1 of 3 | Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) runs for a 57-yard touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks in the during the second quarter of their NFC West showdown on December 17 at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. Photo by Jim Bryant/UPI |
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Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Pittsburgh Steelers star Le'Veon Bell and Los Angeles Rams star Todd Gurley lead UPI's top 150 player rankings for the 2018 fantasy football season.
The preseason slate is finally winding down, meaning the real deal of the NFL grind is nearly here. Soon, all 32 teams will be taking the field for Week 1 of the 2018 season. That also means the start of your run to fantasy football glory.
Maybe you were crowned a league champion last year. Maybe you finished in last place. Maybe you were knocked out in the playoffs.
It doesn't matter now. The field is level once more. Every owner is filled with optimism entering their draft with an eye on their league trophy.
You will see fantasy football player rankings everywhere. But at the end of the day, your team is your team. You get the final say on who you choose to be your No. 1 overall pick, not some magazine or website. But that doesn't mean you should ignore advice. You should take all evidence into consideration before pulling the trigger on your targets.
My No. 1 overall player this year is Le'Veon Bell. I have Todd Gurley slotted as my No. 2 player overall. After that, my ranks veer from what you might see elsewhere. I'm expecting a huge year from David Johnson, my No. 3 player. Ezekiel Elliott's stock is slipping due to an offensive line in limbo. I also foresee tremendous 2018 campaigns from Dalvin Cook, Michael Thomas and Derrick Henry, among other players.
The three running backs that top the 150 rankings all have something in common: they are dynamos when it comes to rushing and receiving. That can be big, regardless of scoring format. You want a player who can provide value, even if they are getting stuffed by a great defense. Bell, Gurley and Johnson are all very capable of doing that.
While Elliott is still an elite option, don't be afraid to pull the trigger on an elite wide receiver after the big three are off of the board. Safety in the first round is a move proven strategy that swinging for a home run.
Bell led the league in rushing attempts in 2018. He also had a career-best 106 targets and 85 catches. In fact, Bell has averaged 100 receptions in each of the last two seasons. I expect more of the same from the Steelers star in 2018, as he shows out for a new contract and possibly auditions to play elsewhere.
In my 150 rankings, I have ordered my favorite players for the 2018 season based on several factors. The key below will help you navigate the list as it accounts for player injury history, bye weeks and schedule.
2018 UPI 150
(Bye) - Denotes bye week IS% - Denotes percentage of career player played 12 games or less in a season (injury/suspension) $ - Denotes games vs. worst 5 defenses in fantasy points allowed vs. position in 2017 X -Denotes games vs. top 5 defenses in points allowed vs. position in 2017
