Fantasy Football Week 1 Top 100 Rankings: Should You Start Patrick Mahomes, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Breece Hall?

Hours of preparing, analyzing, and projecting all of the fantasy-relevant options entering the 2024 NFL season have led us to this moment.

Here is a closer look at my top 100 rankings for Week 1 of the fantasy football season.

Top 100 Fantasy Overall Rankings

1) Josh Allen, QB | Buffalo Bills (vs. ARI)
2) Jalen Hurts, QB | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. GB)
3) Patrick Mahomes, QB | Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BAL)
4) Christian McCaffrey, RB | San Francisco 49ers (vs. NYJ)
5) Tyreek Hill, WR | Miami Dolphins (vs. JAX)
6) Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR | Detroit Lions (vs. LAR)
7) C.J. Stroud, QB | Houston Texans (at IND)
8) Kyren Williams, RB | Los Angeles Rams (at DET)
9) Lamar Jackson, QB | Baltimore Ravens (at KC)
10) Bijan Robinson, RB | Atlanta Falcons (vs. PIT)
11) Breece Hall, RB | New York Jets (at SF)
12) A.J. Brown, WR | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. GB)
13) Justin Jefferson, WR | Minnesota Vikings (at NYG)
14) Garrett Wilson, WR | New York Jets (at SF)
15) Jordan Love, QB | Green Bay Packers (at PHI)
16) Travis Kelce, TE | Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BAL)
17) Anthony Richardson, QB | Indianapolis Colts (vs. HOU)
18) CeeDee Lamb, WR | Dallas Cowboys (at CLE)
19) Jared Goff, QB | Detroit Lions (vs. LAR)
20) Jahmyr Gibbs, RB | Detroit Lions (vs. LAR)
21) De’Von Achane, RB | Miami Dolphins (vs. JAX)
22) Rachaad White, RB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. WAS)
23) Mike Evans, WR | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. WAS)
24) Kyler Murray, QB | Arizona Cardinals (at BUF)
25) Sam LaPorta, TE | Detroit Lions (vs. LAR)
26) Ja’Marr Chase, WR | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. NE)
27) Travis Etienne Jr., RB | Jacksonville Jaguars (at MIA)
28) Saquon Barkley, RB | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. GB)
29) Puka Nacua, WR | Los Angeles Rams (at DET)
30) Tua Tagovailoa, QB | Miami Dolphins (vs. JAX)
31) Matthew Stafford, QB | Los Angeles Rams (at DET)
32) Malik Nabers, WR | New York Giants (vs. MIN)
33) Joe Burrow, QB | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. NE)
34) Jonathan Taylor, RB | Indianapolis Colts (vs. HOU)
35) Drake London, WR | Atlanta Falcons (vs. PIT)
36) Trevor Lawrence, QB | Jacksonville Jaguars (at MIA)
37) Alvin Kamara, RB | New Orleans Saints (vs. CAR)
38) Davante Adams, WR | Las Vegas Raiders (at LAC)
39) Isiah Pacheco, RB | Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BAL)
40) Mark Andrews, TE | Baltimore Ravens (at KC)
41) Jayden Daniels, QB | Washington Commanders (at TB)
42) Derrick Henry, RB | Baltimore Ravens (at KC)
43) James Cook, RB | Buffalo Bills (vs. ARI)
44) Marvin Harrison Jr., WR | Arizona Cardinals (at BUF)
45) Baker Mayfield, QB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. WAS)
46) Chris Olave, WR | New Orleans Saints (vs. CAR)
47) Josh Jacobs, RB | Green Bay Packers (at PHI)
48) Joe Mixon, RB | Houston Texans (at IND)
49) James Conner, RB | Arizona Cardinals (at BUF)
50) Michael Pittman Jr., WR | Indianapolis Colts (vs. HOU)
51) Jaylen Waddle, WR | Miami Dolphins (vs. JAX)
52) Caleb Williams, QB | Chicago Bears (vs. TEN)
53) Kenneth Walker III, RB | Seattle Seahawks (vs. DEN)
54) Brock Purdy, QB | San Francisco 49ers (vs. NYJ)
55) Amari Cooper, WR | Cleveland Browns (vs. DAL)
56) Justin Herbert, QB | Los Angeles Chargers (vs. LV)
57) Aaron Jones, RB | Minnesota Vikings (at NYG)
58) Raheem Mostert, RB | Miami Dolphins (vs. JAX)
59) Nico Collins, WR | Houston Texans (at IND)
60) Zack Moss, RB | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. NE)
61) Dalton Kincaid, TE | Buffalo Bills (vs. ARI)
62) Zay Flowers, WR | Baltimore Ravens (at KC)
63) Rhamondre Stevenson, RB | New England Patriots (at CIN)
64) Deebo Samuel Sr., WR | San Francisco 49ers (vs. NYJ)
65) Rashee Rice, WR | Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BAL)
66) Dak Prescott, QB | Dallas Cowboys (at CLE)
67) DK Metcalf, WR | Seattle Seahawks (vs. DEN)
68) Cooper Kupp, WR | Los Angeles Rams (at DET)
69) DJ Moore, WR | Chicago Bears (vs. TEN)
70) Brandon Aiyuk, WR | San Francisco 49ers (vs. NYJ)
71) David Montgomery, RB | Detroit Lions (vs. LAR)
72) Najee Harris, RB | Pittsburgh Steelers (at ATL)
73) Deshaun Watson, QB | Cleveland Browns (vs. DAL)
74) George Kittle, TE | San Francisco 49ers (vs. NYJ)
75) Trey McBride, TE | Arizona Cardinals (at BUF)
76) Daniel Jones, QB | New York Giants (vs. MIN)
77) George Pickens, WR | Pittsburgh Steelers (at ATL)
78) Jerome Ford, RB | Cleveland Browns (vs. DAL)
79) Zamir White, RB | Las Vegas Raiders (at LAC)
80) D’Andre Swift, RB | Chicago Bears (vs. TEN)
81) DeVonta Smith, WR | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. GB)
82) Javonte Williams, RB | Denver Broncos (at SEA)
83) Jayden Reed, WR | Green Bay Packers (at PHI)
84) Kirk Cousins, QB | Atlanta Falcons (vs. PIT)
85) Geno Smith, QB | Seattle Seahawks (vs. DEN)
86) Will Levis, QB | Tennessee Titans (at CHI)
87) Bo Nix, QB | Denver Broncos (at SEA)
88) Stefon Diggs, WR | Houston Texans (at IND)
89) Brian Thomas Jr., WR | Jacksonville Jaguars (at MIA)
90) Terry McLaurin, WR | Washington Commanders (at TB)
91) Sam Darnold, QB | Minnesota Vikings (at NYG)
92) Devin Singletary, RB | New York Giants (vs. MIN)
93) Tony Pollard, RB | Tennessee Titans (at CHI)
94) Evan Engram, TE | Jacksonville Jaguars (at MIA)
95) Ladd McConkey, WR | Los Angeles Chargers (vs. LV)
96) Chris Godwin, WR | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. WAS)
97) Brian Robinson Jr., RB | Washington Commanders (at TB)
98) Jaleel McLaughlin, RB | Denver Broncos (at SEA)
99) Gus Edwards, RB | Los Angeles Chargers (vs. LV)
100) Jaylen Warren, RB | Pittsburgh Steelers (at ATL)

