I watched a little more than half of the first round of the NFL draft, but my wife and I couldn't stay awake to see the Ravens make their pick. We tried, but Baltimore kept trading back! We woke up the next morning and realized not only did Baltimore take a tight end with their first pick, but they also traded up to get Philly's first rounder...where they drafted Lamar Jackson. Woa! Ozzie Newsome changing it up in what is to be his last draft with the Ravens. You think of Baltimore usually drafting defense in Round 1, but they went with a couple of picks for their offense. I thought Jackson might go to a team like Arizona or Miami and potentially start right away, but now I'm thinking he won't be the starter until 2019 at the earliest, so he's off my watch list. I also removed any Giant RBs not named Saquon from my top-180. Thanks for the clarity at that position, New York! It really helps me with my rankings. :)
As for my Redskins, I guess I was OK with them drafting Payne, but I wanted Derwin James there. I really did. I also wanted the Caps to not fall apart in the third period and blow a 2-0 lead in Game 1, but we can't always get what we want. At least they bounced back and took Game 2 though. It's shaping up to be a great series, as always.
But back to the NFL draft and how it impacted my rankings....
There are plenty of other guys to talk about, and I'll mostly focus on the RBs and WRs. I won't waste much time talking about QBs. I was kind of shocked the Browns took Baker Mayfield at #1, but I guess I shouldn't be shocked by anything that organization does. Poor Tyrod. I removed him from my rankings, and I don't even have either QB on my watch list. No thanks. As for the rest of my rankings, they've shaken up quite a bit.
Let's get right to them, shall we?
