Joshua Manes posted: " With the NFL season around the corner, that means right now is draft season. And the first step in Tunnel Vision Sports draft preparation is a tiered positional ranking. Why a tiered list and not an ordered big board? Tiered lists can actually be more"
With the NFL season around the corner, that means right now is draft season. And the first step in Tunnel Vision Sports draft preparation is a tiered positional ranking.
Why a tiered list and not an ordered big board? Tiered lists can actually be more useful, allowing personal preference and situation to decide within tiers rather than feeling locked in on a number. There is no order within a tier, players are listed alphabetically by team. A tiered list can be especially useful when comparing players across positions, and to recognize where the drop-off in talent is at each position.
What do the tiers actually mean? While it's not definitive and there are some slight shifts across different positions, a rough translation of tiers looks something like this:
Tier 1:
The elite of the position, more than likely to finish at the top.
Tier 2:
Just an eyelash below the top tier, no one would be surprised if one of these guys finished at the top of the position.
Tier 3:
Often guys that were top-tier or on their to being there, or just consistently solid. This is where the breakout surprises start, and even if you don't hit the lottery with one here, they're solid second and third pieces to a fantasy lineup.
Tier 4:
Production and consistency have started to drop off, but these guys can still be solid pieces to round out the middle of a roster.
Tier 5:
These guys aren't going to help you week in and week out. Whether it's because they're inconsistent or because it's unclear when they'll be on the field, don't count on a full season of decent output. But play them the right week and they'll reward you with those Ws.
Tier 6:
You don't want to have to rely on these guys, but you'll need them to round out your roster. Situational plays or low floor high ceiling guys that will boom or bust all season.
QBs
Tier 1
Josh Allen
Buf
Patrick Mahomes
KC
There should really be no surprise here. Last season's points leader Allen and Mahomes the perennial QB1 sit atop the signal-callers list, and both are likely to be gone by the third round.
Tier 2
Kyler Murray
Ari
Lamar Jackson
Bal
Justin Herbert
LAC
Aaron Rodgers
GB
Russell Wilson
Sea
A pair of consistent veterans in Rodgers and Wilson, matched with a couple of youngsters set to break out in Murray and Herbert and rounded out with a former league MVP Jackson, the second tier looks pretty good. Jackson's struggles throwing the ball when behind is really the only thing that keeps him out of the top tier.
Tier 3
Dak Prescott
Dal
Jalen Hurts
Phi
Tom Brady
TB
Ryan Tannehill
Ten
Dak was on a wild pace to start last season before going down with the ankle injury, and it doesn't look like we'll get the chance to see him in the preseason. Hurts' sample size is just a little bigger than the recovering Dak, but he closed out last season as a productive fantasy QB, and his weapons have only improved.
Tier 4
Justin Fields
Chi
Joe Burrow
Cin
Matt Stafford
LAR
Jameis Winston
NO
Depending on when he gets the starting job, Fields could have a big impact on the fantasy season from what he's done in a small preseason sample. And if Winston is named starter in New Orleans like he should be, we could see another roller coaster season of league-leading touchdowns and interceptions.
Tier 5
Matt Ryan
Atl
Baker Mayfield
Cle
Derek Carr
LV
Tua Tagovailoa
Mia
Kirk Cousins
Min
Daniel Jones
NYG
Trey Lance
SF
Another rookie who is set to make an impact, Lance isn't likely to get the start as soon as Fields is, but when he does, he'll have better weapons and protection than Fields. Lance could be a draft-and-stash candidate if you're worried someone else will end up with him off waivers or in free agency. No one else in this tier is going to win you your matchup week-to-week, but they're all good matchup plays during the season.
Tier 6
Sam Darnold
Car
Jared Goff
Det
Carson Wentz
Ind
Trevor Lawrence
Jax
Cam Newton
NE
Zach Wilson
NEJ
Ben Roethlisberger
Pit
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Was
No one wants to depend on any of these guys, and for good reason. If he can somehow get and stay healthy, Wentz has shown MVP-caliber play in the past. But he's also looked like the worst QB in the league at times.
RBs
Tier 1
Christian McCaffrey
Car
Alvin Kamara
NO
Derrick Henry
Ten
The return from injury is really the only reason CMC isn't in a tier of his own. When healthy he was hands down the top fantasy back, but it's unclear exactly how much he'll be used in the new Carolina offense.
Tier 2
Nick Chubb
Cle
Aaron Jones
GB
Jonathan Taylor
Ind
Dalvin Cook
Min
All four backs in the second tier could easily be moved up a notch heading forward with a top finish from any of them.
Tier 3
Joe Mixon
Cin
Ezekiel Elliot
Dal
Clyde Edwards-Helaire
KC
Saquon Barkley
NYG
Najee Harris
Pit
Antonio Gibson
Was
Health questions surround the two biggest names in the group with Elliot and Barkley, both of whom used to be seen at the top of most fantasy drafts. CEH was a predraft darling last year, but his production didn't quite match the first-round pick many used on him. Regardless, he's still the main back in an explosive KC offense and should be able to produce week to week.
