How does each NFL team stack up in the fantasy realm? Does Michael Vick lift his team to the top? Where does the balanced fantasy attack in Houston stand?
We've compiled fantasy rankings for each team based on our projections, and we'll be sharing the results over the next four days. Today we start with the Bottom 8 and we'll share eight teams per day until we get to No. 1.
See No. 24 to No. 17 here, No. 16 to No. 9 here, and No. 8 to No. 1 on Thursday.
-To qualify as a ‘Fantasy Starter’, the player must rank as a top 12 QB or TE, top 24 RB, or top 36 in our site rankings (0.5 PPR scoring)
-‘Team Fantasy Points’ determined by calculating the fantasy points scored by all offensive players. Passing: 1 pt = 20 yards, 1 INT = -2 pts, Rushing: 1 pt = 10 yards, Receiving: 1pt = 10 yards, 0.5 pts = 1 reception. All positions: 6 pts = 1 TD, -1 pt = 1 fumble
-Teams are ranked based on a combination of ‘Total Fantasy Points’ and ‘Fantasy Starters’
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32. Cincinnati Bengals
Team Fantasy Points: 945
Fantasy Starters: 0 (none)
There’s not much to like here from a fantasy standpoint. Cincinnati is in a rebuilding phase, and with youth comes inexperience. In redraft formats, there’s very little value in carrying any Bengal on your roster this season. Those in dynasty leagues absolutely want to grab A.J. Green, and you may also want to take a long look at Bernard Scott.
Stud: WR A.J. Green
Though the Bengals have no fantasy starters, you could potentially use Green as a spot play. He’s freakishly athletic, and was the most talented receiver taken in this year’s draft. Expect Green to see a ton of targets from his rookie QB, Andy Dalton, but temper your expectations. He’s a WR4 who will give you occasional WR2 production.
Disappointment: RB Cedric Benson
Yes, he did give fantasy owners over 1,000 yards rushing and 8 total touchdowns last season, but he did it at a clip of 3.5 yards per carry. Couple that pedestrian production with the fact that he will turn 29 during the season, and I see huge red flags. He’s currently being drafted as an RB3/flex, but I would feel extremely uncomfortable starting him in that spot.
Sleeper: RB Bernard Scott
Is this finally the year? Scott is an extremely talented back who has yet to really get an opportunity to showcase his skills. He looked excellent this past week against the Panthers, as he racked up 63 yards and a score on just six carries. Like Jamaal Charles, Scott has homerun hitting ability on any play. If this ends up being more of a time-share, Scott could give you some sneaky flex value. His ceiling is much higher if Benson gets hurt.
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31. Carolina Panthers
Team Fantasy Points: 972
Fantasy Starters: 1 (D. Williams)
Another team in a rebuilding phase, the Carolina Panthers enter the season with a new coaching staff and very likely with a rookie QB. With his scrambling ability, Cam Newton could make a fantasy impact as early as this season, though I would only draft him in the deepest of leagues. The RB corps is all back from 2010, but the Carolina time-share can be extremely frustrating for fantasy owners. Like the Bengals, it’s advisable to steer clear of the Panthers.
Stud: RB DeAngelo Williams
Many fantasy owners hoped Williams would land somewhere like Denver, where he would finally be a feature back and get the increased touches that come with that role. Alas, he’s back in Carolina and will again split touches with Jonathan Stewart. Williams will certainly “get his,” but the running back by committee can be unpredictable. Also, Carolina could potentially be playing from behind a bunch this season, which could certainly limit their run game. He’s not the most ideal RB2, but I suppose you could do worse.
Disappointment: WR Steve Smith
Here’s another guy who I really wish was on another team. Smith has incredible skills and plays like a player much bigger than his 5’9” frame. Unfortunately, I don’t expect this to translate into fantasy production this season. Though he has been looking Smith’s way quite often, Newton has not shown to be the most accurate passer this preseason. Gone are the days when Smith could be your WR2. At best, he’s a WR4 this season.
Sleeper: TE Greg Olsen
Unlike Smith, look for Olsen to actually benefit from Newton’s presence. Olsen has been stuck in Chicago, where he received just 62 targets last season. That ranked him 21st among all TEs. I expect this 6’5” monster to see a lot more targets this season from his rookie QB. Currently, Olsen projects as a TE2, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he finishes the season as a top-10 fantasy TE.
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30. Seattle Seahawks
Team Fantasy Points: 1,024
Fantasy Starters: 1 (Rice)
Things don’t get much better as we move to the Seahawks. Pete Carroll’s squad made a nice little playoff run last year, but there’s not much fantasy potential here in 2011. The problem really starts and ends at QB. Matt Hasselbeck is now in Tennessee, and Tavaris Jackson now has the reigns. It’s likely that Jackson is just a placeholder for this season, but the impact will be felt across the board.
