The first week of the new NFL season is nearly in the books and it's been a thrilling weekend for fantasy football players. We've got our first Monday Night Football matchup of the season coming up as Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets take on Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers in what some are calling a Super Bowl preview.
All eyes will be on Rodgers, whose Jets debut lasted just four plays in 2023 before he suffered a torn Achilles. Will he be the same player who won back-to-back MVPs just a handful of years ago or has Father Time caught up to the future Hall of Fame QB?
On the other side, the 49ers hope to avoid the dreaded "Super Bowl hangover" that many teams experience early in a season after coming up short in the big game. Star WR Brandon Aiyuk got his contract after a contentious holdout, but will his holdout cause San Francisco's offense to struggle?
Let's take a look at some fantasy players to target and some to avoid in tonight's matchup.
Jets vs. 49ers Fantasy Picks: Starts
Start Jauan Jennings, WR, & Jordan Mason, RB, San Francisco 49ers: Aiyuk's holdout kept him away from practice for a majority of the last couple of months. While he's familiar with the offense, it's reasonable to expect the 49ers to lean move heavily on third WR Jauan Jennings while Aiyuk gets back into football shape. Jennings was seldom-used in the regular season but made a major impact in the playoffs, catching five passes for 61 yards in the Divisional Round before hauling in four for 42 yards and a TD in the Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs. In Jordan Mason's case, we've frequently seen backup running backs find success in Kyle Shanahan's scheme and Mason is next up. Christian McCaffrey is questionable entering the contest and while he's expected to play, Mason should see enough snaps to put up some surprise points for fantasy owners as well. There's no reason for San Francisco to test McCaffrey's health in Week 1, so Mason should see a fair amount of opportunities during Monday's contest.
Start Tyler Conklin, TE, New York Jets: Aaron Rodgers has always loved targeting his tight ends, using them as safety blankets when ferocious pass rushes stare him down. It's no secret that the 49ers have one of the NFL's best defensive fronts, and Tyler Conklin should be a direct beneficiary of the heat Rodgers will feel. Conklin caught 61 passes for a career-high 621 yards in 2023. He didn't find the end zone, but that could change as soon as tonight with Rodgers under center. Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall will hog the volume in this offense, though Conklin will get enough passes thrown his way to justify a start.
49ers vs. Jets Fantasy Picks: Sits
Sit Chris Conley, WR, San Francisco 49ers: Chris Conley is likely only on the rosters in the deepest of leagues, though could be a Daily Fantasy target for players on a stacked slate. Even though it's tempting to look Conley's way following Aiyuk's holdout, he's best left on your bench. McCaffrey, Aiyuk, and George Kittle will be Purdy's top three targets with Jennings and Mason feasting on the leftovers. There's just not enough volume for Conley to make a true impact. He played in only eight games in 2023, catching three passes for 69 yards. It wouldn't be surprising to see him get one or two targets against the Jets, though that's not enough to justify a start. He's on his fifth team and will be lucky to see more than a handful of snaps. Conley would be someone to consider if the contest was predicted to be a blowout but he's not worth a dart throw during a matchup between two contenders.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Monday Night Football Fantasy Picks: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em for Jets vs. 49ers Week 1.
