Can you believe it? It is that time of year again. The NFL preseason has already kicked off and the regular season will start before you know it. Most people will be participating in their season-long drafts so I want to give you my thoughts on the players I think will be the best picks for your teams (I will update these rankings throughout the preseason).
So why take Fantasy Football advice from a Fantasy NASCAR guy? Actually I spent more time covering Fantasy Football than I have in Fantasy NASCAR. I started playing Fantasy Football in 1986 (Yes, my first pick was RB Roger Craig from the S.F. 49ers). I wrote a Fantasy Football newsletter from 1997-2004. In 2006 I started to cover Fantasy Football for Bleacher Report. I switched to NASCAR in 2010. In 2014 I was inducted into the Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football Hall of Fame and have been recognized by the Fantasy Sports Writer’s Association for my work in Fantasy Football. So I have a lot background in this sport.
* Be sure to sign up to get the DFS Fantasy Football picks for the 2019 season, plus DFS NASCAR for 1 year and DFS PGA picks for 1 year. It is a great value! FantasyRacingTips Membership
These rankings are based on a 12-Team league, with 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 FLEX, 1 DEF and 1 K. Scoring is 1 point per 25 yards passing, 10 yards rushing and 10 yards receiving. 4 points per passing TD, 6 points per rushing / receiving TD and 1 point per reception.
Here is my preseason ranking…
ROUND 1
|
PLAYER |
POS. |
TEAM |
| 1. Christian McCaffrey |
RB |
CAR |
| 2. Ezekiel Elliott |
RB |
DAL |
| 3. Saquon Barkley |
RB |
NYG |
| 4. Alvin Kamara |
RB |
NO |
| 5. David Johnson |
RB |
ARZ |
| 6. Leveon Bell |
RB |
NYJ |
| 7. DeAndre Hopkins |
WR |
HST |
| 8. DeVante Adams |
WR |
GB |
| 9. Julio Jones |
WR |
AtL |
| 10. Michael Thomas |
WR |
NO |
| 11. James Conner |
RB |
PIT |
| 12. Odell Beckham |
WR |
CLV |
My philosophy in the first round is to make sure I hit a home run. That is why Christian McCaffrey is my number one player. There is absolutely no risk with McCaffrey. He never comes off the field; he will likely total 1,600 yards, have 90+ receptions and 8+ TDS. Also he usually does not get injured. Ezekiel Elliott is my No.2 pick for now. August 6th is an important date for Zeke. If he does not report to camp by the 6th he will not earn credit for the year towards free agency. He is probably the best player in Fantasy Football but McCaffrey is the safer pick. Saquon Barkley is a stud on a crappy team. Every defense will focus on Barkley and that is the only reason why he is No. 3 (but it is close with the top 3). I am higher on LeVeon Bell than others. I think there is a lot of tread on his tires and he will be extra motivated to perform. Also, who else is going to lead the Jets offense? DeAndre Hopkins, DeVante Adams, Julio Jones, Michael Thomas and Odell Beckham Jr. are all stud WRs. I think you can win your league with any of these pass-catchers as your first pick. I know the Steelers are talking about using a committee at RB to keep James Conner fresh but I am not buying it. Pittsburgh has been a one-back team and they are going to need Conner if they want to win games this season.
ROUND 2
|
PLAYER |
POS. |
TEAM |
| 13. Travis Kelce |
TE |
KC |
| 14. Tyreek Hill |
WR |
KC |
| 15. Todd Gurley |
RB |
LAR |
| 16. Joe Mixon |
RB |
CIN |
| 17. Melvin Gordon III |
RB |
LAC |
| 18. Delvin Cook |
RB |
MIN |
| 19. JuJu Smith-Schuster |
WR |
PIT |
| 20. Antonio Brown |
WR |
OAK |
| 21. Mike Evans |
WR |
TB |
| 22. Aaron Jones |
RB |
GB |
| 23. T.Y. Hilton |
WR |
IND |
| 24. Leonard Fournette |
RB |
JAX |
- Keenan Allen was mistakenly excluded from these rankings. Allen should be No. 24 on the list.
