The Sideline Sage is back! Frank Ober returns to LKNConnect with weekly fantasy football picks, bold trade suggestions, and actionable tips to help you outsmart the competition. Join Frank each week for expert analysis, insider insights, and proven strategies designed to elevate your winning edge and make this season your most successful yet.
Welcome to the second season of Frank Ober’s Fantasy Football Forecast! As the NFL season kicks off with exciting games, Frank provides valuable insights and strategies for your fantasy football draft. Learn about drafting top players, including elite quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow. Frank also shares tips for managing your lineup, suggests potential sleepers, and offers weekly picks against the point spread. Tune in for expert advice to help you dominate your fantasy football league in Week 1 and beyond!
Fantasy Football Article: 2025 – 2026 Season Week 1
The long-awaited start to the 2025 – 2026 NFL season is finally here. Each week, I will help you manage your lineup by suggesting players to start who might not be regular starters and provide potential sleepers. I am not going to include players that are automatic starters such as RB Saquan Barkley and WR Ja’Marr Chase. As the season progresses, I will recommend waiver wire pickups and players to potentially drop.
Players to Start Week 1
QB: Kyle Murray (Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints)
Drake Maye (New England Patriots vs. Las Vegas Raiders)
RB: Chuba Hubbard (Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars)
Sleeper – RJ Harvey (Denver Broncos vs. Tennessee Titans)
WR: Marvin Harrison Jr. (Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints)
Sleeper – Emeka Egbuka (Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons)
TE: David Njoku (Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals)
Tyler Warren (Indianapolis Colts vs. Miami Dolphins)
PK: Chad Ryland (Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints)
Matt Gay (Washington Commanders vs. New York Giants)
DF: Seattle Seahawks (vs. San Francisco 49ers)
Los Angeles Rams (vs. Houston Texans)
Selections Versus the Point Spread
Philadelphia Eagles (-7.0) vs. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys will never be relevant as long as Jerry Jones is running the team and making personnel decisions. Every season they’re “all in” but their actions say otherwise. The Eagles make an opening season statement and push the Cowboys around.
Buffalo Bills (-1.5) vs. Baltimore Ravens
A great matchup between two teams that continue to have Super Bowl aspirations but just haven’t been able to get past the Kansas City Chiefs. This game is a toss up so I’m going with the home team.
Minnesota Vikings (-1.5) at Chicago Bears
A key divisional matchup with both teams having question marks at QB. JJ McCarthy starts for the Vikings after sitting out his rookie season and replaces Sam Darnold. QB Caleb Williams, a rookie last season, struggled but does Ben Johnson, the new head coach and offensive guru, help get him on the right track? Take the visitors and the better defense.
