
Photo via: Saints/Facebook
These are my very early ranks, so keep in mind I post these on Thursday. Make sure you check the injury report on Sunday for players that have missed practice. If it doesn't look like a player will play this week, I typically won't rank him. Keep in mind, these are PPR rankings, and don't forget to set your lineup for Thursday Night Football.
If you have any questions, feel free to hit me up on Twitter. Be sure to check out my show MoneyLine with Jerry Bo on ESPN 97.5FM. We're on every Sunday morning from 10-noon, and we'll talk a lot of fantasy football and NFL gambling getting you ready for kickoff every Sunday.
QB
Rodgers should bounce back after a tough loss against the Chargers. Photo by Andy Lyons/GettyImages
1 Lamar Jackson
2 Drew Brees
3 Patrick Mahomes
4 Russell Wilson
5 Aaron Rodgers
6 Philip Rivers
7 Kyler Murray
8 Dak Prescott
9 Jimmy Garoppolo
10 Jameis Winston
11 Josh Allen
12 Matt Ryan
13 Jared Goff
14 Matthew Stafford
15 Derek Carr
RB
Feed Zeke...Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images
1 Christian McCaffrey
2 Saquon Barkley
3 Ezekiel Elliott
4 Dalvin Cook
5 Aaron Jones
6 Alvin Kamara
7 Josh Jacobs
8 Mark Ingram
9 Derrick Henry
10 Marlon Mack
11 Melvin Gordon
12 Le'Veon Bell
13 Nick Chubb
14 Jaylen Samuels
15 Chris Carson
16 Austin Ekeler
17 Tevin Coleman
18 David Johnson
19 Todd Gurley
20 David Montgomery
21 Damien Williams
22 Devin Singletary
23 Devonta Freeman
24 Ronald Jones
25 Latavius Murray
26 Jamaal Williams
27 Matt Breida
28 J.D. McKissic
29 Joe Mixon
30 Tarik Cohen
WR
Thomas comes in at No.1 this week. Photo by New Orleans Saints/Facebook
1 Michael Thomas
2 Chris Godwin
3 Amari Cooper
4 Julio Jones
5 Cooper Kupp
6 Tyreek Hill
7 Mike Evans
8 Tyler Lockett
9 Keenan Allen
10 Davante Adams
11 Stefon Diggs
12 Kenny Golladay
13 Emmanuel Sanders
14 Allen Robinson
15 D.J. Moore
16 John Brown
17 Mike Williams
18 Golden Tate
19 Calvin Ridley
20 Christian Kirk
21 Michael Gallup
22 Odell Beckham Jr
23 Marvin Jones
24 Zach Pascall
25 Sammy Watkins
26 Jamison Crowder
27 Devante Parker
28 Robert Woods
29 Marquise Brown
30 JuJu Smith-Schuster
31 Tyler Boyd
32 Larry Fitzgerald
33 D.K. Metcalf
34 Tyrell Williams
35 Danny Amendola
36 Jarvis Landry
TE
It's hard not to like Henry against the Raiders. Photo via:Chargers/Facebook
1 George Kittle
2 Travis Kelce
3 Hunter Henry
4 Austin Hooper
5 Darren Waller
6 Mark Andrews
7 Greg Olsen
8 Gerald Everett
9 Jared Cook
10 Jonnu Smith
11 Jack Doyle
12 Jason Witten
13 T.J. Hockenson
14 Mike Gesicki
15 Vance McDonald
DEF
1 Ravens
2 Colts
3 Bills
4 Saints
5 Bears
6 Cowboys
7 Rams
8 Giants
9 Chargers
10 49ers
11 Steelers
12 Vikings
13 Packers
14 Lions
15 Browns
KICKER
1 Justin Tucker
2 Wil Lutz
3 Robbie Gould
4 Harrison Butker
5 Brett Maher
6 Zane Gonzalez
7 Michael Badgley
8 Greg Zuerlein
9 Matt Gay
10 Mason Crosby
11 Matt Prater
12 Adam Vinatieri
13 Joey Slye
14 Dan Bailey
15 Steven Hauschka
Most Popular
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The Houston Astros have looked like one of baseball’s most dangerous teams in recent weeks, riding a hot streak fueled by dominant starting pitching and a red-hot offense that’s erupted for double-digit runs in four of their last eight games. But behind the current success, there are fair questions about whether this pace is truly sustainable as the grind of the season continues.
Yes, the Astros are winning — and winning big — but context matters. Many of their recent victories have come against struggling clubs like the White Sox and Athletics. Even matchups against the Twins and Guardians, while respectable, don’t exactly represent championship-caliber tests. That soft stretch of the schedule has certainly helped Houston pad its win column, but it may not be the best predictor of long-term performance. Houston will be tested in the upcoming series against the Phillies and Cubs.
On the pitching side, the numbers have been impressive, but how repeatable is it? With Lance McCullers Jr. sidelined for at least a couple of weeks, the Astros are relying on a patchwork rotation that includes unproven arms like Colton Gordon, Ryan Gusto, and Brandon Walter. While each has shown flashes, asking them to shoulder the load deep into the summer may be a tall order.
Offensively, Houston is firing on all cylinders. But scoring 10 or more runs every other game simply isn’t sustainable over a 162-game season. Regression is inevitable; the question is how the team responds when the bats cool down or the bullpen is asked to carry more weight.
Amid all this, rookie third baseman Cam Smith continues to shine. Just a few months into his major league career, Smith is producing at a level that suggests he’s not just a key piece of the future — he’s already one of the team’s most valuable players. His batting average sits just a point behind Jose Altuve’s, and his OPS is even higher. If the Astros were forced to choose two players to build around long-term, factoring in youth and contract status, the logical duo might be Smith and breakout pitcher Hunter Brown.
So what about the big picture? Is this team a true World Series contender?
Oddsmakers currently have Houston with the seventh-best odds to win it all, and only the Yankees and Tigers rank higher among American League teams. The core is still there, the experience is undeniable, and if the pitching continues to hold — especially with the anticipated return of Spencer Arrighetti and a healthy McCullers — the Astros have every reason to believe they’ll be in the mix deep into October.
But that’s a big “if.” The ceiling is still high, and with Cam Smith emerging as a star in real time, this team might just have another gear. Whether they can reach it when the competition stiffens, that remains to be seen.
There's so much more to cover! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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*ChatGPT assisted.
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