Alright, so full disclosure here: I was planning to wait until the end of the week to do another rankings update ahead of a weekend where we're going to start seeing more drafting happening. But, with the Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott signings, along with some other news from the past few days, I just couldn't wait that long.
So, you're getting my updated rankings a couple of days early this week. But first, let's get a quick rundown of some of the news items from the past few days I haven't been able to hit just yet that you need to know about. Thursday, I'll have a preview of Preseason Week 2 right here for you, while Friday will get you caught up on absolutely everything from the Fantasy Football Today team you need to make sure you're ready for your draft.
For now, here's what you might've missed the past few days, and then make sure you keep scrolling for my latest rankings for each position, plus the top 200.
Injuries, news & notes
Anthony Richardson named Colts starting QB
Well, that was about as much of a competition as we thought it would be. The Colts named Richardson their starter Tuesday after just one preseason game, and expect to see Richardson start to shoot up draft boards. Dan Schneier broke down Richardson's outlook Tuesday, and Heath Cummings said on Twitter (It's still Twitter to me, dangit) that he would definitely only take Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Justin Fields, and Lamar Jackson ahead of Richardson now in all scoring formats.
I'm not that high on Richardson, but I'm ranking him as a top-12 QB despite not necessarily projecting him for that kind of production. The likeliest outcome probably sees Richardson emerging as a useful, but probably frustrating Fantasy option, with a floor that sees him benched after just a few weeks of poor play. But the ceiling outcome? Well, his new head coach was Jalen Hurts' offensive coordinator, so we should expect a significant rushing volume for him, and Richardson might just be a better runner than Hurts. There's legitimate 1,000-plus rushing yards upside here, and that could make him a top-five QB for Fantasy if he's just a non-zero as a passer.
You'll need to draft a backup like Aaron Rodgers or Kirk Cousins with a decent floor in case Richardson busts, but he's worth taking as a top-12 option inside the top 100, at least.
Javonte Williams will play in this week's preseason game
Williams' injury was actually a bit more complicated than Breece Hall's, but it sure looks like he's ahead of him in his recovery right now. Williams probably won't play much in the preseason, but that he's playing at all makes him a seeming lock for Week 1, barring a setback. Williams didn't have high-level athleticism before the injury, so I could see things being a bit tough if he's not 100% back, but he's a fine RB2 selection at this point.
Breece Hall is off the PUP list
It's probably just a coincidence that this comes a day after Dalvin Cook signed with the Jets, but it's a positive step nonetheless. I expect Cook to be the lead back early on while Hall works his way back to full strength, but as I wrote Tuesday morning, Hall is still the upside play in this offense. The Cook signing should drop his price, and while you'll likely need to be even more patient now, Hall could still pay off in a big way down the line.
J.K. Dobbins is off the PUP list
Dobbins came off the PUP list Monday, though the funny thing is, we still don't actually know what injury Dobbins was sitting out with. We know he's been pushing for a new contract, but the mystery around his health had me a little wary. Just a little. Now, he should be fine for Week 1, and I still think there's some breakout potential here if the Ravens opt to lean on him rather than going with a committee as they have in the past. I'll take Dobbins as my RB2 if he's still there in the fifth round.
Kendre Miller's knee injury is not a serious concern
In his preseason debut last week, Miller suffered a sprain in the same knee that he injured at the end of his college career, but it turns out it's not going to be much of an issue. Miller had an MRI that apparently showed no serious damage, and he's actually traveling with the team for their next preseason game. It's not clear if he'll play in this week's preseason game, but Miller should be good to go for Week 1 against the Titans, and he'll need to take advantage of Alvin Kamara's three-game suspension to have much of a chance of mattering this season. He's in the late-round mix for bench RBs still.
Zach Ertz also coming off the PUP list
Here's one name I admittedly haven't thought about much this preseason, but Ertz looks like he's on pace to return from his torn ACL by Week 1. He didn't seem to have much athleticism to spare the last time we saw him, but he was productive as TE6 in points per game last season. The Cardinals offense could be a disaster, and Ertz might cede more snaps to second-year Trey McBride, but he could still be a low-end starting option if you miss out on the likes of Dalton Schultz and Tyler Higbee.
