Fantasy Football Week 2 Rankings: Latest Position-by-Position Rundown

We spend a lot of time ranking things. The best movies of all time. Fifteen reasons '90s kids were the best kids. The top 50 party schools. And so on and so forth we go, the Internet quenching our never-ending desire to assign value to everything and anything.

Fantasy football is perhaps the epitome of that phenomenon. Each week, we rank players based on how many points we think they might score, ascribing an arbitrary numerical value next to their name. But what if we did it differently? What if we stopped asking, "How many points will Player X score this week?" and instead asked, "How smart is it to start Player X this week?"

Below, I attempted to answer the latter question, assigning a "startability" grade to the top options in fantasy (with the exception of the players who played Thursday night, obviously). Let's break them down.

For a full explanation of how I define each grading category, click here. All stats for standard-scoring leagues. Point totals and points-against statistics via ESPN.

Schedule

Sunday, Sept. 14	Time (ET)
Monday, Sept. 15	Time (ET)
Miami at Buffalo	1:00 p.m.
Jacksonville at Washington	1:00 p.m.
Dallas at Tennessee	1:00 p.m.
Arizona at NY Giants	1:00 p.m.
New England at Minnesota	1:00 p.m.
New Orleans at Cleveland	1:00 p.m.
Atlanta at Cincinnati	1:00 p.m.
Detroit at Carolina	1:00 p.m.
St. Louis at Tampa Bay	4:05 p.m.
Seattle at San Diego	4:05 p.m.
Houston at Oakland	4:25 p.m.
NY Jets at Green Bay	4:25 p.m.
Kansas City at Denver	4:25 p.m.
Chicago at San Francisco	8:30 p.m.
Philadelphia at Indianapolis	8:30 p.m.

Quarterbacks

Rank	Player	Matchup	Consistency	Offense	Ability	OVERALL STARTABILITY GRADE
1	Peyton Manning	B-	A+	A+	A+	A+
2	Andrew Luck	A-	A	B+	A	A+
3	Drew Brees	C	A+	A+	A+	A
4	Aaron Rodgers	B+	A	A	A	A
5	Tom Brady	A-	B	B	B+	A-
6	Russell Wilson	B	A-	B	B	A-
7	Robert Griffin III	A+	B-	C+	B+	B+
8	Nick Foles	B-	B+	A	C	B+
9	Cam Newton	C-	A-	B-	A-	B+
10	Andy Dalton	A	B-	B-	C+	B
11	Matt Stafford	D-	B+	A-	A-	B
12	Matt Ryan	D-	B+	B+	B+	B
13	Colin Kaepernick	C	B-	B	B	B-
14	Jake Locker	A+	C	C-	C+	B-
15	Tony Romo	D	B	B+	B	B-
16	Jay Cutler	F	C+	A-	B-	C+
17	Philip Rivers	F	B	C+	B-	C+
18	Alex Smith	C+	C+	D	C	C

As you can see, when breaking down how smart it is to start certain players, the cream rises to the top. But that doesn't mean a player's matchup can't affect his rank on a weekly basis.

Take Andrew Luck. Without question, he's always a pretty safe option, but against a dreadful Philadelphia Eagles pass defense, he's virtually guaranteed to have a huge week. The Eagles allowed opposing quarterbacks to score an average of 17.6 fantasy points per week last year, 26th in the NFL, and just gave up 266 passing yards and two touchdowns to Chad Henne.

Luck is a much, much, much better quarterback than Henne, with way, way, way better options in the passing game. This week, he's about as smart a start as it gets.

Despite his poor showing in Week 1, Tom Brady's a pretty safe bet to bounce back. Having both Rob Gronkowski and Shane Vereen healthy will do wonders for his numbers this year, and a matchup against the Minnesota Vikings defense—even with Mike Zimmer in town—is far more appealing than facing the Miami Dolphins.

Get Brady in those starting lineups. 

Two players who were excellent in Week 1 but might struggle in Week 2 are Matt Stafford and Matt Ryan, facing the Carolina Panthers and Cincinnati Bengals, respectively. Ryan has to travel to Cincinnati, where the Bengals gave up just nine passing touchdowns in eight games a year ago. 

Don't expect Mr. Ryan to replicate his 448-yard, three-touchdown performance from Week 1.

