Welcome back to Keeping it Real With Fantasy! The Lance’s guide to Fantasy Football is back as the season opens up with the Cowboys facing off against the returning Champion Buccaneers in Tampa Bay. We’re excited for a great season of football and fantasy. Come to The Lance every Thursday to find out all the news and injuries in the league as well as what players you should start and sit, courtesy of Daniel and Kevin.

News & Injuries

Gus Edwards –  Edwards had a potential season ending injury in practice as the team fears he may have torn his ACL. This puts a lot of pressure on the Raven’s backfield as Edwards’ fellow teammate and running back JK Dobbins went down with a similar injury as well. 

J.K Dobbins – In the Ravens’ final preseason game, JK Dobbins went down with a season ending ACL tear. Look to guys like Le’Veon Bell to fill the gap of these running backs. 

Austin Ekeler – Ekeler has been nursing a hamstring injury and was not seen playing in practice on Wednesday. Not a great look for the Chargers or Ekeler as his availability for Sunday comes into question. Ekeler has a history of hamstring issues as he missed a handful of games last season.  

Starts

Chase Edmunds – Although the Cardinals aren’t a run happy offense, Edmunds proves to be a viable RB2. The Cardinals can play one of two styles. Either they hand the ball off which benefits Edmunds, or they continue to play with Kingsbury’s pass heavy offense, which can still be in favor of Edmunds as he’s one of the better pass catching backs in the league. As far as Arizona running backs go, expect him to take most of the snaps.

Laviska Shenault Jr. –  Shenault proved to be a great option for Trever Lawrence as the Jaguars preseason prolonged. Although he isn’t a standout WR1 or WR2, look to him to make great waves as your flex receiver. Pair this with the fact that the Jaguars face off the Texans, and it’s quite easy to see how Shenault has the potential to go off. 

Sits

Andy Dalton – Coming in on the offseason, Dalton is a veteran who came in to mentor newly drafted QB Justin Fields out of Ohio State. This young talent is looking to storm the league from the start and send a message. Although Dalton is named the starter for the Chicago Bears opener against the Rams, there would be no surprise if Fields is put in at half if Andy cannot produce and run the Chicago offense well. Look for a short and sweet time from Dalton as his primary purpose is to teach the rookie what it takes to play in the league. 

D’Andre Swift – After the 2020 season capped off, Swift left the impression that he was going to do big things in his upcoming sophomore year. All this hype led to Matthew Stafford being traded to the Rams and the front office signing RB Jamal Williams. With all this being said, there is a worry starting to arise. It is unclear what Swift’s usage will be this year with a new look offense so try and steer away from him as a starter in week one until we can see what production he brings. 

Odell Beckham Jr. – Coming back from a torn ACL like many other stars injured last season, Beckham is looking to get back to his prime self and help the Cleveland Browns become contenders. Going up against the Kansas City Chiefs, with a solid secondary that can hold its own, it feels too risky to start Beckham as he could be a potential dud. 

Waiver Wires

Elijah Moore – With a new look in New York, Elijah Moore seems like a star in the making as this rookie is speedy and shifty, aided by the newly drafted QB Zach Wilson. If these two can create a connection throughout the season, look for Moore being the number one target and driving force for the Jets offense. 

Jamal Williams – After having a solid season behind Aaron Jones of the Packers, Williams is looking to make a name for himself on the Lions as the new season kicks off. Although D’Andre Swift might see more of the ball by the looks of it, Williams is a threat out of the backfield and can find his way to the starting position if he continues uphill.