Mike Gesicki has a separated shoulder
Gesicki left practice Monday with the injury, but the "hope" is he can play by Week 1. I'm not expecting him to be much of a factor for Fantasy sharing an offense with Hunter Henry, but we'll keep an eye on his progress.
Elijah Moore returned to practice Tuesday
Moore left this weekend's preseason game with a rib injury and was sidelined Monday, but he was back for the team's joint practice with the Eagles on Tuesday. Moore is a breakout candidate after an up-and-down first two seasons with the Jets, and it looks like this injury isn't something to be too concerned about.
Rankings updates
Rankings are for PPR leagues. Salary Cap Values assume a $100 budget.
QB rankings
I have Richardson ranked 11th in my latest rankings, with not much separating him from the Justin Fields/Trevor Lawrence tier in my Salary Cap Values. Here's the top 12, and you can find my top 32 here:
- Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs – $19
- Josh Allen, Bills – $16
- Jalen Hurts, Eagles – $13
- Lamar Jackson, Ravens – $7
- Joe Burrow, Bengals – $6
- Justin Herbert, Chargers – $5
- Justin Fields, Bears – $4
- Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars – $4
- Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins – $3
- Deshaun Watson, Browns – $2
- Anthony Richardson, Colts – $2
- Dak Prescott, Cowboys – $2
RB rankings
I've been struggling with where to rank Joe Mixon lately, because I seem to be so high on him that he's frequently my top ranked player come the third round in basically every draft I do. I wrote about why I seem to be higher on him than everyone else, and why that worries me a bit, along with the rest of my top 60 at the position here:
- Christian McCaffrey, 49ers – $36
- Austin Ekeler, Chargers – $33
- Bijan Robinson, Falcons – $27
- Saquon Barkley, Giants – $29
- Josh Jacobs, Raiders – $24
- Derrick Henry, Titans – $20
- Nick Chubb, Browns – $19
- Tony Pollard, Cowboys – $18
- Jonathan Taylor, Colts – $17
- Joe Mixon, Bengals – $13
- Travis Etienne, Jaguars – $12
- Miles Sanders, Panthers – $12
- Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions – $12
- Alexander Mattison, Vikings – $11
- Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots – $11
- Najee Harris, Steelers – $11
- Dameon Pierce, Texans – $11
- Kenneth Walker, Seahawks – $10
- Aaron Jones, Packers – $10
- Javonte Williams, Broncos – $10
- David Montgomery, Lions – $9
- Rachaad White, Buccaneers – $7
- James Conner, Cardinals – $7
- Breece Hall, Jets – $7
WR rankings
I've considered ranking Cooper Kupp as my No. 1 wide receiver, but his recent hamstring injury during training camp scared me off him a bit. However, after some reflection, I'm moving him back up to the No. 2 spot. You can see why I made that move, along with the rest of my top 75 at WR here:
- Justin Jefferson, Vikings – $36
- Cooper Kupp, Rams – $30
- Ja'Marr Chase, Bengals – $29
- Tyreek Hill, Dolphins – $26
- Stefon Diggs, Bills – $25
- Davante Adams, Raiders – $23
- CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys – $22
- A.J. Brown, Eagles – $21
- Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions – $21
- Garrett Wilson, Jets – $16
- Tee Higgins, Bengals – $14
- Devonta Smith, Eagles – $14
- Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins – $14
- Keenan Allen, Chargers – $13
- DK Metcalf, Seahawks – $11
- Calvin Ridley, Jaguars – $11
- Chris Olave, Saints – $11
- Deebo Samuel, 49ers – $11
- Chris Godwin, Buccaneers – $10
- Amari Cooper, Browns – $9
- DeAndre Hopkins, Titans – $8
- Terry McLaurin, Commanders – $8
