As we round out the first full week of August, we’ve got one final rankings list for this upcoming fantasy football seasons: defenses/special teams. We all want to dominate our fantasy football drafts, so I’m here to help you out in order to gain bragging rights over all your friends with what should be your second-to-last starting pick. (note: I won;t be including a rankings list for kickers considering they’re almost all the same if they play in a decent offense)

Defenses/special teams are one of the more underwhelming fantasy positions, but they have the potential to make all the difference if given the right matchups. While only the deepest 12-team fantasy formats warrant drafting more than one D/ST, I’ll just be speaking about the top 12 units I think should be off the board. Along with each pick, I’ll list their bye week as well as their statistical finishes by the end of last season.

You can check out our 2018 fantasy rankings for other positions in the links below:

2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks

2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs

2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers

2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends

Now, let’s end these lists off with a bang. Good luck to all of you this season, and may the fantasy football gods be with you.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars (9)

2^nd in yards allowed, 2^nd in points allowed, 55.0 sacks, 21 INT, 12 FR, 2 BK, 8 TD

The Good: There’s no level of defense in which the Jaguars aren’t stellar. Their pass rush is absurd, with defensive end Calais Campbell ranking second in the NFL in sacks at age 31. Myles Jack has as much talent as any young linebacker in the league when he’s healthy. Perhaps most impressive, though, is that fact that Jacksonville already has arguably two of the top five cornerbacks in the NFL in Jalen Ramsey and AJ Bouye. The best part about those two guys? They’re only 23 and 26-years-old respectively. In short, you can’t run the ball or pass the ball against the Jaguars. This unit should be great for a long time and are an easy pick as your top defense in fantasy.

The Catch: Their schedule isn’t pretty. The AFC South is going to be considerably better than last season, as both the Texans and the Colts will have their star quarterbacks healthy. The Jags also lost to the Titans in both of their 2017-18 matchups, one of which saw them give up 36 points. Jacksonville also has to face the Patriots, Eagles, and Steelers, all of which have one of the league’s elite offenses.

2. Minnesota Vikings (10)

1^st in yards allowed, 1^st in points allowed, 37.0 sacks, 14 INT, 5 FR, 0 BK, 1 TD

The Good: When you rank first in both yards allowed and points allowed, you know you’re doing something right on defense. The Vikings were great on both sides of the ball last season, but it was mostly their defense that carried them to the NFC Championship (except, of course, for Stefon Diggs and Marcus Williams). Their defense is stacked from a personnel standpoint (especially their secondary with Xavior Rhodes at cornerback and Harrison Smith at safety) and stayed remarkably healthy last season. They could be in for another monstrous year if everything stays the same.

The Catch: Aaron Rodgers is back under center the Packers, giving the Vikings a way tougher divisional opponent than last season. Also, the first five weeks see Minnesota play at the Packers, at the Rams, and at the Eagles. You may want a backup plan early on in the season.

3. Los Angeles Rams (12)

19^th in yards allowed, 12^th in points allowed, 48.0 sacks, 18 INT, 10 FR, 5 BK, 4 TD

The Good: The Rams were probably the most aggressive team in football the past offseason, clearly in win-now mode. Acquiring cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib strengthened their secondary considerably, and placing Ndamukong Suh next to reigning Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald was just straight up unfair to the rest of the league. The Rams finished last season in the top 4 in fantasy points in most formats, and they’ve only gotten better.

The Catch: With so many new faces on the Rams defense, it’s impossible to know how they will coalesce, especially given the fact that Suh is as temperamental as it gets and Talib can be a hot head as well. We also have no idea of what’s going to happen with Aaron Donald’s contract situation as of right now. Seattle’s offense will be great once again, San Francisco will be way better than last season, and Arizona could be a surprise success, so their NFC West divisional rivals could all prove to be more competition than expected.

4. Philadelphia Eagles (9)

4^th in yards allowed, 4^th in points allowed, 38.0 sacks, 19 INT, 12 FR, 5 BK, 6 TD

The Good: There isn’t much of an argument to make against the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles being the best team in football. Their offense led by quarterback Carson Wentz is a scoring powerhouse, and their defense is almost as elite. Their 31 forced turnovers were third only to the Ravens and Jaguars, and their roster has improved considerably through the additions of defensive linemen Michael Bennett and Haloti Ngata. They are playing some pretty great offensive teams, but most of those matchups will be in Philly. Having one of the best return men of the past couple of decades in Darren Sproles fielding punts also provides a nice boost to their fantasy value when it comes to special teams.

The Catch: The Cowboys and Giants are sure to be better offensively than they were last year, making the NFC East a bit harder to navigate. The second half of their season also sees some tough matchups, as they’ll have to play at the Saints, at the Cowboys, and at the Rams leading up to and into the fantasy playoffs.

5. Los Angeles Chargers (8)

15^th in yards allowed, 3^rd in points allowed, 43.0 sacks, 18 INT, 9 FR, 1 BK, 5 TD

The Good: The Chargers finished off last season as the hottest team in football, winning six of their last seven games, only to narrowly miss the playoffs. I expect them to be a playoff team this season, and their defense should play a big role in why. They’ve got two of the best pass rushers in the game in Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, the former of whom is one of my favorites for Defensive Player of the Year. I also love the addition of safety Derwin James through the 2018 draft. They have a relatively easy schedule as well, as the AFC West is a pretty lackluster division. They also play the AFC North, which really only has one good team in the Steelers.

The Catch: Last year’s relatively large discrepancy in yards allowed and points allowed is a bit concerning, as that essentially makes the Chargers seem average in the middle of the field but excellent in the red zone. Points allowed are ultimately what matters more in fantasy (and in football in general, I suppose), but I’d like to see a bit more consistency in those rankings before I consider them a definitively elite fantasy defense.

6. Houston Texans (10)

20^th in yards allowed, 32^nd in points allowed, 32.0 sacks, 11 INT, 5 FR, 0 BK, 4 TD

The Good: Don’t let those dreadful final rankings fool you: the Texans defense will be way better this season. Defensive end JJ Watt missed nearly all of last season, and a team is bound to take a hit when arguably the best defensive player of the past decade is sidelined. They also only got five games out of Whitney Mercilus, who’s probably their second or third best defensive player; bringing in a top safety like Tyrann Mathieu is just icing on the cake. Perhaps just as important as their personnel, though, is that the Texans could very well have the easiest schedule in football.

The Catch: Houston did not have a single kickoff or punt return touchdown last season, so their special teams are very unlikely to bring much fantasy value. Fantasy owners will have to rely solely on the defense to provide points. This shouldn’t scare you away from drafting them, but it’s still something to keep in mind.

7. Baltimore Ravens (10)

12^th in yards allowed, 6^th in points allowed, 41.0 sacks, 22 INT, 12 FR, 1 BK, 8 TD

The Good: Baltimore’s defense has consistently been as safe a bet in fantasy since the turn of the century as any other team in football. They ranked second only to the Jaguars in defensive touchdowns, while also ranking just behind Jacksonville as the second best defense in fantasy last year. It could be tough to keep up that touchdown total, but Baltimore is well worth your pick.

The Catch: The end of Baltimore’s season looks rough, as they play at the Falcons, at the Chiefs, and at the Chargers throughout the fantasy postseason. They should be great during the regular fantasy season, but you might have to look elsewhere if you want to make a playoff run.

8. Denver Broncos (10)

3^rd in yards allowed, 22^nd in points allowed, 33.0 sacks, 10 INT, 7 FR, 3 BK, 4 TD

The Good: The Broncos might not be the defensive powerhouse they were over the previous few seasons, but they’re still pretty great. Linebacker Von Miller is still as good as it gets, and rookie defensive end Bradley Chubb, widely considered the best defensive player in this year’s draft, could make a huge impact in the pass rush. Denver also has a pretty easy schedule this year, so there’s reason to expect a nice bounce back.

The Catch: Losing cornerback Aqib Talib is rough, as it not only makes their pass defense worse, but it could also knock down their already average turnover total. Also, in contrast to the Chargers, their yards/points allowed discrepancy is concerning in that they tend to collapse while in the red zone. That will certainly need to improve if Denver’s defense is going to return to elite fantasy status.

9. New Orleans Saints (11)

17^th in yards allowed, 10^th in points allowed, 42.0 sacks, 20 INT, 5 FR, 1 BK, 4 TD

The Good: Honestly, when was the last time you even considered drafted a Saints defense in fantasy? New Orleans has been a “score first, ask questions later”-type team since Drew Brees took over in 2006. But 2017-18 proved to be a pretty nice turnaround season, as they finished in the top 10 in both points allowed and takeaways. Rookie defensive backs Marshon Lattimore and Marcus Williams, the former of whom won Defensive Rookie of they Year, are stars in the making and will only make this defense better as they develop.

The Catch: In terms of personnel, I need to see one more year of excellence from this defense in order to consider them as a definitive fantasy starting unit. The Saints also have a wildly difficult schedule, especially once the fantasy postseason starts to take place. Tread lightly later on in the season.

10. Carolina Panthers (4)

7^th in yards allowed, 11^th in points allowed, 50.0 sacks, 10 INT, 11 FR, 1 BK, 3 TD

The Good: The Panthers possess one of the best front-7’s in football led by the likes of linebacker Luke Kuechly and defensive tackle Kawann Short, which stifled opposing running games and finished the season ranked third in both rushing yards allowed and rushing touchdowns allowed. This being the case, teams really have to take to the air to beat them. However, their 50 sacks were also good for third in the NFL, making that difficult as well.

The Catch: As good as their front-7 is, the same cannot be said of their secondary, which is pretty much average at best. Carolina’s pass rush makes it tough for opposing quarterbacks to get their best throws off, when they do hit their receivers, it’s off to the races. It’s tough to be 100% certain in considering a defense to be a definite starting option in fantasy when their pass defense is as weak as Carolina’s is.

11. Pittsburgh Steelers (7)

5^th in yards allowed, 7^th in points allowed, 56.0 sacks, 16 INT, 6 FR, 2 BK, 1 TD

The Good: Pittsburgh’s final rankings last season were excellent, as were their NFL-leading 56 sacks. They might not be as elite as some of the Steelers’ past defensive units, but they do have one of the easiest schedules in the NFL for this upcoming season, especially given how weak the rest of the AFC North is likely to be on offense.

The Catch: The loss of Pro-Bowl linebacker Ryan Shazier to injury is like to hurt Pittsburgh’s defense considerably. Their front-7 is going to take a major hit, making it difficult for them to improve upon their 10^th place finish in rushing defense. Their sack total could also be a lot lower, and with the unlikelihood of the defense and special teams scoring many touchdowns, their fantasy value will have to rely heavily on limiting opposing teams’ scoring first and foremost. And with their offense being so good, the Steelers D will have a lot of opposing offense to keep up with.

12. New England Patriots (11)

29^th in yards allowed, 5^th in points allowed, 42.0 sacks, 12 INT, 6 FR, 3 BLK, 1 TD

The Good: It was ridiculously hard to score on New England last season, as proven by their top 5 finish in points allowed despite being toward the bottom in yards allowed. They’re the only good team in arguably the worst division in football, which helps to make their schedule relatively easy. The addition of return man Cordarrelle Patterson can be huge for their fantasy value on special teams, especially since the team as been vocal about using him as much as possible in the return game.

The Catch: With defensive mastermind Matt Patricia now the head coach of the Detroit Lions, the Patriots defense will have to work with a brand new coordinator. Given that they don’t have particularly elite talent on the offensive side of the ball, 2018-19 could be a year of adjustment for New England’s defensive unit. They also won’t be able to have Julian Edelman returning punts for the first half of the season thanks to a four-game PED suspension, which could potentially take some fantasy points away early on in the season.

Another early-August day, another fantasy football rankings list. We all want to draft as great a team as possible to garner bragging rights over all are friends, so I’m here to help you out in that quest.

Today we’ll be talking about tight ends. While most of them might not be tremendously exciting when it comes to fantasy, you might be surprised by how often huge fantasy matchups can come down to tight end play. With every player, I’ll list their stats from the 2017-18 season, as well as their bye week for this upcoming season. I’ll also include reasonings as to why they deserve a pick, as well as some negatives you might want to watch out for.

In most 12-team formats, fantasy owners typically find themselves walking away from draft day with a pair of tight ends on their roster, so I’ll be listing my top 24 picks for the position. In terms of the rankings, I’m assuming a .5-PPR format so as to be as neutral as I can be.

In case you missed our 2018 fantasy football rankings for other positions, you can check them out in the links below:

2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks

2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs

2018 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers

Let’s get down to business.

1. Rob Gronkowski, NE (11)

14 games: 69 receptions, 1,084 receiving yards, 8 TD

The Good: When you’re arguably the best to ever play your position and you haven’t even hit 30 yet, you’re a pretty good be atop your position’s fantasy rankings. The NFL has never seen the combination of size, speed, strength, quickness, and hands that Gronk possesses, making him one of the most imposing offenses threats in football today. Being thrown to by arguably the great quarterback of all time in Tom Brady doesn’t exactly hurt either. He should be the first tight end off your board.

