Ok, I won’t beat around the bush here… Kickers are essentially irrelevant in fantasy football and should be left as one of your last draft picks. Sure there are some studs like Money Bag McPherson and Justin Tucker, but at the end of the season, all kickers for the most part average out the same in points so don’t stress at this position. If you want to overthink it, go with kickers on teams that have high powered offenses and who have high rezone rates as well as plays in oppositions territory. You don’t need it, but here’s the rankings for kickers this year:

1. Justin Tucker, BAL
2. Evan McPherson, CIN
3. Matt Gay, LAR
4. Tyler Bass, BUF
5. Daniel Carlson, LV
6. Harrison Butker, KC
7. Matt Prater, ARI
8. Brandon McManus, DEN
9. Dustin Hopkins, LAC
10. Nick Folk, NE
11. Jake Elliott, PHI
12. Ryan Succop, TB
13. Rodrigo Blankenship, IND
14. Greg Zuerlein, NYJ
15. Greg Joseph, MIN
16. Chris Boswell, PIT
17. Robbie Gould, SF
18. Randy Bullock, TEN
19. Younghoe Koo, ATL
20. Jason Sanders, MIA
21. Jonathan Garibay, DAL
22. Will Lutz, NO
23. Mason Crosby, GB
24. Graham Gano, NYG
25. Ka’imi Fairbairn, HOU
26. Joey Slye, CAR
27. Jason Meyers, SEA
28. Cade York, CLE
29. Austin Seibert, DET
30. Cairo Santos, CHI

When it comes to Defense in fantasy football, you can definitely hold off til the later rounds to get one or even two team defenses. You never want to be the guy who reaches for a defense in the 8th round just because your other positions are already filled. It is way more important to build up your bench of skill players rather than drafting a defense early, in which you’ll probably drop at some point during the season anyway. Whether you’re going for a top defense or plan on streaming week to week, these rankings should help you get a general idea of who to target this upcoming season:

1. Buffalo Bills
2. Tampa Bay Bucs
3. Dallas Cowboys
4. Los Angeles Rams
5. San Francisco 49ers
6. Green Bay Packers
7. Denver Broncos
8. Los Angeles Chargers
9. New England Patriots
10. Indianapolis Colts
11. Baltimore Ravens
12. Cleveland Browns
13. Miami Dolphins
14. Kansas City Chiefs
15. New Orleans Saints
16. Pittsburgh Steelers
17. Cincinnati Bengals
18. Las Vegas Raiders
19. Minnesota Vikings
20. Philadelphia Eagles
21. Arizona Cardinals
22. New York Jets
23. Washington Commanders
24. Tennessee Titians
25. Carolina Panthers
26. Houston Texans
27. Jacksonville Jaguars
28. New York Giants
29. Detroit Lions
30. Chicago Bears
31. Seattle Seahawks
32. Atlanta Falcons

I tend to use the 2-defense approach; 1 stud, 1 streamer strategy. Pick out 5 defenses pre-draft that you think could have big years and target to draft at least one of them. Some thinking points to get your 5 could include which teams have standout playmaking stars that rack up sacks and turnovers (ex. Aaron Donald, Khalil Mack, Trevon Diggs, etc.), teams in weak divisions (Cowboys, Packers, etc.), and teams with weak schedules (especially in the second half of the season). Streaming a defense throughout the season is quite easy, you just go with teams with good matchups on weeks your stud has a bad matchup. Another strategy experienced players will use is streaming a defense a week or two early, specifically when their stud defense is going through a strong stretch.

Tight ends are a funky position when it comes to fantasy football. There is only a handful of standout studs and you don’t necessarily need a top TE to compete deep in the playoffs. However, the few times I drafted a TE within the first 2 rounds of the draft (Travis Kelce, both times), I dominated my league with ease and walked into the finals both seasons, if that turns you on. Either way, there isn’t a full bulletproof system or tricks when it comes to drafting TE’s, it pretty much depends on what other skill players are available when you start to think about filling the position. Personally, if you’re not debating taking one of the top 4 TE’s, you might as well hold off til later on in the draft, after round 5 or 6 at least. Keep monitoring when managers are drafting TE’s and who still needs, and draft accordingly. To help, here a ranking of which TE’s will be most impactful this season:

1. Travis Kelce, KC
2. Mark Andrews, BAL
3. George Kittle, SF
4. Darren Waller, LV
5. Kyle Pitts, ATL
6. TJ Hockenson, DET
7. Dalton Schultz, DAL
8. Dallas Goedert, PHI
9. Zach Ertz, ARI
10. Dawson Knox, BUF
11. Albert Okwuegbunam, DEN
12. Mike Gesicki, MIA
13. Irv Smith Jr., MIN
14. Tyler Higbee, LAR
15. Pat Freiermuth, PIT
16. Hunter Henry, NE
17. Robert Tonyan, GB
18. David Njoku, CLE
19. Gerald Everett, LAC
20. Cole Kmet, CHI
21. Cameron Brate, TB
22. CJ Uzomah, NYJ
23. Evan Engram, JAX
24. Jonnu Smith, NE
25. Mo Alie-Cox, IND
26. Hayden Hurst, CIN
27. Tyler Conklin, NYJ
28. Austin Hooper, TEN
29. Brevin Jordan, HOU
30. OJ Howard, BUF
31. Logan Thomas, WSH
32. Noah Fant, SEA
33. Trey McBride, ARI
34. Foster Moreau, LV
35. Josiah Deguara, GB

