Week 1 fantasy football rankings

Below are Week 1 fantasy football rankings based on potential performance in this week's games for quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, kicker and team defense.

Quarterback

1. Peyton Manning,  Denver vs. Indianapolis
2. Drew Brees, New Orleans at Atlanta
3. Matthew Stafford, Detroit vs. N.Y. Giants ...Stafford has cracked 300 yards passing in Week 1 in three straight seasons
4. Russell Wilson, Seattle vs. Green Bay
5. Tony Romo, Dallas vs. San Francisco
6. Tom Brady, New England at Miami
7. Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco at Dallas
8. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis at Denver ...Luck had 4 total TDs last year against the Broncos, although at home
9. Nick Foles, Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville ...Jacksonville allowed the 3rd-most fantasy points to QBs last year
10. Matt Ryan, Atlanta vs. New Orleans ...Ryan topped 290 yards in both games against the Saints last year
11. Carson Palmer, Arizona vs. San Diego ...Palmer averaged 295 yards per game in the second half of the season last year
12. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay at Seattle ...at Seattle for Super Bowl banner hanging is a tough draw
13. Jay Cutler, Chicago vs. Buffalo
14. Philip Rivers, San Diego at Arizona
15. Robert Griffin III, Washington at Houston
16. Ryan Tannehill, Miami vs. New England ...Tannehill threw 5 TDs versus the Pats last year
17. Cam Newton, Carolina at Tampa Bay ...Newton (ribs) could be slowed but should start
18. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati at Baltimore
19. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland
20. Geno Smith, N.Y. Jets vs. Oakland

Running Back

1. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville
2. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City vs. Tennessee
3. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota at St. Louis
4. Matt Forte, Chicago vs. Buffalo
5. Montee Ball, Denver vs. Indianapolis
6. Marshawn Lynch, Seattle vs. Green Bay
7. DeMarco Murray, Dallas vs. San Francisco ...yes it's San Francisco, but they are without ILB NaVorro Bowman and S Donte Whitner
8. Andre Ellington, Arizona vs. San Diego
9. Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati at Baltimore ...Benard had 13 receptions last year in two games versus the Ravens
10. Eddie Lacy, Green Bay at Seattle
11. Doug Martin, Tampa Bay vs. Carolina
12. Arian Foster, Houston vs. Washington ...Foster missed the entire preseason but he is reportedly set for a normal workload
13. Frank Gore, San Francisco at Dallas
14. Alfred Morris, Washington at Houston
15. Ben Tate, Cleveland at Pittsburgh ...Cleveland plans to let Tate start the season as a 3-down back
16. Zac Stacy, St. Louis vs. Minnesota
17. Chris Johnson, N.Y. Jets vs. Oakland
18. Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland ...Bell is a full go this week (and should be busy)
19. Shane Vereen, New England at Miami
20. Reggie Bush, Detroit vs. N.Y. Giants
21. Mark Ingram, New Orleans at Atlanta
22. Joique Bell, Detroit vs. N.Y. Giants
23. Rashad Jennings, N.Y. Giants at Detroit
24. Fred Jackson, Buffalo at Chicago
25. Bernard Pierce, Baltimore vs. Cincinnati ...with Ray Rice suspended, Pierce will draw the Week 1 start
26. Pierre Thomas, New Orleans at Atlanta
27. Maurice Jones-Drew, Oakland at N.Y. Jets
28. C.J. Spiller, Buffalo at Chicago
29. Toby Gerhart, Jacksonville at Philadelphia
30. Trent Richardson, Indianapolis at Denver ...Richardson averaged just 2.6 yards per carry in the preseason

