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Superflex Rankings for 2021 Fantasy Football

Are you an avid fantasy footballer who wishes that quarterbacks were valued the way they were in real life? Well, I have the solution for you! A major reason that quarterbacks are de-valued in fantasy football leagues is that you only need to start one of them per week, meaning that, in 12-team leagues, you’re likely going to have an above-average starter even if you wait until the later rounds to draft one. Well, what if we increased the number of quarterbacks you need/can start? That’s where SuperFlex formats come into play! All of a sudden, high-end quarterbacks become a much more valuable commodity, causing the draft board to change dramatically from standard 1-QB formats. These SuperFlex Rankings will help you succeed in this increasingly popular format!

Generally, a typical SuperFlex roster consists of one quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, one tight end, one kicker, a defense, and a SuperFlex. Since the average quarterback is likely to score more points than the average player at another position, it makes sense to start them in the SuperFlex spot, which significantly increases their value. For perspective, the highest-ranked quarterback in my standard PPR rankings comes in as my 37th-ranked player. In my SuperFlex rankings, however, my QB8 comes in as the 37th-ranked player. That is a dramatic difference. If you want Patrick Mahomes on your team, you’ll have to spend a much higher pick to do so.

Before we get to the superflex rankings, let’s take a deeper look at each positional group, identifying my favorite targets from a value perspective!


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Positional Breakdown

Quarterback

In the first round in 12-team leagues, I see four quarterbacks as being worth first-round investments: Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Kyler Murray, and Lamar Jackson. All of these players have proven to be capable of posting overall QB1 numbers in the past, and offer the dual-threat ability we covet in fantasyland.

That said, I wouldn’t be pounding the table to spend a first-round pick on them, given the depth of the poison elsewhere. Of my other favorite values, Tom Brady, Joe Burrow, and Matt Ryan are three players that I believe offer value at their current average draft positions (ADP). Burrow and Ryan will likely be in high-volume passing offenses with proven efficiency, while Brady might be the safest pick in the draft based on his overall quality of play, the continuity of the team’s offense, and the likely regression he sees in terms of interception luck.

Later on, Carson Wentz and Daniel Jones are better fantasy options than they get credit for. Both add value rushing, and between Wentz’s track record of being a much better quarterback to what he was last year and Jones’ underlying metrics (78.4 overall PFF grade), they offer some intrigue as a late-round investment. That said, I’d want to secure two top-16 quarterbacks and have Wentz/Jones available as my third option. Some combination of the trio I listed above will likely be what I intend to do, yet the main takeaway should be to not wait too long to secure two quarterbacks; once they start flying off the board, you don’t want to be left empty-handed.

Running Back

Should you choose not to select a first-round quarterback, running back would appear to be the logical way to go. As always, the amount of workhorse running backs available is very thin, and with volume being so critical when it comes to projecting success at the position, you’ll want to address the position group early if the draft allows you to do so.

Of my favorite values, Ezekiel Elliot is going to have plenty of volume (money talks) for a productive offense, which means tons of touchdown upside as well. Also, don’t hold previous injuries against Austin Ekeler and Joe Mixon. Ekeler’s dual-threat prowess gives him as high of a floor as any running back, while Mixon looks prime for an every-down role with Gio Bernard no longer with the Bengals.

The following players project to be very efficient running backs with some questions on their workload: Darrell Henderson, David Montgomery, Josh Jacobs, Travis Etienne, Javonte Williams, JK Dobbins. I’m not inclined to take anyone of this group at their respective ADPs currently, which increases the likelihood I will want to address the position earlier on. Also, don’t forget about Mike Davis, who likes primed to potentially have an every-down role for the Falcons this year with little other competition on the roster. As a deep sleeper, I’ll mention that Tevin Coleman appears to be the favorite to get a majority of the carries for the Jets this season. That said, there appears to be some logic in targeting the position early given the lack of overall depth. In fact, with more running back committees, this likely only will continue to be the case moving forward.

Wide Receiver

Unlike running back, wide receiver is filled with plenty of depth; it makes a lot of sense to take advantage of this in the middle rounds. Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs, DeAndre Hopkins, and Calvin Ridley all have cases to be WR1- they are the five receivers who’ll command a boatload of targets and be extremely efficient while doing so.

