It isn’t easy being a rankings whore. Actually, it is pretty easy. Just put in whoever is ranked best based on whatever the site tells you and sit back and take the credit.
Of course, that is an easy way to lose.
If you want to win, you have to look at the matchups and you have to get information from more than one source. For example, Stephen Janikowski is a top five kicker per CBS and ESPN but doesn’t even crack the top 25 for Yahoo. That should give you pause.
Below are rankings which show each site’s points and their consensus (i.e. average) ranking. Use this to help you towards fantasy victory. All are based on projected points as of Monday.
QUARTERBACK
|
Player |
Team |
Vs. |
Y! Pts |
Y! Rank |
CBS Pts |
CBS Rank |
ESPN Pts |
ESPN Rank |
Avg Rank |
|
Drew Brees |
NO |
TB |
20 |
3 |
30 |
3 |
23 |
2 |
3 |
|
Aaron Rogers |
GB |
WAS |
21 |
2 |
32 |
2 |
22 |
5 |
3 |
|
Cam Newton |
CAR |
BUF |
18 |
8 |
25 |
4 |
23 |
2 |
5 |
|
Peyton Manning |
DEN |
NYG |
22 |
1 |
36 |
1 |
17 |
12 |
5 |
|
Robert Griffin III |
WAS |
GB |
19 |
5 |
22 |
9 |
25 |
1 |
5 |
|
Colin Kaepernick |
SF |
SEA |
19 |
5 |
22 |
9 |
23 |
2 |
5 |
|
Tom Brady |
NE |
NYJ |
20 |
3 |
25 |
4 |
17 |
12 |
6 |
|
Matthew Stafford |
DET |
AZ |
17 |
11 |
25 |
4 |
22 |
5 |
7 |
|
Michael Vick |
PHI |
SD |
18 |
8 |
22 |
9 |
22 |
5 |
7 |
|
Matt Ryan |
ATL |
STL |
19 |
5 |
23 |
7 |
19 |
11 |
8 |
Couple big surprises here:
The 49ers showed the world that the Green Bay secondary couldn’t stop a baby lamb, let alone a passing-running quarterback. Expect big things from RGIII – knee or no knee…Michael Vick becomes an interesting play going against a weak Charger team….Russell Wilson doesn’t break the top 10 facing a tough 49ers defense.
RUNNING BACKS
|
Player |
Team |
Vs. |
Yahoo |
Y! Rank |
CBS |
CBS Rank |
ESPN |
ESPN Rank |
Avg Rank |
|
LeSean McCoy |
PHI |
SD |
16 |
1 |
20 |
1 |
16 |
4 |
2 |
|
Adrian Peterson |
MIN |
CHI |
15 |
4 |
19 |
2 |
18 |
1 |
2 |
|
Doug Martin |
TB |
NO |
16 |
1 |
18 |
3 |
16 |
4 |
3 |
|
Ray Rice |
BAL |
CLE |
14 |
5 |
16 |
5 |
16 |
4 |
5 |
|
Arian Foster |
HOU |
TEN |
16 |
1 |
14 |
7 |
15 |
8 |
5 |
|
C.J. Spiller |
BUF |
CAR |
14 |
5 |
13 |
8 |
17 |
2 |
5 |
|
Trent Richardson |
CLE |
BAL |
14 |
5 |
13 |
8 |
16 |
4 |
6 |
|
Matt Forte |
CHI |
MIN |
14 |
5 |
16 |
5 |
15 |
8 |
6 |
|
Jamaal Charles |
KC |
DAL |
14 |
5 |
17 |
4 |
11 |
13 |
7 |
|
Steven Jackson |
ATL |
STL |
14 |
5 |
13 |
8 |
13 |
12 |
8 |
Running backs projections are tighter than the running lanes; C.J. Spiller saw last week against the Patriots. Per Yahoo, there is only a two point difference between #1 and #10….Doug Martin seems high here. The Buccaneers will be either in a shootout or playing behind most of the game. He’ll have some red zone opportunities but they won’t be running the ball a lot….I’ll trust ESPN’s lack of trust in Jamaal Charles this week against the Cowboys. It smells like a skunk game waiting to happen.
WIDE RECEIVERS
|
Player |
Team |
Vs. |
Yahoo |
Y! Rank |
CBS |
CBS Rank |
ESPN |
ESPN Rank |
Avg Rank |
|
Calvin Johnson |
DET |
AZ |
13 |
1 |
17 |
1 |
15 |
1 |
1 |
|
Larry Fitzgerald |
AZ |
DET |
11 |
5 |
17 |
1 |
15 |
1 |
2 |
|
Demaryius Thomas |
DEN |
NYG |
12 |
2 |
15 |
5 |
14 |
5 |
4 |
|
Vincent Jackson |
TB |
NO |
10 |
9 |
16 |
3 |
15 |
1 |
4 |
|
Julio Jones |
ATL |
STL |
12 |
2 |
14 |
8 |
14 |
5 |
5 |
|
Dez Bryant |
DET |
KC |
12 |
2 |
14 |
8 |
14 |
5 |
5 |
|
Andre Johnson |
HOU |
TEN |
10 |
9 |
16 |
3 |
14 |
5 |
6 |
|
Julian Edelman |
NE |
NYJ |
11 |
5 |
14 |
8 |
14 |
5 |
6 |
|
Randall Cobb |
GB |
WAS |
10 |
9 |
14 |
8 |
15 |
1 |
6 |
|
Brandon Marshall |
CHI |
MIN |
11 |
5 |
15 |
5 |
13 |
11 |
7 |
This is your wake-up call. It is time to pick up Julian Edelman and to start playing him weekly. He is the Wes Welker that we were speculating about….Andrew Johnson feels really low here. He has the potential to get some big TD plays this week against the Titans.
