Each week, Eric Karabell ranks players by position based on their fantasy football value for the rest of the 2024 season. Use the information to optimize the players on your bench for their future potential or to gauge their value in trade. Eric's top 100 can be found below the positions in this column.
Quarterback
Rankings changes: A week after Packers starter Jordan Love dropped from QB1 to outside the top 20 due to a knee injury, Dolphins starter Tua Tagovailoa suffered a similar rankings drop, but for a far different reason. We think we know when Love may return (about a month). The Dolphins do not know when Tagovailoa, dealing with yet another concussion, will play again. Fantasy managers cannot rely on him. Those in superflex formats should add backup Skylar Thompson (and perhaps former Raven, now Dolphin Tyler Huntley) this week.
Meanwhile, Cardinals starter Kyler Murray rises to No. 6 at the position after an impressive outing against the Rams. Overall quarterback numbers are down so far, with only nine performances of 20-plus PPR points in the first two weeks, and only three of those in Week 2. Saints surprise Derek Carris the only one to reach that figure each week because, after finishing outside the top 12 fantasy quarterbacks each of the past seven seasons, of course he is.
Carr must move up, and it may seem strange to see Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and Carr ranked above several Super Bowl QBs, but we deal in current numbers, not Pro Bowl appearances and future Hall of Fame votes. Remember what Geno Smith achieved two seasons ago. It can happen. Today, Aaron Rodgers has 23.72 PPR points over two games. Jared Goff has 20.06 points. Matthew Stafford has 21.32 points. Yuck.
Running back
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Bell details Isiah Pacheco's injury
Stephania Bell details Isiah Pacheco's ankle injury for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Rankings changes: Injury is also the big news at this position, unfortunately. Week 2 roughly began with 49ers star Christian McCaffrey needing a surprise injured reserve stint for his calf problem, and by Monday morning we learned Chiefs star Isiah Pacheco broke his leg in Sunday's game. He will miss at least a month of action as well. McCaffrey was the obvious No. 1 player in fantasy entering the season, and Pacheco a top-10 running back. 49ers backup Jordan Mason rises into borderline RB1 status, while we await how the Chiefs react, but veteran Samaje Perine and rookie Carson Steele rise in our rankings.
Eric Karabell gives his analysis of Drake London's fantasy prospects this season with the Atlanta Falcons.
Rankings changes: First, the good news. After combining for 13 PPR points in Week 1, rookies Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers were among the top wide receiver scorers of Week 2, totaling 57.7 PPR points. Not that we really had any doubts. Harrison has the better quarterback and offensive situation, though, so he rises toward WR1 territory, while Nabers is more of a WR3, until proven otherwise. The Jaguars' Brian Thomas Jr. is another rookie wide receiver on the move upward.
Now, the bad news. More injuries. A trio of top NFC options will each miss multiple weeks in the Eagles' A.J. Brown (hamstring), Rams' Cooper Kupp (ankle) and 49ers' Deebo Samuel Sr. (calf). When will they return? Even their teams are merely guessing. Any future missed games are worthy of dropping in the rankings, but how much? Keep them all rostered, of course, but let's focus on young options passing them into WR2 range: the Chiefs' Rashee Rice, Falcons' Drake London and Lions' Jameson Williams. We also say farewell to the Chiefs' Hollywood Brown (shoulder), rostered in 53% of leagues. His season is over before it started.
Tight end
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Why Brock Bowers could be a 'league-winner' in fantasy
Field Yates is impressed with how Brock Bowers has come out of the gate in fantasy this season.
Rankings changes: After a rough Week 1 in which the Colts' Isaiah Likely was the lone tight end to score more than 15 PPR points, and only five reached double digits, Week 2 went modestly better, though most big names underwhelmed again. Stars Travis Kelce and Sam LaPorta combined for 4.9 PPR points. They remain at the top of the position, though they drop in the overall rankings. The lone tight end with double digit PPR points each of the first two weeks is Raiders rookie Brock Bowers. The tight end leader in catches, targets and receiving yards moves into the No. 3 spot at tight end, with room for more upward movement.
