49ers fantasy football: Niners players to start, sit in Week 1
By Peter Panacy
49ers fantasy football start ’em: Running back Raheem Mostert
It’ll be interesting to see how first-year Lions head coach Dan Campbell’s defense matures this season, and it’ll be equally as provocative to see how Detroit’s run defense pans out over the course of the year.
One thing is known, however: San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan will still want to run the ball early and often.
Week 1 games can be dynamic for starting running backs, who are coming off a full offseason and haven’t been subjected to the rigors of a full 17-game schedule just yet. They’re fresh and relatively rested, particularly if they were limited in preseason games.
Such as the 49ers’ starting running back, Raheem Mostert.
A year ago, Mostert had himself a Week 1 game, albeit a Niners loss to the Arizona Cardinals, rushing 15 times for 53 yards but also hauling in four receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown, which provided quite the boost for points-per-reception leagues.
PPR fantasy owners shouldn’t hesitate to start Mostert against a predicted-to-be weak Lions defense, and it wouldn’t be shocking if a fully healthy Mostert winds up having another one of those high-performing Week 1 outings.