Pre-Season Team Rankings for 2016

#1

Everybody add your rankings for this upcoming season! I’d love to repeat the analysis I did last year again, where we saw how everybody’s initial rankings matched up against the regular season results.

  1. @ianamunrud This team is disgusting. Gurley, Martin, and Miller (and Hyde and Matt Jones) at RB? Demaryius, Allen Robinson, Sammy Watkins, and Dez Bryant at WR? Derek Carr backing up Andrew Luck? At least he has terrible defenses like the Texans and Panthers, otherwise there’d be no hope for anyone else.

  2. @jonathan Three top 10 QBs from last year. Great receivers in Brown, Beckham, and Benjamin to start, with more depth at WR than years past. If the younger RBs in Jeremy Hill, Eddie Lacy, and Thomas Rawls can perform like they have at their peaks, this will be a team to fear. If not, it will be another up-and-down season at the game’s toughest position.

  3. @IanC The only question mark on this team is the QB, but hopefully QB whisperer Adam Gase helps Tannehill finally prove he’s a starter (or Dak Prescott continues to shine and becomes a real star in Dallas). Who wouldn’t want to have Julio Jones, Brandon Marshall, Bradin Cooks, Randall Cobb, John Brown, Tajae Sharpe and TY Hilton on their fantasy team?

  4. @ventura Good pair of QBs with Rivers and Brees, depth at TE (which sadly isn’t that important), and some passable starters at RB (if Ezekiel is all the Cowboys imagine) with a hopefully recovered Kevin White helping Keenan Allen and Jeremy Maclin bring this team into the playoffs. I can see things starting to turn around here.

  5. @PaulDawg You know the Vikings will be pounding the rock more than usual with Bridgewater out, and I’m actually high on Winston as a starting QB. The RB2 and WR3/Flex positions need some work, but you just know Team Wildcard is ready to get the right guys in there once the season starts.

  6. @awmelman Great QB in Aaron Rodgers, ready to let it rip this year after a down year without his fav targets. RBs that should produce in Melvin Gordon, and Mark Ingram with potential in Chris Ivory and Langford. Hopefully that will be enough to overcome an average grouping of WRs.

  7. @mikeastock With Wilson the only real option at QB there’s danger in the late season for Stock. Hopefully a decent set of WRs in Decker, Treadwell, Cooper, and Nelson can make up for a serious lack of quality RBs (I have little faith in Frank Gore, and CJ Anderson doesn’t quite seem a lock for high scoring in an offense without Peyton Manning making decisions pre-snap).

  8. @Alex Great QB depth, with poor WR depth. Too bad this is a 3 WR league, not a 3 QB league. With Forsett old and in a clear timshare, and the AZ Johnson’s splitting carries, I don’t see much upside for this team this year, with missing the championship a clear possibility.

  9. @chasenrogers Let’s go Flacco! Pretty good crew of WRs here (Fitzgerald, Jackson, Edelman, Sanders, and Baldwin) without even taking into account the young guys with promise (Pharoh Cooper, Tyler Boyd, Moncrief, etc). If some murky RB situations bend in his favor (Morris vs. Elliot and Sproles vs. Mathews and Ivory vs. Yeldon) he’ll have a roster ready to compete. That’s a big if though, so keep your eye on the waiver wire for the next Thomas Rawls.

  10. @gbhart I actually like this team, although RBBC approaches in both Tennessee and Cleveland will limit the performance of the RB core. Hopkins is a great receiver, but can Garcon, Torrey Smith, or Agholor help him enough?

#2

Ah yes, the annual Pre-Season Rankings. A great time to speculate on what is to come, make bold predictions that are hardly 100% accurate, and let your friends know how poorly you think they will fair in the season ahead.

During the offseason/preseason I thought about my draft rankings in 3 tiers. I will place my rankings as in those tiers. Tier 1 are the teams I expect to be competing for a bye week and ultimately the championship. Tier 2 teams are the teams I am predicting to make the playoffs this year, but will need some “Any Given Sunday” help to go all the way. Tier 3 will be the teams I expect not to make the playoffs. The ordering of the teams within the tiers are not necessarily the order I think of them within the tier.
Lastly, this was a difficult year to predict. I do believe there is a fairly likely scenario that any team could make the playoffs this year. So best of luck to each of you in that!

