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The Chiefs receiving corps is different this season with Tyreek Hill, Byron Pringle and Demarcus Robinson gone. The replacements are JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and rookie Skyy Moore joining Mecole Hardman, and Patrick Mahomes said there is no headliner in that group.
Mahomes wasn't being disrespectful with his comment. Far from it. He just said the Chiefs will have more diversity with the receivers -- behind Travis Kelce, of course -- and that will make the Kansas City passing game harder to defend.
"The biggest thing is there's going to be a different player every single game that has the big game," Mahomes said to the Kansas City media this week. "It's not going to be just necessarily Tyreek and Travis every single week, where it's like one or the other having a big game or both. Every single week, it's going to be someone different. So I'm sorry to all you Fantasy Football guys. It's going to come from everywhere, so you're going to have to kind of choose the right guy every week."
Well, that makes our job easier, right? Good luck trying to find the best Chiefs receiver on a weekly basis if that's going to be the norm.
For Week 1 at Arizona, I'll buy into Smith-Schuster as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues, and I listed him as a starter in Start 'Em & Sit 'Em. But I think there's room to use Valdes-Scantling as a sleeper, and he should see plenty of playing time as an outside receiver.
This Cardinals defense was No. 4 in Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers last season, and Arizona lost standout pass rusher Chandler Jones to Las Vegas this offseason. J.J. Watt (calf) could also be out this week, and the Cardinals are underdogs at home (Chiefs -5.5). Kansas City should score plenty of points, and we'll see where Mahomes goes in this matchup.
You probably want to wait and see what happens with Moore and Hardman. And we should also mention Justin Watson as someone who could play more than expected since he had a big role in the preseason.
Mahomes could make Fantasy managers frustrated if he spreads the ball around. But he also could reward us if multiple receivers are successful each week, and that's something we'd love. For Week 1, look for Smith-Schuster and Valdes-Scantling to lead the way against the Cardinals.
Every Friday, you can find this column on sleepers and DFS plays on DraftKings and FanDuel. I'm also going to include our show notes from Fantasy Football Today on CBS Sports HQ, which gives a game-by-game breakdown of starts, sits, favorite props and favorite DFS plays. It should help you with some lineup decisions each week.
Week 1 Sleepers
Sleepers
I'm excited to see what Lawrence can do this season with a revamped receiving corps and a new head coach in Doug Pederson. He should have the chance to make plays against Washington this week, especially if Jacksonville struggles to run the ball. Last season, the Commanders allowed the most Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, and hopefully that continues for Lawrence.
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Ryan was terrible in his final season in Atlanta last year, but he gets a fresh start with the Colts in 2022. By all accounts, he's been fantastic, and he should start off his Indianapolis tenure with a quality game against the Texans. Houston was top 10 in Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks last year, and Ryan will likely be given plenty of chances to make plays in his Colts debut. He's a good option in Superflex and 2QB leagues.
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This game could easily be all about Derrick Henry as he makes his comeback from last year's foot injury, and he should be able to run through the Giants defense. But Tannehill can still make enough plays against this secondary to have success as an option in Superflex and 2QB leagues, and I'm curious to see how he'll perform with his revamped receiving corps, which features Robert Woods, Treylon Burks and Kyle Philips. I wouldn't be shocked to see Tannehill with a top 15 Fantasy finish this week.
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I'm counting on Hunt to play a pivotal role in the passing game for the Browns this week and likely for as long as Jacoby Brissett is the starter. He's not going to challenge downfield often and with a lot of success, and Cleveland has a suspect receiving corps behind Amari Cooper and David Njoku, which should give extra targets to Hunt. While Nick Chubb will be heavily involved in the game plan as the lead running back for the Browns, so will Hunt. He's at least a flex in the majority of leagues for Week 1.
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We'll find out this week just how much the Cowboys will use Pollard in the passing game, and it's a great matchup for him against Tampa Bay. Last year, the Buccaneers were second in the NFL for receptions allowed to running backs with 118, and they were first in 2020 with 104. It's difficult to run on Tampa Bay, which is why I'm concerned for Ezekiel Elliott. But if Pollard is deployed as a receiver he could be useful as at least a flex in PPR.
