Rankings Rankings QUARTERBACKS WIDE RECEIVERS PLAYER TEAM BYE 2018 PREVIEW (STANDARD LEAGUES) 1. Aaron Rodgers GB 7 PLAYER TEAM BYE 2. Tom Brady NE 11 1. Antonio Brown PIT 7 3. Cam Newton CAR 4 2. DeAndre Hopkins HOU 10 4. Drew Brees NO 6 3. Odell Beckham Jr. NYG 9 5. Deshaun Watson HOU 10 4. Julio Jones ATL 8 6. Russell Wilson SEA 7 5. Michael Thomas NO 6 7. Carson Wentz PHI 9 fantasyfootball| Wednesday | 08.29.18 | THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT | PAGE 8 6. Keenan Allen LAC 8 8. Kirk Cousins MIN 10 7. A.J. Green CIN 9 9. Jimmy Garoppolo SF 11 8. Davante Adams GB 7 10. Matthew Stafford DET 6 9. Mike Evans TB 5 11. Jared Goff LAR 12 10. T.Y. Hilton IND 9 12. Andrew Luck IND 9 11. Stefon Diggs MIN 10 13. Philip Rivers LAC 8 12. Doug Baldwin SEA 7 14. Patrick Mahomes KC 12 13. Tyreek Hill KC 12 Saquon Royce 15. Ben Roethlisberger PIT 7 14. Larry Fitzgerald ARI 9 Barkley Freeman 16. Matt Ryan ATL 8 15. Demaryius Thomas DEN 10 17. Marcus Mariota TEN 8 16. Chris Hogan NE 11 18. Mitchell Trubisky CHI 5 17. Marvin Jones DET 6 19. Alex Smith WAS 4 18. Jarvis Landry CLE 11 20. Ryan Tannehill MIA 11 19. JuJu Smith-Schuster PIT 7 21. Dak Prescott DAL 8 20. Adam Thielen MIN 10 22. Eli Manning NYG 9 21. Allen Robinson CHI 5 23. Case Keenum DEN 10 22. Amari Cooper OAK 7 24. Derek Carr OAK 7 23. Brandin Cooks LAR 12 25. Blake Bortles JAC 9 24. Golden Tate SEA 6 26. Tyrod Taylor CLE 11 25. Emmanuel Sanders DEN 10 27. Andy Dalton CIN 9 26. Marquise Goodwin SF 11 28. Joe Flacco BAL 10 27. Corey Davis TEN 8 29. Sam Darnold NYJ 11 28. Josh Gordon CLE 11 30. Jameis Winston TB 5 29. Sammy Watkins KC 12 30. Robert Woods LAR 12 31. Robby Anderson NYJ 11 RUNNING BACKS 32. Nelson Agholor PHI 9 (STANDARD LEAGUES) 33. Sterling Shepard NYG 9 PLAYER TEAM BYE 34. Michael Crabtree BAL 10 1. Todd Gurley LAR 12 35. Randall Cobb GB 7 2. Le’Veon Bell PIT 7 36. Kenny Stills MIA 11 3. David Johnson ARI 9 37. Pierre Garcon SF 11 4. Ezekiel Elliott DAL 8 38. Will Fuller HOU 10 5. Saquon Barkley NYG 9 39. Alshon Jeffery PHI 9 6. Leonard Fournette JAC 9 40. Cooper Kupp LAR 12 7. Jordan Howard CHI 5 41. Chris Godwin TB 5 8. Kareem Hunt KC 12 42. Devin Funchess CAR 4 9. Alvin Kamara NO 6 43. Keelan Cole JAC 9 10. Melvin Gordon LAC 8 44. Kelvin Benjamin BUF 11 11. Christian McCaffrey CAR 4 45. Mohamed Sanu ATL 8 12. Devonta Freeman ATL 8 46. Jamison Crowder WAS 4 RUNNING BACK 47. Cam Meredith NO 6 13. Joe Mixon CIN 9 14. Dalvin Cook MIN 10 48. D.J. Moore CAR 4 15. Alex Collins BAL 10 49. Kenny Golladay DET 6 16. LeSean McCoy BUF 11 50. Mike Williams LAC 8 17. Royce Freeman DEN 10 RENAISSANCE 18. Derrick Henry TEN 8 WIDE RECEIVERS 19. Marshawn Lynch OAK 7 Content by JOE KACIK Photos by 20. Jerick McKinnon SF 11 The Virginian-Pilot The Associated Press (PPR LEAGUES) 21. Jay Ajayi PHI 9 PLAYER TEAM BYE 22. Lamar Miller HOU 10 1. Antonio Brown PIT 7 23. Kenyan Drake MIA 11 TAKE A LOOK at any preseason draft data and you’ll find mostly running backs at the top of the list. Last 2. DeAndre Hopkins HOU 10 24. Aaron Jones GB 7 season, NFL rushing attempts were the highest in four years and running back targets were the highest 3. Odell Beckham Jr. NYG 9 25. Carlos Hyde CLE 11 ever. An influx of young talent has elevated the position back into the fantasy spotlight. Last season’s rookie 4. Julio Jones ATL 8 5. Michael Thomas NO 6 26. Isaiah Crowell NYJ 11 class was one of a kind, producing the NFL’s leading rusher (Kansas City’s Kareem Hunt) and four top-10 27. Marlon Mack IND 9 6. Keenan Allen LAC 8 28. Rex Burkhead NE 11 backs in point-per-reception leagues (Hunt, New Orleans’ Alvin Kamara, Jacksonville’s Leonard Fournette 7. A.J. Green CIN 9 29. Mark Ingram NO 6 and Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey). This year’s rookie class isn’t as talented, but it’s strong at the top with 8. Davante Adams GB 7 30. Tevin Coleman ATL 8 backs like the New York Giants’ Saquon Barkley and Denver’s Royce Freeman. Detroit’s Kerryon Johnson and 9. Doug Baldwin SEA 7 10. T.Y. Hilton IND 9 31. Adrian Peterson WAS 4 Seattle’s Rashaad Penny will be in the mix for early playing time, and don’t be surprised if New England’s Sony 32. Peyton Barber TB 5 11. Larry Fitzgerald ARI 9 33. Latavius Murray MIN 10 Michel, Cleveland’s Nick Chubb and Tampa Bay’s Ronald Jones take steps forward later in the season. 