By admin 
Week 1 kicks off tonight, and lineups need to be set with two early-week games in Week 1. We are all excited for the fantasy football season to get started, but we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. There are players who are going to let us down this week.
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There is no “it’s just Week 1”. Players need to be benched, and we are here with our top overall must-bench players at each position in Week 1.
QB Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
We are concerned that the 49ers offense is going to take some time to get rolling this year. They had to fly across the world to Melbourne, Australia, after a tumultuous offseason filled with injuries.
Mike Evans and Christian McCaffrey have both missed multiple weeks due to injury issues, and George Kittle sounds like he’s significantly less than 100% coming off a ruptured Achilles tendon. It could take some time for this offense to get on the same page.
Then, of course, you have the matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. They are projected to be one of the best defenses in the league after rebuilding their cornerback room and acquiring defensive end Myles Garrett, who is coming off the most prolific sack season in NFL history.
RB Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings
Inexplicably, Jones is ahead of Jordan Mason and viewed as an RB3 based on his ECR (expert consensus rankings). At 32 years old, age and injuries have taken a toll as he’s coming off the least efficient season of his career.
Last year, we said this about Alvin Kamara, and this season it’s Jones. It’s time to move on. If you want to start a Vikings running back this week or any week, it should be Mason.
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WR Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears
We are moving away from Odunze, with him still not practicing due to his unspecified lower-body injury. He struggled last season when trying to play through injuries, and we want no part of that, even against the Carolina Panthers.
If he comes out and plays well this week, we can live with that. Still, we want to see him look healthy first. Luther Burden III is the wide receiver to start in Chicago.
TE George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
With the news that Kittle is expected to have his snaps monitored in Week 1, we are going with another option if at all possible. Kittle owners should have prepared not to have him for Week 1, and that other option should be in your starting lineup.
The issue comes in if your other option was Jake Tonges, because he also isn’t a viable option with Kittle active. In that case, you’ll have to hope there is a strong option available on the waiver wire.
More Fantasy Sports On SI News
- George Kittle & Three Other Big Names to Avoid Starting in Your Fantasy Football Lineup in Week 1
- Fantasy Football Must Starts At Every Position Week 1: Luther Burden III Is Elite With Rome Odunze Injured
- Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Streamers Week 1: Potential Breakout Rookie Chris Bell Headlines
- Fantasy Football Running Back Streamers Week 1: Is MarShawn Lloyd The Wrong Packers’ RB To Target?
- Fantasy Football Quarterback Streamers Week 1: Led By Kyler Murray And A QB With Week-Winning Upside.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/fantasy as Fantasy Football Must Sits At Every Position Week 1: Get George Kittle Out Of Your Lineups.
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This story was originally published September 9, 2026 at 5:29 AM.