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If you've followed me this offseason you know how much I love Hines, and I expect him to have a significant role in tandem with Jonathan Taylor, starting in Week 1 against the Texans. Now, the concern for him will be if Indianapolis is up big against Houston that Hines won't need to do much in the passing game. But I expect Matt Ryan to lean on Hines as a weapon out of the backfield, and he could be second on the team in targets behind Michael Pittman -- all season. Hines is a great flex play in PPR this week.
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I'm starting Chase Edmonds as a No. 2 running back in all leagues this week, but I would also consider Mostert as a flex, especially in non- and 0.5-PPR leagues. When healthy, he could lead the Dolphins in carries, and Mike McDaniel likely has a lot of trust in Mostert from their days together in San Francisco. If the Dolphins are playing with a lead -- and they are 3.5-point favorites at home -- look for Mostert to help kill the clock and rack up some cheap production late in the game.
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This posting could change if J.K. Dobbins (knee) is ready for Week 1, but Drake and Mike Davis have the chance to be flex plays this week if Dobbins is out. The Jets were No. 1 in Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and they gave up the most touchdowns to the position by a glaring margin with 28 in total. The defense should improve this season, but Baltimore is going to run the ball no matter who lines up at running back. I'll give a slight edge to Drake given that he should be more talented -- and hopefully get more opportunities -- than Davis in Week 1.
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All we've heard all preseason is that Aiyuk has a strong connection with Trey Lance, and hopefully that carries over to the games that count, starting this week against Chicago. Last year, Aiyuk started in coach Kyle Shanahan's doghouse, but he worked his way out of it and played great to close the season, scoring at least 13 PPR points in four of his final five games in the regular season. If he can pick up where he left off, as well as Lance maximizing his potential, Aiyuk could be in line for a huge third year.
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I'm excited about the Eagles passing game this season with the addition of A.J. Brown, and he should open up the offense for Smith and tight end Dallas Goedert. Jalen Hurts is poised for a big year, and Smith has the chance to perform like a low-end starter in all leagues. For this week, Smith should be viewed as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver with upside, and the Eagles will hopefully have plenty of volume in the passing game. The Lions secondary should struggle to stop all of Philadelphia's weapons in this matchup.
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As long as Toney is healthy, he should have the chance to help Fantasy managers in a big way, and I like him as a high-end No. 3 receiver in this matchup with the Titans. We'll see what happens with Sterling Shepard (Achilles) and how the Giants use rookie Wan'Dale Robinson, but Toney should be the go-to option for Daniel Jones in the passing game. Last year, the Titans were No. 2 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, so Toney could have a bigger game than expected if Jones gives him enough opportunities to make plays.
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I'm not sure what's going to happen with Chris Godwin (knee) this week, so look for Tom Brady to lean on Jones and Russell Gage if Godwin is out or limited. Both should be heavily involved anyway, along with Mike Evans, and we'll see if we get an answer on if Jones or Gage will be the preferred Fantasy option moving forward. Most likely, while Jones is healthy, he should have an edge. For this week, consider him a high-end No. 3 Fantasy option, especially if Godwin can't play.
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With Michael Thomas possibly limited after dealing with a hamstring injury in training camp, Olave could emerge as the top target for Jameis Winston in this matchup with the Falcons. Thomas will likely command plenty of attention anyway if he's on the field, and hopefully we can see Olave in some favorable matchups against a Falcons defense that was No. 6 in Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers last year. He's worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in deeper leagues.
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Safety Kamren Curl (thumb) might play this week, which would help the Commanders secondary, but I'll still use Engram as a low-end starter in deeper leagues. He should be a primary target for Trevor Lawrence, and tight ends have always been a staple of Doug Pederson's offenses. I expect a lot of passing from Jacksonville this week, and Washington was one of nine teams to allow over 1,000 receiving yards to tight ends last season.
