After signing a four-year, $120 million extension just days before the start of the 2024 NFL season, 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk will remain in San Francisco this season. Aiyuk has had back-to-back seasons with at least 70 catches for 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns, but deploying him in Week 1 Fantasy football lineups can be a challenge in a crowded 49ers offense. Aiyuk was targeted five times or fewer in four of his final nine games last season and will battle Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey for targets every week.
With a matchup against a Jets defense that ranked second in the NFL against the pass, can you confidently start Aiyuk in your Week 1 Fantasy football lineups? With a reliable set of Week 1 Fantasy football rankings, you can take advantage of the best Week 1 Fantasy football matchups and give yourself and edge to start the season. Before you lock in your Fantasy football lineups, be sure to check out the Week 1 Fantasy football rankings from the advanced computer model at SportsLine.
When it comes to ranking players, SportsLine's model beat human experts inFantasy footballfor the past several seasons, especially when there were big differences in ranking. Over the course of a season, that could literally be the difference between winning your league or going home emptyhanded.
The same model has a proven track record providing Fantasy football tips, including being ahead of the curve on players like A.J. Brown, Jonathan Taylor, Derrick Henry, Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, and Jahmyr Gibbs. Anybody who banked on players like those made a run at their league title.
Now, the model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, has revealed its Fantasy football rankings for Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season. Head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top Week 1 Fantasy football picks
One surprise in standard leagues: The model is fading Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, even though he's a two-time Pro Bowler who was one of the first 10 quarterbacks drafted on average in 2024. In fact, the model says Murray doesn't even finish in the top 20 at his position.
Murray has been an accurate albeit unspectacular passer throughout his career and he's been one of the more dynamic running threats in the NFL when healthy. However, he draws a tough Week 1 matchup against the Buffalo Bills, who ranked fourth in the NFL in scoring defense and ninth in total defense in 2023. The Buffalo offense is also hard to get off the field -- ranking first in third-down conversion rate (49.85) in 2023 -- and that could mean fewer opportunities for Murray.
A curveball in PPR leagues: The model is high on Lions quarterback Jared Goff, predicting he finishes top-five in the Week 1 Fantasy football QB rankings despite being the 14th quarterback off the board on average in Fantasy football 2024 drafts. Goff's productivity waned over his final two seasons in Los Angeles and he had a difficult first season on a three-win team when he arrived in Detroit.
However, he has had a rejuvenation since the roster was revived, throwing for 9,013 yards and 59 touchdowns with only 19 interceptions over the last two seasons. Now, he'll take on his former team after averaging 10.3 yards per pass attempt against them during NFL Wild Card Weekend. The Lions won that game, 24-23, and Goff threw for 277 yards and a touchdown without turning the ball over.For more start/sit Fantasy football advice, be sure to check out the rest of the Week 1 Fantasy football rankings.
How to set Week 1 Fantasy football rankings
The model is also calling for a surprising quarterback you aren't even thinking about to finish in the top five of its Week 1 Fantasy football rankings. This pick could be the difference between winning big and going home with nothing. See the model's entire Week 1 Fantasy football rankings for PPR and standard leagues here.
So who should you start and sit this week? And which surprising quarterback could lead you to victory? Visit SportsLine now to get Week 1 Fantasy football rankings for every position, plus see which QB is going to come out of nowhere to crack the top five, all from the model that has outperformed experts big-time.
