Fantasy Football Week 1 Rankings: Opening-Season Position-by-Position Review

Fantasy football players needed one game to remember how frustrating the diversion gets after draft day.

Did you pick Mike Gillislee despite his uncertain role? Awesome. Did he score three goal-line touchdowns from your bench Thursday night? Not as great.

And what was everyone thinking drafting Tom Brady over Alex Smith? While the New England Patriots' star quarterback failed to record a touchdown—something he did just four times over the last three seasons—the Kansas City Chiefs signal-caller managed to make the game a blowout with 368 passing yards and four touchdowns.

In Yahoo Sports leagues using standard scoring (no point per reception), the frequently undrafted Smith accumulated more fantasy points than Brady, Brandin Cooks, Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce combined.

Several players featured in these Week 1 rankings—for non-PPR formats—will vanish on Sunday. Other seemingly irrelevant options will shine with few managers reaping the rewards. Welcome back to fantasy football.

Quarterback

1. Matt Ryan, ATL (at CHI)

2. Aaron Rodgers, GB (vs. SEA)

3. Russell Wilson, SEA (at GB)

4. Marcus Mariota, TEN (vs. OAK)

5. Drew Brees, NO (at MIN)

6. Cam Newton, CAR (at SF)

7. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT (at CLE)

8. Kirk Cousins, WAS (vs. PHI)

9. Derek Carr, OAK (at TEN)

10. Carson Palmer, ARI (at DET)

11. Dak Prescott, DAL (vs. NYG)

12. Eli Manning, NYG (at DAL)

13. Matthew Stafford, DET (vs. ARI)

14. Sam Bradford, MIN (vs. NO)

15. Carson Wentz, PHI (at WAS)

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Thursday night set the table for a weird Week 1 under center. Brady's superstar contemporaries, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees, will try to avoid disappointing like Brady despite difficult matchups.

The Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks finished last season No. 3 and 8, respectively, in passing defense while also ranking among the top-10 toughest fantasy matchups for opposing quarterbacks. Brees has more Week 1 downside, but he's nowhere near as dependent on the Superdome as some skeptics think.

As for Rodgers, this marks the third straight season he faces the Seahawks at Lambeau Field. He averaged 8.8 yards per attempt with five touchdowns and zero interceptions in the previous two meetings.

Unless you also drafted Matt Ryan for some strange reason, don't get cute and bench either superstar.

Of course, these aren't the decisions keeping most managers up at night. Some are looking for ways to avoid Philip Rivers against the Denver Broncos, and others need a healthy replacement for Andrew Luck.

Given an exciting rookie running back in Dalvin Cook and a mouth-watering tilt against the New Orleans Saints, Sam Bradford could do his best Smith impersonation with an atypically explosive performance.

Running Back

1. Le'Veon Bell, PIT (at CLE)

2. David Johnson, ARI (at DET)

3. LeSean McCoy, BUF (vs. NYJ)

4. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL (vs. NYG)

5. Devonta Freeman, ATL (at CHI)

6. DeMarco Murray, TEN (vs. OAK)

7. Jordan Howard, CHI (vs. ATL)

8. Todd Gurley, LAR (vs. IND)

9. Dalvin Cook, MIN (vs. NO)

10. Lamar Miller. HOU (vs. JAC)

11. Melvin Gordon, LAC (at DEN)

12. Christian McCaffrey, CAR (at SF)

13. Marshawn Lynch, OAK (at TEN)

14. Leonard Fournette, JAC (at HOU)

15. C.J. Anderson, DEN (vs. LAC)

16. Isaiah Crowell, CLE (vs. PIT)

17. Carlos Hyde, SF (vs. CAR)

18. Bilal Powell, NYJ (at BUF)

19. Rob Kelley, WAS (vs. PHI)

20. Jonathan Stewart, CAR (at SF)

21. Joe Mixon, CIN (vs. BAL)

22. Frank Gore, IND (at LAR)

23. Ameer Abdullah, DET (vs. ARI)

24. Terrance West, BAL (at CIN)

25. Ty Montgomery, GB (vs. SEA)

26. Mark Ingram, NO (at MIN)

27. Paul Perkins, NYG (at DAL)

28. Tevin Coleman, ATL (at CHI)

29. Derrick Henry, TEN (vs. OAK)

30. Adrian Peterson, NO (at MIN)

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Can fantasy managers trust good running backs on bad teams? Given the lack of options with a decisive role, many gamers have no choice.