Tier 4
J.K. Dobbins
Bal
David Montgomery
Chi
D'Andre Swift
Det
Austin Ekeler
LAC
Darrell Henderson
LAR
Miles Sanders
Phi
Chris Carson
Sea
Some breakout possibilities here in Tier 4. Henderson has huge upside with Cam Akers out for the season in Los Angeles. Sanders gets a full season of Jalen Hurts starting at quarterback, something that made him a top back in the final games last season. And Chris Carson looks to be getting the nod as the lead back as Seattle slowly moves away from running-back-by-committee.
Tier 5
Mike Davis
Atl
Chase Edmonds
Ari
Kareem Hunt
Cle
Javonte Williams
Den
James Robinson
Jax
Travis Etienne
Jax
Josh Jacobs
LV
Myles Gaskins
Mia
Damien Harris
NE
Michael Carter
NYJ
Tre Sermon
SF
Things start getting a little messy here with depth charts still unclear in camp. In Jacksonville, Robinson looks to be the starter after his breakout season last year, but they used a first-round pick on Etienne, so he's sure to see the field. If Sermon gets to see the field in San Francisco he'll be a difference maker.
Tier 6
James Conner
Ari
Gus Edwards
Bal
Zack Moss
Buf
Devin Singletary
Buf
Tony Pollard
Dal
Melvin Gordon III
Den
AJ Dillon
GB
David Johnson
Hou
Nyheim Hines
Ind
Kenyan Drake
LV
Latavius Murray
NO
Raheem Mostert
SF
Ronald Jones II
TB
You're not going to build your weekly roster around these guys but finding the right one for the right situation is important. Someone like Pollard won't score every week, but with Zeke's inability to stay on the field, there's a couple weeks in the season where he can make the difference.
WRs
Tier 1
Stefon Diggs
Buf
Davante Adams
GB
Tyreek Hill
KC
Diggs has a year of familiarity with his QB, Adams has his back for what might be the last dance and Hill gets to run around in the secondary until his QB has an opening to flick it downfield to him.
Tier 2
DeAndre Hopkins
Ari
D.K. Metcalf
Sea
AJ Brown
Ten
Metcalf and Brown could be on the verge of huge seasons, and Hopkins has a year in the Arizona offense to be comfortable and possibly return to top-3 status.
Tier 3
Calvin Ridley
Atl
Allen Robinson II
Chi
Keenan Allen
LAC
Justin Jefferson
Min
Terry McLaurin
Was
It will be interesting to see what happens with Ridley's production now that Julio Jones is in Tennessee. He'll be the focus, but defenses will have to pay attention to rookie TE Kyle Pitts too. Jefferson took a couple weeks to get comfortable in the Minnesota offense last season, but after things started clicking in week 3, he was a big piece for those that were patient enough to sit him or lucky enough to get him off waivers.
Tier 4
DJ Moore
Car
Ja'Marr Chase
Cin
Amari Cooper
Dal
CeeDee Lamb
Dal
Tyler Lockett
Sea
Chris Godwin
TB
Mike Evans
TB
Diontae Johnson
Pit
It's unclear who will end up being the top pass catcher in Dallas and Tampa Bay. Cooper and Lamb in Dallas have the question of Dak's health hanging over them. Godwin and Evans have a QB in Tampa that tends to spread the wealth among his receiving corps, and there are plenty of other weapons for the Super Bowl champs as well.
Tier 5
Odell Beckham Jr.
Cle
Tee Higgins
Cin
Courtland Sutton
Den
Cooper Kupp
LAR
Robert Woods
LAR
Adam Thielen
Min
Michael Thomas
NO
Chase Claypool
Pit
JuJu Smith-Schuster
Pit
Brandon Aiyuk
SF
Julio Jones
Ten
Two big names stand out in this group, and health is a question for both. Can Odell come back healthy and finally gel with this Cleveland offense? And when will Thomas be ready to get on the field in New Orleans.
Tier 6
Robby Anderson
Car
Darnell Mooney
Chi
Jarvis Landry
Cle
Michael Gallup
Dal
Jerry Jeudy
Den
Brandin Cooks
Hou
T.Y. Hilton
Ind
Laviska Shenault Jr.
Jax
Marvin Jones Jr.
Jax
D.J. Chark Jr.
Jax
Will Fuller V
Mia
Kenny Golladay
NYG
Corey Davis
NYJ
Jalen Reagor
Phi
DeVonta Smith
Phi
Deebo Samuel
SF
Antonio Brown
TB
Curtis Samuel
Was
Jeudy and Reagor could be set for big production increases in their second year. Reagor's rookie teamate Smith's big play ability made him a Heisman winner and first-round pick, and if it translates to the field as a rookie he can make a dent on the right week.
TEs
Tier 1
Travis Kelce
KC
George Kittle
SF
There's really no debate as to the top two TEs in the game right now. Kelce has a few less questions surrounding his offense in KC than Kittle has in SF.
Tier 2
Kyle Pitts
Atl
Mark Andrews
Bal
Darren Waller
LV
Pitts is the reason Atlanta was so comfortable letting go of Julio Jones, and he looks like a matchup nightmare for defenses. Andrews is Lamar Jackson's most consistent target in Baltimore, and Waller has continued to grow and emerge as a top-end TE in Las Vegas.
Tier 3
Noah Fant
Den
T.J. Hockensen
Det
Tyler Higbee
LAR
Jonnu Smith
NE
More than any other position, TE starts to thin out quick. Hockensen has the ability, but hasn't been able to put it out on the field consistently.
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