With Michael Thomas set to miss the beginning of the season due to an ankle injury, my new favorite value becomes Diontae Johnson. While the Steelers project to run the ball more this year, there’s a lot of wiggle room with Johnson considering he was on pace for 167 targets on games in which he ran more than 10 routes, which is superb from a PPR standpoint. Outside of that, Odell Beckham Jr. and Tyler Boyd offer value at their respective ADPs. Lastly, I’ll recommend staying away from the Bucs’ receiving corps unless it’s for Antonio Brown. All three of the receivers could be in line for similar target shares, but with Brown easily the cheapest of the bunch, he’s the best option from a value perspective. Should you not want to deal with his off-the-field issues, though, I do not blame you at all.

Round three appears to be the money spot for wide receivers. There are so many productive receivers in good situations, which is fantastic from an entertainment level, as well as from a fantasy perspective. No matter who you end up within that range, you’ll likely be happy with your investment. What a time to be a receiver!

Tight End

Then, there is the tight end position, which is the opposite of a deep one. With that in mind, many will likely target Travis Kelce in the first round, but I’m not inclined to do that for a few reasons. One, you only need one starting tight end. Two, the ADPs of other tight ends are much lower, and the opportunity cost (missing out on a QB/RB) by taking Kelce is a bit too much for my liking; the same may also be true of Darren Waller and George Kittle.

Given the general learning curve of rookie tight ends, Kyle Pitts is a risky investment, though I understand one believing he can buck that trend. Instead, I would rather look towards a different young tight end- TJ Hockenson. Tight ends generally reach their peak form in their third year, and he performed well with a 76.3 PFF receiving grade last year. Now projected to lead Detroit in targets, he’s someone that makes a lot of sense to target. Outside of that, Dallas Goedert, Noah Fant, and Tyler Higbee all offer strong value, but more research needs to be done on them. Will Goedert definitely outpace Zach Ertz? Can Teddy Bridgewater win the starting QB job over Drew Lock, which helps Fant’s production? Are the Rams committed to letting Higbee be their sole starting tight end? If the answer is “yes” in any of these cases, you’ll want to target them.

Looking for sleeper tight ends later on? I have the perfect article for you! Adam Trautman, following the injury news with Michael Thomas, could even be considered a potential starting tight end option, and I’d want to feature him as a high-end TE2 if paired with a TE1 that isn’t in the top tier of players at the position. With how the draft is shaping up, some combination of Hockenson, Goedert, and Fant with Higbee or Trautman (or just Higbee/Trautman) looks very intriguing. Again, it all depends on how the draft shapes out.

With that in mind, let us get to the rankings! Remember, every draft is different. While you may want to target a certain position earlier on, how the players rank within their position is more important. If the last receiver in a certain tier is available, you might want to take him if your other option is a running back with multiple players in that tier, for instance. Every draft is different, so identifying when positional runs are about to start, and how to maximize every pick you have, can be the difference when it comes to winning your league!

