Fantasy Football Ros Rankings (2017)

Had Le'Veon been active for all 16 games, his pace would have put him at over 2,500 all purpose yards. Don't buy too much into the fact that he has several injuries, as all running backs inevitably will. Rather, consider that if he remains healthy, he will carry you to the playoffs.

Last year, Brown was only the #12 VBD player overall after finishing #1 in 2015, as running back depth took a huge hit and his yardage dropped 550 from the year before. If Big Ben can stay upright, we should see him return to the top 5 this year so he is well worth a high first investment.

Zeke is suspended for 6 games, which may drop to 3 or 4 after appeal. Even if he misses the full time, he could still finish as a top 10 fantasy player. If you prorate his VBD to just 10 games last season, he still would have finished #7 overall which would have been ahead of Devonta Freeman.

Evans has seen his targets, receptions and yards increase each year of his career thus far. This year, the trend could change, however, as the Bucs finally added some complimentary pieces which should cut into his targets. Still, he is a quality first round pick, but may be passed up by A.J. Green as the #4 wide receiver.

Julio is #1 in NFL history with 96.3 yards per game. With that being said, he is an increased injury risk over Brown and Beckham, plus he has been known to disappear from games at times. Still, he is as good of a bet as anyone not named Antonio Brown, so pull the trigger at #4 overall and cross your fingers for health.

While some might worry that the presence of Brandon Marshall might hurt Beckham, you might instead consider that it should prevent as many double and triple teams. He should again be expected to produce 95+ yards per game and be among the league leaders in receptions. If he misses two games, however, he should fall to the back end of the first round.

Green missed 6 games to injury last season, but was on pace for his 1500+ receiving yards before he went down, which would have been his top season yet. There is no shame in taking him as high as #6 overall, but beware of the injury bug popping back up.

Gronk has made owners regret picking him several years because of injuries, but chances are that if you drafted him when he was healthy, you competed for a championship. He is finished #6, #11 and #6 in VBD during the years he has been healthy. Don't hesitate to take a gamble on that kind of upside deep into the second round of your drafts.

Andy Reid always puts out a quality running game, and while Spencer Ware was the favorite to lead the team in carries, his season is now over so Hunt should become a bellcow in a terrific scheme. Hunt should be drafted as high as the 3rd round.

With Cooks out of the equation, Thomas could see a bump from the 121 targets he saw during his rookie season. If he continues at this efficiency or better with 150 targets, he would enter the discussion as one of the elite receivers in football in his sophomore season.

With Kyle Shannahan gone, the Falcons' offense shouldn't be expected to perform at the near-record pace they put up last season. With that being said, Freeman has established himself as one of the most steady and reliable three down backs in football. Just because Coleman is present doesn't mean Freeman won't lead all backs in fantasy points for the second time in three seasons this year.

Last season, Montgomery only had one game with double-digit carries and it has to concern fantasy owners that the Packers went out and drafted three running backs this spring. Montgomery, however, apparently added plenty of muscle and improved his pass blocking this off-season which could make him a steal should he be able to hold off Jamaal Williams for the starting role.

Buffalo's running game last season had the first tier all to themselves, and perhaps the second tier as well. Their running backs averaged half a yard per touch more than the next best team and they scored 6 extra TDs than #2 in the league. While Rex being gone means it is likely to take a step back, even a step back would warrant ranking McCoy among the top handful of backs again this season.

You will hear touchdown regression tied to Jordy's name, but the matter of the fact is that we have heard that narrative about him every single season and he continues to produce huge TD rates. Double digits TDs and 1,000+ yards should be expected once again if he can stay upright at his old age.

Gordon had a tremendous sophomore season after putting up a donut for rookie season touchdowns. With an improved offensive line, it only makes sense that he would be able to maintain his level of production. Granted, he wasn't the most efficient running back and Keenan Allen is coming back, but he is still expected to be among the most reliable RBs in terms of touches this season.

The Jagurs don't have the best offensive line in the world, but Fournette is stepping into a solid situation with a terrific defense that should provide positive game scripts and some weapons at wide receiver that will keep defenses honest. He is expected to be the workhorse from the get-go and has an impressive ceiling as a rookie.

Cooks was the #8 receiver in football last season with Drew Brees, and while the Patriots do have more weapons to spread the ball around to, they still have Tom Brady so Cooks should once again be a WR1, especially now that Edelman is out for the season.

Cooper was outperformed by Michael Crabtree for the second straight season, but he is still just 23 years old and has two 1,000 yard seasons to his name. The touchdown rate is bound to catch up eventually, at which point he would be a clear cut WR1, which he very nearly was last season.

Baldwin's touchdown rate was cut in half last year, as standard regression expected it to, but his receptions and yards increased once again. With Wilson healthy all season, we could see the receptions climb above 100 with the yards and touchdowns following accordingly.

Before getting injured in 2015, Allen was on pace for 190 targets. Granted, they have Melvin Gordon rolling now and several other quality wide receiver pieces, but a star gets the ball in his hands, and that is who Allen was showing us to be. If he stays healthy, he could be a top 8 wideout.

The Rams added Andrew Whitworth and Sammy Watkins which should help Gurley a ton, but there is still the fact that Jared Goff is his QB, so he may still see some stacked boxes. He still has the ceiling of a top 5 player and will get enough carries that he has a high floor too.

We finally were rewarded with the breakout everyone hoped for with Davante Adams last season, but much of it came through the 12 touchdowns. If he can't reproduce that absurd red zone efficiency, he may not have the yards to keep up with the Amari Coopers and Larry Fitzgeralds of the world.

