Welcome to the first week of ”Ride or Pine,” where I will be giving my fantasy football expertise to help you set the best line-up possible for the rest of the 2021 NFL season. 

First off, if you are familiar with the terms “Start or Sit” or Matthew Berry’s “Love/Hate” list, this is going to be very similar to those concepts. The only difference is that I am calling it “Ride or Pine” for the simple fact that I am more creative than Matthew Berry. Yeah, you heard me. 

I am either “riding” with certain players, meaning I would have them in every lineup no matter what, or I am “pining” a player, meaning they are getting benched, and I would not recommend them as anything more than desperate play. 

It is also worth noting that I plan on giving you information that will actually be useful. I am not going to say you should start players like Dalvin Cook, Christian McCaffery or Davante Adams because. Those are obvious players that should be in your lineup every week regardless of their matchup. 

Now that the housekeeping stuff is out of the way, let's dive into the first-ever installment of “Ride or Pine.”

RIDE: Elijah Mitchell, SF 

Elijah Mitchell might have set a record for most waiver claims in week one after 49ers starting running back Raheem Mostert sustained a season ending knee injury. Last week, he put up a very mediocre 7.30 points, so those of you who got him might have a sour taste in your mouth by his underwhelming performance. However, the thing to pay attention to here is the volume he is going to get moving forward. He had 17 carries against the Eagles, which led the team, and he also got a touchdown overturned by replay. 

Looking forward to this week, fellow SF running backs JaMycal Hasty and Trey Sermon are trending toward not playing after leaving the game with injuries. That means it's full steam for Elijah Mitchell against Green Bay on Sunday Night Football. The 49ers are likely to sign another running back to improve their depth at the position, but don’t let that stray you away from the fact that Mitchell is going to be fed on Sunday night. Don’t be surprised if he ends up with over 20 carries against a Packers team that the Niners usually play pretty well against.  

Prediction: RB18 or better (High end flex play or mid tier RB2)

PINE: Darrell Henderson (or any other Rams RB), LAR

Darrell Henderson has been a great option to start the season — scoring a touchdown in each of his first two games — and appears to have carved out himself a role in the passing game. However, he left the game with a rib injury from which he did not return. That alone is not why I have him as someone you need to bench this week.

Even if he does play, it will be against Tampa Bay’s menacing front seven, which held Ezekiel Elliott to 5.90 points with 33 rushing yards and Mike Davis to only 38 rushing yards. Stay away from this backfield in week 3. 

Prediction: RB30 or worse (low RB2 play)

RIDE: Rondale Moore, ARI

I am a RIDER on the Rondale Moore hype train and truly believe that he could be one of those players that is going to be fantasy football relevant for the rest of the season. He is one of those guys where every time he touches the ball, he has a chance to take it to the house. He did this at Purdue, and he is proving that he can now do it in the NFL by lighting up the Vikings defense for 114 yards on eight catches and a touchdown in just his second NFL game. If that alone doesn't make you a believer, these next two things should. 

He is averaging 14.3 yards after the catch through the first two games, which is 4.8 yards more than the next closest player. His next matchup is also against a Jacksonville defense that would probably have trouble trying to hold UMD’s Football team under 30 points (side note: is this the year the dogs go all the way?). He is available in about 80% of ESPN leagues so go check your league and grab him if he's there.  

Prediction: WR28 or better (high potential flex play)

PINE: Deebo Samuel, SF

This one might come as a surprise to some of you, as Deebo Samuel has done nothing but exceed expectations this season. After going for 189 yards and a 30 point eruption in week one and a respectable 16 points with 93 yards in week 2, he's proven to me that he is going to be fantasy viable the rest of the season and has potential league-winning upside. I actually suggest that you go try and trade for him, but not until after this week when you can get him for cheaper. 

I love Deebo Samuel the player, but I love Jaire Alexander the cornerback for the Green Bay Packers just a little more. He is one of the pure lockdown corners in this league, and I think he gives Deebo a lot of trouble on Sunday night. You may be thinking to yourself, isn’t this the same defense that was torched for 38 points in week one by Jameis Winston and the Saints? Well you are right — multiple Saints receivers had great games against this defense in week one. However, their number one receiver, Marquez Callaway, was shadowed by Alexander the entire game and finished with just one catch for 14 yards. Deebo has home-run-hitting big play ability — I just don't see him doing it against the Packers.

