The 2021 fantasy football season is here, and draft day is just around the corner. Fantasy football rankings are crucial tools in preparation for the season and during the fantasy draft.
Leveraging fantasy football rankings to understand the dynamics of the draft board allows you to prepare for any scenario. That way, you will be ready to scoop up a player like an A.J. Brown if he slides in the draft while still adjusting your strategy accordingly.
Roster construction is often an overlooked element of drafting, so these PPR rankings are sorted into various tiers to account for multiple positions. Use these rankings tiers to build a championship-winning roster filled with upside at every position.
More of PFF’s 2021 Fantasy Football tools here:
Fantasy Football Draft Kit | Rankings & Tiers | Draft Guide | Cheat Sheets
Projections | Strength of Schedule | Expected Points | Weekly Finishes
| Rank | Name | Team | Position |
| 1 | Christian McCaffrey | CAR | RB1 |
| 2 | Dalvin Cook | MIN | RB2 |
| 3 | Alvin Kamara | NO | RB3 |
| 4 | Derrick Henry | TEN | RB4 |
| 5 | Aaron Jones | GB | RB5 |
| 6 | Ezekiel Elliott | DAL | RB6 |
| 7 | Saquon Barkley | NYG | RB7 |
| 8 | Austin Ekeler | LAC | RB8 |
| 9 | Travis Kelce | KC | TE1 |
| 10 | Davante Adams | GB | WR1 |
| 11 | Tyreek Hill | KC | WR2 |
| 12 | Stefon Diggs | BUF | WR3 |
| 13 | Nick Chubb | CLE | RB9 |
| 14 | Joe Mixon | CIN | RB10 |
| 15 | Calvin Ridley | ATL | WR4 |
| 16 | DeAndre Hopkins | ARZ | WR5 |
| 17 | Najee Harris | PIT | RB11 |
| 18 | Antonio Gibson | WFT | RB12 |
| 19 | Jonathan Taylor | IND | RB13 |
| 20 | Darren Waller | LVR | TE2 |
| 21 | A.J. Brown | TEN | WR6 |
| 22 | D.K. Metcalf | SEA | WR7 |
| 23 | Justin Jefferson | MIN | WR8 |
| 24 | Keenan Allen | LAC | WR9 |
| 25 | CeeDee Lamb | DAL | WR10 |
| 26 | Clyde Edwards-Helaire | KC | RB14 |
| 27 | George Kittle | SF | TE3 |
| 28 | Amari Cooper | DAL | WR11 |
| 29 | Allen Robinson II | CHI | WR12 |
| 30 | Terry McLaurin | WFT | WR13 |
| 31 | D.J. Moore | CAR | WR14 |
| 32 | Chris Godwin | TB | WR15 |
| 33 | Mike Evans | TB | WR16 |
| 34 | Chris Carson | SEA | RB15 |
| 35 | J.K. Dobbins | BAL | RB16 |
| 36 | D’Andre Swift | DET | RB17 |
| 37 | Julio Jones | TEN | WR17 |
| 38 | Robert Woods | LAR | WR18 |
| 39 | Cooper Kupp | LAR | WR19 |
| 40 | Tee Higgins | CIN | WR20 |
| 41 | David Montgomery | CHI | RB18 |
| 42 | Patrick Mahomes | KC | QB1 |
| 43 | Josh Allen | BUF | QB2 |
| 44 | Lamar Jackson | BAL | QB3 |
| 45 | Ja’Marr Chase | CIN | WR21 |
| 46 | Diontae Johnson | PIT | WR22 |
| 47 | Tyler Lockett | SEA | WR23 |
| 48 | Miles Sanders | PHI | RB19 |
| 49 | Adam Thielen | MIN | WR24 |
| 50 | Travis Etienne | JAX | RB20 |
| 51 | Javonte Williams | DEN | RB21 |
