Fantasy Football Week 1 Rankings: Examining Lineup Options After Injury Reports

The good news is fantasy football injuries will never be easier to navigate than they are in the 2018 NFL season-opener.

The less-than-good news is there are still a smattering of health-related roadblocks for some unlucky owners.

After laying out our standard-scoring rankings, we'll spotlight some notable medical updates at each position before offering a potential replacement—available in more than half of Yahoo Sports leagues—to target on the waiver wire.

QB Rankings

1. Aaron Rodgers, GB (vs. CHI)

2. Tom Brady, NE (vs. HOU)

3. Cam Newton, CAR (vs. DAL)

4. Drew Brees, NO (vs. TB)

5. Deshaun Watson, HOU (at NE)

6. Matthew Stafford, DET (vs. NYJ)

7. Kirk Cousins, MIN (vs. SF)

8. Philip Rivers, LAC (vs. KC)

9. Russell Wilson, SEA (at DEN)

10. Andrew Luck, IND (vs. CIN)

11. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT (at CLE)

12. Jared Goff, LAR (at OAK)

Injury Report

Michael Perez/Associated Press

The quarterback position isn't quite at full strength, but it's close.

Philadelphia Eagles signal-caller Carson Wentz missed his club's opener and "isn't expected to play for a few more weeks," per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. But Wentz owners can breathe relatively easy, as this is more about caution and Philly's depth than it is the health of its franchise face.

Speaking of prolonged absences, Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston is sidelined by a three-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy. There have also been no guarantees of Winston getting reinstalled as the starter once he's eligible, so anyone with shares invested will want to have a backup plan in mind.

But you knew this—or should have known this—already. That said, if you're still scrambling for a sneaky-good streaming option, we have you covered.

Waiver-Wire Option: Tyrod Taylor, Cleveland Browns (12 Percent Owned)

Ron Schwane/Associated Press

If there's a good way to describe Taylor's fantasy potential, it's probably better than you think—as in, his production and situation both likely eclipse the public's opinion of them.

"Taylor is QB12 over the past three seasons with much less talent than he has in Cleveland," ESPN's Matthew Berry noted. "In those three seasons, only five QBs have more games with 15 or more points."

And let's face it—the Browns have legitimate weapons now. With Jarvis Landry and Josh Gordon out wide, David Njoku at tight end and both Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson coming out of the backfield, Taylor has multiple ways of spreading the ball around.

Assuming Cleveland is chasing late points—the Pittsburgh Steelers scored last season's eighth-most points—Taylor could be airing it out more than usual and delivering a stream-worthy stat line.

RB Rankings

1. Todd Gurley, LAR (at OAK)

2. David Johnson, ARI (vs. WAS)

3. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL (at CAR)

4. Alvin Kamara, NO (vs. TB)

5. Leonard Fournette, JAX (at NYG)

6. Melvin Gordon, LAC (vs. KC)

7. Kareem Hunt, KC (at LAC)

8. Saquon Barkley, NYG (vs. JAX)

9. Dalvin Cook, MIN (vs. SF)

10. Christian McCaffrey, CAR (vs. DAL)

11. Joe Mixon, CIN (at IND)

12. LeSean McCoy, BUF (at BAL)

13. Jordan Howard, CHI (at GB)

14. Alex Collins, BAL (vs. BUF)

15. Royce Freeman, DEN (vs. SEA)

16. Kenyan Drake, MIA (vs. TEN)

17. Lamar Miller, HOU (at NE)

18. Derrick Henry, TEN (at MIA)

19. Dion Lewis, TEN (at MIA)

20. James Conner, PIT (at CLE)

Injury Report

D. Ross Cameron/Associated Press

As if Oakland Raiders rusher MarShawn Lynch didn't have enough on his plate against the vaunted defensive front of the Los Angeles Rams, the world's biggest Skittles enthusiast was limited by a groin injury in practice Thursday and Friday.

"Indications out of Oakland are still that Lynch is expected to play, but he might not be 100 percent," Michael David Smith wrote for ProFootballTalk.

While Lynch is two years past the dreaded 30th birthday, he turned in a solid 2017 season. He wasn't his old Pro Bowl form, but he was worth having and usually starting (891 yards and seven touchdowns).

Unless you want to count Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell's ongoing absence, there isn't much else worth mentioning. Indianapolis Colts ball-carrier Marlon Mack (hamstring) and Sony Michel of the New England Patriots (knee) both showed up as questionable, but unless you're in a deep league, they probably weren't a major part of your plans.

Waiver-Wire Option: Jordan Wilkins, Indianapolis Colts (34 Percent Owned)

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

In April, the Colts made Wilkins the 169th pick of this year's draft. On Sunday, they could make him their featured back, especially if Mack can't go.

Even if Mack is healthy enough, Wilkins could be a factor. Mack has a tendency to run hot and cold. Granted, he didn't get a ton of work as a rookie (93 carries in 14 games), but the carries he did get were uneven. While he averaged at least four yards per clip in six games, he failed to average three in another six.

