One of the most exciting days of the fantasy football season is draft day. Odds are pretty good that you play on either ESPN or Yahoo, meaning you get to open up those online draft rooms where all the players are already conveniently put into rankings for you. You might be armed with your own tiers, cheat sheets, and sleepers, but either way, you and your leaguemates will stare at your draft applet's ordering of players for the entire draft -- and that could have a big effect on each and every round.
Maybe you're above the influence of your preferred site's rankings, but your suggestible leaguemates might not be (never mind the obvious influence if someone is on autopick). All of this should affect your draft strategy. It might just come down to understanding you can wait a round longer on a player and still get him, but that's still an important thing to grasp.
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DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2019 Fantasy Cheat Sheet
If an effort to help those who might play on both sites, we'll break down some of the biggest discrepancies in the Yahoo and ESPN rankings. Quarterbacks are separated off into their own section for reasons we'll discuss more below. Do note that Yahoo's default rankings are for half-point PPR leagues and ESPN's are for non-PPR, but that doesn't matter because all we care about here is how these players will be arranged in your online draft room.
2019 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | D/ST | Kicker | Top 200
2019 ESPN fantasy football rankings vs. Yahoo fantasy football rankings
*ESPN's default settings are for non-PPR leagues; Yahoo's default settings are for 0.5-point PPR leagues
**Both ESPN and Yahoo continuously update their rankings. All rankings as of Aug. 6.
Nick Chubb, RB, Browns (No. 9 on Yahoo; No. 34 on ESPN)
The most obvious reason for this difference is that Kareem Hunt will be active for the second half after serving an eight-game suspension. We actually rank Chubb exactly the same as ESPN. The Yahoo ranking is simply too high on Chubb, and that would probably be true even if he was guaranteed to start and get the bulk of carries for 16 weeks. Don't let yourself reach on Chubb in a Yahoo draft room.
Damien Williams, RB, Chiefs (No. 18 on Yahoo; No. 44 on ESPN)
Just like with Chubb, Yahoo is much higher on "sure-thing" starting running back Williams than ESPN is. We're closer to the ESPN ranking, and we've also included Williams on our boom-or-bust team. ADP data at FantasyPros has Williams being selected higher than either of ESPN's or Yahoo's rankings, so he might be one of those players that you just have to snag in the second round if you want him.
2019 PPR RANKINGS:
Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | Top 200
Marlon Mack, RB, Colts (No. 21 on Yahoo; No. 37 on ESPN)
Mack is another relatively young-but-proven running back that Yahoo ranks higher than ESPN. Mack's been going off the board right around that Round 3-4 swing, so Yahoo might be too high on him. Unless you really want him, it's probably OK to let someone else on Yahoo snag him that high.
Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers (No. 25 on Yahoo; No. 12 on ESPN)
After Le'Veon Bell's holdout last year, it's easy to be gun shy with Gordon. ESPN probably will lower his ranking closer to the Yahoo spot soon. He's an obvious first-round talent, but if his situation isn't settled as draft day approaches, both sites will be too high on him. No matter where you're drafting, picking Gordon comes with some risk.
Todd Gurley, RB, Rams (No. 32 on Yahoo; No. 11 on ESPN)
Concern for Gurley's knee must be what has the Yahoo rankings lower on him than ESPN. If you ignore the potential for an injury-plagued season, he's worthy of the first-round pick ESPN has him pegged as. You probably won't be able to wait on Gurley if that's who you want on ESPN, while on Yahoo, there would be the chance of him sliding a round or two.
DRAFT STRATEGY AND RANKINGS TIERS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST
Leonard Fournette, RB, Jaguars (No. 44 on Yahoo; No. 23 on ESPN)
Fournette's disparity between the two sites can be mostly explained by Yahoo's half-point PPR default scoring. Fournette isn't regarded as a pass catcher and gets knocked down the rankings in PPR formats. We actually have him ranked as a top-20 standard-league player, higher than both sites. Fournette should provide value on whichever site you're drafting on.
