Early 2018 Positional Rankings
Welcome to The Watch List, a resource to help RSO owners identify the storylines, players and matchups from the college game that deserve your attention. To view my weekly picks, follow me on Twitter @robertfcowper. Check back throughout the season as The Watch List will continue to update you on who is fantasy relevant and worth your draft capital next year.
It may only be November but I think it’s time to start looking at positional rankings for 2018. I did struggle at times with these rankings as to whether they should be based on my perceived fantasy value or in what order I believe players will be drafted. Let’s say these rankings are a composite of both ideals. I will separate out the two different mindsets in my future RSO and NFL mock drafts. I have included brief notes on interesting players for each position. For more detailed play analysis follow me on Twitter @robertfcowper or read my weekly The Watch List pieces which have, and will continue to, spotlight future fantasy relevant players.
Quarterbacks
Rosen is my QB1 because he is likely the most “pro ready” of the prospects since he is playing in a pro-style system with good size and stats. Darnold looks likely to go back but if he does declare early he has hurt is stock with too many turnovers this year. You may be surprised to see Finley and Litton on my list. I have watched a bunch of NC State this year and have liked Finley’s ability to manage the game and limit mistakes. Litton is a big (6’6″ 233lb) three year starter whose stats have been consistent through each season (including 590 yards and 4 TDs in his two games versus Power Five opponents); no guarantee he comes out but I’m intrigued.
Running Backs
The top of my list is pretty “chalk” for those who have been paying attention to the college season so far. I did decide to put Chubb over Guice but they are so close it’s a pick’em. Adams and Scarborough fall out of my Top 10 because I’m concerned about their size; few RBs at their height or taller (6’2″) have had sustained production in the NFL. I sneak Jalin Moore in at RB15 because I think a team will take him for his pass protection skills as a great third down back; per Pro Football Focus he’s one of only a few RBs with a perfect “pass blocking efficiency.”
Wide Receivers
I have Ridley at WR1 even though he hasn’t put up huge numbers this season (or last). I like his consistency because even though the offense focuses on the run, he still has three or more receptions in all but four of his 38 career games. He also has a pedigree that few can match as he was the #1 receiver recruit in his class and had a breakout season as a freshman (89-1,045-7) in 2015. He’s slight, just 190lb for his 6’1″ frame, which I have to acknowledge as a big negative because I am critical of guys like Pettis and Burnett for the same reason. Read more about my Ridley opinion in my SEC season preview. Sills, Cobbs and Burnett landed on my list because of seasons that beat my expectations so far. I included two small school prospects in James and Wilson because I always need a sleeper to root for. Watch for Wilson, he’s going to be a training camp riser for whatever team he lands on.
Tight Ends
The top four on this list may not quite compare to Howard, Engram and Njoku from 2017 but it is a very good group and I bet they will creep up fantasy draft boards given how barren the position has been this season with injury and ineffectiveness. Jaylen Samuels is my favorite prospect in all of college football right now. He has stat lines like no TE ever before (56-474-3 receiving and 39-209-7 rushing this season) and will likely project more as a FB or H-Back in the NFL. Being position eligible at TE while getting goal line carries would be an incredible fantasy advantage. If he lands with a creative offense he will be the ultimate third down weapon. Never heard of Goedert or Yurachek? Don’t worry I hadn’t either before I started my research but both are big and productive so I ranked them over some other smaller athletic types.
Note: When watching film for a player in the offseason, I typically pick two games at random to watch. If game film is not available I will search for highlight reels, but keep in mind these are the best plays that player had all season so they really need to jump off the screen. I do not necessarily want to watch games where they did very well or very poorly as that may not be a great illustration of their true ability. If possible, when comparing players at the same position I also like to watch film against common opponents. Full disclosure, I am not watching film of every single game any player plays, instead I am looking for a representative sample. When researching college players I use a number of resources, I would recommend bookmarking the below sites…
- Stats: espn.com, sports-reference.com, cfbstats.com
- Film: draftbreakdown.com, youtube.com (but be wary of highlight only reels)
- Draft info and mocks: draftcountdown.com, nfldraftscout.com, walterfootball.com, mattwaldmanrsp.com, draftek.com
- Draft history: drafthistory.com
- Combine info: pro-football-reference.com, espn.com, nflcombineresults.com
- Season preview magazines: Phil Steele, Lindy’s, Street and Smith’s
- Podcasts: ESPN’s First Draft, Strong as Steele with Phil Steele, The Audible by Football Guys (specifically episodes w/ Matt Waldman), UTH Dynasty
Robert F. Cowper is a freelance writer who lives in New Jersey. Robert works as a recreation professional, specializing in youth sports, when he isn’t acting as commissioner for his many fantasy sports leagues.
