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Habecker’s Fantasy Big Board – Top 128 Players

11 August 2016 Fantasy Football

Well, it’s finally time. If you have been keeping up with the fantasy articles, I have already done each position ranking individually, and it’s now time to combine all of that information into one big “Big Board.” Again, like all of other articles, this is based on a 12-team league, so 100 players would get you through the first 8+rounds, then you are on your own. This is the board that I will be using for myself as well, and I would love to hear what your team looks like if you use this big board in your drafts. Ready? Let’s get to it!

  1. RB- Adrian Peterson – Its hard to argue with the numbers that Peterson put up last year. I have a feeling that the year off that he had to take was a big boost to his legs. Peterson once again showed throughout the 2015 season that he is up to the  task of carrying a young Vikings offense that has both an up and coming quarterback and young receivers who are still learning the game. Look for a year  that includes around 350 touches, 1,500 yards rushing and 10 to 13 touchdowns. Grade – Top 3 of 1st round
  2. RB- Jamaal Charles – Charles went down with a torn ACL in mid October last year. Before his injury however, he was averaging 5.1 yards per carry and was almost averaging a touchdown per game. Normally I wouldn’t have him quite this high, but the pending suspension to Bell and the tough division that Gurley plays in is why you see Charles as the second back on here. The threat he provides in the pass game is also very real, which really helps pad his stats even when the Chiefs are struggling to run the ball. Grade – Top 5 of 1st round
  3. WR- Antonio Brown – When you compare stats from 2015, Brown and Julio Jones were pretty much neck and neck in every category. The one area where Brown had Jones beat was touchdowns, where he hauled in 10 compared to Jones’ 8. Brown comes in as the number one fantasy receiver due to Martavis Bryant’s season long suspension. With Bryant, Brown was targeted a ton. Without Bryant, expect even more of the Steelers passing game to go through Brown even more. Grade – Top 3 picks of 1st round
  4. WR- Julio Jones – Jones’ stat line through  the 2015 season was the best of any receiver, bringing down 136 receptions for 1,871 yards and 8 scores. 93 of his receptions resulted in a 1st down for the Falcons and he had 25 receptions of 20 yards or more. With Roddy White gone, Mohamed Sanu was brought in from Cincinnati, but don’t expect him to take a ton of receptions away from Jones. Grade – Top 5 picks of 1st round
  5. WR- DeAndre Hopkins – Hopkins burst onto the scene last year and third in both receptions and yards, while scoring 11 times. Remember last year though the guys throwing to him were named Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer. The QB play in Texas should be better with free agent aquisition Brock Osweiler. With improved QB play, Hopkins could end up having the best fantasy season of any receiver. Grade – Mid 1st round
  6. RB- Devonta Freeman – Freeman burst onto the scene in his second year and was a challenger for the rushing title right up until he had some injury issues late in the year. From November 22nd to December 13th, he had just 130 yards due to his limited availability. While his 4.0 yards per carry are a bit alarming, he did show the ability to be a “bell cow” back for the Falcons, and in the games that he was healthy, he averaged 18.2 rushes a game, as well as being involved in the passing game. Look for a year around 1,300 yards and 10-15 touchdowns. Grade – Early to Mid 1st round
  7. TE- Rob Gronkowski – Can anyone argue this guy as the top tight end threat in any fantasy league? A couple of years ago, there were some injury concerns with Gronk, but over the past couple of years he has managed to stay healthy. I won’t give you any stats, because you shouldn’t need any. He was right at the top in all of the major categories last year, including targets, receptions, yards and touchdowns. Grade – Mid 1st round
  8. QB- Cam Newton – Not many quarterbacks in the history of the league can do what Carolina’s QB can do, and I can’t remember anyone who commands the presence that Newton does in between the lines. He can run with the power of Jerome Bettis, he’s as fast as other backs, and he has a cannon for an arm. Virtually every Sunday he is a threat to throw for 2 or 3 touchdowns and run for another. If you can find a QB who can be in the top 5 in terms of passing touchdowns and first in rushing touchdowns, how can he be any place other than first on the QB Big Board? Don’t forget, Kelvin Benjamin is coming back too. Grade- mid to late 1st round.
  9. WR- Odell Beckham Jr. –  Without a great running game, the Giants rely heavily on Beckham and their other receivers. Victor Cruz is coming back from injury and rookie Sterling Shepard is a rookie, and its so hard to predict the impact of a rookie reciever. Beckham has a knack for  the end zone, scoring on over 7% of all his catches, and he averaged the 3rd most yards per game. Grade – Mid 1st round
