It’s funny, a position that is notoriously valued by fantasy managers, ironically is devalued by general managers. For years, RB’s have been a foundation for fantasy teams most managers wouldn’t think twice about taking one in the first round of every fantasy draft, no matter the position. But with more and more NFL GM’s unwilling to pay a premium price for RB’s, we are finally starting to see the effect it has on fantasy football.

There is no secret, the NFL is a pass dominant league. Last year we saw just as many WR’s as to RB’s get drafted in the 1st round of fantasy drafts, and this year there’s likely to be more. Between more teams electing to use committees and the injury risk at the position, RB’s just don’t hold the first round value they used to in fantasy football.

Now that’s not to say they don’t have value at all. RB’s are still the most valuable and crucial position in fantasy football, no doubt. But with the depth at the position from committees, you can get away with not spending a first round pick on a RB, for sure. Obviously there are certain guys like CMC, Ekeler, and even Saquon that still hold superb first round value, but it’s important not to feel pressure to reach for a RB in the first round because it’s the unwritten rule you’ve always followed.

With that being said, the so called “RB dead zone” in rounds 3-6 straight up doesn’t exist this year. With the depth at the position you can find some of the best RB value in the mid-high rounds, so you can focus on drafting that stud WR, or dare I say QB, early and still be Gucci. Trust the process.

1. Christian McCaffrey
2. Austin Ekeler
3. Saquon Barkley
4. Nick Chubb
5. Derrick Henry
6. Tony Pollard
7. Josh Jacobs
8. Travis Etienne Jr,
9. Breece Hall
10. Rhamondre Stevenson
11. Najee Harris
12. Dameon Pierce
13. Joe Mixon
14. Aaron Jones
15. Kenneth Walker III
16. Javonte Williams
17. Jahmyr Gibbs
18. Alvin Kamara
19. Dalvin Cook
20. Jonathan Taylor
21. Kahil Herbert
22. Bijon Robinson
23. Rachaad White
24. Deandre Swift
25. Isiah Pacheco
26. Alexander Mattison
27. James Connor
28. Miles Sanders
29. Cam Akers
30. Brian Robinson
31. JK Dobbins
32. Jamaal Williams
33. David Montgomery
34. AJ Dillon
35. Eli Mitchell
36. James Cook
37. Jerrick McKinnon
38. Gus Edwards
39. De’Von Achane
40. Antonio Gibson
41. Rashaad Penny
42. Zach Charbonnet
43. Cordarelle Patterson
44. Damien Harris
45. Tyler Allgeier
46. D’onta Foreman
47. Samaje Perine
48. Raheem Mostert
49. Devin Singletary
50. Michael Carter

Mobile, dual threat QB’s are not only starting to take over the NFL, but are quickly becoming huge assets in fantasy football as well. It’s always been a strategy in fantasy football to wait until the later rounds to draft a QB, however, with the rushing appeal young QB’s have in today’s NFL, it might be wise to start thinking about a new fantasy draft strategy.

With talent at an all-time high, player pools in fantasy leagues have never been deeper. This allows for managers to reach for QB’s earlier than usual, while still be able to stack the rest of their lineup and bench in the later rounds. For full insight on how fantasy football is changing, click here.

For those who play in two QB or super flex leagues, these rankings will be extremely helpful. Lets get it!

1. Patrick Mahomes
2. Josh Allen
3. Jalen Hurts
4. Lamar Jackson
5. Joe Burrow
6. Trevor Lawrence
7. Justin Herbert
8. Justin Fields
9. Deshaun Watson
10. Aaron Rodgers
11. Dak Prescott
12. Tua Tagovailoa
13. Daniel Jones
14. Kirk Cousins
15. Jared Goff
16. Derek Carr
17. Geno Smith
18. Russell Wilson
19. Kenny Pickett
20. Matthew Stafford
21. Ryan Tannehill
22. Brock Purdy
23. Jordan Love
24. Jimmy Garoppolo
25. Mac Jones
26. Bryce Young
27. CJ Stroud
28. Anthony Richardson
29. Sam Howell
30. Desmond Ridder
31. Baker Mayfield
32. Kyler Murray

7/26/23

Let’s be honest, the NFL is the most popular sport in America for one reason and one reason only…fantasy football. Sure, other sports like baseball, basketball and even hockey have fantasy charm to them, but you’ll never find your girlfriend playing in those leagues. The NFL is the OG of fantasy sports, and for good reason – but is fantasy football changing? 

