Week 1 fantasy rankings: Evaluating the best QB, RB, WR, TE for fantasy football

The 2023 NFL season has arrived and that means it’s time for fantasy football. It’s the start of a long season and while a single week might not sound too important, the Week 1 fantasy rankings could prove crucial to winning a fantasy championship.

As always, our weekly fantasy rankings evaluate and rank players based on a variety of factors. Injuries and absences – such as Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor – have a significant influence on positional rankings. Likewise, matchups and recent trends will also help shape our order of players. Of course, we’ll gain more information as the season goes on to better inform our fantasy football rankings each week.

Related: NFL power rankings

Let’s dive into our Week 1 fantasy rankings.

Week 1 fantasy QB rankings

RANK	PLAYER	OPPONENT
1	Patrick Mahomes	vs DET
2	Lamar Jackson	vs HOU
3	Trevor Lawrence	@ IND
4	Justin Herbert	vs MIA
5	Jalen Hurts	@ NE
6	Josh Allen	@ NYJ
7	Justin Fields	vs GB
8	Tua Tagovailoa	@ LAC
9	Dak Prescott	@ NYG
10	Geno Smith	vs LAR
11	Aaron Rodgers	vs BUF
12	Anthony Richardson	vs JAX
13	Kirk Cousins	vs TB
14	Daniel Jones	vs DAL
15	Deshaun Watson	vs CIN
16	Jared Goff	@ KC
17	Derek Carr	vs TEN
18	Sam Howell	vs ARZ
19	Jordan Love	@ CHI
20	Russell Wilson	vs LV
21	Bryce Young	@ ATL
22	Desmond Ridder	vs CAR
23	Matthew Stafford	@ SEA
24	Brock Purdy	@ PIT
25	Kenny Pickett	vs SF