  10. RB- LeVeon Bell – One of the “Killer B’s,” Bell would challenge for the top pick if it weren’t for his pending suspension (supposed to challenge it in August). Bell is the cream of the crop at running back and is in a contract year. He can run between the tackles, outside, catch the ball, all while displaying both power and elusiveness. His year was cut way short due to an ACL injury, so that first 4 games he could miss, may be a blessing in disguise. If you take him, you have to make sure you also get D’Angelo Williams for the first 4 weeks. Grade – Mid to late 1st round
  11. RB- Todd Gurley – Gurley, along with Elliott, is one of the most pro ready backs to come out of college in the last 5 years. While he may not do a ton in the passing game, he has everything you look for in a runner. Power, speed, anticipation to hit holes and explode through them, all of these traits were on display in his rookie year. The one thing that scares me about Gurley, he plays the Seahawks, Cardinals, and 49ers each twice. That’s not an easy task. Grade- Mid to late 1st round
  12. RB- LeSean McCoy – McCoy had a couple of nagging injuries in his first year in Orchard Park. We know this, Rex Ryan likes to run the ball and play a smash-mouth type of game. Second year back Karlos Williams is suspended for the first 4 games so expect heavy doses of McCoy in the first couple weeks. If he excels in those first weeks, expect him to be the head guy, but if he is just average, he could lose 5-8 touches a game to Williams, especially inside the 5 yard line. Grade- Late 1st round
  13. WR- A.J. Green –  A.J. Green is the guy for the Bengals. Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu left via free agency, and they were replaced by rookie Tyler Boyd and journeyman Brandon LaFell. Green should have another stellar season as he is smack dab in the middle of his prime. What makes him such a value in fantasy football is his double digit touchdown total from 2015. Grade – Late 1st or early 2nd round
  14. WR- Dez Bryant – The Cowboys were not a 4-12 team last year, they were decimated by injuries, Bryant included. He would be higher on this list if it weren’t for his quarterbacks injury history. If Tony Romo is healthy for 16 games, you’d probably see Bryant in the top 3 receiver discussion. However, so much of his success is dependent on Romo, and I’m not confident he’ll stay healthy. Grade – Early 2nd round
  15. RB- Latavius Murray – Murray put it all together in his second year. In ’14 he was banged up but still had a very good 5.2 yards per carry. That number dipped a bit in ’15, but he still managed to get over the 1,000 yard mark and tallied 6 touchdowns. Murray is a decent  threat to catch the ball out of the backfield and has a knack for punching the ball in from all over the field. I expect him to get better in his third year, going for over 1,200 yards and at least 8 touchdowns. Grade – Late 1st to early 2nd round
  16. RB- Ezekiel Elliott – This may be a little high for a rookie, but the stars are aligning for Elliott to enter the league and be a force right out of the gate. The Cowboys offensive line is the best in the league and Elliott can do everything he will ever be asked, from running both inside and out, catching the ball, and blocking on third and longs. As much as I hate to say it, Elliott should be very good, for a very long time. Grade – Early 2nd round
  17. WR- Jordy Nelson – 2015 was a lost year for Nelson as he tore his ACL late in camp. Nelson forms a dangerous tandem with fellow wideout Randall Cobb, and both were supposed to have a solid season. It has always seemed that when both are healthy, Nelson was the go to target, especially in the red zone. Look for a big bounce back year from Nelson. Grade -2nd round
  18. WR- Kelvin Benjamin – Much like the next guy on this list, Benjamin was lost before the season ever began, tearing his ACL early on in camp. Its scary to imagine what the Panthers offense would have looked like with Benjamin in it. During his rookie year, lucky number 13 hauled in 73 receptions for over 1,000 yards and had 9 touchdowns. Expect those numbers to increase in his (virtually) second year. Grade – 2nd round
  19. RB- Doug Martin – Martin, otherwise known as “Muscle Hampster,” had a bounce back 2015 season that not too many saw coming. While he did run for just over 1,400 yards, he only tallied 6 rushing scores, which seems to be a little low over the course of 16 games. He would be higher on this list if he was more consistent. His inconsistencies are obvious when you look at his game by game stats, where Martin only had over 100 yards in 4 games, and only 3 more games he tallied over 90. That means in 9 games he had less  than 90 yards rushing to go along with a lackluster touchdown ratio.  If he struggles early, he could see himself splitting reps. Grade – 2nd round
