PFW 2015 Fantasy Guide

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PREVIEW 2015

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2 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

ASY 2015 4 6 9

DRAFT BOARD

RANKING THE FANTASY PLAYERS PFW’s exclusive player rankings, by position and overall.

SLEEPERS AND BUSTS

16 potentially underrated or overrated players who could make or break a fantasy team.

DRAFT STRATEGY

PFW offers tips for both season-long and daily leagues.

10 WHY RBs STILL MATTER While football glorifies the passing game, fantasy players still look to snatch up the top runners.

12 MOCK DRAFT 16 MOCK AUCTION

Our editors explain their picks in a 12-team snake draft.

The results of a mock auction involving PFW editors, and our suggested auction price list.

19 OFFENSIVE LINES

Their stats don’t count toward your weekly score, but that doesn’t mean they’re not important in fantasy.

FANTASY PLAYER REPORTS

QUARTERBACKS ........... 22 RUNNING BACKS .......... 36 WIDE RECEIVERS ......... 56 TIGHT ENDS ........................ 78 PLACEKICKERS ............... 90 DEFENSES.............................. 96 INDIVIDUAL DEFENSIVE PLAYERS (IDPs).................... 102 2015 PREVIEW Previews and inside information for all 32 clubs, as well as how coaching changes, new offensive schemes and new personnel figure to impact their performances.

ARIZONA CARDINALS ......... 108 ATLANTA FALCONS .............. 109 BALTIMORE RAVENS ............. 110 BUFFALO BILLS .......................111 CAROLINA PANTHERS .......... 112 CHICAGO BEARS ................... 113 CINCINNATI BENGALS .......... 114 CLEVELAND BROWNS .......... 115 DALLAS COWBOYS ............... 116 DENVER BRONCOS................ 117 DETROIT LIONS ..................... 118 GREEN BAY PACKERS ............ 119 HOUSTON TEXANS............... 120 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS........... 121 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS .....122 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS ...........123 MIAMI DOLPHINS .................124 MINNESOTA VIKINGS............125 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS ....126 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS ........127 NEW YORK GIANTS ...............128 NEW YORK JETS ....................129 OAKLAND RAIDERS .............. 130 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES ........ 131 PITTSBURGH STEELERS .......132 ST. LOUIS RAMS ....................133 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS ........134 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS .......135 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS ............136 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS ...137 TENNESSEE TITANS ..............138 WASHINGTON ........................139 PLUS: Player index ............................155 NFL weekly schedule ............156 2014 REVIEW

2014 STATISTICS: Skill-position fantasy scoring .......................140 2014 final individual statistics .................................. 143 Team rankings......................... 152 Individual defensive statistics ..................................154 PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

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2015

DRAFT BOARD BASED ON A PERFORMANCE SYSTEM ( FOUR POINTS FOR PASSING TOUCHDOWNS, SIX POINTS FOR RUSHING/RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS, PLUS YARDAGE BONUSES) .

QUARTERBACKS RK. PLAYER / TEAM

1. Aaron Rodgers, Packers 2. Andrew Luck, Colts 3. Russell Wilson, Seahawks 4. Drew Brees, Saints 5. Peyton Manning, Broncos 6. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers 7. Tony Romo, Cowboys 8. Cam Newton, Panthers 9. Eli Manning, Giants 10. Matt Ryan, Falcons 11. Philip Rivers, Chargers 12. Tom Brady, Patriots 13. Matthew Stafford, Lions 14. Sam Bradford, Eagles 15. Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins 16. Joe Flacco, Ravens 17. Colin Kaepernick, 49ers 18. Derek Carr, Raiders 19. Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings 20. Andy Dalton, Bengals 21. Nick Foles, Rams 22. Jay Cutler, Bears 23. Robert Griffin III, Washington 24. Carson Palmer, Cardinals 25. Jameis Winston, Buccaneers 26. Alex Smith, Chiefs 27. Blake Bortles, Jaguars 28. Marcus Mariota, Titans 29. Geno Smith, Jets 30. Matt Cassel, Bills

RUNNING BACKS RK. PLAYER / TEAM

1. Jamaal Charles, Chiefs 2. Adrian Peterson, Vikings 3. LeVeon Bell, Steelers

BYE

7 10 9 11 7 11 6 5 11 10 10 4 9 8 5 9 10 6 5 7 8 7 8 9 6 9 8 4 5 8 BYE

9 5 11

4. Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks 5. Matt Forte, Bears 6. Eddie Lacy, Packers 7. DeMarco Murray, Eagles 8. Arian Foster, Texans 9. LeSean McCoy, Bills 10. Jeremy Hill, Bengals 11. C.J. Anderson, Broncos 12. Lamar Miller, Dolphins 13. Alfred Morris, Washington 14. Melvin Gordon, Chargers 15. Todd Gurley, Rams 16. Carlos Hyde, 49ers 17. Mark Ingram, Saints 18. Frank Gore, Colts 19. Jonathan Stewart, Panthers 20. Justin Forsett, Ravens 21. Latavius Murray, Raiders 22. Tevin Coleman, Falcons 23. Joique Bell, Lions 24. C.J. Spiller, Saints 25. Giovani Bernard, Bengals 26. T.J. Yeldon, Jaguars 27. Rashad Jennings, Giants 28. Isaiah Crowell, Browns 29. Andre Ellington, Cardinals 30. LeGarrette Blount, Patriots 31. Darren McFadden, Cowboys 32. Doug Martin, Buccaneers 33. Shane Vereen, Giants 34. Chris Ivory, Jets 35. Bishop Sankey, Titans 36. Joseph Randle, Cowboys 37. Devonta Freeman, Falcons 38. Ameer Abdullah, Lions 39. Ryan Mathews, Eagles

4 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

9 7 6 8 9 8 7 7 5 8 10 6 10 11 10 5 9 6 10 9 11 7 8 11 11 9 4 6 6 11 5 4 6 10 9 8

40. David Johnson, Cardinals 41. Charles Sims, Buccaneers 42. Tre Mason, Rams 43. Reggie Bush, 49ers 44. Roy Helu. Raiders 45. David Cobb, Titans 46. Denard Robinson, Jaguars 47. Terrance West, Browns 48. Fred Jackson, Bills

WIDE RECEIVERS RK. PLAYER / TEAM

1. Antonio Brown, Steelers 2. Dez Bryant, Cowboys 3. Odell Beckham Jr., Giants 4. Demaryius Thomas, Broncos 5. Calvin Johnson, Lions 6. Julio Jones, Falcons 7. Jordy Nelson, Packers 8. A.J. Green, Bengals 9. Randall Cobb, Packers 10. Alshon Jeffery, Bears 11. Mike Evans, Buccaneers 12. Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers 13. Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos 14. T.Y. Hilton, Colts 15. DeAndre Hopkins, Texans 16. Jordan Matthews, Eagles 17. Keenan Allen, Chargers 18. Brandin Cooks, Saints 19. DeSean Jackson, Washington 20. Golden Tate, Lions 21. Brandon Marshall, Jets 22. Andre Johnson, Colts 23. Sammy Watkins, Bills 24. Julian Edelman, Patriots 25. Vincent Jackson, Buccaneers 26. Amari Cooper, Raiders

9 6 6 10 6 4 8 11 8 BYE

11 6 11 7 9 10 7 7 7 7 6 5 7 10 9 8 10 11 8 9 5 10 8 4 6 6

27. Michael Floyd, Cardinals 28. Martavis Bryant, Steelers 29. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals 30. Jeremy Maclin, Chiefs 31. Roddy White, Falcons 32. Mike Wallace, Vikings 33. Eric Decker, Jets 34. Jarvis Landry, Dolphins 35. Brandon LaFell, Patriots 36. Torrey Smith, 49ers 37. Pierre Garcon, Washington 38. Charles Johnson, Vikings 39. Steve Smith, Ravens 40. Marques Colston, Saints 41. Kevin White, Bears 42. Nelson Agholor, Eagles 43. Anquan Boldin, 49ers 44. Kenny Stills, Dolphins 45. Percy Harvin, Bills 46. Allen Robinson, Jaguars 47. Victor Cruz, Giants 48. Kendall Wright, Titans

TIGHT ENDS RK. PLAYER / TEAM

1. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots 2. Jimmy Graham, Saints 3. Greg Olsen, Panthers 4. Travis Kelce, Chiefs 5. Martellus Bennett, Bears 6. Antonio Gates, Chargers 7. Julius Thomas, Jaguars 8. Jordan Cameron, Dolphins 9. Zach Ertz, Eagles 10. Jason Witten, Cowboys 11. Delanie Walker, Titans 12. Coby Fleener, Colts 13. Jordan Reed, Washington

9 11 9 9 10 5 5 5 4 10 8 5 9 11 7 8 10 5 8 8 11 4 BYE

4 9 5 9 7 10 8 5 8 6 4 10 8

14. Owen Daniels, Broncos 15. Josh Hill, Saints 16. Larry Donnell, Giants 17. Tyler Eifert, Bengals 18. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Bucs 19. Kyle Rudolph, Vikings 20. Dwayne Allen, Colts 21. Vernon Davis, 49ers 22. Mychal Rivera, Raiders 23. Eric Ebron, Lions 24. Charles Clay, Bills

PLACEKICKERS RK. PLAYER / TEAM

1. Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots 2. Steven Hauschka, Seahawks 3. Justin Tucker, Ravens 4. Adam Vinatieri, Colts 5. Mason Crosby, Packers 6. Dan Bailey, Cowboys 7. Cody Parkey, Eagles 8. Connor Barth, Broncos 9. Matt Bryant, Falcons 10. Nick Novak, Chargers 11. Matt Prater, Lions 12. Phil Dawson, 49ers 13. Blair Walsh, Vikings 14. Shaun Suisham, Steelers 15. Dan Carpenter, Bills 16. Shayne Graham, Saints 17. Caleb Sturgis, Dolphins 18. Chandler Catanzaro, Cardinals 19. Robbie Gould, Bears 20. Greg Zuerlein, Rams 21. Josh Brown, Giants 22. Graham Gano, Panthers 23. Mike Nugent, Bengals 24. Randy Bullock, Texans

DEFENSES/ SPECIAL TEAMS

7 11 11 7 6 5 10 10 6 9 8 BYE

4 9 9 10 7 6 8 7 10 10 9 10 5 11 8 11 5 9 7 6 11 5 7 9

RK. PLAYER / TEAM

BYE

1. Seattle Seahawks 2. Buffalo Bills 3. Houston Texans 4. New York Jets 5. Miami Dolphins 6. Denver Broncos 7. St. Louis Rams 8. Arizona Cardinals 9. New England Patriots 10. Carolina Panthers 11. Baltimore Ravens 12. Green Bay Packers 13. Kansas City Chiefs 14. Philadelphia Eagles 15. Minnesota Vikings 16. Detroit Lions 17. Cleveland Browns 18. San Francisco 49ers 19. Indianapolis Colts 20. Dallas Cowboys 21. New York Giants 22. San Diego Chargers 23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24. Cincinnati Bengals 25. Chicago Bears 26. New Orleans Saints 27. Washington 28. Atlanta Falcons 29. Tennessee Titans 30. Pittsburgh Steelers 31. Jacksonville Jaguars 32. Oakland Raiders

9 8 9 5 5 7 6 9 4 5 9 7 9 8 5 9 11 10 10 6 11 10 6 7 7 11 8 10 4 11 8 6

TOP 200 REGARDLESS OF POSITION

RK. POS / PLAYER / TEAM

BYE

1. RB Jamaal Charles, Chiefs 2. RB Adrian Peterson, Vikings 3. RB Le’Veon Bell, Steelers 4. RB Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks 5. RB Matt Forte, Bears 6. RB Eddie Lacy, Packers 7. RB DeMarco Murray, Eagles 8. WR Antonio Brown, Steelers 9. WR Dez Bryant, Cowboys 10. TE Rob Gronkowski, Patriots 11. RB Arian Foster, Texans 12. RB LeSean McCoy, Bills 13. RB Jeremy Hill, Bengals 14. WR Odell Beckham Jr., Giants 15. WR Demaryius Thomas, Broncos 16. TE Jimmy Graham, Saints 17. QB Aaron Rodgers, Packers 18. RB C.J. Anderson, Broncos 19. WR Calvin Johnson, Lions 20. WR Julio Jones, Falcons 21. QB Andrew Luck, Colts 22. RB Lamar Miller, Dolphins 23. WR Jordy Nelson, Packers 24. WR A.J. Green, Bengals 25. RB Alfred Morris, Washington 26. WR Randall Cobb, Packers 27. RB Melvin Gordon, Chargers 28. WR Alshon Jeffery, Bears 29. WR Mike Evans, Buccaneers 30. WR Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers 31. WR Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos 32. RB Todd Gurley, Rams 33. RB Carlos Hyde, 49ers 34. QB Russell Wilson, Seahawks 35. RB Mark Ingram, Saints 36. QB Drew Brees, Saints 37. QB Peyton Manning, Broncos 38. WR T.Y. Hilton, Colts 39. WR DeAndre Hopkins, Texans 40. WR Jordan Matthews, Eagles 41. RB Frank Gore, 49ers 42. WR Keenan Allen, Chargers 43. WR Brandin Cooks, Saints 44. QB Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers 45. QB Tony Romo, Cowboys 46. WR DeSean Jackson, Washington 47. WR Golden Tate, Lions 48. RB Jonathan Stewart, Panthers 49. RB Justin Forsett, Ravens 50. RB Latavius Murray, Raiders 51. QB Cam Newton, Panthers 52. WR Brandon Marshall, Jets 53. WR Andre Johnson, Colts 54. RB Tevin Coleman, Falcons 55. RB Joique Bell, Lions 56. WR Sammy Watkins, Bills 57. WR Julian Edelman, Patriots 58. WR Vincent Jackson, Buccaneers 59. RB C.J. Spiller, Saints 60. RB Giovani Bernard, Bengals 61. WR Amari Cooper, Raiders 62. WR Michael Floyd, Cardinals 63. QB Eli Manning, Giants 64. QB Matt Ryan, Falcons

9 5 11 9 7 6 8 11 6 4 9 8 7 11 7 9 7 7 9 10 10 5 7 7 8 7 10 7 6 5 7 6 10 9 11 11 7 10 9 8 10 10 11 11 6 8 9 5 9 6 5 5 10 10 9 8 4 6 11 7 6 9 11 10

65. WR Martavis Bryant, Steelers 66. WR Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals 67. RB T.J. Yeldon, Jaguars 68. RB Rashad Jennings, Giants 69. RB Isaiah Crowell, Browns 70. RB Andre Ellington, Cardinals 71. WR Jeremy Maclin, Chiefs 72. QB Philip Rivers, Chargers 73. WR Roddy White, Falcons 74. QB Tom Brady, Patriots 75. TE Greg Olsen, Panthers 76. QB Matthew Stafford, Lions 77. RB LeGarrette Blount, Patriots 78. WR Mike Wallace, Vikings 79. WR Eric Decker, Jets 80. TE Travis Kelce, Chiefs 81. QB Sam Bradford, Eagles 82. TE Martellus Bennett, Bears 83. RB Darren McFadden, Raiders 84. RB Doug Martin, Buccaneers 85. RB Shane Vereen, Giants 86. RB Chris Ivory, Jets 87. WR Jarvis Landry, Dolphins 88. QB Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins 89. WR Brandon LaFell, Patriots 90. RB Bishop Sankey, Titans 91. RB Joseph Randle, Cowboys 92. TE Antonio Gates, Chargers 93. TE Julius Thomas, Jaguars 94. WR Torrey Smith, Ravens 95. WR Pierre Garcon, Washington 96. QB Joe Flacco, Ravens 97. DEF Seattle Seahawks 98. RB Devonta Freeman, Falcons 99. WR Charles Johnson, Vikings 100. TE Jordan Cameron, Dolphins 101. WR Steve Smith, Ravens 102. WR Marques Colston, Saints 103. QB Colin Kaepernick, 49ers 104. RB Ameer Abdullah, Lions 105. RB Ryan Mathews, Eagles 106. RB David Johnson, Cardinals 107. TE Zach Ertz, Eagles 108. TE Jason Witten, Cowboys 109. RB Charles Sims, Buccaneers 110. QB Derek Carr, Raiders 111. WR Kevin White, Bears 112. WR Nelson Agholor, Eagles 113. WR Anquan Boldin, 49ers 114. WR Kenny Stills, Dolphins 115. RB Tre Mason, Rams 116. RB Reggie Bush, 49ers 117. RB Roy Helu, Raiders 118. QB Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings 119. RB David Cobb, Titans 120. RB Denard Robinson, Jaguars 121. QB Andy Dalton, Bengals 122. WR Percy Harvin, Bills 123. WR Allen Robinson, Jaguars 124. WR Victor Cruz, Giants 125. WR Kendall Wright, Titans 126. RB Terrance West, Browns 127. RB Fred Jackson, Bills 128. QB Nick Foles, Rams 129. TE Coby Fleener, Colts 130. QB Jay Cutler, Bears 131. TE Jordan Reed, Washington 132. DEF Buffalo Bills

11 9 8 11 11 9 9 10 10 4 5 9 4 5 5 9 8 7 6 6 11 5 5 5 5 4 6 10 8 10 8 9 9 10 5 5 9 11 10 9 8 9 8 6 6 6 7 8 10 5 6 10 6 5 4 8 7 8 8 11 4 11 8 8 10 7 8 8

133. RB Dan Herron, Colts 10 134. RB Andre Williams, Giants 11 135. WR Michael Crabtree, Raiders 6 136. WR Davante Adams, Packers 7 137. DEF Houston Texans 9 138. RB Danny Woodhead, Chargers 10 139. RB Knile Davis, Chiefs 9 140. WR Breshad Perriman, Ravens 9 141. TE Owen Daniels, Broncos 7 142. WR Dwayne Bowe, Browns 9 143. WR Cody Latimer, Broncos 7 144. RB Stevan Ridley, Jets 5 145. QB Robert Griffin III, Washington 8 146. WR DeVante Parker, Dolphins 5 147. RB Duke Johnson, Browns 11 148. RB Montee Ball, Broncos 7 149. WR Terrance Williams, Cowboys 6 150. RB Jay Ajayi, Dolphins 5 151. WR Brian Quick, Rams 6 152. RB Darren Sproles, Eagles 8 153. TE Josh Hill, Saints 11 154. QB Carson Palmer, Cardinals 9 155. RB Jerick McKinnon, Vikings 5 156. DEF New York Jets 5 157. RB Lorenzo Taliaferro, Ravens 9 158. WR John Brown, Cardinals 9 159. DEF Miami Dolphins 5 160. WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Titans 4 161. RB Jonas Gray, Patriots 4 162. RB Christine Michael, Seahawks 9 163. QB Jameis Winston, Buccaneers 6 164. WR Cordarrelle Patterson, Vikings 5 165. RB James Starks, Packers 7 166. DEF Denver Broncos 7 167. WR Doug Baldwin, Seahawks 9 168. WR Donte Moncrief, Colts 10 169. TE Larry Donnell, Giants 11 170. RB James White, Patriots 4 171. RB Theo Riddick, Lions 9 172. RB Trent Richardson, Raiders 6 173. WR Rueben Randle, Giants 11 174. TE Tyler Eifert, Bengals 7 175. RB Lance Dunbar, Cowboys 6 176. WR Marvin Jones, Bengals 7 177. RB Ronnie Hillman, Broncos 7 178. WR Jaelen Strong, Texans 9 179. RB Benny Cunningham, Rams 6 180. QB Alex Smith, Chiefs 9 181. WR Marqise Lee, Jaguars 8 182. WR Stevie Johnson, Chargers 10 183. DEF St. Louis Rams 6 184. WR Devin Funchess, Panthers 5 185. WR Kenny Britt, Rams 6 186. RB Alfred Blue, Texans 9 187. QB Blake Bortles, Jaguars 8 188. RB Branden Oliver, Chargers 10 189. WR Malcom Floyd, Chargers 10 190. RB Toby Gerhart, Jaguars 8 191. QB Marcus Mariota, Titans 4 192. WR Jermaine Kearse, Seahawks 9 193. DEF Arizona Cardinals 9 194. WR Greg Jennings, Dolphins 5 195. TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Buccaneers 6 196. RB Ka’Deem Carey, Bears 7 197. RB Robert Turbin, Seahawks 9 198. WR Cecil Shorts, Texans 9 199. TE Kyle Rudolph, Vikings 5 200. RB De’Anthony Thomas, Chiefs 9

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

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Sleepers & busts A look at eight players who offer surprising rewards and eight who come at great risk By

KEVIN FISHBAIN

F

antasy football itself can feel like a crapshoot. With all the injuries, down years and overachievers, trying to predict sleepers and busts is a brutally difficult exercise. What constitutes a sleeper the summer before the NFL season begins? A few things to consider: One, how did that player finish the season? Often, younger players who get more playing time in December and step up could show signs of a breakout season approaching. Has this player’s role in the offense changed? With all the comings and goings that take place during free agency, skill players can find themselves in better positions to succeed. One player’s exit may mean more targets or handoffs for another. Owners start looking for these sleepers in the fifth and sixth rounds and can continue to find deep sleepers later on. We kept our sleepers to players in the middle rounds, and offer the caveat that almost any rookie can be a “sleeper” and be had at a great value late in drafts. When drafting in the first 3-5 rounds, owners need to be wary of the bust factor. Just like the hunt for sleepers, the avoidance of busts is a tricky exercise, because owners don’t want to be too cautious to draft a No. 1 player only to see him go off for big numbers. A big bust factor occurs when a bigname player switches teams. We see it every year, when a productive player takes a big payday in a new offense, becomes a No. 1 target and then owners watch as his numbers take a dive. Pret-

ty much, anyone who has played with Peyton Manning or Tom Brady and then leaves. Injury risks can play a role in picking out the busts in fantasy football, as well as age. The thing about busts that owners must heed – especially the ones you’ll see over the next few pages – is that these are players sometimes you have to take. They are great players, or were great players, but there’s always the potential for a down year, or at least a step back.

SLEEPERS DAVANTE ADAMS

WR / GREEN BAY PACKERS In the Packers’ playoff win over the Cowboys, Adams put on a show with seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. In the big win over New England, he had six catches for 121 yards. Unfortunately, he had zero, one or two catches in 13 of his 18 games. Adams’ performance in the playoffs shows that Aaron Rodgers trusted the No. 3 receiver in big games, and with a full offseason under his belt heading into Year Two Adams is primed for a sophomore leap. The problem for Adams is two-fold – he’s no better than Rodgers’ third target, and could face competition from third-round pick Ty Montgomery and fellow 2014 picks Jared Abbrederis and Jeff Janis. It won’t be game-in, gameout production, but Adams should put up some solid WR3 numbers next season, maybe getting into the WR2 slot.

SAM BRADFORD

QB / PHILADELPHIA EAGLES Bradford could easily go in the ‘bust’ category as well with his injury history, and folks could be higher on him because of Chip Kelly’s offense, but we don’t see him near the top 15 in quarterback rankings and that makes him a sleeper candidate, at least as a QB2 with QB1 potential. Look, owners are going to avoid Bradford for good reasons – the knee, the new offense, the lack of history that he can produce – but that’s where a savvy owner can pounce. Nick Foles was electric in this offense in 2013. Mark Sanchez

6 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

Cody Latimer

had his best career accuracy (by a lot) starting eight games in it last year. Bradford has the arm and experience to put it together, a system that benefits the QB and a running back in DeMarco Murray to take the pressure off.

TEDDY BRIDGEWATER QB / MINNESOTA VIKINGS

You’re going to see a theme, here, as Year 2 players are always prime sleeper candidates, and Bridgewater is another. He completed an impressive 64.4 percent of his passes in his rookie season, but only 14 touchdowns in 12 starts. Keep in mind, though, he did that without Adrian Peterson by his side. If Peterson is back and the Vikings’ ground game gets back to normal, that should ease things for Bridgewater, who also gets a take-the-topoff-the-defense target in Mike Wallace. Charles Johnson came on strong last year and Bridgewater will get a healthy

players really provide a threat to Murray’s carries? Yes, Oakland still has the versatile Marcel Reece and, of course, they are the Raiders, but Murray is being given the first shot to be the team’s bellcow back. He carried the rock down the stretch, with 413 yards in his final six games. He had a 90-yard touchdown run against the Chiefs and had 23 carries in Weeks 14 and 16. If Murray can prove to be the starter, he’ll get the touches in what should still be a run-first offense.

ROBERT TURBIN

RB / SEATTLE SEAHAWKS A popular sleeper the past two seasons, Turbin would have been a clear sleeper had Marshawn Lynch not signed an extension, but now he’s still a player to consider. He’s the clear No. 2 back to Marshawn Lynch, finishing with 74 carries for 310 yards last season. Now, Turbin isn’t going to get goal-line carries, and unless Lynch shows signs of slowing down, he’ll still be relegated to minimal action, but he’s worth a flyer in the late rounds, if nothing for being a handcuff to Lynch and someone who could steadily see more looks in Seattle’s offense.

DELANIE WALKER TE / TENNESSEE TITANS

Kyle Rudolph as well. The Vikings’ draft didn’t do anything to help Bridgewater, but he showed enough potential to be considered a QB2 this season.

JARVIS LANDRY

WR / MIAMI DOLPHINS Quick — who led the Dolphins in receptions last season? How many of you guessed Landry? OK, stop lying. As a rookie, Landry had 84 catches, 17 more than Mike Wallace. Granted, he only averaged 9.0 yards a catch, but he had five touchdowns and a clear rapport with Ryan Tannehill. Landry’s fantasy value is being ignored because the Dolphins used a first-round pick on DeVante Parker and added Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings, but it’s Landry who has the chemistry down with Miami’s quarterback, and the signal-caller should rely on Landry in a make-or-break year. Look for Landry in PPR leagues and

don’t be afraid by where he may sit on the depth chart.

CODY LATIMER

WR / DENVER BRONCOS Rookie expectations may have been a bit too high. Latimer was considered a deep sleeper last season … only to finish with two catches. A full offseason with Peyton Manning should help Latimer, who figures to have a good shot to step into the No. 3 WR role behind Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. Manning loves to work the middle of the field with short to intermediate routes, and he’ll be without both Wes Welker and Julius Thomas, so someone has to step up to take those targets.

LATAVIUS MURRAY RB / OAKLAND RAIDERS

Yes, the Raiders signed Roy Helu and Trent Richardson, but do either of those

Walker led the Titans in receptions (63) and yards (890) last season, averaging an impressive 14.1 yards per catch. He hauled in only four touchdowns, decreasing his fantasy value at a position that is seeing more and more top-flight players each year. The Titans made several additions to their wide receiving corps this offseason (Hakeem Nicks, Harry Douglas and Dorial Green-Beckham), but Walker is still their top tight end, and rookie quarterbacks love the safety valve of a tight end. He will be 31, but should continue to be an overlooked but productive tight end.

BUSTS JUSTIN FORSETT

RB / BALTIMORE RAVENS Sure, Forsett was a pleasant surprise last season, rushing for a career-high 1,266 yards, as he stepped in for Ray Rice and was incredibly productive. He had eight rushing scores, too, and earned a new, three-year contract. Can Forsett, who averaged an impressive 5.4 yards a carry, do it again? It may be asking a lot for someone who was a journeyman before last season. The Ravens did not draft a running back until the fourth round, showing confidence in Forsett, but Lorenzo Taliaferro — their 2014 fourth-rounder — showed flashes last season. Forsett is still a solid option and he will get lots of touches, but new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman is more about the pass

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

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Cam Newton

than the run, and we don’t expect Forsett to exceed his 2014 numbers.

ARIAN FOSTER

RB / HOUSTON TEXANS An injury risk every time he touches the ball (he hasn’t played a full season since 2012), Foster will still be many owners’ RB1, but we worry about Foster, who turns 29 in August and always has questions about his health and workload. His receiving numbers have gone way down since his breakout campaigns in 2010 and 2011, and the Texans may want to get Alfred Blue more looks. Like Forsett, Foster has the confidence of his team, considering Houston didn’t select a back in a loaded draft. But former Eagle Chris Polk could take goal-line carries away. Foster is still good, just not first-round good.

ANDRE JOHNSON

WR / INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Yes, Johnson is with the best quarterback he’s ever caught passes from in his NFL career. He’s durable and was always a steady producer, even in shoddy offenses in Houston. However, don’t get too excited about Johnson’s new digs. He turns 34 in July and is in a loaded receiving corps that includes Donte Moncrief, T.Y. Hilton and first-rounder Phillip Dorsett. Johnson’s best value will come in the red zone, and he could put up big touchdown numbers, but not so much in the receptions and receiving yards categories.

PEYTON MANNING QB / DENVER BRONCOS

Putting the greatest quarterback in NFL history in a “bust” category seems pretty sacrilegious, but we have to be a

little nervous about Manning – he can’t be great every year, can he? Manning is without Julius Thomas and Wes Welker, will be in a new offense with a new coordinator and has a new-look offensive line. And, we have to mention it – he’s 39. His 15 interceptions last season were his highest since 2010. Manning is very much still a QB1, but owners have to be careful not to set the bar too high for the future Hall of Famer.

DeMARCO MURRAY RB / PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

There’s still a ton to like – Murray is only 27, is coming off his first full season, and is in what should be a high-octane offense. However, Murray was the clear bellcow in Dallas, and we can’t assume the same will happen in Philadelphia, not with a coach like Chip Kelly at the helm. The Eagles also signed Ryan Mathews and still have Darren Sproles. As good as LeSean McCoy was in 2013, his yards-per-carry average went down almost a full yard and he scored six fewer touchdowns in 2014. Murray is an RB1, but he probably would’ve been the No. 1 pick if Dallas re-signed him. And, don’t ignore his injury history.

CAM NEWTON

QB / CAROLINA PANTHERS We’ve played “is this the year?” with Cam Newton too often in fantasy football, at least since 2012. He had the 14 rushing scores as a rookie and always brings that to the table, but he completed only 58.5 percent of his passes last year. There’s plenty of incentive for Newton to play for a massive contract, but the Panthers haven’t done much to help him out this offseason. Outside of Kelvin Benjamin,

8 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

he has Jerricho Cotchery, Ted Ginn and Devin Funchess – a player with lots of question marks heading into the draft. Newton has the skills to be a top fantasy quarterback for sure, but does he have the supporting cast to make it finally happen?

JULIUS THOMAS

TE / JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS Here’s the good news for Thomas – he is clearly the best weapon in the Jaguars’ offense, which includes three second-year wideouts and a rookie running back. However, he should ask Eric Decker what life is like away from Peyton Manning -- Decker had 326 fewer yards and six fewer touchdowns in his first year as a Jet. Thomas’ value is not the same with Blake Bortles, and while Bortles could make that Year 2 leap, it’d be asking a lot for that to translate to another 12-touchdown season for Thomas, who also has injury questions.

SAMMY WATKINS WR / BUFFALO BILLS

Usually, second-year players end up in our sleepers category, but we want owners to be careful with Watkins. He was impressive as a rookie, with 982 yards receiving and 15.1 yards a catch, but he caught only 65 passes, hurting his PPR value, and he’s got a lot of company in a new Bills offense. LeSean McCoy, Percy Harvin and Charles Clay will all be getting plenty of touches, and Watkins’ receiver mate, Robert Woods, is an intriguing pass catcher. Watkins is still the best pure wide receiver on the roster, but the run-first Bills offense won’t help Watkins make a big jump in his sophomore season.

Draft strategy

The only trustworthy strategy is trusting your research ARTHUR ARKUSH

R

By

emember when owners who didn’t spend their first two picks not on their backfield were the brunt of instant ridicule for willingly accepting a fantasy death sentence? How about the silly owners in recent seasons who prioritized spending a top pick under center in a league that doesn’t have enough great passers to go around? Or the fantasy GMs who spend midround picks on defenses? (OK, they deserve scrutiny – your picks are better spent elsewhere before the final two rounds.) Last season, surefire first-round RBs like DeMarco Murray and Le’Veon Bell paced fantasy leagues, rewarding their owners’ investments. But it also had C.J. Anderson and Jeremy Hill, lateround fliers at best, propelling many to late-season titles. Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers were consensus top-20 picks and produced fabulous campaigns as the game’s first- and fourth-highest QB scorers, respectively. Yet Russell Wilson and Ben Roethlisberger – typically acquired as high-end backups! – finished No. 3 and No. 5, respectively. The point? There isn’t one tried and true strategy that ensures fantasy success. In such a fickle game, the only proven approach is to know your stuff better than your peers. Put in the time doing research – you’re ahead of the game with the best publication available – and enjoy the fruits of your preparation. Just don’t draft defenses or kickers before the final two rounds!

Season long vs. Daily leagues There are myriad fantasy formats, from PPR (points per reception) to IDP (individual defensive player) to keeper (retain at least one player from the year before by designating the original pick for said player). But easily the fastest growing is DFS (daily fantasy sports), where the extent of an owners’ commitment is one day. Daily leagues are a ton of fun for a number of reasons: Owners who made regrettable decisions in yearly leagues,

Alshon Jeffery

or saw their teams quickly beset by injuries, can remain engaged; daily leagues reward shrewd, knowledgeable owners who outsmart their opponents by unearthing the greatest values; perhaps, like me, owners without great attention spans find one slate of games – as opposed to approximately 15 – less daunting. DFS also allows owners to take the act of wearing a real-life GM’s hat a step further, as the whole premise – and only real rule – of DFS is adhering to a strict salary cap (typically $60,000) to build an entire roster. Thus, the name of the game is identifying the best values. Sure, the luckiest owners can strike gold once in a while, but the more consistently successful DFS players typically are the ones with a real method to their madness. A few general tips for DFS players: It’s all about the matchups, baby. The Vikings’ pass defense made massive strides in 2014, yet No. 2 CB Josh Robinson was routinely torched by big receivers. On the surface, Alshon Jeffery’s Week 11 matchup against Minnesota appeared unenticing. Jeffery had mostly floundered the previous three weeks. Chicago’s O-line was a sieve and about to face, at the time, the NFL’s best pass rush. Thus, Jeffery’s price tag was low

and savvy owners saw an opportunity, whereas less astute players steered clear. Jeffery went off for his best game, using his size to exploit Robinson and Mike Zimmer’s stubborn press coverage. Take full advantage of analytics. One of the most valuable statistics to emerge from the fantasy football boom is the metric on how defenses fare against each position. Go a step further than researching total pass defense, run defense, etc. Of course, this metric becomes more valuable as the season progresses and a fuller sample size is available. Pairing QBs-WRs. This is important in season-long leagues, too, but even more so in DFS. Often, your biggest splurge is used on your QB or RB, drying up expenses on WRs/TEs. If you can’t secure your chosen QB’s go-to guy, who else is he regularly choosing to involve? Who’s getting the red zone looks or appears to get the mismatch in coverage? Few strategies taste sweeter when they materialize than the good old double-dip – scoring twice when your QB or WR finds paydirt or racks up explosive plays. Regardless of the format you choose, there’s one more strategy to remember: Have fun! Take this too seriously and it’ll quickly zap the enjoyment away. Take it from someone who’s learned the hard way.

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

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The fantasy running back conundrum

How much do fantasy players still value the position?

By

NATE ATKINS

T

he signs announcing the fall of the running back position are everywhere: Pull up a ranking of top rushers from last year and see how many guys jump off the page. Turn the TV to NFL highlights and wait until you see a running back as the star of the game. Yet millions of Americans will walk into fantasy drafts this year and spend their first several picks on guys who will run the ball. Of the five top players lists created by experts at Pro Football Weekly, ESPN. com and CBSSports.com, running backs make up six of the top eight in every one. The same four names appear in the top seven on all five lists – Green Bay’s Eddie Lacy, Kansas City’s Jamaal Charles, Chicago’s Matt Forte and Pittsburgh’s Le’Veon Bell – and if you want to go the first couple rounds without drafting the position, you can probably sign your fantasy will while you’re at it. Welcome to fantasy football in 2015, where the fan imitation of the real game has become more like an inverse of it. NFL rules protecting quarterbacks and receivers continue to push running backs to the background, yet fantasy football still holds these lost faces to an old scoring standard: six points per rushing touchdown, two per twopoint conversion run, one per 10 yards of rushing, plus two points bonus for 40-yard touchdown runs. Most fantasy teams need at least two starting rushers to produce these points, and there just aren’t many of them left to go around.

“There’s quite a premium on the position,” says Dave Richard, one of CBS Sports’ lead fantasy football analysts. “You almost feel good now about getting a back that gets 15 touches a game and might score six times a year. Back in the day, that used to be a running back that A, you wouldn’t want, and B, you’d be able to find kind of closer to the middle of the draft. “Now, that’s been pushed up a little bit. Now, there’s running backs out there that have that kind of workload in front of them, like a Jonathan Stewart, and you go, ‘Yeah, I guess that’s my No. 2 guy.’ ” It’s not that fantasy football isn’t trying to keep up with the times. Many leagues are moving from three starting running backs to two in exchange for an extra starting receiver or a “flex” position, which can be either a running back or a receiver. They’re trying to give flexibility. But there’s only so much that fantasy football can change until it loses its semblance of a real-life roster. No NFL team will ever use two passing quarterbacks on the field at once, so what’s the use in doing that for fantasy? Somewhere between these competing desires for tradition and change lies fantasy football’s conundrum with running backs: Good options still exist, but the gap between the haves and the havenots is as wide as ever. In 2008, fantasy users could have picked any one of 17 different rushers who found the end zone at least nine times. Last year, that number was down to seven. Our Pro Football Weekly Draft board, Jamey Eisenberg of CBS and Matthew

10 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

Berry of ESPN each have at least six backs in their top eight overall players, but by the time the lists reach 24, only Berry (15) has more than 12. Our PFW list sees 12 running backs being worthy of a pick in the top two rounds – the drop-off coming between Miami’s Lamar Miller and Washington’s Alfred Morris – and that’s barely enough to give every owner in a 12-team league so much as one back to feel good about. “In doing these rankings, the main theme that emerges shouldn’t surprise you: Running back is ugly this year. Like crazy ugly. Like ‘there’s not enough booze in this world for you to date them’ ugly,” writes Berry, who then proceeds to list all running backs in his top five overall players. The evolution of the pass has helped wedge the divide between the tiers. Of the four runners consistently cracking the top seven players in the above rankings – Lacy, Charles, Forte and Bell – only Charles had fewer than 400 receiving yards last season, and he’s only two years removed from 693 receiving yards. Forte and Bell both totaled more than 800 each. Not only does receiving ability give a runner additional chances to score fantasy points, but it also keeps him on the field for most downs, a rarity in today’s physical, running-back-by-committee league. Running backs just naturally become safer nowadays when front offices make statements to their importance with the team. This will explain the rush for owners to draft rookies Todd Gurley of St. Louis and Melvin Gordon of San Diego, since they are the first running backs to go first round since Trent Richardson went No. 3 to the

Browns in 2012. In this climate, it’s not likely a team spends a first-round pick on a running back just to sit him. Most teams don’t offer these clearcut No. 1s, and guessing which running back will get the bulk of the touches for a certain team is obviously an inexact science. A popular alternative to that is using the handcuff approach, where you pick the top two runners on a given depth chart to ensure you receive the points for whatever that club does in the ground game. Some of the more

Eddie Lacy

Jamaal Charles

Matt Forte

Le’Veon Bell

popular options for this strategy for this season are in Cincinnati, Cleveland, New York (Giants), Tennessee, New Orleans and Tampa Bay. The downside to the approach is that it costs more picks and limits the scoring ceiling for certain ones. Some guys will flourish and some will bust, and the lack of depth everywhere will ensure the waiver wire is as hot as ever the moment the year begins. This is why Richard feels you’re best suited to just roll the dice with running backs in

the draft even if the pickings can get slim. “Think of it this way: If I’m offering you free tickets to the Powerball, are you going to take four? Are you going to take five? Or are you going to take six?” Richard says. “I love spending almost my entire bench on running backs because I want to have as many lottery tickets as I can. I want to have as many opportunities to pick up a breakout running back as I can.”

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

| 11

RD

2015

PFW 1 Mock 2 Draft Staff members from Pro Football Weekly held a mock draft for the 2015 season on May 7. The purpose of the draft is to illustrate how things can turn out on draft day – and how they can stray from one’s draft board. The owners drafting teams were not forced to use PFW’s player rankings, which can be found in the draft board on Pages 4-5. Players were drafted based on their health and playing status at the time of the mock draft. Drafting was based on a basic scoring system (four points for passing TDs, six points for rushing/receiving TDs) that includes some yardage bonuses (one point for every 10 yards rushing or receiving, one point for every 30 yards passing). Each team had to draft a starting lineup (one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, one PK and one defense). Outside of those requirements, each participant could fill out his/ her roster however he/she wanted. Team One picked first in Round One, last in Round Two, and followed that format through Round 16.

TM

1

JON STYF

EDDIE

PFW CONTRIBUTOR

2

DAN McCALEB

PFW EXEC. DIRECTOR

RB LACY RB CHARLES WR JEFFERY RB FORSETT WR COBB QB MANNING

JAMAAL

Had to go RB, no clear-cut No. 1, so went safe.

Coin flip among 2-3 backs.

ALSHON

Steps into the lead role in goal-line situations.

3 RB 4 5 RB QB 6 WR 7 RB 8 TE 9 10 TE RB 11 12 DEF RB 13 QB 14 WR 15 PK 16

RANDALL

JUSTIN

Have faith he can mirror 2014 numbers.

PEYTON

He got paid for a good reason: He produces.

Please stay healthy. Please stay healthy.

JOIQUE

BELL

Ran for 15 TDs in 2013 and 14 combined.

TEVIN

COLEMAN

Big opportunity to become backfield playmaker.

MATTHEW

STAFFORD

Not best QB, but great supporting cast.

NELSON

AGHOLOR

Chip Kelly really wanted him in a pass-happy attack.

PAT FITZMAURICE PFW FANTASY WRITER

ADRIAN

Should see more Brees targets this year.

DeSEAN

JIMMY

Excited to see him with Cooks, Spiller, chip on shoulder.

Had to go back to RB early; Morris a solid dual-threat

TODD

What’s not to love about Lucky, new digs?

Is this finally the year he takes off?

JORDAN

KEENAN

ISAIAH

Promising young runner passes the eye test.

Deep threat unshackled under Norv, Teddy.

ELI

A total reach. What was I thinking?

Beckham’s emergence elevates Eli’s value.

PERCY

Another rookie, another reach?

Bit of a reach, but the high upside remains.

JOSEPH

Good chance to be Broncos’ No. 3 receiver.

JAMEIS

JAELEN

STRONG

Another young WR with potential, little investment.

NICK

NOVAK

CHARLES

New team, new life?

Versatile. Bucs seem to think highly of him.

MARQISE

TEDDY

CODY

WR JOHNSON DEF BENGALS PK VINATIERI PK TUCKER RB TALIAFERRO WR QUICK CHARLES

CINCINNATI

Slim pickings.

Top-5 fantasy defense 2 of last 3 years.

ADAM

JUSTIN

Mr. Reliable.

For my money, the NFL’s best kicker.

LORENZO

Needed a kicker, not much Handcuff to Forsett. else to say.

12 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

MIKE

Crossing fingers that Bortles steps up.

Again, need Bortles improvement

Has big weapons in front of him, big opportunity.

GOLDEN

I’m sold on Golden, but not Stafford.

WINSTON

LAMAR

Still a believer despite his 2014 belly flop.

CAM

Love the pairing with run-happy Jeff Fisher.

FRANK

3rd straight receiver adds depth.

JOE

ALFRED

One of the only foolproof tight ends.

Solid as a rookie; should continue to improve.

Tough runner if he earns opportunity.

DREW

REGGIE

JULIO

HOUSTON

Le’VEON

As solid a WR as they come, and Falcons should be better

DeVANTE

Quiet 1,519 yards, 13 TDs, huh?

Tough sledding to repeat 2014 breakout.

DUKE

PFW WRITER

Still among the most dependable receivers.

Turnover-creators opposite Capable backup, byeball-control offense. week replacement

DAVID

JORDY

Big numbers coming as Philly’s No. 1 wideout.

JULIUS

KEVIN FISHBAIN

COBB

PACKERS

MARSHAWN

QB position a bit murky.

MARTAVIS

5

A.J.

GREEN BAY

WR COOKS WR JACKSON WR MATTHEWS RB MILLER WR BRYANT WR ALLEN WR TATE TE THOMAS RB CROWELL WR WALLACE BRANDIN

TM

RB BUSH RB SIMS QB FLACCO QB BRIDGEWATER WR LATIMER WR LEE

Rookie, impressive college resume, in good offense.

PFW WRITER

Suspension doesn’t scare me away from his potential

JOHNSON

ARTHUR ARKUSH

He’s just here to make RB1 situation fine.

DAVID

JASON

4

Drafted for rushing, not for parenting.

Betting he beats out Darren McFadden.

DANIELS

TM

RB PETERSON RB LYNCH RB BELL WR GREEN WR NELSON WR JONES TE GRAHAM QB BREES RB MORRIS RB GURLEY RB GORE QB NEWTON

If Clowney can stay healthy, he and Watt terrorize.

OWEN

Insurance in case I whiffed on last pick.

3

WITTEN

MARTIN

Peyton Manning has made many TE’s careers.

TM

RB JOHNSON QB MANNING WR PARKER WR HARVIN DEF TEXANS RB RANDLE

DOUG

Hoping he regains some of rookie form.

Eddie Lacy

TM

BRIAN

Rams’ top receiver returns from shoulder injury

WR EDELMAN RB MURRAY JULIAN

Brady’s favorite target not named Gronk, always reliable.

LATAVIUS

Potential sleeper if he becomes Raiders go-to back.

WR JACKSON WR LANDRY

VINCENT

Big-armed Winston should give V-Jax more chances.

RB ABDULLAH WR COLSTON QB RIVERS TE HILL TE ERTZ AMEER

More dependable Reggie Bush will excite early.

MARQUES

JARVIS

Under-the-radar great production last season.

PHILIP

Stalwart in young, changing pass-catching corps.

Perfect backup for Newton; steady signalcaller.

JOSH

ZACH

Payton has been talking up Hill. I listened.

A bust last year, needs to be a seam weapon in 2015.

WR MONTCRIEF DEF RAMS WR BROWN WR SMITH QB CUTLER TE WALKER DONTE

ST. LOUIS

I could have Indy’s top 2 TD scorers.

I wish I could just pick “Rams defensive line”.

JOHN

STEVE

Arians loves the long ball, Brown’s forte.

I wouldn’t call him old to his face. Still good.

JAY

DELANIE

Might be only one who still wants him.

Best weapon for Marcus Mariota? Red-zone option.

DEF DOLPHINS RB TURBIN MIAMI

BUF, NYJ have company in NFL’s best D-line discussion.

ROBERT

He’s just here in case Marshawn isn’t fine.

PK BARTH

CONNOR

Peyton plus altitude works for me.

RB FREEMAN RB GERHART DEVONTA

Last year’s trendy sleeper is this year’s ‘shrug’ pick.

TOBY

Why not? T.J. Yeldon can’t get all the carries.

PK BAILEY

DAN

Never take a kicker before the last round.

MOCK TM

6

DAVE LEMERY PFW CONTRIBUTOR

TM

7

CAITLIN SWIECA PFW CONTRIBUTOR

QB RODGERS TE GRONKOWSKI WR JOHNSON RB HILL WR EVANS WR SANDERS

AARON

ROB

With the top 5 RBs off the board, time for a QB.

Head and shoulders above any other fantasy TE.

CALVIN

JEREMY

With Suh gone, Lions need a bounce back from Megatron.

Showed what he’s capable of down the stretch.

MIKE

EMMANUEL

Played well with lousy QBs. What if Jameis is good?

Hoping he can keep the chemistry with Peyton.

TM

8

J.C. TALON

PFW FANTASY WRITER

GIO

He just fits with the Pats’ offensive system.

Took him early, but wanted to handcuff Hill.

MATT

DeANDRE

MATT

RUSSELL

Should get all the touches he needs.

MARK

Fantasy teams don’t have locker rooms.

SAMMY

TRAVIS

RYAN

Shocked he fell this far after 3,700 yards/34 TDs.

Originally wanted Spiller as Ingram insurance.

Bad kickers make you appreciate the elite ones.

Could be No. 1 RB with Gurley’s uncertain recovery

BUFFALO

ANQUAN

Potential for something special with Rex in town.

Inconsistent, but still had some big games last year.

JAY

A flier here; there’s no stability for Giants RBs.

If knee holds up, rookie could be a steal for Fins.

DANNY

NEW YORK

SEATTLE

Never be the first guy to draft a defense. D’oh!

ZAC

Seemed like the right spot for an up-and-comer.

DAVANTE

A-Rod gets the most out of his WRs.

JORDAN

MONTEE

PIERRE

GREG

AUSTIN

Was having a great rookie season before his injury.

Second-most productive kicker as a rookie in 2014.

Has a chance to produce in his 2nd year.

RB GRAY WR FUNCHESS WR ROYAL TE DONNELL QB MARIOTA WR CRABTREE EDDIE

Insurance in case Blount disappoints.

Avoid drops and 6-4 rookie should create mismatches.

How can you pass on the Bears’ No. 3 wideout?

MICHAEL

Surprised he lasted until the last round.

WR HILTON WR BENJAMIN RB SANKEY WR JOHNSON TE BENNETT RB YELDON T.Y.

DENVER

Earlier than I’d like but 6 D’s already gone.

STEVEN

Big plays in key moments.

Money in the bank.

KENNY

Weapons aplenty, his problem is above shoulders.

Value pick with huge upside.

KELVIN

A little undersized, but he’ll catch some TDs this year.

Healthy Cam means more production for his No. 1.

BISHOP

ANDRE

Looking for improvement in his sophomore season.

Handcuffing approach with Luck. Fresh start will help a lot.

MARTELLUS

T.J.

Expect he’ll stay in Chicago and catch a lot of passes.

Jags picked him to carry at the goal line.

CHRIS

CORDARRELLE

DARREN

Should overtake Witten as No. 2 option.

ANDY

Ready-to-play rookie will get lots of targets.

WR WILLIAMS DEF BRONCOS DEF PATRIOTS PK HAUSCHKA QB DALTON WR STILLS

AMARI

Drafted before suspension. Could have waited.

Kelly wants him to have more of a role this year.

TOM

Will benefit from extra attention on Beckam Jr.

NEW ENGLAND

MASON

Added Johnson, Dorsett, Gore, expecting MVP year.

My comeback player of the year.

ANDREW

People don’t trust him, but one of league’s top WRs.

Taking a chance, hoping for some improvement.

My best value pick of the draft.

TERRANCE

DEZ

Has chance to be a top fantasy back.

VERNON

C.J.

MICHAEL

Peyton backs off safeties, and Kubiak loves to run.

VICTOR

NATE ATKINS

How will he perform in Philadelphia? Let’s find out.

Been good for 1-2 solid games a year.

DARREN

TM

12 PFW WRITER

RB MURRAY RB ANDERSON WR BRYANT QB LUCK QB BRADY WR COOPER

League’s 3rd most dependable TE a steal at 7.

Hopefully, he’s just a one-week fill in.

ANDRE

PFW CONTRIBUTOR

TE OLSEN RB IVORY RB McFADDEN WR PATTERSON WR CRUZ RB SPROLES

Not much around him, but he should still run the ball.

RYAN

COLIN

The rules state you have to have a kicker.

Could be poised for a breakout season.

Injury risk with high upside.

The Colts’ best option to spell the aging Frank Gore.

MARCUS

ANDRE

Imagine if he can just stay healthy.

If Palmer stays healthy, Floyd can be breakout star.

No. 2 receiver to Marshall is a good place to be.

LARRY

RB ELLINGTON WR ADAMS

JONATHAN

Can he win back the starting job in Denver?

DEVIN

How will he fare against NFC West corners?

RB STEWART QB TANNEHILL

I think this is good value in the 10th round.

JONAS

TORREY

BRESHAD

CODY

A hunch he winds up being No. 1 NYG back.

ALLEN

Bell’s suspension means more Big Ben.

Productive when healthy; Tannehill loves TE.

Leonard Williams makes already scary D-line better.

DAN

BEN

Will he demand a trade from my fantasy team?

Still lots of potential, time to show it.

ERIC

QB ROETHLISBERGER WR SMITH

DEF SEAHAWKS RB STACY TE CAMERON WR PERRIMAN RB BALL WR FLOYD QB KAEPERNICK WR GARÇON TE DAVIS

RB JENNINGS RB AJAYI RB WOODHEAD DEF JETS RB WILLIAMS WR DECKER RB HERRON PK CROSBY WR ROBINSON PK PARKEY TE SEFARIAN-JENKINS RASHAD

BRANDON

Could quickly emerge as Bears WR1.

Now that the hype is gone, will Spiller rebound?

TRE

KEVIN

Two consecutive productive seasons?

CARLOS

Will get lions share of touches in SD offense.

STEPHEN

MELVIN

Hoping the presence of Graham provides boost.

ODELL

Had a good rookie season, but might’ve reached here.

Versatility a key in unsettled backfield.

DeMARCO

Short of sophomore slump, he’s a steal.

A new dimension for WR-starved KC offense.

Automatic production from the TE position.

LeSEAN

A top-5 running back when healthy.

A notch below elite now, but still a reliable WR.

DENARD

1,600 yards receiving in 2014.

ANTONIO

ERIC OLSON

ARIAN

TM

11

DEMARYIUS

TE GATES WR ROBINSON PK GOSTKOWSKI RB MASON DEF BILLS WR BOLDIN

HUB ARKUSH

TONY

ANTONIO

TM

10 PFW EDITOR

Couldn’t believe he was there at 10.

Like him, not sure who’s gonna get him the ball

C.J.

PFW CONTRIBUTOR

My top WR: 13 TDs, 1,698 yards.

Should see more targets with Andre Johnson gone.

JEREMY

ALEX SOULIER

With Rodgers gone, focused on best RB left.

Trade bait if Rodgers is his usual excellent self.

RODDY

9

RB FORTE WR BROWN RB McCOY WR THOMAS RB FOSTER WR BECKHAM QB WILSON RB GORDON RB HYDE RB INGRAM WR WHITE WR MARSHALL

RB BLOUNT RB BERNARD QB RYAN WR HOPKINS WR WATKINS WR WHITE WR MACLIN TE KELCE RB SPILLER QB ROMO RB MATHEWS LeGARRETTE

TM

DRAFT

WR FITZGERALD TE ALLEN LARRY

Still just 31 and expecting much better QB play.

DWAYNE

Indy’s speed out wide opens middle of field for TEs.

RB VEREEN WR LaFELL

SHANE

Peat pick, emerging Beck­ ham, opens up run lanes.

DEF LIONS PK BRYANT WR GREEN-BECKHAM WR HOLMES DEF PANTHERS DETROIT

Despite losing Suh, they return their entire back 7.

MATT

BRANDON

Some Brady receiver will have a good year.

DORIAL

I like dome kickers. He’s an accurate one.

Who else is catching TDs on this team?

ANDRE

CAROLINA

Led Raiders in receiving Shaq Thompson could be yards last year (only 693). missing piece to great D.

QB BRADFORD TE EIFERT

SAM

If Kelly knows what he’s doing, I want to be part of it.

TYLER

Primary TE missed all but one game in ‘14.

QB PALMER RB DAVIS

CARSON

When healthy, will put up big numbers under Arians.

KNILE

Six TDs in 134 carries is good value late.

WR WAYNE WR DORSETT RB WEST TE FLEENER PK GRAHAM RB WILLIAMS WR AUSTIN PK BROWN REGGIE

PHILLIP

TERRANCE

COBY

Apparently he’s semi-retired? Oops.

Rookie who may demand snaps.

Cleveland’s going to run the ball this season.

I’ll have Luck’s starting TE some way.

SHAYNE

Proven track record; home games under dome.

DeANGELO

Backup becomes top back if Bell gets dinged.

TAVON

Maybe he’ll make a case to stay on team, in league.

JOSH

Expecting lots of points in New York this year.

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

| 13

MOCK

TEAM ONE

DRAFT

A N A LY S I S

TEAM TWO

TEAM THREE

JON

DAN

PAT

PFW CONTRIBUTOR

PFW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

PFW FANTASY WRITER

STYF

McCALEB

FITZMAURICE

THOUGHT PROCESS: This year, it wasn’t a huge advantage to pick first with the top five guys a toss-up. Felt I needed to get top-tier RB and then go WR later. Took chances on RBs with high upside later on while filling out roster. FAVORITE PICK: Doug Martin will be looking to earn his next payday with a big year behind No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston, who I also took a shot at late. Offense could be much-improved. RISKIEST PICK: Nelson Agholor is a rookie who has proven nothing, but Chip Kelly knew he was the guy he wanted and the Eagles are going to throw the ball all over. He may catch a lot of balls early. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: Looking for a wide receiver the second time around, I was sad to see Calvin Johnson, Julio Jones, Jordy Nelson and A.J. Green go in succession before picking two of my own in Randall Cobb and Alshon Jeffery. Can’t be too unhappy with guys I ended up with, but it could have been better and maybe Jimmy Graham should have been more of a thought there, too.

THOUGHT PROCESS: I had five or six players graded very close at the top of this year’s draft, so I considered trading down from the No. 2 pick. I ended up staying put, and rolled the dice on Jamaal Charles. I’m a bit concerned about my wide receivers. Need at least two to step up. FAVORITE PICK: When Peyton Manning fell to me in the third round, I didn’t blink before grabbing him. He’s lost some weapons, but I expect him to put up some huge numbers again this year ... RISKIEST PICK: ... Assuming he stays healthy. That’s right, my favorite pick also turns out to be my riskiest pick, particularly in the third round. Manning turned 39 in March, and he obviously wasn’t himself at the end of last season. Can his body hold up this year? Keeping my fingers crossed. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: I was hoping to draft Knile Davis as a handcuff to Charles, so was disappointed when Nate grabbed him. I should have known better than to wait that long. Plus, I blew a pick on Duke Johnson in the eighth. Should have known better.

