Week 1 Fantasy Flex Rankings

Billy Heyen

Week 1 Fantasy Flex Rankings image

Most fantasy football Week 1 start-sit decisions should be easy -- you likely just had your draft and picked most of your early-round players with the intent of starting them every week, including Week 1. But it's that pesky flex spot in your lineup that can come down to matchups and health to determine the final running back, wide receiver or tight end that makes it into your lineup. Position rankings only help so much with that, so you need to roll the top RBs, WRs and TEs into one set of Week 1 flex rankings.

You'll find that the list below is WR-heavy. That's by design. The 50th RB in a given week will not have near the upside that the 50th WR will, so if you're taking a shot on a player you may never have heard of, like Michael Pittman Jr., it still might be worth a shot over some boring backup running back like Jamaal Williams.

WEEK 1 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

We've also limited TE density in our first week's flex rankings. Just like most years, the tight end position is a crapshoot once you get behind the top tier or two. Until we see which of the sleepers are for real and which are pretenders-- and, more important, which defenses will struggle against the position -- it's fair to leave them on your bench in Week 1.

WEEK 1 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiverTight end | D/ST | Kicker

If all else fails, target bad defenses, like Arizona and Jacksonville. Maybe your flex options aren't looking at high usage, but if you can find a way to get a TD out of your flex play, it makes using them in Week 1 worth it. The best way to chase touchdowns is to match up with bad defenses.

WEEK 1 DFS TOURNAMENT LINEUPS:
YahooDraftKings | FanDuel

Week 1 Fantasy Football Rankings: Flex

These rankings are for standard, non-PPR leagues.

