Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings

Billy Heyen

Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings image

In Today's NFL TM  of pass, pass and more pass, it seems like there are tons of wide receivers to choose from each week (including Antonio Brown, who was out of our rankings but is now back in). That makes our Week 1 fantasy WR rankings even more important because your matchups could be decided by just a few points and you'll want to come out on the right side of those. Even the mid-tier and lower-tier matter for your FLEX start 'em, sit 'em decisions, which is why we've highlighted some interesting sleepers.

For the most part, Week 1 is a time to stay the course at this position. If you drafted players to be your starting WRs, they should probably stay in those spots to start the season. Some matchups are especially appealing, though, like Chris Godwin against the 49ers and John Brown against the Jets. Maybe they weren't locks for your lineup, but they should be.

Week 1 Non-PPR Rankings:
Quarterback | Running back | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

The analysis below should give you an idea of which games could turn into shootouts, along with which game scripts might lend themselves to run-heavy contests. If you don't have time to read it all through, we've ranked 70 names - and if you're even more pressed for time, stick with the guys you drafted to lead you to fantasy football glory.

Week 1 DFS Lineups:
FD Cash | DK Cash | FD GPP | DK GPP | Y! GPP | Y! Cash

Reminder: These rankings will be adjusted throughout week, so check back often for the latest updates and analysis! 

WEEK 1 PPR RANKINGS: Running back |  Wide receiver | Tight end

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Week 1 Fantasy Football Rankings: WRs

These rankings are for standard, non-PPR leagues.

1 DeAndre Hopkins, HOU @ NO.  No one allowed more fantasy points per game to receivers in 2018 than the Saints. Hopkins gets a dream matchup to open the season. Houston won't have fully figured out its RB situation yet, so the Texans should throw, throw and throw some more. Hopkins' quest to be fantasy's No. 1 WR should get off to a flying start in this Monday night matchup.
2 Michael Thomas, NO vs. HOU.  The Saints open the season on Monday night in the Superdome, which sounds exactly like the setting for Thomas to have one of his monster games. Houston allowed the fifth-most passing yards last season, so Thomas should have plenty of opportunities to light up your fantasy scoreboard.
3 Mike Evans, TB vs. SF.  Talk about a game with no defensive talent. These teams might score on the highest percentage of Week 1 possessions, because there just won't be anyone able to get stops. As the top wideout in the game, Evans should get chance after chance to make plays down the field against the 49ers. San Francisco allowed more than two passing touchdowns per game in 2018, so it seems like nearly a lock that Evans grabs at least one score to start the season.
4 JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT @ NE.  We might find out just how much upside Smith-Schuster has this season in Week 1. No more Antonio Brown could require Ben Roethlisberger to force feed JuJu, and even though the Patriots will be ready for it, it might not matter. With Smith-Schuster a candidate to lead the league in targets, while being one of the game's most-talented wideouts, he's a no-brainer start.
5 Odell Beckham Jr., CLE vs. TEN.  It just  feels  like OBJ will have a monster game in his Browns' debut. Baker Mayfield should have time to throw against a subpar Titans' pass-rush, and Beckham shouldn't be too worried about what'll be opposing him in the Tennessee secondary. You're obviously not sitting Beckham this week or any other week.
6 Julio Jones, ATL @ MIN.  Maybe this is the season when Jones starts catching touchdowns at a prodigious rate. He'll probably be frequently matched up with Xavier Rhodes in the opener, but Jones is too good to be slowed by any individual corner. Pencil Jones in for at least eight catches and 80. 
7 Tyreek Hill, KC @ JAX.  Jacksonville has already announced that Jalen Ramsey will shadow Hill all game long. Ramsey had a down 2018 by his standards as the Jags' defense regressed, though, and might have more name value than he deserves. Don't expect the Patrick Mahomes to Hill connection to struggle in Week 1 (or any week, for that matter).
8 Davante Adams, GB @ CHI.  Adams is our No. 2 receiver for the whole season, but playing against football's top defense knocks him down a notch. Of course, you're not sitting Adams - he's surely your WR1, and he's still a huge TD threat regardless of the opponent. The overall volume could be down a bit if Green Bay struggles to move the ball more than usual.
9 Adam Thielen, MIN vs. ATL.  Thielen started 2018 with eight-straight 100-yard games. If he's on your team, you're hoping he can get off to such a prolific start to 2019, too. Increased attention his way in last season's second half leaves slight cause for concern, but not close to enough to make him anything but a must-start WR in a favorable Week 1 matchup.
10 Stefon Diggs, MIN vs. ATL.  Hey look, another Vikings' WR. Diggs and Thielen managed to be be simultaneously productive in 2018, with their multitudes of talent working in tandem to give opposing defenses nightmares. It's hard to predict which of these two guys will have the bigger game, but both should have solid outings worth starting in any league.
 