The Catch: Injury concerns always loom over Gronk. He hasn’t played a full 16 game season since 2011-12 and is constantly at risk of seriously hurting himself given how hard he plays. Gronk is nearly guaranteed to miss at least two games.

2. Travis Kelce, KC (12)

15 games: 83 receptions, 1,038 receiving yards, 8 TD

The Good: Kelce is a surefire second best tight end in the NFL behind Gronk. He’s caught for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons and finished just shy of first place in fantasy points among tight ends in 2017-18. He might not have the immense talent Rob Gronkowski has, but he’s a close second and doesn’t come with those same injury concerns.

The Catch: The Chiefs offense is likely going to go under a major shift this season, as their going from a short, accurate pass type of quarterback in Alex Smith to a hard throwing, high-risk high-reward QB in Patrick Mahomes. Kelce should be great for Mahomes’s development as an NFL quarterback, but being wary of the shift in QB is understandable for fantasy owners.

3. Zach Ertz, PHI (9)

14 games: 74 receptions, 824 receiving yards, 8 TD

The Good: Coming off his best fantasy season to date which saw him garner his first Pro Bowl appearance, Ertz rounds out what most consider to be the easy top 3 of fantasy tight ends. He’s hit 70 receptions and 800 yards and three straight seasons and doubled his career high in touchdowns in 2017-18. With a full season of Carson Wentz at quarterback, Ertz could very well match or exceed last season’s excellent numbers.

The Catch: Ertz has yet to have an eye-popping fantasy season like Gronk or Kelce, so he probably should not be taken as high. He has a very high floor, but some guys ranked below him could have higher ceilings.

4. Evan Engram, NYG (9)

15 games: 64 receptions, 722 receiving yards, 6 TD

The Good: When wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr and Brandon Marshall both went down with season-ending injuries, Engram became Eli Manning’s top pass-catching option, and he didn’t disappoint. His rookie season was excellent, especially when you take into account the fact that opposing defenses didn’t have much else to concentrate on when it came to the passing game. Look for Engram to improve significantly this season.

The Catch: How much can you trust Eli’s arm at this point? The 37-year-old looked awful last season, throwing for his least amount of single-season yards in nearly a decade and his worst touchdown-to-interception ratio since he threw 27 picks in 2013-14. Eli’s probably not going to be getting better, making hesitation regarding Engram’s status on the tight end rankings pretty understandable.

5. Greg Olsen, CAR (4)

7 games: 17 receptions, 191 receiving yards, 1 TD

The Good: Prior to Olsen’s injury-riddled 2017-18, he had caught for over 1,000 yards and made the Pro Bowl in three straight seasons. He’s established himself as quarterback Cam Newton’s favorite receiving target, emphasized by the fact that last season saw Newton throw for the second-lowest season total of his career. With his broken foot fully recover, Olsen should come back at full strength and threaten the 1,000 yard mark once again.

The Catch: Olsen’s injury is understandably a bit scary. The broken foot had him sidelined for over two months, and his first attempt at returning resulted in him leaving the field after only being targeted once. Olsen only had one good fantasy game last season, and one can’t help but wonder if his foot can get aggravated again at some point this season.

6. Kyle Rudolph, MIN (10)

16 games: 57 receptions, 532 receiving yards, 8 TD

The Good: I’ve always felt that Kyle Rudolph was pretty under-appreciated. He’s a very talented tight end who’s always a consistently reliable receiving option for his (usually) bad quarterbacks. Now that he finally has someone as good as Kirk Cousins throwing him the ball, Rudolph could be in for his best season yet. He’s been a perennial mid-to-low tier TE1, but he could finish toward the top this season.

The Catch: We just don’t know how Rudolph and Cousins will mesh. Cousins has experience with throwing to a talented tight end, having had Jordan Reed in Washington, but Minnesota’s plethora or receiving options might take away some of Rudolph’s fantasy value.

7. Delanie Walker, TEN (8)

16 games: 74 receptions, 807 receiving yards, 3 TD

The Good: After a fantastic 2015-16 season which saw him catch 94 balls for 1,088 yards and six touchdowns, Walker has slowed down a bit, hitting 800 and 807 yards resopectively in the two seasons since. Still, that sort of consistent production is nice to have in a mid-tier TE1, and he should be pretty safe to snag in the middle rounds.

The Catch: Walker will be 34 at the start of this season, and getting older rarely ever benefits tight ends. As quarterback Marcus Mariota continues to improve, he seems to be using Walker less than he did as a more raw player. In addition, if wide receiver Corey Davis breaks out this season as many expect he could, Walker runs the possibility of losing targets.

8. David Njoku, CLE (11)

16 games: 32 receptions, 386 receiving yards, 4 TD

The Good: While his numbers weren’t exactly incredible, Njoku looked nice in his rookie season despite being on a historically terrible Cleveland Browns offense. He showed plenty of promise thanks to his combination of size and athleticism, so he clearly has plenty of potential. He will also almost definitely benefit from the change in Cleveland’s quarterback situation, making him a solid breakout candidate this season and a nice mid-to-low tier RB1.

The Catch: Quarterback Tyrod Taylor has never exactly been huge on throwing to tight ends, and rookie QB Baker Mayfield is a totally wild card when it comes to who might be his top receiving targets. Njoku’s value could be contingent on who plays quarterback for the Browns, a situation which is entirely unpredictable as of right now.

9. Jimmy Graham, GB (7)

16 games: 57 receptions, 520 receiving yards, 10 TD

The Good: Graham finally seemed to catch his stride in Seattle last season, who had finally figured out how to use him appropriately. His ten touchdowns were good enough to tie him for second in the NFL with Packers wide receiver Davante Adams, making it clear that he’s still a huge threat in the end zone. He’s also about to start playing with his third elite quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, which is never much reason to complain. With Jordy Nelson gone, Rodgers needs a new target for touchdowns, a role with Graham could certainly fill.

The Catch: Aaron Rodgers is notorious for rarely putting his tight ends to much use. Graham is the best tight end he’s ever had to work with, but old habits are tough to break, especially when you’re a 34-year-old quarterback on your way to the Hall of Fame. Graham could be great in fantasy this season, but he can also be a huge bust.

10. Jack Doyle, IND (9)

15 games: 80 receptions, 690 receiving yards, 4 TD

The Good: What impresses me most about Doyle is the fact that he had his best season as a pro with Jacoby Brissett throwing to him last year. With quarterback Andrew Luck totally healthy this season, Doyle is likely to improve even further from a fantasy perspective. He could be a nice sleeper as a low-end TE1.

The Bad: Although Luck should be healthy, his shoulder is always prone to getting hurt once again. Perhaps more troubling from a fantasy perspective, though, is the fact that that Colts have brought in Eric Ebron from the Lions as another tight end to play across from Doyle. Ebron could certainly take away some of Doyle’s opportunities.

11. Trey Burton, CHI (5)

15 games: 23 receptions, 248 receiving yards, 5 TD

The Good: One of Super Bowl LII’s heroes will get his chance to shine during this upcoming fantasy season. Burton signed a four-year, $32 million contract with Chicago this past offseason, as the Bears hope the tight end could provide a solid target for young quarterback Mitchell Trubisky in the middle of the field and the red zone. It’s tough to know where Burton’s floor lies, but his ceiling is relatively high for a fringe TE1/TE2.

The Catch: We just don’t know what Burton will look like atop a team’s tight end depth chart. He was great in the red zone last season while playing second fiddle to Zach Ertz, but we don’t have much of an idea of how he could impact the game from the opposing team’s 25 yard line. The uncertainty regarding how good Trubisky actually is doesn’t help either.

12. Jordan Reed, WAS (4)

6 games: 27 receptions, 211 receiving yards, 2 TD

The Good: Reed are potentially the third-most talented in the NFL behind Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce when he can stay on the field. He’s got a big frame and a ton of athleticism, but he’s had huge injury issues for most of his career. Nonetheless, when he’s healthy, he’s one of the best there is. He should also thrive in an Alex Smith-led offense. He’s a great option to take as a late TE1 so long as you’re okay with taking another tight end shortly afterwards.

The Catch: Reed has suffered at least five concussions over his five-year NFL career, possibly more considering he’s admitted to hiding them. He also missed nearly two-thirds of his team’s game due to a lingering foot injury. He’s a great tight end and a really valuable fantasy asset, but his health is such a huge question mark that it’s tough to totally rely on him as your top fantasy tight end.

13. Tyler Eifert, CIN (9)

2 games: 4 receptions, 46 receiving yards, 0 TD

The Good: Eifert is a huge red zone presence, as made evident by his 13 touchdowns in 2015-16. When he’s out on the field, he’s always a threat for at least one score and is essentially Cincinnati’s second-best pass catcher behind wide receiver AJ Green. All this makes him highly valuable as a plug-and-play tight end with TE1 upside when you’re low on options.

The Catch: Since his breakout season, Eifert has only played in ten games. He’s had lingering injury problems, having been sidelined for almost all of last season with a back issue which eventually required surgery. He’s a nice fantasy asset when he’s on the field, but it’s tough to trust him as a TE1 given his injury history.

14. George Kittle, SF (11)

15 games: 43 receptions, 515 receiving yards, 2 TD

The Good: 43 receptions for 515 receiving yards is a nice season for a rookie tight end. Kittle showed plenty of promise in his first NFL season, and should be even better this season with Jimmy Garoppolo quarterbacking Kyle Shanahan’s fast-paced offense. He’s a pretty safe TE2 with TE1 upside if he significantly improves in his second NFL year. So long as you’re not meaning to make him your immediate starter, there isn’t much reason not to take him in the later rounds of your draft.

The Bad: It’s rarely a guarantee that a player will have a great second NFL season if they didn’t blow minds in their rookie year. Kittle was good last season, but not unbelievably good. He shouldn’t be drafted as anything more than a backup this season.

15. Jared Cook, OAK (7)

16 games: 54 receptions, 688 receiving yards, 2 TD

The Good: Cook has been a consistently above average tight end for about eight seasons now. Since 2010-11, he’s had at least 11.9 yards per reception in every season, exceeding 13 ypr twice. He’s not the biggest red zone threat (only 19 touchdowns in nine seasons), but quarterback Derek Carr likes him enough to make him a solid plug-and-play option in most weeks.

The Catch: I feel like I’ve been hearing, “Jared Cook will be this season’s breakout fantasy tight end,” for years now, but it seems extremely unlikely at this point given the fact that he’s entering his age 31 season. What you see is what you get with Cook, in that he has a decent floor with a pretty low ceiling. He’s tough to trust as a consistent TE1.

16. Charles Clay, BUF (11)

13 games: 49 receptions, 558 receiving yards, 2 TD

The Good: Clay has been the model of consistency over his seven-year NFL career. In every season since 2014-15, he’s caught between 49 and 58 balls for 528 to 605 yards and two to four touchdowns. He’ll probably never give you anything spectacular, but he’s a dependable tight end when your starter in on bye.

The Catch: Like I said, Clay will never give you enough points to make him a safe #1 option at tight end, so he needs to be a backup if you’re going to take him given his low ceiling. The quarterback situation in Buffalo is also likely to be a mess, which will likely hurt is fantasy value.

17. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, JAX (9)

13 games: 50 receptions, 357 receiving yards, 3 TD

The Good: I’ve been sort of waiting for Seferian-Jenkins to break out for a couple of years now, but I’m starting to think that ship has sailed. Nonetheless, he provides a nice red zone presence and is usually a threat to score in most games. He could be in line for his best season yet in a Jacksonville offense that is aiming to be slow and methodical, a good situation for a tight end who isn’t particularly exciting.

The Catch: Seferian-Jenkins has not shown any reason as to why he could be trusted on a week-to-week basis. He’s fine as a plug-and-play tight end in good matchups if your starter is on a bye, but you might waste a pick if you take him as your #1 tight end.

18. Ricky Seals-Jones, ARI (9)

10 games: 12 receptions, 201 receiving yards, 3 TD

The Good: I like Seals-Jones as a sleeper this season. The second-year man out of Texas A&M is a monstrous human being, standing at 6’5” and 243 pounds. This alone makes him a solid red zone presence, made evident by the fact that a quarter of his catches went for touchdowns. He had two of the best tight end fantasy performances during the latter half of 2017-18 and will likely be in for a bigger year if rookie quarterback Josh Rosen takes the field and is as good as most of us expect him to be.

The Bad: Much like George Kittle, there’s no safety in drafting someone going into their sophomore season after not having a fantastic rookie year. Seal-Jones will still have to battle Jermaine Gresham for tight end snaps, and some relatively minor assault charges from July could result in some sort of disciplinary action from the NFL.

19. Austin Hooper, ATL (8)

16 games: 49 receptions, 526 receiving yards, 3 TD

The Good: Few offensive players are in a better situation than Hooper, as Atlanta aims to attack on the offensive side of the ball as much as any team in the NFL. His second season was a massive improvement over his first, in that he more than doubled his receptions and nearly did the same for his receiving yards. Hooper is a very athletic tight end in a great situation, making him a solid TE2 with a bit of TE1 upside.