Running Backs

Rank	Player	Matchup	Consistency	Offense	Ability	OVERALL STARTABILITY GRADE
1	LeSean McCoy	C	A+	A+
2	Marshawn Lynch	C	A+	A+	A+	A+
3	Arian Foster	A+	A	C+	A	A+
4	Jamaal Charles	C+	A	B+	A-	A
5	Frank Gore	A+	B+	A	A+	A
6	Giovani Bernard	A	B+	B-	C+	A
7	Montee Ball	B-	A-	A	B+	A-
8	Alfred Morris	A-	A	B-	B	A-
9	Matt Forte	D	A	A-	B-	A-
10	C.J. Spiller	B	C+	B	A	B+
11	DeMarco Murray	C-	B+	B	A	B+
12	Eddie Lacy	D	A-	B+	A-	B+
13	Chris Johnson	A	C+	C+	A-	B
14	Doug Martin	B	B-	C-	B-	B
15	Shane Vereen	B+	C	B
16	Andre Ellington	C	C+	C	B+	B-
17	Knowshon Moreno	C+	B	C	C-	B-
18	Reggie Bush	F	B-	B+	B+	C-
19	Ryan Mathews	D-	B	C+	C	C+
20	Pierre Thomas	C+	D+	B	B	C+
21	Fred Jackson	B	C	C+	B	C+
22	Joique Bell	F	B-	B-	C+	C
23	Darren Sproles	C	D+	B	C-	C
24	Terrance West	B+	C-	C-	B-	C
25	Zac Stacy	D+	C	C	C	C-
26	Lamar Miller	C+	D	C-	D	C-
27	Rashad Jennings	F	B	C-	C	C-
28	Maurice Jones-Drew	B-	C-	D	C+	D
29	Chris Ivory	A	D	D+	D+	D

Starting Rashad Jennings in your fantasy lineup this week is like playing Russian roulette but tweaking the rules and loading five chambers with bullets rather than just one. Sure, there's a chance it could work out for you, but facing the best run defense in the NFL from a year ago, the Arizona Cardinals, it's more likely it will end up killing you.

As you can see, my startability rankings really don't think it's wise to start a few players who were either studs last year or expected to be this year. Zac Stacy? It's pretty hard to trust anyone on the St. Louis Rams offense at this point. Joique Bell? The Panthers just held the Tampa Bay running backs to a total of 10 fantasy points. Ryan Mathews? You can probably flex him in a pinch, sure, but do you really trust him against the Seattle Seahawks?

Early in the season, I've found myself starting two running backs and relying on a wide receiver in the flex. It's rare that wide receivers—a position that often sees value vary more widely on a weekly basis than running back—are considered the safer options in fantasy, but given the unpredictability in many teams' backfields, that's the case thus far this year. 

Wide Receivers

Rank	Player	Matchup	Consistency	Offense	Ability	OVERALL STARTABILITY GRADE
1	Jordy Nelson	A-	A-	A+	A-	A+
2	A.J. Green	B-	A+	B	A	A+
3	Calvin Johnson	D-	A+	A	A+	A+
4	Demaryius Thomas	C+	A	A+	A-	A
5	Julio Jones	D+	A-	A-	A	A
6	Brandon Marshall	D	A+	A	B+	A
7	Randall Cobb	A-	B+	A-	B-	A-
8	Percy Harvin	A-	B+	C+	B+	A-
9	Dez Bryant	D-	A	B+	A	A-
10	DeSean Jackson	B	C+	B-	A-	B+
11	Antonio Brown	C-	A	B	B-	B+
12	Reggie Wayne	A+	B	B+	C	B+
13	Vincent Jackson	B-	B-	C+	B	B
14	Alshon Jeffery	D	A-	B	B	B
15	Andre Johnson	B	B+	D	B	B
16	Pierre Garcon	B	B	C+	C+	B-
17	Roddy White	C-	B	A-	C-	B-
18	Larry Fitzgerald	B+	B-	C-	C+	B-
19	Julian Edelman	A	C	A-	D-	C+
20	Emmanuel Sanders	C+ (KC)	C+	A	D	C+
21	Jeremy Maclin	B	C	B	C	C+
22	T.Y. Hilton	A+	D+	B-	D+	C
23	Kendall Wright	A+	C	C	C-	C
24	Michael Floyd	B+	C-	C	C+	C
25	Victor Cruz	D+	B	C-	B-	C
26	Michael Crabtree	C+	C-	C+	C+	C-
27	Mike Wallace	B+	D+	C-	C	C-
28	Marques Colston	D+	C+	B+	C	C-
29	Cordarrelle Patterson	D+	D+	C	B+	D+
30	Hakeem Nicks	A+	D-	C	D	D+
31	Justin Hunter	A+	F	D+	C-	D+
32	Brandin Cooks	D+	D	B+	D+	D+
33	Cecil Shorts	A	D+	D	F	D
34	Keenan Allen	F	B-	B-	C	D
35	Golden Tate	D-	C-	B	D	D
36	DeAndre Hopkins	B	D-	D	D+	D
37	Riley Cooper	B	D	C+	F	D+
38	Eric Decker	B+	C-	F	D	D+
39	Kelvin Benjamin	C+	D	C-	D-	D+
40	Mike Evans	B-	F	D+	D	D+

Richard Sherman and Byron Maxwell are pretty good reasons to bench Keenan Allen. Joe Haden is a good reason to keep Marques Colston on your bench. Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie suggest you keep Victor Cruz shelved. Sometimes, you don't have to overthink lineup decisions too much—the answers are staring you right in the face. 

