Fantasy Football: Week 1 IDP rankings and tiers

• Baltimore Ravens first-round rookie Kyle Hamilton (among other rookies) should be on fantasy benches this week as we preach patience for Week 1.

• San Francisco 49ers edge defender Nick Bosa has an ideal matchup to start the season to kick off his campaign for DE1 on the year.

• New York Giants linebacker Tae Crowder becomes more IDP-relevant as a low-end LB2 after the release of Blake Martinez.

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

Week 1 of the NFL season brings plenty of fantasy football questions that won't be answered until the players take the field. With that in mind, it’s best to play things safe when it comes to lineup decisions until more information is available. Most rookies and ambiguous positional battles should be avoided during Week 1 in IDP leagues. No fantasy manager has to win Week 1, so there’s no need to risk any questionable lineup decisions.

Check the PFF.com rankings page for any updates closer to game time.

JUMP TO A POSITION:

LB | ED | DI | S | CB

LINEBACKERS

Micah Parsons (LB14) draws a tougher matchup this week as a pass-rusher against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ offensive tackles, which includes Tristan Wirfs, who is trending toward playing. Tom Brady also had the second-highest time to throw (2.34 seconds) last season and only took a sack on 14.7% of his pressures (10th lowest). There will be better matchups for Parsons this season, but Week 1 pushes him just outside the LB1 range.

Falcons linebacker Mykal Walker (LB38) is stepping into a starting job with Deion Jones on IR, which could make him a big-time riser after this week depending on usage and efficiency in his season debut. 

There’s a lot of excitement about Nick Bolton (LB31) playing a near every-down role this season, but considering the Chiefs linebacker usage in the past, IDP managers should take a “see it to believe it” approach to avoid a potentially lower floor than some other full-time linebackers in Week 1.

EDGE DEFENDERS