Fantasy Football 2016: Matt Camp's Post-Preseason Week 2 Big Board

Are you sick of the preseason yet?

If you’ve already had your draft, then the answer to that is probably yes. Anxiously watching players in hope that they don’t get hurt in a meaningless game is a great reason to wait as long as possible to hold your draft. However, I know it’s hard to get your whole league together, so waiting might not be a luxury you can afford. 

As we head into the most important week of preseason action—if such a thing exists—we should get a good look at most of the key starters around the league. Opinions will be swayed with bigger sample sizes, but remember that this is still August football, and players won’t have the same preparation you’ll see in the regular season.

If you need a summary of what went down in the second week of games, then make sure to check out this week’s Fantasy Notebook since I make a point to concentrate on players or situations that matter the most for fantasy. 

Between watching all the games and tracking the latest news and injuries, I’ve made further adjustments to my rankings at each position, which I’ll break down with a look at the biggest changes. Plus, you’ll get highlights of values, overvalues and sleepers, including adjustments in average draft position (ADP) that could change your approach to each player.

The rankings in this article focus on points per reception (PPR) format, but if you play in non-PPR formats, then you can check out those rankings here.

Top 100: Get Comfortable

Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Mark Ingram has turned into a great all-around fantasy asset.

Has there been a shift in rankings and perceptions since the preseason got underway? 

If we look back at my initial preseason big board, ADP information showed that the first 100 picks were comprised of 10 quarterbacks, 39 running backs, 40 wide receivers and 11 tight ends. My first top 100 included 10 QBs, 38 RBs, 42 WRs and 10 TEs. 

The current ADP numbers show the top 100 picks are made up of 10 QBs, 39 RBs, 41 WRs and 10 TEs. The top 100 you see below features 12 QBs, 37 RBs, 42 WRs and nine TEs. That’s not a major difference in positional numbers, but the players have shifted around within those positions. 

In the big picture, top 100 rankings are what you make of them, especially when you get past the first 60 picks or so. It comes down to what you need on your team and when you’re willing to address certain positions, like QB. If you want to wait on a QB, you might not even consider the position in the first nine rounds and that’s fine. Ultimately, it’s your team and your call.

