Here are my updated tier rankings now that we are well into training camp.
When I draft, I always have a tier sheet handy. I find that organizing players by tiers is far more beneficial than merely ranking players. I could rank Odell Beckham Jr over Julio Jones, but it is impossible to truly predict who will finish better between the two of them. Maybe Jones has fifty more yards on the season than Beckham, or maybe Beckham has one more touchdown. Who knows, but I do know that both should finish better than a guy like Mike Evans.
I also invite you to check out my articles outlining players I'm targeting as the draft unfolds. That can be used in conjunction with this article to give you a sense of when you should be drafting guys and who to draft. Players to avoid coming soon.
QUARTERBACK TIERS
Tier 1
Aaron Rodgers, Packers – Injuries to his wide receivers and Fat Eddie killed him. “Fat Eddie” is now “In Shape Eddie” plus Jordy Nelson is back. The addition of Jared Cook could possibly help as well. Remember, in 2014 he threw for 4,381 yards and 38 TDs, adding 269 yards and 2 TDs on the ground. He put up even bigger numbers in 2012 and 2011. If he falls to the 5th round, he’s worth every penny.
Cam Newton, Panthers – Dominated last season with a pathetic wide receiver core. This year he gets back Kelvin Benjamin, plus Devin Funchess will be in his second year after flashing late last season and even possibly the return of Stephen Hill. There is a reason Jonathan Stewart scores so few touchdowns ... Cam.
Russell Wilson, Seahawks – Showed last year that he can have success as a pocket passer. He will have even better weapons available to him this season and while attempts may not increase very much, what he does with them might and has a great running floor.
Drew Brees, Saints - As sure a thing as there is at the QB position and has never finished outside of the top 5 since joining the Saints. The additions of Michael Thomas and Coby Fleener, plus the development of Brandin Cooks and Willie Snead will help ensure Brees is a top option once again.
Tier 2
Andrew Luck, Colts – Injury riddled season and recency bias will make Luck and Rodgers steals in early drafts. Expect a major bounce back. They also don’t have much of a run game or defense, so look for them to pass early and often. Called pass plays on 62% of their plays last season and Moncrief, Hilton, Dorsett and Allen all entering their primes. I dopped him below the first Tier because he's supposedly having a spotty camp. I wonder if he's still injured?
Carson Palmer, Cardinals – Weapons galore and he will always take his shots. Downside is that he is entering his age 37 season and has taken a good share of abuse over the years, yet great completion percentage (64%) and solid 8.7 yards per attempt last season. The team also has a Top 10 offensive line.
Tom Brady, Patriots – Would be in Tier 1 if not suspended, but between missing 4 games and his bye week, that's essentially over 30% of the fantasy season right there. A good strategy would be to buy low and play QBBC for the first four weeks to cover yourself. This team is stocked with weapons once he returns.
Tier 3
Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers – The loss of Martavis Bryant for the season along with Ladarius Green's concussion issue and Bell's our game suspension hurts. If he can actually hold onto the ball, Sammie Coates Jr could provide sufficient firepower to make up for the loss of Bryant and DeAngelo Williams for the loss of Bell, but this all knocks Big Ben down a Tier and makes him a bit shakier of a play then he would have been with all his weapons. Although he did average a league leading 328 passing yards per game and also led the league in 40+ yard completions last year.
Matthew Stafford, Lions – The teams early 2015 struggles weren’t his fault if you actually watched the tape. If you don’t agree with me, noted analyst Greg Cosell stated as such on many occasions last year. Stafford came on big time after new OC Jim Bob Cooter (I mean, his name is Jim Bob) took over (19tds and only 2ints) and they beefed up the offensive line this off-season. He is being severely under-drafted at the moment on a team without a foundation back, but with running backs that are adept at catching the ball.
Philip Rivers, Chargers – Has a chance to be a Top 5 QB and reliable starter if the offensive line and wide receivers stay healthy. Loss of Stevie Johnson hurts a bit, but James Jones should hopefully be able to limit the impact until he returns. They were starting third stringers at both positions by mid-season last year. If all goes well, he's a steal. If you are one of those people betting against Melvin Gordon, you should be betting on this teams passing game, which includes Danny Woodhead.
Kirk Cousins, Redskins – Arguably has the best receiving core in the league with the addition of rookie Doctson to go along with DeSean Jackson, Garcon, Reed and Crowder. Threw for 4,166 yards, with 29 TDs and only 11 Ints, while also rushing for another 5 TDs. Should be even better this season despite being a limited quarterback in a contract year.
Blake Bortles, Jaguars – Young team loaded with weapons started to blossom last year and should continue to improve this season. But better defense could lead to less garbage time production and poor 58% completion rate last year.
Derek Carr, Raiders – This is a young offense on the rise and he proved that he was the one that made Davante Adams look good in college, not the other way around. Some game script criticism with better defense, but I'm betting on the young emerging talent in this Raiders offense (Walford, Cooper, Murray, Washington) along with a top 3 offensive line and a suspect run game.
Tier 4
Tony Romo, Cowboys – Witten is older and outside of Dez Bryant, they don’t have many great receiving options. With more reliance on the run game, it should make Romo a solid but not elite option. You also have to hold your breath every time he lands on that shoulder. The saving grace here could be the insane suspensions and injuries to their Defense, necessitating the offense to put up big points.
Eli Manning, Giants – Additions of Sterling Shepard and commitment to Jenning's and Vereen should provide much needed firepower to provide him a solid weekly floor.
Tyrod Taylor, Bills – He throws a nice deep ball and ran for 568 yards and 4 TDs, yet only 20 passing touchdowns The key is Watkins, who has a foot injury and accounted for nearly 40% of Taylor's passing yards and 44% of Taylor's touchdown throws. This is also still a run first team, which stifles his potential upside, but at least he runs as well. So far all signs point to Watkins being healthy for the season.
Andy Dalton, Bengals –Additions of LaFell and Boyd are a downgrade to Sanu and Jones. While Dalton played well last year, you just can’t rely on him to be your QB1 despite stretches of great play, especially with Eifert still injured. It’s the untrustworthy factor that keeps him here.
Marcus Mariota, Titans – They’ve beefed up the run game, wide receiver core and offensive line. While the team would like to play exotic smash-mouth football, with a suspect Defense, he could end up being this years’ Bortles, the king of garbage time production.
Jameis Winston, Buccaneers – Has solid weapons and has dedicated the off-season to getting into shape and fine-tuning his craft. But while he three for more than 4,000 yards as a rookie, even when the team was losing they stuck the run far more than most teams. Will that change in year 2?
Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins – If he could just complete some deep passes I would move him up a tier. Weapons galore with addition of Leonte Carroo.
Matt Ryan, Falcons – Talent isn't a question, but a lack of receiving talent beyond Julio Jones still a concern. Improved offensive line and second year comfort in this complicated offense should help a lot. I think his head was swimming more than he let on trying to learn the Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
Tier 5
Jay Cutler, Bears – A healthy Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White could mean big numbers for Cutler, but like Dalton, huge weeks can always lead to some major duds. John Fox would also love for the run game to be the teams’ offensive foundation.
Joe Flacco, Ravens – He has better weapons this year and OC Marc Trestman likes to throw.
Ryan Fitzpatrick Jets – The first six weeks of their season is as tough as it comes, but it gets better after that. Lots of weapons and Chan Gaily loves to throw it around.
Alex Smith, Chiefs – two words: Alex. Smith. He’s not like a box of chocolates.
Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings – Limited passer on a team that runs through Adrian Peterson. Playing indoors, upgraded offensive line, the addition of rookie Treadwell and the emergence of second year player Stefon Diggs will all help elevate him to at least ... Alex Smith levels.
Robert Griffin III III, Browns – Josh Gordon is back, which is a huge boost to this offense and his value. He also gets it done with his feet and the impact of HC Hue Jackson cannot be under-estimated.
Tier 6
Brock Osweiler, Texans – John Elway didn’t believe in Brock after 4 years, I don’t either, but with J.J. Watt looking like he may miss some of the regular season, this is a team that may have to throw more than they were expecting and with emergence of Strong, drafting of rookie Fuller and addition of running back Miller, his weapons are looking strong.
Blaine Gabbert, 49ers – HC Chip Kelly likes to play fast and run a ton of plays, which has led to Kelly coached quarterbacks seeing an uptick in both their yards per attempt and completion percentages. Gabbert is also a plus athlete who can run, clocking a 4.61 forty at the combine. If he wins the job, and either Eric Rogers or DeAndre Smelter can emerge as a compliment to Torrey Smith and Bruce Ellington, he just may surprise as the teams plays catch-up all year. If Colin Kaepernick wins the job, you can then swap these guys out as they are being drafted for free right now.
Sam Bradford, Eagles – Okay supporting cast and has talent, but still nothing more than an average QB2 now running a more conservative offense.
Tier 7
Mark Sanchez, Broncos – Could surprise in real life, but probably not a reliable fantasy option.
Trevor Siemian, Broncos - Has a chance to be the starter. Only viable in deep 2 QB leagues.
Jared Goff, Rams – Lack of weapons and an offensive line will keep the ball in Gurley’s belly. Bright future, but this might be rough.
Geno Smith, Jets – Fitzpatrick is back, so he's back to the bench. Could get another shot next year.
Colin Kaepernick, 49ers - Will he really lose his job to Gabbert again? If anyone can get the most out of him it’s Chip Kelly.
Carson Wentz, Eagles – Will probably start at some point this season.
Josh McCown, Browns – Hopefully the Browns don’t need him, but should do okay if they do.
Brian Hoyer, Bears – Cutler does seemingly get hurt every season.
Paxton Lynch, Broncos – They have to hope he doesn’t need to play this year, but great dynasty future.
Chase Daniel, Eagles – Might be their starter if Bradford goes down.
RUNNING BACK TIERS
Tier 1
Todd Gurley, Rams – Fully healthy and the foundation of their offense. Some worry about game script, but their Defense is solid, so they should be in most games, and while the offensive line was brutal last year, all the key linemen return and most were drafted in 2014 and 2015, so they should take a step forward as well. I also think he is a better pass catcher than he was used as last season, and he still averaged 9 yards a catch. I think it's a good bet he catches at least 2-3 passes a game with a full pre-season under his belt. People forget, he was coming off of a December knee surgery last season.
David Johnson, Cardinals – Should be their workhorse back and will see light boxes. Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington will still get a few touches, but even with just 60% of the team’s carries, that comes out to 250 carries based on last years numbers. He is also a former wide receiver who is one of the best route runners on the team, so add in catches, and he is pushing close to 300 touches easily. If you want a safe pick in this area of the draft, this is the guy.
Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys – Unreal landing spot and he can do it all: run the rock through people, around people and no problem lining up outside to catch passes. The Cowboys will want to limit the wear and tear on Romo as well. My only fear is Alfred Morris stealing goal-line work behind this dominant offensive line. Domestic violence charge against him looks to be debunked for now.
Tier 2
Lamar Miller, Texans – Rock solid RB1 who could finish in the top 3 easily. If picking towards the end of round 1, smart move may be going wide receiver in the first and Miller in the second despite the presence of the other running backs listed above.
Adrian Peterson, Vikings – Betting against him is never good and only converted 4 of 14 goal line carries, which is fluky. But while they have an upgraded offensive line and he performed well last season, he seemed to have lost just a step on some of his runs. They also have a decent receiving core with the addition of Treadwell to go along with Diggs. Reports of more plays out of shotgun too, which means McKinnon could see some more passing down work.
LeVeon Bell, Steelers – Rehab looked like it was going better than expected, but now suspended for the first three games of the season. If you can get him at a decent cost, DeAngelo Williams is a must own handcuff. Williams also played too well last year to just ride the pine, so he could be stealing some touches when Bell returns, making Bell not a true "bell-cow." But he is an elite talent and worth covering for him for three weeks when you get to use him for the part of the season that really counts, the fantasy playoffs. Someone like Crowell has an easy opening slate to help you get weather the storm.
Mark Ingram, Saints – Steady option that was the third overall running back before he went down in Week 13. Although he has also not played more than 13 games since 2012. But he's their foundation back and once considered a passing down liability, last year he went 50/405 on 59 targets (85% catch rate) with 8.1 YPR in only 12 games. That's upside.
Jamaal Charles, Chiefs – Don’t ever count this guy out, but goal line looks could go to Ware to keep him fresh coming off second ACL injury.
Tier 3
Eddie Lacy, Packers – Fat Eddie is now Phat Eddie after jacking up in the off-season. Has the talent and situation to put up solid RB1 numbers. All signs positive from camp so far.
C.J. Anderson, Broncos – Was the foundation of their offense during last season’s playoff run. Rookie Booker more of a compliment back that should keep Anderson fresh rather than steal his job and all signs point to the Broncos having the run be their foundation this year, the way Kubiak usually likes to play.
Devonta Freeman, Falcons – Freeman did most of his damage over only four games last year and averaged a pathetic 3.1 yards per carry between Week 9 and 17 last season. I’m not entirely sold like some, but concede that redzone ability and pass catching ability provide him a very solid floor in the PPR leagues. But Coleman will get the ball more than people are expecting, forming a Hill/Bernard type combo, especially after comments from the teams Head Coach, General Manager and Running Back coach all confirming this.
Carlos Hyde, 49ers – Chip likes to run as much as to pass and Hyde has experience running his inside zone running scheme and he thrives running out of the shotgun, averaging almost 2 yards per carry more (5.1). He's one of the league's true feature backs that will push 20 touches every game due to the 49ers up-tempo style of play even if game flow restricts his touches in the 4th quarter. Chip Kelly is not someone that abandons his scheme easily, even when behind, and due to the up-tempo nature of his offense, he doesn't often rotate when they are in attack mode, keeping Hyde in the game. He also finished last season as the top rated running back in PFF's elusive rating.
LeSean McCoy, Bills – Run heavy team, including top 3 last year in the redzone, and somehow only 27 years old. With Karlos Williams and Jonathan Williams both in trouble with the league, the jobs all his despite the addition of Reggie Bush. Jonathan Williams is someone to watch though, may only miss a game or two at most.
Doug Martin, Buccaneers – I’m probably lower on him than I should be. A better standard league option.
Tier 4
Thomas Rawls, Seahawks – He wasn’t the passing down back last season and still put up monster numbers. Marshawn Lynch was never the team’s passing down back either and he did just fine. Finally activated from their PUP list and I’m not concerned by the presence of Alex Collins, although Christine Michael seems to have finally gotten it and will steal touches and passing down work. I still like Rawls as the team’s best early down runner and his current ADP makes him a value at the moment.
Matt Forte, Jets – The presence of Powell is keeping Forte’s value depressed, but he will end up being a solid PPR value in drafts. Powell will steal some touches and Forte may not put up big numbers on the ground, especially the first six weeks of the season, so while he is an avoid in standard leagues, he should easily catch over 75 passes in this vertical four pass offense.
DeMarco Murray, Titans – I’ll admit, it has taken me a while to get here on Murray. Derrick Henry will steal touches, and maybe the ones that count, but all reports have stated that Murray will be their lead back … at least this year. It's also worth mentioning, as Rotoworld's Rich Hribar pointed out, while Murray averaged only 2.8 yards per carry on runs behind or off tackle, he averaged 4.6 yards on runs between the guards, something that suits his power running style better. After new Titans HC Mike Mularkey took over mid-season last year, 56% of the Titans' running back runs were run between the guards. Additionally, when Murray played in Dallas, 90% of his runs came when the QB was under center, while with the Eagles, only 15% came when the QB was under center. Last season, 75% of the Titans runs came when the QB was under center ... you do the math.
Latavius Murray, Raiders – Not an elite back despite year end numbers (267/1066/6 rushing and 41/232/0 through the air on 53 targets). Upgraded offensive line and sheer volume should allow him to put up RB2 numbers every week while he is the starter even if he leaves some yards on the field. I also wouldn't be surprised to see rookie DeAndre Washington steal touches (and possibly his job), but for now, volume alone with make Murray a safe weekly play.
Jeremy Hill, Bengals – Still young and talented. I think they go to him more this season with very little receiving options outside of Green and (an injured) Eifert. The Bengals also finished last season as a top 4 team in rushing percentage in the redzone. Game script should work in his favor and keep in mind, he has 21 touchdowns in just 32 games, pretty solid for a running back at this ADP.
Jay Ajayi, Dolphins – Would have been my second rated running back if he came out this year. Similar profile to Marshawn Lynch with great hands. Went 50/535/4 through the air his final year of college, while adding another 347/1,823/28 on the ground. Arian Foster signing will steal a good chunk of his pass catching work, but I'm not counting on Foster staying healthy all year and I don't suspect he will have much juice left after years of soft tissue injuries. A great buy-low candidate who in 49 carries last year broke 12 tackles and averaged 3.3 yards after contact per attempt.
Danny Woodhead, Chargers – PPR gold that finished as the RB3 in PPR leagues last year. Usually catches at least three passes a game, received more redzone touches than Melvin Gordon last year and game script should be on his side with a porous Defense.
Dion Lewis, Patriots – Rehab is key. Talent isn’t a question. Will move up to Tier 3 in PPR leagues if he's all systems go.
Duke Johnson Jr, Browns – Could be a major sleeper and move up the board as the season gets closer. He will be a PPR beast, pushing 75+ catches after catching 61 as a rookie. While Crowell may handle early down and goal-line work, negative game script could mean a whole lot more of Johnson. Hue Jackson also had the fourth highest rushing percentage in the redzone last season. If you want to own just one Browns RB, Crowell the better value, but the Duke should have a safe PPR floor.
Tier 5
Frank Gore, Colts –Actually ran better than his 3.7ypc average. Great pickup at his current 7th round ADP as your 3rd or 4th running back, but best to let someone else take the 33 year old if his ADP rises too much. For those using the 2-2-1 RB Strategy, it is looking like Josh Ferguson could be his handcuff.
Giovani Bernard, Bengals – PPR silver. Averaged a solid 4.7 YPC going 154/730/2 on the ground, with an additional 49/472/0 through the air for 9.6 YPR on 66 targets. Like Hill, he should be involved more with Eifert out and the loss of other weapons, but Hill kills his upside in the redzone, with Bernard only scoring 2 TDs last year.
Matt Jones, Redskins – His body and hair fly’s in all directions, but that doesn’t mean he’s always going in the right direction as evidenced by his pathetic 3.4 yards per carry last year, and from Week 3 on, he actually averaged an even more pathetic 2.85 yards per carry. Additionally, 26.4% of his carries went for negative or zero yards, third worst in the league. He could easily put up Latavius Murray 2015 type numbers through sheer volume, but when he ends up in the doghouse for fumbling again, my money is on Keith Marshall or someone else stepping in eventually.
Jeremy Langford, Bears – He struggled on the ground (48/537/6 rushing - 3.6 YPC) ) and through the air (22/279/1 receiving on 42 targets - 52.4% catch rate), but being the only game in town with Forte, Bennet, Royal, Jeffery and White injured, he put up points. He will be in a time share and should be drafted as an upside PPR flex option, which means I’m probably never drafting him.
Jonathan Stewart, Panthers – They didn’t add anything in the draft, so he’s their workhorse. Yet, how many times did he kill you in DFS last year? Cam and Tolbert will once again vulture the goal-line carries and he doesn't catch that many passes.
Ryan Mathews, Eagles – Big winner from the draft. He’s their guy and produces when he's on the field. Just needs to stay healthy. He never stays healthy.
Tier 6
Rashad Jennings, Giants – Crowded backfield with Vereen and the addition of Paul Perkins, but the team has stated that he will be the lead guy. Over the final 4 games of last season, once they committed to him, he averaged 21.5 touches and 5.47 yards per carry, clocking in as the #7 fantasy RB in that stretch with nearly 18FPG. He's a steal in the 9th round of drafts right now.
Ameer Abdullah, Lions – Love the talent, but he’s not going to be a true workhorse back with Ridley in town and Riddick a pass catching beast. May have to break long runs to score touchdowns, but he's certainly capable of it.
Melvin Gordon, Chargers – Major disappointment (at least for those who believed in him). Rookie wall and the decimation of their offensive line and receiving core didn’t help though. Juries still out especially with Woodhead in the mix. The teams wants him to succeed, but beat writer Kevin Acee mentioned that Gordon wasn't very "football smart." He had a very average start to camp but has started to come on. One to watch closely since he has big play ability.
Isaiah Crowell, Browns – Will form a RBBC with Duke Johnson Jr. A team built on analytics seems to be sold on him as their bigger back. Hopefully RG3 and a new wide receiving core can keep defenses honest and open things up for him. Has good intangibles and prominent Browns beat reporter, Mary Kay Cabot, says he is their bell cow and a lock for 1,000 yards this season. We all love the Duke, but people are sleeping on Crowell.
DeAngelo Williams, Steelers – Will put up elite numbers in the first four weeks with Bell suspended and if he plays like he did last year, he could be involved even when Bell returns, since Bell still coming off of knee surgery and this is a team that wants to be healthy in the playoffs. It's all about winning weeks and he will win you four for sure.
Tier 7
Charles Sims, Buccaneers – Underrated weekly PPR flex and bye week option. Managed 51/1,090/4 all-purpose yards. Look for those numbers to go up as he managed 4.9 yards per carry and flashed big time as a receiver. If Martin goes down, Sims value goes way up. He’s a weekly flex play in PPR leagues with the possibility for much more.
Christine Michael, Seahawks – Seems to have had a change of attitude on his second deployment with the Seahawks. He's finally playing to his talent level and the commitment seems to be there with HC Peter Carroll stating that he makes a great 1, 2 punch with Rawls. While I expect Rawls to be the team's main ball carrier, he could easily get 8 to 10 rushes a game and he appears to be the teams current passing down back. Clear hestiancy since we have been here before, but big upside.
Arian Foster, Dolphins – Signed to a one year deal with a guaranteed salary of only $1.5 million, that's not starter money. Beset with soft tissue injuries, with his groin muscle being torn off the bone and then tearing his Achilles last year, he didn't have a lot of juice to begin with as he enters his year 30 season. Name recognition going a long way, just like Kobe Bryant in his final year, but his best bet is to help in the screen and passing game. Early camp reports have been very positive and he will probably return high end PPR flex value with weekly RB2 upside ... until he gets hurt again.
T.J. Yeldon, Jaguars – Addition of Ivory is a major buzz kill and for some reason they just don’t trust him near the goal-line. Has the talent to be a RB1, but may have to wait a year or two now. Ranking him above Ivory because I think he stays healthy while Ivory can't.
Chris Ivory, Jaguars – Time-share with Yeldon. Should get the goal line and short yardage work, so solid flex option in standard leagues. Needs to stay healthy.
Derrick Henry, Titans – Won’t be their lead guy this year, but could score a lot of TD’s. A better standard league grab. He's a load to bring down when he gets going.
Tevin Coleman, Falcons – Talented enough to steal meaningful touches from Freeman and would be an immediate RB1 if Freeman goes down. No better handcuff and deep bench stash. Plus the team's coaches and General Manager have all stated that they intend to get Coleman more involved stating that "when it comes down to it, the one difference is the flat out long speed of Tevin Coleman." Early reports from camp have been positive about his receiving ability as well.
Justin Forsett, Ravens – Entering his age 31 season and there is a ton of great competition here with West, Allen and Dixon, who could be this years David Johnson. Might be better for him to get cut or traded to a team like the Redskins.
Bilal Powell, Jets – Handcuff to 30 year old Matt Forte and will get a handful of touches every week. PPR flex or handcuff grab only for now, but could be more.
Tier 8
LeGarrette Blount, Patriots - They didn't grab a back in the draft and Lewis is coming off injury. Should handle early down work, although never truly reliable since the Patriots offense is often game specific. Donald Brown could steal some touches, as crazy as that sounds, or they could bring on someone else.
Spencer Ware, Chiefs – Won’t get many touches as long as Charles is healthy, but could get the ones that count. He's a dominant force on the ground who put up elite numbers in Joe Holka's Rushing Expectations methodology. Wouldn’t be shocked if he scored 8+ TDs and he should be involved even when Charles is healthy to keep him fresh for the playoffs.
Shane Vereen, Giants – Should catch 50+ balls this year. With one year in the offense under his belt, not inconceivable he becomes a reliable weekly PPR flex option.
James Starks, Packers – Must own handcuff to Lacy, possible to have some weekly flex value.
Chris Johnson, Cardinals – Should be the handcuff to David Johnson and played well when he was their guy. Might see 30% of the team's carries and could be their closer once the team gets a big lead. RB2 if Johnson goes down.
Shaun Draughn, 49ers - Could get a few touches every week as the 49ers play an uptempo offense and don't rotate when they are moving. Could also get some solid 4th quarter work when they are down as a solid pass catching back.
Chris Thompson, Redskins - He has been working as the teams exclusive passing down back in camp. Could easily by this seasons Riddick.
