NFL Nation answers the biggest fantasy questions -- provided by ESPN fantasy football analyst Mike Clay -- across the league for Week 1.
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AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills
How many touches should we expect for Devin Singletary?
There's no precedent for Singletary in his first NFL game, but I'd expect anywhere between eight and 15 combined touches for the running back. That number could increase or decrease depending on who has the hot hand among him, Frank Gore and T.J. Yeldon. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques
Miami Dolphins
How much of a role will Preston Williams play in his first pro game?
I wouldn't count on much from Williams in his first game, but he might be a deep sleeper to watch after the Kenny Stills trade. Williams is the Dolphins' No. 4 receiver, but I don't expect Jakeem Grant to be a full-time player, and early success could carve out a bigger role for the rookie. Williams' early role could be as a red zone and situational third-down threat, getting three or four targets per game. -- Cameron Wolfe
New England Patriots
Who will operate as the team's No. 3 receiver behind Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon?
This is a tough one to answer with veteran Demaryius Thomas (hamstring) limited in practice, which potentially puts his status in question for the game. So the probable choice will be fifth-year veteran Phillip Dorsett, who has come through with some clutch performances in high-stakes games, and Tom Brady clearly has a comfort level throwing to him. The other two options are undrafted free agents Jakobi Meyers and Gunner Olszewski, who are long shots to fill the No. 3 role in this game. -- Mike Reiss
New York Jets
How many touches do you anticipate for Le'Veon Bell in his Jets debut?
Bell told coach Adam Gase he's prepared for a heavy workload. Gase seems cool with that, but he also has to protect the player from himself. In the end, look for Bell to have 15-20 touches, which seems like the right balance. It won't be what he had in Pittsburgh, but it'll be enough for him to be prominent in the game plan. -- Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
How much of a role will Marquise Brown play in his NFL debut?
Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Brown is "full go" after the first-round pick spent most of the offseason recovering from January foot surgery. That means Brown will be among Baltimore's top three wide receivers. Willie Snead IV and Miles Boykin could get more snaps because the Ravens have been smart about not overworking Brown. They will, however, have plays designed to get the ball in Brown's hands in space, whether it's a wide receiver screen or even a handoff. -- Jamison Hensley
Cincinnati Bengals
How involved will A.J. Green-replacement Damion Willis be in his NFL debut?
Expect Willis to see a healthy amount of targets in Green's absence. The undrafted free agent arguably had the best training camp of anybody on the Bengals' roster and emerged as a viable passing option. If he plays well during his spell as a starter, he could even continue to see meaningful reps once Green returns. -- Ben Baby
Dan Orlovsky likes the Eagles over the Redskins because of Carson Wentz and his revenge tour.
Cleveland Browns
Do you expect any limitations for Odell Beckham Jr. in his Browns debut?
OBJ himself indicated he's still being hampered by that nagging hip injury that's prevented him from, as he puts it, "opening up and fully sprinting" throughout the preseason. Beckham was adamant he's playing Sunday. But even he admitted he might not have his top-end speed at his disposal. -- Jake Trotter
Pittsburgh Steelers
How large of a role will James Washington play against New England?
The Steelers will have packages with Washington as a primary option, but Donte Moncrief is solidified as the starter on the outside, so expecting Washington to play most or all of the snaps isn't reasonable. He probably will be in a No. 3-type role alongside Ryan Switzer, but don't be surprised if the Steelers take a few intermediate-to-deep shots with Washington. -- Jeremy Fowler
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
How will touches be distributed in a recently overhauled backfield?
Although it should even out in a few weeks, expect Duke Johnson Jr. to receive the majority of touches in Week 1. Carlos Hyde was just thrown into this offense Sunday, so he probably will take a back seat to Johnson against the Saints, especially if the Texans fall behind early and are relying on Johnson to catch passes out of the backfield. -- Sarah Barshop
Indianapolis Colts
Do you anticipate more targets for Jack Doyle or Eric Ebron this weekend?
It wouldn't be surprising if Doyle not only got more targets than Ebron against the Chargers, but also the entire season. Doyle has routinely been an underneath safety valve for Colts quarterbacks. Ebron is more of a hybrid receiver who gets targeted more frequently in the red zone due to his size and athleticism. Doyle was second to only T.Y. Hilton in targets during the 2016 and 2017 seasons when he played at least 15 games. -- Mike Wells
Jacksonville Jaguars
Which wide receiver will lead the team in targets against the Chiefs?
Dede Westbrook has been the most consistent receiver throughout OTAs and training camp, and it's clear that Nick Foles is comfortable throwing him the ball. Foles played just 19 snaps in Week 3 of the preseason and threw 10 passes -- seven of which went to Westbrook. Expect him to be the Jaguars' most-targeted receiver Sunday and throughout the season. -- Mike DiRocco
Tennessee Titans
How big of a role will A.J. Brown play in his NFL debut?
