It’s been a long wait for us football and fantasy football freaks, so it’s time for yet another dose of an NFL piece – NFL withdrawal is just that hard, and you all know it.
Have you been practicing your strategy on online mock drafts? You should be. It’ll always be a tough challenge and it’s better to be extra prepared. Here now are some of the best keepers for the 2017-18 season. Read on!
Best Fantasy Football Keepers of the 2017-18 Season
**POINT PROJECTIONS ARE VIA ESPN
QUARTERBACKS
Aaron Rodgers
Point projection: 326.1
The “baaad man” should easily top the list. Rodgers has the perfect talent, system, and supporting cast to heavily produce week in, week out. Last season, when his Green Bay Packers were getting written off after an uncharacteristic four-game losing streak, he suddenly exploded and had 18 touchdowns with zero interceptions in his last seven games.
NFL’s “A-Rod” is averaging 4,055 yards and 33 touchdowns per season since becoming the Pack’s the full-time starter in 2008.
Drew Brees
Point projection: 312.5
Being 38 years of age and having lost his top receiver in Brandin Cooks via trade could be the reason that his point projection is a bit lower than Rodgers, but there’s no doubt about it, no quarterback in the league has been more consistently prolific than Drew Brees. With or without an elite pass-catcher, the New Orleans Saints will always be a pass-happy team with him as the man under center, and he is sure to throw for good yardage.
Brees records 4,888 yards and 35 touchdowns per season in his 11 seasons with the New Orleans Saints. He has led the league in passing yards five of the last six years.
RUNNING BACKS
Le’Veon Bell
Point projection: 374.6
We can describe Bell’s scoring opportunities like we did with Rodgers, since he is also backed with talent and teammates that can allow him to excel. Along with power, speed, and unmatched patience in reading the defense before attacking, he is also blessed with an excellent decoy in receiver Antonio Brown (who will also appear in this article).
Last season, despite missing four games due to suspension (substance abuse), he was still able to rack up 1,884 all-purpose yards and nine total touchdowns. He’s netting over 1,500 total yards per season in his four-year career.
David Johnson
Point projection: 372.3
Heading into the 2017 season, no skill player is probably more interesting than this man right here, especially fantasy-wise. The 25-year-old, third-year pro made a name for himself last year with his versatility, as he concluded his campaign leading the league in yards from scrimmage (2,118) and total touchdowns (20).
With Larry Fitzgerald another year older, and the other receivers not exactly shining as much, there’s a lot of reason to expect a truckload of fantasy points from David Johnson.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Julio Jones
Point projection: 284.6
6’4 in height, 220 pounds in weight, has good hands, and can run like a gazelle – Julio Jones is the ultimate matchup nightmare in the NFL. He’s too strong for defensive backs and too fast for linebackers. It’s almost unfair.
Oh, and he has an elite-level QB in Matt Ryan.
All signs simply point to him having a ton of yards and TDs every single year, which he has lived up to in the last couple of years. He’s tallying 96 receptions and a whopping 1,624 yards per season since 2014, and he has four straight seasons averaging 100-plus yards per game.
Antonio Brown
Point projection: 302.2
Antonio Brown is a great model of someone maximizing his strengths. He will not wow you with his speed and power, but he will get the job done and give you your fantasy points. His appeal among fantasy owners also root from being on one of the best QB-WR rapports today with Ben Roethlisberger, who is always looking to sling it into AB’s direction.
Since 2013, Brown is averaging 120 receptions, 1,579 yards, and 11 touchdowns per season.
Odell Beckham Jr.
Point projection: 302.2
Say what you want about the New York Giants’ polarizing young star, but you better recognize that he has been putting some great numbers, which eclipsed the ones made by future Hall-of-Famer Randy Moss.
Like most of the guys on the list, Beckham has the tools that should make a believer out of you, namely hands (or hand since he’s endlessly practicing one-hand catches), speed, strength, and route running. Adding to all of that is the new weapons that the G-Men have on the receiving corps – particularly Brandon Marshall and Evan Engram – who should be able to help lessen the defense’s attention on OBJ.
Beckham is netting 96 catches, 1,374 yards, and 11 touchdowns in his three-year career.
TIGHT ENDS
Greg Olsen
Point projection: 225.4
With the New England Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski again struggling to stay healthy, Olsen has a great case to be the best and most consistent tight end today. He and his QB, Cam Newton, have been connecting well in the past three seasons, and we should see it continue moving forward. The 32-year-Olsen could soon join Antonio Gates and Jason Witten in the list of ageless TEs.
Olsen has three straight 1,000-plus yard seasons. He’s also hauling in 80 catches per year in that span.
Travis Kelce
Point projection: 215.9
Don’t let his reality show distract you, he is one TE that should be seen as a keeper on your team. Similar to most of the aforementioned guys, he’s likely to have a lot of scoring opportunities this coming season. Much of it is due to the Kansas City Chiefs’ unpredictable wide receiver situation, especially now that key wideout Jeremy Maclin has been shipped.
Kelce had 800-plus yards each in 2014 and 2015, and then broke out last season, with 1,125 yards. He has 14 TDs in that three-year stretch.