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Everett is expected to be a go-to option for Justin Herbert, and this is a matchup the Chargers can exploit. The Raiders were one of three teams to allow at least 10 touchdowns to tight ends last season and one of the nine teams to allow over 1,000 yards to the position. We haven't heard much about Everett in the preseason, but Herbert leaned on his tight ends last year a lot (137 targets to the position). He's a sneaky starter in deeper leagues this week.
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We'll see if his strong performance in the preseason can carry over to this week, and Likely is someone to use as a streaming option in deeper leagues. In his final two preseason games, Likely had 12 catches for 144 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets. It wasn't from Lamar Jackson, so keep that in mind, but Baltimore needs playmakers in the passing game, and Likely should play a lot in tandem with Mark Andrews. Last year, the Jets were also No. 3 in Fantasy points allowed to tight ends.
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DFS GAME PREVIEWS & LINEUPS
These are game previews from our Fantasy Football Today show on CBS Sports HQ on Friday from me, Adam Aizer and Dave Richard. The player props are from Caesers Sportsbook.
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati (Dave Richard)
- START/SIT: Start Chase Claypool as a flex
- PROP TO PLAY: Joe Mixon over 2.5 receptions -103
- DFS PLAY: Tee Higgins ($6,100 on DraftKings/$7,000 on FanDuel)
New Orleans at Atlanta (Adam Aizer)
- START/SIT: Sit Cordarrelle Patterson
- PROP TO PLAY: Alvin Kamara over 59.5 rushing yards -108
- DFS PLAY: Michael Thomas ($5,700 on DraftKings/$6,200 on FanDuel)
San Francisco at Chicago (Jamey Eisenberg)
- START/SIT: Start Trey Lance
- PROP TO PLAY: Deebo Samuel over 4.5 receptions +118
- DFS PLAY: Elijah Mitchell ($5,400 on DraftKings/$6,700 on FanDuel)
Las Vegas at Los Angeles Chargers (Dave Richard)
- START/SIT: Start Josh Jacobs
- PROP TO PLAY: Justin Herbert over 283.5 pass yds -117
- DFS PLAY: Austin Ekeler ($8,200 on DraftKings/$9,400 on FanDuel)
Green Bay at Minnesota (Adam Aizer)
- START/SIT: Start A.J. Dillon
- FAVORITE PROP: A.J. Dillon over 14.5 receiving yards -137
- DFS PLAY: Aaron Jones ($6,700 on DraftKings/$7,400 on FanDuel)
Kansas City at Arizona (Jamey Eisenberg)
- START/SIT: Start JuJu Smith-Schuster
- FAVORITE PROP: James Conner over 4.5 receptions +110
- DFS PLAY: Marquez Valdes-Scantling ($4,700 on DraftKings/$5,500 on FanDuel)
Philadelphia at Detroit (Dave Richard)
- START/SIT: Start Miles Sanders
- FAVORITE PROP: Jared Goff over 0.5 INT -119
- DFS PLAY: Jalen Hurts ($6,800 DraftKings/$8,000 on FanDuel)
Cleveland at Carolina (Adam Aizer)
- START/SIT: Sit Amari Cooper
- FAVORITE PROP: Jacoby Brissett under 204.5 passing yards -142
- DFS PLAY: D.J. Moore ($6,000 on DraftKings/$6,400 on FanDuel)
New England at Miami (Jamey Eisenberg)
- START/SIT: Sit all Patriots
- FAVORITE PROP: Tua Tagovailoa over 22.5 pass attempts +102
- DFS PLAY: Chase Edmonds ($5,200 on DraftKings/$5,800 on FanDuel)
Baltimore at New York Jets (Adam Aizer)
- START/SIT: Sit Breece Hall
- FAVORITE PROP: Lamar Jackson over 1.5 TD passes -121
- DFS PLAY: Elijah Moore ($5,100 on DraftKings/$6,000 on FanDuel)
New York Giants at Tennessee (Dave Richard)
- START/SIT: Sit Robert Woods
