QB List’s Fantasy Football Rankings: Week 1

QB Rankings 

• The quarterback position is largely boring in week 1, which is probably for the best. Most of the elite options are on teams who are favored and/or playing in high-total games, so there is almost no reason to get cute so early if you drafted a top-15 option. Dak Prescott and Matthew Stafford are both underdogs facing tough secondaries, but the game environments should encourage enough aggressive passing that I can’t recommend sitting them for any widely-available options.
• I’ve taken the liberty of ranking Justin Fields ahead of consensus and above my top streaming options. While the Bears hold the lowest implied total of the week (just 17 points) in a 41-point over/under game against San Francisco, Fields could still produce on the ground. He averaged 7.7 rushing attempts over his last six games, behind only Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Jalen Hurts. San Francisco’s 16th-ranked secondary according to PFF seems unlikely to cause major issues for Fields through the air. Fields even compares favorably to an option like Stafford using the Weekly Range of Outcomes Tool (which you can access and learn more about here). While Stafford appears safer, Fields looks to be the better bet for 20+ point upside.

• Matt Ryan (44% rostered on Yahoo) is the top streaming option this week. The Colts roll into Houston sporting the week’s 4th-highest implied total. There is definitely some risk that Ryan doesn’t need to throw much in this one if the Colts get out to a commanding lead, but Davis Mills may do a better job of keeping the game competitive than many would expect. Houston’s secondary was ranked dead last by PFF, and it wouldn’t be all that surprising if the Colts want to see what some of their new passing game weapons like Alec Pierce and a healthy Parris Campbell can do even if the score isn’t close.
• Jared Goff (22% rostered) is another solid streaming option. Goff has delivered as a fantasy QB1 before when backed up by a great offensive line and good passing game weapons. Detroit now has arguably the best offensive line in the league, and the healthy trio of Amon-Ra St. Brown, T.J. Hockenson, and D’Andre Swift is nothing to sneeze at. D.J. Chark was an underrated offseason addition to stretch the field. With the over/under set at 49 points, this game has sneaky shootout potential.

Green=Strong Starter, Yellow=Solid Starter, Red=Look for Better Options