The 2024 NFL season kicks off this week, and with that, so do your fantasy soccer leagues! In case you’re on the lookout for some assist setting these lineups, SB Nation has you coated.
Under, you’ll discover Week 1 operating again rankings for standard-scoring (non-PPR) leagues, in addition to two viable flex performs and two sleepers with scoring potential.
Week 1 RB flex performs
Zack Moss, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. Patriots)
Even with 2024 free agent signing Zack Moss being listed as RB1 on the staff’s Week 1 depth chart, there’s nonetheless some uncertainty as to how this backfield will shake out for the rest of the season. The excellent news is the Bengals ought to have loads of time to guage their run sport in Week 1’s outing towards the Patriots, favored by a ridiculous 7.5 factors.
Although the Patriots’ protection may restrict this Bengals offense by way of whole effectivity, quantity must be conducive to dashing manufacturing on the entire. In the meantime, Moss appears to venture because the staff’s short-yardage and goal-line choice to earn him the flex desire over teammate Chase Brown proper out of the gate.
Devin Singletary, New York Giants (vs. Vikings)
The New York Giants introduced in free agent Devin Singletary to reunite along with his former head coach, Brian Daboll, this offseason, and with little competitors behind him, the chance for a sizzling begin to the fantasy season is within the realm of chance.
After taking up Texans RB Dameon Pierce within the second half of final season, Singletary greater than proved his capability to be fantasy-relevant, averaging simply over 86 scrimmage yards per sport in Weeks 9-18. In that span, Singletary notched two top-four weekly finishes in non-PPR scoring codecs and a top-16 end in 5 of these 10 video games.
The Giants and Vikings are projected for one of many decrease level totals on the week at 41.5, with the purpose unfold favoring the Vikings ever-so-slightly at -1.5 factors (-115 vig). If Minnesota’s protection performs poorly amidst the offseason losses of Danielle Hunter, D.J. Wonnum and Dean Lowry, amongst others, this Giants offense may decide to provide Singletary a reasonably heavy workload to open up the yr, particularly as QB Daniels Jones continues to work again from a torn ACL suffered in 2023.
Week 1 RB sleepers
Rostership percentages in Yahoo! Fantasy leagues are indicated in parentheses.
Ray Davis (Buffalo Payments vs. Cardinals, 18%)
It was a strong preseason for Payments rookie operating again Ray Davis, having firmly entrenched himself because the RB2 within the offense behind James Prepare dinner. Although most fantasy managers don’t often get overly excited concerning the prospects of a staff’s RB2, Buffalo’s RB2 particularly is intriguing, because the frequent receiver of goal-line carries over Prepare dinner, who’s a typically undersized choice at 5-foot-11 and 190 kilos.
The Payments are 6.5-point favorites on this outing for Week 1, projected for one of many larger level totals on the week at 48.5. Don’t be stunned if the Payments offense is ready to make the most of a porous Cardinals’ protection with one of many league’s worst defensive traces on paper.
Jaylen Wright (Miami Dolphins vs. Jaguars, 22%)
It’s two rookie suggestions on this week’s RB sleepers listing, and it’s the landing upside on a higher-power offense that does earns every of them a spot on this listing. The Dolphins chosen Wright within the fourth spherical of this yr’s draft — a 5-foot-10, 210-pound operating again out of Tennessee who ran a ridiculous 4.38-second 40-yard sprint. He had a robust exhibiting within the preseason that undoubtedly obtained the eye of his head coach and fantasy managers alike with performs like this:
This backfield is a messy one, with HC Mike McDaniel acknowledging that the gamers will “decide who will get the ball and the way continuously and the way a lot they’re within the sport,” which definitely speaks to a possible hot-hand strategy.
Given Wright’s dimension/velocity mixture, he may find yourself a fixture as quickly as Week 1; in any case, it solely takes one carry for any of those Dolphins operating backs to make it a housecall. If you end up in dire straights proper out of the gate searching for a deep sleeper for Week 1, you may do worse than the rotational (and potential goal-line choice) for one of many league’s most run-heavy and environment friendly offenses.
Fantasy soccer: Week 1 customary RB rankings
Kate Magdziuk is an editor and contributor for Yahoo Fantasy and co-host of the Locked On Dynasty Soccer podcast. She can be the managing editor for Behind The Metal Curtain, SB Nation’s unique Pittsburgh Steelers weblog. Her earlier bylines embody Professional Soccer Focus, NBC Sports activities Rotoworld and 4for4 Soccer, amongst others.