The Catch: Hooper only had one truly great fantasy performance last season, which came in Week 1 against Chicago. Afterwards, he didn’t show any sort of reliability that could warrant consistent TE1 classification. He was basically a non-factor from Week 11 on.

20. Cameron Brate, TB (5)

16 games: 48 receptions, 591 receiving yards, 6 TD

The Good: Brate took a small step back from his solid 2016-17 fantasy season last year, but was still serviceable as a fringe TE1/TE2. His touchdown total is enough to make him a solid bye week replacement tight end, and he has the potential to put up TE1 numbers when given the opportunity.

The Catch: Quarterback Jameis Winston will be suspended for the first three games of the season, limiting Brate’s value as a starting fantasy tight end right out of the gate. He’ll also be competing for tight end snaps with OJ Howard, who has the talent to monopolize opportunities at the position.

21. Eric Ebron, IND (9)

16 games: 53 receptions, 574 receiving yards, 4 TD

The Good: Ebron has been a perennial low-tier TE1 draft choice since he came into the league in 2014. This was mainly due to his status as a top 10 NFL draft choice and being in a good situation in Detroit. While, he hasn’t quite lived up to those expectations from a fantasy perspective, he’s only 25 and still has plenty of time to improve. He’s also going to have Andrew Luck throwing him the ball, which certainly helps.

The Catch: Ebron is a clear backup tight to Jack Doyle, which is rarely a good thing in fantasy. Doyle and Luck have already established some nice chemistry, so Ebron will really have to flourish if he’s going to be relevant in fantasy.

22. Benjamin Watson, NO (6)

16 games: 61 receptions, 522 receiving yards, 4 TD

The Good: Watson has never been an elite fantasy tight end, but he’s had seasons in which he’s put up fringe TE1/TE2 numbers. He revitalized his career in 2015-16, his last with the Saints before returning this season. He’s atop a Drew Brees-led team’s depth chart at his position, which is always a huge boost to anyone’s fantasy value. Consider Watson a safe, low-end TE2 for now.

The Catch: Watson will turn 38 this December, making him very old for a player at a playmaking position. He doesn’t have the athleticism he once did, and is unlikely to improve on what we’ve seen over the past few seasons. There isn’t much to be excited about here.

23. OJ Howard, TB (5)

14 games: 26 receptions, 432 receiving yards, 6 TD

The Good: Howard had a nice rookie season which saw him tie for his team’s lead in touchdowns. That isn’t necessarily saying much considering how bad the Bucs were last year, but it’s still impressive for a rookie tight end to come in and immediately take that spot. Howard stands at 6’6” and weighs 251 pounds, making him bigger than just about anyone a defense might throw at him, and he’s got the athleticism to be a big fantasy producer if given the opportunity.

The Catch: See: Cameron Brate, except reverse the tight ends’ names.

24. Hayden Hurst, BAL (10)

Rookie

The Good: A first round pick in the 2018 NFL draft, Hurst starts out his rookie season atop Baltimore’s tight end depth chart. Given the fact that the Ravens were so high on him, they likely plan to make him a big fixture in their offense for years to come. He’s a really talented player who could be a nice plug-and-play tight end in the right matchups if he proves himself to be fantasy viable right out of the gate.

The Catch: Rookie tight ends are never, ever safe fantasy bets because we never know how their teams plan to utilize them right out of the bat. But even putting that aside, quarterback Joe Flacco just isn’t good and could easily be replaced by rookie QB Lamar Jackson if he plays poorly enough and the fans express that they’re done with him. This uncertainty at the quarterback position does not bode well for Hurst’s fantasy value in the first season of his NFL career.

We’re about a week into August and fantasy football preparation time is in full swing. We all want to do as much research as we can in order to maximize our drafting prowess, and I’m here to help you out.

Today, we’ll be taking a look at arguably the most crucial position in fantasy when it comes to drafting well: running backs. A consistently great fantasy running back is tough to find, so you’re always going to want to go after players who you know will produce week in and week out.

Since most 12-team league formats allow owners to start a maximum of three running backs at a time, I’ll be talking about my top 36 picks in the position for this year. These rankings are based on a .5-PPR format so as to be as neutral as possible. As I list each player, I’ll also show you their 2017-18 stats, as well as their bye weeks in this upcoming season. Perhaps more importantly, I’ll talk about why they deserve your pick, as well as a catch which might make you hesitant, because everyone’s got their caveats.

If you missed the list of our 2018 fantasy football rankings for quarterbacks, you can check that out right here.

Let’s dive in.

1. Todd Gurley, LAR (12)

15 games: 1,305 rushing yards, 13 TD; 64 receptions, 788 receiving yards, 6 TD

The Good: There’s no wrong answer to the “Todd Gurley or Le’Veon Bell first overall” debate, but I would personally go with Gurley. He came off of a sophomore slump campaign with an amazing 2017-18 season in which he led the league in both touchdowns and yards from scrimmage. He took home Offensive Player of the Year honors and I cannot tell you how many times I heard people, including myself, say, “Gurley won me a fantasy championship last season.” He’s as good as it gets.

The Catch: You could argue that his bad 2016-17 could be a turn off or that the addition of wide receiver Brandin Cooks could take the ball out of his hands a few times a game, but those can both be brushed aside rather easily.

2. Le’Veon Bell, PIT (7)

15 games: 1,291 rushing yards, 9 TD; 85 receptions, 655 receiving yards, 2 TD

The Good: While Gurley’s pure volume and explosiveness are enough to sell me on taking him first overall, Bell is probably the best all around running back in football right now. He is consistently at the top of the league in yards from scrimmage and catches the ball as well as any back in the NFL. On the ground, his patience and ability to read defenses is unparalleled, making him a bonafide top 2 pick.

The Catch: Bell has been somewhat injury prone over the course of his career and is always one failed drug test away from a suspension, but those can largely be ignored. My only real concern is his explicit discontent with his situation on the Steelers, which could potentially negatively affect his play and/or playing time.

3. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL (8)

10 games: 983 rushing yards, 7 TD; 26 receptions, 269 receiving yards, 2 TD

The Good: When Zeke is on the field, there’s no better pure runner in football. He is crazy quick and savvy beyond his years, making him an elite RB1 option. He’s also arguably the focal point of a Cowboys offense which sees him running behind what is probably the best offensive line in football. He will always be a huge threat to produce huge fantasy numbers.

The Catch: Elliott clearly has character issues, as was made apparent by last year’s domestic violence suspension. He just needs to stay out of trouble, which he’s hopefully mature enough to do.

4. David Johnson, ARI (9)

1 game: 23 rushing yards, 0 TD; 6 receptions, 67 receiving yards, 0 TD

The Good: When Johnson went down with a broken wrist in Week 1, thousands of fantasy seasons were lost, given the fact that he was widely regarded as a universal top 4 pick. And for good reason too: Johnson is as good a running back as any in the NFL. He gets a ton of yards on the ground as well as through the air, making him a PPR dream. The Cardinals offense will consistently run through him as they, presumably, work rookie quarterback Josh Rosen into life as an NFL QB.

The Catch: The season-ending injury was scary, but the wrist is very rarely the place on the body which regularly worries running backs. Johnson will likely be totally fine moving forward.

5. Alvin Kamara, NO (6)

16 games: 728 rushing yards, 8 TD; 81 receptions, 826 receiving yards, 5 TD

The Good: Oh my god was Kamara special last season. He exploded onto the scene in the latter half of 2017-18, acting as the top non-QB in fantasy toward the end of the season. He took home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors for his efforts, and proved himself to be among the most explosive players in the NFL on the ground and a huge threat through the air. He was nearly impossible to take down and could have the highest ceiling of anybody in fantasy this year.

The Catch: Taking a player who only saw success in the second half of their rookie season could prove to be too risky for some fantasy owners, which is understandable. Fellow Saints running back Mark Ingram is also coming off a nice season and he could steal some goal line touchdowns once he comes back from his four game suspension. However, Kamara is so insanely talented that I think it’s safe to look past both of those points.

6. Kareem Hunt, KC (12)

16 games: 1,327 rushing yards, 8 TD; 53 receptions, 455 receiving yards, 3 TD

The Good: Had it not been for Kamara’s ridiculous season, Hunt would’ve run away with Offensive Rookie of the Year. After losing a fumble on literally his first run as a pro, Hunt spent the remainder of the season as one of the best running backs in football. He was the focus of Andy Reid’s offense, and it looks to stay that way with second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes being eased into NFL life.

The Catch: A lot of Hunt’s value could ride on Mahomes. If Mahomes is great, tons of opportunities will open up for Hunt, but if he’s bad, defenses will focus mainly on stopping the run. Still, Hunt’s talent and projected volume is enough to warrant a mid-first round pick.

7. Leonard Fournette, JAX (9)

13 games: 1,040 rushing yards, 9 TD; 36 receptions, 302 receiving yards, 1 TD

The Good: Had he not missed three games, Fournette could have very well finished with better rushing numbers that Kareem Hunt did. At 6’1” and 228 pounds, Fournette is bigger than most running backs, but he’s as quick and agile as anyone. He can also pound the ball up the middle with the best of them. The Jaguars have vocally expressed their desire to be a run-first team, so expect Fournette to get a ton of touches this season.

The Catch: Fournette has had nagging ankle injuries since his days at LSU, which is never a good look for a running back. He’s fantastic when on the field, but his health could raise a bit of a concern.

8. Saquon Barkley, NYG (9)

Rookie

The Good: Barkley is viewed by many as the best incoming rookie this season, and with good reason. He’s a fantastic runner, can catch the ball very well, and had one of the best combines anyone’s seen in a long time. He’s entering into a Giants offense which expects him to be the workhorse from the onset. The sky is the limit for this guy.

The Catch: No matter how great they may seem, there’s always that risk that comes along with drafting a rookie in the first round of a fantasy draft. Barkley looks as capable as anybody of having an incredible rookie season, but you can never know for sure.

9. Melvin Gordon, LAC (8)

16 games: 1,105 rushing yards, 8 TD; 58 receptions, 476 receiving yards, 4 TD

The Good: Gordon has steadily improved as his young career has worn on, increasing both his yards on the ground and through the air on a yearly basis. With quarterback Philip Rivers getting older and the team around him improving, there’s no reason to expect this trend to end this season. He’s also scored a nice 12 touchdowns in each of the last two seasons, and it’s entirely possible for him to exceed that number as well.

The Catch: Gordon had twice has many games rushing for under 40 yards (four) than he did rushing for over 100 yards (two), making him not entirely reliable on a week-to-week basis. He’s a nice early-to-mid second round draft choice, but watch out for his matchups.

10. Dalvin Cook, MIN (10)

4 games: 354 rushing yards, 2 TD; 11 receptions, 90 receiving yards, 0 TD

The Good: Cook might have only played in four games in his rookie season, but he looked excellent before tearing his ACL in Week 4. Three of those four games saw him garner over 5 yards per carry, which is incredibly impressive considering his youth. His 88.5 rushing yards per game would also be good for second in the NFL, assuming he kept up that pace (his limited season makes it so that this stat doesn’t qualify among league leaders). He’s explosive, exciting, and could be in for a huge season with quarterback Kirk Cousins leading Minnesota’s offense.

The Catch: The classic fear of drafting a running back coming off an ACL tear is always warranted, especially when that player has only played in four games in his career. Cook has plenty of upside, but his career starting out this way is a bit troubling.

11. Devonta Freeman, ATL (8)

14 games: 865 rushing yards, 7 TD; 36 receptions, 317 receiving yards, 1 TD

The Good: After a pair of consecutive 1,000 yard seasons in which he scored 14 and 13 touchdowns respectively, Freeman took a bit of a step back in 2017-18, which takes him out of the first round for me. Nonetheless, he’s still the lead back in Atlanta’s high-octane offense and is a solid low-end RB1.

The Catch: Each of the past three seasons has seen Atlanta’s other key back, Tevin Coleman, take more and more snaps away from Freeman. Coleman is entering a contract year and will be playing his heart out in order to get some big money (presumably elsewhere), which could hinder Freeman’s fantasy value a bit.

12. Joe Mixon, CIN (9)

14 games: 626 rushing yards, 4 TD; 30 receptions, 287 receiving yards, 0 TD

The Good: It took Mixon a while to take the role of Cincinnati’s lead back during his rookie season, but he had some flashes of excellence when he finally got his chance. With Jeremy Hill now a Patriot, it’s Mixon’s time to show the Bengals that he’s their running back of the future. He’s a big fantasy breakout candidate for me this season.

The Catch: Mixon had a very up and down rookie year and didn’t show quite enough promise to consider him a definitive RB1. Fellow running back Giovani Bernard will definitely steal a lot of third down and receiving work from Mixon as well.

13. Jerick McKinnon, SF (11)

16 games: 570 rushing yards, 3 TD; 51 receptions, 421 receiving yards, 2 TD

The Good: After Dalvin Cook went down for the season, McKinnon more or less became Minnesota’s lead back and performed pretty well. He’s got some serious big play ability and thrives on the receiving end of the ball, making it so that he could have some nice fantasy value in Kyle Shanahan’s 49er offense, especially if he continues to develop chemistry with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

The Catch: McKinnon is entering a brand new offense, as is his quarterback, so we don’t have much of an idea of how he might adjust to his change in scenery. He’s a safe RB2 with RB1 upside, especially in full-PPR leagues, but there’s no way to tell as of right now.

