Way-Too-Early 2018 Fantasy Football Rankings
1) Todd Gurley
- 19 TDs on an up-and-coming offense with stability is too bankable to not pick him first overall. If hesitant, look at his numbers in the fantasy playoffs.
2) Le'Veon Bell
- If he stays on the Steelers, he will be a 1a/1b pick alongside Gurley. He does it better than anyone on the ground and through the air. His health after his monstrous 2017 workload is the only thing that makes him second overall instead of first for me.
3) Ezekiel Elliott
- He missed six games and still finished as the tenth best RB in standard scoring leagues.
4) Antonio Brown
- He missed basically three games and still finished with 1,500 yards and 9 TDs. He is a locked and loaded, safe WR1.
5) DeAndre Hopkins
- Finished as the WR1 without Deshaun Watson for the most of the year. Watson should be good to go for 2018 and Hopkins is as safe as they come at the wideout position. His worst week was 7.3 standard scoring points.
6) David Johnson
- He is the unknown in the first round having missed basically the entire 2017 season. But, it was his wrist and not anything that could inhibit his play in 2018....but his QB and Head Coach may.
7) Alvin Kamara
- He is a big play waiting to happen. While the efficiency may go down, his volume should increase. He won't be a bell-cow back anytime soon, but his talent and his position in a high-scoring Saints offense should make him worth a first round pick.
8) Odell Beckham Jr.
- Odell falling to the end of the first round is a steal to me. Not many players have the talent he has and I'm confident he can deliver no matter who is on his team or throwing him the ball.
9) Kareem Hunt
- He hit a bit of rough patch in the middle of the season but he caught fire again late. He is a very talented back but needs to be utilized more consistently to be an RB1. Watch what happens with Alex Smith before selecting Hunt this high.
10) Melvin Gordon
- Highly scrutinized for his less than stellar yards per carry mark but always seems to find the end zone with high volume totals. Very safe in my eyes.
11) LeSean McCoy
- Getting up there in age for a running back but continues to be the centerpiece of an offense that likes to stay in games and set a slow pace. Watch the Bills' QB situation.
12) Leonard Fournette
- Missed some games with injury but when he played, he was phenomenal. On a team with a stellar defense and an average QB, the Jags will surely continue to ride Fournette.
13) Julio Jones
- Lacks consistency, except in the playoffs apparently, but always finishes in the top five at the position. It'll be a roller coaster, but he'll single-handedly win you some weeks.
14) Michael Thomas
- Started slow in the touchdown department but still finished eighth at the position despite only five touchdowns. He gives you valuable consistency week-to-week with a solid ceiling thanks to Drew Brees being his QB.
15) AJ Green
- Very frustrating owning Green in 2017 as he felt like he was a disappointment. However, his "down" year consisted of over 1,000 yards and 8 TDs. Don't see him falling short of those totals in 2018.
16) Derrick Henry
- Henry is my way-too-early dark horse for the 2018 season. If DeMarco Murray leaves Tennessee, Henry could become a top-five RB in fantasy. He is going to go later than this, but this is how far I'd reach for his potential.
17) Jordan Howard
- Finished tenth in scoring among RBs on a bad Bears team. The team should improve and be more competitive in 2018 which will only help Howard in the run game. 1,122 yards on a 5-11 team is impressive.
18) Mike Evans
- He had an incredibly disappointing 2017 but so did the entire Bucs team. I think they will bounce back and Evans will be a major proponent in their cause. You could get a discount on one of the highest ceiling receivers.
19) Mark Ingram
- The thunder back-mate to Alvin Kamara's lightning. Ingram had a few blow-up games
in 2017 and 2018 should be no different. And, if Kamara were to go down, Ingram catapults to a top-five back.
20) Rob Gronkowski
- Gronk just keeps getting it done. Almost 1,100 yards and 8 TDs gives you an incredible edge at the TE position, basically giving you the ability to start three wide receivers.