THOUGHT PROCESS: Getting a top TE was a goal, and after almost picking Rob Gronkowski No. 3 overall, I was happy to take Jimmy Graham early in the third round. I wanted to be stronger at receiver, but I’m confident Jordan Matthews is going to be a stud. Running back should be an area of strength especially if Joseph Randle hits. I tried to be patient at QB and was pleased to get Eli Manning in the eighth round. FAVORITE PICK: My money is on Randle to emerge as the Cowboys’ top RB, and with that offensive line, whoever lands in that role should produce big numbers. As a 10th-rounder, he’s a low-risk investment who could pay huge dividends. RISKIEST PICK: Percy Harvin was a reach. I wish I’d drafted a safer fourth receiver. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: Oddly, the only time I was snaked on a pick was when Arthur Arkush stole the Miami defense from me in the 14th round. If the only time that happens to you is with a team defense, I guess you should consider yourself lucky.

TEAM FOUR

TEAM FIVE

TEAM SIX

ARTHUR

KEVIN

DAVE

PFW WRITER

PFW WRITER

PFW CONTRIBUTOR

ARKUSH

THOUGHT PROCESS: I wasn’t getting denied an elite QB1, and after finding my franchise RB (Lynch) and WR (Nelson), I landed Brees, the No. 5 QB scorer in a down year. From there, I targeted a mix of players from top offenses, spent reasonable investments on vets with improved fantasy outlooks (Gore and Wallace) and, as always, eyed ascending talent (Brown, Moncrief). FAVORITE PICK: Pairing my QB with a top weapon, and especially getting value in an under-the-radar pick, was exciting. Josh Hill isn’t Jimmy Graham, but he’ll have a chance to play a similar role for Brees. RISKIEST PICK: Lamar Miller is a talented player, but Jay Ajayi has the makeup of a heavy-lifting NFL back. I’m leery regarding the opportunities Miller will have to follow up his first 1k season with the rookie perhaps closing fast. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: I zeroed in on Vincent Jackson as my WR3. Unfortunately, so did Kevin Fishbain. Sammy Watkins was another name on my wish list who was close but no cigar.

FISHBAIN

THOUGHT PROCESS: Missing out on the top four quarterbacks, I wanted to make sure I loaded up at running back and wide receiver. By going with Le’Veon Bell at No. 5, knowing he has the early-season suspension, I had to focus on getting good backup options at RB to start the season. FAVORITE PICK: I was glad to grab Latavius Murray in the sixth round. The Raiders’ additions of Roy Helu and Trent Richardson don’t make me think any less of Murray. He’s only a No. 3 back for me, so it’s a low-risk, high-reward selection if he’s able to step into the starter’s role. RISKIEST PICK: Has to be going with Cam Newton as my starting quarterback. He still doesn’t have enough weapons around him, yet I wanted a top-10 quarterback and went with his ceiling over someone like Tony Romo. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: Defenses can be a dime a dozen sometimes, but I had my heart set on taking the Bills’ defense once Round 10 began, only to miss out by one pick to Dave Lemery. With Rex Ryan and that D-line, that group could be scary good.

14 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

LEMERY

THOUGHT PROCESS: With all the stellar rookie WRs last season, it seems like a lot of my fellow players (not to mention NFL GMs) anticipate a repeat of that this year. I’m more inclined to bet on the progression of Mike Evans and Allen Robinson in their second seasons. They’ll be even better route runners with a year of experience. FAVORITE PICK: Eric Decker in the 13th round could be a terrific steal if the Jets can manage even mediocre quarterback play. As Bears fans have seen with Alshon Jeffery, being the second option behind Brandon Marshall can lead to some terrific opportunities. RISKIEST PICK: Calvin Johnson disappointed a lot of fantasy owners last year. If he rebounds, my pick was genius; if he continues to decline, then I just ignored all the obvious warning signs. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: Taking a backup quarterback in the fifth round was a real reach. I probably should’ve taken someone better than C.J. Spiller as my RB2.

MOCK

TEAM SEVEN

DRAFT

A N A LY S I S

TEAM EIGHT

TEAM NINE

CAITLIN

J.C.

ALEX

PFW CONTRIBUTOR

PFW FANTASY WRITER

PFW CONTRIBUTOR

SWIECA

TALON

SOULIER

THOUGHT PROCESS: After nabbing the league’s best TE in the first round and a top RB in the second, I targeted high-volume wide receivers in Emmanuel Sanders, DeAndre Hopkins and Jeremy Maclin over the next few rounds. Knowing how deep the QB position was, I waited until the seventh round to grab Tony Romo, then filled my bench with lottery ticket RBs. FAVORITE PICK: Last season, Maclin showed no signs of wear from his 2013 ACL tear, posting a top-10 receiving year in Philadelphia. Now that he’s a clear No. 1 guy in a Kansas City offense that has been starved for wide receiver production, I like his chances of another big year. RISKIEST PICK: Rob Gronkowski’s injury history makes him a somewhat risky firstround pick, but if he can maintain his health, he’ll absolutely be worth the price tag. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: Darren McFad­ den has been underwhelming in the past, but since he’ll be the starter behind a tough Dallas O-line, I was targeting him in Round Eight. Unfortunately, Hub Arkush had the same thought process.

THOUGHT PROCESS: When feasible, I prefer to take an elite QB in the first round. I was hoping Rodgers would be around at No. 8. He wasn’t. I thought Luck might make it back to me in Round Two. He didn’t. With Forte and Thomas, I took the best players available. I could be accused of a reach with Wilson in the third, but if you look at the players who were taken just after Wilson, I’m glad I selected him. In four of the next five rounds, I focused on filling out my starting lineup. In the later rounds, I looked for players with some upside. FAVORITE PICK: Andre Williams in the 12th will be an absolute steal if he winds up being the Giants’ starter. I also like Perriman in the 10th. RISKIEST PICK: Still can’t believe I took Ryan Mathews in the seventh. How often will he see the field in Philadelphia? HEARTBREAK HOTEL: Planned to take C.J. Spiller in the 7th to corner the market on New Orleans’ running backs. Perhaps that’s why I brain-cramped and took Mathews.

THOUGHT PROCESS: Choosing ninth, I wanted to address RB1 and WR1 in the first two rounds. From there, I wanted to add receiver and running back depth before hopefully selecting a top-5 quarterback. The goal in later rounds was to add young talent and bargain veterans. FAVORITE PICK: Kevin White’s measur­ ables, his ability to create separation, and willingness to go up and get the ball could make the rookie a star in the Chicago Bears’ offense. Taking White with my fourth-round pick and pairing him with Antonio Brown gives me one of the best receiving tandems in the league. RISKIEST PICK: Arian Foster (second round) and Andre Ellington (seventh round) have battled injuries throughout their careers. If either is sidelined for multiple weeks, a glaring hole opens up in my backfield. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: Russell Wilson was in my crosshairs in the third round, but John Rung snatched him one spot ahead of me. I settled on Ben Roethlisberger two rounds later.

TEAM 10

TEAM 11

TEAM 12

HUB

ERIC

NATE

PFW EDITOR

PFW CONTRIBUTOR

PFW WRITER

ARKUSH

THOUGHT PROCESS: Much like an NFL team’s college draft, at least early, my first four picks are always going to be the best RBs or WRs available unless the top QB is there and I’m picking late first or early second round, or one of the top two TEs is still available. FAVORITE PICK(S): It’s a tie for me between Victor Cruz in the 9th round and Vernon Davis in the 11th. I expect Cruz to reap huge benefits from all the double teams thrown at Beckam Jr., and I know Davis is coming off a down year but he’s neither old nor terribly banged up yet. RISKIEST PICK: Carlos Hyde is the future for the Niners and they cleared the decks for him allowing Frank Gore to leave, but his rookie sample size is small. Whether he can do enough to justify my third-round pick is certainly a question mark. He’s my ultimate boom-or-bust guy in this group. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: Nate grabbing both Amari Cooper and Kelvin Benjamin two and three spots in front of me, forcing me to go with Brandon Marshall.

OLSON

ATKINS

THOUGHT PROCESS: Picking 11, I try to get the best available players in the early rounds regardless of position, with an eye toward getting someone in every position slot before too much time passes. I kind of view fantasy drafts like playing the stock market – without accepting some risk, you limit your reward. So I don’t mind a little uncertainty. This has worked out for me in the past – in 2012, I took Adrian Peterson coming off ACL surgery. Hit things right, you can dominate. But if you miss on too many, it can be a long season. FAVORITE PICK: I like T.Y. Hilton in Round Four. He’s going into the final year of his rookie deal and should have a big season catching passes from Andrew Luck. RISKIEST PICK: Detroit’s defense. They lost big names such as Ndamukong Suh, but they’ve got their back seven coming back and I expect they’ll be good. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: Tom Brady’s “Deflategate” suspension was announced not long after our draft. I expect it to be reduced, if not thrown out, but I probably could have chosen him later.

THOUGHT PROCESS: Picking 12th out of 12 is always tough. The 22-pick break between selections made reaches inevitable. I knew if I could get a QB real early, I could spend the rest of the draft taking the best players that fall to me regardless of position; back-to-back picks meant I could still get what I needed on top of the BPA. FAVORITE PICK: I was stunned to see Larry Fitzgerald still there with the last pick in the seventh round. I know he only scored twice last season, but I expect Bruce Arians to get that total back up with a healthy QB. Fitz is still just 31. RISKIEST PICK: Amari Cooper at the end of the third was a real reach. I just feel great about the targets he’ll get and his readiness for the league, so I bit the bullet. HEARTBREAK HOTEL: I spent the fifth round begging owners to let Jonathan Stewart fall to me, as I’ve always loved his power game and this year he’ll be the feature back. He made it all the way to Hub, and I ended up with a receiver who is 80 years old (Andre Johnson).

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

| 15

RD

2015

TM

1

KEVIN FISHBAIN

MATT

............................. $46

Contract year in a runheavy offense? Yes, please. DEZ

BRYANT....................$47

Can anyone cover him? More targets post-DeMarco

RB GURLEY

3 WR 4 WR 5 QB 6 TE 7 QB 8 RB 9 WR 10 DEF 11 RB 12 RB 13 WR 14 PK 15 WR 16

TODD

...................... $20

Overpaid for his potential. So much skill.

JULIO

Barring health, nothing fringe about this WR1. AMEER

.............$4

Bell’s more explosive complement at 1/4 price. NELSON

...............$6

Huge steal for No. 1 in Kelly offense.

RB GORE

PHILIP

................................. $12

Lock for 1,000 yards, TD uptick with Luck.

TE KELCE

T.J.

Top talent, weak position worth slight splurge.

YELDON.........................$5

PK PARKEY

DAVANTE

CODY

No. 2 PK scorer in 2014 appropriately priced.

ADAMS........................ $2

WR JACKSON

MIAMI

DeSEAN

.................. $9

No bigger beneficiary if RG3 bounces back.

DEF BILLS

................................. $1

Top-3 fantasy ‘D’ — before Rex Ryan’s arrival.

MASON............................$1

QB CUTLER

ISAIAH

JAY

Hey, it’s more than teams offered the Bears.

RB RANDLE

BRETT

JOSEPH

Top line. Weak RB competition. Worthwhile flier.

PERRIMAN........... $2

RB JOHNSON

MATT

DAVID

................... $2

Versatility of Ellington without fragility.

BRYANT...........................$1

WR BROWN

RODDY

Did everyone forget about him?

TOTAL: $200

......................... $1

Always buy vertical stake in Arians’ offense.

RB GRAY

JONAS

..................................... $1

Similar to Dallas: Ideal situation for someone.

TOTAL: $200

....................... $45

WR BENJAMIN KELVIN

..........$23

With Cam healthy again, a jump in Year Two is likely.

WR HILTON T.Y.

.......................$23

Despite more competition, still Luck’s go-to guy.

RB MILLER

LAMAR

......................... $15

Cheap, perfect bye-week spell for Lacy/Foster.

QB NEWTON

CAM

..................$13

If healthy, could return to top-five fantasy QB.

WR SMITH TORREY

............................$6

11 TDs in ’14, could have similar role at times in S.F.

DEF BROWNS

CLEVELAND

.................. $1

Shelton inside will help. No one’s throwing on them.

PK BROWN JOSH

........................... $1

The Giants will be scoring points and so will he.

WR JACKSON

VINCENT

..................$4

Six straight 1,000-yard seasons when healthy.

RB STEWART JONATHAN

..................$4

An injury risk but one of the few feature backs left.

TE FLEENER COBY

........................ $1

Luck’s top TE will be mine as well.

WR STILLS

........................... $1

ARIAN

Texans will give Foster the ball. Fills RB spots early.

........................... $1

CROWELL.................. $3

WHITE..........................$13

RB FOSTER

BUFFALO

..................................$57

Nose for end zone will get tries in Packers offense.

........................... $1

JOHN

EDDIE

RB LACY

TRAVIS

.............................. $12

FRANK

RIVERS...........................$4

TRE

NATE ATKINS

.......................... $39

Can’t go wrong with a dome kicker.

16 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

3

............ $30

Liked pick more before seeing Brees’ price tag.

BENNETT.....................$8

Joe Flacco’s new toy should catch some long TDs.

PEYTON

MARTELLUS

Someone needs to gain yards in that offense.

QB MANNING

WR AGHOLOR

Needed a Gurley handcuff; got him at a great price.

Right price for Kubiak bellcow in Peyton offense.

Ridiculous D-line should lead to lots of turnovers.

........ $50

ROETHLISBERGER.... $12

DOLPHINS.............$1

C.J.

BEN

That Cowboys playoff game provided a nice glimpse.

RB ANDERSON

RB ABDULLAH

Should get plenty of carries in Jags offense.

Was fringe WR1 before Julius and Welker left.

Best backup QB available? Works for me.

............. $30

COOKS....................... $20

With that offense, Big Ben should post huge numbers.

EMMANUEL

BRANDIN

Drew Brees’ top target now should have big Year Two.

WR SANDERS

WR JONES

He’s had no problem being productive with bad QBs.

TM

ARTHUR ARKUSH

MARSHALL...... $15

BRANDON

He’ll be motivated by wanting a new contract.

Matt Forte

2

RB FORTE

PFW 1 mock auction 2 WR

Staff members from Pro Football Weekly held a mock draft for the 2015 season on May 13. The purpose of the draft is to illustrate how things can turn out on draft day – and how they can stray from one’s draft board. The owners drafting teams were not forced to use PFW’s player rankings, which can be found in the draft board on Page 4. Players were drafted based on their health and playing status at the time of the mock draft. Drafting was based on a basic scoring system (four points for passing TDs, six points for rushing/receiving TDs) that includes some yardage bonuses (one point for every 10 yards rushing or receiving, one point for every 30 yards passing). Each team had to draft a starting lineup (one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, one PK and one defense). Outside of those requirements, each participant could fill out his roster however he or she wanted. Team One bid first in Round One, last in Round Two and followed that format through Round 16.

TM

KENNY

............................. $2

A solid bet for yards in a new role in Miami.

QB BRIDGEWATER $1

TEDDY

....

Solid as a rookie, now has AP, Mike Wallace to help.

TE EIFERT

TYLER

................................ $1

If healthy, he’ll make plays as Cincy’s new TE.

RB JOHNSON

DUKE

................... $3

Could be the feature back in a run-heavy offense.

TOTAL: $200

MOCK TM

TM

TM

RB CHARLES

MIKE DeFABO

7

JON STYF

Le’VEON

ADRIAN

QB LUCK

WR BROWN

DAVE LEMERY

JAMAAL

RB MORRIS

CAITLIN SWIECA

6

5

4

ANTONIO

.................... $48

No reason to expect dropoff after studly season.

ALFRED

.....................$25

Went for value at RB after another 1,000-yard season.

WR JEFFERY

ALSHON

With Marshall gone, Jeffery set to have even bigger year.

RB BELL

.................................... $16

Should be able to fend off rookie Abdullah as starter.

TE OLSEN

GREG

Good value for one of most consistent tight ends.

RB INGRAM

MARK

WR COBB

..............................$27

Rodgers has proven he can sustain two top fantasy WRs.

QB MANNING

ELI

At this price, I couldn’t pass him up.

QB WILSON

RB ELLINGTON ANDRE

............. $2

Couldn’t pass up $2 for a starting RB.

DEF TEXANS

...................... $3

Did I overpay at $3? I overpaid at $3. ............................ $5

Became more integral to Pats as season went on.

WR WALLACE

Could do great things with Teddy Bridgewater. STEPHEN

DEF PANTHERS CAROLINA

............ $1

Still a strong unit even without Hardy.

PK BAILEY

DAN

Can’t go wrong with the Dallas veteran.

RB McFADDEN

DARREN

............ $3

No. 1 RB behind strong Dallas O-line.

WR BOLDIN

ANQUAN

......................... $3

Veteran has continued to produce in SF.

WR FLOYD

MALCOM

............................... $1

Downfield threat is a nice deep bench option.

TOTAL: $200

MATT

Solid mid-level QB for the price.

...................$13

Could be key for Jags to develop Blake Bortles. SAMMY

QB WINSTON JAMEIS

................. $2

Didn’t want him much, but couldn’t let him sell for $1

RB MURRAY

LATAVIUS

...................... $3

Only needs to beat Trent Richardson for starting job.

WR ALLEN

............................... $3

Could be poised for a breakout season in SD.

WR PARKER

DeVANTE

......................... $1

A buck for a rookie firstround receiver? Easy call.

RB SIMS

CHARLES

...................................... $1

Expected to steal more snaps from Doug Martin.

RB DAVIS

KNILE

.................................. $1

A must-own backup if you’ve got Jamaal Charles.

TOTAL: $200

............. $46

Paid like he was the top QB, which I believe he is.

Had little left to spend and got top-tier K. NEW YORK

..................................... $2

MATTHEW

.............. $2

DENVER

............... $1

Peyton gives them leads, then they rush the passer.

PK PRATER MATT

A kicker is a kicker.

ANDRE

RB BERNARD GIOVANI

Could be a steal if he wins back his feature-back role.

QB MARIOTA RB OLIVER

Will complement firstround RB Melvin Gordon.

RB WILLIAMS DeANGELO

................ $1

Cheap starter while Bell is suspended; handcuff after.

WR DECKER

ERIC

.......................... $1

RB AJAYI JAY

..................................... $1

WR ROBINSON

..................... $10

Barely out of the top 25 for receiving yards last year.

TOTAL: $200

ALLEN

............. $1

Bad planning means this is my WR2.

TE WITTEN JASON

........................... $1

He’s worth way more than this.

RB MATHEWS RYAN

............... $1

Has chance to put up big numbers in Philly.

WR JOHNSON

BRANDEN

............................. $2

DOUG

Hoping he can play like rookie year again.

................... $1

Young rushing QBs rack up TDs in the red zone.

RB MARTIN

................... $2

MARCUS

.................$4

Really like opportunity here for talented back.

................. $3

Luck will spread it around. Johnson will get his.

TEVIN

Took a flyer on a talented rookie.

WR JOHNSON

RB COLEMAN

............................ $1

WR CRUZ

Top dollar for “bellcow” RB.

CHARLES

.................. $1

Might just be Vikings’ top WR, worth a shot.

WR LATIMER

CODY

..................... $1

Any WR can emerge with th Broncos.

RB BALL

MONTEE

....................................... $1

If he wins back job, has huge potential.

TOTAL: $200

VICTOR

............................... $15

Value pick, but ends up being WR4.

WR EVANS

MIKE

RB FORSETT

JUSTIN

WR JOHNSON CALVIN

RB GORDON MELVIN

WR THOMAS

He and Peyton will have one more good season.

RB HYDE

WR HOPKINS DeANDRE

.................................$22

Niners are run-first team; I think he’s their go-to guy.

QB BRADY QB ROMO

Fantastic value after breakout season.

PK TUCKER

Time for some bargain shopping.

TE DANIELS OWEN

Missed out on the elite TEs, so he’ll have to do.

WR COOPER AMARI

Figured I’d take a flyer.

WR TATE

..................................... $9

Had a good year in ’14 and seemed like good value.

ARIZONA

.......

.............................. $2

Don’t pay more than $1 for K or DEF.

Extra buck for the thin air, presumably potent offense.

QB

JOE

FLACCO..........................$1

Probably waited too long to nab QB.

TE ALLEN

DWAYNE

.................................. $1

QB TANNEHILL

RYAN

............. $1

.................... $12

SHANE

Versatile back in new place – why not take a chance?

JARVIS

Might very well improve on 2014’s 758 yards.

WR COLSTON

MARQUES

................. $2

Mr. Irrelevant.

TOTAL: $200

DENARD

.............. $3

Home run waiting to happen.

WR EDELMAN JULIAN

................$4

92-971-4 for four bucks.

................ $1

TE HILL JOSH

WR FLOYD

.........................................$4

Could’ve paid more, but only because I had $2 left.

TOTAL: $198

MICHAEL

.............................. $2

If Palmer’s healthy, Floyd’s a breakout star.

WR SMITH STEVE

............................ $2

C’mon, 79-1,068-6 for two bucks.

RB IVORY CHRIS

.................................. $1

Jets starting RB a steal for a dollar.

RB HERRON

....................... $2

.................................. $1

RB ROBINSON

............................ $1

Over 30, but has one of the best QBs throwing to him.

NICK

............ $1

Everybody needs a kicker.

JEREMY

Finished very strong last season.

WR TOON

STEVEN

WR MACLIN

............ $2

WR PATTERSON $1 WR LANDRY The potential is there.

PK HAUSCHKA

JERICK

.........

................................. $3

Cheap bet last year was a fluke.

RB McKINNON

RB TALIAFERRO $1 RB VEREEN CORDARRELLE

VERNON

TE DAVIS

Likely red zone specialist.

Production might drop off in KC, but price was fair.

Handcuff for Forsett.

............................ $18

Absolute steal for No. 6 fantasy scoring QB.

I like to have a top defense on my side.

Health has been an issue lately.

........

DREW

ANDRE

LORENZO

QB BREES

.......

........................ $1

............................. $3

Most playmakers of any “D” in league.

SEATTLE

A role-player who could have upside in Minnesota.

CARSON

ST. LOUIS

DEF SEAHAWKS $6 RB WILLIAMS

Will overtake Fleener as Indy’s TE1.

QB PALMER

DEF RAMS

CONNOR

ODELL

JR..... $50 What can he do with four extra games?

GOLDEN

.................. $58

WR BECKHAM

...................... $9

DeMARCO

Kelly scheme better fit than Cowboys.

.......................$4

DEF CARDINALS $1 PK BARTH

RB MURRAY

............................ $12

But just in case Brady does have to sit a while…

........................... $1

TONY

....

.......................... $16

If suspension is reduced, this is the right price.

................$13

TOM

ROB

Appears primed for best season yet.

CARLOS

HUB

TE GRONKOWSKI $51

DEMARYIOUS

.............. $45

....................$13

He’ll be a day-one starter.

JUSTIN

Bengals will run the football. He’ll be carrying it.

............ $38

Getting old, but still a top-flight WR.

..................................... $50

...................$25

Love Cal running backs.

RB HILL

..........................$25

Don’t worry about a sophomore slump.

.......................... $1

DEF BRONCOS

JEREMY

DEF JETS

MASON

Has potential to put up big numbers.

ANTONIO

MARSHAWN

............................$60

LARRY

RB LYNCH

10 ARKUSH

PK CROSBY

Should bounce back with Carson Palmer healthy.

KEENAN

AARON

......

............... $12

QB RODGERS

WR FITZGERALD $5 QB STAFFORD

JULIUS

................$40

Not many Ds worth more than $1.

TE THOMAS

JIMMY

Worth big price because of TE dropoff.

................................... $5

At 34, caught 12 TDs. Can he do the same at 35?

.............................. $1

QB RYAN

Probably the only kicker worth more than $1.

.................... $10

.......................... $41

TE GRAHAM

MARTAVIS

................................ $5

Handcuffing Ingram; could become starter.

WR BRYANT

.....

If only the Bills had a QB (repeat to infinity).

......................... $5

High ceiling for No. 7 pick with a big-armed QB.

A.J.

Paid too much for top-tier guy.

......................... $10

PK GOSTKOWSKI $2 TE GATES

No. 1 WR in Chip Kelly offense? Yes, please. C.J.

WR WHITE KEVIN

WR GREEN

ALEX SOULIER

TM

ERIC OLSON

........... $56

TM

9

8

High price, but he can be worth it.

...................$40

Tied for second-most TDs of any WR last year.

................$8

......

RB SPILLER

JORDY

TM

RB PETERSON

........................ $49

WR NELSON

BRANDON

MIKE

LeSEAN

Eight touchdowns in 10 games as a rookie.

WR LaFELL

JORDAN

RB McCOY

HOUSTON

WR MATTHEWS $8 WR WATKINS

A hefty price, but his skill set is worth it.

................... $30

To be honest, was just trying to drive his price up.

................ $5

Like the drop in INTs and emergence of Beckham.

...................... $10

RANDALL

....................................$55

LeGARRETTE

RUSSELL

RB BELL

Shady in Ryan’s groundand-pound ‘O’? I’m sold.

RB BLOUNT

......................$13

Can he re-capture potential he showed mid-season?

Ready to join the truly elite QBs of the NFL.

................................ $9

ANDREW

................................ $50

JOIQUE

................ $56

Reliable when healthy, so he’s worth big money.

....................$33

TM

AUCTION

DANIEL

......................... $1

Can Frank Gore stay healthy for 16 weeks?

WR HARVIN

PERCY

......................... $1

Much better odds than a lottery ticket.

RB SANKEY

BISHOP

.......................... $1

Jeopardy, I’ll take starting RBs for a dollar.

TOTAL: $200

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

| 17

MOCK

AUCTION

B

ased on our fantasy football player rankings, below are suggested dollar amounts for 2015 auction drafts. On the previous page, you can see how our writers and editors handled their money when bidding on players while attempting to build the team that had the best overall blend of expected production and dollar values. Getting surefire RB1’s like Jamaal Charles and Adrian Peterson typically requires approximately one-fourth of your total budget Similarly, securing a topfive signalcaller generally necessitates a $30-$50 commitment, but patience is often rewarded with fantasy QBs, as seen in the stark drop-off after the top 6. It’ll also require significant spending to land a blue-chip WR or TE, but owners should pay close attention to our suggested values for PKs and team defenses — ­ even the top tier shouldn’t cost more than $1-2, the same amount needed for many bench players.

Adrian Peterson

SUGGESTED PRICE LIST

Based on a 12-team league with a $200 budget per team and the following starting lineup configuration: 1 QB, 2 RBs, 3 WRs, 1 TE, 1 PK and 1 defense. Total roster composed of 16 spots. Outside of the starting nine mentioned above, participants could fill out the roster however they wanted.

QUARTERBACKS 1. Aaron Rodgers, Packers....... $42 2. Andrew Luck, Colts............... $42 3. Russell Wilson, Seahawks... $35 4. Drew Brees, Saints................ $35 5. Peyton Manning, Broncos.... $33 6. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers.... $33 7. Tony Romo, Cowboys........... $22 8. Cam Newton, Panthers........ $22 9. Eli Manning, Giants............... $22 10. Matt Ryan, Falcons................$19 11. Philip Rivers, Chargers..........$18 12. Tom Brady, Patriots................$16 13. Matthew Stafford, Lions.......$12 14. Sam Bradford, Eagles............$12 15. Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins.......$12 16. Joe Flacco, Ravens.................. $6 17. Colin Kaepernick, 49ers......... $6 18. Derek Carr, Raiders................. $6 19. Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings.... $4 20. Andy Dalton, Bengals............. $4 21. Nick Foles, Rams..................... $4 22. Jay Cutler, Bears...................... $2 23. Robert Griffin III, Washington....$2 24. Carson Palmer, Cardinals....... $2 25. Jameis Winston, Buccaneers.... $1 26. Alex Smith, Chiefs.................... $1 27. Blake Bortles, Jaguars............. $1

RUNNING BACKS 1. Jamaal Charles, Chiefs......... $55 2. Adrian Peterson, Vikings...... $55 3. Le’Veon Bell, Steelers........... $54 4. Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks... $54 5. Matt Forte, Bears.................. $53 6. Eddie Lacy, Packers............... $53 7. DeMarco Murray, Eagles......$50 8. Arian Foster, Texans.............. $49 9. LeSean McCoy, Bills.............. $47 10. Jeremy Hill, Bengals.............. $45 11. C.J. Anderson, Broncos........ $45 12. Lamar Miller, Dolphins......... $34 13. Alfred Morris, Washington.... $34

14. Melvin Gordon, Chargers.....$30 15. Todd Gurley, Rams................ $28 16. Carlos Hyde, 49ers................ $28 17. Mark Ingram, Saints............. $28 18. Frank Gore, Colts................... $26 19. Jonathan Stewart, Panthers... $24 20. Justin Forsett, Ravens.......... $24 21. Latavius Murray, Raiders..... $22 22. Tevin Coleman, Falcons........ $22 23. Joique Bell, Lions................... $22 24. C.J. Spiller, Saints...................$21 25. Giovani Bernard, Bengals......$21 26. T.J. Yeldon, Jaguars................$19 27. Rashad Jennings, Giants.......$18 28. Isaiah Crowell, Browns..........$18 29. Andre Ellington, Cardinals....$17 30. LeGarrette Blount, Patriots...$17 31. Darren McFadden, Cowboys....$10 32. Doug Martin, Buccaneers...... $8 33. Shane Vereen, Giants............. $8 34. Chris Ivory, Jets........................$7 35. Bishop Sankey, Titans..............$7 36. Joseph Randle, Cowboys....... $6 37. Devonta Freeman, Falcons.... $6 38. Ameer Abdullah, Lions........... $6 39. Ryan Mathews, Eagles........... $6 40. David Johnson, Cardinals....... $6 41. Charles Sims, Buccaneers..... $5 42. Tre Mason, Rams..................... $5 43. Reggie Bush, 49ers................. $5 44. Roy Helu, Raiders.................... $5 45. David Cobb, Titans.................. $5 46. Denard Robinson, Jaguars..... $5 47. Terrance West, Browns.......... $5 48. Fred Jackson, Bills................... $5 49. Dan Herron, Colts.................... $2 50. Andre Williams, Giants........... $2 51. Danny Woodhead, Chargers... $1 52. Knile Davis, Chiefs.................... $1 53. Stevan Ridley, Jets................... $1 54. Duke Johnson, Browns............ $1 55. Montee Ball, Broncos.............. $1 56. Darren Sproles, Eagles............ $1 57. Jerick McKinnon, Vikings........ $1

58. Lorenzo Taliaferro, Ravens...... $1 59. Jonas Gray, Patriots................. $1 60. Christine Michael, Seahawks... $1

WIDE RECEIVERS 1. Antonio Brown, Steelers......$46 2. Dez Bryant, Cowboys...........$46 3. Odell Beckham, Jr., Giants...$44 4. Demaryious Thomas, Broncos...$44 5. Calvin Johnson, Lions...........$40 6. Julio Jones, Falcons............... $38 7. Jordy Nelson, Packers........... $38 8. A.J. Green, Bengals............... $36 9. Randall Cobb, Packers.......... $34 10. Alshon Jeffery, Bears.............$31 11. Mike Evans, Buccaneers...... $29 12. Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers... $28 13. Emmanuel Sanders, Steelers... $28 14. T.Y. Hilton, Colts..................... $27 15. DeAndre Hopkins, Texans.... $24 16. Jordan Matthews, Eagles..... $24 17. Keenan Allen, Chargers........ $22 18. Brandin Cooks, Saints.......... $22 19. DeSean Jackson, Washington...$21 20. Golden Tate, Lions..................$21 21. Brandon Marshall, Jets.........$20 22. Andre Johnson, Colts.............$17 23. Sammy Watkins, Bills............$16 24. Julian Edelman, Patriots........$16 25. Vincent Jackson, Buccaneers...$16 26. Amari Cooper, Raiders...........$12 27. Michael Floyd, Cardinals.......$12 28. Martavis Bryant, Steelers.....$12 29. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals....$12 30. Jeremy Maclin, Chiefs...........$12 31. Roddy White, Falcons............$10 32. Mike Wallace, Vikings............$10 33. Eric Decker, Jets...................... $9 34. Jarvis Landry, Dolphins.......... $9 35. Brandon LaFell, Patriots......... $8 36. Torrey Smith, Ravens.............. $8 37. Pierre Garcon, Washington.... $8 38. Charles Johnson, Vikings........$7 39. Steve Smith, Ravens................$7

18 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

40. Marques Colston, Saints.........$7 41. Kevin White, Bears.................. $6 42. Nelson Agholor, Eagles........... $6 43. Anquan Boldin, 49ers............. $5 44. Kenny Stills, Dolphins............. $5 45. Percy Harvin, Bills................... $4 46. Allen Robinson, Jaguars......... $4 47. Victor Cruz, Giants.................. $4 48. Kendall Wright, Titans.............$3 49. Michael Crabtree, Raiders......$3 50. Davante Adams, Packers........$3 51. Dwayne Bowe, Browns........... $1 52. Cody Latimer, Broncos............ $1 53. DeVante Parker, Dolphins........ $1 54. Terrance Williams, Cowboys.... $1 55. Brian Quick, Rams.................... $1 56. John Brown, Cardinals............. $1 57. Dorial Green-Beckham, Titans... $1 58. Cordarrelle Patterson, Vikings... $1 59. Doug Baldwin, Seahawks....... $1 60. Donte Moncrief, Colts............. $1

TIGHT ENDS 1. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots..... $47 2. Jimmy Graham, Seahawks.. $34 3. Greg Olsen, Panthers.............$17 4. Travis Kelce, Chiefs................$16 5. Martellus Bennett, Bears......$15 6. Antonio Gates, Chargers.......$15 7. Julius Thomas, Jaguars.........$15 8. Jordan Cameron, Dolphins.... $8 9. Zach Ertz, Eagles..................... $8 10. Jason Witten, Cowboys.......... $8 11. Delanie Walker, Titans............ $5 12. Coby Fleener, Colts................. $5 13. Jordan Reed, Washington...... $5 14. Owen Daniels, Broncos.......... $5 15. Josh Hill, Saints....................... $5 16. Larry Donnell, Giants...............$3 17. Tyler Eifert, Bengals................. $1 18. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Buccaneers... $1 19. Kyle Rudolph, Vikings.............. $1 20. Dwayne Allen, Colts................. $1 21. Vernon Davis, 49ers................. $1

PLACEKICKERS 1. Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots.... $1 2. Steven Hauschka, Seahawks.... $1 3. Justin Tucker, Ravens............... $1 4. Adam Vinatieri, Colts............... $1 5. Mason Crosby, Packers........... $1 6. Dan Bailey, Cowboys............... $1 7. Cody Parkey, Eagles................. $1 8. Connor Barth, Broncos............ $1 9. Matt Bryant, Falcons............... $1 10. Nick Novak, Chargers.............. $1 11. Matt Prater, Lions..................... $1 12. Phil Dawson, 49ers.................. $1 13. Blair Walsh, Vikings................. $1 14. Shaun Suisham, Steelers........ $1 15. Dan Carpenter, Bills................. $1 16. Shayne Graham, Saints........... $1 17. Caleb Sturgis, Dolphins........... $1 18. Chandler Catanzaro, Cardinals... $1 19. Robbie Gould, Bears................ $1 20. Greg Zuerlein, Rams................ $1

DEFENSE/ SPECIAL TEAMS 1. Seattle Seahawks................... $2 2. Buffalo Bills.............................. $2 3. Houston Texans....................... $2 4. New York Jets.......................... $2 5. Miami Dolphins....................... $2 6. Denver Broncos........................ $1 7. St. Louis Rams.......................... $1 8. Arizona Cardinals..................... $1 9. New England Patriots.............. $1 10. Carolina Panthers..................... $1 11. Baltimore Ravens..................... $1 12. Green Bay Packers................... $1 13. Kansas City Chiefs................... $1 14. Philadelphia Eagles.................. $1 15. Minnesota Vikings................... $1 16. Detroit Lions............................. $1 17. Cleveland Browns.................... $1 18. San Francisco 49ers................ $1

Offensive lines They don’t get you fantasy points, but it’s awfully hard for your skill guys to score without them By

HUB ARKUSH

A

big key to drafting running backs and quarterbacks for your fantasy team is often having a really good feel for the offensive lines playing in front of them. Look at the breakout fantasy seasons of DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant last year. How much of that would have happened without the most improved offensive line in the NFL? These rankings take into account run blocking and pass blocking efficiency, team rankings running the football, average yard per gain, percentage of quarterback sacks allowed and third down efficiency. After all the statistics were considered, some adjustments were made to favor the teams with the top-ranked players at their positions.

1. PHILADELPHIA

EAGLES

In terms of star power, no other offensive line matches the Eagles. At left tackle and left guard, Jason Peters and Evan Mathis are each the best in the league at their positions, according to our PFW Player Rankings. Jason Kelce is a Pro Bowler at center and Lane Johnson has flashed Pro Bowl potential at right tackle if he can avoid mistakes, like his fourgame suspension to start last season. Allen Barbre will take over the right guard spot from Todd Herremans this year.

2. DALLAS

COWBOYS

This group is the heir-apparent to the Eagles. Left tackle Tyron Smith, center Travis Frederick and right guard Zack

Jason Peters

Martin are all Pro Bowlers, but very young and must show they can do it over time. Doug Free is solid at right tackle, as is Ronald Leary at left guard, but neither is spectacular. It will be interesting to see if the controversial undrafted rookie free agent La’el Collins can take playing time away from either of them.

3. GREEN

BAY PACKERS

The Packers boast two of the best guards in football in Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang, and last season’s rookie center Corey Linsley was impressive. At left tackle, David Bakhtiari isn’t a Pro Bowl talent, but is solid and does a nice job of protecting Aaron Rodgers’ blind side. Right tackle Bryan Bulaga has flashed Pro Bowl ability but needs to show he can

stay on the field after missing 28 games the last four seasons.

4. BALTIMORE

RAVENS

Baltimore traded for Eugene Monroe and then re-signed him, giving them an elite left tackle. At right guard, Marshal Yanda is one of the best in the game. Ricky Wagner had a breakout season at right tackle last year, and Kelechi Osemele and Jeremy Zuttah are solid at left guard and center, respectively. The Ravens were second last season in percentage of sacks allowed and seventh in average gain per run play.

5. PITTSBURGH

STEELERS

Maurkice Pouncey is one of the best centers in football and he was able to

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

| 19

stay healthy last year. David DeCastro returned from a serious injury his rookie year and played at a near Pro Bowl level. Kelvin Beachum is one of the most underrated left tackles in the league. Ramon Foster and Marcus Gilbert are solid veterans at left guard and right tackle, respectively, making this one of the best-balanced groups in the league.

6. CINCINNATI

BENGALS

It was more than a little surprising to see the Bengals picking offensive tackles Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher with their first two choices in this year’s NFL draft. Part of the reason may be that Andrew Whitworth, who played as well as any left tackle in the league last year, and right tackle Andre Smith will both be free agents after 2015. Kevin Zeitler and Clint Boling are both studs at guard, and Russell Bodine is a promising second-year player at center.

7. NEW

ENGLAND PATRIOTS

With Nate Solder on the left side and Sebastian Vollmer on the right, the Patriots are bookended at tackle as well as any team in the league. Of those vying for the starting guard spots, none is special, but each is solid and can get the job done. Bryan Stork is young and developing into one of the game’s better centers. The Patriots were third-best in the league last year protecting Tom Brady, sixth in third-down efficiency and fourth in points scored.

8. DENVER

BRONCOS

There were a lot of fingers pointed at the Broncos’ line for the team’s troubles over the second half of the season, but the facts are they finished the year No. 1 in fewest quarterback sacks allowed, so they still were doing something right. With Ryan Clady and Louis Vasquez returning, the line is well-anchored on both sides, but they are expecting a lot from second-year players Ben Garland and Michael Schofield at left guard and right tackle. Gino Gradkowski must improve the center play as well.

Nick Mangold

ters, Max Unger, in the Jimmy Graham trade. Jahri Evans is no longer the best guard in the league but he’s still a good one. It will be interesting to see how Tim Lelito fares at left guard with Ben Grubbs a salary cap casualty. Terron Armstead and Zach Strief are solid vets at tackle, and they have first-rounder Andrus Peat.

11. CLEVELAND

BROWNS

Offensive line is one of the strengths of the Browns because Joe Thomas is one of the top three or four linemen in the game at left tackle. Alex Mack is one of the game’s best centers when healthy, and Joel Bitonio proved to be a really nice pick out of Nevada in the second round last year to man the left guard spot. Mitchell Schwartz is solid at right tackle, but often identified as the weak link in this group. John Greco is just a guy at right guard.

12. CHICAGO

BEARS

D’Brickashaw Ferguson can play better than he did last season, but he is still one of the premier left tackles in the NFL. Nick Mangold recaptured the title of best center in the league in 2014. Right tackle Breno Giacomini and left guard James Carpenter were just guys in Seattle and Willie Colon had a nice year last year. With three first-round picks spent on the defensive line in the last five years, it’s been a while since the Jets have focused on upgrading this group.

Jermon Bushrod is not the Pro Bowler the Bears were hoping they were getting when they signed him away from the Saints in free agency, but he is dependable and more than adequate. Kyle Long is quickly developing into the best guard in the game. Matt Slauson was actually better than Long two years ago at the other guard spot before missing most of last year with injuries. Will Montgomery appears to be a placeholder at center until this year’s third-round pick, Hroniss Grasu, is ready. Right tackle Jordan Mills needs to either show huge improvement this year or be replaced.

10. NEW

13. SEATTLE

9. NEW

YORK JETS

ORLEANS SAINTS

The Saints love to focus on protecting Drew Brees from the inside out, thus the acquisition of one of the league’s best cen-

SEAHAWKS

This group is a puzzle. Other than left tackle Russell Okung, who has ProBowl ability, nobody really stands out,

20 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

yet they’re the best rushing team in the league. It would seem that is a lot more due to Marshawn Lynch’s beast mode and Russell Wilson’s scrambling ability than this line. Justin Britt was a nice pick out of Missouri in the second round last year, but Alvin Bailey and J.R. Sweezy are just guys at guard. There’s nothing to suggest that Patrick Lewis, who will take Max Unger’s spot at center, can match his predecessor.

14. SAN

FRANCISCO 49ERS

The 49ers boasted one of the top lines in the league over the past four seasons, but now it’s being broken up. All-Pro Mike Iupati left for Arizona via free agency and center Jonathan Goodwin moved on, too. They are still very good at tackle with Pro Bowler Joe Staley on the left side and former first-round pick Anthony Davis returning to the right side after missing most of last year with injury. Alex Boone is very good at right guard but not great, and is again unhappy with his contract.

15. HOUSTON

TEXANS

Fortunately the Texans still have one of the best left tackles in football in Duane Brown. Brandon Brooks is a massive guard who plays well on the right side. It looks like Ben Jones will be taking over at center, leaving competition at right guard. Derek Newton is good enough but not special at right tackle. It was a bit surprising the Texans didn’t address the O-line higher in this year’s draft.

16. KANSAS

CITY CHIEFS

Eric Fisher has not played like the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, but he did show improvement in the second half of 2014. The Chiefs hope adding veteran Ben Grubbs next to him at guard will help.

Eric Kush, Paul Fanaika and Donald Stephenson are basically all journeymen at center, right guard and right tackle, respectively. The loss of center Rodney Hudson to the Raiders hurts.

17. MINNESOTA

VIKINGS

John Sullivan has become one of the best centers in the league, and right tackle Phil Loadholt will have his moments. Early in his career, Matt Kalil looked like he was heading toward being the premier left tackle he was projected as, but he has struggled and is coming off arguably his worst season. Joe Berger and Brandon Fusco are the guards and both are average at best.

18. INDIANAPOLIS

COLTS

Anthony Castonzo is a solid but unspectacular left tackle. Gosder Cherilus is about the same at right tackle. The Colts used the 59th pick in the draft last year on Jack Mewhort at guard and they added former Eagles veteran Todd Herremans to bolster the right side, but his best football may be behind him. Center Khaled Holmes enters his third season and, like the rest of this line, he’s good enough but not special.

19. ATLANTA

FALCONS

The Falcons have had numerous injuries on the line the past two seasons. Jake Matthews is the real deal at left tackle, and right guard Jon Asamoah was a nice free agent addition last offseason. Guard Mike Person and center Joe Hawley get the job done. Ryan Schraeder will try to hold off Lamar Holmes and Sam Baker at right tackle, where they have nice depth.

20. WASHINGTON

Trent Williams may be the most under-appreciated Pro Bowl left tackle in the league, but Washington over-drafted Brandon Scherff with the fifth pick in this year’s draft and plugged him right in at the other tackle. Kory Lichtensteiger is in the upper echelon of NFL centers, but guards Shawn Lauvao and Chris Chester are just average.

21. MIAMI

DOLPHINS

The good news is Ryan Kalil is still a top-tier center, and right guard Trai Turner was a good get in the third round of last year’s draft. The Panthers added Michael Oher and plugged him at left tackle, but that’s a huge gamble. Mike Remmers at right tackle and Andrew Norwell at left guard are third- and second-year players, respectively, who are projections at best.

23. DETROIT

LIONS

The Lions were 28th in the league running the football last year and 20th in percentage of sacks allowed, so it was no surprise when they drafted Duke’s Laken Tomlinson, although few had him rated as a first-round pick. Larry Warford is one of the league’s better young guards and Riley Reiff is a nice tackle, but probably better suited for the right side rather than on the left, where the Lions have him.

24. NEW

YORK GIANTS

Will Beatty is set at left tackle for the Giants, and it looks like first-round choice Ereck Flowers will be a plugand-play on the right side. That allows New York to move Justin Pugh into guard, where they hope he will be a better fit. The Giants stunned a lot of people last year using the 43rd pick in 2014 on center Weston Richburg, and now have to hope he starts playing up to that investment.

25. JACKSONVILLE

JAGUARS

This group is really young. Second-year right guard Brandon Linder and second-year center Luke Bowanko look like they could become players. Luke Joeckel started all 16 games last year after missing all but five as a rookie, but has yet to live up to being the No. 2 player chosen in the 2013 draft. Zane Beadles disappointed last year and Jeremy Parnell has been brought over from Dallas to try and man the right tackle spot. The Jags also have rookie guard A.J. Cann and veteran center Stefen Wisniewski.

26. OAKLAND

RAIDERS

Branden Albert played well enough at left tackle last season but he missed seven games due to injury after missing four games in 2013 and three in 2012. Ja’Wuan James fared well at right tackle as a rookie, and Mike Pouncey is good enough at center. Guard continues to be a question mark for this club, with Dallas Thomas and Billy Turner – both of whom are 6-foot-5 but more big than good – plugged in right now.

The Raiders made a mess of their line last year, allowing Jared Veldheer to get away and swinging and missing on Rodger Saffold, but Donald Penn was a pleasant surprise and Austin Howard, who was brought over from the Jets after the Saffold fiasco, was good enough at right tackle. This year’s big move is adding Rodney Hudson at center. Gabe Jackson is a nice looking, second-year player at one guard, and veteran Khalif Barnes is the other guard.

22. CAROLINA

27. ARIZONA

PANTHERS

The Panthers got clobbered by the retirements of both Jordan Gross and Travelle Wharton prior to last season.

CARDINALS

Jared Veldheer was a great get at left tackle last year, and this year in free agency Arizona added Mike Iupati to

play next to him. If Jonathan Cooper can become the guard everyone thought he was going to be when the Cards used the seventh pick in the 2013 draft on him, this group could come together nicely. Upgrades over Ted Larsen at center and Bobby Massie at right tackle might still be a good idea.

28. BUFFALO

BILLS

Buffalo needs help so badly up front they’ve plugged in Richie Incognito at right guard. Cordy Glenn isn’t bad at left tackle, and Eric Wood was once one of the league’s better centers before his play fell off the last two years. Bears reject Chris Williams will be challenged at left guard by third-round rookie John Miller, and Seantrel Henderson will try and build on an up-and-down rookie year at right tackle.

29. TENNESSEE

TITANS

Andy Levitre wasn’t horrible, but he certainly didn’t earn the huge free agent deal the Titans gave him to play left guard in 2013. First-round draft choice Taylor Lewan only started 10 games, nine on the left side, where he’ll be this year. Right guard Chance Warmack was Tennessee’s first-round pick in 2013, and he’s been fine but not special.

30. SAN

DIEGO CHARGERS

The Chargers were devastated by injuries up front last year. Chris Watt was a guard in college but played some guard and center for San Diego last year and is penciled in as the starting center. King Dunlap was better than average at left tackle last year and now has a new contract. The Chargers are hoping right tackle D.J. Fluker will live up to his first round draft status. Orlando Franklin comes over from rival Denver to man one of the guard spots.

31. ST.

LOUIS RAMS

Left tackle Greg Robinson was a slow learner after being drafted with the second overall pick last year, and left guard Roger Saffold has struggled. The Jake Long experiment is over, and youngsters like center Tim Barnes, right guard Brandon Washington and this year’s second pick Rob Havenstein are slated to round out this year’s line.

32. TAMPA

BAY BUCCANEERS

The Bucs were so bad on the offensive line last year they’ll go to training camp with two second-round picks from this year’s draft, Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet, plugged in to start at left tackle and right guard, respectively. Left guard Logan Mankins gives them credibility and veteran leadership, but Evan Dietrich-Smith will have to play better at center than he did last year after coming over from Green Bay.

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

| 21

POSITION

REPORTS

FANTASY

Quarterbacks Luck pushing Rodgers for top fantasy QB J.C. TALON

I By

n terms of fantasy quarterbacks, there might be a new sheriff in town. The last two years, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning sat atop our preseason fantasy QB rankings. This season, Andrew Luck moves into the No. 2 spot, and he’s right on the heels of Rodgers. In fact, some preseason rankings have Luck No. 1 and Rodgers No. 2. It’s probably splitting hairs, but we like Rodgers a little better because of his experience and his offensive line. As for Brees and Manning, they are still top five, but both of them showed signs of vulnerability last season, especially Manning. They are 36 and 39 years old, respectively, and all good things have to come to an end some time. As we know, Father Time is undefeated against all opponents. Brees should be fine, although he will undoubtedly miss TE Jimmy Graham, who was traded to the Seahawks in the offseason. Brees has not missed a start since 2004 and will be motivated to get the Saints back into the playoffs. And it’s hard to bet against Peyton. You have to believe he worked hard in the offseason to heal his quad injury. When considering him, fantasy owners will have to decide which Peyton they think they’ll see this season – the guy who averaged 2.9 TD passes in the first 10 games, or the guy who averaged 1.67 over the final six contests. We believe both veterans will do just fine. Their advancing age and the

CONSENSUS

Top FANTASY QUARTERBACKS 1. AARON RODGERS | PACKERS 2. ANDREW LUCK | COLTS 3. RUSSELL WILSON | SEAHAWKS 4. DREW BREES | SAINTS 5. PEYTON MANNING | BRONCOS 6. BEN ROETHLISBERGER | STEELERS 7. TONY ROMO | COWBOYS 8. CAM NEWTON | PANTHERS 9. ELI MANNING | GIANTS 10. MATT RYAN | FALCONS 11. PHILIP RIVERS | CHARGERS 12. TOM BRADY | PATRIOTS 13. MATTHEW STAFFORD | LIONS 14. RYAN TANNEHILL | DOLPHINS 15. JOE FLACCO | RAVENS 16. COLIN KAEPERNICK | 49ERS 17. SAM BRADFORD | EAGLES 18. DEREK CARR | RAIDERS 19. TEDDY BRIDGEWATER | VIKINGS 20. ANDY DALTON | BENGALS

relative drop of statistical production in 2014 could cause both of them to slip a bit in fantasy drafts. If that happens, savvy fantasy owners will have a chance to capitalize. Russell Wilson jumped 10 spots (13 to 3) from last year’s preseason rankings and has leapfrogged Manning and Brees. His dual-threat ability, and the addition of Graham, make him an intriguing option. Ben Roethlisberger is coming off a career year and vaults from No. 14 in last year’s ranking to No. 6 this year. Tony Romo moves up eight spots to No. 7, although we have concerns about his back and some of the Cowboys’

22 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

offseason moves. The biggest riser from ’14 to ’15 is Eli Manning. He moves from No. 22 all the way up to No. 9. We believe he can improve on his 4,400 yards passing with a full season from Odell Beckham and Victor Cruz. If it weren’t for some career inconsistency, Eli would be ranked even higher. Cam Newton (No. 8) and Matt Ryan (No. 10) round out the top 10. Newton dropped four spots from 2014, while Ryan moved up two spots. Spots 11 through 20 are occupied by several “droppers.” Philip Rivers falls out of last year’s top 10 to No. 11 this season, and No. 13 Matthew Stafford was No. 5 heading into the 2014 season. (We’re getting a little tired of waiting for Stafford to revisit his 2011 form.) Obviously, Tom Brady’s suspension pushes him out of the top 10, but not all that far, just down to No. 12. Three quarters of Brady is better than 100% of a lot of other QBs. Of course, those who draft Brady will have to select another QB who can man the fantasy ship for the first few weeks. Should make for some interesting strategy come draft day. Ryan Tannehill, Sam Bradford, Joe Flacco, Colin Kaepernick, Derek Carr, Teddy Bridgewater and Andy Dalton round out the top 20. Notables in the 21-30 range include two QBs coming off horrendous seasons: Jay Cutler (No. 22) and Robert Griffin III (No. 23). We don’t expect much improvement in 2015, but they certainly can’t be any worse … can they? Rookies Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota are ranked No. 25 and No. 28, respectively. They may both have promising careers, but the NFL is not very kind to rookie quarterbacks. Luck is often hailed as the exception to that rule, but he threw for 23 TDs and 18 picks in his first year. We don’t think that either Winston or Mariota will be as good as Luck. In our view, Luck is likely to be the sheriff in these parts for some time to come.

WR

Aaron Rodgers PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

| 23

QB

POSITION

REPORTS

1 AARON RODGERS | PACKERS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 GB 16 16 | 371 552 | 4,295 | 39 8 6 | 259 2 ’13 GB 9 9 | 193 290 | 2,536 | 17 6 4 | 120 0 ’14 GB 16 16 | 341 520 | 4,381 | 38 5 8 | 269 2 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 365 550 | 4,500 | 40 6 8 | 250 2 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: Last season, Rodgers threw for 4,381 and 38 touchdowns and was picked off just five times. He added two more touchdowns and 269 yards on the ground. He has thrown for at least 30 TDs four times in the past six seasons. In one of the seasons in which he failed to reach 30 (2013), he missed half the year with a shoulder injury. He has thrown fewer than 10 interceptions in four consecutive seasons. Rodgers has a good supporting cast. There are virtually no holes on the Packers’ offense. At 31, Rodgers is younger than many of the other top-rated fantasy QBs. There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that Rodgers’ production will tail off any time soon. BUST: As previously alluded to, statistical seasons rarely repeat themselves. Rodgers is slightly more prone to injury than some of the other top 10 quarterbacks. He played all 16 regular season games in 2013, but missed at least one start in the three previous seasons. The emergence of RB Eddie Lacy has balanced the Green Bay attack, which could limit Rodgers from having recordsetting seasons in the future. BOTTOM LINE: Too many times, prognosticators simply look at the previous season and, barring any major offseason setbacks, project a similar upcoming season. However, in the case of Rodgers, it’s hard to make a case for him not being the top fantasy quarterback. He pilots a high-powered offense for a good team. He has plenty of weapons, a tremendous home-field advantage, he can run the ball, and he plays in the relatively defensive-light NFC North. Rodgers will be the first QB selected in nearly every fantasy draft, and an argument could be made for him as the top player overall. 2 ANDREW LUCK | COLTS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 IND 16 16 | 339 627 | 4,374 | 23 18 6 | 255 5 ’13 IND 16 16 | 343 570 | 3,822 | 23 9 3 | 377 4 ’14 IND 16 16 | 380 616 | 4,761 | 40 16 10 | 273 3 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 375 600 | 4,500 | 38 12 9 | 275 2 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: Luck is coming off a monster 2014. He led the NFL in the regular season with 40 TD passes. He started all 16 games, averaging 298 yards passing per game and completing 62 percent

Andrew Luck

of his throws. Luck is the poster boy for durability, having started all 48 games in his three-year career. If you’re looking for positive trends, consider that he has improved each season, with a completion percentage of 54 percent in 2012 and 60 percent in 2013. If you want some icing on the cake, he plays a soft AFC South schedule. If you want a cherry on that icing, Luck has run for 12 TDs in his career and averages 300 yards per season on the ground. Luck also is just 25. His best seasons are likely ahead of him. BUST: If this were a debate, I’d much rather be on the “Boom” team. But a format is a format, so here goes … Luck’s

24 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

rushing touchdowns have decreased each year. The Colts seem overloaded with wide receiver talent, but they may regret not doing more in the offseason to improve their offensive line. Luck has been sacked an average of 33 times a season in his career. BOTTOM LINE: Most fantasy prognosticators will list Rodgers as the No. 1 QB and Luck as No. 2. With apologies for a lack of creativity, it’s hard to argue with that logic. Rodgers’ only real advantage over Luck is that he has more experience and a better offensive line. Luck is likely to go in the first or early-second round of your draft. The

POSITION

QB

REPORTS

Lockett’s measurables don’t blow you away, but he is an incredibly smart player who has overachieved at every level. Wilson has not had many reliable targets during his three seasons in Seattle, but that won’t be the case this year. Despite his aggressive style, Wilson has not missed a game in his pro career. BUST: After tossing 26 TDs in both 2012 and 2013, Wilson connected on just 20 scoring passes last season. His average of 217 passing yards per game will remind no one of a mid-80’s Dan Marino. Like most mobile QBs, Wilson endures a lot of contact. He’s been sacked 119 times in his career, including 42 last season. Although he does not throw many interceptions (just seven last season and 26 total in 48 regular season games), he fumbled 11 times in 2014 and averages nine per season. BOTTOM LINE: Although respectable, his passing stats pale in comparison to those recorded recently by Rodgers, Luck, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. If Wilson were ever going to crest the 30-TD mark, 2015 would look to be the season. Marshawn Lynch is another year older and Graham is a dynamic weapon that Wilson can exploit. It’s possible that increased passing yards and TDs will be offset somewhat by a decline in rushing production. Still, Wilson is probably good for 500 yards and four or five scores on the ground. Combine that with 30 TDs or so and around 4,000 yards through the air, and you have a potential second or third-round steal.