14. Christian McCaffrey, CAR (4)

16 games: 435 rushing yards, 2 TD; 80 receptions, 651 receiving yards, 5 TD

The Good: McCaffrey was one of those guys who was kind of hard to judge going into his rookie season. He’s immensely talented, but he’s a pass-first running back entering a team with a quarterback notorious for rarely throwing to guys in the backfield. Well, Cam Newton seems to have adjusted, as McCaffrey had a pretty solid rookie season, and will now assume lead back duties with Jonathan Stewart now with the Giants. He could be in for a big year and could be huge in full-PPR formats.

The Bad: With lead back duties come lots of rushes, which wasn’t McCaffrey’s strong suit last year. His 3.7 yards per carry ranked 34^th among qualified players, a number which will need to improve if he will receive the carries necessary to warrant RB1 classification, especially in non-PPR formats.

15. LeSean McCoy, BUF (11)

16 games: 1,138 rushing yards, 6 TD; 59 receptions, 448 receiving yards, 2 TD

The Good: If you like consistency, you like Shady McCoy. Whenever he’s healthy, you know he’s going to give you 1,100 yards and 7-10 touchdowns, making him a sort of high floor, medium ceiling kind of guy. This makes him a very solid RB2.

The Catch: McCoy is entering his age 30 season, which is typically the start of a running back’s decline. The uncertainty regarding Buffalo’s quarterback situation as well as McCoy’s personal legal difficulties is also pretty troublesome.

16. Alex Collins, BAL (10)

15 games: 973 rushing yards, 6 TD; 23 receptions, 187 receiving yards, 0 TD

The Good: For much of the latter half of the season, Collins was one of the better running backs in fantasy and was an excellent waiver-wire pickup for thousands of fantasy owners. Collins became the lead back with Kenneth Dixon injured, and still scored six touchdowns in November and December despite Javorius Allen getting a lot of the Ravens’ goal line opportunities. Collins could be primed for a real breakout campaign.

The Catch: Dixon is now healthy and the Ravens seem to like him quite a bit, so Collins could very well end up splitting carries with two other players this season (Allen being the other). This, along with quarterback Joe Flacco’s eternal mediocrity, could potentially limit Collins’s fantasy value.

17. Jay Ajayi, PHI (9)

14 games: 873 rushing yards, 1 TD; 24 receptions, 158 receiving yards, 1 TD

The Good: After a fantastic 2016-17 fantasy campaign, Ajayi got off to a very slow start in 2017-18. This can be heavily attributed to his displeasure with his situation in Miami, and his season drastically turned around after being traded away to Philadelphia midseason, as he went from averaging 3.4 yards per carry in Miami to 5.8 yards per carry in Philly. Playing the role of the feature running back behind one of the best offensive lines in football, Ajayi is a solid RB2 with potential RB1 upside.

The Catch: With Corey Clement and Darren Sproles sharing the backfield, Ajayi is unlikely to see much action in the passing game, and his third down usage could take a hit as well. He also hasn’t had quite enough fantasy success in the NFL to make him a definitive second round player, given that he really only had one great fantasy season.

18. Jordan Howard, CHI (5)

16 games: 1,122 rushing yards, 9 TD; 23 receptions, 125 receiving yards, 0 TD

The Good: After having a huge breakout rookie season in 2016-17, Howard came back with a solid, albeit less exciting, 2017-18 season. With second year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky taking the helm, Chicago should utilize Howard plenty as Trubisky develops as an NFL QB.

The Bad: As is the case for any running back with a relatively young quarterback, if the QB is bad, it could spell trouble for the RB. If Trubisky doesn’t live up to the hype, defenses will be able to focus mostly on stopping the run. Fellow running back Tarik Cohen is also bound to take away a lot of pass-catching opportunities from Howard.

19. Derrick Henry, TEN (8)

16 games: 744 rushing yards, 5 TD; 11 receptions, 136 yards, 1 TD

The Good: With DeMarco Murray retired, Tennessee’s lead running back role is Henry’s to lose. He played very well in the playoffs, including a great 4^th quarter run in the Wild Card round to shut down the Chiefs. Playing behind an elite offensive line and an improving quarterback in Marcus Mariota, Henry could be a great value pick in the third or fourth round.

The Catch: The Titans have brought in running back Dion Lewis from the Patriots, and they’ve said that they could plan on using the two of them in a sort of committee. Even if Henry remains the lead back, he’ll lose a good amount of receptions and third downs to Lewis.

20. Kenyan Drake, MIA (11)

16 games: 644 rushing yards, 3 TD; 32 receptions, 239 receiving yards, 1 TD

The Good: With Jay Ajayi in Philadelphia, Drake took over as Miami’s feature back toward the end of last season and did not disappoint. Over the five starts in which Drake had at least 10 carries, he averaged 118.8 yards from scrimmage per game and 4.9 yards per carry. He’s extremely efficient and should easily get over 230 carries this season.

The Catch: Other than Drake, there isn’t much else to like about Miami’s offense. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is coming off an ACL tear and Pro Bowl wide receiver Jarvis Landry has been sent off to Cleveland. Drake will also be conceding some carries to Frank Gore, but it’s mostly the fact that Miami doesn’t have much else for defenses to worry about that concerns me more.

21. Derrius Guice, WAS (4)

Rookie

The Good: The second-round pick out of LSU enters a situation in Washington which should present him with a pretty heavy workload for a rookie. The Redskins don’t have a ton of options to run the ball, especially considering that Chris Thompson is more of a receiving back, and any offense run by quarterback Alex Smith has historically been very friendly to running backs. Guice could have a really nice rookie year.

The Bad: Guice’s rookie success will likely rely on how Alex Smith and Washington’s coaches run the offense. Smith is notoriously a system quarterback who needs to be in the perfect situation in order to succeed, so if Washington might muck things up if they can’t be on the same page as their quarterback. Guice will also be limited in PPR formats given the excellence of Chris Thompson in the passing game.

22. Lamar Miller, HOU (10)

16 games: 888 rushing yards, 3 TD; 36 receptions, 327 receiving yards, 3 TD

The Good: Miller starts off the season at the top of Houston’s running back depth chart, a spot which he has secured as of right now. He has plenty of talent and can be pretty efficient, with last season being the only one of his career in which he failed to rush for at least 4.0 yards per carry. His place atop the depth chart makes it so that he’ll get a minimum of 200 or so touches, so he has some good value as a RB2.

The Catch: With quarterback Deshaun Watson back, Houston will run heavily through their young leader under center. Watson can run just as well as he can throw it, and Miller’s volume or carries could be limited, especially given the fact that D’Onta Foreman and Alfred Blue have also shown that they can be effective in the running game. Not helping is the fact that Houston’s offensive line is still among the league’s worst.

22. Rashaad Penny, SEA (7)

Rookie

The Good: Have the Seahawks finally found their running back of the future? Quarterback Russell Wilson sure hopes so. Seattle was only one of two teams in the NFL last season whose rushing leader was not a running back (the other being Carolina), and as great as Wilson is, he needs some backup out there. Penny should get plenty of work in during his rookie year, giving him some nice upside.

The Catch: Seattle didn’t do much to improve their dismal offensive line, and Penny could really struggle against opposing defenses. The Seahawks have also not had much success at running back post-Marshawn Lynch, so it’s hard to tell exactly how they would utilize Penny on a consistent basis.

24. Chris Thompson, WAS (4)

10 games: 294 rushing yards, 2 TD; 39 receptions, 510 receiving yards, 4 TD

The Good: A secret weapon which might not be so secret anymore, Thompson was the only player last season who, while playing, led his team in both rushing and receiving. Although Derrius Guice will likely get the most touches on the ground, Alex Smith-led offenses often utilize passing backs pretty heavily, so Thompson could be in for a fantastic PPR year, especially given his big play ability.

The Catch: Thompson is coming off a season-ending leg injury, which is always a concern for running backs. The high possibility losing touches to Guice will also hurt his value in non-PPR formats.

25. Ronald Jones II, TB (5)

Rookie

The Good: As preseason training continues to develop, Jones looks more and more primed to take over as Tampa’s lead running back going into this season. With Doug Martin now a Raider, Jones’s only real competition for the job is Peyton Barber, who didn’t look like anything special last season. Jones should be given a nice workload to start off his NFL career.

The Catch: Quarterback Jameis Winston took a step back in his development last season, which didn’t bode well for Tampa’s running backs. Winston is also suspended for the first three games of the season, so Jones won’t have much room to do a whole lot to start the season.

26. Royce Freeman, DEN (10)

Rookie

The Good: Devontae Booker is starting off the season atop the Broncos running back depth chart, but Freeman looks primed to take over the top spot as the season wears on. He was a star at Oregon and Booker wasn’t terribly impressive last season, so Denver will likely look to Freeman in order to get their offense moving behind newly acquired quarterback Case Keenum.

The Catch: The AFC West has some of the best defensive players in the NFL, so Freeman will have a lot to go up against early on in his career. He’s also not guaranteed as many carries as fantasy owners might like, but he should be sufficient as a RB2 as the season moves forward and could have some nice keeper value.

27. Mark Ingram, NO (6)

16 games: 1,124 rushing yards, 12 TD; 58 receptions, 416 receiving yards, 0 TD

The Good: Ingram is coming off his best season as a pro, from both practical and fantasy perspectives. Although Alvin Kamara’s insane rookie season likely plants him as the Saints’ key running back, Ingram should still get plenty of touches and goal line opportunies.

The Bad: It’s weird to list someone coming off their best season as a pro as no more than a fringe RB2/FLEX, but I can’t help but do it for Ingram. He’ll miss the first four games of the season due to a suspension, and Kamara will assume lead back duties all season. If Kamara goes ballistic during those first four games without Ingram, the Saints might limit Ingram even further as the season goes on so as to not fix what ain’t broke.

28. Dion Lewis, TEN (8)

16 games: 896 rushing yards, 6 TD; 32 receptions, 214 receiving yards, 3 TD

The Good: Lewis has serious big play ability and is supposedly going to work with Derrick Henry in Tennessee’s running back committee. He will also be the best pass-catching option Marcus Mariota has had out of the backfield to date, and given the fact that Tennessee awarded him a four-year deal worth nearly $20 million, they should utilize Lewis enough to make him fantasy relevant, even more so in PPR formats.

The Catch: Derrick Henry will likely get most of the first and second down work for the Titans, which might force Lewis’s fantasy value to rely on his big play ability as opposed to the volume one might hope for in a fantasy running back. He could be a reliable RB2, but his ceiling is pretty low.

29. Marshawn Lynch, OAK (7)

15 games: 891 rushing yards, 7 TD; 20 receptions, 151 receiving yards, 0 TD

The Good: Lynch disappointed last year after coming out of retirement in order to join the Raiders, putting up his worst nearly-full season statistics since 2010. However, he could improve upon last season’s numbers, with new coach Jon Gruden liking ground-and-pound type offenses, a style which suits Lynch perfectly. His value should also shoot up if quarterback Derek Carr continues to improve. He’s a solid FLEX option.

The Catch: Beast Mode is entering his age 32 season, a mark which very rarely showcases a running back’s highest capabilities on the field. His athleticism and speed are both decreasing as time moves on, and you can’t expect this season to be any better than the last in that regard. And while Gruden could prove to be a great coach for Lynch’s play style, we can’t be sure given the fact that Gruden hasn’t coached in the NFL in over a decade.

30. Sony Michel, NE (11)

Rookie

The Good: With James White being a pass-first back, it’s safe to say that Michel will eventually lead the Patriots in carries, especially given the fact that New England drafted him in the first round. They hadn’t drafted a running back that early in a long time, so they clearly believe in him.

The Catch: Running backs behind quarterback Tom Brady have never had much fantasy success given their lack of volume. Brady might be 41, but the Pats are still a pass-first offense, and given White’s and Rex Burkhead’s presences in the past, Michel might not get all the touches fantasy owners might like.

31. Duke Johnson Jr, CLE (11)

16 games: 348 rushing yards, 4 TD; 74 receptions, 693 receiving yards, 3 TD

The Good: As newly acquired veteran Carlos Hyde and rookie Nick Chubb battle it out for the lead in the run game, Johnson is clearly the favorite to get most of Cleveland’s receiving work out of the backfield. Getting himself over 1,000 yards from scrimmage, he was basically the lone bright spot for Cleveland’s historically terrible offense last season. He might not get as much usage on the ground as he did last year, but Johnson could be a nice FLEX play in good matchups.

The Catch: The fact that he might not have a high volume of carries limits Johnson’s value in non-PPR formats. The Browns offense also went through a complete overhaul this offseason and it’s impossible to tell exactly who will be used and how much. Cleveland’s offense will be significantly better in one way or another, but determining what that way would be before the season starts is tough.