Top wideouts were always an after thought to RB’s in the early rounds of the draft for as long as I could remember. However in this new day NFL, elite receivers are not only becoming more preeminent on the field, but are key factors when constructing a team and making a deep run in fantasy playoffs. Last season, excluding QB’s, 8 of the top 15 fantasy players were WR’s. With more and more teams shifting towards RB committees, you’re going to start to see an increase of receivers going earlier in fantasy drafts. Already, in current mock drafts for standard 12-man leagues, 5 WR’s are projected to be drafted in the first round. Here is Dimes’ rankings for WR’s this fantasy season:

1. Cooper Kupp, LAR
2. Justin Jefferson, MIN
3. Ja’Marr Chase, CIN
4. Stefon Diggs, BUF
5. Deebo Samuel, SF
6. Davante Adams, LV
7. Tyreek Hill, MIA
8. Ceedee Lamb, DAL
9. Mike Evans, TB
10. Keenan Allen, LAC
11. AJ Brown, PHI
12. Mike Williams, LAC
13. Jalen Waddle, MIA
14. Jerry Jeudy, DEN
15. Courtland Sutton, DEN
16. Marquese Brown, ARI
17. Tee Higgins, CIN
18. Gabriel Davis, BUF
19. Michael Pittman Jr., IND
20. JuJu Smith-Schuster, KC
21. Allen Robinson, LAR
22. Adam Thielen, MIN
23. Amari Cooper, CLE
24. Allen Lazard, GB
25. De’andre Hopkins, ARI
26. Michael Thomas, NO
27. Chris Godwin, TB
28. Elijah Moore, NYJ
29. Dionte Johnson, PIT
30. DK Metcalf, SEA
31. Terry McLaurin, WSH
32. DJ Moore, CAR
33. Hunter Renfrow, LV
34. Rashad Bateman, BAL
35. Devonta Smith, PHI
36. Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET
37. Brandin Cooks, HOU
38. Tyler Lockett, SEA
39. Darnell Mooney, CHI
40. Mecole Hardman, KC
41. Skyy Moore, KC
42. Treylon Burks, TEN
43. Brandon Aiyuk, SF
44. Tyler Boyd, CIN
45. Garrett Wilson, NYJ
46. Christian Watson, GB
47. Russell Gage, TB
48. Robert Woods, TEN
49. Drake London, ATL
50. Chase Claypool, PIT
51. Christian Kirk, JAX
52. Marvin Jones Jr., JAX
53. Jakobi Meyers, NE
54. Rondale Moore, ARI
55. AJ Green, ARI
56. Joshua Palmer, LAC
57. Chris Olave, NO
58. Jahan Dotson, WSH
59. Van Jefferson, LAR
60. Julio Jones, TB
61. Michael Gallup, DAL
62. DJ Chark Jr, DET
63. Kenny Golladay, NYG
64. Corey Davis, NYJ
65. Devante Parker, NE
66. Robby Anderson, CAR
67. Jalen Tolbert, DAL
68. Jarvis Landry, NO
69. Kadarius Toney, NYG
70. George Pickens, PIT
71. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, KC
72. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, TEN
73. Tom Kennedy, DET
74. Wan’dale Robinson, NYG
75. Jameson Williams, DET

Some refer to it as the most important position in fantasy sports, and I would have to agree. After competing in various fantasy football leagues over the years, it has been consistently proven that you simply can’t win your league without at least 1-2 true workhorses. Don’t just ask me, 60% of fantasy football managers draft a RB in the first round. As the cornerstones to managers rosters, the trend of RB’s jumping off the board early doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon. However buyer beware, RB’s are the most likely to get injured in football and teams are always splitting carries and giving redzone opportunities to other backs in their committee, so draft cautiously. It’s always smart to grab a few extra backs to stack your bench. It’s a long season and you never know what can happen through its course in any given week. It’s wise to have backup options or even handcuff backs ready to go just in case. Essentially its never a bad thing to have too many RB’s on your rosters. Here’s a list of who I think will be most impactful to rosters this season:

