Week 1 features a marquee NFC East clash with the Commanders and Giants dialing in on the trenches and the backfield. Andrew Thomas’s health looms large for New York, shaping how the Giants protect Jones and unlock the rushing attack. Washington counters with a revamped front and a backfield by committee, blending veteran power with youth and mobility.

The battle in the trenches could tilt the game. Brian Burns’ edge presence and Laremy Tunsil’s block work, plus Kinlaw and Wise Jr. up front for Washington, will test both offenses. Discipline matters: pre-snap penalties and execution in the run game will determine which team imposes its tempo and starts 1-0.

Fantasy angles hinge on volume and protection. If Thomas sits, James Hudson III steps in, elevating the Giants’ outside-blocking workload and potentially reshaping Jones’s ceiling. Washington’s mix in the backfield could yield a player-by-committee approach, driving ambiguous weekly targets and touches for fantasy managers.