32. Tevin Coleman, ATL (8)

15 games: 628 rushing yards, 5 TD; 27 receptions, 299 receiving yards, 3 TD

The Good: Coleman is about a strong a handcuff as they come: he gets a good amount of playing time despite playing second fiddle to Devonta Freeman, and he plays well when he gets his chances. He’s an amazing play if Freeman goes down, and this being a contract year, he’s going to be working real hard to get some money somewhere. This makes him a super valuable keeper option.

The Catch: Coleman is firmly a backup in Atlanta’s offense and doesn’t provide real starter value unless Freeman gets hurt. He’s a decent desperation start given his high probability of scoring relative to other backup RBs, but he’s never guaranteed to produce on a week-to-week basis.

33. Marlon Mack, IND (9)

14 games: 358 rushing yards, 3 TD; 21 receptions, 225 receiving yards, 1 TD

The Good: Mack is atop Indy’s running back depth chart as of right now, making the second-year man a big favorite to lead the Colts in carries this season. With quarterback Andrew Luck back on the field after missing all of last season, Indy’s high-powered offense should be hitting opponents in full strength. This should provide Mack with plenty of opportunities to succeed, making him a solid sleeper pick this season.

The Catch: His small, relatively unimpressive sample size holds me back from listing Mack has anything more than a FLEX option as of right now. He wasn’t great last year, but that was strongly due to Luck’s absence. Mack could have some nice value in the middle rounds, but there’s no way to be entirely confident in him.

34. Tarik Cohen, CHI (5)

16 games: 370 rushing yards, 2 TD; 53 receptions, 353 receiving yards, 1 TD

The Good: Jordan Howard might be the ground-and-pound guy for the Bears, but Cohen presents Chicago with a versatile weapon who can drop out of the backfield and make plays as a receiver. He’ll be a nice dump out option for Mitchell Trubisky, making him a solid FLEX option, especially in PPR formats.

The Catch: While Cohen’s play on the field was impressive enough his rookie year, recording only three touchdowns was certainly underwhelming. Even if his number of receptions increases (which It should), Cohen needs to reach the end zone more often if he’s going to be a true fantasy asset.

35. Jamaal Williams, GB (7)

16 games: 556 rushing yards, 4 TD; 25 receptions, 262 receiving yards, 2 TD

The Good: Williams starts of the season atop Green Bay’s running back depth chart, having finished last season off as more or less the top back on the Packers. From Week 10 onward, he only had one game in which he carried the ball less than 15 times and looked pretty solid during that span. He still faces competition from Aaron Jones and Ty Montgomery, but if you’re going to draft a Packers running back, it should probably be Williams.

The Catch: For all we know, there could be a three man rotation in the Packers backfield behind quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Green Bay hasn’t really had a solid, consistent running back throughout most of Rodgers’s tenure as a starter. This is certainly in part due to the fact that the Packers are by far a pass-first team, so it’s never easy to draft any running back playing in Green Bay as a completely reliable starting option.

36. Isaiah Crowell, NYJ (11)

16 games: 853 rushing yards, 2 TD; 28 receptions, 182 receiving yards, 0 TD

The Good: Crowell had a disappointing 2017-18 after he was taken in the third or fourth round by a good amount of fantasy owners, but that could be chalked up to Cleveland’s inept offense. The Jets signed him to a three-year deal worth around $12 million, a number which indicates that they have plans to use him more than a backup.

The Catch: Crowell is not currently listed as the number one running back on the Jets roster and will likely split most of his time on the field with Bilal Powell. The Jets uncertainty at quarterback, as well as a pretty bad offensive line, makes drafting Crowell as anything but a bench player tough to justify.

It’s finally here, folks: fantasy football season is upon us, and all of us football nuts are getting ready for our various drafts to take place. We all want the best players we can get, so I’m here to help you out in your journey toward fantasy domination.

Today, we’ll take a look at quarterbacks, usually the highest scoring position on your team. With every player, I’ll list their stats from the 2017-18 season as well as their bye weeks. You’ll also find some reasonings for why they deserve your pick, as well as a potential catch or two, because nobody’s perfect, right?

With most 12-team league formats, fantasy owners tend to take two quarterbacks on draft day, so here are my top 24 fantasy quarterbacks for this season, as well as a few bonus guys just in case you think I missed someone you’re hoping for.

1. Aaron Rodgers, GB (Bye Week: 7)

7 games: 1,675 passing yards, 16 TD, 6 INT; 126 rushing yards, 0 TD

The Good: Rodgers is the best quarterback in football, both from a fantasy perspective as well as from a “who I would want to lead my team for a season” point of view. He has consistently finished every season right at the top of the list in terms of fantasy points when he’s played he’s played in all 16 games, so this year should be no different. He’s as safe as it gets.

The Catch: He played in less than half of his team’s games last year due to a broken collarbone, an injury which as affected him in the past, although there’s not much reason to think it should happen a third time. He also lost his top target in wide receiver Jordy Nelson to the Raiders, which could hurt a bit.

2. Russell wilson, sea (7)

16 games: 3,983 passing yards, 34 TD, 11 INT; 586 rushing yards, 3 TD

The Good: Wilson may not be the second-best quarterback in football, but his fantasy value is almost unparalleled. A threat through both the pass and the run, he finished last season as the best player in all of fantasy football. Also, with the Legion of Boom all but depleted, he’ll need to score even more now that Seattle’s defense will be considerably worse than in the past.

The Catch: The Seahawks have done next to nothing to improve one of the worst offensive lines in football. Wilson was constantly running for his life last season, which could certainly be the case this year as well. That’s never a plus when it comes to fantasy.

3. Tom brady, ne (11)

16 games: 4,577 passing yards, 32 TD, 8 INT; 28 rushing yards, 0 TD

The Good: As much as most of us don’t want to admit it, Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time, and his 2017-18 MVP season at the age of 40 was just icing on the cake. He has not missed a single game due to injury since 2009 and shows absolutely no sign of slowing down.

The Catch: “Father Time is undefeated” and all that cannot be ignored, but Brady has defied that arguably more than any other athlete in the history of American pro sports. However, he did lose key weapons in wide receivers Brandin Cooks and Danny Amendola this past offseason and Julian Edelman will be suspended for the first four games of the season.

4. Carson Wentz, PHI (9)

13 games: 3,296 passing yards, 33 TD, 7 INT; 299 rushing yards, 0 TD

The Good: Wentz spent nearly all of 2017 showing that he’s the next great quarterback in the NFL and was well on his way to the MVP before suffering a season-ending ACL tear in Week 14. Nonetheless, he should come back at full strength for 2018, and the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles have only gotten better through some nice roster moves this past offseason.

The Catch: It’s always scary to drat a player coming off a late-season ACL tear, but that’s really the only downside. Wentz is not supposed to miss much time, if any at all, so he should still be a great fantasy pick.

5. deshaun watson, HOU (10)

7 games: 1,699 passing yards, 19 TD, 8 INT; 269 rushing yards, 2 TD

The Good: Wow, just…wow. Watson was absolutely magnificent during his rookie campaign and was on pace to demolish every rookie quarterback record in the books prior to tearing his ACL in practice leading into Week 9. He has amazing chemistry with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, and the two should become one of the best QB-WR duos in the NFL as time moves forward. He can also run the bell really well, which is always a big plus in fantasy.

The Catch: Much like Carson Wentz, the ACL injury is a bit concerning, but Watson has had plenty of time to recover. You could also argue that the limited sample size is a bit of a downer, but Watson has as much fantasy upside as literally anybody in football.

6. Drew Brees, NO (6)

16 games: 4,334 passing yards, 23 TD, 8 INT; 12 rushing yards, 2 TD

The Good: Although he’ll turn 40 this coming January, Brees is still one of the best quarterbacks in football. He has thrown for over 4,000 yards in 12 straight seasons and there’s no reason to think 2018 will be any different. He also has arguably the best supporting cast he’s ever had to this point in his career, which takes an enormous amount of pressure off his shoulders.

The Catch: Again, he’s turning 40, which isn’t necessarily a good thing, but much like Tom Brady, age is just a number for Drew Brees. The emergence of rookie running back Alvin Kamara could take a couple of touchdowns away from Brees, but you could also argue that Kamara’s brilliance in the passing game is more than enough to compensate from the fact that he’ll be a bigger presence in the offense as a runner.

7. Andrew Luck, IND (9)

0 games (injury)

The Good: Luck is as talented as just about any quarterback in the NFL and has always been amazing from a fantasy perspective when healthy. The addition of offensive lineman Quenton Nelson via the NFL draft will be a huge plus in the Colts’ ability to protect their franchise quarterback, who should have a brilliant return to the field after missing all of last season.

The Catch: Luck’s nagging shoulder troubles really caught up with him last year, forcing him to miss all of last season. Whenever a player misses an entire season, it always makes fantasy players a bit wary when drafting them, but he supposedly has looked great during preseason workouts and should return at full force.

8. Cam Newton, CAR (4)

16 games: 3,302 passing yards, 22 TD, 16 INT; 754 rushing yards, 6 TD

The Good: Arguably the best dual threat in football in terms of combining passing and rushing, Cam’s fantasy ceiling is sky high. He is the obvious focus of Carolina’s offense through the air and on the ground, and the latter half of 2017-18 saw him develop really nice chemistry with versatile running back Christian McCaffrey. The addition of wide receiver DJ Moore via the draft could also prove to be a big plus for Cam’s fantasy production.

The Catch: As high as his ceiling can be, Cam has also been somewhat inconsistent from a fantasy perspective; he makes a lot of mistakes and isn’t the best passer in the world. It’s also worse keeping in mind that, under Cam’s leadership, the Panthers have never had back-to-back winning seasons. They finished 11-5 last year, so should this trend continue, his fantasy value could dip.

9. Kirk Cousins, MIN (10)

16 games: 4,093 passing yards, 27 TD, 13 INT; 179 rushing yards, 4 TD

The Good: The Vikings snagged Cousins in free agency with a huge fully-guaranteed contract and clearly want him to help them get back to the postseason. Cousins has thrown for over 4,000 in all three of his seasons as a starter, oftentimes with a serious lack of weapons. With one of the best wide receiver tandems in Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs and an emerging young running back in Dalvin Cook, Cousins has his best supporting cast to date and should use that to improve upon his already impressive numbers.

The Catch: The main issue I have with Cousins this season is that he’s entering a brand new offense in which there are players just as good, if not better, than he is. It might take him longer than drafters might hope to get acclimated into Minnesota’s offensive schemes.

10. Matthew Stafford, DET (6)

16 games: 4,446 passing yards, 29 TD, 10 INT; 98 rushing yards, 0 TD

The Good: Man, I feel for Matthew Stafford. He has been consistently excellent for most of his career from a statistical perspective, but he’s rarely listed as one of the league’s top quarterbacks because he’s never had a good enough supporting cast to win as many games as other players at his position. Nonetheless, those stats are what matters in fantasy, and he’s as solid in fantasy as most when he’s healthy.

The Catch: Through the first nine seasons of his NFL career, Stafford has never had a running back rush for 1,000 yards behind him. This puts way more pressure on his shoulders in that opposing defenses specifically plan against him, which unfortunately hurts his fantasy value.

SLIDESHOW: 30 BEST SPORTS INSTAGRAMS

11. Jared Goff, LAR (12)

15 games: 3,804 passing yards, 28 TD, 7 INT; 51 rushing yards, 1 TD

The Good: After a miserable rookie season in which the Rams ranked dead last in offense, Goff bounced back something fierce in 2017. He and running back Todd Gurley led the Rams to a complete 180, as the team finished last season first in offense. Head coach Sean McVay’s high-flying offense was exactly what Goff needed to show why he was worthy of the number one overall pick in 2016. The Rams are clearly in win-now mode with the addition of wide receiver Brandin Cooks and a variety of defensive upgrades, so expect the Rams to be firing on all-cylinders yet again.

The Catch: Goff was so bad in his rookie season that even a season as great as last year isn’t enough to make him a definite QB1 pick. He could very well have a better 2018 than 2017, but I need one more season of solid play in order to have full confidence in his status as a fantasy quarterback.

12. Jimmy Garoppolo, SF (11)

6 games: 1,560 passing yards, 7 TD, 5 INT; 11 rushing yards, 1 TD

The Good: The 49ers solved their long-running quarterback woes when they traded for Jimmy G in the middle of last season. The former assumed successor to Tom Brady is 7-0 as a starter, handily winning each of his five starts in San Francisco. Garoppolo is in a perfect situation to succeed with the offensive-minded Kyle Shanahan at head coach, and the offseason addition of pass-catching running back Jerick McKinnon gives him another solid weapon to work with.

The Catch: As great a situation as he’s in, Garoppolo will still require time to reach his fullest potential in San Francisco. He could very well finish the season as a top 10 fantasy quarterback, but his somewhat limited sample size and need to grow in his current system knocks him to the last slot on the QB1 list.