Stud: RB Marshawn Lynch
“Beast mode” has some fantasy owners salivating at the possibility of seeing more runs like his epic 2010 playoff scamper. That potential is certainly enticing, but the effects of Jackson could be widespread on this offense, and that will limit Lynch’s fantasy value. On a better team, he has RB2 upside, but unfortunately the Seahawks will not be too friendly to fantasy owners this year so Lynch is more a RB3/flex candidate.
Disappointment: WR Sidney Rice
The impact of Jackson is compounded on Rice’s fantasy value. Jackson has never been a very accurate passer, completing just 58.7% for his career, and this will limit Rice’s opportunities. Though his talent and athletic ability will allow him to make some plays this season, he will not live up to is low-end WR2 ADP.
Sleeper: TE Zack Miller
In one of the stranger free agency moves, Miller left Oakland for Seattle. I honestly can’t say I like the move, but there is some sneaky fantasy value here. Though he’s had some injury issues, Miller has proven to be a very good receiving TE. He could likely be the only Seahawk to benefit from Jackson, and has the potential to top his career-high TD total of five from last season. That being said, don’t place your expectations too high. Miller’s ceiling is as a TE2.
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29. San Francisco 49ers
Team Fantasy Points: 1,056
Fantasy Starters: 2 (Gore, Davis)
Questions at QB is the theme so far, and that continues here in San Francisco. Despite his lofty draft status, Alex Smith has failed to do much of anything in his tenure with the 49ers. But things are a bit brighter here for fantasy owners than at the previous three teams. There are two legitimate fantasy starters in Gore and Davis, and some potential upside in Braylon Edwards and rookie Kendall Hunter.
Stud: RB Frank Gore
Age and injury concerns have caused Gores ADP to drop slightly from where it sat over the past few seasons, but make no mistake that Gore is still a rock solid RB1 option. Had it not been for his untimely injury last season, Gore would have topped 1,000 rushing yards for the fifth straight season. Despite that, he still managed to top 1,000 total yards, which he has accomplished in every season except his rookie year. Though concerns keep him out of the top tier, Gore is still a great option at RB1
Disappointment: WR Michael Crabtree
I don’t think I have to even tell you much here. Despite all of that hype coming out of college, Crabtree just doesn’t seem to be able to put it together at this level. Missing player-organized workouts, publicly taking shots at his QB, and this lingering foot injury make this a situation you want avoid at all costs. This has headache and WR6 written all over it.
Sleeper: WR Braylon Edwards
Lingering memories of his lackluster performance in the 2008 and 2009 seasons may still be impacting Edwards’ ADP, but take a closer look at what he did last season. In standard scoring leagues, he finished the season as the 22nd ranked WR. Now yes, he does have Alex Smith as his QB, but he put last season together with Mark Sanchez. Though I don’t think Edwards works his way into your starting lineup, he makes for interesting depth at your WR5.
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28. Arizona Cardinals
Team Fantasy Points: 1,081
Fantasy Starters: 1 (Fitzgerald)
After a season with essentially no QB, the Cardinals made the big offseason move and brought in Kevin Kolb from the Eagles. Though he’s still unproven, Kolb is certainly an upgrade from what they had, and it should kick start this offense. The one major concern here is at offensive line. Arizona returns all but Alan Faneca to an offensive line that graded out 6th lowest in pass blocking. That’s not good for Kolb, who is great on his first read, but struggles from there.
Stud: WR Larry Fitzgerald
Other than two guys named Johnson, Fitzgerald may be the best WR in the game. Last season, we saw the impact a QB has on WR value, but Fitzgerald still managed 1,137 yards and six TDs. Crisp patterns, explosive after the catch ability, and a nose for the end zone make him a perennial WR1 option.
Disappointment: RB Chris Wells
With rookie Ryan Williams done for the season, Wells is certainly going to have the opportunity to prove me wrong, but I’m not buying it. It’s not that he doesn’t have the ability, because he’s extremely gifted. My concern here is his desire to play hurt. In his short career, Wells has gotten nicked up and it’s killed his productivity. Draft him as your RB3/flex, and you just might endure a frustratingly disappointing season.
Sleeper: QB Kevin Kolb
A popular sleeper last season, Kolb took one Clay Matthews hit and was relegated to the bench for most of the season while Michael Vick ascended to heights of the fantasy football world. A change of scenery in 2011, and again Kolb gets a sleep tag. This season will be different, however, and Kolb will give you 16 games. It may not always be pretty, but with Fitzgerald’s help, Kolb will finish the season as a solid QB2.
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27. Washington Redskins
Team Fantasy Points: 1,085
Fantasy Starters: 1 (Moss)
Mike Shanahan teams can sometimes be extremely fantasy friend and other times extremely fantasy frustrating. This season could be a bit of both. Questions still remain at QB, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see John Beck win the job. While Beck won’t win you any leagues, a capable QB has some weapons at his disposal in Washington. There’s talented youth at WR in Leonard Hankerson and Anthony Armstrong to go along with the underappreciated Santana Moss, and Shanahan always keeps a stable of fantasy-relevant RBs.
