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Fantasy football: Start-em, sit-em players for Week 1

By Jay Marsdale

NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 24: Jameis Winston
NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 24: Jameis Winston /
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DETROIT, MI – DECEMBER 27: Ameer Abdullah #21 of the Detroit Lions carries the ball in the second quarter while playing the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL game at Ford Field on December 27, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI – DECEMBER 27: Ameer Abdullah #21 of the Detroit Lions carries the ball in the second quarter while playing the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL game at Ford Field on December 27, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images) /

Start-em: Ameer Abdullah (DET) vs. Cardinals

Running back Ameer Abdullah is healthy right now, and you need to take advantage of that.

Abdullah seems to always be hurt. But until that happens, he is the lead back and needs to be treated by fantasy football players like one.

Abdullah played a game and a quarter to start last season, and looked like he was finally going to bring balance to the Detroit Lions offense. Big plays in the passing game look good, but running the ball with Abdullah will be the way Detroit wins games in 2017. The coaching staff knows this and fantasy football players should too.

The strength of the Arizona Cardinals defense is in a daunting secondary headed by Patrick Peterson and Tyron Mathieu. Detroit doesn’t have the playmakers on the outside to consistently beat them which means the workload is going to fall on Abdullah.

Running the ball with Abdullah is how Detroit wins Week 1. That means Abdullah — I said how fantasy football owners win Week 1 too.

More options: Todd Gurley (LAR) vs. Indianapolis and Devonta Freeman (ATL) vs. Chicago