13. Philip Rivers, LAC (8)

16 games: 4,515 passing yards, 28 TD, 10 INT; -2 rushing yards, 0 TD

The Good: Arguably the most reliable fantasy option of the big three 2004 quarterback draftees, Rivers has remained a player who’s normally drafted as a high-end QB2 but finishes the season as a lower-half QB1. With wide receiver Keenan Allen fully healthy, he has a high-end weapon on the outside and running back Melvin Gordon continues to improve as a secondary option for the Chargers offense.

The Catch: Rivers offers next to nothing in terms of athleticism and can actually be more of a detriment on the ground than a benefit, making it so fantasy players have to really solely on his arm, which can be a bit troubling for a quarterback who isn’t exactly elite. The Chargers’ defense is also one of the best in the NFL, which could limit Rivers’s fantasy value in the fourth quarter in games.

14. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT (7)

15 games: 4,251 passing yards, 28 TD, 14 INT; 47 rushing yards, 0 TD

The Good: With running back Le’Veon Bell and wide receivers Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster, Roethlisberger has undoubtedly the best supporting cast in the NFL around him. They can all make plays on their own, so all Big Ben has to do is get them the ball and his fantasy value is immediately boosted. And that’s not to say he can’t make plays on his own, as he certainly can. He’s easily a high-end QB2, even this late in his career.

The Catch: I have a hard time believing that Roethlisberger can still put up QB1 numbers. His arm has looked progressively worse over the past couple of seasons, and he can have individual games in which he looks terrible (like when he turned the ball over five times against the Jaguar in in just one matchup). He also rarely plays all 16 games in a season, so he’s somewhat injury-prone, an issue which only escalates as players grow older.

15. Matt Ryan, ATL (8)

16 games: 4,095 passing yards, 20 TD, 12 INT; 143 rushing yards, 0 TD

The Good: Although he took a big step back from his epic 2016-17 MVP campaign, Matty Ice was still a solid low-end QB1, high-end QB 2. The Falcons are a heavily offensive team, so Ryan will always have plenty of opportunities to succeed. Throwing to a wide receiver as great as Julio Jones doesn’t exactly hurt either.

The Catch: Outside of 2016-17, Ryan has never had a truly spectacular fantasy season. He’s consistently good, but rarely great. Nonetheless, he’s a solid bet as a backup just in case your QB1 gets hurt or you need a bye week replacement.

16. Derek Carr, OAK (7)

15 games: 3,496 passing yards, 22 TD, 13 INT; 66 rushing yards, 0 TD

The Good: The 27-year-old Carr has shown flashes of brilliance in his relatively young career and is unquestionably the future of the Raiders franchise and their offensive focus. Wide receiver Amari Cooper had a down year last season but has all the talent needed to improve, and the addition of Jordy Nelson could prove to be a huge asset for Carr’s progression as a quarterback.

The Catch: Carr has never put up QB1 numbers over the course of an entire season and certainly isn’t safe as your starting quarterback. It’s also impossible to tell how long he will need to adjust to new head coach Jon Gruden’s schemes, adding to the uncertainty of Carr’s upside in fantasy. Gruden also hasn’t coached in the NFL in over a decade, so we’ll have to see what happens before we can be truly confident in Carr’s fantasy value.

17. Dak Prescott, DAL (8)

16 games: 3, 324 passing yards, 22 TD, 13 INT; 357 rushing yards, 6 TD

The Good: Prescott still sits behind arguably the best offensive line in football, and running back Ezekiel Elliott is as fierce as they come on the ground, making it so that defenses have to focus on him just as much as Dak. Prescott is also a big threat on the ground, which is always great for fantasy.

The Catch: The Cowboys offense does rely heavily on Elliott, and his period of absence last year saw Prescott take a big step back in terms of fantasy value. With tight end Jason Witten retired and an uncertain wide receiver situation, it’s difficult to judge Prescott’s fantasy ceiling this season.

18. Patrick Mahomes, KC (12)

1 game: 284 passing yards, 0 TD, 1 INT; 10 rushing yards, 0 TD

The Good: Mahomes has an absolute cannon for an arm and coach Andy Reid seems excited about his potential. That arm should work wonders with a receiver as lightning fast as Tyreek Hill, and running back Kareem Hunt provides an entire other entity in the Chiefs offense for opposing defense to plan against.

The Catch: Andy Reid’s offense has always been slow and methodical, so it’s really difficult to judge how a high risk-high reward quarterback like Mahomes will fair in it. And judging by what’s come out of Kansas City’s camp so far, he doesn’t seem terribly accurate. Mahomes has a ton of upside, but tread carefully.

19. Marcus Mariota, TEN (8)

15 games: 3,232 passing yards, 13 TD, 15 INT; 312 rushing yards, 5 TD

The Good: The second overall pick of the 2015 draft continues to improve as time goes on, and he could very well break out as a star this season. He’s got nice weapons around him and the division rival Colts and Texans will both be better offensively this season, meaning that Tennessee will have to score a lot in order to keep up. Mariota’s ability to run also greatly helps.

The Catch: Mariota’s got a ton of talent, but he hasn’t shown signs of greatness in the realm of fantasy to this point. Many expected last season to be a breakout campaign for the young QB, but that didn’t come to fruition. He’s a pretty safe QB2 with upside, but don’t expect him to lead your team in points scored.

20. Alex Smith, WAS (4)

15 games: 4,042 passing yards, 26 TD, 5 INT; 264 passing yards, 2 TD

The Good: After the midway point of the 2017-18 season, I found myself saying something I never thought anybody would think: “Alex Smith could totally be the MVP of the league.” He slowed down considerably in the latter half of the season, but still had his best year as a pro. Having been traded from Kansas City to the Redskins even before Kirk Cousins left Washington, the team clearly wants Smith to act as their offensive focal point.

The Catch: Smith is the very definition of a system quarterback, in that he needs to be in the exact perfect place in order to succeed. He had amazing weapons last season and thrived in Andy Reid’s offense, but he’s entering a brand new system with a significant decrease in talent around him.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

21. Case Keenum, DEN (10)

15 games: 3,547 passing yards, 22 TD, 7 INT; 160 rushing yards, 1 TD

The Good: Another “oh man, this guy could actually win the MVP” from last year, Keenum led the Vikings to an NFC Championship birth and put up nice numbers from a fantasy perspective. The Broncos clearly believe in him given their fervor in seeking him out, and he’s throwing to a pair of great wide receivers in Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders.

The Catch: 2017-18 was the first season in which Keenum looked like a starting-caliber NFL quarterback. Prior to last year, he was never looked at as anything but a backup. One year of excellence after four seasons of mediocrity is not enough to instill confidence in his fantasy value.

22. Eli Manning, NYG (9)

15 games: 3,468 passing yards, 19 TD, 13 INT; 16 rushing yards, 1 TD

The Good: Eli has elite receiver Odell Beckham Jr coming back from injury and an emerging tight end in Evan Engram, so he’s got plenty of people to throw to. Add in the addition of #2 overall pick running back Saquon Barkley and you’ve got a potentially elite crew surrounding the aging quarterback.

The Catch: I’ve always thought of Eli as overrated, but he’s always been serviceable from a fantasy perspective. Last year, though, he was so awful that he was even benched for Geno Smith. His arm was a wreck and his decision making was bad, the former of which is very unlikely to improve.

24. Blake Bortles, JAX (9)

16 games: 3,687 passing yards, 21 TD, 13 INT; 322 rushing yards, 2 TD

The Good: Bortles was serviceable last season but nothing special, so a QB2 designation is safe. However, his 2015-16 showed that he can put up big time fantasy value in garbage time, which the Jags will likely have more of now that every other team in the AFC South will most certainly be better than they were last season.

The Catch: With Leonard Fournette healthy, the Jaguars offense will almost certainly go with a run-first attitude. There also isn’t much to be excited about in terms of other weapons, especially with wide receiver Allen Robinson now on the Bears, and Bortles’s own talent isn’t enough to justify him as anything more than a low-end QB2 in fantasy.

24. Mitchell Trubisky, CHI (5)

12 games: 2,193 passing yards, 7 TB, 7 INT; 248 rushing yards, 2 TD

The Good: The Bears believes in the former second overall pick, picking up weapons in Allen Robinson and tight end Trey Burton to surround Trubisky. Chicago wants to develop him as a franchise quarterback, so he should have a high work volume this upcoming season.

The Catch: We honestly just don’t know how good Trubisky can be. He didn’t look particularly great in his rookie season and he had a very limited career as a starter in college. He could be a nice fantasy asset in the future, but there’s nothing safe about him at the moment.

25. Jameis Winston, TB (5)

13 games: 3,504 passing yards, 19 TD, 11 INT; 135 rushing yards, 1 TD

26. Tyrod Taylor, CLE (11)

15 games: 2,799 passing yards, 14 TD, 4 INT; 427 rushing yards, 4 TD

27. Ryan Tannehill, MIA (11)

0 games (injury)

28. Andy Dalton, CIN (9)

16 games: 3,320 passing yards, 25 TD, 12 INT; 99 rushing yards, 0 TD

29. Josh Rosen, ARI (9)

Rookie

30. Joe Flacco, BAL (10)

16 games: 3,141 yards, 18 TD, 13 INT; 54 rushing yards, 1 TD

As the Los Angeles Rams training camp gets underway, they are without their star defensive tackle Aaron Donald, as it appears that he will be holding out of camp for the time being, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. The holdout is presumably due to a lack of a satisfactory contract, as he enters the final year of his rookie deal. He is set to make $7 million this coming season.

Donald held out for all of 2017’s training camp, not reporting to the team up until September 9, just one day before the team’s season opener against the Indianapolis Colts. However, since he is now entering the final year of his contract, he could be denied free agency at the end of the season if he does not report to training camp at least one month before the beginning of the season, which starts on September 10 for the Rams.

SLIDESHOW: 30 BEST SPORTS INSTAGRAMS

Rams general manager Les Snead has said in the past that the team plans on making Donald the highest paid defensive player in the NFL when the time comes for him to sign a contract, but the situation is getting a bit strange. The Rams recently signed newly acquired wide receiver Brandin Cooks to a six-year deal worth $90 million, with $50 million guaranteed. Now, the team has inked running back Todd Gurley to a four-year contract extension worth $60 million, with $45 million guaranteed. Those are two huge contracts for non-quarterback players, and if the Rams were to follow through on their big-money promise to Donald, they would be seriously strapped for cash elsewhere moving forward.

When speaking about those other contracts, Snead said, “Each situation is different. Different players, different agents. … You work on everything simultaneously, but you really don’t know when you’re going to get something done or not because it’s case by case.”

In reference to Rams fans everywhere taking to social media to announce their desire for Donald to get paid, Snead stated, “That’s what we’re trying to do… It’s a little more complicated than that. Definitely agree with the fans. We want to definitely try to pay Aaron what he’s deserved and make him a Ram a long time.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

All this aside, if there’s any defensive player worth that type of money, it’s Aaron Donald. He has made the Pro-Bowl in each of his four seasons in the NFL, made the First Team All-Pro each year from 2015 to 2017, won the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2014, and Defensive Player of the Year in 2017. This past season saw him accumulate 11 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, and a staggering 91 quarterback pressures. He is arguably the best defensive player in the NFL, and at 27-years-old and very little injury history, he looks to maintain that dominance for a long time.

Donald has until August 10 to report to training camp, or he could risk his free agency status come 2019.

With July coming to a close and the non-waiver trade deadline looming just around the corner, teams are doing their best to make whatever moves they can in order to improve their rosters in one way or another. Some franchises are in win now mode, while others are planning for the future, and only time will tell how every swap works out. In the meantime, however, we still have plenty of baseball to come as we make our way closer and closer to the postseason. Here are five of the best MLB games to close out your July the right way.

los angeles dodgers at atlanta braves, friday, july 27 @ 7:35 est on sportsnet LA, SNLA Spanish, and fsso

Pitching matchup: Clayton Kershaw (3-5, 2.64 ERA) vs Mike Foltynewicz (7-6, 2.85 ERA)

After a rough start to the season, the Dodgers are back on top of the NL West and they only seem to climbing higher and higher. After a couple of stints on the disabled list, Clayton Kershaw is back to his old self again, posting a fantastic 2.19 ERA over his four starts in July so far. LA is clearly going all in this season despite losing star shortstop Corey Seager for the season in April, as proven by their aggressive trade for shortstop Manny Machado from the Baltimore Orioles. Machado is in the midst of his best offensive season in the Majors and has been fantastic with LA so far. On the other side, the Braves are no longer a surprise and have instead firmly established themselves as a serious threat in the National League. First baseman Freddie Freeman continues to have an excellent season and Mike Foltynewicz has just made his first All-Star Game, so we have the ever exciting matchup which sees two good offenses go against two great pitchers.

Predicted winner: Dodgers

oakland athletics at colorado rockies, friday, july 27 @ 8:40 est on nbcsca and att sportsnet-rm

Pitching matchup: Sean Manaea (9-6, 3.38 ERA) vs Kyle Freeland (8-6, 3.28 ERA)

The A’s are one of those teams that quietly sneak up toward the Wild Card without anybody noticing up until they’re right there. They don’t really have any superstar players or big time storylines, but they’re somehow getting it done in the AL West, which is arguably the best division in baseball right now. With their division being so tough, though, they can’t help but hover around the middle in the standings despite playing so well. The Rockies are essentially in the same situation, as they’re third in their division but are still right in the Wild Card hunt. However, with the likes of third baseman Nolan Arenado and centerfielder Charlie Blackmon, Colorado has that star power which always makes their games fun to check out.

