Fantasy Football Week 1: Latest Stat Predictions for the Top 50 Players

Drafting your fantasy football team might be the hard part, but your job is far from over. Now, you have to put the right players in the lineup from week to week.

While a lot of people hate dealing with the byes that come in the middle of the year, Week 1 is truly the most difficult to predict all season. Coaches like to keep their plans close to the vest, which means we have little knowledge of which players will touch the ball in which situations.

As a result, fantasy owners should lean toward the safer options to start the season. This includes a number of less exciting veterans who will be smarter picks than the rookies who were shooting up draft boards.

Here is a look at the projected top 50 scorers for Week 1 of 2014.

Rank	Pos. Rank	Player	Team	Opp	Pass Yards	Rush Yards	Rec. Yards	TDs	Fantasy Pts.
1	QB1	Peyton Manning	DEN	IND	355	0	0	3	26
2	QB2	Drew Brees	NO	ATL	317	3	0	3	22
3	RB1	LeSean McCoy	PHI	JAX	0	122	34	1	21
4	QB3	Matthew Stafford	DET	NYG	347	0	0	2	21
5	QB4	Jay Cutler	CHI	BUF	253	0	0	3	20
6	QB5	Andrew Luck	IND	DEN	281	8	0	2	19
7	RB2	Jamaal Charles	KC	TEN	0	73	62	1	19
8	QB6	Tony Romo	DAL	SF	306	17	0	2	19
9	QB7	Tom Brady	NE	MIA	269	0	0	2	18
10	QB8	Philip Rivers	SD	ARI	255	0	0	2	18
11	RB3	Matt Forte	CHI	BUF	0	82	43	1	18
12	WR1	Demaryius Thomas	DEN	IND	0	0	121	1	18
13	QB9	Nick Foles	PHI	JAX	302	7	0	2	18
14	QB10	Colin Kaepernick	SF	DAL	186	42	0	1	17
15	WR2	Calvin Johnson	DET	NYG	0	0	117	1	17
16	QB11	Aaron Rodgers	GB	SEA	265	14	0	2	17
17	WR3	Brandon Marshall	CHI	BUF	0	0	111	1	17
18	QB12	Andy Dalton	CIN	BAL	293	0	0	2	17
19	QB13	Robert Griffin III	WAS	HOU	231	47	0	1	17
20	RB4	Arian Foster	HOU	WAS	0	84	21	1	16
21	WR4	Dez Bryant	DAL	SF	0	0	106	1	16
22	RB5	Adrian Peterson	MIN	STL	0	95	14	1	16
23	WR5	Alshon Jeffery	CHI	BUF	0	22	81	1	16
24	QB14	Russell Wilson	SEA	GB	266	27	0	1	16
25	WR6	Julio Jones	ATL	NO	0	0	102	1	16
26	RB6	Alfred Morris	WAS	HOU	0	109	0	1	16
27	WR7	A.J. Green	CIN	BAL	0	0	98	1	15
28	TE1	Jimmy Graham	NO	ATL	0	0	97	1	15
29	RB7	Zac Stacy	STL	MIN	0	92	9	1	15
30	QB15	Cam Newton	CAR	TB	210	33	0	1	15
31	RB8	Marshawn Lynch	SEA	GB	0	96	4	1	15
32	RB9	Eddie Lacy	GB	SEA	0	71	24	1	15
33	WR8	Antonio Brown	PIT	CLE	0	0	91	1	15
34	WR9	Jordy Nelson	GB	SEA	0	0	85	1	14
35	RB10	Doug Martin	TB	CAR	0	57	32	1	14
36	QB16	Eli Manning	NYG	DET	303	0	0	1	14
37	QB17	Carson Palmer	ARI	SD	221	0	0	2	14
38	RB11	Ben Tate	CLE	PIT	0	74	12	1	14
39	TE2	Julius Thomas	DEN	IND	0	0	82	1	14
40	WR10	Emmanuel Sanders	DEN	IND	0	0	81	1	14
41	RB12	Frank Gore	SF	DAL	0	83	6	1	14
42	RB13	Rashad Jennings	NYG	DET	0	66	11	1	13
43	QB18	Ben Roethlisberger	PIT	CLE	238	4	0	1	13
44	RB14	Giovani Bernard	CIN	BAL	0	85	57	0	13
45	WR11	Vincent Jackson	TB	CAR	0	0	78	1	13
46	RB15	Pierre Thomas	NO	ATL	0	32	46	1	13
47	TE3	Rob Gronkowski	NE	MIA	0	0	76	1	13
48	WR12	Jeremy Maclin	PHI	JAX	0	0	72	1	13
49	RB16	Shane Vereen	NE	MIA	0	51	83	0	13
50	TE4	Dennis Pitta	BAL	CIN	0	0	70	1	13

