Gross Bombs: NFL Props for Week 16
Josh Gross
It’s Wednesday, and that means it’s time to break out the fantasy football flex rankings for Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season. If you’re new to the concept of flex rankings, these are simply the combined overall rankings for running back, wide receiver and tight end for each week during the fantasy football season. These are not suggestions for who to start in your flex spots.
This list is our initial rankings, but it will change a lot throughout the week. If you want all the latest updates, then be sure to check our staff rankings page. Promo code “RATPACK” gets you a discount on any FTN subscription.
Week 1 Flex Rankings (2023) – Top 100
1. Austin Ekeler (RB1) vs. MIA – He’s been a touchdown machine over the last two seasons and will remain very busy in Kellen Moore’s offense.
2. Justin Jefferson (WR1) vs. TB – The Bucs have a solid secondary, but they’ll have their hands full with the best wideout in the league.
3. Christian McCaffrey (RB2) at PIT – This isn’t an easy matchup for McCaffrey, but he remains an elite play.
4. Ja’Marr Chase (WR2) at CLE – Joe Burrow’s status could impact Chase’s ranking as we move through the week, but he’ll still be startable regardless of who is under center.
5. Nick Chubb (RB3) vs. CIN – We’ll finally get our answer to the question of whether the Browns will increase Chubb’s role in the passing game with Kareem Hunt out of the mix.
6. Derrick Henry (RB4) at NO – Look for the Titans to continue to lean on their workhorse running back.
7. Bijan Robinson (RB5) vs. CAR – This is an excellent matchup for Robinson to get things started in the NFL.
8. Saquon Barkley (RB6) vs. DAL – Barkley is a rare three-down back. He’ll be busy against his divisional rival.
9. Tony Pollard (RB7) at NYG – Likewise, expect a big workload for Pollard on the other side of this contest. He has essentially no competition for touches in the Dallas backfield.
10. Travis Kelce (TE1) vs. DET – Obviously, this is a placeholder given Kelce’s questionable situation following a knee issue in Tuesday’s practice. Stay tuned.
11. Josh Jacobs (RB8) at DEN – The contract stuff is in the rearview, so look for the Raiders to go right back to feeding Jacobs.
12. Tyreek Hill (WR3) at LAC – He’s coming off one of the most efficient seasons we’ve ever seen from a wideout and picks right up where he left off.
13. Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR4) at KC – Yep. Who else is going to catch the ball for the Lions right now?
14. CeeDee Lamb (WR5) at NYG – Lamb was one of the most heavily targeted receivers in the league last season and will continue to be a target monster in 2023.
15. Stefon Diggs (WR6) at NYJ – All the offseason issues seem to be behind us for Diggs and the Bills. He remains a rock-solid RB1 play.
16. Joe Mixon (RB9) at CLE – The volume should be there for Mixon thanks to very little competition for touches in the Bengals backfield.
17. Rhamondre Stevenson (RB10) vs. PHI – Right now, the Patriots have just two running backs on their active roster. That’s very good for Stevenson.
18. Davante Adams (WR7) at DEN – The Jimmy G era begins. Fingers crossed.
19. Travis Etienne (RB11) at IND – Tank Bigsby will see work, but Etienne is in a good spot with what should be a favorable gamescript.
20. A.J. Brown (WR8) at NE – He’s coming off an enormous 2023 campaign and is locked in as Jalen Hurts’ top target.
21. Alexander Mattison (RB12) vs. TB – Mattison is slated for a three-down role in a game where his team is heavily favored. Giddy up.
22. Garrett Wilson (WR9) vs. BUF – Aaron Rodgers called Wilson “special” on this year’s edition of Hard Knocks. That’s a quite an endorsement.
23. Kenneth Walker (RB13) vs. LAR – Walker is healthy and slated to be the lead back this weekend.
24. Aaron Jones (RB14) at CHI – He’s still darn good at football, but AJ Dillon’s presence on the depth chart caps what Jones can do for fantasy purposes.
25. Cam Akers (RB15) at SEA – Akers figures to see a reasonably big workload as the Rams’ primary early-down back.
26. Najee Harris (RB16) vs. SF
27. James Conner (RB17) at WAS
28. Jaylen Waddle (WR10) at LAC
29. Miles Sanders (RB18) at ATL
30. Rachaad White (RB19) at MIN
31. J.K. Dobbins (RB20) vs. HOU
32. Keenan Allen (WR11) vs. MIA
33. Jahmyr Gibbs (RB21) at KC – Yes, he’s very exciting, but let’s not get too far out over our skis on Gibbs. Tempered expectations have him as a back-end RB2 in Week 1.
