NFL power rankings 2018: Week 1 finds New York Giants at No. 21

With Week 1 of the 2018 NFL regular season here it is time for our Week 1 NFL Power Rankings. What we do here is aggregate as many reputable rankings as we can find to come up with an overall ranking for your New York Giants.

Today, we are using seven different ranking with a high of No. 14 (NFL.com) and a low of 29 (the SB Nation flagship). The aggregate places the Giants at No. 21 in our initial rankings.

Let’s look at the sites we used.

Bleacher Report (consensus) — No. 19

If the line solidifies, and his horses get healthy, Eli Manning has a top-five wideout, rising young tight end and explosive, do-it-all tailback to work with. That’s not too shabby at all.

But if that line can’t get it together, Manning could be in for another rough year. If [Olivier] Vernon misses regular-season games, the Giants will be left without much to speak of where proven pass-rushers are concerned.

SportsLine — No. 24

Washington Post — No. 16

The Giants opted against a rebuilding project by using the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft on running back Saquon Barkley to help Eli Manning rather than on a quarterback to eventually replace him. They just handed out a record-setting contract extension to wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. They have given Manning a chance to have some success before his NFL career ends. But does he have enough left to make things work?

SB Nation — No. 18

Bleeding Green Nation — No. 26

*Note: I am only using this one to highlight the depth of scorn for the Giants that comes from our Philly “friends.”

Some people are expecting the G-Men to bounce back this year. I don’t think these people are giving enough weight to the fact that Eli Manning looks washed, the Giants’ offensive line is only returning one starter, and New York is facing the toughest schedule in the league by some metrics. Add in that Dave Gettleman doesn’t seem to understand modern football and I just don’t see it with this group.

Fansided — No. 16

Look for the Giants to bounce back in a big way. New York could have one of the best offenses in football, and the secondary has ample skill to shut down opposing quarterbacks.

CBS Sports (Prisco) — No. 28

They will be better on offense, but will the defense be improved? Eli Manning has to be happy with his new weapons and getting Odell Beckham Jr. back.

NFL.com — (No. 14)

Nice growth spurt for the once-woebegone Giants, who climb into the top half of the Power Rankings for the first time in a looong time. What gives? There’s a new stud tailback in place, one side of the offensive line has been fixed and Odell Beckham Jr. is back. With enough goblets of money to get a lifetime pass to Medieval Times and Raging Waters.