Fantasy football weekly with Travis Petty Jr

LAURINBURG — Welcome to a brand new edition, presented by Travis Petty Jr. For starters, this weekly breakdown is for fantasy owners who are looking to make a splash every week during the NFL season. If you want to win a championship in your fantasy league, this breakdown is the place for you. As the season opener approaches, here are some moves to consider for your fantasy lineup.

Top three quarterbacks to start for opening week

• Jalen Hurts at home versus the Dallas Cowboys

Hurts is a must-start this week, opening the NFL season on Thursday Night Football. The Eagles are playing their home opener as defending champions, which means they are getting their Super Bowl rings, so emotions will be high to prove last year was not a fluke. Why do you start Hurts? The Eagles arguably have the best offensive line and receiver tandem in the league. The Cowboys lost one of their key players in the secondary, Jourdan Lewis, in free agency to Jacksonville and with the trading of All-Pro Micah Parsons, Hurts will have the ability to run and gun against the Cowboys defense.

• Josh Allen at home versus the Baltimore Ravens

Now, before you start off saying the Ravens have Marlon Humphrey, Kyle Hamilton, Jaire Alexander, Roquan Smith and Nnamdi Madubuike. That defense is loaded at every position. However, you can never count out last year’s MVP, Josh Allen, who is the lifeblood of the Buffalo offense. Whether it is running or throwing, Allen is going to put points on the board. And if there’s one thing we know about quarterbacks who have the ability to run and throw in fantasy, it’s that it makes them even more dangerous.

• Lamar Jackson on the road versus Buffalo Bills

A rematch of last year’s AFC Divisional playoff match. Two MVPs squaring off—this will be a tough year for Jackson, who has gone on record saying this is the best team he’s been on as a Raven. So let’s put him to the test; why not? Just last year the Ravens averaged 30 points per game versus the Bills. With stout running back Derrick Henry in the backfield, as the Bills defense, you won’t have the luxury of putting eight players in the box because of Jackson’s ability to throw. However, if the Bills do, play action will be a key factor in this game with options on the outside in Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews and Deondre Hopkins. Jackson should have the ability to push the ball up and down the field with his running and throwing ability. He is a must-start in the season opener.

Top three running backs to start for opening week

• Saquon Barkley at home versus the Dallas Cowboys

As the best running back in the league, Barkely will have the luxury to sit back and do this thing. Last year the Eagles scored 34 and 41 points in the two games versus the Cowboys defense. The Cowboys allowed 137 rushing yards per game last year, and Barkley rushed for 233 yards in the two times the Eagles met the Cowboys. Add in there’s no Micah Parsons, and Barkley is a must-start this week.

• Jahmyr Gibbs on the road versus the Green Bay Packers

Gibbs is a dual threat for the Lions offense; a running back who can catch out of the backfield and carry the ball is dangerous in fantasy. He has a strong chance to be a top-five running back this week. Just last year the Packers allowed the third most receiving yards to running backs last season. Gibbs is a must-start this week.

• Bijan Robinson on the road versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Robinson is arguably the next great running back in the league. With this in mind, you have to take into account he will be playing with a quarterback in Michael Penix, who is playing his first season as the full-time starter as a Falcon versus Tampa Bay. Expect Atlanta to rely a bunch on their premier running back to take some ease off of Penix.

Top three wide receivers to start opening week

• A.J. Brown at home versus the Dallas Cowboys

The number one receiver in the Eagles offense, Brown usually has his way against the Cowboys secondary. In his six career games versus the Cowboys, he has cleared 90 yards or scored a touchdown. Brown is a must-start this week.

• Terry McLaurin at home versus the New York Giants

Fresh off signing a three-year contract extension worth over $96 million. A lot is expected out of McLaurin and the Commanders this year. Coming off of a career year where he had 82 catches for 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns. McLaurin is going to be healthy every week, as he’s played in all 17 games for Washington in four consecutive seasons and hasn’t had less than 77 catches or 1,002 receiving yards. With last year’s rookie of the year, Jayden Daniels, throwing him the ball for the second straight season, I expect McLaurin to have a nice performance against a not-so-good Giants defense.

• Justin Jefferson on the road versus the Chicago Bears

Since he’s stepped foot in the NFL, Jefferson has been a problem for opposing teams’ defenses. Entering his sixth year in the league, Jefferson has never not put up 1,000 yards. Last year, he had 103 receptions for 1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns. As the Vikings’ top receiver, he will be quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s favorite target, and with no Jordan Addison on the other side of Jefferson. Expect McCarthy to look for Jefferson often in this game.

Top three tight ends to start opening week

• Brock Bowers at home versus the New England Patriots

Bowers is one of the best young tight ends in the NFL. Bowers had a great rookie campaign, having 112 catches for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns. The 112 catches were a Raiders franchise record, and the receptions were NFL tight end records. He got those catches last year with Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell playing quarterback; now he has a proven veteran quarterback, Geno Smith this year to throw him the ball. Bowers is a must-start this week.

• Travis Kelce on the road versus the Los Angeles Chargers (Brazil)

The best tight end in the NFL. Where do I start? He was just recently engaged to pop star Taylor Swift. Though his age is starting to become a question, the production is still there and he is still Patrick Mahomes’ favorite target. Last year Kelce had 26 red zone targets, which sat atop his position. The Chiefs are facing a Chargers defense that has a strong run defense but not the best pass defense, ranking 19th in the league last year. Kelce is a must-start this week.

• George Kittle on the road versus the Seattle Seahawks

There are a lot of questions surrounding the 49ers this year. But there’s one thing that isn’t a question: Kittle is a player you can rely on each week. Coming off a 78-catch and 1,106-yard season, Kittle will be quarterback Brock Purdy’s safety blanket in a questionable season.

Top three defenses to start opening week

• Arizona Cardinals on the road against the New Orleans Saints

The Saints made the decision to start former 2024 fifth-round quarterback Spencer Rattler for opening week, who played in seven games and started six of them last year. Rattler had a higher interception rate (2.2%) than touchdown rate (1.8%); he completed 130 passes of 228 attempts for 1,317 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions. Plus the Saints last year had a difficult time scoring; they scored fewer than 20 points in all but one of Rattler’s starts and they were held to 10 points or fewer in four of them. The Cardinals’ defense is a must-start this week.

• Philadelphia Eagles at home versus the Dallas Cowboys

You can never go wrong with the Eagles defense. A turnover machine, expect the Eagles to get after Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott early and often, who was arguably playing behind one of the league’s worst offensive lines last year.

• Denver Broncos at home versus the Tennessee Titans

The Titans are starting first overall pick Cam Ward against a tough Denver Broncos defense. Not only will Ward be making his debut, but he will also be playing at a high altitude that is 5,280 feet above sea level. Not to mention rookie quarterbacks have just a 17-35-1 record in week one since 2020.