It’s Week 1 of the 2024 fantasy football season and every manager has a stacked roster, right?

My cousin Michael has been telling me this for over a decade in early September. He has the team to win it. That’s how I see my team in our 10-team home league this season. I just finished the Labor Day weekend draft and am all set at wide receiver — Amon-Ra St. Brown, AJ Brown and Puka Nacua — and I also drafted the upside of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson in the fifth round.

I’ll see you in the championship game, Michael.

We think we know who’s going to be good and who’s not, but honestly, none of us have all the answers. I still have a fair number of fantasy questions heading into the Week 1 roster, based on player usage and, specifically, offensive output, which are key factors in determining fantasy value. So let’s dive into that today, focusing on six situations I’ll be monitoring this week and throughout the early part of the season.

Lawrence looked really sharp on preseason tape. He plays in a very QB-friendly Jacksonville Jaguars offense under coach Doug Pederson, one that could likely add more designed rushes to its resume. And the club has rebuilt its wide receiver room following the departure of Calvin Ridley, adding big-play rookie Brian Thomas Jr. via the draft and Gabe Davis’ vertical stretch ability in free agency.

Why did Lawrence earn an ADP of QB18 on ESPN this draft season?

That seems awfully low to me, especially considering Lawrence’s high-level attributes and the uptick in production late last season. From Weeks 11-18, Lawrence averaged 19.9 fantasy points per game — including three games of 24 or more points — while throwing for 12 touchdowns and adding four rushing scores.

Sure, Lawrence has a tough Week 1 game this Sunday against the Miami Dolphins defense, which keeps him in the mid-tier QB2 ranks to start the season. I get that. However, in an underrated — and potentially very explosive — Jags offense, there’s a path here for Lawrence to finish the season as a top-10 quarterback.

Ever since the Houston Texans traded Stefon Diggs this offseason for Nico Collins, there’s been a sense that Dell is strictly a No. 3 WR for quarterback C.J. Stroud. That’s reflected in fantasy drafts, as both Collins (WR14) and Diggs (WR20) were targeted far earlier than Dell (WR30). But let’s not forget Dell’s electric movement skills and ability to produce on marginal target volumes.

Last season, Dell broke his leg in Week 13, but from Weeks 1-12 he averaged 16.5 points with seven touchdown grabs. There’s also breakout potential, as Dell has four games of 20 or more points. He can do it without a lot of volume, too. Just look at his breakout performance in Week 3 last season in Jacksonville, when he scored 25.5 points and caught five of seven targets for 145 yards and a score.

Remember, Dell plays in a heavily schemed passing game under coordinator Bobby Slowik, one that will also create isolation opportunities on the perimeter. And that’s where Dell can use those movement skills to set up and beat one-on-one coverage. He’s a flexible starter in all formats, with the juice to give you viable numbers in the lineup on five or six targets a week.

I have Williams ranked as the fringe QB1 for the Week 1 matchup against the Tennessee Titans. That may be a stretch for a rookie making his first pro start, but I’m betting on his ability to be a natural creator in an offense that could move the pocket more on Sunday at Soldier Field.

Why? Because of new Tennessee defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, one of my former teammates in Washington. Wilson has a brilliant football mind and I expect the Titans to really push Williams after the snap with late moves, disguises and simulated pressure. He’s going to see a lot that wasn’t seen in this preseason or in Pac-12 games.

This is where Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron can put Williams in position to get on the edges, create defined reads and shot-play opportunities, which also opens the door for the quarterback to use his legs. This is a great test for Williams to start the season, and one where he’ll also have to make plays outside of structure to produce numbers for your fantasy lineup.

It’s time for Drake London to produce

London has averaged 10.7 fantasy points per game in his first two NFL seasons, and has caught just six total touchdowns in 33 games played. Sure, we can point to Atlanta’s offensive struggles and poor quarterback play during that span. We all get that.

But with the Falcons signing Kirk Cousins ​​this offseason and installing a new offensive system under coordinator Zac Robinson that should produce more passing production, it’s time for London to show us what he’s made of. His potential, or at least the upside, is reflected in his ADP (WR15), which puts him ahead of DK Metcalf, Brandon Aiyuk, DJ Moore, DeVonta Smith and others.

So, what do I want to see from London in Week 1 against a really good Pittsburgh Steelers defense? A game plan that creates intermediate windows to keep the in-breakers off of play-action. Rhythmic throws to Cousins. More work inside for London as a power slot target, plus the red zone throws (with scheduled matchups) that give him scoring opportunities. In short, I want London deployed as a three-tier volume target with the numbers to back it up.

Setting up the Bengals rear guard

This is a tough one. Sure, Zack Moss is your classic north-south grinder who should see rushing volume as an early-down back. That includes goal line carries for a Cincinnati Bengals offense (with Ja’Marr Chase in the lineup) that can move the ball. In eight starts for the Colts last season, Moss posted three games with 20 or more fantasy points, while also seeing at least 18 carries in six games. That fits here in terms of how we expect Moss to be utilized in the game plan.

But I also look at Chase Brown, who had a higher ADP than Moss, as a viable option because of his versatility and receiving traits. Yes, Brown can find daylight as a runner, and he has the contact balance to add extra yards. The upside to that is Brown’s ability to work as an under-outlet or screen target in the passing game for quarterback Joe Burrow. Last season, Brown averaged 14.4 yards per catch on screen receptions.

With the Bengals playing the Patriots in Week 1, I think Moss and Brown add value at the deeper flex positions in fantasy lineups.

Packers wide receivers to watch

The Green Bay Packers have a deep and dynamic wide receiver room to go with a quarterback in Jordan Love who can attack all three levels of the field. Both Christian Watson and Jayden Reed were mid-to-late-round draft targets for fantasy managers, which I get. A healthy Watson can stretch the field and run out of coverage on crossers, and has explosive playmaking ability. And Reed showed his versatility as a rookie last season by posting eight games with 15 or more points.

But let’s also keep an eye on Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks on Friday night in Brazil against the Philadelphia Eagles. Doubs caught eight touchdowns last season, with double-digit fantasy production in nine games. Wicks, meanwhile, has played his best football late in the season, with double-digit production in four of his last six games, highlighted by a career-high 24.1 fantasy points in Week 18 against the Bears. If you’re in a league with at least 10 teams, both receivers are potential streaming options or waiver adds this season.