12. Mike Evans TB 5 34. Jamaal Williams GB 7 13. Adam Thielen MIN 10 35. Dion Lewis TEN 8 14. Tyreek Hill KC 12 36. Duke Johnson CLE 11 Strategy shift 15. Stefon Diggs MIN 10 37. Tarik Cohen CHI 5 As many as 10 running backs have been first-round 16. Demaryius Thomas DEN 10 38. Sony Michel NE 11 selections in deeper fantasy league drafts this season, 17. Jarvis Landry CLE 11 18. Golden Tate SEA 6 39. Rashaad Penny SEA 7 which shows how much the position has elevated in value. Gurley Cook 19. Chris Hogan NE 11 40. Chris Carson SEA 7 If you wait until after the top 50 overall picks to target a 20. Marvin Jones DET 6 41. James White NE 11 starting running back, you may be out of luck. Not too long 42. Kerryon Johnson DET 6 21. Amari Cooper OAK 7 ago, wide receivers were the trendy early picks in drafts. 43. C.J. Anderson CAR 4 22. Allen Robinson CHI 5 Now, it’s running backs after three of them finished among 44. Nick Chubb CLE 11 23. Brandin Cooks LAR 12 45. Chris Thompson WAS 4 the top four overall scorers in PPR leagues last season. 24. Marquise Goodwin SF 11 25. JuJu Smith-Schuster PIT 7 46. Ronald Jones TB 5 Bell Gordon 47. Matt Breida SF 11 26. Emmanuel Sanders DEN 10 48. Gio Bernard CIN 9 27. Robert Woods LAR 12 49. Corey Clement PHI 9 28. Corey Davis TEN 8 50. Bilal Powell NYJ 11 29. Josh Gordon CLE 11 30. Michael Crabtree BAL 10 31. Sammy Watkins KC 12 RUNNING BACKS Johnson Elliott Barkley Kamara Hunt Fournette 32. Kenny Stills MIA 11 (PPR LEAGUES) 33. Alshon Jeffery PHI 9 34. Randall Cobb GB 7 PLAYER TEAM BYE Players at a good price Upside players 1. Le’Veon Bell PIT 7 35. Nelson Agholor PHI 9 2. Todd Gurley LAR 12 Most of these could also be called sleepers, but These players have high ceilings and have either 36. Sterling Shepard NYG 9 3. David Johnson ARI 9 some have had significant success in the past. proven or flashed the potential to be elite. There 37. Pierre Garcon SF 11 4. Saquon Barkley NYG 9 In the case of those particular players, it’s more is risk with each one, but the payoff could be big. 38. Jamison Crowder WAS 4 5. Alvin Kamara NO 6 about value and when they’re getting drafted. 39. Cooper Kupp LAR 12 6. Ezekiel Elliott DAL 8 Stafford QUARTERBACK 40. Robby Anderson NYJ 11 QUARTERBACK 7. Melvin Gordon LAC 8 Andrew Luck, Indianapolis: He’s coming off a 41. Will Fuller HOU 10 8. Kareem Hunt KC 12 Matthew Stafford, Detroit: He may not be flashy, major shoulder injury and hasn’t played a game 42. Chris Godwin TB 5 9. Christian McCaffrey CAR 4 but he’s consistent and durable. He’s finished that counts since 2016, but he’s been a top-five 43. Keelan Cole JAC 9 10. Leonard Fournette JAC 9 among the top nine fantasy QBs in six of the past fantasy QB when healthy. He’s currently the No. 8 44. Kelvin Benjamin BUF 11 11. Jordan Howard CHI 5 seven seasons. He’s averaged 4,573 passing QB off the board in ESPN leagues. 45. Cam Meredith NO 6 12. Devonta Freeman ATL 8 yards and 28 touchdowns in those seven seasons. 