Fantasy Football Player Notes

An elite WR option, Chase is a must-start in all managed fantasy leagues and an appealing option in DFS. The Cleveland pass defense was solid last season, but in the one game against the Browns he was healthy for last year, Chase caught 10-of-15 targets for 119 yards and a touchdown. The Browns will probably try to get high-quality CB Denzel Ward as often as they can if Ward is able to play, but he's recovering from a concussion, leaving his status uncertain. Regardless of whether Ward plays, start Chase with confidence.

The Robin to Ja'Marr Chase's Batman, Higgins has topped the 1,000-yard mark in each of his last two seasons even though he was limited to 14 games in 2021 and had to leave two games early last season - including a game against the Browns in which he was injured on his first offensive snap. Higgins will look for a better result against the Browns this time around. Consider him a high-end WR2 this week.

A high-quality slot receiver, Boyd has averaged 74 catches and 901 receiving yards over his last five seasons. The numbers have been trending slightly downward in recent years, due largely to the presence of teammates Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, exceptional talents who command a lot of targets. The problem with Boyd for fantasy is that it's hard to know when to use him. He's had some big games even when both Chase and Higgins have been healthy, but there are also games where Boyd is the forgotten man in the Cincinnati offense. Since it's Week 1 and fantasy managers aren't dealing with byes or a large number of injuries left, Boyd will most likely be left on benches in Week 1.