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Phinsider Week 1 Fantasy Football Rankings

NFL: Miami Dolphins at Philadelphia Eagles Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The regular season is finally upon us, and for many, that means the start of the fantasy football season has arrived. Each week, I’ll be giving an updated look at where the top players at each fantasy position stand, with matchups and injury concerns taken into account as well. For the sake of continuity, I’ll only be using standard scoring when constructing the rankings (though I prefer PPR myself), so take that into account when considering these rankings while setting your lineups.

Without further ado, here is your inaugural edition of The Phinsider’s Weekly Fantasy Football Rankings. Leave your comments and opinions below!

Quarterback

  1. Aaron Rodgers - vs Seattle
  2. Tom Brady - vs Kansas City
  3. Matt Ryan - @ Chicago
  4. Drew Brees - @ Minnesota
  5. Ben Roethlisberger - @ Cleveland
  6. Cam Newton - @ San Francisco
  7. Russell Wilson - @ Green Bay
  8. Marcus Mariota - vs Oakland
  9. Kirk Cousins - vs Philadelphia
  10. Tyrod Taylor - vs New York (Jets)
  11. Sam Bradford - vs New Orleans
  12. Derek Carr - @ Tennessee
  13. Matthew Stafford - vs Arizona
  14. Carson Palmer - @ Detroit
  15. Phillip Rivers - @ Denver
  16. Dak Prescott - vs New York (Giants)
  17. Eli Manning - @ Dallas
  18. Carson Wentz - @ Washington
  19. Andy Dalton - vs Baltimore
  20. Alex Smith - @ New England

There shouldn’t be too many surprises here. Rodgers and Brady are the top two fantasy quarterbacks just about every week, with Brees and Ryan close behind. Roethlisberger gets a boost playing in Cleveland, with Newton, Taylor, and Bradford also having favorable matchups. I’d stay away from Rivers and Dalton as they are playing two of the leagues toughest defenses.

Running Back

  1. Le’Veon Bell - @ Cleveland
  2. David Johnson - @ Detroit
  3. LeSean McCoy - vs New York (Jets)
  4. DeMarco Murray - vs Oakland
  5. Ezekiel Elliot - vs New York (Giants)
  6. Devonta Freeman - @ Chicago
  7. Jordan Howard - vs Atlanta
  8. Melvin Gordon - @ Denver
  9. Dalvin Cook - vs New Orleans
  10. Christian McCaffrey - @ San Francisco
  11. Kareem Hunt - @ New England
  12. Ty Montgomery - vs Seattle
  13. Todd Gurley - vs Indianapolis
  14. Lamar Miller - vs Jacksonville
  15. Leonard Fournette - @ Houston
  16. Carlos Hyde - vs Carolina
  17. Marshawn Lynch - @ Tennessee
  18. Isaiah Crowell - vs Pittsburgh
  19. Joe Mixon - vs Baltimore
  20. C.J. Andreson - vs Los Angeles (Chargers)

Bell and Johnson are hands down the top two running backs in fantasy football, but Bell gets the slight edge this week playing in Cleveland, where the Steelers are likely to gain an early lead, and thus run the ball through the second half. Jay Ajayi may not be playing this week due to the team’s postponed game against Tampa, but look for Miami to run quite a bit while helping Jay Cutler get comfortable in his first regular season outing with the Dolphins during week 2. Dalvin Cook should enjoy a nice outing against New Orleans’ porous defensive line, while rookie Leonard Fournette may have difficulty in his first regular season NFL game against Houston’s vaunted front seven.

Wide Receiver

  1. Antonio Brown - @ Cleveland
  2. Julio Jones - @ Chicago
  3. Odell Beckham - @ Dallas
  4. A.J. Green - vs Baltimore
  5. Jordy Nelson - vs Seattle
  6. Michael Thomas - @ Minnesota
  7. Doug Baldwin - @ Green Bay
  8. Brandin Cooks - vs Kansas City
  9. Amari Cooper - @ Tennessee
  10. Terrelle Pryor - vs Philadelphia
  11. Dez Bryant - vs New York (Giants)
  12. Kelvin Benjamin - vs San Francisco
  13. DeAndre Hopkins - vs Jacksonville
  14. Demaryius Thomas - vs Los Angeles (Chargers)
  15. Larry Fitzgerald - @ Detroit
  16. Martavis Bryant - @ Cleveland
  17. Stefon Diggs - vs New Orleans
  18. Alshon Jeffery - @ Washington
  19. T.Y. Hilton - @ Los Angeles (Rams)
  20. Tyreek Hill - @ New England

