Start 'Em, Sit' Em Week 1: Opening Football Fantasy Lineup Decisions to Consider | Bleacher Report

Selecting the optimal fantasy football lineup in Week 1 of the NFL season is more difficult than other weeks.

With only numbers from the past seasons to your decisions, you will have success on the weekend.

Not every choice will be difficult, but there are some matchups in Week 1, but there are also some challenging positions that could be taken into your decision-making up to the kickoff of the ET games.

In order to have the most success in Week 1

quarterback

Matchup Comparisons (Better pick in bold)

Aaron Rodgers vs. Green Bay vs. Chicago Tom Brady (New England, vs. Houston)

Matthew Stafford (Detroit vs. New York Jets) vs. Drew Brees (New Orleans vs. Tampa Bay)

Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City, LA Chargers) vs. Alex Smith (Washington, Arizona)

Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh, at Cleveland) vs. Russell Wilson (Seattle, at Denver)

Start: Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams (Oakland)

There's plenty of reason to believe the Los Angeles Rams will tear up the Oakland Raiders defense in Monday's second game.

The high-powered Jared Goff is poised to break down an Oakland defense with a gaping hole in the middle of the Khalil Mack trade.

In his career against AFC opposition, Goff is 4-2 with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions and an average of 230 passing yards.

If he totals right around that average in passing yards and throws a few touchdowns, Goff will produce one of the top fantasy quarterback scores of Week 1.

If you're a Raiders fan, there is not much hope in Goff, they've conceded 4,046 passing yards and 24 touchdown passes in 2017.

sit: Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco (at Minnesota)

Jimmy Garoppolo is the sexy name in NFL circles after his impressive end-of-season run with the San Francisco 49ers.

While Garoppolo will be successful in 2018, he will be up against Minnesota's treacherous defense at U.S. Bank Stadium.

During the 49ers' five-game winning streak in December, Garoppolo did not face a tough road test, as he defeated Chicago, Houston and the Rams when they benched their starters in Week 17.

The Vikings ranked second in passing defense, and they return most of the time to the NFC Championship Game.

Garoppolo will deliver a few supplements that look appealing and give fantastic hope for the 2018 season, but we'd like to be patient on making your starting date.

Running Back

Matchup Comparison

Todd Gurley vs. LA Rams at Oakland Alvin Kamara (New Orleans vs. Tampa Bay)

Ezekiel Elliott (Dallas, at Carolina) vs. Leonard Fournette (Jacksonville, at New York Giants)

Kareem Hunt (Kansas City, LA Chargers) vs. Joe Mixon (Cincinnati, at Indianapolis)

Start: James Conner, Pittsburgh (at Cleveland)

If everything went to plan between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Le'Veon Bell, we would not even mention James Conner in a fantasy conversation.

But the two of us are not the best of the world, Conner is back to back

It's easy to be skeptical of Conner's Week 1 production because it's 32 times for 144 yards in his young NFL career.

However, it is worth the risk because of the Pittsburgh offense with Ben Roethlisberger picking out Antonio Brown and Juju Smith-Schuster through the air.

The Pittsburgh passing game possesses a Cleveland game.

Look for Conner to take advantage of their opportunity and exploit the holes in the Browns' defense as they try to limit the big plays in the passing game.

sit: TheSan McCoy, Buffalo (at Baltimore)

There are not many positive things you could say about the Buffalo Bills offense coming into Sunday's clash with the Baltimore Ravens.

Expectations are remarkably low with Nathan Peterman under center, and the Ravens are smart, they will focus in on LeSean McCoy and make him an ineffective safety valve for the quarterback.

In his career, McCoy's played 69 road games and 64 home games, and despite playing more on the road, he has 22 fewer touchdowns than he's had in home stadiums.

Between the above statistics and rain in the forecast for Sunday, McCoy is not the best option to start in Week 1.

Of course, there are some owners who are going to have a good relationship with you, but you have a lot to do with it.

Wide Receiver

Matchup Comparison

Antonio Brown (Pittsburgh, at Cleveland) vs. DeAndre Hopkins (Houston, at New England)

Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona vs. Washington) vs. Chris Hogan (New England, vs. Houston)

Stefon Diggs (Minnesota, vs. San Francisco) vs. Davante Adams (Green Bay vs. Chicago)

Start: Golden Tate, Detroit (vs. New York Jets)

If you started Golden Tate in Week 1 year ago, you've been rewarded with quite a lot of fantasy points, have totaled 107 receiving yards on 10 receptions.

Expect similar production out of Tate in the first of two Monday games, as he faces the New York Jets, who were 21st in passing defense in 2017.

Tate had three 100-yard receiving games in 2017, and he had two others in which he eclipsed the 90-yard mark, but the one concerning factor is his lack of touchdowns.

However, you can look past the five touchdowns Tate had last season because of the connection Matthew Stafford.

If the Lions dissect the Jets' secondary like they're expected to, Tate will hit double-digit fantasy points with ease.

sit: Sammy Watkins, Kansas City (Los Angeles Chargers)

Sammy Watkins was one of the most disappointing players in preseason, and there is no sign of it for the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1.

The 25-year-old, who's playing for his third NFL team since entering the league in 2014, has not performed well in September.

In 12 September games, Watkins has been targeted on 70 occasions, but he's only up 43 receptions.

Watkins also faces a tough matchup in Week 1, as he goes up against Los Angeles Chargers in the NFL in 2017.

Combines those factors with Patrick Mahomes making his first-ever career and Watkins becomes a must-bench player Sunday.

Tight End

Matchup Comparison

Rob Gronkowski (New England, vs. Houston) vs. Jimmy Graham (Green Bay vs. Chicago)

Delanie Walker (Tennessee, at Miami) vs. Trey Burton (Chicago, at Green Bay)

Travis Kelce (Kansas City, LA Chargers) vs. Kyle Rudolph (Minnesota, vs. San Francisco)

Start: Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati (at Indianapolis)

When healthy, Tyler Eifert is a valuable asset for Andy Dalton in the Cincinnati Bengals offense.

Eifert enters the Week 1 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts with a point to prove the missing of the last two seasons with injuries.

In 2017, the Colts gave up eight touchdowns to tight ends, which tied for the fourth-highest mark in the NFL.

Helping Eifert's box is Andy Dalton's career numbers against the Colts, has the Bengals quarterback has 908 passing yards and six touchdowns with zero interceptions in four games versus Indianapolis.

sit: Evan Engram, New York Giants (vs. Jacksonville)

Facing the Jacksonville secondary, led by Jalen Ramsey, Evan Engram's potential fantasy numbers.

But that is not the only thing going against the New York Giants Sunday, as the offense will revolve around two stars.

With Sunday's game being the first one since Odell Beckham Jr.'s new contract is signed, the three-time Pro Bowler is going to ask the ball in most key situations.

Engram will be denied in the future, as the Giants will be in control of the rally. Saquon Barkley to pick up first downs and score in the red zone.

Over the course of the season, Engram will be successful matchups, but there's too much going on in Week 1.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @ JTansey90

Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference