Fantasy football is played by nearly 50 million people in the United States, with the number going up by the millions each year; so naturally, it’s spawned off many iterations of the traditional game, which started on pen and paper decades ago. PPR has become the norm at many places, including with most daily fantasy sites and on ESPN, but the actual format of the league can also be tinkered with heavily. There are keeper leagues, which most people know about, but dynasty leagues are rising in popularity.
If you’re unsure what a dynasty league is, it starts with a draft of the entire NFL pool; but you’re not just drafting guys for one season, you’re drafting them to keep on your roster for years to come. Of course, there are trades and releases like a normal league, but if you draft Russell Wilson, you can keep him on your roster for as long as you want. Then each year, instead of a traditional draft late in the summer, you have a rookie draft that’s typically earlier than that. Dynasty leagues are basically an all-year thing where players are better off paying attention to everything that’s happening throughout the offseason with free agency and the draft.
These rankings are for players currently in the NFL, and do not include upcoming 2018 rookies like running back Saquon Barkley (who would certainly be in the top 25, no matter where he lands).
1. Todd Gurley, Rams RB
2. Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys RB
3. Alvin Kamara, Saints RB
4. David Johnson, Cardinals RB
5. Kareem Hunt, Chiefs RB
6. Le’Veon Bell, Steelers RB
7. Melvin Gordon, Chargers RB
8. Jordan Howard, Bears RB
9. Leonard Fournette, Jaguars RB
10. Antonio Brown, Steelers WR
11. Christian McCaffrey, Panthers RB
12. Derrick Henry, Titans RB
13. Keenan Allen, Chargers WR
14. DeAndre Hopkins, Texans WR
15. Julio Jones, Falcons WR
16. Dalvin Cook, Vikings RB
17. Davante Adams, Packers WR
18. Michael Thomas, Saints WR
19. Odell Beckham Jr., Giants WR
20. A.J. Green, Bengals WR
21. Joe Mixon, Bengals RB
22. Devonta Freeman, Falcons RB
23. T.Y. Hilton, Colts WR
24. Amari Cooper, Raiders WR
25. Allen Robinson, Jaguars WR
26. Adam Thielen, Vikings WR
27. Tyreek Hill, Chiefs WR
28. Tevin Coleman, Falcons RB
29. Stefon Diggs, Vikings WR
30. Brandin Cooks, Patriots WR
31. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots TE
32. Zach Ertz, Eagles TE
33. Travis Kelce, Chiefs TE
34. Mike Evans, Buccaneers WR
35. Corey Davis, Titans WR
36. Mike Williams, Chargers WR
37. Jarvis Landry, Dolphins WR
38. Josh Gordon, Browns WR
39. Carlos Hyde, 49ers RB
40. Aaron Rodgers, Packers QB
41. Deshaun Watson, Texans QB
42. Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers QB
43. Russell Wilson, Seahawks QB
44. Andrew Luck, Colts QB
45. Derek Carr, Raiders QB
46. Cam Newton, Panthers QB
47. Marcus Mariota, Titans QB
48. Carson Wentz, Eagles QB
49. Jared Goff, Rams QB
50. Patrick Mahomes II, Chiefs QB
51. Matt Ryan, Falcons QB
52. Nelson Agholor, Eagles WR
53. Alshon Jeffery, Eagles WR
54. Tom Brady, Patriots QB
55. Matthew Stafford, Lions QB
56. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers WR
57. DeVante Parker, Dolphins WR
58. Sammy Watkins, Rams WR
59. Devin Funchess, Panthers WR
60. Jordy Nelson, Packers WR
61. Demaryius Thomas, Broncos WR
62. Jay Ajayi, Eagles RB
63. Kenyan Drake, Dolphins RB
64. D’Onta Foreman, Texans RB
65. Kenny Golladay, Lions WR
66. Marvin Jones Jr., Lions WR
67. Chris Hogan, Patriots WR
68. Julian Edelman, Patriots WR
69. John Ross, Bengals WR
70. Mark Ingram, Saints RB
71. Samaje Perine, Redskins RB
72. O.J. Howard, Buccaneers TE
73. David Njoku, Browns TE
74. Cooper Kupp, Rams WR
75. Evan Engram, Giants TE
76. Hunter Henry, Chargers TE
77. Golden Tate, Lions WR
78. LeSean McCoy, Bills RB
79. Josh Doctson, Redskins WR
80. Dede Westbrook, Jaguars WR
81. Dez Bryant, Cowboys WR
82. Chris Godwin, Buccaneers WR
83. Will Fuller V, Texans WR
84. Robert Woods, Rams WR
85. Sterling Shepard, Giants WR
86. Lamar Miller, Texans RB
87. Doug Baldwin, Seahawks WR
88. Drew Brees, Saints QB
89. Kirk Cousins, Redskins QB
90. Mitchell Trubisky, Bears QB
91. Dak Prescott, Cowboys QB
92. Alex Smith, Redskins QB
93. Philip Rivers, Chargers QB
94. Chris Carson, Seahawks RB
95. Dion Lewis, Patriots RB
96. Greg Olsen, Panthers TE
97. Jordan Reed, Redskins TE
98. Gerald Everett, Rams TE
99. Kelvin Benjamin, Bills WR
100. Michael Crabtree, Raiders WR
101. Jamison Crowder, Redskins WR
102. Corey Coleman, Browns WR
103. Pierre Garcon, 49ers WR
104. Marquise Goodwin 49ers WR
105. Alex Collins, Ravens RB
106. Jameis Winston, Buccaneers QB
107. James White, Patriots RB
108. Tarik Cohen, Bears RB
109. Jimmy Graham, Seahawks TE
110. Kyle Rudolph, Vikings TE
111. Cameron Brate, Buccaneers TE
112. Chris Thompson, Redskins RB
113. Marqise Lee, Jaguars WR
114. Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos WR
115. Kenny Stills, Dolphins WR
116. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals WR
117. Ben Roethilsberger, Steelers QB
118. Jamaal Williams, Packers RB
119. Ty Montgomery, Packers RB
120. Aaron Jones, Packers RB
121. Marlon Mack, Colts RB
122. Wayne Gallman, Giants RB
123. Rex Burkhead, Patriots RB
124. Corey Clement, Eagles RB
125. Devontae Booker, Broncos RB
126. C.J. Anderson, Broncos RB
127. LeGarrette Blount, Eagles RB
128. Robby Anderson, Jets WR
129. DeMarco Murray, Titans RB
130. Matt Breida, 49ers RB
131. Delanie Walker, Titans TE
132. Jonnu Smith, Titans TE
133. Tyler Eifert, Bengals TE
134. Ameer Abdullah, Lions RB
135. Latavius Murray, Vikings RB
136. Jerick McKinnon, Vikings RB
137. Duke Johnson Jr., Browns RB
138. Theo Riddick, Lions RB
139. Randall Cobb, Packers WR
140. Giovani Bernard, Bengals RB
141. Rishard Matthews, Titans WR
142. Tyler Lockett, Seahawks WR
143. Curtis Samuel, Panthers WR
144. Zay Jones, Bills WR
145. Mack Hollins, Eagles WR
146. Cameron Meredith, Bears WR
147. Jeremy Maclin, Ravens WR
148. Mike Wallace, Ravens WR
149. Paul Richardson, Seahawks WR
150. Josh Reynolds, Rams WR
151. Josh Malone, Bengals WR
152. John Brown, Cardinals WR
153. Malcolm Mitchell, Patriots WR
154. ArDarius Stewart, Jets WR
155. Sam Bradford, Vikings QB
156. Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings QB
157. Case Keenum, Vikings QB
158. Thomas Rawls, Seahawks RB
159. Jeremy Hill, Bengals RB
160. Joe Williams, 49ers RB
Gordon, McCaffrey, Henry, Coleman all too high
Watson 2 and Jimmy G 3?? wow
these are terrible based off Doug Baldwin not being top 50