an Eagles defense that allowed just six touchdowns to wideouts last season (tied with the Broncos for the league low).
Notable sits
Burden has been heavily hyped by Ben Johnson and in fantasy circles this offseason, but he just recently returned to practice after missing the preseason due to a groin injury suffered in camp. I believe the Bears' offense will have its hands full on the road against an improved Carolina defense.
While teammate Jaylen Waddle is a designated "start" candidate, I believe Sutton is less likely to avoid promising rookie CB Mansoor Delane. Sutton is far more reliant on a chunk gain or touchdown for a decent fantasy performance.
In his first campaign with the 49ers, Evans has missed a sizeable amount of practice this preseason with an abductor injury. He's off the injury report heading into Thursday's game in Australia, but will the 33-year-old wideout be operating at full strength?
The Packers' WR room is already tough to predict week-to-week, and Green Bay opens the season on the road against a Vikings defense that allowed the fewest fantasy points to wideouts in 2025. Stay away until we see a reliable pecking order.