Tier 1:
Jon ( @jonathan )
Those Sailors Man. The top 2 (or 2 of top 3) guys going in standard leagues this year plus reigning MVP? That’s a scary starting lineup. I think Lacey turns it around and I like Jeremy Hill. That extra spot in WR/FLEX? Benjamin and Landry aren’t bad options at all. There’s a chance, like every team, for issues but I think AB and OBJ are that good.

Ian A ( @ianamunrud )
It would be foolish to think this team isn’t vying for a bye week in the playoffs and a final victory in the championship. How did this happen? Robinson, Bryant, Watkins, Green…Demaryius is like the worst potential starter on this team. Gurley, Martin, Miller and we’re not counting the bench. Doesn’t this guy get an extra first round draft pick next year as well? Everyone take notes on how this guy manages a team.

Ian C
I love my team. I really like the guys on it. I’m sure we all feel a little attached one way or another to our guys. John Brown is on my bench, but it brings me such great joy when he does his little touchdown dances. Buck Allen has a fun name to yell. It’s the little things. I’m confident in my RBs and I have a tough time deciding starting lineups for it. I like my receivers and TEs. The holes on my team come from D/ST (please no more negative point weeks :-/) and QB…there’s so much potential at that position, but the results have been medium at best so far.

Tier 2:
Mike ( @mikeastock )
Starting lineup: Wilson, Anderson, Gore (or Turbin), Nelson, Evans, Cooper, Matthews, decent TEs. This team’s success is more likely if a quality RB is acquired, but the core elements are there. I picked this team for the playoffs last year and was wrong. With Jordy back, I’m making that pick once again. Also, the #10 WR last year in fantasy? Eric Decker. No joke.

Andrew M ( @awmelman )
One of those teams that everyone feels good about cheering for. Ingram and Gordon have a chance be solid RB options this year. Langford and Ivory aren’t getting the love they may deserve. If Jimmy Graham isn’t himself, no biggie because there’s Delanie Walker. The WRs aren’t there, we all know this. You don’t want to be betting on Aiken as your best WR to start the year, but here we are. But I think Rodgers holds down the fort. So why not? I’m gonna pick this team. Let’s have some fun!

Andrew V ( @ventura )
I didn’t think I was going to put the Kicker Store here, but Ezekiel Elliot can be a game changer if he is as-advertised. Woodhead and Stewart are useable RBs and rumor has it Christine Michael is headed to something big. Keenan Allen and Jeremy Maclin are very startable. This team’s success may weigh on Wheaton/White or the waiver wire. Also, great QBs, no bias needed there.

Tier 3:
Paul ( @PaulDawg )
WILDCARD. A team everyone can cheer for, Paul’s team has a lot to like. He’s set on QB and when you have Adrian Peterson as the foundation, you always have a chance. After Peterson, who is running for this team? As for WR, I’m concerned about Jeffery and the Bears in general this year. Hurns looks like a starter, but that WR3 is going to be a roulette game each week. Benjamin, Snead, and Diggs all have big play ability, but this team is going to have to set the right lineup each week to cash in. Arian Foster though? Truly wildcard.

Chasen ( @chasenrogers )
Who doesn’t love this guy? He’s a class act and has fans around the world. However, I’m not really sure what this team has going for it. Recent developments mean that Bradford and Wentz are interesting QB choices, but they aren’t ideal. Latavius Murray is the only RB on this team not marked as a backup as far as this season is projected. This team is stocked on WR2s, but there aren’t any superstars here. Players like Moncrief, Sanders, Jackson, Jones all have upside, but this team does not have a player to rely on.

Garrett ( @gbhart )
Truth be told, I like this team. Despite no (Hell Yeah!*) Tony Romo, Tyrod Taylor and Daton are workable QBs. I think DeMarco Murray is in for a big year. Duke Johnson Jr. has some upside. Olsen/Barnidge is a great TE combo, and the Vikings defense is the real deal. This team, Deandre Hopkins aside, doesn’t have an “elite” player in the QB/RB/WR category. Garcon could always connect with Cousins and Torrey Smith could be due for a big year (Matt Berry thinks so), but I believe this team’s success this year is in Josh Gordon. This team has less “for sure” things than others, and that’s why its in this tier.

