Bryce Young vs C.J. Stroud: Who should I start in fantasy football Week 1?

Fantasy football drafts are near their completion as the NFL regular season gets underway. Fans will see the debuts of the first two quarterbacks taken in this year's NFL draft.

Bryce Young, the No. 1 pick, and C.J. Stroud will make their debuts. Young will lead the Panthers against the Falcons on the road as Stroud will be under center versus the Ravens in Baltimore.

Both will be tested as they seek their first win of what are projected to be long careers. The questions are, are they good fantasy picks and which will have the better game from a fantasy football standpoint?

---

---

Is Bryce Young a good fantasy pick?

Bryce Young

Young is a great pick in fantasy as the Carolina Panthers quarterback will have the full range of the team's offense. His overall average draft position is at No. 174 in standard fantasy leagues and No. 175 in PPR leagues.

In terms of the quarterback position, Young is No. 22, which is the same area as Kenny Pickett, Brock Purdy and Russell Wilson. His ADP shows that he's being drafted in later rounds in most drafts. Young is viewed as a greater commodity in keeper leagues as he's just 22 years old.

The offense around the Panthers rookie is led by wide receivers D.J. Chark Jr. and Adam Thielen and tight end Hayden Hurst. These are all established veterans who can help in the passing game.

Carolina signed running back Miles Sanders this offseason to aid the run game. Young won't likely be running outside the pocket on designed runs that much. However, he might find himself scrambling a bit more as the offensive line isn't quite there.

If the offensive line can keep Young upright enough to make some big plays, his stock would rise a great deal. Having the former Heisman Trophy winner in 2023 could pay off if he and Carolina can exceed their offensive expectations.

---

---

Is C.J. Stroud a good fantasy pick?

C.J. Stroud

Stroud, like Young, is a good fantasy pick for your team. He's an even better pick if you don't plan on him being your starting quarterback. By no means is Stroud a terrible player, but it's what is around him now offensively.

He has wide receivers Robert Woods, Nico Collins and John Metchie III and tight end Dalton Schultz. Also, running back Dameon Pierce is a good safety net to have in the backfield.

Another positive that Stroud has going for him is the offensive line, led by veteran left tackle Laremy Tunsil. An upright Stroud will ensure that the Texans will see his growth this season.

In standard leagues, Stroud is No. 193 overall and No. 24 among quarterbacks while it jumps to No. 203 in PPR leagues. He ranks ahead of Kyler Murray and Jordan Love but trails Matthew Stafford and Young. Stroud will be around in later rounds both standard and PPR league drafts.

Expect him to have ups and downs, especially since he's a rookie and finding his footing under center. The offense could take a bit more time to gel. Selecting Stroud is a worthy pick as a QB2 this season.

---

Bryce Young vs. C.J. Stroud: Who should I start?

Young faces an improved Atlanta Falcons team that made significant changes to their defense this offseason. Stroud will be up against a Baltimore Ravens defense that held its own last season in Week 1.

Between these rookies, Young is the better option to open the regular season per Sportskeeda and the Start/Sit Fantasy Football optimizer. Below shows the projected points and stats for both quarterbacks per the optimizer.

PPR points projection for Young and Stroud in Week One

Statistical breakdown for Young and Stroud in Week One

The optimizer loves Young on the road at Mercedes-Benz Stadium against a Falcons team that finished 27th in yards allowed in 2022.

More so, Atlanta wasn't great at stopping the run, allowing the ninth-most yards on the ground. Expect Young to make a run or two if needed.

Stroud could struggle as the Ravens defense finished in the top 10 overall but did allow the sixth-most passing yards in 2022. Stroud may not be asked to throw the ball as much, similar to Young.

Young and Stroud will be handing it off more to their running backs to generate their offense. Should Stroud want to exceed the projected points, smart and intermediate passes could make the difference. For Young, the plan is akin to Stroud's but could use a deep ball to add more points.

---