When Miami's offensive line all got hurt, Ajayi took a turn for the worst, but we shouldn't forget just how sensational he was that first handful of weeks. The Dolphins' kid RB has superstar written all over him if he can stay healthy, which is the major question mark. It has been said that he might not even be able to walk in a few years, let alone play football because of how banged up his knees are.

The last time Dez was healthy, he finished as the WR #4, but that was before Zeke came into town. Now that they have one of the best running games in football and go against the toughest SOS for WRs, Bryant should take a big step back even if he stays on the field.

While Thomas is still a quality receiver who is near guaranteed to see 90 receptions and 1,000+ yards, the Broncos' offense should limit him to the 5 or 6 touchdowns he saw each of the last two seasons. He is among the safest plays on the board, but without much of a ceiling, the third round is a bit too high for us.

Murray is still recovering from an ankle injury and though McKinnon was much better to close the season, this is Cook's job from the get-go. He can catch passes out of the backfield and has the stamina to be a three-down back, but so much will depend on a shoddy offensive line that it is difficult to get too excited for this season.

If you are going to bet on any injury, make it Alshon Jeffery, who has the daintiest soft tissue in the league. If he is healthy, he is the clear #1 in the offense, but his ceiling is limited by Wentz' development.

Hopkins played the full season and was still the #37 wide receiver behind the likes of Brandon LaFell and Sterling Shepard. He should rebound, but don't expect one that launches him all the way back into WR1 territory until he has a quality QB on his side.

The Broncos did add Jamaal Charles, but he might not even make the roster. This is Anderson's offense and you'd better believe they will make him a workhorse as they did before his injury. It is worth mentioning that Denver's SOS was #1 toughest in the league before his injury, yet he was still performing like an RB2, and remember, he was a 1st round pick just a few seasons ago so the upside is clearly there.

Let's get it out of the way: Derrick Henry is a phenomenal young backup, but let's get real, this is DeMarco Murray we are talking about. Yes, he is older and has taken a beating with all of the carries, but he isn't losing the job unless an injury pops up. With Murray getting loads of touches behind a terrific offensive line, he is primed to put together another RB1 season.

Marshawn will almost certainly not end up being the workhorse we were used to, but he is terrific on the goal-line and Oakland just might have the best run-blocking offensive line in the league. His ADP is sky high because of the public appeal, but if he falls, he is well worth owning as an RB2.

Since joining the Lions, Tate now has 90 or more receptions all three seasons. He is one of only a handful of receivers to accomplish that feat, and the others are all superstars. He is a terrific safe option in the 4th or 5th round of standard league drafts this season, but his ceiling is limited.

There was a lot of hype surrounding backup, Joe Williams and his fit in the San Francisco offense, but Hyde is among the 10 most talented rushers in the NFL and you can feel confident believing he will get plenty of touches again this season. You should be thrilled to get him at his current fourth round value.

Diggs clearly has a ton of talent at the potential to break out as a WR2, but lets not forget that Diggs finished behind Adam Thielen in receiving yards last season. Diggs was only startable in four games all of last season so just know that you are drafting a risky play with considerable upside.

Crabtree outperformed Amari Cooper as the top wideout in Oakland each of the past two seasons, but that should change in year three. Still, Crabtree is reliable and consistent, so if you took a chance on a a risky player early, he could be a solid complimentary piece.

Many will point to the fact that he doesn't look tremendous on tape, can't catch and doesn't have a supporting cast around him that typically is a prerequisite to be a star running back. To us, the numbers do the talking, and when Howard was on the field, he was among the best. There is no reason to expect him to take a significant step backward. Rather, he may be more relied upon as a workhorse this season.

The Chiefs' number one target may have been the best overall tight end last season, but typically, that type of season lands a tight end at #5 to #7 at the position. What's more is that he was just 12 points better than Kyle Rudolph who is being drafted 10 rounds later. If you are drafting Kelce based off last year's performance, his ADP is too high. He should, however, see a slight uptick in targets with Maclin gone.

There is a lot of risk in drafting the NFL's receiving leader from last season. It isn't because of who Hilton is, but that his production is tied to Andrew Luck's health. Were Scott Tolzien his quarterback, we wouldn't be touching him in the 2nd round or maybe even 3rd round.

Yes, Tyreek has unbelievable big play potential, but he is no longer returning kickoffs and doesn't seem built for a true WR1 role in an offense so it will take another season filled with huge plays to make him a top 20 WR. Plus, he has looked awful this preseason.

Miller finally got his crack at being a workhorse last season and disappointed a bunch of fantasy owners. Because of recency bias, that disappointment seems to have driven his ADP down a bit too far so don't hesitate to scoop him up at a value in the third round.

The Patriots ran the ball more often inside the 5-yard line than any other team in the NFL and it wasn't even close. Blount was among the worst RBs in terms of yards per carry, Gillislee was the single best. Gillislee has also been the best at converting goal line carries over the past two seasons. He could be in for a huge season if Belichek puts the ball in his hands enough.

Over his past 16 healthy games, Watkins has been better than Amari Cooper. Add in the fact that the Rams threw for more yards than Buffalo last year and that Watkins now has less competition and there is no reason his draft stock should have taken such a severe tumble.

The Muscle Hampster has been fully healthy just two seasons in his career. He was a top 12 fantasy player in both of those seasons. Granted, we know he is missing 3 games to start the year, but he apparently looks better than ever and has put the demons behind him. If we see the good version of Martin, he could end up a top 5 running back come fantasy playoff time.