4 DREW BREES | SAINTS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 NO 16 16 | 422 670 | 5,177 | 43 19 10 | 5 1 ’13 NO 16 16 | 446 650 | 5,162 | 39 12 11 | 52 3 ’14 NO 16 16 | 456 659 | 4,952 | 33 17 8 | 68 1 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 430 650 | 4,400 | 32 16 6 | 50 1 BYE: WEEK 11 Russell Wilson

dropoff after Rodgers and Luck is fairly substantial.

3 RUSSELL WILSON | SEAHAWKS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 SEA 16 16 | 252 393 | 3,118 | 26 10 0 | 489 ’13 SEA 16 16 | 257 407 | 3,357 | 26 9 2 | 539 ’14 SEA 16 16 | 285 452 | 3,475 | 20 7 2 | 849 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 290 450 | 3,900 | 30 7 4 | 750 BYE: WEEK 9

4 1 6 6

BOOM: Wilson threw for a career-high 3,457 yards last season. He also added career highs in rushing yards (849) and rushing TDs (six). In fact, the 849 yards

represented a 57 percent increase from 2013 and a 73 percent increase from his 2012 rookie season. Wilson’s dual-threat capabilities make him an enticing fantasy option; one that will rarely be entirely shut down in any given week. To enhance their passing attack, the Seahawks acquired TE Jimmy Graham in the offseason. Graham will provide Wilson with a reliable target anywhere on the field, and he is nearly unstoppable in the red zone. Graham’s addition alone virtually assures that Wilson’s TD passes will increase in 2015. Additionally, the Seahawks selected Kansas State wide receiver Tyler Lockett in the third round of this year’s draft.

BOOM: When a guy ties for the league lead in passing yards, and throws for 33 TDs in what is considered a “down” season, you know the bar is set pretty high. Perhaps it seemed like a bad season because New Orleans failed to reach the postseason for just the second time in the past five seasons. Or maybe it’s because Brees did not record the pinball-like numbers seen in 2011 and 2012, when he had 46 and 43 scores, respectively. If you look at Brees’ 2014 season in isolation, however, it’s not too shabby. His 4,952 passing yards (309.5 per game) tied Ben Roethlisberger for tops in the league. His 33 passing TDs tied Tom Brady for fifth best. In most fantasy leagues, Brees was either fourth or fifth in total QB points. Oh, and

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

| 25

QB

POSITION

REPORTS

remember the time Brees missed a start for the Saints because he was injured? You don’t, because it’s never happened. The last time he sat due to injury was 2004 when he was in San Diego. (The Saints did rest him for a meaningless season finale in 2009.) BUST: The loss of Jimmy Graham will hurt. When defenses were able to contain Graham, Brees wound up looking pretty human. The Saints did virtually nothing in the draft to shore up their offense, other than perhaps drafting Brees’ successor in Garrett Grayson. The addition of C.J. Spiller to the Saints backfield might be a plus, though that is far from a given considering Spiller’s injury history. Brees is 36 years old, and though he keeps himself in terrific shape, it’s likely that his most productive seasons are in the rearview mirror. BOTTOM LINE: Brees is no longer a surefire first-rounder in most fantasy leagues. He remains, however, one of the league’s most effective passers, and, even at 36, is a pretty good bet to answer the bell all 16 times this season. His best statistical seasons may be behind him, but he could represent solid fantasy value after the first three or four QBs are off the board. His age and a relatively soft 2014 season could cause Brees to slip in some fantasy drafts. If that happens in your league, do not hesitate to capitalize.

5 PEYTON MANNING | BRONCOS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 DEN 16 16 | 400 583 | 4,659 | 37 11 9 | 6 0 ’13 DEN 16 16 | 450 659 | 5,477 | 55 10 12 | -31 1 ’14 DEN 16 16 | 395 597 | 4,727 | 39 15 7 | -24 0 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 375 550 | 4,200 | 37 11 6 | -20 0 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: Hey, we’re talking about Peyton Manning here. He has averaged just shy of 44 TD passes over the past three seasons ... 44! In what was considered a disappointing 2014 season, Manning threw for 39 TDs, 4,727 yards and had a scoring pass in 14 of 16 regular season contests. Manning is just one season removed from his record-setting, 55 TD performance of 2013. New coach Gary Kubiak should infuse some life into Denver’s offense, which became increasingly run heavy in 2014. Manning has one of the league’s top targets in Demaryius Thomas. New tight end Owen Daniels and second-year receiver Cody Latimer should provide Manning with some viable alternate targets. BUST: Manning runs like the back end of a giraffe. He has negative 55 yards rushing in the last two seasons (although

Drew Brees

he somehow managed a rushing TD in 2013). As last season progressed, Manning’s struggles increased. He was clearly not right physically the last few weeks of the season. Late in the year, it was revealed that he was playing through a quadriceps injury. He is 39 years old and one has to wonder if a quad injury would have been such an obvious hindrance to a younger QB. Kubiak is considered a solid offensive coach, but this will be a new scheme and an adjustment period is possible. The Broncos will be missing a potent weapon as TE Julius Thomas signed with Jacksonville in the offseason. Wes Welker is also gone, although his

26 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

production had been slipping. BOTTOM LINE: At 39, it’s hard to call Manning a “safe bet.” He’s a stationary target who has had multiple neck surgeries and was dinged up most of last season. However, it’s also pretty difficult to imagine him not producing stats that are above average, at least. He is, after all, Peyton Manning. It’s not impossible that the Peyton from the first half of 2014 sticks around for the entire 2015 season. In that scenario, he has the potential to score as many points as any player in the league. Where Manning should go in your fantasy draft probably has a lot to do with the makeup of your league. If you are playing

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QB

POSITION

REPORTS He has started all 16 games just three times in his 11 seasons. Roethlisberger is streaky: he threw for zero or one TD in half of his 16 starts last year. BOTTOM LINE: Big Ben might be more injury prone than some of the other top QBs, but he is far from unreliable. He has missed nine starts in his last seven seasons, and none in his last two. The Steelers have a balanced attack that has steadily improved since Haley came on board in 2012. Roethlisberger has had a few clunker seasons, but those get further behind him with each passing (no pun intended) year. Grabbing a couple of running backs and a receiver, then selecting Roethlisberger around the fourth round is a fantasy strategy worth considering.

7 TONY ROMO | COWBOYS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 DAL 16 16 | 425 648 | 4,903 | 28 19 9 | 49 1 ’13 DAL 15 15 | 342 535 | 3,828 | 31 10 4 | 38 0 ’14 DAL 15 15 | 304 435 | 3,705 | 34 9 1 | 61 0 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 315 450 | 3,900 | 34 10 4 | 50 0 BYE: WEEK 6

Peyton Manning

in a league full of hard-boiled fantasy vets, then it is possible that Manning slides, and you can get great value by drafting him in the third round or later. If your league is less serious (and has any female owners over a certain age), then it’s more likely that Peyton (he’s such a nice boy!) will be over drafted.

6 BEN ROETHLISBERGER | STEELERS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 PIT 13 13 | 284 449 | 3,265 | 26 8 3 | 92 0 ’13 PIT 16 16 | 375 584 | 4,261 | 28 14 5 | 99 1 ’14 PIT 16 16 | 408 608 | 4,952 | 32 9 9 | 27 0 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 390 600 | 4,400 | 32 11 8 | 25 0 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: In 2014, at age 32, Roethlis­ berger posted a career high in passing yards (4,952) and tied his career high with 32 touchdown passes. He completed 67.1 percent of his throws and had just

nine picks. His yardage total was more than 600 yards greater than his previous best, set in 2009. Roethlisberger threw at least one TD in all but two games, and twice (Weeks 8 and 9) posted six scores. After a rather acrimonious start, Big Ben’s relationship with offensive coordinator Todd Haley evolved into mutual respect and tremendous production. Touchdowns and yards have improved in each of the three years Roethlisberger has played in Haley’s system. In 2014, Le’Veon Bell established himself as one of the league’s best running backs, forcing opposing defense to respect the run and opening up passing lanes. Antonio Brown has been one of the league’s most versatile and dependable receiving targets for several seasons. BUST: Roethlisberger missed at least one start during the seasons 2009-2012 inclusive. He is 33 years old and has an offensive line that has struggled at times.

28 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

BOOM: Romo posted an excellent season in 2014, tossing 34 touchdowns against just nine interceptions. The 34 TDs were the second most in his career, and good for fourth in the NFL, behind just Luck, Manning and Rodgers. His 3,705 yards ranked him behind 13 other QBs, but with the league’s best rushing attack, the Cowboys did not need to throw as often as they have had to in the past. Romo threw a TD in all but one of his starts last season. If you were lucky enough to start him in your league’s Week 16 championship, you were the recipient of his season-best four TDs. Dez Bryant is one of the best targets in the NFL and offers Romo a big, reliable goal-line option. Jason Witten is a steady tight end who allows Dallas to extend drives via clutch receptions. BUST: After a four-year drought, the Cowboys made the playoffs in 2014. Unfortunately, that seems to have gone to their owner’s head. The main factors that got them to last year’s postseason – a solid running attack and rational offseason decision-making – were seemingly abandoned in the winter and spring. The loss of DeMarco Murray could have repercussions in the passing game. By now, it’s probably fair to describe Romo’s back issues as “chronic.” He has missed just two starts in the last two seasons, but he has made regular appearances on the weekly injury report. He is 35 years old and has not had a rushing TD since 2012. BOTTOM LINE: The loss of Murray could be viewed as a positive or a negative. It’s possible that defenses will no

POSITION longer have to respect the run game; it’s also possible Romo will throw more often and post better yardage totals. And don’t rule out the possibility that the Cowboys’ ground success had as much or more to do with their massive offensive line than it did with Murray’s running. Romo is a solid fantasy starter in most leagues. Due to his age, his back, and to the Cowboys’ questionable offseason moves, however, he is not a safe bet. The risk associated with him is significantly higher than it is with the QBs ranked above him. If you take Romo as your starter, you should draft a solid backup.

8 CAM NEWTON | PANTHERS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 CAR 16 16 | 280 485 | 3,869 | 19 12 2 | 741 8 ’13 CAR 16 16 | 292 473 | 3,379 | 24 13 1 | 585 6 ’14 CAR 14 14 | 262 448 | 3,127 | 18 12 1 | 539 5 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 290 470 | 3,500 | 24 12 2 | 500 5 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: Newton enjoyed a couple of decent stretches in the 2014 season. He was most productive in Weeks 10 through 14, when he connected on eight TDs in

QB

REPORTS

four games, including a 306-yard passing performance at Philadelphia and a 292yard day versus Atlanta. Despite dealing with numerous injuries last season, he still managed to rush for 539 yards and five touchdowns. Prior to 2014 when he missed two games, Newton had made 48 consecutive starts in his first three seasons. He should be healthy in 2015, and owners who select him will be hoping for a return of the 2011-2013 Cam, when he averaged more than 21 TDs in the air and nine TDs on the ground per season. BUST: On the whole, at least statistically speaking, 2014 was not a good season for Newton. His 18 TDs, 3,127 yards and 82.1 passer rating were all career lows. His totals on the ground were also the worst of his four-year career. His 18 TD passes were good for 19th among NFL quarterbacks. He has been sacked 152 times, thrown 54 picks, and has lost 27 fumbles in 62 career starts. Despite having a good defense, but virtually no wide receivers that can be identified without a driver’s license, the Panthers selected a defensive player (Shaq Thompson) in the first round. Second round WR/TE Devin Funchess is hardly a

Cam Newton

lock.

BOTTOM LINE: Newton would be a speculative pick, but there is no reason to believe he won’t be healthy in 2015. A healthy Newton will almost undoubtedly produce better than the 2014 version. After a relatively disappointing 2014 campaign, fantasy owners could undervalue him on draft day. He might never again run for 14 scores like he did his rookie season, but he remains a dual threat, and therefore has the potential of being a top 10 – perhaps even top five – fantasy QB. His upside is higher than Romo or Brady, but you’ll need to complement him with another solid QB option. 9 ELI MANNING | GIANTS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 NYG 16 16 | 321 536 | 3,948 | 26 15 3 | 30 0 ’13 NYG 16 16 | 317 551 | 3,818 | 18 27 3 | 36 0 ’14 NYG 16 16 | 379 601 | 4,410 | 30 14 5 | 31 1 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 375 600 | 4,200 | 28 15 4 | 25 0 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: Manning might be the Rodney Dangerfield of fantasy quarterbacks. (For younger readers, that means he gets no respect.) All he did in 2014 was throw for 4,410 yards (sixth in the league) and 30 touchdowns (ninth in the league). He racked up those totals despite the fact that wide receivers Odell Beckham and Victor Cruz missed time with injuries. If both of those dynamic targets (especially Beckham) register a full season in 2015, Manning should improve on his already impressive ’14 totals. To improve Manning’s protection, the Giants drafted OT Ereck Flowers with the 9th overall pick of the 2015 draft. They also added RB Shane Vereen via free agency. Vereen is a gifted receiver and will give Eli an option out of the backfield. Manning has started 16 regular games for 10 consecutive seasons. BUST: Manning had a miserable season in 2013, throwing for only 18 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. He was picked off just 14 times last season, but has thrown for 20 or more in three seasons. Manning has lost four or more fumbles in five different seasons. Even with the addition of Flowers, New York’s line needs to improve. Manning will turn 35 in January. BOTTOM LINE: Manning has had an up-and-down career. Statistically speaking, 2014 was an “up.” Having Odell Beckham – perhaps the league’s best emerging receiver – gives Manning a real boost. Eli has reached 30 TDs just twice – his 30 last season and 31 in 2010. He has a great shot at improving on that total in 2015. He has thrown for more than 4,000 yards four times – last season, 2011, 2010 and 2009. His best yardage season, by far,

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

| 29

QB was 2011 when he threw for more than 4,900 yards. For 2015, 4,500 yards and 32 TDs would seem to be achievable goals for Manning. Those projections, coupled with his durability, make Manning a solid fantasy starter in most leagues.

10 MATT RYAN | FALCONS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 ATL 16 16 | 422 615 | 4,719 | 32 14 7 | 141 1 ’13 ATL 16 16 | 439 651 | 4,515 | 26 17 7 | 55 0 ’14 ATL 16 16 | 415 628 | 4,694 | 28 14 6 | 145 0 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 400 600 | 4,100 | 29 16 5 | 75 0 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: Ryan’s 4,694 passing yards in 2014 ranked him fifth, behind only Brees, Roethlisberger, Luck and Manning. He completed two thirds of his attempts and posted a solid 93.9 passer rating. Ryan gets a nice boost from WR Julio Jones, one of the league’s most dangerous receivers. Although past his prime, Roddy White is still a reliable target. Atlanta lost No. 3 WR Harry Douglas to free agency, but replaced him with rookie Justin Hardy out of East Carolina. The Falcons also drafted Tevin Coleman to give their ground attack a much-needed boost. A better running

POSITION

REPORTS

game certainly would provide Ryan more opportunities to connect with Jones on deep throws. Matty Ice has thrown at least 26 TDs for six consecutive seasons and has not missed a start in that span. Highly regarded OC Kyle Shanahan joined the Falcons in the offseason. It would not be surprising if Ryan flourishes in the new system. BUST: The only good thing you can say about the 31 sacks Ryan endured in 2014 is that it was an improvement from the 44 times he was pummeled in 2013. Atlanta’s offensive line has been atrocious. The poor line play not only leads to a severe beating for Ryan, it also limits the ground attack, which creates third and longs … which leads to more sacks. Shanahan will look for better ways to protect Ryan, and he will find ways to get the ball in the air sooner. However, if Ryan is to post better numbers in 2015, the line play will need to improve. And Ryan is far from a dual threat – he has five career rushing TDs and none since 2012. BOTTOM LINE: Ryan might be one of the most boring picks in fantasy football, but he is a solid fantasy starter in nearly all league formats. His numbers are more likely than not to improve under

Shanahan. His durability and consistency will allow fantasy owners to select him in the mid rounds and then focus on other positions.

11 PHILIP RIVERS | CHARGERS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 SD 16 16 | 338 527 | 3,606 | 26 15 2 | 40 0 ’13 SD 16 16 | 378 544 | 4,478 | 32 11 5 | 72 0 ’14 SD 16 16 | 379 570 | 4,286 | 31 18 4 | 102 0 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 375 575 | 4,100 | 28 15 4 | 70 0 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: Through the first eight games of 2014, no QB was hotter than Rivers. In the first half of the year, he threw for 20 TDs and eclipsed 280 yards passing on four occasions. He cooled off in the second half, but still managed 31 TDs and 4,296 yards for the season. He is very comfortable in coach Mike McCoy’s QBfriendly system, and will be entering his third consecutive season in the scheme. The Chargers added Melvin Gordon in the draft, which should bolster the run game and provide Rivers another target out of the backfield. Many of the top-rated fantasy QBs are durable, but Rivers is an ironman among ironmen. He has made 16 starts in nine consecutive seasons … Yes, nine. BUST: Rivers was sacked 36 times and was picked off 18 times in 2014. The Chargers have an atrocious offensive line. Most analysts thought they would address that in the draft, but they did not (they did sign FA guard Orlando Franklin). If you do the math, you’ll quickly ascertain that Rivers threw only 11 TDs in the second half of 2014. San Diego’s receiving corps is mediocre, at best. TE Antonio Gates, a former top target, is on the decline. Rivers will turn 34 in December. He has one rushing touchdown in the past five years. His last 40-yard dash was clocked with a sun dial. BOTTOM LINE: Fantasy-wise, Rivers and Ryan are pretty much the same guy. Ryan might have a little more upside potential based on the unknown of having a new coordinator, but their stats likely will be similar. If your strategy is to wait to draft a QB and you want someone who answers the bell each week, Ryan, I mean Rivers, is your guy. 12 TOM BRADY | PATRIOTS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 NE 16 16 | 401 637 | 4,827 | 34 8 8 | 32 4 ’13 NE 16 16 | 380 628 | 4,343 | 25 11 6 | 18 0 ’14 NE 16 16 | 373 582 | 4,109 | 33 9 5 | 57 0 ’15 Proj: 13 13 | 325 500 | 3,600 | 28 5 4 | 25 1 BYE: WEEK 4 Philip Rivers

30 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

BOOM: 2014 was far from “deflating” for owners who selected Tom Brady in

POSITION the middle to later rounds. After throwing just 25 TDs in 2013, Brady rebounded with a more “Brady-like” 2014, throwing for 33 scores and 4,100 yards against only nine interceptions. He completed 64% of his passes and recorded a 97.4 passer rating. Brady was sacked just 21 times and lost only three fumbles as the Patriots reached their sixth Super Bowl in the past 14 years. Brady was at his best in Weeks 6 through 9 when he connected on 16 touchdowns in four games. He began the season rather slowly, with just one TD pass per game in each of the first four weeks. From Week 5 on, however, he was money, connecting on at least two scores through Week 15. After missing nearly all of the 2008 season, Brady has started 96 consecutive regular seasons games and has not missed a start due to injury in six seasons. With Rob Gronkowski, Brandon LaFell and Julian Edelman, Brady has no shortage of reliable targets. BUST: Obviously, the biggest drawback to Brady is the suspension he will serve to open the season which as of press time was 4 games prior to his appeal. Missing up to a quarter of the season pushes him down behind at least four other QBs. Brady will be 38 when the 2015 season begins. He ran for four scores in 2012, but has not had a rushing TD since then. BOTTOM LINE: Outside of his suspension, Brady is a pretty safe fantasy pick. He’s unlikely to post huge numbers, but he should average about 2 TDs and 275 yards per game. Brady is a viable option for fantasy owners who want to wait a few rounds before addressing the QB position. Unfortunately, if you draft Brady, you’ll need to select another viable starter for the first few games.

13 MATTHEW STAFFORD | LIONS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 DET 16 16 | 435 727 | 4,967 | 20 17 8 | 126 4 ’13 DET 16 16 | 371 634 | 4,650 | 29 19 6 | 69 2 ’14 DET 16 16 | 363 602 | 4,257 | 22 12 4 | 93 2 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 370 615 | 4,100 | 24 14 5 | 75 1 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: The first overall pick in the 2009 draft, Stafford possesses a powerful arm, and his primary target, Calvin Johnson, is one of the top, if not the top, receiver in the NFL. Under new coach Jim Caldwell, the Lions clawed their way to a playoff berth in 2014. Stafford finished the season on a bit of a hot streak, throwing nine touchdowns in his last five games. Included in that streak were two 300-yard efforts against Chicago and Tampa Bay in Weeks 13 and 14. The Lions drafted guard Laken Tomlinson in the first round to help improve their protection and running attack. Stafford has made all 16 starts in

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four straight seasons. BUST: Stafford’s passing yards have decreased in four consecutive years. In 2014, he was sacked 45 times (a career high). After posting a phenomenal season in 2011 with 41 TD passes, he has not crested 30 since then, and had just 22 scoring tosses in 2014. In his first year under Caldwell, Stafford’s TDs and yards decreased significantly. In his first two seasons, Stafford missed a great deal of time to injury. Although he has not missed any time in four years, he does get dinged up quite a bit. BOTTOM LINE: Stafford tends to get over drafted in fantasy leagues due to the fact that he has a strong arm and gets to throw the ball to Megatron. And, perhaps, fantasy owners still remember that 2011 season and think maybe, just maybe, he can recreate the magic. At this point, the evidence suggests he will remain a mediocre fantasy QB. However, his upside makes him an excellent selection as your backup.

stats playing in a faster-paced offense is a projection, and probably an optimistic one at that. With two career rushing TDs, Bradford won’t get you many points on the ground. BOTTOM LINE: In five NFL seasons, Bradford has been healthy for just 49 games. He has missed an average of 6.2 games per season. The change of scenery might do him good, but it’s a leap to assume that he’ll post huge numbers just because he’s piloting Kelly’s offense. In Kelly’s two seasons, the Eagles have played in just one playoff game, which they lost. Mike Vick, Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez posted mediocre fantasy stats when playing for the Eagles under Kelly. Drafting Bradford as a fantasy starter is an endorsement of both Bradford and Kelly. The feeling here is that the former will be in the NFL longer than the latter, but that neither is worth much of a gamble.

15 RYAN TANNEHILL | DOLPHINS

14 SAM BRADFORD | EAGLES

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 STL 16 16 | 328 551 | 3,702 | 21 13 3 | 124 1 ’13 STL 7 7 | 159 262 | 1,687 | 14 4 1 | 31 0 ’14 STL Missed season with injury ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 300 530 | 4,000 | 24 11 5 | 0 0 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Before a knee injury sidelined him after seven games in 2013, Bradford was on pace for 32 TDs and 3,900 yards passing. Chip Kelly thought enough of Bradford – the first player taken in the 2010 draft – to send QB Nick Foles and draft picks to St. Louis in exchange for his services. That’s a lot of confidence in a guy who missed most of 2013 and all of 2014 with two different knee injuries. Bradford’s college experience was in an up-tempo offense at Oklahoma and the Eagles’ brass feels that his previous college success is indicative of what he can become. BUST: Of course, after trading for Bradford, Kelly had to go and spoil the buzz by attempting to trade up for Marcus Mariota. There’s a real possibility here that Kelly is not nearly as smart as he thinks he is, and clearly he thinks he’s pretty smart. In five seasons, Bradford has played 16 games only twice, and those seasons did not offer much evidence that Bradford will be a future fantasy force. In his 2010 rookie campaign, he threw just 18 TDs against 15 interceptions. After missing six games in 2011, he rebounded with a full season in 2012. He played better, but still only managed 21 TD passes. Assuming that he will post significantly better

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 MIA 16 16 | 282 484 | 3,294 | 12 13 1 | 211 2 ’13 MIA 16 16 | 355 588 | 3,913 | 24 17 5 | 238 1 ’14 MIA 16 16 | 392 590 | 4,045 | 27 12 2 | 311 1 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 370 575 | 3,800 | 24 13 3 | 200 0 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: Tannehill took a nice step forward in 2014. For the first time in his career, he topped 4,000 yards and also threw for a career-best 27 TDs. In fact, Tannehill has steadily improved in all three of his NFL seasons. Every meaningful stat (TD passes, passing yards, passer rating, turnover ratio, etc.) has improved each season. If that trend continues in 2015, you’re probably looking at about 30 TD passes and 4,200 yards, and those numbers seem achievable. While not quite a “dual threat,” he has averaged more than 250 yards rushing per season. With their first pick in the 2015 draft, the Dolphins selected WR DaVante Parker out of Louisville. Parker is large and fast and should wind up being Tannehill’s goto receiver as soon as this season. BUST: The Dolphins did not address their porous offensive line until the fourth round of the draft. Tannehill has been sacked 139 times in just three seasons. TE Charles Clay, one of Tannehill’s favorite targets, left via free agency this offseason. Miami did sign Jordan Cameron, a surehanded tight end who has been dealing with concussion problems. BOTTOM LINE: Tannehill’s progress has been steady and impressive. He has all the tools to be an upper-echelon QB. He has made all 48 starts in his three seasons. Tannehill likely will last until the later rounds in your fantasy draft, and

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QB could wind up being a steal.

16 JOE FLACCO | RAVENS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 BAL 16 16 | 317 531 | 3,817 | 22 10 5 | 22 3 ’13 BAL 16 16 | 362 614 | 3,912 | 19 22 3 | 131 1 ’14 BAL 16 16 | 344 554 | 3,986 | 27 12 5 | 70 2 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 325 500 | 3,800 | 25 15 4 | 50 1 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: Flacco produced career-high totals in passing yards and passing touchdowns. His 91.0 rating was also tops in his career. He threw just 12 interceptions, was sacked just 19 times and lost zero fumbles. He has started 112 consecutive games – he has never missed a start for injury, or for any other reason. Flacco will have more targets in 2015: the Ravens added WR Breshad Perriman and TE Maxx Williams with their first two draft picks. Flacco won’t get you many yards on the ground, but he has had at least one rushing TD in all but one of his pro seasons. BUST: Knowing that the 27 TDs and 3,986 yards posted in 2014 were the best in Flacco’s seven-year career should temper your expectations. Flacco threw five TDs in a Week 6 pasting of the Bucs, but he has no other weeks with as many as three TD passes. BOTTOM LINE: Baltimore is a perennial playoff team and Flacco is firmly entrenched as the starter. He’s coming off his best campaign and has intriguing new targets. He has never been a top 10 QB in terms of fantasy production, however, and there’s no reason to expect that to change in 2015. 17 COLIN KAEPERNICK | 49ERS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 SF 13 7 | 136 218 | 1,814 | 10 3 0 | 415 5 ’13 SF 16 16 | 243 416 | 3,197 | 21 8 2 | 524 4 ’14 SF 16 16 | 289 478 | 3,369 | 19 10 1 | 639 1 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 280 475 | 3,400 | 20 11 3 | 550 2 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: Last season, Kaepernick set career-highs with 3,369 yards passing and 639 yards rushing. He burst on the scene in 2012, registering five rushing TDs in just seven starts. He led the 49ers to the Super Bowl that year and was one play away from a championship. BUST: Although he ran for more yards in 2014 than 2013, his rushing TDs fell from four to just one. His passing TDs also dipped; from 21 in 2013 to 19 last season. San Francisco seems to be going the wrong way as a franchise. After three consecutive seasons in the NFC title game, the team failed to make the playoffs last season and parted ways with

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head coach Jim Harbaugh. BOTTOM LINE: Kaepernick is a very talented runner and will likely improve from his single rushing TD in 2014. Consider that a fluke. However, it seems unlikely that he’ll post anything better than mediocre passing stats. The 49ers could be bad in 2015. If things get ugly in San Francisco, anything could happen, including a change at the quarterback position. Consider Kaepernick a No. 2 fantasy QB with some upside based on his legs.

18 DEREK CARR | RAIDERS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’14 OAK 16 16 | 348 599 | 3,270 | 21 12 1 | 92 0 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 350 600 | 3,400 | 22 11 2 | 75 0 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: Carr was the most accomplished QB of the 2014 rookie class. Though just the fourth QB drafted in 2014, he started all 16 games for the Raiders, throwing for 3,270 yards and 24 touchdowns. The Raiders feel so strongly about his abilities that they passed on DE Leonard Williams in the 2015 draft, selecting instead WR Amari Cooper from Alabama. Cooper will give Carr something he did not have last season: a dynamic and reliable target. Despite playing behind a mediocre offensive line, Carr’s quick release kept him out of harm’s way. He was sacked just 24 times, a remarkably low total for a rookie playing on a bad team. BUST: Carr still needs to improve … a lot. His 76.6 passer rating was better only than the ratings of Bortles and Brian Hoyer (minimum 200 attempts). Carr went without a TD pass in four games, had just six games with multiple TDs, and threw for 300 yards only once. BOTTOM LINE: Carr should improve in 2015. He’s a talented passer who weathered a tough storm in his rookie season. There is a large gap, however, between his rookie production and becoming a fantasy starter. He’s not a lock to be drafted in every fantasy league, but he is worth a late-round flier in larger leagues. 19 TEDDY BRIDGEWATER | VIKINGS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’14 MIN 13 12 | 259 402 | 2,919 | 14 12 3 | 209 1 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 325 500 | 3,500 | 20 14 4 | 200 0 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: After Matt Cassel went down with an injury, Bridgewater stepped in and started 12 of the Vikings’ final 13 games. He improved as the season went on. Ten of his 14 touchdown passes came in his last six starts. Fairly mobile, Bridgewater

32 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

accounted for 249 yards rushing and three TDs in his rookie campaign. In his second year, the former Louisville signal-caller comes in as the clear starter. With Adrian Peterson back in the fold, Minnesota’s offense should be effective. BUST: Bridgewater did not throw a TD until his third NFL start and did not throw for more than a single TD until his seventh start. He never threw for more than two scores. Outside of Peterson, the Vikings do not have a plethora of offensive weapons. They signed Mike Wallace in the offseason, but did not address offensive skill positions until later in the draft. BOTTOM LINE: If you’re looking for a late-round QB who offers some upside, Carr and Bridgewater are intriguing options. Neither has much of a résumé, unlike, say, Flacco or Andy Dalton. In the draft’s later rounds, inexperience can sometimes equal value. Either secondyear signal-caller could break out in 2015. Carr’s ascendancy seems a bit more likely, but Bridgewater also has a shot to jump up a level in his second year.

20 ANDY DALTON | BENGALS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 CIN 16 16 | 329 528 | 3,669 | 27 16 3 | 120 4 ’13 CIN 16 16 | 363 586 | 4,293 | 33 20 5 | 183 2 ’14 CIN 16 16 | 309 481 | 3,398 | 19 17 3 | 169 4 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 320 500 | 3,400 | 21 16 3 | 100 1 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: In his four-year career, Dalton has started all 64 regular season games for the Bengals. He’s thrown for at least 19 TDs and 3,300 in every season. He improved in his first three NFL seasons and his high-water mark for production came in 2013, when he passed for nearly 4,300 yards and connected on 33 TD passes. He has 11 career rushing touchdowns including four in both 2012 and last season. In Giovani Bernard, Mohamed Sanu and A.J. Green, Cincinnati has plenty of viable offensive options for Dalton to exploit. The Bengals committed to offensive improvement this year when they drafted tackles Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher in the first and second rounds, respectively, and tight end Tyler Kroft in the third. BUST: Dalton regressed, severely, in 2014. He finished 16th among all QBs in passing yards and 17th in passing touchdowns. It was his lowest output in passing TDs (19) and tied with his rookie year for the fewest passing yards (3,398). BOTTOM LINE: A return to 2013 production would make Dalton a borderline starter in larger fantasy leagues. Stats like last season aren’t

POSITION even good enough to warrant a spot on a fantasy roster. Expect something better than last season, but shy of the 33 TD passes thrown in 2013.

21 NICK FOLES | RAMS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 PHI 7 6 | 161 265 | 1,699 | 6 5 2 | 42 1 ’13 PHI 13 10 | 203 317 | 2,891 | 27 2 2 | 221 3 ’14 PHI 8 8 | 186 311 | 2,163 | 13 10 4 | 68 0 ’15 Proj: 14 14 | 280 475 | 3,100 | 21 8 2 | 125 1 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Foles showed real promise when he took over for Michael Vick early in the 2013 season. In just 10 starts, he threw for 27 touchdwons and only two interceptions. He also ran for three scores. He was injured in 2014, but gets a chance to start fresh in St. Louis. He enters the season as the clear starter. The Rams know they need to improve on the offensive side of the ball. They selected offensive players with their first seven picks in the 2015 draft. Their first-round selection was Georgia RB Todd Gurley, who, if healthy, should be a real shot in the arm for an offense in desperate need of one. BUST: Unfortunately for Foles, the Rams used one of those picks (third round) on QB Sean Mannion. Not exactly a vote of confidence for their new signal caller. Foles is coming off a broken collarbone. He has never started 16 games in a season. He regressed in 2014, even before the injury. In eight starts, he threw just 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He had no rushing TDs in 2014 and his completion percentage was just 59.8 percent, compared to the 64 percent he posted in 2013. BOTTOM LINE: If all goes well, and Foles starts all 16 games, he could post decent numbers and be worthy of a fantasy roster spot. Best-case scenario is he becomes a borderline starter. Worstcase scenario is that he gets injured, or plays poorly and is replaced by Mannion.

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best of his career. BUST: Sounds like Cutler had a pretty successful 2014, huh? Not hardly. In fact, the factoids in “BOOM” actually point to a pretty mediocre QB, not to a productive 2014 season. BOTTOM LINE: Because former general manager Phil Emery decided to make Cutler one of the highest-paid players in NFL history – despite a total lack of evidence that he was a top-flight QB – Cutler again enters the season as the Bears’ clear-cut starter at quarterback. Look for new coach John Fox and new OC Adam Gase to install a run-first offense.

Don’t be surprised if Cutler actually enjoys a little bit of success in the new system. Do be surprised, however, if that modicum of success leads to stats worthy of drafting Cutler on your fantasy team.

23 ROBERT GRIFFIN III | WASHINGTON

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 WAS 15 15 | 258 393 | 3,200 | 20 5 3 | 815 7 ’13 WAS 13 13 | 274 456 | 3,203 | 16 12 3 | 489 0 ’14 WAS 9 7 | 147 214 | 1,694 | 4 6 1 | 176 1 ’15 Proj: 11 11 | 225 400 | 2,800 | 17 8 1 | 200 2 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Griffin burst on the scene

22 JAY CUTLER | BEARS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 CHI 15 15 | 255 434 | 3,033 | 19 14 1 | 233 0 ’13 CHI 11 11 | 224 355 | 2,621 | 19 12 2 | 118 0 ’14 CHI 15 15 | 370 561 | 3,812 | 28 18 4 | 191 2 ’15 Proj: 14 14 | 350 550 | 3,500 | 20 17 2 | 75 0 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: Would you believe that Cutler’s 2014 passer rating of 88.6 was the second best of his nine-year career? It’s true. Some other fun factoids: His 3,812 passing yards were also the second-best total of career. His 28 TD passes and 66 percent completion percentage were actually the

Robert Griffin III

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QB during his rookie campaign in 2012. In 15 starts, he threw only 15 TD passes, but added seven rushing scores and 815 yards on the ground. He was only picked off five times in his rookie season. Washington looked justified in paying a king’s ransom to trade up and draft Griffin. BUST: RGIII has been on a slide since that rookie season. In 2013, he started 13 games, threw 18 TDs and 12 interceptions. Most disturbingly, his rushing yardage fell to 489 and he failed to score on the ground. But 2013 looked good compared to his nightmare 2014 season. Last year, he started seven games and managed only four passing touchdowns. He looks like a square peg in a round hole in coach Jay Gruden’s offense. He has been injured in all three of his NFL seasons. It’s beginning to seem possible that his body is not made to withstand the rigors of a pro season. BOTTOM LINE: For fantasy owners, selecting Griffin is purely a speculative pick. He might be worth a late-round selection based solely on the very unlikely scenario he recaptures his rookie magic.

24 CARSON PALMER | CARDINALS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 OAK 15 15 | 345 565 | 4,018 | 22 14 6 | 36 1 ’13 ARI 16 16 | 362 572 | 4,274 | 24 22 5 | 3 0 ’14 ARI 6 6 | 141 224 | 1,626 | 11 3 2 | 25 0 ’15 Proj: 12 12 | 275 425 | 2,900 | 16 8 3 | 0 0 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: Injury limited Palmer to six

starts in 2014. Projected over an entire season, however, he was on his way to 29 passing touchdowns and 4,300 yards. Both of those totals would have been career highs. Arizona should be a good team again in 2015. Palmer has solid veteran receiving targets in Larry Fitgerald and Michael Floyd. John Brown is an emerging home-run threat. The Cardinals drafted OT D.J. Humphries in the first round and running back David Johnson in the third. Both players should be key contributors in 2015. Although Palmer is often characterized as an “oftinjured” player, it’s only fair to note that he has started all 16 regular season games six times in his career. BUST: Palmer turns 36 in December. He has missed some time in three of the last four seasons. In 2013, he was sacked 41 times. In an effort to keep Palmer healthy, coach Bruce Arians likely will take a conservative approach to his offense. BOTTOM LINE: There does not seem to be a lot of upside to selecting Palmer for your fantasy team. In an age when so many QBs are starting all 16 games for their teams, he carries a significant risk of injury. If he does remain on the field for

POSITION

REPORTS

the entire season, Palmer is likely to post mid-level stats.

25 JAMEIS WINSTON | BUCCANEERS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’15 Proj: 16 16 | 275 500 | 2,900 | 15 15 1 | 100 0 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: Winston posted incredible stats in college. He threw for 65 touchdowns and nearly 8,000 yards in just 27 games. He won all but one of his 27 starts. He played in a pro-style offense and has a pro-caliber arm. He won’t be mistaken for an Abercrombie and Fitch model, but he has functional running ability and likely will score a couple of rushing TDs. Winston heads into 2015 as the Bucs’ clear starter at QB. Tampa Bay has a strong receiving corps. BUST: He threw 18 interceptions last season and seems to suffer from a fundamental lack of maturity, (at best). There will undoubtedly be an adjustment period for the rookie (see Bortles, Blake). BOTTOM LINE: Even if he’s all that is advertised, Winston is unlikely to post the kind of numbers that would warrant making him a fantasy starter. He likely will be drafted in your league, due primarily to name recognition. Winston might be worth a late-round flier, but don’t reach.

He’s never thrown for more than 23 TDs or 3,400 yards in a season and he is no longer much of a threat to score more than a garbage TD on the ground. With little upside and a greater injury history than many similarly ranked QBs, he’s probably not even a good option as a backup.

27 BLAKE BORTLES | JAGUARS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’14 JAC 14 13 | 280 475 | 2,908 | 11 17 1 | 419 0 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 300 500 | 3,100 | 14 14 2 | 200 0 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: The Jaguars had planned to ease Bortles into the lineup, but injury and ineffectiveness thrust him into a starting role in 2014. He started 13 games and threw for 2,903 yards. He enters his second season as the entrenched starter. BUST: Bortles’ rookie season was ugly. He threw 11 touchdowns and 17 interceptions and was sacked 55 times. He threw just three TDs over his final six starts and never threw more than two TDs in any game. The Jaguars have a dearth of established receiving options and did not do much to address that in the offseason. BOTTOM LINE: Hard to see Bortles as more than a No. 3 QB in leagues that allow you to carry a large bench. 28 MARCUS MARIOTA | TITANS

26 ALEX SMITH | CHIEFS

’12 SF 10 9 | 153 218 | 1,737 | 13 5 1 | 132 0 ’13 KC 15 15 | 308 508 | 3,313 | 23 7 0 | 431 1 ’14 KC 15 15 | 303 464 | 3,265 | 18 6 1 | 254 1 ’15 Proj: 14 14 | 275 450 | 3,000 | 15 8 1 | 150 0 BYE: WEEK 9

’15 Proj: 15 14 | 270 460 | 3,000 | 12 12 1 | 350 2 BYE: WEEK 4

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

BOOM: To address a severe lack of wide receiver production, Kansas City signed free agent WR Jeremy Maclin in the offseason. Maclin should provide a spark to the KC offense, giving Smith a go-to option he has not had in the past. TE Travis Kelce is coming off a rookie season in which he caught 67 balls and five TDs. Smith’s 3,265 passing yards and 93.4 passer rating both represented the second-best production of his 10-year career. BUST: Smith threw just 18 TDs last season. Almost inconceivably, none of his touchdown passes went to wide receivers. His career-best in touchdowns was 2013, when he threw 23 – the only time in his career he had 20 or more scoring passes. Once considered a dual threat, he has just two rushing TDs in the past three seasons. He has missed at least one start for three consecutive seasons. BOTTOM LINE: It’s possible that Smith improves on his 2014 totals, but it’s hard to get excited about him as a fantasy QB.

34 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

BOOM: Mariota should get the chance to start right away. He has the potential to be the best running QB in the history of the game. The Titans drafted Dorial Green-Beckham in the second round. Green-Beckham has a rare size/speed combination that could help Mariota find early success. He is a hard worker and should improve as the season progresses. BUST: Again, there is always a rookie adjustment period. Mariota will be playing in an offensive system that is unfamiliar to him. And he’ll be playing for a bad team. BOTTOM LINE: Like Winston, Mariota likely will be drafted in many fantasy leagues. If he falls to the very end of your draft, his running potential makes him worth consideration. 29 GENO SMITH | JETS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’13 NYJ 16 16 | 247 443 | 3,046 | 12 21 1 | 366 6 ’14 NYJ 14 13 | 219 367 | 2,525 | 13 13 2 | 238 1 ’15 Proj: 11 10 | 200 350 | 2,500 | 13 10 1 | 200 2 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: Smith finished the season on a high note, completing 20 of 25 passes

POSITION for 358 yards and three TDs at Miami in the season finale. New York’s coaching staff will give Smith every chance to win and keep the starting job. They know that journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick is a stopgap, if he’s even that. The Jets added WR Brandon Marshall in the offseason and they drafted deep-threat Devin Smith in the second round. BUST: It would be inaccurate to say that Smith regressed during his second season. He’s been terrible in both of his NFL seasons. After two years, he’s thrown for a total of 25 TDs and 34 interceptions. He ran for six scores in his rookie season, but just one in 2014. The Jets traded up to draft QB Bryce Petty in the fourth round. Smith will have a short leash. BOTTOM LINE: Smith is draftable, only if you feel that the Miami finale was a sign of things to come. If the Jets believed that, they would not have added Ryan Fitzpatrick and Bryce Petty.

30 MATT CASSEL | BILLS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 KC 9 8 | 161 277 | 1,796 | 6 12 1 | 145 1 ’13 MIN 9 6 | 153 254 | 1,807 | 11 9 1 | 57 1 | 3 4 0 | 18 0 ’14 MIN 3 3 | 41 71 | 425 ’15 Proj: 8 8 | 160 275 | 1,900 | 11 9 1 | 50 1 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Cassel should get a chance to start for a Buffalo team that has viable weapons in newcomers RB LeSean McCoy and WR Percy Harvin, and second-year WR Sammie Watkins. Given a chance as a full-time starter for Kansas City in 2010, Cassel threw for 27 TDs and just seven picks. BUST: Cassel is a journeyman. He has never started 16 games in a season and he has started just 17 games in the last three seasons. If he struggles or gets dinged up, Buffalo will turn to EJ Manuel. BOTTOM LINE: If Cassel is the fulltime starter, he might be a viable fantasy backup. If history is any indication, however, the Bills are likely to start more than one QB in 2015. 31 JOSH McCOWN | BROWNS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

| 0 | 0 0 0 | 0 0 ’12 CHI 0 0 | 0 0 ’13 CHI 8 5 | 149 224 | 1,829 | 13 1 3 | 69 1 ’14 TB 11 11 | 184 327 | 2,206 | 11 14 2 | 127 3 ’15 Proj: 11 10 | 180 325 | 2,000 | 10 10 0 | 100 1 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: In 2013 with the Bears, McCown played in eight games, starting five of them. In that short span, he was remarkably proficient, throwing 13 TDs and just one interception. After bombing with Tampa Bay last year, he gets another

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chance to start in Cleveland. BUST: Lovie Smith and the Bucs signed McCown before the 2014 season to be their starting QB. It proved to be the epitome of “out-of-town stupid.” McCown started just 11 games and threw only 11 TDs against 14 interceptions. He was awful. BOTTOM LINE: McCown is not the clear-cut starter in Cleveland, and, even if he were, the evidence suggests that he can’t be productive for a full season.

32 RYAN MALLETT | TEXANS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

| 17 | 0 1 0 | -9 0 ’12 NE 4 0 | 1 4 | 0 | 0 0 0 | 0 0 ’13 NE 0 0 | 0 0 | 2 2 0 | -2 0 ’14 HOU 3 2 | 41 75 | 400 ’15 Proj: 8 8 | 125 210 | 1,400 | 9 9 0 | 0 0 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: Mallett is 6-foot-6 and weighs 245 pounds. He possesses prototypical NFL arm strength and he can make every throw. Houston signed Mallett in 2014 because of his tremendous upside. He’ll get a chance to win the starting job in 2015. BUST: He’s thrown just 79 passes in four seasons, with 75 of those attempts coming last year for the Texans. He completed just 41 of last year’s passes (54.2 percent), throwing two TDs and two interceptions. To say he’s a work in progress is an understatement. There is no guarantee he’ll see the field in 2015. Mallett had character issues coming out of college. New England gave up on him for a reason. BOTTOM LINE: Mallett is ranked ahead of Brian Hoyer – even though Hoyer has the inside shot at the starting gig – because of his potential upside. Monitor this positional battle throughout the preseason. 33 BRIAN HOYER | TEXANS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

| 1 2 0 | 6 0 ’12 ARI 2 1 | 30 53 | 330 | 5 3 1 | 16 0 ’13 CLE 3 3 | 57 96 | 615 ’14 CLE 14 13 | 242 438 | 3,326 | 12 13 3 | 39 0 ’15 Proj: 9 8 | 125 210 | 1,300 | 8 7 0 | 50 0 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: Hoyer emerged as a starter last season. He finished with 3,326 yards in 13 starts. BUST: Hoyer played for four teams in seven years before he finally won a spot as a full-time starter. As the No. 1 in Cleveland last season, he threw more picks (13) than touchdowns (12). His 76.5 passer rating was among the worst in the NFL. He does not run well. He will have to earn the starting job in Houston. If he

does, he is not a lock to keep it. BOTTOM LINE: From a fantasy perspective, there really isn’t much to like about Hoyer. If he does emerge as the starter in Houston, he might be worth a roster spot in very large leagues.

34 JOHNNY MANZIEL | BROWNS

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

| 0 2 0 | 29 1 ’14 CLE 5 2 | 18 35 | 175 ’15 Proj: 9 6 | 100 185 | 1,150 | 5 6 0 | 150 2 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: A dynamic playmaker in college, Manziel was selected by the Browns in the first round of the 2014 draft. He flashed some of his talent coming off the bench during Week 13 in Buffalo. The Browns still lost 26-10, but Manziel managed to complete 5 of 8 passes and he ran for a score. In the offseason, Manziel checked into rehab in an effort to get his life, and his career, back on track. BUST: Manziel finished 55th in passing yards last season, behind notable backups such as Connor Shaw and Brandon Weeden. He completed 51 percent of his passes, threw for no TDs, and basically looked like a clueless idiot. BOTTOM LINE: It is rumored that the Browns were trying to get rid of Manziel in the offseason. He was not well liked by coaches or teammates and some wonder if he’ll ever make an NFL impact. If he does get things back on track and is named Cleveland’s starter, he would be worth a late-round flier. 35 MARK SANCHEZ | EAGLES

PASS PASS 300 RUSHING YR TEAM GP GS COMP ATT YDS TD INT YD YDS TD

’12 NYJ 15 15 | 246 453 | 2,883 | 13 18 3 | 28 0 ’13 NYJ Missed season with injury ’14 PHI 9 8 | 198 309 | 2,418 | 14 11 4 | 87 1 | 3 3 0 | 25 0 ’15 Proj: 4 2 | 75 140 | 800 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Sanchez threw for 2,400 yards last year in just about one-half of a season. He completed 64 percent of his passes and connected on 14 TDs. He seems well equipped to run the Eagles’ offense, and he backs up the oft-injured Sam Bradford. It is more likely than not he’ll see the field in 2015. BUST: He threw 11 interceptions to go with those 14 TDs. In four years as the Jets’ starter, he threw for at least 20 TDs just once (2011). BOTTOM LINE: If you draft Bradford as your starter (which is risky), you might want to draft Sanchez as insurance. Otherwise, he’s probably not worth a roster spot, unless Bradford is injured. In that case, he’ll be a popular waiver pickup.

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FANTASY

Running backs Few safe bets among top fantasy RBs PAT FITZMAURICE

U By

ncertainty at the top of the RB rankings should make the first round of fantasy drafts rather interesting this year. The pecking order of top-tier running backs isn’t clear-cut, and this tier doesn’t include as many names as it does in most years. Owners who find comfort in drafting a running back in the first round year after year might be put into an uncomfortable spot if they have a back-end pick, as the list of seemingly safe bets at running back will be exhausted quickly. These owners may want to strongly consider trying something different, since there are several receivers (and a tight end) who hold first-round value, and grabbing a star pass catcher late in the first round is a better move than overdrafting a second-tier runner. Jamaal Charles is our highestrated running back, and he figures to go first overall in a lot of drafts. Le’Veon Bell might have been the near-consensus No. 1 running back if he weren’t facing an early-season suspension stemming from his arrest last year for DUI and marijuana possession. Obviously, Bell’s absence the first few weeks of the season saps some of his fantasy value, and it will be interesting to see how far he slides in drafts. Adrian Peterson is a proven star who merits early consideration, but he missed nearly all of last season after being charged with felony child abuse for using a switch to discipline his 4-year-old son. A season of non-activity and the resulting acrimony between Peterson and the Vikings may scare

CONSENSUS

Top FANTASY RUNNING BACKS 1. JAMAAL CHARLES | CHIEFS 2. ADRIAN PETERSON | VIKINGS 3. Le’VEON BELL | STEELERS 4. MARSHAWN LYNCH | SEAHAWKS 5. MATT FORTE | BEARS 6. EDDIE LACY | PACKERS 7. DeMARCO MURRAY | EAGLES 8. ARIAN FOSTER | TEXANS 9. LeSEAN McCOY | BILLS 10. JEREMY HILL | BENGALS 11. C.J. ANDERSON | BRONCOS 12. LAMAR MILLER | DOLPHINS 13. ALFRED MORRIS | WASHINGTON 14. MELVIN GORDON | CHARGERS 15. TODD GURLEY | RAMS 16. CARLOS HYDE | 49ERS 17. MARK INGRAM | SAINTS 18. FRANK GORE | COLTS 19. JONATHAN STEWART | PANTHERS 20. JUSTIN FORSETT | RAVENS away some fantasy owners. Eddie Lacy, Marshawn Lynch and Matt Forte are first-round values, but none is foolproof. Lacy plays in a passheavy offense. Lynch is 29 and has shouldered a heavy workload for the past four years. Forte is also 29, and he probably won’t be able to match his 2014 receiving numbers in a new offense. There is also a new wrinkle to weigh when considering top red zone runners like Lynch, Lacy and others. How many extra cracks at two-point conversions will they get with the extra-point kick now moved back to the 15-yard line? Others who might warrant firstround consideration are DeMarco

36 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

Murray and LeSean McCoy. Murray was brilliant last year, leading all running backs in fantasy scoring, but he left the Cowboys in the offseason to sign with the Eagles. Some owners are rightly concerned about his new environment and, more worrisome, the potential aftereffects of his mammoth 2014 workload. McCoy is a proven performer who’s coming off a mildly disappointing season and has moved from Philadelphia to Buffalo. Murray and McCoy aren’t the only noteworthy running backs to have changed teams. The Colts signed longtime 49er Frank Gore in an attempt to stabilize their running game. C.J. Spiller has gone from Buffalo to New Orleans, where head coach Sean Payton and QB Drew Brees will try to make better use of Spiller’s considerable open-field talents. Darren McFadden will get a crack at replacing Murray in Dallas. Ryan Mathews joins Murray in Philadelphia. Shane Vereen has gone from the Patriots to the Giants. Reggie Bush has gone from the Lions to the 49ers. This year’s rookie class will add some spice to fantasy drafts. After two years without a running back being taken in the first round of the NFL Draft, there were two selected in the first round this year. The Rams grabbed Todd Gurley of the University of Georgia at No. 10 overall, and the Chargers traded up to draft the University of Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon 15th overall. Assuming that Gurley is on track to play in Week 1 – he tore the ACL in his left knee last year – both Gurley and Gordon are likely to be among the first 20 running backs to come off the board in most fantasy drafts. Other rookie runners also will have a chance to contribute immediately. T.J. Yeldon of Alabama has a chance to become the alpha dog in Jacksonville. Speedy Tevin Coleman with Atlanta, the Lions Ameer Abdullah, David Johnson in Arizona, Duke Johnson (Browns), Jay Ajayi (Dolphins) and David Cobb (Titans) are among the other first-year running backs who could make significant fantasy contributions right off the bat.

WR

Jamaal Charles PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

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1 JAMAAL CHARLES | CHIEFS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 KC 16 15 | 285 1,509 5.3 | 5 6 | 35 236 ’13 KC 15 15 | 259 1,287 5.0 | 12 4 | 70 693 ’14 KC 15 15 | 206 1,033 5.0 | 9 1 | 40 291 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 258 1,264 4.9 | 11 6 58 487 BYE: WEEK 9

1 7 5 5

BOOM: There were a lot of land mines among the early-round RBs of 2014, but Charles provided a solid return on investment. Despite rushing for only 23 yards in his first two games and then missing Week 3 with a high-ankle sprain, Charles still produced the fifth 1,000-yard rushing season of his seven-year career. His 14 regular-season TDs were second only to Marshawn Lynch among running backs, and Charles has now cranked out 33 TDs over the past two seasons. A lethal big-play threat, Charles has never averaged less than 5.0 yards per carry for a season since entering the league in 2008, and he’s averaged 5.5 yards per carry for his career. Charles has finished in the top eight in RB fantasy scoring in five of his last six seasons, failing to do so in 2011 after tearing his ACL in Week 2. Although Charles missed only one game last season, he says he was banged up all year, so there’s reason to hope that he’ll enjoy better health and even better numbers in 2015. BUST: Charles produced plenty of TDs last season, but his yardage numbers were way down. After rolling up 1,980 yards from scrimmage in 2013, when he averaged 132.0 yards from scrimmage per game, Charles finished with 1,324 yards from scrimmage last year, averaging 88.3 yards from scrimmage and 68.9 rushing yards per game. He also played a smaller role in the Kansas City passing attack, going from a 70-693-7 receiving line two seasons ago to 40-291-5 last year. BOTTOM LINE: At age 28, the Chiefs’ all-time rushing leader remains one of the most explosive running backs in the game and a difference-making fantasy performer. But was last year’s minor downturn an anomaly or the onset of an age-related slowdown? 2 ADRIAN PETERSON | VIKINGS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

‘12 MIN 16 16 | 348 2,097 6.0 | 12 10 | 40 217 1 ‘13 MIN 14 14 | 279 1,266 4.5 | 10 5 | 29 171 1 ’14 MIN 1 1 | 21 75 3.6 | 0 0 | 2 18 0 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 288 1,326 4.6 | 13 7 | 35 266 1 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: There is no questioning the magnificence of a healthy Adrian Peterson. The 30-year-old Peterson has accumulated 10,190 NFL rushing yards and has a career average of 5.0 yards

Adrian Peterson

per carry. Discounting last year, he has posted a double-digit TD total in every season, averaging 13 touchdowns over his first seven years in the league. Peterson’s toughness was forever certified in 2012 when he returned ahead of schedule from a devastating knee injury and ran for 2,097 yards, falling 18 yards shy of Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record. Peterson also is a capable receiver who contributes in the passing game. BUST: Peterson was indicted in Texas last September for reckless or negligent injury to a child after disciplining his 4-year-old son with a switch. A league suspension followed, and Peterson didn’t play another game after Week 1. The relationship between Peterson and the Vikings subsequently soured, and for a while it appeared that Peterson would be shipped out of Minnesota. Peterson is back with the Vikings, but at age 30, after 2,054 regular-season carries, Peterson might be approaching the age at which point we start to see some age-related slippage. BOTTOM LINE: After the tumult of 2014, Peterson is ready to reassume his usual position on the uppermost tier of

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running backs. It might not be as easy to root for him as it used to be, but Peterson can still make enormous contributions to a fantasy team.

3 Le’VEON BELL | STEELERS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

‘13 PIT 13 13 | 244 860 3.5 | 8 1 | 45 399 0 ’14 PIT 16 16 | 290 1,361 4.7 | 8 4 | 83 854 3 ’15 Proj: 13 13 | 236 1,134 4.8 | 8 4 | 61 537 2 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: After a solid rookie season, Bell became a force of nature in 2014, rampaging through opposing defenses like Godzilla in Tokyo. He finished second in RB fantasy scoring, just a handful of points behind rushing champ DeMarco Murray, and was second in rushing yardage. Among running backs, Bell finished first in receiving yardage, second in receptions and sixth in touchdowns. There were only three games last season in which Bell failed to amass at least 100 yards from scrimmage, but he averaged 138.4 yards from scrimmage per game and exceeded 200 yards from scrimmage in three consecutive games

POSITION late in the regular season. Bell trimmed down between his rookie and sophomore seasons, gaining quickness while losing none of his tackle-breaking ability and becoming no less durable. His supporting cast in Pittsburgh is a good one: QB Ben Roethlisberger and WR Antonio Brown keep opposing defenses honest, and the Pittsburgh offensive line has become one of the NFL’s better run-blocking units. BUST: Bell faces a three-game suspension at the start of the regular season due to his arrest last summer on drug and DUI charges. Even if he’s able to appeal it down to two games, the missed time takes a significant bite out of Bell’s value. BOTTOM LINE: Bell’s talent and his importance to the Pittsburgh offense are beyond question. But obviously, fantasy owners must factor in the suspension when calculating Bell’s 2015 fantasy value. The early-season absence might keep Bell from being the No. 1 overall pick in redraft leagues, but it won’t be long before some owner decides to bite the bullet for a few weeks in order to claim this wildly productive running back.