Alex ( @Alex )
We need to take a moment and give this team some credit. Two years running, people have not anticipated this team being in the playoffs, let alone the finals two years running. I tip my hat off to this team. That said, I do not think this team is better than it was last year. The team with Brady has quality backup QB options and David Johnson, who I think is due for another good year. The questions about Jamaal Charles and the recent cut of Justin Forsett means this team has got to play the waiver wire well. Gronk’s a set stud, and I think Golden Tate and Crabtree are fine, but Brandon LaFell cannot be WR3 if this team wants to make the playoffs next year. I had to put someone at the bottom, so I put Alex here because it’s funny for me <3

Cheers, and good luck to all this season!

#3

First things first, I’m going to be doing my a la power ranking style. I will rank each team and provide a range of possible landings. I will include what I think their strengths, weaknesses are, as well as what needs to happen for them to achieve the highest and also lowest points in my range for them. All player ranking according to the current ESPN top 300 ranking. Yes, I am aware that it isn’t ever 100% correct, but it is an average of many “experts” opinions at this point, so as close as we can get.

1st. Ian Amunrud…okay okay okay…yes, I put myself first, but can you really blame me? I mean…look at my team and tell me if you can blame me? I don’t have a championship, and I’m not saying I will. This is merely a ranking for how I think the regular season will play out and well, I think I’ll be first. I might end up being that one team that always dominates in the regular season and never wins a championship, so come on, let me have this one.

RANGE: 1-3

STRENGTHS: Well, I think I have one of the two best running back corps (gurley, miller, martin). I also think I have one of the three best receiving corps (robinson, green, bryant, thomas, watkins).

WEAKNESSES: TEs, fosho. I mean I have kelce, but if anything happens to him I have a currently injured ebron, and jordan cameron who has yet to do anything worthwhile in the last 2 years.

Will achieve ceiling if: Kelce excels and doesn’t get injured.

Will achieve floor if: Injuries happen either to my individual players or to the QBs throwing to my individual players. I have good depth which explains why my floor is where it is.

2nd. @IanC Ian Charbonnet has himself a scary good team. The defending (not world) champion has a team that makes himself a candidate to repeat. I don’t like that. I mean competition is great and everything, but I want to win. But hey, if he wins at least I’ll get an addition to my jersey collection (yeah?).

RANGE: 1-3

STRENGTHS: Ian has one of the best two running back corps and one of the best three receiving corps. Deja vu? Bell may be out for 3 weeks, but that doesn’t matter, the man is amazingly talented and will still finish a top 10 back despite missing 3 weeks and is even in my top 5. And during the 3 weeks he is absent, Ian has LeSean McCoy and Devanta Freeman as his 1-2 punch. WATCHOUT. He has 4 of the top 20 wrs in Julio, Brandon Marshall, Brandin Cooks, and T.Y. Hilton. This roster isn’t messing around.

WEAKNESSES: Currently he has qb 20, qb 21, and qb23. Unless either of them explode up the rankings during the season, he’s got an important position without any clear starter each week. Then his other major weakness is D/ST. He’s got current D/ST 13 as his best (go bills?).

Will obtain ceiling if: One of his three QBs flies up the rankings or if he picks the correct one each weak.

Will obtain floor if: Negative D/ST scores and subpar QBs could bring him down or an injury to his TE Reed. Has good depth in RB and WR which leaves his floor at 3.

3rd. @jonathan Cook is also a past champion and has the team to go for number 2. Boasting the best 2 players and arguably the best QB, he has star player galore just waiting to explode for 20-30 points each. This team will never be an easy victory unless things go inconceivably wrong. He’s only barely behind charbs and that’s because I value WR/RB depth over QB depth and D/ST. But think of him as 2b to Ian being 2a.

RANGE: 1-3

STRENGTHS: Antonio Brown and Odell Beckham Jr. are the two best players currently. That’s an unbeatable great 1-2 receiver combo. He also has 3 top 10 QBs (good luck with matchups Jon, because not 1 of those qbs is a bench player on most teams).

