Fantasy Football Top 25 by Position

blstuart or anybody, what site(s) do you use for your fantasy research? more specifically, what site do you use to see schedule rankings? ... like what players have easier/harder schedules this season

I do attempt to rank teams by difficulty of rushing schedule and by difficulty of passing schedule but I don't have a site to recommend for it. I simply look at where each of a teams opponents finished the season before in rushing/passing yards allowed per game and make adjustments to that number based on who each defense added/lost. I then combine all of those rankings and get an overall difficulty of passing/rushing schedule. Probably not that accurate but I'm not sure there is a great way to do it. The success of an individual defense can fluctuate so much from season to season.
Hope this makes some sort of sense.

Decent amount of change in my RB rankings since the start of camp. This is updated through 8/18.
2 weeks exactly till my 1st draft and I'm sure it'll change more between now and then.

Elite Tier:

1) C. Johnson: crazy if he thinks he's getting QB money

2) Peterson

3) Foster

4) Rice: maybe #1 in PPR

 

2^nd Tier:

5) McCoy

6) Charles

7) McFadden

8) Mendenhall: little lower in PPR

 

3^rd Tier:

9) Gore

10) MJD

11) S. Jackson

12) Forte

13) Turner: looked good in 1st preseason game; moved up a couple spots

 

4^th Tier:

14) Blount

15) Hillis: Browns offense looked good and looks like he'll be involved on passing downs again

16) Bradshaw

17) Greene

18) Best: benefited from Leshoure's injury; top of tier in PPR

19) D. Williams

20) F. Jones: moved up because there's no competition for carrie; little higher in PPR

 

5^th Tier:

21) Moreno: little higher in PPR

22) Grant: dropping a little because he split 50/50 w/ Starks in 1st preseason game

23) Wells

24) Ingram: heard today he could split 50/50 w/ Thomas; will get GL work

25) F. Jackson

26) D. Thomas: we'll see how long Bush holds up for

 

A couple other RBs I have interest in that have climbed my rankings are:
28) Tolbert
31) Hightower
35) Jacobs
37) R. Jennings

 

Forget to mention James Stark at #38

What are your guys' thoughts on Darren McFadden? He is a guy that I have a hard time ranking since Michael Bush (I think) snatched a lot of his carries last year...I had McFadden last year and was very happy with him but feel like he could of had a monstrous year if Bush wasn't so involved...

Also not sure what to think about Michael Turner this year....seems like he isn't getting the respect that he deserves

Let's not post this in every single thread please. Post it one place and people will find it.

As far as your questions goes we'll start with McFadden.
You're crazy if you don't think he had a monster year in 2010. He missed a couple games injuried and still finished as the 6th highest scoring RB in standard leagues and 2nd highest RB in average points per game. The only time Bush had any impact was the couple weeks McFadden missed. He's a top 10 RB this year and a 1st rounder for sure I think. I have him at #7 overall.

People are down on Turner (my self included) because of the large number of carries he's had the last few years and a belief the Falcons will throw the ball more than ever. I simply can't take Turner in the top 10. He started as my 15th ranked RB but I moved him up to 13 after he showed some quicks and good footwork in the Falcons first preseason games.

I hope people touting Mike Vick as the top overall player are watching tonights game. I realize it's the Steelers but he looks lost and confused out there. Has the guy ever seen a blitz before? He looks like Atlanta Falcons Mike Vick tonight.

Let other someone else reach for Vick in your draft. Don't touch him. I'm sure as hell not.

Lol my bad about posting it in multiple threads blstuart, I was itchin for responses i guess. Yeah the more I think about it McFadden did have a very nice year last year (I haven't reviewed many stats yet, just kinda join off a fuzzy memory). I need to get my research in and glad I found these very valuable threads. Thanks for your input as I always enjoy a nice FF discussion. I am in a 12 man non PPR league just to give you a heads up as to where I stand....I totally agree with your assessment of Mike Vick tonight, definitely looks dazed I think he is going to have a bit of a let down year and will not be touching him either. I will probably end up with a QB ranked about 8-12 or so just like ever year...which usually works out pretty well for me. 

As much QB depth as there, this should work out fine if you can load up at RB & WR.
I'm pretty high on all my 8th-11th ranked QBs right now:
8) Big Ben
9) Ryan
10 Schaub
11) Stafford: could flip w/ Schaub
These guys should all prove very capable starters.

If you do wait on a QB though, I think it's important to go for a high end backup to be on the safe side of things.
Eli, Bradford, & Flacco could all be available in 12 team formats as high end backups.

bistuart, last year I had Schaub and he was a little inconsistent but definitely worth waiting a little bit for...where do you have Tony Romo at in your rankings? 

I would move Jamal Charles up, and McCoy down.  I love McCoy, but they didn't bring Ronnie Brown in to sit on the bench, and he has a nose for the end zone.  I could see R Brown having 5-8 TDs this year.

Matt ryan will certainly be a value based on his ADP, even though it seems to be rising after all this news has come out about the expanded offense. 

Blstuart, thanks for posting your rankings.

I have gone back and forth on Peterson and Foster. I originally liked Peterson given his talent and that he looked to be the only legit weapon on Minnesota's offense. But now I am starting to lean toward Foster given everything I am reading and hearing about Minnesota's offensive line.

Foster has his hamstring issue already, and because of that, a few have even gone so far to question his work habits after his big season. I think that is a bit of a leap to come down on the guy like that for a hamstring injury. But he plays on a much better team.

What sells you on Peterson over Foster?

