Fantasy Football Week 1: Position-by-Position Rankings for NFL's 1st Week

The long, national nightmare of not having football to watch on Sundays is finally over. The 2012 NFL season kicks off Wednesday night, and with that comes the arrival of the world's new favorite pastime: fantasy football.

By now, your league has had its draft, smack talk has escalated, and now it's time to prove which team is the best on the virtual field.

Only one problem: you still can't figure out who to start on Sunday.

Well, luckily for you, we're here to help. Follow along as we give you the position-by-position rankings for Week 1 of the NFL season. 

Quarterback

Top Performer: Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints)

Projected Week 1 Stats: 375 passing yards, three touchdowns

With many in the media eager to write off Brees and the Saints this season, look for the offense to come out firing against the Redskins. While Washington's defense ranked 12th in the league last year in passing yards allowed, the team did little in the offseason to improve on that unit and struggled all preseason. 

And even if the Redskins have a top-notch unit in the long run, Brees dominates even the strongest defenses at will most weeks.

This isn't voodoo or bad karma or whatever anyone seems to think will happen to the Saints in 2012. It's fantasy football, a game based solely on individual accomplishments. Until Drew Brees fails or gets injured, he'll be No. 1 or No. 2 in nearly all my quarterback rankings this season. 

Ranking	Name	Matchup
1	Drew Brees	vs. Washington Redskins
2	Aaron Rodgers	vs. San Francisco 49ers
3	Tom Brady	@ Tennessee Titans
4	Matthew Stafford	vs. St. Louis Rams
5	Cam Newton	@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
6	Michael Vick	vs. Cleveland Browns
7	Eli Manning	vs. Dallas Cowboys
8	Matt Ryan	@ Kansas City Chiefs
9	Philip Rivers	@ Oakland Raiders
10	Matt Schaub	vs. Miami Dolphins
11	Peyton Manning	vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
12	Tony Romo	@ New York Giants
13	Jay Cutler	vs. Indianapolis Colts
14	Josh Freeman	vs. Carolina Panthers
15	Carson Palmer	vs. San Diego Chargers
16	Russell Wilson	@ Arizona Cardinals
17	Ben Roethlisberger	@ Denver Broncos
18	Andy Dalton	@ Baltimore Ravens
19	Andrew Luck	@ Chicago Bears
20	Robert Griffin III	@ New Orleans Saints

Wide Receiver

Top Performer: Calvin Johnson (Detroit Lions)

Projected Week 1 Stats: eight receptions, 145 yards, two touchdowns

Like Brees, expect Johnson to stay at or near the top of my rankings throughout the season, barring injury. And with an excellent matchup against the Rams, it seems likely that Megatron will be among fantasy's top scorers in Week 1.

You were starting him anyway, but don't be shocked if Johnson (and possibly Matthew Stafford if you have the connection) single-handedly win your matchup.

If you're playing anyone on the Lions? Well, hopefully you have at least one of these top-ranked guys to balance it out. 

Ranking	Name	Matchup
1	Calvin Johnson	vs. St. Louis Rams
2	Larry Fitzgerald	vs. Seattle Seahawks
3	Andre Johnson	vs. Miami Dolphins
4	Hakeem Nicks	vs. Dallas Cowboys
5	Brandon Marshall	vs. Indianapolis Colts
6	Greg Jennings	vs. San Francisco 49ers
7	Roddy White	@ Kansas City Chiefs
8	Dez Bryant	@ New York Giants
9	Antonio Brown	@ Denver Broncos
10	Steve Smith	@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
11	Percy Harvin	vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
12	Victor Cruz	vs. Dallas Cowboys
13	Julio Jones	@ Kansas City Chiefs
14	A.J. Green	@ Baltimore Ravens
15	Marques Colston	vs. Washington Redskins
16	Vincent Jackson	vs. Carolina Panthers
17	Jordy Nelson	vs. San Francisco 49ers
18	Eric Decker	vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
19	Mike Wallace	@ Denver Broncos
20	Wes Welker	@ Tennessee Titans
21	Dwyane Bowe	vs. Atlanta Falcons
22	Miles Austin	@ New York Giants
23	Stevie Johnson	@ New York Jets
24	Jeremy Maclin	@ Cleveland Browns
25	Brandon Lloyd	@ Tennessee Titans
26	DeSean Jackson	@ Cleveland Browns
27	Anquan Boldin	vs. Cincinnati Bengals
28	Malcom Floyd	@ Oakland Raiders
29	Demaryius Thomas	vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
30	Torrey Smith	vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Running Back

Top Performer: LeSean McCoy (Philadelphia Eagles)

Projected Week 1 Stats: 25 touches, 150 yards, two touchdowns

I'm one of a select few people that I've seen to have McCoy as my preseason No. 1 running back, and it's been baffling all preseason. Not only was McCoy the best and most versatile runner in all of the NFL last season, he was the league's best by a wide margin.

McCoy's DYAR (defense-adjusted yards above replacement) was an astounding 304 last season. Essentially, what that means is McCoy gained over 300 yards more than an average back would have in his spot, considering workload, strength of opposition, etc. 

The next highest total on that list was the Seattle Seahawks' Marshawn Lynch. His DYAR? 201. That means, if you choose to believe Football Outsiders' metric, that McCoy was over 100 yards better than any running back in the NFL last season. 

