Take it for what you will, but I had the honor of ranking with some heavy hitters in the top-10 of Fantasy Pros’ 2016 Draft Accuracy Ranks and have had a reasonably consistent run with them since 2013.
For me, there’s not as much science to draft rankings as many would have you believe. It’s a simple matter of assessing a player’s context from year-to-year (both personal, health, team and environment) and considering how that will impact his relative value.
You’ll see a number of areas where I deviate significantly from the Expert Consensus Ranks and I’m always happy to discuss those gaps in the comments. So please review, and use our 2017 NFL Draft Rankings to help you prep for this year’s draft.
The rankings below will be updated as training camp evolves, so stay tuned.
ADP – Average Draft Position
2017 NFL Draft Rankings Highlights
Jamison Crowder may be undersized but is prepared for a significant role in the Washington offense (Photo via Sports Illustrated).
- I’m eight spots ahead of ECR on Eddie Lacy at time of publishing, and while he may not have made his third weight milestone I think he fits the mold of the power back Seattle wants and needs. His 2016 season was derailed by injury, but don’t forget that Lacy was enjoying a rejuvenation of sorts last year. He carried the ball for a 5.1 YPC average and moves to an offense that should give him plenty of opportunities on first and second down.
- Likewise, I’m eight spots ahead of ER on Blake Bortles. The Jaguars are committed to him for 2017 at a minimum, they’ve added Leonard Fournette who projects to improve the offense overall, and he finished as the 9th overall Fantasy QB in a season that everyone treats as a lost year. It should go without saying, but you aren’t drafting for history or for wins and losses. Bortles’ raw numbers should be enough to help your team compete again this season.
- I like both Terrelle Pryor and Jamison Crowder more than ECR. That may sound contradictory, but simply put there is a lot of production to replace in the Washington offense and I believe they can do it. Pryor continues to develop into a strong outside receiver and while he’s being challenged to learn a new system, all signs are that he’s enjoyed a great camp. Crowder, meanwhile, has flashed impressive speed and talent behind DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon over the last two season. Expect him to see a significant increase in target share and improve upon a 2016 season that saw him finish in the top-30 in WR scoring.
