Every NFL team has played at least eight games, which means fantasy football season is just past its midway point. In turn, there’s only about a month before the fantasy playoffs begin.
With that in mind, here’s a look back on the first half’s top players at the four major positions.
Quarterback
No QB consistently performed at the same level as Deshaun Watson (Texans). In his six starts, he averaged 28.2 points. A torn ACL ended the rookie’s season, but he opened eyes after beginning the year as Houston’s backup.
After Watson, the quartet of Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Carson Wentz (Eagles) and Alex Smith (Chiefs) all average at least 21 points this year. Only Wilson and Prescott were top 10 picks before the season.
Running back
Todd Gurley (Rams) has taken the reins as the dominant fantasy RB. Six of his eight games have yielded at least 20 PPR points, with just one game of less than 10. While Kareem Hunt (Chiefs) started faster, Gurley hasn’t skipped a beat.
Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys) picked up where he left off last year as a top three RB. While he and the NFL continue to duke it out in the courts over whether he must serve a six-game suspension stemming from domestic violence allegations by a former girlfriend, he continues to perform on the field.
Wide receiver
DeAndre Hopkins seemed to play himself out of elite WR status last season. Becoming Watson’s top target changed that as he racked up four 20-point games in PPR scoring. Even with Tom Savage at QB on Sunday, Hopkins put up 20.6 PPR points.
Less surprising is Antonio Brown’s continued dominance. He leads in receptions and receiving yards and his the No. 2 fantasy WR despite just three TDs. More scores should come in the second half, and he’ll likeky finish No. 1.
Tight end
While Rob Gronkowski (Patriots) remains elite, Travis Kelce (Chiefs) is the gold standard at TE. If he was a WR, he’d rank No. 3 behind Hopkins and Brown in PPR scoring. That’s no small feat.
Kelce may be No. 1, but Zach Ertz (Eagles) is 1B. When he plays, he averages about the same number of points as his Kansas City counterpart. He missed last week with a hamstring injury, but figures to return after the bye this weekend.
