Fantasy Football: 7 players who could get off to slow starts this NFL season

The fantasy football season is more of a sprint than a marathon. But even within the short time frame of 17 weeks, there is still room for players to be inconsistent. And some players are predisposed to have their worst stretch at the outset of the season due to a variety of factors such as having a difficult schedule. Let’s take a look at the players who could disappoint out of the gate.

There is pressure on Prescott and CeeDee Lamb to reestablish their incredible connection in just a few days after Lamb spent all of training camp away from the team. And Prescott could really flounder if he and Lamb are not completely in sync, because the rest of his weapons are at best a mediocre group. The schedule isn’t going to do the 31-year-old any favors, as his initial three games are against defenses (Browns, Saints, Ravens) who were among the 10 toughest in allowing fantasy points to QBs last year.

White was much more valuable in fantasy football than he was to the Bucs last season. After all, the 25-year-old averaged just 3.6 yards per carry and generated more of his production from catching 64 passes. In the offseason, Tampa fixed its problem of having to rely too much on an inefficient White by drafting dynamic rookie Bucky Irving.

White needs to have a big game against Washington in Week 1, because four of his next five games are against defenses (Lions, Eagles, Falcons, Saints) that were among the 10 toughest in allowing fantasy points to RBs last year. A slow start by White could open the door for Irving to gain a larger role by the middle of October.

Conner averaged a career-best 80 rushing yards per game in 2023, but he also posted his lowest marks since his 2017 rookie season in the passing game (27 catches, 165 yards). The 29-year-old will be hard-pressed to excel on the ground at the start of 2024, as three of his initial five games are against the three toughest teams (Rams, Lions, Niners) for fantasy RBs last year. With fleet-footed rookie Trey Benson waiting in the wings, Conner could lose playing time by enduring a poor start to the season.

There is a big difference between Aiyuk and Lamb or Ja’Marr Chase. All three star receivers did not participate in training camp, but the Niners are much less dependent on Aiyuk than the Cowboys and Bengals are on their top receivers. We still don’t know when Aiyuk will return to action, and there is a chance that he endures the ultimate slow start to the season by missing regular season games. Even with Aiyuk and the Niners having finally agreed to a contract, Kyle Shanahan has the option of dialing up more plays for George Kittle, Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey until he believes that Aiyuk is up to speed. It also doesn’t help that the toughest fantasy matchup for wide receivers (Jets) is San Francisco’s Week 1 opponent.

As he finishes off an illustrious career, Adams has at times been frustrated with inconsistent QB play in the Raiders offense. This year, the early season schedule could leave Adams in a bad mood. The 31-year-old could have a great game in Week 1 if Jim Harbaugh’s staff has not yet fixed a Chargers secondary that struggled in 2023. But in the subsequent three games, Adams will face top-10 defenses (Ravens, Panthers, Browns) in difficulty for fantasy WRs last year. Las Vegas head coach Antonio Pierce is already predisposed to establish the running game, and he is even more likely to do so once he analyzes the strength of these secondaries.

The Titans revamped their offense this year, switching offensive coordinators, allowing Derrick Henry to leave via free agency, and signing Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd and Tony Pollard. Hopkins hopes to play in Week 1, but there is no doubt that he missed a chance to assert himself in the new offense when he was sidelined throughout August with a knee injury. Between the new arrivals, dynamic RB Tyjae Spears and TE Chigoziem Okonkwo, QB Will Levis won’t need to rely heavily on Hopkins early in the season.

The good news is that the most coveted tight ends are in position to enjoy solid starts to the season. Henry is a little bit lower on the list, but he has some potential to be a solid TE2 once he finds his footing in a new offense. The 29-year-old has missed time with an undisclosed injury, which cost him valuable opportunities to establish a rapport with the team’s new QBs. Speaking of QBs, we didn’t know who would be under center for the Pats in Week 1 until Thursday morning. We now know it will be Jacoby Brissett and not Drake Maye, but the veteran will not have a natural connection with Henry until later in the season.

Wise managers will be aware of these early season schedule quirks but will not overrate them. There may be an avenue to acquire some of these players via trade after they endure a slow start. The key will be to confirm in October that their September struggles have not diminished their long-term role.