NOTE – We have begun using a new, much more user friendly rankings platform thanks to Fantasy Pros. Check out these much more updated rankings here.
Why You Need a Big Board (and how to use it properly)
Training Camp is full in swing, preseason action has officially arrived, and real football is less than a month away. Though 85 and sunny outside, I’m spending my remaining summer vacation days as a melting puddle on my couch, churning out DraftWizards by the second, tugging to all the “best-shape-of-his-life” puff pieces, and watching every lineman sled drill of NFL’s Inside Training Camp Live. #TheGoodLife
This preseason has already been filled with a plethora of noteworthy injuries, early game performances, depth chart developments, and now suspensions and trades. This Big Board is by far the most up-to-date one in the market, capturing every important swing and shake thus far. Moreover, a combined Big Board of all the positions is crucial, as it illuminates the different tiers, drop offs, and general ebbs and flow of a draft, which simply can’t be captured with only positional rankings.
Though I am very confident in these rankings, you also need to be flexible while using them, keeping the draft, your team makeup, and the market in mind at all times. Player “runs” and expected twists happen during every single fantasy draft, and locking in any one ranking setas if it’s an unchangeable list would be ill-advised. With this in mind, two quick strategies I recommend:
A) Draft by talent, not need — but if you can make both work, great. Don’t, for example, just draft a tight end like Eric Ebron in Round 6 because you don’t have the position, especially if all the high-end TE1s are gone. Notice that low-end TE1s are falling all the way to Round 10, and gain some depth at the other positions.
That being said, if you’ve gone, say, RB – RB to begin the draft and I have Marshawn Lynch four spots above Davante Adams, you would still want to go with Adams in Round 3 given he’s in a similar “Talent Tier,” but fills a desperate need.
B) Know the market prices, and capitalize upon the bargains when they exist. This means that even if I have Eric Decker at 46 overall, he’s not going until the 88-90 range. Of course I want to secure Decker if I have him this highly ranked, and will reach a round early to do so, but there’s no need to pay what I feel his value is if the market sets the price lower. Instead, find assets you still really like and who are bound to be off the board, and pluck the cheap bargains later to reap the full benefits. Note – I include the Expert Consensus Ranking and ADP of every player so their “Market Price” is very clear compared to my own personal values.
Finally, while I plan to add quick blurbs on each player in the near future, this is just a simple “Cheat Sheet” list that will be continually updated. If you want more in-depth analysis on individual players, make sure to check out my positional rankings. Here, I grade every single player using our Fantasy Stock Formula, as well as track any important Stock Up or Stock Down movements to keep every profile in-depth. These take a while to format, so occassionally the Big Board will have changes that are not yet reflected:
Scoring and Rosters: These rankings assume 1/2 PPR and 4 pt passing TD scoring, as well as a 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, and 1 Flex starting lineup. If you have specific questions on how my rankings might adjust to your league requirements (i.e. 2 QB, no flex, standard or full PPR), be sure to hit me up on Twitter or comment below! Without further adieu, I present my first Fantasy Football Top 150 Big Board of the 2017 Preseason:
