Fantasy football strategy, rankings, and podcasts

We've all got one week under our belts, and probably whatever you cooked on the grill on Sunday. Football is back, which means cold beers, grilled burgers and getting up early to cook something all day long. Well, it might mean that, but right here, it really means waiver wires, who do I start, and of course, our (soon to be) world famous rankings.

Look for Peyton Manning to bounce back this week against a Chiefs defense that gave up two scoring drives to (new starter) Ryan Mallett in relief. Matt Stafford has basically fallen off of everyone's fantasy radar - he was drafted low and isn't starting material in most leagues. Maybe the time of Stafford to Johnson has passed - Calvin's numbers certainly were disappointing in week 1. Last week Danny Woodhead had 20 touches - if he has half that number this week, he should still start in your standard league flex spots. Doug Martin, meanwhile, is not the kind of back that can go out and make his own success. He'll be at the mercy of a struggling Jameis Winston for the time being.

Mike Wallace was Teddy Bridgewater's favorite target, connecting with him six times. Look for this connection to net you a TD in week 2 against the Lions. Davante Adams has taken a bit of a hit after the realization that, of course, James Jones will fit right in with his old team and will cut into Adams's workload a decent amount. Heath Miller is the clear beneficiary in the Steelers offense that's lacking two big weapons. He should have at least one more week with an increased workload.

Good luck this week, make sure to check before the games start for last minute injuries.

Week 1 is in the books and finally we have had a look at everybody and now we've got some new tape to go on when making this week's rankings. As usual, there's been an early exit from the rankings (Keenan Allen - get well soon), and a few guys that found themselves rocketing up the list, like Willie Snead and Derek Carr. As always, make sure you check our our weekly podcast to go more in-depth on our thoughts for this week.

Listen to the Fantasy Football Podcast: 9/13/16 Week 2 Preview

So when the dust clears from Week 1 of the fantasy football season (Tuesday morning, bright & early), we're left to clear out the injured & usurped players and find some order in the chaos of early season decisions. Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind here is that it will still take some time for offenses to gel this year and so player performances may be more variable than usual. You may want to wait a few weeks before dumping someone just because he had a disappointing amount of targets in the opener.

Guys that jump out to me this week to overperform expectations: Phillip Rivers, David Montgomery, Parris Campbell, Jimmy Graham, and Arizona Cardinals (DST). 

Pay attention to these rankings throughout the season, as they will continue to evolve based on the latest injury updates, news, and player analysis. Have any specific lineup questions? Feel free to tweet us @drinkfive with any of your questions or comments!

As we head into Week 2 of the Fantasy Football season, it's important to remember that one good or bad game does not a trend make. Sure we saw Rodgers eat a lot of mud against the Saints this past weekend, but the odds are that we see a reversal of his fantasy fate when going up against the Lions this week. Yes Sammy Watkins had a productive outing as a Raven in Monday night's thriller against the Raiders, but we've seen that before and I don't believe it will continue. With news of Raheem Mostert choosing to have season-ending surgery, one huge waiver wire pickup this week is Elijah Mitchell who may end up as the lead back for the 49ers... that's probably the biggest move that could develop over the coming weeks so far. Happy hunting!

Good luck, and feel free to reach out to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any specific questions or comments that you might have. We are now broadcasting our weekly podcast, The Fantasy Finish Line, LIVE on YouTube every Wednesday at 9pm CT during the regular season. Tune in!