Theo Riddick, Lions – Needs an injury to Abdullah or for him to face plant to rely on him week-to-week, but that happened last year when he caught 80 passes.
Javorius Allen, Ravens – The teams best pass catching back, but Forsett and Dixon are also capable pass catchers, even if not as good as him in that role. Certainly possible for him to hold weekly flex value in PPR leagues.
DeAndre Washington, Raiders – Short, but thick receiver in the Maurice Jones Drew mold. They would like him to be the receiving compliment to Murray, but could end up being much more.
Jerick McKinnon, Vikings – Must own handcuff for Peterson with potential for stand-alone PPR flex value now that Bridgewater has command of the Norv Turner offense. The team has also hinted that they might take more snaps out of the shotgun. Out of the shotgun, McKinnon averaged 4.3 yards per attempt while Peterson averaged only 1.7.
Darren Sproles, Eagles – Getting up there in age, not sure you can expect too much even if he gets 5 or 6 touches every game. Seems like the team may be going to him by default.
Benny Cunningham, Rams - A change of pace back on a team that may never decide to change their pace. Gurley also a better pass catcher than he showed last year, coming off injury, but they are comfortable with Benny.
Tier 9
Terrance West, Ravens - It's easy to dismiss him due to career up to this point, but he's been their best running back in camp so far and it's not like Forsett is a top notch talent. Possible he forms a 1-2 punch with Buck Allen. I've moved him up here for now, but could go further.
Jonathan Williams, Bills – True three down running back who noted analyst Greg Cosell compared favorably to Ezekiel Elliot. Missed all of 2015 with injury but had a 101.9 elusive rating in 2014 that would have been good enough for second in 2015. Great dynasty hold and more talented than Karlos Williams. His DUI charge shouldn’t effect his playing time this year.
Devante Booker, Broncos – Despite his size, he’s more of a complimentary back. Would be the lead in the committee if Anderson went down or faltered.
Jordan Howard, Bears – Has a bit of an injury history, but a big and powerful running back that should easily assume early down and goal-line work for the Bears. John Fox wants the run game to be the teams’ foundation of this offense, as he did in Carolina. I've dropped him a bit since no clear indication he has seized that early down role and Fox does have a distaste for rookies.
Keith Marshall, Washington – He’s big (5’11” 219lbs) and fast (4.31 forty). He’s no sure thing, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jones in the doghouse again and Marshall shine when given a chance. A flier only right now but he has been getting some first team reps in practices.
Wendell Smallwood, Eagles - He displays a nice combination of vision, lateral quickness and speed. The current handcuff for Matthews, who has a substantial injury history. Could act as their change of pace back right away if Sproles has nothing left and could explode if Matthews goes down. A lower case Jamaal Charles type.
Alfred Morris, Cowboys – Behind this offensive line he could end up stealing a lot of Zeke's goal-line carries. Another sneaky candidate for few yards, but many touchdowns plus more with Elliot facing domestic violence charges.
Kenneth Dixon, Ravens – It’s a very crowded backfield with Justin Forsett, Buck Allen and Terrence West all capable and playing well so far in camp. But like David Johnson last year, if Dixon is given a chance, he could run away with the job. This is a high upside pick to own and be patient with.
James White, Patriots - The must own handcuff for Dion Lewis owners.
C.J. Spiller, Saints – I don’t think he ever got over his foot injury, which kept him out of the pre-season and start of last season. If he proves well in pre-season he could be a major steal at his current ADP. Boom or bust in the biggest way.
Zach Zenner, Lions – Signing of Ridley a major buzz kill. Monitor him during the pre-season; Abdullah is not going to be a workhorse. Could be their goal line back.
C.J. Prosise, Seahawks – Big (6'1” 220lbs) and fast (4.48 forty). Needs to work on his game after only playing one year of running back in college after changing over from a wide receiver, has a Charles Sims like ceiling if it all comes together. Should start the season as their passing-down compliment to Thomas Rawls, but his ability to learn to better pass protect will be key to getting and staying on the field. He's missed a lot of time due to injury this pre-season and Christine Michael seems to have stolen his job.
Tier 10
Andre Ellington, Cardinals – Played on 31% of the snaps in games he played, but will see only a handful of touches a game unless there is an injury to Johnson. Could be useful if in dire need in PPR leagues here or there and becomes an every week PPR flex if David Johnson goes down.