Brown isn't likely to have a key role in his debut unless Tajae Sharpe goes down with an injury. The rookie receiver will eventually get more snaps, but as of now, Sharpe is the starter and one of Marcus Mariota's favorite wideouts to target because of the separation he creates. Brown is still working on winning at the line and at the top of his route. -- Turron Davenport
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
How do you expect backfield touches to be distributed between Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman?
The plan is for Lindsay and Freeman split most of the run game work -- Freeman should get a few more of the early-down snaps -- with Lindsay getting more touches in the passing game. They are going to move Lindsay around the formation, and he should get a few more looks in the red zone. But Freeman will be the back of choice down close to the goal line. -- Jeff Legwold
Kansas City Chiefs
Which running back will lead the team in touches against the Jaguars?
Damien Williams will get more work than either LeSean McCoy or Darwin Thompson. Williams is the one with the experience in the Chiefs' offense as opposed to McCoy, who arrived only this week, and Thompson, a rookie and sixth-round draft choice. But the addition of McCoy and the rapid development of Thompson means the Chiefs won't hesitate to turn to one of their other backs if Williams isn't producing. -- Adam Teicher
Los Angeles Chargers
With Melvin Gordon still holding out, how will touches be distributed between Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson?
Ekeler will get the start and not play special teams, which signifies that the Chargers will lean on him as the main guy. However, Jackson should see significant touches, particularly in goal-line situations, because he's a bigger back. Chargers coach Anthony Lynn also said this week he'll ride the hot back if one player is in a rhythm. Both players are excellent receivers out of the backfield, so expect Philip Rivers to get the two of them out in space as well. -- Eric D. Williams
Dan Orlovsky predicts a big day for Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals' offense against the Detroit Lions.
Oakland Raiders
Do you expect Josh Jacobs to handle nearly all of the team's rushing attempts?
Yes, with a dash of DeAndre Washington to spell him. Small sample size, obviously, but Jacobs was all the Raiders could have wanted in the preseason game at Arizona. He showed power, burst, cutting ability and, perhaps most impressive, preternatural vision in rushing for 20 yards on his first three carries. "I was just knocking off the rust," Jacobs said. -- Paul Gutierrez
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys
Do you expect Ezekiel Elliott to be limited after recently returning from a lengthy holdout?
The Cowboys are normally deliberate with players coming off injury, and while Elliott was not hurt, he missed all of training camp. Jerry Jones has made reference to the season being a marathon, and Elliott will have just three practices going into the game. While that might be enough to make him feel comfortable with the game plan, the Cowboys do not want to tax him too early and leave him with something nagging to deal with for the rest of the season. Rookie Tony Pollard performed well in the preseason and has the trust of the coaches. Once Elliott gets his legs under him, he will be the lead back, but for this game, Elliott and Pollard should see a closer split of the work. -- Todd Archer
New York Giants
Can we trust any Giants wide receiver not named Sterling Shepard against Dallas?
It's not advisable. There is nothing in Cody Latimer, Bennie Fowler or Russell Shepard's pasts that indicates they can be consistent threats. None of them has even topped 1,000 yards receiving for their careers. Latimer is the best bet for a flier given his downfield ability. -- Jordan Raanan
Philadelphia Eagles
How many touches will Miles Sanders handle in his pro debut?
Ten. Sanders earned the respect of teammates and coaches this summer and will be a part of the offense immediately. Although he shares a backfield with Jordan Howard, Corey Clement and Darren Sproles, look for his role to increase as the season goes on. -- Tim McManus
Washington Redskins
How many touches do you project for Derrius Guice in his pro debut?
Jay Gruden said the offense goes through Guice and considers him a three-down back, so I would imagine a good chunk. I'll go with 17 -- the average amount Adrian Peterson received last season as the feature back. It's hard to know yet how much work Peterson will receive, if any, but Chris Thompson will get his touches, too. The Redskins know they're not going to win with their passing game, so the key will be how much Guice trusts his surgically repaired left knee and how much rust remains. -- John Keim
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears
Should those who invested early-round picks on David Montgomery be worried after he accrued only seven touches in the opener?
No. Bears coach Matt Nagy went to great lengths after the Packers loss to assure everyone that Chicago will run the ball more going forward. Nagy is still very high on Montgomery and is expected to feature the rookie more in upcoming games. There is no reason to panic after Week 1. -- Jeff Dickerson
Detroit Lions
How big of a role will T.J. Hockenson play in the passing game in his pro debut?
He should see a good amount of work, and that will be ratcheted up in the red zone, where he became a favorite target of Matthew Stafford in the preseason. Don't be surprised if Stafford looks to him fairly often in goal-line situations, which could yield the rookie's first NFL touchdown fairly fast. The Lions will work him in more and more as the season goes on, but he should be viewed as a TE2 in Week 1, with major boom potential for a touchdown or more. -- Michael Rothstein
Green Bay Packers
How concerned should we be with Geronimo Allison after he played only half of the offensive snaps?