I do not mind taking TE Travis Kelce at the top of round 2. He will likely put up WR1 numbers. You will have a huge advantage over your competition each week at the TE position with Kelce in your lineup. Tyreek Hill is a freak. He can score so many ways that he could easily be a first round pick. I am a Chiefs fan and I am a little concerned that his off-the-field issues are not over yet. That is the reason why I have the Cheetah in round 2. I heard enough about Todd Gurley’s knee. He is still the Rams No. 1 RB and if he did not have arthritis in his knee he would be the No. 1 pick in the draft. I will draft Gurley in the 2nd round and ensure I handcuff him with Darrell Henderson in the 7th round. Joe Mixon, Melvin Gordon III and Delvin Cook all have their issues. I rather take a risk with a high-end RB1 in round 2 because it is easier to find value at the WR position then it is at the RB position. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Antonio Brown, Mike Evans and T.Y. Hilton are elite WRs. I like them more if you got a RB in the first round. I did many mock drafts and going WR-WR to start a draft always leaves me thin at the RB position. Aaron Jones and Leonard Fournette should get enough work to be good picks in the 2nd round.
ROUND 3
|
PLAYER |
POS. |
TEAM |
| 25. Zach Ertz |
TE |
PHI |
| 26. George Kittle |
TE |
SF |
| 27. Stephan Diggs |
WR |
MIN |
| 28. Nick Chubb |
RB |
CLE |
| 29. Kerryon Johnson |
RB |
DET |
| 30. Damien Williams |
RB |
KC |
| 31. Julian Edelman |
WR |
NE |
| 32. Amari Cooper |
WR |
DAL |
| 33. Adam Thielen |
WR |
MIN |
| 34. Josh Jacobs |
RB |
OAK |
| 35. Marlon Mack |
RB |
IND |
| 36. Devonta Freeman |
RB |
ATL |
If you did not get Travis Kelce in round 2, then round 3 is your last chance to get an elite TE (Although I prefer to wait until rounds 5 or 6 for a TE). Zach Ertz and George Kittles will put up big numbers and give you an advantage at the TE position most weeks. I really like Nick Chubb and Kerryon Johnson. Both of these RBs will likely be No. 1 picks next year. No, I am not worried about Kareem Hunt taking Chubb’s job. The Browns will be dumb to take Chubb out of the lineup if he gets off to a hot start (and I think he will). Julian Edelman may get 150 targets from Tom Brady because who else is he throwing to? (Besides James White). Amari Cooper has talent that Oakland could not find. Dallas will get the best out of Cooper this year. Adam Thielen scares me a little because teams shut him down in the second half of the 2018 season when they figured out they could shut him down with their No. 1 CB. Josh Jacobs has a brutal schedule against the run but he should still put up good numbers. Marlon Mack and Devonta Freeman are underrated. I would be happy with either player as my No. 2 RB.
Round 4
|
PLAYER |
POS. |
TEAM |
| 37. Patrick Maholmes |
QB |
KC |
| 38. Robert Woods |
WR |
LAR |
| 39. Brandin Cooks |
WR |
LAR |
| 40. Mark Ingram II |
RB |
BAL |
| 41. Tyler Locket |
WR |
SEA |
| 42. Kenny Golliday |
WR |
DET |
| 43. Alshon Jeffrey |
WR |
PHI |
| 44. Chris Godwin |
WR |
TB |
| 45. Derrick Henry |
RB |
TEN |
| 46. Chris Carson |
RB |
SEA |
| 47. Tyler Boyd |
WR |
CIN |
| 48. A.J. Green |
WR |
CIN |
I am a big believer in waiting on a QB. I never draft one before round 8 but Patrick Mahomes is worth a pick at the top of round 4 if he is still available. The two L.A. Rams WRs are next on the list. It is splitting hairs to decide who is better. Baltimore is going to run the rock a lot. Even if RB Justice Hill cuts into some of Mark Ingram’s carries, there is plenty of work to make Ingram a solid round 4 pick. Tyler Locket and Kenny Golliday are No. 1 WRs for teams who do not plan to pass too much. They still have value in round 4. Derrick Henry will not catch many passes but he will get plenty of carries and goal line work. He is worth a 4th round pick even in a PPR league. The two Bengal WRs are my final picks in round 4. Tyler Boyd is in for a breakout season and A.J. Green will miss some time with his ankle injury but if he returns healthy you will be getting an elite WR in round 4 for 10 weeks this season.