46. Devin Funchess CAR 4 13. Dalvin Cook MIN 10 Also, the Lions tend to get into a lot of shootout Luck RUNNING BACK 47. D.J. Moore CAR 4 14. Joe Mixon CIN 9 games with a so-so defense. Currently, he’s the Jordan Howard, Chicago: He’s finished second and 48. Kenny Golladay DET 6 15. LeSean McCoy BUF 11 11th QB off the board in ESPN drafts (101.9 average sixth in the NFL in rushing his first two seasons, 49. Calvin Ridley ATL 8 16. Jerick McKinnon SF 11 draft position). yet he’s going as the No. 15 running back off the 50. Rishard Matthews TEN 8 17. Royce Freeman DEN 10 Also: Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams; Patrick board (30.8 ADP) in ESPN leagues. The concern 18. Lamar Miller HOU 10 Mahomes, Kansas City; Mitchell Trubisky, Chicago with Howard has been Tarik Cohen’s emergence TIGHT ENDS 19. Rex Burkhead NE 11 as a pass-catcher, but new coach Matt Nagy has 20. Alex Collins BAL 10 RUNNING BACK Howard said Howard will see more action on third downs. PLAYER TEAM BYE 21. Kenyan Drake MIA 11 Aaron Jones, Green Bay: A two-game suspension 1. Rob Gronkowski NE 11 22. Derrick Henry TEN 8 has his stock low (133.2 ADP in ESPN leagues), but WIDE RECEIVER 2. Travis Kelce KC 12 23. Marshawn Lynch OAK 7 he could easily emerge as the Packers’ best back. Doug Baldwin, Seattle: He’s finished among the 3. Zach Ertz PHI 9 24. Aaron Jones GB 7 He had six runs of 20 or more yards last season, top 13 fantasy wide receivers each of the past 4. Greg Olsen CAR 4 25. Isaiah Crowell NYJ 11 and that came on only 81 carries. three seasons, but his stock has dipped because 5. Jimmy Graham GB 7 26. Dion Lewis TEN 8 Also: Alex Collins, Baltimore of a knee injury. He’s expected to be ready for 6. Delanie Walker TEN 8 Jones 27. Duke Johnson CLE 11 Week 1, though, and his ADP of 41.1 will make him 7. Kyle Rudolph MIN 10 28. Tevin Coleman ATL 8 WIDE RECEIVER a very enticing pick. 8. Evan Engram NYG 9 29. Jay Ajayi PHI 9 Chris Hogan, New England: He should be the 9. David Njoku CLE 11 30. Mark Ingram NO 6 Patriots’ most productive wideout with Brandin 10. Trey Burton CHI 5 31. James White NE 11 Cooks gone and Julian Edelman suspended for Play the waiting game 11. Jordan Reed WAS 4 32. Carlos Hyde CLE 11 four weeks. He was the No. 10 fantasy wideout I can’t remember a season when there has been 12. George Kittle SF 11 33. Adrian Peterson WAS 4 before suffering a shoulder injury last season. He so many quarterbacks that have the potential 13. Jack Doyle IND 9 34. Peyton Barber TB 5 currently has an ADP of 57.7 in ESPN leagues. Hogan to be quality fantasy options. As many as 20 14. O.J. Howard TB 5 35. Latavius Murray MIN 10 Also: Marquise Goodwin, San Francisco; quarterbacks, in my opinion, have a chance 15. Tyler Eifert CIN 9 36. Jamaal Williams GB 7 Robby Anderson, New York Jets; Mike Williams, to finish among the top 12. It’s even more of a 16. Ricky Seals-Jones ARI 9 37. Tarik Cohen CHI 5 Los Angeles Chargers reason to wait on quarterbacks in your draft. 38. Sony Michel NE 11 Last season, 22 quarterbacks scored at least 200 39. Rashaad Penny SEA 7 Rookie wideouts to watch fantasy points – the third-most ever, via ESPN. 40. Chris Thompson WAS 4 The difference between the No. 1 QB and the online 41. Marlon Mack IND 9 n D.J. Moore, Carolina Moore No. 11 QB was 5.5 fantasy points per game. For the latest 42. Ty Montgomery GB 7 n Calvin Ridley, Atlanta fantasy news, 43. Theo Riddick DET 6 n James Washington, Pittsburgh analysis and 44. Bilal Powell NYJ 11 n D.J. Chark, Jacksonville Surprising QB stat projections, 45. Gio Bernard CIN 9 n Anthony Miller, Chicago Only two quarterbacks have passed for at least go to Joe 46. Kerryon Johnson DET 6 n Christian Kirk, Arizona 4,000 yards and 25 touchdowns each of the past Kacik’s blog 47. Nick Chubb CLE 11 n Courtland Sutton, Denver three seasons: Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins and the at pilotonline.com/sports/ 48. Ronald Jones TB 5 n Michael Gallup, Dallas Los Angeles Chargers’ Philip Rivers. Cousins is fantasy-sports. Also, follow 49. Nyheim Hines IND 9 Cousins n Dante Pettis, San Francisco currently the ninth QB off the ESPN board (89.8 him on Twitter 50. Corey Clement PHI 9 n Antonio Callaway, Cleveland ADP), while Rivers is the 16th (118.1 ADP). (@JKacik).