  20. RB- Thomas Rawls – Expect big things from “Beast Mode’s” replacement. Rawls excelled when playing for the injured Marshawn Lynch. He runs with power in between the tackles and is adequate at catching the ball out of the backfield. The Seahawks run the ball to set up a good amount of play action passes, so expect Rawls to get a lot of the work, especially with a couple of rookies behind him on the depth chart. Grade – Late 2nd round
  21. WR- Allen Robinson – I’ve followed Robinson through his college days and have kept an eye on him as he went to work down in Jacksonville. While he had a stupendous year last year putting up 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns, I expect him a take a bit of a step back just because  those numbers would be extremely hard to duplicate. Even if he  takes a step back, he’s still a viable WR1. Grade – Late 2nd round
  22. Aaron Rodgers – Perhaps the best pure thrower of the football in the NFL, Rodgers is smack dab in the middle of his prime. Randall Cobb and the return of Jordy Nelson will help push Rodgers back into the conversation for top QB in the league. Don’t forget that Rodgers will also be able to escape the pocket in order to gain some rushing yards, and will occasionally punch it into the end zone. Grade – 2nd round
  23. Russell Wilson –  Much like one of his counterparts on this list, Wilson can do it all. While he may not have as much in terms of God given talent, he does go above and beyond with the talent he has. While he doesn’t rack up the rushing touchdowns like a Cam Newton, he does rack up the rushing yards (553). When combined with his 4,000-plus passing yards and 35 combined touchdowns, its hard to argue against Wilson. Don’t forget the weapons he has, Jimmy Graham is healthy, Doug Baldwin proved dynamic, and Tyler Lockett is on the rise in his second year. More of  the offense should be on him with Marshawn Lynch retired.Grade – Late 2nd to early 3rd round
  24. WR- Jordan Reed – Reed was flat out dominant for the burgundy and gold. Having put everything together in his game, he finally broke out and was rewarded with his first trip to Hawaii. Reed had just under 90 catches for 952 yards and 11 touchdowns. He is a phenomenal target down near the goal line and has gained Kirk Cousin’s trust going over the middle to make plays. Look for Reed to keep his foot on the gas and go for over 1,000 yards and approach the 10 touchdown plateau again. Grade – 2nd round
  25. RB- Mark Ingram – The Saints put a lot of work on Ingram’s plate, and he responded with one of his best seasons as a pro.  Had his season not been cut short, he most likely would have crossed over the 1,000 yard mark and would have been close to 10 touchdowns on the year. His 4.6 yards per carry make him a reliable workhorse type back who should be a solid starter for your team. Grade – 2nd round
  26. RB- Jonathan Stewart – The Panthers run a run first style of offense, and it is all centered around their QB, Cam Newton. However, the biggest benefactor to that type of offense is Stewart. Defenses never know whether to focus on Newton, Stewart, or the play action pass. Carolina also runs a couple of weird formations in the backfield which is another way to confuse defenses. I expect him to be right around a 1,000 yard rusher with 8-10 touchdowns. Grade –  Late 2nd round
  27. WR- Mike Evans – The 2014 Draft was the year of the receiver, and Evans is no exception. Evans is  the go to target in Tampa Bay, and has held his own for his first two years in the league. Evans went over the 1,200 yard mark but only had 3  touchdowns to go with it. Even if does it, he will be a go to fantasy receiver. Grade – 3rd round
  28. WR- Brandon Marshall – If we were analyzing this statisticallybased off of last year, Marshall should be much higher on this list. However, his numbers will be hard to duplicate. Marshall’s line reads like this, 109/1,502/14. As Marshall gets deeper and deeper into his 30’s, his numbers should start to drop. Also remember, last year’s stats came coupled with a career year from Ryan Fitzpatrick, so if the quality of QB play drops, that will have a direct impact on his fantasy value. Grade – 3rd round
  29. WR- Amari Cooper – As far as production goes, Cooper was 20th in the league last year, as a rookie. Derek Carr’s go to option should be able to improve on his solid rookie year and really become a household name in the receiver discussion. I fully expect Cooper to be a consistent threat in Oakland’s passing attack. Grade – 3rd round
  30. TE- Zach Ertz – You might say I’m biased, after all you are reading this on a site dedicated to the Eagles. However, I have a gut feeling about Ertz. In a system where he was out of the game a lot due having only one tight end in the game (Brent Celek’s the better run blocker), Ertz’s line looked like this: 75/853/2. The big kicker is this: Doug Pederson loves running two tight end sets and really features his tight ends. Look for his catches to stay where they were, his yards to go up, and his touchdowns to approach the 8-10 mark due to the fact that Ertz himself has said he will see a lot of end zone looks. Grade – 3rd round