Rank/Name/Position/Team/Bye/IS/$/X
1. Le'Veon Bell | RB/Pittsburgh Steelers (7)/40% IS - $$$/XX
2. Todd Gurley | RB/Los Angeles Rams (12)/0% IS - $/XXXX
3. David Johnson | RB/Arizona Cardinals (9)/33% IS - $$$$/XX
4. Ezekiel Elliott | RB/Dallas Cowboys (8)/50% IS - $$$$/XXXX
5. Antonio Brown | WR/Pittsburgh Steelers (7)/12% IS - $$$$/XXXXXX
6. DeAndre Hopkins | WR/Houston Texans (10)/0% IS - $/XXXX
7. Dalvin Cook | RB/Minnesota Vikings (10)/100% IS - $$$$/XX
8. Michael Thomas | WR/New Orleans Saints (6)/0% IS - $$$$/XX
9. Julio Jones | WR/Atlanta Falcons (8)/14% IS - $$$$$/XX
10. Devonta Freeman | RB/Atlanta Falcons (8)/0% IS - $$$$/XXXX
11. Melvin Gordon | RB/Los Angeles Chargers (8)/0% IS - $$$/X
12. Odell Beckham Jr. | WR/New York Giants (9)/50% IS - $$$/X
13. Kareem Hunt | RB/Kansas City Chiefs (12)/0% IS - $$/X
14. A.J. Green | WR/Cincinnati Bengals (9)/14% IS - $$$/XXXX
15. Saquon Barkley | RB/New York Giants (9)/0% IS - $$$/XXXX
16. Alvin Kamara | RB/New Orleans Saints (6)/0% IS - $$$$$/XXXXXX
17. Leonard Fournette | RB/Jacksonville Jaguars (9)/0% IS - $$/X
18. Davante Adams | WR/Green Bay Packers (7)/0% IS - $/X
19. T.Y. Hilton | WR/Indianapolis Colts (9)/0% IS - $$$/XXXX
20. Mike Evans | WR/Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5)/0% IS- $$/XX
21. Keenan Allen | WR/Los Angeles Chargers (8)/40% IS - $$/XXXX
22. Amari Cooper | WR/Oakland Raiders (7)/0% IS - $$/XXXXX
23. Derrick Henry | RB/Tennessee Titans (8)/0% IS - $$/X
24. Joe Mixon | RB/Cincinnati Bengals (9)/0% IS - $/XX
25. Rob Gronkowski | TE/New England Patriots (11)/37% IS - $$$/XXXX
26. LeSean McCoy | RB/Buffalo Bills (11)/22% IS - $/X
27. Doug Baldwin | WR/Seattle Seahawks (7)/0% IS - $$$/X
28. Jordan Howard | RB/Chicago Bears (5)/0% IS - $$$$/XXX
29. Christian McCaffrey | RB/Carolina Panthers (4)/0% IS - $$$$$/XXX
30. Zach Ertz | TE/Philadelphia Eagles (9)/0% IS - $$$$$/XXX
31. Travis Kelce | TE/Kansas City Chiefs (12)/20% IS - $$$$$/XX
32. Kenyan Drake | RB/Miami Dolphins (11)/0% IS - $$$$/X
33. Adam Thielen | WR/Minnesota Vikings (10)/0% IS - $$$/X
34. Josh Gordon | WR/Cleveland Browns (11)/66% IS - $$$$/XXXXX
35. Demaryius Thomas | WR/Denver Broncos (10)/25% IS - $$$/XX
36. Tyreek Hill | WR/Kansas City Chiefs (12)/0% IS - $/XXXXX
37. Stefon Diggs | WR/Minnesota Vikings (10)/0% IS - $$$/X
38. Alex Collins | RB/Baltimore Ravens (10)/50% IS - $$$$/XX
39. Lamar Miller | RB/Houston Texans (10)/0% IS - $$/X
40. Juju Smith-Schuster | WR/Pittsburgh Steelers (7)/0% IS - $$$$/XXXXXX
41. Aaron Rodgers | QB/Green Bay Packers (7)/20% IS - $$/XXX
42. Jerick McKinnon | RB/San Francisco 49ers (11)/25% IS - $$$$/XXX
43. Larry Fitzgerald | WR/Arizona Cardinals (9)/0% IS - $$/X
44. Chris Hogan | WR/New England Patriots (11)/20% IS - $$$/XXX
45. Jarvis Landry | WR/Cleveland Browns (11)/0% IS - $$$$/XXXXX
46. Jamaal Williams | RB/Green Bay Packers (7)/0$ IS - $$$$$/XXXX
47. Carlos Hyde | RB/Cleveland Browns (11)/25% IS - $$$/XX
48. Royce Freeman | RB/Denver Broncos (10)/0% IS - $$/X
49. Deshaun Watson | QB/Houston Texans (10)/100% IS - $$$/XXX
