Week 1 Fantasy Football Rankings: Top Five Quarterbacks

Last season was a banner year for signal callers. Michael Vick turned the NFL into his own personal video game, and Aaron Rodgers will enter the season with a championship belt to compliment his porn ‘stache. Tom Brady posted a mind-boggling 36 touchdowns against just four interceptions, and veteran stars Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Philip Rivers made up the 4,600-yard, 30-touchdown club. Fantasy owners took notice, as five quarterbacks (Vick, Rodgers, Brees, Brady and Rivers) notched ADP’s inside the first two rounds this draft season.

1. Michael Vick (Philadelphia Eagles) @ St. Louis

Fifty years from now, when school children are listening to Michael Vick’s biographical audio book, they’ll have to assume it’s a work of fiction. In the 10 games Vick started and finished in his unimaginable 2010 season, he averaged 279 yards and two touchdowns through the air with another 56 yards and a score (nine in 10 games) on the ground.

Last season, St. Louis ranked No. 22 in pass yardage allowed to opposing quarterbacks and No. 25 in rush yardage.

Expect Vick to light up the fast track of the Edward Jones Dome.
Point Projection: 24 Points 

2. Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers) vs. Minnesota

The most impressive part about Philip Rivers’ career-high 4,710 passing yards last season was that large chunks of it came without some of his best weapons on the field. He’s a lock to start out strong against a thoroughly overmatched Vikings secondary, whose only notable member is the 5-foot-9 Antoine Winfield.

The Vikings will also be starting special teamer Jamarca Sanford (5-foot-10) at safety. With the 6-foot-5 tandem of Vincent Jackson and Malcolm Floyd out wide, and 6-foot-4, 260-lb. power forward Antonio Gates in the middle, Rivers is the safest play in all of fantasy this week.
Point Projection: 23 Points

3. Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) @ Chicago

Matt Ryan is the NFL’s version of a spoiled trust fund baby with a popped collar and a shiny red Mustang. Of course, it’s not his fault that daddy mortgaged the future to add the ridiculously talented Julio Jones to a garage that already included bona-fide superstar Roddy White and all-time great Tony Gonzalez. 

The fourth-year pro posted career highs across the board last season, and he’s expected to do it again this year, starting with a Chicago Bears’ pass defense that’s simply not as good as last season’s numbers would suggest. 
Point Projection: 19 Points

4. Tom Brady (New England Patriots) @ Miami

Yeah, you read that right—36 touchdowns and four interceptions in 2010. That’s 9:1 for the mathematically challenged in the crowd. Love him or hate him, it doesn’t take long division to conclude that Tom Brady is one of the best quarterbacks of all time. However, Miami’s top-10 pass defense continues to improve; and in the teams’ two meetings last season, Brady totaled just three touchdowns and failed to crack 200 yards in either contest. It’s virtually impossible to imagine a scenario where you’re not starting Brady Week 1, so plug him in and hope for a good hair day.
Point Projection: 19 Points

5. Matt Schaub (Houston Texans) vs. Indianapolis

The sky is falling in Indianapolis, and nobody would be happier to dance on the Colts’ grave than the Texans. Houston has won just two of 18 games against the Colts in their franchise’s existence, but, while Schaub totaled just 308 yards and two touchdowns in the two matchups last season, this game has an entirely different feel to it.

With Peyton Manning out, the Vegas wise guys have made Houston the most favored team of Week 1 (-8.5). Expect Schaub to lead the charge against a mundane Colts secondary.
Point Projection: 19 Points

Also Consider Reading:

Week 1 Start Ems

Week 1 Sit Ems

Week 1 Quarterback Rankings

Week 1 Running Back Rankings

Week 1 Wide Receiver Rankings

Week 1 Tight End Rankings