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs – While we do expect the Detroit Lions’ defense to be better in 2023, this still isn’t anything close to a top-15 defense. This is a matchup between two of the highest-scoring NFL teams last season and a potential explosive battle is a goldmine for fantasy.
2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens – While there will be growing pains with the new-look Ravens’ offense, Lamar Jackson is now in the best situation of his career. Facing a bottom-12 defense, Jackson is a safe bet to reach his high ceiling and there’s a strong possibility he finishes as QB1 in Week 1.
3. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars – Even when the Indianapolis Colts had a good defense, Trevor Lawrence posted a 102.4 quarterback rating against them. In 2023, the Colts’ secondary is inexperienced and that could lead to Lawrence having a field day.
4. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers – We’re expecting a shootout between the Dolphins and Chargers, with both teams having far too many offensive weapons to be contained. It wouldn’t be a surprise if both offenses delivered 30-plus points and we love Justin Herbert in Kellen Moore’s aggressive scheme.
5. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles – Bill Belichick is well-known for taking away the one thing the opposition does best and the New England Patriots have one of the best defenses in the league. Jalen Hurts will be an elite fantasy quarterback all year, but the tough matchup drops him in our Week 1 fantasy rankings.
6. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills – We’re not concerned about Josh Allen’s poor second-half in 2022, which was tied to an elbow injury that is fully healed. Instead, Allen drops to sixth in our Week 1 fantasy rankings because he’s facing an elite defense with an All-Pro corner to shadow Stefon Diggs and a pass rush that can create havoc in Buffalo’s backfield. You start Allen if you have him, but lower expectations.
7. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears – The Green Bay Packers struggled to stop Justin Fields in 2022, now he has a No. 1 receiver in DJ Moore. Green Bay’s secondary should play well enough to prevent Fields from having a top-five performance, but his rushing ability gives him a top-10 floor.
8. Tua Tagovaloa, Miami Dolphins – As previously mentioned, we’re expecting a lot of points from Miami and Los Angeles. In this offense, as long as Tua Tagovailoa is healthy, he’s going to be a top 10 quarterback quite often in our fantasy QB rankings.
9. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys – The Dallas Cowboys added wide receiver Brandin Cooks and changed their scheme to make it more friendly for Dak Prescott. This is a favorable matchup for Dallas and 220-plus yards and two touchdowns from Prescott is certainly doable against the New York Giants.
10. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks – Geno Smith was one of the best quarterbacks in football last season. Now, he opens the year against one of the worst defenses in the league. Don’t make this complicated, Smith can deliver excellent production as a QB1 for fantasy managers.
11. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets – Officially making his debut as the Jets’ quarterback, Aaron Rodgers has proven during his Hall of Fame career that he thrives when playing with a chip on his shoulder. On Monday Night Football, against a Bills’ defense without Von Miller, we expect Rodgers to have a statement game.
12. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts – There are going to be a lot of growing pains for Anthony Richardson and the absence of Jonathan Taylor only makes things worse. However, Richardson’s elite rushing ability gives him an extremely high floor and the Jaguars’ defense can be exploited.
13. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings – In his final seven games last season, Kirk Cousins posted a 15-6 TD-INT ratio with a 102.1 quarterback rating and he completed 69.5 percent of his passes. He might not be the most exciting quarterback, but Cousins is consistent and gets the football in his playmakers’ hands.
14. Daniel Jones, New York Giants – Last season against the Cowboys’ defense, Daniel Jones completed 56.9 percent of his passes with a 72.9 passer rating and a 1-1 TD-INT ratio. Dallas looks even better defensively on paper this year, with Jones’ rushing ability keeping him from dropping even further down in the Week 1 fantasy rankings.
15. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns – Deshaun Watson can be one of the fastest risers in weekly fantasy football rankings if he returns to being the player we saw in Houston. For now, we have to base projections on the influence of Watson’s numbers (58.2 percent completion rate, 59.1 QB rating) last season.
16. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions – While Jared Goff might not be one of the best quarterbacks in the league, numbers don’t lie. From Weeks 10-18 last season, Goff posted a 15-0 TD-INT ratio with a 105.9 quarterback rating and averaged 266.3 passing yards per game. He’s behind an elite offensive line, operating in a quarterback-friendly system and faces a Chiefs’ defense without Chris Jones. Goff is a high-end QB2 or low-risk QB1 in deeper leagues.
17. Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints – Derek Carr has the offensive weapons around him to be a solid fantasy starter in 2023, but it’s matchup-dependent. We have no concerns about the Saints’ receivers winning one-on-one matchups against the Titans’ cornerbacks, but Tennessee could make life difficult for Carr with its pass rush and his effectiveness really drops off when pressured.
18. Sam Howell, Washington Commanders – Sam Howell is the popular fantasy sleeper pick this season and for good reason. Eric Bieniemy will make his game plans quarterback-friendly, especially with the added advantage of Howell’s athleticism. Even when Terry McLaurin (turf toe) is limited, Washington still boasts Jahan Dotson and Curtis Samuel. Against the worst defense in the league, Howell should deliver a QB2/Superflex performance and there’s some upside for a top-12 finish.
19. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers –Jordan Love showcased enough during the preseason for us to buy-in, at least for the time being. He’s playing behind a top-5 offensive line and has explosive pass-catchers in Luke Musgrave and Romeo Doubs. Throw in the rushing ability, Love could be a sneaky productive fantasy starter this year and especially in Week 1.
20. Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos – There’s an element of wait-and-see with Wilson, wanting to know if he’s truly regressing at a rapid rate or if his issues in 2022 were a product of Nathaniel Hackett.

Related: NFL stadium rankings

Week 1 fantasy RB rankings

RANK	PLAYER	OPPONENT
1	Bijan Robinson	vs CAR
2	Nick Chubb	vs CIN
3	Christian McCaffrey	@ {OT
4	Austin Ekeler	vs MIA
5	Tony Pollard	@ NYG
6	Derrick Henry	@ NO
7	Saquon Barkley	vs DAL
8	Travis Etienne Jr	@ IND
9	Aaron Jones	@ CHI
10	Joe Mixon	@ CLE
11	Rhamondre Stevenson	vs PHI
12	Josh Jacobs	@ DEN
13	Miles Sanders	@ ATL
14	Kenneth Walker III	vs LAR
15	Isiah Pacheco	vs DET
16	Jahmyr Gibbs	@ KC
17	Dameon Pierce	@ BAL
18	Cam Akers	@ SEA
19	Alexander Mattison	vs TB
20	James Cook	@ NYJ
21	Breece Hall	vs BUF
22	J.K. Dobbins	vs HOU
23	Najee Harris	vs SF
24	Khalil Herbert	vs GB
25	Javonte Williams	vs LV
26	David Montgomery	@ KC
27	James Conner	@ WAS
28	Dalvin Cook	vs BUF
29	Rachaad White	@ MIN
30	Brian Robinson Jr	vs ARZ
31	Jamaal Williams	vs TEN
32	Raheem Mostert	@ LAC
33	Samaje Perine	vs LV
34	Kenneth Gainwell	@ NE
35	AJ Dillon	@ CHI
36	Rashaad Penny	@ NE
37	D’Andre Swift	@ NE
38	Antonio Gibson	vs ARZ
39	Tyler Allgeier	vs CAR
40	Jaylen Warren	vs SF

1. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons – It’s the rookie atop our Week 1 fantasy RB rankings heading into the 2023 season. Bijan Robinson is in an offense built for him and he’s destined for 20-plus touches per game. In what figures to be a wire-to-wire matchup, Robinson should have ample scoring opportunities and his pass-catching involvement further inflates his fantasy floor.
2. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns – With Jerome Ford just returning from a hamstring injury, the Cleveland Browns figure to make Nick Chubb the centerpiece of their entire offense in Week 1. While Cincinnati allowed just 106.6 rush ypg last season (7th in NFL), it did surrender 4.2 yards per carry and this matchup offers a very favorable game script, especially if Chubb gets involved as a pass-catcher.
3. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers – The Pittsburgh Steelers defense should be much more formidable than it was in 2022, which pushes Christian McCaffrey down just a few spots in our Week 1 fantasy rankings. He’s still an elite option with a very high ceiling, it’s just not as great as it will be in many other weeks.
4. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers – While we’re a slightly bit lower on Austin Ekeler’s fantasy value season-long, this is an ideal matchup. The Miami Dolphins have an excellent pass rush, so quick passes to the running back out of the backfield are a great way to slow things down. Ekeler will get plenty of volume and a high-scoring game would also likely give him at least one score.
5. Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys – The Dallas Cowboys didn’t sign a proven RB2, even after Dak Prescott pushed for it. That’s a sign of the coaching staff’s confidence in Tony Pollard. He’s the featured runner now in Dallas and the New York Giants defense (5.2 ypc allowed) needs to prove its a lot better in 2023.
6. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans – The New Orleans Saints have historically had one of the best run defenses in the NFL, nit that wasn’t true in 2022 (130.5 rush ypg allowed) and this defensive line is even worse a year later. Derrick Henry is an excellent option, but he gets pushed down in our fantasy RB rankings for Week 1 because the Titans have one of the worst offensive lines around.
7. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants – The Giants got a full training camp out of Saquon Barkley, now it’s on him to prove he deserves a long-term contract. Darren Waller will get some of Barkley’s target volume, hurting his value slightly, but you can bet on Brian Daboll still making his RB1 a focal point of the offense in a critical season opener.
8. Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars – Travis Etienne is going to be a riskier fantasy option this season because of rookie Tank Bigsby. We don’t anticipate Etienne getting a lot of short-yardage work, cutting one avenue to touchdowns. Still, this is a very favorable matchup and the Jacksonville Jaguars should have a big enough lead to keep feeding Etienne regularly.
9. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers – The Packers’ offense will look a lot different this season and that’s a very good thing. Speed, movement and confusion for the defense, that’s what will stand out when watching Green Bay in Week 1. Expect Aaron Jones to be even more involved than previous years, offering him a path to more top-10 finishes and that’s especially likely against a bad Chicago Bears defense.
10. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals – The Bengals seemingly don’t intend to use Joe Mixon as much as a pass-catcher as they did before, but that shouldn’t be as much of an issue in the season opener. While Cleveland upgraded at defensive tackle this spring, run defense is still projected to be a major weakness. With the Browns’ attention focused on Cincinnati’s receivers, Mixon can feast.
11. Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots – As of now, we’re not overly concerned about an aging Ezekiel Elliott dramatically cutting into Rhamondre Stevenson’s fantasy value. New England remains a run-first team and Stevenson is also arguably the Patriots’ third-best receiving option. That alone should sustain his value, especially in a solid matchup.
12. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders – The long layoff and the Las Vegas Raiders’ interest in easing Josh Jacobs back into a full workload temporarily hurts his fantasy value. It’s also worth noting that Denver allowed a modest 109.8 rush ypg last season. What does help Jacobs is the fact that Jimmy Garoppolo will throw a lot of underneath passes.