- Tyler Lockett, Seahawks – $8
- Christian Watson, Packers – $8
TE rankings
In last week's FFT Newsletter on the state of the TE position, I made the case for how a handful of guys could challenge Travis Kelce for the top spot, but as you can see, I don't actually think there's any case for taking anyone as the No. 1 option. For the rest of my top 32, head here:
- Travis Kelce, Chiefs – $25
- Mark Andrews, Ravens – $10
- T.J. Hockenson, Vikings – $9
- Kyle Pitts, Falcons – $7
- Dallas Goedert, Eagles – $7
- Darren Waller, Giants – $7
- George Kittle, 49ers – $7
- Evan Engram, Jaguars – $3
- David Njoku, Browns – $3
- Tyler Higbee, Rams – $3
- Gerald Everett, Chargers – $2
- Juwan Johnson, Saints – $2
Overall Top 200
- Christian McCaffrey, 49ers – $36
- Justin Jefferson, Vikings – $36
- Austin Ekeler, Chargers – $33
- Cooper Kupp, Rams – $30
- Ja'Marr Chase, Bengals – $29
- Bijan Robinson, Falcons – $27
- Saquon Barkley, Giants – $29
- Tyreek Hill, Dolphins – $26
- Travis Kelce, Chiefs – $25
- Stefon Diggs, Bills – $25
- Josh Jacobs, Raiders – $24
- Davante Adams, Raiders – $23
- CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys – $22
- A.J. Brown, Eagles – $21
- Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions – $21
- Derrick Henry, Titans – $20
- Nick Chubb, Browns – $19
- Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs – $19
- Tony Pollard, Cowboys – $18
- Jonathan Taylor, Colts – $17
- Josh Allen, Bills – $16
- Garrett Wilson, Jets – $16
- Tee Higgins, Bengals – $14
- Devonta Smith, Eagles – $14
- Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins – $14
- Joe Mixon, Bengals – $13
- Keenan Allen, Chargers – $13
- Jalen Hurts, Eagles – $13
- Travis Etienne, Jaguars – $12
- Miles Sanders, Panthers – $12
- Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions – $12
- Alexander Mattison, Vikings – $11
- DK Metcalf, Seahawks – $11
- Calvin Ridley, Jaguars – $11
- Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots – $11
- Chris Olave, Saints – $11
- Najee Harris, Steelers – $11
- Deebo Samuel, 49ers – $11
- Dameon Pierce, Texans – $11
- Chris Godwin, Buccaneers – $10
- Mark Andrews, Ravens – $10
- Kenneth Walker, Seahawks – $10
- Aaron Jones, Packers – $10
- Javonte Williams, Broncos – $10
- Amari Cooper, Browns – $9
- David Montgomery, Lions – $9
- T.J. Hockenson, Vikings – $9
- DeAndre Hopkins, Titans – $8
- Terry McLaurin, Commanders – $8
- Tyler Lockett, Seahawks – $8
- Christian Watson, Packers – $8
- Lamar Jackson, Ravens – $7
- Kyle Pitts, Falcons – $7
- DJ Moore, Bears – $7
- Rachaad White, Buccaneers – $7
- James Conner, Cardinals – $7
- Jerry Jeudy, Broncos – $7
- Dallas Goedert, Eagles – $7
- Darren Waller, Giants – $7
- Breece Hall, Jets – $7
- George Kittle, 49ers – $7
- Marquise Brown, Cardinals – $6
- J.K. Dobbins, Ravens – $6
- Mike Williams, Chargers – $6
- Drake London, Falcons – $6
- Joe Burrow, Bengals – $6
- Justin Herbert, Chargers – $5
- Cam Akers, Rams – $5
- Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers – $5
- James Cook, Bills – $5
- Jordan Addison, Vikings – $5
- Diontae Johnson, Steelers – $4
- Dalvin Cook, Jets – $4
- Mike Evans, Buccaneers – $4
- Justin Fields, Bears – $4
- JuJu Smith-Schuster, Patriots – $4
- Christian Kirk, Jaguars – $4
- Alvin Kamara, Saints – $4
- Michael Thomas, Saints – $4
- Michael Pittman, Colts – $4
- D'Andre Swift, Eagles – $4
- AJ Dillon, Packers – $4
- Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars – $4
- Jahan Dotson, Commanders – $4
- George Pickens, Steelers – $4
- Brandin Cooks, Cowboys – $4
- Gabe Davis, Bills – $3