Jeremy Hill, the great touchdown vulture, is still in town and Gio Bernard is a quality pass catcher but Mixon has a chance to be the most complete rookie running back in the class. Granted, he isn't in the best situation behind that line, but we could have a star in the making here.

Every year Zach Ertz ends the season on fire and every year he gets overdrafted as a result. The opposite may happen this season, however, as everyone is tired of getting burned by the hype. The matter of the fact is that he saw 112 targets lst season for 853 yards. At 58.3 yards per game, he was only behind Kelce, Gronk and Olsen among tight ends so make of that what you will.

Jonathan Stewart is still looming, so don't look past it, but McCaffrey is the better talent and even if he doesn't get the lions share of the carries, he may be the best receiver in the draft class. There are so many ways for the rookie to pile up the points that it will happen one way or another.

Here, we have the most highly hyped wideout of the preseason. He is receiving glowing praises for his off-season improvements, and now that he is with Jay Cutler, who called him a faster Alshon, he may just live up to that potential for Miami this season.

Jarvis has been consistent and reliable, but at the end of the season, he really faded quickly. Should Cutler get quickly comfortable with him, we could be looking at a top 15 wide receiver, but he may also be the bust of the year if Parker really does take the leap forward everyone is calling for.

Sanders has at least 76 receptions and 1,000 yards each of the past three seasons. He is not a big touchdown guy, but you can rely on him to produce even with Trever Semien lining up under center for the Broncos.

Everyone has seemingly forgotten that Maclin was a borderline elite red zone threat until he ended up with Alex Smith. Now that Maclin is healthy and featured in an offense that led the league in pass attempts the past two seasons, the ceiling is huge if he can just stay on the field.

This athletic freak of nature joins a quarterback who will throw for at least 4,500 yards this season. With that being said, he is no longer the only weapon in his offense and Cousins likes to spread the ball around so temper your expectations a little.

Last year's receptions leader is among the safest plays in the draft and has outperformed Demaryius Thomas each of the past two seasons. He finished slowly to close the season, but part of that was because he was being double covered so often with John Brown injured.

Walker may have produced again for fantasy owners last season, but plenty of that was due to a large TD%. In fact, his receiving yards were behind Zach Ertz and just in front of Martellus Bennett, who are being drafted 30 spots behind him. Add in Walker's advanced age and the additions of both Eric Decker and Corey Davis and you've got to wonder why he is being selected so high.

When Bryant hs been on the field over the past few years, we have seen flashes of an excellent young wide receiver. With that being said, he will never be more than the #3 option in this offense so his upside will be limited by opportunity.

The Browns have an improved offensive line which should now be among the best in football, but the rest of their offensive is questionable to say the least. Crowell made the best of his opportunity last year and should get the bulk of the carries to begin the season, but Duke Johnson is waiting for him to stumble and the hype on Crowell is carried away.

The Vikings lead target last season also led all tight ends in targets with 132. What's more is that he had more receiving yards than top 20 pick, Dez Bryant. It isn't as though the Vikings don't throw the ball to Rudolph in the red zone either, as he had 7 touchdowns last year. The Rudolph breakout wasn't a fluke like Barnidge from the year before so don't be hesitant to draft him.

The last time Garcon was playing for Kyle Shannahan, he led the league in receptions. Granted, Hoyer is not the greatest QB, but they will be playing from behind plenty and Garcon is clearly their top receiving option this season so he is a safe add.

The Saints did add Adrian Peterson, but even last season with Hightower, the Saints were still able to support two solid fantasy running backs. Ingram should be started nearly every week even if he doesn't end up the head dog in the running back committee, and should AP go down, we are looking at a probable RB1.

What we saw from Abdullah before he went down again was electric. If Theo Riddick wasn't there to take a bunch of touches, Abdullah just might be considered the biggest boom or bust player of the year. He has superstar ability, but the situation just doesn't lend itself well to a breakout. With that said, assuming he stays healthy, the floor looks promising here.

The Bengals tight end may have only played 8 games last season, but he was second in points per game, following up on his third place finish in 2015. Health is the issue, as with most tight ends, but he is a good bet for consistent targets and touchdown opportunities. He has an absurd 18 touchdowns over his past 21 games played.

Benjamin may be overweight, but he is still immensely talented and quite the red zone threat. Our big issue with him is that Cam Newton is not only a lousy passer, but that Cam is injured and a lousy passer so his ceiling is that of a mid-range WR2.

 

Graham bounced back in a huge way last season with 923 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns. Granted, he only performed in a handful of games and was a bust in the remainder, but he is clearly still worth owning. Shoulder injuries often resurface, so he isn't without risk, but he also has a substantial ceiling as well, as I'm sure you can remember seeing with the Saints.

Jackson will still have some quality games each season, especially now that he is with the gunslinger in Tampa, but he disappears for too many games per season to be considered a reliable piece.

Coleman was dynamic last year even with Freeman starting ahead of him. Much of that, however, was due to a load of touchdowns. Now that Kyle Shanahan is gone and the TDs are likely to regress, he should not be drafted as though he will perform like an every week flex like fantasy owners were spoiled with last season.

Murray took a big step back in the second half last season after another huge workload. He has spent some time banged up throughout his career and should that happen again, Henry will be waiting to potentially become an immediate top 6 running back. Even if Murray holds down the top of the depth chart, the Titans' run-blocking is so good that Henry should be startable for a fair share of games at the flex.