  31. RB- Lamar Miller – Injury riddled Arian Foster left a whole that Lamar Miller is hoping to fill. The new look Texans could rely heavily on the run game until new quarterback Brock Osweiler gets comfortable. While Miller was never able to fully piece it together in Miami, he looks primed to be a high quality “RB2,” for you. Grade –  Early 3rd round
  32. WR- Alshon Jeffrey – Jeffrey has a lot of talent, but he also has a lot of injuries in his past. If healthy, look for him to put up numbers like a WR1. Buyer Beware: 2015 1st round draft Kevin White is returning from injury and will be playing for the first time so this could cut into his numbers a bit. Grade – Early 4th round
  33. WR- Demaryius Thomas – Analyzing his stats from last year, he should be in the first tier. Two words though; Mark Sanchez. Denver’s QB play will  take a big hit with Sanchez under center. Grade – 4th round
  34. TE- Greg Olsen – It may shock you to find Olsen fourth on this list, but my reasoning is simple. The return of “the tree,” otherwise known as Kelvin Benjamin, will take a lot of pressure and looks away from Olsen. Can he still put in a solid year? Of course. However expect his numbers to flatten out or even drop in 2016. And in case you were wondering what he put up in 2015, his stats read 77/1,104/7. Grade – 3rd round
  35. RB- Eddie Lacy – This may be a little high for Lacy, but early indications are that Lacy met his goal of slimming down quite a bit in order to add some explosiveness to his game. Lacy has the power to be a force, with a little extra speed, he could  be lethal. What scares me is that he could end up splitting a lot of time with James Starks. Grade –  3rd round
  36. RB- Jeremy Hill – Fumbling issues caused Hill to lose some time last year to Giovani Bernard. Hill burst onto the seen back in 2014 as a rookie and took control of the backfield, and I expect much of the same from him this year. It’s amazing what a fresh start can do for a players mental state. Grade –  Late 3rd round
  37. RB- Chris Ivory – The aforementioned Forte filled the whole left by Ivory, who saw greener pastures in Jacksonville. Ivory will form a solid first punch with TJ Yeldon right behind him. Ivory showed last year that he can put up big numbers when he’s healthy. Grade –  3rd round
  38. QB- Ben Roethlisberger – Roethlisberger and the “Killer B’s” will stuff the stat sheet once again. Doesn’t it seem every year that Pittsburgh is supposed to go to at least the AFC Championship Game? If healthy, and suspension free, the Steelers offense includes the shiftiest receiver in Antonio Brown and the be most dynamic back with the ball in his hands in LeVeon Bell. If Martavis Bryant were playing instead of sitting out due to suspension, Roethlisberger would be closer to the top of the board. Another thing about Big Ben is his ability to play through injuries. The only time he will miss time is when it’s something serious, for all the minor injuries, he’s a go. Grade – 3rd round
  39. WR- Jordan Matthews – For non-Eagles fans, this may seem a bit high, but expect a building block year from Matthews. Last year his line read 85/997/8. If that improves even a little bit, he’s a really solid WR2. Grade – 4th round
  40. TE- Delanie Walker – Walker always had a burst to him that made him a promising looking threat, but never seemed to be able to make anything of his talents. That changed in 2015. He had the most catches of anyone at his position (94), broke over 1,000 yards and had 6 scores. That looks a lot like the next guy on the list two, so it makes sense they are back to back. Walker may not be quite as involved  this year due to the Titans bolstering their offense and adding some more firepower.   Grade – 4th round
  41. RB- David Johnson – Should be the lead back in the Arizona Cardinals rushing attack, but expect him to lose some touches to the veteran Chris Johnson and oft-injured Andre Ellington. He has the talent to be a big-time back, will he get the carries? Grade –  4th round
  42. RB- Dion Lewis – With Tom Brady out, expect a lot of dink and dunk offense out of New England for the first 4 weeks, which could translate into a lot of points for the scat back Lewis. Lewis came out of nowhere last year and put up big numbers before getting injured. Expect him to come out lighting the world on fire. Grade –  4th round
  43. WR- Brandin Cooks – Cooks really improved on his so-so rookie season in 2015, bringing in 84 passes for over 1,100 yards and 9 touchdowns. Expect a similar year for the pass oriented Saints. Grade – Late 4th round
  44. QB- Carson Palmer – Arizona has perhaps the deepest receiving corps in the NFL. Larry Fitzgerald seems to find a way to always stay relevant, Michael Floyd put together a really solid campaign in 2015, and John Brown is one of the fastest guys in the league. Bruce Arians loves to take shots down the field, so expect both the yards and the touchdowns to pile up by the handful. Buyer Beware: Palmer is in his late 30’s and has a checkered injury history. Grade – Late 4th to early 5th Round
