This year we’re playing for keeps! For the six of you readers who haven’t already scrolled hastily down to the list, there’s a few matters to clarify regarding keeper leagues, dynasty leagues, rankings for both, and my neighbor, Bucky. Over the past month I gave you my early top 10 and top 20 rankings for 2021 dynasty leagues as well as my top 25 rankings for superflex dynasty leagues. It’s important to note that those rankings are intended for full fledged dynasty leagues where you retain your entire roster from year to year. In dynasty formats, the career longevity of both wide receivers and quarterbacks needs to be reflected in valuations along with the short shelf life of the running back position.
The keeper league rankings below are designed to reflect player valuations in leagues where you retain only a portion of your roster—maybe only one play even. These rankings assume all players have an equal cost associated with keeping them, if any. Of course, most keeper leagues have their own quirks like my neighbor Bucky who thinks the dinosaurs never existed and their bones were planted across the earth by visiting alien lizards. Nice guy, Bucky. Crazier than a juggling monkey on a unicycle, but really nice guy. Bucky aside, if you want some input regarding your specific keeper rules and options then feel free to hit me in the comments. Anyway, here’s an early look at the top 100 keepers for 2021 fantasy football:
*rankings geared towards 1/2 point PPR scoring
Rank | Name | Team | Position | Age on 9/1/2021 | Year of Free Agency |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Christian McCaffrey | CAR | RB | 25 | 2026 (2023 out) |
2 | Dalvin Cook | MIN | RB | 26 | 2026 (2023 out) |
3 | Derrick Henry | TEN | RB | 27 | 2024 (2022 out) |
4 | Alvin Kamara | NO | RB | 26 | 2026 (2024 out) |
5 | Jonathan Taylor | IND | RB | 22 | 2024 |
6 | Nick Chubb | CLE | RB | 25 | 2022 |
7 | Davante Adams | GB | WR | 28 | 2022 |
8 | Saquon Barkley | NYG | RB | 24 | 2023 |
9 | J.K. Dobbins | BAL | RB | 22 | 2024 |
10 | Tyreek Hill | KC | WR | 27 | 2023 |
11 | Austin Ekeler | LAC | RB | 26 | 2024 (2022 out) |
12 | D’Andre Swift | DET | RB | 22 | 2024 |
13 | Miles Sanders | PHI | RB | 24 | 2023 |
14 | Antonio Gibson | WAS | RB | 23 | 2024 |
15 | D.K. Metcalf | SEA | WR | 23 | 2023 |
16 | Travis Kelce | KC | TE | 31 | 2026 (2022 out) |
17 | DeAndre Hopkins | ARI | WR | 29 | 2025 (2023 out) |
18 | Stefon Diggs | BUF | WR | 27 | 2024 (2022 out) |
19 | David Montgomery | CHI | RB | 24 | 2023 |
20 | Josh Jacobs | LV | RB | 23 | 2024 |
21 | Ezekiel Elliott | DAL | RB | 26 | 2027 (2023 out) |
22 | James Robinson | JAC | RB | 23 | 2023 |
23 | Aaron Jones | FA | RB | 26 | 2021 |
24 | A.J. Brown | TEN | WR | 24 | 2023 |
25 | Michael Thomas | NO | WR | 28 | 2025 (2022 out) |
26 | Justin Jefferson | MIN | WR | 22 | 2025 |
27 | George Kittle | SF | TE | 27 | 2026 (2023 out) |
28 | Darren Waller | LV | TE | 28 | 2024 |
29 | Keenan Allen | LAC | WR | 29 | 2025 (2022 out) |
30 | CeeDee Lamb | DAL | WR | 22 | 2025 |
31 | Cam Akers | LAR | RB | 22 | 2024 |