Josh Ferguson, Colts – UDFA who has been making noise since OTAs. It looks like he is emerging as the handcuff to Gore and possibly the future starter on this team. He excels in the passing game and Indianapolis Star's Zak Keefer reported that he has "flashed consistently" in training camp.
Charcandrick West, Chiefs – Will need an injury to Charles and then still a part time player.
Mike Davis, 49ers - Has played well this pre-season and if Hyde goes down, he could end up being their lead back with Shaun Draughn handling passing duties.
Paul Perkins, Giants – Lots of competition here, but has juice, good balance and body control. Decent in pass protection so could carve out a role or even take over lead duties if Jennings isn't getting it done. If you're looking for upside in a Giants running back, he's your target.
Alfred Blue, Texans - The handcuff to Lamar Miller and played decently last season when given a chance, yet not special either.
Mike Gillislee, Bills - With Karlos Williams looking like a second year bust at this point, Gillislee may open the season as the teams RB2. He averaged an impressive 5.7 yards per carry last year and on a team that likes to run, that holds value. Lots of competition though.
KaDeem Carey, Bears – Needs some injuries, and he's injured himself.
Reggie Bush, Bills - Recently signed and if he can show he's fully healthy coming off of knee surgery, could have value. The problem is that there are so many running backs in the mix, it might be a RBBC from hell if Shady goes down.
Donald Brown, Patriots - Sneaky sleeper to handle early down work if Blount falters. He's not special, but the Patriots don't require their back to be.
Tyler Ervin, Texans – Not big (5’10” 192 lbs - 4.41 Forty), but has good balance, is tough, fast and explosive. A bit of Brian Westbrook to him. Will form a committee if Lamar Miller went down as possible passing down back.
Brandon Wilds, Falcons - Really big, strong back and fast for his size. Only a waiver wire guy, but if Freeman and Coleman get injured, he would be next up and could produce nicely.
Tier 11
Darren McFadden, Cowboys – Purely a handcuff for Elliot and he's also injured.
Dexter McCluster, Titans – Will get a handful of touches a game, but tough to rely on for any real production.
Robert Turbin, Colts – Possible backup to Frank Gore. Not sexy, but competent.
Stevan Ridley, Lions – Now fully recovered from his knee injury, the Lions early favorite for early down work. Draft Twitter loves the idea of Zack Zenner, but Ridley is a seasoned pro. Monitor closely, if he plays well, could be their goal line back and sneaky play to score 8+ touchdowns.
Kenyan Drake, Dolphins – Explosive for his size (6’1” 210lbs - 4.45 forty), but not a lead back. More of a package specific player, but conceivable he could be the Charles Sims to Ajayi’s Doug Martin. Horrible in pass pro in college, which isn't good for him seeing the field and one reason Arian Foster was signed.
Karlos Williams, Bills – Reported over-weight and then suspended for four games. I think Jonathan Williams passes him up on the depth chart.
Lance Dunbar, Cowboys – Was prolific catching passes last year for them, but Elliot may never leave the field.
Kelvin Taylor, 49ers – A downhill no nonsense runner that should act as Hyde’s handcuff.
Cameron Artis-Payne, Panthers – Just a guy.
Ronnie Hillman, Broncos – Will form a committee with rookie Booker if Anderson falters or goes down.
WIDE RECEIVER TIERS
Tier 1
Antonio Brown, Steelers – The best wide receiver in Fantasy as long as Big Ben stays healthy.
Julio Jones, Falcons – An absolute beast and he’s the only game in town.
Odell Beckham Jr Giants – Sterling Shepard and the return of Victor Cruz should actually help him.
Tier 2
A.J. Green, Bengals – The focal point of their offense that will probably get force-fed the ball even more with Eifert injured and Jones and Sanu gone. He should push for over 150 targets like he did in 2012 and 2013.
Dez Bryant, Cowboys – Lack of truly being featured the past two years have kept his ceiling down but there is no more talented a wide receiver in the league and addition of new OC Scott Linehan has a history of force feeding WR1's (see Calvin Johnson). Recency bias may allow you to grab him in the 2nd round of drafts, the best red zone receiver outside of Gronk.
DeAndre Hopkins, Texas – Brock not much of an upgrade over Hoyer, if at all, but Fuller, Strong, S