Brown is the consensus number one receiver this week due to his matchup in Cleveland, but Jones and Mike Evans will look to fight him for that spot throughout the season. Beckham has a juicy matchup himself against Dallas, but his ability to produce will be dependent on whether he is fully recovered from his preseason ankle injury. Other names to watch are T.Y. Hilton, who could struggle with Scott Tolzien tossing the ball, Stefon Diggs, who is going up against New Orleans’ perennially weak secondary, and Kelvin Benjamin, who has a favorable matchup against San Francisco.

Tight End

  1. Rob Gronkowski - vs Kansas City
  2. Travis Kelce - @ New England
  3. Greg Olsen - @ San Francisco
  4. Jimmy Graham - @ Green Bay
  5. Jordan Reed - vs Philadelphia
  6. Kyle Rudolph - vs New Orleans
  7. Dalanie Walker - vs Oakland
  8. Tyler Eifert - vs Baltimore
  9. Zach Ertz - @ Washington
  10. Martellus Bennett - vs Seattle
  11. Jason Witten - vs New York (Giants)
  12. Eric Ebron - vs Arizona
  13. Coby Fleener - @ Minnesota
  14. Austin Hooper - @ Chicago
  15. Jared Cook - @ Tennessee
  16. Charles Clay - vs New York (Jets)
  17. Jack Doyle - @ Los Angeles (Rams)
  18. C.J. Fiedorowicz - vs Jacksonville
  19. Antonio Gates - @ Denver
  20. Hunter Henry - @ Denver

The top five tight ends on this list are likely going to be the highest upside scorers throughout the season (provided they stay healthy). Rudolph, Walker, and Ertz all have the opportunity to surprise fans and fantasy owners this season, with Rudolph getting an especially good matchup against the lowly Saints’ defense this week.

Defense/Special Teams

  1. Houston - vs Jacksonville
  2. Denver - vs Los Angeles (Chargers)
  3. New England - vs Kansas City
  4. Carolina - @ San Francisco
  5. Arizona - @ Detroit
  6. Pittsburgh - @ Cleveland
  7. Buffalo - vs New York (Jets)
  8. Seattle - @ Green Bay
  9. Minnesota - vs New Orleans
  10. Kansas City - @ New England
  11. New York (Giants) - @ Dallas
  12. Baltimore - @ Cincinnati
  13. Los Angeles (Rams) - vs Indianapolis
  14. Jacksonville - @ Houston
  15. Philadelphia - @ Washington
  16. Cincinnati - vs Baltimore
  17. Green Bay - vs Seattle
  18. Los Angeles (Chargers) - @ Denver
  19. Atlanta - @ Chicago
  20. Indianapolis - @ Los Angeles (Rams)

If you’re not happy with the defense you drafted and you need an option for this week, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Jacksonville are all options that may be available on the waiver wire with favorable matchups. The Rams could also be a great defense to stream as well should Andrew Luck be out Week 1 with his shoulder injury.

Kicker

  1. Stephen Gostkowski - vs Kansas City
  2. Justin Tucker - @ Cincinnati
  3. Dan Bailey - vs New York (Giants)
  4. Mason Crosby - vs Seattle
  5. Matt Bryant - @ Chicago
  6. Chris Boswell - @ Cleveland
  7. Adam Vinatieri - @ Los Angeles (Rams)
  8. Stephen Hauschka - vs New York (Jets)
  9. Sebastian Janikowski - @ Tennessee
  10. Cairo Santos - @ New England
  11. Will Lutz - @ Minnesota
  12. Matt Prater - vs Arizona
  13. Dustin Hopkins - vs Philadelphia
  14. Brandon McManus - vs Los Angeles (Chargers)
  15. Phil Dawson - @ Detroit
  16. Blair Walsh - @ Green Bay
  17. Kai Forbath - vs New Orleans
  18. Ryan Succop - vs Oakland
  19. Connor Barth - vs Atlanta
  20. Aldrick Rosas - @ Dallas

Selecting your kicker is about finding the best combination of a talented player on a strong offense going up against a weak defense. The better off you are in each category, the better chance you have of getting meaningful points from the position.