4 MARSHAWN LYNCH | SEAHAWKS

RB

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elsewhere. If you’re looking for top-ofthe-line fantasy production, you’ve come to the right place.

5 MATT FORTE | BEARS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 CHI 15 15 | 248 1,094 4.4 | 5 3 | 44 340 ’13 CHI 16 16 | 289 1,339 4.6 | 9 5 | 74 594 ’14 CHI 16 16 | 266 1,038 3.9 | 6 3 | 102 808 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 288 1,208 4.2 | 6 4 | 71 562 BYE: WEEK 7

1 3 4 2

BOOM: Forte continues to be a yardage machine, and his recent TD totals haven’t been too shabby either. Over seven NFL seasons, Forte has averaged 1,633 yards from scrimmage. After scoring only 19 TDs in a three-year stretch from 2010 to 2012, he’s reached the endzone 22 times in the past two seasons, hitting double digits both years. A fine pass catcher throughout his career, Forte became a PPR monster last season, racking up a running back record 102 receptions, shattering his previous high by 28 catches. The durable Forte hasn’t missed a game since 2012 and has been sidelined for only five games in seven years. BUST: Wherever Marc Trestman goes,

gaudy RB pass-catching numbers follow. So it was last year, with Forte turning in an absurd 102-808-4 stat line as a receiver. But Trestman is out as the Bears’ head coach and offensive architect, replaced by defensive-minded head coach John Fox and offensive coordinator Adam Gase. Forte averaged just 3.9 yards per carry last season and had only one run of 20 or more yards (though he did have seven catches of 20 or more yards). BOTTOM LINE: Forte’s reception total is destined to drop, but he’ll still catch plenty of balls. He remains a solid top-10 fantasy running back and warrants firstround consideration, especially in PPR leagues.

6 EDDIE LACY | PACKERS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’13 GB 15 15 | 284 1,178 4.1 | 11 4 | 35 257 0 ’14 GB 16 16 | 246 1,139 4.6 | 9 3 | 42 427 4 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 251 1,079 4.3 | 10 4 | 44 334 2 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: The bruising Lacy managed to improve upon a fine rookie season, even if the improvement was subtle. He boosted his per-carry average from 4.1

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

‘12 SEA 16 15 | 315 1,590 5.0 | 11 10 | 23 196 ‘13 SEA 16 16 | 301 1,257 4.2 | 12 3 | 36 316 ’14 SEA 16 16 | 280 1,306 4.7 | 13 5 | 37 367 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 278 1,250 4.5 | 11 5 | 34 271 BYE: WEEK 9

1 2 4 1

BOOM: Once considered an underachiever, Lynch has established himself as one of the NFL’s most dependable warhorses and one of the most trustworthy commodities in fantasy football. “Beast Mode” has finished among the top five in RB fantasy scoring for four consecutive seasons, and he’s averaged 15.3 fantasy points per game over that span. His TD season totals over the last four years: 13, 12, 14, 17. With a new three-year, $31 million contract, there is no more ambiguity about where Lynch will be plying his talents in the short term BUST: Lynch’s numbers keep getting better and better, and the Seahawks were fairly judicious in the way they managed his carries last year, limiting him to a very reasonable 17.5 regular-season totes per game. So what’s not to like? You can quibble with Lynch’s flighty personality or his so-so offensive line, but about the only real concern here is that he’s entering his 10th season and has logged 2,200 career carries, counting playoff games. The ride has to end sometime, but there’s no real reason to believe it’ll happen this year. BOTTOM LINE: If you’re looking for insightful postgame remarks, look

Marshawn Lynch

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yards to 4.6. He went from 11 TDs to 13. He was more effective as a pass catcher, with seven more receptions, 170 more receiving yards, and four TD catches after having none as a rookie. Lacy is a major component in what may well be the NFL’s finest offense. The presence of QB Aaron Rodgers ensures that opposing defenses will almost never overplay the run, and the Green Bay offensive line is a strong, veteran unit. Lacy has finished sixth in fantasy scoring among RBs in each of his first two seasons. BUST: Lacy has provided balance, but the Packers’ offense is still essentially a passing offense, and Lacy hasn’t assumed the role of a true workhorse. He had only three 100-yard rushing games last season, and he had only five games in which he had more than 15 carries. Although Lacy has missed only one game due to injury in his two professional seasons, his battering-ram style invites a great deal of physical punishment. BOTTOM LINE: There may not be such a thing as a “safe” choice at running back, but in relative terms, Lacy is about as safe as it gets.

7 DeMARCO MURRAY | EAGLES

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

‘12 DAL 10 10 | 161 663 4.1 | 4 1 | 35 251 ‘13 DAL 14 14 | 217 1,121 5.2 | 9 3 | 53 350 ’14 DAL 16 16 | 392 1,845 4.7 | 13 12 | 57 416 ’15 Proj: 14 14 | 265 1,193 4.5 | 9 4 | 50 365 BYE: WEEK 8

0 1 0 0

BOOM: Murray claimed the NFL rushing title last season and nearly lapped the field in doing so, outrushing his closest pursuer, Le’Veon Bell, by 484 yards. Murray led all non-quarterbacks in fantasy scoring and finished ahead of all but the top six QBs. He also finished with the best pass-catching numbers of his career and, perhaps most important, he played in all 16 regular-season games for the first time since he came into the league. Murray will no longer get to run behind the Cowboys’ road-grading offensive line, but Chip Kelly and the Eagles should nevertheless provide a nurturing environment for this special running back. BUST: In his first three seasons in the league, Murray missed nine games due to injury. Now he’s coming off a season in which he took 392 regular-season carries and had 449 total touches, plus another 48 touches in two playoff games. How confident are you that Murray will make it through another 16 games unscathed? And even if Murray remains healthy, the acquisition of RB Ryan Mathews suggests that the Eagles are going to manage Murray’s workload more carefully than the Cowboys did last year. Kelly has a

REPORTS

sterling reputation as an offensive guru, but it’s undeniable that LeSean McCoy had a mildly disappointing season under Kelly’s command last year. BOTTOM LINE: Murray was terrific last season, but the odds of a statistical repeat are virtually nil. He’s still a terrific talent who should remain a differencemaker as long as he stays healthy, but he won’t get the same volume of work, and there are legitimate concerns about how he’ll hold up after being such a beast of burden in 2014.

8 ARIAN FOSTER | TEXANS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 HOU 16 16 | 351 1,424 4.1 | 15 7 | 40 217 ’13 HOU 8 8 | 121 542 4.5 | 1 2 | 22 183 ’14 HOU 13 13 | 260 1,246 4.8 | 8 7 | 38 327 ’15 Proj: 13 13 | 257 1,131 4.4 | 7 4 | 36 300 BYE: WEEK 9

2 2 5 2

BOOM: Foster missed three November games due to a groin injury but was wildly productive when healthy, piling up 13 TDs and 1,573 yards from scrimmage. He had seven 100-yard rushing games (plus a 99-yarder and a 96-yarder). Aside from the groin issue, Foster held up under a heavy workload, with 20 or more carries in nine of his 13 games. He had three multiple-TD outings and had a stretch of four straight games with a TD catch. Foster averaged 18.1 fantasy points per game, which was just a notch behind topscoring RB DeMarco Murray (18.4). Foster has finished in the top five in RB scoring in four of the past five seasons. BUST: Injuries continue to be a red flag for Foster – or at least a yellow caution flag. He’s missed 11 games over the past two years, and he’ll be 29 when the new season begins. The Texans’ QB situation remains unsettled, which doesn’t make Foster’s job any easier (not that it slowed him down last year). Foster’s five TD catches last season may have been an anomaly – he’d never had more than two in any other NFL season. BOTTOM LINE: A high-risk, highreward fantasy venture, Foster should provide elite production as long as his body cooperates. 9 LeSEAN McCOY | BILLS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 PHI 12 12 | 200 840 4.2 | 2 3 | 54 373 ’13 PHI 16 16 | 314 1,607 5.1 | 9 7 | 52 539 ’14 PHI 16 16 | 312 1,319 4.2 | 5 4 | 28 155 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 255 1,021 4.0 | 6 3 | 48 350 BYE: WEEK 8

3 2 0 2

BOOM: A blockbuster offseason deal sent McCoy from Philadelphia to Buffalo, where he’s expected to be the

40 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

centerpiece of what should continue to be a run-heavy offense under coordinator Greg Roman. With a strong defense and a shaky QB situation, Roman and new Bills head coach Rex Ryan have good reason to take a “ground and pound” approach, so McCoy should get ample work, even if the Bills continue to let the ageless Fred Jackson take a significant number of carries. The versatile McCoy has averaged 50 catches a year over his six NFL seasons. He’s averaged nine TDs a year as a pro, and he’s finished second in RB fantasy scoring in two of the past four seasons. BUST: Does Chip Kelly know something that we don’t? While McCoy is still widely considered a top RB, he scored only five TDs, put up career-low receiving numbers across the board and finished out of the top 10 in RB fantasy scoring. McCoy’s new supporting cast is a downgrade. And for what it’s worth, the aforementioned Fred Jackson has said that he won’t give up his job without a fight. BOTTOM LINE: The phrase caveat emptor – “let the buyer beware” – applies here. McCoy has been an elite fantasy performer for most of his career, but he’s coming off a disappointing season and must now settle in with a new team. “Shady” is still young and talented enough to play at an elite level, but he’s no longer a foolproof first-round fantasy pick.

10 JEREMY HILL | BENGALS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 CIN 16 8 | 222 1,124 5.1 | 9 5 | 27 215 0 ’15 Proj: 16 15 | 267 1,175 4.5 | 10 5 | 28 213 0 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: Used as a change-of-pace runner early in his rookie year, Hill was given an expanded role in midseason and seized the opportunity. The bruiser from LSU averaged 103.2 rushing yards and 5.4 yards per carry over the Bengals’ last nine regular-season games, scoring six TDs over that stretch and nine on the season. Although versatile RB Giovani Bernard remains in the picture for Cincinnati, Hill was the best rookie runner in the league last season and can be expected to get a majority share of the carries for the Bengals. BUST: With Bernard around, the Bengals’ RB situation is destined to be a time-share, though that arrangement didn’t prevent Hill from racking up a high volume of carries last season from November on. Hill is a capable pass catcher, but Bernard’s expertise in that area could limit Hill’s usage in the passing game. BOTTOM LINE: Hill was simply a revelation as a rookie. Giovani Bernard’s

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carry. Miller broke off nine runs of 20 or more yards, including a 97-yard TD run against the Jets in Week 17. Miller finally enters a season as Miami’s clear-cut No. 1 running back, and there doesn’t appear to be anyone on the roster capable of threatening that status. It should be noted that the Dolphins’ run blocking was vastly improved last year. BUST: Can Miller be a true workhorse? He didn’t have more than 19 carries in any game last year and has had only one 20-carry game in his pro career. He has yet to emerge as a major factor in the passing game, with 70 catches over the past three seasons. There’s also rookie Jay Ajayi who could take some carries. BOTTOM LINE: Still only 24, Miller appears to have a bright future. The question is whether he’s capable of being a bell-cow back. Last season offered positive signs, but Miller will need to show more consistency to give his 2015 fantasy owners a full return on what figures to be an early-round investment.

13 ALFRED MORRIS | WASHINGTON

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

Arian Foster

presence might be the only obstacle in Hill’s path to becoming an elite fantasy contributor, but Hill should still get plenty of work and should be one of the top 10 running backs off the board in redraft leagues.

11 C.J. ANDERSON | BRONCOS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’13 DEN 5 0 | 7 38 5.4 | 0 0 | 0 0 0 ’14 DEN 15 7 | 179 849 4.7 | 8 2 | 34 324 2 ’15 Proj: 16 14 | 231 1,039 4.5 | 9 4 | 38 301 1 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: After RBs Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman were felled by injuries, Anderson was a revelation for the Broncos down the stretch, averaging 132 yards from scrimmage over the second half of Denver’s regular season and racking up 10 TDs over that span, including a pair of three-TD games. He ran for 80 or more yards in seven of the Broncos’ last nine games (including the playoffs), and had two eight-catch games. Lead running backs who play with QB Peyton Manning have historically been very productive fantasy performers, and Anderson might be capable of putting up vintage Edgerrin James-type numbers if he emerges from training camp as the clear No. 1 back in

Denver.

BUST: A third-year pro, Anderson doesn’t have a time-tested track record of success. And as an undrafted free agent, he doesn’t have much of a pedigree. With Ball and Hillman expected to be at full health, Anderson will have competition, and it’s possible that the Broncos will take the RB-by-committee approach. BOTTOM LINE: Anderson was the free agent acquisition of the year in a lot of 2014 fantasy leagues and propelled more than a few owners to championships. With a limited résumé and some in-house competition, he carries some fantasy risk for 2015, but the potential rewards could be enormous. 12 LAMAR MILLER | DOLPHINS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 MIA 13 1 | 51 250 4.9 | 1 0 | 6 45 0 ’13 MIA 16 15 | 177 709 4.0 | 2 1 | 26 170 0 ’14 MIA 16 16 | 216 1,099 5.1 | 8 2 | 38 275 1 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 224 1,053 4.6 | 9 3 | 35 252 0 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: The Dolphins finally loosened the reins on Miller last year, and the fleetfooted young runner rewarded them with his first 1,000-yard rushing season, nine TDs and an eye-opening 5.1 yards per

‘12 WAS 16 16 | 335 1,613 4.8 | 13 7 | 11 77 0 ‘13 WAS 16 16 | 276 1,275 4.6 | 7 3 | 9 78 0 ’14 WAS 16 16 | 265 1,074 4.1 | 8 1 | 17 155 0 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 277 1,163 4.2 | 8 4 | 15 121 0 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: The reliable Morris has rushed for more than 1,000 yards and finished among the top 15 in RB fantasy scoring in each of his three NFL seasons. He ran for eight TDs last year and has averaged nine TDs per season for his career. Morris has averaged a robust 4.5 yards per carry, even though Washington’s offense has struggled the past two years. Morris has seemingly total job security, with no one to threaten his workload. BUST: Morris has been a solid fantasy performer the past two years, but he hasn’t been a true blue-chipper since his rookie year, when QB Robert Griffin III was a read-option phenomenon. Morris is almost a total nonfactor in the passing game, averaging 12.3 receptions per year. BOTTOM LINE: His lack of passcatching ability limits his upside, but Morris is a durable, reliable runner and a low-risk fantasy commodity. He’s a rocksolid RB2 in standard leagues but more of a flex option or RB3 in PPR leagues. 14 MELVIN GORDON | CHARGERS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’15 Proj: 16 14 | 227 976 4.3 | 8 3 | 21 158 1 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: The Chargers traded up to take Gordon with the 15th overall pick of

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this year’s NFL Draft, so clearly they have big plans for him. A smooth runner who accelerates effortlessly and has a style similar to that of Jamaal Charles, Gordon ran for 2,587 yards and 29 TDs in his final season at Wisconsin and averaged 7.8 yards per carry over his college career. Gordon will have the good fortune to play with QB Philip Rivers, whom defenses must respect at all times. Gordon had 343 carries for the run-oriented Badgers last season and should be able to handle a heavy workload for the Chargers. BUST: Gordon doesn’t have great topend speed, and at 215 pounds he has a slender frame for an NFL running back. With only 22 college receptions, Gordon has little experience as a pass catcher and will likely be replaced by Danny Woodhead on passing downs. The Chargers’ offensive line is a suspect unit. BOTTOM LINE: San Diego is a great landing spot for Gordon. The Chargers had a glaring need for a lead running back, and Gordon will get to play with Rivers in a well-balanced offense. We like Gordon slightly more than fellow rookie RB Todd Gurley in 2015 redraft leagues, though we’d take Gurley ahead of Gordon in rookie dynasty drafts.

15 TODD GURLEY | RAMS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’15 Proj: 14 14 | 205 923 4.5 | 8 3 | 27 211 1 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: The first running back taken in this year’s NFL Draft – and the first to be selected in the first round since 2012 – Gurley is a powerful, well-built, tacklebreaking runner who should have no trouble dealing with the physicality of the pro game. He also has NFL-caliber speed and cutting ability. Gurley ran for 3,285 yards and 36 TDs over 30 college games at Georgia, and he averaged just over three receptions a game during his final two years with the Bulldogs. Rams head coach Jeff Fisher has long been committed to the running game, so Gurley can expect a steady diet of carries. BUST: Gurley tore his ACL six games into the 2014 season and might not be ready for Week 1. Even if he’s good to go for the opener, the Rams will probably be judicious with his workload early on. The Rams don’t have much of a passing game to keep opposing defenses from overplaying the run. The NFC West is full of tough defenses, so Gurley’s schedule won’t be easy. BOTTOM LINE: A sensational college running back, Gurley has a special skill set and could be one of the top running backs for years to come. The biggest concern with drafting Gurley is that he could get

Carlos Hyde

off to a slow start (and conceivably miss games) as he returns from a torn ACL. Also worrisome are his supporting cast and the strength of the defenses in the Rams’ division. For those reasons, Melvin Gordon might be the better bet of the top two rookie runners in terms of 2015 production, but Gurley should be the first running back off the board in rookie-only dynasty league drafts.

16 CARLOS HYDE | 49ERS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 SF 14 0 | 83 333 4.0 | 4 0 | 12 68 0 ’15 Proj: 16 14 | 238 977 4.1 | 9 4 | 14 85 0 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: With Frank Gore now in Indianapolis, Hyde is in line to take over as the 49ers’ lead runner. His carries

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were limited as a rookie backup, but Hyde managed to punch in four TDs on only 83 carries, and he averaged a respectable 4.0 yards per attempt. With the erratic Colin Kaepernick at quarterback, the Niners figure to place heavy emphasis on the running game, and Hyde will be working with a solid, veteran offensive line. In 2013, his final season at Ohio State, Hyde banged out 1,521 rushing yards, averaged 7.3 yards per carry and scored 18 TDs. BUST: Obviously, there isn’t much of a professional track record here. The most carries Hyde logged in any game last season was 11. At 235 pounds, he isn’t much of a breakaway threat, and with only 12 catches for 68 yards last year, he’s unproven as a receiver. The San Francisco offense appears to be in decline, and the departure of head coach Jim Harbaugh

POSITION creates schematic uncertainty. New 49er Reggie Bush could cut into Hyde’s carries and is expected to get the majority of the snaps on passing downs. The Niners play two games against the division-rival Seahawks, who ranked third in the league against the run last year. They also play two games each against the Cardinals and Rams, who ranked in the top half of the league vs. the run. BOTTOM LINE: Hyde’s résumé is thin, but the combination of talent and opportunity will encourage fantasy owners to speculate.

17 MARK INGRAM | SAINTS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 NO 16 5 | 156 602 3.9 | 5 0 | 6 29 0 ’13 NO 11 3 | 78 386 4.9 | 1 1 | 7 68 0 ’14 NO 13 9 | 226 964 4.3 | 9 4 | 29 145 0 ’15 Proj: 14 14 | 228 1,003 4.4 | 8 5 | 17 97 0 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: Ingram fell just 36 yards short of the first 1,000-yard rushing season of his career and surely would have made it if he hadn’t missed three games with a broken hand early in the campaign. After being a rotation back for the first three years of his career, Ingram finally began to play a leading role, averaging 17.4 carries a game and getting 20 or more carries in five games of a six-game stretch from late October through the end of November. (He ran for 100-plus yards in four of those games.) Ingram scored a career-high nine TDs and averaged 4.3 yards per carry. With TE Jimmy Graham and WR Kenny Stills having left New Orleans, the Saints are apt to lean more heavily on their running game. BUST: Ingram isn’t much of a pass catcher. He’s had 53 receptions in four NFL seasons, and though he had a career-high 29 grabs in 2014, he averaged a meager 5.0 yards per catch. The newly arrived C.J. Spiller is going to get ample work, and the capable Khiry Robinson remains in the picture. BOTTOM LINE: After a sluggish start to his career, Ingram has picked up steam and now profiles as a solid RB2 in fantasy leagues. He’ll be slightly less valuable in PPR leagues than in standard leagues. 18 FRANK GORE | COLTS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 SF 16 16 | 258 1,214 4.7 | 8 3 | 28 234 1 ’13 SF 16 16 | 276 1,128 4.1 | 9 3 | 16 141 0 ’14 SF 16 16 | 255 1,106 4.3 | 4 4 | 11 111 1 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 224 941 4.2 | 6 2 | 28 225 1 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: Now 32, Gore has thus far eluded Father Time. He’s coming off his

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fourth consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season, and he’s topped the 1,000-yard mark in eight of the past nine years, with his injury-marred 2010 season being the lone miss. For the first time in his career, Gore will play for a team other than the 49ers. Disappointed by the nonproduction of Trent Richardson, the Colts signed Gore to spearhead their rushing attack. Gore’s 2014 average of 4.3 yards per carry suggests that he still has gas in the tank. The 49ers didn’t use him much in the passing game in recent years, but Gore was a capable pass catcher earlier in his career, and there’s a chance his receiving numbers will jump with QB Andrew Luck and the Colts. BUST: Gore is well past the age at which NFL running backs typically start to fade. He’s logged 2,442 regular-season carries over 10 professional seasons, and you have to wonder when he’ll finally hit the wall. Gore scored only five TDs last season, the third-worst total of his career. Daniel Herron, who flashed some ability last year, could steal carries. BOTTOM LINE: There’s obviously some risk to drafting a 32-year-old running back, but Gore has shown few signs of slowing down, he appears to be in a good situation with a new team that values him, and his age should keep his cost reasonable for fantasy owners.

19 JONATHAN STEWART | PANTHERS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 CAR 9 6 | 93 336 3.6 | 1 0 | 17 157 1 ’13 CAR 6 1 | 48 180 3.8 | 0 0 | 7 44 0 ’14 CAR 13 8 | 175 809 4.6 | 3 2 | 25 181 1 ’15 Proj: 14 14 | 208 915 4.4 | 5 2 | 29 214 1 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: Rejoice, fantasy owners: The value-killing Carolina RB platoon has finally been splintered. Stewart and DeAngelo Williams shared carries and sapped each other’s fantasy value for seven frustrating seasons, but now Williams has moved on to Pittsburgh, leaving J-Stew as the unquestioned alpha dog of the Panthers’ running game. When Williams broke his hand in November, Stewart revved up the production, rushing for 679 yards and scoring three TDs over the Panthers’ last seven games, including the playoffs. Stewart has long been a terrific talent, averaging 4.6 yards per carry over his seven pro seasons. With a full year of good health, he’d have an excellent chance to be a top-10 fantasy back. BUST: Ah, there’s the rub: health. Stewart has missed 20 games over the past three seasons with a potpourri of injuries. The good news is that with Williams out of the picture, Stewart should

get more work. The bad news is that with Williams out of the picture, Stewart will have more chances to get hurt. BOTTOM LINE: Feeling lucky? Stewart reminded fantasy owners of how good he can be with a brilliant stretch run last season. But injuries have bedeviled J-Stew in recent years and make him a hitor-miss proposition for fantasy owners.

20 JUSTIN FORSETT | RAVENS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 HOU 16 0 | 63 374 5.9 | 1 0 | 3 38 0 ‘13 JAX 9 0 | 6 31 5.2 | 0 0 | 15 82 0 ’14 BAL 16 14 | 235 1,266 5.4 | 8 5 | 44 263 0 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 201 904 4.5 | 4 2 | 57 400 1 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: The diminutive Forsett was among fantasy football’s most pleasant surprises of 2014. Never having rushed for more than 619 yards in a single season, Forsett finished as the NFL’s fifth-leading rusher last year and ranked eighth among running backs in fantasy scoring. Forsett averaged 5.4 yards per carry last year and has averaged 5.1 yards per carry over six NFL seasons. A capable receiver, Forsett had 44 receptions in 2015, and new Ravens offensive coordinator Marc Trestman has traditionally gotten his lead running backs heavily involved in the passing game (witness Matt Forte’s career-high 102 receptions last year or, better yet, the anonymous Derek Loville’s 87 receptions with the Trestman-coordinated San Francisco offense in 1995). BUST: Despite handling an ample rushing load last year, the 5-8, 197-pound Forsett isn’t ideally built to be a heavyduty back. The Ravens took Javorius Allen in the fourth round of this year’s draft, and second-year RB Lorenzo Taliaferro could push for more carries, particularly near the goal line. At 29, Forsett isn’t exactly a youngster. BOTTOM LINE: The seventh-year veteran may be hard-pressed to match last year’s rushing numbers, but with Trestman now coordinating the Baltimore offense, Forsett could very well produce the best pass-catching totals of his career this season and retain full fantasy value as a PPR stud. 21 LATAVIUS MURRAY | RAIDERS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 OAK 15 3 | 82 424 5.2 | 2 1 | 17 143 0 ’15 Proj: 15 12 | 180 846 4.7 | 5 2 | 21 177 1 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: The speedy Murray finally got his chance late last season after the Oakland running game had gotten stuck in quicksand with the likes of

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RB Darren McFadden and Maurice JonesDrew. Murray responded by rushing for 413 yards and 5.4 yards per carry over the Raiders’ last six games. He had a memorable performance in a Thursdaynight game against the Chiefs in Week 12, rushing for an 11-yard TD and a 90yard TD in the first half, and finishing with 112 yards on just four carries before leaving with a concussion. Murray made a noteworthy contribution to the Oakland passing game, with 14 receptions in the Raiders’ last six games and an average of 8.4 yards per catch. BUST: Although Murray will probably get a chance to be Oakland’s lead back, the team signed RB Roy Helu in the offseason, and Helu likely will take over for Murray on passing downs. Oakland also signed starcrossed RB Trent Richardson. With less than half a season of compelling fantasy production, Murray’s résumé is light. BOTTOM LINE: Murray is an exciting talent who should finally be cast in a leading role, but he doesn’t have much

POSITION

REPORTS

of a track record, and Oakland hasn’t exactly been a fruitful source of fantasy production.

22 TEVIN COLEMAN | FALCONS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’15 Proj: 15 10 | 168 708 4.2 | 5 1 | 19 136 1 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: A third-round pick out of Indiana, Coleman landed in a near-ideal spot with the Falcons, who have plenty of carries available for the taking after the release of Steven Jackson. Coleman is a turbo-fueled burner who ran for 2,036 yards and 15 TDs in his final season with the Hoosiers, which included a 228-yard, three-TD rushing game against eventual national champion Ohio State. Coleman’s primary competitor for carries will be second-year man Devonta Freeman, who did little to impress as a rookie. BUST: Coleman won’t break a lot of tackles, and he isn’t thought to be an especially creative runner. He didn’t do much as a receiver in college, averaging

5.6 yards per catch last year and failing to score a TD on 54 career receptions at Indiana. At 5-11 and 206 pounds, Coleman isn’t ideally built to handle an NFL pounding. BOTTOM LINE: Aside from first-round NFL Draft picks Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon, no rookie running back is better positioned to make an immediate impact than Coleman. At minimum, Coleman figures to be prominently involved in a committee along with Devonta Freeman and Antone Smith. But the ex-Hoosier has a chance to earn a feature-back role and become a major contributor to a potent Atlanta offense.

23 JOIQUE BELL | LIONS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 DET 16 0 | 82 414 5.0 | 3 0 | 52 485 ’13 DET 16 4 | 166 650 3.9 | 8 0 | 53 547 ’14 DET 15 6 | 223 860 3.9 | 7 0 | 34 322 ’15 Proj: 16 10 | 161 644 4.0 | 6 1 | 33 300 BYE: WEEK 9

0 0 1 1

BOOM: The erstwhile undrafted free agent from Wayne State emerged as the Lions’ lead running back last year, accumulating 1,182 yards from scrimmage and, for a second consecutive season, producing eight touchdowns. Bell is a rugged, versatile performer who’s averaged 46.3 catches over three NFL seasons. Reggie Bush is now in San Francisco, leaving Bell as the dean of Detroit running backs and the incumbent starter entering training camp. BUST: Bush left, but the Lions took Ameer Abdullah in the second round of this year’s draft, and Theo Riddick’s role could potentially expand. Bell has averaged less than 4.0 yards per carry in each of the past two seasons, and he still hasn’t had a 100-yard rushing day in the NFL despite the expansion of his role. BOTTOM LINE: Steady but unspecta­ cular, Bell appears to be a prototypical fantasy RB3. Pay attention to the competition at running back when the Lions open training camp, and adjust your expectations for Bell accordingly. 24 C.J. SPILLER | SAINTS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 BUF 16 9 | 207 1,244 6.0 | 6 5 | 43 459 2 ’13 BUF 15 10 | 202 933 4.6 | 2 4 | 33 185 0 ’14 BUF 9 5 | 78 300 3.8 | 0 0 | 19 125 1 ’15 Proj: 15 2 | 132 634 4.8 | 4 1 | 45 342 2 BYE: WEEK 11

Latavius Murray

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BOOM: Spiller never quite fit into the system of former Bills head coach Doug Marrone, and the move to New Orleans has the potential to rejuvenate Spiller’s career. Saints head coach Sean Payton, who made good use of the similarly

POSITION skilled Darren Sproles for several years, should be able to find ways to get the ball to the lightning-quick Spiller in space, letting him apply his speed and shiftiness. Spiller has averaged just a shade under 5.0 yards per carry over his five seasons – he’s actually at 5.0 if you round up – and he totaled 2,821 yards from scrimmage over the 2012 and 2013 seasons. BUST: Mark Ingram is in line to get the bulk of the carries for the Saints, so Spiller will probably have to make do with a handful of carries per game and whatever he can pick up as a pass catcher. As dangerous as he can be, Spiller has collected only 12 rushing touchdowns and six TD catches as a pro. BOTTOM LINE: A change of teams should invigorate Spiller’s fantasy value, but as a supporting player in the Saints’ backfield he might not be more than a flex option or high-end RB3.

25 GIOVANI BERNARD | BENGALS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

‘13 CIN 16 0 | 170 695 4.1 | 5 0 | 56 514 3 ’14 CIN 13 9 | 168 680 4.0 | 5 1 | 43 349 2 ’15 Proj: 15 1 | 133 559 4.2 | 4 1 | 50 427 2 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: Still only 23 years old, Bernard already has produced 2,238 yards from scrimmage and 15 TDs over his first two years in the league. He’s been a major contributor to the Bengals’ passing game, with 99 catches, five TD receptions and an impressive average of 8.7 yards per catch. Cincinnati’s offense has been stable, and Bernard is assured of a significant role in it. BUST: Bernard should get a fair amount of work this season, but he won’t be used as a feature back. Jeremy Hill was a much better runner than Bernard last season and will get a majority of the carries, leaving Bernard in the role of passingdown back and change-of-pace guy. The 5-9, 208-pound Bernard missed three games last year due to hip and shoulder injuries. He averaged 3.4 yards per carry or worse in eight of his 13 games. BOTTOM LINE: Drafted as a RB1 or high-end RB2 in 2014 fantasy leagues, Bernard has since had a great deal of his fantasy value drained by talented teammate Jeremy Hill. Bernard still has flex appeal, however, and should consistently get 10-15 touches a game. 26 T.J. YELDON | JAGUARS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’15 Proj: 14 12 | 181 706 3.8 | 5 2 | 15 132 0 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: An early second-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft, Yeldon figures to see

RB

REPORTS

a lot of action as a rookie, either in a timeshare with Denard Robinson or perhaps as Jacksonville’s feature back. The 6-1, 226-pound Yeldon has good size and is known for being an instinctive, creative runner. He ran for 1,108 yards and 12 TDs as a freshman despite sharing carries with Eddie Lacy. Yeldon finished his college career with 3,322 rushing yards and 39 total touchdowns over three seasons. BUST: Although the Jaguars offer Yeldon a chance to get a lot of carries as a rookie, they don’t offer much of a supporting cast. Yeldon doesn’t break a great many tackles and had a bit of a fumbling problem in college, coughing it up 10 times in three years. Yeldon will have to compete with Robinson for carries, and there’s a good chance the Jaguars will take an RB-by-committee approach. BOTTOM LINE: Yeldon wasn’t considered to be on the same level as Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon in this year’s RB draft class, but he was a productive college back and has landed with a team that might give him a lot of work immediately.

27 RASHAD JENNINGS | GIANTS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 JAX 10 6 | 101 283 2.8 | 2 0 | 19 130 0 ’13 OAK 15 8 | 163 733 4.5 | 6 2 | 36 292 0 ’14 NYG 11 9 | 167 639 3.8 | 4 1 | 30 226 0 ’15 Proj: 13 12 | 163 652 4.0 | 4 2 | 26 203 0 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: Given a chance to play a leading role for the Giants last season after years as a supporting cast member with the Jaguars and Raiders, Jennings was reasonably productive when healthy. He averaged 98.3 yards from scrimmage and scored four TDs in his first eight games. He battered the Texans for 176 rushing yards and a TD in Week Three, and he had 91 rushing yards and two TDs against the Jaguars in Week 13. He’s expected to enter the regular season as the Giants’ starter. BUST: Ankle and knee injuries cost Jennings five games last year and forced him to leave a handful of games early. He averaged 3.8 yards per carry and had only three games in which he averaged better than 3.6 – all of them coming in a three-game stretch from Week 3 to Week 5. Jennings figures to lose receptions to free-agent addition Shane Vereen, and second-year man Andre Williams will also get work. At age 30, Jennings isn’t going to get any better than this. BOTTOM LINE: The Giants’ RB situation seems destined to be a committee affair. Jennings is likely to be a prominent part of it, but he won’t get the sort of workhorse duty that he

shouldered early last season. Jennings profiles as a flex option or a high-end RB3.

28 ISAIAH CROWELL | BROWNS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 CLE 16 4 | 148 607 4.1 | 8 0 | 9 87 0 ’15 Proj: 16 9 | 151 604 4.0 | 6 2 | 8 75 0 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: Undrafted last year due largely to character concerns, Crowell stayed out of trouble as a rookie and made significant contributions to the Cleveland running game, producing 607 rushing yards and eight TDs. Crowell appeared to be at least a slightly better runner than fellow rookie Terrance West, who nevertheless got more carries and edged Crowell in rushing yardage. Put simply, Crowell passes the eye test as a runner. BUST: Even if Crowell beats out West and rookie Duke Johnson in the competition for the starting job, West will get plenty of carries, and Johnson will likely be the Browns’ third-down back. (Crowell caught only nine passes as a rookie.) The Browns’ QB situation is sketchy, so opposing defenses might often key on the run. And while Crowell was seemingly well-behaved last year, questions about his attitude and work ethic still linger. BOTTOM LINE: There’s a lot of uncertainty here, but Crowell has talent worth betting on, provided that the amount of the wager isn’t too irresponsible. 29 ANDRE ELLINGTON | CARDINALS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’13 ARI 15 1 | 118 652 5.5 | 3 1 | 39 371 1 ’14 ARI 12 12 | 201 660 3.3 | 3 0 | 46 395 2 ’15 Proj: 14 11 | 184 643 3.5 | 2 1 | 37 324 1 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: As the Cards’ No. 1 running back, Ellington finished with 1,055 yards from scrimmage and five TDs in just 12 games last year before a sports hernia and a foot injury landed him on injured reserve. Despite his slight build, Ellington logged 196 carries over Arizona’s first 11 games and was also prominently involved in the passing game. He’s a good receiver, with 85 receptions in his two pro seasons and an average of 9.0 yards per catch. BUST: The 5-9, 199-pound Ellington eventually wore down under the weight of the heavy workload and was unable to finish the season. He averaged 3.3 yards per carry and broke few tackles despite his profile as a “shifty,” undersized runner. Ellington will have competition from David Johnson, whom the Cardinals selected in the third round of this year’s draft. BOTTOM LINE: Ellington has the

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potential to be useful to fantasy owners, but last year’s results clearly demonstrated that he isn’t cut out to be a lead back. As part of a committee, Ellington would have some PPR appeal and could make a decent backup option.

30 LeGARRETTE BLOUNT | PATRIOTS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 TB 13 0 | 41 151 3.7 | 2 0 | 1 2 0 ’13 NE 16 7 | 153 772 5.0 | 7 1 | 2 38 0 ’14 PIT/NE 16 1 | 125 547 4.4 | 5 1 | 10 54 0 ’15 Proj: 14 11 | 175 702 4.0 | 4 2 | 6 43 0 BYE: WEEK 4

BOOM: Trapped in a backup role with the Steelers, Blount sulked his way out of Pittsburgh and returned to New England, where he gave the Patriots’ running game a needed jolt down the stretch. Blount had a rushing line of 60-281-3 over the Pats’ last five regular-season games, then steamrolled the Colts for 148 rushing yards and three TDs in the AFC Championship. A punishing runner who’s averaged 4.6 yards per carry over five NFL seasons, Blount has re-upped with the Patriots and could play the lead role in a RB stable short on proven talent. BUST: With 33 career receptions, Blount won’t be much of a factor in the passing game. The Patriots have been using an assortment of mix-and-match running backs and will probably continue to do so this year, limiting the potential fantasy value of any single back. Blount’s character has been in question ever since the night in 2009 when he punched a Boise State opponent after an Oregon loss, and Blount didn’t exactly polish his image when he walked off the field before the end of a Steelers game last year, leading to his release. Blount will have to serve a one-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. BOTTOM LINE: Blount can be effective in spurts, as he was after rejoining the Patriots last year, but his career numbers show that he’s more of a committee back than a true workhorse, and he won’t give you much in the passing game. 31 DARREN McFADDEN | COWBOYS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 OAK 12 12 | 216 707 3.3 | 2 3 | 42 258 1 ’13 OAK 10 7 | 114 379 3.3 | 5 1 | 17 108 0 ’14 OAK 16 12 | 155 534 3.4 | 2 0 | 36 212 0 ’15 Proj: 13 8 | 177 725 4.1 | 3 2 | 25 180 0 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: McFadden has gone from the sad-sack Raiders to the Cowboys, who have one of the best offensive lines in the league and need to replace NFL rushing king DeMarco Murray, who left Dallas

LeGarrette Blount

for Philadelphia. It’s starting to seem like ancient history, but McFadden was pretty special in 2010, when he amassed 1,664 yards from scrimmage and 10 TDs in only 13 games, and he was off to a terrific start in 2011 before a lisfranc injury ended his season after seven games. BUST: Tolstoy’s “War and Peace” is lighter reading than McFadden’s medical chart. Foot, ankle, knee, leg, shoulder, head – McFadden has injured them all at one time or another. And let’s face it: He’s been awful the past three years even when he’s been healthy. McFadden has averaged less than 3.5 yards per carry for three consecutive seasons, and he ran for only 534 yards and two TDs last year despite playing 16 games and starting all but four of them. BOTTOM LINE: Just when you were ready to swear off Darren McFadden for good, he ends up with the best runblocking team in football, which just happens to have a vacancy after losing the NFL’s leading rusher. McFadden has given us little reason to think he’ll ever fulfill the promise he showed in 2010-2011, but it’s hard to write him off now that he’s

46 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

landed in such a favorable situation. We won’t tell you not to buy in, but we beg you not to invest too much draft capital in McFadden.

32 DOUG MARTIN | BUCCANEERS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 TB 16 16 | 319 1,454 4.6 | 11 5 | 49 472 1 ’13 TB 6 6 | 127 456 3.6 | 1 1 | 12 66 0 ’14 TB 11 11 | 134 494 3.7 | 2 1 | 13 64 0 ’15 Proj: 15 10 | 178 675 3.8 | 3 1 | 27 217 0 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: The optimist might reason that injuries over the past two seasons have kept Martin from fulfilling the promise of his rookie year, when he piled up 1,926 yards from scrimmage, scored 12 touchdowns and averaged 4.6 yards per carry and 9.6 yards per catch. Another possible explanation for Martin’s dramatic decline in productivity over the past two years is the slippage of his offensive line. If that unit could make the same sort of leap that the Dolphins’ offensive line made from 2013 to 2014, Martin might have a chance to return to

POSITION his rookie-year form. BUST: Not buying the excuses? We’re dubious ourselves. Martin has averaged just 3.6 yards per carry over the past two seasons and has scored only three TDs in 17 games. After producing 49-472-1 as a receiver in 2012, Martin has caught 25130-0 over the past two years. Secondyear man Charles Sims figures to get a chance to steal Martin’s job. And let’s face it: The odds of the Tampa Bay offensive line making a dramatic turnaround are remote. BOTTOM LINE: Maybe you can talk yourself into believing that the Doug Martin of 2012 is on the verge of a return, but we’re not ready to buy it. A handful of freakish stat lines against bad teams helped pad Martin’s rookie numbers, and he was never quite as good as the numbers suggested. That said, Martin probably isn’t as bad as his numbers over the past two seasons would suggest, and he still might be able to provide a decent return on investment if he can fight off challengers for his job.

33 SHANE VEREEN | GIANTS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 NE 13 1 | 62 251 4.0 | 3 0 | 8 149 1 ’13 NE 8 1 | 44 208 4.7 | 1 1 | 47 427 3 ’14 NE 16 16 | 96 391 4.1 | 2 0 | 52 447 3 ’15 Proj: 15 1 | 70 281 4.0 | 1 0 | 51 433 2 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: Vereen’s fantasy owners were vexed by unpredictable usage during his last couple of seasons with the Patriots, and those who invest in Vereen this season will no longer have to attempt the Sisyphean feat of trying to read Bill Belichick’s mind every week. Vereen remains one of the NFL’s most dangerous pass-catching running backs. He’s averaged 4.3 receptions per game over the past two seasons, counting playoff games. Vereen has six TD catches over the past two years and has a career average of 9.6 yards per catch – a wildly impressive number for a running back. BUST: Now that he’s with the Giants, Vereen’s usage might become more predictable, but he may not get more touches. In fact, he could get fewer. Rashad Jennings is expected to start and get most of the early-down work for the G-Men, and Andre Williams also will get some carries. Vereen should get most of the third-down work, but that might not equate to great fantasy production considering that Eli Manning also has high-volume WRs Odell Beckham Jr. and Victor Cruz as targets. Vereen never has had 100 carries or reached 400 rushing yards in any of his four seasons. BOTTOM LINE: Vereen’s move from

RB

REPORTS

the Patriots to the Giants is probably a lateral one from a fantasy perspective. Vereen’s role may be better defined with the Giants, but it won’t necessarily be any larger. Still, a pass catcher of Vereen’s caliber is bound to have PPR value.

34 CHRIS IVORY | JETS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 NO 6 2 | 40 217 5.4 | 2 0 | 2 15 0 ’13 NYJ 15 6 | 182 833 4.6 | 3 3 | 2 10 0 ’14 NYJ 16 10 | 198 821 4.1 | 6 2 | 18 123 1 ’15 Proj: 15 12 | 163 701 4.3 | 3 1 | 15 101 0 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: Ivory has run for more than 800 yards in each of the past two seasons and he boasts a career average of 4.7 yards per carry – an impressive number for a power runner. Ivory is a punishing ballcarrier who has been productive in early-down work over the course of his career, and his hard-driving style would seem to make him well-suited for goalline duty. BUST: In the offseason, the Jets brought in ex-Patriot Stevan Ridley, whose earlydown profile is similar to Ivory’s. New Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey favors a pass-heavy approach, so Ivory would seem to be a questionable fit. He’s caught only 23 passes in 55 career games. Ivory also has been nicked up with injuries at various times over his career, BOTTOM LINE: Ivory is a powerful, productive runner, but his outlook for 2015 is murky due to the uncertain pecking order in the Jets’ backfield and questionable suitability for Chan Gailey’s system. 35 BISHOP SANKEY | TITANS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 TEN 16 9 | 152 569 3.7 | 2 0 | 18 133 0 ’15 Proj: 16 10 | 176 650 3.7 | 3 1 | 20 149 0 BYE: WEEK 4

BOOM: The former University of Washington star has a chance to earn a feature-back role, and there’s hope that he’ll finally gain traction after failing to seize the job as a rookie. Sankey’s primary competitors for carries are Shonn Greene, a mediocre performer at best, and rookie David Cobb, a fifth-round draft pick. Although Sankey has yet to prove himself at the professional level, he was wildly productive in college, piling up 3,862 yards from scrimmage and 37 TDs over his final two seasons with the Huskies. BUST: Despite being the first running back taken in the 2014 NFL Draft, Sankey was unable to escape a time-share with Greene, leaving his potential in doubt. Sankey averaged just 3.7 yards per carry

and scored only two TDs. Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt will be trying to save his job this year and isn’t apt to show patience with Sankey if the young runner gets off to a sluggish start. BOTTOM LINE: Coming off a disappointing rookie year, Sankey won’t exactly be a coveted commodity in the fantasy realm. However, his potential workload is attractive, and he has a chance to surprise if he can summon the ability he showed during his collegiate years.

36 JOSEPH RANDLE | COWBOYS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’13 DAL 13 2 | 54 164 3.0 | 2 0 | 8 61 0 ’14 DAL 16 0 | 51 343 6.7 | 3 0 | 4 23 0 ’15 Proj: 15 7 | 146 671 4.6 | 4 2 | 8 49 0 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: Randle averaged an eyepopping 6.7 yards per carry last season (albeit on only 51 carries) and ran for three TDs over his final seven games. After letting NFL rushing leader DeMarco Murray get away in free agency, the suddenly runoriented Cowboys have plenty of carries to dole out, and there are reportedly people inside Cowboys headquarters who believe Randle could be a feature back. In his last two college seasons at Oklahoma State, Randle had 2,633 rushing yards and 41 TDs. And let’s not forget that Dallas had arguably the best run-blocking offensive line in the league last year. BUST: Randle is still unproven as a pro, with only 105 rushing attempts over two seasons. He hasn’t shown anything as a pass catcher, with 12 career receptions for 84 yards. And Randle has had issues off the field. He was arrested for shoplifting last October. This past offseason, he was arrested for marijuana possession, and he also was investigated for a domestic incident. BOTTOM LINE: Sleeper alert! Randle has a chance to help fill DeMarco Murray’s shoes, and the Cowboys may see him as a more viable long-term solution than freeagent pickup Darren McFadden. If Randle can get his act together and impress the Dallas brass in training camp, his fantasy stock could rise quickly. 37 DEVONTA FREEMAN | FALCONS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 ATL 16 0 | 65 248 3.8 | 1 0 | 30 225 1 ’15 Proj: 16 6 | 116 441 3.8 | 2 0 | 36 273 1 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: As a rookie, Freeman got lost in the shuffle of a crowded backfield, but he enters training camp with a chance to be a primary contributor – if not the starter – for the Falcons. Freeman is a good pass catcher who had 30 receptions for Atlanta

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| 47

RB last season despite playing limited snaps. He was a reliable TD scorer during his college career at Florida State, scoring 15 times in his final year with the Seminoles and producing 31 touchdowns over three seasons. BUST: Freeman wasn’t able to gain any traction last season in a mediocre RB stable that included the worn-out Steven Jackson, the uninspiring Jacquizz Rodgers and the lightly regarded Antone Smith. Freeman will have competition from Smith and from rookie Tevin Coleman, taken in the third round of this year’s draft. BOTTOM LINE: Freeman is a fantasy wild card. His rookie season didn’t provide much evidence that he can make a major fantasy contribution in 2015, but with carries available in Atlanta, Freeman has a chance to become a factor.

38 AMEER ABDULLAH | LIONS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’15 Proj: 16 6 | 135 553 4.2 | 3 1 | 22 182 0 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: Abdullah has a chance to step into the same sort of role that Reggie Bush played for the Lions before leaving in free agency, splitting carries with Joique Bell and making a substantial contribution as a receiver. A second-round draft pick out of Nebraska, Abdullah ran for 4,438 yards and scored 43 TDs over his last three years with the Cornhuskers. Abdullah’s skill set seems to nicely complement those of the more rugged Joique Bell and pass-catching specialist Theo Riddick. BUST: The Lions appear headed for a

POSITION

REPORTS

backfield by committee, which will limit the individual upside of the contributors. Abdullah might be too small (5-9, 205 pounds) to handle a feature-back gig in the NFL. He had a bit of a fumbling problem in college and is poor in pass protection. BOTTOM LINE: Look for Abdullah to immediately carve out a role in Detroit’s three-headed backfield and get 10-12 touches a week. That’s not a recipe for instant fantasy greatness, but it will make the rookie from Nebraska a useful fantasy backup.

owners with anything more than roster depth. Darren Sproles will get touches, too, so Mathews might be lucky to handle the ball a dozen times in any given game. And of course, it must be mentioned that Mathews has an extensive injury history. He was limited to six games last season due to knee and ankle injuries, and he’s missed 20 games over five seasons. BOTTOM LINE: Murray owners will be interested in handcuffing Mathews, and Mathews should at least be productive with the touches he gets. Still, there’s no question that the change of venue has put a dent in the ex-Charger’s fantasy value.

39 RYAN MATHEWS | EAGLES

40 DAVID JOHNSON | CARDINALS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 SD 12 9 | 184 707 3.8 | 1 0 | 39 252 0 ’13 SD 16 14 | 285 1,255 4.4 | 6 6 | 26 189 1 ’14 SD 6 6 | 74 330 4.5 | 3 1 | 9 69 0 ’15 Proj: 14 2 | 99 456 4.6 | 4 1 | 19 149 1 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Obviously, Mathews’ fantasy value has taken a hit now that he’s gone from being a lead back to being DeMarco Murray’s backup in Philadelphia. That said, Mathews’ value would skyrocket in the event of an injury to Murray, who’s had injury problems in the past and is coming off a season in which he logged nearly 500 touches, counting the playoffs. Mathews has usually been productive when healthy (as infrequently as that may be), with a career average of 4.4 yards per carry and a pair of 1,000-yard rushing seasons on his résumé. BUST: Unless Murray goes down, it’s hard to see Mathews providing fantasy

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’15 Proj: 15 3 | 115 423 3.7 | 3 0 | 37 327 1 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: The Cardinals went into this year’s NFL Draft looking for a running back to complement – or possibly take over for – Andre Ellington, and in the third round they grabbed Johnson, a good-sized back (6-1, 224 pounds) who’ll be asked to contribute immediately. Johnson was wildly productive in his four-year career at the University or Northern Iowa, with 6,416 yards from scrimmage and 63 TDs. He had more than 30 receptions in each of his four seasons at UNI. BUST: Johnson isn’t especially quick, and a lack of quickness can be a problem when you’re a running back lining up behind a mediocre run-blocking offensive line. Ellington figures to still be a significant contributor to the Arizona offense. BOTTOM LINE: Johnson wasn’t as well-known as some of the other running backs in this year’s NFL Draft class, but his anonymity won’t last long in fantasy football circles, as he has a chance to play a key role with the Cardinals from the start. 41 CHARLES SIMS | BUCCANEERS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 TB 8 0 | 66 185 2.8 | 1 0 | 19 190 0 ’15 Proj: 15 6 | 109 393 3.6 | 2 0 | 34 309 1 BYE: WEEK 6

Ryan Mathews

48 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

BOOM: A broken ankle took away half of Sims’ rookie season, keeping him sidelined until Week 10. In his eight games, Sims had 375 yards from scrimmage, including 19 receptions for 190 yards. When the Buccaneers selected Sims in the third round of last year’s draft, there was speculation that he might challenge Doug Martin for the starting role. Sims’ injury nixed that possibility, but the Buccaneers seem eager to give him a chance to show what he can do. Sims was

POSITION a terrific dual run-catch threat in college, rolling up 5,573 yards from scrimmage and 51 TDs over three seasons at Houston and one at West Virginia. BUST: Sims should see plenty of action on passing downs, but it’s possible that he won’t be able to handle early-down duty at the pro level. Even if Sims ends up earning a significant share of the rushing load, he’ll be running behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league. BOTTOM LINE: An intriguing talent, Sims could challenge to be the Buccaneers’ lead back. Even if he’s unable to win a starting job, Sims will probably offer PPR value as a pass catcher.

42 TRE MASON | RAMS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 STL 12 9 | 179 765 4.3 | 4 2 | 16 148 1 ’15 Proj: 16 2 | 109 458 4.2 | 3 1 | 18 144 1 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: After riding the pine for all of September and part of October, Mason became an integral part of the Rams’ offense, averaging 15.8 carries over the team’s final 11 games. The former Auburn star averaged a healthy 4.3 yards per carry as a rookie, scoring five TDs and logging a pair of 100-yard rushing games. Mason will be only 22 when the season begins and still has a great deal of growth potential. BUST: The Rams took Georgia star Todd Gurley with the 10th overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, so Mason’s status as a starter is about to be revoked. The presence of Gurley strangles Mason’s fantasy value. Mason doesn’t figure to get many carries if Gurley is healthy, and Benny Cunningham is entrenched as the third-down back (and Mason isn’t much of an asset in the passing game anyway). BOTTOM LINE: Mason turned in a nice rookie season, but the Rams didn’t see him as their running back of the future and took Todd Gurley in the first round of this year’s draft. Mason now has no more than backup value, though he could have some added early-season value if Gurley isn’t ready to go in Week 1 due to the torn ACL he suffered last fall. 43 REGGIE BUSH | 49ERS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

‘12 MIA 16 16 | 227 986 4.3 | 6 2 | 35 292 ‘13 DET 14 14 | 223 1,006 4.5 | 4 3 | 54 506 ’14 DET 11 9 | 76 297 3.9 | 2 0 | 40 253 ’15 Proj: 14 2 | 97 398 4.1 | 2 0 | 43 287 BYE: WEEK 10

2 3 0 1

BOOM: One of the better pass-catching running backs in the league, Bush has averaged 51.8 catches over nine seasons,

with 18 TD receptions and an average of 7.5 yards per catch. Although injuries and a reduced role limited him to 297 rushing yards last year, Bush had rushed for more than 3,000 yards over the three previous seasons, and he’s averaged 4.3 yards per carry over his career. An assignment as a pass-catching back and change-of-pace runner behind Carlos Hyde should give Bush PPR value at the very least. BUST: Bush missed five games with an ankle injury that was at least partly to blame for one of the least productive seasons of his career. But Bush also lost workload share based on merit. He scored only two TDs, and his 3.9 yards per carry was his worst mark since 2008. Only twice did Bush run for more than 50 yards in a game last year. BOTTOM LINE: With his move from Detroit to San Francisco, Bush will settle into a backup role behind promising young runner Carlos Hyde. It’s a good pairing of backs with complementary skill sets. Bush still has value as a pass catcher, but reduced usage will restrain his overall fantasy value.

44 ROY HELU | RAIDERS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 WAS 3 ’13 WAS 16 ’14 WAS 14 ’15 Proj: 15

RB

REPORTS

0 | 2 2 1.0 | 0 0 | 7 45 0 0 | 62 274 4.4 | 4 0 | 31 251 0 0 | 40 216 5.4 | 1 0 | 42 477 2 2 | 76 334 4.4 | 2 0 | 33 251 1 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: Helu was relegated to thirddown duty in Washington the past couple of seasons, with Alfred Morris handling the vast majority of carries. Helu made the most of his limited role last season, averaging 11.4 yards per catch on 42 receptions and chipping in with three total TDs. It’s possible that Helu will play the same sort of role in Oakland, though he could push the unproven Latavius Murray and the heretofore disappointing Trent Richardson for carries. It’s worth remembering that Helu ran for 640 yards as a rookie in 2011, at one point stringing together three consecutive 100-yard rushing games against the Seahawks, Jets and Patriots. BUST: Although neither Murray nor Richardson has a proven track record, Helu would have to do some depth-chart leapfrogging to earn himself significant carries. Although he’s proven himself as a receiver, he’s relatively unproven as a runner. BOTTOM LINE: Dare we say that Helu is a legitimate sleeper for 2015? His backup role with the Raiders will throw a lot of fantasy owners off his trail, but Helu should provide PPR value at minimum and could conceivably get a chance to play a

much more substantial role.

45 DAVID COBB | TITANS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’15 Proj: 15 1 | 115 475 4.1 | 2 0 | 15 135 0 BYE: WEEK 4

BOOM: A rugged runner, Cobb will challenge for work in a Titans backfield that last year featured the uninspiring duo of Bishop Sankey and Shonn Greene. Cobb’s primary competitor for carries is Sankey, who struggled to adjust to the NFL last year and might never pan out. Cobb ran for 1,626 yards and 13 TDs at the University of Minnesota. Those numbers are especially impressive when you consider how anemic the Gophers’ passing game was last season. At 5-11 and 229 pounds, Cobb is built to take NFL punishment. BUST: Cobb wasn’t taken until the fifth round of this year’s draft, so it’s not as if NFL teams were beating down a path to his door. Cobb wasn’t much of a factor as a receiver during his college career, and his pass blocking needs work. BOTTOM LINE: The Titans’ running game was awful last season, and Cobb has a good chance to muscle his way past Sankey and/or Greene on the depth chart. 46 DENARD ROBINSON | JAGUARS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’13 JAX 16 0 | 20 66 3.3 | 0 0 | 0 0 0 ’14 JAX 13 9 | 135 582 4.3 | 4 2 | 13 124 0 ’15 Proj: 14 2 | 111 445 4.0 | 2 0 | 24 154 0 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: “Shoelace,” so nicknamed for leaving his shoes untied during his college games at the University of Michigan, made big strides as a second-year pro. After Toby Gerhart laid an egg early in the season, Robinson helped pick up the pieces, amassing a 64-389-4 rushing line over a four-game run from Week 7 to Week 10. That fruitful stretch included consecutive 100-yard rushing games against the Browns and Dolphins in late October. Robinson averaged a robust 4.3 yards per carry for the season. BUST: Robinson cooled off after his midseason hot streak, and then missed the Jaguars’ last three games with a torn ligament in his foot. He wasn’t much of a factor as a receiver, with 23 catches for only 124 yards, and he was a liability in pass protection. The Jaguars likely view Robinson as a committee contributor and not as a feature back, which is why they took T.J. Yeldon early in the second round of this year’s NFL Draft. BOTTOM LINE: Robinson’s promising second season suggests that his transition from college quarterback to

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| 49

RB

POSITION

NFL running back has been a success. But while Robinson had his moments in 2014, he didn’t exactly stamp himself as a future star. His role for 2015 remains uncertain, though he has a decent chance to make weekly fantasy contributions, even if they’re small ones.