With all the latest buzz around Saquon, Josh Jacobs, Dalvin Cook and running backs not getting paid what they deserve, you have to start to wonder if this trend will continue in the future. It’s noticeable that GMs are unwilling to pay premium price for a position they feel is dispensable in a pass heavy league. Every year, we see more and more teams electing committees to share the backfield duties and split carries. It is very rare in today’s NFL to find a 3-down workhorse. So, how does this effect fantasy football?

Well, you know and I know, since the day fantasy football launched in 1996 on ESPN, running backs hold the most value out of any position. Just about every draft I did growing up, the entire league took RBs in the first round; it was a given, an unwritten rule if you will. However, in recent years, I’m seeing more and more top WRs and even a TE go in the first round. Now this year, two out of the top three projected draft picks are WRs, so something is definitely shifting in the fantasy realm as well. 

Now, I am in no way saying RBs don’t have value anymore in fantasy football. I will still be targeting a few backs in the first round; however, I think we are hitting the point where it isn’t necessary to draft a RB in the first round. With the majority of NFL teams electing to use RB committees, plenty of depth can be found in the later rounds of the draft.

Another cause of the recent shift in the NFL is due to the emergence of mobile QBs and the emphasis on the passing game. We already said the game has shifted from a ground and pound to a pass frenzy league, but in today’s NFL these QBs can use their legs as well. Yes, we’ve seen guys like Michael Vick in the past, and you can make the argument guys like him started this movement, but it wasn’t until recently that the entire NFL started to adopt to this style of play and speed up the game. It seems like every team nowadays is looking for their own version of Patrick Mahomes and boy has it been fun to watch. Guys like Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Jalen Hurts bring a whole new dynamic to the game, which will definitely start to make you questioning your QB draft strategy going forward. 

In the past, we were always taught to wait until the later rounds to draft a QB (specifically 1 QB leagues), and focus on skill position players in the first four to six rounds. Throughout history, this fast-paced, college-ish style dual threat offense, didn’t find much success in the NFL until teams started changing their playbooks. QBs of today’s game put up stats like we used to put up in Madden; and if we are talking from a fantasy football stand point, put up the most points period. So why wouldn’t you reach for them early? 

Trust me, you can find another WR or 3rd running back later on when everyone else is scraping for a QB in the 7th round. At the end of the day, it feels a lot better to have a QB you’re confident in week after week, rather than riding the waiver wire trying to figure out who has a better matchup that week, Daniel Jones or Russell Wilson…? Public hates to hear it but, don’t sleep on QB’s, especially dual treat studs.

So, is fantasy football changing?

Yes, it is. Just like the game of football is constantly changing, fantasy football changes with it. Between the decline of the RB position, WR talent at an all-time high, and mobile QBs taking over, we suggest updating your strategy come draft night. Draft pools in todays fantasy leagues are just too deep, chances are there will still be studs left for the waiver wire week 1. If you aren’t keeping up with the latest changes and adopting as you go, you’re always going to get left behind. Don’t be the guy who drafts like its 2008, be a Dollaboy and draft like it’s 2023.      

6/6/23

We are just about half way through the NFL off-season. Free agents have signed, college players have been drafted, and teams are in the midst of holding off-season workouts to give us a look and feel of what to expect this upcoming year. The fantasy football addict in us simply couldn’t wait any longer and already started doing research along with mock drafts to stay ahead of the game. It’s never too early to see how teams are shaping up, so we have put together a small list of guys we are keeping our eye on throughout the summer as we get ready for our league drafts. Here’s Dimes’ ‘Way-to-Early Sleepers’ for this coming fantasy season:

1. Alexander Mattison RB

It seems likely the Minnesota Vikings move on from running back Dalvin Cook. If you’ve played fantasy football in the past, you know how immediately valuable backup running backs are when starters get hurt. In this case, it looks as if the Vikings are prepared to make Mattison a 3-down back, setting him up for a potential career year. Mattison has proved to be capable of handling a full work load when needed but the question still remains if he can produce for a full season. Currently Alexander Mattison is being drafted in the 9^th round of mock drafts.

2. Kadarius Toney WR

After being traded mid-season last year, Toney ended up fitting in quite nicely in the championship lineup of the Kansas City Chiefs. Seeing Kadarius in that offense gives us Tyreek Hill vibes, and with Juju and Hardman out of the picture now, Toney could easily become Patrick Mahomes favorite weapon this year. He’s quick, swift, and smooth and currently not being drafted until the 9^th or 10^th round in most mock drafts.

