Fantasy Football Rankings Week 1 (2024): PPR & Non-PPR

I like them less…

• Roof Prescott struggled on the road in 2023, finishing as QB15 or worse in six of his eight road games. He faces a Browns team that has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to the position.
• Baker Mayfield never finished higher than QB10 at home last year, including five performances of QB14 or worse. Washington’s defense was terrible in all phases, but they started to make a bit of a run at the end of 2023.

Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings Week 1

I like them better…

• Rachaad White gets a tasty matchup against the Commanders. In its final nine games last season, Washington gave up a league-high 29.7 half-PPR points per game to backs. White was fantasy’s RB2 through the second half of 2023.
• James Kok will face the Cardinals, the most generous team for running backs in 2023. When Joe Brady took over as Buffalo’s offensive coordinator in Week 11 last year, Cook averaged 19.6 touches per game. That volume should come into play in this matchup.
• Chuba Hubbard finished as a top-30 back in each of his final eight games last season, including seven finishes of RB25 or higher. He faces a Saints defense that has been bottom-10 against running backs over the final 11 games of the 2023 season.

I like them less…

• Jahmyr Gibbs faces one of the most pass-funnel defenses in the league. After Christian McCaffrey did his thing against them in Week 2 last year, only one other running back finished higher than RB11 against the Rams. Gibbs is still a solid starter, but his potential could be limited in a pass-heavy script.
• D’André Swift wasn’t particularly efficient in a golden situation last year. After averaging nearly seven yards per carry in his first three games with the Eagles, that number has dropped to just 4.03 over his final 184 attempts in 2023. He now joins a backfield that features two other capable backs (Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson) and will face a Titans front that has allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points at the position.

Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings Week 1

I like them better…

• Cooper Kupp has a sweet matchup with the Lions, who were the ultimate pass-funnel defense in 2023. While no team allowed fewer fantasy points to the running back position than Detroit, only two teams were more generous to wideouts. Kupp finished as a top-30 receiver in four of his final five games last year, including two top-five performances.
• Josh Palmer should be the Chargers’ de facto WR1 in 2024, and he comes into a matchup he enjoyed last year. In two dates with the Raiders, Palmer has thrown for 77 yards and 113 yards, respectively. The 24-year-old has averaged 11.3 half-PPR points per game when playing above 75% for his career, which should be the case in Week 1.
• Christian Kirk was healthy for 11 games last season and finished WR31 or higher in all but three games. He’ll face a Dolphins secondary that ranked seventh against receivers in 2023.