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
Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images1 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
Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images1 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
Are Awesome
The Texans make just their third ever visit to Lambeau Field Sunday. It’s a dandy matchup as the Texans try to run their record to 6-1 at the expense of the 4-2 Green Bay Packers. The Texans have one win and one loss in Wisconsin. In 2008 the gameday high temperature was 13 degrees. Kris Brown kicked a 40 yard field goal as time expired to give the Texans a 24-21 win over a Packers team that struggled to a 6-10 record under first-year starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Texans posted their second consecutive 8-8 finish that year. In 2016 the mercury reached a balmy high of 34 degrees as the Texans fell 21-13 at Lambeau. Inexplicably, Rodgers somehow managed to win the quarterback matchup with Brock Osweiler. The Texans and Packers each won their division that year. Both Texans’ trips to “America’s Dairyland” occurred in December. No risk of frozen tundra this time around. The forecast for Green Bay Sunday calls for a high of 75 degrees! That’s almost 20 degrees warmer than normal there for October 20.
It’s a dynamic QB matchup with C.J. Stroud and Jordan Love sharing the field. Love broke out in a huge way in 2023 after serving a two-year apprenticeship under Rodgers. After a stumbling 3-6 start to their season the Packers went 6-2 the rest of the way to snag a playoff spot. They obliterated the Cowboys in a Wild Card game in Arlington (before everyone obliterated the Cowboys in Arlington...) then led at the 49ers with under 90 seconds to go before San Francisco scored to win 24-21. The Packers made crystal clear their belief in Love by signing him to a four-year 220 million dollar contract extension in July. That’s 55 mil per season. Stroud becomes extension-eligible after next season. Anyone think he won’t be in position to command at least 65 mil per season?
Stroud sure looks to be the guy to finally give the Texans the long-term stability and excellence they have never had at the most important position in the sport. The Pack is all in on Love continuing its unreal long-term QB stability and excellence. Love took the reins after Rodgers helmed the offense for 15 seasons. Rodgers took the reins after Brett Favre’s 16-year tenure. So if Love makes it for nine years as the starter, that’s three primary QBs in 40 years. Absolutely amazing.
After missing two games because of a sprained knee ligament suffered in the final seconds of the Packers’ season opening loss to the Eagles in Brazil, Love has thrown 10 touchdown passes in three games. But he has only completed 59 percent of his passes, and has thrown at least one interception per game.
The Texans’ first trip to the NFC North this season went brutally badly, the 34-7 beatdown from Minnesota. The Vikings beat the Packers 31-29 in week four of the season. That was Love’s first game back, he threw four touchdown passes and three picks. One defensive weapon the Texans will have against the Pack they did not have against the Vikes is Denico Autry. The 34-year-old Autry returns from his six-game banned substance suspension. That happens as one of the fill-ins for him, Mario Edwards, starts his own four-game substance abuse suspension. That should be a net improvement for the Texans.
X-factors
The single biggest variable in swinging the outcome of football games is turnovers. So far this season the Packers have been a takeaway machine. Last season the Packers generated just 18 turnovers over their 17 regular season games, only six teams took the ball away less often. Through just six games this season the Packers already have 17 takeaways. No other NFL team has more than 13, the Texans have just seven. The Packers have produced exactly three turnovers in five of their six games, and got two in the other. Every defense preaches turnovers, so it’s not as if first-year Green Bay defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has introduced radical concepts that are yielding magical results. But the results are what they are.
If the Texans take care of the ball, they have a terrific chance to win. Having Joe Mixon back aids the cause on two fronts. One, Mixon is obviously the Texans’ best running back. Two, Mixon last fumbled in 2021. The Texans probably best plan to score 25 or more points to win this one because the Packers figure to score a bit. In Love’s four starts the Pack has lit the scoreboard for 29, 29, 24, and 34 points. On the other hand, the Texans’ D has been pretty stout, allowing the third-fewest yards per game (Green Bay rates 18th). It’s a strength vs. strength battle. The Texans have allowed no opponent more than 313 yards in total offense. The Packers have amassed at least 378 yards in five of their six games, and managed 328 in their worst performance.
For Texans’ conversation, catch Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me on our Texans On Tap podcasts. Thursdays feature a preview of the upcoming game, and then we go live (then available on demand) after the final gun of the game: Texans on Tap - YouTube
The Astros are always in season for discussion. Our Stone Cold ‘Stros podcasts drop Mondays: Click here to watch!