Phillip Lindsay, RB, Broncos (No. 67 on Yahoo, No. 61 on ESPN)
Lindsay is a player who has potential to keep falling further and further in drafts as the preseason rolls on. There's already been chatter about Royce Freeman splitting carries 50-50 with Lindsay, and now, the Broncos have signed Theo Riddick, who should seize a big portion of the third-down duties. We have Lindsay higher than either site, although that's subject to change. Just be aware that if it feels like Lindsay is sliding, he actually might be in fair-value range.
MORE: Dollar values | IDP rankings | Best ball tips | Team names
James White, RB, Patriots (No. 72 on Yahoo, No. 45 on ESPN)
This is a curious difference considering that Yahoo default rankings factor in receptions. If White was ever going to slide up a cheat sheet, it would be in a PPR format. We're almost halfway between these rankings in our standard-league top-200, which would suggest ESPN has White too high and he might be off the board before you consider him. But even in a half-point PPR format on Yahoo, White being that low gives you a shot at a profit. We have him inside our top-30 in full PPR scoring.
Sammy Watkins, WR, Chiefs (No. 79 on Yahoo, No. 55 on ESPN)
The Watkins ranking on ESPN is likely due to the question marks on Tyreek Hill that existed earlier in the offseason. With Hill seemingly out of the woods in regards to a potential suspension, the Yahoo ranking more closely matches our adjusted Watkins rank. Someone will likely take Watkins too high in ESPN drafts (although it's worth noting that if Hill ended up suspended, Watkins would be worth closer to where ESPN has him).
A.J. Green, WR, Bengals (No. 84 on Yahoo; No. 57 on ESPN)
ESPN's rankers apparently aren't as worried about Green's ankle as Yahoo's. There's a lot of variation to be had here, as we rank Green in between these two sites. Because of his name and ranking on ESPN, he'll probably go well before you'd really want to consider him.
Eric Ebron, TE, Colts (No. 82 on Yahoo; No. 109 on ESPN)
Austin Hooper, TE, Falcons (No. 94 on Yahoo; No. 132 on ESPN)
Kyle Rudolph, TE, Vikings (No. 118 on Yahoo; No. 177 ESPN)
Mark Andrews, TE, Ravens (No. 117 on Yahoo; No. 178 on ESPN)
Jimmy Graham, TE, Packers (No. 134 on Yahoo, No. 168 on ESPN)
Yahoo pretty consistently ranks tight ends higher than ESPN. Among these guys, we're closer to Yahoo's ranking on Ebron and Graham, while falling closer to ESPN on Hooper, Rudolph and Andrews. What does that mean? If you're drafting on ESPN, you'll have a chance to take advantage and potentially wait longer to select Ebron and Graham. The others are all candidates to never touch on Yahoo and only grab on ESPN if they fall as far or further than where they fit in ESPN's big board.
TEs: Rankings | Draft Strategy | Sleepers | Dollar Values
Devin Funchess, WR, Colts (No. 104 on Yahoo; No. 125 on ESPN)
Funchess is one guy we've slotted higher on our big board than either of these sites. That means you should be able to snag him without reaching. In ESPN draft rooms, you'll have a chance to wait even a round or two longer if you want him. Anywhere after the 100th pick in your draft is a great time to select Funchess.
Derrius Guice, RB, Redskins (No. 99 on Yahoo; No. 68 on ESPN)
Miles Sanders, RB, Eagles (No. 83 on Yahoo; No. 69 on ESPN)
Here's an example of a consistent difference in rankings. Sanders is a rookie, while Guice is a second-year player but will be playing his first NFL snaps in 2019. Yahoo ranks both of those unproven players lower than ESPN does. ESPN pushes these guys out of handcuff range and forces you to draft them as borderline starters.