My prediction: WR30 or worse (low end flex play)

RIDE: COURTLAND SUTTON, DEN

He’s back. 

Coming off a season-ending knee injury he sustained in week two of last year, I wanted to see the production from Sutton before I was going to ride with him. He had a slow start in week one, only catching one pass for 14 yards, but I give him a pass on that one considering he had not played a meaningful down of football in a year. On the other hand, what he did in week two was nothing short of great. He caught nine of 12 targets for 159 receiving yards, two of which went for 33 and 55 yards. 

I know it was against the Jaguars and that isn’t saying much, but he is the clear-cut number one receiving option for Teddy Bridgewater while Jerry Juedy is out with a high ankle sprain. He will line up against the Jets this Sunday — a team I wouldn’t consider a tough matchup at all. 

I would even suggest you trade for Sutton, because he might be one of those “league winner” type of players throughout the rest of the season. 

Prediction: WR24 or better (Mid tier WR2)

PINE: JAMES ROBINSON, JAX

This is not the same James Robinson that finished as the 4th best running back a year ago who was also the number one most rostered player on playoff teams in 2020. Actually, I'll take that back. This is the same James Robinson, but he is nowhere near in the same situation as he was in 2020. 

This new coaching staff that has come in, led by Urban Myer, might as well come out and say that they are going to play favorites. Carlos Hyde, who has not been a relevant player since he was in San Francisco, suddenly now has a role in this offense. Hyde even out-touched Robinson 11-8 in week one. So far this year, Robinson has not surpassed 14 touches in either of his first two games and has not scored over 10 fantasy points (in half PPR scoring). 

I don’t think that this is the week he turns it around either, as they are set to face off against the Cardinals. Let's be honest, they most likely are going to get blown out. The Jaguars will have no option but to pass the ball, meaning the only hope for Robinson is that he can get some receiving work, but I don’t think it will be enough to make him a big producer in week 3. 

Nevertheless, I recognize that some of you might be very weak at the RB position, and you might not have a choice to play him considering your other options. All I am saying is that if I had to choose between Elijah Mitchell and James Robinson, I’m riding with Elijah Mitchell and it’s not close. 

My prediction: RB 30 or worse (low end flex play)

RIDE: DEREK CARR, LV

Derek Carr is in some ways the AFC version of Russell Wilson. Every year, they both have great starts to the season, only to fall off as the year progresses. Well, I think this year is different. Mark my words, this is the year that Derek Carr puts it all together, and the Raiders get into the playoffs. 

All he's done so far this season is light up two of the best defenses in the league by putting up 817 yards and four touchdown passes against the Ravens and Steelers. He will get the Dolphins at home this weekend, who are a pretty solid group defensively, but are not as good as the Steelers or Ravens. 

He’s available in 88% of leagues, so if you aren’t comfortable with your QB situation, roll the dice with Derek Carr.

Prediction (this is going to be my hottest take of the week): Top 10 QB (low tier QB1)

PINE: JAMEIS WINSTON, NO

Week one, Jameis Winston looked like the reincarnation of prime John Elway, throwing for five touchdowns on just 20 attempts. Obviously, that was a fluke, and we should have known better before hyping him up, because when Jameis Winston comes to mind, efficiency is the last thing I think of. Winston came back down to earth in week 2 and put up 111 yards, 2 INT’s and one rushing touchdown. I think this is common knowledge, but Jameis was barely fantasy viable when he had Chris Godwin and Mike Evans to throw to. What I’m trying to say is don't play him now, because he’s not throwing for 30+ touchdowns again in a season with receivers like Marquez Callaway and Juwan Johnson.

Prediction: QB24 or worse (Low end QB2)

Those are all of my “rides and pines” for the week. To close out this first week, here are also some of the betting lines that I like if you are looking to make some money this weekend to go with winning your fantasy matchups (I will keep a weekly record of this as well):

Cardinals -7.5 @ JAX

Falcons +3 @ NYG

Raiders -3.5 vs MIA