2016 Top 100 PPR Draft Rankings

#	Player (Team/Bye)	Pos	vs. ECR	vs. Overall ADP
1	Antonio Brown PIT (8)	WR	0	0
2	Julio Jones ATL (11)	WR	0	0
3	Odell Beckham Jr. NYG (8)	WR	0	0
4	DeAndre Hopkins HOU (9)	WR	+2	0
5	David Johnson ARI (9)	RB	-1	+1
6	A.J. Green CIN (9)	WR	+1	+1
7	Todd Gurley LA (8)	RB	-2	-2
8	Lamar Miller HOU (9)	RB	+3	+4
9	Ezekiel Elliott DAL (7)	RB	+1	+1
10	Adrian Peterson MIN (6)	RB	+2	-2
11	Brandin Cooks NO (5)	WR	+11	+12
12	Brandon Marshall NYJ (11)	WR	+3	+6
13	Allen Robinson JAC (5)	WR	0	-2
14	Le'Veon Bell PIT (8)	RB	+9	0
15	Rob Gronkowski NE (9)	TE	-7	-2
16	Dez Bryant DAL (7)	WR	-7	-7
17	T.Y. Hilton IND (10)	WR	+9	+10
18	Keenan Allen SD (11)	WR	-4	-3
19	Eddie Lacy GB (4)	RB	+9	+7
20	Amari Cooper OAK (10)	WR	+4	+2
21	Mark Ingram NO (5)	RB	0	+3
22	Devonta Freeman ATL (11)	RB	-4	-5
23	Golden Tate DET (10)	WR	+15	+12
24	Jordy Nelson GB (4)	WR	-5	-8
25	C.J. Anderson DEN (11)	RB	+7	+12
26	Carlos Hyde SF (8)	RB	+13	+16
27	Mike Evans TB (6)	WR	-10	-7
28	Doug Martin TB (6)	RB	+1	+1
29	LeSean McCoy BUF (10)	RB	-4	-1
30	Thomas Rawls SEA (5)	RB	+16	+10
31	Randall Cobb GB (4)	WR	+2	+1
32	Demaryius Thomas DEN (11)	WR	-5	-7
33	Sammy Watkins BUF (10)	WR	-2	-3
34	Alshon Jeffery CHI (9)	WR	-14	-13
35	Danny Woodhead SD (11)	RB	+12	+20
36	Jamaal Charles KC (5)	RB	-20	-17
37	Jeremy Maclin KC (5)	WR	-1	+2
38	Matt Forte NYJ (11)	RB	+5	+3
39	Donte Moncrief IND (10)	WR	+6	+10
40	Aaron Rodgers GB (4)	QB	0	+3
41	Andrew Luck IND (10)	QB	+9	+12
42	Cam Newton CAR (7)	QB	-5	-4
43	Jeremy Hill CIN (9)	RB	+22	+28
44	Julian Edelman NE (9)	WR	-9	-11
45	Jordan Reed WAS (9)	TE	-11	-11
46	Jarvis Landry MIA (8)	WR	-16	-15
47	Eric Decker NYJ (11)	WR	-6	0
48	Russell Wilson SEA (5)	QB	+1	+10
49	Travis Kelce KC (5)	TE	+9	+10
50	Latavius Murray OAK (10)	RB	-8	-4
51	John Brown ARI (9)	WR	+12	+10
52	Matt Jones WAS (9)	RB	+26	+5
53	Giovani Bernard CIN (9)	RB	+1	+9
54	Greg Olsen CAR (7)	TE	-10	-9
55	Larry Fitzgerald ARI (9)	WR	-2	-4
56	Devante Parker MIA (8)	WR	+14	+14
57	Doug Baldwin SEA (5)	WR	-9	-9
58	Kelvin Benjamin CAR (7)	WR	-6	-22
59	Marvin Jones DET (10)	WR	+9	+21
60	Tyler Lockett SEA (5)	WR	+12	+14
61	Melvin Gordon SD (11)	RB	+15	+14
62	Duke Johnson CLE (13)	RB	-11	-6
63	Drew Brees NO (5)	QB	-4	+6
64	DeMarco Murray TEN (13)	RB	-7	-14
65	Zach Ertz PHI (4)	TE	+20	+22
66	Michael Floyd ARI (9)	WR	-11	-14
67	Ryan Mathews PHI (4)	RB	-6	0
68	Frank Gore IND (10)	RB	-2	+10
69	Ameer Abdullah DET (10)	RB	+10	+14
70	Ben Roethlisberger PIT (8)	QB	+4	+3
71	Theo Riddick DET (10)	RB	+24	+27
72	Emmanuel Sanders DEN (11)	WR	-10	-12
73	Delanie Walker TEN (13)	TE	-13	-10
74	James White NE (9)	RB	+60	+174
75	Charles Sims TB (6)	RB	+7	+14
76	Kevin White CHI (9)	WR	+16	+6
77	Carson Palmer ARI (9)	QB	-2	+4
78	Josh Gordon CLE (13)	WR	+12	+8
79	Allen Hurns JAC (5)	WR	-2	-11
80	Stefon Diggs MIN (6)	WR	+20	+22
81	Arian Foster MIA (8)	RB	-8	-15
82	Rashad Jennings NYG (8)	RB	-2	+9
83	Eli Manning NYG (8)	QB	0	+14
84	Jeremy Langford CHI (9)	RB	-17	-19
85	Tevin Coleman ATL (11)	RB	+35	+18
86	Tyler Eifert CIN (9)	TE	+13	-7
87	Coby Fleener NO (5)	TE	-23	-23
88	Gary Barnidge CLE (13)	TE	-4	-3
89	Jordan Matthews PHI (4)	WR	-33	-35
90	Michael Crabtree OAK (10)	WR	-19	-14
91	DeSean Jackson WAS (9)	WR	-10	-3
92	Sterling Shepard NYG (8)	WR	-4	+2
93	Chris Ivory JAC (5)	RB	-4	0
94	T.J. Yeldon JAC (5)	RB	-7	+1
95	Shane Vereen NYG (8)	RB	+34	+41
96	Matthew Stafford DET (10)	QB	+27	+42
97	Derek Carr OAK (10)	QB	+17	+11
98	Blake Bortles JAC (5)	QB	-2	-8
99	Tom Brady NE (9)	QB	-1	-22
100	Markus Wheaton PIT (8)	WR	+19	+12

Quarterbacks: Avoid the Run

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Grabbing Carson Palmer after the top tier of quarterbacks is a wise strategy.

There are no notable changes in rankings this week. I’m still waiting to see how the QB situations play out in San Francisco and Denver before locking those players in, but even then, I’m expecting both teams to start at least two different QBs during the regular season. 

The same goes for Cleveland’s QBs. Robert Griffin III is the unquestioned starter and has a great head coach in Hue Jackson to help get his career back on track. Initially, I ranked Griffin with the expectation he’d only start half the season before losing his job. This week’s adjustment moves him up a little higher but still not into fantasy relevance.

Targets Based on Value 

Carson Palmer, ARI

My Ranking: QB7 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 85.3, QB8

This Week’s ADP: 82.5, QB8

Palmer’s standing at the position hasn’t changed, but as a reliable QB, his overall status has risen slightly.

Eli Manning, NYG

My Ranking: QB8 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 96.8, QB10

This Week’s ADP: 96.3, QB10

It hasn’t been a pretty preseason for the Giants’ passing offense, but that’s not doing anything to Manning’s status as a good value QB.

Matthew Stafford, DET

My Ranking: QB9 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 142.5, QB17

This Week’s ADP: 140.5, QB17

It’s been a gradual climb for Stafford, and I’d expect that to continue with more buzz about Stafford’s connection with wide receiver Marvin Jones.

Overvalues Based on ADP vs. Ranking

Tony Romo, DAL

My Ranking: QB24 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 125.8, QB13

This Week’s ADP: 132.3, QB14

Romo saw his first preseason action over the weekend, although I doubt that had anything to do with his slip down the board. He’s been trending downward all month, which is exactly what should be happening. There are plenty of better options with more upside in better situations available at a similar cost.

Kirk Cousins, WAS

My Ranking: QB22

Last Week’s ADP: New addition to overvalues

This Week’s ADP: QB13, 126.8

While I have just 14 fantasy points separating Cousins as the QB22 from Joe Flacco as my QB13, I can’t get behind a 10th-round ADP (12-team league) for Cousins. His sample size is too small to believe in him that strongly.