13. Miles Sanders, Carolina Panthers – There’s a slight bit of hesitation with Miles Sanders due to the Carolina Panthers offensive line, but he still projects to be the workhorse running back. As long as Sanders maintains that role, especially if he’s more involved on passing downs, he can consistently be a top-15 running back in fantasy football.
14. Kenneth Walker, Seattle Seahawks – The presence of Zach Charbonnet will likely prevent Kenneth Walker from being a top-10 fantasy option this season, but he’s still the 1a in the Seattle Seahawks backfield. Plus, the Los Angeles Rams are almost certain to have a bottom-5 defense this fall.
15. Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs – Isiah Pacheco is finally healthy and he draws an opening-night matchup against a Detroit Lions run defense that was awful (5.2 ypc allowed) a year ago. Even with improvement, Pacheco can find the end zone and give you 70-plus scrimmage yards.
16. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions – If Chris Jones is in the lineup for Week 1, Gibbs drops a few spots down our fantasy RB rankings. Right now, the expectation is Jones doesn’t play. If the Chiefs don”;t have their All-Pro defensive tackle, Detroit will run at will against Kansas City and Gibbs will get all the yards he can handle.
17. Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans – Dameon Pierce remains criminally underrated, but that might start changing this season. Defenses will still be keyed in on trying to stop the run first against Houston, but the new scheme should help create a few more splash plays. Workload, favorable matchup and talent make Pierce a high-end RB2.
18. Cam Akers, Los Angeles Rams – While the Seattle Seahawks made some improvements to their run defense in the spring, this unit still allowed 150.2 rushing yards per game to its opponents last season. Cam Akers isn’t running behind a good offensive line, but it’s better than what Los Angeles had this year. A favorable matchup pairs nicely with Akers’ workload, making him a solid option for fantasy managers.
19. Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings have made it clear that Alexander Mattison is taking Dalvin Cook’s role and there’s no one else on the depth chart to really challenge him. Facing a Buccaneers’ run defense that was wildly inconsistent last year, Mattison’s volume of touches alone makes him an RB2 each week.
20. James Cook, Buffalo Bills – Reports out of Buffalo point to James Cook being a three-down player and we’re buying the hype. The Bills’ coaching staff is extremely high on Cook and they need him to take some of the workload off Josh Allen’s shoulders. This isn’t the most favorable matchup, but a touchdown and 50-plus scrimmage yards with a few receptions is doable.
21. Breece Hall, New York Jets – Breece Hall is the best running back on the Jets’ roster, but New York is already monitoring his reps in practice. It’s another sign that Nathaniel Hackett will be relying a lot on a running back committee in 2023, making it hard for any back to sustain top-20 value each week.
22. J.K. Dobbins, Baltimore Ravens – The leading running back in Baltimore should have a lot of success this season with the scheme change meaning defenses can no longer stack the box. We also like the matchup against one of the league’s worst run defenses a year ago. However, the uncertainty surrounding Dobbins’ workload makes him a risky RB2.
23. Najee Harris, San Francisco 49ers – Set your expectations low for Najee Harris in Week 1. He might deliver fantasy managers a rushing touchdown, but he’s also not the most gifted running back in terms of his elusiveness or ball-carrier vision. That’s not the kind of player we want to bet on against the 49ers’ run defense.
24. Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears – While Khalil Herbert might be just a primary two-down running back, he’s great with the football in his hands and Chicago’s coach staff trusts him. The bears’ offensive line has improved compared to where it was a year ago and this is a favorable matchup.
25. Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos – Everyone knows Sean Payton is going to mix-and-match his running backs, it’s just a question over how the touches are divided. Heading into Week 1, we’re betting on the most talented running back in Denver to be the safest option for fantasy owners.

