Dual-position Dangerfield the No. 1 player in The Phantom’s SuperCoach Draft January rankings

This pre-season, along with all of the classic format content, The Phantom will be helping you get ready for your SuperCoach Draft. To begin, here is the January edition of my Top 50 player rankings.

The Phantom's SuperCoach Pre-season: Draft rankings

• The Phantom’s preseason: Premium midfielders
• The Phantom’s preseason: Premium defenders
• The Phantom’s team reveal version 2.0
• Everything you need to know about SuperCoach
• Jonathan Brown’s SuperCoach dilemma

If you haven’t played SuperCoach Draft before, you’re missing out.

Arguably, it’s a fun, more-exciting way to play our favourite fantasy game.

Take part in a league with your mates – or join any available public league – and select a unique SuperCoach team through a live draft where each player is only available once.

You can then trade players with other teams throughout the season and pick up any undrafted player from the free agency pool as you go.

League settings – number of teams, squad size, trading and free agency options, gameplay and draft type, just to name a few – are customisable, allowing you to set up your competition your own way.

This pre-season, along with all of the classic format content, The Phantom will be helping you get ready for your SuperCoach Draft.

To begin, here is the January edition of my Top 50 player rankings. For new players, it will give you an indication of how a draft might play out.

1. Patrick Dangerfield (Geel) Fwd/mid

2018 average: 122

With Dangerfield a chance to average 20 points more than the next best player in his position, it has to be the Geelong superstar at No.1.

2. Brodie Grundy (Coll) Ruck

2018 Average: 130

The top-ranked scorer from last season should go close again in 2019 and is a worthy No. 1 selection. But the gap between he and the second-ranked ruckman – likely to be Max Gawn – might not be as great.

3. Jack Macrae (WB) Mid

2018 average: 127

With the two best positional players gone, it’s time to take the No. 1 ranked midfielder. And, with Tom Mitchell injured, Macrae is the man.

4. Patrick Cripps (Carl) Mid

2018 Average: 119

Last season there was only three midfielders who averaged more than 120 points per game; Dangerfield, Macrae and Mitchell. Expect the contested-ball beast from the Blues to join the group in 2019.

5. Jake Lloyd (Syd) Def

2018 Average: 112

The skilful Swan was the only defender to average more than 110 points per game in 2018 and, with the new kick-in stat ruling, he’s a chance to better his 112-point average this season.

How high will you take Max Gawn in SuperCoach Draft this season?

6. Max Gawn (Melb) Ruck

2018 Average: 127

There’s a concern about what the impact of recruit Brayden Preuss might be on Gawn’s scoring but we might be overplaying it. He has to be selected here – and it could be higher if we get more clarity on Preuss’ role during the pre-season.

7. Nat Fyfe (Freo) Mid

2018 Average: 114

While some SuperCoaches might opt for Josh Kelly or Clayton Oliver ahead of Fyfe, the Docker skipper still possesses one of the highest ceilings in the competition. If he stays fit, look out.

8. Josh Kelly (GWS) Mid

2018 Average: 114

After returning from injury, the classy midfielder averaged 120 points from Round 12 onwards last season. Uses the ball better than most and hits the scoreboard so, if he gets a clear run at it, expect that to be his average across the entire season in 2019.

Young Melbourne star Clayton Oliver will be among the first midfielders taken in SuperCoach Draft.

9. Clayton Oliver (Melb) Mid

2018 Average: 115

Not many have achieved what Oliver has in the first three seasons of his career and, in a scary thought, his numbers a likely to get even better. Still sits slightly below Kelly – but only just.

10. Rory Laird (Adel) Def

2018 Average: 108

The Crow ball magnet is still the second best SuperCoach defender behind Lloyd and is as reliable as selections come. Laird should, at least, maintain his average this season.

11. Dustin Martin (Rich) Mid

12. Lachie Whitfield (GWS) Def

13. Devon Smith (Ess) Fwd/mid

14. Lachie Neale (Bris) Mid

15. Elliot Yeo (WC) Mid

16. Isaac Heeney (Syd) Fwd/mid

17. Matt Crouch (Adel) Mid

18. James Sicily (Haw) Def

19. Zach Merrett (Ess) Mid

20. Josh Dunkley (WB) Fwd/mid

Magpie Adam Treloar training over summer.

21. Adam Treloar (Coll) Mid

22. Stefan Martin (Bris) Ruck

23. Alex Witherden (Bris) Def

24. Connor Blakely (Fre) Def

25. Chad Wingard (Haw) Fwd/mid

26. Kade Simpson (Carl) Def

27. Justin Westhoff (Port) Ruck/fwd

28. Andrew Gaff (WC) Mid

29. Dayne Beams (Coll) Mid

30. Stephen Coniglio (GWS) Mid

31. Sam Menegola (Geel) Fwd/mid

32. Marcus Bontempelli (WB) Mid

33. Gary Ablett (Geel) Mid

34. Lance Franklin (Syd) Fwd

35. Zac Williams (GWS) Def

36. Todd Goldstein (NM) Ruck

37. Mitch Duncan (Geel) Mid

38. Shaun Higgins (NM) Mid

39. Tom Hawkins (Geel) Fwd

40. Jeremy Howe (Coll) Def

41. Harris Andrews (Bris) Def

42. Angus Brayshaw (Melb) Mid

43. Seb Ross (StK) Mid

Robbie Gray, left, putting in the hard yards at the Power’s Noosa training camp.

44. Robbie Gray (Port) Fwd/mid

45. Luke Ryan (Freo) Def

46. Tom McDonald (Melb) Fwd

47. Jack Crisp (Coll) Def

48. Tim Kelly (Geel) Fwd/mid

49. Joel Selwood (Geel) Mid

50. Tim Taranto (GWS) Mid

Originally published as Dual-position Dangerfield the No. 1 player in The Phantom’s SuperCoach Draft January rankings