Potential Sleepers 

Joe Flacco

My Ranking: QB13

Last Week’s ADP: 194.3, QB23

This Week’s ADP: 195.7, QB23

Flacco’s never been a consistently reliable fantasy QB, so I’m not surprised to see him buried on draft boards. He’ll see his first action of the preseason on Saturday, according to an interview he did on Sirius/XM Mad Dog Radio’s Schein on Sports (via Jamison Hensley of ESPN).

2016 Quarterback Draft Rankings

#	Player (Team/Bye)	vs. ECR	vs. Positional ADP
1	Aaron Rodgers GB (4)	+1	+1
2	Andrew Luck IND (10)	+2	+2
3	Cam Newton CAR (7)	-2	-2
4	Russell Wilson SEA (5)	-1	-1
5	Drew Brees NO (5)	0	0
6	Ben Roethlisberger PIT (8)	+1	0
7	Carson Palmer ARI (9)	-1	0
8	Eli Manning NYG (8)	0	+2
9	Matthew Stafford DET (10)	+7	+9
10	Derek Carr OAK (10)	+4	+2
11	Blake Bortles JAC (5)	-1	-2
12	Tom Brady NE (9)	-1	-4
13	Joe Flacco BAL (8)	+10	+10
14	Jameis Winston TB (6)	+3	+2
15	Philip Rivers SD (11)	-6	-4
16	Andy Dalton CIN (9)	+2	-1
17	Tyrod Taylor BUF (10)	-5	0
18	Matt Ryan ATL (11)	+2	+2
19	Ryan Tannehill MIA (8)	+3	+3
20	Marcus Mariota TEN (13)	-1	-1
21	Ryan Fitzpatrick NYJ (11)	0	+5
22	Kirk Cousins WAS (9)	-9	-8
23	Jay Cutler CHI (9)	+1	+6
24	Tony Romo DAL (7)	-9	-11
25	Alex Smith KC (5)	0	0
26	Brock Osweiler HOU (9)	+1	-2
27	Teddy Bridgewater MIN (6)	+1	-6
28	Sam Bradford PHI (4)	+1	+2
29	Mark Sanchez DEN (11)	+1	+3
30	Josh McCown CLE (13)	+10	N/A
31	Colin Kaepernick SF (8)	+2	+2
32	Carson Wentz PHI (4)	0	+2
33	Robert Griffin CLE (13)	-7	-6
34	Jared Goff LA (8)	+2	-6
35	Blaine Gabbert SF (8)	-4	+1
36	Case Keenum LA (8)	+3	N/A
37	Jimmy Garoppolo NE (9)	+4	0
38	Paxton Lynch DEN (11)	-3	-3
39	Trevor Siemian DEN (11)	-1	N/A
40	Cody Kessler CLE (13)	+13	N/A

Running Backs: You Can Wait

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Carlos Hyde could be an important part of a WR-heavy draft.

Notable Changes in Rankings

6. Le’Veon Bell, PIT (up three spots)

7. Eddie Lacy, GB (down one spot)

8. Mark Ingram, NO (down one spot)

9. Devonta Freeman, ATL (down one spot)

56. DeAngelo Williams, PIT (down seven spots)

Obviously, these moves have everything to do with Bell’s suspension getting reduced from four games to three. I thought about moving him higher, but I didn’t want to assume he’d be thrown back into a huge, productive role in his first game, especially after the MCL and PCL tears that ended his season prematurely in 2015.

29. James White, NE (up 36 spots)

46. LeGarrette Blount, NE (up four spots)

59. Dion Lewis, NE (down 43 spots) 

The biggest fantasy injury news of the preseason opened this week up on a sour note when it was revealed that Lewis would need a second surgery on his knee and is expected to miss 8-10 weeks, per Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.

It’s a slight bump for Blount since Lewis did get carries near the goal line. The biggest bump goes to White, who should step right into Lewis’ role as the pass-catcher out of the backfield. When Lewis went down last season, White had the sixth-most fantasy points of any RB in PPR formats from Weeks 10-17. He could arguably be ranked higher.

Targets Based on Value 

Lamar Miller, HOU

My Ranking: RB3 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 12, RB5

This Week’s ADP: 12, RB5

I’ll be interested to see if Le'Veon Bell overtakes him by next week.

Eddie Lacy, GB

My Ranking: RB7 (down one spot)

Last Week’s ADP: 26, RB10

This Week’s ADP: 26, RB10

Lacy’s strong preseason clearly hasn’t been enough to wash the bad taste out from last year’s disappointing performance.

C.J. Anderson, DEN

My Ranking: RB10 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 38, RB14

This Week’s ADP: 37, RB13

Is the ugliness of Denver’s quarterback situation putting more focus on Anderson as the focal point of the offense? It should have been there all along.

Carlos Hyde, SF

My Ranking: RB11 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 43, RB17

This Week’s ADP: 42, RB16

Hyde’s slight move up the ADP chart is very similar to Anderson’s in that they both have terrible QB situations. But Hyde’s is definitely worse. He’ll be busy this season.

Danny Woodhead, SD

My Ranking: RB15

Last Week’s ADP: 52, RB20

This Week’s ADP: 55, RB20

If you saw my video on making the case for Woodhead, you know I’m baffled by the lack of respect he gets from fantasy players, and I can’t believe he’s fallen three spots overall. We’re talking about the No. 3 RB in PPR formats last season. I’m already building in regression and considering the rise of Melvin Gordon to drop him 12 spots from where he finished last season.