Thielen notched 69 receptions and nearly 1,000 yards last year despite starting only 10 games. It is clear that he and Sam Bradford have a connection, which should be trusted heading into this season. While Diggs is technically the #1 for Minnesota, it is quite possible Thielen ends up leading the Vikings in receiving again.

The Redskins lost several receiving assets, but took in Pryor, so Crowder's role should remain the same in an offense that should again surpass 4,500 passing yards. In PPR leagues, Crowder is terrific, but he remains a flex play in standard formats.

In terms of points per target, Bennett (1.55) was significantly better than TE1, Travis Kelce (1.18). The difference, of course, being opportunity, as Bennett was behind Gronk or injured for much of the season. Remember, Bennett was a top 4 TE the last time he was healthy and starting. With Aaron Rodgers this season, he may be the most undervalued player at the position.

The Jets relied on Powell quite a bit to close last season and he came through with impressive efficiency. With that said, Forte has always performed well when he is healthy, so although Powell has some potential to his name, Forte seems primed to cut into that enough to hinder Powell from a big ceiling.

Pete Carroll has raved about his 7th round pick, and though they have Eddie Lacy, Thomas Rawls and CJ Prosise in the crowded backfield, the Seahawks are not shy about putting the best player on the field and at this moment, it seems as though Carson just might be that player. Keep a close eye on him and draft him as a lottery ticket in the later rounds.

Cobb has been far surpassed by Devante Adams, but lets not forget just how talented he has proven to be over the years. Should Nelson or Adams end up injured, he is an immediate top 20 wide receiver, so regard him in the same light as a Derrick Henry.

Yes, Keenan Allen is back and Hunter Henry should get more opportunities, but Tyrell was the #13 wideout in fantasy last season and he looked terrific doing it. His ADP is far too low even considering the likely negative regression.

Gronk may very well be the most dominant tight end of all time, but if you look at Jordan Reed's last 20 starts, he has been every bit as good. That isn't to say he should be drafted as high, however, because Reed is recovering from a foot injury and has had countless concussion issues which are bound to resurface, but when he is on the field, you've got yourself a top 20 fantasy player.

Gore has had a hall-of-fame career if you ask me, but what he has done over the past two seasons is just begging the Colts to hand his job over to someone else. He will only get carries until they decide who his replacement is. It could even happen in the pre-season.

Last season, Johnson and Crowell were neck and neck heading into the season, but Crowell got the carries and ran away with the duty. Should he falter this year or deal with an injury, Johnson would be the beneficiary of the stacked offensive line and a workhorses load of the carries. That is a low-end RB1 waiting to happen and the worst case scenario is that he is a flex worthy play with all of the work he'll see on third down.

Jordan Howard was a breakout stud last year, but he hasn't looked particularly impressive yet this pre-season, while Cohen has. This isn't to say Howard is in threat of losing his job, but Cohen could cut into his carries and if Howard were to end up injured, he has a Howard-like upside.

Every year, Decker is a top 15 wide receiver in terms of points per game. He is startable every single week that he is healthy. With that being said, the odds of that happening are lower than virtually any other receiver in football.

Thompson does not have much of a ceiling, but in a deeper league, he is a useful flex play from week to week because he is such an efficient pass catcher and will see plenty of targets.

Every rookie WR drafted in the top 5 over the past decade has been a top 25 WR as a rookie. With that said, Davis appears to be 3rd on the depth chart in what is a clear-cut running offense, but there is huge potential here.

Jones started 2016 on a terror then faded away and burned plenty of owners who bought high. This preseason, he has mostly been forgotten because of recency bias, but now that Stafford is healthy, Jones may just end up having that breakout everyone expected last season.

Sneed is out for the first three weeks, but when he comes back, we could be looking at a big time breakout as Brandin Cooks' targets will all have to be spread out. Sneed has been extremely efficient when Brees has thrown his way early in his career.

With the news of Dixon being out for the year, West skyrocketed up draft boards. There is always the chance that the Ravens would be unsatisfied with West as a starter and go acquire a better back, but until then, West must be drafted in the top 40 backs based on expected touches alone.

When Riddick was on the field, he saw plenty of touches, but that should slow down this year with Abdullah back healthy. Still, Riddick may be the best pass catching running back in football and fits into the Lions scheme perfectly so expect him to continue to be a flex worthy play for a handful of weeks this season.

Fleener killed some of us who drafted him as a top 6 tight end last season, but he was only bad to start the season, which is fairly normal for a receiver in a new offense. In fact, Fleener ended up as a top 12 tight end and did it while only starting eight games. With Brandin Cooks gone and a year under his belt with the offense, he should improve upon his 81 targets from 2016 and should be considered a lock to be a top 12 tight end for the fourth time in five years.

The former top 10 NFL pick had 55 yards per game last season which was neck and neck with Jordan Reed who is being selected 70 spots higher despite significant health concerns. The difference between the two is that Ebron only got in the end zone once. That should change this season with Boldin gone. Add that with the fact that Ebron is as consistent as they come and he should be considered one of the top half-dozen tight ends to own.

While Wayne Gallman may be Perkins' only competition, there is no guarantee he will hang onto this job. He was among the least talented and productive starting running backs last season so you ought to consider him one rough stretch from losing all the expected touches that have been driving up his ADP.

Say what you want about Moncrief's yardage production, but he is a bonafide touchdown machine. The issue here, is that Andrew Luck may be injured for an extended time and Moncrief's fantasy value is directly tied to him.