* Round 5 is where I like to target my TE…
Round 5
|
PLAYER |
POS. |
TEAM |
| 49. Hunter Henry |
TE |
LAC |
| 50. Evan Engram |
TE |
NYG |
| 51. Phillip Lindsay |
RB |
DEN |
| 52. Allen Robinson |
WR |
CHI |
| 53. Cooper Kupp |
WR |
LAR |
| 54. D.J. Moore |
WR |
CAR |
| 55. Sammy Watkins |
WR |
KC |
| 56. Jarvis Landry |
WR |
CLV |
| 57. DeSean Watson |
QB |
HST |
| 58. James White |
RB |
NE |
| 59. Kenyan Drake |
RB |
MIA |
| 60. O.J. Howard |
TE |
TB |
The three TEs in this round are good values. No, they are not as good as Travis Kelce, Zach Ertz or George Kittle, but if you have two RBs and two WRs to pair with Hunter Henry, Evan Engram or O.J. Howard, you are in good shape. Phillip Lindsay was a diamond in the rough last year. He will likely have more competition from Royce Freeman but until we see it on the field, I will leave Lindsay in round 5. Allen Robinson and Cooper Kupp are good value picks in round 5 because of the amount of work they will receive in their offenses. Sammy Watkins and Jarvis Landry are is high-power offenses and should get enough work to justify a 5th round pick. DeSean Watson is my No. 2 QB in my rankings. Houston will put up a lot of points this season and that means a lot of fantasy points for Watson. James White will be the No. 2 WR for the Patriots and you get him at a RB position.
Round 6
|
PLAYER |
POS. |
TEAM |
| 61. Calvin Ridley |
WR |
ATL |
| 62. Miles Sanders |
RB |
PHI |
| 63. Lamar Miller |
RB |
HST |
| 64. Aaron Rodgers |
QB |
GB |
| 65. Andrew Luck |
QB |
IND |
| 66. Robby Anderson |
WR |
NYJ |
| 67. Tevin Coleman |
RB |
SF |
| 68. Darius Guice |
RB |
WAS |
| 69. David Montgomery |
RB |
CHI |
| 70. Will Fuller V |
WR |
HST |
| 71. Marvin Jones Jr. |
WR |
DET |
| 72. Mike Williams |
WR |
LAC |
I like taking a shot at some RBs with upside in the 6th round. The word out of the Eagles camp is that Miles Sanders “looks the part” (Got to love the scout talk). It may take a month for Sanders to earn the #1 RB position from Jordan Howard, but he could lead your team in the second-half of the season. Tevin Coleman and David Montgomery are great value picks too. Robby Anderson said he worked hard to be the best WR in the NFL. That is not going to happen, but he would be a good No. 2 or No. 3 WR for your Fantasy Team. Will Fuller V is great value “if” he can stay healthy. Mike Williams is a WR I will be targeting in every league. This will be his breakout year. Aaron Rodgers has been the No. 1 QB for many years. I expect him to bounce back in a big way in 2019. Andrew Luck is very good but very injury prone. I probably will not draft him this season.
Round 7
|
PLAYER |
POS. |
TEAM |
| 73. David Montgomery |
RB |
LAR |
| 74. Jared Cook |
TE |
NO |
| 75. Dante Pettis |
WR |
SF |
| 76. Sony Michel |
RB |
NE |
| 77. Larry Fitzgerald |
WR |
ARZ |
| 78. Matt Ryan |
QB |
ATL |
| 79. Austin Eckler |
RB |
LAC |
| 80. Corey Davis |
WR |
TEN |
| 81. Dede Westbrook |
WR |
JAC |
| 82. Sterling Shepard |
WR |
NYG |
| 83. Christian Kirk |
WR |
ARZ |
| 84. Curtis Samuel |
WR |
CAR |
If you drafted Todd Gurley in rounds 1 or 2, you need to be targeting David Montgomery in late round 6 or early round 7. Locking up the Rams backfield is a great move. Dante Pettis, Christian Kirk and Curtis Samuel are three breakout candidates who could be a steal in round 7. Larry Fitzgerald, Dede Westbrook and Sterling Shepard are safer picks in this round. I prefer to take the young WRs with the upside at this point of the draft. Austin Eckler will see his draft price go up the longer Melvin Gordon holds out. The word from the Chargers is that Justin Jackson will get a lot of time too so I prefer to wait and take him after round 10. Matt Ryan would be a great QB to have this late in the draft.
