The San Diego Chargers and Detroit Lions open their respective seasons Sunday in a game against one another. The Chargers finished 9-7 a year ago, tied for second in the AFC West, and look to improve for this season. The Lions went 11-5 and earned a Wild Card berth, but several departures from their defense leave them hoping to just maintain position.
Fantasy football advice, Week 1: Who to start/sit for Lions vs. Chargers
Both teams finished with winning records a year ago and look to make a leap forward in 2015.
The Lions enter Sunday largely healthy, from a fantasy perspective. The only fantasy-relevant player on the week's injury report is tight end Eric Ebron, dealing with an ankle injury, and he's expected to be a full participant Sunday. The Chargers have only their tight end to worry about, with Ladarius Green dealing with a concussion, He participated fully in Friday's practice, but hasn't officially been cleared by the league's concussion protocol.
Sunday’s game, scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET, will be played in San Diego. Here’s a look at the fantasy considerations:
LIONS
Start 'em: As long as he's healthy, Calvin Johnson is an obvious must-start, and he's healthy now. ... It took the Lions a while to find a kicker last year, but once they settled on Matt Prater, he was good.
Start 'em?: I've been driving the Joique Bell train all preseason, and the hate has gone well overboard. He's still a perfectly strong fantasy option. ... Golden Tate is still going to contribute to the Detroit offense, but he's not nearly as attractive while Johnson is at full strength.
Sit 'em: Despite a strong group of weapons around him, Matthew Stafford has been overrated by his one monster season. He's a fine mid-range quarterback, not a fantasy star. Find a better option. ... There might be a good fantasy running back -- particularly in PPR leagues -- in Ameer Abdullah, but he isn't there yet. ... There's reason to be optimistic about Eric Ebron entering his second season, but he needs to show it before fantasy owners can run him out there. ... The Lions' defense is a far cry from what it was last year, and the Chargers' offense should be good.
CHARGERS
Start 'em?: Outside of a hot early part of the season last year, Philip Rivers was only a so-so fantasy quarterback. He's not bad by any means, but there are likely better options out there. ... The San Diego running game is a confusing mishmash. In standard leagues, Melvin Gordon makes for a reasonable flex play, and the same is true of Danny Woodhead in PPR leagues, but neither is much more than a flex. ... Keenan Allen is a nice pick for a bounce-back, but he's only a flex play until he proves it. ... Stevie Johnson spent the preseason getting a lot of fantasy love. He could be a sleeper play.
Sit 'em: Even if he were guaranteed to play, Ladarius Green isn't that attractive as an Antonio Gates fill-in. With the injury concerns, he's a definite no-go. ... The Chargers moved on from their longtime kicker in the preseason, opting for rookie Josh Lambo. Rookie kickers are always dicey. ... The Chargers' defense -- well, it isn't the team's strong suit.
SUMMARY
Start in every league: Calvin Johnson, Matt Prater
Start if you're desperate: Joique Bell, Golden Tate, Philip Rivers, Melvin Gordon, Danny Woodhead, Keenan Allen, Stevie Johnson
Bench: Matthew Stafford, Ameer Abdullah, Eric Ebron, Detroit defense, Ladarius Green, Josh Lambo, San Diego defense
