Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 12,689
Likes: 2,094
From: Madison, WI
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
I would use the upper one.
Having your panniers as far aft on the rack as practical may help.
I can't see how the panniers attach to the rack, what types of hooks they use. Thus I can't see how much flexibility you have to shift the panniers fore or aft. You want the panniers to be firmly attached so they do not move about or pop off if you hit a big bump.