47 TERRANCE WEST | BROWNS

last year, and after averaging 6.8 TDs over the previous four seasons, he reached the end zone only three times in 2014. BOTTOM LINE: Now 34, Jackson is approaching the end of the line, but he has a chance to remain a useful fantasy asset for at least one more season. He’s a recommended handcuff for McCoy owners.

49 DANIEL HERRON | COLTS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 CLE 14 6 | 171 673 3.9 | 4 1 | 11 64 1 ’15 Proj: 15 7 | 129 490 3.8 | 2 0 | 16 109 0 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: West finished his rookie year as the Browns’ leading runner, with 673 rushing yards in 14 games. He opened the season with a 100-yard rushing day against the Steelers in Week 1 and provided double-digit fantasy points in five other games, including a 94-yard rushing day with a TD against the Ravens in the regular-season finale. West is a solid pass blocker and has potential as a receiver. BUST: West shared work last year with fellow rookie Isaiah Crowell, and Crowell appeared to be the better, more dangerous runner, though not by a substantial margin. West averaged 3.9 yards per carry last season and 5.8 yards per catch. The Browns will most likely use rookie Duke Johnson as their primary passing-down back. BOTTOM LINE: The Browns almost surely will divide carries between West, Crowell and Johnson this season, and the fear among fantasy owners is that this could turn into a value-killing time-share. But West’s rookie season was a nice one, he figures to play a significant role in Cleveland’s offense, and he’ll run behind a very good offensive line. 48 FRED JACKSON | BILLS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 BUF 10 ’13 BUF 16 ’14 BUF 14 ’15 Proj: 14

8 | 115 437 3.8 | 3 1 | 34 217 6 | 206 890 4.3 | 9 1 | 47 387 9 | 141 525 3.7 | 2 0 | 66 501 1 | 82 312 3.8 | 2 0 | 35 280 BYE: WEEK 8

1 1 1 1

BOOM: If only we all aged as well as this guy. Last season, at age 33, Jackson had a career-high 66 catches and 501 receiving yards despite missing two games with a groin injury. He finished with more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage for the fifth time in the last six seasons. BUST: Jackson vowed during the offseason that he wouldn’t give up his job to the newly acquired LeSean McCoy without a fight, but it’s obvious that the Bills intend for McCoy to be their workhorse, with Jackson in a backup role. Jackson averaged a career-low 3.7 yards per carry

REPORTS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 CIN 3 ’13 IND 6 ’14 IND 16 ’15 Proj: 16

0 | 4 5 1.3 | 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 | 5 33 6.6 | 0 0 | 1 57 0 3 | 78 351 4.5 | 1 0 | 21 173 0 0 | 83 365 4.4 | 1 0 | 17 137 1 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: As the Trent Richardson train

wreck continued to horrify onlookers in Indianapolis last year, Herron began to play a more substantial role for the Colts. He started three games late in the regular season and also started all three of the Colts’ playoff games. Over the final six games of the regular season, Herron had 56-277-1 as a runner (4.9 yards per carry) and 19-164-0 as a receiver. In Indy’s three playoff games, he produced 298 yards from scrimmage, with 20 receptions and a pair of TD runs. Herron enters 2015 as the primary backup to 32-year-old Frank Gore. BUST: Herron had a nice finishing kick for the Colts last year, but the team apparently didn’t view him as a full-time solution at running back and signed Gore as a free agent. With fewer than 100 regular-season carries under his belt, Herron is still largely unproven. BOTTOM LINE: A potential sleeper, Herron averaged just under 100 yards from scrimmage during the Colts’ playoff run last season and will now be backing up the venerable Frank Gore. Herron could provide nice dividends on a late-round investment.

50 ANDRE WILLIAMS | GIANTS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 NYG 16 7 | 217 721 3.3 | 7 2 | 18 130 0 ’15 Proj: 16 3 | 137 492 3.6 | 4 1 | 10 69 0 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: Drafted in the fourth round out of Boston College, Williams had some nice performances in the latter part of his rookie season, rushing for more than 100 yards in December games against the Titans and Rams. The rugged, 230-pound Williams averaged more than 20 carries over the Giants’ last four games and pounded out seven TDs on the season. BUST: Williams averaged a mere 3.3 yards per carry as a rookie and averaged 3.3 yards per carry or fewer in 10 of his 16 games. Rashad Jennings is expected to

50 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

start for the Giants, and Shane Vereen is likely to play on passing downs, leaving Williams with a diminished role. Williams is a poor receiver, and he doesn’t have the speed to break off many long runs. BOTTOM LINE: Williams wasn’t efficient with his carries as a rookie and was stuffed alarmingly often, but he scored seven TDs and showed that he could withstand a big NFL workload. The problem is that he enters training camp as a third-stringer and may not get much work in 2015.

51 DANNY WOODHEAD | CHARGERS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 NE 16 ’13 SD 16 ’14 SD 3 ’15 Proj: 14

2 | 76 301 4.0 | 4 0 | 40 446 3 2 | 106 429 4.0 | 2 0 | 76 605 6 0 | 15 38 2.5 | 0 0 | 5 34 0 0 | 48 197 4.1 | 1 0 | 47 427 2 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: Woodhead was in line to play a key role for the Chargers last season before fracturing his fibula and ankle in Week 3. On track to be healthy in time for the 2015 opener, Woodhead once again will figure prominently in the San Diego offense, handling most of the passingdown work and seeing some action as a change-of-pace runner. Woodhead is an exceptional pass-catching back who’s averaged 9.4 yards per catch over his career and put together a receiving line of 76-605-6 in 2013. Woodhead also has averaged 4.5 yards per carry on 386 career regular-season rushing attempts. BUST: The 5-8, 200-pound Woodhead needs quickness to make up for his lack of size, and it’s fair to wonder whether he’ll be the same after his gruesome injury. The 1,034 yards from scrimmage and eight TDs that Woodhead produced in 2013 would be his pie-in-the-sky ceiling for 2015, but Woodhead owners probably will be lucky to get 75 percent of those numbers. BOTTOM LINE: The tough-as-nails Woodhead can provide decent fantasy value if he’s able to make a full return from last year’s devastating leg injury. He’ll be far more helpful in PPR leagues than in standard leagues. 52 KNILE DAVIS | CHIEFS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’13 KC 16 1 | 70 242 3.5 | 4 0 | 11 75 0 ’14 KC 16 1 | 134 463 3.5 | 6 2 | 16 147 1 ’15 Proj: 16 0 | 112 426 3.8 | 4 1 | 15 80 1 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: One of the most essential handcuffs in fantasy football, Davis is a must-have for Jamaal Charles owners. While Charles dealt with an ankle injury last season, Davis turned in three straight

POSITION big games from Week 2 through Week 4, with 70 carries for 318 yards and three TDs over that span. Despite limited work, Davis has scored 11 TDs over his first two seasons as a pro. BUST: As good as Davis was early last year, he averaged only 3.5 per carry and was woefully ineffective in games where Charles was healthy and Davis was merely asked to provide a handful of carries in relief. Davis has a reputation of being a fumbler and has coughed up the ball four times in 204 regular-season rushing attempts. BOTTOM LINE: Charles owners are advised to take out an insurance policy on their star running back by locking up his backup. Davis doesn’t figure to have any independent week-to-week value, but his value would skyrocket if Charles were to go down.

could potentially steal carries from Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West. The lightningquick Johnson piled up 2,073 yards from scrimmage and 13 TDs in his last season at the University of Miami (Fla.), including 38 catches for 421 yards and three scores. Johnson averaged 6.8 yards per carry and 9.9 yards per catch in his two seasons with the Hurricanes. BUST: The 5-9, 207-pound Johnson isn’t particularly adept at running between the tackles, which might preclude him from getting a shot at a leading role. As it is, Johnson must contend for carries with Crowell and West, two other good, young backs. BOTTOM LINE: Expect Johnson to begin the year as the Browns’ third-down back, which will put him in position to offer some PPR value. But with Crowell and West around, Johnson probably won’t get many carries as a rookie.

53 STEVAN RIDLEY | JETS

55 MONTEE BALL | BRONCOS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 NE 16 12 | 290 1,263 4.4 | 12 4 | 6 51 0 ’13 NE 14 6 | 178 773 4.3 | 7 1 | 10 62 0 ’14 NE 6 5 | 94 340 3.6 | 2 2 | 4 20 0 ’15 Proj: 14 4 | 144 590 4.1 | 4 1 | 10 64 0 BYE: WEEK 5

’13 DEN 16 0 | 120 559 4.7 | 4 1 | 20 145 0 ’14 DEN 5 3 | 55 172 3.1 | 1 0 | 9 62 0 ’15 Proj: 15 2 | 87 357 4.1 | 3 0 | 16 112 0 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: A powerful runner who’s averaged 4.3 yards per carry over his career, Ridley cranked out 19 TDs for the Patriots over the 2012 and 2013 seasons. He signed with the Jets as a free agent in the offseason and will no longer be subject to the week-to-week RB whims of Bill Belichick. Ridley demonstrated his ability to shoulder a heavy load in 2012, when he carried 290 times for 1,263 yards and 12 TDs. BUST: Ridley tore his ACL and MCL last October, though he’s expected to be ready for training camp. He now finds himself in a time-share situation with the similarly skilled Chris Ivory, and neither is expected to see much action on passing downs. Ridley has only 23 receptions in 52 NFL games. BOTTOM LINE: Last year’s devastating knee injury and an uncertain role on a new team make Ridley something of a fantasy crapshoot for 2015. But he’s proven himself to be a productive back with a nose for the end zone, and he’s worthy of later-round speculation.

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

BOOM: Although he has yet to gain traction in the NFL, it’s worth remembering that Ball was a beast during his college career at Wisconsin, rushing for 5,140 yards and an NCAA-record 77 touchdowns. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry as a rookie in 2013 and scored four TDs. BUST: Ball is coming off a nightmare season in which he got off to a sluggish start before suffering a groin injury in Week 5. He then reinjured himself just a few snaps into his Week 11 return. Ball was outplayed by Knowshon Moreno in 2013, he’s now fallen behind C.J. Anderson on the depth chart, and there’s no guarantee he’ll rank ahead of Ronnie Hillman and Juwan Thompson in the RB pecking order when the 2015 season begins. BOTTOM LINE: A colossal fantasy disappointment in 2014, Ball still has time to get his career back on track. But after being taken in the early rounds of many fantasy drafts last year, he figures to go undrafted in some leagues this year. 56 JAY AJAYI | DOLPHINS

54 DUKE JOHNSON | BROWNS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’15 Proj: 15 0 | 68 299 4.4 | 1 0 | 41 359 1 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: One of the best pass-catching running backs in this year’s draft, Johnson has an excellent chance to begin the year as Cleveland’s third-down back, and he

RB

REPORTS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’15 Proj: 14 0 | 75 300 4.0 | 2 0 | 23 169 1 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: Ajayi produced some mindboggling college stats at Boise State. He became the first FBS player with 1,800 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in a single season, and he scored 51 TDs over his final two college seasons. The

Dolphins have been slow to embrace the idea of Lamar Miller in a workhorse role, and if they still aren’t willing to fully commit to Miller, we could see Ajayi get a lot of action as a rookie. BUST: Perhaps the Dolphins are finally ready to give Miller 20-plus carries weekin and week-out, which would leave Ajayi as a backup. It should be noted that Ajayi fell to the fifth round of this year’s draft because of concerns about his knee, which was surgically repaired in 2011. BOTTOM LINE: If his knee is sound, Ajayi could establish himself as Miller’s backup and perhaps cut into the starter’s workload.

57 DARREN SPROLES | EAGLES

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 NO 13 ’13 NO 15 ’14 PHI 15 ’15 Proj: 15

6 | 48 244 5.1 | 1 0 | 75 667 4 | 53 220 4.2 | 2 0 | 71 604 0 | 57 329 5.8 | 6 0 | 40 387 0 | 45 179 5.1 | 1 0 | 47 409 BYE: WEEK 8

7 2 0 1

BOOM: Sproles was terrific in the Eagles’ first two games of 2014, rushing for 71 yards and a TD against the Jaguars in the opener, then producing a 7-152-0 receiving line and adding a TD run against the Colts the following week. Sproles has caught 331 passes over the last five seasons and has averaged 9.0 yards per catch over his nine-year career. He had a career-high six rushing touchdowns last season. BUST: After last season’s fast start, Sproles did little the rest of the way. From Week 3 on, he had only four games in which he had 50 or more yards from scrimmage, and he averaged only 30.5 yards from scrimmage per game over the second half of the regular season. Sproles owners had hoped that Chip Kelly would find exciting ways to use the uniquely talented running back, but Sproles’ 40 catches were his fewest since 2008. Sproles will be 32 when the season begins. BOTTOM LINE: Sproles got only 97 touches last season, not counting kick returns, and it’s hard to see how his usage could increase now that the Eagles have brought in both DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews. PPR owners might still show interest in Sproles based on his gaudy reception totals of the past, but he figures to be used sparingly this year. 58 JERICK McKINNON | VIKINGS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 MIN 11 6 | 113 538 4.8 | 0 2 | 27 135 0 ’15 Proj: 15 1 | 59 280 4.7 | 1 0 | 20 136 0 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: After Adrian Peterson was suspended early in the season, the

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| 51

RB Vikings initially turned to plodding RB Matt Asiata to handle the rushing load, but McKinnon burst onto the scene with a 135-yard rushing day against the Falcons in Week 4, and the rookie spearheaded the Minnesota ground game until a back injury prematurely ended his season after Week 12. A former college quarterback at Georgia Southern, McKinnon is wildly athletic, and his inexperience at running back suggests that there’s plenty of growth potential here. That’s saying something for a guy who averaged 4.8 yards per carry in his debut season and also had 27 receptions. BUST: As of this writing, it appeared that Adrian Peterson would be back with the Vikings in 2015 after several months of trade rumors and general acrimony between Peterson and the team. If Peterson is healthy, McKinnon’s workload will amount to nothing more than table scraps. Health is somewhat of a concern for McKinnon after offseason back surgery. BOTTOM LINE: McKinnon flashed big-time potential as a rookie, and he should only get better as he grows more comfortable in his relatively new position. But if Adrian Peterson is around, McKinnon isn’t going to get much work.

59 LORENZO TALIAFERRO | RAVENS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 BAL 13 0 | 68 292 4.3 | 4 0 | 8 114 0 ’15 Proj: 15 0 | 86 361 4.2 | 2 0 | 15 129 0 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: Taliaferro offered glimpses of intriguing potential as a rookie, with an 18-91-1 rushing line against the Browns in Week 3 and a two-TD performance against the Bengals in Week 8 that also included a 29-yard reception. Drafted in the fourth round out of Coastal Carolina, the 6-0, 226-pound Taliaferro is well-built and powerful, and he’s an asset in pass protection. BUST: Taliaferro’s role for 2015 is unclear. New Ravens offensive coordinator Marc Trestman loves running backs who can catch, and he figures to grow fond of incumbent starter Justin Forsett. The Ravens also took Javorius Allen in the fourth round of this year’s NFL Draft. Taliaferro missed the last three games of 2014 with knee and ankle injuries. BOTTOM LINE: With Forsett coming off a big year and Allen now in the fold, Taliaferro doesn’t figure to play much right away. He may be talented enough to eventually muscle his way into significant carries, and his rugged running style

POSITION

REPORTS

could earn him goal-line work.

60 JONAS GRAY | PATRIOTS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 NE 8 3 | 89 412 4.6 | 5 1 | 1 7 0 ’15 Proj: 11 2 | 93 392 4.2 | 3 0 | 8 36 0 BYE: WEEK 4

BOOM: The undrafted free agent from Notre Dame made a prime-time splash against the Colts in mid-November, rushing 37 times for 201 yards and four TDs to fuel a 42-20 Patriots blowout and earn himself a Sports Illustrated cover. Even if you leave out that game, Gray averaged a respectable 4.1 yards per carry last season. The Patriots enter the year with LeGarrette Blount as their lead back and not much proven talent behind him, so Gray could buck for a significant piece of the pie. BUST: After his 201-yard explosion, Gray’s next two games produced rushing lines of 1-4-0 and 2-9-0, so Patriots head coach Bill Belichick obviously wasn’t that impressed by the rookie’s big night. Gray’s college yardage numbers were unimpressive. He was a nonfactor in the passing game last year, with one catch on four targets. BOTTOM LINE: The New England RB situation is hard to decipher heading into the new season. Gray has a chance to play a role in it, but the fact that his huge game against the Colts didn’t lead to increased snaps is probably a sign that the Patriots don’t see him as a potential workhorse. 61 CHRISTINE MICHAEL | SEAHAWKS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’13 SEA 4 0 | 18 79 4.4 | 0 0 | 0 0 0 ’14 SEA 10 0 | 34 175 5.1 | 0 0 | 0 0 0 ’15 Proj: 14 0 | 63 314 5.0 | 2 0 | 4 36 0 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: The magnificence and indestructibility of Marshawn Lynch has kept Michael mostly under wraps during his first two seasons in the league. But the Seahawks liked Michael enough to spend a second-round draft pick on him in 2013. Michael has had only 52 rushing attempts as a pro, but has averaged 4.9 yards per carry. For what it’s worth, he’s also looked good in preseason action in each of the past two years, with a rushing line of 63290-2 over seven exhibition games. BUST: Lynch signed a multiyear contract extension with the Seahawks in the offseason, so Michael appears no closer to getting regular playing time. Despite rave reviews of Michael’s talent, he remains an unproven commodity, and still competes with Robert Turbin, who

52 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

will get some touches. BOTTOM LINE: In extremely deep leagues, Lynch owners might want to spend a late-round insurance pick on Michael. If Michael is as good as advertised, he’d instantly become a valuable property if anything happened to Lynch. But Lynch hasn’t missed a game since 2011 and certainly isn’t going to lose his job due to performance.

62 JAMES STARKS | PACKERS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 GB 6 ’13 GB 13 ’14 GB 16 ’15 Proj: 15

2 | 71 255 3.6 | 1 0 | 4 31 0 1 | 89 493 5.5 | 3 1 | 10 89 1 0 | 85 333 3.9 | 2 0 | 18 140 0 0 | 74 303 4.1 | 2 0 | 15 116 0 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: Starks is firmly ensconced as the backup to starter Eddie Lacy and figures to face no serious competition in training camp. Starks has run for 826 yards, totaled 1,055 yards from scrimmage and scored six TDs over his last two regular seasons in Green Bay. He’s averaged a healthy 4.3 yards per carry and 7.8 yards per catch in five NFL seasons. If Starks ever gets meaningful playing time, he has the potential to roll up some good fantasy numbers in the potent Packers offense. BUST: Lacy is the main man in the Packers’ running game, and the only way Starks would get a chance to start is if Lacy went down. Starks has gotten fewer than 90 carries in each of the last two regular seasons, and he’s only had 28 receptions over that period. BOTTOM LINE: Starks is what he is: a solid backup to one of the better running backs in the league. He won’t have any stand-alone fantasy value as long as Eddie Lacy stays healthy, but Starks is a sensible handcuff for Lacy owners in deeper leagues. 63 JAMES WHITE | PATRIOTS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 NE 3 0 | 9 38 4.2 | 0 0 | 5 23 0 ’15 Proj: 11 1 | 69 277 4.0 | 2 0 | 20 165 0 BYE: WEEK 4

BOOM: The second-year runner out of Wisconsin is a wild card in the Patriots’ RB picture after what was essentially a redshirt rookie season. White ran for 1,444 yards and 13 TDs in his final college season at Wisconsin despite sharing carries with Melvin Gordon, and White has also shown pass-catching ability. His versatility could make him a nice complementary piece in what figures to be a mix-and-match RB committee. BUST: White played only three games

POSITION and got only 14 touches as a rookie, failing to make much of a footprint even though the Patriots lost Stevan Ridley to a season-ending knee injury in Week 6. It’s not a good sign that the Pats turned to undrafted free agent Jonas Gray before they turned to White, a fourth-round draft pick. BOTTOM LINE: The versatile White could be a dark horse in the New England backfield, though his non-contribution as a rookie casts doubt on his future with the Patriots.

64 THEO RIDDICK | LIONS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’13 DET 14 0 | 9 25 2.8 | 1 0 | 4 26 0 ’14 DET 14 0 | 20 51 2.6 | 0 0 | 34 316 4 ’15 Proj: 14 0 | 19 65 3.4 | 0 0 | 37 328 2 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: The Lions’ offseason release of Reggie Bush would appear to bode well for Riddick, who could inherit a role similar to the one Bush had filled. Like Bush, Riddick is a fine pass catcher capable of handling third-down duty. He put together a receiving line of 34-3164 in 14 games last year, including backto-back receiving lines of 5-75-1 and 8-74-1 against the Vikings and Falcons in October. BUST: Riddick has demonstrated his ability as a pass catcher but is largely untested as a runner. He’s never had more than four carries in a single game during his two years in Detroit, and he’s averaged just 2.6 yards per carry. Riddick had only one decent rushing season during his college career at Notre Dame, and it was just that – decent, not exceptional (917 yards, five TDs). BOTTOM LINE: There isn’t much of a track record to go on with Riddick, but he’s shown good pass-catching skills, and the Lions’ brass has talked about expanding his role. Riddick could provide some fantasy utility in some sort of timeshare arrangement with Joique Bell and rookie Ameer Abdullah, though Riddick figures to be relegated to third-down duty only. 65 TRENT RICHARDSON | RAIDERS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 CLE 15 15 | 267 950 3.6 | 11 0 | 51 367 1 ’13 IND/CLE 16 10 | 188 553 2.9 | 3 3 | 35 316 1 ’14 IND 15 12 | 159 519 3.3 | 3 0 | 27 229 0 ’15 Proj: 14 1 | 56 191 3.4 | 2 0 | 25 199 1 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: Obviously, the past two years haven’t been very fruitful for T-Rich, but he gets a chance to make a fresh start in Oakland. Richardson will only be 25

when the season begins, so it may be too early to write him off. This is, after all, a player who amassed 2,017 yards from scrimmage and 24 TDs in his final college season at Alabama and then produced 1,317 yards from scrimmage and 12 TDs in his rookie season with the Browns. BUST: Where to begin? The Colts made a blockbuster trade for Richardson early in the 2013 season and surely wish they’d never pulled the trigger. T-Rich averaged 33.7 rushing yards over 29 regular-season games with the Colts and was badly outplayed by the likes of Donald Brown and Daniel Herron. Richardson was no more than a bit player by the end of his second season with the Colts and was suspended by the team for two playoff games for unspecified reasons. He has a career average of 3.3 yards per carry, which might be the only “bust” argument you need when deciding whether to dip your toe in the water. BOTTOM LINE: Richardson’s last two seasons have been so bad that there’s little room for optimism. But the NFL is full of redemption stories, and there’s still a chance – if only a slight one – that Richardson could rediscover the form that made him the third overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft.

66 LANCE DUNBAR | COWBOYS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 DAL 12 ’13 DAL 9 ’14 DAL 16 ’15 Proj: 16

RB

REPORTS

0 | 21 75 3.6 | 0 0 | 6 33 0 0 | 30 150 5.0 | 0 0 | 7 59 0 0 | 29 99 3.4 | 0 0 | 18 217 0 1 | 40 166 4.2 | 1 0 | 20 177 1 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: DeMarco Murray’s departure for Philadelphia has left the Dallas backfield wide open, and while Dunbar is viewed as a third-down back, he had three 1,000-yard rushing seasons and 41 TD runs at the University of North Texas, and it’s not inconceivable that Dunbar could get a significant number of carries. Even if it doesn’t happen, Dunbar has a chance to offer PPR value if he winds up handling the third-down role. He averaged 12.1 yards on 18 catches last season. BUST: It would be a surprise if Dunbar wound up in anything but a third-down role, even with the question marks that accompany Darren McFadden and Joseph Randle, two of the primary competitors for carries in Dallas. Dunbar carried only 29 times last season and averaged 3.4 yards per carry. BOTTOM LINE: Fantasy owners will be paying attention to the Dallas RB situation in August, given the success Murray had last year behind a roadgrading offensive line. Dunbar is in the

picture, but odds are he’ll end up as a third-down back only and not a contender for heavy rushing duty.

67 RONNIE HILLMAN | BRONCOS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 DEN 14 0 | 85 330 3.9 | 1 0 | 10 62 0 ’13 DEN 10 0 | 55 218 4.0 | 1 0 | 12 119 0 ’14 DEN 8 4 | 106 434 4.1 | 3 2 | 21 139 1 ’15 Proj: 13 1 | 54 216 4.0 | 1 0 | 17 127 1 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: Hillman was productive when he was given a chance to be the Broncos’ lead back for a spell last season, rushing 83 times for 363 yards and three TDs over a five-game span from early October to early November and adding 17-1211 as a receiver. He’ll have to tussle for playing time behind presumed starter C.J. Anderson but has at least a reasonable chance to emerge as the primary backup. BUST: A foot injury forced Hillman to miss time in the second half of the season, and Anderson ran away with the feature-back gig while Hillman was on the shelf. Hillman has played in only 32 regular-season games during his three years in Denver and has scored only five touchdowns. With 43 regular-season receptions as a pro, he doesn’t offer any extra PPR value BOTTOM LINE: The Broncos have a crowded backfield, with Hillman, Monte Ball and Juwan Thompson all fighting for carries behind C.J. Anderson. Keep an eye on the competition in the preseason and consider an investment in Hillman only if he emerges as the No. 2. 68 BENNY CUNNINGHAM | RAMS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’13 STL 14 0 | 47 261 5.6 | 1 1 | 6 59 0 ’14 STL 16 2 | 66 246 3.7 | 3 0 | 45 352 1 ’15 Proj: 16 0 | 35 151 4.3 | 0 0 | 33 261 0 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: The Rams made Cunningham their passing-down back last year, and the second-year man out of Middle Tennessee State nicely complemented the earlydown stylings of Tre Mason. With a 45352-1 receiving line in 2014, Cunningham could provide some stand-alone PPR value this season. And with a two-year rushing average of 4.5 yards per carry, there’s reason to believe that he could provide more help in the running game if given additional carries. BUST: Rookie Todd Gurley is expected to be the primary ballcarrier in St. Louis, leaving Cunningham in a role that limits his fantasy potential. Cunningham has had only 113 rushing attempts in 30 games with the Rams and has 507 career

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| 53

RB rushing yards.

BOTTOM LINE: Cunningham is stuck

in a niché role with the Rams, though he fills that niché quite well. He’s worth the attention of PPR owners.

69 ALFRED BLUE | TEXANS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 HOU 16 3 | 169 528 3.1 | 2 1 | 15 113 1 ’15 Proj: 16 2 | 130 442 3.4 | 1 0 | 11 81 0 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: The second-year running back out of LSU has a chance to be the top backup to the oft-injured Arian Foster. Blue played all 16 games as a rookie and had some noteworthy performances, foremost among them a 36-carry, 156yard rushing day against the Browns in Week 11. He also had a 13-78-0 rushing game against the Giants in Week Three and had a TD run in two of Houston’s last four games. BUST: Blue averaged a meager 3.1 yards per carry as a rookie, which may be among the reasons that the Texans speculated on Kenny Hilliard of LSU in the seventh round of this year’s NFL Draft. BOTTOM LINE: It’s always worth paying attention to the RB pecking order behind Arian Foster, and Blue has a chance to emerge as the brittle Foster’s primary backup 70 BRANDEN OLIVER | CHARGERS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 SD 14 7 | 160 582 3.6 | 3 2 | 36 271 1 ’15 Proj: 15 2 | 86 308 3.6 | 1 0 | 23 168 0 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: Riddled with injuries at the RB position last season, the Chargers gave seven starts to Oliver, an undrafted free agent out of the University of Buffalo. Oliver went off in the Chargers’ 31-0 blowout of the Jets in Week 5, with 19-1141 as a runner and 4-68-1 as a receiver. For an encore, he ran for 26-101-1 and caught 4-23-0 against the Raiders in Week 6. Oliver finished the season on a high note with a 14-71-1 rushing day against the Chiefs in Week 17. He was productive as a receiver, averaging 7.5 yards on 36 catches. BUST: After those big days against the Jets and Raiders, Oliver’s production dried up. He endured a nine-game TD drought that didn’t end until Week 17, and he averaged only 3.6 yards per carry on the season. Oliver will have to fight for playing time in 2015. The Chargers selected Melvin Gordon in the first round of this year’s draft, Danny Woodhead is expected to be ready for Week 1, and Donald Brown is still in the picture. BOTTOM LINE: Oliver was a waiver-

POSITION

REPORTS

wire sensation in 2014 fantasy leagues, but he might not cause as much of a stir this year due to an unfavorable position on the San Diego depth chart.

71 TOBY GERHART | JAGUARS

who’s logged 1,023 touches over the past three years and hasn’t missed a game since 2011. BOTTOM LINE: Carey has no standalone fantasy value, but he could fall into a heavy workload if Matt Forte were to get hurt.

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 MIN 16 ’13 MIN 14 ’14 JAX 14 ’15 Proj: 14

0 | 50 169 3.4 | 1 0 | 20 155 0 0 | 36 283 7.9 | 2 0 | 13 88 0 7 | 101 326 3.2 | 2 0 | 20 186 0 0 | 40 152 3.8 | 2 0 | 13 97 0 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Let’s start by acknowledging that last season was an unmitigated disaster for Gerhart. Still, he has four years of high-quality backup duty on his résumé and could potentially return to being a worthwhile handcuff. Despite last year’s struggles, Gerhart does have a career average of 4.3 yards per carry. He’s been a decent pass catcher over his career, with an average of 8.1 yards per catch on 97 career receptions. BUST: The Jaguars gave Gerhart a chance to be a starter last year, and things did not go well, to say the least. Gerhart injured his foot in Week 1 and tried to play through it, but he was a shell of himself all season, averaging 3.2 yards per carry and producing only 512 yards from scrimmage and two TDs. Denard Robinson established himself as a credible NFL running back last year, and the Jaguars took T.J. Yeldon in the second round of this year’s draft. The Jaguars have talked about using Gerhart in an H-back type of role, which would limit his carries and could throttle his fantasy value. BOTTOM LINE: After a miserable 2015, Gerhart’s fantasy value has hit rock bottom. But the 28-year-old Gerhart was a highquality backup to Adrian Peterson for four seasons and has a chance to re-establish himself as a dependable sub, either with the Jaguars or with some other team.

73 ROBERT TURBIN | SEAHAWKS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 SEA 16 ’13 SEA 16 ’14 SEA 16 ’15 Proj: 16

0 | 80 354 4.4 | 0 0 | 19 181 0 0 | 77 264 3.4 | 0 0 | 8 60 0 3 | 74 310 4.2 | 0 0 | 16 186 2 0 | 46 184 4.0 | 0 0 | 19 173 1 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: Turbin is once again expected to be the third-down back for the NFC champs, and he has a chance to be the primary backup to Marshawn Lynch. Turbin averaged 4.2 yards per carry last season and 11.6 yards per catch. Turbin has a career average of 9.9 yards per catch and had two TD receptions last season. Turbin hasn’t missed a game over his three-year career. BUST: There isn’t much work to be had when you’re the backup to Lynch. Turbin has averaged five or fewer carries per game in each of his three seasons. Despite his third-down role, Turbin has only 43 catches in 48 regular-season games. His two TD catches last season were the first touchdowns of his career. With Turbin entering the last year of his rookie contract, the Seahawks might give Christine Michael a chance to establish himself as Lynch’s primary backup, which could leave Turbin out in the cold. BOTTOM LINE: Turbin has been a good company man for the Seahawks, but it hasn’t translated into fantasy utility. He’s a versatile and capable running back, but fellow Seattle backup Michael has greater upside. Turbin figures to go undrafted in all but the deepest of fantasy leagues. 74 De’ANTHONY THOMAS | CHIEFS

72 KA’DEEM CAREY | BEARS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 CHI 14 0 | 36 158 4.4 | 0 0 | 5 57 0 ’15 Proj: 15 0 | 58 255 4.4 | 1 0 | 4 39 0 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: A fourth-round pick in last year’s NFL Draft, Carey predictably saw little action behind Bears workhorse Matt Forte. Carey performed capably in a smattering of snaps, averaging 4.4 yards on 36 carries. His best game was a 1472-0 rushing day vs. the Packers in Week 4. Over his final two college seasons at Arizona, Carey ran for 3,814 yards and scored 44 TDs. BUST: There simply isn’t much work to be had when you’re a backup to Forte,

54 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’14 KC 12 3 | 14 113 8.1 | 1 0 | 23 156 0 ’15 Proj: 14 0 | 14 95 6.8 | 1 0 | 28 198 0 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: Thomas is an intriguing young playmaker with electrifying speed and the ability to turn any touch into six points. The Chiefs got him involved in their passing game last season, and the rookie from Oregon wound up with 23 catches in just 12 games. Thomas averaged an impressive 8.1 yards per carry on his 14 rushing attempts. In his three years at Oregon, Thomas scored 45 TDs – 26 rushing, 15 receiving and four as a kick returner. BUST: At 5-8 and 176 pounds, Thomas isn’t built to handle more than a handful

POSITION of carries per game and profiles as more of a passing-down back or gadget player. In college, he never had more than 96 carries in any season. The best-case scenario for Thomas might be that he becomes another Darren Sproles. BOTTOM LINE: Thomas won’t get enough carries to become a startingcaliber fantasy performer, but his value should increase as his role in the Kansas City passing game expands. The 22-yearold Thomas profiles as a younger version of the Eagles’ Sproles.

75 KENDALL HUNTER | 49ERS

RUSH 100 REC REC YR TEAM GP GS ATT YDS AVG TD YDS REC YDS TD

’12 SF 11 0 | 72 371 5.2 | 2 0 | 9 60 0 ’13 SF 16 0 | 78 358 4.6 | 3 0 | 2 13 0 | 0 0 | 0 0 0 ’14 SF 0 0 | 0 0 0 ’15 Proj: 13 0 | 43 185 4.3 | 1 0 | 14 114 0 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: Hunter had proven himself to be a capable backup over three seasons with the Niners before tearing his ACL in training camp last year and missing the entire 2014 season. He was able to participate in offseason workouts and should be good to go for 2015. He’s averaged 4.6 yards per carry over his career BUST: Hunter’s medical history now includes a torn ACL and a torn Achilles’. The 49ers will give young Carlos Hyde a chance to be their feature back, and they signed free agent Reggie Bush to handle third-down and provide a change of pace, so Hunter’s role is unclear. Although he’s served as a third-down back at times, Hunter has caught only 27 passes in 43 career games. BOTTOM LINE: After tearing his ACL and missing the entire 2014 season, Hunter will be off a lot of fantasy owners’ radars. It’s worth remembering that he had been productive in a limited role, and it’s possible that he could be a factor this year if things don’t go according to plan for the 49ers at running back.

BEST OF THE REST 76 AHMAD BRADSHAW | FREE AGENT A free agent as of this writing, Bradshaw broke his leg in Week 11 after scoring eight TDs and producing 725 yards from scrimmage for the Colts. Bradshaw was terrific as a receiver last season, catching 38 passes for 300 yards and six TDs. He has a lengthy medical history that includes myriad foot problems, but Bradshaw has been far too productive for far too long to remain unsigned. 77 JAVORIUS ALLEN | RAVENS Ravens offensive coordinator Marc Trestman is known for getting his running backs heavily involved in the passing

REPORTS

RB

game, and Allen had 41 receptions for 458 yards last fall at USC, along with 1,489 rushing yards and 12 total TDs. A fourthround pick, Allen isn’t likely to supplant Justin Forsett as a rookie, but he has a chance to supplant Lorenzo Taliaferro as Forsett’s top backup.

78 KHIRY ROBINSON | SAINTS When Mark Ingram missed three games early last season with a hand injury, Robinson filled in with 47 carries for 245 yards and a TD. The third-year runner from West Texas A&M averaged 4.8 yards per carry last season and finished with three rushing touchdowns. Robinson is currently log-jammed on the New Orleans depth chart and would likely play a significant role only if either Ingram or C.J. Spiller were to go down this year. 79 CAMERON ARTIS-PAYNE | PANTHERS The rookie from Auburn need only surpass the likes of Mike Tolbert and Fozzy Whittaker on the Carolina depth chart to become the top backup to the oft-injured James Stewart. It’s not hard to envision a scenario in which Artis-Payne plays a prominent role in 2015. He’s a tough, patient runner who ran for 1,608 yards and 13 touchdowns at Auburn last season. 80 DeANGELO WILLIAMS | STEELERS Williams goes from a time-share with Jonathan Stewart to caddie duty for Pittsburgh workhorse Le’Veon Bell. The change of venue doesn’t portend a major workload for the 32-year-old Williams, who played only six games last season due to knee and hand injuries. But Williams will have some early-season fantasy appeal as the probable starter for Pittsburgh while Bell serves a brief suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. 81 BOBBY RAINEY | BUCCANEERS The Buccaneers have brought back Rainey on a one-year deal to serve as the No. 3 running back behind Doug Martin and Charles Sims. Rainey has had his moments with the Bucs over the last two years and totaled 721 yards from scrimmage last season. And it’s not as if Martin or Sims have absolute job security. 82 MATT JONES | WASHINGTON The 6-2, 231-pound Jones is a king-sized power runner capable of running through arm tackles and moving piles. He didn’t produce noteworthy numbers during his college career at the University of Florida, partly due to committee usage and partly due to a 2013 knee injury. He may have landed in a less-than-ideal spot, going to Washington in the fifth round of this year’s draft. Alfred Morris is entrenched as the

Chris Johnson

starter and is a true workhorse. On the bright side, Jones faces minimal competition in a battle to become Alf’s top backup.

83 CHRIS JOHNSON | FREE AGENT Unsigned as of this writing, Johnson figures to latch on with another team after performing capably last year in time-share duty with the Jets, running for 663 yards despite averaging fewer than 10 carries a game. But Johnson will turn 30 in September, and his days as a feature back are clearly over. He’s a notoriously hot-and-cold runner known for interspersing the occasional big game amidst several poor ones. 84 MIKE DAVIS | 49ERS A versatile, compactly built running back, Davis was productive for the University of South Carolina when healthy, but injuries have been a problem. It’s hard to envision Davis making an impact in 2015 with the number of backs ahead of him on the San Francisco depth chart, but the 49ers took him in the fourth round of this year’s draft, so they obviously see something in him. 85 JEREMY LANGFORD | BEARS Selected in the fourth round of this year’s NFL Draft, Langford will compete with Ka’Deem Carey and Jacquizz Rodgers for backup work behind Matt Forte. Langford had 1,944 rushing yards and 41 TDs over his final two seasons at Michigan State. He’s also a decent pass catcher who could edge out Rodgers for passing-down snaps.

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FANTASY

Wide receivers Parity at the top of the fantasy WR rankings By

PAT FITZMAURICE

W

ho’s No. 1? That’s the most compelling question at the WR position as we enter the 2015 fantasy draft season. Most years, there’s a consensus No. 1 wide receiver (hello, Calvin Johnson). Occasionally, it might be a two-horse race. This year, you could make a reasonable case for any of a half-dozen receivers. The candidates include Antonio Brown, Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas, Odell Beckham Jr., Julio Jones and, yes, Calvin Johnson. Brown, the reigning NFL reception king, led all receivers in fantasy scoring last year and was second in 2013. Bryant has become a consistent point machine, and the Cowboys’ transition to a run-oriented offense did nothing to diminish Bryant’s fantasy impact. Thomas continues to make beautiful music in Denver with QB Peyton Manning. Beckham just turned in the most sensational season by a rookie wide receiver since Randy Moss in 1998. Jones is coming off the best season of his career and might still be able to raise his game another notch. “Megatron” may not be the near-unanimous No. 1 receiver, as he has been for so many years, but he’ll still be the first receiver drafted in at least a few leagues. Failure to land one of the top six receivers won’t doom fantasy owners to mediocre numbers from the position, as last year’s bountiful crop of rookies has noticeably bolstered overall WR depth. Indeed, the rookie receiver class of 2014 might eventually go down as

CONSENSUS

Top FANTASY WIDE RECEIVERS 1. ANTONIO BROWN | STEELERS 2. DEZ BRYANT | COWBOYS 3. ODELL BECKHAM JR. | GIANTS 4. DEMARYIUS THOMAS | BRONCOS 5. CALVIN JOHNSON | LIONS 6. JULIO JONES | FALCONS 7. JORDY NELSON | PACKERS 8. A.J. GREEN | BENGALS 9. RANDALL COBB | PACKERS 10. ALSHON JEFFERY | BEARS 11. MIKE EVANS | BUCCANEERS 12. KELVIN BENJAMIN | PANTHERS 13. EMMANUEL SANDERS | BRONCOS 14. T.Y. HILTON | COLTS 15. DeANDRE HOPKINS | TEXANS 16. JORDAN MATTHEWS | EAGLES 17. KEENAN ALLEN | CHARGERS 18. BRANDIN COOKS | SAINTS 19. DeSEAN JACKSON | WASHINGTON 20. GOLDEN TATE | LIONS the finest in NFL history. Beckham was the headliner, but Mike Evans, Sammy Watkins, Kelvin Benjamin, Brandin Cooks, Jordan Matthews, Jarvis Landry and Martavis Bryant also made serious noise as rookies and promise to be significant fantasy contributors for years to come. (And don’t forget about Allen Robinson, John Brown, Davante Adams, et al.) This year’s crop of rookie receivers doesn’t figure to make as big a splash as the Class of ’14, but it’s widely regarded as a good class in its own right, with a number of young wideouts capable of making fantasy contributions from the get-go. The headliner is Amari Cooper of Alabama, drafted fourth overall by the Raiders. Cooper is

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expected to be Oakland’s No. 1 receiver from day one. Fellow first-rounders Kevin White (Bears), Nelson Agholor (Eagles) and Breshad Perriman (Ravens) are also projected to start immediately. First-rounder DeVante Parker, second-rounders Dorial GreenBeckham (Titans) and Devin Funchess (Panthers), and third-rounders Jaelen Strong (Texans) and Chris Conley (Chiefs) all figure to see significant action, if not start, right away. One of the keys to deciphering this year’s WR picture will be figuring out the pecking order on teams that appear to be overstocked or understocked with pass catchers. Some of the receivers from teams in the overstocked category are bound to be overdrafted, as there are only so many targets to go around. Teams in the understocked category could be good places to find cheap WR value, since the targets have to go somewhere. Teams with an apparent glut of pass catchers include the Colts and Dolphins. The Colts signed productive veteran Andre Johnson in free agency and spent a first-round draft pick on speedster Phillip Dorsett. They already had rising star T.Y. Hilton and promising second-year man Donte Moncrief, and Colts QB Andrew Luck also directs a lot of throws to TEs Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen. The Dolphins have undergone a WR makeover. They traded for Kenny Stills, signed Greg Jennings and drafted DeVante Parker. They also signed TE Cameron Jordan, and second-year WR Jarvis Landry will continue to play a prominent role. Even if the Colts and Dolphins meet or exceed expectations for their respective passing games, it stands to reason that one or more of their receivers will disappoint. Foremost among the teams with a shortage of proven pass catchers are the Saints. Exciting young Brandin Cooks and aging Marques Colston figure to start, but with the Saints having dealt away TE Jimmy Graham and WR Kenny Stills in the offseason, there are plenty of targets to be claimed in a passing attack triggered by stat machine Drew Brees. One or more of the relatively obscure backups in New Orleans could emerge.

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1 ANTONIO BROWN | STEELERS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 PIT 13 10 | 66 787 11.9 | 5 0 | 10 2 | 106 ’13 PIT 16 14 | 110 1,499 13.6 | 8 5 | 23 6 | 166 ’14 PIT 16 16 | 129 1,698 13.2 | 13 8 | 19 4 | 181 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 114 1,537 13.5 | 10 7 | 21 4 176 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: With 129 catches last year, Brown now owns the second-best singleseason catch total in NFL history, trailing only Marvin Harrison’s 143-catch season in 2002. Brown’s 1,698 receiving yards last year also led the league. He finished second in targets with 182, just two behind Demaryius Thomas, and tied for second with 13 TD catches, three behind league leader Dez Bryant. Brown led all receivers in fantasy scoring last season and was second in 2013. He had at least 90 receiving yards in all but three regularseason games last year and never had fewer than 72 yards. Brown has averaged 99.9 yards a game over the past two seasons. He plays with a high-quality QB in Ben Roethlisberger, and the presence of physically imposing Steelers WR Martavis Bryant should deter opposing defenses from doubling Brown with a safety. BUST: Brown might be hard-pressed to match last year’s TD total. From 2011 to 2013, he averaged only five TD catches per season despite averaging 81.7 catches over that span. At 5-10 and 186 pounds, Brown doesn’t have ideal size, which might help explain why he had never hit double digits in touchdowns prior to 2014. BOTTOM LINE: With 347 targets, 239 catches and 3,197 receiving yards over the past two seasons, Brown is the consummate high-volume receiver. Brown’s history suggests that he can’t be counted on as a prolific TD scorer, but he’s absolute gold in PPR formats and nearly as valuable in standard leagues. Brown won’t be the unanimous No. 1 wide receiver, but he deserves consideration as fantasy football’s top wideout. 2 DEZ BRYANT | COWBOYS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 DAL 16 14 | 92 1,382 15.0 | 12 5 | 19 6 | 138 ’13 DAL 16 16 | 93 1,233 13.3 | 13 4 | 14 4 | 160 ’14 DAL 16 16 | 88 1,320 15.0 | 16 4 | 22 5 | 137 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 91 1,356 14.9 | 13 5 | 21 5 | 143 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: The 26-year-old Bryant has been a model of consistency over the past three years, with at least 88 catches, 1,233 yards and 12 touchdowns in each of those seasons. Over that span, he’s had 13 games with 100 or more yards and 11 games with multiple touchdowns. For his career, he’s had 56 TD catches in 75 regular-season games, an average of 0.75

Dez Bryant

per game. Bryant caught 64.2 percent of his targets last season – an impressive total for a possession receiver, let alone one who averaged 15.0 yards per catch. He hasn’t missed a regular-season game since 2011. BUST: Dallas doesn’t have a highquality No. 2 receiver, so Bryant will see plenty of double teams. The Cowboys had a run-heavy offense last season, though the shift in offensive philosophy had no real bearing on Bryant’s stats. BOTTOM LINE: Having put together three straight outstanding seasons, Bryant has established himself as one of the finest wide receivers in the game, and there’s a reasonable case to be made that Bryant should be the first one to come off

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the board in this year’s fantasy drafts.

3 ODELL BECKHAM JR. | GIANTS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’14 NYG 12 11 | 91 1,305 14.3 | 12 7 | 16 6 | 130 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 98 1,361 13.9 | 12 5 | 18 6 | 139 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: After missing all of the preseason and the first month of the regular season with hamstring problems, the rookie from LSU took the league by storm once he was healthy, scoring 12 TDs in 12 games, averaging 7.6 catches and 108.8 receiving yards per game, and giving us a one-handed catch for the ages in a Sunday-night game against

POSITION the Cowboys in Week 12. Beckham’s rookie-year exploits seem even more amazing when you consider that he had only 10 catches for 106 yards in his first three games, which means he averaged 9.0 catches and 133.2 yards over his last nine contests. He never had fewer than 90 receiving yards in any game during that span. Beckham claims that he was bothered by the hamstring problems all season, so you have to wonder what he’ll be able to do if fully healthy for a full 16game season. BUST: It will be interesting to see how Beckham and Victor Cruz coexist. The two of them played only one full game together last season, combining for a mere 66 receiving yards in Beckham’s NFL debut. Cruz then ripped up his knee against the Eagles the following week. Cruz averaged 132.2 targets in the three years before Beckham’s arrival, and it will be interesting to see how Giants QB Eli Manning spreads the targets around. BOTTOM LINE: As a rookie, Beckham finished fifth in WR fantasy scoring despite missing the first four games of the season. It was a dazzling first-year performance that leaves us anxious to see what Beckham can do for an encore. Beckham has only one NFL season under his belt, and Victor Cruz’s return from a knee injury complicates things, but you could make a decent argument that Beckham deserves to be the No. 1 receiver in this year’s fantasy drafts.

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fantasy fortunes of Thomas are tied to a 39-year-old quarterback who’s dealt with career-threatening neck problems. BOTTOM LINE: Thomas is an incredibly talented and productive receiver playing with one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history – what’s not to like?

5 CALVIN JOHNSON | LIONS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 DET 16 16 | 122 1,964 16.1 | 5 11 | 40 5 | 204 ’13 DET 14 14 | 84 1,492 17.8 | 12 7 | 22 5 | 157 ’14 DET 13 13 | 71 1,077 15.2 | 8 5 | 16 3 | 128 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 89 1,379 15.5 | 11 6 | 23 4 | 166 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: Despite missing three games with an ankle injury, Johnson turned in his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard season. He scored eight TDs in 13 games and had five 100-yard outings and three multipleTD days. “Megatron” has long been the standard-bearer at the WR position. Discounting his good-but-not-great rookie year, Johnson has averaged 153 targets, 85 catches, 1,378 yards and 10 TDs over the past seven seasons. Though his 1,077 receiving yards last season were his fewest since 2009, his prorated yardage total over a 16-game season would have been 1,325, which is basically right in line with his career average. BUST: Johnson turns 30 in September, and while we’re probably a few years

away from seeing an age-related decline, it might get harder for Johnson to stay healthy. He dealt with ankle and injury woes last season, and he’s missed five games over the past two years. Johnson has failed to produce a double-digit TD total in two of the last three seasons, and his average of 15.2 yards per catch last season was his lowest since 2010. BOTTOM LINE: Over the past several years, “Megatron” has been the consensus No. 1 receiver heading into fantasy football drafts. There is no such consensus this year, though Johnson is one of several candidates who deserve consideration as the top wideout. There are other receivers we like just a little more, but Johnson remains a worthy firstround pick.

6 JULIO JONES | FALCONS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 ATL 16 15 | 79 1,198 15.2 | 10 4 | 17 5 | 129 ’13 ATL 5 5 | 41 580 14.1 | 2 1 | 9 3 | 60 ’14 ATL 15 15 | 104 1,593 15.3 | 6 7 | 31 3 | 163 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 93 1,405 15.1 | 9 6 | 24 4 | 148 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: After a broken foot had limited him to just five games in 2013, Jones played all but one game for the Falcons in 2014 and produced the best reception and yardage totals of his career. Jones had seven 100-yard games, including a

4 DEMARYIUS THOMAS | BRONCOS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 DEN 16 16 | 94 1,434 15.3 | 10 7 | 29 5 | 141 ’13 DEN 16 16 | 92 1,430 15.5 | 14 6 | 19 5 | 142 ’14 DEN 16 16 | 111 1,619 14.6 | 11 10 | 25 6 | 184 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 95 1,404 14.8 | 11 6 | 22 5 | 150 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: Over the past three years, Thomas has averaged 99 catches, 1,494 yards and 11.7 TDs. He’s finished in the top five in fantasy scoring among wide receivers in each of those three seasons. Thomas led the league in targets last season with 184, which works out to 11.5 per game. He had 25 receptions of 20 yards or more last year, trailing only Julio Jones in that category. Thomas has the luxury of playing with Peyton Manning, and Manning leaned on Thomas more heavily last season than ever before. Manning figures to lean heavily on Thomas once again now that playmaking TE Julius Thomas has left for Jacksonville. At 6-3 and 229 pounds, Thomas makes for a giant target. BUST: There aren’t too many nits to pick here. If you insist on summoning a bogeyman, you could mention that the

Demaryious Thomas

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REPORTS the Bengals and has developed strong chemistry with QB Andy Dalton. BUST: A toe injury cost Green three games last season, and he also missed the Bengals’ playoff game with a concussion. His six TDs last season were a career low. Dalton is a capable quarterback but far from elite, so Green might be maxed out statistically, at least while Dalton remains the Cincinnati quarterback. BOTTOM LINE: Green may be just a hair below the top echelon of fantasy receivers, but he’s still among the most dependable fantasy assets in the game and would make a fine second-round pick.

9 RANDALL COBB | PACKERS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

Julio Jones

259-yard game against the Packers in Week 14. He had double-digit catches in three games and double-digit targets in nine games. Jones led the NFL with 31 receptions of 20 or more yards, and he had at least one such catch in 14 of his 15 games. Jones has a robust career average of 15.6 yards per catch. BUST: Jones has had two surgeries on the fifth metatarsal of his right foot after fractures in 2011 and 2013. He missed three games in 2011 with a hamstring injury and one game last year with a hip injury. Roddy White is starting to show his age, and the Falcons are paper-thin at receiver beyond Jones and White, so Jones figures to see a lot of double-teaming this season. Despite his big yardage and catch totals, Jones scored only six TDs last season. BOTTOM LINE: Jones’ history of foot problems and Atlanta’s shortage of complementary receivers are mild concerns, but there are few more dangerous playmakers in the NFL. If you draft Jones as your No. 1 receiver, you’re off to a flying start at the position.

7 JORDY NELSON | PACKERS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 GB 12 10 | 49 745 15.2 | 7 2 | 8 4 | 73 ’13 GB 16 16 | 85 1,314 15.5 | 8 5 | 22 3 | 127 ’14 GB 16 16 | 98 1,519 15.5 | 13 7 | 19 8 | 151 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 86 1,324 15.5 | 10 5 | 21 5 | 126 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: Nelson tied Dez Bryant for second in WR fantasy scoring last season, averaging more than 14 fantasy points per game, and reached career highs in receptions and receiving yardage. After averaging 43.4 catches over the

first five years of his career, Nelson has averaged 91.5 catches over the last two. He’s racked up 2,833 receiving yards over his last two years and has averaged better than 15 yards per catch for four straight seasons. Nelson plays with Aaron Rodgers, arguably the best quarterback in football, and operates in a well-designed, schematically stable offense. BUST: Nelson turned 30 in May and is older than Calvin Johnson. In light of how many deep routes Nelson runs, it’s fair to wonder if he’ll be able to sustain the catch volume of his last two seasons. BOTTOM LINE: A lethal downfield threat who plays with an elite quarterback, Nelson is a top-10 receiver and should be one of the first 20-25 players to come off the board in fantasy drafts.

8 A.J. GREEN | BENGALS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 CIN 16 16 | 97 1,350 13.9 | 11 5 | 16 7 | 164 ’13 CIN 16 16 | 98 1,426 14.6 | 11 6 | 18 9 | 178 ’14 CIN 13 13 | 69 1,041 15.1 | 6 5 | 13 3 | 116 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 90 1,341 14.9 | 9 5 | 18 7 | 170 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: Green has gone over 1,000 receiving yards in each of his four NFL seasons, producing 1,041 yards last year in only 13 games. He’s averaged 82.3 catches, 1,219 yards and 8.8 TD catches per year with the Bengals. Green finished fourth among wide receivers in fantasy scoring in both 2012 and 2013, with 97 and 98 receptions in those two seasons, respectively, and 11 TDs in each. He’s had 100 or more receiving yards in a third of his 60 career regular-season games. Green remains the undisputed No. 1 receiver for

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’12 GB 15 8 | 80 954 11.9 | 8 3 | 17 0 | 104 ’13 GB 6 4 | 31 433 14.0 | 4 2 | 6 1 | 47 ’14 GB 16 16 | 91 1,287 14.1 | 12 5 | 24 3 | 127 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 84 1,177 14.0 | 9 4 | 20 2 | 117 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: A PPR machine, Cobb had a career-high 91 catches last year and has averaged 5.5 receptions per game over the last three seasons. Cobb also established new career highs in yardage and TDs last season, and he finished sixth in WR fantasy scoring. Cobb has been an incredibly efficient receiver over his career, catching 73.5 percent of his regular-season targets. He sometimes lines up in the backfield and adds a little bit of bonus value as a runner with 252 career rushing yards. The field-stretching presence of teammate Jordy Nelson helps give Cobb room to operate underneath. BUST: Cobb is slightly built (5-10, 192 pounds) and missed 10 games in 2013 due to a badly sprained knee. He hadn’t hit double digits in TDs before last year, and his career average of 13.4 yards per catch is low compared with the other upper-echelon fantasy receivers. BOTTOM LINE: With QB Aaron Rodgers commanding the Green Bay offense, Cobb is a good bet for another high-volume season. He’s a PPR jewel and a top-10 receiver even in standard-scoring formats. 10 ALSHON JEFFERY | BEARS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 CHI 10 6 | 24 367 15.3 | 3 0 | 6 2 | 48 ’13 CHI 16 14 | 89 1,421 16.0 | 7 5 | 20 7 | 150 ’14 CHI 16 16 | 85 1,133 13.3 | 10 3 | 17 3 | 145 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 88 1,276 14.5 | 9 5 | 19 5 | 149 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: The 25-year-old Jeffery has established himself as one of the best young receivers in football, and with Brandon Marshall having left for the Jets,

POSITION Jeffery now becomes the go-to guy for Bears QB Jay Cutler. Even with Marshall seeing ample targets on the other side, Jeffery has caught 174 passes over the past two seasons, and last year he set a new career high in touchdowns with 10. He was a scoring machine down the stretch, with at least one TD catch in six consecutive games from Week 11 to Week 16. Jeffery finished 11th in WR fantasy scoring last season and was eighth in 2013. At 6-3 and 216 pounds, Jeffery is an inviting end-zone target. BUST: You’d think that Jeffery would probably benefit from the departure of high-volume receiver Brandon Marshall, but what if rookie Kevin White and the other Bears receivers aren’t productive enough to keep opposing defenses from rolling coverage Jeffery’s way? After averaging 16.0 yards per catch in 2013, Jeffery slipped to 13.3 yards per catch in 2014. Jeffery was held to 78 or fewer receiving yards in 11 of his 16 games last season. BOTTOM LINE: A rare physical specimen, Jeffery reached double digits in TDs for the first time in his career last season, and we like his chances to do it again. Jeffery is a solid choice to anchor your fantasy receiving corps.