Overvalues Based on ADP vs. Ranking

Jamaal Charles, KC

My Ranking: RB16 (up one spot)

Last Week’s ADP: 18, RB7

This Week’s ADP: 19, RB8

Charles is off the PUP list, but he isn’t expected to play in the third preseason game, according to head coach Andy Reid (via Pete Sweeney of Chiefs.com).

DeMarco Murray, TEN

My Ranking: RB24 (up three spots)

Last Week’s ADP: 51, RB19

This Week’s ADP: 50, RB19

Murray moved up because his upside is better than players like Ryan Mathews and Frank Gore, but I still believe Derrick Henry will have a significant role as more than just a backup to Murray. I’d compare it to the one-two punch of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart when they played together in Carolina.

Jeremy Langford, CHI

My Ranking: RB33 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 63, RB24

This Week’s ADP: 65, RB25

Langford’s moving in the right direction based on where I have him ranked. Langford has yet to practice since injuring his foot in the second preseason game, per Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.

Jonathan Stewart, CAR

My Ranking: RB44 (up one spot)

Last Week’s ADP: 72, RB28

This Week’s ADP: 72, RB28

Jay Ajayi, MIA

My Ranking: RB41 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 85, RB33

This Week’s ADP: 100, RB35

Ajayi’s stock has done nothing but fall since the signing of Arian Foster.

Potential Sleepers

Charles Sims, TB

My Ranking: RB30 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 87, RB34

This Week’s ADP: 89, RB33

Doug Martin sat out the second preseason game with bruised ribs. Concern doesn’t seem major, but it’s something to monitor. Sims should have an active role in the offense regardless of Martin’s status.

Tevin Coleman, ATL

My Ranking: RB34 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 104, RB40

This Week’s ADP: 103, RB40

Coleman and Devonta Freeman worked with the first-team offense in both preseason games. That could be a sign of things to come in the regular season.

Jerick McKinnon, MIN

My Ranking: RB43 (up one spot)

Last Week’s ADP: 136, RB52

This Week’s ADP: 132, RB51

2016 Running Back PPR Draft Rankings

#	Player (Team/Bye)	vs. ECR	vs. Positional ADP
1	David Johnson ARI (9)	0	+1
2	Todd Gurley LA (8)	0	-1
3	Lamar Miller HOU (9)	+1	+2
4	Ezekiel Elliott DAL (7)	-1	0
5	Adrian Peterson MIN (6)	0	-2
6	Le'Veon Bell PIT (8)	+2	0
7	Eddie Lacy GB (4)	+4	+3
8	Mark Ingram NO (5)	+1	+1
9	Devonta Freeman ATL (11)	-2	-2
10	C.J. Anderson DEN (11)	+3	+3
11	Carlos Hyde SF (8)	+3	+5
12	Doug Martin TB (6)	0	0
13	LeSean McCoy BUF (10)	-3	-2
14	Thomas Rawls SEA (5)	+4	0
15	Danny Woodhead SD (11)	+2	+5
16	Jamaal Charles KC (5)	-10	-8
17	Matt Forte NYJ (11)	-1	-2
18	Jeremy Hill CIN (9)	+5	+9
19	Latavius Murray OAK (10)	-4	-1
20	Matt Jones WAS (9)	+8	+2
21	Giovani Bernard CIN (9)	-1	+3
22	Melvin Gordon SD (11)	+5	+8
23	Duke Johnson CLE (13)	-4	-2
24	DeMarco Murray TEN (13)	-3	-5
25	Ryan Mathews PHI (4)	-3	+1
26	Frank Gore IND (10)	-1	+3
27	Ameer Abdullah DET (10)	+3	+4
28	Theo Riddick DET (10)	+6	+11
29	James White NE (9)	+12	+44
30	Charles Sims TB (6)	+2	+3
31	Arian Foster MIA (8)	-2	-8
32	Rashad Jennings NYG (8)	-1	+2
33	Jeremy Langford CHI (9)	-7	-8
34	Tevin Coleman ATL (11)	+9	+6
35	Chris Ivory JAC (5)	-2	+1
36	T.J. Yeldon JAC (5)	-1	+1
37	Shane Vereen NYG (8)	+9	+13
38	Isaiah Crowell CLE (13)	+4	+4
39	Derrick Henry TEN (13)	+5	+4
40	Darren Sproles PHI (4)	+7	+5
41	Jay Ajayi MIA (8)	-1	-6
42	Bilal Powell NYJ (11)	-4	-1
43	Jerick McKinnon MIN (6)	+6	+8
44	Jonathan Stewart CAR (7)	-20	-16
45	Justin Forsett BAL (8)	-6	-7
46	LeGarrette Blount NE (9)	-1	+2
47	DeAndre Washington OAK (10)	+1	-1
48	Chris Thompson WAS (9)	+4	+12
49	Andre Ellington ARI (9)	+29	+25
50	Shaun Draughn SF (8)	+7	+19
51	James Starks GB (4)	+4	+7
52	Jordan Howard CHI (9)	+6	+5
53	Cameron Artis-Payne CAR (7)	+27	+24
54	Terrance West BAL (8)	+7	+8
55	Spencer Ware KC (5)	+4	+4
56	DeAngelo Williams PIT (8)	-19	-24
57	Wendell Smallwood PHI (4)	+5	+7
58	Devontae Booker DEN (11)	-2	-4
59	Dion Lewis NE (9)	-23	-42
60	Tim Hightower NO (5)	+6	+7
61	Josh Ferguson IND (10)	+10	+2
62	Javorius Allen BAL (8)	-9	-13
63	Charcandrick West KC (5)	+9	-10
64	Benny Cunningham LA (8)	+21	+19
65	Christine Michael SEA (5)	-11	-4
66	Kenneth Dixon BAL (8)	-16	-14
67	Alfred Morris DAL (7)	+7	-1
68	Chris Johnson ARI (9)	+5	-12
69	Khiry Robinson NYJ (11)	+25	+20
70	Dexter McCluster TEN (13)	+19	+27
71	Jonathan Williams BUF (10)	+13	+9
72	Reggie Bush BUF (10)	+4	+21
73	Matt Asiata MIN (6)	+39	N/A
74	Stevan Ridley DET (10)	+28	+20
75	Ronnie Hillman DEN (11)	-5	-5
76	Alfred Blue HOU (9)	+22	+14
77	Keith Marshall WAS (9)	0	-9
78	Ka'Deem Carey CHI (9)	+4	0
79	Fozzy Whittaker CAR (7)	+36	N/A
80	Mike Gillislee BUF (10)	-11	+6
81	Darren McFadden DAL (7)	-21	-26
82	Alex Collins SEA (5)	+25	-7
83	Kenyan Drake MIA (8)	-4	-12
84	Mike Davis SF (8)	+12	N/A
85	Branden Oliver SD (11)	+7	N/A
86	Robert Turbin IND (10)	-3	+1
87	Tyler Gaffney NE (9)	+35	+13
88	C.J. Prosise SEA (5)	-37	-44
89	C.J. Spiller NO (5)	-24	-17
90	Lance Dunbar DAL (7)	-23	-14
91	Paul Perkins NYG (8)	-16	-26

