The opening week of the NFL season is finally here, and our Week 1 fantasy WR PPR rankings help serve as a guide in answering your start ’em, sit ’em questions at fantasy football’s deepest position. There is some variance between PPR and standard formats when it comes to wide receiver rankings, but at the top, there isn’t much deviation between the two. Some potential sleepers (or busts) near the middle of our PPR rankings will likely see more variance on a week-to-week basis based on average depth of target, touchdown dependency, and a couple of other factors. Understanding how a WR could perform in both scoring formats as early as Week 1 plays a big part in your long-term fantasy success.
WRs with a reliable target share like Cooper Kupp (vs. Bills), Justin Jefferson (vs. Packers), and Keenan Allen (vs. Raiders) thrive in PPR formats. Conversely, a player who isn’t valued the same in PPR is Mike Evans (@ Cowboys), as his weekly production is is dependent on his ability to dominate in the red zone by scoring TDs. Evans is still a shoo-in starter in both formats, but a player like Jakobi Meyers (@ Dolphins) might get the starting nod in PPR formats while remaining on the bench in standard leagues due to his projected target share.
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A few upper-echelon WRs have since changed teams — most notably Davante Adams (@ Chargers), Tyreek Hill (vs. Patriots), A.J. Brown (@ Lions) — and while their skill sets warrant a high ranking, it’s still a bit unclear on exactly how they’ll be utilized in the early season. It could take a few weeks for them to really get in the groove, but they’re all still no-doubt starts for Week 1. Keep in mind that we’re not going to see Cowboys’ Michael Gallup and Lions’ Jameson Williams, as both players are still recovering from knee injuries sustained in the latter parts of their respective 2021 seasons. Their absences could allow for fellow WRs DJ Chark (vs. Eagles) and Jalen Tolbert (vs. Buccaneers) to see higher target shares and pay off as boom-or-bust flexes.
A few players who we’re concerned about their usage relative to seasons pasts include Terry McLaurin (vs. Jaguars), Diontae Johnson (@ Bengals), and Chris Godwin (@ Cowboys). McLaurin has a new QB throwing passes his way in Carson Wentz, and the emergence of rookie WR Jahan Dotson could lower his ceiling. Johnson also has a new QB in Mitchell Trubisky and draws a tough matchup with the Bengals, while Godwin suits up after sustaining a torn ACL and is competing with several talented WRs for targets. Again, these WRs are still going to be in your starting lineup, but there’s a chance they underperform relative to their projections.
Some borderline WRs with tough Week 1 matchups include Elijah Moore (vs. Ravens), Gabriel Davis (@ Rams), and Allen Robinson (vs. Bills). They are matched up against some of the most talented coverage units in the league who have the chance to limit their fantasy output in Week 1. Moore also has to deal with Joe Flacco at QB.
In terms of sleepers, we think the aforementioned Dotson (vs. Jaguars) could put up a respectable fantasy output, while fellow rookies Drake London (vs. Saints) and Chris Olave (@ Falcons) are a bit undervalued in the fantasy world entering the season. Arizona’s Rondale Moore (vs. Chiefs) and Kansas City’s Mecole Hardman (@ Cardinals) are two other WRs who could emerge as Week 1 sleepers thanks to what should be a high-scoring game. Ditto for Alec Pierce (@ Texans) and Joshua Palmer (vs. Raiders).
Overall, Week 1 of the fantasy season isn’t a time to hit the panic button if things don’t go smoothly. A one-game sample size isn’t the end all be all, as the NFL is truly a week-to-week league. If things do end up going well, don’t get a big head, as you could go from leading your league in points scored to putting up the fewest fantasy points in consecutive weeks. By understanding why a WR did/didn’t perform well, fantasy owners can benefit more in the long run. A long TD reception is nice and results in lots of fantasy points, but if that long TD catch was one of the only targets said player got, it’s likely he won’t be able to replicate that on a weekly basis.
We’ll be updating these WR PPR rankings as needed throughout the week, so check back for the latest changes.
Week 1 fantasy WR PPR rankings
Rankings based on full-point PPR scoring formats
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