Isaiah Crowell rose up draft boards after averaging 4.8 yards per carry last year. Yet the Cleveland Browns' ineptitude lowers the floor on a back who accrued 193 combined rushing yards and no touchdowns in the six games the 1-15 Browns lost by at least 15 points.

This also conveniently leaves out a pair of 14-point defeats in which he tallied 170 total yards and two scores, so Cleveland may merely need to avoid a blowout at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since the Steelers allowed the seventh-most fantasy points in Yahoo leagues to opposing backs last year, Crowell's investors should start him despite fearing the uncomfortably wide range of outcomes.

Because of his pass-catching prowess, Bilal Powell shouldn't be as negatively affected by the New York Jets. Taking over for Matt Forte, he closed the season with 552 total yards and three touchdowns over Gang Green's final four bouts. This included a 162-yard (84 rushing, 78 receiving on 11 catches) performance in a 34-13 loss to the Miami Dolphins and more traditional 22 carries and 122 rushing yards in Week 17's 30-10 win over the Buffalo Bills.

He gets those same Bills this Sunday, and they're not a juggernaut, either. Consider Powell a strong flex play even in non-PPR leagues.

Wide Receiver

1. Antonio Brown, PIT (at CLE)

2. Julio Jones, ATL (at CHI)

3. A.J. Green, CIN (vs. BAL)

4. Doug Baldwin, SEA (at GB)

5. Jordy Nelson, GB (vs. SEA)

6. Amari Cooper, OAK (at TEN)

7. Michael Thomas, NO (at MIN)

8. Dez Bryant, DAL (vs. NYG)

9. Terrelle Pryor, WAS (vs. PHI)

10. Larry Fitzgerald, ARI (at DET)

11. Demaryius Thomas, DEN (vs. LAC)

12. Michael Crabtree, OAK (at TEN)

13. DeAndre Hopkins, HOU (vs. JAC)

14. Stefon Diggs, MIN (vs. NO)

15. Odell Beckham Jr., NYG (at DAL)

16. Martavis Bryant, PIT (at CLE)

17. Kelvin Benjamin, CAR (at SF)

18. Sammy Watkins, LAR (vs. IND)

19. Golden Tate, DET (vs. ARI)

20. Alshon Jeffery, PHI (at WAS)

21. Davante Adams, GB (vs. SEA)

22. T.Y. Hilton, IND (at LAR)

23. Allen Robinson, JAC (at HOU)

24. Jamison Crowder, WAS (vs. PHI)

25. Keenan Allen, LAC (at DEN)

26. Brandon Marshall, NYG (at DAL)

27. Eric Decker, TEN (vs. OAK)

28. Pierre Garcon, SF (vs. CAR)

29. Emmanuel Sanders, DEN (vs. LAC)

30. Adam Thielen, MIN (vs. NO)

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Speaking of a wide range of outcomes, Amari Cooper compiled 1,153 receiving yards despite logging fewer than 30 yards four times and averaging 45.8 yards over the final eight contests. He's far riskier than most wide receivers who command top-10 placement.

Yet an anticipated shootout between the Oakland Raiders and Tennessee Titans gives him a golden opportunity to author his first 100-yard outing since 2016's Week 8. Tennessee relinquished the third-most passing yards last year and trailed Green Bay for the second-most Yahoo fantasy points allowed to wideouts.

That's also good news for Michael Crabtree, who has demonstrated remarkable season-to-season consistency since joining the Raiders. After registering 85 catches and nine touchdowns in 2015, he posted 89 receptions and eight touchdowns last season.

Oakland's No. 2 receiver is a safer bet to test the NFL's relaxed touchdown celebration rules. According to Pro Football Reference, Crabtree received 21 targets inside the red zone to Cooper's 13. Although Cooper has all the potential to leap into the top tier of receivers like Mike Evans last year, don't overlook his teammate.