Wide Receivers: More Than Enough for Everyone

Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Marvin Jones is primed for a breakout in Detroit.

Notable Changes in Rankings 

19. Alshon Jeffery, CHI (up three spots)

20. Jeremy Maclin, KC (down one spot)

21. Donte Moncrief, IND (down one spot)

22. Julian Edelman, NE (down one spot) 

Even though I’m still worried about Jeffery’s ability to stay on the field and a potential big role for Kevin White, I see more upside in Jeffery than the players he jumped this week, and he did come back from his hamstring injury quicker than I expected.

30. Marvin Jones, DET (up four spots)

31. Tyler Lockett, SEA (down one spot)

32. Michael Floyd, ARI (down one spot)

33. Emmanuel Sanders, DEN (down one spot)

These moves have nothing to do with Lockett or Floyd. There’s been nothing but good things said about Jones all month, and the rapport with Matthew Stafford was evident in the second preseason game.

I love Jones’ fit in the offense to go along with Golden Tate and Anquan Boldin, and I love the offense in general for fantasy. Sanders was easier to bump down because of how bad the quarterback situation looks for the Broncos.

Targets Based on Value

Brandin Cooks, NO

My Ranking: WR6 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 23, WR14

This Week’s ADP: 23, WR14

Brandon Marshall, NYJ

My Ranking: WR7 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 19, WR10

This Week’s ADP: 18, WR10

I’m still not sure why Marshall is going after Jordy Nelson, even if it’s only by two picks. Marshall’s only a year older and actually played last season.

T.Y. Hilton, IND

My Ranking: WR10 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 27, WR16

This Week’s ADP: 27, WR16

Golden Tate, DET

My Ranking: WR13 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 34, WR21

This Week’s ADP: 35, WR21

Even if Marvin Jones is building a rapport with Matthew Stafford, Tate has posted 90-plus catches in each of his first two seasons playing with Stafford. There’s plenty to go around for both of them to produce at a high level.

Donte Moncrief, IND

My Ranking: WR21 (down one spot)

Last Week’s ADP: 49, WR27

This Week’s ADP: 49, WR26

Marvin Jones, DET

My Ranking: WR30 (up four spots)

Last Week’s ADP: new addition to values

This Week’s ADP: 80, WR37

Tyler Lockett, SEA

My Ranking: WR31 (down one spot)

Last Week’s ADP: 75, WR34

This Week’s ADP: 74, WR34

Overvalues Based on Rankings vs. ADP

Jordy Nelson, GB

My Ranking: WR14 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 15, WR9

This Week’s ADP: 16, WR9

He’s finally off the PUP list, but expectations remain a bit too high for Nelson.

Alshon Jeffery, CHI

My Ranking: WR19 (up three spots)

Last Week’s ADP: 21, WR12

This Week’s ADP: 21, WR12

Jarvis Landry, MIA

My Ranking: WR23 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 30, WR17

This Week’s ADP: 31, WR18

DeVante Parker should cut into Landry’s targets for the entire year, and Arian Foster could do the same as long as he stays on the field.

Kelvin Benjamin, CAR

My Ranking: WR29 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 36, WR22

This Week’s ADP: 26, WR22

Jordan Matthews, PHI

My Ranking: WR38 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 54, WR28

This Week’s ADP: 54, WR28

Even though he remains sidelined by a knee injury and the team added some size in Dorial Green-Beckham to possibly steal some touchdowns from Matthews, his ADP hasn’t changed over the last week.

