The fantasy football season is more of a sprint than a marathon. But even in the short time frame of 17 weeks, players can still be inconsistent. And some players have their worst streak early in the season due to various factors, such as a difficult schedule. Let’s take a look at the guys who could disappoint right from the start.
Prescott and CeeDee Lamb are under pressure to rebuild their incredible connection in a matter of days after Lamb spent the entire training camp away from the team. And Prescott could really stumble if he and Lamb aren’t completely in sync, as the rest of his weapons are a mediocre bunch at best. The schedule won’t do the 31-year-old any favors, as his first three games are against defenses (Browns, Saints, Ravens) that were among the 10 toughest in allowing fantasy points to quarterbacks last year.
White has been much more valuable in fantasy football than he was for the Bucs last season. After all, the 25-year-old averaged just 3.6 yards per carry and did most of his work by catching 64 passes. In the offseason, Tampa solved its problem of relying too heavily on an inefficient White by signing dynamic rookie Bucky Irving. White will need to have a big game against Washington in Week 1, as four of his next five games are against defenses (Lions, Eagles, Falcons, Saints) that were among the 10 toughest last year in allowing fantasy points to RBs. A slow start from White could open up the opportunity for Irving to take on a larger role by mid-October.
Conner set a career-high 80 rushing yards per game in 2023, but also posted his worst passing numbers since his rookie season in 2017 (27 catches, 165 yards). The 29-year-old will have a tough time shining on the ground in early 2024, as three of his first five games last year were against the three toughest teams (Rams, Lions, Niners) for fantasy RBs. With speedy rookie Trey Benson lined up, Conner could lose playing time with a poor start to the season.
There’s a big difference between Aiyuk and Lamb or Ja’Marr Chase. All three star receivers did not participate in training camp, but the Niners are much less dependent on Aiyuk than the Cowboys and Bengals are on their top receivers. We don’t yet know when Aiyuk will return to action, and there’s a chance he suffers the ultimate slow start to the season by missing regular season games. And when Aiyuk eventually returns, Kyle Shanahan will have the opportunity to call more plays for George Kittle, Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey until he believes Aiyuk is up to par. It also doesn’t help that the toughest fantasy matchup for wide receivers (Jets) is San Francisco’s opponent in Week 1.
At the end of his illustrious career, Adams was at times frustrated with the inconsistent quarterback play in the Raiders’ offense. This year, the early-season schedule could put Adams in a bad mood. The 31-year-old could have a great game in Week 1 if Jim Harbaugh’s team hasn’t yet fixed the Chargers’ struggling secondary in 2023. But in the following three games, Adams will face top-10 defenses (Raiders, Panthers, Browns) that struggled with fantasy WRs last year. Las Vegas head coach Antonio Pierce is already geared up to establish the running game, and it’s even more likely he will do so when he analyzes the strength of those secondaries.
The Titans revamped their offense this year by changing offensive coordinators, letting Derrick Henry leave as a free agent, and signing Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd and Tony Pollard. Hopkins hopes to play in Week 1but there’s no doubt he missed a chance to make an impact in the new offense when he missed all of August with a knee injury. With the new additions, dynamic RB Tyjae Spears and TE Chigoziem Okonkwo, QB Will Levis won’t have to rely heavily on Hopkins to start the season.
The good news is that the most coveted tight ends can have solid starts to the season. Henry is a little lower on the list, but has the potential to be a solid TE2 once he finds his feet in a new offense. The 29-year-old has missed some time with an unspecified injury, costing him valuable opportunities to build rapport with the team’s new QBs. Speaking of QBs, we didn’t know who would be under center for the Pats in Week 1 until Thursday morning. We know it will be Jacoby Brissett, not Drake Maye, but the veteran won’t build a natural connection with Henry until later in the season.
Smart managers are aware of these quirks of the early-season fixture list, but will not overstate them. There may be an opportunity to acquire some of these players through a transfer after a slow start. The key will be to confirm in October that their September issues have not impacted their long-term role.