Evans scored at least one touchdown in nine of his last 12. The 6-5, 231-pound Evans is a massive target who can overpower smaller defenders or elevate to snag balls that defenders are incapable of reaching. The presence of WR Vincent Jackson on the other side helps ward off double teams. BUST: The Buccaneers are expected to start rookie Jameis Winston at quarterback, and though Winston was the top overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, his growing pains could become painful for Evans’ fantasy owners. Evans wasn’t exactly a high-volume receiver last year. His 124 targets tied for 26th in the league, and he never had more than seven catches in a single game. BOTTOM LINE: The massive, athletically gifted Evans figures to have a long and fruitful career, and his superb rookie season captured the imagination of fantasy owners. The only thing tempering our enthusiasm is the likelihood that Evans will be working with a rookie quarterback. But if Jameis Winston hits the ground running, Evans might be able to equal or exceed last year’s totals.

12 KELVIN BENJAMIN | PANTHERS

11 MIKE EVANS | BUCCANEERS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’14 TB 15 15 | 68 1,051 15.5 | 12 3 | 20 4 | 123 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 72 1,144 15.9 | 10 4 | 21 4 | 129 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: Evans turned in a sensational rookie season, topping the 1,000-yard mark and scoring a dozen TDs despite missing a game with a groin injury. After failing to score in his first three games,

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REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’14 CAR 16 15 | 73 1,008 13.8 | 9 3 | 14 2 | 145 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 75 1,028 13.7 | 10 3 | 15 2 | 148 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: As a rookie, Benjamin quickly developed into QB Cam Newton’s favorite option and wound up finishing sixth in targets with 146. Benjamin was targeted seven or more times in all but three games. At 6-5 and 240 pounds, Benjamin is capable of physically dominating

A.J. Green

defenders, especially on throws into the end zone. In addition to his nine regularseason touchdowns, Benjamin also had a pair of TD catches in Carolina’s playoff loss to Seattle. BUST: To put it kindly, Benjamin has inconsistent hands, and he’s destined to frustrate his fantasy owners with occasional untimely drops. As a rookie, he caught only 50 percent of the balls thrown his way. The Panthers are thin on WR talent, so Benjamin might not have a quality running mate. Perhaps the best bet to emerge as a decent complementary receiver is rookie Devin Funchess, a 6-4, 232-pound fellow behemoth who could potentially siphon off a few of Benjamin’s end-zone targets. BOTTOM LINE: His speed is ordinary and his hands are questionable, but Benjamin is a massive playmaker who produced impressive rookie numbers in 2014 and has a decent chance to be a top10 fantasy receiver this year.

13 EMMANUEL SANDERS | BRONCOS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 PIT 16 7 | 44 626 14.2 | 1 0 | 11 0 | 74 ’13 PIT 16 10 | 67 740 11.0 | 6 0 | 12 3 | 112 ’14 DEN 16 16 | 101 1,404 13.9 | 9 7 | 24 4 | 141 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 88 1,160 13.2 | 7 4 | 19 2 | 125 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: A partnership with QB Peyton Manning helped Sanders achieve careerbest receiving totals across the board. He nearly doubled his previous single-season high in receiving yards, and he beat his previous personal best in receptions by 34. Sanders finished 11th in the NFL in targets with 141, and he was targeted eight or more times in 11 of 15 games. The five-year veteran had seven 100-yard games last year and three multiple-TD games, including a three-TD performance against the Chargers in Week 8. Manning is back for another season, and perhaps Sanders will get an even larger target share now that TE Julius Thomas has left Denver for Jacksonville. BUST: Before his tour-de-force performance in 2014, Sanders had never had more than 740 receiving yards or six TDs in a single season. If highly regarded second-year WR Cody Latimer starts to come on, Sanders’ numbers could suffer. As it is, Sanders is no better than second fiddle to Demaryius Thomas. The 5-10, 180-pound Sanders isn’t exactly an ideal end-zone target, so he’ll be hard-pressed to match last season’s TD total. BOTTOM LINE: Was Sanders’ banner 2014 performance a one-year fluke, or is he simply a good match for Peyton Manning? We’re leaning toward the latter explanation, though we’re not expecting a

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14 T.Y. HILTON | COLTS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 IND 15 1 | 50 861 17.2 | 7 5 | 13 5 | 90 ’13 IND 16 10 | 82 1,083 13.2 | 5 5 | 13 6 | 138 ’14 IND 15 15 | 82 1,345 16.4 | 7 6 | 21 6 | 131 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 80 1,256 15.7 | 6 5 | 20 6 | 126 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: A lethal deep threat, Hilton ranked sixth in the NFL in yards per catch. He’s had 82 receptions in each of the past two seasons, but Hilton managed to hit that total in one fewer game last season and increased his year-to-year yardage total by 262. Over 46 NFL games, Hilton has had 47 catches of 20 yards or more and 17 catches covering 40 yards or more. Hilton and QB Andrew Luck both came into the league in 2012 and have developed terrific rapport. BUST: Andre Johnson’s arrival in Indianapolis changes the dynamics of the Colts’ passing game and could potentially eat into Hilton’s numbers. Hilton’s production can be inconsistent. He didn’t score his first touchdown of 2014 until Week 6. He had six 100-yard games, but he also had six games with 65 or fewer receiving yards. BOTTOM LINE: Hilton has developed into one of the most dangerous deep-ball artists in the NFL, but he catches enough balls that his value doesn’t take a hit in PPR leagues. Paired with fine young QB Andrew Luck, Hilton has a good chance to remain a top-15 fantasy receiver. 15 DeANDRE HOPKINS | TEXANS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’13 HOU 16 16 | 52 802 15.4 | 2 1 | 12 2 | 91 ’14 HOU 16 16 | 76 1,210 15.9 | 6 4 | 12 2 | 127 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 79 1,232 15.6 | 6 5 | 21 6 | 133 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: The former Clemson standout took a big step up in his second NFL season, finishing 12th in the league in receiving yardage despite the Texans’ ongoing QB woes. Hopkins also ranked eighth in the league with 15.9 yards per catch. The highlight of Hopkins’ breakthrough season was unquestionably a 238-yard, two-TD performance against the Titans in which he caught all nine of his targets. Longtime Texans star Andre Johnson signed with the Colts in the offseason, so Hopkins is now the undisputed No. 1 receiver in Houston. BUST: The Texans still haven’t found an answer at quarterback. They arrive at this year’s potluck dinner bearing an unappetizing QB goulash that includes Ryan Mallett, Brian Hoyer and Tom Savage. Hopkins managed to put up good numbers

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last season despite working with mediocre quarterbacks, but exceeding or even maintaining last year’s numbers could be a tall order. As it is, Hopkins has scored only eight TDs in his first two seasons. BOTTOM LINE: Hopkins just turned 23 this summer and has already rolled up 2,012 career yards. We love his talent and his long-term future, but Houston’s unsettled QB situation could keep Hopkins from reaching his full potential in 2015.

16 JORDAN MATTHEWS | EAGLES

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’14 PHI 16 10 | 67 872 13.0 | 8 3 | 20 2 | 103 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 79 1,097 13.9 | 8 4 | 18 3 | 125 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Matthews made a strong NFL debut in 2014 and now appears to be the Eagles’ No. 1 receiver following the offseason departure of Jeremy Maclin. Over the second half of his rookie season, Matthews had three games in which he tallied more than 100 yards and at least one touchdown. He caught five TD passes over a five-game span in November, and he had five games in which he caught six or more passes. The 6-3, 212-pound Matthews has a basketball background, not to mention exceptional leaping ability and soft hands, so he should be a deadly end-zone threat for years to come. He scored eight times as a rookie and has a reasonable chance to produce a doubledigit TD total in 2015. BUST: The Eagles will be breaking in a new quarterback, Sam Bradford, and it might take some time for Bradford and Matthews to click. Matthews lined up primarily in the slot last season, and unless the Eagles move him to the outside full-time, his opportunities to make plays downfield will be limited. BOTTOM LINE: DeSean Jackson flourished as the No. 1 receiver in Eagles head coach Chip Kelly’s offense in 2013, Jeremy Maclin had a career year in the same role last year, and now Matthews is poised to inherit this stat-friendly gig. Matthews has an excellent chance to improve upon his nice rookie-year numbers. 17 KEENAN ALLEN | CHARGERS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’13 SD 15 14 | 71 1,046 14.7 | 8 5 | 16 1 | 104 ’14 SD 14 14 | 77 783 10.2 | 4 3 | 6 0 | 122 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 80 1,040 13.0 | 7 3 | 17 1 | 123 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: After a lethargic start to his 2014 season, Allen started to rev the engines a bit, catching 38 passes for 408 yards and four TDs over a five-game stretch from late October through the

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end of November, shortly before a broken collarbone and an ankle injury ended his season prematurely. Allen still managed to haul in 77 passes in 14 games, and he has 148 receptions over his first two years in the league. Although his second NFL season was unquestionably a disappointment, Allen’s rookie season was a peach, and perhaps the stellar rookie season was the true indication of what kind of player Allen is. BUST: Allen tortured his fantasy owners last year with his abysmal start. He produced 109 yards and zero TDs over his first three games, at which point a lot of fantasy owners benched him. Allen then got hopes up with a 10-135-0 performance in Week 4, only to follow it up with a 3-25-0 game and a 3-27-0 game. Allen averaged a meager 10.4 yards per catch last season and didn’t score his first touchdown until Week Eight. BOTTOM LINE: Will the real Keenan Allen please stand up? Allen’s sophomore slump is a mystery. It apparently had little to do with Chargers QB Philip Rivers, whose 2013 and 2014 stat lines were remarkably similar. Ideally, Allen’s 2015 buyers will be getting the rookie-year version of Allen at a discounted price. The concern is that Allen will deliver a second straight year of mediocrity.

18 BRANDIN COOKS | SAINTS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’14 NO 10 10 | 53 550 10.4 | 3 0 | 4 2 | 69 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 95 1,045 11.0 | 6 3 | 14 3 | xxx BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: Cooks got off to a fast start as a rookie, catching 53 passes in 10 games before sustaining a season-ending thumb injury. With the Saints having traded WR Kenny Stills to the Dolphins, Cooks is expected to move into the No. 1 role. And with TE Jimmy Graham having been dealt to the Seahawks, Saints QB Drew Brees is likely to give the speedy Cooks an abundance of targets. Cooks is a blazer capable of hitting the turbo button and turning a short reception into a long gain. He’s only 21 years old and should be a reception machine for years to come. BUST: Due in large part to his role as a slot receiver, Cooks averaged only 10.4 yards per catch as a rookie. The 5-10, 189-pound Cooks doesn’t figure to get a lot of red-zone looks due to his size. He had only three TD catches last season. BOTTOM LINE: The trading of Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills opens up a world of opportunity for Cooks, who was on pace for an 85-catch rookie season before his thumb injury. A better prospect in PPR leagues than standard leagues, Cooks is a

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nice growth stock for 2015.

19 DeSEAN JACKSON | WASHINGTON

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 PHI 11 11 | 45 700 15.6 | 2 2 | 9 2 | 88 ’13 PHI 16 16 | 82 1,332 16.2 | 9 5 | 25 8 | 125 ’14 WAS 15 13 | 56 1,169 20.9 | 6 6 | 16 13 | 95 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 58 1,038 17.9 | 6 5 | 18 10 | 106 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: D-Jax remains one of the most explosive deep threats in the game. His 20.9 yards per catch led the league last year and was the second-best mark of his seven-year career. Receivers with such gaudy per-catch averages typically don’t catch a high percentage of their targets, but Jackson managed to snag a respectable 59.6 percent of the balls thrown his way last year. He’s produced back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and has scored 15 touchdowns over the past two years. BUST: Jackson’s value takes a hit in PPR leagues. He’s had fewer than 60 catches in four of his last five seasons, and he was targeted only 94 times last year. The streaky Jackson had five 100-yard games last season, but he also had six games in which he was held to under 50 receiving yards and failed to score a TD. It remains to be seen whether QB Robert Griffin III can stay healthy for a full season and be consistently productive. BOTTOM LINE: Jackson is too hit-ormiss to be your WR1. As a WR2, however, his bad games might not kill you, and his good games could potentially carry you to victory. 20 GOLDEN TATE | LIONS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 SEA 15 15 | 45 688 15.3 | 7 1 | 12 5 | 67 ’13 SEA 16 13 | 64 898 14.0 | 5 2 | 12 3 | 98 ’14 DET 16 16 | 99 1,331 13.4 | 4 5 | 17 5 | 144 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 82 1,107 13.5 | 6 4 | 14 4 | 125 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: After being underutilized in the Seahawks’ offense for years, Tate joined the Lions in 2014 and produced far and away the best numbers of his career, finishing sixth in the NFL in receptions and seventh in receiving yardage. Tate had at least five catches in each of his first nine games with Detroit, and at one point he had five outings of 100-plus yards over a six-game stretch. He demonstrated his efficiency by catching 69.7 percent of his targets while still managing to average a respectable 13.4 yards per catch. Playing opposite Calvin Johnson, Tate is destined to see a lot of single coverage and a lot of action against opponents’ No. 2 cornerbacks. The durable Tate has missed

Golden Tate

only one game over the past four seasons. BUST: Tate had some of his best games last season while Calvin Johnson was out with an ankle injury. In the three games Johnson missed plus the game Johnson left early, Tate averaged 7.8 receptions and 120.8 yards per game and scored three TDs. With Johnson in the lineup, Tate averaged 5.7 catches and 70.7 yards per game and scored one TD. BOTTOM LINE: Clearly, Tate is a more valuable fantasy property in Detroit than he was in Seattle. But Lions QB Matthew Stafford leaned on Tate heavily when Calvin Johnson was hurt, and Tate isn’t likely to replicate last season’s numbers if Johnson stays healthy all season.

21 BRANDON MARSHALL | DOLPHINS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 CHI 16 16 | 118 1,508 12.8 | 11 7 | 18 2 | 194 ’13 CHI 16 16 | 100 1,295 13.0 | 12 6 | 16 3 | 163 ’14 CHI 13 13 | 61 721 11.8 | 8 2 | 5 4 | 106 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 77 924 12.0 | 8 3 | 12 2 | 124 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: After racking up 279 receptions, 3,524 yards and 31 TDs in three seasons with the Bears, Marshall was traded

to the Jets, who were in dire need of a high-volume wideout. Marshall certainly has the credentials. Since 2007, he’s averaged 158 targets, 94 catches, 1,183 yards and 7.9 TDs per year. His bid for an eighth consecutive 1,000-yard season ended when he suffered broken ribs and a collapsed lung in a Week 14 game against the Cowboys. Marshall gutted out much of a 2014 season with a painful high-ankle sprain, demonstrating that he’s willing to play through pain. BUST: Marshall averaged 55.5 yards per game last season – his lowest pergame output since his rookie year – though the high-ankle sprain probably had a lot do with the slippage. Marshall is 31 years old and has logged 773 regularseason receptions over a nine-year career, so all the punishment could begin to take a toll. Marshall will experience at least a slight QB drop-off, going from playing with friend Jay Cutler to either Geno Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick or rookie Bryce Petty. BOTTOM LINE: Marshall is aging, and his move to the Jets might not bode well statistically, but he has long been among the most productive receivers in the league and should still have a few good

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seasons ahead.

22 ANDRE JOHNSON | COLTS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 HOU 16 16 | 112 1,598 14.3 | 4 6 | 23 5 | 163 ’13 HOU 16 16 | 109 1,407 12.9 | 5 6 | 20 3 | 181 ’14 HOU 15 15 | 85 936 11.0 | 3 1 | 14 0 | 147 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 82 1,017 12.4 | 5 4 | 16 1 | 135 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: After a fine 12-year run with the Texans, Johnson has joined the Colts, which means he’s going from one of the worst QB situations in the league to catching passes from young star Andrew Luck. With T.Y. Hilton and perhaps speedy rookie Phillip Dorsett threatening opposing defenses deep, the savvy Johnson should have plenty of room to operate underneath. Johnson has averaged 102 catches over his last three seasons. BUST: Johnson will be 34 when the season begins. He averaged just 11.0 yards per catch last season – his worst mark since 2005 – and he hasn’t scored more than five TDs in a season since 2010. The longest of Johnson’s 85 receptions last season covered only 35 yards. BOTTOM LINE: On the one hand, we love what the change of scenery could do for this noble old warhorse. On the other hand, Johnson has reached his mid-30s and isn’t the playmaker he used to be. Keep expectations reasonable and think of Johnson as a high-end WR2 in yardage leagues and a low-end WR2 in standard leagues. Julian Edelman

23 SAMMY WATKINS | BILLS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’14 BUF 16 16 | 65 982 15.1 | 6 4 | 14 4 | 128 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 70 1,015 14.5 | 6 4 | 16 3 | 132 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Watkins turned in a solid rookie season at the tender age of 21, falling just short of the 1,000-yard mark despite playing in a popgun passing attack triggered by journeyman QB Kyle Orton. Watkins had some exciting performances in his first professional season, including an 8-117-1 receiving day against a good Dolphins defense in Week Two, a 9-122-2 day against the Vikings in Week Seven, and a 3-151-1 day against the Jets that included an 84-yard catch and a 61-yard TD catch. Watkins runs routes like a 10year veteran, and it shouldn’t take long for him to hit full stride as an NFL receiver. BUST: The Bills’ QB situation hasn’t gotten any better, with the mediocre Matt Cassel and the unproven E.J. Manuel competing for the job. Watkins wasn’t very productive over the second half of the regular season. He had only one TD

catch over his last eight games of 2014, and he had three or fewer receptions in six of those games. BOTTOM LINE: The Bills traded up to draft Watkins fourth overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, and the early returns suggest that the deal was worth the high price they paid. He looks like a budding star, but with the Bills still among the have-nots at the QB position, Watkins might not be able to significantly improve upon his rookie-year stats.

24 JULIAN EDELMAN | PATRIOTS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 NE 9 3 | 21 235 11.2 | 3 0 | 1 1 | 32 ’13 NE 16 1 | 105 1,056 10.1 | 6 4 | 9 2 | 151 ’14 NE 14 13 | 92 972 10.6 | 4 1 | 7 3 | 134 ’15 Proj: 14 14 | 94 968 10.3 | 5 2 | 9 1 | 139 BYE: WEEK 4

BOOM: With 197 receptions over the past two seasons, Edelman has developed into a PPR machine. Tom Brady has peppered Edelman with 286 targets over the last two regular seasons, and Edelman

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has caught 68.9 percent of them. The sixth-year receiver out of Kent State was a high-volume dynamo down the stretch last season. Over his last seven games (with the Patriots’ three playoff games included), Edelman had 59 catches for 647 yards and three TDs. And while Edelman fell just short of 1,000 receiving yards for the regular season, he was a 1,000-yard man if you add the 94 rushing yards he picked up on 10 carries. BUST: So much of Edelman’s value is derived from his reception count. He’s averaged 10.3 yards per catch over his career and might never exceed the 1,056 receiving yards he produced in 2013. Only 10 of Edelman’s 197 regular-season receptions over the past two years resulted in touchdowns. If the Patriots ever find a high-quality outside receiver, Edelman’s numbers could quickly shrivel. BOTTOM LINE: Far more valuable in PPR leagues than standard leagues, Edelman should once again provide a cornucopia of receptions while providing less of a bounty in the yardage and TD

POSITION categories.

25 VINCENT JACKSON | BUCCANEERS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 TB 16 16 | 72 1,384 19.2 | 8 5 | 24 6 | 147 ’13 TB 16 16 | 78 1,224 15.7 | 7 4 | 19 5 | 160 ’14 TB 16 16 | 70 1,002 14.3 | 2 3 | 12 3 | 142 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 63 946 15.0 | 6 3 | 13 3 | 125 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: A reliable manufacturer of yardage, V-Jax has topped the 1,000yard mark in four consecutive seasons and six of the last seven. Over the past three years, he’s had a dozen 100-yard games. The 6-5, 230-pound Jackson is a dangerous deep threat with a career average of 17.0 yards per catch. He’s no PPR slouch either, having averaged 70 receptions over the last four years. BUST: Jackson’s two TDs last season were his fewest since his rookie year in 2005. He didn’t have a TD after Week Four. Jackson’s per-catch average of 14.3 yards was the lowest of his career, and he’s been trending downward in that category. Jackson has caught fewer than half of his targets in each of the last three seasons. Fellow Bucs WR Mike Evans looks like he’s going to be a special player – one who could relegate Jackson to a supporting role. Receivers don’t often produce career numbers while playing with rookie quarterbacks, and Jackson will be working with first-year QB Jameis Winston. BOTTOM LINE: The numbers suggest that the 32-year-old Jackson is starting to slow down. His 2014 reception and yardage totals were still solid, but Mike Evans is going to steal a lot of Jackson’s thunder, and it might be hard for V-Jax to produce a fifth straight 1,000-yard season while playing with a rookie quarterback. 26 AMARI COOPER | RAIDERS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’15 Proj: 16 16 | 70 999 14.3 | 5 4 | 14 3 | 129 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: The fourth overall pick in this year’s draft, Cooper figures to instantly become QB Derek Carr’s go-to guy in Oakland. A polished, athletic receiver, Cooper caught 124 passes for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns in his final season at Alabama, where he faced tough SEC competition. The Raiders are short on WR talent beyond Cooper, so the rookie will be asked to make major contributions immediately. BUST: Cooper will be playing for a sub-.500 team with a second-year quarterback and a shaky offensive line, so it’s probably unrealistic to expect prodigious fantasy numbers right off the bat. Cooper doesn’t have blazing speed,

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and at 6-1 and 211 pounds, he has decent but not exceptional size. BOTTOM LINE: Of all the receiver’s in this year’s NFL Draft class, Cooper has the best chance to make an immediate impact due to both his talent level and the prominent role he’s expected to play. He didn’t land in the most nourishing of offensive environments, however, so don’t go overboard with your expectations for him.

27 MICHAEL FLOYD | CARDINALS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 ARI 16 3 | 45 562 12.5 | 2 1 | 6 1 | 86 ’13 ARI 16 16 | 65 1,041 16.0 | 5 2 | 17 3 | 112 ’14 ARI 16 14 | 47 841 17.9 | 6 3 | 15 6 | 99 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 54 918 17.0 | 7 4 | 14 5 | 102 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: A 25-year-old receiver with good speed and a 6-3, 220-pound frame, Floyd seems poised for a career season. The injuries that limited Carson Palmer to just five games and forced the Cardinals to dig into their grab bag of backup quarterbacks clearly had a negative effect on Floyd’s 2014 numbers, and the return of Palmer – an excellent deep-ball thrower – should give Floyd a good chance to produce a second 1,000-yard season. Floyd hasn’t missed a game in his three years in the league. BUST: We thought Floyd was poised for a career season last year, too, and we were severely disappointed. Floyd dropped too many catchable balls and caught fewer than half of his 99 targets. Despite his size and speed, he’s produced only 13 TDs in 48 career games. Carson Palmer’s good health is hardly a given, and the Cardinals haven’t upgraded their backup quarterbacks. BOTTOM LINE: Floyd could still develop into a top receiver, but we’re growing impatient. Better in standard leagues than PPR leagues, Floyd should at least turn in a handful of big games and be a fantasy WR3 with high week-to-week upside, but he has at least a slight chance to become much more than that. 28 MARTAVIS BRYANT | STEELERS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’14 PIT 10 3 | 26 549 21.1 | 8 2 | 8 5 | 49 ’15 Proj: 15 13 | 49 902 18.4 | 9 4 | 15 6 | 96 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: Yet another member of the bumper crop of 2014 rookie receivers, Bryant was inactive for the Steelers’ first six games but then made an immediate splash once activated, scoring six TDs in his first four games. Bryant played limited snaps but nevertheless established his playmaker cred, averaging 21.1 yards

per catch and scoring touchdowns on 30.8 percent of his regular-season receptions. He also scored the Steelers’ only touchdown in their playoff loss to the Ravens. Bryant will compete with the uninspiring Markus Wheaton for a starting job opposite Antonio Bryant and figures to be a heavy favorite to win that battle. BUST: The Steelers didn’t activate Bryant until Week Seven; is there a chance they’ll be similarly hesitant to hand him a spot in the starting lineup? Bryant averaged 4.9 targets per game last season and isn’t likely to be a high-volume receiver while playing with reigning NFL reception leader Antonio Brown. BOTTOM LINE: Bryant is a developing big-play artist who loses some value in PPR formats, but his TD potential is enticing. Consider him a high-upside WR3 in standard-scoring formats.

29 LARRY FITZGERALD | CARDINALS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 ARI 16 16 | 71 798 11.2 | 4 2 | 9 0 | 156 ’13 ARI 16 16 | 82 954 11.6 | 10 2 | 11 3 | 134 ’14 ARI 14 13 | 63 784 12.4 | 2 2 | 11 1 | 104 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 80 928 11.6 | 6 3 | 12 2 | 135 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: Admittedly, Fitz’s best days are in the rearview mirror, but his place in Arizona’s starting lineup is assured, and he still figures to be a high-volume receiver. Fitzgerald has averaged 72 receptions over the past three seasons and had 10 TD catches just three years ago. A knee injury cost Fitzgerald two games last year and cut into his numbers, and the fact that starting QB Carson Palmer played only five games didn’t help. With Palmer coming back healthy, the Arizona passing game should be rejuvenated. BUST: Fitzgerald hasn’t had a 1,000yard season since 2011, and his two TDs last year were the fewest of his 11-year career. Fitzgerald complained in the offseason that the Cardinals’ system doesn’t give him opportunities to make plays downfield. The numbers seem to bear that out, as he’s averaged 12.0 yards per catch in two seasons under head coach Bruce Arians. Michael Floyd is Arizona’s designated deep threat, and the Browns, John and Jaron, combined for 70 catches last year and could become even more involved in 2015, potentially marginalizing Fitzgerald. When the new season begins, Fitz will be 32 years old. BOTTOM LINE: Fitzgerald is too highly skilled to fall off the map entirely, but at 32, he’s no longer one of the NFL’s premier receivers. Fitz still has significant value in PPR leagues, however, and the healthy return of Carson Palmer should

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bring Fitzgerald’s TD total back up to a respectable level.

30 JEREMY MACLIN | CHIEFS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 PHI 15 15 | 69 857 12.4 | 7 3 | 12 4 | 122 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 0 ’13 PHI 0 0 | 0 0 0 ’14 PHI 16 16 | 85 1,318 15.5 | 10 4 | 21 7 | 143 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 68 925 13.6 | 6 3 | 13 3 | 123 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: Until last year, Maclin hadn’t produced a 1,000-yard season since entering the league in 2009, but he thrived in Chip Kelly’s offense and wound up posting career highs in receptions, receiving yardage and yards per catch, and he tied his previous career high of 10 touchdowns. Desperate to add a playmaking receiver, the Chiefs splurged in free agency to sign Maclin, who’ll be reunited with his former head coach in Philadelphia, Andy Reid. Maclin instantly becomes the Chiefs’ No. 1 receiver and should get plenty of targets in Kansas City. BUST: A vertical threat who had 21 catches of 20 or more yards and seven catches of 40 or more yards last season, Maclin would seem to be a poor fit for the Chiefs, whose quarterback, Alex Smith, doesn’t like to take chances throwing into tight windows downfield. Maclin has a history of knee problems and missed the entire 2013 season with a torn ACL. BOTTOM LINE: After being heavily used as a vertical receiver in Chip Kelly’s offense, Maclin now moves into a conservative passing offense with a team that didn’t get a single TD catch from any of its wide receivers last season. A statistical drop-off is imminent, and the drop-off could be severe. Let someone else overdraft Maclin based on last year’s numbers. 31 RODDY WHITE | FALCONS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 ATL 16 15 | 92 1,351 14.7 | 7 7 | 18 4 | 143 ’13 ATL 13 13 | 63 711 11.3 | 3 2 | 8 0 | 97 ’14 ATL 14 14 | 80 921 11.5 | 7 2 | 14 0 | 125 ’15 Proj: 14 14 | 75 848 11.3 | 7 4 | 12 1 | 116 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: After a disappointing 2013 season, White rebounded somewhat last year, averaging five receptions a game and scoring seven touchdowns. Had it not been for the two games he lost to an ankle injury, White almost certainly would have produced his seventh 1,000yard season. The Falcons’ passing game remains potent, with lethal deep threat Julio Jones stretching the field and letting White work as an underneath possession receiver for veteran QB Matt Ryan.

Larry Fitzgerald

BUST: White didn’t miss a game during his first eighth seasons in the league, but he’s missed five games over the past two seasons and has been slowed by a series of nagging injuries. After averaging 14.0 yards per catch over his first eight seasons, White has averaged 11.4 yards per catch over the last two. He’s also gone two seasons without a reception of 40 yards or more. White will turn 34 in early November. BOTTOM LINE: Long one of the most reliable receivers in fantasy football, White has been slowed by injuries the past two years, and at age 33, he’s no longer a safe WR selection. He still figures to get his share of receptions when healthy, but White’s days as a top playmaker are over. 32 MIKE WALLACE | VIKINGS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 PIT 15 14 | 64 836 13.1 | 8 2 | 9 4 | 119 ’13 MIA 16 16 | 73 930 12.7 | 5 4 | 11 5 | 141 ’14 MIA 16 16 | 67 862 12.9 | 10 1 | 10 2 | 115 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 62 837 13.5 | 7 3 | 10 4 | 120 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: After recording his highest single-season TD total since 2010, Wallace left the warmth of Miami for the chill of

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Minnesota. Weather aside, the move could be a good one for him. Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill isn’t a very accurate thrower of deep balls, and he and Wallace seemed to have trouble getting on the same page during Wallace’s two seasons in Miami. The Vikings plan to make Wallace the “Z” receiver in offensive coordinator Norv Turner’s scheme – a potentially lucrative gig from a fantasy standpoint. Wallace is still one of the fastest receivers in the league and should get opportunities to put that speed to good use. BUST: After averaging 17.2 yards per catch during his four years with the Steelers, Wallace averaged only 12.8 yards per catch in two seasons with the Dolphins. Wallace had come to be regarded by many as a sulky malcontent by the end of his tenure with the Dolphins, and you never know when churlish behavior might lead to reduced playing time. Young Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater isn’t known for being an especially effective deep passer, though he seemed to make strides in that area last season. BOTTOM LINE: A change of venue might do Wallace some good, and his role as the “Z” receiver in Norv Turner’s offense is reason for fantasy optimism.

POSITION 33 ERIC DECKER | JETS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 DEN 16 15 | 85 1,064 12.5 | 13 2 | 11 2 | 122 ’13 DEN 16 16 | 87 1,288 14.8 | 11 5 | 19 6 | 136 ’14 NYJ 15 15 | 74 962 13.0 | 5 2 | 12 4 | 114 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 75 975 13.0 | 5 3 | 13 3 | 115 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: Despite going from the Broncos’ potent passing game to the Jets’ anemic one, Decker still managed to put up respectable numbers in 2014, and he did it despite battling a nagging hamstring injury early in the year. Over the past three years, the former University of Minnesota star has caught 29 TD passes and has averaged 82 receptions and 1,105 receiving yards per season. BUST: Decker’s numbers were destined to fall off after going from playing with Peyton Manning in Denver to playing with Geno Smith in New Jersey, and that was indeed the case. Decker’s 2014 stats would look even worse if not for a 10-221-1 receiving day in Week 17 that was of no use to the vast majority of his fantasy owners. The Jets’ QB situation is still bleak, and now WR Brandon Marshall has arrived to potentially siphon away catches from Decker. BOTTOM LINE: Obviously, Decker isn’t going to be as valuable a fantasy commodity with the Jets as he was during his last two seasons with the Broncos. The Jets’ addition of high-volume receiver Brandon Marshall further complicates the fantasy outlook for Decker. He’s capable of providing helpful depth for a fantasy team, but don’t count on him as an everyweek starter. 34 JARVIS LANDRY | DOLPHINS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’14 MIA 16 11 | 84 758 9.0 | 5 0 | 6 0 | 112 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 85 848 10.0 | 5 1 | 7 1 | 119 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: Odell Beckham Jr. wasn’t the only rookie receiver from LSU to make an impressive debut last season. Landry finished 17th in the league in receptions and had five or more receptions in each of his last nine games. Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill leaned heavily on his rookie slot receiver, and Landry responded by catching an impressive 75.7 percent of his 111 targets. The Dolphins overhauled their WR corps in the offseason, unloading Mike Wallace and Brian Hartline, and bringing in Kenny Stills, Greg Jennings and rookie DeVante Parker, but Landry’s slot role is secure. BUST: Landry should be terrific in PPR leagues, but his value in standard leagues is significantly less. He averaged a paltry

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9.0 yards per catch last season and failed to record a single 100-yard game. Landry had only four TD catches as a rookie, and at 5-11, 202 pounds, he doesn’t profile as a prominent end-zone target. BOTTOM LINE: It didn’t take long for Landry to establish himself as a reliable high-volume slot man. He’ll play the same role this season and could make a run at 100 receptions, but don’t expect topdrawer yardage or TD numbers.

35 BRANDON LaFELL | PATRIOTS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 CAR 14 12 | 44 677 15.4 | 4 0 | 13 2 | 76 ’13 CAR 16 16 | 49 627 12.8 | 5 1 | 5 1 | 85 ’14 NE 16 13 | 74 953 12.9 | 7 2 | 10 2 | 119 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 66 844 12.8 | 5 2 | 10 2 | 106 BYE: WEEK 4

BOOM: In four seasons with the Panthers, LaFell never had 50 catches in a single season, but he snagged a careerhigh 74 receptions in his first season with the Patriots despite failing to catch a pass in his first two games. Being paired with QB Tom Brady obviously has been good for LaFell. From Week 6 on (including the playoffs), LaFell averaged 5.7 catches and 10.8 targets per contest. He had a pair of 100-yard games and a pair of two-TD games. The Patriots made no effort to land a proven outside receiver during the offseason, so LaFell seems assured of a prominent role in 2015. BUST: With TE Rob Gronkowski and WR Julian Edelman certain to be heavily targeted, 2014 might represent LaFell’s statistical ceiling with the Patriots. As solid as he was last season, LaFell’s fouryear tenure with Carolina didn’t exactly hint at future stardom. Over 76 career regular-season games, LaFell has only 20 TD catches. BOTTOM LINE: It’s nice to see LaFell succeed with the Patriots after four lackluster seasons with the Panthers. With a seemingly secure role and a top quarterback throwing to him, the outlook for LaFell remains positive. LaFell’s stat line from 2014 is pretty close to what we’re expecting from him in 2015. 36 TORREY SMITH | 49ERS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 BAL 16 16 | 49 855 17.4 | 8 2 | 16 5 | 110 ’13 BAL 16 16 | 65 1,128 17.4 | 4 2 | 20 8 | 137 ’14 BAL 16 16 | 49 767 15.7 | 11 0 | 13 2 | 95 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 48 796 16.6 | 6 2 | 13 4 | 97 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: Smith’s 11 TD catches last season were a new career high, and he turned an impressive 22.4 percent of his receptions into scores. He’ll now be reunited with former Ravens teammate

Anquan Boldin in San Francisco, where Smith figures to be the 49ers only legitimate deep threat. Niners QB Colin Kaepernick certainly has a big enough arm to utilize Smith’s deep speed. Smith has an impressive career average of 16.9 yards per catch, with 19 receptions of 40 or more yards. He hasn’t missed a game since coming into the league. BUST: Expected by many to play a bigger role in Baltimore last season, Smith instead saw the fewest targets (93) of any of his seasons with the Ravens and produced the worst single-season yardage total of his career. Although Kaepernick has a big arm, his accuracy is suspect, and you won’t hear many people contend that Kaepernick throws a better deep ball than Smith’s former quarterback, Joe Flacco. BOTTOM LINE: A big TD total belied a somewhat disappointing 2014 season for Smith, who took a back seat to Steve Smith Sr. in Baltimore and didn’t record a 100-yard game all season. Torrey’s outlook is murky for 2014, since the 49ers don’t seem to be an ideal fit for him. For fantasy purposes, Smith should be considered a TD-dependent WR3 who’s more valuable in standard leagues than PPR leagues.

37 PIERRE GARÇON | WASHINGTON

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 WAS 10 10 | 44 633 13.7 | 5 4 | 13 4 | 115 ’13 WAS 16 16 | 113 1,346 11.9 | 5 5 | 16 2 | 181 ’14 WAS 16 14 | 68 752 11.1 | 3 1 | 8 3 | 105 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 77 863 11.2 | 5 3 | 13 2 | 120 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Garcon is a reliable possession receiver capable of handling a large volume of work, as he did in 2013, when he was targeted a league-high 184 times and led the NFL with 113 receptions. Garcon didn’t get nearly as much work last season, but Washington head coach Jay Gruden said in the offseason that he wanted to get Garcon more involved in 2015. Garcon and QB Robert Griffin III have displayed good chemistry in the past, and it probably didn’t help Garcon that RG3 played only nine games last year. BUST: DeSean Jackson’s arrival in Washington last season changed the dynamics of the Washington passing attack and made the distribution of targets more egalitarian than it had been in 2013, when Garcon was a reception machine. Garcon has never been much of a TD scorer. He’s never had more than six touchdowns in a single season, and he has 28 TD catches over 100 career regular-season games. BOTTOM LINE: After leading the league in receptions two seasons ago, Garcon

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was a major fantasy disappointment last year. Unfortunately, those deflated 2014 numbers might be the new reality for him, since DeSean Jackson now commands his share of targets, and TE Jordan Reed will see his share, too.

38 CHARLES JOHNSON | VIKINGS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

| - - | - - | ’13 CLE 0 0 | - - - ’14 MIN 12 6 | 31 475 15.3 | 2 1 | 9 2 | 59 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 64 870 13.6 | 4 3 | 11 3 | 121 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: After failing to catch on in brief stints with the Packers and Browns, Johnson found a home with the Vikings and opened eyes with his play over the second half of the season. He caught 25 passes for 415 yards and two TDs over Minnesota’s last seven games, and he was a starter for the last six. Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner has been singing Johnson’s praises in the offseason, and it appears that Johnson will enter training camp as the favorite to start at the “X” receiver spot over the disappointing Cordarrelle Patterson. At 6-2, 215 pounds, with sub-4.4 speed, Johnson has exceptional raw tools and could develop quickly. BUST: Johnson has played 12 NFL games and has 31 receptions, so there isn’t much to go on. Yes, he had a nice stretch run, but Johnson certainly didn’t knock our socks off the way Odell Beckham Jr. did. There’s still a chance that Cordarrelle Patterson could get his act together, apply his own remarkable physical talents and win back the job that Johnson claimed last year. Newcomer Mike Wallace might instantly become QB Teddy Bridgewater’s go-to receiver, potentially relegating Johnson to a secondary role. BOTTOM LINE: After a promising season in Minnesota, Johnson is an interesting wild card for the 2015 fantasy season. His 2014 performance showed that he has the talent to make it in the NFL, but it remains to be seen whether he’s good enough to carve out a major role in the Vikings’ offense. v 39 STEVE SMITH | RAVENS

Steve Smith

of his 14-year career. He had five or more catches in 11-of-16 games last season, and he topped the 100-yard mark four times. Smith should continue to be a key contributor to the Baltimore passing game, particularly now that Torrey Smith is gone. BUST: Smith got off to a fast start in 2014 and slowed down as the season wore on. All four of his 100-yard games came in the first six weeks of the season, and he scored only two TDs over his last 10 games. Smith appears to be as physically fit and as feisty as ever, but he’s 36 now, and time isn’t kind. There could be a dramatic age-related drop-off in his play at some point. BOTTOM LINE: It’s impressive that Smith is entering his 15th NFL season and is still a significant fantasy performer. His age makes him a somewhat risky investment, but unless he hits the wall this year, he should still be useful.

40 MARQUES COLSTON | SAINTS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 CAR 16 16 | 73 1,174 16.2 | 4 5 | 17 3 | 138 ’13 CAR 15 15 | 64 745 11.6 | 4 0 | 4 2 | 110 ’14 BAL 16 16 | 79 1,065 13.5 | 6 4 | 15 5 | 134 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 69 897 13.0 | 4 3 | 14 3 | 118 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: Now well into his mid-30s, Smith continues to age like a nice Bordeaux. In his first year with a team other than the Panthers, Smith gave the Ravens a 1,000-yard season, the eighth

from Hofstra found his scoring touch down the stretch, with TD catches in four of the Saints’ last six games. TE Jimmy Graham and WR Kenny Stills were both traded away in the offseason, so there are plenty of targets to be had. Unless Colston falls apart, he figures to get his fair share of them. BUST: Colston’s 2014 reception and yardage totals were his worst since 2008, when he played only 11 games due to a thumb injury. Colston averaged just 6.2 targets per game last season and was held to four receptions or fewer in 10 of 16 games. He’ll be 32 this season, and Colston simply doesn’t get separation from defenders the way he used to. BOTTOM LINE: The last couple of seasons haven’t been pretty for Colston, who appears to be nearing the end of the line. However, with Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills now out of the picture, and with the Saints making no major additions to their pass-catching corps, Colston could end up being a high-volume receiver in 2015 almost by default.

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 NO 16 13 | 83 1,154 13.9 | 10 3 | 15 2 | 130 ’13 NO 15 11 | 75 943 12.6 | 5 2 | 13 0 | 110 ’14 NO 16 13 | 59 902 15.3 | 5 2 | 17 1 | 99 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 69 952 13.8 | 4 4 | 16 1 | 117 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: Colston hasn’t turned in a

1,000-yard season since 2012, but he’s still managed to top the 900-yard mark in each of the past two seasons. The veteran

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41 KEVIN WHITE | BEARS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’15 Proj: 16 14 | 59 796 13.5 | 5 3 | 10 2 | 111 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: A 6-3 specimen with 4.35 speed, White was the seventh overall pick in this year’s NFL draft. He finished his college career at West Virginia with a bang, catching 109 balls for 1,447 yards

POSITION and 10 TDs. White walks into a good situation in Chicago. The trade of Brandon Marshall leaves a vacancy in the starting lineup, and White doesn’t appear to have any serious competition for the job. The other starter is Alshon Jeffery, a big, dangerous receiver who figures to draw opponents’ top cornerbacks and create one-on-one opportunities for White. BUST: White was basically a one-year wonder at West Virginia, and it might take him a couple of years to learn how to apply his rare physical tools. He played in a spread offense with the Mountaineers and will have to learn how to beat press coverage. And does QB Jay Cutler seem like the sort of guy who’ll go out of his way to nurture a young, green receiver? BOTTOM LINE: Some experts have suggested that White could be another Julio Jones. Others have compared White to DeAndre Hopkins. Those are flattering comps to be sure, and White has exciting physical tools. But with only one productive college season under his belt, White’s adjustment to the NFL could be difficult, and it might not be wise to place a substantial wager on him in his rookie year.

42 NELSON AGHOLOR | EAGLES

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’15 Proj: 16 8 | 54 723 13.4 | 5 2 | 11 1 | 97 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Drafted 20th overall out of USC, Agholor projects as an immediate starter for the Eagles. His skill set is thought to be similar to that of Jeremy Maclin, the ex-Eagle Agholor is expected to replace. Agholor caught 104 passes for 1,313 yards and 12 TDs in his final college season with the Trojans. He’s a smooth, precise route runner with good speed and sure hands. Agholor dropped only four passes last year at USC. Eagles head coach Chip Kelly’s offense will give Agholor the chance to make an immediate fantasy impact as a rookie. BUST: Agholor averaged only 12.6 yards per catch at USC last season and probably isn’t going to be the home-run threat that Maclin was. It’s unlikely that he’ll see as many targets as second-year WR Jordan Matthews, who figures to be Philadelphia’s No. 1 receiver with Maclin gone. And obviously, there’s no guarantee that Agholor will make a smooth transition from the college ranks to the pro game. BOTTOM LINE: After landing in a near-ideal spot on the first day of the NFL Draft, Agholor is positioned to be a useful fantasy performer as a rookie with a chance to catch 50 or more passes. Track his development in training camp and the

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preseason and slot him accordingly on your draft board.

43 ANQUAN BOLDIN | 49ERS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 BAL 15 15 | 65 921 14.2 | 4 1 | 17 1 | 112 ’13 SF 16 16 | 85 1,179 13.9 | 7 2 | 19 3 | 129 ’14 SF 16 16 | 83 1,062 12.8 | 5 1 | 14 1 | 131 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 72 908 12.6 | 4 2 | 13 1 | 119 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: The 34-year-old Boldin continues to age gracefully. His numbers over the past two years have been remarkably consistent, with more than 80 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards in both 2013 and 2014. Boldin has led the Niners in receptions in each of the last two years and has settled into a niche as QB Colin Kaepernick’s go-to possession receiver and security blanket. He’s a lock to start this season, and the 49ers’ addition of deep threat Torrey Smith, Boldin’s old teammate in Baltimore, should free up room for the savvy Boldin to operate underneath. BUST: Boldin’s yardage per catch has fallen for three consecutive seasons. He’s caught only 12 TD passes in 32 regularseason games with the 49ers and hasn’t produced more than seven TD catches in a single season since 2008. There are a lot of tight ends faster than the plodding Boldin (and maybe even a few offensive linemen, too). BOTTOM LINE: With a style predicated on physicality and savvy rather than speed, the geriatric Boldin has continued to be highly effective well into his 30s. It wouldn’t be surprising to see a sharp, age-related slowdown, but nor would it be a shock if Boldin produced another 80plus catches. 44 KENNY STILLS | DOLPHINS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’13 NO 16 10 | 32 641 20.0 | 5 1 | 7 5 | 50 ’14 NO 15 7 | 63 931 14.8 | 3 2 | 10 6 | 84 ’15 Proj: 16 11 | 49 809 16.5 | 4 2 | 8 4 | 85 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: The Dolphins paid a fairly steep price to acquire Stills from the Saints, trading away a third-round pick plus LB Dannell Ellerbe, so Stills is obviously a big part of their plans. He made impressive strides in his second NFL season, dramatically increasing his reception and yardage totals. Stills has been regarded by some as a one-dimensional deep threat, but he was one of the most efficient receivers in the league last season, catching 74.1 percent of his targets while averaging a healthy 14.6 yards per catch. Stills is just 23, and the growth he showed last year is reason to be enthusiastic

about his future. BUST: The move from New Orleans to Miami might be statistically damaging. Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill is developing nicely but still isn’t close to being the equal of Saints QB Drew Brees. Stills is a dangerous deep receiver, and Tannehill is a notoriously inaccurate deep ball thrower. (Just ask Mike Wallace.) As eager as the Dolphins were to trade for Stills, it’s somewhat curious that they later signed veteran WR Greg Jennings and took WR DeVante Parker in the first round of the NFL Draft, since they also have high-volume receiver Jarvis Landry. The team also added TE Jordan Cameron in the offseason, so Tannehill has a lot of mouths to feed. BOTTOM LINE: The improvement Stills demonstrated in 2014 has us excited about his future, but it’s hard to tell what sort of season he’s going to have on a team that brought in a lot of new pass catchers in the offseason and already had the catch-happy Jarvis Landry. It’s possible that Stills could continue to improve and yet make no improvements upon last year’s numbers.

45 PERCY HARVIN | BILLS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 MIN 9 8 | 62 677 10.9 | 3 3 | 8 1 | 85 ’13 SEA 1 0 | 1 17 17.0 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 1 ’14 SEA-NYJ 13 12 | 51 483 9.5 | 1 2 | 5 2 | 78 ’15 Proj: 11 11 | 68 713 11.5 | 3 1 | 9 1 | 91 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: One of the most versatile weapons in the game, Harvin’s 2014 season was disrupted by a trade from the Seahawks to the Jets, but he still managed to accumulate 685 yards from scrimmage in 13 games, including 202 rushing yards. Harvin is now with the Bills and is projected to start opposite Sammy Watkins. When healthy, Harvin delivers bonus value as a runner, with 885 rushing yards, an average of 6.5 yards per carry and five TD runs over his career. A potential PPR force, Harvin has caught 68 percent of his career targets. BUST: If Harvin were encased in Bubble Wrap before games, he’d probably still get hurt. He played 13 games last season, dealing at various times with rib, ankle, heel and thigh ailments. He missed all but one game of 2013 with a torn labrum. Earlier in his career, he dealt with chronic migraine headaches. For all of his playmaking ability, Harvin has scored only 26 nonkick-return touchdowns over 68 career regular-season games. Buffalo’s QB situation is a mess, which could limit Harvin’s potential catch volume. BOTTOM LINE: More sizzle than steak,

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WR Harvin has long tempted fantasy owners with his versatility and big-play potential but has rarely delivered. We’re skeptical that he’ll be a difference maker in fantasy leagues this year.

46 ALLEN ROBINSON | JAGUARS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’14 JAX 10 8 | 48 548 11.4 | 2 0 | 5 2 | 81 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 70 805 11.5 | 4 2 | 10 2 | 118 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: The big rookie from Penn State was enjoying a nice debut season with the Jaguars before sustaining a seasonending stress fracture in his foot in Week 10. Robinson averaged 4.8 receptions a game and had at least four catches in every game from Week Two on. The 6-3, 210-pound Robinson is an inviting target, and young Jaguars QB Blake Bortles quickly became comfortable throwing to him, peppering A-Rob with an average of 8.1 targets per game. Robinson is projected to be Jacksonville’s primary possession receiver this season. BUST: Foot problems don’t always go away for good, so pay attention to the medical reports on Robinson during training camp. Robinson wasn’t exactly a big-play machine as a rookie. He averaged 11.4 yards per catch, had just five receptions of 20 or more yards and scored only two TDs. Jaguars QB Blake Bortles struggled as a rookie and might still have some tough times ahead, which limits Robinson’s statistical potential. BOTTOM LINE: A promising PPR prospect, Robinson should see a lot of targets and catch a lot of balls in 2015, but he might be a few years away from becoming a reliable playmaker. 47 VICTOR CRUZ | GIANTS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 NYG 16 16 | 86 1,092 12.7 | 10 5 | 12 3 | 143 ’13 NYG 14 12 | 73 998 13.7 | 4 4 | 10 3 | 122 ’14 NYG 6 6 | 23 337 14.7 | 1 2 | 7 1 | 41 ’15 Proj: 15 13 | 61 781 12.8 | 4 2 | 8 2 | 103 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: Cruz is reportedly making good progress in his recovery from the torn patellar tendon he suffered in Week Six last year and is expected to be ready for the start of the new season. In his three previous years with the Giants, Cruz averaged 80.3 receptions, 1,209 yards and 7.7 touchdowns. Second-year man Odell Beckham Jr. is sure to draw heavy attention from opponents, leaving some favorable matchups for Cruz. BUST: There are obviously concerns about the potential lingering effects of Cruz’s devastating knee injury, but more threatening to Cruz’s fantasy value is

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the presence of Beckham, who was otherworldly as a rookie. Cruz averaged 132 targets a year from 2011 through 2013. It’s hard to imagine he’ll see a similar number of throws now that Beckham is around. Cruz’s TD production had been trending downward even before Beckham’s arrival. BOTTOM LINE: Back from last year’s season-ending knee injury, Cruz figures to start and make a significant contribution to the Giants’ passing game, but he won’t go back to being a top fantasy receiver with Odell Beckham Jr. on the scene.

48 KENDALL WRIGHT | TITANS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 TEN 15 5 | 64 626 9.8 | 4 0 | 6 0 | 104 ’13 TEN 16 12 | 94 1,079 11.5 | 2 2 | 17 1 | 140 ’14 TEN 14 11 | 57 715 12.5 | 6 1 | 10 1 | 93 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 69 779 11.3 | 4 1 | 11 1 | 110 BYE: WEEK 4

BOOM: Wright is likely to be the No. 1 receiver for the Titans, whose WR corps is laden with young, unproven talent and newly arrived castoffs from other teams. With 215 catches over three NFL seasons, the 25-year-old Wright is well established as a dependable possession receiver. He scored a career-high six touchdowns last year and had a career-best average of 12.6 yards per catch. BUST: Wright’s production fell off last year, even accounting for the two games he missed with a hand injury. He finished seventh in the league in receptions in 2013 and fell into a tie for 63rd last season, going from 5.8 catches a game to 4.1. Wright has never been much of a playmaker. He has a career average of 11.4 yards per catch, has scored only 12 TDs in three years and has only had two catches of 40 yards or more in his career. The Titans’ passing game might be among the least productive in the league this year, as their top two quarterbacks, Marcus Mariota and Zach Mettenberger, are still wet behind the ears. BOTTOM LINE: A solid but unexciting possession receiver playing in a weak offense, Wright offers some PPR value but isn’t likely to deliver many touchdowns or big gains. 49 MICHAEL CRABTREE | RAIDERS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 SF 16 16 | 85 1,088 12.8 | 7 5 | 15 1 | 130 ’13 SF 5 5 | 19 284 14.9 | 1 1 | 3 2 | 33 ’14 SF 16 16 | 68 698 10.3 | 4 0 | 10 2 | 108 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 62 775 12.5 | 4 2 | 9 1 | 100 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: Crabtree’s move from the 49ers to the Raiders has the potential to

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boost his fantasy value even though the Raiders appear to be the lesser team. He’s expected to start opposite rookie WR Amari Cooper and could get heavy target volume, since the Raiders don’t have a quality pass-catching tight end and since they also figure to be playing from behind a lot. Crabtree has averaged 75 receptions over his last three full seasons, not counting 2013, when he tore his Achilles and played only five games. With the move to Oakland, Crabtree will no longer have to play six games against tough NFC West defenses. BUST: Crabtree barely averaged 10 yards per catch last year. He had only four TD catches last season and has scored 26 touchdowns over 79 career regularseason games. Rookie Amari Cooper is more athletic and has the talent to immediately assert himself as Oakland’s No. 1 wideout. The capable Rod Streater could potentially challenge Crabtree for snaps. Crabtree is playing on a one-year contract, so it wouldn’t be too hard for the Raiders to cut him loose should he disappoint them early. BOTTOM LINE: Crabtree’s career is at a crossroads. He’s been a capable possession receiver in the past, but he’s 28 now and hasn’t developed into the star some people thought he’d become. He has the potential to deliver PPR help, but he could also be a bust.

50 DAVANTE ADAMS | PACKERS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’14 GB 16 11 | 38 446 11.7 | 3 1 | 5 1 | 66 ’15 Proj: 16 5 | 49 637 13.9 | 6 1 | 7 1 | 81 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: Playing limited snaps as a rookie behind stud starters Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, Adams offered brief glimpses of his potential. He had six catches for 121 yards in a win over the Patriots and dropped 7-117-1 on the Cowboys in the playoffs. He also has a 6-77-0 game against the Dolphins and a 7-75-0 game against the Saints. If either Nelson or Cobb were to go down, Adams’ fantasy value would soar in Green Bay’s prolific passing offense. BUST: Barring an injury to Nelson or Cobb, it’s hard to envision Adams producing consistently useful fantasy numbers in 2015. His chance for a much bigger role evaporated when Cobb bypassed the chance to go elsewhere in free agency and re-upped with the Packers. BOTTOM LINE: The 22-year-old Adams is a talented young receiver with a sunny future, but as a third wheel behind Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, Adams may have to wait a while before

POSITION he gets a chance to shine.

51 BRESHAD PERRIMAN | RAVENS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’15 Proj: 16 12 | 41 701 17.1 | 5 2 | 11 4 | 81 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: The Ravens needed a replacement for departed WR Torrey Smith and found one in Perriman, whom they selected with the 26th overall pick in this year’s draft. He’s expected to start immediately and could be a nice complement to savvy veteran Steve Smith Sr. Perriman is a jet-propelled burner with sub-4.3 speed. He also has good size (62, 212) and excellent leaping ability. He averaged 20.9 yards per catch in his final college season at the University of Central Florida, catching 50 passes for 1,044 yards and nine TDs despite subpar QB play. Perriman has NFL bloodlines: He’s the son of former Lions WR Brett Perriman. BUST: Within the NFL Draft community, opinions on Perriman were mixed. While his blazing speed is undeniable, his hands are suspect, and there are some who question his route-running ability. In short, the Perriman naysayers are concerned that he could prove to be a one-dimensional speedster. BOTTOM LINE: With rare speed and good size, Perriman has the potential to become a top playmaker and elite deep threat. But Perriman may be too raw to make a major fantasy impact immediately. His big-play ability could lead to a handful of big games and some touchdowns, but it’s probably unrealistic to expect 60 or more catches. 52 DWAYNE BOWE | BROWNS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 KC 13 12 | 59 801 13.6 | 3 2 | 11 2 | 114 ’13 KC 15 15 | 57 673 11.8 | 5 0 | 9 0 | 103 ’14 KC 15 15 | 60 754 12.6 | 0 0 | 9 0 | 95 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 65 817 12.6 | 4 2 | 12 1 | 121 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: Yes, Bowe has joined what looks to be one of the NFL’s most impotent passing attacks, but could it really be any worse than his situation in Kansas City the past couple of years? Restricted by Alex Smith’s pathological aversion to taking chances downfield, Bowe was relegated to the role of underutilized possession receiver. He’ll instantly become the Browns’ No. 1, and Browns QB Josh McCown has no such compunction about making risky throws. Bowe has caught no fewer than 57 passes in any of the last five seasons. BUST: Bowe didn’t score a single touchdown in 2014 and hasn’t scored more than five TDs in a season since

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2010. Bowe may well see more action in Cleveland than he saw in Kansas City the past two seasons, but the Browns’ QB situation is a dumpster fire, so Bowe’s week-to-week numbers are apt to be erratic. Bowe turns 31 in September and has missed five games over the past three seasons. BOTTOM LINE: The last few years have been lean ones for Bowe, and while a move to the Browns doesn’t seem like an ideal career remedy, it should at least provide Bowe with a few more playmaking opportunities. We’re cautiously optimistic.

