Making the switch to a salary cap draft may seem overwhelming. However, it is the best change your fantasy football league can make to have a more interactive draft. If you’re unfamiliar with how a fantasy football salary cap draft works, dive into this laid-out overview by Fantrax’s own, Jordan Daniel. Once you’ve made the switch, it’s time to start changing your mindset regarding how to construct your roster.
In a salary cap format, you will have the opportunity to add any player you want to your roster. Once you start spending, though, budgeting and strategy become exceedingly important. Rostering your favorite studs comes at a cost. Below is a list of rankings and salary cap values for players by position.
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Positional Rankings and Values for 2021 Salary Cap Fantasy Football Drafts
A Few Key Points To Remember
The evaluations below will vary from other platforms and likely even your own league. These salary cap values are meant to be a starting point. They are based on a 10-team, point-per-reception league, with a $200 budget. The market for each position will naturally shift as supply dwindles and demand increases during the salary cap draft.
Keep in mind that in a salary cap league, you have every opportunity to add “your guy” to your roster. Even if it requires a little bit more than the value below, leaving the draft with a roster you’re excited about is of utmost importance. Be prepared to get in a few bidding wars. Just make sure you come out on top for players that you believe are a priority to your success for the 2021 fantasy football season.
If you don’t see a player on the below lists, that doesn’t mean they can’t be rostered. They just didn’t make the short list of players that should probably go before them. Any player not listed is likely a $1 nomination to roster in any salary cap league.
Please don’t use more than $1 on a kicker or defense in a salary cap draft. Every dollar counts. Missing out on a quality flex player because you offered a few extra bucks for the Buccaneers defense a few picks before isn’t worth the trouble.
Lastly, keep track of your budget. It’s okay to be active and build your roster early on in a salary cap draft. Just don’t get caught trying to offer up money you don’t have later on. Balancing your hypothetical checkbook is key so you know where you stand when your top targets are nominated.
Quarterback
| Rnk | QB | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patrick Mahomes II, KC | $30 |
| 2 | Josh Allen, BUF | $27 |
| 3 | Kyler Murray, ARI | $22 |
| 4 | Dak Prescott, DAL | $20 |
| 5 | Lamar Jackson, BAL | $19 |
| 6 | Russell Wilson, SEA | $15 |
| 7 | Justin Herbert, LAC | $13 |
| 8 | Aaron Rodgers, GB | $11 |
| 9 | Tom Brady, TB | $11 |
| 10 | Jalen Hurts, PHI | $7 |
| 11 | Ryan Tannehill, TEN | $7 |
| 12 | Matthew Stafford, LAR | $4 |
| 13 | Joe Burrow, CIN | $2 |
| 14 | Kirk Cousins, MIN | $1 |
| 15 | Justin Fields, CHI | $1 |
| 16 | Matt Ryan, ATL | $1 |
| 17 | Trevor Lawrence, JAC | $0 |
| 18 | Trey Lance, SF | $0 |
| 19 | Tua Tagovailoa, MIA | $0 |
| 20 | Ben Roethlisberger, PIT | $0 |
Running Back
| Rnk | RB | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christian McCaffrey, CAR | $70 |