  45. RB- Justin Forsett – Baltimore was decimated with injuries last year, so look for the whole offense to be improved this year. Back in 2014 Forsett put up great numbers, and I expect him to bounce back with a pretty solid 2016 campaign. Grade –  Late 4th round
  46. TE- Travis Kelce – Kelce is in a system perfectly suited for tight ends. Andy Reid has always had pretty good success with tight ends who may otherwise be known as average. If you need an example, former Bird Chad Lewis. Last year Kelce made a name for himself by catching 72 balls for 875 yards and 5 touchdowns. I expect those numbers to increase by a little bit as he enter’s his 4th year in the league. Grade – 4th round
  47. TE- Gary Barnidge – Who even knew who Gary Barnidge was until last year? Most likely you didn’t know, unless you followed a team who he played for. Barnidge arguably put in a season that would be on par with the top choice in fantasy. Barnidge’s line from 2015 read’s like this: 79/1,043/9, and that is catches/yards/touchdowns. Not bad for a guy who had less than 20 career receptions prior to the season. He slips to 7th on here due to Josh Gordon’s return and the presence of 1st round pick Corey Coleman. Grade – Late 4th round
  48. DEF/ST- Seattle Seahawks – The Bronco’s lost some big pieces, so Seattle is primed to return to the  top of the food chain in  terms of defense. Their elite secondary and stout front seven have Pro Bowlers littered throughout, making it very hard to move the ball. Seattle should be the best defense for the past 3 out of 4 years. Last year the ‘Hawks gave up 292 yards per game. Grade – 5th round
  49. RB- Ryan Mathews – With Murray gone to Tennessee, Mathews steps in as the feature back for the Eagles. Injuries are the biggest concern here, so if you  take him, I’d highly recommend taking Darren Sproles if available. If he’s healthy, he could cross the 1,000 yard mark and 10 touchdowns. Grade –  Early 5th round
  50. WR- Keenan Allen – Allen’s season ended in week 8 last year due to an injured kidney. The Chargers brought in some solid running mates to spread  the ball around, namely Travis Benjamin, so Allen should be a good option as your WR2 rather than a borderline WR1. Grade – Early 5th round
  51. WR- Jeremy Maclin – Maclin was ranked 18th overall in the wide receiver rankings from 2015. He had a great year as a Chief (considering they hadn’t thrown a touchdown to a receiver for over a year) registering 87 catches for just under 1,100 yards and 8 scores. Grade – 5th round
  52. RB- Carlos Hyde – The 49ers are in transition, and that is why Hyde slipped a little bit lower than anticipated. It remains to be seen if Hyde’s talent will excel, level out, or decrease in the up-tempo system. He has the talent to be a high end “RB2.” Grade –  5th round
  53. WR- Doug Baldwin – Not many saw Doug Baldwin exploding like he did in the second half of the 2015 season. His 14 touchdowns tied him for the league lead, and he coupled that with over 1,000 yards. He’s not a flashy pick, but he’ll be solid. Grade – 5th round
  54. WR- TY Hilton – Andrew Luck is back so Hilton should have a good year in Indianapolis. The thing that hurts him is his lack of scoring unless there is a big play. He is a less than impressive red zone target, that’s why you see him down this far on the list. Grade – 5th round
  55. RB- DeMarco Murray – While Murray was paid like a feature back by the Titans, expect some of his carries to be delegated to rookie Derrick Henry. A potential plus for Murray is his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Grade – 5th round
  56. QB- Andrew Luck – Which side are you on? The side that says he’s taken a step back, or the side that feels 2015 was a fluke due to injuries and a combination of bad interceptions at really bad times? I personally think he will bounce back, but look for him to slip quite a bit. T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief form a good young receiving corps. Luck does have sneaky athleticism, so he will punch the ball in himself quite a bit. Grade – 5th round
  57. QB- Tom Brady – Is there anything we don’t know about Brady? No matter who his receivers are, he’s going to produce. As long as Brady is in New England, the Patriots will have the opportunity to compete for a Super Bowl title. It should be fun to watch Brady toy with defenses in New England’s two tight end sets featuring Rob Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett. The reason he drops this low is simple, he misses a quarter of the season due to “deflategate.” Grade – 5th round
  58. TE- Tyler Eifert – Eifert is the third guy in a row who has major injury concerns. When healthy, he can be just about unstoppable. The trouble is getting him through a whole year where he stays healthy enough to be a contributor. Last year, he was able to play in 13 games, but in 2014 he played in only 1. Look for him to have a year where he brings in 70 catches for right around 900 yards and anywhere from 8-10 touchdowns. Grade – 5th round
