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

The NFL season is officially underway after the Philadelphia Eagles kicked 2018 festivities off with an 18-12 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night.

Week 1 action returns on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET with nine games. Four more start between 4:05 p.m. ET and 4:25 p.m. ET, and then a Monday Night Football doubleheader wraps up the opening week.

Here's a look at some Week 1 fantasy football rankings leading into Sunday's games, with write-ups on quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end.

Quarterback

1. New England Patriots QB Tom Brady (vs. Houston Texans)

2. Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson (at New England Patriots)

3. New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

4. Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (at Los Angeles Chargers)

5. Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton (vs. Dallas Cowboys)

6. Indianapolis Colts QB Andrew Luck (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)

7. Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers (vs. Chicago Bears)

8. Los Angeles Chargers QB Philip Rivers (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)

9. Cincinnati Bengals QB Andy Dalton (at Indianapolis Colts)

10. Los Angeles Rams QB Jared Goff (at Oakland Raiders)

Los Angeles Chargers edge-rusher Joey Bosa and Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry are out and doubtful for their Week 1 openers, respectively. Without the top defensive stars on either side, the Bolts-Chiefs game could turn into a shootout. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Chargers signal-caller Philip Rivers may trade touchdowns for 60 minutes, as both pass defenses take a big hit with the aforementioned losses.

Mahomes can also get a few extra points with his legs: He ran for 22 touchdowns over his final two years at Texas Tech. The second-year pro hasn't had much of a chance to showcase his scrambling efforts in the pros as he's only started one game, but that could be a big boost for teams that roster the 22-year-old.

Running Back

1. Arizona Cardinals RB David Johnson (vs. Washington Redskins)

2. Los Angeles Rams RB Todd Gurley (at Oakland Raiders)

3. New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

4. Kansas City Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt (at Los Angeles Chargers)

5. Carolina Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey (vs. Dallas Cowboys)

6. Los Angeles Chargers RB Melvin Gordon (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)

7. New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)

8. Minnesota Vikings RB Dalvin Cook (vs. San Francisco 49ers)

9. Baltimore Ravens RB Alex Collins (vs. Buffalo Bills)

10. Green Bay Packers RB Jamaal Williams (vs. Chicago Bears)

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara split time in the backfield with Mark Ingram last season, but that won't be the case for the first four games this year due to the latter's suspension.

Kamara was the most efficient running back in football last year: Per Football Outsiders, the rookie led the league in defense-adjusted value over average at the position. Conceivably assuming more touches sans Ingram, Kamara could be in line for a huge game against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense that allowed the ninth-most yards per carry last season.

The sportsbooks also think highly of the Saints offense's chances: Per OddsShark, the Saints have an implied team total of 33.9 points. If New Orleans hits the four-touchdown mark, it's safe to assume Kamara, who hit paydirt 13 times last year, will find the end zone.

Wide Receiver

1. Houston Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins (at New England Patriots)

2. Cincinnati Bengals WR A.J. Green (at Indianapolis Colts)

3. Los Angeles Chargers WR Keenan Allen (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)

4. New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

5. Indianapolis Colts WR T.Y. Hilton (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)

6. Arizona Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald (vs. Washington Redskins)

7. Kansas City Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill (at Los Angeles Chargers)

8. Minnesota Vikings WR Adam Thielen (vs. San Francisco 49ers)

9. New York Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)

10. Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antonio Brown (at Cleveland Browns)

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown's Week 1 fantasy value is tough to gauge at this time. Per the National Weather Service, a torrential downpour is due to fall on Cleveland all day Sunday, with wind gusts up to 31 mph. That could spell doom for the Steelers' and Browns' passing games.

Still, Brown is too good to leave off a top 10 list for Week 1. Per Pro Football Reference, he's averaged 116 receptions, 1,570 yards and 10 touchdowns over the past five seasons. Even if passing conditions aren't ideal, the Steelers will find a way to get the ball in his hands. Short, quick passes and perhaps a couple of handoffs around the end are possibilities.

Tight End

1. New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski (vs. Houston Texans)

2. Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce (at Los Angeles Chargers)

3. Washington Redskins TE Jordan Reed (at Arizona Cardinals)

4. Indianapolis Colts TE Jack Doyle (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)

5. Carolina Panthers TE Greg Olsen (vs. Dallas Cowboys)

6. Green Bay Packers TE Jimmy Graham (vs. Chicago Bears)

7. Cincinnati Bengals TE Tyler Eifert (at Indianapolis Colts)

8. New York Giants TE Evan Engram (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)

9. Chicago Bears TE Trey Burton (at Green Bay Packers)

10. Tennessee Titans TE Delanie Walker (at Miami Dolphins)

Last season, Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle torched the Cincinnati Bengals on the road for 12 catches, 124 yards and one touchdown. He presented a serious matchup problem for the Bengals, who allowed the third-most receiving yards (62.0) to tight ends last season.

Now Doyle is at home on the offense-friendly track of Lucas Oil Stadium with starting quarterback Andrew Luck making his return after he sat the 2017 season with a shoulder injury.

Doyle and Luck established an excellent rapport in 2016, with the tight end catching 59 passes for 584 yards and five scores. The tight end followed that up with 80 catches for 690 yards and four touchdowns with backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who wasn't even on the team until September, throwing him the ball.

Expect a big game for Doyle on Sunday. Matching last year's production will be a tall order, but he could get close.

Flex

1. Arizona Cardinals RB David Johnson (vs. Washington Redskins)

2. Los Angeles Rams RB Todd Gurley (at Oakland Raiders)

3. New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

4. Houston Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins (at New England Patriots)

5. Cincinnati Bengals WR A.J. Green (at Indianapolis Colts)

6. Los Angeles Chargers WR Keenan Allen (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)

7. Kansas City Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt (at Los Angeles Chargers)

8. Carolina Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey (vs. Dallas Cowboys)

9. Los Angeles Chargers RB Melvin Gordon (at Kansas City Chiefs)

10. New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Defense/Special Teams

1. Baltimore Ravens (vs. Buffalo Bills)

2. New Orleans Saints (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

3. Carolina Panthers (vs. Dallas Cowboys)

4. Los Angeles Rams (at Oakland Raiders)

5. Tennessee Titans (at Miami Dolphins)

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. Cleveland Browns)

7. Minnesota Vikings (vs. San Francisco 49ers)

8. Denver Broncos (vs. Seattle Seahawks)

9. Green Bay Packers (vs. Chicago Bears)

10. New York Giants (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)

Kicker

1. Los Angeles Rams K Greg Zuerlein (at Oakland Raiders)

2. New Orleans Saints K Wil Lutz (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

3. New England Patriots K Stephen Gostkowski (vs. Houston Texans)

4. Baltimore Ravens K Justin Tucker (vs. Buffalo Bills)

5. Kansas City Chiefs K Harrison Butker (at Los Angeles Chargers)

6. Carolina Panthers K Graham Gano (vs. Dallas Cowboys)

7. Minnesota Vikings K Daniel Carlson (vs. San Francisco 49ers)

8. Los Angeles Chargers K Caleb Sturgis (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)

9. Cincinnati Bengals K Randy Bullock (at Indianapolis Colts)

10. Houston Texans K Ka'imi Fairbairn (at New England Patriots)