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Week 1 Rankings Analysis - Pierre Camus vs. Industry Consensus

If you've spent the last 24 hours crying your eyes out because you passed on Kareem Hunt, benched Mike Gillislee, or paid up for Gronk, you're not alone my friend. The obvious almost never happens in fantasy football, which of course is what makes it so exciting (and frustrating). I will admit I own no shares of Hunt, which made me a bit teary-eyed until I also realized I don't own Alex Smith and he won't do this every week either.

Weekly rankings are a lot easier to read and react to than they are to actually make. Without them, there would be no way of making those tough lineup decisions accurately, unless you count closing your eyes and throwing a dart at your computer screen "valid and reliable."

As an expert ranker for RotoBaller and FantasyPros, I'll put my own personal rankings out on the table for you here and show you how they stack up against the consensus of the other 100+ experts at FantasyPros. Rather than list every player in the league, you'll see the Top 10 per position, plus a few notable players that may have fallen in my rankings this week. All rankings come from standard scoring rules.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Week 1 Quarterbacks - Rankings Analysis

Top 10, plus notable outliers (deviation from consensus)

1. Ben Roethlisberger (+7)
2. Tom Brady (-1)
3. Cam Newton (+4)
4. Russell Wilson (-1)
5. Aaron Rodgers (-3)
6. Derek Carr (+4)
7. Drew Brees (-1)
8. Matt Ryan (-4)
9. Marcus Mariota (-4)
10. Kirk Cousins (-1)
16. Brian Hoyer (+5)
20. Dak Prescott (-8)
21. Josh McCown (+9)

The first of many Steelers to top the list this week, Big Ben does his best work early in the season and against mediocre opponents. I'm not sure if Cleveland's defense can possibly be as bad as the Patriots were on Thursday, but it's doubtful they hold the Steelers to less than four touchdowns (the current betting line has them scoring 28.5 points). For the same reason, Cam Newton will get one of the highest rankings all season while facing the new-look 49ers defense. There is a new coach in town and a lot more young talent, but it will take a while to gel. No, I don't give a damn how good they looked in the preseason against scrubs. Newton's health is the only question. It still looks like he will play and should be started everywhere. Unless things are worse than they appear with his surgically repaired shoulder, I even like him better than Aaron Rodgers at home this week due to matchups. With Rawls and Prosise not 100%, the 'Hawks may lean on an actual healthy Russell Wilson to air it out against the Pack.

Brees could be due for a slight letdown this week. Not just because he's missing Willie Snead (for three weeks) and Brandin Cooks (forever), but Minnesota has a stout defense. Plus, my gut tells me they're going to make a point of emphasis on handing Adrian Peterson the ball, at least for this particular game. Don't worry, by Week 5 he'll be slinging it 40+ times a game once more. I think Carr gets the better of Mariota in the Titans-Raiders matchup, even though the Raiders are underdogs on the road. It's all about red zone play-calling and I still don't think Lynch gets the ball near the goal-line automatically like we assume.

Hoyer is the player I'm keeping an eye on the most. I'm ranking him conservatively this week because we haven't seen how he'll adapt to a whole new set of receivers, but I wouldn't be shocked if he was a top-10 fantasy QB this week. Josh McCown doesn't have to put up a big game to outplay his current ranking, but he just might.

 

Week 1 Running Backs - Rankings Analysis

Top 10, plus notable outliers (deviation from consensus)

1. Le'Veon Bell (+0)
2. David Johnson (+0)
3. LeSean McCoy (+0)
4. Todd Gurley (+3)
5. Ezekiel Elliott (-2)
6. Jordan Howard (+2)
7. Devonta Freeman (-2)
8. DeMarco Murray (-2)
9. Melvin Gordon (+0)
10. Dalvin Cook (+0)
12. Rob Kelley (+13)
14. Christian McCaffrey (+2)
17. Bilal Powell (+3)
23. Kareem Hunt (-5)
24. Adrian Peterson (+6)

Nothing seismic in the Top 10, as my rankings are extremely consistent with the expert consensus, to the point where I'm almost tempted to change it for the sake of being contrarian 🙂 The bump on Gurley and Howard reflect my opinion of them for season-long value, but Gurley definitely needs to show and prove this week against a hurting Colts team. After taking him out, then putting him back in at the last minute, I wasn't eager to put Zeke at the top of my rankings. The Cowboys may try to make the most of him now that they've gotten him back, supposedly for the rest of the season, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll produce the best numbers. The Giants had the third-best rush defense last year, allowing 3.6 yards per carry.