  59. RB- Matt Forte – Forte left the Windy City for the Big Apple and the New York Jets. While Forte is getting older and had some nagging injuries last year, he very well could bounce back and put in a healthy 15 or 16 games this year, which would put him in the “RB1” discussion. Grade –  Late 5th round
  60. WR- Emmanuel Sanders – Much like his counterpart that is a little higher on this list, Sanders numbers will suffer a little bit from the drop off in quarterback play. He was a  borderline WR1 last year, but in 2016, he is a good WR2. Grade – Late 5th round
  61. RB- C.J. Anderson – In a normal situation Anderson would be a low end “RB1” or high end “RB2,” but he will be splitting time in Denver with Ronnie Hillman and rookie Devontae Booker. I wouldn’t target him too high in your draft. Grade –  Late 5th round
  62. TE- Julius Thomas – Thomas, much like Graham, had an injury plagued year that hampered a lot of his production. When healthy, Thomas proved to be a viable threat, especially in the red zone. If you went back to his time in Denver, Thomas should be higher on the list, however, there are a lot of mouths to feed in Jacksonville so expect his production to be a little above average but under great. Grade – 5th round
  63. DEF/ST– Denver Broncos – Denver lost starters Malik Jackson and Danny Trevathon while Demarcus Ware continues to  get older. They still have a top secondary to go along with Von Miller, but expect their numbers to dip just a bit from those two big losses. Last year, the Broncos gave up under 200 passing yards per  game, which is unbeliebable in today’s passing oriented NFL. Grade – 5th round
  64. K- Dan Bailey – Bailey will go down as one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history. Last year, Dallas ranked 6th in field goals, and that was with a lackluster offense. With everyone healthy, that number should go way up. Grade – 5th round
  65. K- Justin Tucker –  Tucker can absolutely smash the ball and combines that with pretty good accuracy. He has a knack for converting under pressure too. Another consistent year should be in line for Baltimore’s kicker. Grade – 5th round
  66. DEF/ST- New York Jets – Unlike the next two teams, the Jets find  themselves on this list mainly due to their front, especially the line. The front seven was mainly responsible for holding opponents to an average of 83 rushing yards per game. While they do have Darrell Revis in the secondary, their main calling card is  their front. Grade – 5th round
  67. WR- Jarvis Landry – Landry had an impressive year in 2015, but his numbers will take a hit because second year pro DeVante Parker is finally fully healthy. Parker showed flashes at the tail end of last year, and he could take some focus off of Landry. Grade – 6th round
  68. QB- Blake Bortles – The major leap forward that Bortles’ took last year caught everyone’s eye. Having two young receivers in the “Top 100 Players” also helps. The Jags offense should be more dynamic with the addition of Chris Ivory, which will help their play action work more effectively. Julius Thomas at tight end is yet another threat for him to go to. Grade – 6th round
  69. QB- Derek Carr – Carr really helped himself last year. The Raiders coaching staff really put a lot on Carr’s plate, and he responded with a fantastic season. Amari Cooper has the potential to be a franchise cornerstone at wide out, and Michael Crabtree really turned into a reliable target in 2015. Grade – 6th round
  70. DEF/ST- Carolina Panthers – The Panthers have key players scattered throughout their defense. Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis lead the charge at linebacker while KaWann Short and Star Lotulelei anchor the line. Josh Norman is gone, so their are some concerns in the secondary. Grade – 6th round
  71. RB- Jeremy Langford – Chicago Bears lead running back.
  72. K- Stephen Gostkowski – Gostkowski usually racks up the most fantasy points, but with Tom Brady out for the first quarter of the season, his numbers take a little hit and he slides down to 3rd on the list. Grade – 5th round
  73. WR- Larry Fitzgerald – “The Ageless Wonder” won’t be slowed down by age, but by the many mouths to feed, or hands to fill, or whatever you want to call it. The Cardinal’s receiving corps is deep and expect Fitzgerald’s numbers to take a little dip from where you are accustomed to seeing them. Grade – 6th round
  74. TE- Jimmy Graham – Graham had an underwhelming year in Seattle, due to a couple of reasons. First, he was learning a new system after he was traded from the Saints to the Seahawks on the opening day of the new league year. Secondly, he had a couple of nagging injuries that kept him from playing at 100%.  While he did haul in almost 50 passes, he only recorded 2 touchdowns. Thats a “meh” year for a guy who used to be near the top of this list. Grade – 6th round
  75. WR- Sammy Watkins – Watkins may be lower on this list than expected, but he only ranks 21st when compared to other receivers last year. Tyrod Taylor’s struggles do affect his numbers a little, but I don’t see him as anything more than a low end WR2 until he proves otherwise. Grade – Late 6th round