Tight End

1. Greg Olsen, CAR (at SF)

2. Jimmy Graham, SEA (at GB)

3. Jordan Reed, WAS (vs. PHI)

4. Zach Ertz, PHI (at WAS)

5. Kyle Rudolph, MIN (vs. NO)

6. Delanie Walker, TEN (vs. OAK)

7. Tyler Eifert, CIN (vs. BAL)

8. Jason Witten, DAL (vs. NYG)

9. Hunter Henry, LAC (at DEN)

10. Martellus Bennett, GB (vs. SEA)

11. Coby Fleener, NO (at MIN)

12. Jack Doyle, IND (at LAR)

13. Austin Hooper. ATL (at CHI)

14. Charles Clay, BUF (vs. NYJ)

15. C.J. Fiedorowicz, HOU (vs. JAC)

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This list looks light without Gronkowski and Kelce, but anyone who passed on the premier tight ends didn't miss much in Week 1. The duo combined for seven catches and 73 yards.

Nobody who drafted Tyler Eifert should be surprised to see him listed on the Cincinnati Bengals' injury report. In addition to never playing a 16-game season, the 27-year-old missed the final two preseason games with tendinitis in his knee.

Sitting him seemed like a cautionary measure to have him ready for Week 1. He will face the Baltimore Ravens, whom he found the end zone against in each of their last two meetings.

NFL.com's Michael Fabiano illuminated Eiferts' scoring capacity when healthy:

He's still a strong option when in the lineup, especially with preseason breakout pick Hunter Henry getting the Broncos and Jack Doyle starting the season without Andrew Luck.

Defense/Special Teams

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (at CLE)

2. Houston Texans (vs. JAC)

3. Carolina Panthers (at SF)

4. Buffalo Bills (vs. NYJ)

5. Denver Broncos (vs. LAC)

6. Atlanta Falcons (at CHI)

7. Los Angeles Rams (vs. IND)

8. Jacksonville Jaguars (at HOU)

9. Los Angeles Chargers (at DEN)

10. Arizona Cardinals (at DET)

11. Cincinnati Bengals (vs. BAL)

12. Seattle Seahawks (at GB)

Harry How/Getty Images

Defense is all about matchups. Anyone who reached for Seattle before the penultimate round is better served scooping the Atlanta Falcons or Jacksonville Jaguars off the waiver wire this weekend. But beware one of the most popular Week 1 streamers.

Before going all in on the Los Angeles Rams pummeling the Indianapolis Colts sans Luck, remember that they will also likely line up without their best player. Aaron Donald has yet to end his preseason holdout, and he's showing no signs of caving before Week 1.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the star defensive tackle will probably sit out Sunday's contest.

"It's disappointing," Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips told ESPN.com's Alden Gonzalez. "It's disappointing that he's not here, for whatever the reasons are. But I've been through it before, too. You've got to play with the guys you have. We believe that we can play well, and that's what we're going to try to do."

They should still yield a solid return against Scott Tolzien, but missing their franchise cornerstone drops them from No. 1 consideration

Kicker

1. Matt Bryant, ATL (at CHI)

2. Justin Tucker, BAL (at CIN)

3. Mason Crosby, GB (vs. SEA)

4. Dan Bailey, DAL (vs. NYG)

5. Chris Boswell, PIT (at CLE)

6. Brandon McManus, DEN (vs. LAC)

7. Matt Prater, DET (vs. ARI)

8. Caleb Sturgis, PHI (at WAS)

9. Dustin Hopkins, WAS (vs. PHI)

10. Steven Hauschka, BUF (vs. NYJ)

11. Graham Gano, CAR (at SF)

12. Will Lutz, NO (at MIN)

Al Bello/Getty Images

When it comes to kickers, everyone is at the mercy of random variance.

Fantasy mangers rightfully target the best offenses, but that doesn't ensure lofty point tallies. The Chiefs played too well for Cairo Santos to even try a field goal on Thursday night.

Washington attempted an NFL-high 42 field goals last year, and the Philadelphia Eagles tied the Houston Texans for second with 41. Caleb Sturgis, who didn't miss a three-point try from within 40 yards in 2016, made five field goals in the NFL East foes' two games.

A yard here or an inch there can change the calculus on Sunday, but it looks like a solid spot for the Eagles kicker, who combined short-term accuracy with four 50-yard makes.