WEAKNESSES: So it’s not a big weakness, but i am slightly worried about his RB situation. Because while he has 3 decent running back starters in Eddie Lacy, Thomas Rawls, and Jeremy Hill, all three have red flags in my mind. Eddie Lacy got real thin before preseason, which should help correct his ineffectiveness at the beginning of the season last year, but who knows how long that will last, plus he’s had injury issues so he’s not a lock to be a lethal threat in my eyes. Rawls coming off an injury scares me, especially with all the hype behind Michael coming to a full speed. While Jeremy Hill is great, he has also had inconsistency, fumble problems, and has a very capable backup looming in the background. These are three RB2s in my mind which really isn’t bad at all. Wait…how did this turn into a strength?

Will obtain ceiling if: All 3 RBs boom and stay healthy.

Will obtain floor if: 2/3 RBs bust and/or OBJ/Brown get injured. Still, with this elite team, I have his floor only at 3.

4th. @mikeastock coming in hot at 4. If this were a 3RB league or a 2QB league, he would be wayyyy lower. This is quite a drop off from Jon, by the way. He’s got a pretty good starting lineup and should be able to get a playoff spot fairly easily. Plus I mean the power of the bronco kicker. Should never underestimate the kicker spot…lawl

RANGE: 4-7

STRENGTHS: Russell Wilson and Broncos D/ST are 2 huge strengths, but stock’s main strength is his receiving corps. Jordy Nelson is back, Amari Cooper is looking good, Mike Evans should be in for a big year with a 2nd year Winston, Eric Decker is still underrated somehow, and that’s just the main 4.

WEAKNESSES: No backup QB. And while I think CJ Anderson is in for a bigger year than last year, he doesn’t really have a solid RB2, Frank Gore might do and when Dion Lewis is back hopefully he’s as good as last year, otherwise Stock is gonna have a frustrating time every time he looks at his RB2 spot. TEs are kinda iffy too. Green being injured is a bummer there.

Will obtain ceiling if: A RB2 emerges and D/ST is as good as last year. Also if no more injuries happen.

Will obtain floor if: Injuries happen to Russel Wilson, CJ Anderson, or multiple WRs.

5th. Andrew @ventura in playoffs…what am I doing?! This says one thing for sure. The last 3 playoffs spots are really anyone’s game. I think that’s how close 4-10 are. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN. And personally, I’m taking Naming Master at number 5. Let’s hope this new focus on making his fantasy team great (again?) is real, otherwise I’m gonna be embarrassed.

RANGE: 4-8

STRENGTHS: 2 good options in each player position and arguably the best D/ST in the game. Brees and Rivers, Zeke and J Stewart, Allen and Maclin, Gates and Bennett.

WEAKNESSES: Depth in WR and RB. I mean…he does a little, with woodhead and a hyped up christine michael. And Wheathon, Carroo, White and Boldin may be good. But It just feels like Artist Formerly known as the kicker store doesn’t have a solid back up option if starters in RB and WR get injured.

Will obtain ceiling if: White booms for chicago and Boldin finds success in DET and if Stewart and Zeke Boom!

Will obtain floor if: Kind of feel like He’ll obtain floor if everyone else around him hit their ceilings.

6th. @chasenrogers: I may be picking with my heart here…but i mean, who can blame me? He’s so dreamy and his team has some bright spots. And I mean…it’s not like the other teams around him are that attractive. Sure he has no superstar, but that isn’t necessary to make the playoffs. It might be necessary to get a bye, but definitely not the last spot in playoffs.

RANGE: 4-10

STRENGTHS: His receiving corps of Baldwin, Sanders, Edelman, Fitz are a real good starting 4 (assuming flex) and the depth of Marvin Jones, Moncrief, Austin, Desean, and Boyd are all pretty impressive. Also I’m gonna thrown Julius Thomas in here, think he’ll do well if he’s healthy. Oh and Cards D/ST is money.

WEAKNESSES: Okay…QB corps of Flacco, Bradford, (starting) Wentz, Kaep, isn’t impressive. Unless Wentz is amazing from the get go…or Flacco booms, this QB situation is realllllly bad. And his RB situation isn’t great. I like Murray more than most fantasy experts. And Yeldon/Ivory and Bernard/Hill isn’t as bad as everyone thinks, but still that trio isn’t strong.