  76. DEF/ST- Arizona Cardinals – The Cards are a defensive that always seems to add pieces. They traded a former first round pick at guard and acquired outside linebacker Chandler Jones from the Patriots. They already had a pretty good secondary, so with Jones added to a good front, the Cardinals leap into the top 5 in terms of fantasy defense. Grade – 6th round
  77. RB- Frank Gore – Indianapolis Colts lead running back
  78. K- Blair Walsh – Yes, Walsh did miss the biggest kick of his life, but that should be put in the deepest and darkest spot in his memory. He was solid throughout 2015 and Minnesota moved into an indoor stadium, so his home games won’t be affected by nasty weather. Walsh was 6-8 from 50+. Grade – 6th round
  79. QB- Eli Manning – Any QB with Odell Beckham on their team should probably be on this list. While he will through his INT’s, he will also throw for 30+ TD’s in a year and over 4,000 yards. He is durable and he has a ton of experience. Don’t forget that they added receiver Sterling Shepherd in the draft, and he is drawing rave reviews so far.
  80. TE- Jason Witten – Witten saw a lot of targets with the ailing health of Dez Bryant. Big pass catching tight ends are a safety blanket, especially for young and backup quarterbacks who need a reliable go to guy. Witten could be viewed as that, but as he get’s older, his numbers will most likely start to decline. If Tony Romo stays healthy, he could be a golden find, but that’s a big if. If he’s hurt, Witten could fall off of this list. A lot of unknowns.
  81. K- Chris Boswell – Is Boswell a member of the “Killer B’s?” I don’t know, but I do know that he will get plenty of opportunities to kick field goals as the Steelers should move the ball better than anyone else.
  82. DEF/ST- Kansas City Chiefs – 2nd year corner Marcus Peters forms a nice duo in the secondary with Eric Berry, while Justin Houston and Tamba Hali wreak havoc on passing downs. Look for another solid year coming out of Kansas City.
  83. QB- Ryan Fitzpatrick – The Jet’s finally got the bearded beast back into the fold.
  84. WR- Randall Cobb – Solid receiver behind Jordy Nelson
  85. DEF/ST- Houston Texans – Normally they’d be a lot higher, but the injury to JJ Watt is why the Texans are so low. Jadaveon Clowney needs to show why he was the top pick a couple years ago, or the Texans could slide even lower on this list. How long will Watt be out and when he comes back, how good will he be? Those questions all could have less  than favorable answers.
  86. WR- Allen Hurns – Hurns and Robinson make a lethal tandem at WR for Jacksonville.
  87. RB- Giovani Bernard – Cincinnati’s backup running  back who excels in the passing game.
  88. QB- Drew Brees – He has been a pillar of consistency since he came to NOLA.
  89. QB- Tony Romo – Can he stay healthy and help Dallas make a playoff run?
  90. RB- Danny Woodhead – San Diego’s version of Giovani Bernard. Excel’s at catching the ball out of the backfield.
  91. WR- Eric Decker – Jet’s #2 receiver who had a very solid 215 season.
  92. K- Cairo Santos – Another kicker of spanish decent, Santos has been solid  throughout his career. In 2015, he kicked a respectable 30 field goals, four of which were over 50 yards. I expect nothing to change in 2016.
  93. RB- James Starks – If Eddie Lacy struggles, expect Starks to get a lot of carries.
  94. QB- Andy Dalton – If healthy, Dalton is able to put up fairly consistent numbers for the Bengals.
  95. TE- Antonio Gates – Gates seems to be the ageless wonder. Last year Gates was able to haul in 56 catches for 630 yards. He coupled those numbers with 5 touchdowns so he had a pretty solid 2015 campaign. The Chargers did take a tight end pretty high in the draft in the second round where they took Hunter Henry. Look for 2016 to be more of a red shirt year for Henry, and Gates to put in one more solid year.
  96. QB- Jameis Winston – Expect an improved year over last year from the 2nd year pro in Tampa Bay.
  97. TE- Martellus Bennett – Bennett forms a formidable duo with Gronkowski.
  98. K- Chandler Catanzaro – Catanzaro should benefit from a pretty potent Cardinals offense. Catanzaro was perfect within 40 yards last year, and was 6-9 beyond 40. That’s a pretty solid sophomore year.
  99. DEF/ST- Houston Texans – Normally they’d be a lot higher, but the injury to JJ Watt is why the Texans are so low. Jadaveon Clowney needs to show why he was the top pick a couple years ago, or the Texans could slide even lower on this list. How long will Watt be out and when he comes back, how good will he be? Those questions all could have less  than favorable answers.
  100. DEF/ST- Minnesota Vikings – Last year the Vikings  gave up 344 yards per game, however, their defense has a ton of young talent that is just beginning to learn and grow together. Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks are a great linebacking tandem and Harrison Smith is a Pro Bowl safety. Look for 2nd year corner Trae Waynes to make a big leap in 2016. Grade – 8th round

