Fantasy Football 2013: Week 1 Rankings for Every Position

You’ve got questions about who will light up fantasy football scoreboards in Week 1 of the 2013 NFL season. We’ve got at least some of the answers.

As usual, the waiver wire will be hectic after the opening weekend. You’ll have some tough decisions to make in the coming days. But before we get there, we have a pretty good idea of what to expect in regards to potential top performers to start the season. After all, the offseason is finally over—it’s time for some football.

Nearly all of the starters have been named around the league. While there’s still plenty we’ll learn this weekend, feel safe deploying your draft picks according to these rankings.

 

The Shootout in the Bayou—as it will later be affectionately dubbed—will provide two of the week’s three-best fantasy quarterbacks.

Is that crazy to think?

New Orleans has made some changes defensively, but there’s no way its unit is up to the task of shutting down Matt Ryan and the high-powered Atlanta Falcons offense.

Then, there’s Drew Brees. Need I say more? No matter what defense is thrown at him, Brees has proven to be able to be a fantasy king. He’s going to be throwing, and the Falcons’ less-than-stellar pass rush should help him rack up points in the Superdome.

Tom Brady doesn’t have the wide receivers he had last year. That won’t be a problem for the future Hall of Famer. Buffalo’s secondary will be playing without top cornerback Stephon Gilmore, and it wasn’t that great of a group even with him on the field. Look for some big things from the new-look Pats.

 

Is this even a question at this point?

In case you forgot, Adrian Peterson is kind of a big deal. He ran for over 100 yards twice against the Detroit Lions in 2012, and it shouldn’t be a problem again this year. Christian Ponder looks lost behind center, so the Minnesota Vikings will have no choice but to feed the beast to get back to the playoffs.

Jacksonville gave up the third-most yards to running backs in 2012 and the third-most fantasy points. Jamaal Charles’ mouth is watering at the chance to start the 2013 season by helping the Jags remain at the bottom of the league in that category.

Robert Griffin III won’t be running as much in 2013. That could be a good or bad thing for Alfred Morris. One thing we do know, though, is that Philadelphia’s defense looks rough. Morris will get plenty of touches, and it’s pretty safe to say he’ll deliver.

Another no-brainer: Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford are going to connect a lot this season. The last time the two paired up against Minnesota, Megatron exploded for 207 yards receiving and one score. Yeah, there’s not much of a question about it.

In Week 1 in 2012, Dez Bryant disappointed a bit; scoring just eight fantasy points. While he made his impact on both of Dallas’ games against the New York Giants, Bryant failed to get into the end zone in both contests. Look for him to change that in this year’s opener with a big showing.

The Cincinnati Bengals need A.J. Green to win battles against top corners in the league. He’ll have his chance to do so against a very good Chicago Bears secondary in Week 1. If the Bengals are to realize their mammoth expectations for this year, quarterback Andy Dalton and Green will have to get in sync quickly. Look for Green to set the tone for 2013 with a big opener.

Not many surprises here—unless Greg Olsen’s third-place spot in this week’s rankings confuses you. Last year, Seattle was strong against the pass, but only middle of the road against opposing tight ends. While the 'Hawks kept them out of the end zone—just four touchdowns all season—they gave up 927 receiving yards to the position.

Olsen is one of the few weapons Cam Newton has in Carolina, so he’ll benefit from checking down to his tight end frequently as Seattle’s pass rush bears down on him.

Cincinnati boasted a top-10 defense in 2012, but it got even better during the offseason. With the Bears’ offensive line issues still apparently very much alive, it’ll have a fun time harassing Jay Cutler all afternoon. If a Cutler meltdown follows, this defense could win your Week 1 contest by itself.

We’ve talked about Seattle’s swarming defense already, but let’s do it again. Last year, the unit allowed just 10.2 fantasy points per game against opposing quarterbacks. Newton struggled then, and he’ll struggle again, paving the way for a big day points-wise in Carolina.

Buffalo has a rookie quarterback, a new head coach and not many weapons other than running back C.J. Spiller. New England’s defense could very well have the top week as many have predicted.

You cannot go wrong with any of these defenses, really.

If you’re having kicker problems, I feel bad for you, son.

Much like the quarterback situation, the Falcons and the Saints both have top-tier kickers in Matt Bryant and Garrett Hartley, respectively. Both of them should have big days kicking in the dome as the teams go back and forth offensively for three hours.

Other sure-bets for the week are Stephen Gostkowski in Buffalo and Steven Hauschka in Carolina. Both should see their fair share of action as their offenses should be able to move the ball efficiently on the road.

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