Will obtain ceiling if: Either Wentz or Flacco is a super star, hill or ivory get injured, and julius thomas has a great year. Oh and…if that doesn’t all happen. He can still get ceiling if everyone else has issues and drops below potential.

Will obtain floor if: Other teams that are weaker than his boom, and if he gets injuries in all the wrong places. Oh and if his qbs are as we expect them he should still be able to get by, so it’s gonna be worse than that to drop him to ten.

7th. @gbhart coming in just outside the playoffs. Honestly…he probably should be placed above chasen, but, but, but…a lot of his hopes reside in Cleveland Offense being a powerhouse. He has 2 browns rbs, 2 browns receivers, and the browns te. I’m almost expecting him to pickup RG3 on waivers and take the browns d/st. So that drops him down a spot.

RANGE: 4-10

STRENGTHS: Hopkins is a superstar capable of winning games. Only an idiot would trade him away from his team… :’( Garrett also has decent quarterbacks too.

WEAKNESSES: He has 3 starting running backs, and handcuffs for two of them. So he’s good for depth for injuries, but kinda screwed for bye weeks. So this could be an issue. But his main weakness is receiver depth. Behind hopkins he has michael floyd and torrey smith who are just okay, and then he has a bunch of mehs.

Will obtain ceiling if: mehs become woos! And if everyone else’s teams flop big time.

Will obtain floor if: Hopkins gets injured garrett could get last. He would just need the three guys below him to hit on a couple risks.

8th. @alex Johnson coming in at number 8. This guy has made back to back championships. That’s pretty good, but I think his time has come to an end. And honestly…he probably won’t finish this low, but I really could see him this low. He’s certainly gonna drop from last year. I might be blowing up the drop a bit by having him 8th.

RANGE: 4-10

STRENGTHS: QB and TE. Brady being out for 4 games hurts a bit, but he has Jimmy G and Mariota who probably won’t lose him anygames, but after the suspension man oh man is brady gonna be good…barf. And Gronk puts up way more points than other TE’s so he is a true difference maker. David Johnson is also in for a big year again.

WEAKNESSES: Oh boy…welllll the receiving corps is atrocious. Behind Golden Tate and Michael Crabtree there is no one good. And those two aren’t WR1s, maybe not even WR2s this year in fantasy. Outside of DJ, there is deangelo williams who will be awesome for 3 weeks, then leveon is back…and Jamaal Charles is nearing 30, coming off a big injury, and has two others just waiting for a chance to steal the job from him. And then forsett…who i have little confidence in.

Will obtain ceiling if: Jamaal Charles comeback party happens in KC and/or a Forsett comeback party in Baltimore.

Will obtain floor if: David Johnson gets hurt (Chris Johnson will help some if it happens but not as awesome) and the other RBs flop like I think they can. Especially is Golden Tate and/or Crabtree get injured.

9th. @awmelman Andrew Melton is used to being picked in the bottom two…it’s been happening a ton since the league started…but i mean…it is a bit warranted. The lovable man does not have a lovable team. He’s got 3 stars and a whole lot of what ifs and scrubs after that.

RANGE: 6-10

STRENGTHS: Aaron Rodgers is a beast, Mark Ingram is also a beast, oh and delanie walker is a beast too. Actually, his RB corps isn’t terrible. Behind Ingram is Langford (who lots of experts are picking to lose his job, but shhhh this is the strengths section), Ivory should be getting red zone carries which might give him good value again, and then melvin gordon has a huge potential, but was disappointing last year (shhhh).

Weaknesses: The biggest weakness is WR. Oh boy is this weak…starting lineup of Kamar Aiken (or Mike Wallace?), Tylee Lockett, and then…who? His third spot is either phillip dorsett or rookie Will Fuller, or rookie Josh Doctson.

Will obtain ceiling if: the what ifs become wow can’t believe those came trues. Gordon, Ivory, Langford, Fuller, and Doctson need to boom.

Will obtain floor if: Those young guys don’t step up. It’s pretty straight forward.

10th. @PaulDawg Miyake, Team Wildcard is here in last. This is a bit of wishful thinkings since I have his first round pick next year. But putting biases aside, he’s got a lot of holes on his lineup and a couple redflags

RANGE: 6-10

STRENGTHS: Adrian Peterson is dope. His QBs are super solid though, for sure. Stafford, Winston, and Roethlisberger are a great trio. No worries here.

