With the NFL season quickly approaching on September 6th, fantasy players are scrambling to determine which players would be best to start in week 1. Often, matchups dictate the best players to start at each position, and the quarterback position is no different. Let's take a look at the top ten week one quarterbacks for fantasy in 2018.
1. QB Tom Brady (New England Patriots)
The third highest scoring quarterback in ESPN standard scoring last season draws a matchup against a Houston team that allowed the second highest total of points to fantasy quarterbacks in 2017.
Last time Brady played against the Texans, he threw for five touchdowns and scored 35 fantasy points. Expect a similar performance in week 1.
2. QB Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers)
Rodgers is healthy again, and that automatically makes him a top 10 quarterback every week. In week 1, he gets a tough pass defense in the Bears. That didn't seem to bother him last year when he hung 23 fantasy points on the Chicago Bears defense.
3. QB DeShaun Watson (Houston Texans)
When Watson was healthy last season, he was the top scoring quarterback in fantasy Football. His dual-threat ability to run and pass with the ball gives him a high ceiling every week. Against the Patriots in what should be a shootout game, Watson has high upside.
4. QB Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Big Ben only played one game against the 0-16 Browns last season, and he managed to put up 16 fantasy points with two passing touchdowns. This time, the Browns have a much better supporting cast and should be more competitive in week 1. That should mean more passing opportunities for Roethlisberger, which should result in more fantasy points.
5. QB Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers)
Cam started off badly last season but ended the year as the second-best fantasy quarterback in total scoring. His fantasy floor is usually pretty high thanks to his rushing ability, and one bad fantasy day can be salvaged by just one rushing touchdown.
6. QB Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks)
Last year's highest scoring fantasy quarterback draws a tough matchup in week 1 against a stout Denver Broncos defense. Similar to Cam, Wilson's rushing ability gives him a high floor and makes him a must-start in any given week.
7. QB Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions)
The Lions don't run the ball well, and the Jets defense always keys on stifling the run. That means Stafford will be throwing the ball a ton against a defense that allowed the fifth highest number of fantasy points to oppose fantasy quarterbacks last year,
8. QB Andrew Luck (Indianapolis Colts)
After two years, Luck is finally back from his injury. If he plays anything as he did prior to that injury, Luck will be an absolute steal in every fantasy draft.
In week 1, he should be a solid play against an average Bengals pass defense.
9. QB Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints)
Normally, the Saints passer would be ranked much higher. But Brees scored an unusually low average of 15 points against the Buccaneers last season, and now he has two solid running backs in Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram who can carry the load. He's still an elite player, but he doesn't belong in the top five quarterbacks for week 1.
10. QB Andy Dalton (Cincinnati Bengals)
Now that Dalton has his full set of weapons around him (A.J. Green, Tyler Eifert, Joe Mixon, John Ross), he has the potential to be a breakout fantasy quarterback in 2018. In week 1, he draws a soft matchup against a weak Indianapolis Colts defense.