TIGHT ENDS
|
Player |
Team |
Vs. |
Yahoo |
Y! Rank |
CBS |
CBS Rank |
ESPN |
ESPN Rank |
Avg Rank |
|
Jimmy Graham |
NO |
TB |
11 |
1 |
14 |
1 |
13 |
1 |
1 |
|
Jason Witten |
DAL |
KC |
8 |
3 |
12 |
3 |
11 |
3 |
3 |
|
Tony Gonzalez |
ATL |
STL |
9 |
2 |
11 |
5 |
11 |
3 |
3 |
|
Vernon Davis |
SF |
SEA |
8 |
3 |
11 |
5 |
11 |
3 |
4 |
|
Julius Thomas |
DEN |
NYG |
7 |
5 |
11 |
5 |
11 |
3 |
4 |
|
Jordan Cameron |
CLE |
BAL |
6 |
9 |
12 |
3 |
12 |
2 |
5 |
|
Jermichael Finley |
GB |
WAS |
7 |
5 |
11 |
5 |
9 |
8 |
6 |
|
Jared Cook |
STL |
ATL |
7 |
5 |
13 |
2 |
5 |
11 |
6 |
|
Greg Olsen |
CAR |
BUF |
7 |
5 |
10 |
9 |
6 |
10 |
8 |
|
Kellen Winslow |
NYJ |
NE |
6 |
9 |
7 |
13 |
11 |
3 |
8 |
During the pre-season, yours truly talked about the great sleepiness potential in the tight end department. Evidence A is Julius Thomas and Evidence B is Jordan Cameron. Thomas is owned in only 56% of Yahoo leagues and Cameron is at a (still too low) 80%. Each is facing a stout defense and is still top 5 potential….Antonio Gates barely missed the list. While ESPN and CBS had him higher, Yahoo rankings have him lower.
KICKER
|
Player |
Team |
Vs. |
Yahoo |
Y! Rank |
CBS |
CBS Rank |
ESPN |
ESPN Rank |
Avg Rank |
|
Stephen Gostkowski |
NE |
NYJ |
8 |
3 |
11 |
2 |
15 |
1 |
2 |
|
Randy Bullock |
HOU |
TEN |
8 |
3 |
11 |
2 |
14 |
2 |
2 |
|
Justin Tucker |
BAL |
CLE |
9 |
1 |
11 |
2 |
11 |
4 |
2 |
|
Matt Bryant |
ATL |
STL |
9 |
1 |
11 |
2 |
11 |
4 |
2 |
|
Matt Prater |
DEN |
NYG |
8 |
3 |
10 |
7 |
12 |
3 |
4 |
This might be the best week to prove that kickers should never be taken before the last round. Each site’s ranking has at least one top 5 kicker that doesn’t even crack the top ten of the other sites! Besides the aforementioned Janikowski, there is Greg Zuelein, Phil Dawson and David Akers….Josh Scobee is owned in only 1% of Yahoo leagues and … hey someone has to lead the Jaguars in scoring…Randy Bullock is a consensus #2 kicker this week but is owned in only 17% of Yahoo leagues. If all the aforementioned kickers are taken, Kai Forbath (16%) seems like a steal going against the Packers.
DEFENSE
|
Player |
Team |
Vs. |
Yahoo |
Y! Rank |
CBS |
CBS Rank |
ESPN |
ESPN Rank |
Avg Rank |
|
Patriots |
NE |
NYJ |
15 |
1 |
17 |
2 |
11 |
1 |
1 |
|
Texans |
HOU |
TEN |
11 |
3 |
18 |
1 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
|
Cowboys |
DAL |
KC |
13 |
2 |
12 |
5 |
6 |
4 |
4 |
|
Bengals |
CIN |
PIT |
10 |
5 |
13 |
4 |
7 |
2 |
4 |
|
Bears |
CHI |
MIN |
9 |
7 |
14 |
3 |
6 |
4 |
5 |
If your league deducts for penalties, beware the cowboys. Otherwise, they proved last week they are the sleeper defense team this year. It isn’t too late to pick them up (20% ownership in Yahoo). Best of all they are facing Alex “I can’t handle a new system again” Smith.
Good luck out there… and when in doubt, always bet against the Jaguars.
Brian Reddoch is a CraveOnline reporter and rabid fan of all teams Seattle. You can follow him on Twitter @ReddReddoch or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
Photo Credit: Getty