- Antonio Gibson, Commanders – $3
- Skyy Moore, Chiefs – $3
- Evan Engram, Jaguars – $3
- David Njoku, Browns – $3
- Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins – $3
- Tyler Higbee, Rams – $3
- Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs – $3
- Khalil Herbert, Bears – $3
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks – $3
- Treylon Burks, Titans – $3
- Rondale Moore, Cardinals – $3
- Elijah Moore, Browns – $3
- Romeo Doubs, Packers – $3
- Deshaun Watson, Browns – $2
- Kadarius Toney, Chiefs – $2
- Anthony Richardson, Colts – $2
- Courtland Sutton, Broncos – $2
- Adam Thielen, Panthers – $2
- Samaje Perine, Broncos – $2
- Brian Robinson, Commanders – $2
- Gerald Everett, Chargers – $2
- Dak Prescott, Cowboys – $2
- Geno Smith, Seahawks – $2
- Juwan Johnson, Saints – $2
- Kirk Cousins, Vikings – $2
- Zay Jones, Jaguars – $2
- Allen Lazard, Jets – $2
- Dalton Schultz, Texans – $2
- Jakobi Meyers, Raiders – $2
- Quentin Johnston, Chargers – $2
- Dalton Kincaid, Bills – $2
- Pat Freiermuth, Steelers – $1
- Aaron Rodgers, Jets – $1
- Daniel Jones, Giants – $1
- Sam LaPorta, Lions – $1
- De'von Achane, Dolphins – $1
- Rashod Bateman, Ravens – $1
- Chigoziem Okonkwo, Titans – $1
- Odell Beckham, Ravens – $1
- Zay Flowers, Ravens – $1
- Nico Collins, Texans – $1
- Cole Kmet, Bears – $1
- Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks – $1
- Devin Singletary, Texans – $1
- Matthew Stafford, Rams – $1
- Tyler Boyd, Bengals – $1
- Jameson Williams, Lions – $1
- Curtis Samuel, Commanders – $1
- Michael Wilson, Cardinals – $1
- Kyler Murray, Cardinals – $1
- Zach Ertz, Cardinals – $1
- Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs – $1
- DJ Chark, Panthers – $1
- Hayden Hurst, Panthers – $1
- Tank Dell, Texans – $1
- Jamaal Williams, Saints – $1
- Dawson Knox, Bills – $1
- Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Chiefs – $1
- Jonathan Mingo, Panthers – $1
- Russell Wilson, Broncos – $1
- Jake Ferguson, Cowboys – $1
- Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles – $1
- Donovan Peoples-Jones, Browns – $1
- Rashaad Penny, Eagles – $1
- Jared Goff, Lions – $1
- Marvin Mims, Broncos – $1
- Jaylen Warren, Steelers – $1
- John Metchie, Texans – $1
- Derek Carr, Saints – $1
- Ryan Tannehill, Titans – $1
- Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Chiefs – $1
- Jeff Wilson, Dolphins – $0
- Mecole Hardman, Jets – $0
- Raheem Mostert, Dolphins – $0
- Ezekiel Elliott, Patriots – $0
- Greg Dulcich, Broncos – $0
- Zamir White, Raiders – $0
- Darnell Mooney, Bears – $0
- Irv Smith, Bengals – $0
- Wan'Dale Robinson, Giants – $0
- Taysom Hill, Saints – $0
- Hunter Henry, Patriots – $0
- K.J. Osborn, Vikings – $0
- Allen Robinson, Steelers – $0
- Jordan Love, Packers – $0
- Ty Chandler, Vikings – $0
- Luke Musgrave, Packers – $0
- Brock Purdy, 49ers – $0
- Kenny Pickett, Steelers – $0
- Alec Pierce, Colts – $0
- Michael Mayer, Raiders – $0
- Chuba Hubbard, Panthers – $0
- Hunter Renfrow, Raiders – $0
- Sam Howell, Commanders – $0
- Robert Woods, Texans – $0
- Desmond RIdder, Falcons – $0
- Chase Claypool, Bears – $0
- Cade Otton, Buccaneers – $0
- Tyler Conklin, Jets – $0
- Mac Jones, Patriots – $0
- Ben Skowronek, Rams – $0
- Elijah Mitchell, 49ers – $0
- D'Onta Foreman, Bears – $0
- Mike Gesicki, Patriots – $0
- DeVante Parker, Patriots – $0
- Parris Campbell, Giants – $0
- Kendre Miller, Saints – $0
- Puka Nacua, Rams – $0
- C.J. Stroud, Texans – $0
- Tyler Allgeier, Falcons – $0
- Van Jefferson, Rams – $0
- Isaiah Hodgins, Giants – $0
- Malik Davis, Cowboys – $0