| 2 | Dalvin Cook, MIN | $65 |
| 3 | Ezekiel Elliott, DAL | $63 |
| 4 | Derrick Henry, TEN | $50 |
| 5 | Aaron Jones, GB | $46 |
| 6 | Saquon Barkley, NYG | $43 |
| 7 | Alvin Kamara, NO | $43 |
| 8 | Jonathan Taylor, IND | $42 |
| 9 | Austin Ekeler, LAC | $40 |
| 10 | Nick Chubb, CLE | $39 |
| 11 | Najee Harris, PIT | $36 |
| 12 | Antonio Gibson, WAS | $35 |
| 13 | Joe Mixon, CIN | $31 |
| 14 | D'Andre Swift, DET | $27 |
| 15 | David Montgomery, CHI | $27 |
| 16 | C. Edwards-Helaire, KC | $27 |
| 17 | Miles Sanders, PHI | $25 |
| 18 | Chris Carson, SEA | $25 |
| 19 | James Robinson, JAC | $23 |
| 20 | J.K. Dobbins, BAL | $23 |
| 21 | Josh Jacobs, LV | $22 |
| 22 | Mike Davis, ATL | $19 |
| 23 | Kareem Hunt, CLE | $17 |
| 24 | Chase Edmonds, ARI | $16 |
| 25 | Myles Gaskin, MIA | $14 |
| 26 | Damien Harris, NE | $12 |
| 27 | Darrell Henderson, LAR | $12 |
| 28 | Zach Moss, BUF | $10 |
| 29 | Raheem Mostert, SF | $10 |
| 30 | Javonte Williams, DEN | $8 |
| 31 | Melvin Gordon III, DEN | $7 |
| 32 | Leonard Fournette, TB | $7 |
| 33 | Ronald Jones II, TB | $6 |
| 34 | James Conner, ARI | $6 |
| 35 | Kenyan Drake, LV | $6 |
| 36 | AJ Dillon, GB | $5 |
| 37 | Sony Michel, LAR | $5 |
| 38 | Trey Sermon, SF | $4 |
| 39 | Jamaal Williams, DET | $4 |
| 40 | Devin Singletary, BUF | $3 |
| 41 | Nyheim Hines, IND | $2 |
| 42 | David Johnson, HOU | $2 |
| 43 | James White, NE | $2 |
| 44 | Tony Pollard, DAL | $2 |
| 45 | Michael Carter, NYJ | $2 |
| 46 | Gus Edwards, BAL | $1 |
| 47 | Latavius Murray, NO | $1 |
| 48 | J.D. McKissic, WAS | $1 |
| 49 | Phillip Lindsay, HOU | $1 |
| 50 | Giovani Bernard, TB | $1 |
| 51 | Tevin Coleman, NYJ | $0 |
| 52 | Alexander Mattison, MIN | $0 |
| 53 | Tarik Cohen, CHI | $0 |
| 54 | Darrel Williams, KC | $0 |
| 55 | Rashaad Penny, SEA | $0 |
Wide Receiver
| Rnk | WR | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Davante Adams, GB | $55 |
| 2 | Tyreek Hill, KC | $53 |
| 3 | Stefon Diggs, BUF | $50 |
| 4 | Calvin Ridley, ATL | $49 |
| 5 | DeAndre Hopkins, ARI | $48 |
| 6 | Keenan Allen, LAC | $43 |
| 7 | Justin Jefferson, MIN | $42 |
| 8 | D.K. Metcalf, SEA | $42 |
| 9 | A.J. Brown, TEN | $39 |
| 10 | Allen Robinson II, CHI | $35 |
| 11 | Terry McLaurin, WAS | $32 |
| 12 | CeeDee Lamb, DAL | $29 |
| 13 | Amari Cooper, DAL | $25 |
| 14 | Mike Evans, TB | $25 |
| 15 | Cooper Kupp, LAR | $21 |
| 16 | Robert Woods, LAR | $21 |
| 17 | Tyler Lockett, SEA | $18 |
| 18 | Chris Godwin, TB | $18 |
| 19 | D.J. Moore, CAR | $16 |
| 20 | Adam Thielen, MIN | $16 |
| 21 | Julio Jones, TEN | $15 |
| 22 | Diontae Johnson, PIT | $15 |
| 23 | Tee Higgins, CIN | $13 |
| 24 | Courtland Sutton, DEN | $10 |
| 25 | JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT | $10 |
| 26 | Brandon Aiyuk, SF | $10 |
| 27 | Ja'Marr Chase, CIN | $10 |
| 28 | Odell Beckham Jr., CLE | $9 |
| 29 | Kenny Golladay, NYG | $9 |
| 30 | Robby Anderson, CAR | $9 |
| 31 | Tyler Boyd, CIN | $9 |
| 32 | Brandin Cooks, HOU | $8 |
| 33 | Chase Claypool, PIT | $8 |
| 34 | D.J. Chark Jr., JAC | $7 |
| 35 | Deebo Samuel, SF | $7 |
| 36 | Jerry Jeudy, DEN | $6 |
| 37 | Jarvis Landry, CLE | $5 |
| 38 | Laviska Shenault Jr., JAC | $5 |
| 39 | Michael Gallup, DAL | $5 |
| 40 | Michael Thomas, NO | $4 |
| 41 | DeVante Parker, MIA | $4 |
