Fantasy Football 2012: Week 1 Rankings for Every Position

After a summer filled with Hard Knocks, training camp, position battles and fantasy football drafts, the time we've all been waiting for is finally here, as Wednesday night's tilt between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants marks the beginning of another season of exciting NFL action.

Wednesday's season opener also gets the ball rolling on another season of fantasy football. To help you make sure that your season gets off on the right foot, here's a look at the top fantasy plays at each position for the season's opening week.

Please note that these rankings are for point-per-reception (PPR) fantasy football leagues.

Drew Brees and the Top 20 Quarterbacks

It's been a very stormy offseason for the New Orleans Saints, from the bounty scandal that rocked the team's defense to the damage wreaked on New Orleans recently by Hurricane Isaac.

Playing at the Superdome in front of a raucous home crowd you can bet that quarterback Drew Brees and the Saints are going to look to come out firing against the Washington Redskins. That's enough to make the 12th-year pro the top fantasy quarterback in Week 1.

1. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (vs. WAS)

2. Tom Brady, New England Patriots (at TEN)

3. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (vs. SF)

4. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (vs. STL)

5. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (at TB)

6. Eli Manning, New York Giants (vs. DAL)

7. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys (at NYG)

8. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons (at KC)

9. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles (at CLE)

10. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers (at OAK)

11. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans (vs. MIA)

12. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears (vs. IND)

13. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos (vs. PIT)

14. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (at DEN)

15. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks (at ARI)

16. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens (vs. CIN)

17. Robert Griffin, Washington Redskins (at NO)

18. Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers (at GB)

19. Jake Locker, Tennessee Titans (vs. NE)

20. Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. CAR)

LeSean McCoy and the Top 20 Running Backs

Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy was a top-three pick in many fantasy drafts this summer on the heels of a 2011 campaign in which the 24-year-old topped 1,600 total yards and scored 20 touchdowns.

The fourth-year pro should pick up right where he left off Sunday against a Cleveland Browns defense that ranked 30th in the NFL against the run last year and has already been hit hard by injuries this season.

1. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles (at CLE)

2. Arian Foster, Houston Texans (vs. MIA)

3. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens (vs. CIN)

4. Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders (vs. SD)

5. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears (vs. IND)

6. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. ATL)

7. Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (CAR)

8. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans (vs. NE)

9. DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys (at NYG)

10. Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills (at NYJ)

11. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams (at DET)

12. Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants (vs. DAL)

13. Darren Sproles, New Orleans Saints (vs. WAS)

14. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers (at GB)

15. Reggie Bush, Miami Dolphins (at HOU)

16. Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks (at ARI)

17. Kevin Smith, Detroit Lions (vs. STL)

18. Willis McGahee, Denver Broncos (vs. PIT)

19. DeAngelo Williams, Carolina Panthers (at TB)

20. Rashad Jennings, Jacksonville Jaguars (at MIN)

Calvin Johnson and the Top 20 Wide Receivers

Wide receiver Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions was an unstoppable force last season, racking up 96 catches for 1,696 yards and 16 scores as the Lions advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 1999.

"Megatron" and the Lions face off against a St. Louis Rams team that allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers last year. Even with an improved secondary, the Rams will be hard pressed to contain Johnson this week.

1. Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions (vs. STL)

2. Brandon Marshall, Chicago Bears (vs. IND)

3. Wes Welker, New England Patriots (at TEN)

4. Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys (at NYG)

5. Victor Cruz, New York Giants (vs. DAL)

6. Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons (at KC)

7. Andre Johnson, Houston Texans (vs. MIA)

8. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals (vs. SEA)

9. Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers (vs. SF)

10. Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints (vs. WAS)

11. A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals (at BAL)

12. Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packers (vs. SF)

13. Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons (at KC)

14. Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers (at DEN)

15. Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings (vs. JAX)

16. Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers (at TB)

17. DeMaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos (vs. PIT)

18. Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia Eagles (at CLE)

19. Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants (vs. DAL)

20. Torrey Smith, Baltimore Ravens (vs. CIN)

Jimmy Graham and the Top 20 Tight Ends

No tight end in the National Football League caught more passes a year ago than Jimmy Graham of the New Orleans Saints, who reeled in 99 balls en route to finishing second in fantasy points at his position.