Wide Receivers

1. Demaryius Thomas, Denver vs. Indianapolis
2. Calvin Johnson, Detroit vs. N.Y. Giants
3. Dez Bryant, Dallas vs. San Francisco
4. Brandon Marshall, Chicago vs. Buffalo
5. Julio Jones, Atlanta vs. New Orleans
6. A.J. Green, Cincinnati at Baltimore ...Green scored a TD in both games against the Ravens last year
7. Alshon Jeffery, Chicago vs. Buffalo
8. Michael Floyd, Arizona vs. San Diego
9. Percy Harvin, Seattle vs. Green Bay
10. Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota at St. Louis ...the Rams will be without starting CB Trumaine Johnson
11. Emmanuel Sanders, Denver vs. Indianapolis ...with Wes Welker suspended for four games, Sanders should be busy
12. Jordy Nelson, Green Bay at Seattle
13. Randall Cobb, Green Bay at Seattle
14. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona vs. San Diego
15. Keenan Allen, San Diego at Arizona
16. Andre Johnson, Houston vs. Washington
17. Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland ...look for star CB Joe Haden to cover Brown this week, although Brown played super well regardless against the Browns last year
18. Michael Crabtree, San Francisco at Dallas
19. Julian Edelman, New England at Miami
20. Roddy White, Atlanta vs. New Orleans ...White hasn’t scored a TD against the Saints in his six matchups, but maybe he is due
21. Vincent Jackson, Tampa Bay vs. Carolina
22. T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis at Denver
23. Pierre Garcon, Washington at Houston
24. Victor Cruz, N.Y. Giants at Detroit
25. Eric Decker, N.Y. Jets vs. Oakland
26. Marques Colston, New Orleans at Atlanta
27. DeSean Jackson, Washington at Houston
28. Terrance Williams, Dallas vs. San Francisco
29. Golden Tate, Detroit vs. N.Y. Giants
30. Torrey Smith, Baltimore vs. Cincinnati
31. Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville
32. Anquan Boldin, San Francisco at Dallas
33. Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina at Tampa Bay
34. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis at Denver
35. DeAndre Hopkins, Houston vs. Washington
36. Steve Smith, Baltimore vs. Cincinnati
37. Riley Cooper, Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville
38. Mike Wallace, Miami vs. New England ...Wallace will often draw CB Darrelle Revis
39. Justin Hunter, Tennessee at Kansas City
40. Doug Baldwin, Seattle vs. Green Bay
41. Kendall Wright, Tennessee at Kansas City
42. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay vs. Carolina
43. Brandin Cooks, New Orleans at Atlanta
44. Mohamed Sanu, Cincinnati at Baltimore ...Sanu will get the start with Marvin Jones injured
45. Andrew Hawkins, Cleveland at Pittsburgh
46. Hakeem Nicks, Indianapolis at Denver
47. Greg Jennings, Minnesota at St. Louis
48. Markus Wheaton, Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland
49. Cecil Shorts, Jacksonville at Philadelphia
50. Rueben Randle, N.Y. Giants at Detroit

Tight End

1. Jimmy Graham, New Orleans at Atlanta
2. Julius Thomas, Denver vs. Indianapolis
3. Rob Gronkowski, New England at Miami ...Gronk says he will play in Week 1
4. Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota at St. Louis
5. Greg Olsen, Carolina at Tampa Bay
6. Vernon Davis, San Francisco at Dallas
7. Jordan Cameron, Cleveland at Pittsburgh
8. Jason Witten, Dallas vs. San Francisco
9. Dennis Pitta, Baltimore vs. Cincinnati
10. Zach Ertz, Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville
11. Jordan Reed, Washington at Houston
12. Heath Miller, Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland
13. Martellus Bennett, Chicago vs. Buffalo
14. Antonio Gates, San Diego at Arizona
15. Ladarius Green, San Diego at Arizona
16. Charles Clay, Miami vs. New England
17. Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis at Denver
18. Delanie Walker, Tennessee at Kansas City
19. Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville at Philadelphia
20. Travis Kelce, Kansas City vs. Tennessee

Kicker

1. Stephen Gostkowski, New England at Miami
2. Justin Tucker, Baltimore vs. Cincinnati
3. Steven Hauschka, Seattle vs. Green Bay
4. Phil Dawson, San Francisco at Dallas
5. Nate Freese, Detroit vs. N.Y. Giants
6. Nick Folk, N.Y. Jets vs. Oakland
7. Robbie Gould, Chicago vs. Buffalo
8. Brandon McManus, Denver vs. Indianapolis ...McManus will get the Week 1 start for Denver with Matt Prater out (suspension)
9. Nick Novak, San Diego at Arizona
10. Dan Bailey, Dallas vs. San Francisco
11. Greg Zuerlein, St. Louis vs. Minnesota
12. Blair Walsh, Minnesota at St. Louis
13. Shayne Graham, New Orleans at Atlanta ...the Saints cut Graham, then re-signed him - he will kick Week 1
14. Chandler Catanzaro, Arizona vs. San Diego
15. Cody Parkey, Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville
16. Matt Bryant, Atlanta vs. New Orleans
17. Mike Nugent, Cincinnati at Baltimore
18. Shaun Suisham, Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland
19. Mason Crosby, Green Bay at Seattle
20. Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis at Denver

Defense

1. St. Louis DT, vs. Minnesota
2. New York Jets DT, vs. Oakland ...the Jets will get to go against Derek Carr in his first real NFL game
3. New England DT, at Miami
4. Carolina DT, at Tampa Bay
5. Seattle DT, vs. Green Bay
6. Kansas City DT, vs. Tennessee
7. Chicago DT, vs. Buffalo ...Jared Allen meet EJ Manuel
8. Detroit DT, vs. N.Y. Giants …Eli Manning led the NFL with 27 INTs last year
9. Philadelphia DT, vs. Jacksonville
10. Cincinnati DT, at Baltimore
11. Denver DT, vs. Indianapolis ...Denver added DeMarcus Ware to the line and Aqib Talib to the secondary this offseason
12. Pittsburgh DT, vs. Cleveland
13. Tampa Bay DT, vs. Carolina
14. Minnesota DT, at St. Louis
15. Houston DT, vs. Washington
16. Baltimore DT, vs. Cincinnati
17. Arizona DT, vs. San Diego
18. San Francisco DT, at Dallas
19. Cleveland DT, at Pittsburgh
20. San Diego DT, at Arizona

Click here for full rankings at Fantasy Football Warehouse.