| 52 | Josh Jacobs | LVR | RB22 |
| 53 | Mike Davis | ATL | RB23 |
| 54 | Darrell Henderson | LAR | RB24 |
| 55 | Kareem Hunt | CLE | RB25 |
| 56 | Mark Andrews | BAL | TE4 |
| 57 | T.J. Hockenson | DET | TE5 |
| 58 | Kyler Murray | ARZ | QB4 |
| 59 | Brandon Aiyuk | SF | WR25 |
| 60 | Courtland Sutton | DEN | WR26 |
| 61 | Kenny Golladay | DET | WR27 |
| 62 | Myles Gaskin | MIA | RB26 |
| 63 | Kyle Pitts | ATL | TE6 |
| 64 | Dak Prescott | DAL | QB5 |
| 65 | Odell Beckham Jr. | CLE | WR28 |
| 66 | Chase Claypool | PIT | WR29 |
| 67 | Will Fuller V | MIA | WR30 |
| 68 | Justin Herbert | LAC | QB6 |
| 69 | Robby Anderson | CAR | WR31 |
| 70 | Deebo Samuel | SF | WR32 |
| 71 | Jerry Jeudy | DEN | WR33 |
| 72 | DeVonta Smith | PHI | WR34 |
| 73 | Chase Edmonds | ARZ | RB27 |
| 74 | James Robinson | JAX | RB28 |
| 75 | Raheem Mostert | SF | RB29 |
| 76 | Russell Wilson | SEA | QB7 |
| 77 | Tyler Boyd | CIN | WR35 |
| 78 | Curtis Samuel | WFT | WR36 |
| 79 | Antonio Brown | TB | WR37 |
| 80 | D.J. Chark Jr. | JAX | WR38 |
| 81 | Laviska Shenault Jr. | JAX | WR39 |
| 82 | JuJu Smith-Schuster | PIT | WR40 |
| 83 | Damien Harris | NE | RB30 |
| 84 | Michael Carter | NYJ | RB31 |
| 85 | Trey Sermon | SF | RB32 |
| 86 | Zack Moss | BUF | RB33 |
| 87 | Leonard Fournette | TB | RB34 |
| 88 | James Conner | ARZ | RB35 |
| 89 | Ronald Jones | TB | RB36 |
| 90 | Dallas Goedert | PHI | TE7 |
| 91 | Jalen Hurts | PHI | QB8 |
| 92 | Aaron Rodgers | GB | QB9 |
| 93 | Noah Fant | DEN | TE8 |
| 94 | Tom Brady | TB | QB10 |
| 95 | Joe Burrow | CIN | QB11 |
| 96 | Brandin Cooks | HOU | WR41 |
| 97 | Marquise Brown | BAL | WR42 |
| 98 | Michael Gallup | DAL | WR43 |
| 99 | Mike Williams | LAC | WR44 |
| 100 | Michael Thomas | NO | WR45 |
| 101 | Melvin Gordon III | DEN | RB37 |
| 102 | Jarvis Landry | CLE | WR46 |
| 103 | Michael Pittman Jr. | IND | WR47 |
| 104 | Ryan Tannehill | TEN | QB12 |
| 105 | Matthew Stafford | LAR | QB13 |
| 106 | Logan Thomas | WFT | TE9 |
| 107 | A.J. Dillon | GB | RB38 |
| 108 | Tony Pollard | DAL | RB39 |
| 109 | Gus Edwards | BAL | RB40 |
| 110 | Kenyan Drake | LVR | RB41 |
| 111 | Robert Tonyan | GB | TE10 |
| 112 | Jaylen Waddle | MIA | WR48 |
| 113 | Elijah Moore | NYJ | WR49 |
| 114 | Rashod Bateman | BAL | WR50 |
| 115 | Mike Gesicki | MIA | TE11 |
| 116 | Trevor Lawrence | JAX | QB14 |
| 117 | Tyler Higbee | LAR | TE12 |
| 118 | Matt Ryan | ATL | QB15 |
| 119 | Marvin Jones Jr. | JAX | WR51 |
| 120 | Corey Davis | NYJ | WR52 |
| 121 | Latavius Murray | NO | RB42 |
| 122 | Irv Smith Jr. | MIN | TE13 |
| 123 | Jamaal Williams | DET | RB43 |
| 124 | Nyheim Hines | IND | RB44 |
| 125 | Darnell Mooney | CHI | WR53 |
| 126 | Mecole Hardman | KC | WR54 |
| 127 | Alexander Mattison | MIN | RB45 |