With Edelman out, many expect Hogan to step right into his role, but that is wishful thinking. They are not the same type of wide receiver. So while Hogan will see an increased role, the notion of drafting him in the top 100 is a bit much.

Robert Kelley had one big game and was otherwise sub par last season. The Redskins have been raving about Perine which means he is likely in line for his crack at the starting role within the first few weeks. If he can be a true three-down back as they are claiming, he might just end up the top value of fantasy drafts this season.

Lee has 19 targets since Allen Robinson went down with a torn ACL, and looks to be Blake Bortles' favorite target, despite Allen Hurns finding the end zone more often. The Jaguars next take on a Jets defense that allowed five touchdown passes in the first two weeks of the season, and Lee should see plenty of work. Although it's a prime matchup, Lee should retain value throughout the season, and makes an excellent bench option at worst, and a viable WR3 at best. Recommended FAAB Bid: $8.

Johnson was a top 12 running back in 15 of the 16 weeks he played last season. He was also the top fantasy performer by leaps and bounds. With all of that being said, he cannot continue to sustain this type of usage and remain as effective. In fact, he took a significant step backward over the second half of the season. Add in the almost certain touchdown regression and he takes a back seat to Bell who is #1.

While the Pats have what seems like a dozen weapons this year, we know Brady loves throwing to his running backs. Even if Dion Lewis stays healthy, this job belongs to James White, who has been among the most efficient pass-catching running backs. He won't be worthy of a start every week, but is a nice bye week fill-in.

Last season, the Saints put together a rushing attack that supported two fantasy relevant running backs. Now that AP is in town to replace Hightower, things should be no different. There is, of course, a much larger ceiling to be found with Peterson, and he might even take over the head dog duties from Ingram if he can stay healthy.

With Sammy Watkins in town now, Kupp's ceiling is limited, but he should still see plenty of targets. We are looking at someone who will be a possession receiver for Jared Goff for years to come and is polished enough that should he get the targets, he could be fantasy relevant from the get-go.

The Cowboys' future Hall of Famer is old as dirt, but Dallas still doesn't have many receiving weapons so he should continue to see TE2 type targets. He saw 16 red zone targets last season and is as consistent as they come.

Brown is Mike Tagliere's dude this season, but every other accurate expert we've heard from loves Brown as an under-drafted breakout candidate now that he is healthy again.

Kamara found the end zone on Sunday against the Panthers, but it wasn't a positive day for his fantasy value overall. He received only five touches, and once again saw Adrian Peterson remain relevant and take a large share of the running back workload (11 touches). Kamara has loads of talent, but just doesn't receive enough work to be a fantasy contributor right now. His talent makes him a stash, but he's much more of a bench piece for now until Peterson gets cut and/or Mark Ingram gets injured. Recommended FAAB Bid: $3.

With Willie Sneed suspended for three games, Ginn should be able to assert himself as Brees' #2, which as Brandin Cooks showed last year, can make a player a top 12 wideout. Ginn doesn't have that type of upside, but he was a top 25 wideout with a far inferior passer just two years ago.

With the Panthers drafting McCaffrey so high this season, it seems unlikely that they would miss an opportunity to get him plenty of touches. That doesn't mean, however, that Stewart can't also be heavily involved in the offense. McCaffrey can be used out wide or in the slot as well. Stewart has been a quality running back for some time including last season when he wasn't injured so don't sleep on him.

Marshall was terrible in terms of efficiency last season, but he is now on the opposite side of Odell Beckham and will surely be open for many more of his targets this season. What's more is that the Giants should end up in the red zone quite a bit more often than the Jets did.

Lamar Miller is still the lead dog in the Houston backfield, but Foreman has shown how explosive he can be. Although he has averaged just 3.3 yards per carry so far, he caught his first two passes this week, turning them into gains of 34 and 31 yards. Foreman should continue to see at least 10 touches per week, and would be an instant RB1 should Miller go down. Recommended FAAB Bid: $4.

There is virtually no chance Blount will be fed the same ridiculous number of goal-line touches as he got last season, but the offensive line is quite a bit better at run blocking so that counts for something. With that said, we aren't sure Blount will be the Eagles head-dog all season with all of the RBs on the roster. Watch this situation closely because his ADP will see big movement when a starter is named one way or the other.

While Kevin White gets a bump due to Meredith's season-long absence, Wright benefits the most. He should start in most two receiver sets and has upside because of the volume he could see in these negative game scripts.

Charles turned back the clock a bit on Sunday against the Bills, averaging 6.2 yards per carry and scoring a touchdown. He also looked far more effective than C.J. Anderson in the game. Charles has now received 10, nine, and nine carries in the first three games, and it's clear he's going to be getting at least that amount of work each week. He has shown he has the ability to provide fantasy value with that number of carries, and he's splitting time with a notoriously injury-prone player in Anderson. Charles' production plus potential make him a strong target in fantasy leagues. Recommended FAAB Bid: $13.

Last season, Olsen led the Panthers with 129 targets. Kelvin Benjamin was second with 118 and the departed Ted Ginn was third with 95. Olsen has virtually no competition so even if he is getting up there in age, he should be considered more reliable than a concussion prone Jordan Reed.

Death, taxes and Andrew Luck throwing enough to mediocre tight ends that they become fantasy relevant. Last season, Luck had two top 20 fantasy tight ends including Doyle who was #13. This year, Dwayne Allen is gone and you'd have to presume, Doyle is in for even more targets. He has a nice safe floor so long as both he and Luck manage to stay healthy.