2017 Fantasy Football Big Board: Preseason Top 150
8/15 Update: Big Board now reflects Ezekiel Elliotts’ suspension, Sammy Watkins and Jordan Matthews’ trades, and the first week of preseason action.
Note: I’ll be writing a far more in-depth Draft Day Manifesto for our August Update Draft Guide where I’ll breakdown of 2017’s Fantasy Stock Market. Still, one massive change reflected on this updated Big Board is my need for multiple Top-15 WRs. I also note the fluidity of each tier, meaning how susceptible it is for change based on further preseason development:
Wolf's Rank (ECR / ADP) | Auction Value ($200) | Name (Team) | Positional Rank | Movement |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tier One - The Big Three ($65 - $75) | ||||
Locked | ||||
1 (1 / 1) | $75 | David Johnson (ARI) | RB1 | |
2 (2 / 2) | $73 | Le'Veon Bell (PIT) | RB2 | |
Tier Two - High-end WR1 and RB1s ($50-$65) | ||||
Minor Fluidity | ||||
3 (3 / 3) | $65 | Antonio Brown (PIT) | WR1 | |
4 (6 / 6) | $60 | Julio Jones (ATL) | WR2 | |
5 (9 / 8) | $60 | Mike Evans (TB) | WR3 | |
6 (5 / 5) | $60 | Odell Beckham JR. (NYG) | WR4 | |
7 (7 / 7) | $60 | LeSean McCoy (BUF) | RB3 | |
8 (8 / 11) | $55 | AJ Green (CIN) | WR5 | |
9 (11 / 13) | $54 | Jordy Nelson (GB) | WR6 | |
10 (10 / 9) | $55 | Melvin Gordon (LAC) | RB5 | |
11 (14 / 16) | $56 | Jay Ajayi (MIA) | RB6 | |
12 (15 / 12) | $49 | DeMarco Murray (TEN) | RB7 | |
13 (13 / 15) | $49 | Michael Thomas (NO) | WR7 | |
14 (12 / 10) | $49 | Devonta Freeman (ATL) | RB8 | |
15 (21 / 7) | $45 | Ezekiel Elliott (DAL) | RB9 | (-12, Previously 3) |
Tier 3 - Remaining WR1s, Potential RB1s, and Gronk ($38 - $45) | ||||
Minor Fluidity | ||||
16 (18 / 17) | $43 | Dez Bryant (DAL) | WR8 | |
17 (24 / 21) | $40 | Rob Gronkowski (NE) | TE1 | |
18 (21 / 22) | $38 | Todd Gurley (LAR) | RB9 | (+4, Previously 22) |
19 (26 / 29) | $40 | DeAndre Hopkins (HOU) | WR9 | |
20 (19 / 23) | $40 | Amari Cooper (OAK) | WR10 | |
21 (23 / 27) | $39 | Brandin Cooks (NE) | WR11 | |
22 (24 / 30) | $38 | Isaiah Crowell (CLE) | RB10 | |
23 (17 / 16) | $37 | TY Hilton (IND) | WR12 | ` |
24 (25 / 31) | $37 | Demaryius Thomas. (DEN) | WR13 | |
25 (20 / 28) | $36 | Doug Baldwin (SEA) | WR14 | |
Tier 4 - High-End RB2 and WRs (with No.1 upside), Elite TEs ($25 - $35) | ||||
Fluid | ||||
26 (16 / 14) | $33 | Jordan Howard (CHI) | RB11 | |
27 (38 / 24) | $30 | Marshawn Lynch (OAK) | RB12 | |
28 (57 / 47) | $30 | Tyreek Hill (KC) | WR15 | |
29 (34 / 42) | $30 | Keenan Allen (LAC) | WR16 | |
30 (64 / 59) | $29 | Martavis Bryant (PIT) | WR17 | (+8, Previously 38) |
31 (35 / 46) | $29 | Davante Adams (GB) | WR18 | |
32 (41 / 36) | $29 | Terrelle Pryor (WAS) | WR19 | |
33 (32 / 50) | $28 | Ty Montgomery (GB) | RB13 | |
34 (45 / 32) | $28 | Christian McCaffrey (CAR) | RB14 | |
35 (50 / 51) | $28 | Dalvin Cook (MIN) | RB15 | (+49, Previously 84) |
36 (40 / 38) | $28 | Joe Mixon (CIN) | RB16 | (+11, Previously 47) |
37 (27 / 20) | $28 | Leonard Fournette (JAX) | RB17 | (-10, Previously 27) |
38 (28 / 26) | $27 | Lamar Miller (HOU) | RB18 | |
39 (31 / 37) | 27 | Travis Kelce (KC) | TE2 | |
40 (39 / 48) | $27 | Michael Crabtree (OAK) | WR20 | |
41 (46 / 67) | $27 | Larry Fitzgerald (ARI) | WR21 | (+7, Previously 48) |
42 (36 / 35) | $26 | Carlos Hyde (SF) | RB19 | |
Tier 5 - Remaining #2 RB & WR options, elite QBs, High-End TE1s ($15 - $25) | ||||
Fluid | ||||
43 (37 / 25) | $25 | Tom Brady (NE) | QB1 | |
