Why is my project showing "at risk", when its not scheduled to BEGIN for another month?!?!?!

My assumption, without being in your system and seeing the whole project, is that someone is committed to having something done by clicking on work on it or by marking a task in progress, so that task is already in progress and is 0% complete. So, it's likely throwing off your projected, estimated dates.

n8rt8r,

This article explains how the conditions are calculated to provide a better understanding, https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/workfront/using/manage-work/projects/plan-a-project/project-progress-status.  It graphic for each helps, I've used that to make a view so I could all those dates myself, as I didn't fully understand.