With a cushy matchup against the Browns this week, it seems foolish to me for McCoy to be anywhere other than atop the rankings. 

Ranking	Name	Matchup
1	LeSean McCoy	@ Cleveland Browns
2	Arian Foster	vs. Miami Dolphins
3	Ray Rice	vs. Cincinnati Bengals
4	Chris Johnson	vs. New England Patriots
5	Darren McFadden	vs. San Diego Chargers
6	Steven Jackson	@ Detroit Lions
7	Matt Forte	vs. Indianapolis Colts
8	DeMarco Murray	@ New York Giants
9	Marshawn Lynch	@ Arizona Cardinals
10	Kevin Smith	vs. St. Louis Rams
11	Doug Martin	vs. Carolina Panthers
12	Jamaal Charles	vs. Atlanta Falcons
13	Fred Jackson	@ New York Jets
14	Ahmad Bradshaw	vs. Dallas Cowboys
15	Michael Turner	@ Kansas City Chiefs
16	Darren Sproles	vs. Washington Redskins
17	Frank Gore	@ Green Bay Packers
18	Reggie Bush	@ Houston Texans
19	Toby Gerhart	vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
20	DeAngelo Williams	@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
21	Rashad Jennings	@ Minnesota Vikings
22	Isaac Redman	@ New York Giants
23	Shonn Greene	vs. Buffalo Bills
24	Evan Royster	@ New Orleans Saints
25	Stevan Ridley	@ Tennessee Titans
26	Beanie Wells	vs. Seattle Seahawks
27	Willis McGahee	vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
28	Donald Brown	@ Chicago Bears
29	C.J. Spiller	@ New York Jets
30	Maurice Jones-Drew	@ Minnesota Vikings

Tight End

Top Performer: Jimmy Graham (New Orleans Saints)

Projected Stats: 10 catches, 125 yards, one touchdown

If you haven't noticed yet, I'm all-in on the Saints this week, and Graham should be Brees' No. 1 target against the Redskins. 

And while most will have Rob Gronkowski atop their rankings, I expect a reversion this year for the New England tight end. Not because of any erosion of skill, but simply because 17 touchdowns is unsustainable and Aaron Hernandez isn't going away anytime soon.

On the other hand, Graham should be in-line for a repeat performance, barring injury. There is no new No. 1 wideout in New Orleans, nor is there a second talented tight end to usurp targets. And barring an injury to Brees, Graham should continue to see plenty of balls thrown his way.

Since 2008, no quarterback has thrown to his tight ends more often than Drew Brees (per ESPN's Matthew Berry). And with Graham being the most talented tight end he's ever had (save for Antonio Gates), there's no reason to think that will stop anytime soon. 

Ranking	Name	Matchup
1	Jimmy Graham	vs. Washington Redskins
2	Rob Gronkowski	@ Tennessee Titans
3	Antonio Gates	@ Oakland Raiders
4	Aaron Hernandez	@ Tennessee Titans
5	Vernon Davis	@ Green Bay Packers
6	Fred Davis	@ New Orleans Saints
7	Tony Gonzalez	@ Kansas City Chiefs
8	Brandon Pettigrew	vs. St. Louis Rams
9	Jermichael Finley	vs. San Francisco 49ers
10	Jared Cook	vs. New England Patriots
11	Jacob Tamme	vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
12	Dustin Keller	vs. Buffalo Bills
13	Owen Daniels	vs. Miami Dolphins
14	Greg Olsen	@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
15	Kyle Rudolph	vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Defense

Top Performer: Philadelphia Eagles

Projected Stats: 10 points allowed, four sacks, three turnovers created, one touchdown

Projecting defensive performance in Week 1 is always a tricky proposition. You can study the rosters, check the matchups and scour all the information you want, but until you see the unit on the field, it's essentially a shot in the dark.

Take the Eagles, for instance. On paper, they have top-notch corners and are playing a rookie quarterback  who could be Chris Weinke 2.0 in Brandon Weeden. 

That should be a recipe for disaster. 

Nevertheless, the defensive unit is still being coached by the same man (Juan Castillo) who tried to turn Nnamdi Asomugha into Charles Woodson last season.

If you have the Eagles on your roster, jump on starting them. Odds are that the game will get ugly really quick. Just don't fully count on Philadelphia or any defense until we actually get some game film.

As always is the case, play your chances and hope for the best. Good luck in Week 1!

Ranking	Name	Matchup
1	Philadelphia Eagles	@ Cleveland Browns
2	Seattle Seahawks	@ Arizona Cardinals
3	Houston Texans	vs. Miami Dolphins
4	New England	@ Tennessee Titans
5	Minnesota Vikings	vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
6	New York Jets	vs. Buffalo Bills
7	Detroit Lions	vs. St. Louis Rams
8	Chicago Bears	vs. Indianapolis Colts
9	Green Bay Packers	vs. San Francisco 49ers
10	Buffalo Bills	@ New York Jets
11	Atlanta Falcons	@ Kansas City Chiefs
12	San Diego Chargers	@ Oakland Raiders
13	Oakland Raiders	vs. San Diego Chargers
14	New Orleans Saints	vs. Washington Redskins
15	Cleveland Browns	vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Wanna tell me how you really feel about these rankings? Follow me on Twitter.

Follow @tylerconway22