Baker Mayfield among 4 must-start fantasy football QBs for Week 1

1 of 5 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield can provide elite fantasy football value in Week 1. File Photo by Steve Nesius/UPI | License Photo
MIAMI, Sept. 6 (UPI) — Baker Mayfield of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is among my four must-start fantasy football quarterbacks for Week 1. Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen leads my Top 20 quarterback rankings, which are listed below. My Week 1 running back and wide receiver rankings remain available for your preparation. My positional rankings will continue to be updated for developments, including injuries. Advertisement
Jordan Love, Matthew Stafford and Jayden Daniels join Mayfield as my must-start options. Several streaming options can also be found within my rankings. Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens and Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, who played Thursday, were removed from my rankings.
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Each of my must-start options land inside the Top 14 of my quarterback rankings.
Jordan Love
Love is the No. 2 player in my Week 1 rankings. The Green Bay Packers quarterback is being touted by many as a breakout fantasy football star and should get off to a fantastic start Friday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles allowed the second-most fantasy points and passing touchdowns and the fifth-most passing yards to quarterbacks last season. Love totaled at least two passing scores in 10 of his last 11 games last season, including the playoffs.
Look for the Packers quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards and find the end zone more than once. He should provide elite QB1 value.
Baker Mayfield
Mayfield was not drafted as a fantasy football starter, according to his average draft position as the 21st quarterback selected. Despite his low projections, I would start Mayfield and expect stellar statistics in Week 1. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, who threw for a career-high 4,044 yards last season, should air it out again to start his 2024 campaign.
The Buccaneers will host the Washington Commanders, who allowed the most fantasy points, passing yards and touchdowns to quarterbacks last season. I expect this game to be another high-scoring affair, with Mayfield and Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels driving the offenses.
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Mayfield is my No. 6 option. Look for at least 250 passing yards and multiple touchdowns from the Buccaneers gunslinger, who threw at least two touchdown passes in 10 of his final 13 games last season.
Jayden Daniels
Daniels is a risky start because of his rookie status, but his athletic ability and matchup should result in QB1 status on Sunday, when the Commanders face the Buccaneers in Tampa, Fla.
With offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury now in place for the Commanders, fans should expect a much more wide-open, prolific offense, with more running lanes available for Daniels when he isn’t peppering the field with passes. Daniels should have a floor of 50 to 75 rushing yards and log at least 200 passing yards in this matchup.
The Buccaneers tied for allowed the second-most passing yards and rushing touchdowns to quarterbacks last season. If Daniels finds the end zone more than twice, he could end the week as a Top 5 option. He currently sits at No. 8 in my rankings.
Matthew Stafford
Stafford sits at No. 9 in my Week 1 rankings. The Los Angeles Rams star is set to face his former team, the Detroit Lions, in a Sunday Night Football matchup in Detroit.
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Stafford threw for 367 yards and two scores against the Lions just seven months ago in a wild card playoff loss. The Lions also allowed the third-most fantasy points, fourth-most passing yards and sixth-most passing scores to quarterbacks last season.
Look for Stafford to target top playmakers en route to a Top 10 fantasy football showing.
Week 1 fantasy football quarterback rankings
1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills vs. ARI
2. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers at PHI
3. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles vs. GB
4. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans at IND
5. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions vs. LAR
6. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. WAS
7. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals vs. NE
8. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders at TB
9. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams at DET
10. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts vs. HOU
11. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears vs. TEN
12. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals at BUF
13. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins vs. JAX
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14. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys at CLE
15. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars at MIA
16. Daniel Jones, New York Giants vs. MIN
17. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers vs. NYJ
18. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons vs. PIT
19. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings at NYG
20. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets at SF