1. Le'Veon Bell |
2. Todd Gurley |
3. Antonio Brown |
4. Ezekiel Elliott |
5. Alvin Kamara |
6. DeAndre Hopkins |
7. David Johnson |
8. Dalvin Cook |
9. Leonard Fournette |
10. Saquon Barkley: I thought he'd fall to the 5-7 range, but the Giants took him at #2. Up two spots. |
11. Kareem Hunt |
12. Melvin Gordon
13. Odell Beckham, Jr. |
14. Michael Thomas |
15. Julio Jones |
16. Davante Adams |
17. A.J. Green |
18. Keenan Allen |
19. Mike Evans |
20. Rob Gronkowski |
21. LeSean McCoy |
22. Mark Ingram |
23. Devonta Freeman |
24. Doug Baldwin
25. Alshon Jeffery |
26. Christian McCaffery |
27. Jordan Howard |
28. Jerick McKinnon |
29. T.Y. Hilton |
30. Tyreek Hill |
31. Adam Thielen |
32. Demaryius Thomas |
33. Jay Ajayi |
34. Derrick Henry |
35. Joe Mixon |
36. Aaron Rodgers
37. Travis Kelce |
38. Zach Ertz: Moved him up here with Kelce. Could see him ending up as #1 fantasy TE.
39. Amari Cooper |
40. Stefon Diggs |
41. Larry Fitzgerald: I think Rosen to Fitzgerald could be magic. Up. |
42. JuJu Smith-Schuster: He's up a WR tier with Martavis getting traded to the Raiders. |
43. Marvin Jones: He belongs up here too... |
44. Michael Crabtree |
45. Brandin Cooks |
46. Allen Robinson |
47. Kenyan Drake |
48. Lamar Miller
49. Alex Collins |
50. Marlon Mack |
51. Derrius Guice: Once thought to be a 1st rounder, ended up with my Redskins in Rd 2. Down. |
52. Tevin Coleman |
53. Ronald Jones: Will presumably be the workhorse back for Tampa. WAY Up. |
54. Dion Lewis |
55. Aaron Jones: The Packers didn't draft a RB, so he's up to this tier. |
56. Russell Wilson |
57. Deshaun Watson |
58. Carson Wentz |
59. Tom Brady: Moved these three QBs back up to make this one giant QB tier. |
60. Cam Newton: And bumped Cam above Brees. He has some receivers to throw to now.
61. Drew Brees |
62. Evan Engram: Down a few spots. Saquon likely to get more TDs in the red zone. |
63. Greg Olsen: Moved him and Graham up a few spots ahead of some RBs and WRs. |
64. Jimmy Graham |
65. Golden Tate |
66. Corey Davis |
67. Jarvis Landry: He and Gordon down a WR tier with this Baker Mayfield nonsense. |
68. Josh Gordon |
69. Devin Funchess: Down slightly with the Panthers drafting D.J. Moore in the first round. |
70. Calvin Ridley: Atlanta is a great spot for him to perform in Year 1. Up. |
71. Rashaad Penny: Seattle took him in the first round for a reason. Way up from #158. |
72. Sony Michel: The Patriots took him in Round 1. Their RB usage drives me nuts. Slightly down.
73. Chris Thompson |
74. C.J. Anderson: Still unsigned. Down even more... |
75. Royce Freeman: And with C.J. out of the picture, Denver is a great spot for Royce. Up. |
76. Will Fuller |
77. Julian Edelman |
78. Dez Bryant |
79. Jordy Nelson: Down slightly with the arrival of Martavis. |
80. Kirk Cousins |
81. Kyle Rudolph |
82. Hunter Henry |
83. Robby Anderson |
84. Kelvin Benjamin
85. Robert Woods |
86. Emmanuel Sanders |
87. Sterling Shepard |
88. DeVante Parker |
89. Isaiah Crowell |
90. Marshawn Lynch |
91. Carlos Hyde: Had him in my top-40 til the Browns drafted Chubb. Now WAY down. |
92. DeMarco Murray |
93. Frank Gore |
94. Giovani Bernard |
95. Sammy Watkins |
96. Pierre Garcon
97. D.J. Moore: Cracks my top-100 after the Panthers selected him in the first round. |
98. Randall Cobb |
99. Chris Hogan: Needed to be up a couple of WR tiers with Cooks gone. |
100. Cooper Kupp |
101. Andrew Luck |
102. Jared Goff |
103. Jimmy Garoppolo |
104. Jordan Reed |
105. Nick Chubb: Should battle with Carlos Hyde for reps. Down slightly for now. |
106. Tarik Cohen |
107. Jamaal Williams |
108. Rex Burkhead: I had him all the way up at #62, but way down after the Pats drafted Michel.
109. Corey Clement |
110. D'Onta Foreman |
111. Allen Hurns |
112. Nelson Agholor |
113. Marqise Lee |
114. Josh Doctson |
115. Mike Williams |
116. Jamison Crowder |
117. Bilal Powell |
118. Theo Riddick |
119. Duke Johnson: What will be his role with Chubb and Hyde presumably ahead of him? Down. |
120. Kerryon Johnson: The Lions took him at #43, but they have so many RBs. Cautiously up.
121. Philip Rivers: I know this feels high, but he's a top-12 fantasy QB like every year. Up. |
122. Matthew Stafford |
123. Michael Gallup: The Cowboys drafted him in Round 3. I like the pick. Up. |
124. Marquise Goodwin |
125. James Washington: A 2nd round pick by Pittsburgh. He also belongs up the list. |
126. Rishard Matthews |
127. Kenny Stills: Down to this WR tier. Inconsistent. |
128. Jordan Matthews |
129. Devontae Booker: I'm just going to assume Royce Freeman is better. Booker down. |
130. LeGarrette Blount |
131. Samaje Perine: WAY down with the Redskins drafting Guice in Round 2. |
