RADIO
Week 1 kicked off with a bang, and the last game on the opening NFL slate is exciting for "real life" football and fantasy football. Below, you can read our Monday Night Football matchups analysis article for the Jets vs. 49ers game to help make any fantasy lineup decisions for both season-long and DFS.
Will Christian McCaffrey suit up? Can Aaron Rodgers return to form after a devastating injury? Will Brandon Aiyuk be rusty? Will both defenses continue to look elite? These are some of the top storylines for Monday night's AFC vs. NFC showdown. It's sure to be a good one, so get the popcorn ready!
Read our fantasy football breakdowns for these games -- the recommended starts, sits, and matchups we love heading into the Week 1 matchups. Good luck, RotoBallers!
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
- Running back fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
- Tight end fantasy football rankings
- Kicker fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Superflex fantasy football rankings
- IDP fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
New York Jets at San Francisco 49ers
Spread: 49ers -4.0
Jets Off. DVOA (2023): -29.8 (32nd)
49ers Off. DVOA (2023): 31.8% (1st)
Jets Def. DVOA (2023): -14.2% (3rd)
49ers Def. DVOA (2023): -9.6% (4th)
Matchups We Love
Christian McCaffrey, RB (SF)
UPDATE: Christian McCaffrey has been ruled out for Week 1 and will not play. Jordan Mason is an RB2 and must stash if still available before lineups lock.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has been dealing with a calf and Achilles injury for the past couple of weeks, which has held him out of preseason action.
While he is listed as questionable, the 49ers remain optimistic that he will be ready to go for Week 1 against the New York Jets. The Jets struggled to contain fantasy running backs in 2023, so the All-Pro back has a favorable matchup to start the season.
Christian McCaffrey said his calf/Achilles is “not a concern for me.” pic.twitter.com/UceeuWarxj
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) September 6, 2024
Matchups We Hate
Brock Purdy, QB (SF)
Fantasy managers drafted 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy to be their QB1 in Week 1 and beyond. However, it might be best to look elsewhere for a quarterback to start the season.
The Jets gave up a league-low 168.3 pass yards per game last season while holding opposing quarterbacks to 12.1 fantasy points per game. That makes Purdy an extremely risky start in one-quarterback leagues this week.
Aaron Rodgers, QB (NYJ)
Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles after just four snaps last season and now will enter the 2024 season facing a tough 49ers defense. San Francisco allowed just 13.95 fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in 2023, making Rodgers also a risky option at the position in this game. He'll enter the week as a low-end QB2.
Breece Hall, RB (NYJ)
You should be starting New York Jets running back Breece Hall every week. But he does have a tough matchup against the 49ers front seven to begin the season. San Francisco allowed just 98.7 rush yards per game in 2023 and ranked second in PPR fantasy points (15.7) allowed to the position. So, it might be a tougher day on the ground for Hall in Week 1.
WHAT A GAME BY @BREECEH!!#NYJvsNE on FOX pic.twitter.com/T0c7SOMsyH
— New York Jets (@nyjets) January 7, 2024
Brandon Aiyuk, WR (SF)
Brandon Aiyuk recently signed a four-year extension with the 49ers, meaning he'll be ready to suit up in Week 1 against the Jets. However, he could struggle to put up solid fantasy numbers this week.
For starters, he hasn't been on the field all offseason, so there could be some timing issues in the first game. On top of that, Sauce Gardner will likely shadow him throughout the contest. So, Aiyuk is more of a low-end WR2 versus New York.
Other Matchups
Garrett Wilson, WR (NYJ)
Assuming Rodgers can stay healthy this year, Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson will finally have a solid quarterback throwing him passes. No matter Wilson's matchup, fantasy managers should be starting him every week. Luckily for him, he has a solid matchup in the secondary against a 49ers unit that allowed 32.7 PPR fantasy points to opposing wideouts last year.
Deebo Samuel Sr., WR (SF)
The fantastic thing about rostering Deebo Samuel in fantasy is that his points don't only come from the receiving game.
Samuel totaled 225 rush yards and five touchdowns on the ground last season, and that usage in the running game raised his fantasy ceiling every week. While Aiyuk is being shadowed by Gardner in this game, the 28-year-old playmaker could see better fantasy results in Week 1.
George Kittle, TE (SF)
Tight end George Kittle is a player fantasy managers should be starting every single week. Despite the Jets presenting a tough challenge for Aiyuk, Kittle could see more opportunities in the passing game because of it. Overall, New York was solid against fantasy tight ends last season but did allow seven receiving touchdowns to the position. As a result, Kittle is a nice TE1 option in Week 1.
We're makin' noise! @gkittle46
📺 #DALvsSF on NBC
📱 NFL+ // https://t.co/KTh0i4oaLh pic.twitter.com/MIwVqM5YUc— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) October 9, 2023
Jordan Mason, RB (SF)
With the news of McCaffery missing Week 1, Jordan Mason becomes a RB2/FLEX option. During the preseason Mason earned the task of backing up McCaffrey, showing adequate burst and vision. Last year, Mason averaged 5.2 yards per carry and three touchdowns with minimal involvement in the passing game, mostly in garbage time. Last year, New York's defense was much better against the pass than the run, ranking 25th in the league in yards per game allowed and could be even worse this year, with the loss of key personnel and new acquisition Haason Reddick to miss the game due to a holdout.
Notable Injuries
Christian McCaffrey (Calf/Achilles) - Out
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