WEAKNESSES: Receiving Corps and TE. His receviers are boom or bust which has worked in the past. But it has to work a lot of weeks in a row in order to go high in this league. Jeffery is good, but his value has been dropping, hurns had a solid year last year, but i think he drops slightly too. Benjamin is a big play guy on san diego. All these guys are okay, but not amazing. And then the depth is last year’s darlings Stefon Diggs and Willie Snead. Also RB depth is bad. HE had AP and AF, but will they stay healthy and productive all year long? Next guy up would be a 2nd string guy.

Will obtain ceiling if: He plays the waivers as well as last year and all his risks pay off.

Will obtain floor if: Arian Foster and/or Adrian Peterson get injured.

#4

It’s that time of year again. Rosters are sets. Players have been drafted. Hopes are high, and expectations abound. 48 hours separate us from the first game of the 2016 season and this year promises to look a little different than past years. These preseason rankings are going to be a little different from the one’s we’ve seen so far based on the following criteria: Week to week strength, Depth, Caliber of starting lineup, and the all magic “it” factor (aka team chaos). So without further ado, here are my 2016 Pre-season Team Rankings.

  1. @ianamunrud: Surprise, surprise. This team helps to illustrate why the NFL went to a salary cap. The ability to retain top tier players at every position will ensure that Ian A’s team will continue to be a dominant force in the league until those players retire or decline in production. This team checks all boxes, and then some. However, the “it” factor for this team is a little boring. He’s expected to outperform anyone, and those are tough shoes to fill.

  2. @IanC: WR city. This team is filled to the brim with quality receivers. What puts this team behind the other Ian is that the QB position is a real question mark. Tannehill continues to have disappointing seasons, but now that he has Adam Gase could that change?

  3. @jonathan: This is a team that relies heavily on players out-performing expectation. Although QB depth is good, and there are several solid options at WR, it feels like some of his players are due for some regression to the mean. However, should those players continue to perform at peak level, this will be a formidable team, hence the 3rd place ranking.

  4. @mikeastock: Outside the top three, the next 7 get a lot harder to differentiate. Mike rises to the top of the murky bottom simply because he’s the only one with a solid group of receivers, QB, and RBs to start the season. This team can upset anyone any given week. The true “it” factor here, is whether or not Mike cares enough down the stretch if things start to turn.

  5. @ventura: Picking up Ezekiel Elliot may prove to be one of the best acquisitions this team has made in years. The biggest question though is depth. Can this team survive an injury? Elliot looks like a very physical runner, and if he sustains an injury it may be a long season to team kicker’s and co.

  6. @awmelman: This pick is partially due to strength of QB (Rodgers continues to be the best fantasy QB) and partially due to the possibility of the feel good story. Meltronics has had a rough couple of years, and it would be nice to see this team turn it around. This team won’t win every, possibly not even most, but it’s going to be several teams a real scare and that’s just enough to put him at number six.

  7. @PaulDawg: WILD CARD! I think we can all agree that Paul’s drafting, waiver, and overall strategy is both entirely entertaining and equally mystifying. The dude can pick up a rando that crushes it and then disappears back into irrelevance (the green hoodie, for example). However, playing the waiver wire in a 27 man league can be a tough game, and this strategy has proven to have less than consistent results. This team will just miss the playoffs this year, but will give several teams hell, enough to shake up the standings at least once.

  8. @chasenrogers: As charming as he is pessimistic, our resident Eeyore was hit hard with retiring players. A team stacked with backup-depth, Chasen’s team is struggling to find it’s star player, and doesn’t really have anything specifically that an opponent might fear. However, I doubt many of us will feel good after beating Chasen, which is more a testament to his personal character than his roster.

  9. @gbhart: Garrett. Gare-bear. Our South-East Asian traveler and man who takes up the mantle of “yearly player that is overseas.” Although his roster might make me want to rank him higher, he sits in this position because he will be fighting a significant time difference, and no one has been able to overcome that so far in this league (Paul, Melton, both placing in the bottom while they were overseas).