Predicted winner: Rockies

SLIDESHOW: 30 BEST SPORTS INSTAGRAMS

milwaukee brewers at san francisco giants, friday, july 27 @10:15 est on fswi, dish455, and nbc bay area

Pitching matchup: Chase Anderson (6-7, 3.81 ERA) vs Madison Bumgarner (3-3, 3.19 ERA)

A pair of NL squads in divisions which are basically both four-team races at this point, every win counts for the Brewers and the Giants, and they’re both sending their aces to the hill in this one. Milwaukee is one of the best teams in baseball in terms of ERA, which is supported by solid starting pitching and a fantastic bullpen. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Josh Hader is the next big thing to come out of the bullpen and he’s a blast to watch day in and day out. Although Madison Bumgarner is one of the best starters in baseball as a whole, he’s had a rough July by his standards, as he’s posted a 4.22 ERA over four starts. In contrast, he posted an ERA of 2.51 in June. If the Giants want to move up in the standings, Bumgarner is going to need to look more like he did last month.

Predicted winner: Giants

chicago cubs at st louis cardinals, saturday, july 28 @ 4:05 est on fs1, nbc sports chicago, and fs-m

Pitching matchup: Jose Quintana (9-6, 3.87 ERA) vs Miles Mikolas (10-3, 2.82 ERA)

Sticking with the NL Central, this matchup sees a powerhouse offense go up against one of the best feel-good stories of the season. First baseman Anthony Rizzo and third baseman Kris Bryant have both been about as good as expected this season for the Cubs, but it’s second baseman Javier Baez who is having the best season of anyone on the team. Baez made his first all-star appearance earlier this month, and at 25-years-old, we’ve still got plenty to see from him. For the Cardinals, you can’t not love Miles Mikolas. After having a very limited career with the Padres and Rangers from 2012 to 2014, Mikolas took his game overseas to Japan. After returning to the States and being picked up by the Cards, the 29-year-old Mikolas has shown us that late bloomers can come from anywhere. After it seemed as though his Major League career might be done, he’s been good enough to insert himself firmly into the NL Cy Young conversation. Like I said, you can’t help but feel great for him.

Predicted winner: Cardinals

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

seattle mariners at los angeles angels, sunday, july 29 @ 4:00 pm est on espn+, rootnw, and fs-w

Pitching matchup: Marco Gonzales (11-5, 3.38 ERA) vs Félix Peña (1-1, 3.34 ERA)

Seattle might not be as neck-and-neck with Houston in the AL West as they were a few weeks ago, but they’re still a favorite to snag a Wild Card spot along with (most likely) either the Red Sox or the Yankees. Still, they’re a bit of an anomaly, since they’re not really above average in either hitting or pitching. Normally succeeding record-wise but not statistically doesn’t really last, but the Mariners are making it so, and it’s a little tough to explain why. Still, they look to be keeping themselves up as the go to LA to take on Mike Trout and company. While Trout has slowed down a bit since his ridiculous first couple months of the season (which isn’t saying much considering how amazing he was), he’s still one of the favorites for AL MVP alongside Indians third baseman José Ramírez. Trout is the best and most exciting player in baseball and is a blast to watch no matter what the matchup is, but it’s even more the case when going up against a good team.

Predicted winner: Angels

After placing him on the 10-day disabled list on Wednesday, the New York Yankees are expecting to be without catcher Gary Sánchez until at least the end of August, with the possibility of his absence extending into September. Sánchez was placed on the DL due to a strain in his right groin, the same injury which forced him to miss 20 games from June 25 to July 15.

SLIDESHOW: 30 BEST SPORTS INSTAGRAMS

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who announced the gravity of Sánchez’s injury to the public on Wednesday, also indicated that it is unlikely that the Yankees will attempt to pursue another catcher on the trade market before the non-waiver trade deadline on Tuesday, July 31. Instead, he expressed confidence in using backups Austin Romine and Kyle Higashioka until Sánchez returns.

Cashman said, “We’ll certainly look at all those aspects [on the trade market], but seeing how other clubs have had to deal with that over the course of this season as well, I already recognize it’s a very thin position. It’s not easy to solve if there are issues there. … Thankfully, what Gary has is a solvable health issue. It’s just a timing one. We’ll just have to wait on it. Hopefully we’ll be in a better position when he returns.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

While Sánchez is a very valuable player on the Yankees roster, his 2018 season has, so far, been the worst of his career. He’s batting for a lowly .188 batting average and a .283 on-base percentage with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs. Whether or not this can be chalked up to a nagging injury is unclear at the moment, but hopefully he can perform more so up to his standards upon his return from injury. Sánchez has also recently taken heat for not hustling down to first base on what could have been a game-tying infield single against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.

In the meantime, the Yankees remain second in the AL East to the Red Sox, but are still favorites to snag a Wild Card spot come season’s end. We’ll see how Sánchez’s absence impacts their progression toward the postseason.

While quarterback Jim Kelly‘s Hall of Fame NFL career may best be remembered for a quartet of consecutive Super Bowl losses with the Buffalo Bills from 1991 to 1994, his life post-football has been even more turbulent. In June of 2013, Kelly revealed to the public that he had been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, a form of cancer which took hold in his upper jaw. Since then, Kelly has worked tirelessly not only to fight his own cancer, but also to help others in their journey against cancer as well.

SLIDESHOW: 30 BEST SPORTS INSTAGRAMS

After undergoing successful jaw surgery and entering chemotherapy, Kelly was deemed cancer-free in 2014. However, a check up in March of 2018 saw doctors report additional potential signs of oral cancer, to which they responded with more surgery.

Thankfully, this process has been successful as well, as Kelly’s wife Jill took to Instagram to tell the world that a recent check up has shown Kelly to have no signs of oral cancer and once again seems to be in the clear.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlqPhSTglot/?utm_source=ig_embed

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Since his diagnosis, Kelly has been on the forefront of cancer awareness, joining with Merck and a collection of cancer-awareness organizations in 2017 in order to create Your Cancer Game Plan, which helps those fighting cancer and their loved ones meet their unique needs.

Last week, Kelly was given the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the 2018 ESPYS.

Serena Williams is being drug tested yet again, and this time she let the world know about her frustration. On Tuesday night, the tennis star took to Twitter to announce that it’s once again time for her to be “randomly” drug tested. While this might not seem like anything out of the ordinary for most people considering how commonplace drug testing has become in sports, Serena’s complaint is based on the fact that she gets tested more than any other athlete in her sport.

She did, however, concede that she’s not opposed to drug testing as a whole.

SLIDESHOW: 30 BEST SPORTS INSTAGRAMS

It would be more than understandable for somebody to think that Serena’s complaint is a bit hyperbolic. However, as per a report by Deadspin, this test is at least the sixth administered by the United States Anti-Doping Agency for Serena in 2018 alone, more than any other tennis player in the US.

When taking everything about Serena into context, though, this is not entirely surprising, as the USADA regularly tests the best athletes in any sport more than others. Given that Serena has won 23 Grand Slams (more than any other player in the history of the Open era, regardless of gender) and is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, she easily falls into that category.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Nonetheless, one can understand her frustration with the process, especially since she had never tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in the past. Whether this will change or not is up to the USADA, but the meantime will see Serena rejoining the tennis ranks after coming back from maternity leave. She will set out for her 24th Grand Slam title, only building on her already storied legacy.

The Philadelphia Eagles are being very careful with their franchise quarterback, as they have announced that Carson Wentz will be reporting to training camp Wednesday on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. The move is being made in order to make sure that Wentz fully recovers from ACL and LCL tears, which ended his brilliant 2017-18 campaign in a Week 14 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.

SLIDESHOW: 30 BEST SPORTS INSTAGRAMS

It’s unlikely that moving Wentz to the PUP list guarantees that he’ll be ready for Week 1 of the 2018-19 season and is more so just another step in his rehab process. The drastic nature of his injuries have made the rehab a long and arduous process, and the Eagles will likely not take any risks that could compromise Wentz’s progress. However, almost every update on Wentz’s injury made public by the Eagles camp this offseason indicates that he should play in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, which just so happens to be the first game of the NFL season. Just don’t expect him to play much in the preseason.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Although Wentz is almost definitely not going to miss much of the beginning of the season at all, it’s not as if the Eagles will be in bad hands, as Super Bowl LII MVP Nick Foles is still on the roster. While Foles was fantastic during the postseason, Wentz was masterful during the regular season. He looked to be the clear favorite for the MVP prior to his injury, as he completed 60.2% of his passes for 3,296 yards and 33 touchdowns in just over 12 games. Even though he missed the last three games of the season, those 33 touchdowns were still good for second in the NFL behind Russell Wilson‘s 34.

If Wentz comes back fully healthy and doesn’t miss much of the season, look for Philly to make another epic Super Bowl run.

The New York Yankees have bolstered what it already the best bullpen in baseball by acquiring closer Zach Britton from the Baltimore Orioles. Baltimore in turn will receive a trio of pitching prospects from the Yankees as they try to rebuild their organization.

An all-star in 2015 and 2016, the latter of which saw him lead the Majors in saves, Britton will provide a strong left-handed arm to help the Yankees late in games. So far this season, accumulated a solid 3.45 ERA and 13 strikeouts over 15.2 innings pitched. He only has 4 saves this year, but that can mostly be chalked up to Baltimore having a league-worst 29-73 record, which has afforded him very few save opportunities.

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Britton will almost definitely make a transition from closer to middle reliever, as Aroldis Chapman has been lights out in the 9th inning for most of this season. In joining Chapman, Dellin Betances, David Robertson, and Chad Greene, Britton becomes a welcome lefty to enter a bullpen with a league-best 2.75 ERA. However, with their bullpen already that elite without Britton, one can’t help but wonder why the Yankees haven’t done much on the trade market in order to address their biggest need, that being starting pitching.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Regardless, Britton only bolsters New York’s shot at winning a World Series this season, for which they were already among league favorites. However, the same most certainly cannot be said of the Orioles, who are in clear rebuild-mode now that their season is all but lost. Along with Britton, Baltimore traded away star shortstop Manny Machado to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a crop of young prospects. They were likely to lose Machado in free agency after the season’s end, so the move made plenty of sense, but now they are without a true star and look like it will be quite a while before they are threats in the American League again.

After becoming the first team in NFL history to jump from the worst offense in the league to the best in just one season, the Los Angeles Rams have had a busy offseason, bringing in a host of new players including wide receiver Brandin Cooks, cornerback Marcus Peters, and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in order to make themselves serious Super Bowl contenders in 2018. Now it appears they’re looking even farther into their future, as they are close to finalizing a contract extension with running back Todd Gurley.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the deal is $60 million over four years with $45 million guaranteed. Gurley was also given a signing bonus worth $20 million. With two years left on his current contract, the extension guarantees that Gurley will be with the Rams until 2023.

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Gurley’s contract extension extends farther than himself and the Rams, though, as it could set a new precedent for deals given to star running backs, especially when the likes of David Johnson and Ezekiel Elliott finish out their rookie contracts. However, the most pertinent NFL player on the periphery of this deal is Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, who continues to express frustration with his current contract with Pittsburgh, a sentiment which he has echoed over the past couple of seasons. He wants a long term deal and a ton of money to go along with it, much like the one Gurley was just given by the Rams.

Bell took to Twitter to congratulate Gurley on his new deal, while also saying that his demands are not entirely farfetched.

NFL teams are typically hesitant to sign running backs to long term deals such as the ones they give to quarterbacks, as running backs take perhaps the most hits of anyone else on the field, and are thus heavily prone to both injury and fluctuating production.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

However, it looks as though Gurley will be worth every penny. He won NFL Rookie of the Year honors in 2015, and after a poor sophomore season (which one can attribute to just being in a terrible situation with both coaching and personnel), he had an MVP-caliber 2017-18 campaign in which he rushed for 1,305 yards and 13 touchdowns on 279 rushes (4.7 yards per carry). He also added 788 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns through the air on 64 catches.

Gurley is as valuable as any non-quarterback offensive player in the NFL and should continue to thrive under coach Sean McVay’s hyper-explosive offensive scheme. It will be very, very interesting to see how this influences running back contracts in the future.

LeSean McCoy will be reporting to the Buffalo Bills’ training camp on Wednesday, his first appearance with the team since he was accused of beating Delicia Cordon and their dog via a post by Cordon’s friend on social media. McCoy has since denied all accusations, although Cordon recently said that she believes the home invasion and assault to be a “set up” instigated by McCoy.

Police are continuing on with the investigation into the home invasion but have yet to name a suspect.

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While McCoy is no longer being accused of having assaulted Cordon himself, she claims that he still had something to do with her Atlanta home being robbed. During her July 10 911 call, Cordon said, “I really feel like, because we’re breaking up, that he wants all his jewelry back…[The intruder] just kept asking for jewelry. I think it has something to do with my ex-boyfriend.”