| 128 | Devin Singletary | BUF | RB46 |
| 129 | Baker Mayfield | CLE | QB16 |
| 130 | Tua Tagovailoa | MIA | QB17 |
| 131 | Kirk Cousins | MIN | QB18 |
| 132 | Justin Fields | CHI | QB19 |
| 133 | Trey Lance | SF | QB20 |
| 134 | Ryan Fitzpatrick | WFT | QB21 |
| 135 | Carson Wentz | IND | QB22 |
| 136 | J.D. McKissic | WFT | RB47 |
| 137 | DeVante Parker | MIA | WR55 |
| 138 | Russell Gage | ATL | WR56 |
| 139 | Adam Trautman | NO | TE14 |
| 140 | Jonnu Smith | NE | TE15 |
| 141 | Evan Engram | NYG | TE16 |
| 142 | Tre’Quan Smith | NO | WR57 |
| 143 | Anthony Firkser | TEN | TE17 |
| 144 | Cole Beasley | BUF | WR58 |
| 145 | Randall Cobb | GB | WR59 |
| 146 | Henry Ruggs III | LVR | WR60 |
| 147 | Terrace Marshall Jr. | CAR | WR61 |
| 148 | Hunter Henry | NE | TE18 |
| 149 | Los Angeles Rams | — | D/ST1 |
| 150 | Pittsburgh Steelers | — | D/ST2 |
| 151 | Gerald Everett | SEA | TE19 |
| 152 | Rob Gronkowski | TB | TE20 |
| 153 | Gabriel Davis | BUF | WR62 |
| 154 | Jalen Reagor | PHI | WR63 |
| 155 | Parris Campbell | IND | WR64 |
| 156 | Rondale Moore | ARZ | WR65 |
| 157 | Nico Collins | HOU | WR66 |
| 158 | Bryan Edwards | LVR | WR67 |
| 159 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | — | D/ST3 |
| 160 | Baltimore Ravens | — | D/ST4 |
| 161 | James White | NE | RB48 |
| 162 | Daniel Jones | NYG | QB23 |
| 163 | Cole Kmet | CHI | TE21 |
| 164 | Nelson Agholor | NE | WR68 |
| 165 | Blake Jarwin | DAL | TE22 |
| 166 | Austin Hooper | CLE | TE23 |
| 167 | Rashaad Penny | SEA | RB49 |
| 168 | Damien Williams | NE | RB50 |
| 169 | David Johnson | HOU | RB51 |
| 170 | Phillip Lindsay | HOU | RB52 |
| 171 | Tevin Coleman | NYJ | RB53 |
| 172 | Marlon Mack | IND | RB54 |
| 173 | Washington Football Team | — | D/ST5 |
| 174 | Emmanuel Sanders | BUF | WR69 |
| 175 | John Brown | LVR | WR70 |
| 176 | Marquez Valdes-Scantling | GB | WR71 |
| 177 | Donovan Peoples-Jones | CLE | WR72 |
| 178 | Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET | WR73 |
| 179 | K.J. Hamler | DEN | WR74 |
| 180 | Giovani Bernard | TB | RB55 |
| 181 | T.Y. Hilton | IND | WR75 |
| 182 | DeSean Jackson | LAR | WR76 |
| 183 | Josh Palmer | LAC | WR77 |
| 184 | Zach Wilson | NYJ | QB24 |
| 185 | Taysom Hill | NO | QB25 |
| 186 | Jameis Winston | NO | QB26 |
| 187 | Sam Darnold | CAR | QB27 |
| 188 | Ben Roethlisberger | PIT | QB28 |
| 189 | Jared Cook | LAC | TE24 |
| 190 | Derek Carr | LVR | QB29 |
| 191 | Buffalo Bills | — | D/ST6 |
| 192 | Christian Kirk | ARZ | WR78 |
| 193 | Sammy Watkins | BAL | WR79 |
| 194 | Sterling Shepard | NYG | WR80 |
| 195 | Tim Patrick | DEN | WR81 |
| 196 | Amari Rodgers | GB | WR82 |
| 197 | Harrison Butker | KC | K1 |
| 198 | Younghoe Koo | ATL | K2 |
| 199 | Jakobi Meyers | NE | WR83 |