The Top Players To Start in Week 1

A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Employing their zone-heavy scheme, which relied upon Cover 3 and Cover 6 last season, the Green Bay Packers had some difficulties slowing down opposing yards-after-catch threats with formation versatility.

This fits Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown perfectly, who spent 24.9% of his time in the slot while finishing 11th at the WR position with 473 yards after the catch in 2023.

Now, factor in the faster pace of play we should see from new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore in Philly this year. Brown could have a potential career year in this scheme.

Over the last two seasons, Keenan Allen and CeeDee Lamb have produced top-10 fantasy WR campaigns in full-PPR formats with Moore as the offensive coordinator. I do believe DeVonta Smith will be involved in the slot and in pre-snap motion, but my prediction still stands that Brown is most likely to benefit from this OC change.

Expect Brown to make life very difficult for Keisean Nixon and Eric Stokes in this contest.

Jaleel McLaughlin, RB, Denver Broncos

The subtraction of Samaje Perine from this backfield officially clears the way for Jaleel McLaughlin to see an expanded role alongside Javonte Williams in this backfield to start the season.

I’m excited about how this development elevates McLaughlin’s pass-catching floor in 2024; most fantasy managers don’t realize Perine caught 50 passes on 56 targets during his only season in Denver.

No team targeted the running back position more often than the Denver Broncos last year with a 29.8% target share last year — 5% higher than the second-place team (New York Jets). This certainly gives McLaughlin a path to seeing far more work in the passing attack in 2024.

The Broncos’ collection of WRs entering the 2024 season doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence against a revamped defensive scheme under new head coach Mike Macdonald with players like Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon who could blossom in this new system.

Since I believe Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims Jr. could struggle against this secondary and this will be the starting debut of rookie QB Bo Nix, I could see a path where the running backs are heavily involved in the screen game and as a check-down option for the young signal caller.

Additionally, this defense’s one weakness last year was against opposing rushing attacks. The Seahawks gave up an average of 138.4 rushing yards per game — 31st in the league.

Lastly, it could be argued that McLaughlin is the better option out of the backfield over Williams when simply comparing the per-touch efficiency marks from last year. Of players that saw 100+ total touches last year, McLaughlin’s 0.99 fantasy points per touch ranked 10th at the position; Williams’ mark of 0.69 ranked 45th.

Expect McLaughlin to be heavily involved in Week 1 with a favorable matchup to make him a sneaky play in full-PPR formats.