- FAVORITE PROP: Derrick Henry over 98.5 rush yards +104
- DFS PLAY: Kadarius Toney ($4,100 on DraftKings/$5,300 on FanDuel)
Jacksonville at Washington (Jamey Eisenberg)
- START/SIT: Start Antonio Gibson
- FAVORITE PROP: Carson Wentz over 0.5 INT +102
- DFS PLAY: Christian Kirk ($5,100 on DraftKings/$5,800 on FanDuel)
Indianapolis at Houston (Adam Aizer)
- START/SIT: Start Brandin Cooks
- FAVORITE PROP: Dameon Pierce over 11.5 rush attempts -151
- DFS PLAY: Michael Pittman ($5,500 on DraftKings/$7,200 on FanDuel)
DraftKings
QB: Patrick Mahomes (at ARI) $7,700
RB: Alvin Kamara (at ATL) $7,600
RB: Aaron Jones (at MIN) $6,700
WR: Marquise Brown (vs. KC) $6,200
WR: Christian Kirk (at WAS) $5,100
WR: Marquez Valdes-Scantling (at ARI) $4,700
TE: Dallas Goedert (at DET) $4,500
FLEX: Dameon Pierce (vs. IND) $4,800
DST: Dolphins (vs. NE) $2,600
I'm going to stack Mahomes here with Valdes-Scantling with the hope the two connect on a big play for a touchdown. As Mahomes said, look for the Chiefs to spread the ball around, but I'm confident Valdes-Scantling will play a lot given his role as an outside receiver.
It's easy to trust Kamara and Jones, especially given their roles in the passing game, and both could benefit due to injuries. Kamara could see an uptick in targets if Michael Thomas (hamstring) is out or limited, and Jones could also get more passes if Allen Lazard (ankle) can't play.
I like Pierce as a flex only if Shaquille Leonard (back) is out for the Colts. If Leonard plays then I will pivot off Pierce to someone else in his price range, which could be T.J. Hockenson ($4,900), Raheem Mostert ($4,800), Sammy Watkins ($4,700) or Chris Olave ($4,500). I could also add to my Chiefs stack with Hardman ($4,600).
I love the setup for Brown with Zach Ertz (calf) and Rondale Moore (hamstring) banged up, and DeAndre Hopkins is suspended for the first six games. Brown should dominate targets in a shootout with the Chiefs, and he's a good counter for my Chiefs stack.
Kirk is headed for a big game in his debut with the Jaguars, and Goedert should excel in a great matchup with the Lions. This lineup has the chance to pay off big in Week 1.
FanDuel
QB: Trey Lance (at CHI) $7,500
RB: Derrick Henry (vs. NYG) $9,700
RB: A.J. Dillon (at MIN) $6,100
WR: Mike Williams (vs. LV) $6,600
WR: JuJu Smith-Schuster (at ARI) $6,400
WR: Brandon Aiyuk (at CHI) $5,600
TE: Cole Kmet (vs. SF) $5,000
FLEX: Davante Adams (at LAC) $8,500
DEF: Dolphins (vs. NE) $3,800
Lance is my Start of the Week, and I always like to build at least one lineup with that player. I'll stack him with Aiyuk, and I expect this to be a quality connection all season, starting in Week 1 against the Bears.
I want pieces of this Chiefs offense in my lineups this week, so I'll play Smith-Schuster here. And Williams is an easy choice at his price in what should be a high-scoring affair for the Chargers and Raiders.
With that in mind, I'll also pay up for Adams in the flex. He should get plenty of targets from Derek Carr this week, and the Chargers won't have standout cornerback J.C. Jackson (ankle) to help slow down Adams in his Raiders debut.
Henry and Dillon should have huge games at running back, and Dillon should get extra attention in the passing game if Lazard is out to enhance his value. And to counter my 49ers stack, I'll play Kmet this week, and he's a great value given his upside for the Bears.