While I'm not willing to put them ahead of verifiable workhorse backs in Week 1, players like McCaffrey, Powell, and Peterson are ones I'm targeting first in tournament plays. C-Mac might play a bigger part in the offense than people expect, and he goes up against the 49ers' historically bad run defense of a year ago (they can't be THAT much better). Powell looked strong in the preseason and should get a big workload against the hapless Bills. Peterson, as mentioned above, is more of a gut call, which is why I wouldn't necessarily rush to replace your normal starter with him in standard leagues. Think flex play in deep leagues. As far as Rob Kelley, I don't know why people seem to forget or don't believe that he is still the lead back in Washington in a non-committee. He is a high-end RB2 at the very least. I won't elaborate on Hunt except to say that Charcandrick West basically walked into the end zone at one point and Alex Smith had the best game of his career. I'm not putting him in my top 10 next week automatically.

 

Week 1 Wide Receivers - Rankings Analysis

Top 10, plus notable outliers (deviation from consensus)

1. Antonio Brown (+0)
2. Julio Jones (+0)
3. Odell Beckham Jr. (+1)
4. A.J. Green (-1)
5. Michael Thomas (+3)
6. Amari Cooper (+0)
7. Jordy Nelson (+0)
8. Brandin Cooks (+1)
9. Doug Baldwin (-4)
10. Sammy Watkins (+10)
12. Keenan Allen (+14)
15. Dez Bryant (-5)
19. Tyreek Hill (+4)
20. TY Hilton (+1)
26. Martavis Bryant (-8)

One of these things is not like the other... My first nine WR fall right in line with everyone else. And then there's Sammy Watkins. This is definitely a boom-bust play, but a mediocre Colts defense without Vontae Davis is a recipe for success when it comes to the Rams receivers. Watkins is the type of player that just needs one big play to make your week, a la Tyreek Hill on Thursday. His 16.1 yards per reception verifies this.

Apparently, everyone is frightened that Denver's secondary will clamp down on Keenan Allen. While his yardage totals aren't good against the Broncos, he has scored three TD in four games against them. I really want to rank Hilton lower, but he also has enough big play ability that he can't be dismissed outright, no matter who is at QB. The hype of Martavis Bryant has got to slow down. While I've already stated how great this matchup is, I want to see him on the field for the first time in over a year before making him my WR2.

 

Week 1 Tight Ends - Rankings Analysis

Top 10, plus notable outliers (deviation from consensus)

1. Rob Gronkowski (+0)
2. Greg Olsen (+0)
3. Kyle Rudolph (+4)
4. Jimmy Graham (+0)
5. Travis Kelce (-2)
6. Tyler Eifert (+3)
7. Jordan Reed (-2)
8. Zach Ertz (+0)
9. Delanie Walker (-3)
10. Martellus Bennett (+0)
17. Zach Miller (+5)
18. Evan Engram (+3)
19. Jason Witten (-8)

Eifert would be higher for me if he were entering the season 100% healthy. Speaking of, Jordan Reed won't ever be 100% but the ceiling is too high to ignore when he's on the field. Zach Miller won't be in too many starting lineups this week, but he also could benefit from the lack of competition in the receiving corps. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if he challenged Kendall Wright for the receptions lead in Chicago by year's end. As far as Engram, he made a late surge in my rankings when I realized how poor the Cowboys were against the TE last season. I might not start him in re-draft, but he's worth a shot if you're making multiple DFS tournament lineups. Witten won't need to see a bunch of targets now that Zeke is back. Sure, there may be some ageism at play here, but keep in mind that Witten has scored 11 TD in the last three seasons combined.

 

More Week 1 Lineup Prep


Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.




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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Aaron Jones Sr.

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Darren Waller

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Cole Ragans

to Return on Wednesday
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Jonathan Taylor

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Joe Burrow

Could Miss Three Months if he Requires Toe Surgery
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Headlines Rams Receiving Corps Sunday
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Browns Not Considering Benching Joe Flacco After Week 2
Quentin Grimes

Still Not Close to a New Contract Agreement
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James Cook

Scores Two Touchdowns in Rout of Jets
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Scores Twice in Loss
Ja'Marr Chase

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Shane van Gisbergen Fails to Advance to Round of 12
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Finishes Last in All Three Round of 16 Races to Fail to Advance
Justin Fields

Diagnosed With Concussion Sunday
Tyrod Taylor

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Ryan Williams Explodes In Return To Field
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Drew Allar Plays Mediocre Game In Blowout Win
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DJ Lagway Tosses Five Interceptions In Loss
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John Mateer Leads Oklahoma In Rout
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Jeremiah Smith Impresses In Win
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Records Career-High 13 Strikeouts
Max Muncy

Exits Early on Saturday
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Sam Leavitt Shines As Arizona State Rebounds From Week 2 Loss
Salvador Perez

Reaches 300 Home Runs, 1,000 RBI
Jose Altuve

Exits Early With Foot Discomfort
Trey Yesavage

Heading to Big Leagues
Will Smith

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Ivan Demidov

Turning Heads in Rookie Camp
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Calvin de Haan Signs With Swedish Team
Samuel Girard

