Fantasy Football 2018: Dynasty Rankings, Cheatsheet and League Names

Dynasty fantasy football is for the committed owners. 

Unlike a standard league, each pick in a start-up draft matters for years. Owners can use similar resources like rankings and tools, but a dynasty draft is for keeps as the league continues after the initial season. 

There are no easy picks given the pressure, which is a good way for NFL fans to feel something similar to the real-life stresses facing decision makers in NFL front offices (without the whole getting fired thing). Quarterback picks aren't just quarterbacks and owners have to keep in mind they must evaluate a player's productivity not only in the current season, but for years to come. 

Sounds like a lot—and is. Here's a handy resource for the trickier items in dynasty format, including some league names to consider as a starting point.  

Dynasty Rankings Cheatsheet 

1	Odell Beckham Jr.
2	Todd Gurley II
3	DeAndre Hopkins
4	Ezekiel Elliott
5	David Johnson
6	Michael Thomas
7	Saquon Barkley
8	Antonio Brown
9	Le'Veon Bell
10	Alvin Kamara
11	Kareem Hunt
12	Dalvin Cook
13	Leonard Fournette
14	Keenan Allen
15	Mike Evans
16	Julio Jones
17	A.J. Green
18	Christian McCaffrey
19	Allen Robinson
20	Stefon Diggs
21	Davante Adams
22	Melvin Gordon
23	Corey Davis
24	Juju Smith-Schuster
25	Tyreek Hill

Derek Carr, QB, Oakland Raiders

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

It's a beautiful time to start a dynasty league. 

Quarterback is a young man's game right now as the older generation continues to fade. Dynasty owners who added a Russell Wilson or Cam Newton years ago are still sitting in a great spot. And while second-year players like Mitchell Trubisky and Patrick Mahomes are obvious choices for the long-term outlook, the idea in a start-up draft is to find a guy with the same upside, but who has already flashed the potential. 

So, Derek Carr. 

Remember Carr's superb outbursts during 2015 and 2016? He combined for 7,924 passing yards and 60 touchdowns against 19 interceptions before falling off the map last year. 

But Carr remains the ideal target. Owners know he can hit those numbers again, he's only 27 years old and his supporting cast received an upgrade with arrivals like head coach Jon Gruden, a new left tackle and a reliable weapon such as Jordy Nelson. 

Just four seasons into his career, Carr is in a position to provide a dynasty owner with a solution permitting him or her to ignore the position for five or more years. 

Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints

Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

Running backs' evolution over the years has placed an even bigger emphasis on landing one of the few elite names early in dynasty drafts. 

While the disappearance of the bellcow back has led to a massive jump in depth quality at the position across leagues, the difference between a dynasty roster able to add a Todd Gurley or Ezekiel Elliott, as opposed to a roster that waited until later, is staggering. 

Granted, there are few workhorses worth risking it all on and the short list reads something like Gurley, Elliott, Le'Veon Bell and David Johnson, with a Saquon Barkley or Derrius Guice perhaps possibly entering the fray at a later date. 

There's also Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints to consider. 

Kamara is an example of the more-is-better approach after initially sacrificing it all to find a bellcow—he's transformed into the sort of back owners need in the first round. Kamara spent his rookie season after being drafted in the third round rushing for 728 yards and eight touchdowns on a 6.1 per-carry average while putting up another 826 yards and five touchdowns as a receiver. 

All of 23 years old, Kamara is a new-age Bell already, which emphasizes the short shelf life of the position and how important it is for dynasty owners to get it right. 

Juju Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh Steelers

Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

Wide receiver has slowly morphed into the hardest position to draft in any format, in large part due to the slow development time. 

First-year receivers rarely explode onto the scene and make a huge impact and the sophomore year often doesn't go much better these days because the transition to the pros holds such a high degree of difficulty. 

As such, a combination of production and palpable upside is where dynasty owners need to look when it comes to seeking out guys who will explode for years to come. Think Juju Smith-Schuster of the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the rare exceptions to first-year wideouts having a big impact. 

A year ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers second-round pick put up 917 yards and seven touchdowns on 58 catches over 14 games. On paper, his role within the offense isn't going anywhere and even better, he's the sort of gritty receiver who will still receive plenty of attention once Ben Roethlisberger calls it quits. 

For the most part, dynasty owners have to be ready to stick with a young receiver for at least three years to see if things work out, placing a bigger importance on young guys with proven talent already like Smith-Schuster. 

League Names 

• Greatest Show on Paper
• No Punt Intended
• Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner League
• Very Stable Geniuses
• No Fun League
• Call of Duty