Of course, we can expect last year’s top units to be reasonably good again, and that’s why you see many near the top of this week’s rankings. However, we’re not afraid to play matchups with the D/STs facing inexperienced or backup quarterbacks. That’s why the Ravens (vs. Bills), despite being without the suspended Jimmy Smith, and the Lions (vs. Jets) are so high. And perhaps we should give more credit to Nick Foles considering he won a Super Bowl MVP, but we’re not overly excited about him given his preseason performance. Same goes for Ryan Fitzpatrick against the Saints. We’re also not all that trusting of a banged-up Andrew Luck and his porous o-line, which is why we like the Bengals a borderline starting unit despite being without the suspended Vontaze Burfict.
For much of our top 12, we’re trusting talent. That’s why the Rams (now with Aaron Donald again), Chargers, Vikings, Broncos, and Eagles remain high despite fairly tough matchups. It doesn’t hurt that teams like the Texans, Patriots, Panthers (who will be without the suspended Thomas Davis), and Bears have really brutal matchups, thus dropping them in the rankings and opening the door for some of these more talented defenses to keep their top-12 statuses.
Week 1 Rankings:Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Kicker
Week 1 has a tendency to be unpredictable and sloppy, so it’s tough to really get a feel for whether you should stick with your draft D/ST or make a waiver move already. Chances are, you’ll stick with who you drafted, but starting 0-1 is never ideal. Don’t be afraid to chase matchups right away at this especially unpredictable position.
Reminder: We’ll update our rankings throughout the week and add analysis, so please check back often. And if you’re looking for more fantasy advice, check out the SN Fantasy podcast and find out how your team will lose in Week 1 of the season.
WEEK 1 DFS GPP: Yahoo GPP lineup | FD GPP | DK GPP
Week 1 Fantasy Football Rankings: D/ST
These rankings are for standard, non-PPR leagues
