Fantasy Football: Week 1 Rankings

August 30, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) warms up on the field before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

Need help with preparing for your fantasy football league? The Fantasy Guru is here once again to give you a few tips on how to play the crazy game of fantasy football.

Game 1 is in the books but there is a lot more football to come. Struggling to decide who to include in your opening week lineup? Agonising over those critical start/sit decisions? Here’s my week 1 ranks to help you out.

A quick note for all of you who have early roster lock – next week my ranks will be up prior to Thursday kickoff. Thanks for the feedback. With that said, this week I am doing ranks that do not include Cowboys and Giants due to their having already played.

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Quarterback

• 1. Cam Newton @ TB
• 2. Drew Brees vs WAS
• 3. Tom Brady @ TEN
• 4. Aaron Rodgers vs SF
• 5. Matthew Stafford vs STL
• 6. Michael Vick @ CLE
• 7. Jay Cutler vs IND
• 8. Philip Rivers @ OAK
• 9. Matt Ryan @ KC
• 10. Peyton Manning vs PIT
• 11. Robert Griffin III @ NO
• 12. Ben Roethlisberger @ DEN
• 13. Matt Cassel vs ATL
• 14. Alex Smith @ GB
• 15. Ryan Fitzpatrick @ NYJ
• 16. Jake Locker vs NE
• 17. Andy Dalton @ BAL
• 18. Matt Schaub vs MIA
• 19. Carson Palmer vs SD
• 20. John Skelton vs SEA

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Running Back

• 1. LeSean McCoy @ CLE
• 2. Darren McFadden vs SD
• 3. Matt Forte vs IND
• 4. Ray Rice vs CIN
• 5. Chris Johnson vs NE
• 6. Darren Sproles vs WAS
• 7. Arian Foster vs MIA
• 8. Jamaal Charles vs ATL
• 9. DeAngelo Williams @ TB
• 10. Stevan Ridley @ TEN
• 11. Toby Gerhart vs JAC
• 12. Steven Jackson @ DET
• 13. Frank Gore @ GB
• 14. Michael Turner @ KC
• 15. Doug Martin vs CAR
• 16. Reggie Bush @ HOU
• 17. Ben Tate vs MIA
• 18. Fred Jackson @ NYJ
• 19. Marshawn Lynch @ ARI
• 20. Willis McGahee @ PIT
• 21. Trent Richardson vs PHI
• 22. Rashad Jennings @ MIN
• 23. Benjarvus Green-Ellis @ BAL
• 24. Kevin Smith vs STL
• 25. Peyton Hillis vs ATL
• 26. Maurice Jones-Drew @ MIN
• 27. Shonn Greene vs BUF
• 28. Donald Brown @ CHI
• 29. Evan Royster @ NO
• 30. C.J. Spiller @ NYJ
• 31. Jonathan Dwyer @ DEN
• 32. Cedric Benson vs SF
• 33. Roy Helu @ NO
• 34. Mark Ingram vs WAS
• 35. Michael Bush vs IND
• 36. Ronnie Brown @ OAK
• 37. Robert Turbin @ ARI
• 38. Ryan Williams vs SEA
• 39. Jacquizz Rodgers @ KC
• 40. Keiland Williams @ DET

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Wide Receiver

•  1. Calvin Johnson vs STL
• 2. Steve Smith @ TB
• 3. Larry Fitzgerald vs SEA
• 4. Brandon Marshall vs IND
• 5. Andre Johnson vs MIA
• 6. A.J. Green @ BAL
• 7. Jordy Nelson vs SF
• 8. Roddy White @ KC
• 9. Wes Welker @ TEN
• 10. Jeremy Maclin @ CLE
• 11. Julio Jones @ KC
• 12. Percy Harvin vs JAC
• 13. Antonio Brown @ DEN
• 14. Dwayne Bowe vs ATL
• 15. Greg Jennings vs SF
• 16. Marques Colston vs WAS
• 17. Eric Decker vs PIT
• 18. Brandon Lloyd @ TEN
• 19. Pierre Garcon @ NO
• 20. Mike Wallace @ DEN
• 21. Lance Moore vs WAS
• 22. DeSean Jackson @ CLE
• 23. Demaryius Thomas vs PIT
• 24. Malcom Floyd @ OAK
• 25. Danny Amendola @ DET
• 26. Vincent Jackson vs CAR
• 27. Reggie Wayne @ CHI
• 28. Steve Johnson @ NYJ
• 29. Torrey Smith vs CIN
• 30. Mario Manningham @ GB
• 31. Darrius Heyward-Bey vs SD
• 32. Alshon Jeffery vs IND
• 33. Michael Crabtree @ GB
• 34. Randall Cobb vs SF
• 35. Greg Little vs PHI
• 36. Anquan Boldin vs CIN
• 37. Santonio Holmes vs BUF
• 38. Kendall Wright vs NE
• 39. Sidney Rice @ ARI
• 40. Justin Blackmon @ MIN

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Tight End

• 1.  Jimmy Graham vs WAS
• 2. Antonio Gates @ OAK
• 3. Aaron Hernandez @ TEN
• 4. Brandon Pettigrew vs STL
• 5. Rob Gronkowski @ TEN
• 6. Jared Cook vs NE
• 7. Vernon Davis @ GB
• 8. Brent Celek @ CLE
• 9. Jermichael Finley vs SF
• 10. Jacob Tamme vs PIT
• 11. Fred Davis @ NO
• 12. Tony Gonzalez @ KC
• 13. Scott Chandler @ NYJ
• 14. Dallas Clark vs CAR
• 15. Greg Olsen @ TB
• 16. Dustin Keller vs BUF
• 17. Ed Dickson vs CIN
• 18. Marcedes Lewis @ MIN
• 19. Coby Fleener @ CHI
• 20. Joel Dreessen vs PIT

Check back with NFL Spin Zone later today for the ever popular Fantasy Mailbag featuring five more of your questions – plus a quick summary of my thoughts on the Cowboys/Giants game and the implications for fantasy.

One final special note for all fantasy players in the NYC area. There is a fantasy football Q+A going on at Chelsea Studios on Wednesday October 3rd that will feature Scott Engel of Rotoexperts and a surprise guest. If you’re from NYC and are interested in attending, go to http://fantasysportsuniversity.eventbrite.com/ for more details.

Until later, this is the Fantasy Guru signing off.