50. Jay Ajayi | RB/Philadelphia Eagles (9)/33% IS - $$$$/XXX
51. Mark Ingram | RB/New Orleans Saints (6)/42% IS - $$$$$/XXXXXX
52. Marshawn Lynch | RB/Oakland Raiders (7)/10% IS - $$/X
53. Kerryon Johnson | RB/Detroit Lions (6)/0% IS - $/XXXX
54. Marquise Goodwin | WR/San Francisco 49ers (11)/60% IS - $$$/X
55. Michael Crabtree | WR/Baltimore Ravens (10)/22% IS - $$$/XXX
56. Marvin Jones | WR/Detroit Lions (6)/33% IS - $$$$/X
57. Jimmy Graham | TE/Green Bay Packers (7)/12% IS - $$/XX
58. Allen Robinson | WR/Chicago Bears (5)/50% IS - $$$/X
59. Russell Wilson | QB/Seattle Seahawks (7)/0% IS - $$/XX
60. Chris Carson | RB/Seattle Seahawks (7)/0% IS - $$$/XXXX
61. Will Fuller | WR/Houston Texans (10)/50% IS - $/XXXX
62. Tom Brady | QB/New England Patriots (11)/11% IS - $$$/XXXX
63. Brandin Cooks | WR/Los Angeles Rams (12)/25% IS - $$/X
64. Golden Tate | WR/Detroit Lions (6)/12% IS - $$$$/X
65. Emmanuel Sanders | WR/Denver Broncos (10)/25% IS - $$$/XX
66. Corey Davis | WR/Tennessee Titans (8)/100% IS - $$$/XXXX
67. Peyton Barber | RB/Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5)/0% IS - $$/XXXXX
68. Rex Burkhead | RB/New England Patriots (11)/40% IS - $$$/XXX
69. Greg Olsen | TE/Carolina Panthers (4)/9% IS - $$$/XXX
70. Cooper Kupp | WR/Los Angeles Rams (12)/0% IS - $$/X
71. Andrew Luck | QB/Indianapolis Colts (9)/33% IS - $$$$/XXX
72. Isaiah Crowell | RB/New York Jets (11)/0% IS - $$$/X
73. Evan Engram | TE/New York Giants (9)/0% IS - $$$/XX
74. Sammy Watkins | WR/Kansas City Chiefs (12)/25% IS - $/XXXXX
75. Chris Thompson | RB/Washington Redskins (4)/60% IS - $/XXXXX
76. Drew Brees | QB/New Orleans Saints (6)/6% IS - $$/XXX
77. Jamison Crowder | WR/Washington Redskins (4)/0% IS - $$$$/X
78. Tevin Coleman | RB/Atlanta Falcons (8)/33% IS - $$$$/XXXX
79. Marlon Mack | RB/Indianapolis Colts (9)/0% IS - $$$/X
80. Kelvin Benjamin | WR/Buffalo Bills (11)/0% IS - $$$$/XXXX
81. Robby Anderson | WR/New York Jets (11)/0% IS - $$$$/XXXX
82. Tre Burton | TE/Chicago Bears (5)/0% IS - $$/XXXXX
83. Delanie Walker | TE/Tennessee Titans (8)/8% IS - $$$$$/XX
84. Robert Woods | WR/Los Angeles Rams (12)/0% IS - $$/X
85. Kenny Stills | WR/Miami Dolphins (11)/0% IS - $$$$/XX
86. Nelson Agholor | WR/Philadelphia Eagles (9)/0% IS - $$$/X
87. Julian Edelman | WR/New England Patriots (11)/37% IS - $$$/XXX
88. Alshon Jeffery | WR/Philadelphia Eagles (9)/50% IS - $$$/X
89. Cam Newton | QB/Carolina Panthers (4)/0% IS - $$/X
90. Rashaad Penny | RB/Seattle Seahawks (7)/0% IS - $$$/XXXX
91. Sony Michel | RB/New England Patriots (11)/0% IS - $$$/XXX
92. Dion Lewis | RB/Tennessee Titans (8)/60% IS - $$/X
93. Carson Wentz | QB/Philadelphia Eagles (9)/0% IS - $$$/XX
94. Duke Johnson Jr. | RB/Cleveland Browns (11)/0% IS - $$$/XX
95. Randall Cobb |WR/Green Bay Packers (7)/14% IS - $/X
96. Philip Rivers | QB/Los Angeles Chargers (8)/0% IS - $$/XX
97. Devin Funchess | WR/Carloina Panthers (4)/0% IS - $$/XX
98. Aaron Jones | RB/Green Bay Packers (7)/100% IS - $$$$$/XXXX
99. Jordan Reed | TE/Washington Redskins (4)/80% IS - $$$/XXX
100. Mike Williams | WR/Los Angeles Chargers (8)/100% IS - $$/XXXX