The one player on my rankings I think folks will believe is ranked too low is Cordarrelle Patterson. Part of that is how raw he is as a receiver. Part of that is that when he does line up out wide this week, he'll likely be looking across at Darrelle Revis (unless the Pats keep him locked to a side). Those factors make me think he's a very risky play for owners.

Not that he doesn't have immense upside, of course. He has a rushing or receiving touchdown in seven of his last nine games, after all. On the other hand, banking on touchdowns as the main source of a player's fantasy value is really risky. If Patterson continues to also accumulate big yards in the air and on the ground, he'll become a smarter weekly start. Until he does, you're rolling the dice in my opinion. 

Matchups have really elevated certain players in my view. Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton should be in all lineups against the Eagles. Kendall Wright should be started in all formats, while Justin Hunter is a great boom-or-bust player against the Dallas Cowboys. Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb could each put up WR1 performances against the young New York Jets secondary.

But when in doubt, trust your studs. Calvin Johnson and Julio Jones are one play away from turning tough matchups into huge afternoons. That's why they are safer than their quarterbacks—a 50-yard touchdown pass is worth six points for a quarterback, but it's worth 11 for a wide receiver. And guys like Megatron or Jones are always capable of making that play, despite the matchup.

Tight Ends

Rank	Player	Matchup	Consistency	Offense	Ability	OVERALL STARTABILITY GRADE
1	Jimmy Graham	D+	A+	A+	A+	A+
2	Julius Thomas	C	A	A+	A	A
3	Rob Gronkowski	A-	A	A	A	A
4	Vernon Davis	C+	B+	A-	A-	A-
5	Jordan Cameron	B-	B	B+	B+	B+
6	Zach Ertz	B	C-	B+	B	B
7	Jason Witten	D	A-	A-	B-	B
8	Greg Olsen	C+	B-	B	B	B-
9	Martellus Bennett	D	C	B-	C+	C
10	Charles Clay	B+	D+	C+	D	C-
11	Kyle Rudolph	D+	D-	C	C-	D+
12	Dwayne Allen	A+	D-	B	D+	D

I'll be honest with you, folks—if you don't have one of the top 11 tight ends on this list, I think you're in trouble. And if we're being really honest, I think more than in seasons past, we'll have a pretty distinct group of three elite tight ends, eight players worth starting and then everyone else. 

I think this would be a good year to either own Jimmy Graham, Julius Thomas and Rob Gronkowski or to pursue one of them in a trade. They'll be atop these rankings pretty much every week and will represent a huge value at their position compared to many of the other top players at their position. 

When it comes to tight ends, the oldest adage in the fantasy book is the truest one—trust thy studs. 

Defenses

Rank	Defense
1	Arizona Cardinals
2	Green Bay Packers
3	Miami Dolphins
4	Denver Broncos
5	Seattle Seahawks
6	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
7	Buffalo Bills
8	St. Louis Rams
9	Carolina Panthers
10	Houston Texans

This is a better week to stream defenses than most, since many of the top units have somewhat difficult matchups. I'm not sure how many weeks defenses like the Packers or Houston Texans will be on this list, but I love them both this week. 

Kickers

Rank	Player	Team
1	Mason Crosby	Green Bay Packers
2	Cody Parkey	Philadelphia Eagles
3	Adam Vinatieri	Indianapolis Colts
4	Phil Dawson	San Francisco 49ers
5	Stephen Gostkowski	New England Patriots
6	Brandon McManus	Denver Broncos
7	Steven Hauschka	Seattle Seahawks
8	Chandler Catanzaro	Arizona Cardinals
9	Blair Walsh	Minnesota Vikings
10	Chandler Catanzaro	Arizona Cardinals

If you spend a lot of time worrying about which kicker you're going to start, well, you're doing it wrong. Their production is nearly impossible to predict and, honestly, if you have a reliable kicker on a high-scoring offense, you're set.

Don't get too cute, folks. Kickers are just kickers. 

Hit me up on Twitter—I'll answer your fantasy questions and make some corny jokes too. It's more fun than karate class with Antonio Brown.