| 42 | DeVonta Smith, PHI | $3 |
| 43 | Marquise Brown, BAL | $3 |
| 44 | Corey Davis, NYJ | $3 |
| 45 | Curtis Samuel, WAS | $2 |
| 46 | Mike Williams, LAC | $2 |
| 47 | Will Fuller V, MIA | $2 |
| 48 | Marvin Jones Jr., JAC | $2 |
| 49 | T.Y. Hilton, IND | $1 |
| 50 | Darnell Mooney, CHI | $1 |
| 51 | Jaylen Waddle, MIA | $1 |
| 52 | Antonio Brown, TB | $0 |
| 53 | Mecole Hardman, KC | $0 |
| 54 | Cole Beasley, BUF | $0 |
| 55 | Michael Pittman Jr., IND | $0 |
| 56 | Russell Gage, ATL | $0 |
| 57 | Emmanuel Sanders, BUF | $0 |
| 58 | Breshad Perriman, DET | $0 |
| 59 | Tyrell Williams, DET | $0 |
| 60 | Henry Ruggs III, LV | $0 |
| 61 | Jalen Reagor, PHI | $0 |
| 62 | Nelson Agholor, NE | $0 |
| 63 | Marquez Callaway, NO | $0 |
| 64 | Elijah Moore, NYJ | $0 |
| 65 | Rondale Moore, ARI | $0 |
| 66 | A.J. Green, ARI | $0 |
| 67 | Terrace Marshall Jr., CAR | $0 |
| 68 | Gabriel Davis, BUF | $0 |
| 69 | Randall Cobb, GB | $0 |
| 70 | Jakobi Meyers, NE | $0 |
| 71 | Jamison Crowder, NYJ | $0 |
| 72 | Sterling Shepard, NYG | $0 |
| 73 | Parris Campbell, IND | $0 |
| 74 | Bryan Edwards, LV | $0 |
| 75 | Tre'Quan Smith, NO | $0 |
Tight End
| Rnk | TE | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Travis Kelce, KC | $41 |
| 2 | Darren Waller, LV | $25 |
| 3 | George Kittle, SF | $25 |
| 4 | T.J. Hockenson, DET | $16 |
| 5 | Mark Andrews, BAL | $15 |
| 6 | Kyle Pitts, ATL | $14 |
| 7 | Logan Thomas, WAS | $9 |
| 8 | Dallas Goedert, PHI | $6 |
| 9 | Noah Fant, DEN | $5 |
| 10 | Robert Tonyan, GB | $5 |
| 11 | Mike Gesicki, MIA | $4 |
| 12 | Jonnu Smith, NE | $2 |
| 13 | Irv Smith Jr., MIN | $2 |
| 14 | Hunter Henry, NE | $2 |
| 15 | Tyler Higbee, LAR | $1 |
| 16 | Austin Hooper, CLE | $1 |
| 17 | Cole Kmet, CHI | $0 |
| 18 | Evan Engram, NYG | $0 |
| 19 | Blake Jarwin, DAL | $0 |
| 20 | Eric Ebron, PIT | $0 |
| 21 | Adam Trautman, NO | $0 |
| 22 | Jared Cook, LAC | $0 |
| 23 | Rob Gronkowski, TB | $0 |
| 24 | Anthony Firkser, TEN | $0 |
| 25 | Zach Ertz, PHI | $0 |
Kicker
| Rnk | K | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrison Butker, KC | $1 |
| 2 | Justin Tucker, BAL | $1 |
| 3 | Younghoe Koo, ATL | $1 |
| 4 | Jason Myers, SEA | $1 |
| 5 | Jason Sanders, MIA | $1 |
| 6 | Tyler Bass, BUF | $1 |
| 7 | Matt Gay, LAR | $1 |
| 8 | Greg Zuerlein, DAL | $1 |
| 9 | Rodrigo Blankenship, IND | $1 |
| 10 | Mason Crosby, GB | $1 |
| 11 | Robbie Gould, SF | $0 |
| 12 | Matt Prater, ARI | $0 |
Defense
| Rnk | DST | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | $2 |
| 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers | $2 |
| 3 | Wash. Football Team | $2 |
| 4 | Baltimore Ravens | $1 |
| 5 | Los Angeles Rams | $1 |
| 6 | Buffalo Bills | $1 |
| 7 | Denver Broncos | $1 |
| 8 | New England Patriots | $1 |
| 9 | Indianapolis Colts | $1 |
| 10 | Cleveland Browns | $1 |
| 11 | Arizona Cardinals | $0 |
| 12 | New Orleans Saints | $0 |
For more Rankings and Analysis please check out our full 2021 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.
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When will the 2022 salaries be available??
Once the NFL Draft is behind us, and we see where remaining free agents settle in at, salary prices/rankings will be available!
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