101. Adrian Peterson | RB/Washington Redskins (4)/27% IS - $/XXXXX
102. Calvin Ridley | WR/Atlanta Falcons (8)/0% IS - $$$$$/XX
103. Matt Ryan | QB/Atlanta Falcons (8)/0% IS - $$/X
104. Ronald Jones | RB/Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5)/0% IS - $$/XXXXX
105. Pierre Garcon | WR/San Francisco 49ers (11)/20% IS - $$$/X
106. Kyle Rudolph | TE/Minnesota Vikings (10)/28% IS - $/XX
107. Chris Godwin | WR/Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5)/0% IS - $$/XX
108. Bilal Powell | RB/New York Jets (11)/28% IS - $$$/X
109. Keelan Cole | WR/Jacksonville Jaguars (9)/0% IS - $$$$/X
110. Ben Roethlisberger | QB/Pittsburgh Steelers (8)/14% IS - $$/XXXX
111. D.J. Moore | WR/Carolina Panthers (4)/0% IS - $$/XX
112. Kirk Cousins | QB/Minnesota Vikings (10)/0% IS - $$/X
113. C.J. Anderson | RB/Carolina Panthers (4)/40% IS - $$$$$/XXX
114. Corey Clement | RB/Philadelphia Eagles (9)/0% IS - $$$$/XXX
115. Allen Hurns | WR/Dallas Cowboys (8)/50% IS - $$$/X
116. Jordan Wilkins | RB/Indianapolis Colts (9)/0% IS - $$$/X
117. Matt Breida | RB/San Francisco 49ers (11)/0% IS - $$$$/XXX
118. Jordy Nelson | WR/Oakland Raiders (7)/20% IS - $$/XXXXX
119. Giovani Bernard | RB/Cincinnati Bengals (9)/20% IS - $/XX
120. Devontae Booker | RB/Denver Broncos (10)/0% IS - $$/X
121. Jimmy Garoppolo | QB/San Francisco 49ers (11)/0% IS - $/XX
122. Kenny Golladay | WR/Detroit Lions (6)/100% IS - $$$$/X
123. Michael Gallup | RB/Dallas Cowboys (8)/0% IS - $$$/X
124. Josh Doctson | WR/Washington Redskins (4)/50% IS - $$$$/X
125. Patrick Mahomes | QB/Kansas City Chiefs (12)/0% IS - $$/XXXX
126. Danny Amendola | WR/Miami Dolphins (11)/44% IS - $$$$/XX
127. Tarik Cohen | RB/Chicago Bears (5)/0% IS - $$$$/XXX
128. James White | RB/New England Patriots (11)/25% IS - $$$/XXX
129. Nick Chubb | RB/Cleveland Browns (11)/0% IS - $$$/XX
130. Matthew Stafford | QB/Detroit Lions (6)/11% IS - $$/XXX
131. Sterling Shepard | WR/New York Giants (9)/50% IS - $$$/X
132. Ty Montgomery | RB/Green Bay Packers (7)/66% IS - $$$$$/XXXX
133. David Njoku | TE/Cleveland Browns (11)/0% IS - $$$/XXX
134. Jack Doyle | TE/Indianapolis Colts (9)/0% IS - $$$$$$/XX
135. Latavius Murray | RB/Minnesota Vikings (10)/0% IS - $$$$/XX
136. Tyler Lockett | WR/Seattle Seahawks (7)/0% IS - $$$/X
137. John Brown | WR/Baltimore Ravens (10)/25% IS - $$$/XXX
138. Tyler Eifert | TE/Cincinnati Bengals (9)/60% IS - $$$$/XXX
139. Martavis Bryant | WR/Oakland Raiders (7)/75% IS - $$/XXXXX
140. LeGarrette Blount | RB/Detroit Lions (6)/12% IS - $/XXXX
141. Rishard Matthews | WR/Tennessee Titans (8)/33% IS - $$$/XXXX
142. Tyrell Williams | WR/Los Angeles Chargers (8)/33% IS - $$/XXXX
143. Anthony Miller | WR/Chicago Bears (5)/0% IS - $$$/X
144. Brandon Marshall | WR/Seattle Seahawks (7)/8% IS - $$$/X
145. Mohamed Sanu | WR/Atlanta Falcons (8)16% IS - $$$$$/XX
146. James Conner | RB/Pittsburgh Steelers (7)/0% IS - $$$/XX
147. Cameron Meredith | WR/New Orleans Saints (6)/66% IS - $$$$/XX
148. Geronimo Allison | WR/Green Bay Packers (7)/50% IS - $/X
149. Frank Gore | RB/Miami Dolphins (11)/7% IS - $$$$/X
150. Nyheim Hines | RB/Indianapolis Colts (9)/0% IS - $$$/X