| 200 | Eric Ebron | PIT | TE25 |
| 201 | Wayne Gallman | SF | RB56 |
| 202 | Deshaun Watson | HOU | QB30 |
| 203 | A.J. Green | ARZ | WR84 |
| 204 | Boston Scott | PHI | RB57 |
| 205 | O.J. Howard | TB | TE25 |
| 206 | Carlos Hyde | JAX | RB58 |
| 207 | Justin Tucker | BAL | K3 |
| 208 | Darrel Williams | KC | RB59 |
| 209 | Joshua Kelley | LAC | RB60 |
| 210 | Greg Zuerlein | DAL | K4 |
| 211 | Breshad Perriman | DET | WR85 |
| 212 | Allen Lazard | GB | WR86 |
| 213 | Travis Fulgham | PHI | WR87 |
| 214 | Chuba Hubbard | CAR | RB61 |
| 215 | Darrynton Evans | TEN | RB62 |
| 216 | Jared Goff | DET | QB31 |
| 217 | Tarik Cohen | CHI | RB63 |
| 218 | Justin Jackson | LAC | RB64 |
| 219 | Kenneth Gainwell | PHI | RB65 |
| 220 | Indianapolis Colts | — | D/ST7 |
| 221 | Miami Dolphins | — | D/ST8 |
| 222 | Los Angeles Chargers | — | D/ST9 |
| 223 | Cleveland Browns | — | D/ST10 |
| 224 | Denver Broncos | — | D/ST11 |
| 225 | San Francisco 49ers | — | D/ST12 |
| 226 | New England Patriots | — | D/ST13 |
| 227 | Kansas City Chiefs | — | D/ST14 |
| 228 | Jason Sanders | MIA | K5 |
| 229 | Salvon Ahmed | MIA | RB66 |
| 230 | New Orleans Saints | — | D/ST15 |
| 231 | Rodrigo Blankenship | IND | K6 |
| 232 | Malcolm Brown | MIA | RB67 |
| 233 | Tyler Bass | BUF | K7 |
| 234 | Ryan Succop | TB | K8 |
| 235 | Chicago Bears | — | D/ST16 |
| 236 | Matt Prater | ARZ | K9 |
| 237 | Dan Arnold | ARZ | TE26 |
| 238 | Hayden Hurst | ATL | TE27 |
| 239 | Tyrell Williams | DET | WR88 |
| 240 | Sony Michel | NE | WR89 |
| 241 | Jeff Wilson Jr. | SF | RB68 |
| 242 | Rhamondre Stevenson | NE | RB69 |
| 243 | Darius Slayton | NYG | WR90 |
| 244 | Jamison Crowder | NYJ | WR91 |
| 245 | Kadarius Toney | NYG | WR92 |
| 246 | Ty Johnson | NYJ | RB70 |
| 247 | Pat Freiermuth | PIT | TE28 |
| 248 | Benny Snell Jr. | PIT | RB71 |
| 249 | Denzel Mims | NYJ | WR93 |
| 250 | Zach Ertz | PHI | TE29 |
Tier 1A: The best two players in fantasy football
McCaffrey and Cook are simply in a tier of their own, as they boast an unmatched combination of floor and ceiling. These two running backs are proven fantasy superstars with a three-down role, goal-line usage and targets galore.
McCaffrey returns to the identical role that led to his record-breaking 29.4 PPR points per game in 2019. The Panthers’ offense should even be better than the 2019 version. He is the indisputable No. 1 overall player in fantasy football.
Cook is locked into the No. 2 overall spot. The Vikings stud averaged a monstrous 24.1 PPR points per game last season (second) and could top that mark in 2021 considering all of Minnesota’s improvements along the offensive line.
Tier 1B: The rest of the first round
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