  10. @Alex: Admit it. You didn’t think I’d actually place myself at the bottom did you? I mean, Alex couldn’t possibly think that his own team is the worst in the league, that’s just depressing. My QB is suspended for 4 games. I have no WR depth. I have RBs who are solid, but may end up sharing time. My Kicker is an all-time fantasy great, but kickers rarely are the difference maker. Defense, it’s pretty meh. TE is unquestionably the most standout position, but due to the potential for injury is one terrifying moment away from misery. HOWEVER. This team has somehow managed to make the playoffs two years in a row, on a team that we all can agree just shouldn’t have made it there. And the reason for that success? The “it” factor. Crap players playing well beyond their expectations. This team is dripping with “it” factor. When Brady comes back, God help the teams he has to face because you know he is going to be making a statement with every pass. Forsett is fighting for his job, and will want to prove himself on every down. Deangelo Williams, in a similar situation, needs to prove why he deserves to be on the field when the team has one of the (if not the) best RBs in the league. The Patriots defense is very quietly shaping up to be a force to be reckoned with. This is a team that, if all goes according to expectations, will be drafting first overall next year. However, if a few things go in a few good ways, don’t be surprised to see Team Chaos in the playoffs, possibly even the Championship game, giving the 1990s Bills a run for their money.

#5

My rankings are based off of general team assessment according to my working knowledge (mediocre) with some asserted injury and underperformance predictions. Nothing ever goes quite as planned in fantasy football (see “Memoirs of The People’s Champion, 2015 F.F. Press), and I anticipate some people’s hard work will be met with disappointment.

  1. JDC
    I think it’s going to be his year. I like his bench the most out of anyone’s. Rawls is risky, but you have to risk it for the biscuit. The man also has great intuition and will use it to run the waivers if he’s seeded above Miyake in the waiver order. He would have had Allen Hurns if I didn’t beat him to the punch, and while Allen Hurns produces, he’s a bench player compared to the rest of JDC’s line up.

Alternate Universe: OBJ gets cut from the Giants and becomes a line cook at Chilis. JDC is left to fill a big hole in his team, so he calls Calvin Johnson out of retirement. Stock is pissssseeeddd. The Jets sign Megatron. Calvin Johnson takes the wing under Ryan Fitzpatrick, and the two take the Jets to win the Superbowl. #JetsSuperbowl2017

  1. Amunrud
    Was torn between him and Cook. Amazing team, but I think that his team will surprisingly lack the consistency to be the top spot in the regular season, though I think he’ll take the Jackman in the end. But this man is a trade fiend. He’ll make the trades to hustle in this league, per usual. Afterall, he does have my first rounder next year. So don’t count him out for the top spot. He’ll be chasing it down if it gets away from him.

Alternate Universe: Ian takes last. 5 of his most precious starters suffer ill-timed injuries. The great hope Gurley suffers a terrible heat stroke doing hot yoga and is out for several weeks at the start of the season, creating a big hole and rocky start. A couple bad trades later and one week where he forgets to set his lineup, Ian’s fantasy world falls apart. He drops out of the Jackman, starts playing dice in the back alleys and wearing fedoras, and starts running with the wrong crowds. Hardened by the world, the once varsity fantasy jock faces the harsh reality of the world and takes up spoken word and poetry in underground jazz clubs for those jaded and consumed by this dog-eat-dog world.

  1. Paul - Team Wildcard
    Jesus said in Matthew 26:52 “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” Likewise, those who gamble on strategy will lose to their own vice. You just might catch me going wild n’ out (not like the TV show, that was a sick show). It’s only a matter of time before luck runs out and my sleeper picks never wake up, but I do not anticipate this being the season. I think AP/AF and Rothlesberger/Stafford will explode, and my WR core becomes less relevant. I do agree with Amunrud on my RB situation - if AP goes out and if AF doesn’t step up or remain uninjured, I’ll be left with too big a gap to overcome. But I’m a dreamer, and I’ll find the players to make it work. I’m a survivor. I’m a hustler. And I’m willing to shell out for more waiver picks because all I do is ride the waivers. If match ups go his way then look for him in the play offs. And look for him to make impulsive trades with the “win-now-don’t-worry-about-tomorrow” attitude.

