Fake Teams fantasy football mailbag: Is Alshon Jeffery worth the start?

Welcome to the Fake Teams’ fantasy football mailbag. This week we’re talking who to start vs. who to sit in Week 1.

If you want to send in your questions for next week’s mailbag, here are the ways to join:

• tweet @petemrogers or @Faketeams using #FTFFmailbag
• email at ftffmailbag@gmail.com
• leave your question in the comments!

Onto the mailbag:

Q: I’ve got Alshon Jeffery currently in my flex but I’m seeing a lot of people question his value vs Josh Norman. My bench: Pierre Garcon, Danny Amendola & Brandon LaFell. Do I start one of these guys or stick it out with Jeffery?
— Tim F.

Right off the bat, bench Jeffery. I do not like him this week vs. Josh Norman, especially since it’ll be his first real game with the Eagles and Carson Wentz. (Side note: I do really like Zach Ertz this week).

As for who to replace him with, I like Pierre Garcon best of those options. I’m trusting the Kyle Shanahan system which gave rise to Garcon’s best statistical season. I think Garcon is going to receive the plenty of targets and will have ample opportunity to make a fantasy impact. Plus, I’m starting him in one of my leagues so let’s hope together he does the trick.

Q: Should I start Kareem Hunt? Right now, I'm starting Melvin Gordon and Carlos Hyde, with Keenan Allen in the flex
— Becca G.

Oh hi fiancée, thanks for tuning in. I think your lineup is fine as is. I really like Kareem Hunt but I don’t know if I’m benching either of those three to get him in the lineup. If you were to drop one, I’d say maybe Keenan Allen since he’s going up against the Broncos defense. But that’s a risk you’d have to take. For my own personal ways, I’m staying put.

Q: Team 1 Standard:
QBs-Drew Brees, Carson Wentz
RB’s-Leonard Fournette, Todd Gurley, Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, Terrance West
WR’s-Odell, Jeremy Maclin, Tyrell Williams, Cole Beasley, Mike Wallace, Tyler Lockett
TE-Jimmy Graham
D/ST-Vikings
K-Justin Tucker

Team 2 PPR
QB’s-Kirk Cousins, Marcus Mariota
RB’s-Todd Gurley, Jordan Howard, Dalvin Cook, Zeke Elliott, Darren McFadden
WR’s-AJ Green, Golden Tate, Jamison Crowder, Willie Snead, Jeremy Maclin, John Brown
TE-Delanie Walker
D/ST-Giants
K-Justin Tucker

What do you think?
— Wyatt M.

Your backfield would be FIRE if everyone plays out right. Fournette and Cook could be battling for rookie fantasy supremacy and Christian McCaffrey is going to get you plenty of points from day one. Obviously Drew Brees will give you bundles of points and Odell helps out as well. Behind OBJ, your wide receivers are a little thin though I’ve spoken at length about how much I like Tyrell Williams, so can’t complain there. All in all, I like that team.

PPR is where the magic happens. Marcus MariGOATa will be your starting QB by Week 3, guarantee it and the trio of Gurley, Howard and Elliott could be dastardly good. I really hope the order you have them is the order you drafted them. If you got Zeke as your fourth RB off the board, well done. Also Green paired with Tate and Crowder AND Snead is a lot of targets. I like. I think Green could have a season in which he reminds the NFL world just how good he is. Liked the standard team, LOVE the PPR team.

Nice drafting!

Have fantasy football questions? You can email them into FTFFmailbag@gmail.com or tweet them at @petemrogers or @faketeams using the hashtag #FTFFmailbag.