As I said earlier, I fully expect the New Orleans offense to hit the field in high gear this Sunday. If that proves to be the case, the third-year pro should be one of the main beneficiaries of a big day from Drew Brees.

1. Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints (vs. WAS)

2. Aaron Hernandez, New England Patriots (at TEN)

3. Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers (at OAK)

4. Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots (at TEN)

5. Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers (at GB)

6. Jermichael Finley, Green Bay Packers (vs. SF)

7. Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons (at KC)

8. Fred Davis, Washington Redskins (at NO)

9. Owen Daniels, Houston Texans (vs, MIA)

10. Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit Lions (vs. STL)

11. Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers (at TB)

12. Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings (vs. JAX)

13. Jared Cook, Tennessee Titans (vs. NE)

14. Coby Fleener, Indianapolis Colts (at CHI)

15. Dustin Keller, New York Jets (vs. BUF)

16. Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles (at CLE)

17. Jacob Tamme, Denver Broncos (vs. PIT)

18. Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati Bengals (at BAL)

19. Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers (at DEN)

20. Lance Kendricks, St. Louis Rams (at DET)

Garrett Hartley and the Top 20 Kickers

Trying to predict fantasy output from kickers can be an exercise in futility, but the best chance you have at doing so is examining matchups and trying to find teams that should roll up the scoring in a given week.

It's a pretty safe bet that the Saints will score early and often in Sunday's matchup with the Washington Redskins. Assuming that the Redskins can at least keep New Orleans out of the end zone once or twice, kicker Garrett Hartley should be in for a very nice fantasy day.

1. Garrett Hartley, New Orleans Saints (vs. WAS)

2. Jason Hanson, Detroit Lions (vs. STL)

3. Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots (at TEN)

4. David Akers, San Francisco 49ers (at GB)

5. Mason Crosby, Green Bay Packers (vs. SF)

6. Robbie Gould, Chicago Bears (vs. IND)

7. Matt Bryant, Atlanta Falcons (at KC)

8. Alex Henery, Philadelphia Eagles (at CLE)

9. Dan Bailey, Dallas Cowboys (at NYG)

10. Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland Raiders (vs. SD)

11. Matt Prater, Denver Broncos (vs. PIT)

12. Nate Kaeding, San Diego Chargers (at OAK)

13. Lawrence Tynes, New York Giants (vs. DAL)

14. Shayne Graham, Houston Texans (vs. MIA)

15. Rob Bironas, Tennessee Titans (vs. NE)

16. Billy Cundiff, Washington Redskins (at NO)

17. Rian Lindell, Buffalo Bills (at NYJ)

18. Shaun Suisham, Pittsburgh Steelers (at DEN)

19. Nick Folk, New York Jets (vs. BUF)

20. Steven Hauschka, Seattle Seahawks (at ARI)

Philadelphia Eagles and the Top 20 Defenses

When selecting the best fantasy defense it's all about the matchups.

Find a stout defensive squad going up against a so-so offense (especially at home) and odds are you'll hit fantasy pay dirt.

Granted, the Philadelphia Eagles are on the road this week, but given their propensity to get after the passer and the fact that Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden will be making his first career start, the Eagles are fantasy's top defensive unit to open the season.

1. Philadelphia Eagles (at CLE)

2. Detroit Lions (vs. STL)

3. Houston Texans (vs. MIA)

4. Chicago Bears (vs. IND)

5. Baltimore Ravens (vs. CIN)

6. Seattle Seahawks (at ARI)

7. Buffalo Bills (at NYJ)

8. New England Patriots (at TEN)

9. Green Bay Packers (vs. SF)

10. New York Giants (vs. DAL)

11. New Orlaens Saints (vs. WAS)

12. San Francisco 49ers (at GB)

13. Atlanta Falcons (at KC)

14. New York Jets (vs. BUF)

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (at DEN)

16. Dallas Cowboys (at NYG)

17. San Diego Chargers (at OAK)

18. Minnesota Vikings (vs. JAX)

19. Jacksonville Jaguars (at MIN)

20. Denver Broncos (vs. PIT)