132. Doug Martin
133. Latavius Murray |
134. Austin Seferian-Jenkins |
135. Delanie Walker |
136. Cameron Meredith: With Snead gone, I felt he needed to be higher. |
137. Jaron Brown: Now in Seattle, I have a feeling he's in for another career year. Up. |
138. Geronimo Allison: Could be the #2 WR with Rodgers throwing to him. Up. |
139. Christian Kirk: Went 2nd round to the Cardinals and into my top-150. |
140. Matt Breida |
141. Nyheim Hines: I could see this little rookie being the third down back in Indy. |
142. Ty Montgomery |
143. Chris Carson: Was in my top-100 until the Seahawks took Rashaad Penny in Round 1. Down. |
144. Peyton Barber: The Bucs drafted a RB early. Barber back down.
145. Tyrell Williams |
146. Mike Wallace |
147. Paul Richardson |
148. Martavis Bryant: Who knows what he'll do in Oakland. Down slightly. |
149. Dede Westbrook: Down with the Jags drafting a WR so high. |
150. Terrelle Pryor |
151. Brice Butler |
152. Tyler Lockett |
153. T.J. Yeldon |
154. Ameer Abdullah: Kerryon Johnson, Blount, and Riddick likely all ahead of him. Down. |
155. Trey Burton |
156. Tyler Eifert
157. Mike Gesicki: Drafted in the 2nd round by the Dolphins. Good spot to be a top-15 TE. |
158. Matt Ryan |
159. Alex Smith: Not sure he belonged anywhere near top-10 QBs in a new system. Down. |
160. Jameis Winston |
161. Derek Carr: Moved into top-180. Got Martavis to add to Amari and Jordy. |
162. Dak Prescott: No Dez. No Witten. Way down. |
163. Ben Roethlisberger |
164. Patrick Mahomes: Added him and Sam Darnold up here too. Why not in a keeper league? |
165. Sam Darnold |
166. Dante Pettis: Drafted in Round 2 by the 49ers. This one is interesting to me, so he's up here. |
167. Willie Snead: Added to top-180. Should fill the Maclin role in Baltimore. |
168. Mohamed Sanu: Down slightly with the Falcons taking Ridley in the first round.
169. Chargers DEFENSE: Derwin James was a steal at #17. They remain my #1 fantasy defense.
170. Broncos DEFENSE: I love their schedule, and Bradley Chubb was a great addition. Up!
171. Jaguars DEFENSE
172. Ravens DEFENSE
173. Rams DEFENSE
174. Eagles DEFENSE
175. Vikings DEFENSE
176. Saints DEFENSE: Traded up in 1st Rd for defense. They're a sleeper top-10 D this year. Up.
177. Seahawks DEFENSE
178. Steelers DEFENSE
179. Chiefs DEFENSE
180. Patriots DEFENSE
...and here's my Watch List: |
|
QBs
Marcus Mariota
Case Keenum
Eli Manning
Blake Bortles |
Mitch Trubisky
Andy Dalton
|
RBs
Jonathan Stewart: The Giants drafted Saquon, so JStew becomes irrelevant. Down.
James White: Down to the watch list with the Pats drafting Sony Michel.
Jeremy Hill
Jalen Richard
DeAndre Washington
Joe Williams
Austin Ekeler
C.J. Prosise
Eddie Lacy: Still a free agent...
Charles Sims: Still a free agent...
Orleans Darkwa: Still a free agent. Down to watch list. Maybe he'll sign elsewhere...
Rob Kelley
Adrian Peterson
Spencer Ware
Javorius Allen
Kenneth Dixon
Terrance West: Added to the watch list (also currently a free agent).
Chris Ivory
James Connor
Mike Gillislee
Alfred Morris: Still a free agent...
Damien Williams
Tion Green
Elijah McGuire
Thomas Rawls
John Kelly: Drafted late by the Chargers. Stays here for now, but probably should be removed.
Danny Woodhead (RETIRED but still in watch list in case he changes his mind)
|
WRs |
Malcolm Mitchell: Down to the watch list with the Pats signing Jordan Matthews.
Corey Coleman
Jeremy Maclin: Baltimore released him...still a free agent.
Chris Godwin
DeSean Jackson
J.J. Nelson
Kenny Golladay
John Ross
John Brown
Kevin White
Taylor Gabriel: Added to the watch list because he could be the #2 WR in Chicago.
Ryan Grant
Dontrelle Inman: Still a free agent...
Ted Ginn
Brandon Marshall: Giants released him...still a free agent.
Kenny Britt
Keelan Cole
Eric Decker: Still a free agent...
Quincy Enunwa
Travis Benjamin
Mack Hollins
Kendall Wright
Danny Amendola
Albert Wilson
Donte Moncrief
Jermaine Kearse
Jaleel Scott: Drafted by Baltimore in the 4th round. Kind of interesting.
D.J. Chark: Drafted early by the Jags, but they have a lot of WRs, so he'll stay down here.
Anthony Miller: Drafted by the Bears in Round 2. Doubt he'll have value right away. Down.
Courtland Sutton: Denver doesn't feel like a great landing spot with fantasy for Year 1. Down.
Deon Cain: Drafted by the Colts pretty late. He'll stay in the watch list for now.
|
TEs |
O.J. Howard
Jack Doyle
Eric Ebron
Hayden Hurst: Flacco loves throwing to his TEs, but they also drafted Mark Andrews...
Mark Andrews: So I'm leaving both in the watch list for now.
Charles Clay
Austin Hooper
Cameron Brate
David Njoku
Jake Butt
George Kittle
Benjamin Watson |
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