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The first TNF game has arrived as the NFL heads to the Land Down Under for a historic matchup in Australia. The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will face off in the first-ever regular-season NFL game played in Australia.
This will be our first Start/Sit content of the 2026 season. This article breaks down stats, rankings, and notes for all the relevant players in the first TNF matchup. Whether you are playing redraft or dynasty, or looking for some player props, this will give you the keys to success to help set your Week 1 lineups.
Make sure to check out our Advanced Stats to Know for the 2026 Season article as well. While Week 1 is going to look a lot different compared to the rest of the season because we don’t have 2026 data yet, it’s important to read that article to understand the advanced stats we’ll be using throughout the year. It could be a valuable resource for your lineup decisions and future weekly success.
Let’s dive into the first TNF matchup of the 2026 season!
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Our advanced stats are based on data from the Fantasy Points Data Suite (promo code: NERDS for 25% off).
Week 1 Fantasy Football Start/Sit
Thursday Night Football | 8:20 PM
San Francisco 49ers (0-0) @ Los Angeles Rams (0-0)
- Los Angeles Rams are favored (-3.5) with an Over/Under of 48.5
Key Advanced Player Stats | Week 1 Start/Sit
Prior Year Team Stats
| Team | Def. Rank Vs. QBs | Def. Rank Vs. RBs | Def. Rank Vs. WRs | Def. Rank Vs. TEs | Def. Man % | Def. Zone % | 1-HI Sfty % | 2-HI Sfty % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 22 | 14 | 19 | 24 | 15.5 | 79.7 | 50.3 | 49.7 |
| Rams | 11 | 4 | 24 | 14 | 18.8 | 75.9 | 45 | 55 |
Quarterback Starts & Sits
| Team | Player | Week 1 Rankings | Confidence Meter | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Brock Purdy | High QB2 | 73% | Purdy has thrown over 200 yards in 3 straight openers |
| Rams | Matthew Stafford | High QB2 | 75% | In 6 of 9 games – Stafford has 1 or fewer TDs vs LAR |
Running Back Starts & Sits
| Team | Player | Week 2 Rankings | Confidence Meter | FPPG | ATT % | Off. Snaps % | TGT % | Route % | YPRR | i20% | EXP Run % | MTF/ATT | YACO/ATT | YBCO/ATT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rams | Kyren Williams | High RB2 | 89% | 14.4 | 56% | 68% | 7.9 | 47.1 | 0.95 | 58.9 | 4.6 | 0.15 | 2.36 | 2.48 |
| Rams | Blake Corum | High RB4 | 68% | 7.0 | 31% | 29% | 2.3 | 15.4 | 0.38 | 30.0 | 6.9 | 0.18 | 2.35 | 2.90 |
| 49ers | Christian McCaffrey | Mid RB1 | 93% | 21.5 | 65% | 83% | 21.3 | 75.6 | 1.95 | 75.0 | 3.5 | 0.15 | 1.95 | 1.91 |
| 49ers | Kaelon Black | Outside Top 48 | 25% | 0.0 | 0% | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.00 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Wide Receiver Starts & Sits
| Team | Player | Week 1 Rankings | Confidence Meter | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rams | Puka Nacua | High WR1 | 99% | 10 or more FPs in 5 career games vs. 49ers |
| Rams | Davante Adams | Low WR2 | 84% | Adams had 32 red-zone targets last year |
| 49ers | Mike Evans | High WR3 | 79% | First game as a 49er |
| 49ers | Deebo Samuel Sr. | Low WR4 | 64% | Deebo has struggled in his last 2 games vs. LAR |
| 49ers | De’Zhaun Stribling | Mid WR5 | 53% | First game as a 49er |
Tight End Starts & Sits
| Team | Player | Week 1 Rankings | Confidence Meter | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rams | Colby Parkinson | Outside Top 24 | 45% | Week 1 will tell us a lot about the rotation |
| Rams | Tyler Higbee | Outside Top 24 | 20% | |
| Rams | Terrance Ferguson | Low TE2 | 62% | |
| 49ers | George Kittle | Mid TE2 | 70% | First game back post-injury |
We hope you enjoyed our TNF preview! Make sure to tune back in on Saturday for our Full Slate Week 1 Matchup Breakdown, Starts & Sits, where we’ll break down the rest of the Week 1 slate. Also, come back in Week 2 as we bring you the full 2026 advanced stats to help with your weekly lineup decisions and give you the best chance to win your fantasy championship.
If you need more advice or have any Start/Sit questions, please feel free to reach out to me on the Dynasty Nerds Discord @coachstevenp or on X @coachstevenp. Good luck in Week 1!
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