Potential Sleepers

Sterling Shepard, NYG

My Ranking: WR41 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 98, WR40

This Week’s ADP: 94, WR40

If Shepard moves up any more, he’ll be off the sleeper list next week. It doesn’t seem like anyone is sleeping on him.

Devin Funchess, CAR

My Ranking: WR43 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 147, WR57

This Week’s ADP: 142, WR56

Funchess is creeping up, but he still remains a very cheap option to grab as a lottery ticket in your last few rounds.

Michael Thomas, NO

My Ranking: WR55 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 142, WR54

This Week’s ADP: 131, WR52

Thomas shooting up 11 spots doesn’t surprise me at all considering how good he looked in the first preseason game. Too bad he failed to replicate that performance in the second game. He’s still worth grabbing at his current ADP since the upside of his talent and situation is low-risk, high-reward.

Phillip Dorsett, IND

My Ranking: WR56 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 143, WR56

This Week’s ADP: 143, WR57

Breshad Perriman, BAL

My Ranking: WR58 (up five spots)

Last Week’s ADP: new addition to sleepers

This Week’s ADP: 170, WR59

Perriman is finally off the PUP, so while it may take a little time to get up to speed, I still contend he has a good chance of finishing the season as the team’s top fantasy WR.

Tyler Boyd, CIN

My Ranking: WR59 (up six spots)

Last Week’s ADP: 188, WR69

This Week’s ADP: 178, WR62

Boyd jumped up the board due to Brandon LaFell’s hand injury, which wasn’t a surprise. He played well in LaFell’s absence during the second preseason game, so he could carve out a consistent role in the offense, even if LaFell is healthy enough to play.

Tajae Sharpe, TEN

My Ranking: WR64 (not ranked last week)

Last Week’s ADP: new addition to sleepers

This Week’s ADP: 200+, WR75

Tennessee’s WR corps isn’t very deep, so Sharpe is getting a chance to play and has taken advantage of his opportunity. He’s one to watch in the third preseason game.

2016 Wide Receiver PPR Draft Rankings

#	Player (Team/Bye)	vs. ECR	vs. Positional ADP
1	Antonio Brown PIT (8)	0	0
2	Julio Jones ATL (11)	0	0
3	Odell Beckham Jr. NYG (8)	0	0
4	DeAndre Hopkins HOU (9)	+1	0
5	A.J. Green CIN (9)	-1	0
6	Brandin Cooks NO (5)	+7	+8
7	Brandon Marshall NYJ (11)	+2	+3
8	Allen Robinson JAC (5)	-1	-1
9	Dez Bryant DAL (7)	-3	-3
10	T.Y. Hilton IND (10)	+5	+6
11	Keenan Allen SD (11)	-3	-3
12	Amari Cooper OAK (10)	+2	+1
13	Golden Tate DET (10)	+9	+8
14	Jordy Nelson GB (4)	-2	-5
15	Mike Evans TB (6)	-5	-4
16	Randall Cobb GB (4)	+3	+3
17	Demaryius Thomas DEN (11)	-1	-2
18	Sammy Watkins BUF (10)	-1	-1
19	Alshon Jeffery CHI (9)	-8	-7
20	Jeremy Maclin KC (5)	+1	+3
21	Donte Moncrief IND (10)	+3	+5
22	Julian Edelman NE (9)	-2	-2
23	Jarvis Landry MIA (8)	-5	-5
24	Eric Decker NYJ (11)	-1	0
25	John Brown ARI (9)	+5	+6
26	Larry Fitzgerald ARI (9)	+1	+1
27	Devante Parker MIA (8)	+6	+6
28	Doug Baldwin SEA (5)	-3	-3
29	Kelvin Benjamin CAR (7)	-3	-7
30	Marvin Jones DET (10)	+2	+7
31	Tyler Lockett SEA (5)	+4	+3
32	Michael Floyd ARI (9)	-4	-3
33	Emmanuel Sanders DEN (11)	-2	-3
34	Kevin White CHI (9)	+5	+2
35	Josh Gordon CLE (13)	+5	+4
36	Allen Hurns JAC (5)	0	-4
37	Stefon Diggs MIN (6)	+6	+6
38	Jordan Matthews PHI (4)	-9	-10
39	Michael Crabtree OAK (10)	-5	-4
40	DeSean Jackson WAS (9)	-3	-2
41	Sterling Shepard NYG (8)	-3	-1
42	Markus Wheaton PIT (8)	+8	+4
43	Devin Funchess CAR (7)	+6	+13
44	Vincent Jackson TB (6)	+4	+9
45	Willie Snead NO (5)	-3	-4
46	Pierre Garcon WAS (9)	+15	+22
47	Tavon Austin LA (8)	-1	0
48	Travis Benjamin SD (11)	-1	0
49	Rishard Matthews TEN (13)	+5	+9
50	Chris Hogan NE (9)	+14	+19
51	Steve Smith BAL (8)	+1	+4
52	Corey Coleman CLE (13)	-11	-10
53	Sammie Coates PIT (8)	+4	-2
54	Kamar Aiken BAL (8)	-9	-9
55	Michael Thomas NO (5)	-4	-3
56	Phillip Dorsett IND (10)	0	+1
57	Anquan Boldin DET (10)	+6	+10
58	Breshad Perriman BAL (8)	+19	+1
59	Tyler Boyd CIN (9)	+3	+3
60	Torrey Smith SF (8)	-16	-16
61	Mohamed Sanu ATL (11)	-8	-7
62	Robert Woods BUF (10)	+14	+18
63	Dorial Green-Beckham PHI (4)	-3	-13
64	Tajae Sharpe TEN (13)	+2	+11
65	Terrance Williams DAL (7)	+3	+9
66	Laquon Treadwell MIN (6)	-11	-17
67	Cole Beasley DAL (7)	+39	+32
68	Seth Roberts OAK (10)	+5	+16
69	Will Fuller HOU (9)	+1	+1
70	Kenny Britt LA (8)	+15	+24
71	Brandon LaFell CIN (9)	+1	+8
72	Justin Hardy ATL (11)	+23	+9
73	Bruce Ellington SF (8)	-15	-9
74	Mike Wallace BAL (8)	-15	-2
75	James Jones SD (11)	+37	+26
76	Rueben Randle PHI (4)	+16	+7
77	Jermaine Kearse SEA (5)	-3	+10
78	Danny Amendola NE (9)	+18	+10
79	Andrew Hawkins CLE (13)	+43	N/A
80	Jarius Wright MIN (6)	+44	N/A
81	Eddie Royal CHI (9)	+20	+27
82	Ted Ginn CAR (7)	-2	-4
83	Braxton Miller HOU (9)	+25	+7
84	Ty Montgomery GB (4)	+29	N/A
85	Chris Conley KC (5)	+9	+11
86	Josh Doctson WAS (9)	-19	-25
87	Davante Adams GB (4)	-8	-10
88	Kenny Stills MIA (8)	+10	N/A
89	Albert Wilson KC (5)	+8	N/A
90	Victor Cruz NYG (8)	-1	-24
91	Quincy Enunwa NYJ (11)	+40	N/A
92	Jamison Crowder WAS (9)	-17	-7
93	Kendall Wright TEN (13)	-28	-30
94	Philly Brown CAR (7)	+29	N/A
95	Rashad Greene JAC (5)	+42	N/A
96	Marquise Goodwin BUF (10)	+51	N/A
97	Nelson Agholor PHI (4)	-28	-37
98	Brian Quick LA (8)	-10	N/A
99	Jaelen Strong HOU (9)	-21	-34
100	Pharoh Cooper LA (8)	-9	-9