2021 SuperFlex Rankings

RnkPlayerPos
1Christian McCaffreyRB
2Patrick MahomesQB
3Dalvin CookRB
4Saquon BarkleyRB
5Josh AllenQB
6Ezekiel ElliottRB
7Alvin KamaraRB
8Kyler MurrayQB
9Austin EkelerRB
10Derrick HenryRB
11Davante AdamsWR
12Lamar JacksonQB
13Jonathan TaylorRB
14Tyreek HillWR
15Joe MixonRB
16Stefon DiggsWR
17Dak PrescottQB
18Aaron JonesRB
19DeAndre HopkinsWR
20Travis KelceTE
21Nick ChubbRB
22Calvin RidleyWR
23Najee HarrisRB
24Justin JeffersonWR
25Russell WilsonQB
26A.J. BrownWR
27Clyde Edwards-HelaireRB
28D.K. MetcalfWR
29Darren WallerTE
30D'Andre SwiftRB
31Tom BradyQB
32Keenan AllenWR
33Antonio GibsonRB
34Allen Robinson IIWR
35Miles SandersRB
36Amari CooperWR
37Justin HerbertQB
38Chris CarsonRB
39Terry McLaurinWR
40George KittleTE
41Darrell HendersonRB
42CeeDee LambWR
43Joe BurrowQB
44D.J. MooreWR
45David MontgomeryRB
46Julio JonesWR
47J.K. DobbinsRB
48Diontae JohnsonWR
49T.J. HockensonTE
50Mike DavisRB
51Aaron RodgersQB
52Chris GodwinWR
53Travis EtienneRB
54Mike EvansWR
55Myles GaskinRB
56Adam ThielenWR
57Jalen HurtsQB
58Josh JacobsRB
59Tyler LockettWR
60Kyle PittsTE
61Robert WoodsWR
62Javonte WilliamsRB
63Matthew StaffordQB
64Cooper KuppWR
65Kareem HuntRB
66Ja'Marr ChaseWR
67Chase EdmondsRB
68Tee HigginsWR
69Matt RyanQB
70Mark AndrewsTE
71David JohnsonRB
72Kenny GolladayWR
73Raheem MostertRB
74Odell Beckham Jr.WR
75Ryan TannehillQB
76Trey SermonRB
77Tyler BoydWR
78Courtland SuttonWR
79Leonard FournetteRB
80Dallas GoedertTE
81Brandon AiyukWR
82Michael CarterRB
83Trevor LawrenceQB
84Chase ClaypoolWR
85Ronald JonesRB
86D.J. Chark Jr.WR
87James RobinsonRB
88Robby AndersonWR
89Justin FieldsQB
90Noah FantTE
91Melvin Gordon IIIRB
92Devonta SmithWR
93James ConnerRB
94Jerry JeudyWR
95Trey LanceQB
96Jaylen WaddleWR
97Zack MossRB
98Will Fuller VWR
99Damien HarrisRB
100Tyler HigbeeTE
101Antonio BrownWR
102Tua TagovailoaQB
103A.J. DillonRB
104Brandin CooksWR
105Nyheim HinesRB
106Curtis SamuelWR
107Devin SingletaryRB
108Baker MayfieldQB
109Juju Smith-SchusterWR
110Logan ThomasTE
111Tony PollardRB
112Deebo SamuelWR
113Jarvis LandryWR
114Kenyan DrakeRB
115Carson WentzQB
116Corey DavisWR
117Tarik CohenRB
118Laviska Shenault Jr.WR
119Mike GesickiTE
120Tevin ColemanRB
121Daniel JonesQB
122Mike WilliamsWR
123Gus EdwardsRB
124Michael GallupWR
125Jamaal WilliamsRB
126Michael ThomasWR
127Derek CarrQB
128Latavius MurrayRB
129Cole BeasleyWR
130Evan EngramTE
131Marquise BrownWR
132James WhiteRB
133Devante ParkerWR
134Ryan FitzpatrickQB
135Rashaad PennyRB
136Mecole HardmanWR
137Alexander MattisonRB
138Marvin Jones Jr.WR
139Irv Smith Jr.TE
140Giovani BernardRB
141Kirk CousinsQB
142Elijah MooreWR
143J.D. McKissicRB
144Michael Pittman Jr.WR
145Chuba HubbardRB
146Darnell MooneyWR
147Zach WilsonQB
148Henry Ruggs IIIWR
149Marlon MackRB
150Robert TonyanTE
151Jalen ReagorWR
152Elijah MitchellRB
153Sam DarnoldQB
154Sterling ShepardWR
155Rhamodre StevensonRB
156T.Y. HiltonWR
157Justin JacksonRB
158Rashod BatemanWR
159Jameis WinstonQB
160Hunter HenryTE
161Darrel WilliamsRB
162Parris CampbellWR
163Darrynton EvansRB
164Rondale MooreWR
165Ben RoethlisbergerQB
166Nelson AgholorWR
167Phillip LindsayRB
168Breshad PerrimanWR
169Malcolm BrownRB
170Jonnu SmithTE
171Tre'Quan SmithWR
172Kenneth GainwellRB
173Jared GoffQB
174Gabriel DavisWR
175Salvon AhmedRB
176John BrownWR
177Sony MichelRB
178Russell GageWR
179Deshaun WatsonQB
180Adam TrautmanTE
181Benny Snell Jr.RB
182Jamison CrowderWR
183Emmanuel SandersWR
184Devontae BookerRB
185Cam NewtonQB
186Nico CollinsWR
187Joshua KelleyRB
188Christian KirkWR
189Ty JohnsonRB
190Anthony FirkserTE
191Terrace Marshall Jr.WR
192Taysom HillQB
193Carlos HydeRB
194Allen LazardWR
195Javian HawkinsRB
196Amon-Ra St. BrownWR
197Khalil HerbertRB
198Denzel MimsWR
199Blake JarwinTE
200Jakobi MeyersWR

If you liked these superflex rankings you’ll definitely want to check out our full 2021 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.


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