Reports out of camp have been glowing out Bernard as an elusive third down pass catcher. His ceiling will be blocked by the presence of Joe Mixon and Jeremy Hill however. Only in great matchups does he make sense as a potential flex play.

 

With Sammy Watkins out of Buffalo and Matthews in as presumably the team's #1 receiver, Matthews ceiling bumps to a low-end WR2. The Bills will be bad enough this season that they should have plenty of positive game scripts for the passing game.

Antonio Gates is still there, Keenan Allen is back and they just drafted Mike Williams so there is reason to be hesitant. With that being said, this is the best young tight end we've seen in a handful of years. He was the TE11 last season and the only top 18 TE with less than 70 targets and Henry had just 53. With the way he performed in a limited sample, the Chargers' hand is forced to get him the ball much more often this year.

When on the field, Hooper was among the most efficient fantasy tight ends in football. Now that he is the starter, there is significant upside. With that said, he shouldn't be relied on as a TE1, but pairing him with Hunter Henry makes plenty of sense as one, if not both are likely to break out in a big way.

Clay is averaging six targets per game this year, and has scored in two of three contests. With Tyrod Taylor preferring shorter passes, Clay and LeSean McCoy have been and should continue to be the primary beneficiaries. The Bills take on the Falcons this week, and they're likely to be playing from behind, meaning Clay should once again see plenty of targets. He's the top streaming tight end this week and makes a passable fantasy option on a weekly basis. Recommended FAAB Bid: $3.

Matthews has been a startable wideout over his previous 20 games, but with Corey Davis and Eric Decker joining the fray, he should take a major step backward. With that being said, he is still a safe WR5 to fill out a roster.

Mike Wallace gets it done every single year, and this time around should be no different seeing that Steve Smith, Dennis Pitta and Kamar Aiken all left Baltimore and Joe Flacco is a sure bet to be top 5 in pass attempts. Wallace is the clear #2 and should again be worthy of flex consideration.

Nelson was superb with Carson Palmer after John Brown went down with an injury and Fitzgerald faded. There is a path to him finishing as a WR3 this year, so he is a solid upside pick.

While Prosise may not be as proven as a Darren Sproles or Duke Johnson, it seems as though he is going to get the same kind of attention as those great third-down backs this season. With that being said, until we see it, it is difficult to draft someone on speculation that he might be a flex worthy play some weeks.

All early indications are telling us that Kelley was passed up by the rookie Perine in the Redskins' eyes. While he held the fort down in last year's second half,

 

The Giants offense woke up on Sunday, and all of their receivers benefited. Shepard saw 10 targets and hauled in seven of them, en route to 133 yards receiving and a touchdown. Brandon Marshall similarly came back to relevance on Sunday, and had more targets and catches than Shepard. But the young receiver now has 22 targets through three games, and should continue to be a big part of the offense. He'll take on a decimated Bucs defense in Week 4 before going against the Chargers and Broncos. While the schedule isn't fantastic, Shepard is still worth an add, and should be at least a bench option and a bye-week filler. Recommended FAAB Bid: $3.

While Britt is the safe option for Cleveland, Coleman is the upside play. We have seen a few big games from him and know what he is capable of. Perhaps he breaks out like Pyror did last season, but there is a better chance he ends up unstartable most weeks.

Until Mike Gillislee proves himself in the LGB role from last season, we have to wonder what Belichek will do with this backfield. There still exists a chance that Burkhead ends up the top dog so he may be worth a gamble on draft day.

The Packers have produced excellent fantasy running back performances for 3 of the past 4 seasons with last year being the lone exception. Montgomery was their most effective runner, but they only trusted him with double-digit carries just once. It is quite possible that Williams claims this job for himself quickly and never looks back on his way to a top 15 RB finish.

Rodgers saw a huge load of carries when Martin was down last year and the same thing could happen in the first three weeks of the season. There is also a chance that Martin slips up and then you have a full-time starter on your hands here.

After posting terrific numbers as Forte's backup, Powell took over during Forte's injury and seems to have the job for himself at the moment. We all know not to count out Forte for stealing that job back however, so don't hesitate to draft him as a just in case.

If there is one thing we know about this offense, it is that Gates will continue to see the ball in the red zone. Last season, his 18 targets within the 20 were among the top 12 overall in football despite him seeing less than 100 total targets. Until he retires, he will have fantasy relevancy.

Anderson is a big-play threat, as shown by his 69-yard touchdown catch on Sunday against the Dolphins. He was also targeted six times, tied for the team lead. Anderson is still behind Jermaine Kearse as the Jets receiver to own, and his tough matchup in Week 4 (Jacksonville) and inconsistent play make him less of an exciting add, and more someone to stash to play in the right matchup. Recommended FAAB Bid: $2.

 

 

He was tremendous in college as a possession receiver, and if given snaps, could be an impact rookie. He is a lottery ticket at this point.

The Giants are said to have major plans for Vareen. Whether that means he is a quality third-down pass catcher or somehow who also sees 100 touches is yet to be determined, but he is worth keeping an eye on.

Kelvin Benjamin apparently does not have any structural damage in his knee, but it's unclear how much time he'll miss. With Greg Olsen also being lost for a significant period of time, Funchess is pretty much the last man standing. He caught just four passes for 58 yards against the Saints, but should see a huge increase in targets going forward. Although his long-term value probably isn't that high, he gets a fantastic matchup with a Patriots defense that has given up eight passing touchdowns through three games. For those in need of a WR3, he makes a decent plug-and-play option. Recommended FAAB Bid: $2.