Alternate Universe: Rookie Trevor Davis lights up under Aaron Rogers and Paul Perkins sets a record for most TD’s in a season by a running back. Bub Watz goes Greg Jennings with a torn achilles heel and becomes Team Wildcard’s top producing player, leading Paul to the championship game. AF breaks his back again but takes the helm at QB in a wheelchair. He’s done dealing with injuries and has decided to improvise and work through them.

  1. Charbonnet
    4th because his team hinges on the success of the Falcons in my opinion. I love the color of the Falcons jerseys. I love Julio Jones. I dislike Devonta Freeman because he took Tevin Coleman’s starting job, but he’s amazing… But in my opinion Matt Ryan isn’t a top tier QB, and if Julio Jones or Devonta Freeman suffers an injury, then his team will suffer. I also don’t anticipate Devonta having the same success this year. The bench is solid, but if anyone of those three get injured, there’s some large shoes to fill.

Alternate Universe: Randall Cobb leaves the NFL because he’s against conglomerates and corporate sponsorship and moves to Nebraska where he opens up his new bakery Cobb’s Corner Cobblers. Team Dynasty picks up James Jones off the waivers because he gets signed by the Patriots, and James Jones has a record breaking season. Team Dynasty comes in first due to the man, the myth, the legend, James Jones, but the Pats win the Superbowl.

  1. Alex Johnson
    I think Brady’s suspension is going to cause problems. His team is pretty solid though. No more needs to be said. Go Pats.

Alternate Universe: Jimmy Grappolo is so good that he takes Brady’s starting job. Alex doesn’t know whether to cry or rejoice at the Patriots success that comes at the cost of their pretty boi veteran. Gronkowski and Grappolo become BFF’s and Gronk decides he also wants to play QB so he can be like Grappolo. The Patriots introduce the first ever two QB offense and win the Superbowl.

  1. Ventura
    I like his team. If Brees can put together another banger season like he has many times in the past, and if Zekedawg Elliot comes charging out of the gates, I think his team has serious potential to go far.

Alternate Universe: Ventura drops everyone on his bench and reopens the kicker store. Those in desperate need of a kicker come to Ventura, but he drives a hard bargain and obtains some big names via trades. Ventura makes playoffs and talks so much trash that he’s suspended from the Jackman for the first 4 games of next season.

  1. McManus
    His team looks good, but I think there’s a lot of has-beens. I don’t anticipate a horrible performance this year though. I think he’ll win enough games to shake things up, but not to go anywhere himself.

Alternate Universe: McManus does take the starting job for Denver QB and has more talent than Payton Manning did 5 years ago. McManus inspires over half of the NFL to try out for new positions. This backfires as everyone on Mike’s team is now a kicker except for McManus, so he takes last in the season.

  1. CJR
    Again, a team of “has-beens”. Some serious talent that’s slowly fading into the distance. There’s no way his team will underperform like last year though, so I project him rising to the top.

Alternate Universe: CJR takes the top spot. The People’s Champion has hit his cathartic low last season where he faced the deepest parts of himself, but only to overcome his dark past. This new, enlightened CJR steps into the role of the people’s champion once more, only to make a heroic rise to the top, repairing broken relationships and fallouts along the way. He plays in the Jackman’s championship game, only to narrowly lose to Amunrud. In the wake of an emotional defeat, the slow clap starts on behalf of the People’s Champion. He comes out to the face the crowd. Everyone cheers. Amunrud breaks the Jackman trophy in half and gives it to CJR, and they both hold hands raise their trophies in the air with tears streaming down their faces. CJR might have lost, but he’s the true champion. The People’s Champion.

  1. Meltron
    Even if Rodgers’ receiving squad returns to form, I see is WR’s struggling. I anticipate this brings him down. But I also see the possibility of them producing, and maybe, just maybe he makes the playoffs.

Alternative Universe: Melton gets so sick of losing that he drafts himself and makes the 49ers team as their top wide receiver. Breaks every record ever set by a wide receiver and leads his team to take the Jackman.

  1. Hemingway - I love the man, but like Stock I think his team has a lot of has-beens. I could see him ranking as high as 5th if everyone pulls it together though.

Alternate universe: Garrett moved to Taiwan to receive fantasy football coaching from Jerry Rice, who’s been living in the hills of the most remote parts of Taiwan, waiting for the next FF prodigy. Garrett picks up some steals from the waivers and rises to the top.