NFL Fantasy Football Rankings
By Kurt Boyer
Updated: January 4, 2024
Fantasy football GMs don’t look to simply draft the best players on the best NFL offenses. Sometimes, a QB or WR’s Fantasy point totals are hampered by his playing on a club with a great defense, while a quality RB’s numbers can be held back by a weak defense that forces the team to pass constantly. That makes Fantasy rankings different from regular NFL player rankings. Fantasy and “DFS” competitors aren’t looking for pure talent, just pure production, and a cumulative point-total win every weekend.
Who’re the top Fantasy point-producers in the league? Check out our rankings for fantasy football, as well as our recommendations, below for a full update headed into this weekend’s NFL schedule.
Top 5 NFL Daily Fantasy Point Scorers
| Player/Position | Team | DFS Points in 2023-24 |
| Josh Allen/QB | BUF | 369.6 |
| Jalen Hurts/QB | PHI | 356.2 |
| Lamar Jackson / QB | BAL | 331.2 |
| Christian McCaffrey/RB | SF | 324.3 |
| Dak Prescott/QB | DAL | 317.7 |
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has returned to form just when Buffalo needed it most. In Week 16, Fantasy Football’s leading scorer dominated, compiling 252 all-purpose yards and 3 TDs in a win over the Los Angeles Chargers. He then led the Bills to another victory over New England in Week 17 by totaling 213 all-purpose yards and 2 touchdowns. Sunday Night Football should see Allen facing more resistance against a competitive Miami Dolphins defense.
Jalen Hurts performed as expected, racking up 335 all-purpose yards and 2 TDs to lead Philadelphia to victory over the New York Giants. He faltered, however, in Week 17, posting less than 200 yards and an interception against the Arizona Cardinals, however, Hurts also threw 3 TDs, but the Eagles ultimately suffered an upset loss. The former Oklahoma star will look to bounce back in Week 18 in a rematch against the New York Giants.
Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson went nuclear in Week 17. The Baltimore Ravens crushed Miami by 37 points, and Jackson threw for 321 yards and 5 TDs by completing an outstanding 18 of his 21 pass attempts. This season, the Louisville product has posted up-and-down Fantasy numbers. Still, it bodes well for his DFS stock, especially considering he did most of his damage against the Dolphins with his arm. When Pittsburgh visits the Ravens on Saturday, Jackson will take on one of the NFL’s most stingy defenses.
San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey put forth another stellar performance in Week 16. The 49ers lost to Baltimore by 14, but the ageless McCaffrey still amassed 131 all-purpose yards and a touchdown. In Week 17, San Fran beat Washington handily, but McCaffrey only recorded 91 yards—a pittance by his standards—and failed to score before sustaining a calf injury and exiting the contest. San Francisco's regular-season finale against the L.A. Rams will see McCaffrey sidelined.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott did just enough in Week 17 to help Dallas secure a controversial win. Due to a referee’s error, Dallas beat Detroit, but Prescott put his club in position to get a lucky break by throwing for 345 yards and 2 TDs. The 8th-year pro may not have the highest Fantasy ceiling of any NFL QB, but he certainly boasts one of the highest floors. Dallas will play Washington on the road in the Cowboys’ regular season final contest.
Other Types of NFL Fantasy Player Rankings
Look around FanDuel for other useful rankings. ADP rankings stand for “Average Draft Position,” or the position at which a player would be expected to get taken in a fantasy draft. Just like a real-life front office manager, a GM must look at player rankings with an eye toward what her DFS opponents are going to do, in addition to her own game plan for Sunday.
Other football fantasy rankings include position-player rankings for kickers, rushers, and receivers, and of course an up-to-date list of the top quarterbacks in the National Football League.
Daily Fantasy Football: New Route to Success at FanDuel
Losing a star football player can crush the chances of a traditional Fantasy player. Because of the ever-present dangers of injuries and suspensions, full-season Fantasy Football GMs are subject to the same stresses real-life front office bosses and head coaches go through. Key players may be injured with no suitable backup in place. Quarterbacks go through slumps, tailbacks grow unhappy with a team’s blocking, and wide receivers go months without scoring a TD.
Pass-rushers - especially from the Cleveland Browns - lose their heads and get themselves thrown off the field.
Thanks to FanDuel, there’s a cure for the injury and suspension blues. Daily Fantasy Sports, or DFS, offers a fresh start every week. DFS contestants simply enter to play, choose a team, and play a 1-week contest, followed by the opportunity to draft a different roster the following week if desired.
Fantasy to DFS is not a seamless adjustment. Long-time GMs getting into DFS should be prepared to adjust their thinking as offense relates to defense. It’s not bad to draft a season-long QB who plays for a team with a good defense backing them up.
For instance, Tom Brady has earned consistent wins for rosters despite the New England Patriots (his franchise until 2020-21) playing excellent defense at times. Top QBs, Running Back, and WRs on solid all-around teams tend to play harder, keep themselves healthy, and see more clutch minutes on the field—all long-term positives. But in the DFS landscape, a starting QB or a WR pick with an excellent defense is likely bound for games with an average point total.