Tight Ends: Potential Is Dangerous

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

Can Gary Barnidge remain a reliable fantasy TE?

There are no notable changes to the top 20 tight ends, and barring a major injury in the third preseason game, it’s hard to see anything changing next week, either. I’ve added an interesting name to the sleepers list, but I wouldn’t call him a top-20 player at the position. 

Targets Based on Value 

Zach Ertz, PHI

My Ranking: TE5 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 90, TE9

This Week’s ADP: 87, TE9

Ertz could be the top overall receiver for the Eagles this season, and he looked like a favorite target of Sam Bradford down the stretch last year. Hopefully, they can build on that this season.

Martellus Bennett, NE

My Ranking: TE12 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 120, TE15

This Week’s ADP: 116, TE14

The Bennett believers are starting to multiply, and Rob Gronkowski’s undisclosed injury is only helping his cause.

Overvalues Based on Rankings vs. ADP 

Coby Fleener, NO

My Ranking: TE8 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 67, TE6

This Week’s ADP: 64, TE6

Is Fleener really worth a sixth-round pick in a 12-team league? I know the position is low on established talent, but that ADP is ridiculous. According to head coach Sean Payton, Fleener is a “work in progress,” per Josh Katzenstein of The Times-Picayune.

Jimmy Graham, SEA

My Ranking: TE17 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 116, TE13

This Week’s ADP: 110, TE12

Graham is coming off a major knee injury and wasn’t a consistent fantasy option when he was healthy, so why is he being drafted as a potential fantasy starter? Name value is clearly clouding judgment.

Potential Sleepers 

Clive Walford, OAK

My Ranking: TE16 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 193, TE22

This Week’s ADP: 179, TE22

The ADP gets a boost this week, but Walford is still undervalued in the context of the position. Oakland’s passing game has a lot of promise, and Walford could theoretically cut into Michael Crabtree’s targets a bit.

Vance McDonald, SF

My Ranking: TE19 (no change)

Last Week’s ADP: 200+, TE26

This Week’s ADP: 200+, TE26

I don’t trust any of San Francisco’s quarterbacks, and the team might not either. Keeping things short and simple could be the way to go, which could lead to a busy role for McDonald.

Virgil Green, DEN

My Ranking: TE21 (up 13 spots)

Last Week’s ADP: new addition to sleepers

This Week’s ADP: 200+, TE36

Similar to McDonald’s situation, Green could find himself used as a safety valve for whoever ends up playing quarterback in Denver. Green played that role in the second preseason game.

