Overall rankings for 2021 PPR fantasy football leagues ahead of Week 2 preseason

Week 2 of the NFL preseason officially kicks off Thursday night as the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles face off on NFL Network. Audiences will have a second chance to glimpse the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, Mac Jones, after a reasonable pre-season premiere, where he went 13/19 for 87 yards. We’ll also get our first glimpse at rookie DeVonta Smith.

We promised to update our overall PPR rankings for 2021 fantasy football drafts often, so here are our first set of rankings updates ahead of Week 2 of the NFL preseason. We’ll continue to update as we approach the kick off of the 2021 NFL season with the Cowboys vs. Bucs on Thursday Night Football, so be sure to check back for our weekly rankings updates as you work your way through fantasy football drafts.

2021 Fantasy Football rankings: Overall PPR

There are plenty of players we’ll be keeping a close eye on through Week 2 of the preseason to help us tweak our fantasy football rankings to prepare you for your drafts. Here’s a look at some narratives we’ll be watching in the weekend to come.

Miami Dolphins backfield

Malcolm Brown got the start in their Week 1 matchup vs. the Bears, leading the running back corps with 10 total touches for 15 yards. Yes, you read that correctly. Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed got their chances too, but despite the inefficiency, Brown continued to see work. Gaskin is currently being drafted as the RB21 — in the fourth round of fantasy football drafts — per FantasyPros ADP, the most costly of all backs in this committee. If we see another week of similar usage, we’ll need to scale back heavily on expectations for Gaskin in the 2021 season.

Justin Fields

Fields looked like the real deal in his first preseason snaps in Week 1, showcasing his athleticism, mobility and his arm in his rookie debut against the Dolphins. Fields currently sits at No. 183 in our overall PPR rankings for 2021 fantasy football, but we may need to adjust if he continues to make plays to force Matt Nagy to reconsider his starter for the 2021 season.

Houston’s backfield

It’s not to say that any running back in this offense is going to be desirable, but it’s worth noting that Phillip Lindsay got the start for the Texans in Week 1 of the preseason. Most have assumed that David Johnson, Texans leading rusher in 2020, would lead the charge, but it could be that we’re witnessing a changing of the guard following the team’s FA signing of former Broncos RB Phillip Lindsay. Though this offense is bound to have issues with efficiency, Lindsay could emerge as a late-round value should he emerge from the preseason with the starting job.

With those notes in mind ahead of Week 2 of the NFL preseason, here’s an updated look at my overall PPR fantasy football rankings. Be sure to consider the potential for a high target share while making your selections in PPR leagues.