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Fantasy Football: Top 150 playmakers for PPR drafts, Version 4.0

For those holding Picks 1-3, it would be foolish to bypass Todd Gurley, Antonio Brown or Le'Veon Bell. The trio were genetically engineered for PPR greatness.
Credit: Tom Pennington

Here's the 4.0 version of 11Alive Sports' Top 150 playmakers for the 2018 season (PPR leagues), with this countdown serving as an amalgamation of my positional rankings (listed here ... and here) and the composite overall rankings of various Web sites.

Caveat-wise, I don't anticipate the top 10 undergoing any substantive changes during the preseason, barring injury. However, if someone wants to draft Saquon Barkley over established 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. So, don't let stubbornness stand in the way of no-brainer choices.

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.

One last thing: Here's the updated PPR Spectacular after preseason Week 2.

With these two documents in hand, you should have no trouble dominating others with PPR drafts, while adhering to three prerequisites:

1) Do your homework before the draft, in terms of mock drafting at various slots.

2) Emphasize getting value at every turn.

3) TRY to implement the time-tested 4-2-1 strategy with PPR drafts, in terms of landing four high-end receivers, two targets-driven tailbacks and a high-caliber quarterback or tight end in the seven rounds (no discernible order of preference).

PPR: TOP 150 PLAYMAKING ASSETS

1-25

1. RB Todd Gurley, Rams

2. WR Antonio Brown, Steelers

3. RB Le'Veon Bell, Steelers

4. RB Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys

5. RB David Johnson, Cardinals

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. WR A.J. Green, Bengals

23. QB Deshaun Watson, Texans

24. WR Davante Adams, Packers

25. RB LeSean McCoy, Bills

26-50

26. WR Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals

27. QB Cam Newton, Panthers

28. TE Travis Kelce, Chiefs

29. WR Adam Thielen, Vikings

30. WR Jarvis Landry, Browns

31. TE Zach Ertz, Eagles

32. RB Kenyan Drake, Dolphins

33. WR T.Y. Hilton, Colts

34. QB Russell Wilson, Seahawks

35. WR Golden Tate, Lions

36. QB Tom Brady, Patriots

37. WR Tyreek Hill, Chiefs

38. QB Carson Wentz, Eagles

39. RB Joe Mixon, Bengals

40. RB Jordan Howard, Bears

41. WR Brandin Cooks, Rams

42. QB Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers

43. RB Derrick Henry, Titans

44. WR Amari Cooper, Raiders

45. WR Alshon Jeffery, Eagles

46. RB Jay Ajayi, Eagles

47. WR Stefon Diggs, Vikings

48. QB Matthew Stafford, Lions

49. WR Doug Baldwin, Seahawks

50. RB Jerick McKinnon, 49ers

51-75

51. TE Evan Engram, Giants

52. RB Alex Collins, Ravens

53. WR Corey Davis, Titans

54. TE Jimmy Graham, Packers

55. QB Kirk Cousins, Vikings

56. RB Marshawn Lynch, Raiders

57. WR Allen Robinson, Bears

58. WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers

59. RB Lamar Miller, Texans

60. QB Jared Goff, Rams

61. TE Greg Olsen, Panthers

62. WR Devin Funchess, Panthers

63. RB Tevin Coleman, Falcons

64. WR Demaryius Thomas, Broncos

65. RB Carlos Hyde, Browns

66. QB Philip Rivers, Chargers

67. RB Kerryon Johnson, Lions

68. QB Matt Ryan, Falcons

69. WR Michael Crabtree, Ravens

70. QB Drew Brees, Saints

71. RB Duke Johnson, Browns

72. RB Chris Thompson, Redskins

73. WR Pierre Garcon, 49ers

74. QB Andrew Luck, Colts

75. RB Sony Michel, Patriots

76-100

76. RB Rashaad Penny, Seahawks

77. WR Marvin Jones, Lions

78. RB Royce Freeman, Broncos

79. QB Marcus Mariota, Titans

80. WR Kelvin Benjamin, Bills

81. RB James White, Patriots

82. WR Robert Woods, Rams

83. QB Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers

84. TE Delanie Walker, Titans

85. WR Jamison Crowder, Redskins

86. RB Jamaal Williams, Packers

87. RB Mark Ingram, Saints

88. WR Robby Anderson, Jets

89. RB Ronald Jones, Buccaneers

90. WR Sterling Shepard, Giants

91. WR Chris Hogan, Patriots

92. TE Kyle Rudolph, Vikings

93. QB Alex Smith, Redskins

94. RB Dion Lewis, Titans

95. RB. Bilal Powell, Jets

96. WR Will Fuller, Texans

97. WR Sammy Watkins, Chiefs

98. WR Cooper Kupp, Rams

99. RB Nick Chubb, Browns

100. TE Trey Burton, Bears

101-125

101. QB Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

102. WR Jordy Nelson, Raiders

103. TE David Njoku, Browns

104. WR Mike Williams, Chargers

105. QB Dak Prescott, Cowboys

106. WR Marqise Lee, Jaguars

107. WR Julian Edelman, Patriots

108. RB Tarik Cohen, Bears

109. RB Marlon Mack, Colts

110. TE Jack Doyle, Colts

111. WR Marquise Goodwin, 49ers

112. WR Kenny Stills, Dolphins

113. QB Eli Manning, Giants

114. RB Theo Riddick, Lions

115. TE Cameron Brate, Buccaneers

116. QB Derek Carr, Raiders

117. RB Gio Bernard, Bengals

118. RB Nyheim Hines, Colts

119. RB Ty Montgomery, Packers

120. WR Allen Hurns, Cowboys

121. TE Austin Hooper, Falcons

122. WR Randall Cobb, Packers

123. WR Rishard Matthews, Titans

124. RB D'Onta Foreman, Texans

125. QB Jameis Winston, Buccaneers

126-150

126. WR Mohamed Sanu, Falcons

127. QB Case Keenum, Broncos

128. RB Devontae Booker, Broncos

129. TE George Kittle, 49ers

130. WR DeVante Parker, Dolphins

131. RB Corey Clement, Eagles

132. WR Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos

133. QB Mitchell Trubisky, Bears

134. WR Kenny Golladay, Lions

135. WR Calvin Ridley, Falcons

136. TE Hayden Hurst, Ravens

137. WR Cameron Meredith, Saints

138. RB Peyton Barber, Buccaneers

139. RB Frank Gore, Dolphins

140. RB Latavius Murray, Vikings

141. QB Tyrod Taylor, Browns

142. WR Christian Kirk, Cardinals

143. WR Torrey Smith, Panthers

144. QB Blake Bortles, Jaguars

145. WR D.J. Moore, Panthers

146. QB Sam Bradford, Cardinals

147. WR Tyler Lockett, Seahawks

148. WR James Washington, Steelers

149. QB Andy Dalton, Bengals

150. QB Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins

150b. RB Chris Warren, Raiders

150c. RB Samaje Perine/Adrian Peterson, Redskins

150d. WR John Brown, Ravens

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.

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