Opponent Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers This will mark new ground the NFL will break with the game in Week 1 of the 2024 season. It will be the first NFL game to be held in South America, taking place on Friday, September 6 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The game itself will be a showdown between two NFC playoff teams from last year, both of which finished in the top half of the league in total offense (Eagles 8th, Packers 11th).
The return of football also means the return of fantasy football. Let's analyze the main participants of this game from a fantasy football point of view: All fantasy-relevant players are divided into three categories by position:
A strong start – A “set it and forget it” player who should be in the starting XI no matter what the situation.
A Weak Start – This is a player you can set in your lineup, but you might also consider switching if you have a better option.
Sit – A player who should be considered for not starting this week.
Quarterback
Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles) – Off to a Hot Start
The Philadelphia playmaker has developed into an absolutely elite fantasy option over the past few years, projected as the No. 3 QB overall in 2022 and the No. 2 QB overall in 2023 behind Josh Allen.
While Hurts' passing numbers aren't among his generation's best (he has yet to reach 4,000 passing yards in a season), he has rushed for at least 600 yards and double-digit rushing touchdowns every year since becoming a full-time starter in 2021. That includes 15 rushing scores last year, which tied him with Allen for most among quarterbacks. His rushing dominance makes Hurts completely matchup-free.
Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers) – Off to a Hot Start
Speaking of blossoming, Jordan Love had a great first year as Green Bay's starter, finishing with a top-five fantasy finish in 2023 and second in the league in passing touchdowns. The Eagles Most fantasy points allowed The damage Love did to opposing quarterbacks last year is what led to him being an absolutely huge force to open the season this year. (Note that this article's opponent fantasy points rankings only cover Weeks 1-17, as most fantasy leagues don't play in Week 18.)
Running back
Saquon Barkley (Philadelphia Eagles) – Off to a Hot Start
In his six years in the NFL, the only times Barkley hasn't finished in the top 10 in fantasy points per game among running backs in any scoring format were in 2020, when he tore his ACL, and in 2021, when he still wasn't 100% after the injury. Now, he's joining the best offensive line of his career, and he's gone from running one of the NFL's worst offensive lines in New York to one of the best OLs in the league. Even if a “butt shove” costs him a goal-line touchdown, Barkley is likely to be as matchup-independent as the quarterback this season.
Josh Jacobs (Green Bay Packers) – Off to a Hot Start
Jacobs is another 2024 free agent signing who will be going from one of the worst offenses (and worst OL units) in football to one of the best. His first game with his new team may not be an easy one, as the Eagles defense was Swiss cheese against quarterbacks last year but was the seventh-worst defensive unit in the league against opposing running backs in terms of fantasy points allowed.
Still, Jacobs will likely be a staple in Jordan Love's backfield because there's no one in the depth charts who can challenge him, and that sheer volume should get the University of Alabama product off to a strong start each week.
Wide Receiver
AJ Brown (Philadelphia Eagles) – Off to a strong start
Brown has been a top-10 scoring wide receiver each of the past two seasons since being traded to Philadelphia, and while his best football arguably comes in the first half of 2023, Ole Miss Brown has also been one of the top 10 most targeted players every season that Hurts has been the quarterback. Brown has dominated the targets for this offense and is the primary WR.
DeVonta Smith (Philadelphia Eagles) – Off to a Hot Start
Brown is at the top of this tier, but Smith is one of the best No. 2 wide receivers in the league. He will face a Packers defense that finished 13th among all wide receivers in fantasy points per game from the slot in 2023 and just outside the top 10 in fantasy points per game from the slot. Smith will be a strong option in the season opener.
Jahan Dotson (Philadelphia Eagles) – Bench
Dotson had a disappointing 2023 season, finishing as the No. 56 overall WR despite being a popular breakout candidate. Now, he's ranked low in Philadelphia's depth chart after being traded from Washington where he was the No. 2 WR. The only time Dotson would have fantasy value would be if one of the Eagles' two best receivers gets injured.
Christian Watson (Green Bay Packers) – Off to a Hot Start
The Eagles allowed the most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers in half-PPR leagues last year, making this a great opportunity for Green Bay's receivers. Watson was significantly limited last season by a hamstring injury, but when healthy he has been Love's most explosive weapon, averaging 15 yards per reception since being drafted and leading the team in that department both seasons.
Jaden Reed (Green Bay Packers) – Off to a Hot Start
Reed led the Packers in receiving yards and was tied for first in receiving touchdowns last season. He was fourth in the league in fantasy points allowed per game from the slot and will face an Eagles defense that has allowed the second-most fantasy points from the slot in 2023. Philadelphia selected two cornerbacks with their first two picks in the last draft to address last year's awful secondary, but having two players taking their first NFL snaps won't be a short-term solution in Week 1.
Romeo Dubs (Green Bay Packers) – Weak start
If you're already stumped for wide receiver options ahead of Week 1, you could do worse than Doobs, but Doobs was a guy who relied heavily on getting into the end zone to maintain his fantasy output last season, appearing in all 17 regular season games and only recording 55+ yards four times, and I expect him to regress from his performance of eight scores on 96 targets.
Jayden Reed also had eight touchdowns on two fewer targets, but I have a bit more faith in him based on his consistent role and production from the slot throughout the season.
Dontaevion Wicks (Green Bay Packers) – Bench
When everyone in Green Bay is healthy, Wicks is the WR4 on this team. In 2023, he played in six more games than Watson but had just five more targets and was well behind Doobs and Reid in the standings. Wicks will have some fantasy relevance if one of the receivers above him in the depth chart is forced to miss a game.
Tight End
Dallas Goedert (Philadelphia Eagles) – Weak start
Goedert is off to a productive start as the Packers allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends last year. The arrival of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore in Philadelphia could lead to the Eagles passing the ball a little more than we're used to seeing. That could be key for Goedert, the third option by yardage in the passing game, to elevate to a top-10 option at the position in 2024.
Luke Musgrave/Tucker Kraft (Green Bay Packers) – Bench
The Packers don't utilize their tight ends enough in the passing game to slot either option into the starting lineup, with both having under 400 receiving yards in 2024 and a combined three touchdowns.