Related: NFL Coach of the Year candidates 2023

Week 1 fantasy wide receiver rankings

RANK	PLAYER	OPPONENT
1	Tyreek Hill	@ LAC
2	CeeDee Lamb	@ NYG
3	Justin Jefferson	vs TB
4	Ja’Marr Chase	@ CLE
5	Amon-Ra St. Brown	@ KC
6	Davante Adams	@ DEN
7	Garrett Wilson	vs BUF
8	Jaylen Waddle	@ LAC
9	Chris Olave	vs TEN
10	Amari Cooper	vs CIN
11	A.J. Brown	@ NE
12	Stefon Diggs	@ NYJ
13	DK Metcalf	vs LAR
14	Christian Watson – OUT	@ GB
15	DeVonta Smith	@ NE
16	Tee Higgins	@ CLE
17	Keenan Allen	vs MIA
18	DJ Moore	vs GB
19	Drake London	vs CAR
20	Calvin Ridley	@ IND
21	Jahan Dotson	vs ARZ
22	Tyler Lockett	vs LAR
23	Chris Godwin	@ MIN
24	Deebo Samuel	@ PIT
25	George Pickens	vs SF
26	Mike Williams	vs MIA
27	DeAndre Hopkins	@ NO
28	Brandon Aiyuk	@ PIT
29	Michael Pittman Jr	vs JAX
30	Diontae Johnson	vs SF
31	Jordan Addison	vs TB
32	Brandin Cooks	@ NYG
33	Zay Flowers	vs HOU
34	Christian Kirk	@ IND
35	Skyy Moore	vs DET
36	Michael Thomas	vs TEN
37	Nico Collins	@ BAL
38	Courtland Sutton	vs LV
39	Terry McLaurin (Toe)	vs ARZ
40	Van Jefferson	@ SEA

1. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins – Tyreek Hill is aiming for a 2,000-yard season and while he might not get there, this game is made for him. In Week 1, Miami and Los Angeles are lined up for a potentially explosive affair, with neither secondary at its best right now. That means prime real estate for Hill to burn the Chargers deep and this game script means even more chances, too.
2. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys – Against the New York Giants in 2022, CeeDee Lamb combined for 204 scrimmage yards with 14 receptions on 19 targets. Even with the arrival of Brandin Cooks, Lamb projects to be a target monster in 2023. Against a softer New York Giants secondary, he’s got a shot at 100 yards and eight-plus receptions.
3. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense is likely a bit underrated this season and they have some quality talent at corner. It’s enough to push Jefferson down a few spots over wideouts with more favorable matchups, but the player who had 10 100-yard games last season will always be close to the top of our fantasy WR rankings.
4. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals – There’s a slight hesitation with Ja’Marr Chase in Week 1 because Joe Burrow just returned to the practice field after missing the preseason with a calf injury. It’s not a long-term concern, but Cincinnati’s passing attack could need a week or two to shake off some rust.
5. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions – We might see Amon-Ra St. Brown’s best performance in 2023 in the NFL Kickoff Game. Kansas City is likely without All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, meaning this pass rush is in for a long night. If both teams are exchanging body blows back and forth or Detroit has to play catch-up, St. Brown will draw 15-plus targets in a favorable matchup.
6. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders – While we’d typically bump a receiver down when they face Pat Surtain, Davante Adams combined for 242 receiving yards and two touchdowns last season against the Denver Broncos. Garoppolo won’t throw it deep much, but he can pepper Adams with a lot of accurate throws on underneath and intermediate throws.
7. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets – Facing a Buffalo Bills defense without Von Miller means more time for Aaron Rodgers to throw. He’s already compared Wilson to a younger Davante Adams and with what New York has planned on Monday Night Football, we’re fully riding with the Jets’ passing offense.
8. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins – It’s the same situation with Waddle as Tyreek Hill. We’re projecting the Dolphins @ Chargers to be one of the highest-scoring games in Week 1. Waddle can evade tackles, work deep and has a bonafide shot at a 100-yard game vs Los Angeles.
9. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints – Chris Olave is the WR1 in New Orleans and he has a Pro Bowl quarterback delivering him the football. Not only is Derek Carr a ceiling-raiser for Olave’s fantasy floor, but Olave also draws a great matchup on Sunday against the Titans’ secondary.
10. Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns – After being sidelined a bit in training camp, Amari Cooper will head into the regular season healthy. He proved he’s an excellent No. 1 option last season with Jacoby Brissett and there’s no reason to think he can’t replicate that success in 2023 even if Deshaun Watson never returns to his MVP form.
11. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles – The New England Patriots have one of the best secondaries in the NFL and Bill Belichick has had weeks to prepare for this matchup against the Eagles’ offense. A.J. Brown will be a top-6 options in fantasy WR rankings most weeks, but not against New England.
12. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills – Stefon Diggs had a 93-yard performance and a 37-yard performance against the New York Jets last season. While the former is more likely to happen than the latter, a matchup vs Sauce Gardner drops Diggs in the Week 1 fantasy WR rankings.
13. DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks – With Jaxon Smith-Njigba dealing with an injury, there’s no fear of DK Metcalf or Tyler Lockett losing a significant share of their targets. So, fire up both Seahawks’ receivers as they face one of the worst secondaries in the NFL.
14. Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers –Christian Watson is out for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears. While receiver Romeo Doubs will play, he’s only expected to see limited snaps.