FANTASY SLEEPERS:
8 QBs | 14 RBs | 11 WRs | 11 TEs | 6 D/STs | One from each team
Delanie Walker, TE, Titans (No. 122 on Yahoo; No. 101 on ESPN)
Walker is the exception to what amounts to a rule on the rest of this list: Yahoo almost always has tight ends ranked higher. How Walker is the one who takes the hit when Yahoo gives some credit for receptions is bizarre because Walker is known for having more value in PPR leagues. He's certainly a much better pick if you can get him where Yahoo has him. We rank him between the two sites.
LeSean McCoy, RB, Bills (No. 135 on Yahoo; No. 89 on ESPN)
This is one of the more notable discrepancies that doesn't have an obvious explanation. Obviously there are concerns that McCoy is washed up or will be overtaken by someone else for carries, but Yahoo is basically acting as if it's fact. We have McCoy much closer to the ESPN ranking. If he slides because of his spot on Yahoo, no matter how unexciting he is, McCoy might turn into a good pick there.
Ito Smith, RB, Falcons (No. 145 on Yahoo; No. 199 on ESPN)
Jaylen Samuels, RB, Steelers (127 on Yahoo; 185 on ESPN)
Up until this point on the board, it seems like Yahoo loves every young, non-rookie running back more than ESPN. With the opposite being true for the three rookies we pointed out above, the sites might determine your taste in handcuff options for you. If you play on ESPN, your best chance at handcuffing might be with players like Smith or Samuels. On Yahoo, it might be with the rookie rushers.
RBs: Rankings | Draft Strategy | Sleepers | Dollar Values
Marquise Goodwin, WR, 49ers (No. 138 on Yahoo; No. 226 on ESPN)
There's a lot of uncertainty about who will emerge with the main WR jobs in San Francisco. If Goodwin can lay claim to the top job, his Yahoo ranking will be much more accurate, and vice versa with the ESPN slot. You just probably have to be a bigger believer in Goodwin to draft him on Yahoo as opposed to ESPN, where he can be a late-round flier or waiver pickup.
Dallas Goedert, TE, Eagles (No. 143 on Yahoo; No. 249 on ESPN)
T.J. Hockenson, TE, Lions (No. 170 on Yahoo; 211 on ESPN)
ESPN wants nothing to do with these young tight ends. Goedert is obviously the No. 2 in Philly to Zach Ertz, while Hockenson should be the first option in Detroit but has Jesse James in town to compete with him. Hockenson ranking behind Goedert on Yahoo actually makes him some level of value even though his overall big board spot is much higher than on ESPN.
John Brown, WR, Bills (No. 136 on Yahoo; No. 165 on ESPN)
Brown is a player, like Goodwin, who could end up anywhere between first and fourth in the Buffalo WR pecking order. The discrepancy between the sites comes down more to what's going on around Brown than anything specific about Brown himself. If you think he's gonna win a job in Buffalo, picking him when he shows up on your screen in Yahoo is just fine.
SEASON PREVIEW PODCASTS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST
Adrian Peterson, RB, Redskins (No. 157 on Yahoo; No. 203 on ESPN)
This one makes a lot of sense: ESPN ranks Derrius Guice higher than Yahoo, and so the two sites have Peterson flipped. If you like Peterson best, ESPN's board gives you a better chance of picking him at a value spot, and vice versa for Guice and Yahoo.
Peyton Barber, RB, Buccaneers (No. 163 on Yahoo; No. 90 on ESPN)
You'd think Barber's ranking might have to do with where the sites slot in Ronald Jones, but ESPN has Jones two spots behind Barber. Yahoo has Jones about 40 slots higher, so they obviously are hedging their bets that Jones will win the starting job. Barber should be a TD threat at the very least, and we have him ranked much closer to the ESPN slot. It's also in part just demonstrating how ESPN's rankings are more top-heavy with rushers than Yahoo's.