1. Jonathon Taylor, IND
2. Derrick Henry, TEN
3. Christian McCaffrey, CAR
4. Austin Ekeler, LAC
5. Dalvin Cook, MIN
6. Alvin Kamara, NO
7. Joe Mixon, CIN
8. Nick Chubb, CLE
9. Najee Harris, PIT
10. De’andre Swift, DET
11. Javante Williams, DEN
12. Leonard Fournette, TB
13. Aaron Jones, GB
14. James Conner, ARI
15. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL
16. Saquon Barkley, NYG
17. David Montgomery, CHI
18. J.K. Dobbins, BAL
19. Cam Akers, LAR
20. Eli Mitchell, SF
21. Antonio Gibson, WSH
22. Breece Hall, NYJ
23. Travis Etienne, JAX
24. AJ Dillon, GB
25. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, KC
26. Josh Jacobs, LV
27. Kareem Hunt, CLE
28. Cordarrelle Patterson, ATL
29. Doug Singletary, BUF
30. Damien Harris, NE
31. Tony Pollard, DAL
32. Chase Edmonds, MIA
33. Darrell Henderson Jr, LAR
34. Dameon Pierce, HOU
35. Miles Sanders, PHI
36. Melvin Gordon, DEN
37. Rhamondre Stevenson, NE
38. Michael Carter, NYJ
39. James Cook, BUF
40. James Robinson, JAX
41. Marlon Mack, HOU
42. Rashad Penny, SEA
43. Kenneth Walker III, SEA
44. Nyheim Hines, IND
45. Isaiah Spiller, LAC
46. Gus Edwards, BAL
47. Khalil Herbert, CHI
48. Tyler Allgeier, ATL
49. Darrell Williams, ARI
50. J.D. McKissic, WSH
51. Raheem Mostert, MIA
52. James White, NE
53. Alexander Mattison, MIN
54. Jamaal Williams, DET
55. Mark Engram II, NO
56. Sony Michel, MIA

A lot of fantasy football managers will argue the QB position is irrelevant when it comes to the online frenzy. That you don’t need to reach for a QB and that you only really need to 1 on your roster.. yada yada yada. However, I say the QB position is what completes the team and is the icing on the cake for any championship caliber fantasy team. Sure you don’t need to draft one in the first couple of rounds to succeed, but for me it’s not about what round you draft one in, it’s about knowing the worth of each QB and getting the best value in the most convenient round possible. Whether you are in a 1-or-2 QB league, these rankings will allow you to get the best general idea of who to take and when come draft day:

1. Josh Allen, BUF
2. Justin Herbert, LAC
3. Patrick Mahomes, KC
4. Matthew Stafford, LAR
5. Tom Brady, TB
6. Joe Burrow, CIN
7. Russell Wilson, DEN
8. Kyler Murray, ARI
9. Dak Prescott, DAL
10. Aaron Rodgers, GB
11. Jalen Hurts, PHI
12. Lamar Jackson, BAL
13. Derek Carr, LV
14. Kirk Cousins, MIN
15. Tua Tagovailoa, MIA
16. Deshaun Watson, CLE
17. Zach Wilson, NYJ
18. Trevor Lawrence, JAX
19. Matt Ryan, IND
20. Trey Lance, SF
21. Ryan Tannehill, TEN
22. Baker Mayfield, CAR
23. Jameis Winston, NO
24. Jared Goff, DET
25. Mac Jones, NE
26. Justin Fields, CHI
27. Mitch Trubisky, PIT
28. Daniel Jones, NYG
29. Carson Wentz, WSH
30. Marcus Mariota, ATL
31. Davis Mills, HOU
32. Jimmy Garoppolo, SF
33. Malik Willis, TEN
34. Geno Smith, SEA
35. Drew Lock, SEA
36. Tyrod Taylor, NYG
37. Tyler Huntley, BAL
38. Jacoby Brissett, CLE
39. Kenny Pickett, PIT
40. Taysom Hill, NO
41. Taylor Heinicke, WSH
42. Sam Darnold, CAR
43. Teddy Bridgewater, MIA
44. Desmond Ridder, ATL
45. Gardner Minshew II, PHI

In my opinion, the only time you draft a top QB “early” is if all can’t miss top skill positional players are off the board (ex. Tyreek Hill, Aaron Jones, Travis Kelce, etc.), or if your next player queued will likely still be available when your following pick comes around. If you are going to reach early, it might as well be a top-3 QB in the league. Oh, and don’t buy the “you only need 1 bs”… between the rate players get injured and not having to deal with added stress on bye weeks, it’s good to have 2 on your roster just in case. One strategy veterans will use is snagging 2 good QB’s in reasonable rounds and start based on matchups from week to week. The only exception I see to rostering 1-QB is if you’re in a 10-man 1-QB league, you can usually get away with sticking with one stud all year and just picking up a bye week fill in, but as always, one injury can derail that team real quick.

Although if you’re in a 2-QB league, the draft will be a little different and you almost have to pick a QB within the first 3-4 rounds just to compete. While drafting in a 2-QB league, the only way to figure out when to draft your first QB is to wait and see when other managers start taking theirs. As soon as the first couple QB’s fly off the board, you want to prepare to select at least one yourself. Don’t wait, its ok to reach in 2-QB leagues. It’s likely you’ll need 3 QB’s anyway so don’t be shy. QB’s hold extra value in these double position leagues as they will make up for the majority of points for your team each week. The last thing you want is getting stuck with the Ryan Tannehills, Daniel Jones’, and Matt Ryan’s of the world in your lineup every week.