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11 Keenan Allen, LAC vs. IND.  There's no one on Indianapolis with enough coverage skills to slow Allen down at all. He's averaged six catches and 74 yards per game across his NFL career - health has been his issue, not his production. So as long as Allen is on the field, get him in your fantasy lineups.
12 Amari Cooper, DAL vs. NYG.  Cooper's late-season connection with Dak Prescott has many dreaming of what he can do over a full season. Plantar fasciitis, a nagging foot injury, could keep Cooper from playing any game this season at 100 percent, but he also had 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie with the same issue. Start him with confidence.
13 Kenny Golladay, DET @ ARZ.  Patrick Peterson misses out what would've been marquee individual matchup with Golladay due to suspension. Golladay should just smile. He'll have free reign to run all over the Cardinals' secondary and put up huge numbers to start the season. Since Matthew Stafford is healthy, too, there's no reason to hesitate when plugging Golladay into your lineup. 
14 Tyler Lockett, SEA vs. CIN.  Cincinnati gave up the most passing yards in the league last season. Lockett is Seattle's new No. 1 wide receiver. Everything shapes up for him to stand out on the season's opening Sunday. I'd expect Lockett to work out of the slot to pile up receptions and then, at least once, connect with Russell Wilson down the field for a big play.
15 Brandin Cooks, LAR @ CAR.  Carolina was a middling pass defense in 2018, not in any way a unit that should scare someone who owns one of the Rams WRs. All three of Cooks, Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods have the potential for big games here, as they do almost every week. The key, as always, is hoping the one you own is the one that goes off.
16 Calvin Ridley, ATL @ MIN.  Ridley lined up all over Atlanta's formations in 2018, so Xavier Rhodes' cornerback ability shouldn't be a concern here. Playing indoors on turf should allow Ridley's raw speed to shine as the Atlanta offense reunites with offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter. Don't be surprised to see Ridley open deep on a couple of occasions here.
17 Jarvis Landry, CLE vs. TEN.  Cleveland has a massive talent advantage compared to the Titans. Tennessee probably won't be able to try and control the game by running since the Browns should get off to an early lead. Landry had a good connection with Baker Mayfield last season, and even with OBJ's arrival, Landry should get plenty of love in Week 1, enough to make him worth starting (even moreso in PPR formats).
18 Will Fuller V, HOU @ NO.  As the Saints' league-worst defense against WRs in 2018 tries to reel in DeAndre Hopkins, Fuller could have a field day on the other side. Hopkins will surely be ticketed for some Marshon Lattimore treatment, so Fuller should have room to operate in a high-scoring affair that'll see Houston throw a ton.
19 Cooper Kupp, LAR @ CAR.  Kupp has a chance this season to prove he's the true top receiver in L.A. That challenge will start with a friendly matchup at the Panthers in Week 1.
20 Julian Edelman, NE vs. PIT.  With Rob Gronkowski out of town, Tom Brady should lean heavily on his most-trusted target in Week 1. In Edelman's last three healthy seasons, he's played three regular season games against the Steelers and averaged nine catches for 82.3 yards. Count on Edelman to get the most targets for the Pats and turn that into a great start to the season. 
21 Chris Godwin, TB vs. SF.  This is our first chance to see one of everyone's darling WRs take the field in an expanded regular season role. Against a brutal San Francisco defense, Godwin will definitely get the chance to make all the believers feel good about themselves with a huge game. He should produce for all four quarters, too, because this game should be a back-and-forth shootout.
22 Tyler Boyd, CIN @ SEA.  Looking back, Boyd was a bit disappointing last year when A.J. Green missed the majority of the season's second half. A lot of his issues came with inconsistency, but with a whole preseason of knowing Green would miss time, Dalton and Boyd should be locked in and ready to go. Seattle's defense is more reputation than reality at this point, so that shouldn't scare you away from starting Cincinnati's No. 1 wide receiver. 
23 Alshon Jeffery, PHI vs. WAS.  At first glance, this matchup looks concerning because of Josh Norman, but Norman plays on the offense's right side and Jeffery only lined up there about a third of the time in 2018. So there shouldn't be much lockdown corner effect here. Besides Norman, the Redskins' secondary is very underwhelming, so Jeffery should have a shot at a few big plays and a score.
