Fantasy Football Start 'Em Sit 'Em 2023: Week 1 WR rankings for DK Metcalf, George Pickens and co.

Getting off to a hot start in your fantasy football league means making the right calls in Week 1. While I’m always a proponent of the “start your studs” mentality, you must be smart and exploit matchups when possible. With so many drafters going wide receiver crazy this year, it stands to reason many of you will have tough choices with your pass catchers.

As we kick off the 2023 NFL season, it’s time to get that lineup looking right. Here are receivers to start and sit for Week 1.

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Fantasy Football Week 1 Start 'Em Wide Receiver

DK Metcalf

Honestly, start everyone on Seattle vs a talentless Rams secondary. DK, though, will dominate an LA corner group that no longer features Jalen Ramsey. Bet your friends $100 to name the starting corners for the Rams this weekend. Trust me, you’ll have a stack of cash by lunchtime. Expect Metcalf to go over 100 yards with a score as the Seahawks route the hapless Rams.

Mike Evans vs Marquise Brown

Mike Evans

The Bucs attempted the most passes in the NFL a season ago. That likely goes down drastically now that Tom Brady is long gone.

Even with a more balanced attack, it’s hard not to love Mike Evans’ matchup vs a Vikings corner group that will start a rookie in Mekhi Blackmon and a pair of second-rounders who didn’t flash a year ago. While the conversation of late concerns Big Mike’s contract, he’ll do his talk on the field with a big opening day.

Mike Evans' fantasy projection for Week 1

Sportskeeda's Start/Sit Optimizer clearly concurs, suggesting a start for Mike Evans this week.

A.J. Brown

We haven’t seen the Eagles starters since the Super Bowl loss in February. Sunday in Foxboro, they’ll take out an offseason of frustrations on a Patriots secondary that could be without Jack Jones (hamstring). That leaves the likes of Jonathan Jones, Christian Gonzalez, and Myles Bryant to cover the most elite receiving duo in the league. Good luck with that.

Eagles' A.J. Brown

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Fantasy Football Week 1 Sit Em' Wide Receivers

George Pickens

The buzz out of Steelers camp was how improved this offense has looked. While I don’t trust OC Matt Canada at all, I don’t trust anyone against the San Francisco 49ers defense.

Pickens is coming off a rookie season that saw him go over 800 yards on 52 catches. He led the NFL in most of those seemingly on "go" routes. If and when Pickens can expand that route tree, he’ll become an elite receiver. While I think that day is coming, it’s not Sunday vs the 49ers.

Marquise “Hollywood” Brown

Brown is an exceptional talent on a team that severely lacks it. Enter starting QB Josh Dobbs and an offensive line that would struggle against a college team; this one looks to get ugly fast.

The Commanders' front should be in Dobbs' face all night. I don’t anticipate him having much time in the pocket to find Brown deep down the field. I’m not sure how many weeks I will feel good about any Cardinals skill player. Week 1 definitely isn’t one of them.

Buffalo Bills v Chicago Bears

Gabe Davis

While everyone assumes that Sauce Gardner will shadow Stefon Diggs, that’s not how the Jets play defense. Last season, Gardner played the majority of his snaps on the left side. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Buffalo will shift Diggs away from the Defensive Rookie of the Year. That means Gabe Davis will be thrown to the wolves.