53 CODY LATIMER | BRONCOS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’14 DEN 8 0 | 2 23 11.5 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 4 ’15 Proj: 15 0 | 51 699 13.7 | 5 1 | 10 3 | 83 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: While other members of the 2014 rookie receiver class made immediate contributions, Latimer was effectively redshirted by the Broncos, playing eight games and catching two passes on four targets. But the secondround pick out of Indiana could come on quickly in Denver’s high-powered aerial show. Wes Welker was still a free agent as this magazine went to press, and if Welker isn’t re-signed by the Broncos, Latimer will have a good chance to be the Broncos’ No. 3 receiver, a potentially busy role. Latimer caught 72 passes for 1,096 yards and nine TDs in his final college season and could develop into a high-volume possession receiver. BUST: Latimer admitted in the offseason that he was slow to pick up Denver’s offense. QB Peyton Manning surely isn’t growing any more patient in the twilight years of his career and isn’t apt to accommodate a slow-developing youngster. Starting WRs Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders are sure to see a ton of targets, so it might take an injury to one of them for Latimer to see significant volume. BOTTOM LINE: A developmental wild card, Latimer might be flying beneath a lot of fantasy owners’ radars, but any opportunity could lead to instant relevance in the Broncos’ high-octane passing offense. 54 DeVANTE PARKER | DOLPHINS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’15 Proj: 14 2 | 39 647 16.6 | 6 1 | 11 4 | 76 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: Drafted 14th overall by the Dolphins, Parker figures to be the Dolphins’ No. 3 or No. 4 receiver early on but could buck for a starting role before

long. A sure-handed receiver who had only three drops over his last two college seasons, Parker also offers good size (6-3, 209 pounds) and decent speed. Despite breaking his foot in his final year at Louisville and playing only six games, Parker still managed to amass 43 catches for 855 yards and five TDs. BUST: The Dolphins have no shortage of candidates to catch passes this season. In addition to holdover Jarvis Landry, Miami traded for WR Kenny Stills, signed TE Jordan Cameron and WR Greg Jennings, and drafted Parker. If Parker doesn’t hit the ground running, he could easily get lost in the shuffle and be a nonfactor as a rookie. Before the draft, the knocks on Parker within the scouting community were that he struggles against press coverage and appeared slower after coming back from his foot injury. BOTTOM LINE: Parker may have the best hands of any receiver in this year’s rookie class, and some analysts have compared him to A.J. Green. But Parker didn’t land in an ideal spot from a fantasy standpoint and may not be able to produce helpful numbers on a team that just fully restocked itself with pass catchers.

55 TERRANCE WILLIAMS | COWBOYS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’13 DAL 16 8 | 44 736 16.7 | 5 1 | 12 3 | 74 ’14 DAL 16 16 | 37 621 16.8 | 8 0 | 10 4 | 65 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 43 693 16.1 | 5 1 | 12 4 | 83 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: The third-year man from Baylor will continue to start for the Cowboys opposite WR Dez Bryant, which means a lot of single coverage for Williams against opponents’ lesser cornerbacks. Williams has averaged 16.8 yards per catch in his two seasons with Dallas and has tallied 13 touchdowns. He had eight TD catches last year, with two-TD games against the Saints and Colts. BUST: Despite starting all 16 regularseason games for the Cowboys last year, Williams somehow drew only 64 targets. He averaged just 38.8 receiving yards per game last year, and he didn’t have more than 77 yards in any game. The Cowboys became much more run-focused last season, and while there were still receptions to go around for Bryant and for TE Jason Witten, there weren’t enough to support big numbers for a No. 2 receiver. BOTTOM LINE: A big-play play threat who hasn’t gotten much target volume, Williams profiles as a streaky fantasy performer. His limited track record suggests that big reception and yardage numbers aren’t in the offing for 2015, but Williams is only 25 years old and is a starter in a very good offense, so rapid

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WR development isn’t out of the question.

56 BRIAN QUICK | RAMS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 STL 15 1 | 11 156 14.2 | 2 0 | 3 0 | 27 ’13 STL 16 5 | 18 302 16.8 | 2 0 | 5 1 | 35 ’14 STL 7 7 | 25 375 15.0 | 3 0 | 5 2 | 39 ’15 Proj: 14 14 | 50 760 15.2 | 4 2 | 11 3 | 91 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: Quick got off to a good

start last season and appeared to be establishing himself as the Rams’ No. 1 receiver before sustaining a seasonending shoulder injury in Week Eight. Over his first four games, Quick had 21 catches for 322 yards and three TDs. If Quick is fully healthy in time for training camp, he has a good chance to ascend to the top of the Rams’ WR pecking order over the unreliable Kenny Britt, the Smurf-like Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey, and the ineffective Chris Givens. BUST: The injury that ended Quick’s season was a bad one. He tore his rotator cuff and other shoulder ligaments. Quick might not be ready for training camp, and he can’t afford to miss reps with new Rams QB Nick Foles. Before last season, Quick had been developing at a tortoiselike pace, averaging under one catch per game over his first two seasons. He’s scored seven TDs in 38 career games. BOTTOM LINE: If Quick’s shoulder is sound and he returns to the form he showed early in 2014, he could be a nice late-round buy.

57 JOHN BROWN | CARDINALS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’14 ARI 16 5 | 48 696 14.5 | 5 1 | 11 2 | 102 ’15 Proj: 16 3 | 48 786 14.3 | 4 1 | 10 2 | 90 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: Brown wasn’t one of the betterknown members of last season’s heralded rookie receiver class, but the Cardinals loved his potential from the start and were pleased with what he delivered in his debut season. A third-round pick, Brown caught five TD passes in his first nine games before the touchdowns dried up following the season-ending knee injury to QB Carson Palmer. Despite being a No. 3 receiver, Brown averaged 6.4 targets per game, and there were only two games in which he was targeted fewer than five times. Brown has speed to burn, and if Palmer stays healthy this year, he and Brown should enjoy nice deep-ball chemistry. BUST: With Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd both back, Brown is stuck as a No. 3 receiver. Brown wasn’t particularly efficient last season, catching just 46.7 percent of his targets. He reportedly tried to add bulk in the offseason, but at 5-10

POSITION

REPORTS

and less than 190 pounds, Brown isn’t ideally built to be an end-zone target. BOTTOM LINE: It’s impressive that Brown fared so well as a widely overlooked rookie despite the injury to Carson Palmer. With Palmer back from a knee injury, the speedy Brown should have a chance to increase his big-play volume and make a useful fantasy reserve.

58 DORIAL GREEN-BECKHAM | TITANS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’15 Proj: 13 10 | 45 652 14.5 | 5 2 | 11 1 | 90 BYE: WEEK 4

BOOM: The 6-5, 237-pound GreenBeckham offers a freakish combination of size and speed, and he also has good hands. Some experts have compared GreenBeckham’s ability to that of Demaryius Thomas, and there have even been Randy Moss comparisons thrown about. Drafted early in the second round, Green-Beckham has a chance to immediately seize a big role for the WR-thin Titans, and he should be an inviting end-zone target for rookie QB Marcus Mariota. BUST: Green-Beckham comes with more baggage than a hotel bellhop. He was dismissed from Missouri’s football program because he was being investigated for assault after allegedly pushing a woman down a flight of stairs. He’s also had a pair of marijuana arrests and is considered difficult to coach. Green-Beckham hasn’t played in a game since 2013, and he’s extremely unpolished as a route runner. The Titans probably won’t have a strong passing game this season due in part to inexperience at the QB position. BOTTOM LINE: A boom-or-bust rookie prospect with remarkable physical gifts and a history of misbehavior, GreenBeckham could be an impactful fantasy performer or a complete nonfactor, and it seems unlikely that he’ll fall anywhere in between. 59 CORDARRELLE PATTERSON | VIKINGS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’13 MIN 16 6 | 45 469 10.4 | 4 1 | 7 1 | 77 ’14 MIN 16 7 | 33 384 11.6 | 1 0 | 4 0 | 67 ’15 Proj: 16 1 | 40 469 11.7 | 4 1 | 6 2 | 77 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: It’s hard not to be tempted by the vast potential Patterson offers. With a 6-2, 220-pound frame, 4.4 speed and electrifying ability in the open field, the 24-year-old Patterson still has time to blossom into a fantasy difference-maker. He gave us tantalizing glimpses of his potential as a rookie in 2013, when he scored five TDs from scrimmage over the Vikings’ last four games and produced a 7-141-1 receiving day (plus a kick-return TD) in a memorably snowy game against

72 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

the Ravens. Patterson has been deadly on reverses, with 275 rushing yards over two seasons, an average of 12.5 yards per carry and four TD runs. BUST: Patterson had a chance to seize a big role in the Minnesota offense last season and flopped badly. He had only eight catches over the Vikings’ last eight games and 33 for the season. He’s projected as a backup behind newcomer Mike Wallace and up-and-comer Charles Johnson. BOTTOM LINE: Chock full of untapped talent, Patterson could come on fast, but he has some depth-chart climbing to do and has to figure out how to turn potential into production. His fantasy value has crashed, but he’s a penny stock with a small chance of producing a very lucrative payoff.

60 DOUG BALDWIN | SEAHAWKS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 SEA 14 4 | 29 366 12.6 | 3 0 | 5 2 | 50 ’13 SEA 16 9 | 50 778 15.6 | 5 0 | 14 3 | 73 ’14 SEA 16 16 | 66 825 12.5 | 3 2 | 15 2 | 98 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 51 668 13.0 | 4 1 | 13 2 | 76 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: The four-year veteran out of Stanford produced career highs in catches and receiving yardage last season. Baldwin enters 2015 as Seattle’s No. 1 receiver, and his place in the starting lineup seems assured. He had 100-yard games against the Rams and Cardinals in the regular season and had another against the Packers in the playoffs. Baldwin also had TD catches in playoff games against the Panthers and Patriots. Baldwin caught 67.3 percent of his targets last season. BUST: Baldwin may be the Seahawks’ No. 1 receiver, but there may not be a less WR-focused passing game in the league than Seattle’s. The Seahawks’ receivers could be even less significant this year now that they have added star TE Jimmy Graham, who figures to lead the team in targets by a wide margin. Baldwin has scored only 15 touchdowns in his fouryear career, and he’s never reached 100 targets in a single season. BOTTOM LINE: A reliable but statistically limited possession receiver, Baldwin might have a hard time matching his modest 2014 totals now that TE Jimmy Graham is bringing his pass-catching talents to the Pacific Northwest. Still, Baldwin has bench value, particularly in PPR leagues. 61 DONTE MONCRIEF | COLTS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’14 IND 16 2 | 32 444 13.9 | 3 2 | 7 3 | 49 ’15 Proj: 16 3 | 46 626 13.6 | 5 1 | 9 2 | 75 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: Moncrief’s playing time was

POSITION limited as a rookie, but he impressed nevertheless with a couple of huge games. The former Ole Miss star had a 7-113-1 game against the Steelers in Week 8 and dropped a 3-134-2 line on the Redskins in Week 13, catching TD passes of 48 and 79 yards in that contest. Moncrief is a terrific athlete with good size (6-2, 211 pounds), 4.4 speed and exceptional leaping ability. QB Andrew Luck is a rising star, and no team threw more than the Colts last season. BUST: The Colts have made noise about wanting to get Moncrief more involved, but he’s stuck as the No. 3 receiver behind T.Y. Hilton and new addition Andre Johnson, and QB Andrew Luck also likes throwing to his tight ends. BOTTOM LINE: Moncrief oozes potential, but he’s just one of many competent targets for the Colts. It probably would take an injury to a Colts starter for Moncrief to deliver every-week fantasy value. Still, talent like this is worth a late-round wager.

62 RUEBEN RANDLE | GIANTS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 NYG 16 1 | 19 298 15.7 | 3 0 | 4 2 | 32 ’13 NYG 16 3 | 41 611 14.9 | 6 1 | 16 0 | 79 ’14 NYG 16 13 | 71 938 13.2 | 3 3 | 12 2 | 127 ’15 Proj: 16 3 | 52 690 13.3 | 3 1 | 11 1 | 94 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: Randle posted career highs in receptions and yardage last season, catching as many passes as Calvin Johnson. The light bulb seemed to go on for Randle at the end of the year. He produced receiving lines of 6-132-1 against the Rams and 6-158-0 against the Eagles in the Giants’ last two regularseason games. He also had a 7-112-0 day against the 49ers in Week 11. Randle has developed slowly but surely over his three NFL seasons and could take another step forward in his fourth. BUST: Over the first 15 weeks of 2015, Randle averaged 46.3 yards per game, scored two TDs and was viewed as a disappointment. He was benched twice for showing up late to meetings, and up until Week 16, Randle had largely been marginalized by the emergence of fellow LSU product Odell Beckham Jr. Now, Randle could end up as a third wheel behind Beckham and the returning Victor Cruz, who’s back from a knee injury. BOTTOM LINE: A big finish at the end of 2014 should rekindle fantasy interest in Randle, who’s only 24 yet has three seasons of NFL experience under his belt. On the other hand, Randle could easily get lost in the shuffle behind Odell Beckham Jr. and Victor Cruz.

WR

REPORTS

63 MARVIN JONES | BENGALS

65 MARQISE LEE | JAGUARS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 CIN 11 5 | 18 201 11.2 | 1 1 | 1 0 | 32 ’13 CIN 16 3 | 51 712 14.0 | 10 1 | 10 2 | 80 ’14 CIN 0 0 | 0 0 00.0 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 0 ’15 Proj: 14 13 | 42 579 13.8 | 5 1 | 9 1 | 69 BYE: WEEK 7

’14 JAX 13 8 | 37 422 11.4 | 1 0 | 6 0 | 69 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 56 673 12.0 | 3 1 | 9 1 | 100 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Jones missed the entire 2013 season with foot problems but is projected to start opposite A.J. Green. Obviously, Green commands a great deal of attention, and that should create opportunities for the 25-year-old Jones, who scored 10 TDs in 2013 (including four in a game against the Jets). BUST: Foot problems can linger, and Jones has now had both foot and ankle surgery – one procedure for each foot. Jones will have to earn his spot in the starting lineup by beating out Mohamed Sanu. And of course, Green is going to earn the lion’s share of targets. BOTTOM LINE: Based on a promising, TD-rich 2013, Jones should be on every fantasy owner’s radar following his injuryravaged 2014 season. The potential for additional foot problems is a valid concern, but Jones is an intriguing fantasy sleeper. 64 JAELEN STRONG | TEXANS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’15 Proj: 15 7 | 51 678 13.3 | 3 1 | 10 1 | 95 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: A third-round pick in this year’s draft, Strong has a chance to earn immediate playing time for a Texans squad that has receptions to dole out now that Andre Johnson has left town. The 21-yearold Strong profiles as a possession receiver with good size (6-2, 217 pounds), decent speed and impressive leaping ability. In two seasons at Arizona State, Strong had 157 catches for 2,287 yards and 17 TDs, and he showed the ability to break tackles and rack up yardage after the catch. BUST: Strong will have to compete with veteran Cecil Shorts and will probably begin the season as Houston’s No. 3 receiver. His route running needs work, as the biggest knock on him is his inability to consistently create separation from defenders. The Texans’ QB situation is grim, so failure to get separation could keep Strong from achieving liftoff as a rookie. BOTTOM LINE: Landing on a team in need of a complementary receiver to DeAndre Hopkins, Strong has a chance to contribute right away if the Houston coaches can help him sand the rough edges out of his game in training camp. His possession-receiver characteristics suggest that he’ll be more valuable in PPR than in standard leagues.

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

BOOM: Lee battled injuries as a rookie and missed three games due to a hamstring issue, but he showed enough that he’ll be favored to win a starter’s job opposite fellow second-year man Allen Robinson when training camp opens. A second-round pick in last year’s NFL Draft, Lee had four or more receptions in five games last year. Late in the season, he had a five-game stretch in which he caught 22 passes. BUST: The Jaguars finished 31st in passing yardage and TD passes last season, and the Jacksonville passing attack probably isn’t ready to take a major step forward in 2015. Lee struggled through a knee injury in his final season at USC in 2013, and last year he dealt with hamstring and ankle problems. Are there more nagging injuries ahead? Lee averaged a pedestrian 11.4 yards per catch as a rookie and scored but one touchdown. BOTTOM LINE: Limited by injuries and the struggles of rookie QB Blake Bortles, Lee didn’t make much of an impact in his first year as a pro, but he’s projected to start this year and could develop quickly. 66 STEVIE JOHNSON | CHARGERS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 BUF 16 16 | 79 1,046 13.2 | 6 3 | 12 2 | 148 ’13 BUF 12 12 | 52 597 11.5 | 3 1 | 6 1 | 101 ’14 SF 13 1 | 35 435 12.4 | 3 1 | 8 0 | 50 ’15 Proj: 15 12 | 57 672 11.8 | 3 1 | 10 1 | 106 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: Johnson was used sparingly last year in his lone season with the run-heavy 49ers, but he’ll now try to rejuvenate his career in San Diego, where he has a chance to start and at worst will be a No. 3 receiver behind Keenan Allen and Malcom Floyd. Johnson had three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with the Bills from 2010 to 2012 and still hasn’t turned 30 yet. BUST: After scoring 23 touchdowns over a three-year period with the Bills, Johnson has scored just three TDs in each of the past two seasons. Part of that is due to injuries: Johnson has missed seven games the past two years due to a variety of ailments. BOTTOM LINE: Chargers QB Philip Rivers probably will be able to make better use of Johnson’s fine route-running ability than Colin Kaepernick was able to last year in San Francisco. Destined to be bargain-priced in fantasy drafts after two down seasons, Johnson is a candidate for

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WR a strong comeback. There are worse ways to spend a late-round pick.

67 DEVIN FUNCHESS | PANTHERS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’15 Proj: 15 14 | 47 621 13.2 | 3 1 | 9 0 | 92 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: Pinpoint accuracy is not one of Cam Newton’s many strengths, and the Panthers seem intent on equipping their franchise quarterback with huge receivers who can haul in passes thrown slightly off-target. This tactic worked well last year with the drafting of 6-5, 240-pound Kelvin Benjamin, who turned in a nice rookie season, so the Panthers tried it again with the 6-4, 232-pound Funchess. Drafted in the second round, the king-sized Funchess has an enormous catch radius. He’s projected to start along with Benjamin, and his size should make him an instant TD threat. BUST: Funchess didn’t put up lightsout college numbers at the University of Michigan. He didn’t have more than 748 receiving yards or six TD catches in any of his three seasons with the Wolverines (though in his defense, he was playing as more of a TE-WR hybrid than as a true wide receiver). With 20 career drops in college, his hands are suspect. And with Benjamin and TE Greg Olsen destined to see a lot of targets, Funchess may have to settle for table scraps. Funchess ran a glacial 4.7-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. BOTTOM LINE: Funchess is apt to be overdrafted by fantasy owners who view him as a Kelvin Benjamin clone. Funchess has the potential to score a half-dozen or more TDs as a rookie, but don’t bet on Benjamin-type production. 68 KENNY BRITT | RAMS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 TEN 14 11 | 45 589 13.1 | 4 1 | 7 2 | 90 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 35 ’13 TEN 12 3 | 11 96 8.7 ’14 STL 16 13 | 48 748 15.6 | 3 2 | 13 3 | 84 ’15 Proj: 15 14 | 41 611 14.9 | 3 1 | 11 2 | 71 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: Playing a full 16 games for the first time since he was a rookie, Britt posted his best all-around numbers since 2010. He had a couple of big games, turning in a 4-128-1 day against the Broncos in Week 11 and a 9-103-0 day against the Giants in Week 16. The Rams didn’t make any noteworthy additions at wide receiver in the offseason, so Britt once again projects to be a starter after starting 13 games for St. Louis last year. BUST: Even though 2014 was his best year in some time, Britt wasn’t a particularly impactful fantasy performer. Britt has missed 23 games over six NFL

POSITION

REPORTS

seasons and has dealt with a wide variety of injuries, including a torn ACL and MCL in 2011. He’s also developed a reputation as a malcontent, though he seemed to be on good behavior last year after being reunited with his former coach in Tennessee, Jeff Fisher. BOTTOM LINE: It was nice to see Britt stay healthy for a full season and put up decent numbers, but he’s no longer capable of generating the electricity that we saw from him early in his career. He’s little more than fantasy bench fodder at this point.

Seahawks a win over the Packers in the NFC Championship Game. BUST: With only 67 targets in 15 games last season, Kearse isn’t exactly a major contributor to the Seattle offense, and his already slender role could shrink with the arrival of star TE Jimmy Graham. Kearse had only one TD catch last season and has scored five touchdowns in 37 career regular-season games. BOTTOM LINE: Even though he’s a starter, Kearse isn’t likely to generate a lot of fantasy value as a member of a team that doesn’t rely heavily on its wide receivers.

69 MALCOM FLOYD | CHARGERS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

71 GREG JENNINGS | DOLPHINS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 SD 14 14 | 56 814 14.5 | 5 2 | 15 0 | 85 ’13 SD 2 2 | 6 149 24.8 | 0 1 | 3 1 | 11 ’14 SD 16 16 | 52 856 16.5 | 6 1 | 13 5 | 92 ’15 Proj: 13 5 | 41 664 16.2 | 3 1 | 11 2 | 73 BYE: WEEK 10

’12 GB 8 5 | 36 366 10.2 | 4 1 | 3 1 | 62 ’13 MIN 15 15 | 68 804 11.8 | 4 1 | 11 2 | 105 ’14 MIN 16 13 | 59 742 12.6 | 6 0 | 9 0 | 92 ’15 Proj: 15 6 | 51 592 11.6 | 3 0 | 8 0 | 81 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: After playing only two games in 2013 before suffering a horrifying neck injury, Floyd made an impressive comeback last season, playing all 16 games and tying his career highs in receiving yardage and TD catches. Floyd was remarkably consistent from week to week, catching no fewer than three passes and no more than five from Week Four through the end of the season. He averaged a robust 16.5 yards per catch last season, not far off his career average of 17.1. BUST: The 10-year veteran turns 34 in September, and he may end up losing his starting job to newcomer Stevie Johnson. Floyd has never been a high-volume pass catcher, and he’s never been a major TD threat. He’s never had more than 56 catches or six TDs in a single season. BOTTOM LINE: An aging receiver who doesn’t catch many passes and doesn’t score a lot of touchdowns won’t hold a great deal of appeal for fantasy owners. But Floyd is consistent, at least, and makes a decent emergency option.

BOOM: Jennings signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Dolphins in free agency. The deal also included a $3 million signing bonus, which indicates that the Dolphins are expecting the 10thyear veteran to play a substantial role. Not surprisingly, Jennings’ two seasons with the Vikings didn’t result in the same sort of numbers he had produced first with Brett Favre and then with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, but Jennings nonetheless caught 127 passes for the Vikings, hauling in 64.1 percent of his targets. BUST: There are a lot of other people in the mix for receptions in Miami – TE Cameron Jordan and WRs Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills and DeVante Parker – and Jennings isn’t projected to start. Jennings averaged 15.9 yards per catch and 8.2 TDs per season over his first six years in the league, but he’s averaged only 11.7 yards per catch and 4.7 TDs per season over the last three years. BOTTOM LINE: A decent but aging possession receiver, Jennings isn’t a good bet to produce helpful fantasy numbers for a Miami franchise that appears to have an overstocked pass-catching pond.

70 JERMAINE KEARSE | SEAHAWKS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 SEA 7 1 | 3 31 10.3 | 0 0 | ’13 SEA 15 5 | 22 346 15.7 | 4 0 | ’14 SEA 15 14 | 38 537 14.1 | 1 0 | ’15 Proj: 15 14 | 42 575 13.7 | 3 0 | BYE: WEEK 9

0 0 | 7 5 2 | 38 7 3 | 69 8 2 | 70

BOOM: Kearse made 14 starts for the Seahawks last season and has the inside track on a starter’s job again this season. He’s become QB Russell Wilson’s favorite deep threat, catching three passes of 40 or more yards last season. Kearse also had a 63-yard TD catch against the Panthers in the playoffs last season, and a 35-yard TD catch in overtime to give the

74 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

73 CECIL SHORTS | TEXANS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 JAX 14 9 | 55 979 17.8 | 7 4 | 17 5 | 105 ’13 JAX 13 13 | 66 777 11.8 | 3 1 | 10 1 | 125 ’14 JAX 13 12 | 53 557 10.5 | 1 2 | 7 1 | 110 ’15 Proj: 13 8 | 49 578 11.8 | 3 1 | 6 1 | 95 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: After four seasons in Jacksonville, Shorts has moved west to Houston, where he’s expected to contend with rookie Jaelen Strong for a starting spot. Even if Strong wins the battle, Shorts will be used as a slot man in three-

POSITION and four-WR sets. Shorts has averaged 58 catches a season and 4.4 catches a game over his last three years. Over that span he’s also had nine games with seven or more receptions. BUST: Shorts has missed 14 games in four years, dealing with hamstring and groin issues and also suffering a pair of concussions in 2012. After averaging 17.8 yards per catch in 2012, Shorts has fallen precipitously in that category, averaging a mere 10.5 yards per catch last season. He’s scored only four TDs over the last two years, and his TD prospects don’t look especially good with the Texans, whose QB situation is no brighter than that of the Jaguars. BOTTOM LINE: If he can avoid the softtissue injuries that have plagued him the past two seasons, Shorts has a chance to produce decent numbers in a significant role with the Texans. But Shorts can’t be counted on for touchdowns, and DeAndre Hopkins figures to dominate targets for Houston.

72 ROBERT WOODS | BILLS

year, Huff was more or less redshirted as a rookie, catching only eight passes in 12 games and mostly serving as a return man on kickoffs. But Huff and Eagles head coach Chip Kelly know each other well from their days at the University of Oregon, and with Jeremy Maclin having left for Kansas City, there’s a chance for Huff to play a bigger role in his second season, perhaps even as a starter BUST: At 5-11, 206 pounds, Huff is undersized and doesn’t figure to be much of an end-zone threat. Rookie Nelson Agholor might have a better chance to start, and veterans Riley Cooper and Miles Austin also will push for playing time. Huff was basically a one-year wonder at Oregon, with fewer than 500 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons. BOTTOM LINE: Huff is a beneath-theradar candidate to play an expanded role in a good offense for his former college coach.

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’13 BUF 14 14 | 40 587 14.7 | 3 0 | 9 2 | 85 ’14 BUF 16 15 | 65 699 10.8 | 5 1 | 11 0 | 104 ’15 Proj: 15 5 | 48 537 11.2 | 3 0 | 8 1 | 87 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: At age 23, Woods already has been a two-year starter for the Bills. He boosted his reception, yardage and TD totals in his second season and averaged just more than four catches a game. Woods had some nice days in 2014, with a 7-78-1 game against the Patriots in Week Six, a 9-118-1 game against the Jets in Week 12, and a 7-52-1 game against the Raiders in Week 16. BUST: With Percy Harvin joining the Bills and Sammy Watkins entrenched in the lineup, Woods might lose his starting job. The Bills also are likely to put greater emphasis on the running game this year, with RB LeSean McCoy in the fold and new offensive coordinator Greg Roman calling the plays. Woods averaged only 10.8 yards per catch last season, and he’s averaging just 0.27 TDs per game since coming into the league. BOTTOM LINE: Capable but not special, Woods is at risk of a reduced role for 2015 and is borderline undraftable in all but the deepest of leagues. 77 JOSH HUFF | EAGLES

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’14 PHI 12 0 | 8 98 12.3 | 0 0 | 1 1 | 18 ’15 Proj: 15 1 | 34 493 14.5 | 3 0 | 5 1 | 68 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Drafted in the third round last

WR

REPORTS

74 JUSTIN HUNTER | TITANS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’13 TEN 14 0 | 18 354 19.7 | 4 2 | 5 4 | 42 ’14 TEN 15 12 | 28 498 17.8 | 3 0 | 7 2 | 67 ’15 Proj: 13 3 | 27 491 18.2 | 2 1 | 6 3 | 57 BYE: WEEK 4

BOOM: With a 6-4 frame and good speed, Hunter is a dangerous deep threat. He’s averaged 18.5 yards per catch over his two years in the league and has had six catches covering 40 or more yards. He’ll have a chance to compete with rookie Dorial Green-Beckham for a starter’s job opposite possession receiver Kendall Wright – and could win the job by default if the undisciplined Green-Beckham misbehaves. BUST: Save for a handful of big plays, Hunter was awful last season, catching 28 passes in 12 games before a lacerated spleen ended his season. His catch rate was miserable, as he grabbed just 41.1 percent of his targets last year. (His rate was only slightly better at 42.9 percent in his rookie year.) The talented GreenBeckham is likely to blow Hunter away in a training camp competition. Even if Hunter manages to earn a lot of snaps this year, the inexperience of the Titans’ quarterbacks won’t help his cause. BOTTOM LINE: Hunter has notable raw ability, but his development has been nearly nonexistent over his first two NFL seasons, and he won’t remain in the league long if he doesn’t start tapping

into his potential.

75 MARKUS WHEATON | STEELERS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’13 PIT 12 1 | 6 64 10.7 | 0 0 | 1 0 | 13 ’14 PIT 16 11 | 53 644 12.1 | 2 0 | 5 2 | 86 ’15 Proj: 16 3 | 44 554 12.6 | 2 0 | 4 0 | 79 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: Wheaton turned in a decent sophomore year for the Steelers, starting 11 of 16 games and catching 53 balls after being almost a complete nonfactor as a rookie. He had four or more receptions in nine games last season. Wheaton is expected to compete with Martavis Bryant for a spot in the starting lineup this year. Bryant figures to be the favorite in that battle, but the loser is still likely to see ample snaps as Pittsburgh’s No. 3 receiver. BUST: The battle to be Pittsburgh’s No. 2 receiver probably won’t be much of a battle. Bryant’s physical tools are superior to Wheaton’s, and as a king-sized field stretcher, Bryant would make a nice complement to star WR Antonio Brown. Wheaton has caught only two TD passes in 28 career games. BOTTOM LINE: Wheaton seems destined to become a No. 3 receiver for the Steelers, and it would probably take an injury to either Antonio Brown or Martavis Bryant for Wheaton to become fantasy-relevant. 76 ALLEN HURNS | JAGUARS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’14 JAX 16 8 | 51 677 13.3 | 6 2 | 11 4 | 97 ’15 Proj: 16 7 | 36 475 13.2 | 4 0 | 8 2 | 70 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: An undrafted free agent who had accumulated only 729 receiving yards during his college career at the University of Miami (Fla.), Hurns had a surprising impact in his rookie year with the Jaguars. He captured the attention of fantasy owners with a 110-yard, two-TD performance against the Eagles in Week One. Hurns scored another TD two weeks later, then turned in a 7-112-2 game against the Bengals in Week Nine. Hurns will have a chance to reprise his role as a playmaking slot man in three- and fourWR sets. BUST: Was Hurns’ rookie season a fluke? He came with no college pedigree to speak of, and Hurns was guilty of too many drops last year. Even if Hurns is legit, he won’t start for the Jaguars, and he’ll be playing in a low-volume passing game. BOTTOM LINE: A pleasant rookie surprise, Hurns demonstrated unexpected

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playmaking ability. For fantasy purposes he’s undraftable, but it’s worth keeping his name in your waiver-wire Rolodex.

78 COLE BEASLEY | COWBOYS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 DAL 10 ’13 DAL 14 ’14 DAL 16 ’15 Proj: 15

0 | 15 128 8.5 | 0 0 | 1 0 | 24 3 | 39 368 9.4 | 2 0 | 2 0 | 54 2 | 37 420 11.4 | 4 0 | 4 1 | 49 0 | 50 510 10.2 | 3 0 | 5 0 | 74 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: Could Beasley become the

Cowboys’ version of Julian Edelman? Beasley became a key cog in the Dallas passing game late in the season, averaging 3.5 catches and 47.3 yards over the Cowboys’ final eight games (including the playoffs) and catching four TD passes over that span. He figures to be the Cowboys’ slot receiver in threeWR sets. Beasley signed a four-year deal worth $13.6 million in the offseason, with a big chunk of guaranteed money, so the Cowboys obviously see him as more than just a bit player. BUST: Because of his role, Beasley isn’t going to rack up impressive yardage totals. He averaged 11.4 yards per catch last season, and the smart money is on that figure coming down a bit in 2015. The 5-8, 180-pound Beasley isn’t going to be a favorite Tony Romo end-zone target. BOTTOM LINE: The diminutive Beasley has carved out a useful niche with the Cowboys and might have some bench value in PPR leagues, though he profiles as just a poor man’s Julian Edelman at this point.

79 CHRIS CONLEY | CHIEFS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’15 Proj: 15 6 | 37 544 14.7 | 2 1 | 8 2 | 69 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: After running a 4.35 40-yard dash at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine and wowing onlookers with his vertical and broad jumps, Conley was selected in the third round of the draft by the Chiefs. The 6-2, 213-pound Conley has good size and long arms, and he could potentially develop into a lethal deep threat. Conley has a chance to win a starting spot in Kansas City opposite Jeremy Maclin, and Conley’s primary competition is the unproven Albert Wilson. BUST: If Conley is going to be an NFL deep-ball artist, he may not have landed on the right team. QB Alex Smith isn’t one to force the ball downfield, preferring to check down to safer options. Conley never had more than 45 catches or 657 receiving yards in any of his four seasons

REPORTS

at the University of Georgia, so it’s fair to wonder whether he’s merely a workout warrior. BOTTOM LINE: A scintillating workout at the Scouting Combine boosted Conley’s draft stock and made NFL teams believe that he can be a dangerous field stretcher. He’ll have an opportunity to contribute right away in Kansas City, but Alex Smith isn’t the best quarterback for a bombthreat wideout.

80 RILEY COOPER | EAGLES

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 PHI 11 5 | 23 248 10.8 | 3 0 | 3 0 | 48 ’13 PHI 16 15 | 47 835 17.8 | 8 3 | 13 6 | 84 ’14 PHI 16 16 | 55 577 10.5 | 3 0 | 5 1 | 95 ’15 Proj: 16 2 | 45 526 11.7 | 2 0 | 5 1 | 88 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Cooper is coming off a disappointing season, but his numbers from 2013 suggest that he’s better than he showed last year. He figures to be the No. 3 or No. 4 wideout in a strong, Chip Kelly-designed offense. Cooper signed a five-year, $22.5 million contract extension with the Eagles following the 2013 season, and regardless of the wisdom of that deal, it probably ensures that the Eagles will try their best to get some utility out of him. BUST: Despite playing nearly 1,000 snaps last season, Cooper finished with just 577 yards, averaging a scant 10.5 yards per catch. There were only four games in which Cooper amassed 50 or more receiving yards, and he was stuck on one TD for the season before putting up a two-TD game against the porous Washington secondary in Week 16. BOTTOM LINE: It’s probably a safe bet that in 2015, Cooper won’t be as bad as he was in 2014 nor as good as he was in 2013. Unless we’re mistaken on the latter part of that theory, Cooper doesn’t figure to have much fantasy value unless someone ahead of him on the depth chart gets hurt. 81 PHILLIP DORSETT | COLTS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’15 Proj: 15 0 | 29 513 17.7 | 2 1 | 10 3 | 55 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: A blazer who ran a sub-4.3 in

the 40 at his pro day, Dorsett was picked late in the first round of this year’s draft by the Colts, a team whose quarterback, Andrew Luck, isn’t shy about throwing often and throwing deep. Dorsett averaged 24.2 yards per catch in his final season at the University of Miami (Fla.) and had 10 TD receptions. BUST: It’s hard to see how Dorsett is

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going to get adequate snaps and targets on a team that already has T.Y. Hilton, Andre Johnson and Donte Moncrief at wide receiver, plus Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen at tight end. Dorsett didn’t have more than 871 receiving yards in any of his three collegiate seasons with the Hurricanes and had 36 receptions in his final season. Dorsett is only 5-10 and 185 pounds. BOTTOM LINE: Dorsett will instantly become one of the NFL’s fastest players, but don’t count on a fast fantasy impact. Dorsett is log-jammed on the depth chart and figures to have a hard time getting on the field other than on kick returns.

82 BRIAN HARTLINE | BROWNS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 MIA 16 15 | 74 1,083 14.6 | 1 3 | 14 3 | 131 ’13 MIA 16 15 | 76 1,016 13.4 | 4 2 | 14 1 | 133 ’14 MIA 16 16 | 39 474 12.2 | 2 0 | 4 0 | 63 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 48 585 12.2 | 2 0 | 7 0 | 88 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: Let’s face it: Any team that starts Brian Hartline is weak at wide receiver. The Browns, who signed Hartline as a free agent, have one of the weakest WR situations in the league and are indeed penciling in Hartline as a starter. It’s not as if the seventh-year veteran from Ohio State is completely useless. He had consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2012 and 2013. The Browns might be playing a lot of catch-up, forcing them to throw. And the Cleveland offensive line is a good one, capable of making quarterbacks and receivers look slightly better than they really are. BUST: Hartline somehow managed to catch only 39 passes last season despite starting all 16 games for the Dolphins. He was targeted 63 times – just under four times a game – and averaged a career-low 12.2 yards per catch. Hartline caught only two TD passes last year and has scored a paltry 12 TDs in 92 career games. BOTTOM LINE: With a starting role in Cleveland, Hartline might be able to produce a small degree of PPR value, but that’s about it. 83 HARRY DOUGLAS | TITANS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 ATL 15 1 | 38 395 10.4 | 1 0 | 5 0 | 59 ’13 ATL 16 11 | 85 1,067 12.6 | 2 3 | 13 5 | 132 ’14 ATL 12 6 | 51 556 10.9 | 2 2 | 3 1 | 74 ’15 Proj: 15 4 | 45 477 10.6 | 2 0 | 6 1 | 74 BYE: WEEK 4

BOOM: Douglas moves from the Falcons to the Titans but will continue

POSITION to serve as a No. 3 receiver. He caught 51 passes last season despite missing four games with a foot injury. Douglas has demonstrated that he can take on a bigger role when called upon. In 2013, when Julio Jones played only five games due to injury and Roddy White was frequently banged up, Douglas had 85 catches for 1,067 yards. Last year, Douglas had a 9-116-0 game against the Cardinals in Week 13 when White was out, and then a 10-1310 game against the Steelers in Week 15 when Jones was out. BUST: There’s more value to being a No. 3 receiver in the Falcons’ offense than in the Titans’ offense. Even if Douglas gets more playing time than anticipated due to injury, it’s unlikely he’ll be able to come anywhere close to the numbers he put up in 2013. Douglas has scored only eight TDs in six NFL seasons. BOTTOM LINE: Douglas might have some backup-level PPR value, particularly if any of Tennessee’s starting receivers go down.

84 NICK TOON | SAINTS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’12 NO 0 ’13 NO 8 ’14 NO 8 ’15 Proj: 15

0 | 0 0 0.0 | 0 0 | 3 | 4 68 17.0 | 0 0 | 2 | 17 215 12.6 | 1 0 | 1 | 36 475 13.2 | 2 0 | BYE: WEEK 11

0 0 | 0 1 0 | 12 3 0 | 23 6 0 | 66

BOOM: Entering training camp, Toon may be a slight favorite to earn the No. 3 WR spot behind starters Brandin Cooks and Marques Colston. The Saints didn’t make any significant additions at wide receiver in the offseason, and they traded away TE Jimmy Graham and WR Kenny Stills, so there’s a lot of opportunity for pass catchers to emerge on a team quarterbacked by Drew Brees, who’s averaged better than 5,000 passing yards and 40 TDs over the past four seasons. Toon has strong NFL bloodlines: He’s the son of former Jets WR Al Toon. BUST: In three seasons with the Saints, Toon has thus far been unable to earn a meaningful role. A fourth-year veteran, Toon has played 16 NFL games and has 21 receptions. He is by no means assured of winning the No. 3 receiver role and could conceivably fail to make the final roster. BOTTOM LINE: The Saints have a prolific passing attack but they have just dealt away two prominent pass catchers, so it stands to reason that the Saints are going to get pass-catching production from some unexpected sources. Toon has a chance to be one of

REPORTS

those sources.

85 TYLER LOCKETT | SEAHAWKS

REC 100 CATCHES YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG TD YDS 20+ 40+ TARG

’15 Proj: 15 0 | 34 433 12.7 | 2 0 | 5 1 | 51 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: A third-round draft pick out of Kansas State, Lockett could conceivably fill the role that Percy Harvin was supposed to fill for the Seahawks. Lockett was wildly productive in college as both a receiver and return man. He had 2,777 receiving yards over his final two college seasons at KSU, and in his final year he had 106 receptions for 1,515 yards and 11 TDs. Lockett has 4.4 speed, a terrific work ethic and good bloodlines – his dad, Kevin Lockett, was a former KSU star and second-round draft pick of the Chiefs. BUST: Lockett is only 5-10, 182 pounds, and it’s possible he could be used almost exclusively as a return man during his rookie year. The Seahawks haven’t been a very reliable source of fantasy numbers at the WR position, and that was before the arrival of TE Jimmy Graham, who’s bound to see a ton of targets. BOTTOM LINE: The fleet-footed Lockett could potentially give the Seattle offense a speed injection, but it’s far from certain that he’ll make a significant contribution as anything but a kick returner.

BEST OF THE REST 86 JUSTIN BLACKMON | JAGUARS A major wild card, Blackmon was still serving an indefinite suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy as this magazine went to press. It’s unclear how soon he could be reinstated or whether the Jaguars would welcome him back. But Blackmon is a major talent and is still only 25. He’d be a coveted fantasy commodity if he wound up playing in 2015. 87 TAVON AUSTIN | RAMS The Rams keep making noise about wanting to get Austin more involved in their offense, but the eighth overall pick of the 2013 NFL Draft has been a disappointment to date. In his two seasons, Austin has produced 1,035 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns. 88 DANNY AMENDOLA | PATRIOTS With Julian Edelman the preferred undersized possession receiver in New England, Amendola is something of a redundancy. He’s also injury-prone. But Amendola had 63 receptions in 11 games with the Rams in 2012, and 54 receptions in 12 games with the Pats in 2013, so he can’t be written off as a PPR contributor.

WR 89 STEDMAN BAILEY | RAMS The diminutive Bailey had a nice twogame run in late November last year, putting up 7-89-1 against the Chargers and 5-100-0 against the Raiders, but Bailey scored only one touchdown all season and was a nonfactor in a lot of games. The Rams remain thin at wide receiver, so the 24-year-old Bailey still has time to assert himself. 90 HAKEEM NICKS | TITANS With each passing year it becomes less and less likely that Nicks will recapture the form he displayed in 2010 and 2011, when he had consecutive 1,000-yard seasons for the Giants and scored 18 TDs. Nicks is still only 27, so it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that he could get his mojo back, but going to the Titans probably won’t help his chances. 91 ANDREW HAWKINS | BENGALS A pure PPR specialist, Hawkins had a career-high 63 catches for the Browns last season and will continue to be a slot receiver in three- and four-WR sets. The problem is that Hawkins has scored six touchdowns in 50 career games. 92 ROD STREATER | RAIDERS Streater played only three games last season due to a foot injury, but he had a 60-888-4 season for the Raiders in 2013. With Oakland signing Michael Crabtree and drafting Amari Cooper, Streater figures to begin the season as a No. 3 or No. 4 receiver. 93 DEVIN SMITH | JETS A second-round draft pick out of Ohio State, Smith is a smallish speed receiver who averaged 28.2 yards per catch and hauled in 12 TD passes for the Buckeyes last year. He’s an interesting developmental prospect, but his opportunities may be limited this year while playing behind Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. 94 EDDIE ROYAL | BEARS Notoriously streaky, Royal has conjured up 15 TD catches over the past two seasons, and his 778 receiving yards last year were the most he’s had since he was a rookie in 2008. He moves from the Chargers to the Bears, and as an undersized possession receiver he could be a nice complement to redwood-tree WRs Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White. 95 DENARIUS MOORE | BENGALS The enigmatic Moore flashed some intriguing potential during four uneven seasons in Oakland but couldn’t get his act together. He’ll try to get his career jump-started in Cincinnati, where he has a chance to catch on as a backup receiver.

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FANTASY

Tight ends After top 2, don’t reach for a tight end By

J.C. TALON

f you like 6-foot-5 guys who catch about 45 balls for around 550 yards a season, then you’re going to love this year’s crop of tight ends. Outside of Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham, fantasy-wise, it’s a pretty pedestrian bunch. Oh, there are plenty of gifted athletes in the group. The lack of standout production has more to do with how NFL offenses spread the ball around and less to do with a dearth of talent at the position. In fact, it’s quite the opposite: today’s NFL probably has more talented pass catchers at tight end than ever before. Several teams have two tight ends who can spread the field and/or provide a QB with a big end-zone target. When all is said and done, you wind up with a lot of tight ends likely to post similar stats. From a fantasy perspective, if you don’t get one of the top two TEs, you might as well wait until the later rounds to draft one. Which brings us back to Gronk and Graham. Most, if not all, fantasy prognosticators will have Gronkowski No. 1 and Graham No. 2. We are no exception. Gronkowski

CONSENSUS

Top FANTASY TIGHT ENDS 1. ROB GRONKOWSKI | PATRIOTS 2. JIMMY GRAHAM | SEAHAWKS 3. GREG OLSEN | PANTHERS 4. TRAVIS KELCE | CHIEFS 5. MARTELLUS BENNETT | BEARS 6. ANTONIO GATES | CHARGERS 7. JULIUS THOMAS | JAGUARS 8. JORDAN CAMERON | DOLPHINS 9. ZACH ERTZ | EAGLES 10. JASON WITTEN | COWBOYS 11. DELANIE WALKER | TITANS 12. COBY FLEENER | COLTS 13. JORDAN REED | WASHINGTON 14. OWEN DANIELS | BRONCOS 15. JOSH HILL | SAINTS 16. LARRY DONNELL | GIANTS 17. TYLER EIFERT | BENGALS 18. AUSTIN SEFERIAN-JENKINS | BUCCANEERS 19. KYLE RUDOLPH | VIKINGS 20. DWAYNE ALLEN | COLTS is coming off a terrific season in which he managed to stay more or less healthy. Graham had a bit of a drop off for the Saints in 2014, and joined a team (Seattle) with a lessthan-dynamic passing attack. If you want Gronkowski, you’ll have to be willing to spend an early draft choice, likely a first-rounder. Graham might be had a round or two later. For that reason, Graham might actually be a better value. If you select Gronkowski in the first round (or early second), you’ll be

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passing up a chance to draft a toptier running back or an elite QB or wide receiver. Would you be better off taking an RB and a QB (or two RBs or a WR and an RB) and then taking Graham in the third? Keep in mind that tight end is perhaps the position in fantasy football that carries the highest injury risk, rivaled only by the running back position. And Gronkowski is no stranger to injury. We think Graham is the better play, unless Gronkowski somehow falls into the mid- to late-second round. After Graham at No. 2, there is a sudden and distinct drop in terms of predicted fantasy production. Greg Olsen, Travis Kelce and Martellus Bennett round out our top five. They all offer something to like, and they all have a distinct flaw, whether it be age, experience or the team they play for. The players ranked No. 6 through No. 10 include those on the rise (Zach Ertz) and those who are falling (Julius Thomas, Jason Witten), a cagey vet (Antonio Gates) and a significant injury risk (Jordan Cameron). After the top 10, you start to get into backup territory, although Coby Fleener (No. 12) and Josh Hill (No. 15) are young enough, talented enough and play in dynamic offensive schemes. Either player could see a significant jump in production. There is not a huge difference between No. 10 and No. 25 in terms of potential production. The advice here is not to reach. If you don’t wind up with Gronkowski or Graham, focus on QBs, running back and wide receivers before you invest in a tight end.

WR

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1 ROB GRONKOWSKI | PATRIOTS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 NE 11 11 | 55 790 14.4 | 11 3 | 13 1 ’13 NE 7 6 | 39 592 15.2 | 4 3 | 10 1 ’14 NE 15 10 | 82 1,124 13.7 | 12 3 | 19 1 ’15 Proj: 14 14 | 85 1,150 13.5 | 12 5 | 20 1 BYE: WEEK 4

BOOM: “Gronk” led all tight ends with 1,124 receiving yards in 2014. He’s a bit of a medical marvel. He suffered a myriad of injuries in 2013 and there was doubt he’d even play in 2014, but he answered the bell every week. (He did sit out a meaningless season finale.) He is only 25 years old and he’s already recorded four seasons with double-digit TDs. The only season he failed to reach the 10-TD mark was his injury-shortened 2013. His best season was 2011 when he caught 90 balls for 1,327 yards and 17 scores. Last season was the second best of his career with 82 catches and 12 scores. Gronkowski is a terrific target anywhere on the field, but he is especially lethal near the goal line. The only thing keeping him from 20 TDs is the diversity of the New England attack. BUST: Tom Brady’s suspension could hurt Gronkowski’s early-season production. Despite his remarkable resurgence in 2014, he has suffered numerous injuries and carries a risk of injury. He doesn’t exactly steer clear of contact. BOTTOM LINE: With a healthy season behind him (or at least a season in which he was available for every game), Gronk will go off the board early in fantasy drafts. Provided he remains healthy, he is clearly the best fantasy option at tight end. 2 JIMMY GRAHAM | SEAHAWKS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 NO 15 9 | 85 982 11.6 | 9 2 | 12 1 ’13 NO 16 12 | 86 1,215 14.1 | 16 6 | 19 5 ’14 NO 16 13 | 85 889 10.5 | 10 1 | 8 0 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 85 1,100 12.9 | 12 4 | 18 2 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: In what must have been considered a disappointing 2014 for owners who drafted Graham in the first round, he still managed to catch 85 balls for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 85 catches ranked him second among all tight ends, and he was fourth in TD catches and fifth in yards. For most tight ends, it would have been a career year. For Graham, the stats were mediocre compared to his 1,310 yards in 2011 and his 16 TD catches in 2013. His skills should mesh well in Seattle. The Seahawks parted with center Max Unger and their 2015 first-round draft pick in exchange for Graham. They, no doubt, want a return on their investment. Graham should see

Greg Olsen

plenty of balls, especially in the red zone. He has been incredibly durable, missing just two games in his five NFL seasons. BUST: Graham’s yardage dropped nearly 30 percent from 2013 to 2014, and his TD catches fell from 16 to 10. In 2014, the Saints had the league’s third-ranked passing attack with 4,764 yards through the air. The Seahawks ranked 27th with just 3,250 yards passing. The change in offensive philosophy could impact Graham’s production. BOTTOM LINE: Moving to an offense that produced 1,500 fewer yards than his previous team is a potential negative, to put it mildly. It’s also possible, however, that Graham will produce a higher percentage of Seattle’s receiving yardage than he did in New Orleans. Russell Wilson has never had a receiver with the particular set of skills possessed by

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Graham. Look for the Seahawks to utilize Graham as much as possible. Gronkowski will be drafted ahead of Graham in nearly every fantasy draft outside of the Seattle Metro area. In fact, he could go two or three rounds after Gronk. It’s quite possible that Graham will offer better value.

3 GREG OLSEN | PANTHERS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 CAR 16 16 | 69 843 12.2 | 5 1 | 11 1 ’13 CAR 16 16 | 73 816 11.2 | 6 0 | 12 0 ’14 CAR 16 16 | 84 1,008 12.0 | 6 3 | 9 0 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 80 950 11.8 | 6 2 | 12 0 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: Olsen was the only tight end other than Gronkowski to gain 1,000 or more yards receiving in 2014. He caught 84 balls and averaged 12 yards per

POSITION

REPORTS the preferred target of QB Alex Smith. He led the Chiefs in catches, receiving yards and touchdown receptions. Kelce has prototypical size for an NFL tight end (65, 260 pounds) and he runs well. He is a former high school QB and three-sport star. He occasionally quarterbacked out of the wildcat formation when he played at the University of Cincinnati. BUST: Kelce caught a TD in three consecutive games in Weeks 3-5, but caught just one TD in the final eight weeks of the season. He fumbled four times in 2014, and lost three of them. Unlike the ends ranked ahead of him, Kelce does not have much of a track record. Those who draft him have to hope he was not a oneyear wonder. BOTTOM LINE: Kelce is as good a bet as anyone to finish as the best fantasy tight end not named Gronkowski or Graham. He does not play on a high-powered offense and his resume is pretty light. The flip side of that lack of experience is the possibility that his best seasons are ahead of him. In the mid-to-later rounds, once Gronk and Graham are long gone, Kelce should be considered as the next TE selected.

5 MARTELLUS BENNETT | BEARS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 NYG 16 16 | 55 626 11.4 | 5 0 | 7 0 ’13 CHI 16 15 | 65 759 11.7 | 5 0 | 11 1 ’14 CHI 16 15 | 90 916 10.2 | 6 2 | 11 0 ’15 Proj: 16 15 | 80 900 11.3 | 6 1 | 10 1 BYE: WEEK 7

Travis Kelce

reception. Olsen has improved with age. His reception total has increased all four years he’s been in Carolina. In the past three years, he has produced a minimum of 69 catches and 800 yards per season. Entering his ninth NFL season, Olsen led the Panthers in receptions in 2014 and 2013. He has not lost a fumble since 2011. BUST: Carolina’s passing game is not exactly high powered. It produced just 219 yards per game last season. Olsen has averaged just 5.5 touchdowns per season during his time in Carolina. He has not produced more than six touchdown catches since 2009, when he was with Chicago. BOTTOM LINE: Olsen offers signifi­ cantly less upside than Gronkowski or Graham. He sits atop or near the top of that next group of tight ends, and is not

much different than any of the tight ends ranked No. 3 through No. 10. Most, if not all, of those tight ends can be picked up in the mid-to-later rounds.

4 TRAVIS KELCE | CHIEFS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’13 KC 1 0 | 0 0 0 | 0 0 | 0 0 ’14 KC 16 11 | 67 862 12.9 | 5 1 | 15 0 ’15 Proj: 16 14 | 72 925 12.8 | 6 2 | 13 0 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: The Chiefs selected Kelce with the first pick of the third round of the 2013 draft. He barely saw the field his first season, playing in just one game and finishing with zero receptions. He burst onto the scene in 2014, playing in all 16 games and catching 67 passes for 862 yards and five touchdowns. He was part of a three-TE rotation, but he was clearly

BOOM: Bennett led all tight ends in 2014 with 90 receptions. It was a career high for the veteran, who is entering his eighth NFL season. His six touchdown receptions also marked a career best. He has produced a minimum of 55 catches, 600 yards and five TDs for three straight seasons. BUST: The Bears will be implementing yet another new offensive system. (For those keeping score, that’s five OCs in the last seven seasons.) Adam Gase certainly utilized the tight end position during his time in Denver, but any time the system changes, there is a potential for a deviation in the production of individual players. Bennett is whining about a new contract, even though he still has two years left on his deal. Contract unhappiness could impact his preparation and his performance. Bennett has been on three teams in seven seasons. There were rumors in the offseason that the Bears were looking to send him to his fourth. With wide receivers Kevin White and Alshon Jeffery and running back Matt Forte all looking at 60 or more receptions, there might not be a ton of balls left for Bennett. That situation

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POSITION could be compounded if the Bears take a conservative approach in an effort to limit Jay Cutler’s turnovers. BOTTOM LINE: Unlike Kelce, Bennett has now produced for several consecutive seasons. Unlike Olsen, Bennett remains on the right side of 30. It’ll be interesting to see how Bennett’s contract grumblings and unconventional personality mesh with the new coaching staff and general manager. Bennett is definitely in that second tier of tight ends. Whether he produces at the top or the bottom of that second tier is largely dependent on the success of the Bears offense.

6 ANTONIO GATES | CHARGERS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 SD 15 15 | 49 538 11.0 | 7 0 | 5 0 ’13 SD 16 15 | 77 872 11.3 | 4 2 | 11 1 ’14 SD 16 14 | 69 821 11.9 | 12 0 | 12 0 ’15 Proj: 16 14 | 60 700 11.7 | 8 1 | 10 0 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: Gates discovered the fountain of youth in 2014. He caught 69 balls for 821 yards, and he tied Gronkowski and

REPORTS

Julius Thomas for the most TD catches by a tight end (12). The 12 touchdowns were his most since the 2004 season. Gates has been remarkably consistent and pretty durable. He has totaled 700 yards receiving or more in 10 of his last 11 seasons. He has 99 TD receptions and, outside of his rookie season, he has scored at least seven times in all but one season. He has played 15 games or more in 10 of his 12 seasons. The converted college basketball player has tremendous body control and is a dominant force in the end zone. BUST: Gates is 35 years old. Prior to his resurgence in 2014, he seemed to be on the downside of his career. He scored only four times in 2013 (although he had 77 receptions), and caught only 49 balls in 2012 (although he had seven TDs). Ladarius Green, San Diego’s other tight end, is a threat to take targets away from the veteran. Of course, we’ve been hearing that for a couple of seasons. When he catches more than 20 balls, maybe we’ll take that threat more seriously. Although Gates usually finds his way on the field,

his name makes frequent – in some seasons, weekly – appearances on the injury report. He gets dinged up a lot. BOTTOM LINE: It’s a fool’s errand to doubt Gates. He keeps finding a way, season after season, to produce. There’s no solid evidence to suggest he can’t produce again in 2015. Our advice for those who select Gates, however, is to also draft a solid backup option … just in case.

7 JULIUS THOMAS | JAGUARS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 DEN 4 0 | 0 0 0 | 0 0 | 0 0 ’13 DEN 14 14 | 65 788 12.1 | 12 2 | 10 2 ’14 DEN 13 10 | 43 489 11.4 | 12 1 | 7 0 ’15 Proj: 14 14 | 50 650 13.0 | 7 1 | 8 1 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Thomas snared 12 TD catches for Denver in both 2014 and 2013. He was at his best in ’13, when he caught 65 balls for 788 yards. He was limited to just 10 starts last season, but still caught 43 balls for 489 yards. The Jaguars signed Thomas in the offseason to a massive five-year, $46 million dollar deal ($24 million guaranteed). He will likely be a main cog in what Jacksonville believes will be an improving offense. BUST: You probably know where this is going … Jacksonville is not exactly Denver. Blake Bortles is not exactly Peyton Manning. Thomas has dealt with nagging injuries the last two seasons. Thomas, a former basketball player, competed in only one year of college ball and basically redshirted his first two seasons with the Broncos. BOTTOM LINE: This seems like a desperation signing by Jacksonville. Thomas is a gifted athlete and, provided he stays healthy, could produce something like 50 catches for 650 yards and maybe six or seven touchdowns. That kind of production doesn’t warrant $46 million, but it will make him a mid-level fantasy TE. 8 JORDAN CAMERON | DOLPHINS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 CLE 14 6 | 20 226 11.3 | 1 0 | 4 0 ’13 CLE 15 14 | 80 917 11.5 | 7 2 | 11 1 ’14 CLE 10 9 | 24 424 17.7 | 2 1 | 8 4 ’15 Proj: 13 11 | 50 625 12.5 | 7 2 | 10 5 BYE: WEEK 5

Antonio Gates

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BOOM: Cameron had a spectacular season for Cleveland in 2013. He caught 80 passes for 917 yards and seven touchdowns. It’s even more impressive that he recorded those stats with the offensively challenged Browns. He seemed well on his way to becoming one

POSITION

REPORTS The 36 receptions recorded in his rookie season increased to 58 in his second year. His yardage total increased from 469 to 702, although TD receptions fell from four in his rookie year to three last season. He is emerging as the top receiving tight end in an offense that runs a lot of plays and puts the ball in the air often. Being a tight end in the NFL is risky business, but so far, so good for Ertz. He’s made the field for all 32 games in his two seasons. BUST: As mentioned, it’s a small sample size. Chip Kelly tends to torture fantasy owners by spreading the ball around to such an extent one has to wonder if he’s doing it … well, simply to torture fantasy owners. BOTTOM LINE: Given the risk associated with some TE picks, Ertz looks like a fairly safe play. The Eagles have two reasonably talented QBs in Sam Bradford and Mark Sanchez. The diversified – and perhaps erratic – nature of Philly’s offense severely limits Ertz’s chances of a monster season. But average to above-average production is a reasonable bet.