34. DK Metcalf (WR12) vs. LAR
35. Dameon Pierce (RB22) at BAL
36. James Cook (RB23) at NYJ
37. Jamaal Williams (RB24) vs. TEN
38. Tee Higgins (WR13) at CLE
39. Chris Olave (WR14) vs. TEN
40. Javonte Williams (RB25) vs. LV – The opener will be an interesting litmus test for Williams as he returns from last year’s torn ACL.
41. Isiah Pacheco (RB26) vs. DET
42. DeVonta Smith (WR15) at NE
43. Deebo Samuel (WR16) at PIT
44. Calvin Ridley (WR17) at IND
45. Christian Watson (WR18) at CHI
46. David Montgomery (RB27) at KC
47. Raheem Mostert (RB28) at LAC – No Jeff Wilson moves Mostert up into flex territory as a top-50 play this week.
48. Mark Andrews (TE2) vs. HOU
49. Amari Cooper (WR19) vs. CIN
50. Chris Godwin (WR20) at MIN
51. Tyler Lockett (WR21) vs. LAR
52. Mike Williams (WR22) vs. MIA
53. DeAndre Hopkins (WR23) at NO
54. Brian Robinson (RB29) vs. ARI
55. Breece Hall (RB30) vs. BUF – Robert Saleh said he was going to be careful with both Hall and Dalvin Cook. Neither is anything better than a flex option this week.
56. DJ Moore (WR24) vs. GB
57. Khalil Herbert (RB31) vs. GB
58. Mike Evans (WR25) at MIN
59. Christian Kirk (WR26) at IND
60. Brandon Aiyuk (WR27) at PIT
61. Drake London (WR28) vs. CAR
62. Michael Pittman (WR29) vs. JAC
63. Courtland Sutton (WR30) vs. LV – Jerry Jeudy’s status could end up changing Sutton’s ranking. Check back later in the week.
64. Antonio Gibson (RB32) vs. ARI
65. Jahan Dotson (WR31) vs. ARI
66. Samaje Perine (RB33) vs. LV
67. Dalvin Cook (RB34) vs. BUF
68. T.J. Hockenson (TE3) vs. TB
69. AJ Dillon (RB35) at CHI
70. Darren Waller (TE4) vs. DAL
71. George Pickens (WR32) vs. SF
72. Michael Thomas (WR33) vs. TEN
73. D’Andre Swift (RB36) at NE – We have no idea how the Eagles are going to use their running backs. Swift is the top option this week, but only as a fringe flex play.
74. Diontae Johnson (WR34) vs. SF
75. Gabe Davis (WR35) at NYJ
76. Terry McLaurin (WR36) vs. ARI
77. Deon Jackson (RB37) vs. JAC – Jackson could lead the Colts backfield in Week 1, but the entire situation is very dicey.
78. Tyler Higbee (TE5) at SEA
79. Brandin Cooks (WR37) at NYG
80. Marquise Brown (WR38) at WAS
81. Van Jefferson (WR39) at SEA
82. Zach Charbonnet (RB38) vs. LAR
83. Dallas Goedert (TE6) at NE
84. Evan Engram (TE7) at IND
85. JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR40) vs. PHI
86. Jerry Jeudy (WR41) vs. LV
87. Allen Lazard (WR42) vs. BUF
88. Jakobi Meyers (WR43) at DEN
89. George Kittle (TE8) at PIT – The 49ers tight end is banged up and in danger of missing the opener. Have a backup plan in place if you roster Kittle.
90. Jordan Addison (WR44) vs. TB
91. Odell Beckham (WR45) vs. HOU
92. Cooper Kupp (WR46) at SEA
93. Skyy Moore (WR47) vs. DET
94. Zay Jones (WR48) at IND
95. Treylon Burks (WR49) at NO
96. Kyle Pitts (TE9) vs. CAR
97. Rashod Bateman (WR50) vs. HOU
98. Romeo Doubs (WR51) at CHI
99. Zay Flowers (WR52) vs. HOU
100. Elijah Moore (WR53) vs. CIN