WEEK 1 DFS CASH LINEUPS:
Yahoo | DraftKings | FanDuel

Rank Player
1 Christian McCaffrey, RB, Panthers vs. Raiders
2 Michael Thomas, WR, Saints vs. Buccaneers
3 Josh Jacobs, RB, Raiders @ Panthers
4 Dalvin Cook, RB, Vikings vs. Packers
5 Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys @ Rams
6 Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Chiefs vs. Texans
7 Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants vs. Steelers
8 Derrick Henry, RB, Titans @ Broncos
9 Aaron Jones, RB, Packers @ Vikings
10 Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints vs. Buccaneers
11 George Kittle, TE, 49ers vs. Cardinals
12 Tyreek Hill, WR, Chiefs vs. Texans
13 Julio Jones, WR, Falcons vs. Seahawks
14 Davante Adams, WR, Packers @ Vikings
15 Chris Godwin, WR, Buccaneers @ Saints
16 Cooper Kupp, WR, Rams vs. Cowboys
17 Amari Cooper, WR, Cowboys @ Rams
18 Tyler Lockett, WR, Seahawks @ Falcons
19 Joe Mixon, RB, Bengals vs. Chargers
20 Austin Ekeler, RB, Chargers @ Bengals
21 Chris Carson, RB, Seahawks @ Falcons
22 Nick Chubb, RB, Browns @ Ravens
23 JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Steelers @ Giants
24 Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs vs. Texans
25 Allen Robinson, WR, Bears @ Lions
26 Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Browns @ Ravens
27 Keenan Allen, WR, Chargers @ Bengals
28 Adam Thielen, WR, Vikings vs. Packers
29 David Johnson, RB, Texans @ Chiefs
30 A.J. Brown, WR, Titans @ Broncos
31 DJ Chark, WR, Jaguars vs. Colts
32 T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts @ Jaguars
33 D.J. Moore, WR, Panthers vs. Raiders
34 Zach Ertz, TE, Eagles @ Washington
35 Mark Andrews, TE, Ravens vs. Browns
36 Kenyan Drake, RB, Cardinals @ 49ers
37 Marvin Jones, WR, Lions vs. Bears
38 Raheem Mostert, RB, 49ers vs. Cardinals
39 Mark Ingram, RB, Ravens vs. Browns
40 Robert Woods, WR, Rams vs. Cowboys
41 Courtland Sutton, WR, Broncos vs. Titans
42 DeVante Parker, WR, Dolphins @ Patriots
43 Stefon Diggs, WR, Bills vs. Jets
44 Devin Singletary, RB, Bills vs. Jets
45 Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts @ Jaguars
46 James Conner, RB, Steelers @ Giants
47 Todd Gurley, RB, Falcons @ Seahawks
48 Calvin Ridley, WR, Falcons vs. Seahawks
49 DK Metcalf, WR, Seahawks @ Falcons
50 Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington vs. Eagles
51 Will Fuller V, WR, Texans @ Chiefs
52 Le'Veon Bell, RB, Jets @ Bills
53 Marquise Brown, WR, Ravens vs. Browns
54 Hunter Henry, TE, Chargers @ Bengals
55 Jarvis Landry, WR, Browns @ Ravens
56 Boston Scott, Eagles @ Washington
57 David Montgomery, RB, Bears @ Lions
58 Leonard Fournette, RB, Buccaneers @ Saints
59 Cam Akers, RB, Rams vs. Cowboys
60 Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Saints vs. Buccaneers
61 Hayden Hurst, TE, Falcons vs. Seahawks
62 Evan Engram, TE, Giants vs. Steelers
63 Brandin Cooks, WR, Texans @ Chiefs
64 Julian Edelman, WR, Patriots vs. Dolphins
65 Tyler Boyd, WR, Bengals vs. Chargers
66 DeSean Jackson, WR, Eagles @ Washington
67 John Brown, WR, Bills vs. Jets
68 Michael Gallup, WR, Cowoybs @ Rams
69 Tyler Higbee, TE, Rams vs. Cowboys
70 Sony Michel, RB, Patriots vs. Dolphins
71 Marlon Mack, RB, Colts @ Jaguars
72 Phillip Lindsay, RB, Broncos vs. Titans
73 Jared Cook, TE, Saints vs. Buccaneers
74 Darren Waller, TE, Raiders @ Panthers
75 A.J. Green, WR, Bengals vs. Chargers
76 D'Andre Swift, RB, Lions vs. Bears
77 Melvin Gordon, RB, Broncos vs. Titans
78 Antonio Gibson, RB, Washington vs. Eagles
79 James Robinson, RB, Jaguars vs. Colts
80 Jonnu Smith, TE, Titans @ Broncos
81 Jack Doyle, TE, Colts @ Jaguars
82 Eric Ebron, TE, Steelers @ Giants
83 Austin Hooper, TE, Browns @ Ravens
84 Rob Gronkowski, TE, Buccaneers @ Saints
85 Zack Moss, RB, Bills vs. Jets 
86 Diontae Johnson, WR, Steelers @ Giants
87 Kendrick Bourne, WR, 49ers vs. Cardinals
88 Kareem Hunt, RB, Browns @ Ravens
89 Darius Slayton, WR, Giants vs. Steelers
90 Jamison Crowder, WR, Jets @ Bills
91 Henry Ruggs III, WR, Raiders @ Panthers
92 Christian Kirk, WR, Cardinals @ 49ers
93 JK Dobbins, RB, Ravens vs. Browns
94 Anthony Miller, WR, Bears @ Lions
95 Mecole Hardman, WR, Chiefs vs. Texans
96 CeeDee Lamb, WR, Cowboys @ Rams
97 Jerry Jeudy, WR, Broncos vs. Titans
98 Sterling Shepard, WR, Giants vs. Steelers
99 Latavius Murray, RB, Saints vs. Buccaneers
100 N'Keal Harry, WR, Patriots vs. Dolphins
101 Allen Lazard, WR, Packers @ Vikings
102 Preston Williams, WR, Dolphins @ Patriots
103 Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Colts @ Jaguars
104 Noah Fant, TE, Broncos vs. Titans
105 Tevin Coleman, RB, 49ers vs. Cardinals
106 Kerryon Johnson, RB, Lions vs. Bears
107 Curtis Samuel, WR, Panthers vs. Raiders
108 Danny Amendola, WR, Lions vs. Bears
109 Jalen Reagor, WR, Eagles @ Washington
110 Josh Reynolds, WR, Rams vs. Cowboys
111 Robby Anderson, WR, Panthers vs. Raiders
112 Sammy Watkins, WR, Chiefs vs. Texans
113 Scotty Miller, WR, Buccaneers @ Saints
114 Tarik Cohen, RB, Bears @ Lions
115 Duke Johnson, RB, Texans @ Chiefs
116 James White, RB, Patriots vs. Dolphins
117 Chris Thompson, RB, Jaguars vs. Colts
118 Jordan Howard, RB, Dolphins @ Patriots
119 Matt Breida, RB, Dolphins @ Patriots
120 Trent Taylor, WR, 49ers vs. Cardinals

Billy Heyen