Fantasy Football Early Rankings: Top Players (#4-6)
Fantasy Football Rankings
This is the second post of “Early Fantasy Football Rankings”, if you haven’t yet read the first article, I strongly recommend doing so. I put a lot of thought into my rankings and they are for personal use as well.
In the first article we covered the top 3 picks for the upcoming season and today we will cover rankings four through six to get you ready for the NFL season!
These rankings are for both formats, but players like Duke Johnson, Jarvis Landry, and Theo Riddick receive extreme boosts in value from standard to PPR. Here are the next three players to target in fantasy football this season…
Next: Who is the #4 ranked player?
Odell Beckham Jr
From what I’ve seen from other experts around the industry, Beckham Jr. is the consensus 3-4 pick in fantasy drafts, both formats. I have to agree. According to playerprofiler.com, OBJ was one of the most productive players in the NFL last season. Just to name a few stats, he was 5th in receiving yards, 4th in YAC (yards after catch), 5th in redzone receptions, and 4th in total touchdowns. That’s quite a productive season, considering his last three games consisted of one missed game, a game with no meaning, and that brutal showdown with Josh Norman. With the addition of Sterling Shepard and a potentially fully healthy Victor Cruz, I expect a career year from him. Though, I still have him a fair length away from Julio.
Because of his high TD production, he’s a great buy in both formats. Assuming he’s healthy for the entirety of the season, one can expect a receiving line of 105/1550/11 or somewhere in that proximity. Also, if you’re like me and enjoy watching your fantasy players, Beckham Jr is arguably the most exciting player to watch.
Next: Another Receiver?
DeAndre Hopkins
There was no bigger fan of Hopkins last season than myself, sadly I just started writing this year so there are no articles to show for it. Hopkins managed to have a top 5 fantasy season among RB/WR. The most flak I received for my relentless support of Hopkins was QB play, as all avid football fans know, Mallet and Hoyer are not quality starters. But you have to remember, they’re both capable players, they’re in the NFL. Of course they have some passes that leave you scratching your head but these aren’t fifth round rookies, they had experience. When you have the skills that Hopkins possesses, accuracy isn’t as important. Hopkins was also the only receiver on that team, not actually of course, but the only one who had the potential to be the featured wide out in that offense.
Now for this year, the Texans added Lamar Miller, Will Fuller, and Braxton Miller as other fantasy weapons. With Osweiler as the new play caller, I see no reason to be down on “Nuk” this season. With Hoyer/Mallet last season, Hopkins was top five in all of the following receiving categories: receptions (3rd), yards (3rd), red zone receptions (2nd), fantasy points per game (5th). An upgrade at QB and RB should significantly help Hopkins efficiency, though there is a chance his targets take a slight dip this season.
Next: Four straight WR's?
A.J. Green
I love A.J. Green. The most consistent WR in recent fantasy football memory. He has had five straight seasons within WR 20 value. Which may seem easily obtainable but with injuries in mind, that’s quite impressive.
With the departure of Marvin Jones, Mohamed Sanu, and the injury to Eifert, I fully expect a repeat of 2013. A season where he amassed a finishing stat line of 98/1426/11. Not only that, I predict this will be his first season with over 100 catches. Between Hopkins, Green, and Dez it’s essentially a three way tie, you could justify a pick for either of them in any spot outside the top 4. His only competition for targets while Eifert his hurt, is Gio Bernard and rookie Tyler Boyd, and Brandon LaFell.
This situation seems very familiar to Hopkins last season, just without the draft day discount.
More from FanSided
- MLB Trade Grades: Dodgers reunite with familiar face in Red Sox deal
- NHL Rumors: Legendary Patrice Bergeron retires, which 3 players could be next to hang up their skates?
- MLB Rumors: Cardinals budging on Arenado, Orioles-Ohtani package, Yankees backup plan
- Patriots backup plan for DeAndre Hopkins is a shot in the dark
- Raiders: Saquon Barkley’s new contract may have screwed over Josh Jacobs
A.J Green’s ADP has been slowly rising throughout the early stages of the off season, which kills his value a bit. With Green, I also would not recommend drafting him this high, he’s the perfect auction target! Andy Dalton has also showed improved skills and decision making over the years, their chemistry is basically a match made in heaven at this point. Expect to see 10+ touchdowns for Green this year, as he looks to continue his reign as one of the most consistently dominant, yet underrated players in the NFL.