Nyheim Hines, RB, Colts (No. 149 on Yahoo; No. 87 on ESPN)
Hines is another one of the curiosities who seems like if he should be higher on one site, it would be Yahoo where half-point PPR is taken into account for the rankings. Yahoo does have Marlon Mack higher than ESPN, so maybe they believe Mack will get a bigger share of the touches than ESPN does. Hines probably isn't that different from James White, who both sites rank much higher. Our ranking of Hines falls smack dab in the middle of Yahoo and ESPN.
FANTASY CONSISTENCY RATINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
N'Keal Harry, WR, Patriots (No. 158 on Yahoo; No. 135 on ESPN)
Just as with the rookie RBs, ESPN is higher on the rookie wideout Harry than Yahoo is. If Harry were to claim the No. 2 WR role in New England, that would probably be justified. Just know that if you draft on ESPN, most rookies will trend toward being picked higher than they are on Yahoo.
Jerick McKinnon, RB, 49ers (No. 179 on Yahoo; No. 118 on ESPN)
Yet another pass-catching back who Yahoo ranks much lower than ESPN. The 49ers have nearly as much uncertainty at running back as they do at receiver, so that also contributes to some of the difference here. Tevin Coleman didn't have much variation between the sites' rankings, so that's not as much an explanation here as it could be, though. If you're in favor of pass-catching running backs, Yahoo might allow you to draft more of the players you want.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2019 Fantasy Cheat Sheet
James Washington, WR, Steelers (No. 159 on Yahoo; No. 105 on ESPN)
Washington's rank is dependent on whether he wins the No. 2 wide receiver job in Pittsburgh. He'll offer you more value on Yahoo than he will on ESPN. Both sites are lower on Washington than our rankings are, so no matter where you have to take him he might return value for you.
Tyrell Williams, WR, Raiders (160 on Yahoo; No. 124 on ESPN)
Like Washington, we rank Williams higher than either site. He's a bit more confusing in the discrepancy, though, as he's surely Oakland's No. 2 WR. He doesn't have the same competition that Washington does from Donte Moncrief, so you should be able to draft Williams with confidence no matter his spot in your draft room.
WRs: Rankings | Draft Strategy | Sleepers | Dollar Values
ESPN QB Rankings vs. Yahoo QB Rankings
Deshaun Watson, Texans (No. 42 on Yahoo; No. 72 on ESPN)
Andrew Luck, Colts (51 on Yahoo; 75 on ESPN)
Baker Mayfield, Browns (67 on Yahoo; 103 on ESPN)
Russell Wilson, Seahawks (76 on Yahoo; 115 on ESPN)
Cam Newton, Panthers (80 on Yahoo; 102 on ESPN)
Kyler Murray, Cardinals (78 on Yahoo; 121 on ESPN)
Jameis Winston, Buccaneers (100 on Yahoo; 140 on ESPN)
Philip Rivers, Chargers (106 on Yahoo; 170 on ESPN)
Lamar Jackson, Ravens (105 on Yahoo; 169 on ESPN)
Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers (120 on Yahoo; 220 on ESPN)
Josh Allen, Bills (129 on Yahoo; 243 on ESPN)
Matthew Stafford, Lions (150 on Yahoo; 244 on ESPN)
Derek Carr, Raiders (152 on Yahoo; 212 on ESPN)
We've grouped all the quarterbacks together for a simple scoring reason: Yahoo's default settings are six points for passing touchdowns, while ESPN's default settings award four. Every QB will slot higher in the Yahoo rankings, so that's something to be aware of. It might mean that you have a better chance of employing our strategy to wait on quarterbacks if you're drafting on ESPN.
QBs: Rankings | Draft Strategy | Sleepers | Dollar Values
It is notable that both sites rank Watson ahead of Luck, while we have Luck as our No. 2 QB. Lamar Jackson is also ranked ahead of multiple quarterbacks that we slot ahead of Jackson, including Jimmy Garoppolo, Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford and Derek Carr.