The Big Board takes into consideration past returns, current situation/performance and expected future gains in determining who should be included among the Top 100 fantasy football players. Essentially, the Big Board is a cheat sheet designed for a GM who is planning to participate in a draft today. Half-point PPR scoring for a 1QB league format is used as the baseline for the Big Board.
* Player notes provided for the Top 50 players
CeeDee Lamb
For his entire career, Lamb has fizzled in September (15.2 PPR PPG) and sizzled thereafter – 17.2 in October, and 19.1 in both November and December.
Saquon Barkley
As the mantra goes, ”Location, location, location!” – the move to Philly has produced the best two-game season start of his fantasy career.
Breece Hall
20+ PPR points in five straight games dating back to last season – One of three RBs (Alvin Kamara, De’Von Achane) averaging 20+ touches and 1.00+ PPR points/touch.
Justin Jefferson
For his career, Jefferson has averaged 2.04 PPR points per target from Kirk Cousins and a 2.05 mark from all other QBs, so it’s no surprise he’s off and running with Sam Darnold.
Bijan Robinson
Seventh at RB in scrimmage yards (233) and getting the workload we were counting on (20.5 touch/game), but ATL offense has afforded few red zone opportunities (just 3 RZ touches, 0 TDs).
Tyreek Hill
Likely to take a value hit with Tua on IR, but if 2022 is any indication, Hill is still likely to produce as top-10 WR – he dropped six points per game in four games sans Tua in 2022, but still delivered a healthy 15.7 PPR PPG in that span.
Alvin Kamara
After a massive Week 2 effort (180 yards, 4 TDs), he sits behind only CMC and Kyren Williams for the most PPR PPG at RB from 2023 to present.
De’Von Achane
He produced 20+ PPR points in seven of his first 13 NFL regular-season games – since 1970, only five RBs have bested that number through their first 13 games (Barkley is first with 11).
Jahmyr Gibbs
After a top-10 RB finish on an average of 15.6 touches as a rookie, it’s encouraging to see his volume up (17.5) while still delivering an elite 1.00 PPR points/touch.
Amon-Ra St. Brown
He has the second most targets (25) but with just a 58.3 Catch% mark. St. Brown is still working to get on same page as QB Jared Goff – ARSB’s mark each of past three seasons has been above 74%.
Ja’Marr Chase
Slow start, but he he actually scored fewer points in his first two games of 2023 and still finished WR11 despite QB Joe Burrow missing seven games – keep the faith that the rebound is coming.
Jonathan Taylor
Going back to 2023, he has a run of 11 straight games with 10+ PPR points – his four runs of 15+ yards ties him with Josh Jacobs and J.K. Dobbins for NFL lead.
Josh Jacobs
In our ”volume is king” world, he’s the duke of the dance as only Barkley and Rhamondre Stevenson average more than his 25 touches/game.
Nico Collins
PFF’s second-highest graded WR (behind Chris Godwin) through two weeks – is Top 4 in yards per route run (3.71) and is tied with Godwin at WR for the lead with 12 first downs.
James Cook
Among RBs averaging 12+ touches, he ranks third in PPR points/touch (1.23) – He’s averaging 19.5 touches, 99.5 total yards in the past 11 games (inc. postseason) with Joe Brady as OC.
Malik Nabers
In the past 50 seasons, Puka Nacua and Anquan Boldin are the only others to combine for 15+ catches and 190+ receiving yards in the first two games of a career.
Davante Adams
With Gardner Minshew at QB, it has been business as usual for Adams: Top 8 among WRs in targets (18), receptions (14) and receiving yards (169).
James Conner
Has delivered RB1-level results with the Cards – Joe Mixon is the only other RB to average 15+ PPR PPG each season from 2021 to present (min. 10 games per season) – just needs to avoid the annual 2-4 DNPs (more than 13 games played just once in career).
Mike Evans
He’s at 15.2 PPR PPG through Week 2, which is par for the course – he’s finished above the 15-point mark in 9 of his 10 previous seasons (13.4 in 2017).
Joe Mixon
Ankle injury slowed his roll in Week 2, but Mixon is in a clear bell cow role (30 carries in Week 1) in one of the most well-rounded offenses in the NFL. He should pay ample dividends when healthy.
Derrick Henry
Still waiting for his true Baltimore breakout game, but we expected the scoring upside to be immense behind Lamar Jackson, and he has a TD in each of his first two games.
Kyren Williams
Getting the expected volume (18.5 touches/game) and has a TD in each game, but facing serious situational headwind with injuries to LAR receivers and the O-line.
A.J. Brown
Opened the season with his accustomed Top 5 WR-level production (5/129/1) but a hammy issue forced a DNP in Week 2, with Weeks 3-4 in question – the worst-case scenario seems to be holding him out through the Week 5 bye.
Garrett Wilson
Has yet to find the end zone, but 11.1 PPR PPG and a healthy 17 targets in the first two games as QB Aaron Rodgers gets his sea legs back is begrudgingly acceptable.
Marvin Harrison Jr.
The only rookie WR in NFL history to score under 2.0 PPR points (1.4) in his Week 1 debut and then 29+ PPR points in Week 2 – James Lofton (1978) was closest with exactly 2.0 points in his debut (one catch, 10 yards).
Rashee Rice
Ranks Top 5 among WRs (min. 10 targets) in YAC/reception (9.8), yards per route run (3.49) and separation yards at point of catch (4.0).
Chris Godwin
Top WR in PPR through two weeks, which is not that improbable as has was Top 15 WR in PPR PPG (min. 10 games) each season from 2019-22 – last year’s No. 36 finish masked his WR1 upside.