Round 8
|
PLAYER |
POS. |
TEAM |
| 85. Courtland Sutton |
WR |
DEN |
| 86. LaTavius Murray |
RB |
NO |
| 87. Eric Ebron |
TE |
DET |
| 88. Tarik Cohen |
RB |
CHI |
| 89. Baker Mayfield |
QB |
CLV |
| 90. Vance McDonald |
TE |
PIT |
| 91. Keke Coutee |
WR |
HST |
| 92. Cam Newton |
QB |
CAR |
| 93. DeSean Jackson |
WR |
PHI |
| 94. Delanie Walker |
TE |
TEN |
| 95. Carson Wentz |
QB |
PHI |
| 96. Golden Tate |
WR |
NYG |
This is typically where I start to target my starting QB. I really like Baker Mayfield (but he has only fallen this far in about half of the mock drafts I have done so far). If Mayfield is available in round 8, pull the trigger and get him. Cam Newton is an injury risk who offers top 4 QB upside if he is fully healthy. Carson Wentz is the QB I have been drafting the most. He is also an injury risk, but he puts up good numbers when he is under the center. If you have been waiting on a TE, this is a good round to get your starter. Eric Ebron had a breakout season last year and Vance McDonald should do the same in 2019. These two TEs and Delanie Walker are good values at this point of the draft. Tarik Cohen and Keke Coutee are PPR value picks.
Round 9
|
PLAYER |
POS. |
TEAM |
| 97. John Brown |
WR |
BUF |
| 98. Rashaad Penny |
RB |
SEA |
| 99. Geronimo Allison |
WR |
GB |
| 100. Devin Funches |
WR |
IND |
| 101. Drew Brees |
QB |
NO |
| 102. M. Valdes-Scantling |
WR |
GB |
| 103. Anthony Miller |
WR |
CHI |
| 104. David Njoku |
TE |
CLV |
| 105. Donte Montcreif |
WR |
PIT |
| 106. Emmanuel Sanders |
WR |
DEN |
| 107. Ronald Jones |
RB |
TB |
| 108. Payton Barber |
RB |
TB |
You need to be building your depth at this point of the draft. There are some WRs who should have good seasons. John Brown has been the talk of the Bills camp so far, Devin Funches could be the end-zone target for the Colts and Donte Montcrief should be a steady WR for the Steelers. Whichever WR wins the battle in Green Bay (Geronimo Allison or Marquez Valdes-Scantling) will be a steal in round 9. If you still need a TE, you could do much worse than David Njoku. I probably will not touch the Tampa Bay backfield this season but if you are in need of a 3rd or 4th RB, Ronald Jones or Payton Barber should be available.
Round 10
|
PLAYER |
POS. |
TEAM |
| 109. Dak Prescott |
QB |
DAL |
| 110. Jameis Winston |
QB |
TB |
| 111. Kyle Murray |
QB |
ARZ |
| 112. Royce Freeman |
RB |
DEN |
| 113. Austin Hooper |
TE |
ATL |
| 114. Marquise Brown |
WR |
BAL |
| 115. Nyheim Hynes |
RB |
IND |
| 116. Trey Burton |
TE |
CHI |
| 117. Jerick McKinnon |
RB |
SF |
| 118. Kalen Bllage |
RB |
MIA |
| 119. Jordan Howard |
RB |
PHI |
| 120. Tyrell Williams |
WR |
OAK |
If you decided that you were going to stock your team with RBs and WRs in the early rounds (not a bad strategy at all), it is now time to find that QB to lead your team. Dak Prescott, Jameis Winston and Kyle Murray will put up enough points each week to lead your team to the championship. I really like the rushing points Prescott and Murray offer this season. Royce Freeman, Jerick McKinnon and Kalen Ballage are in camp battles. Even if they do not win the starting RB position for their teams, they should get enough work to have value in the 10th round.
Feel free to ask me any Fantasy Football questions you may have in the member’s forum. There are a lot of opinions out there in the Fantasy Football industry and I would like to give you mine and provide you the reason why I feel the way I do about a player.
Good luck this season!
Follow me on Twitter: @MrFantasyNASCAR