Not very at this point. It appears to have been game-plan specific, considering the Packers used 12 personnel (one back, two tight ends, two receivers) at almost twice the rate they did during the 2018 season, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. It was an attempt to establish the run to try to slow down the Bears' fierce pass rush. Marcedes Lewis played almost as many snaps (34) as Jimmy Graham (35). Both had more than Allison's 32. But had the Packers converted more than just two of 12 third downs, Allison likely would've seen more. He was still third among receiver snaps played. -- Rob Demovsky
Minnesota Vikings
How much of a factor will Irv Smith Jr. be in his NFL debut?
The Vikings have big plans for Smith, but I'd temper fantasy owners' expectations a bit in Week 1. This sounds cliché, but the whole notion of there being one ball to go around among a host of playmakers might limit Smith's targets, especially early on as Kirk Cousins puts everything the Vikings built around him in this new system together for the first time. -- Courtney Cronin
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons
Do you expect Calvin Ridley to work ahead of Mohamed Sanu against Minnesota?
I think Ridley will be the next option behind Julio Jones. But that doesn't mean Sanu will be neglected. The Falcons will be at their best when everyone is involved in the passing game, including tight end Austin Hooper and running back Devonta Freeman. But expect Ridley to get more downfield opportunities and shots in the red zone, especially with Jones drawing coverage. -- Vaughn McClure
Carolina Panthers
Do you expect Cam Newton (foot) to be limited as a rusher?
Not at all. The injury has healed so well that Newton wasn't on the injury report. It wouldn't be a surprise if Newton ran five to eight times if the Rams gang up to stop Christian McCaffrey. The quarterback did that a year ago, carrying 13 times for 58 yards and a touchdown in the opener against Dallas, which keyed on McCaffrey. -- David Newton
New Orleans Saints
How much of a role will Tre'Quan Smith play against Houston?
It's hard to expect Smith to play a major role in Week 1, especially since Ted Ginn Jr. is back healthy and playing ahead of him. Smith showed flashes as a rookie (two 100-yard games while Ginn was out), but he also battled inconsistency. He definitely has talent and now a full year of development, but the opportunity might not happen instantly for him. -- Mike Triplett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
How will backfield touches be distributed against the 49ers?
The Bucs won't have a bell-cow, do-it-all running back this season. Expect Peyton Barber to get the first touches and Ronald Jones to step in, with Dare Ogunbowale handling third-down duties. If one of those players gets hot, you might see more. A word of caution to anyone planning on using Bucs running backs: The offensive line surrendered 19 sacks in the preseason and could really be the team's Achilles' heel this season, something even an All-Pro back might not be able to overcome. -- Jenna Laine
NFC WEST
Arizona Cardinals
Should we have any reservations about starting Kyler Murray in his first NFL game?
The problem with projecting what the Cardinals will do with Murray is that nobody has seen the offense, and the Cardinals are being very tight-lipped about what they plan to do with it. The risk with benching Murray this weekend is watching him run for 100 yards and throw for 300 and two scores. But he could also be completely stifled by the Lions and totally lost out there in his first NFL start. The best call would still be to start him. -- Josh Weinfuss
Los Angeles Rams
How many touches do you expect for Todd Gurley against Carolina?
The Rams have a trio of running backs they're ready to use, including Gurley, Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson. They also have more playmakers who are expected to be used in the passing game. This could limit Gurley's touches, which would keep in tune with the load-management program he was on throughout training camp. Expect Gurley to have fewer than 20 touches. -- Lindsey Thiry
San Francisco 49ers
Which wide receiver will pace the team in targets against the Buccaneers?
If he were healthy, slot receiver Trent Taylor would be my answer, but since he's not going to play, the choice is Marquise Goodwin. The Niners have so many unknowns at receiver going into this season, and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is also a bit of a question mark coming off a torn ACL. So we'll go with the one wideout in the lineup who will get plenty of snaps and has a history of producing with Garoppolo. In the four games he was healthy and played the whole time with Garoppolo at the end of 2017, Goodwin averaged 6.8 receptions, 89 yards and 10.5 targets. -- Nick Wagoner
Seattle Seahawks
Can we trust any wide receiver not named Tyler Lockett against Cincinnati?
I wouldn't. With David Moore still out and DK Metcalf not certain to play, Jaron Brown could conceivably be Seattle's No. 2 receiver against the Bengals. But even that role wouldn't necessarily come with a huge spike in targets given how much Seattle wants to run the ball. That might be especially true if the Seahawks build a comfortable lead and take care of business as the 9.5-point spread suggests they should. -- Brady Henderson