3. Brandin Cooks WR

New team, who dis? It seems like no matter where he goes, Brandin Cooks always makes an immediate impact. A true journey man through the league has played with some of the best and some of the worst, regardless, Cooks always remains relevant. Now with the Dallas Cowboys, playing opposite of star WR Ceedee Lamb, this could be one of the most explosive and high-powered offenses Cooks has ever been in. The fit couldn’t be better as he perfectly complements Lamb as well as the running game in Dallas. The Cowboys could be a sneaky team this year, and Cooks will be a big reason for it.

4. Khalil Herbert RB

Another back-up last year who found success when the starter missed time was our boy Khalil. Whenever David Montgomery wasn’t available, which seemed often, Herbert would step up and at most times look liked the better back. Fast forward to this upcoming season and Montgomery is now out of the picture and playing in Detroit, freeing up plenty of potential playing time for Khalil. Chicago has already come out and said they will be running a committee at RB this year. However, I have to believe with guys such as D’Onta Foreman, Travis Homer and rookie Roschon Johnson, that Herbert should have no problem leading that committee in both carries and downs played. In current early mock drafts, Khalil Herbert is being selected around rounds 8-10, similar to Alexander Mattison.

5. Allen Lazard WR

Same QB, different city. Lazard is another receiver looking to make an immediate impact on his new team. Not only does Lazard have the luxury of bringing his favorite QB with him, but also has the luxury of playing opposite of Offensive Rookie of Year, WR Garrett Wilson. While teams are worried about dealing with Wilson and the running game of Breece Hall, Lazard should benefit significantly. Many thought Lazard would have a breakout season last year, myself included. However, I think the lack of WR depth last year on the Packers impacted Lazard negatively, knocking down his stock this year, but we don’t mind. Both Rodgers and Lazard shouldn’t take long to settle into NY and both are currently being drafted after the 12^th round in standard 10-man mock drafts.  

If your team has suffered some rough injuries or has not performed to standard, you have stumbled across the right article. The Dollaboys will be giving you weekly waiver wire targets to pickup and stash on your roster. If you have been listening to the weekly podcast you know that we quickly highlight the main pickups of the week. This article is meant to go into a little more depth on each player and will give you the fantasy edge over your league mates.

The Main Pickup of the Week

Michael Carter NYJ                                                                  Rostered in 68% of ESPN Leagues

Yes, the New York Jets just acquired James Robinson for a conditional 6^th round pick but Carter is still poised to take over this backfield. James Robinsons production has been going down since his impressive game against the Chargers in week 3. In full point PPR scoring he has yet to score over 7 points since that game. The change of uniforms will not automatically translate to a change in production. No player in the history of NFL Football has been fantasy relevant for a full year after coming off a torn achilles. Yes, he has had a few good weeks but I will bet on history when it comes to the Jets backfield. Speaking of history, second year players tend to break out at a very high rate when it comes to fantasy football. People forget how well Michael Carter was last year, particularly in his pass catching which is essential to fantasy. If you’re one of the lucky few to have him available in your league, go pick him up now.

Quarterback’s

Daniel Jones NYG                                                                       Rostered in 29% of ESPN Leagues

Daniel Jones is now ranked quarterback 10 in standard scoring leagues. The Giants offense has been impressive lately and some of that credit must be given to Daniel Jones. Jones is quietly a dual threat quarterback with his rushing ability. He has 343 yards rushing which is more rushing yards than Najee Harris has this year. 343 rushing yards equates to 49 yards a game, which is an extra 4.9 points per game. In standard scoring that is more points than a passing touchdown. Add Daniel Jones before your league mates do.

Justin Fields CHI                                                                           Rostered in 23.2% of ESPN Leagues

The same arguments that have been made for Daniel Jones can be made for Justin Fields. In the past 3 weeks Justin Fields has put up performances in the top 12. His most recent performance was top 5 and against a solid New England Defense. This week is a tough matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, but Justin Fields is definitely worth a stash if you have quarterback trouble.