Doctson has seen his snap percentage increase each week, and he finally hit a home run on Sunday night, catching a 52-yard touchdown pass for his only reception of the night (and the year). Doctson's talent is immense, but he simply isn't being used enough to warrant fantasy consideration. He should only be added in leagues with deep benches, and where you don't intend to start him for at least several weeks. Recommended FAAB Bid: $1.

Sanu has burned his fantasy owners before, but its hard not to like what he's been doing lately. He has 21 targets through three games and scored his first touchdown on Sunday. As the WR2 in an excellent offense, Sanu should offer a decent floor, while also having the potential for a few big games sprinkled in. His immediate schedule isn't that enticing, as the Falcons take on the Bills in Week 4 before their bye week. But they'll get the Dolphins coming out of the break, and you can bet that Sanu will be a viable starting option in Week 6. Recommended FAAB Bid: $4.

Richardson has just eight catches on the season, and has just 49 yards receiving over the last two games. With Tyler Lockett getting healthy, Richardson's role is clearly decreasing. But Doug Baldwin is dealing with a groin injury, and the Seahawks take on the Colts this weekend. He's far from safe, but especially if you need a one-week filler, Richardson isn't the worst option to bet on. Recommended FAAB Bid: $1.

 

Hurns isn't seeing quite the targets that Marqise Lee is since Allen Robinson tore his ACL, but he's finding the end zone, scoring touchdowns in each of his last two games. Blake Bortles showed on Sunday that the Jaguars passing attack has some punch to it. making both Lee and Hurns viable options. The Jaguars take on the Jets next week, and New York has allowed six passing touchdowns through three games. Hurns is a fine add for a bench piece and can easily be started in any given week. Recommended FAAB Bid: $6.

 

Tavon is the biggest mystery of any receiver from week to week. You will likely get a handful of stellar performances and a number of disappearnces. With that said, he is still likely to end up a top 60 fantasy receiver.

Like him as a runner or not, he is a certified touchdown vulture. Mixon is now in play and expected to get the brunt of the work, while Bernard lingers as the more talented back, but Hill will still get his hands on the ball and sneak into the end zone enough times to be worthy of a roster spot.

After looking like he could be a cut candidate with questions about his effort, Britt came back into relevance on Sunday against the Colts, catching three passes for 54 yards and a touchdown. Two things bode well for Britt going forward: His high target volume in the game (10) and the lack of any viable alternative at receiver for Cleveland. The Browns aren't good, but should be playing from behind most weeks, meaning Britt should be heavily involved. Recommended FAAB Bid: $9.

 

After the Eagles shipped Jordan Matthews away, it seems as though Agholor will get his crack at the starting slot position. Granted, he is dropping everything in site, but there is a route to WR4 type numbers should he win the job.

Don't be scared off by the fact that the Bucs drafted O.J. Howard and to a lesser extent, Chris Godwin. Sure, Howard is a great tight end prospect, but rookie tight ends rarely perform, and the fact is, Brate was #1 in the NFL in yards per route run so there is reason to believe he will again be an large part of the Bucs' offense.

 

With Dixon now out for the season, Woodhead's role should be expanded unless they go acquire a Ryan Matthews or DeAngelo Williams. He is the sure-fire third down back and could play in the slot some as well, but don't sleep on him getting 6-10 carries per game as well. We are talking about one of the safest late-round backs in Woodhead.

Should Le'Veon Bell sustain yet another injury, the Steelers have not been shy about running their backup into the ground. Conner would be in an ideal role to see RB1 opportunities in those games, and seeing how often Bell has missed time, Conner may be worth a late-round gamble.

The Seahawks added Lacy and they do have Prosise sniffing around for touches too, but they appear committed to still get the ball in Rawls' hands too. With that being said, his ceiling is limited and he shouldn't be start-worthy many weeks because of the abysmal Seahawks' offensive line.

 

 

ASJ has burned people year in and year out, but there is quite a bit of upside here once again. Apparently, he is beyond his demons and has taken his body to another level. He has the upside to be a top 5 tight end some day, and seeing that there isn't much competition for targets, he is one to keep your eye on.

 

Ross was drafted quite high, but it is purely based on his speed. He needs to work on his route running before he plays a big role in an NFL offense. He will also have to fight off Tyler Boyd for snaps.

 

 

There used to be a notion that Thomas was a borderline superstar tight end and everyone is just waiting for that to come back. Did you know, however, that he has never eclipsed 800 receiving yards in a season? Brandon Myers and a 35 year old Ben Watson have both managed that in the past five seasons. The reason for Thomas' fame is the 24 TDs Peyton threw to him so don't find yourself buying too much into the hype.

Alex Smith has never supported two fantasy wide receivers, but Chris Conley is a special athletic specimen who could change that narrative with this year's opportunity. He is well worth a lottery ticket and should Maholmes take over, Conley could explode onto the scene.

 

McFadden should get 6 starts behind this incredible offensive line, but they will be against some tough defenses. Still, he should be an RB1 most weeks and is well worth a top 100 draft pick.

Frank Gore's career is on the outs based on what we've seen over the last two seasons. There is a reason the Colts went out and got Mack and it is because they want him to replace Gore, be it next season, mid-season or pre-season. The time is coming and it doesn't hurt to grab him now in case it is sooner than later.

Allen might not be the same quality of player as Martellus Bennett, but the fact that the Pats' backup tight end (who played injured all season) finished #7 among TEs in fantasy points last season should tell you plenty. Gronk has injury risk and Brady will find Allen in the end zone a handful of times. He has TE1 upside and a useful fantasy floor.

