Jamie Calandro's Week 1 Fantasy Football Rankings - The Industry's Top 3 Accuracy Ranker

September 11, 2026

Fantasy football Week 1 rankings for RB, WR, TE, QB from the No. 3 most accurate ranker in 2025, Jamie Calandro. Read his fantasy rankings analysis and outlooks.

RotoBaller writer Jamie Calandro shares his Week 1 fantasy football lineup rankings for RB, WR, TE, and QB. Last year, Jamie finished as the third-most accurate ranker in the industry among hundreds of other industry experts! This rankings article also includes rankings analysis that will hopefully help you make some tough decisions when it comes to sit/start. Jamie is also on X @jac3600 and in our RotoBaller Discord channel, answering questions.

Regular starting options are included to highlight that some of your must-start players have a good chance of supplying winning totals. Much of the analysis helps fantasy players make the tough decisions between two or more similarly valued players.

The rankings are updated as news breaks until the full slate begins on Sunday. Following the positional advice below, you can consult the player rankings tables. The fantasy football lineup rankings analysis is based on half-PPR scoring rules.

Quarterback Rankings – Fantasy Football Week 1

Patrick Mahomes has become the big "should I or shouldn't I" for the week, after the news came out that he's likely to suit up despite tearing his ACL in Week 15 last season. If you have Mahomes, it's likely you waited on QB and have two that you're choosing from to stream. I'd err on the side of caution with Mahomes, as Denver allowed the second-fewest YPA last season.

I started Brock Purdy over him last night, and would do the same with Tyler Shough, Daniel Jones, and Kyler Murray.

Jared Goff is an amazing start this week in one of the best fantasy games on the slate. Both Detroit and New Orleans play fast, and the Lions averaged 32.6 PPG at home last season. I have Goff ranked as QB8 with his full arsenal of weapons, and there's upside for more... Baker Mayfield is a similar upside play in a potential shootout against Cincinnati. I have him as a fringe QB1 this week, ahead of names like Jayden Daniels and (last night's) Matthew Stafford.

Running Back Rankings – Fantasy Football Week 1

You're not sitting Omarion Hampton this week, but I do want to point out how strong a play he is. As a double-digit favorite against Arizona at home, Hampton should nuke with Mike McDaniel as his Offensive Coordinator. Keaton Mitchell is dealing with a hamstring injury, and there's not much else for competition for Hampton. I have him as my RB2 this week, behind only the great Jahmyr Gibbs.

As I said before, I'm all-in on the Detroit-New Orleans tilt. That especially extends to the skill position players on the Saints, who will be playing fast in a super-condensed offense. Travis Etienne Jr. should get most of the work even with Alvin Kamara (knee) trending towards suiting up, and the Saints' offensive line projects to be one of the best in football this year.

Bucky Irving is someone I openly avoided in drafts this season, due to a combination of his injury history and Kenny Gainwell's effectiveness in the passing game. I do love him in Week 1, however, as the Tampa Bay-Cincy game has the highest O/U on the slate at 51.5. Irving should really be able to exploit the Bengals in this fast-paced game, despite the significant additions that they made to their defensive line in the offseason.

MarShawn Lloyd is a tough call with Josh Jacobs still on the exempt list. He SHOULD be the lead back, but Green Bay may start in a timeshare. I do think he's a justifiable start as the top playmaker in the backfield, as Minnesota was weak against the run last year, but he's certainly not a high-floor play. I would start Cam Skattebo, David Montgomery, and Tony Pollard over Lloyd.

If you have options, Jeremiyah Love is someone I'd look to sit this week. He's still banged up, and the Cardinals are double-digit underdogs against the Chargers. There's no need to push Love if this game gets out of hand, as Arizona has a fully capable RB in Tyler Allgeier as someone who can handle the initial load. Love is an exciting player to own long-term, but this isn't the week for it, especially with him trending towards being a game-time call.

Jonathan Brooks was everyone's preseason darling as someone who would take over the Carolina backfield, but it's Chuba Hubbard I want this week. Brooks ended the preseason immensely banged up, and he's not someone to push with given his injury history. Hubbard should get the bulk of the carries for a team built on running and game management, and this game has sneaky upside with an O/U of 48.5.

I have Hubbard ranked as RB28, putting him firmly on the FLEX radar.

Wide Receiver Rankings – Fantasy Football Week 1

We're starting Malik Nabers with confidence, folks! He's still listed as questionable, but has been practicing in full and looks set to be all systems go against Dallas on Sunday night. Nabers averaged 2.15 Yards Per Route Run before injuring himself last year, and he should be an immediate target hog for the Giants (28.2% target share in 2025). This game is one of the best fantasy environments of the week with an O/U of 49.5.

I'm far lower than consensus on Zay Flowers this week. I believe it will take a bit of time for Declan Doyle's offense to really start clicking for Baltimore, and Flowers has his work cut out for him against Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward. Flowers' potential target share doesn't necessarily render him a sit for me, but I don't think he hangs with similar WR1s he was drafted around this week.

Figuring out the Tampa Bay pass catchers is a bit tricky with the departure of Mike Evans and all the injuries they endured in camp. However, I'm happily rolling out both Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. if I own them this week. This game has a shootout written all over it, and the Bengals allowed the seventh-most passing YPG in 2025.

I think it's fair to wonder if Tre' Harris will usurp Quentin Johnston eventually as the WR2 for the Chargers, but this is not the week for that. QJ should join the rest of his Chargers teammates in carving up Arizona, as L.A. has an implied team total of 28.5. I'm betting the over on that, and Johnston is one of the biggest TD threats in the WR pool. I have him ranked WR28, ahead of D.J. Moore, DK Metcalf, and Rome Odunze.

Speaking of Odunze, pay very close attention to his status, as his injuries are really affecting him this week. Luther Burden III would shoot up my rankings, and my No. 1 Colston Loveland ranking at TE would...separate even more. ... Wan'Dale Robinson is a fine FLEX play in PPR leagues. The Jets' defense failed to record an interception in 2025, and Robinson should be peppered with easy targets thanks to his familiarity with OC Brian Daboll.

Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson SHOULD get targets in a game where Arizona is expected to be playing from behind for most of the game, but I'd rather wait and see how it shakes out first in Mike LaFleur's system. Trey McBride should still be the top target earner there, and I have questions about the overall offensive efficiency of the team. If you're thin at WR, they're playable, but I have both ranked outside the top-36 for Week 1.

Tight End Rankings – Fantasy Football Week 1

I was all-in on Juwan Johnson in drafts, and I'm even more "all-in-er" on him for Week 1. The Saints' offense is fast-paced and tight, and Jordyn Tyson is out for a couple of months. Johnson quietly was seventh among TEs, in targets, fifth in receiving yards, and third in air yards. He and Tyler Shough have a fantastic connection, and he projects for targets galore in this shootout. I unashamedly have him ranked TE4.

Michael Mayer is not just a filler for Brock Bowers managers. He's someone capable of putting up top-10 numbers on a weekly basis, especially against the hapless Dolphins. Mayer went 5-50-1 and 9-89-0 last season in two of his full games without Bowers, and I have him TE9 this week, ahead of Tucker Kraft, Travis Kelce, and Isaiah Likely (all of whom I like as well).

Dalton Kincaid has continually fallen short of expectations in the fantasy community, but it's a litany of injuries and reduced snap share that has kept him there. With Houston so strong on the edges, I think Kincaid can go off in this opening matchup. I tentatively have him ranked outside the top-12, but wouldn't argue with anyone who had him higher.

More Fantasy Football Analysis

Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!