Week 1 Fantasy Football Decisions: Start/Sit Advice for Every Position (Ep. 2186)

September 12, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The FantasyPros crew opens their Week 1 start/sit show with a confession: the season's first game was a dud for fantasy, full of injuries and poor performances. But the real work begins now, and the hosts—Ryan Warmly, Fitz, and Jake—are shifting from months of draft-mode big-picture thinking into the weekly grind of matchup-specific decisions. The central tension of Week 1, as Jake puts it, is that "we're assuming and we're basing a lot of off-season talk on previous performances," a habit he warns against. The show is built around "plant your flag" picks, start/sit debates, and touchdown calls, all grounded in the specific conditions of the opening slate.

The Tight End Opportunity: Juwan Johnson and the Lions' Depleted Secondary

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What you'll learn

1 (00:21) **Episode Kickoff and "Plant Your Flag" Picks** – Hosts Ryan Warmly, Fitz, and Jake Sealy welcome listeners to the first start/sit show of the season and introduce their personal "plant your flag" picks for Week 1.
2 (09:32) **RB Debate: Travis Etienne vs. Ashton Genty** – The panel debates the Week 1 value of two running backs in new situations, factoring in injury reports and backfield competition.
3 (13:24) **RB Debate: Jordan Mason vs. Tony Pollard** – A close comparison between two running backs with unclear lead roles, one in a promising offense and the other in a potentially low-scoring one.
4 (19:52) **WR Debate: Tetairoa McMillan vs. Zay Flowers** – A high-stakes debate between two ascending young wide receivers with contrasting matchups and quarterback situations.
5 (26:52) **WR Debate: Marvin Harrison Jr. vs. Michael Pittman** – The panel weighs the potential of a talented but unproven receiver against a more established one in a new offense.
6 (34:14) **Rapid Fire: RB Rico Dowdle vs. Jalen Warren** – A quick debate on a Steelers backfield, focusing on fit and expected game script.
7 (37:02) **Rapid Fire: WR Quentin Johnston vs. Stefon Diggs** – A debate between a high-upside receiver in a good offense and a veteran in a questionable one.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Ryan Warmly

Show Notes

Who should you start in Week 1 of the 2026 fantasy football season? The FantasyPros crew breaks down some of the toughest lineup decisions, including Travis Etienne Jr. vs. Ashton Jeanty, Jordan Mason vs. Tony Pollard, Tetairoa McMillan vs. Zay Flowers, and Marvin Harrison Jr. vs. Michael Pittman Jr. Plus, they plant their flags on Juwan Johnson and Caleb Douglas as players they’re higher on this week.

Plus, the guys make their Week 1 touchdown calls, featuring Omarion Hampton, Parker Washington, and Mark Andrews. Get your lineup set before kickoff with FantasyPros’ Week 1 fantasy football start/sit advice.

Timestamps: (May be off due to ads)

Intro- 0:00:00

Juwan Johnson - 0:02:57

Caleb Douglas - 0:05:45

Polymarket - 0:08:12

Start/Sit Debates - 0:09:10

Ashton Jeanty vs. Jordan Mason - 0:09:15

Jordan Mason vs. Tony Pollard - 0:13:08

Tetairoa McMillan vs. Zay Flowers - 0:19:35

Marvin Harrison Jr. vs. Michael Pittman Jr. - 0:25:10

Warby Parker - 0:31:04

Jaylen Warren vs. Rico Dowdle - 0:32:42

Stefon Diggs vs. Quentin Johnston - 0:35:22

Drake London vs. Breece Hall - 0:37:35

Jaylen Waddle vs. Bhayshul Tuten - 0:38:46

J.K. Dobbins vs. DK Metcalf - 0:40:08

Wan’Dale Robinson vs. Kenny Gainwell - 0:41:45

Bo Nix vs. Malik Willis - 0:43:40

Mark Andrews vs. Isaiah Likely - 0:47:39

Touchdown Calls - 0:50:12

Outro - 0:52:53

Helpful Links:

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