Ja'Marr Chase or Amon-Ra St. Brown: Who should I start in Fantasy Football Week 1? 

Week 1 of the 2024 fantasy football season is here and all managers will look to get off to a strong start. Many of them will be debating crucial lineup decisions, such as whether to use Ja'Marr Chase of Amon-Ra St. Brown in their starting lineups. Here's which of the two elite wide receivers makes for a better pick this week.

Is Ja'Marr Chase a good fantasy pick in Week 1?

Ja'Marr Chase

Ja'Marr Chase has finished among the top 13 fantasy football wide receivers in each of his three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals so far. He is coming off of a productive year, setting career-highs with 100 receptions on 145 targets, despite missing Joe Burrow for much of last season. If his quarterback can stay healthy this year, he is primed to potentially take another step forward.

One obstacle that managers considering Chase in their Week 1 lineups will need to overcome is his potential holdout. He has been seeking a new contract extension, but the Bengals have yet to give him one. If he does play this week, he has an excellent matchup against the New England Patriots, but his contract situation makes him riskier than usual.

Is Amon-Ra St. Brown a good fantasy pick in Week 1?

Amon-Ra St. Brown

Amon-Ra St. Brown has been one of the best overall fantasy football wide receivers in each of his past two seasons with the Detroit Lions. He has finished as the WR3 and WR9 in those two years, totaling a massive 225 receptions on 310 targets along the way. His expected volume again this year makes him one of the safest players to pick in the early rounds of fantasy drafts.

The Lions superstar will get his 2024 fantasy football season started with a matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. This is projected to be one of the highest-scoring games of Week 1, so St. Brown is an elite player to target for lineups in any format, but especially in leagues with PPR scoring.

Ja'Marr Chase vs Amon-Ra St. Brown: Who should I start in Fantasy Football Week 1?

While both wide receivers are expected to be elite options for the 2024 fantasy football season, Amon-Ra St. Brown is a better pick for Week 1 lineups. He has one of the safest floors of any player this year based on his reliable volume in a productive offensive system.

Ja'Marr Chase qualifies as more of a high-risk player to use this week, but will also carry some of the highest upside of any available option. His ongoing contract negotiations have resulted in limited practive activity ahead of Week 1, so it's unclear if it will affect his playing time. If he does receive his usual workload, he can have a huge week, but St. Brown is the safer pick.