2016 Tight End PPR Draft Rankings

#	Player (Team/Bye)	vs. ECR	vs. Positional ADP
1	Rob Gronkowski NE (9)	0	0
2	Jordan Reed WAS (9)	0	0
3	Travis Kelce KC (5)	+1	+1
4	Greg Olsen CAR (7)	-1	-1
5	Zach Ertz PHI (4)	+3	+4
6	Delanie Walker TEN (13)	-1	-1
7	Tyler Eifert CIN (9)	+4	0
8	Coby Fleener NO (5)	-2	-2
9	Gary Barnidge CLE (13)	-2	-1
10	Julius Thomas JAC (5)	-1	0
11	Antonio Gates SD (11)	-1	0
12	Martellus Bennett NE (9)	+1	+2
13	Eric Ebron DET (10)	+2	+3
14	Zach Miller CHI (9)	+2	+4
15	Dwayne Allen IND (10)	-3	-2
16	Clive Walford OAK (10)	+4	+6
17	Jimmy Graham SEA (5)	0	-5
18	Jason Witten DAL (7)	-4	-1
19	Vance McDonald SF (8)	+2	+7
20	Charles Clay BUF (10)	-1	+1
21	Virgil Green DEN (11)	+10	+15
22	Austin Seferian-Jenkins TB (6)	+3	-3
23	Kyle Rudolph MIN (6)	+4	+6
24	Jared Cook GB (4)	-2	-4
25	Benjamin Watson BAL (8)	+1	+5
26	Jordan Cameron MIA (8)	-3	-2
27	Jesse James PIT (8)	+8	+10
28	Jacob Tamme ATL (11)	+4	-5
29	Will Tye NYG (8)	-5	-2
30	Tyler Higbee LA (8)	-1	+1
31	Maxx Williams BAL (8)	+6	N/A
32	Richard Rodgers GB (4)	-2	+3
33	Ryan Griffin HOU (9)	+14	N/A
34	Tyler Kroft CIN (9)	+19	-6
35	Lance Kendricks LA (8)	+7	N/A
36	Brent Celek PHI (4)	+12	N/A
37	Jace Amaro NYJ (11)	+2	-12
38	Jeff Heuerman DEN (11)	-5	N/A
39	Hunter Henry SD (11)	+6	-5
40	Darren Fells ARI (9)	+9	N/A
41	Garrett Graham DEN (11)	+15	N/A
42	C.J. Fiedorowicz HOU (9)	+16	N/A
43	Niles Paul WAS (9)	-5	N/A
44	Dion Sims MIA (8)	+20	N/A
45	Mychal Rivera OAK (10)	-1	N/A
46	Crockett Gillmore BAL (8)	+4	N/A
47	Larry Donnell NYG (8)	-11	N/A
48	Josh Hill NO (5)	-8	N/A
49	Austin Hooper ATL (11)	-15	-17
50	Jermaine Gresham ARI (9)	+9	N/A

Defenses/Kickers: The Waiver Wire Is Your Friend

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Chandler Catanzaro was a waiver wire hero in 2015.

The waiver wire will be your best friend when it comes to defense and kickers.

Instead of taking a defense early, like the Broncos (ADP 118.7) or Cardinals (ADP 121), you’re better off going for useful skill players with upside in those rounds and waiting until the end of your draft to get your defense, if you even have to draft one at all. Following the third preseason game, I’ll provide some defenses to target based on early-season schedule. 

Some leagues, including a couple I play in, have eliminated the kicker position altogether because of the randomness. If you’re lucky enough to end up with Stephen Gostkowski or Steven Hauschka, then you’ll probably hang onto them all season, but for everyone else, the waiver wire will become a necessity. Embrace it.

2016 Defense Draft Rankings

#	Player (Team/Bye)	vs. ECR	vs. Positional ADP
1	Denver Broncos DEN (11)	+1	0
2	Seattle Seahawks SEA (5)	-1	0
3	Arizona Cardinals ARI (9)	0	0
4	Carolina Panthers CAR (7)	0	0
5	Houston Texans HOU (9)	0	+1
6	Los Angeles Rams LA (8)	+1	+1
7	New England Patriots NE (9)	+1	+2
8	Kansas City Chiefs KC (5)	-2	-3
9	New York Jets NYJ (11)	+2	+1
10	Minnesota Vikings MIN (6)	0	-2
11	Cincinnati Bengals CIN (9)	-2	+1
12	Jacksonville Jaguars JAC (5)	+5	+2
13	Buffalo Bills BUF (10)	0	0
14	Green Bay Packers GB (4)	-2	+3
15	Oakland Raiders OAK (10)	0	-4
16	Miami Dolphins MIA (8)	+2	+9
17	Baltimore Ravens BAL (8)	+2	+2
18	Philadelphia Eagles PHI (4)	-2	-2
19	New York Giants NYG (8)	+3	+2
20	Washington Redskins WAS (9)	0	0

 

2016 Kicker Draft Rankings

#	Player (Team/Bye)	vs. ECR	vs. Positional ADP
1	Stephen Gostkowski NE (9)	0	0
2	Steven Hauschka SEA (5)	0	0
3	Justin Tucker BAL (8)	0	+1
4	Mason Crosby GB (4)	0	+3
5	Chandler Catanzaro ARI (9)	+1	+4
6	Graham Gano CAR (7)	+2	-3
7	Dan Bailey DAL (7)	-2	-1
8	Adam Vinatieri IND (10)	-1	+3
9	Brandon McManus DEN (11)	0	+1
10	Blair Walsh MIN (6)	0	-2
11	Cairo Santos KC (5)	0	+1
12	Matt Prater DET (10)	+1	+6
13	Dan Carpenter BUF (10)	+2	+10
14	Josh Lambo SD (11)	+4	+11
15	Sebastian Janikowski OAK (10)	+1	-2
16	Chris Boswell PIT (8)	-4	-11
17	Mike Nugent CIN (9)	0	+2
18	Greg Zuerlein LA (8)	+5	N/A
19	Matt Bryant ATL (11)	0	+3
20	Robbie Gould CHI (9)	+2	+1