Funny you mentioned this because I did just that this morning. Nothing to do with Ronnie Brown though. It was because the Eagles looke so abysmal and out of sync last night that I dropped all their players 1 spot in my rankings lol.

I like Romo a little more than most. He was a top 5 fantasy QB 2 years ago and last year he was top 5 when he went down for the season. Currently he's 6th in my QB rankings (behind Brees & ahead of Rivers) and I imagine he stays there.
The only thing that could make me adjust the top of my QBs rankings is if Manning has a set back and isn't been ready for week 1.

Lots of teams in action tonight!

Washington/Indy
KC/Baltimore
Detroit/Cleveland
Carolina/Miami
Arizona/GB
Atlanta/Jacksonville

There are plenty of guys I'll be keeping an eye on and should have some fantasy updates tomorrow.

I think Blstuart you sure you know fantasy football. Just guessing by your logo I thought for sure you would know more about college basketball. Your boy is coaching down here now. Pretty good Mr. Williams is. Still hate em...

Anyways here good rankings. But if I'm drafting today or anytime soon I like shhhh...RAY RICE. As far as ADP goes and would love to be around pick 4/5 in most any draft because he would be my pick every single time. Think with Willis gone, Ray puts up HUGE numbers. And being the gambler I know must are pick him 1 or 2 if u must. Nothing against AP, Charles, Chris Johnson they all are being picked pretty much 1/2/3, but will the return on investment be there? No.

I believe Ryan Williams was just carted off the field.  

Agree with u 100%, I love the fact there are people jumping on him early, it saves me a RB to draft...  I know it is pre-season and I know it is against Pitt, but I just don't think he will be as great as advertised, he will be obviously good... He will have big games, but so will QB in 5th round.  Teams are to smart and he will be game planned for better. 

FYI...  I am not comparing him to a 5th round QB, but no way I would waste a first round pick on him. 

Few quick thoughts from last night:

 

Washington/Indy

John Beck looked good in his first outing. Shanahan clearly wants to give the starting job to Beck and I’d say it was locked up last night. He’s still not worth drafting right now.
Indy’s rush defense continues its long time trend of getting torched. Hightower ripped off a 58 yarder and followed it with a short score. He’s slowly climbing my RB rankings and is definitely a RB3 with RB2 upside. Rookie Roy Helu was strong as well with over 100 yards. With Torain still in the mix as well as fellow rookie Evan Royster, I’m not sure he’s worth drafting.

 

Detroit/Cleveland

Stafford was good again in limited work. A top 10 QB season is coming.
More surprising though was the opposing QB, Colt McCoy. Through 2 preseason games McCoy has a 4:0 TD to Interception Ratio. This west coast offense might be exactly what he needs to excel with his limited arm strength. He’s a low end QB 2 right now.
One of McCoy’s TDs was to rookie Greg Little who continues to be worth a late round shot.

 

Carolina/Miami

Give credit to Reggie Bush who impressed with 48 yards on 8 carries and 2 receptions for 33 yards.  Take note that Daniel Thomas got the short yardage TD though, and managed 52 yards on 12 carries.  They limit each other’s upside right now but I just don’t expect Bush to hold up getting 10 touches per half.

Brandon Marshall and Davone Bess both caught 5 balls. Both are strong PPR options.

Yuck for Cam Newton.  He’ll end up the starter but isn’t draftable right now.

 

Kansas City/Baltimore

Lee Evans managed 68 yards on 3 grabs in his first outing as a Raven.  Flacco was clearly looking for him and he’s moved onto fantasy radars.  Haven’t added him to my WR rankings yet but will probably put him about mid 30s at WR.
Dwayne Bowe made a couple nice catches on horribly thrown balls from Matt Cassel.  Neither QB impressed me but Cassel looked abysmal.

 

Arizona/Green Bay

The story of the night in Green Bay was the injury to Arizona rookie RB Ryan Williams.  Word is a torn patella tendon which would be the end of his season.  If so then bump Beanie Wells up a couple spots in your RB rankings.  Larod Stephens Howling will handle passing down work.
It appears we had out fantasy performance of the night in this matchup as rookie WR Chastin West hauled in 5 passes for 134 yards and a score. But with Jennings, Finley, Nelson, Jones, & Driver (and maybe Randall Cobb) ahead of him he has no fantasy value right now.

This game is about to replay on NFL Network and I’m going to check it out.

 

Not much worth reporting in the Atlanta/Jacksonville matchup.
Neither Jaguars QB looked good but neither has any fantasy relevance.
Julio Jones wasn’t nearly as good as he was the first preseason game.  Being a rookie he’s likely to have his ups and downs.

 

Four more games on tap for tonight.

Oakland/San Francisco

New Orleans/Houston: will be watching this

Buffalo/Denver

Minnesota/Seattle: will be watching this

It felt like a death in the family when Roy left. KU basketball is far and away my favorite sports team and I loved Roy Williams (even with all his character flaws). It took me a long time to get over him leaving but I actually think it worked out better for both programs in the long run. And I don't harbor the ill feelings towards Roy that most KU fans still do.

Completely agree on Ray Rice. I'm not surprised at all if he ends up the top player. And you don't have to keep your thoughts on him quite. I've suggested the same thing other places and people respond to me like I'm crazy.

GL this season LTZ1

Let me correct myself on something here. While Daniel Thomas did get a short yardage TD, it was after he failed to score in a similar situation on the Dolphins 1st TD drive. They wound up bringing in Hilliard to finish off what Thomas couldn't. That's not necessarily something that bodes well for him. He's dropped from my RB Top 25 and I've started thinking about taking Bush higher.