Quarterbacks

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

While Peyton Manning might regress a bit from his unbelievable 2013 season, he still has plenty of weapons and an offensive line that will give him time to succeed. Even against a solid defense in Indianapolis, he will post big numbers.

Quarterbacks such as Jay Cutler, Matt Stafford and Colin Kaepernick might also have bigger weeks than normal thanks to favorable matchups.

On the other hand, fans might want to temper expectations for normally solid players such as Aaron Rodgers and Cam Newton. Rodgers is still one of the best players in the league at his position, but facing the Seattle Seahawks defense is never easy.

Newton has been dealing with a rib injury, but he is confident he will play this week, via Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer:

Still, considering his various injuries and his lack of receiving targets, it might be smart to stay away from Newton at this point.

Running Backs

Matt Rourke/Associated Press

You will see many of the same running backs near the top of lists almost every week, as LeSean McCoy, Jamaal Charles, Matt Forte and Adrian Peterson are among the best in the league. McCoy could have a better-than-average week against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Two players higher on this list than in most fantasy drafts are Arian Foster and Zac Stacy, two players who should be solid against questionable competition to start the season. Foster is a health concern, but the first game of the year should not slow him down.

The running backs to be careful about if you have alternatives are Le'Veon Bell, Ryan Mathews and Chris Johnson. Obviously, they were likely high picks in most drafts, but it is hard to predict a breakdown of carries, as LeGarrette Blount, Donald Brown/Danny Woodhead and Chris Ivory can steal touches—and touchdowns—in each case.

Also, do not forget to take Ray Rice out of your lineup as he serves his two-game suspension.

Wide Receivers

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

The best receivers were high on draft lists for a reason, and there is no reason to doubt them now. Calvin Johnson, Demaryius Thomas, Brandon Marshall and others should be top options every week, regardless of the matchup.

Dez Bryant has an easier opponent than many think, as the San Francisco 49ers have a completely rebuilt secondary that might not be ready for an elite receiver.

One name to watch out for early is Emmanuel Sanders, who fills in for Eric Decker in the Broncos offense. While this goes against the logic of playing people with secure roles, CBS' Jim Nantz thinks big things are ahead for the former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver:

That is the opposite of Decker and DeSean Jackson, who had big years but now go to weaker, less consistent offenses. Fantasy owners should not expect the same results.

Week 1 could also be hard on Green Bay Packers targets Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, but this should only be a one-week problem.

Tight Ends

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Jimmy Graham is the best tight end in fantasy football, and it is not even close. Every week, he is a threat for at least one touchdown, and he can rack up the yards to be a strong play regardless.

After that, Julius Thomas and Rob Gronkowski are both top options when healthy.

However, many of the other options require seeing how they are used first. Breakout projects such as Ladarius Green, Zach Ertz or Travis Kelce could be great, but they also could easily be shut out.

Fantasy owners would be smart to roll with a veteran such as Heath Miller, Dennis Pitta or Greg Olsen in the first week.

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