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Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Week 1 is here and so are our Top 20 fantasy football quarterback rankings. Reigning NFL MVP Matt Ryan tops our list this week. Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons are on the road, but face a beatable Chicago Bears secondary. Expect a lopsided game this weekend in Chicago. Ryan should be able to post multiple scores and at least 250 yards passing.
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Below you will find my top 20 quarterbacks for Week 1 and brief descriptions of my favorite picks.
*Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers players are not included on this list due to their Week 1 contest possibly being impacted by Hurricane Irma.
TOP SHELF
Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers are gifted with the Cleveland Browns defense in Week 1. Roethlisberger might be a fringe QB1 for the season, but he is one of my top options for the opening weekend. The Browns allowed the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks last season.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is a top-4 option for Week 1. He starts off the 2017 season against the Green Bay Packers. I'm expecting increased for Wilson on the ground this season and think this game could be high scoring. Green Bay allowed the third-most passing touchdowns last season.
SNEAKY PLAYS
Derek Carr and the Oakland Raiders have a road matchup against the Tennessee Titans in Week 1. Carr enters the 2017 season with great options in Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree. The Titans allowed the seventh-most passing scores in the AFC last season. Expect Carr to be a top-6 option in Week 1 against that secondary.
Arizona Cardinals veteran Carson Palmer flopped last season following a stellar 2015 campaign. He has a beatable early season schedule, starting with the Detroit Lions. Detroit allowed the second-most passing scores and third-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks last season. Palmer enters the season with a rested arm and one of the most dymanic offensive weapons in football in his backfield. Expect a low-end QB1 performance from Palmer to kick off his 2017 campaign.
LONGSHOTS
Andy Dalton and the Cincinnati Bengals welcome the Baltimore Ravens to Paul Brown Stadium in Week 1. Dalton will be armed with a healthy Tyler Eifert, A.J. Green and several talented backs for this one. Expect fireworks from Dalton and a borderline QB1 performance.
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is a fringe starter for Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys secondary ranked in the middle of the pack when it came to giving up fantasy points to quarterbacks last season and suffered several key offseason losses in that unit. Manning will be throwing early and often in this NFC East battle, but only give him the green light if you are positive that Odell Beckham Jr. is suiting up.