Wilkins, meanwhile, delivered 6.5 per rush while playing for an SEC school. He ripped Alabama for 101 yards on only 12 carries. He's a capable receiver, too.

Indy's opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals, surrendered the third-most rushing yards per game last season (127.9). And they're without top linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who's serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing substances policy.

WR Rankings

1. Antonio Brown, PIT (at CLE)

2. DeAndre Hopkins, HOU (at NE)

3. Michael Thomas, NO (vs. TB)

4. A.J. Green, CIN (at IND)

5. Keenan Allen, LAC (vs. KC)

6. Odell Beckham Jr., NYG (vs. JAX)

7. Davante Adams, GB (vs. CHI)

8. Larry Fitzgerald, ARI (vs. WAS)

9. Mike Evans, TB (at NO)

10. Adam Thielen, MIN (vs. SF)

11. T.Y. Hilton, IND (vs. CIN)

12. Stefon Diggs, MIN (vs. SF)

13. Tyreek Hill, KC (at LAC)

14. Demaryius Thomas, DEN (vs. SEA)

15. Chris Hogan, NE (vs. HOU)

16. Jarvis Landry, CLE (vs. PIT)

17. Allen Robinson, CHI (at GB)

18. Doug Baldwin, SEA (at DEN)

19. Golden Tate, DET (vs. NYJ)

20. JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT (at CLE)

Injury Report

Eric Christian Smith/Associated Press

Houston Texans coach Bill O'Brien couldn't provide clarity on the status of potential breakout receiver Will Fuller, who's been battling a nagging hamstring injury since the preseason.

"We'll see," O'Brien said, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. "We'll see how the next couple days go."

Fuller is a home-run hitter. He owns a career average of 14.1 yards per reception, and he's snagged nine scoring catches in 24 games. But he also missed six contests last year with a broken collarbone and knee injury, so this isn't the first time he's made fantasy owners sweat.

DeVante Parker (finger) is doubtful for the Miami Dolphins. And even though the Eagles' game is in the books, it's still worthing passing along an update on Alshon Jeffery, via Jenny Vrentas of Sports Illustrated:

Waiver-Wire Option: John Ross, Cincinnati Bengals (25 Percent Owned)

Michael Ainsworth/Associated Press

There's some boom-or-bust potential here, but the upside is too rich to ignore.

Ross is a burner, and the Colts are susceptible to getting burned. Only four teams yielded more passing yards per game last season (246.6), and, as Berry noted, no defense allowed more deep completions.

Secondaries who struggle to keep receivers in front of them could have a nightmare against a guy capable of this:

Ross will lay some eggs this year—his rookie season was a disaster—but he's primed to feast on Sunday.

TE Rankings

1. Rob Gronkowski, NE (vs. HOU)

2. Travis Kelce, KC (at LAC)

3. Delanie Walker, TEN (at MIA)

4. Greg Olsen, CAR (vs. DAL)

5. Jordan Reed, WAS (at ARI)

6. Jimmy Graham, GB (vs. CHI)

7. Kyle Rudolph, MIN (vs. SF)

8. Evan Engram, NYG (vs. JAX)

9. Trey Burton, CHI (at GB)

10. David Njoku, CLE (vs. PIT)

11. Jack Doyle, IND (vs. CIN)

12. Tyler Eifert, CIN (at IND)

Injury Report

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

If you have a tight end impacted by injury, congratulations—you play in one of the world's deepest leagues.

The most relevant name to make the injury report is Vance McDonald of the Pittsburgh Steelers (out, foot). He had 14 catches and one score last season. He's owned in 15 percent of leagues. If you're one of the 15-percenters, Godspeed on your journey to what has to be an abandoned wasteland of a waiver wire.

But if we're going to mention McDonald, we might as well put Hayden Hurst on here, too. The Baltimore Ravens first-round pick is also out with a foot injury. He's owned in three percent of leagues.

Moving on.

Waiver-Wire Option: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Jacksonville Jaguars (31 Percent Owned)

Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press

Jaguars QB Blake Bortles has to throw it to someone, right? With Marqise Lee out (ACL) and both Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns having skipped town, Seferian-Jenkins is potentially positioned to impress during his Jacksonville debut.

And it's not just about the picked-apart receiving corps. Seferian-Jenkins is coming off a 50-catch, three-score season, and he's drawing an ideal opponent for the opener.

"He has a great matchup against the Giants," CBS Sports' Jamey Eisenberg wrote. "They allowed the most fantasy points to tight ends in 2017, and David Njoku already beat them up in the first preseason game for two touchdowns."

Seferian-Jenkins closed the last campaign with five-plus receptions in three of his final four games. If you need a streamer, look for him to pick up where he left off.

Statistics used courtesy of ESPN.com. Fantasy ownership percentages via Yahoo Sports.