Sam Ehlinger IND                                                          Rostered in less than 1% of ESPN Leagues

This waiver wire target is obviously geared toward 2 quarterback leagues. If you are not a part of a 2QB league you don’t have to worry about this name for now, but you also should join one of these leagues immediately. They are a lot of fun and more challenging than your typical single quarterback league. With that said, Matt Ryan has recently been “benched” and will be warming that bench for the remainder of the year. There are some reports that this is only due to an injury but either way Ehlinger is worth a stash. We have seen Matt Ryan put up some impressive numbers with this Colts offense this year and Ehlinger can do the same. With weapons like Michael Pittman, Jonathan Taylor and the rookie Alec Pierce it shouldn’t be too hard to be fantasy relevant. Ehlinger is a priority pickup in 2QB leagues but don’t sleep on him in your standard leagues, he may become a viable streamer during bye weeks.

Running Backs

Gus Edwards BAL                                                                     Rostered in 16.3% of ESPN Leagues

The Gus Bus almost stole the crown from Michael Carter for the Main Pickup of The Week. With JK Dobbins out and Kenyan Drake’s awful performance of 11 carries for 5 yards, Gus is an obvious pickup. I have some concerns though. Although Gus Edwards final stat line was good for fantasy, his underlying metrics were concerning. Gus saw under a 40% snap share and it is clear that Baltimore wants to run a committee. Then there is Lamar Jackson who will also steal some rushes and touchdowns. Now Gus is coming off an injury and it is possible Baltimore’s plan was to ease him into playing. Also running backs are hard to come by off the waiver wire so he is still worth a pickup. I just want our listeners/readers to limit their expectations when adding The Gus Bus to the squad.

CAROLINA PANTHERS BACKFIELD

Chuba Hubbard CAR                                                          Rostered in 25.9% of ESPN Leagues         

D’Onta Foreman CAR                                                         Rostered in 35.4% of ESPN Leagues

The Carolina Panthers have traded away their star running back Christian McCaffrey and now the fantasy community is trying to decide what to do with the Panthers backfield. Side note, I am 99% sure that Sean Gancarz wrote about CMC in his Buy/Sell article so go check that out if you want to see the Dollaboyz opinion of CMC’s new fantasy value. Now this backfield is a little hard to figure out. With the small sample size it seems that Chuba has the advantage. Before his injury at the start of the 4^th quarter he was clearly the starter. According to Adam Schefter the injury was very minor, and he could have gone back in the game if needed. With that said it still seems to be a 50/50 shot when deciding which RB to go after. I lean the pass catcher side in Chuba because those are higher valued targets but it really is a coin flip. We also have to remember that Carolina’s offense is normally not good and I don’t think anyone is projecting for this last Sunday to be the new norm. Either way these RB’s are worth a shot on your bench for the meantime.

Wide Receivers

Wan’Dale Robinson NYG                                                                               Rostered in 13.8% of ESPN Leagues

Wan’Dale Robinson is very likely to be the Giants WR 1 for the rest of the season. If you have been listening to the podcast you would have picked this guy up a couple of weeks ago. The Giants wide receiver room is vacant, and the opportunity is completely there for this emerging rookie. Historically rookies have a better production for fantasy in the second half of the year. This makes sense due to the rookie getting adjusted to the NFL. Look at Amon-Ra St. Brown last year, or even Justin Jefferson a couple years ago. I am not projecting for this to be his outcome, but the opportunity is right in front of Wan’Dale for the taking.

Jameson Williams DET                                                              Rostered in 22% of ESPN Leagues

Here is another rookie that is poised to help win you some championships. This transaction is especially for leagues with an IR slot. Jameson Williams may have been the most talented wide receiver in the class but his draft capital dropped due to his injury. The Detroit Lions offense has surprised us at times, so we know they are more than capable of supporting some weapons. The best part about the Lions is that their defense is one of the worst in the league. This means they will have to throw a lot and when Jameson Williams is healthy he will immediately impact fantasy. Also who doesn’t want a guy with a name like Jameson on the squad.

Parris Campbell IND                                                                    Rostered in 2.9% of ESPN Leagues

This transaction is more for your deeper leagues. Campbell has stung himself an impressive past two weeks. He has captured a 24% target share and with that he has scored more than 18 points in each of those games in PPR scoring. The main reason behind this production is the offensive line. As previously stated in this article their offensive line has been awful. This has forced Matt Ryan to throw the ball quickly which has resulted in a lot of targets for Campbell. Now there is the question of the new quarterback and what that means for this offense. Who will his favorite target be? Will the Colts allow this new quarterback to air it out? Now the favorite target will more likely than not be Michael Pittman, but Campbell can still be productive and there is a small chance that he will continue to out target Pittman. If Alec Pierce is still out there on your wire, he is worth a pickup as well. The change of a new quarterback brings a lot of variance and variance is great for trying to find a stock to hit big in the market.

