Thursday night football was a delight. The Buffalo Bills defense had a coming-out party on the national stage as the number one defense of 2021 showed how dominant it can be when it adds one of the best pass rushers of our generation. The fact that Tre’Davious White didn’t play should scare any team without an exceptional offensive line. Von Miller collected two sacks on his Bills debut while the defense as a whole had a whopping seven, the most ever allowed in the Sean McVay era (it looks like they’re missing Andrew Whitworth. Bobby Wagner had five solos and a sack in his debut for the Rams and allays any fears anyone might have had about his move to an odd front. We’re going to take a look at five players fantasy managers should do their best to get into to insert their line-up, and five others who are better off staying on the benches the opening week of the season, let’s dive in.
Start them
CJ Gardner-Johnson (S-PHI)
CJGJ is a talented, fiery competitor who has always had better prospects as a safety than as a full-time slot corner. Yes, he’ll still take a few snaps in the slot, but now he can use his full range of talents more often by setting up in the box and on the defensive line. The Eagles defense is suddenly occupied, and CJGJ will be an important part of that. He should be just about any snap player who sees his fantasy value exploding with the position change. He’ll be given a team he’s familiar with in Week 1 in Atlanta and is expected to shine bright for the city of brotherly love. Atlanta conceded 8th most fantasy points for safety position in 2021, bringing CJGJ to the DB1 periphery for the Plus matchup against Kyle Pitts and the Falcons.
Keanu Neal (S-TB)
Keanu Neal is returning to a full-time security role now that he’s with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Former backup Mike Edwards is currently listed as a starter, but Keanu Neal, who was added to the team and immediately brought back to safety, was a direct response to the loss of starter Jordan Whitehead to a free hand. Neal would log the bulk of the snaps in a revenge match against his former team, replacing the rookie as the official starter within weeks. Edwards has talent, but you don’t add Neal and take him back to safety unless you intend to play him in a heavy boxing role like you did with Whitehead. Logan Ryan is expected to be sidelined in Week 1 so there should be plenty of opportunity for Neal and Edwards to put in some tackles. The two are expected to share the nickel-look field. Neal is a DB2 option with DB1 on top whenever he sees regular snaps, and for week 1 it looks like he will. Start it where it is necessary.
Jaelan Phillips (DE – MIA)
Phillips should have a big game against a Patriots offense that’s struggling to move the ball in the passing game. He’ll be a DL2 most weeks but gets the jump into DL1 territory thanks to the Plus matchup. Phillips is still looking for his first sack against New England and reported struggles could help him get home. He should be more of a full-time player this season and is strong against the run, which is important against a team that will try to run whenever possible in Week 1. The extra opportunities the run game should give him give him enough of a boost to make him a strong DL2 option with a DL1 advantage against New England. Start it where possible.
Randy Gregory (DE/LB – DEN)
Randy Gregory is ready for a big game against a Seattle Seahawks team that was forced to use Geno Smith under center. He’ll be a mid-range DL2 most weeks, but a high-end option if he gets plus matches like this. Seattle has (finally) made some tweaks to its offensive line, but will have big problems going up against Bradley Chubb, Randy Gregory, Nick Bonitto and Baron Browning. The stand-up role will be new to the NFL for Gregory, but he should find success. He trained this week and is expected to play. For those in leagues where he’s hanging on the wire due to concerns about his Week 1 status, now is the time to make the addition. Start with confidence as a positive DL2 option.