32 | Patrick Mahomes | KC | QB | 25 | 2032 |
33 | Clyde Edwards-Helaire | KC | RB | 22 | 2025 |
34 | Calvin Ridley | ATL | WR | 26 | 2023 |
35 | Chris Carson | FA | RB | 26 | 2021 |
36 | Kyler Murray | ARI | QB | 24 | 2023 |
37 | Chris Godwin | FA | WR | 25 | 2021 |
38 | Mike Evans | TB | WR | 28 | 2024 |
39 | Terry McLaurin | WAS | WR | 26 | 2023 |
40 | D.J. Moore | CAR | WR | 24 | 2023 |
41 | Julio Jones | ATL | WR | 32 | 2024 |
42 | Allen Robinson | FA | WR | 27 | 2021 |
43 | Kenny Golladay | FA | WR | 27 | 2021 |
44 | Adam Thielen | MIN | WR | 31 | 2025 |
45 | Will Fuller | FA | WR | 27 | 2021 |
46 | Chase Claypool | PIT | WR | 23 | 2024 |
47 | Ronald Jones | TB | RB | 24 | 2022 |
48 | Joe Mixon | CIN | RB | 25 | 2025 (2022 out) |
49 | Myles Gaskin | MIA | RB | 24 | 2023 |
50 | Robert Woods | LAR | WR | 29 | 2025 |
51 | Brandon Aiyuk | SF | WR | 23 | 2025 |
52 | Kenyan Drake | FA | RB | 27 | 2021 |
53 | Lamar Jackson | BAL | QB | 24 | 2023 |
54 | Josh Allen | BUF | QB | 25 | 2023 |
55 | Kareem Hunt | CLE | RB | 26 | 2023 |
56 | Melvin Gordon | DEN | RB | 28 | 2022 |
57 | Deshaun Watson | HOU | QB | 25 | 2026 (2024 out) |
58 | David Johnson | HOU | RB | 29 | 2022 |
59 | Tyler Lockett | SEA | WR | 28 | 2022 |
60 | Diontae Johnson | PIT | WR | 25 | 2023 |
61 | Cooper Kupp | LAR | WR | 28 | 2024 (2022 out) |
62 | Justin Herbert | LAC | QB | 23 | 2025 |
63 | Odell Beckham Jr | CLE | WR | 28 | 2024 |
64 | Amari Cooper | DAL | WR | 27 | 2025 (2022 out) |
65 | Dak Prescott | FA | QB | 28 | 2021 |
66 | Mark Andrews | BAL | TE | 24 | 2022 |
67 | T.J. Hockenson | DET | TE | 24 | 2023 |
68 | Jalen Hurts | PHI | QB | 23 | 2024 |
69 | A.J. Dillon | GB | RB | 23 | 2024 |
70 | Chase Edmonds | ARI | RB | 25 | 2022 |
71 | Brandin Cooks | HOU | WR | 27 | 2024 (2021 out) |
72 | James Conner | FA | RB | 26 | 2021 |
73 | Leonard Fournette | FA | RB | 26 | 2021 |
74 | Salvon Ahmed | MIA | RB | 22 | 2022 |
75 | Robby Anderson | CAR | WR | 28 | 2022 (2021 out) |
76 | Juju Smith-Schuster | FA | WR | 24 | 2021 |
77 | Corey Davis | FA | WR | 26 | 2021 |
78 | Jarvis Landry | CLE | WR | 28 | 2023 |
79 | DeVante Parker | MIA | WR | 28 | 2024 (2021 out) |
80 | Tee Higgins | CIN | WR | 22 | 2024 |
81 | Russell Wilson | SEA | QB | 32 | 2024 (2022 out) |
82 | Jamaal Williams | FA | RB | 26 | 2021 |
83 | Benny Snell | PIT | RB | 23 | 2023 |
84 | Marquise Brown | BAL | WR | 24 | 2024 |
85 | Nyheim Hines | IND | RB | 24 | 2022 |
86 | Jerry Jeudy | DEN | WR | 22 | 2025 |
87 | Raheem Mostert | SF | RB | 29 | 2022 |
88 | Deebo Samuel | SF | WR | 25 | 2023 |
89 | Tyler Boyd | CIN | WR | 26 | 2024 (2021 out) |
90 | Zack Moss | BUF | RB | 23 | 2024 |
91 | Devin Singletary | BUF | RB | 23 | 2023 |
92 | Curtis Samuel | FA | WR | 25 | 2021 |
93 | Courtland Sutton | DEN | WR | 25 | 2022 |
94 | Preston Williams | MIA | WR | 24 | 2022 |
95 | T.Y. Hilton | FA | WR | 31 | 2021 |
96 | Mike Williams | LAC | WR | 26 | 2022 |
97 | D.J. Chark | JAC | WR | 24 | 2022 |
98 | Darnell Mooney | CHI | WR | 23 | 2024 |
99 | Dallas Goedert | PHI | TE | 26 | 2022 |
100 | Rashaad Penny | SEA | RB | 25 | 2023 |