Start ’Em, Sit ’Em (Week 1): QB| RB| WR| TE| DEF/K| Busts
Fabs’s Five Sleepers is your weekly look at players who aren’t considered must-starts in fantasy football lineups but could exceed statistical expectations based on a matchup or simple volume. For all of your final lineup decisions, be sure to check out Start 'Em, Sit 'Em and my weekly fantasy player rankings, which are updated daily throughout the season.
Fantasy Football Sleepers For Week 1
Tyler Shough, QB, Saints, at Lions (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Shough was one of the best fantasy quarterbacks in the second half of last season, and a Week 1 matchup against the Lions makes him a viable streamer. The expected points total in this game is hovering around 50, so Vegas expects plenty of points to be scored. And if the Saints fall behind, Shough could post some big garbage-time totals.
Tony Pollard, RB, Titans, vs. Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Pollard isn’t a traditional sleeper, but he’s also not someone who is locked into your lineup every week. He does have a great matchup in his first game of 2026, though, as the Jets allowed a league-high 28 total touchdowns to running backs a season ago. The matchup also makes Tyjae Spears worth a look in deeper leagues.
Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Bucs, at Bengals (1 p.m. ET, Fox): I’ve listed Bucky Irving as a starter based on the great matchup against the Bengals, but it benefits Gainwell too. In fact, if the Buccaneers are playing from behind (they’re a 3.5-point ‘dog), it might be Gainwell who benefits more than Irving based on his pass-catching chops. The point total in this contest is also expected to be in the low 50s.
Quentin Johnston, WR, Chargers, vs. Cardinals (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Johnston was an underrated player in fantasy drafts, and I like him as a sleeper flex against the Cardinals. The expected point total is in the high 40s, and the Cardinals have one of the league’s more questionable defenses. So in a game that the Bolts should score some points, I like Johnston to produce a respectable stat line.
Josh Downs, WR, Colts, vs. Ravens (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Alec Pierce (ankle) is expected to play this week, but might he be limited after doing nothing most of the summer? The Colts also signed Keenan Allen late in camp, and he has had some off-field issues. Enter Downs, who has a plus matchup against a Ravens defense that allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to slot receivers in 2025.
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MICHAEL FABIANO
Michael Fabiano is a fantasy football analyst for Sports Illustrated. His weekly rankings and Start 'Em, Sit 'Em articles are must-reads for fantasy players. Before joining SI in August 2020, he worked for CBS Sports, NFL Network and SiriusXM. He also contributes to Westwood One Radio and the Locked on Dynasty Podcast. Fabiano was the first fantasy analyst to appear on one of the four major TV networks and is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame.
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