Players Who Just Missed the “Top 100” Ranked in Order by Position

Quarterback’s

  1. Marcus Mariota-Tennessee Titans
  2. Matt Ryan-Atlanta Falcons

Running Backs

  1. Isaiah Crowell-Cleveland Browns
  2. Matt Jones-Washington Redskins
  3. Arian Foster or Jay Ajayi-Miami Dolphins

Wide Receivers

  1. DeSean Jackson-Washington Redskins
  2. Steve Smith Sr.-Baltimore Ravens
  3. Julian Edelman-New England Patriots

Tight Ends

  1. Richard Rodgers-Green Bay Packers
  2. Jacob Tamme-Atlanta Falcons
  3. Charles Clay-Buffalo Bills
  4. Kyle Rudolph-Minnesota Vikings

Defenses/Special Teams

  1. Philadelphia Eagles
  2. Cincinnati Bengals
  3. Oakland Raiders
  4. Jacksonville Jaguars
  5. St. Louis Rams
  6. Green Bay Packers
  7. Tennessee Titans

Kickers

  1. Roberto Aguayo-Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  2. Brandon McManus-Denver Broncos
  3. Cody Parkey-Philadelphia Eagles
  4. Graham Gano-Carolina Panthers
  5. Josh Brown-New York Giants
  6. Adam Vinatieri-Indianapolis Colts
  7. Matt Bryant-Atlanta Falcons
  8. Jason Myers-Jacksonville Jaguars