Skates With Non-Contact Jersey
Mackenzie Blackwood

Dealing With Injury Ahead of Training Camp
Spencer Knight

Signs Three-Year Extension With Blackhawks
Chris Buescher

May have Another Solid Run at Bristol
Corey Perry

Out 6-8 Weeks Following Surgery
Kyle Busch

Should DFS Managers Roster Kyle Busch at Bristol?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Too Risky to Consider Rostering at Bristol?
Michael McDowell

Could be A Solid Value Option For Bristol DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

Probably Won't Factor in for Bristol Win
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not as Strong at Bristol as Other Short Tracks
Alex Bowman

Needs to Win to Make Round of 12
Ross Chastain

has Never Led at Bristol but Has Been Pretty Consistent
Austin Dillon

Richmond Speed Unlikely to Carry Over to Bristol
Josh Berry

Might Run Well at Bristol, but Almost Certainly Won't Win to Advance
Justin Haley

Bristol One of Justin Haley's Few Recent Bright Spots
Ryan Preece

Seems Slower on Concrete Than on Asphalt
NASCAR

Legacy Motor Club's Short-Track Speed Will Likely Hold John H. Nemechek Back
Erik Jones

Definitely Faster This Year, but Short Tracks Still a Liability
Daniel Suarez

Despite Poor Qualifying Run, Daniel Suarez Might Not Be a Great Choice
Noah Gragson

Unlikely to Be Fast at Bristol but Still Might Be Worth Considering for DFS
Tarik Skubal

Avoids Serious Injury, Expected to Make Next Start
CFB

Austin Simmons Listed As Game-Time Decision Against Arkansas
CFB

Nico Iamaleava Struggles In Fourth Straight Loss
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Dealing With a "Tweak"
BUF

Alexandar Georgiev Joins Sabres on One-Year Deal
Corey Perry

Injured During Pre-Camp Skate
Tanner Bibee

Fans 10 in Two-Hit Shutout
Zach Neto

Dealing With Wrist Soreness
Masyn Winn

Shut Down for Rest of Season
Tarik Skubal

to Undergo Imaging on Saturday
Tyler Soderstrom

Scratched on Friday With Groin Tightness
Tarik Skubal

Exits with Side Tightness
CFB

Antonio Williams Out Against Georgia Tech
Ketel Marte

Scratched From Friday's Lineup
CFB

CJ Bailey Flashes Again in Win Over Wake Forest
CFB

Jaxson Moi a Game-Time Decision for Tennessee on Saturday
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A Favorite At Noche UFC 3
Kyle Tucker

"Unlikely" to Return When Eligible on Tuesday
Diego Lopes

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David Martinez

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Jared Gordon

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
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Quang Le

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Malcolm Brogdon

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David Sanders Jr. Won't Play Against Georgia
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Dylan Edwards Slated to Return on Friday
Adam Lowry

Aims for Early-Season Return
Charles Oliveira

Not Eyeing Retirement
CFB

Ryan Williams Expected to Play Against Wisconsin
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Billy Edwards Jr. Unlikely to Play on Saturday
P.J. Washington

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David Sanders Jr. Questionable to Make Debut Against Georgia
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Luka Dončić

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Cam Reddish Expected to Move to Europe
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Trey Lyles Joins Real Madrid
Charles Bassey

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Sacramento Kings

Terence Davis Waived by Kings
Matthew Knies

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Jack Eichel

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Sidney Crosby

Not Thinking About Leaving Pittsburgh
SJ

Michael Misa Signs Entry-Level Contract With Sharks
Rutger McGroarty

Nursing an Injury
Cameron Champ

the Ultimate Wild Card at Procore
Cameron Young

Looks to Extend Momentum in Napa
Davis Thompson

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Sahith Theegala

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Luke Clanton

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Alperen Sengün

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Bud Cauley

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Collin Morikawa

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Ben Griffin

Finishes Tied for 10th at Tour Championship
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Finishes Tied for Second at Tour Championship
Gary Woodland

Could Hang Around at Procore Championship
Karl Vilips

Ready for Napa Valley This Weekend
Taylor Montgomery

Heating Up at the Right Time
Jackson Koivun

May Be a Little Rusty at Procore Championship
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Looking to Rise Up at Napa Valley
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Re-Signs With Bulls for Four Years
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Mathew Barzal

Good to Go for Season Opener
Dustin Wolf

Signs Seven-Year Extension
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Mason Jones Takes His Talents to Australia
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Talen Horton-Tucker Joins Reigning EuroLeague Champions
Malcolm Brogdon

on Knicks' Radar
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Attracting Interest From Lakers

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