Tight Ends

Greg Dulcich DEN                                                                         Rostered in 7.8% of ESPN Leagues

This rookie tight end has only had two starts so far and he finished in the top 12 both weeks. That is quite impressive for a rookie on the least scoring offense in the league. These are the two main concerns with this addition though. Rookie tight ends normally do not perform that well when it comes to fantasy football. It usually takes at least a full year for tight ends to become fantasy relevant. Then he is also a part of one of the worst offenses in the league. This limits his touchdown upside which is very important for most tight ends. Now he had 9 targets in his matchup against the Jets, which was the same amount as Cortland Sutton. There is some risk to this pickup but there is also some upside. Plus how can you not route for a rookie with that killer moustache.

Hayden Hurst CIN                                                                        Rostered in 47.5% of ESPN Leagues

The Cincinnati Bengals have finally let Joe Burrow and the offense unleash. They have been passing at a very high rate and this is resulting in great things for this offense. Hayden Hurst is a great way to get a piece of this offense. We have seen Hurst put up numbers this season and he is the 11^th ranked TE on the year in PPR formats. Yet he is still on more than half of the league’s waiver wires. Go pick him up now before he is gone.

Defense

Washington Commanders                                                         Rostered in 19.5% of ESPN Leagues

Indianapolis Colts                                                                        Rostered in 43.7% of ESPN Leagues

Normally we will be giving you one defense to pickup and start for the week but since these defenses are in the same game, we are giving you two this week. Vegas has this game’s over under at a whopping 40.5 and there are two backup quarterbacks playing in this game. Either side of the ball looks to be a good pickup but if you have the option I would lean towards the Colts. Their defense has been performing better and Heinicke likes to chuck the ball, sometimes into triple coverage. This game looks like it should belong on Thursday Night Football.

Well just about everyone is halfway through the fantasy football (assuming you are in a 14 week regular season and a week 17 championship, and if not get the fuck out of your week 18 championship league) and with that said it is time to really start critiquing your team, and making the moves needed to win a ship.

In this article I will give you certain guys to look for, and others you can sell for a solid return. Your current record will pend on these moves, and I will try to make sure to include whether it is a smart move based on your record.

BUY:

DJ Moore CAR WR

Listen, I don’t need to tell you that DJ Moore has made fantasy owners upset everywhere, but that doesn’t mean he’s not worth a look now. He is cheaper now than what he was pre season, and if you are middle of the pack in your standings, fighting for a playoff spot I would buy low on Moore. Navigating the bye weeks is key, and Moore gives you some solid depth for a cheap price. With CMC and Robbie Anderson gone he is really the only playmaker in the offense. I like his stock to go up second half of the season. 

SELL

Christian Mccaffrey SF RB

Ok, if you have a record above .500 in your league, and you are a CMC owner, you keep him, however for those owners who own him and have a below .500 record, I recommend selling RIGHT NOW. Get a big return, if your record is that bad with him, you can’t afford many more losses, if any and the week 9 bye week doesn’t help. Look for a Dalvin Cook, Deandre Swift, or some big RB through there bye and a strong WR2 you can start every week, It is your best chance to back door into the playoffs. 

BUY

Tee Higgins CIN WR

This is just a move that isn’t based on records, but if you need WR help, this is your guy right here. The Bengals offense has been improving as the season is going along and the schedule is very favorable. Games against Cleveland, Carolina, Pittsburgh, Tennessee and Kansas City are all favorable matchups for your playoff push. He may not be cheap, but if the team that has him needs help at RB, don’t be shy about moving some of yours. 

Sell

Keenan Allen LAC WR

Look, I LOVE Keenan Allen, and the guy was a big reason for winning the ship in one of my leagues last year, but that was then and this is now. With Mike Williams going down, and Allen coming back, he’s going to have a high price tag and I think you try to get a couple key pieces for him in return. The depth will be more important for navigating bye weeks, plus Allens matchup in weeks 16 and 17 are rather difficult if you are going for a title. 

Buy

Aaron Jones GB RB

Coming off a big week, I may be one week late here, but the Packers are going to need to use him more to try and get things going for them. I think he is a top 5 RB second half of the fantasy season. Don’t be shy about selling out for him, he can win your ship. 

Sell

Nick Chubb CLE RB

I know he is as consistent as they come, but we don’t know his role once Deshaun Watson comes back. Like CMC get the bag in return for him. The depth can help you a lot. 

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