
Photo via: Rams/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
Mike Nowak/Chargers.com
1 Deshaun Watson
2 Russell Wilson
3 Tom Brady
4 Jared Goff
5 Aaron Rodgers
6 Matthew Stafford
7 Josh Allen
8 Kirk Cousins
9 Carson Wentz
10 Jacoby Brissett
11 Ryan Tannehill
12 Kyler Murray
13 Gardner Minshew
14 Philip Rivers
15 Andy Dalton
RB
1 Saquon Barkley
2 Dalvin Cook
3 Leonard Fournette
4 James Conner
5 Christian McCaffrey
6 Le'Veon Bell
7 Chris Carson
8 Aaron Jones
9 Todd Gurley
10 Nick Chubb
11 James White
12 Latavius Murray
13 Josh Jacobs
14 Austin Ekeler
15 Sony Michel
16 Derrick Henry
17 Marlon Mack
18 Devonta Freeman
19 Carlos Hyde
20 Tevin Coleman
21 LeSean McCoy
22 Melvin Gordon
23 Phillip Lindsay
24 Ty Johnson
25 Royce Freeman
26 Jamaal Williams
27 Chase Edmonds
28 David Johnson
29 Miles Sanders
30 Joe Mixon
WR
1 DeAndre Hopkins
2 Cooper Kupp
3 Stefon Diggs
4 Chris Godwin
5 Michael Thomas
6 Julian Edelman
7 T.Y. Hilton
8 Tyreek Hill
9 Tyler Lockett
10 Julio Jones
11 Kenny Golladay
12 Allen Robinson
13 Mike Evans
14 Courtland Sutton
15 John Brown
16 Robert Woods
17 Golden Tate
18 JuJu Smith-Schuster
19 Keenan Allen
20 Brandin Cooks
21 D.J. Chark
22 Corey Davis
23 Marvin Jones
24 Odell Beckham Jr
25 Kenny Stills
26 Larry Fitzgerald
27 Terry McLaurin
28 Tyler Boyd
29 Emmanuel Sanders
30 Dede Westbrook
31 Calvin Ridley
32 Robby Anderson
33 D.K. Metcalf
34 D.J. Moore
35 Alshon Jeffery
36 Phillip Dorsett
TE
Photo via: Chiefs/Facebook
1 Travis Kelce
2 George Kittle
3 Hunter Henry
4 Darren Waller
5 Austin Hooper
6 Evan Engram
7 Zach Ertz
8 Jimmy Graham
9 Gerald Everett
10 Greg Olsen
11 T.J. Hockenson
12 Jared Cook
13 Eric Ebron
14 Vance McDonald
15 Darren Fells
Defense/ST
1 Patriots
2 Steelers
3 Jaguars
4 Vikings
5 Rams
6 Saints
7 49ers
8 Lions
9 Packers
10 Bears
11 Bills
12 Seahawks
13 Colts
14 Chargers
15 Titans
Kicker
1Greg Zuerlein
2Wil Lutz
3Robbie Gould
4Chris Boswell
5Mason Crosby
6Matt Prater
7Mike Nugent
8Josh Lambo
9Ka'imi Fairbairn
10Zane Gonzalez
11Joey Slye
12Cody Parkey
13Harrison Butker
14Jason Myers
15Dan Bailey
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
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The Astros are making noise again — not by bludgeoning teams with a powerhouse offense, but by grinding through games and getting elite production from a patched-together pitching staff. It’s a testament to their depth and resilience that they went 4-2 on a tough road trip while averaging just 3.6 runs per game. Even more impressive? The staff allowed just 2.3 runs per game during that stretch.
It’s fair to be impressed. This is a team still missing key pieces and leaning heavily on unproven arms, yet they’ve built a 2.5-game lead over Seattle in the AL West. If the rotation keeps performing like this, that cushion might not just hold through the All-Star break — it could grow.
Houston's pitching has been the great stabilizer. The Astros rank 1st in strikeouts, 9th in ERA, 4th in WHIP, and 2nd in batting average against. The numbers aren’t carried solely by the stars either. Youngsters like Brandon Walter and Colton Gordon have stepped in admirably. Walter has allowed just two runs combined across his first two starts (6 IP and 5 IP), while Gordon has quietly gone five innings in three straight outings, giving up 1, 4, and 3 runs. Ryan Gusto has been inconsistent — failing to get through five innings in his last three starts — but has kept the damage manageable (3, 2, and 2 runs in those outings).
Meanwhile, the top of the rotation has been lights out. Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown have become one of the most dominant 1-2 punches in baseball, and Lance McCullers Jr. is starting to look like a real contributor again. It’s a staff carrying the team while the bats slowly try to catch up.
That offense, while mediocre overall — 15th in OPS, 20th in runs, 19th in homers, and 18th in slugging — has shown signs of life in recent days. Jeremy Peña and Jake Meyers have provided much-needed sparks. Peña is hitting .370 over the past week with an .851 OPS, while Meyers has been even hotter, posting a .381 average and .934 OPS.
The biggest news off the field this week was the potential end of the Forrest Whitley era. The former first-round pick was designated for assignment, a move that answers an early-season question: Who’s more likely to contribute this year — Whitley or McCullers? The answer is now clear.
Whitley’s DFA also serves as a reminder that not even elite GMs like Jeff Luhnow are immune to draft misses.
The Astros' last four first-round picks of the Jeff Luhnow era show how much of a crapshoot drafting can be.
2016: Forrest Whitley
2017: J.B. Bukauskus
2018: Seth Beer
2019: Korey Lee
Bukauskus and Beer did help land Zack Greinke, which certainly can be justified.
— Greg Rajan (@GregRajan) June 8, 2025
As the Houston Chronicle's Greg Rajan points out, Luhnow’s final four first-round picks with Houston all fell short: Whitley (2016), J.B. Bukauskas (2017), Seth Beer (2018), and Korey Lee (2019) have yet to become meaningful pieces for any club. The draft remains a gamble — even for the best.
Still, the Astros are finding answers. Despite an offense that’s still searching for consistency, their pitching — both from the top and the bottom of the depth chart — has been dominant. If that continues, this club won't just hold the lead. They’ll have momentum heading into July.
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!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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