24 Mike Williams, LAC vs. IND.  Williams was often fantasy-starter worthy in 2018, and now he doesn't have to worry about no-relation Tyrell Williams taking away some of his targets. Assuming Melvin Gordon doesn't show up at the last minute, the Chargers should lean on Philip Rivers to carry them to a home opener victory. That means Mike Williams should get plenty of opportunity to stretch the field and produce fantasy points. 
25 Robert Woods, LAR @ CAR.  Woods gets a bump in PPR formats, but he's less dangerous on a per-play basis than either of his Rams' teammates Cooks and Kupp.
26 T.Y. Hilton, IND @ LAC.  Until T.Y. Hilton proves he can remain a dynamic threat with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback, he's a WR3/FLEX candidate but nothing more. A strong Chargers' defense won't make it easy for Hilton to prove his worth in Week 1, but he's still one of the biggest threats in the league to turn one play into a huge game.
27 Sterling Shepard, NYG @ DAL.  Shepard's thumb that he fractured early in training camp appears to be healed heading into Week 1, so he'll hold up the mantle as the Giants' clear No. 1 wide receiver while Golden Tate is suspended. Shepard had varying success when Odell Beckham Jr. missed the last four games of 2018 with injury, but that stretch did include a six-catch, 113-yard outing. Expect Shepard to receive between 7-10 targets and turn that into a solid game.
28 Corey Davis, TEN @ CLE.  This could be one of the highest-volume passing games Tennessee has all season, as a hyped-up Browns team should put up plenty of early points at home. Davis is by far the Titans' most-talented WR, and you can expect Marcus Mariota to lean on him as Tennessee attempts to mount a comeback. Davis is another guy with even more value in PPR leagues in Week 1. 
29 John Brown, BUF @ NYJ.  The Jets allowed the second-most fantasy poitns per game to opposing WRs in 2018, and Brown seems like the Bills wideout most likely to make big plays. You almost certainly didn't have to draft Brown as a starter, so playing him might've not even been on your mind. He's worth a second thought, though, as Buffalo struggles to decide on a running back and airs it out against a porous pass defense.
30 Allen Robinson, CHI vs. GB.  For a deep threat like Allen Robinson, it doesn't feel that exciting to play him. In his two games against the Packers last season, Robinson went 4-61 and 3-54. Those don't inspire a ton of confidence in a huge game to start the season, but in the opening game of the NFL's 100th season, Robinson should find a bit of space to operate and turn it into flex-worthy production.
31 D.J. Moore, CAR vs. LAR.  Moore and the Panthers are going to need to score a lot of points to stay in this game. Assuming Cam Newton is healthy, Moore's a worthwhile flex play. Just beware as you construct your lineup that there's some boom-or-bust factor to playing Moore.
32 Larry Fitzgerald, ARZ vs. DET.  In Kyler Murray's NFL debut, he'll probably lean on his all-time great receiver to tear apart a terrible Detroit defense. No one on the Lions should pose much of a threat in coverage or rushing the passer, so Kliff Kingsbury's offense should be allowed to play fast and find plenty of room to operate. At least this week, Fitzgerald is worth starting everywhere (and especially in PPR formats).
33 Dede Westbrook, JAX vs. KC.  Westbrook played one game with Nick Foles in the preseason, and of Foles' 10 passes, seven went in Westbrook's direction. With Kansas City putting up buckets of points on the Jags, Foles will have to throw to get back in the game, and Westbrook looks like the obvious candidate to get the most looks. It wouldn't be shocking for Westbrook to get 15 targets, so even if he's not efficient, that could be eight catches for 60 yards and a TD.
34 Sammy Watkins, KC @ JAX.  It's already been announced that Jalen Ramsey will shadow Tyreek Hill, so that means Watkins should get a heavy dose of A.J. Bouye. Bouye is a former All-Pro himself, so it shouldn't be an easy go of it for Watkins. As long as he's on the field in a potent offense, though, Watkins is hard to justify sitting. He's one big play away from backing up his spot in your lineup.
35 DeSean Jackson, PHI vs. WAS.  Jackson became a question mark in the final week of the preseason when he broke his left ring finger. The Eagles don't expect it to be a problem for Week 1, but we won't have 
36 Donte Moncrief, PIT @ NE.  Every sleeper list we published tried to prevent Donte Moncrief from beating out James Washington, but he did it. More than 10 targets per week are gone from Pittsburgh, and by default in his starting role, Moncrief stands to soak up a decent amount of those. New England often chooses to take a top option - in this case, JuJu Smith-Schuster - out of the game, so it could be Moncrief's time to shine.
