2018 Week 0 Power Rankings
THE LEAGUE
Week Zero Official Power Rankings
Week One Matchups:
Alex vs. Jack
Riley vs. Julian
Trevor vs. Bryce
Kyle vs. Kendall
Josh vs. Brandon
POWER RANKINGS
Trevor
Brandon
Jack
Kyle
Bryce
Josh
Riley
Kendall
Alex
Julian
WEEK ONE PREVIEW
Trevor- Trevor utilized the new keeper rule to its fullest extent, nabbing both Todd Gurley and David Johnson to secure the most potent RB duo in the league. These two should account for about 40 points per week, leaving a lot of breathing room for players at other positions. Aside from RBs, Trevor also picked up Gronk and Cam Newton, two consistently top 5 finishers at their respective positions. Although he is relatively weak at WR and Flex, mathematically it should not matter as he has plenty of heavy hitters to carry his team. I expect to see Trevor average about 100 PPG this year and wipe out Bryce in week one.
Brandon- Showing great balance and a talented bench, Brandon’s team is poised for high scoring week in, week out. Melvin Gordon and Kareem Hunt should provide consistent scoring from the RB position, and he has plenty of viable Flex options to pick from each week. I am concerned about the likelihood of Andrew Luck returning to his former fantasy prowess, as it may take him some time to acclimate following his injury. Also, there is the Tyreek Hill-Kareem Hunt conundrum, where the Kansas City offense would need to explode for significant points from both. Overall, I think Brandon’s roster is stacked, making his start/sit decisions hard to go wrong.
Jack- Also utilizing the new keeper rule, I picked up Alvin in the 8th round, allowing me to use the first two rounds to secure one of the best WR cores in the League. From QB to TE, my team has solid starters across the board, but a lack of depth shows concern for the Flex position and the possibility of injuries ruining chances for success. Because of the poor state of my bench, I will not have many difficult decisions to make, but relying on a consistent starting lineup is dangerous. My team has every chance to be a high scoring power house but could easily crumble as well.
Kyle- With two standouts in Leonard Fournette and Deandre Hopkins, the backbone of Kyle’s team should put up 25-35 points each week. Outside of them are a group of high ceiling, low floor guys that could end up anywhere on the fantasy spectrum. Lesean McCoy has been excellent in past years, but the miserable state of the Bills offense and growing wear and tear threaten his fantasy viability this season. Stefon Diggs could also prove to be a star but working with a new QB and splitting receptions with Adam Thielen provides some worry. Kyle’s team should consistently put up 90, but to really score some points he is going to need players outside of Fournette and Hopkins to perform.
Bryce- Headlined by Antonio Brown and accompanied by Allen Robinson, Bryce possesses the only WR core that could rival my own while remaining incredibly average at other positions. His primary RBs, McCaffrey, Henry, and Lamar Miller, all have the potential to finish top 15, yet all are unlikely to finish inside the top 10. Philip Rivers is unlikely to drag his team down but is even less likely to carry his team to success. With a competent bench and a slew of average to above average players, Bryce will have tough start/sit decisions every week that will ultimately determine the outcomes. I could very well see Bryce sneaking into playoffs, but I do not count on him besting Trevor in week one.
Josh- Slightly different than previous years, Josh no longer has the all-star player to build his team around. Instead, he is relying on consistent performances by both RBs and WRs to put up points each week. Typically, I would say this is the safest approach to winning on a weekly basis, but I personally lack confidence in parts of his roster. Both Barkley and Howard are coming into the season as young backs, and while Howard has proven he can put up numbers, he has also shown the opposite. I expect to see Keenan Allen as a top WR again this season, but from experience owning Davante Adams he is not always the most reliable. The good news is Josh has options at both WR and RB and should have strong Flex play every week. I can see where everything could go right for Josh, but I am not thoroughly convinced.
Riley- With Drew Brees and Marvin Jones on the roster, Riley’s squad looks eerily reminiscent of years past. The glaring difference of course, would be the addition of Leveon Bell whom he acquired via draft trade. I expect Brees to be as consistent as ever, Bell to explode as usual, and Travis Kelce to show high output, but aside from them it is a mystery. A receiving core centered around Jones and Emmanuel Sanders is not one that I am confident in, and his Flex options are even more discouraging. On the upside, Joe Mixon could really break out this year and accompany Bell in carrying the weight of the team. Riley’s roster has the building blocks of a successful team, but the supporting cast seems to be lacking.
Kendall- After glancing at Kendall’s roster I see a few surefire contributors and a lot of question marks. Similar to my feelings on Saquon Barkley, I am hesitant to proclaim Royce Freeman as a solid starter being that he is a rookie RB. Along the same lines, I am concerned Adam Thielen working with a new QB and playing with Stefon Diggs may hamper his points week to week. However, Matt Ryan, Dalvin Cook, and Julio Jones will surely put up 45-55 points each week, leaving less work for the others. A strong WR bench and keeping Marlon Mack on ice provides Kendall strong Flex options, and I am expecting Evan Engram to have a better year than last. This team shows the characteristics of consistent scoring while lacking the ability to have explosive weeks.
Alex- R.I.P. Dan Bailey. For yet another year, Alex has made his team entirely dependent upon the performance of Zeke, leaving little room to breathe at other positions. Aaron Rodgers will certainly perform well, and I am excited to see him throw to Jimmy Graham, but a lot of concerns remain. Mike Evans has been on a recent decline and the situation involving Jameis Winston and the Bucs front office does not help matters. Uncertainty surrounding Doug Baldwin’s health jeopardizes the likelihood he will be a solid contributor, and the carousel of mediocre WRs at the Flex position is dangerous. Ultimately, I think Alex’s Cowboys bias will haunt him this season.
Julian- Julian rounds out the power rankings and yet again I feel as if I am making a mistake. On paper, his team lacks a top 10 player other than Michael Thomas and maybe Deshaun Watson. We have seen Devonta Freeman carry a team before, but with the possibility of splitting carries with Tevin Coleman it is hard to bank on that. Most of his roster is comprised of second options and misfits, but I know he knows that. I can analyze the players all I want, but at the end of the day the only thing that matters is that they are on Julian’s team, and they will find some way to score.