Week 1 fantasy TE rankings

RANK	PLAYER	OPPONENT
1	T.J. Hockenson	vs TB
2	Darren Waller	vs DAL
3	Dallas Goedert	@ NE
4	Isaiah Likely	vs HOU
5	Kyle Pitts	vs CAR
6	David Njoku	vs CIN
7	George Kittle	@ PIT
8	Evan Engram	@ IND
9	Luke Musgrave	@ CHI
10	Dalton Schultz	@ BAL
11	Cole Kmet	vs GB
12	Sam LaPorta	@ KC
13	Chigoziem Okonkwo	@ NO
14	Pat Freiermuth	vs SF
15	Trey McBride	@ WAS
16	Juwan Johnson	vs TEN
17	Tyler Higbee	@ SEA
18	Mike Gesicki	vs PHI
19	Dalton Kincaid	@ NYJ
20	Jake Ferguson	@ NYG

1. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings – In his first nine games with the Minnesota Vikings, tight end T.J. Hockenson averaged 56 receiving yards and 6.6 receptions per game. That’s already an elite floor in fantasy football and Hockenson is obviously capable of so much more.
2. Darren Waller, New York Giants – Reports out of New York Giants training camp made it clear this summer that Darren Waller is the centerpiece of the passing attack. As long as he’s healthy, treat Waller like a must-start every week and know there should be a few Sundays when he’s TE1 overall.
3. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles – While the buzz hasn’t been quite as strong for Dallas Goedert this summer, beat writers have made it clear that Jalen Hurts relies on the Eagles’ tight end heavily. Another thing to keep in mind, Goedert averaged 65.1 receiving yards per game in his first eight starts last year before getting injured.
4. Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens – With Mark Andrews out in Week 1, backup tight end Isaiah Likely steps into a prominent role. The Ravens’ coaching staff is extremely high on the 23-year-old and he has proven chemistry with Lamar Jackson. As a starter in 2022 (two games), Likely recorded nine receptions for 127 receiving yards and a touchdown
5. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons – All Desmond Ridder has to do is avoid being the least accurate quarterback in the NFL when throwing to Kyle Pitts. As long as that doesn’t happen, Pitts’ athleticism and his role in this offense will generate an abundance of fantasy production.
6. David Njoku, Cleveland Browns – David Njoku was described as the Offensive MVP of Cleveland Browns training camp, finally putting it all together. The chemistry with Deshaun Watson was evident this summer and a matchup against the Bengals’ linebackers could be the start of a breakout year.
7. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers – George Kittle is the second-best tight end in the NFL, but he also had eight games last season with fewer than 30 receiving yards. That’s just not a background we’re willing to bet on against the Pittsburgh Steelers defense when looking for a high floor.
8. Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars – The Jacksonville Jaguars found a role for Evan Engram last season and he fit it perfectly. The target volume might not be as great this year with Calvin Ridley around, but Engram is still a top-10 tight end.
9. Luke Musgrave, Green Bay Packers – Putting Luke Musgrave in this spot is definitely a risk given the low success rate of rookie tight ends. However, he’s been a standout at Green Bay Packers training camp and the coaching staff has made it clear Musgrave will be playing a majority of the snaps. With his size and athleticism, all we need is an opportunity.
10. Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans – With the Texans not having a true No. 1 receiver and quarterback C.J. Stoud preferring to stay in the pocket rather than scramble, Dalton Schultz can be the security blanket. We’re not anticipating massive numbers, but five-plus receptions and 40-plus yards is a solid outing.

Submit start/sit questions on Twitter to @Matt_Sportsnaut

Week 1 fantasy rankings – Best fantasy defenses for Week 1

You can check out our D/ST rankings for Week 1, with evaluations on the top matchups, below.

Week 1 fantasy rankings – Best fantasy kickers Week 1

Dive into our K rankings for the upcoming week below.