It’s that time of year. If you’re reading this, you have your fantasy football roster pulled up and, even if you don’t want to admit it, you’re wondering, “How am I going to mess up this beautiful roster that I put together?”
We’ve all been there. Don’t worry, I’m a professional.
Well, at the very least, I try hard. Really hard. And with that, I present to you my Week 1 fantasy rankings that have far too much data supporting them to possibly be wrong.
Top 100 Flex Fantasy Rankings
1) Tyreek Hill, WR | Miami Dolphins (vs. JAX)
2) Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR | Detroit Lions (vs. LAR)
3) Bijan Robinson, RB | Atlanta Falcons (vs. PIT)
4) Christian McCaffrey, RB | San Francisco 49ers (vs. NYJ)
5) Jonathan Taylor, RB | Indianapolis Colts (vs. HOU)
6) CeeDee Lamb, WR | Dallas Cowboys (at CLE)
7) A.J. Brown, WR | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. GB)
8) Breece Hall, RB | New York Jets (at SF)
9) Ja’Marr Chase, WR | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. NE)
10) Justin Jefferson, WR | Minnesota Vikings (at NYG)
11) Nico Collins, WR | Houston Texans (at IND)
12) Saquon Barkley, RB | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. GB)
13) Davante Adams, WR | Las Vegas Raiders (at LAC)
14) Garrett Wilson, WR | New York Jets (at SF)
15) Sam LaPorta, TE | Detroit Lions (vs. LAR)
16) Jahmyr Gibbs, RB | Detroit Lions (vs. LAR)
17) Marvin Harrison Jr., WR | Arizona Cardinals (at BUF)
18) Travis Etienne Jr., RB | Jacksonville Jaguars (at MIA)
19) Derrick Henry, RB | Baltimore Ravens (at KC)
20) De’Von Achane, RB | Miami Dolphins (vs. JAX)
21) Mike Evans, WR | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. WAS)
22) Kenneth Walker III, RB | Seattle Seahawks (vs. DEN)
23) Chris Olave, WR | New Orleans Saints (vs. CAR)
24) Dalton Kincaid, TE | Buffalo Bills (vs. ARI)
25) Isiah Pacheco, RB | Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BAL)
26) Michael Pittman Jr., WR | Indianapolis Colts (vs. HOU)
27) Puka Nacua, WR | Los Angeles Rams (at DET)
28) Amari Cooper, WR | Cleveland Browns (vs. DAL)
29) Jaylen Waddle, WR | Miami Dolphins (vs. JAX)
30) Kyren Williams, RB | Los Angeles Rams (at DET)
31) James Conner, RB | Arizona Cardinals (at BUF)
32) Brandon Aiyuk, WR | San Francisco 49ers (vs. NYJ)
33) Josh Jacobs, RB | Green Bay Packers (at PHI)
34) Rachaad White, RB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. WAS)
35) James Cook, RB | Buffalo Bills (vs. ARI)
36) Travis Kelce, TE | Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BAL)
37) Joe Mixon, RB | Houston Texans (at IND)
38) Alvin Kamara, RB | New Orleans Saints (vs. CAR)
39) Rashee Rice, WR | Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BAL)
40) Javonte Williams, RB | Denver Broncos (at SEA)
41) Aaron Jones, RB | Minnesota Vikings (at NYG)
42) DJ Moore, WR | Chicago Bears (vs. TEN)
43) DK Metcalf, WR | Seattle Seahawks (vs. DEN)
44) Drake London, WR | Atlanta Falcons (vs. PIT)
45) Mark Andrews, TE | Baltimore Ravens (at KC)
46) David Montgomery, RB | Detroit Lions (vs. LAR)
47) Cooper Kupp, WR | Los Angeles Rams (at DET)
48) Tee Higgins, WR | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. NE)
49) Deebo Samuel Sr., WR | San Francisco 49ers (vs. NYJ)
50) Malik Nabers, WR | New York Giants (vs. MIN)
51) Jayden Reed, WR | Green Bay Packers (at PHI)
52) George Pickens, WR | Pittsburgh Steelers (at ATL)
53) DeVonta Smith, WR | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. GB)
54) Raheem Mostert, RB | Miami Dolphins (vs. JAX)
55) D’Andre Swift, RB | Chicago Bears (vs. TEN)
56) Trey McBride, TE | Arizona Cardinals (at BUF)
57) Evan Engram, TE | Jacksonville Jaguars (at MIA)
58) Zamir White, RB | Las Vegas Raiders (at LAC)
59) Zay Flowers, WR | Baltimore Ravens (at KC)
60) Rhamondre Stevenson, RB | New England Patriots (at CIN)
61) Najee Harris, RB | Pittsburgh Steelers (at ATL)
62) Brian Robinson Jr., RB | Washington Commanders (at TB)
63) Terry McLaurin, WR | Washington Commanders (at TB)
64) Stefon Diggs, WR | Houston Texans (at IND)
65) Brian Thomas Jr., WR | Jacksonville Jaguars (at MIA)
66) Chris Godwin, WR | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. WAS)
67) Devin Singletary, RB | New York Giants (vs. MIN)
68) Jerome Ford, RB | Cleveland Browns (vs. DAL)
69) Christian Kirk, WR | Jacksonville Jaguars (at MIA)
70) George Kittle, TE | San Francisco 49ers (vs. NYJ)
71) Chuba Hubbard, RB | Carolina Panthers (at NO)
72) Tank Dell, WR | Houston Texans (at IND)
73) Tyjae Spears, RB | Tennessee Titans (at CHI)
74) Jaylen Warren, RB | Pittsburgh Steelers (at ATL)
