Fantasy Football has become a multi-billion-dollar industry and propelled the NFL into the lead as America’s premier sports league. 2018 mock drafts are in full swing, allowing sites like fantasy football calculator to establish average draft position (ADP) for players through 18 rounds. The projections below are based on point-per-reception, the new default for any fantasy football prognostication, 12-team leagues, and assume a fully healthy 16 game season. This year sees the return of the stud running back with nine of the first twelve players being selected playing a position becoming a committee in the NFL over recent years.

Here are five players set to help win your league during the 2018 NFL Season.

Alvin Kamara destined for greatness

It’s easy to say Kamara, a top-five pick, will be a stud this upcoming season but it’s the record-setting potential the second year running back can achieve that is so intriguing. Kamara finished the 2017 season with 201 touches totaling 1554 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging a ridiculous 7.73 yards every time he touched the ball. In 2018, Kamara has the chance to increase his touch total to around 300 as he didn’t really come on until after Week 4 last season, totaling 20 touches in his first four games as a rookie. Fellow running back Mark Ingram will be missing the first four games in 2018, paving the way for Kamara to be the lead back and leaving one to wonder if Ingram is ever able to work his way back into the mix for volume.

300 touches, 2000 total yards, and 20 touchdowns wouldn’t shock anyone and would place Kamara with David Johnson in 2016 and Todd Gurley [VIDEO] in 2017 as fantasy football’s top player.

Jerick McKinnon set to excel in San Francisco

Carlos Hyde is now in Cleveland and McKinnon tops the depth chart for a 49er team many expect to contend for a playoff berth during the 2018 NFL Season [VIDEO].

In 2017, McKinnon touched the ball 201 times for 991 yards and five TDs. Stuck in Minnesota behind Dalvin Cook and splitting time with Latavius Murray, McKinnon showed flashes of brilliance after Cook was lost for the season to a torn ACL. In San Francisco, McKinnon is expected to be spelled by fellow running back Matt Breida, yet will remain a focal point in the offense led by $28MM man Jimmy Garoppolo.

250 touches, 1200 total yards, and 10+ touchdowns are realistic, placing McKinnon firmly in the second round of your draft.

David Johnson expected to return Week 1

Last year’s number one overall selection in fantasy drafts dislocated his wrist Week 1 in the first half against the Detroit Lions and missed the rest of the season. Johnson was on his way to a monster day with 14 PPR fantasy points in 24 minutes of action. It’s easy to forget in 2016, when Johnson totaled 2118 yards on 373 touches with 20 touchdowns, the fourth year running back played 84 percent of the snaps. During this upcoming season, there’s nobody behind Johnson on the depth chart, the Cardinals could be starting the season with rookie quarterback Josh Rosen, drafted tenth overall, and the offense is expected to flow through Johnson.

Johnson could easily return in 2018 as the top fantasy scorer.

Demaryius Thomas paired with Case Keenum

Despite entering his season at 31 in 2018, Thomas has been an iron man, playing in all 16 games the past six seasons. Paired with Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler, and Paxton Lynch at quarterback the past two seasons has hurt Thomas’ production as he failed to eclipse 1,000 yards in 2017 for the first time since 2011 when he started just five games. Case Keenum’s demonstrated level of play last season in Minnesota virtually guarantees Thomas returns to 90+ receptions, 1200 yards, and 10+ touchdowns making him a value pick at his current ADP 4.06 with receivers like Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, and TY Hilton being selected well before Thomas.

Josh Doctson to be No. 1 in Washington

New quarterback Alex Smith is set to make third-year wide receiver Doctson a star. There’s an adage in the NFL it takes three years for a wide receiver to learn the game, although Odell Beckham Jr and Michael Thomas are resetting the bar on expectations for receivers in their first two years. The new look Redskins with Smith, Derrius Guice, and an improved defense has Docston poised for 70+ catches, 1000+ yards, and 10 touchdowns and with an ADP in the twelfth round, it’s tough to go wrong with someone like Doctson despite the presence of Jamison Crowder and newly signed Paul Richardson.
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