David Long (LB – TEN)
David Long was excellent last season when he was healthy, finishing as an LB22 in fantasy points per game. He was the LB66 overall as he played in just 10 games but was impressive enough to allow the Titans to pass both Jayon Brown and Rashaan Evans, who were both 2021 starters. As mentioned in our Forgoing Wire column earlier this week, Lange averaged 4.6 solo tackles per game, a number extrapolated over a full season would put him at 78 solos (which would have been more than Shaquille Leonard in last season). Start it anywhere.
sit her
Dante Fowler (DE – DAL)
Fowler should remain on fantasy benches, even as a DL3, until we see how the snap rotation looks versus DeMarcus Lawrence. Fowler has the name and previous production, but there are some other intriguing names competing for snaps that could make Fowler a part-time player rather than a full-time role. Also superstar Micah Parsons, who will continue to get the opportunity to bring down the passer off the ledge, rookie Sam Williams, Tarell Basham and the man listed as the starter ahead of Fowler in Dorance Armstrong will also be fighting for rim snaps. The hope is that Fowler (or possibly Williams) will eventually oust Armstrong as a starter, but for now Fowler needs to be left on the benches, even in lower leagues.
Rasheem Green (DL – HOU)
Rasheem Green has received a lot of IDP hype this offseason, and given his 2021 game, that’s not unjustified. However, what role he plays now that he’s with the Houston Texans is debatable. Green played the majority of his snaps on the right flank for the Seahawks, but now he can be blocked by Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison. Jonathan Greenard is locked into a high-profile role, and Addison and Hughes are capable vets. For what it’s worth, the Texans listed Hughes as a starter over Greenard, with Addison as Hughes’ backup and Green behind Greenard. All of this is meant to mean that with no defined role and uncertainty over snap counts, the defensive end (which appears on more Yahoo listings than DL1s like Brian Burns and Montez Sweat) should remain on fantasy benches for the time being.
Divine Deablo (LB/S – LV)
Deablo will play more of a full-time linebacker role this season and has been practicing with that position. Deablo played most of his snaps in the pits or on special teams last season, but there was some hope as the Raiders didn’t take Jonathan Abram’s fifth-year option that Deablo would increase his weekly snap count by spending more time in security sees. That’s not the case. The Raiders will start Denzel Perryman in the middle, and with the addition of Jayon Brown this offseason, there are some reasonable concerns about how many snaps Deablo will see in nickel looks. Brown hasn’t signed a star contract but has been a solid starter for the Tennessee Titans’ impressive defense in recent seasons. It’s okay to keep hoping that Deablo will scratch the surface of his true potential this season, but for Week 1 fantasy managers should take another option and evaluate the talented second year’s Raiders outing.
Isaiah Simmons (LB/S – ARI)
Simmons transitions into the STAR role on the Cardinals’ defense, a role that prompts him to play more of a hybrid linebacker/safety role, similar to what we saw last season’s Jalen Ramsey and what Derwin James plays. That means that instead of soaking up tackles as a traditional middle linebacker, he’s tasked with fierce coverage snaps against Travis Kelce. He’s also likely to see snaps if a pass rusher is thrown in throughout the game. Simmons has the talent to thrive in the role as it’s more like how he was used in college (and what helped make him a top 10 pick in the first place). A full-time off-ball linebacker never made much sense for a talent like Simmons. His role last season was closer to what drew him from Clemson. With that in mind, Simmons is expected to hit his weekly tackle up and is now a LB2 option rather than a LB1. He will be an elite DB option if he earns eligibility this season, but a wait-and-see approach is recommended for those planning him as an LB1.
For those who want to know a little more, here’s Vance Joseph had to say about the STAR role
““A ‘star’ linebacker is a guy who plays a small linebacker, a little safety, a little dime,” Joseph said. “There can be many places in this scheme. … They are star players. Big, fast guys who can mark, play halves (half-back safety cover) and blitz.”
TJ Edwards (LB – PHI)
Edwards will open the season as the starting middle linebacker but is expected to cede snaps to rookie Nakobe Dean. It remains to be seen whether Dean will take more snaps of Edwards or Kyzir White, but with Shaun Bradley also set to see snaps at center on Sunday, Edwards falls from a potential LB2 consideration to a more LB4 one. Dean, who many have high hopes for, must also remain on the benches as he hasn’t earned a starting role this offseason.
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Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more information from Raju, see his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.
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