Week 1 of the NFL season is finally here, and the Sunday night game is a fun one: L.A. Rams in Detroit, a playoff rematch. It should be a higher-scoring affair, which is why I'm using a few of these players in my Fantasy Index Blackout lineup.
Yes, our free competition is back, which you can enter under Your Stuff in the top right corner of the page. Each week you pick your best lineup of 2 QBs, 2 RBs, 3 WRs and 2 TE, PK, and Team Defense. You just can't use the blacked out players, typically the biggest stars. Here's my Week 1 lineup.
QB: Matthew Stafford and Tua Tagovailoa. Jared Goff isn't available or I'd use him too. But the Rams should be scoring some points, and Stafford's arm will be involved. The Dolphins are facing the Jaguars, and as we discuss in the Weekly, out later today, Miami and Mike McDaniel tend to start out fast. Should be two of the week's higher-scoring games.
RB: Bijan Robinson and Josh Jacobs. I'm not sure why Bijan isn't blacked out, but I'm not complaining. The Falcons host the Steelers, and if Bijan has trouble running the ball, he'll be catching a bunch of passes. With Jacobs, who's facing the Eagles in Brazil on Friday night, maybe Green Bay will be working in a second back in a lot of games. But this week they might not have one, with MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring) and Emanuel Wilson (hip) both uncertain. To be clear, there will be a second back, but Jacobs should have a heavy running and receiving workload.
WR: Tyreek Hill, Justin Jefferson, Puka Nacua. Let's keep things simple in Week 1. These are three of the first six or seven wide receivers drafted in every league, and at least two of them are playing in higher scoring affairs, as noted. Vikings-Giants may not be, but I'll sign off on Jefferson against New York's secondary.
TE: Evan Engram and David Njoku. Lots of big names blacked out here. Both of these guys might just be their team's No. 1 or at worst No. 2 receivers in this game. Dallas might have trouble with Njoku, and Engram might be Trevor Lawrence's most trusted option early in the year; him or Christian Kirk.
PK: Cameron Dicker and Jason Sanders. Nothing special here. Dolphins game should be higher-scoring. Jim Harbaugh's offenses tend to feature a lot of kicking points. Half the kickers are blacked out and a few others need to be edited because of last-minute roster moves (do not use Greg Joseph for the Packers).
Defense: Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons. Lots of big names blacked out here. I'm a believer in the Bears this season, and I'm a believer in anyone facing Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, or any combination of the two at any time.
Get your lineups in, and good luck!