Fantasy football start or sit Week 1: George Pickens, Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders

Mike Moraitis

Fantasy football start or sit Week 1: George Pickens, Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders image

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Wide receiver George Pickens and running backs Miles Sanders and Javonte Williams will be making their Dallas Cowboys debut in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night.

Acquiring Pickens was one of the biggest moves of the entire offseason for Dallas. He was acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers after Pickens wore out his welcome there thanks to his bad attitude.

Both Williams and Sanders were signed in free agency. Williams comes over from the Denver Broncos after a disappointing four-year stint there, and Sanders was previously with the Carolina Panthers but didn't come close to panning out.

Should Pickens, Williams or Sanders be in your fantasy football lineup in Week 1? Let's find out.

Start or sit: George Pickens

Pickens is the No. 2 receiver behind CeeDee Lamb on the Cowboys' depth chart and should get a decent amount of room to operate as a result. Adding to that, he won't be facing the opposing team's best cornerback all that often.

That said, the Eagles sported one of the best pass defenses in the NFL last season and Pickens is playing his first game in a new offense and with a new quarterback.

We'd suggest sitting him this week until we see how he fits in Dallas' offense.

Verdict: Sit

Start or sit: Javonte Williams

Williams is listed as the Cowboys' starter, so he should get the bulk of the work in Dallas' backfield in Week 1.

However, Williams is coming off a terrible season in which he averaged just 3.7 yards per carry and fell off the fantasy map. Until we see him produce in Dallas, Williams is best left on the bench, especially in a tough matchup against a Philly defense that was top 10 against the run in 2024.

Verdict: Sit

Start or sit: Miles Sanders

Like Williams, Sanders was not good last season and it appears his best days are behind him.

Adding to that, Sanders is listed as Williams' backup, which means his workload may be minimal. The veteran running back should not be in lineups until further notice.

Verdict: Sit

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Mike Moraitis

Mike Moraitis is a freelance writer who covers the NFL for the Sporting News. Over his nearly two decades covering sports, Mike has also worked for Bleacher Report, USA TODAY and FanSided. He hates writing in the third person.