With his status with the NFL unchanged and an absence of legal repercussions, McCoy has been cleared to attend Bills training camp. The 30-year-old running back was an instrumental part in Buffalo’s 2017-18 postseason appearance, which ended the NFL’s longest current playoff drought up until that point. The team is currently entering rebuild mode, though, as they have traded away quarterback Tyrod Taylor and are projected to have career backup AJ McCarron as their Week 1 starter.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

The big story for Buffalo’s 2018 season, though, is the development of the seventh overall pick in the 2018 draft, quarterback Josh Allen. McCoy’s ability to return to Bills camp will be largely beneficial to Allen’s progression into a franchise quarterback, as he’s both a Pro-Bowler and a longtime veteran of the NFL, the perfect candidate to help out a raw young QB.

U.S. Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte is no stranger to controversy and not-so-smart decision making, especially following the scandal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, in which he lied about being robbed when in actuality he had drunkenly vandalized a local gas station. The act caused him to lose sponsorships and resulted in a 10 month ban, and it looks like things are only getting worse following an ill-advised social media post.

Lochte posted a picture of himself receiving a substance from an IV on May 24. After an investigation by the US Anti-Doping Agency, it was deemed that the substance itself, a specific sort of Vitamin-B complex, was legal, but that Lochte had exceeded the legal limit of 100 milliliters. As is the case, the USADA has banned Lochte from competitive swimming for 14 months, stemming from this past May and continuing on to July of 2019.

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Lochte issued a statement in which he said, “It’s devastating to my family about this because I definitely made myself a better person after Rio, and I was back in training. I was feeling good. I was swimming fast. My son being born. Everything was happening. Everything was perfect, and then this happened. And it’s devastating. As soon as you get to a certain point or level, in any kind of sport career, you’re always going to have an eye on you. I think I’ve learned it the hard way. Definitely. Especially since Rio. And now this.”

The 12-time Olympic medalist claims to have not been aware of the rule, stating that it was a “newer” one. He’s not entirely wrong, as it was instituted back in 2012, but the ironic part is that the current rule actually upped the allowed amount of the substance from 50 milliliters to 100 milliliters. So even if he weren’t aware of the new rule, the old one would have seen him incur an even more drastic violation.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Lochte said, “It’s a hard sanction because I didn’t take anything illegal, but a rule is a rule. I wasn’t too clear on the rules, but now I am. And I know there’s other athletes that don’t know this rule. I want to help them and make sure that other athletes don’t make the same mistake I did.”

He also promised to change his social media habits, saying “I’m just going to post on my son and my wife, leave everything else out.”

Due to the suspension, Lochte will miss this August’s Pan Pacific Championships, as well as the 2019 World Aquatics Championship. However, he does plan on swimming in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, at which point he will be 36-years-old.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has announced that he will not be attending the team’s training camp in order to abide by a “health and treatment plan” as he returns for what he hopes will be his first full season since 2013 following several substance-abuse violations. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Gordon is seeking counseling in order to fully treat the mental health issues with which he has been dealing over the past few years. The receiver indicated that he used marijuana and alcohol in order to self-medicate and treat his anxiety.

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Gordon made the announcement himself via Twitter.

https://twitter.com/JOSH_GORDONXII/status/1021398682619572225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1021398682619572225&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2F

The Browns have responded with nothing but support for Gordon, as they indicated that they will welcome him back to the team whenever he feels ready to return. Via a statement, Browns general manager John Dorsey said, “We will continue to support Josh as he receives the care needed to maintain his progress. We are going to respect his privacy while he is away from the team.”

Prior to his series of substance-abuse suspensions, Gordon had a monumentally dominant season in 2013, in which recorded 1,646 receiving yards (best in the NFL) and 9 touchdowns on 87 receptions. What makes this even more impressive is that he was thrown to by the likes of Jason Campbell, Brandon Weeden, and Brian Hoyer.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Gordon clearly has a ton of talent, and is primed to be one of the NFL’s best receivers should he stay on the field. The Browns are looking to make quite the splash in the AFC this year, acquiring a pair of Pro-Bowlers in quarterback Tyrod Taylor from the Buffalo Bills and wide receiver Jarvis Landry from the Miami Dolphins. Perhaps even more important, though, is the development of the 2018 first overall pick, quarterback Baker Mayfield. The Browns clearly view Mayfield as the future of their franchise, and the presence of a dominant wide receiver will be seriously beneficial to his progression into stardom.

The Arizona Cardinals no longer have to worry about their star running back’s desire to play, as David Johnson has agreed to end his contract holdout and join his team in training camp. Johnson publicly confirmed his return to the team himself, tweeting out a video of him wearing a Cardinals helmet with the hashtag #ImBack.

Johnson missed a minicamp in June as well as a pair of team activity practices as he held out for a contract extension with the Cardinals, saying, “The Cardinals want me to play for them for a long time, and I want to be here for a long time.”

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Johnson’s holdout has been relatively understandable, as is heading into the final year of his rookie contract in which he will earn just over $1.9 million, a huge bargain for a player of his caliber. However, he decided to end the holdout after conferring with his representatives. He said, “I’m here to play football. I trust my agency, Sportstars, and I know they’ll get it done when the time comes.”

The Cardinals were without Johnson for almost all of the 2017 season after he suffered a fractured wrist during a Week 1 matchup against the Detroit Lions. After exploding onto the season during the latter half of his rookie season in 2015, Johnson spent 2016 proving himself to be one of the NFL’s elite running backs, rushing for 1,239 yards and 16 touchdowns on 293 carries (4.2 yards per carry), while also adding 879 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns through the air.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Arizona is entering what should be an interesting season, as they drafted quarterback Josh Rosen out of UCLA with the 10th pick in the 2018 draft. Rosen is considered by many experts to be the most NFL-ready rookie quarterback, and his progression into a franchise QB would certainly benefit from Johnson being in the backfield alongside him.

When Spurs star forward Kawhi Leonard indicated that he wanted to leave San Antonio due to a fallout between he and the organization’s higher-ups, the NBA media went abuzz with trade rumors. Leonard himself has reported that he wants to play for the Lakers, basically alerting the Spurs that he has no plans to resign with the team after his current contract ends in 2019.  This being the case, San Antonio was expecting to trade Leonard elsewhere, so as to at least get something for his departure as opposed to keeping him for the 2018-19 season but losing him for nothing down the line.

While the Lakers were obviously the first choice for a trade destination according to Kawhi’s wishes, the Spurs were reportedly asking for too much in return. Having just signed the best player in the world in LeBron James and being Kawhi’s expected #1 choice in free agency, LA couldn’t find a way to meet the Spurs demands and decided to wait on their acquisition of the forward. However, the Spurs eventually found a trade destination for Leonard last week, but that’s where things get difficult.

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San Antonio traded Kawhi to the Toronto Raptors, one of the few places which he explicitly said would not be where he would want to go. The Spurs also sent along Danny Green, while receiving Jakob Poeltl and All-Star swingman DeMar Derozan from Toronto. Right off the bat, we know this is a bad look for the Spurs, as they sent Kawhi to a place to which he specifically did not want to go, clearly disregarding his feelings. However, one could argue that the Raptors treatment of DeRozan was even worse.

Just days prior to the trade, the Raptors specifically told DeRozan that they would not trade him. DeRozan has been a Raptor throughout his entire 9-year NBA career and has expressed love for the team, the city, and the fans time and time again. This makes the trade seem like even more of a betrayal, as the team went against their word to their best player. DeRozan, clearly upset, took to his Instagram story to announce his displeasure, indicating that there is no loyalty in the NBA.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlXyk1cgmxc/?utm_source=ig_embed

And you know what? He’s not wrong.

Fan constantly criticize players for leaving their teams, calling them disloyal for wanting to play elsewhere. Kevin Durant was called a “cupcake” for leaving OKC to play with the stacked Warriors. LeBron was shredded for his decision to leave Cleveland for South Beach. But when teams do the same to their players, it’s considered to be “just business.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

The Kawhi/DeMar trade is the pinnacle of this strange dichotomy, and looks to perhaps be a tipping point in the two perspectives being reversed. Players now have more power than they’ve ever had before in free agency, and this gives them a brand new thing to think about. Now, not only will they be looking into their best opportunity to play and win, but also how their team would treat them down the road. This could very well sway teams away from San Antonio and/or Toronto at first, as both teams have demonstrated a lack of empathy toward their players’ wants. Toronto already wasn’t the greatest free agent to begin with, but now that they’ve abandoned the one star who truly wanted to play there, why would any other star do the same? They may have a better chance to win next season, but Kawhi will almost definitely leave in 2019, so it’s basically championship or bust for the Raptors, because it may be a while before any good player ever wants to go there again.

This extends far past Toronto and San Antonio, though, as now players cannot help but be wary of the teams with which they plan on signing. They want to be treated as people, not pieces in a chess game, ready to be sacrificed for the good of their organization. Especially given the way DeRozan was treated by Toronto, even the most solemn of promises can be broken, and the trust between players and teams could be forever hindered.

The NBA is still one of the most powerful sports leagues in the world and is continuing to grow and grow, but this trade could very well make it so that its players may never see it as they once did.

Quarterback Johnny Manziel joined the Canadian Football League in hopes of working his way towards an NFL comeback. Playing in the CFL has historically been a good prerequisite to getting into the NFL, as tons of players have proven themselves NFL-worthy while playing in Canada. Manziel hasn’t quite had the opportunity to show off his skills in Canada, as he hasn’t seen the field with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, but that could change following his being sent to Montreal to play quarterback for the Alouttes.

In the official trade announcement, Alouettes general manager Kavis Reed said, “We have acquired an exceptional quarterback with undeniable talent. With his great mobility, his athletic abilities and his instinct we believe that he will have a positive impact on our offence.”

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The Alouttes are in desperate need of a shift in quarterback play, as they currently sit in last place in the CFL’s East Division and rank last in both points scored and rushing yards. They have also experienced several injuries to their QBs this season, opening up plenty of opportunities for Manziel to play. Perhaps more optimistic for Manziel, though, is the fact that the Alouettes are coached by Mike Sherman, who coached Manziel at Texas A&M, where he shined as a star in college, becoming the first freshman in history to take home the Heisman Trophy in 2012.

On his reunion with Manziel, Sherman told the Montreal Gazette that, “This is a move both Kavis Reed and I felt we needed to make at this time. Neither one of us believes in the status quo and felt we needed to shake things up. Johnny is someone we believe can elevate one of the most important positions on our team. I look forward to reuniting with Johnny again and working with him.”

We’ll see if Manziel is given an opportunity to play right away as the Alouettes take on the Edmonton Eskimos on Thursday, July 26.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Prior to signing a two-year deal with the Tiger-Cats, Manziel worked out in the NFL Spring League in hope of being given an NFL contract. Although he did not perform for the Cleveland Browns well while on the field, his off-the-field issues played a huge part in his failure as an NFL quarterback, including constant partying, ignoring league and team rules, and a 2016 domestic violence charge. However, Manziel has indicated that he’s turned his life around, as he has quit drinking  and is being treated for bipolar disorder.

It’ll be interesting to see how his tenure in Montreal plays out and whether or not he’ll ever be invited back to the NFL. He has shown us that he has a ton of talent in the past, and at only 25 years old, he still has plenty of time to turn things around.

Tony Sparano, former Miami Dolphins head coach and current Minnesota Vikings offensive line coach, has died unexpectedly at the age of 56, the Vikings reported on Sunday.

Vikings owners Mark and Zygi Wilf issued a statement in which they said, “Our hearts go out to Jeanette and the entire Sparano family as we all mourn the loss of Tony. Tony was a passionate and driven individual who cared deeply about his family, and especially enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. Tony’s presence within the Vikings organization will be deeply missed. We are only thinking of Tony’s family during this incredibly difficult time. We ask that the entire NFL and Vikings family keep the Sparanos in their thoughts.”

The exact cause of Sparano’s death has not yet been revealed to the public. However, reports indicate that he was hospitalized on Thursday, July 19 due to chest pains and was released the next day.

Sparano had been an NFL coach for nearly 20 years prior to his passing, and he was perhaps best known for his tenure with the Miami Dolphins. Sparano was given the Dolphins head coaching job following the 2007 season, in which the team finished with a 1-15 record. During the following season, he led Miami to an 11-5 record, becoming the only first-year head coach in NFL history to lead a team to the playoffs following a one-win season. Sparano finished his tenure with the Dolphins after posting a 29-32 record over the course of four seasons.

Prior to his passing, Sparano was entering into his third season as the Vikings offensive line coach under head coach Mike Zimmer. Zimmer expressed his condolences in statement, saying that he loves Sparano.

Several of Sparano’s current and former players took to Twitter to offer their condolences as well.

https://twitter.com/teddyb_h2o/status/1021097477158719489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1021097477158719489&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nfl.com%2Fnews%2Fstory%2F0ap3000000941425%2Farticle%2Fnfl-mourns-death-of-longtime-coach-tony-sparano

Sparano is survived by his wife Jeanette, his three children, and his four grandchildren.