If the Ravens are leading 21-0 in the 3rd quarter, 2019’s MVP will probably throw fewer passes and rack-up fewer yards and TDs in the 4th quarter than if Baltimore trails 35-21 and needs a hurry-up offense to come back. Pocket QBs saddled with questionable defenses—like Drew Brees in close to 10 of his seasons in New Orleans—are often considered stronger DFS picks than dual-threats like Deshaun Watson or Russell Wilson in their prime years. It’s all about how many explosive passing plays a QB is expected to manufacture that Sunday, whether it’s in a winning cause or not.
It’s not hard to make the transition to DFS football on Sundays. Check below for more info on FanDuel’s scoring rules and adjusted-for-difficulty system of matching general managers.
Scoring Rules for Daily Fantasy Footbal
FanDuel’s scoring system doles out points for passing, rushing, receiving, runs-after-catches, and all touchdowns scored, in addition to small penalties for fumbles and interceptions. There are no penalties for 5, 10, or 15-yard penalties taken by NFL DFS draft picks, though penalties taken by an offense can stall a drive and prevent points from being scored—on the field and in DFS games. Defenders earn Fantasy points by holding an opponent to minimal TDs scored during a game. A team’s defenses can also score points by creating a turnover, sacking the QB, or notching a safety.
Not only can top kickers score 5 points at a time with 50+ yard field goals, a 2-point conversion earns an extra bonus when it’s a passing play. Visit our dedicated DFS scoring page for a full chart.
DFS team-defense picks are more valuable when they’re making plays. The prevalence of sacks and interceptions in the 2nd halves of “shoot-out” contests is often the saving grace for a draft GM stuck with an otherwise poor defense. The principle is similar to picking an underdog goalkeeper in soccer. “Keepers” on underdog teams will be forced to make more saves during a game of the league, leading to bonus points for the manager. GMs may draft a keeper from Man United or Barcelona hoping to get a “clean sheet” bonus and a few stress-free saves, and those teams often shut-out their opponents. But meanwhile, a manager with a GK who made 12 saves and given-up 2 goals has scored more points overall in the game.
A defense that holds its opponent off the board can earn up to 10 final-score bonus points on the scoreboard. However, a boring defense is likely to be surpassed in Fantasy point totals by a unit that sacks the QB, intercepts passes, and forces fumbles, even if it allows more points from an offense.
Choose a Level of Fantasy Opponent
There are rankings for DFS players too, of course. FanDuel users may choose a level of competition that is right for their experience level. Veteran handicappers compete in scientific mano-a-mano duels every Sunday, but that doesn’t mean beginners are forced to go up against a landscape of games filled with “Chiefs and 49ers.” Sign-ups can register as beginners and participate in special contests against an entire field of fellow novices. Prizes can be won by even the newest of competitors!
But when you’re ready for the big dance, feel free to level-up and engage in an experts’ battle up to 20 weeks per year, with winners determined every weekend.
Daily Fantasy Football FAQ
How Does Scoring Work in Daily Fantasy Football?
Sunday scoring tropes remain largely the same when tabulating points for DFS pigskin games. A TD pass from a drafted QB-to-WR combo is a DFS-point bonanza, while running backs like Christian McCaffery, who can score in many ways, are considered the most valuable Daily Fantasy draft picks on an NFL offense. Surf to our NFL Daily Fantasy training guide for a complete run-down of scoring DFS at FanDuel.
How Are DFS Drafts Organized at FanDuel?
DFS gamers receive a $60,000 budget (of “FanDuel dollars”) to spend on drafting a roster for the NFL weekend. GMs are asked to include a QB, running backs, WRs, a tight end, and a kicker. Customers may also choose a “flex” roster spot from eligible skill players and are allowed a single team "Defense and Special Teams" draft pick to go with the selected skill-position lineup for their game.
Why is the DFS Cheering Experience So Different?
Because NFL football is organized between 2 teams at a time, Daily Fantasy cheering can subvert the newcomer's expectations of what it's like to root for a Fantasy roster on Sunday. For instance, it's not a good idea to pick your sweetheart NFL club's "defense and special teams" (DST) in a Daily Fantasy roster draft without knowing what DFS scoring is like. Defenses and kick-coverage units don't get nearly as many points for holding an opponent off the scoreboard as for making exciting plays, like interceptions, fumble recoveries, and sacks. A defense can shut-out an opponent and not earn as many points for Daily Fantasy GMs as a team that grabs 5 interceptions despite allowing 4 TDs.
Do NFL Kickers Score Points in DFS Games?
Pro pigskin placekickers, or “PKs,” are a quiet engine of point-production on the gridiron and on the Fantasy scoreboard. Visit our NFL PK Fantasy Rankings page for more.
Can I Bet on Games at FanDuel?
FanDuel Sportsbook launched in 2019 and is available for retail and/or online action from bettors in most locales. Check to make sure sports betting is legal in your state, and surf to our sportsbook for the latest odds on NFL games and championships.
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