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| Monday, September 4, 2023 |
| As I went through the process of doing my Week 1 rankings, I was reminded of how much more streamlined that process is than the season-long rankings we've been focused on for the past few months. There, you have to take into account long-term risk and reward; how do you rank someone like James Conner, who projects for a steady workload vs. Breece Hall, who may open the season with a pretty limited role – if he even plays in Week 1, no certainty – but could have top-five upside for the stretch run. |
| It's a lot more straightforward when you're just ranking for Week 1. You simply rank who you think will score the most points the highest, and then who you think will score the second-most points second-highest, and so on and so forth. This peak behind the curtain is brought to you by Captain Obvious Industries. |
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| Nothing is ever actually as straightforward as that, of course, but the transition from draft season to in-season does at least make the rankings process a little simpler. |
| While I know many of you still have drafts left, today marks the official transition to Week 1 around these parts – though, of course, I've still got two drafts left myself. We'll still have draft content for you below, but my focus now switches to Week 1, and I've got my first set of weekly rankings in today's newsletter. |
| For those of you who still have drafts remaining, our Draft Day Cheat Sheet has literally everything you need to prepare. For everyone else, here are my Week 1 rankings: |
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| Week 1 QB Rankings |
| Fantasy Football players are excited about what Anthony Richardson can bring to the table as a rookie starter, and I've got him on a few of my rosters, with the hopes he can turn into a must-start Fantasy QB in the long run. But can you really trust him in Week 1? |
| Patrick Mahomes – vs. DETJosh Allen – @NYJ Jalen Hurts – @NELamar Jackson – vs. HOU Joe Burrow – @CLE Justin Herbert – vs. MIAJustin Fields – vs. GB Trevor Lawrence – @INDTua Tagovailoa – @LAC Geno Smith – vs. LARKirk Cousins – vs. TBDak Prescott – @NYG |
| For my full QB rankings, including more on my expectations for Richardson, head here. |
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| Week 1 RB Rankings |
| We know Jonathan Taylor isn't going to play for the first four weeks of the 2023 NFL season, but that's about all we know for certain about the Colts running back situation heading into Week 1. |
| Uncertainty isn't necessarily a bad thing for Fantasy draft season, because so many of your picks are going to be speculative by nature. Viewed from a certain perspective, uncertainty is just another word for "potential" in Fantasy Football. But, things change when it comes time to actually set your lineup. Because suddenly, all of those speculative, late-round fliers you threw out there may be facing a situation where they have no role to speak of in Week 1. However, in the Colts situation, uncertainty still could mean potential for the likes of Deon Jackson, Evan Hull, and Zack Moss . We just don't yet know for whom as Week 1 looms ... |
| Christian McCaffrey – @PITAustin Ekeler – vs. MIA Bijan Robinson – vs. CARSaquon Barkley – vs. DAL Josh Jacobs – @DENTony Pollard – @NYGDerrick Henry – @NO Nick Chubb – vs. CINJoe Mixon – @CLE Kenneth Walker – vs. LARTravis Etienne – @INDAaron Jones – @CHI Rhamondre Stevenson – vs. PHIAlexander Mattison – vs. TB Jahmyr Gibbs – @KCJK Dobbins – vs. HOUDameon Pierce – @BAL Miles Sanders – @ATLNajee Harris – vs. SF Rachaad White – @MINJames Cook – @NYJJames Conner – @WAS David Montgomery – @KCJavonte Williams – vs. LV |
| For my full RB rankings, including where I rank Jackson and Hull, head here. |
| Week 1 WR Rankings |
| Let's say you drafted your Fantasy Football team a few weeks ago and then stopped paying attention to NFL news until today. Let's further stipulate that you drafted a receiving corps with Cooper Kupp, Terry McLaurin, Jerry Jeudy, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba at the top of your depth charts. Chances are, you probably felt pretty good about that team leaving your draft, right? |
| Are you sitting down? |
| Alright, well, I've got some bad news for you: I'm not projecting any of those four players to play in Week 1. None of them have been officially ruled out as of Sunday afternoon, but it doesn't look great for any of them ... |
| Justin Jefferson – vs. TBJa'Marr Chase – @CLE Tyreek Hill – @LACStefon Diggs – @NYJ Amon-Ra St. Brown – @KCA.J. Brown – @NECeeDee Lamb – @NYG Davante Adams – @DENJaylen Waddle – @LAC Garrett Wilson – vs. BUFDK Metcalf – vs. LARTee Higgins – @CLE Keenan Allen – vs. MIADevonta Smith – @NE Calvin Ridley – @IND Chris Olave – vs. TENDeebo Samuel – @PIT Tyler Lockett – vs. LARChris Godwin – @MIN Amari Cooper – vs. CINDeAndre Hopkins – @NOD.J. Moore – vs. GB Christian Watson – @CHIDiontae Johnson – vs. SF |
| To see which widely available WR you might be able to pick up to start this week, along with my full rankings, head here. |
| Week 1 TE Rankings |
| Tyler Higbee was not a guy who got anyone excited during Fantasy Football draft season, but you might be glad you've got him around for Week 1, at least. Because, with Cooper Kupp dealing with a hamstring injury, Higbee might just be Matthew Stafford's No. 1 target for the season opener against the Seahawks. |
| Now, that doesn't mean Higbee is necessarily going to be a must-start Fantasy option moving forward, even in Week 1 ... |
| Travis Kelce – vs. DETMark Andrews – vs. HOU TJ Hockenson – vs. TBDarren Waller – vs. DAL Dallas Goedert – @NEKyle Pitts – vs. CARGeorge Kittle – @PITTyler Higbee – @SEA Evan Engram – @INDDavid Njoku – vs. CIN Gerald Everett – vs. MIA Juwan Johnson – vs. TEN |
| For my full TE rankings, head here. |
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