44 (32 / 18) | $25 | Aaron Rodgers (GB) | QB2 | |
45 (55 / 75) | $23 | Bilal Powell (NYJ) | RB20 | |
46 (49 / 53) | $23 | Mark Ingram (NO) | RB21 | |
47 (89 / 93) | $23 | Eric Decker (TEN) | WR22 | |
48 (51 / 52) | $22 | Jordan Reed (WAS) | TE3 | |
49 (44 / 58) | $21 | Golden Tate (DET) | WR23 | |
50 (33 / 33) | $20 | Alshon Jeffery (PHI) | WR24 | |
51 (29 / 39) | $20 | Allen Robinson (JAX) | WR25 | |
52 (47 / 49) | $20 | Greg Olsen (CAR) | TE4 | |
53 (80 / 90) | $20 | DeSean Jackson (TB) | WR26 | |
54 (91 / 73) | $20 | Doug Martin (TB) | RB22 | |
55 (86 / 66) | $19 | Adrian Peterson (NO) | RB23 | (+6, Previously 61) |
56 (54 / 41) | $19 | Spencer Ware (KC) | RB24 | (+19, Previously 75) |
57 (68 / 82) | $19 | Willie Snead (NO) | WR27 | |
58 (70 / 91) | $19 | Danny Woodhead (BAL) | RB25 | |
59 (61 / 83) | $19 | Jamison Crowder (WAS) | WR28 | |
60 (30 / 34) | $17 | Sammy Watkins | WR29 | (-28, Previously 32) |
61 (60 / 63) | $17 | Tevin Coleman (ATL) | RB26 | |
62 (67 / 61) | $17 | Mike Gillislee (NE) | RB27 | (-7, Previously 56) |
63 (68 / 57) | $16 | Jimmy Graham (SEA) | TE5 | |
64 (73 / 64) | $16 | Tyler Eifert (CIN) | TE6 | |
Tier 6 - Flex RBs, Upside WR3s, Quality TE1s and Elite QB1s | ||||
Fluid | ||||
65 (78 / 72) | $15 | Kelvin Banjamin (CAR) | WR30 | (+41, Previously 107) |
66 (56 / 56) | $15 | Julian Edelman | WR31 | |
67 (98 / 92) | $14 | Rob Kelley (WAS) | RB28 | |
68 (87 / 101) | $14 | Theo Riddick (DET) | RB29 | |
69 (59 / 68) | $14 | Stefon Diggs (MIN) | WR32 | |
70 (74 / 74) | $14 | Brandon Marshall (NYG) | WR33 | |
71 (48 / 45) | $14 | Jarvis Landry (MIA) | WR34 | |
72 (95 / 108) | $14 | DeVante Parker(MIA) | WR35 | |
73 (83 / 60) | $13 | LeGarrette Blount | RB30 | (+15, Previously 88) |
74 (66 / 62) | $12 | Ameer Abdullah (DET) | RB31 | (-19, Previously 55) |
75 (52 / 43) | $11 | CJ Anderson (DEN) | RB32 | |
76 (100 / 103) | $10 | Zach Ertz (PHI) | TE7 | (+43 , Previously 119) |
77 (109 / 100) | $10 | Hunter Henry (LAC) | TE8 | |
78 (100 / 85) | $10 | Martellus Bennett (GB) | TE9 | |
79 (85 / 102) | $10 | Jeremy Maclin (BAL) | WR36 | |
80 (90 / 96) | $10 | Cameron Meredith (CHI) | WR37 | |
81 (53 / 65) | $10 | Emmanuel Sanders (DEN) | WR38 | |
82 (79 / 94) | $10 | Pierre Garcon (SF) | WR39 | |
83 (42 / 40) | $10 | Drew Brees (NO) | QB3 | |
84 (62 / 44) | $10 | Matt Ryan (ATL) | QB4 | |
85 (84 / 76) | $9 | Delanie Walker (TEN) | TE10 | |
Tier 7 -Elite Bench Plays, Last Startable WRs and RBs, Quality QB1s | ||||
Highly Fluid | ||||
86 (107 / 84) | $9 | Derrick Henry (TEN) | RB33 | |
87 (112 / 116) | $9 | CJ Prosise (SEA) | RB34 | |
88 (71 / 81) | $8 | Donte Moncrief (IND) | WR40 | |
89 (94 / 117) | $5 | Terrance West (BAL) | RB35 | (+7, Previously 96) |
90 (147 / 140) | $7 | Thomas Rawls (SEA) | RB36 | (+25, Previously 115) |
91 (123 / 137) | $7 | James White (NE) | RB37 | |
92 (98 / 125) | $7 | Tyrell Williams (LAC) | WR41 | |
93 (102 / 99) | $6 | Randall Cobb (GB) | WR42 | |
94 (124 / 104) | $6 | Corey Davis (TEN) | WR43 | |
95 (69 / 77) | $5 | Frank Gore (IND) | RB38 | |
96 (116 / 98) | $5 | Jonathan Stewart (CR) | RB39 | |
97 (75 / 78) | $5 | Paul Perkins (NYG) | RB40 | (-19, Previously 78) |
98 (92 / 70) | $5 | Derek Carr (OAK) | QB5 | |
99 (82 / 87) | $5 | Jameis Winston (TB) | QB6 | |
100 (81 / 69) | $5 | Marcus Mariota (TEN) | QB6 | |
101 (76 / 80) | $5 | Kirk Cousins (WAS) | QB7 | |
102 (96 / 89) | $5 | Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) | QB9 | |
103 (103 / 106) | $5 | Philip Rivers (LAC) | QB10 | |
104 (88 / 79) | $5 | Cam Newton (CAR) | QB11 | |
105 (101 / 86) | $4 | Dak Prescott (DAL) | QB12 | |