The Vikings have made it clear that they expect Treadwell to be their #3 wide receiver, which means we could see a breakout, but unless Diggs or Thielen ends up injured, he won't be startable even as a flex.

After two "busts," Gabriel had his "boom" on Sunday against Detroit, hauling in five of six targets for 79 yards and a score. The first three games indicate exactly what you'll get with Gabriel - several weeks where is unplayable and then a handful where he explodes. He's third in the pecking order behind Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu, and without consistent targets, he's simply a bye week fill-in. Recommended FAAB Bid: $1.

Allison's value depends entirely on the health of Randall Cobb, as Allison caught six of eight targets for 122 yards on Sunday against the Bengals with Cobb out of the lineup. The severity of Cobb's injury is unknown, but with a short week, it's a fair bet that he'll miss another game. Against a relatively weak Bears secondary and with Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball, he's a fine add for a one-week play, and could have the potential for more value if Cobb misses additional time. Recommended FAAB Bid: $1.

At this point, Lewis figures to see several huge games and a whole lot of busts. He is worth owning in deeper leagues, but unless someone ahead of him goes down with an injury, he is a lottery ticket every week.

Everyone is talking about how Jacquizz is underrated because he will start the first three weeks. Granted, Rodgers was the best of the three Bucs RBs last season, but Sims and Martin were playing hurt. If Sims is healthy, he just might take this job over and keep it. He is a great post-hype sleeper this season.

LeGarrette Blount was the Eagles back to own on Sunday against the Giants, but Wendell Smallwood is the primary beneficiary of the Darren Sproles injury. Smallwood not only saw the most touches among the Eagles running backs on Sunday (13), but also saw far more snaps than Blount (43 to 22). Doug Pederson loves to rotate his running backs, and Corey Clement will play a role. But Smallwood has a major opportunity to grab the Philadelphia backfield, and makes the top waiver-wire add. Recommended FAAB Bid: $13.

 

Last season, DeAndre Washington was excellent behind that stellar offensive line. If Lynch were to go down with an injury, or re-retire randomly, Washington has a tremendous ceiling. With that being said, even in that scenario, he might end up just splitting carries with Richard so the odds of a major breakout are on the smaller side.

 

While McDonald shouldn't be anyone's TE1, he does possess some upside seeing that the 49ers have no one besides Pierre Garcon to pass to and will be throwing plenty as they play from behind.

 

There is a lot to worry about with Lacy: the Seahawks offensive line is the worst in the league, Lacy has weight issues and CJ Prosise is just one of several backs vying for touches behind him. What it all comes down to, however, is that Lacy is among the most talented in the league when he is right so there is some serious upside here.

 

 

 

 

 

Davis had a huge night on Sunday against the Raiders filling in for Jordan Reed, catching all five of his targets for 58 yards and a touchdown. If Reed were to miss significant time, Davis would make a top priority add, and immediately slot in as a TE1. But it does not sound like Reed will be out that long, and even if Davis starts next week, he will draw the Chiefs, followed by a bye. With a tough matchup and little long-term value, Davis is more of a handcuff for Reed owners. Recommended FAAB Bid: $1.

Andy Reid is not shy about employing a dual-headed backfield, as we've seen several times in the past, so if Ware is indeed out for the season, it isn't only Kareem Hunt who gets a significant bump. West could be a quality flex play some weeks and now has major upside in the case that Hunt were to also go down at some point.

Williams may miss extended time and perhaps the season, and even if he plays, it will take injuries for him to be a week to week starter, but buying a lottery ticket here makes more sense than wasting a roster spot on a Chris Hogan type.

 

 

 

Murray was back on the field for a few snaps and from the early impression, it seems as though they will use him in the same capacity as Matt Asiata last season. That isn't to say he will be an every week fantasy asset, but he will get enough goal-line work to be relevant.

 

Griffin was fantastic against the Patriots, pulling in five of six targets for 61 yards and a touchdown. With C.J. Fiedorowicz lost for the season, there's a huge void to fill in the Texans offense, and Griffin looks ready to fill it. With solid matchups in two of his next three games (Titans and the Browns), Griffin makes a fine add for the near- and long-term. Recommended FAAB Bid: $2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Jets have a crowded backfield, with McGuire splitting time with both Bilal Powell and Matt Forte. McGuire is clearly on the losing end of the split, as both Powell (30) and Forte (22) saw more snaps than him (12). But Forte is dealing with a toe injury, and isn't the healthiest player to begin with. If he misses time, then McGuire could see more than 10 touches per game. Still, there are plenty of backs to own ahead of him. Recommended FAAB Bid: $1.

 

 

 

 

Clement carried the ball six times for 22 yards and scored a touchdown on Sunday against the Giants, as he finally saw some action after Darren Sproles' injury. Clement should see the field a lot more going forward, and Doug Pederson isn't shy about using three backs. It's likely that Wendell Smallwood will get the first opportunity to run with the job, but rest assured, Clement will get a handful of touches. Still, at this point, he's more of a handcuf, who can be used as a desperation bye-week play. Recommended FAAB Bid: $1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oliver is the clear backup to Melvin Gordon, as had 12 touches on Sunday against the Chiefs while Gordon missed about half the game with a knee injury. It's been deemed a "minor" bone bruise for Gordon, and he should play next week, but the fact that he couldn't make it through Sunday's game in full is worrisome. Oliver isn't special, but he's an obvious handcuff to a running back fighting an injury. That's worth an add in most fantasy leagues. Recommended FAAB Bid: $1.