Fantasy Football Rankings 2017, Top 101 PPR Players: No. 71-69
By Dan Thomas
As we make our way through the list of the fantasy football top 101 PPR players of 2017, which players are being overvalued?
Sometimes it’s easy for owners to be infatuated with a player’s name and what he’s accomplished in the past. Instead of getting caught in that trap, owners need to evaluate every player in his current situation and make an educated guess about how events are going to play out.
Today we see a running back who has been top-15 or better at his position for three-straight years. Why is he ranked so low on this year’s list? The way I see it, the stars have unaligned for this former-first round pick.
To be clear, the top 101 PPR players are for re-draft leagues only. Here’s a look at players ranked No. 71-69:
71. Paul Perkins, RB – New York Giants
Last year in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Giants spent a fifth-round pick on UCLA running back Paul Perkins. During his first year in the NFL, Perkins did not contribute much. He only totaled 618 offensive yards and zero touchdowns. This year, Perkins situation makes him a breakout candidate.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
In February, the Giants released their 2016 starting running back Rashad Jennings. Last year Jennings led the Giant in carries (181), rushing yards (593), rushing touchdowns (3). He also led all Giants running backs in receptions (35), receiving yards (201) and receiving touchdowns (1). With Jennings no longer on the roster, there are 200+ backfield touches up for grabs and Perkins is projected to be the team’s starting running back.
The downside for Perkins is even though he’s the team’s starting running back, he will be in a committee. Shane Vereen (who missed 11 games last year) is slated to be the team’s third-down/receiving back. The Giants 2017 fourth-round pick, Wayne Gallman, could make his mark as the team’s short-yardage and goal line back. If that’s the way it sets up, Perkins will be losing out on receptions and goal line opportunities.
70. Randall Cobb, WR – Green Bay Packers
Last season was a disappointment for Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb. He battled injuries and when he was on the field, he wasn’t all that effective. In six out of 13 regular season games, Cobb had 3 receptions or less and his 10.2 yards per catch average was a career-low. On the bright side, Cobb closed out the season on a strong note.
Must Read: NFL 2017: Ranking the 30 Best Pass Rushers
In the Packers three playoff games Cobb totaled 18 receptions, 260 yards and three touchdowns. He had 13+ PPR points in each one of those games. Cobb appears to be third on the Packers passing pecking order behind Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams. This makes Cobb a WR3/FLEX player in fantasy but in the Packers offense, he offers a high ceiling. If either Nelson or Adams misses time with an injury, Cobb would enter the WR2 conversation. Even if they don’t, I still expect Cobb to bounce-back with 75+ receptions in 2017.
69. Mark Ingram, RB – New Orleans Saints
2016 marked the first time in Mark Ingram’s career he rushed for over 1,000 yards. He also set a career-high in receiving touchdowns with four after not recording any during his first five years in the NFL. Unfortunately for Ingram, the backfield in New Orleans isn’t setting up as an ideal situation for him in 2017.
The Saints went out and signed former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson who checked in at No. 100 on our list. The reason I value Ingram more than Peterson is because Ingram is the team’s starter and he is a better pass-catcher. With that said, the Saints didn’t sign Peterson just to let him rot away on the bench. He should average 8-10 touches per game. The team also didn’t trade up in the 2017 NFL Draft to select Alvin Kamara so he can watch from the sidelines.
Next: Fantasy Football Rankings, Top 101 PPR Players: No. 74-72
Kamara projects to be the team’s third-down/receiving running back. He could conceivably lead the Saints running backs in receptions as a rookie. Last year Ingram had the second-most carries (205) and the second-most receptions (46) of his career. I expect each one of those numbers to regress.