37 Marvin Jones, DET @ ARZ.
38 Tyrell Williams, OAK vs. DEN. Antonio Brown is gone. Williams is Oakland's new No. 1. 
39 Courtland Sutton, DEN @ OAK.
40 Emmanuel Sanders, DEN @ OAK.  As long as Sanders is healthy, he should be Joe Flacco's favorite target over the middle of the field. With new offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello in Denver, we don't yet have a grasp of exactly how the plays will break down in the Broncos' offense, but Sanders should be at the forefront of any passing Denver does.
41 Robby Anderson, NYJ vs. BUF.  Anderson's been dealing with a calf injury in the week leading up to the season, and while the Jets didn't seem overly concerned, head coach Adam Gase acknowledged that it's a bit of an unknown. Assuming Anderson is healthy, he should be the top deep threat for Sam Darnold in a scheme that's worked very well in the preseason. Yeah, those games don't count, but expect Anderson to get a shot at a big play or two in Week 1.
42 Christian Kirk, ARZ vs. DET.  The same things we said about Larry Fitzgerald above basically apply to Kirk, too. This is a dream matchup. We'll have to see exactly how the targets break down in Arizona, but the expectation is that if Kingsbury's offense is working right, there should be plenty of passes to go around. Kirk is a good flier in your flex spot this week, especially if a holdout running back has hurt your depth. 
43 Dante Pettis, SF @ TB.  Pettis has been the subject of a ton of comments during the preseason that suggest he's not the No. 1 wideout for the 49ers, yet each time they've taken the field, that's the role he's taken on. That leaves fantasy owners wondering whether they can count on him for a heavy-snap count to start the season. Without further information, that seems like the best bet, and in a game that should be chock full of points, Pettis has as good a chance of any San Fran WR to put up points as anyone.
44 Josh Gordon, NE vs. PIT.  Welcome to the weekly mystery of where to rank Gordon. He's one of the most talented pass-catchers in the league, but he's also in an offense that wants to depend on the run with an aging quarterback who can't take good advantage of Gordon's deep speed. If he's on your roster, he's one of the tougher players in the league to sit, because it just  feels  like any week could be the time he has a monster game. Gordon could also just mightily underwhelm and leave you wishing you'd played a different option.
46 Willie Snead, BAL @ MIA.  Until one of the younger Baltimore receivers steps up, Snead should be one of the most-targeted Ravens every week. Baltimore has said it wants Lamar Jackson to throw 30 passes every game - if that comes to fruition, Snead should start the season receiving 7-10 targets per contest. That's good for value, especially in PPR leagues for the possession receiver.
47 Keke Coutee, HOU @ NO.  You should monitor Coutee's health if you're considering playing him Week 1 - a preseason ankle injury has his status in doubt. If he plays, there is enough room in the Houston offense for Coutee to have value as their No. 3 wide receiver. In a deeper league or possibly as a PPR flex play, Coutee could be worthy of a start if he's active.
48 Curtis Samuel, CAR vs. LAR.  The preseason chatter has included Samuel in the discussion for Cam Newton's top wide receiver target. We still expect that to be D.J. Moore, but that says positive things about the role Samuel should have in Carolina's offense. The Rams' defense could keep the Panthers from putting together too many long drives, though, so temper your Week 1 expectations for Samuel.
48 Zay Jones, BUF @ NYJ.  Jones closed the 2018 season with two strong games, going 5-67-1 and following that up with 6-93-2. His late-season bond with Josh Allen comes into question now with John Brown and Cole Beasley joining the Bills' WR room, but those games point to potential for the two's continued relationship in 2019. Jones led Buffalo's first-string receivers in targets during the preseason, so he should maintain a top offensive role to open the season.
49 Paul Richardson, WAS @ PHI.
50 Marqise Lee, JAX vs. KC.
51 DK Metcalf, SEA vs. CIN
52 Anthony Miller, CHI vs. GB.
53 Geronimo Allison, GB @ CHI.
54 Jamison Crowder, NYJ vs. BUF.
55 Devin Funchess, IND @ LAC.
56 Marquez Valdes-Scantling, GB @ CHI.
57 Michael Gallup, DAL vs. NYG.
58 Tre'Quan Smith, NO vs. HOU.
59 Ted Ginn Jr., NO vs. HOU.
60 Marquise Goodwin, SF @ TB.
61 James Washington, PIT @ NE.
62 Preston Williams, MIA vs. BAL.
63 Cole Beasley, BUF @ NYJ.
64 KeeSean Johnson, ARZ vs. DET.
65 Trey Quinn, WAS @ PHI.
66   DeVante Parker, MIA vs. BAL.
67 Quincy Enunwa, NYJ vs. BUF.

Billy Heyen