The 2018 fantasy football season is almost here, which means you’ll soon be in your league’s fantasy draft attempting to build a title-winning team. That will begin with whichever selection you have in Round 1, which, as usual, will be loaded with great running backs from which to choose.

This is actually one of the deeper classes of proven backs that will go in the first round of most drafts. Le’Veon Bell and Todd Gurley top the list, followed by Ezekiel Elliott, Kareem Hunt, and Devonta Freeman. All of them have finished in the top three of scoring among running backs at least once in their career.

If you choose to go wide receiver with your first pick, there are some worthy first-round options in Antonio Brown, Julio Jones, and DeAndre Hopkins to pick from.

The way this year is shaping up, your first-round pick needs to be either a running back or receiver, as there aren’t any tight ends or quarterbacks worthy of a first-round pick in most standard leagues. Quarterback especially has a lot of value outside of the top guys, and you can get a reliable starter in the middle rounds like Alex Smith, Philip Rivers, Kirk Cousins, and Deshaun Watson.

Jason Marcum Derek Gordon Scott Kaliska Alex Welch
1 Todd Gurley II, RB, Rams Todd Gurley II, RB, Rams Todd Gurley II, RB, Rams Todd Gurley II, RB, Rams
2 Le'Veon Bell, RB, Steelers Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys Le'Veon Bell, RB, Steelers Le'Veon Bell, RB, Steelers
3 Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys David Johnson, RB, Cardinals Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers
4 David Johnson, RB, Cardinals Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers David Johnson, RB, Cardinals Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys
5 Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Texans Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers David Johnson, RB, Cardinals
6 DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Texans Julio Jones, WR, Falcons DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Texans DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Texans
7 Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Giants Le'Veon Bell, RB, Steelers Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants
8 Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints Keenan Allen, WR, Chargers Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants Julio Jones, WR, Falcons
9 Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Giants Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Giants Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Giants
10 Kareem Hunt, RB, Chiefs Doug Baldwin, WR, Seahawks Julio Jones, WR, Falcons Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints
11 Julio Jones, WR, Falcons Michael Thomas, WR, Saints Kareem Hunt, RB, Chiefs Dalvin Cook, RB, Vikings
12 Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers Leonard Fournette, RB, Jaguars
13 Leonard Fournette, RB, Jaguars A.J. Green, WR, Bengals Leonard Fournette, RB, Jaguars Keenan Allen, WR, Chargers
14 Michael Thomas, WR, Saints Kareem Hunt, RB, Chiefs Michael Thomas, WR, Saints Kareem Hunt, RB, Chiefs
15 A.J. Green, WR, Bengals Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers Dalvin Cook, RB, Vikings Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers
Link to full rankings