106 (58 / 54) | $4 | Russell Wilson (SEA) | QB13 | |
107 (108 / 131) | $4 | Duke Johnson (CLE) | RB41 | |
108 (113 / 97) | $3 | Kareem Hunt (KC) | RB42 | (-19, Previously 89) |
109 (65 / 55) | $3 | Andrew Luck (IND) | QB14 | |
110 (106 / 124) | $3 | Tyrod Taylor (BUF) | QB15 | |
111 (119 / 113) | $3 | Jack Doyle (IND) | TE10 | |
112 (77 / 88) | $3 | Kyle Rudolph (MIN) | TE11 | |
Tier 8 - High End "Penny Stock" Bench Assets | ||||
Highly Fluid | ||||
113 (149 / 143) | $3 | Jamaal Williams (GB) | RB43 | |
114 (72 / 71) | $3 | Eddie Lacy (SEA) | RB44 | (-18, Previously 96) |
115 (171 / 149) | $3 | Joe Williams (SF) | RB45 | |
116 (167 / 168) | $3 | Robby Anderson (NYJ) | WR44 | (+13, Previously 129) |
117 (155 / 168) | $3 | Zay Jones (BUF) | WR45 | |
118 (105 / 115) | $2 | John Brown (ARI) | WR46 | |
119 (135 / 121) | $2 | Jamaal Charles (DEN) | RB46 | |
120 (93 / 127) | $2 | Eric Ebron (DET) | TE13 | |
121 (194 / 231) | $2 | D'Onta Foreman (HOU) | RB47 | |
122 (166 / 154) | $2 | Taylor Gabriel (ATL) | WR47 | |
123 (138 / 141) | $2 | Jacquizz Rodgers (TB) | RB48 | |
124 (128 / 155) | $2 | Darren Sproles (PHI) | RB49 | (+22, Previously 146) |
125 (126 / 133) | $2 | Marvin Jones (DET) | WR48 | |
126 (133 / 173) | $2 | Ted Ginn Jr (NO) | WR49 | |
127 (110 / 144) | $2 | Mike Wallace (BAL) | WR50 | |
128 (201 / 230) | $2 | Kenny Golladay (DET) | WR51 | (Previously Unranked) |
129 (184 / 157) | $2 | Jonathan Williams (BUF) | RB50 | |
130 (158 / 178) | $2 | Alvin Kamara (NO) | RB51 | (+20, Previously 149) |
131 (120 / 95) | $2 | Samaje Perine (WAS) | RB52 | (-13, Previously 117) |
Tier 9 - Remaining "Penny Stocks" to consider | ||||
Highly Fluid | ||||
132 (142 / 156) | $1 | Josh Docston (WAS) | WR52 | |
133 (111 / 109) | $1 | Corey Coleman (CLE) | WR53 | |
134 (114 / 122) | $1 | Adam Thielen (MIN) | WR54 | |
135 (168 / 162) | $1 | Marlon Mack (IND) | RB53 | |
136 (144 / 170) | $1 | Julius Thomas (MIA) | TE14 | |
137 (143 / 181) | $1 | Austin Hooper (ATL) | TE15 | (+11, Previously 148) |
138 (187 / 205) | $1 | Jared Cook (OAK) | TE16 | |
139 (165 / 114) | $1 | OJ Howard (TB) | TE17 | |
140 (125 / 119) | $1 | Eli Manning (NYG) | QB16 | |
141 (121 / 147) | $1 | Andy Dalton (CIN) | QB17 | |
142 (104 / 107) | $1 | Matthew Stafford (DET) | QB18 | |
143 (131 / 148) | $1 | Carson Palmer (ARI) | QB19 | |
144 (115 / 103) | $1 | Matt Forte (NYJ) | RB54 | |
145 (298 / UR) | $1 | Branden Oliver (LAC) | RB55 | |
146 (97 / 123) | $1 | Kenny Britt (CLE) | WR57 | |
147 (374 / 336) | $1 | Cordarelle Patterson (OAK) | WR58 | |
148 (183 / 170) | $1 | Rex Burkhead (NE) | RB56 | |
149 (350 / UR) | $1 | Tarik Cohen (CHI) | RB57 | (Previously Unranked) |
150 (197 / 229) | $1 | Nelson Agholor (PHI) | WR59 |
Who’s egregiously high and way too low? What is The Wolf’s smartest and dumbest moves here? Sound off below, or pepper your favorite expert’s newly revived Twitter page with all your fantasy dilemmas and shred my soul into a 10 lb bag of sharp cheddar.
Needless to say, fantasy preparation is at it’s absolute peak, and The Roto Street Journal has you covered all summer long. Indeed, true Fantasy Wolves have been chugging away since the final whistle of the Super Bowl. Still, there’s plenty of time for you “August Sheep” to get caught up. Start by checking out our FREE Fantasy Football Market report (monster update coming in 2-3 weeks). Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.For audio based learners or those with long commutes, make sure to subscribe (and rate us 5 stars) and tune into the Fantasy Fullback Dive on iTunes or Stitcher.