Stud: WR Santana Moss
Moss projects as the 24th ranked WR, but is quite often being drafted as the 35th to 40th receiver. That screams value. Last season, he also went overlooked in drafts. Those who stepped up and took him were rewarded with 1,115 yards and six scores, making him a solid WR2. Expect more of the same this season, regardless of who is at QB. Here you can get a WR2 at the price of a WR3/WR4.
Disappointment: TE Chris Cooley
His injured left knee and the emergence of Fred Davis make drafting Cooley a dangerous proposition. He still does have the potential to give you TE1 production as he has in the past, but the injury could severely limit his route running. Avoid this one, but perhaps consider Davis who could give you TE2 production at a discounted price.
Sleeper: RB Tim Hightower
If you have watched any of Washington’s three preseason games, you likely noticed how good Hightower has looked. Yes, it’s only the preseason, but he’s drawn rave reviews from the Shanahans. With Ryan Torain just coming back from yet another injury, and rookie Rey Helu still learning, Hightower looks to have all but locked up the starting job. The one-cut system is a very nice fit for his game, and we could be looking at someone who could breakout and give you as high as RB2 production.
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26. Buffalo Bills
Team Fantasy Points: 1,104
Fantasy Starters: 1 (S. Johnson)
Buffalo is an emerging team with some solid fantasy value. They have a one-two punch at RB in Spiller and Jackson, a solid QB in Harvard graduate Ryan Fitzpatrick, and an emerging stud at WR in Stevie Johnson. The pieces are in place, but the question remains as to whether the Bills can put it all together and improve an offense that graded out as the 10th lowest last season.
Stud: WR Stevie Johnson
Despite his much publicized end zone drop last season, Johnson put together an impressive 2010 campaign in his third season. Johnson grabbed 82 catches on 139 targets for 1073 yards and ten scores. That was good enough to rank him 12th in standard scoring leagues. Double-digit TDs will be difficult to repeat, but you can bank on Johnson finishing the season as a solid WR2 in all formats.
Disappointment: RB CJ Spiller
Thus far in his career, Spiller has really failed to impress. There have been grumblings out of Buffalo that he could be taking over the feature back role from Fred Jackson, but that just doesn’t make sense. Despite being more explosive than Jackson, Spiller has not shown an ability to run between the tackles and averaged half a yard less per carry than Jackson last season. Spiller is getting drafted as a borderline RB3/flex, but I wouldn’t trust him as anything more than an RB5. Jackson is the guy you want here.
Sleeper: RB Fred Jackson
Though not a sleeper in the traditional sense that no one has heard of him, Jackson will far outplay his current ADP, which is just ahead of Spiller. This is not a sexy pick that will get oohs and aahs from your league mates, but leagues are often won by stock piling solid players like Jackson. He makes for a solid RB3/flex that you can potentially get at value on draft day.
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25. Cleveland Browns
Team Fantasy Points: 1,125
Fantasy Starters: 1 (Hillis)
Cleveland is a step ahead of some of the earlier teams mentioned in terms of rebuilding. They seem to have solidified the QB spot with Colt McCoy, who doesn’t have a cannon for an arm like say Matthew Stafford, but can still effectively move the offense. At RB, Peyton Hillis took the fantasy world by storm last season and rode that to the cover of Madden. Finally, the WR corps is young, but has big potential, especially in rookie and PFF Fantasy staff favorite, Greg Little.
Stud: RB Peyton Hillis
If you were lucky enough to pick up Hillis after Week 1 last season, you likely fared well in your fantasy league. Hillis is a bruising player who is built like a fullback, but is surprisingly agile. He racked up 1,177 yards and 11 TDs on the ground, but also showed excellent hands, catching 61 of 68 targets for 477 yards and two scores. Some are avoiding Hillis because of durability concerns, but he’s amazing value if you can get him as your RB2. Look for him to again post RB1 fantasy numbers in all formats.
Disappointment: TE Ben Watson
A favorite safety value for McCoy last season, Watson caught 68 balls on 98 targets for 765 yards and three touchdowns. While some believe Watson could be in for an even bigger role this season, the training camp emergence of Evan Moore could really reduce Watson’s fantasy value. At 6’6” and 250 lbs, Moore is a monster of a player who has wowed coaches with his abilities in the red zone. Though it’s tough to recommend Moore just yet, his presence could bump Watson from a borderline low-end TE1 to potentially as low as a TE3.
Sleeper: WR Greg Little
Entering his rookie season, Little is in a very good situation. He has impressive size at 6’3” and 230 lbs, and showed big-play ability at the college level. He also has to compete with two receivers, in Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi, who have not shown an ability to get separation. Little has that ability and then some. He currently projects as a low-end WR4, but this could be a player to keep an eye on for the fantasy playoff run.
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Check back on Tuesday for No. 24 to No. 17
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