Week 1 Fantasy WR PPR Rankings: Must-starts, sleepers, potential busts

Billy Heyen

Week 1 Fantasy WR PPR Rankings: Must-starts, sleepers, potential busts image

The theme of our standard-league Week 1 fantasy WR rankings was to bet on proven commodities over unproven rookies and young players. That holds true in our PPR wide receiver rankings -- maybe even more so. When additional value comes a player's way with each catch of a pass, it's often the wideouts most comfortable in an offense or most connected with their QB that make the safest PPR plays. While it may not be worth getting excited about Julian Edelman, Dede Westbrook or Larry Fitzgerald, they could all have superior value in PPR lineups as opposed to standard leagues.

Of course, PPR formats are all different. If you're new to our weekly PPR rankings, we're ordering players based on scoring systems that grant a full point per reception. If your league only gives half or three-quarters of a point per catch, the shifts in value are less from our standard-league rankings than what you might see displayed here. 

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

Almost always in PPR leagues, your two best wide receivers deserve to start, even if they're more boom-or-bust plays like A.J. Brown than surefire reception-getters like Tyler Boyd. Where the PPR scoring makes the biggest difference is in your third wideout spot and your flex position. There, instead of hoping for one long catch from Jerry Jeudy, you might be able to count on six receptions from Golden Tate. Even if those six receptions only go for 40 yards, that's likely a better mean outcome than whatever Jeudy's is. 

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

Don't take all this rookie bashing the wrong way -- we're just as tempted to start my young wideouts as you are. But look at last year: Did anyone have money on the first two rookie WR breakouts coming from Marquise Brown and Terry McLaurin? How about rookie productivity from Darius Slayton and Diontae Johnson later on in the year? We've got to let things play out, even more so with no preseason games to attempt to learn something from.

WEEK 1 DFS CASH LINEUPS:
Yahoo | DraftKings | FanDuel

Maybe you miss a big game from a big-play, low-volume receiver on your bench, but in PPR leagues especially, it's about process. You want targets and catches and whatever stats come with those are a bonus. In the long run, it should play out in your favor.

WEEK 1 DFS TOURNAMENT LINEUPS:
YahooDraftKings | FanDuel

Note: We'll be updating our WR PPR rankings all week based on the latest injuries and news, so be sure to check back for our latest rankings. For individual WR analysis, click here.

Week 1 Fantasy WR PPR Rankings

These rankings are for full-point PPR leagues

Rank Player
1 Michael Thomas, NO vs. TB
2 Julio Jones, ATL vs. SEA
3 Davante Adams, GB @ MIN
4 Chris Godwin, TB @ NO
5 DeAndre Hopkins, ARZ @ SF
6 Cooper Kupp, LAR vs. DAL
7 Tyreek Hill, KC vs. HOU
8 Amari Cooper, DAL @ LAR
9 Tyler Lockett, SEA @ ATL
10 JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT @ NYG
11 Allen Robinson, CHI @ DET
12 Keenan Allen, LAC @ CIN
13 Odell Beckham Jr., CLE @ BAL
14 Adam Thielen, MIN vs. GB
15 D.J. Moore, CAR vs. LV
16 DJ Chark, JAX vs. IND
17 T.Y. Hilton, IND @ JAX
18 Robert Woods, LAR vs. DAL
19 Marvin Jones, DET vs. CHI
20 Courtland Sutton, DEN vs. TEN
21 DeVante Parker, MIA @ NE
22 A.J. Brown, TEN @ DEN
23 Jarvis Landry, CLE @ BAL
24 Stefon Diggs, BUF vs. NYJ
25 Calvin Ridley, ATL vs. SEA
26 DK Metcalf, SEA @ ATL
27 Terry McLaurin, WAS vs. PHI
28 Will Fuller V, HOU @ KC
29 Julian Edelman, NE vs. MIA
30 Tyler Boyd, CIN vs. LAC
31 Marquise Brown, BAL vs. CLE
32 Emmanuel Sanders, NO vs. TB
33 Michael Gallup, DAL @ LAR
34 A.J. Green, CIN vs. LAC
35 Brandin Cooks, HOU @ KC
36 DeSean Jackson, PHI @ WAS
37 John Brown, BUF vs. NYJ
38 Jamison Crowder, NYJ @ BUF
39 Sterling Shepard, NYG vs. PIT
40 Kendrick Bourne, SF vs. ARZ
41 Diontae Johnson, PIT @ NYG
42 Darius Slayton, NYG vs. PIT
43 Danny Amendola, DET vs. CHI
44 Henry Ruggs III, LV @ CAR
45 Christian Kirk, ARZ @ SF
46 Anthony Miller, CHI @ DET
47 CeeDee Lamb, DAL @ LAR
48 Jerry Jeudy, DEN vs. TEN
49 Allen Lazard, GB @ MIN
50 N'Keal Harry, NE vs. MIA
51 Preston Williams, MIA @ NE
52 Mecole Hardman, KC vs. HOU
53 Curtis Samuel, CAR vs. LV
54 Scotty Miller, TB @ NO
55 Larry Fitzgerald, ARZ @ SF
56 Trent Taylor, SF vs. ARZ
57 Parris Campbell, IND @ JAX
58 Dede Westbrook, JAX vs. IND
59 Michael Pittman Jr., IND @ JAX
60 Jalen Guyton, LAC @ CIN
61 Josh Reynolds, LAR vs. DAL
62 Robby Anderson, CAR vs. LV
63 Sammy Watkins, KC vs. HOU
64 Jalen Reagor, PHI @ WAS
65 Justin Jefferson, MIN vs. GB
66 Hunter Renfrow, LV @ CAR
67 Russell Gage, ATL vs. SEA
68 J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, PHI @ WAS
69 Randall Cobb, HOU @ KC
70 Golden Tate, NYG vs. PIT
71 Bryan Edwards, LV @ CAR
72 Breshad Perriman, NYJ @ BUF
73 Cole Beasley, BUF vs. NYJ
74 Joe Reed, LAC @ CIN
75 Van Jefferson, LAR vs. DAL
76 Brandon Aiyuk, SF vs. ARZ
77 James Washington, PIT @ NYG
78 Corey Davis, TEN @ DEN
79 Chase Claypool, PIT @ NYG
80 Kenny Stills, HOU @ KC
81 Tee Higgins, CIN vs. LAC
82 Denzel Mims, NYJ @ BUF
83 Olabisi Johnson, MIN vs. GB
84 Devin Duvernay, BAL vs. CLE
85 Steven Sims, WAS vs. PHI
86 Miles Boykin, BAL vs. CLE
87 Laviska Shenault Jr., JAX vs. IND
88 John Ross III, CIN vs. LAC
89 Marquez Valdes-Scantling, GB @ MIN

Billy Heyen