Here's the 3.0 version of 11Alive Sports' Top 125 playmakers for the 2018 season (PPR leagues), with this countdown serving as an amalgamation of my positional rankings (listed below) and the composite overall rankings of various Web sites.
Caveat-wise, I don't anticipate the top 10 undergoing any changes during the preseason, barring injury. However, if someone wants to draft Saquon Barkley over superstars Todd Gurley, Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell, David Johnson, DeAndre Hopkins or Ezekiel Elliott ... then so be it.
It's a free country.
After all, rookies have claimed the last two NFL rushing titles (Zeke Elliott in 2016, Kareem Hunt in 2017), and Barkley certainly has the physical tools of a sustainable fantasy dynamo.
That said, from my perspective, it would still be foolish to bypass Gurley, Brown or Bell among the top three slots, even if tailbacks rarely post the most PPR points in back-to-back campaigns.
All three assets were genetically engineered for PPR scoring.
The running back rationale: We're absolutely splitting hairs between Bell (two-year average: 1,915 total yards, 10 TDs) and Gurley (2,093 yards, 19 TDs in 2017).
For Weeks 3-16 last season, Bell averaged six catches, 139 total yards and 0.9 touchdowns ... while Gurley owned absurd per-game tallies of four catches, 144 total yards and 1.2 TDs during that prolific span.
Spinning things forward, Gurley draws the seasonal edge, citing two reasons:
a) Bell might not be in 'football shape' for the first two weeks—similar to last year—if he waits until Labor Day to sign the franchise tag ($14.5 million).
b) The newly minted Gurley should get off to a fast start against the Raiders, Cardinals, Chargers (31st in rush defense last year), Vikings, Seahawks, Broncos, 49ers and Packers.
To view my QB-starter rankings, click here.
To view the preseason running back rankings, click here.
To view the July rankings for wide receivers, click here.
And to peruse the top-35 listing for tight ends, click here.
PPR: TOP 125 PLAYMAKING ASSETS
1-25
1. RB Todd Gurley, Rams
2. WR Antonio Brown, Steelers
3. RB Le'Veon Bell, Steelers
4. RB David Johnson, Cardinals
5. RB Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys
6. WR DeAndre Hopkins, Texans
7. RB Kareem Hunt, Chiefs
8. RB Alvin Kamara, Saints
9. WR Odell Beckham Jr., Giants
10. RB Leonard Fournette, Jaguars
11. WR Julio Jones, Falcons
12. RB Devonta Freeman, Falcons
13. RB Melvin Gordon, Chargers
14. RB Saquon Barkley, Giants
15. TE Rob Gronkowski, Patriots
16. WR Michael Thomas, Saints
17. RB Christian McCaffrey, Panthers
18. WR Mike Evans, Buccaneers
19. WR Keenan Allen, Chargers
20. QB Aaron Rodgers, Packers
21. RB Dalvin Cook, Vikings
22. QB Russell Wilson, Seahawks
23. WR A.J. Green, Bengals
24. QB Deshaun Watson, Texans
25. WR Davante Adams, Packers
26-50
26. RB LeSean McCoy, Bills
27. TE Travis Kelce, Chiefs
28. WR Jarvis Landry, Browns
29. QB Cam Newton, Panthers
30. WR Adam Thielen, Vikings
31. WR Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
32. TE Zach Ertz, Eagles
33. WR T.Y. Hilton, Colts
34. QB Tom Brady, Patriots
35. TE Greg Olsen, Panthers
36. WR Tyreek Hill, Chiefs
37. QB Carson Wentz, Eagles
38. RB Joe Mixon, Bengals
39. WR Doug Baldwin, Seahawks
40. RB Jerick McKinnon, 49ers
41. RB Kenyan Drake, Dolphins
42. QB Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
43. RB Jordan Howard, Bears
44. WR Brandin Cooks, Rams
45. WR Allen Robinson, Bears
46. WR Amari Cooper, Raiders
47. RB Derrick Henry, Titans
48. WR Golden Tate, Lions
49. QB Matthew Stafford, Lions
50. RB Lamar Miller, Texans
51-75
51. WR Stefon Diggs, Vikings
52. RB Jay Ajayi, Eagles
53. QB Jared Goff, Rams
54. QB Kirk Cousins, Vikings
55. WR Alshon Jeffery, Eagles
56. TE Evan Engram, Giants
57. RB Alex Collins, Ravens
58. WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers
59. WR Demaryius Thomas, Broncos
60. WR Corey Davis, Titans
61. RB Tevin Coleman, Falcons
62. WR Devin Funchess, Panthers
63. QB Philip Rivers, Chargers
64. TE Jimmy Graham, Packers
65. RB Kerryon Johnson, Lions
66. QB Matt Ryan, Falcons
67. RB Carlos Hyde, Browns
68. QB Drew Brees, Saints
69. RB Nick Chubb, Browns
70. RB Jamaal Williams, Packers
71. WR Michael Crabtree, Ravens
72. RB Sony Michel, Patriots
73. RB Marshawn Lynch, Raiders
74. RB Derrius Guice, Redskins
75. RB Rashaad Penny, Seahawks
76-100
76. QB Alex Smith, Redskins
77. WR Marvin Jones, Lions
78. RB Chris Thompson, Redskins
79. WR Robert Woods, Rams
80. TE Delanie Walker, Titans
81. QB Marcus Mariota, Titans
82. RB Mark Ingram, Saints
83. RB James White, Patriots
84. WR Marqise Lee, Jaguars
85. RB Ronald Jones, Buccaneers
86. QB Dak Prescott, Cowboys
87. WR Cooper Kupp, Rams
88. WR Kelvin Benjamin, Bills
89. RB Dion Lewis, Titans
90. TE Kyle Rudolph, Vikings
91. QB Eli Manning, Giants
92. RB Royce Freeman, Broncos
93. QB Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers
94. WR Sammy Watkins, Chiefs
95. QB Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
96. WR Pierre Garcon, 49ers
97. WR Jamison Crowder, Redskins
98. WR Marquise Goodwin, 49ers
99. QB Andrew Luck, Colts
100. QB Derek Carr, Raiders
101-125
101. RB Marlon Mack, Colts
102. WR Jordy Nelson, Raiders
103. TE Trey Burton, Bears
104. QB Case Keenum, Broncos
105. WR Mike Williams, Chargers
106. WR Chris Hogan, Patriots
107. QB Mitchell Trubisky, Bears
108. WR Will Fuller, Texans
109. WR Robby Anderson, Jets
110. RB Isaiah Crowell, Jets
112. WR Corey Coleman/Josh Gordon, Browns
113. WR Martavis Bryant, Raiders
114. WR Kenny Golladay, Lions
115. RB Devontae Booker, Broncos
116. WR Calvin Ridley, Falcons
117. RB Duke Johnson, Browns
118. TE Cameron Brate, Buccaneers
119. RB Tarik Cohen, Bears
120. WR Rishard Matthews, Titans
121. RB D'Onta Foreman, Texans
122. WR Paul Richardson, Redskins
123. WR Mohamed Sanu, Falcons
124. RB Frank Gore, Dolphins
125. QB Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins
125b. QB Jameis Winston, Buccaneers
125c. WR Julian Edelman, Patriots
Jay Clemons, the 2008 Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and 2015 Cynopsis Media award winner for "Sports Blog Of The Year," has previously served as the lead fantasy analyst for Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports South, Bleacher Report and Fanball.com.