Travis Etienne Jr.
Despite sluggish start for JAC offense (15 PPG), he has a TD in each game and fumbled away a sure third TD in Week 1 – expect JAC to get him more involved in the passing game going forward (just five catches thus far).
Jalen Hurts
Only Josh Allen has more fantasy points from 2021 to present – Hurts has 47 rushing TDs in his past 59 games (inc. postseason).
DK Metcalf
It’s early, but he’s on pace to tie Randy Moss’s record of six straight seasons of 900+ receiving yards and 6+ receiving TDs to start his NFL career.
DeVonta Smith
Past 12 games (inc. 2023 postseason game): 71 catches, 991 yards, 6 TDs, 16.2 PPR PPG.
Zay Flowers
Fourth in the NFL with 21 targets – he leads all WRs (min. 10 targets) in yards of separation at the point of catch (4.4).
Josh Allen
He has averaged 250+ passing yards in each of past four seasons, but has been under 240 in eight of the past nine games with OC Joe Brady, and he’s averaging just 185.5 this season (sans Stefon Diggs).
Lamar Jackson
His 167 rushing yards ranks Top 10 in the NFL through two weeks, two yards more than Bijan Robinson – also sits Top 5 in pass attempts (75) and passing yards (520).
Kenneth Walker III
Looked great in Week 1 (20/103/1 rushing) but an abdominal injury knocked him out for Week 2 (and he could miss another game or two).
Rhamondre Stevenson
Second in touches/game (25.5) – currently has PFF’s fifth-highest rushing grade among RBs (min. 12 carries).
Chris Olave
His combined 15.9 PPR points in the first two games is the second-lowest two-game total of his career (10.6 in Weeks 4-5 of 2023) – a tough pill to swallow with the Saints leading the NFL at 45.5 points per game.
Brock Bowers
Leads TEs with three catches of 20+ yards (George Kittle, Zach Ertz, Brenton Strange are the only other TEs with more than one) – his 15 catches are more than twice as many than all but six TEs.
David Montgomery
Not as ”sexy” as his backfield mate Jahmyr Gibbs, but his rushing line in 19 career games with DET (inc. postseason) should get you hot and bothered: 286/1324/17.
J.K. Dobbins
Given his injury history, he’s the feel-good star of 2024, thus far: tied for most runs of 10+ yards (7), second in YAC/attempt (4.8), second in PPR points/touch (1.39).
Deebo Samuel Sr.
Back-to-back games with 18+ PPR points to open season but Samuel picked up a calf strain in Week 2 – he lands here based on reports he’ll be out just a ”couple weeks”.
Brandon Aiyuk
Aiyuk sputtered out of the starting gate after his preseason contract impasse but he will likely be leaned on heavily for at least the next 2-3 weeks while Samuel nurses that calf strain.
Brian Robinson Jr.
His 5.07 yards after contact/attempt is tops among RBs (min 20 carries) – he has been delivering RB2-level numbers since midway through the 2022 season.
Aaron Jones
Dinged up in Week 2, but he still managed 10+ PPR points (thanks to 5/36 receiving) for the eighth straight game dating back to 2023 – given his durability concerns, his 15 touches/game with MIN is a wheelhouse volume for Jones.
Patrick Mahomes II
Still a back-end QB1 despite the slow start – with RB Isiah Pacheco out, there’s a good chance KC leans more on Mahomes’ arm, perhaps getting TE Travis Kelce and rookie WR Xavier Worthy more involved in the process.
George Kittle
Breakaway king of the TEs – his 20 catches of 20+ yards from 2023 to present easily lead position in that span (Travis Kelce, David Njoku, T.J. Hockenson tied for second at 13).
Jordan Mason
He’s averaging a lofty 25 touches and 5.1 YPC, but he’s tough to rank given the unknown of CMC’s return – some of the more dire reports say it could be Week 10 or later.
Drake London
A game-winning TD drive in Week 2 at Philly, in which London scored the winning TD, offers hope that QB Kirk Cousins is starting to feel like his old self and will carry London with him. That was always the bet.
Tony Pollard
If you bet on Tyjae Spears in the TEN backfield (I’m looking at the man in the mirror), you made the wrong choice – Pollard has out-touched Spears 41-16, and is fourth among RBs (min. 20 carries) in YAC/attempt (3.85).
DJ Moore
We know he’s one of the most talented WRs in the NFL, and he’s overcome tough QB situations before, but the growing pains for rookie QB Caleb Williams look like they might be more painful for Moore than expected – at least the volume is there (18 targets, seventh among WRs).
Christian McCaffrey
Jaylen Waddle
Travis Kelce
Sam LaPorta
Kyler Murray
Anthony Richardson
Stefon Diggs
Amari Cooper
Jameson Williams
Tee Higgins
George Pickens
C.J. Stroud
Calvin Ridley
Jayden Daniels
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Trey McBride
Cooper Kupp
Michael Pittman Jr.
Jayden Reed
Najee Harris
Brian Thomas Jr.
Mark Andrews
Rachaad White
Devin Singletary
D’Andre Swift
Terry McLaurin
Puka Nacua
Zack Moss
Dalton Kincaid
Rashid Shaheed
Joe Burrow
Dak Prescott
Xavier Worthy
Javonte Williams
Raheem Mostert
Jerome Ford
Austin Ekeler
Jaylen Warren
Tank Dell
Christian Kirk
Jonathon Brooks
Jake Ferguson
Zach Charbonnet
Romeo Doubs
Jordan Addison
Jordan Love
Khalil Shakir
Diontae Johnson
Keenan Allen
Kyle Pitts
(Top photo of Saquon Barkley: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)