Fantasy Football Week 1 QB Rankings: Brees Regains Fantasy Dominance
- Slated with some tough matchups Week 1 Rodgers and Brady take a backseat
- Will Jimmy G and the Niners hot streak continue into 2018?
- After skipping out on pre season games will Jared Goff and the Rams be able to take advantage of a suspect Raiders defense?
Are you ready for some football?!
The 2017 NFL season ended with a unlikely run, seeing the Philadelphia Eagles hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the first time in franchise history, led by Nick Foles.
Although Foles is nowhere to be found in the Week 1 QB rankings, in spite of opening the season as the starter with Carson Wentz needing more time to recover, his triumphant run is just one more example of the importance of the QB position.
But Fantasy Football is a little different.
With a variety of signal-callers performing at a top-five level any given week, circumstances allow fantasy owners the ability to ride with less heralded quarterbacks like Andy Dalton or Case Keenum.
Though it’s nice to ride with a Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady every week, it’s not a necessity. This is what separates the savvy owners from the rookies.
Week 1 is always full of surprises, so read on to find out which pivots provide the most value in the opening week.
2018 Week 1 QB Rankings 1-10
| Rank | Player (Team) | Opponent | 2017 Point Total | 2017 Positional Finish | 2018 ECR | DFS Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drew Brees (NO) | TB | 262.6 | QB9 | QB 6 | $6,800 |
| 2 | Cam Newton (CAR) | DAL | 299.5 | QB 2 | QB 4 | $6,900 |
| 3 | Aaron Rodgers (GB) | CHI | 129.5 | QB 29 | QB 1 | $7,500 |
| 4 | Russell Wilson (SEA) | @DEN | 347.8 | QB 1 | QB 3 | $6,200 |
| 5 | Tom Brady (NE) | HOU | 295.9 | QB 3 | QB 2 | $7,200 |
| 6 | Andrew Luck (IND) | CIN | INJ | N/A | QB 9 | $6,100 |
| 7 | Kirk Cousins (MIN) | SF | 277.6 | QB 6 | QB 7 | $6,500 |
| 8 | Deshaun Watson (HOU) | @NE | 168.8 | QB 26 | QB 5 | $6,700 |
| 9 | Philip Rivers (LAC) | KC | 270.5 | QB 8 | QB 12 | $6,400 |
| 10 | Jared Goff (LAR) | @OAK | 255.5 | QB 12 | QB 16 | $6,700 |
Brees Will Dominate in Week 1
With tough Week 1 matchups for Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, and Tom Brady, Drew Brees vaults to the top of the QB ranks for the opening week of the 2018 season. The Saints possess one of the NFL’s most versatile offenses, and proved in 2017 the ground game is just as dangerous as their air attack.
“Drew Brees’ accuracy is off the charts” https://t.co/3avNkZQCg5 via @PFF pic.twitter.com/7SFPHuSxA5
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) July 26, 2017
Brees’ statistics took a hit last season because of the balance the Saints played with. It was actually his worst fantasy output in over a decade.
But with workhorse RB Mark Ingram starting 2018 at home due to a suspension, and additions to the WR room in Cameron Meredith and 2018 third-round pick Tre’Quan Smith, we should see the Saints beginning 2018 like the pass-happy team they used to be.
Ride with Brees Week 1 in a home match up versus a division foe who just so happened to surrender the most passing yards per game in 2017.
Luck is Still a Top QB
Although we haven’t really seen Andrew Luck test his downfield arm strength since his return from a long stint on the IR, throws like the one you can see in the video above give me confidence that even at less then 100%, Luck is still a heady enough QB to jump right into impactful status in the fantasy world.
The last two seasons where Luck has managed to play at least 15 games, he has finished as the QB2 and QB4. Unfortunately, one of the seasons was way back in 2014.
His Week 1 matchup against a Bengals stout defensive front should be very telling as to what we can expect in weeks to come. But until he proves otherwise, I’m betting on Luck’s talent and attempting to take advantage of the discounted price.
2018 Week 1 QB Rankings 11-20
| Rank | Player (Team) | Opponent | 2017 Point Total | 2017 Positional Finish | 2018 ECR | DFS Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Matt Ryan (ATL) | @PHI | 228.1 | QB 15 | QB 14 | $6,300 |
| 12 | Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) | @CLE | 260.6 | QB 11 | QB 11 | $6,600 |
| 13 | Andy Dalton (CIN) | @INDY | 210.7 | QB 17 | QB 23 | $5,800 |
| 14 | Matthew Stafford (DET) | NYJ | 273.8 | QB 7 | QB 8 | $6,500 |
| 15 | Marcus Mariota (TEN) | @MIA | 210.4 | QB 18 | QB 17 | $6,300 |
| 16 | Dak Prescott (DAL) | @CAR | 260.8 | QB 10 | QB 19 | $5,500 |
| 17 | Alex Smith (WAS) | @ARI | 295.1 | QB 4 | QB 18 | $5,600 |
| 18 | Tyrod Taylor (CLE) | PIT | 222.6 | QB 16 | QB 27 | $5,400 |
| 19 | Ryan Tannehill (MIA) | TEN | INJ | NA | QB 28 | $5,300 |
| 20 | Sam Darnold (NYJ) | @DET | ROOKIE | NA | QB 30 | $5,400 |
Dalton Provides a Ton of Value in Week 1
Andy Dalton has the ability on any given Sunday to perform like a top level quarterback.
Check out the video below to witness his 2017 Week 17, three TD triumph over the Baltimore Ravens.
To open 2018, Dalton is my Week 1 value pick to walk among the giants. Facing a weak and inexperienced Colts secondary, Dalton will be tasked to go shot for shot with Andrew Luck upon his long awaited return.
The Bengals have the skill position support for Dalton to exceed expectations this year, with talented second-year players Joe Mixon and John Ross looking to make an impact, for a team that already bodes solid vets Gio Bernard and AJ Green. Not to mention the return of red zone favorite Tyler Eifert.
Jimmy Garoppolo is Going to Struggle in Minnesota
The most noticeable name missing from the Week 1 ranks is Jimmy Garoppolo.
Garopolo and the Niners ended 2017 on fire, beating anyone who stood in their way. Well, this isn’t 2017, and the Vikings defense the 49ers face in Week 1 is a Super Bowl-caliber defense, even if Xavier Rhodes cannot go.
Something not brought up enough from San Francisco’s season-ending run was the offenses inability to score TDs, as Garoppolo only managed 6 TD passes in his 5 starts.
Looking for other Week 1 positional rankings?
Nick Ferris is a seasoned fantasy football vet of over 20 years. He's an expert in everything from best ball to daily fantasy sports. Although arm chair quarterback is as close he ever got to the field - or are we counting 7v7 touch? - he has been fortunate enough to coach some youth football.