75) Zack Moss, RB | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. NE)
76) Ezekiel Elliott, RB | Dallas Cowboys (at CLE)
77) Keenan Allen, WR | Chicago Bears (vs. TEN)
78) Jake Ferguson, TE | Dallas Cowboys (at CLE)
79) Kyle Pitts, TE | Atlanta Falcons (vs. PIT)
80) Calvin Ridley, WR | Tennessee Titans (at CHI)
81) Tony Pollard, RB | Tennessee Titans (at CHI)
82) Gus Edwards, RB | Los Angeles Chargers (vs. LV)
83) Chase Brown, RB | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. NE)
84) Diontae Johnson, WR | Carolina Panthers (at NO)
85) David Njoku, TE | Cleveland Browns (vs. DAL)
86) Rome Odunze, WR | Chicago Bears (vs. TEN)
87) Rico Dowdle, RB | Dallas Cowboys (at CLE)
88) Christian Watson, WR | Green Bay Packers (at PHI)
89) DeAndre Hopkins, WR | Tennessee Titans (at CHI)
90) Courtland Sutton, WR | Denver Broncos (at SEA)
91) Jameson Williams, WR | Detroit Lions (vs. LAR)
92) Ty Chandler, RB | Minnesota Vikings (at NYG)
93) Ladd McConkey, WR | Los Angeles Chargers (vs. LV)
94) Jakobi Meyers, WR | Las Vegas Raiders (at LAC)
95) Xavier Worthy, WR | Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BAL)
96) J.K. Dobbins, RB | Los Angeles Chargers (vs. LV)
97) Austin Ekeler, RB | Washington Commanders (at TB)
98) Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR | Seattle Seahawks (vs. DEN)
99) Brock Bowers, TE | Las Vegas Raiders (at LAC)
100) Khalil Shakir, WR | Buffalo Bills (vs. ARI)
The Top Flex Players To Start in Week 1
Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
Jaylen Warren suffered a hamstring during the preseason, and while his status is TBD (it seems to be trending in the right direction, but has yet to be confirmed), I’m not playing Harris in Week 1 if I can avoid it.
The story behind Harris has been pretty simple through three seasons – limited efficiency and a reliance on volume and touchdowns. The volume could remain, especially should Warren be a surprise inactive, but this profiles as an empty-calorie situation.
Last season, the Falcons (first in defensive rush EPA on first down) owned the fourth-best red-zone defense and coughed up just five scores on 390 running back carries; not only the lowest rate in the NFL but the lowest by an NFC team over the past decade.
imo this is the best that Najee Harris has looked as a pro.
Eight preseason touches: pic.twitter.com/JwOCS2HV5u
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) August 20, 2024
A Harris manager is swimming upstream if these rates prove stable. He averaged just 6.7 PPR points per game a season ago when held out of the end zone.
Toss in the fact that this Atlanta offense should stay on the field more than it did in 2023 (25th in time of possession) now that Cousins is under center, and we could be looking at a low drive count for the Steelers.
Tank Dell, Houston Texans
I was one of the many who doubted Dell after a nice preseason performance last August, writing it off as simply a nice prospect making plays against inferior competition.
As it turns out, even elite competition had a problem all season with the third-round pick out of Houston (709 yards and seven scores in 11 games). Dell’s slight frame (165 pounds) didn’t stop him from earning 10+ targets on four occasions last season or averaging 15.1 yards per catch.
Given his development during the season, there is plenty of reason to think he can be an outlier at his size (DeVonta Smith is the only sub-170-pound receiver with a 100-target season over the past decade). That said, he did get injured to close last season, and he was held under 60 yards in six games a season ago.
His first impactful fantasy game did come against these Colts and it came basically with him winning on only one type of route.
Beginning to look at Week 1 #FantasyFootball matchups. Tank Dell gave us this route tree in Week 2 against Indy.
Doesn't look great, but he still produced 7-72-1.
He's better now and the Texans threaten in more ways. What stat line do you think he opens the season with? pic.twitter.com/9YcGYzqsN1
— Kyle Soppe (@KyleSoppePFN) August 27, 2024
I like what he brings to the table and am encouraged to watch him grow alongside Stroud, but with an uptick in target competition, I do have my concerns about labeling him as a locked-and-loaded WR2 from the jump this season.
You can plug him in as your Flex and embrace this game’s high point total. That said, I would still prefer the other light receiver (Smith) and would side with receivers like Zay Flowers, Tee Higgins, or even Brian Thomas Jr. – receivers who I feel I have a better read for their Week 1 role.