10 JASON WITTEN | COWBOYS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 DAL 16 16 | 110 1,039 9.4 | 3 3 | 8 0 ’13 DAL 16 16 | 73 851 11.7 | 8 3 | 13 0 ’14 DAL 16 16 | 64 703 11.0 | 5 0 | 7 0 ’15 Proj: 16 16 | 60 700 11.7 | 4 0 | 6 0 BYE: WEEK 6

Jason Witten

of the league’s better pass-catching tight ends. When on the field, he is a gifted receiver. He replaces Charles Clay in Miami. Clay caught 58 balls last season. Dolphins’ QB Ryan Tannehill continues to improve as a passer. BUST: Cameron suffered a vicious concussion in Week 8 against Oakland. He has suffered three concussions in the last two years. He also has been plagued by assorted other injuries. Even before he was knocked out of the Oakland game, he was struggling. Through eight games, he had 13 catches and one touchdown. BOTTOM LINE: Cameron has not made it on the field for all 16 games in any of his four NFL seasons. If he can somehow manage to stay on the field,

he could finish as high as third in terms of fantasy points. He is that talented. The concussions, however, are a huge concern. He is a good value pick in later rounds, but hedge your bet by drafting another, perhaps more reliable, tight end.

9 ZACH ERTZ | EAGLES

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’13 PHI 16 3 | 36 469 13.0 | 4 0 | 8 0 ’14 PHI 16 5 | 58 702 12.1 | 3 1 | 9 0 ’15 Proj: 16 10 | 55 675 12.3 | 5 1 | 10 0 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Ertz is a riser. He has just two NFL seasons under his belt, but based on the small sample size, we are encouraged.

BOOM: If you are looking for a reason to draft Witten, look no further than the fact that he has played in all 16 games for 11 consecutive seasons. Trying to find a healthy fantasy tight end is not always easy. Those who draft Witten likely can focus on other positions for all but his bye week. He’s also been incredibly consistent and reliable. He’s averaged just over five TD grabs per season since 2004. Perhaps his best season was 2012, when he caught 110 passes for 1,039 yards, but he’s had several other seasons to rival ’12. He caught nine TDs in 2010 and has exceeded 1,000 yards four times (2007, 2009, 2010 and 2012). The veteran tight end serves as Tony Romo’s “woobie.” When things are down, Romo looks for Witten. He’s best in the clutch, and the NFL provides ample opportunity for clutch. BUST: Witten is 33. His 64 catches last season marked his lowest output since 2006. His 703 yards were the lowest since his rookie season … way back in 2003. BOTTOM LINE: Witten won’t make your fantasy season, but he won’t break it, either. His upside might be limited, but as Gates proved last year, being 33 years old doesn’t necessarily mark the end of a tight end’s career. He doesn’t offer as much upside as some of the other

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POSITION

REPORTS

second-tier TEs, but he carries less risk than most of them.

11 DELANIE WALKER | TITANS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 SF 16 4 | 21 344 16.4 | 3 0 | 9 1 ’13 TEN 15 11 | 60 571 9.5 | 6 0 | 5 0 ’14 TEN 15 14 | 63 890 14.1 | 4 2 | 13 2 ’15 Proj: 16 15 | 60 850 14.2 | 2 1 | 12 1 BYE: WEEK 4

BOOM: Last season, in his second year with the Titans, Walker set career highs in catches (63) and yards (890). His 14.1 yards per reception was the best among tight ends with 55 or more receptions. After several seasons playing second fiddle to Vernon Davis in San Francisco, he has flourished in Tennessee. He led the Titans last season in catches and yards. If new quarterback Marcus Mariota plays well, Walker’s numbers could improve. BUST: Walker caught just four touchdowns last season. He has missed one game in each of the last two seasons. If Mariota struggles, it could negatively impact Walker’s production. Mariota is also bound to run in a few scores that might have previously been passes to Walker. BOTTOM LINE: Walker is a low-end TE1 in fantasy football. He is entrenched as Tennessee’s starter and has a reasonably high floor. For him to flourish, his new rookie QB will have to adjust well to the pro game. 12 COBY FLEENER | COLTS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 IND 12 10 | 26 281 10.8 | 2 0 | 5 0 ’13 IND 16 12 | 52 608 11.7 | 4 1 | 7 2 ’14 IND 16 12 | 51 774 15.2 | 8 2 | 16 2 ’15 Proj: 16 8 | 50 700 14.0 | 4 2 | 15 2 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: Fleener found the end zone eight times in 2014, including a 73-yard score in Week 13 against Washington. He has improved steadily in his three NFL seasons. He had only 281 yards receiving in his rookie season of 2012, but more than doubled that total his second year when he caught 52 balls for 608 yards and four TDs. Last season he improved again, finishing with 51 receptions for 774 yards and those eight scores. The Colts have one of the league’s best passing attacks. Though he has to share the field with fellow TE Dwayne Allen, Fleener is more of a pure receiver and a better home run threat than Allen. The third-year player has not missed a game the past two seasons. BUST: Perhaps the only real downside to Fleener is the presence of Allen. The

Coby Fleener

Colts run multiple formations and Fleener can often be found on the sideline. Allen is bigger and the better blocker. Hence, Allen is more often found on the field during goal-line sets. BOTTOM LINE: Many fantasy rankings will have Allen ahead of Fleener, but we don’t see it. Allen has been injured the last two seasons and his production has suffered. Andrew Luck and Fleener have a connection that dates back to their days at Stanford. Fleener’s production has improved in three straight seasons. If Allen gets injured again, Fleener’s stats could vault him to a top five – even top

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three – tight end. We think Fleener is a better option than Allen and should be considered a TE1 in larger leagues.

13 JORDAN REED | WASHINGTON

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’13 WAS 9 4 | 45 499 11.1 | 3 1 | 3 0 ’14 WAS 11 2 | 50 465 9.3 | 0 1 | 4 0 ’15 Proj: 13 10 | 55 600 10.9 | 5 1 | 6 0 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Playing in just 11 games last season, and starting just two of those games, Reed still managed to catch

POSITION

REPORTS game over his 115-game career. He has produced 33 touchdown catches in nine seasons. He has had three seasons (2007, 2008, 2012) with at least 60 catches and 700 yards. A cagey veteran with experience in coach Gary Kubiak’s system (he played for Houston from 2006 through 2013), he’s the kind of target Peyton Manning tends to find on a regular basis. BUST: Daniels has not played 16 games since 2008. He missed significant time to injury in 2013, 2010 and 2009. But he’ll have to be Denver’s top producer at tight end with 3rd round rookie Jeff Heuerman out for the year with an ACL. BOTTOM LINE: If Daniels stays healthy, he should be a solid fantasy option at tight end. His experience and familiarity with Kubiak’s system make him a pretty safe bet to be the Broncos’ best option at the position. Daniels’ ability to stay on the field will be the key determinant to his fantasy value.

15 JOSH HILL | SAINTS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’13 NO 14 3 | 6 44 7.3 | 1 0 | 0 0 ’14 NO 16 3 | 14 176 12.6 | 5 0 | 0 0 ’15 Proj: 16 13 | 45 450 10.0 | 6 0 | 3 0 BYE: WEEK 11

Jordan Reed

50 balls. In 2013, in the eight games he started and finished, he had 44 catches for 487 yards, putting him on pace for nearly 90 catches and 1,000 yards, had he managed to play the entire season. BUST: And there’s the rub – he has not managed to play anything close to a full season in either of his two NFL campaigns. The combination of injury and unsteady QB play has severely limited Reed’s production thus far. BOTTOM LINE: He’s just 25 years old and has certainly shown some flashes. His upside makes him worth a late-round flier,

but be sure to have another viable option at TE.

14 OWEN DANIELS | BRONCOS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

BOOM: With the trade of Jimmy Graham to Seattle, Hill is poised to make his presence known to fantasy owners. Despite having only 20 catches in two seasons, the Saints felt good enough about Hill that they believed they could trade Graham and still flourish at tight end. Although he had only 14 catches last season, the 6-5 player from Idaho State managed to snare five touchdowns. BUST: At their first minicamp, the Saints were carrying five tights ends on their roster, each more anonymous than the next. Hill has the best chance to stand out, but a committee approach is possible. There just isn’t enough of a body of work here to have an informed opinion. BOTTOM LINE: Hill is a great speculative pick, provided you don’t reach. If he falls to the end of your draft, you should pounce. There is no guarantee he’ll be anything special, but there’s a chance, and a chance is worth a pick in the later rounds.

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 HOU 15 14 | 62 716 11.5 | 6 0 | 7 0 ’13 HOU 5 5 | 24 252 10.5 | 3 0 | 3 0 ’14 BAL 15 13 | 48 527 11.0 | 4 0 | 5 0 ’15 Proj: 15 14 | 50 550 11.0 | 5 0 | 5 0 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: In nine NFL seasons, Daniels has been a consistent producer. He has averaged just about three receptions per

16 LARRY DONNELL | GIANTS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’13 NYG 16 1 | 3 31 10.3 | 0 0 | 0 0 ’14 NYG 16 12 | 63 623 9.9 | 6 0 | 5 0 ’15 Proj: 16 12 | 55 500 9.1 | 5 0 | 4 0 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: Not many folks knew much about Donnell before the 2014 season,

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POSITION

REPORTS Jermaine Gresham out of the picture, he enters his third year as the Bengals’ unquestioned No. 1 at TE. BUST: Cincinnati drafted TE Tyler Kroft in the third round of the 2015 draft. Eifert is coming off a serious injury and has yet to prove himself at the pro level. Gresham had decent production as a Bengal, but nothing special. There’s no guarantee that any Bengals TE – regardless of playing time – will produce much. BOTTOM LINE: Kroft is more of a blocker, so Eifert should get his chance to shine. On another team, he might be more of a fantasy threat. Playing in Cincinnati, Eifert is worth a look, but don’t enter the season with him as your starter.

18 AUSTIN SEFERIAN-JENKINS | BUCCANEERS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’14 TB 9 9 | 21 221 10.5 | 2 0 | 3 0 ’15 Proj: 14 14 | 40 400 10.0 | 4 0 | 5 0 BYE: WEEK 6

Tyler Eifert

but fantasy owners took notice real quick when he caught three touchdown passes at Washington in a nationally televised Thursday night game in Week 4. The second-year player from Grambling State finished 2014 with 63 receptions for 623 yards and six touchdowns. BUST: Donnell scored a grand total of zero touchdowns over the final six weeks of the 2014 season. He had just one score in the second half of the season. He averaged less than 10 yards per reception. Donnell’s production disappeared for weeks at a time, which completely frustrated his fantasy owners. TE Daniel Fells sees the field quite often for the Giants, and he caught four touchdowns last season – a real siphon situation. BOTTOM LINE: The Giants should have an excellent passing attack in 2015. Donnell is just 26 and he is on the upswing in his career. Still, it’s difficult

imagining huge production, given the other options in New York’s passing game. He’s draftable, but probably not a fantasy starter.

17 TYLER EIFERT | BENGALS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’13 CIN 15 15 | 39 445 11.4 | 2 0 | 5 2 ’14 CIN 1 1 | 3 37 12.3 | 0 0 | 1 0 ’15 Proj: 14 7 | 40 450 11.3 | 4 0 | 5 1 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: Eifert is a 2013 first-round pick from Notre Dame. He had a fantastic college career and was selected by the Bengals with the 21st overall pick. His rookie season was promising: 39 catches for 445 yards and two scores. He was poised to make his mark in Year 2, but dislocated his elbow the first week of the season and was lost for the year. With

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BOOM: With No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston at the helm, the Bucs are ready to upgrade their passing game. SeferianJenkins could be a big beneficiary of an improved offense in Tampa. The secondyear player out of Washington had a brilliant college career. The Bucs thought enough of him to spend the No. 38 pick in the 2014 draft on his selection. He’s nearly fast enough to be a wide receiver and should have plenty of single coverage opportunities considering opposing defenses have to account for Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson. BUST: Injuries limited Seferian-Jenkins to just nine games and 21 catches in his rookie season. The general consensus is the Bucs will improve with Winston under center, but they had the No. 1 pick in the 2015 draft for a simple reason: They were awful. BOTTOM LINE: The upside with Seferian-Jenkins is considerable. Fantasy owners need to be leery of the fact that he missed nearly half of his first NFL season. His targets also will be limited by the prowess of Evans and Jackson. Still, he should be considered one of the more intriguing TE2 options in this year’s draft. 19 KYLE RUDOLPH | VIKINGS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 MIN 16 16 | 53 493 9.3 | 9 0 | 5 0 ’13 MIN 8 8 | 30 313 10.4 | 3 0 | 6 0 ’14 MIN 9 8 | 24 231 9.6 | 2 0 | 2 0 ’15 Proj: 12 12 | 38 380 10.0 | 4 0 | 4 0 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: In 2012 – the only time in his career Rudolph played a full 16game season – the former Notre Dame

POSITION standout caught 53 passes and scored nine touchdowns. His nine receiving touchdowns led the Vikings that year. He was on pace for 60 catches in 2013 when an injury ended his season after eight games. When he’s in Minnesota’s lineup, he is an integral part of their passing game. BUST: There is no truth to the rumor that a local Minneapolis hospital is naming its sports injury center after Rudolph. However, one could understand why the idea might be under consideration. Last season, Rudolph had surgery to repair a sports hernia and missed about half the season. In 2013, he fractured his left foot in Week 9 and was placed on seasonending IR. In 2012, despite playing most of the season, he dealt with two separate concussion incidents. In college, he missed time in 2009 and 2010 with leg and shoulder injuries. BOTTOM LINE: If Rudolph plays a full season, he has a very good chance to be a top-10 fantasy tight end. He won’t make your season, but he’s a guy worth starting consideration in most weeks in most league formats. Based on his injury history, fantasy owners would be unwise to count on him as a starter. Consider him a solid TE2 and cross your fingers that he stays healthy.

20 DWAYNE ALLEN | COLTS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 IND 16 16 | 45 521 11.6 | 3 0 | 9 1 ’13 IND 1 1 | 1 20 20.0 | 1 0 | 1 0 ’14 IND 13 13 | 29 395 13.6 | 8 0 | 6 1 ’15 Proj: 15 8 | 30 400 13.3 | 3 0 | 5 0 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: In 2012, the Colts drafted TE Coby Fleener in the second round and followed up by selecting Allen in the third. Drafting two tight ends in succession was a bit of a head scratcher at the time. Allen surprised many by outperforming the more highly regarded Fleener that first season. Allen played all 16 games and caught 45 balls for 521 yards and three scores in his rookie season. Injuries have plagued since that season, but last year, he did finish as the No. 9 tight end in terms of fantasy points per game played. He caught eight touchdown passes in 13 games in 2014. BUST: Allen caught one pass in 2013 – a 20-yard touchdown reception in Week 1. A severe back injury cost him all but that first game. The highlight of last season was those eight TDs, but he had just 29 total catches for 395 yards. He missed three games due to nagging injuries. BOTTOM LINE: As previously indicated, some will rank Allen ahead of

REPORTS

Fleener. Our take is that Fleener is a riser. Couple that with Allen’s injury history and he drops to a TE2 in most fantasy leagues.

21 VERNON DAVIS | 49ERS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 SF 16 16 | 41 548 13.4 | 5 1 | 12 1 ’13 SF 15 15 | 52 850 16.3 | 13 1 | 16 4 ’14 SF 14 14 | 26 245 9.4 | 2 0 | 2 0 ’15 Proj: 15 15 | 30 350 11.7 | 3 0 | 2 0 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: Davis has been one of the most productive tight ends over the last decade. In nine seasons, he has been on the receiving end of 55 touchdown passes. His best season was 2009 when he caught 78 passes for 965 yards and 13 scores. As recently as 2013, he was a topthree fantasy tight end. In that season, he had 52 receptions and again produced 13 TDs. BUST: A far cry from his stellar 2009 performance, Davis was a tremendous disappointment for fantasy owners who wasted a high draft choice on him last season. In 14 games, he caught just 26 balls for a paltry 245 yards and two touchdowns. BOTTOM LINE: Davis is only 31, so a return to form is not completely out of the question. But, no question about it, he was miserable last season. Colin Kaepernick seems to be regressing, and the 49ers did anything but improve in the offseason. In some leagues, Davis might be over-drafted because of his production prior to 2014. In other leagues, he might last a very long time, based on his 2014 debacle. If your league falls into the latter category, consider him an interesting option as a TE2. 22 MYCHAL RIVERA | RAIDERS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’13 OAK 16 3 | 38 407 10.7 | 4 0 | 5 0 ’14 OAK 16 10 | 58 534 9.2 | 4 1 | 6 0 ’15 Proj: 16 11 | 50 450 9.0 | 2 0 | 5 0 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: Rivera has managed to fly under the radar of most fantasy owners, but perhaps they should take notice. He has caught 96 passes in his two seasons in Oakland and made a nice jump in production last season. He finished 2014 with 58 receptions for 534 yards and four scores. His rookie season, he caught 38 passes for 407 yards and four TDs. He has developed a nice rapport with QB Derek Carr. If Carr can progress in his second year, Rivera’s production could rise. His 58 catches last season were good for second best on the Raiders, behind only James Jones. Rivera has played in all 32 games

in his NFL career. BUST: The Raiders drafted WR Amari Cooper with the fourth pick of the 2015 draft. Barring unforeseen circumstances, Cooper will lead the Raiders in receiving this season and could limit Rivera’s targets. Unless Oakland makes dramatic improvement this season, Rivera’s top end will be limited by the Raiders’ offensive ineffectiveness. BOTTOM LINE: Rivera would seem to be an unlikely candidate to become a topfive fantasy tight end in 2015. The Raiders still have a lot of work to do before any of their players is worthy of an early pick in your fantasy draft. On the other hand, you could do a lot worse than Rivera as your TE2. He is a relatively safe bet for 50 catches and at least a couple of TDs.

23 ERIC EBRON | LIONS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’14 DET 13 7 | 25 248 9.9 | 1 0 | 1 0 ’15 Proj: 15 8 | 40 400 10.0 | 2 0 | 3 0 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: The Lions selected Ebron with the 10th overall pick of the 2013 draft. He had a tremendous collegiate career at North Carolina. In 2013, he broke Vernon Davis’ ACC single-season record for yards by a tight end. BUST: Only 31 tight ends caught more passes than Ebron in 2014. He was sixth on his team with 25 receptions. He never caught more than four passes in a single game and he never crested 40 yards receiving. It’s fair to say that his rookie season was a major disappointment. He missed three games in 2014 because of injury and he also missed time in college for injuries and poor academics. BOTTOM LINE: Selecting Ebron in your fantasy draft is a total hunch play. There was basically no evidence in season one that he’ll be a fantasy force any time soon. With that in mind, he’ll likely be available late in your draft. The Lions drafted him with the 10th pick in 2014 because he has a good deal of natural talent. He’s worth considering as a backup. 24 CHARLES CLAY | BILLS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 MIA 14 9 | 18 212 11.8 | 2 0 | 4 0 ’13 MIA 16 15 | 69 759 11.0 | 6 1 | 10 3 ’14 MIA 14 14 | 58 605 10.4 | 3 1 | 9 1 ’15 Proj: 13 10 | 45 450 10.0 | 1 0 | 5 0 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Clay produced 58 catches and 605 yards in 14 games last season for the Dolphins. He was even more productive in ’13 when he finished with 69 catches for 759 yards and six TDs. He’s only 26 years

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POSITION old and the Bills pursued the restricted free agent aggressively in the offseason. He signed a five-year, $38 million offer sheet, which Miami declined to match. BUST: Remind me again, who is the quarterback in Buffalo? And name me a productive fantasy tight end who ever played for Rex Ryan. Buffalo has a new coaching staff and a new QB … whomever that might be. BOTTOM LINE: If your fellow owners interpret Clay’s massive contract with his potential production, he will likely be drafted too high. Don’t be that guy.

25 HEATH MILLER | STEELERS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 PIT 15 15 | 71 816 11.5 | 8 0 | 11 1 ’13 PIT 14 14 | 58 593 10.2 | 1 0 | 8 0 ’14 PIT 16 16 | 66 761 11.5 | 3 1 | 8 1 ’15 Proj: 14 14 | 50 500 10.0 | 1 0 | 6 0 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: Miller is a reliable down-themiddle target in the Steelers offense. He’s coming off a very good season. He played in all 16 games and caught 66 passes, seventh among all NFL tight ends. His best season was 2012, when he caught 71 balls and eight TDs. He has averaged 53 catches per season in his 10-year career, all in Pittsburgh. He’s made the field in 153 of his potential 160 regularseason stats. BUST: There were just three touchdowns included in those 66 receptions last season. He has averaged just over four TDs per season. He’s eclipsed three TDs just once in the last five years. BOTTOM LINE: Miller is a solid, reliable TE2 who probably has more value in PPR leagues. Unfortunately, his lack of end-zone targets limits his fantasy value. 26 LADARIUS GREEN | CHARGERS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 SD 4 1 | 4 56 14.0 | 0 0 | 1 0 ’13 SD 16 10 | 17 376 22.1 | 3 0 | 9 1 ’14 SD 14 4 | 19 226 11.9 | 0 0 | 5 0 ’15 Proj: 14 6 | 22 250 11.4 | 3 0 | 6 0 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: Green was a hot commodity in 2014 fantasy drafts. Most prognosticators had him ranked ahead of Antonio Gates. He has near-wide receiver speed, as evidenced by his 60-yard TD in the 2013 season. BUST: Funny thing about the future – it doesn’t always turn out as predicted. Green was not the man last year in San Diego. Gates proved that he still has some football left in him. Green had just 19 catches last year, and only 40 in his three-

REPORTS

year career.

BOTTOM LINE: You never know …

maybe the prognosticators were just off by a year. Maybe he’ll shine in 2015. If age or injury catches up with Gates (and injury is always a possibility with him), Green could have decent fantasy value. It’s purely a speculative pick, however.

27 JACE AMARO | JETS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’14 NYJ 14 4 | 38 345 9.1 | 2 0 | 4 1 ’15 Proj: 15 6 | 40 360 9.0 | 1 0 | 4 0 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: Amaro had more catches (38) than any other rookie tight end in 2014. The 49th overall selection in the 2014 draft, Amaro scored twice in 14 games. His best game was Week 6 against Denver when he caught 10 passes for 68 yards and a score. Amaro is athletic and fast. He’s a nice complement to receivers Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker and rookie second-rounder Devin Smith. BUST: Amaro caught four passes in the last six weeks. In fairness, he missed two of those games with injury. Marshall, Decker and Smith will get their touches. On an offensively challenged Jets team, that won’t leave much except crumbs for Amaro. BOTTOM LINE: On another team, he might have more promise, but the Jets have huge question marks at QB. They will try to turn their fortunes around with a stellar defense and a ball-control offense. Given the other weapons on the team, it’s hard to imagine anything outside of ordinary production from Amaro. 28 RICHARD RODGERS | PACKERS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’14 GB 16 5 | 20 225 11.3 | 2 0 | 3 1 ’15 Proj: 16 6 | 22 250 11.4 | 2 0 | 3 1 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: Rodgers was another member of the rookie TE class of 2014. Like nearly all of them, he contributed to his team, but was not a featured part of the passing game. He caught just 20 passes for 225 yards and scored twice. He improved as the season progressed. He caught seven of his 20 passes in the final two regular season games. He had four catches in the NFC Championship game in Seattle. BUST: Aaron Rodgers has a lot of weapons at his disposal and he utilizes all of them. There are a lot of mouths to feed in the Green Bay attack, and Rodgers will be the fourth option, at best. BOTTOM LINE: Rodgers is likely to have some good games, but you’ll never know when those games will be. He is

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a reasonable option as a one-week sub (say, Jimmy Graham is your TE1), but he won’t offer the consistency to be a fantasy starter.

29 JARED COOK | RAMS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 TEN 13 5 | 44 523 11.9 | 4 0 | 8 1 ’13 STL 16 13 | 51 671 13.2 | 5 1 | 9 1 ’14 STL 16 6 | 52 634 12.2 | 3 0 | 7 1 ’15 Proj: 13 6 | 40 400 10.0 | 1 0 | 4 0 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: Cook is the rare tight end who can actually take the top off a defense. In his six seasons he has scored touchdowns of 80, 61 and 59 yards. He ran a 4.49 40-yard-dash at the 2009 combine. In 2014, he caught 52 passes for 634 yards with three TDs. BUST: The old scout line, “Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane,” is not totally off the mark with Cook. Based on ability alone, Cook should produce like Jimmy Graham, but he has not come close to that in six seasons. BOTTOM LINE: With a new quarterback in St. Louis, we expect Cook’s numbers to fall somewhat in 2015. At best, he’s a low-end TE2. 30 MAXX WILLIAMS | RAVENS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’15 Proj: 13 3 | 30 300 10.0 | 2 0 | 3 1 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: The 55th overall pick in the 2015 draft, Williams has the straight-line speed and acceleration to beat linebackers and safeties in coverage. There are blocking tight ends and receiving tight ends. Williams is clearly the latter. BUST: If you look at the 2014 rookie TE group – Amaro, Seferian-Jenkins, Ebron, Rodgers, C.J. Fiedorowicz – they all contributed, but none of them produced anything better than run-of-the-mill stats. It takes a while for rookie TEs to find their groove. BOTTOM LINE: If it’s the end of your draft and you have room for a TE2 – better yet, TE3 – you could take Williams and hope he breaks form from recent rookies at the position. 31 TIMOTHY WRIGHT | PATRIOTS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’13 TB 16 8 | 54 571 10.6 | 5 0 | 5 0 ’14 NE 16 2 | 26 259 10.0 | 6 0 | 3 0 ’15 Proj: 14 2 | 25 250 10.0 | 2 0 | 3 0 BYE: WEEK 4

BOOM: Wright was traded from Tampa to New England just prior to the 2014 season. He proved to be a nice change-ofpace option at the goal line. He finished

POSITION

REPORTS to 11 games and he caught just 18 passes for 197 yards. Graham has never made it through 16 games in a season during his five-year career. BOTTOM LINE: Houston still has questions at the quarterback position. Even if Graham made it through a full season – which would be a first – he’s no lock for even mediocre fantasy production.

34 JACOB TAMME | FALCONS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 DEN 16 8 | 52 555 10.7 | 2 0 | 6 0 ’13 DEN 16 1 | 20 184 9.2 | 1 0 | 0 0 ’14 DEN 15 0 | 14 109 7.8 | 2 0 | 1 0 ’15 Proj: 14 6 | 25 225 9.0 | 1 0 | 1 0 BYE: WEEK 10

Dennis Pitta

the year with six receiving touchdowns. BUST: Wright caught six TDs, but that’s about all he caught. He finished 2014 with 26 receptions for 259 yards. He was more productive his rookie season in Tampa when he caught 54 passes. BOTTOM LINE: For the most part, Wright is only valuable to owners who draft Gronkowski as their TE1. If Wright goes undrafted in your league, and Gronkowski is injured, he will become a very popular waiver pickup.

drafted three tight ends in the last two years. At this point, it appears the Ravens are viewing Pitta’s return as a potential bonus. They are not counting on it. BOTTOM LINE: If healthy, Pitta could be an OK fantasy option. At this point, it would seem a long shot that he’d be able to produce much in 2015. Keep an eye on his development as the season approaches.

33 GARRETT GRAHAM | TEXANS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

32 DENNIS PITTA | RAVENS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 BAL 16 5 | 61 669 11.0 | 7 1 | 8 1 ’13 BAL 4 1 | 20 169 8.5 | 1 0 | 0 0 ’14 BAL 3 3 | 16 125 7.8 | 0 0 | 2 0 ’15 Proj: 8 8 | 25 225 9.0 | 2 0 | 3 0 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: In 2011 and 2012 combined, Pitta caught 101 balls and scored 10 touchdowns. Before being besieged by injuries, he appeared to be on his way to becoming a top-tier tight end. BUST: Pitta has suffered two hip dislocations in the last 24 months. He’s appeared in a total of seven games the last two seasons. The Ravens have

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’12 HOU 15 9 | 28 263 9.4 | 3 0 | 3 0 ’13 HOU 13 11 | 49 545 11.1 | 5 1 | 8 1 ’14 HOU 11 9 | 18 197 10.9 | 1 0 | 2 0 ’15 Proj: 12 8 | 22 240 10.9 | 1 0 | 3 0 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: Bill O’Brien values TEs more than most - he oversaw the early success of “Gronk” in New England. One of O’Brien’s first moves last offseason was rewarding Graham with a contract following his 49 catch, five-TD 2013 breakthrough and reinserting him in the “move” TE position he excelled in at Wisconsin. Graham is a natural catcher and the most experienced Texans tight end. BUST: Last season, injuries limited him

BOOM: Tamme signed with the Falcons this offseason. He’ll have a chance to be their starter at tight end. He is a proven pass catcher. With the Colts in 2010, he caught 67 passes for 631 yards. With Denver in 2012, he had 52 receptions for 555 yards. As tight ends go, he’s pretty durable. He’s missed only five games in seven seasons. BUST: He caught just 34 balls his last two seasons with the Broncos. He has just 10 touchdown receptions in his career. BOTTOM LINE: If Tamme gets enough snaps in Atlanta, he could post reasonable totals in receptions and yards. However, with just six touchdowns in the last four years, his fantasy value is limited. 35 C.J. FIEDOROWICZ | TEXANS

YR TEAM GP GS REC YDS AVG

REC 100 TD YDS

CATCHES 20+ 40+

’14 HOU 15 8 | 4 28 7.0 | 1 0 | 0 0 ’15 Proj: 16 10 | 20 200 10.0 | 1 0 | 1 0 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: The first pick of the third round of the 2014 NFL draft, Fiedorwicz played in 15 games for the Houston Texans, starting eight of them. He had a prolific career at the University of Iowa and finished second in receptions for the Hawkeyes in 2012 and 2013. He caught his first NFL touchdown pass in Week 16 of the regular season. BUST: He was rarely utilized in the passing game and caught only four balls in his rookie season. BOTTOM LINE: Fiedorowicz was used more as a blocker in his rookie season. Call it a hunch, but look for his production to jump in his second year. He’s draftable only in the largest fantasy leagues, but if he emerges as the starter in Houston, he could be worth an early-season waiver claim.

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REPORTS

FANTASY

Placekickers The fantasy dilemma: When to draft a kicker By

J.C. TALON

think I will take a kicker with the first pick in my fantasy draft … said no one … ever. Drafting a fantasy kicker is a bit like buying underwear. You know you have to do it, but it’s not exactly something you look forward to. But a fantasy owner who wants to win his or her league – really wants to win – knows that the right kicker can make the difference between fantasy playoffs and an early winter; the difference between a championship and a near miss. Consider this: Stephen Gostkowski and Phil Dawson were both highly regarded fantasy kickers heading into the 2014 season. Our 2014 magazine ranked Gostkowski No. 3 and Dawson No. 4. Gostkowski led the NFL with 156 points and went on to win a Super Bowl with the Patriots. Dawson – his team more precisely – had a miserable season. He finished 19th in scoring with 108 points. That’s a difference of 48 points, exactly three points per week over a 16-week season. Ever lose a fantasy game by three or fewer points? Unless this is going to be your first season playing fantasy, the answer is almost assuredly yes. The key is to pick a Gostkowski, not a Dawson. That is easier said than done. How do you know who will be the Gostkowski? Heck, there’s no guarantee Gostkowski will be Gostkowski in 2015 (although we are

CONSENSUS

Top FANTASY PLACEKICKERS 1. STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI | PATRIOTS 2. STEVEN HAUSCHKA | SEAHAWKS 3. JUSTIN TUCKER | RAVENS 4. ADAM VINATIERI | COLTS 5. MASON CROSBY | PACKERS 6. DAN BAILEY | COWBOYS 7. CODY PARKEY | EAGLES 8. CONNOR BARTH | BRONCOS 9. MATT BRYANT | FALCONS 10. NICK NOVAK | CHARGERS 11. MATT PRATER | LIONS 12. PHIL DAWSON | 49ERS 13. BLAIR WALSH | VIKINGS 14. SHAUN SUISHAM | STEELERS 15. DAN CARPENTER | BILLS 16. CALEB STURGIS | DOLPHINS 17. SHAYNE GRAHAM | SAINTS 18. CHANDLER CATANZARO | CARDINALS 19. ROBBIE GOULD | BEARS 20. GREG ZUERLEIN | RAMS predicting he will be). There are four boxes to check before you draft your kicker and one unknown: • Is there a consistent track record of performance? • Does he play for a better-thanaverage team? • Is he on solid ground with his current team? • Can he connect from outside of 50

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yards (provided your league rewards longer kicks) The unknown is with the new rule moving the extra-point kick back to the 15-yard line, it might still be the equivalent of a 32-yard chip-shot field goal. But which head coaches will be more likely to eschew the kick and go for two, costing your fantasy kicker points? Gostkowski checks all four boxes. He is our No. 1. Ditto on our No. 2, Steven Hauschka. Justin Tucker, Adam Vinatieri and Mason Crosby round out our top five. Certainly, Tucker and Vinatieri check all the boxes. Crosby has had his ups and downs, which makes him a little iffy on box No. 1. But recent evidence suggests that his 2012 slump was an anomaly. Dan Bailey is our sixthranked kicker. The question marks start after him. Cody Parkey, Connor Barth, Matt Bryant and Nick Novak round out the top 10. With each of them, an argument could be made that there is at least one box that could go unchecked. Parkey has just one season under his belt. Is Barth on solid ground with his team? Are Bryant’s Falcons an above-average team? The same could be asked of Novak and the Chargers, not to mention Novak’s injury history. If we can agree that Gostkowski is the prize, the question becomes when to draft him. It’s always a bit embarrassing to be the first one to draft a kicker. Things get even worse if you are the first owner to draft a kicker and another kicker isn’t selected for two or more rounds. In the PFW fantasy draft in this magazine – a 12-team draft – Gostkowski went in the ninth round. That seems somewhere between a bit early and about right. If you miss out on Gostkowski (and Hauschka, and Tucker), never fear. Dan Carpenter of Buffalo finished 2014 sixth in scoring. Carpenter went undrafted in most fantasy leagues.

WR

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1 STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI | PATRIOTS

YR TEAM GP

XP XP MADE ATT

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

’12 NE 16 | 66 66 | 29 35 2 | 153 ’13 NE 16 | 44 44 | 38 41 5 | 158 ’14 NE 16 | 51 51 | 35 37 1 | 156 ’15 Proj: 16 | 49 49 | 37 41 2 | 160 BYE: WEEK 4

BOOM: It’s hard to argue with Gostkowski as the top fantasy kicker. He’ll likely be No. 1 in most rankings and top three in nearly all projections. He’s connected on 73 field goals over the past two seasons and has missed just five in that span (94 percent). Over the past eight seasons, he’s nailed 403 consecutive extra points and has converted 450-of-451 overall. BUST: Tom Brady’s suspension could limit the New England offense early in the season. Every now and then, a blizzard will hit Foxboro, although weather doesn’t seem to slow down the offense much. Prior to 2013, Gostkowski was not as accurate as he’s been the past two seasons. His field goal percentage from 2006 through 2012 was 84 percent. BOTTOM LINE: Gostkowski will be one of the first kickers drafted and it is hard to argue with that logic. Barring some unforeseen Patriots meltdown in 2015, he will again be one of the NFL’s leading scorers. 2 STEVEN HAUSCHKA | SEAHAWKS

YR TEAM GP

XP XP MADE ATT

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

’12 SEA 16 | 46 48 | 24 27 4 | 118 ’13 SEA 16 | 44 44 | 33 35 3 | 143 ’14 SEA 16 | 41 41 | 31 37 2 | 134 ’15 Proj: 16 | 46 46 | 34 38 2 | 148 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: Hauschka is going into his fifth season as Seattle’s kicker and he is in no danger of losing his job. Last season, he connected on 31-of-37 FGs, including a 58-yarder. He was 41-of-41 on extra-point tries. For his career, he boasts 85 percent accuracy on field-goal attempts. His best season was 2013, when he was 33-of-35 (94.3 percent). BUST: For his career, Hauschka is just 9-of-17 from beyond 50 yards. The Seahawks tend to ground and pound, and can eschew long FGs due to their elite ‘D’ and punter. They are not likely to put up the points of a New England or a Denver. BOTTOM LINE: Although the Seahawks won’t lead the NFL in scoring, their punishing ground game will give Hauschka plenty of three-point opportunities. His leg strength and accuracy are excellent. He’ll likely be taken right after – or right before – Gostkowski.

Steven Hauschka

3 JUSTIN TUCKER | RAVENS

YR TEAM GP

XP XP MADE ATT

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

’12 BAL 16 | 42 42 | 30 33 4 | 132 ’13 BAL 16 | 26 26 | 38 41 7 | 140 ’14 BAL 16 | 42 42 | 29 34 4 | 129 ’15 Proj: 16 | 43 43 | 32 37 3 | 139 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: In his three NFL seasons, Tucker

is 110-for-110 on extra points and 97-of-108 (90 percent) on field-goal attempts. He has a massive leg and nailed a 61-yarder in 2013. He is 14-of-20 from 50 yards or more. The Ravens added some weapons in the offseason, and there is a potential for significant improvement on offense. BUST: There really is no knock on Tucker as a kicker. He has been brilliant in his three seasons. If you had to find something, one could point out that he’s young and his production still makes for a fairly small sample size. BOTTOM LINE: The only thing keeping Tucker from being ranked as the No. 1 kicker in fantasy football is the team

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he plays for. Baltimore is a good team and a perennial playoff contender, but it struggles offensively from time to time. If the offense is better in 2015, there’s nothing stopping Tucker from ascending to the top spot.

4 ADAM VINATIERI | COLTS

YR TEAM GP

XP XP MADE ATT

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

’12 IND 16 | 37 37 | 26 33 7 | 115 ’13 IND 15 | 34 34 | 35 40 6 | 139 ’14 IND 16 | 50 50 | 30 31 3 | 140 ’15 Proj: 16 | 53 53 | 28 32 1 | 137 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: You want sample size? Vinatieri’s your man. When he came into the league, many of his teammates were in diapers. This will be the kicker’s 20th season in the NFL. But despite his elder statesman status, he was lethal in 2014, connecting on 30-of-31 field goals and nailing all 50 of his extra points. And he still has enough leg – he’s connected on at least two from 50-plus for four

POSITION consecutive seasons. He plays in the climate-controlled confines of Lucas Oil Stadium and is also the beneficiary of a soft AFC South schedule. BUST: The Colts tend to get in the end zone. Vinatieri finished 16th in the NFL in number of field goals attempted. Injuries held him out of a game in 2013, and he missed a significant portion of the 2009 season. He’ll be 43 before the end of the season. BOTTOM LINE: Fantasy-wise, because of the limited number of field goal tries, Vinatieri is a tick below the top three kickers. He is at the very top of the next group, however. Age does not seem to be slowing him down. Unlike Gostkowski, Hauschka and Tucker, Vinatieri could fall in your draft. In that case, he offers tremendous value.

on 70 percent of his attempts from 50+ (16-of-23). In 2014, he connected on more extra points (56) than any other kicker. BUST: Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but Dallas’ success on offense in 2014 limited Bailey’s fantasy value. He was just 20th in number of field goals attempted. BOTTOM LINE: In four seasons, Bailey has proven to be one of the league’s best kickers. Prior to Bailey, the Cowboys treated kickers like most people treat disposable razors. Bailey was good enough to cause an organizational shift in philosophy. The Cowboys might take a step backward this season on offense. From a fantasy perspective, that might not be a bad thing for Bailey.

7 CODY PARKEY | EAGLES

YR TEAM GP

5 MASON CROSBY | PACKERS

YR TEAM GP

XP XP MADE ATT

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

’12 GB 16 | 50 50 | 21 33 2 | 113 ’13 GB 16 | 42 42 | 33 37 5 | 141 ’14 GB 16 | 53 55 | 27 33 4 | 134 ’15 Proj: 16 | 51 52 | 28 33 3 | 135 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: Crosby is an established kicker for one of the league’s most dominant offenses. He has a cannon for a leg. He has kicked 23 field goals of 50+ yards in his eight NFL seasons. He has been with Green Bay his entire career. The organization thinks a great deal of him and has stuck by him, even when he has slumped. BUST: He has suffered a few of those slumps. He was miserable in 2012, connecting on only 21-of-33 attempts (63.6 percent). Like the Colts, the Packers do well in the red zone, and that limits Crosby’s three-pointers. Last season, he ranked just 14th in field goals attempted. BOTTOM LINE: Think Vinatieri, but younger and more erratic. He was terrific in 2013 (33-of-37) and pretty good in 2014 (27-of-33), so perhaps his slumps are a thing of the past. Don’t reach, but Crosby is well above average as a fantasy kicker. 6 DAN BAILEY | COWBOYS

YR TEAM GP

XP XP MADE ATT

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

’12 DAL 16 | 37 37 | 29 31 3 | 124 ’13 DAL 16 | 47 47 | 28 30 6 | 131 ’14 DAL 16 | 56 56 | 25 29 5 | 131 ’15 Proj: 16 | 49 49 | 28 33 4 | 133 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: Outside of Tucker, Bailey might be the most talented kicker in the NFL. In his four seasons – all in Dallas – he has nailed 114-of-127 three-point tries (90 percent). Amazingly, he has made good

XP XP MADE ATT

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

’14 PHI 16 | 54 54 | 32 36 4 | 150 ’15 Proj: 16 | 51 51 | 27 33 3 | 132 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: In his rookie NFL season, the former Auburn kicker made good on 32of-36 field goals (89 percent) and hit on all 54 of his extra points. He made good on all four of his 50+ attempts, with a long of 54 yards. His 54 XPs were second best in the league, behind only Bailey. Parkey’s 32 field goals made were good for third in the league, behind Gostkowski and Dan Carpenter. BUST: With all of the established kickers available, picking one with just a single season under his belt is a bit risky. BOTTOM LINE: Parkey would seem to be an excellent kicker. If you’re buying Chip Kelly as a genius, then Parkey is worth taking as soon as kickers start going in your draft. If you feel Kelly is headed for a fall, you might want to look elsewhere for a kicker. 8 CONNOR BARTH | BRONCOS

YR TEAM GP

XP XP MADE ATT

PK

REPORTS

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

’12 TB 15 | 39 39 | 28 33 6 | 123 ’13 Not on a roster ’14 DEN 5 | 15 15 | 15 16 1 | 60 ’15 Proj: 16 | 50 50 | 27 32 3 | 131 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: In just five games for Denver last season, Barth hit on 15-of-16 field-goal attempts (94 percent). Projected over an entire season, he was on pace for 48 field goals, which not only would have led the league, but it would also have done so by 13 field goals. He has enough leg. He’s hit on 13-of-20 from 50+ in his career with a career-high of 57 yards in 2012 when he was with Tampa Bay. BUST: Barth is a bit of a journeyman.

The Broncos were his third team in six years. He did not play in the NFL in 2013. BOTTOM LINE: The combination of Denver’s thin air and Barth’s big leg makes him an intriguing option as a fantasy kicker. The only concern is his job security. Keep an eye on him in preseason. If he’s steady, he should offer good value as a fantasy kicker.

9 MATT BRYANT | FALCONS

YR TEAM GP

XP XP MADE ATT

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

’12 ATL 16 | 44 44 | 33 38 4 | 143 ’13 ATL 16 | 39 39 | 24 27 3 | 111 ’14 ATL 16 | 40 40 | 29 32 7 | 127 ’15 Proj: 16 | 44 44 | 28 32 5 | 128 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: Last season, Bryant hit on 29of-32 attempts (91 percent) and 40-of40 XP tries. He is entering his 14th NFL season. He joined the Falcons in 2009 and has not looked back. He has played for six teams in his career and has been good on just over 85 percent of his FG attempts. In his career, he is 20-of-34 (59 percent) from 50+ yards. In 2006 with Tampa Bay, he connected on a 62-yarder. He’s actually improving from long range with age. In the past five seasons, he’s been good on 17-of22 from 50+. Bryant plays in a dome and the mostly hospitable climates afforded to teams in the NFC South. BUST: Atlanta went through a coaching change in the offseason. With new coach Dan Quinn comes a new, more defensiveminded approach. BOTTOM LINE: Bryant is a solid firstline fantasy kicker. He should start in most league formats. Limited by his team’s offense, it seems unlikely that he’ll finish in the top five in scoring. 10 NICK NOVAK | CHARGERS

YR TEAM GP

XP XP MADE ATT

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

’12 SD 13 | 33 33 | 18 20 4 | 87 ’13 SD 16 | 42 42 | 34 37 2 | 144 ’14 SD 16 | 40 40 | 22 26 3 | 106 ’15 Proj: 16 | 43 43 | 27 30 3 | 124 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: In 2013, Novak had an exceptional season. He made 34-of-37 field goals and connected on all 42 of his extra points. He is 11-of-18 in his career from beyond 50 yards. BUST: Novak attempted only 26 field goals last season, making 22 of them. In 2012, he attempted only 20 field goals, although he was good on 18 of those attempts. Injuries cost Novak three games in 2012 and one game in 2011. Novak bounced around the league from 2005 to 2008. He did not play in 2009 or 2010. BOTTOM LINE: 2014 was not a great

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season for Novak or for San Diego. He was 13th in extra points but just 23rd in field goals. In 2013, however, he was fourth in successful field goal tries. If San Diego improves in 2014, Novak will be a solid fantasy starter.

11 MATT PRATER | LIONS

YR TEAM GP

XP XP MADE ATT

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

’12 DEN 16 | 55 55 | 26 32 4 | 133 ’13 DEN 16 | 75 75 | 25 26 6 | 150 ’14 DET 11 | 21 21 | 21 26 3 | 84 ’15 Proj: 16 | 41 41 | 27 32 4 | 122 BYE: WEEK 9

BOOM: Before Prater arrived, the Lions were in desperate need of a kicker. Nate Freese missed 4-of-8 attempts and Alex Henery missed 3-of-5. Prater got off to a rocky start – missing two of his first three – but settled down to hit 20 of his next 23. He was a perfect two for two in the Lions’ playoff loss at Dallas. Their kicking woes cost them at least one win and maybe more. Kicking for the Broncos in 2013, Prater enjoyed a breakthrough season. He connected on 25-of-26 field goals and made an astonishing 75 extra points. He has not missed an XP since 2010. BUST: It’s pretty rare that you have to factor in off-the-field issues when considering a kicker. Prater was suspended for the first four games of 2014, which led to his subsequent release by the Broncos. He has been in the league’s alcohol program since he was charged with driving under the influence in 2011. He has multiple alcohol-related infractions. BOTTOM LINE: Before his suspension, Prater seemed on his way to becoming an elite kicker. He enters his ninth year with a chance to get his career fully back on track. Detroit should score enough points to make Prater a solid fantasy starter. 12 PHIL DAWSON | 49ERS

YR TEAM GP

XP XP MADE ATT

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

’12 CLE 16 | 29 29 | 29 31 7 | 116 ’13 SF 16 | 44 44 | 32 36 6 | 140 ’14 SF 16 | 33 33 | 25 31 6 | 108 ’15 Proj: 16 | 38 38 | 27 31 5 | 119 BYE: WEEK 10

BOOM: Dawson was one of the first

kickers off the board in most 2014 fantasy drafts. San Francisco had made three straight NFC title game appearances and one Super Bowl. Their success was predicated on the type of ball-control attack that often leads to numerous field goal chances. In 2013, Dawson converted on 32-of-36 field goals and on all 44 of his PAT attempts. He has a booming leg and has been good on 34-of-49 of his career

REPORTS

attempts of 50+. BUST: The 49ers’ offensive ineptitude cooled Dawson considerably last season. He was 25-of-31 on field goals and his PATs dropped to 33. He did manage to convert six of nine from beyond 50 yards, however. Dawson is entering his 17th season and will turn 41 in January. BOTTOM LINE: Dawson shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, his accuracy and his distance have improved with age. He did not even attempt a 50yard field goal until his fourth NFL season. Unfortunately, he will not jump back into that top tier of fantasy kickers unless San Francisco improves offensively. He’s a borderline starter in larger leagues.

13 BLAIR WALSH | VIKINGS

YR TEAM GP

XP XP MADE ATT

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

’12 MIN 16 | 36 36 | 35 38 10 | 141 ’13 MIN 16 | 43 44 | 26 30 2 | 121 ’14 MIN 16 | 29 29 | 26 35 5 | 107 ’15 Proj: 16 | 37 37 | 27 34 4 | 118 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: The former Georgia kicker is entering his fourth NFL season, all with the Vikings. He has been solid throughout his career, and has made 85 percent of his field goals and all but one of his PAT tries (108of-109). He is one of the NFL’s best longdistance kickers, making 71 percent of his attempts from 50 yards or more (17-of-24). BUST: Walsh’s 26 three-point conversions ranked 15th in the league in 2014. His 29 PATs were good for 24th. His accuracy has declined in all three of his NFL seasons (92 percent in 2012; 87 percent in 2013; 74 percent in 2014). BOTTOM LINE: Perhaps not coincidentally, Walsh’s accuracy declined when the Vikings moved outdoors. They will spend one more season outside at TCF Stadium on the campus of the University of Minnesota. If the Vikings offense can improve in QB Teddy Bridgewater’s second season, Walsh is a potential fantasy starter. More likely, he is one of the top choices as a backup or bye-week replacement. 14 SHAUN SUISHAM | STEELERS

YR TEAM GP

XP XP MADE ATT

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

| 34 34 | 28 31 1 | 118 ’12 PIT 16 | 39 39 | 30 32 0 | 129 ’13 PIT 16 ’14 PIT 16 | 45 45 | 29 32 1 | 132 ’15 Proj: 16 | 42 42 | 25 31 1 | 117 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: In his 10th NFL season, Suisham

came up big in 2014. He made 29-of-32 field goals and 45-of-45 PATs to post his career high in points (132). But it was less of a fluke and more of a trend. Prior to 2014, his best year was 2013, when

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Blair Walsh

he racked up 129 points. He was actually more accurate in 2013 (94 percent) than 2014 (91 percent), but that is really splitting hairs. His field-goal percentage has been better than 90 percent in each of his last three seasons. BUST: Suisham bounced around early in his career, playing for five different teams from 2005 to 2010. Heinz Field is a tough place to kick, especially on longer attempts. Suisham is just 6-of-17 (35 percent) from 50 or more yards. He is 1-of-4 from 50+ in the last two seasons. BOTTOM LINE: The Steelers have been rolling on offense and that should continue. The only real knock against Suisham is the lack of 50+ field goals. He is extremely accurate and plays for an above-average team.

15 DAN CARPENTER | BILLS

YR TEAM GP

XP XP MADE ATT

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

’12 MIA 14 | 26 26 | 22 27 2 | 92 ’13 BUF 16 | 32 32 | 33 36 4 | 131 ’14 BUF 16 | 31 32 | 34 38 6 | 133 ’15 Proj: 16 | 33 33 | 28 32 4 | 117 BYE: WEEK 8

BOOM: Carpenter joined the Bills

POSITION via free agency in 2013 and has been fantastic since his arrival. Last season – perhaps the best of his seven-year career – he made 34-of-38 field goals and 31-of-32 PATs in a 133-point season. Only Gostkowski kicked more field goals in 2014. Carpenter also made a 58-yarder in Week 5 at Detroit. He has connected on 20-of-34 from 50 or more yards. Last season, he was 6-of-8 from 50+. BUST: Carpenter is limited by Buffalo’s anemic offense. Who is going to play quarterback for them? His 31 PATs in 2014 ranked him 21st in the NFL. He likely will have to kick in some bad weather, although his strong leg is well suited for less-than-ideal conditions. BOTTOM LINE: The Bills have question marks at the quarterback position, which likely will cause Carpenter to last a long time in most fantasy drafts. After posting two consecutive solid fantasy seasons, he could be a good value pick.

16 CALEB STURGIS | DOLPHINS

YR TEAM GP

XP XP MADE ATT

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

’13 MIA 16 | 33 33 | 26 34 3 | 111 ’14 MIA 16 | 41 41 | 29 37 3 | 128 ’15 Proj: 16 | 42 42 | 24 29 3 | 114 BYE: WEEK 5

BOOM: The Dolphins felt good enough about drafting Sturgis in the fifth round of the 2013 draft that they didn’t mind letting Carpenter move on to a division rival. His 29 field goals in 2014 tied him for eighth best in the league. In two seasons, he has made all 74 of his PAT attempts. Under QB Ryan Tannehill, the Dolphins have an emerging offense and Sturgis could be ready to experience a jump in production. BUST: In two years, Sturgis has converted on only 78% of his field goal attempts (55of-71). He missed 4-of-10 attempts last season from between 40 and 49 yards. He has made only six of his 13 attempts (46 percent) from 50 or more yards. BOTTOM LINE: The Miami offense has improved in each of the last three seasons. For Sturgis to be anything more than a fantasy backup, however, he will need to improve his accuracy.

stadium. His best season was 2007 with Cincinnati, when he connected on 31-of34 attempts. He has made 86 percent of his field goals over 14 NFL seasons. BUST: He’s more of a journeyman than former lead singer Steve Perry. Graham has played on 10 different teams since 2001. The Saints seem to have no loyalty to their kickers. Graham is one slump away from unemployment. His careerlong is 53 yards, and he hasn’t made a kick over 51 yards since 2009. BOTTOM LINE: If the stars align, Graham could enjoy resurgence and finish as a top-10 kicker. The downside, however, probably isn’t worth the risk. He might make a nice bye-week stand-in, but that’s about it.

18 CHANDLER CATANZARO | CARDINALS

YR TEAM GP

YR TEAM GP

XP XP MADE ATT

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

’12 HOU 16 | 45 45 | 31 38 4 | 138 ’13 NO 2 | 7 7 | 2 2 0 | 13 ’14 NO 16 | 46 47 | 19 22 1 | 103 ’15 Proj: 16 | 43 43 | 24 28 2 | 115 BYE: WEEK 11

BOOM: Graham’s 46 PATs in 2014 were good for sixth in the league. He made 19-of-22 field goals and plays in a domed

TOTAL PTS

BOOM: After going undrafted out of Clemson in 2014, Catanzaro arrived in the desert as a free agent. He won the job in the preseason and never let go. Catanzaro made 29-of-33 (88 percent) field goals in his rookie season. He was 10-of-11 from between 40 and 49 yards and 2-of-3 from 50 or more yards. BUST: The good news is that Catanzaro made all of his PAT attempts last season. The bad news is that he only had 27 PAT attempts, ranking him 28th in the NFL. Of kickers who played the entire season, only Ryan Succop, Nick Folk and Josh Scobee had fewer. That factoid is all the more ridiculous when one considers the Cardinals made the playoffs last season. BOTTOM LINE: Catanzaro has just one season under his belt, but it was a good season. The thing limiting the young kicker is his team’s offensive production. Although improved production is a reasonable possibility, it would seem a long shot that there would be enough improvement to consider Catanzaro a week-in, week-out fantasy starter. 19 ROBBIE GOULD | BEARS YR TEAM GP

TOTAL PTS

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

’14 ARI 16 | 27 27 | 29 33 2 | 114 ’15 Proj: 16 | 33 33 | 26 30 2 | 111 BYE: WEEK 9

17 SHAYNE GRAHAM | SAINTS

XP XP MADE ATT

XP XP MADE ATT

PK

REPORTS

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

| 33 33 | 21 25 2 | 96 ’12 CHI 16 | 45 46 | 26 29 3 | 123 ’13 CHI 16 ’14 CHI 12 | 28 29 | 9 12 0 | 55 ’15 Proj: 16 | 35 35 | 25 29 2 | 110 BYE: WEEK 7

BOOM: Gould has been kicking for the Bears for 10 consecutive seasons. Playing in Soldier Field, one of the more treacherous places to kick in the NFL, he has converted 86 percent of his field

goals. He does not kick from long distance often, but when he does, he is incredibly accurate. He has made 16-of-22 kicks (73 percent) of 50 yards or longer. BUST: A quadriceps injury limited Gould to 12 games in 2014. He missed three games due to injury in 2012. The Bears were awful last season and enter 2015 with Jay Cutler remaining as their starting QB. BOTTOM LINE: A decent kicker on a bad team generally means a fantasy backup, at best.

20 GREG ZUERLEIN | RAMS

YR TEAM GP

XP XP MADE ATT

FG FG 50-YD MADE ATT PLUS

TOTAL PTS

’12 STL 16 | 26 26 | 23 31 7 | 95 ’13 STL 16 | 34 34 | 26 28 1 | 112 ’14 STL 16 | 34 35 | 24 30 5 | 106 ’15 Proj: 16 | 34 34 | 25 30 5 | 109 BYE: WEEK 6

BOOM: In three NFL seasons (all with St. Louis), Zuerlein has made 82 percent of his field-goal attempts and 94-of-95 PATs. He has one of the strongest legs in the league and plays in a dome. He kicked a 60-yarder in his rookie season. He is 13of-22 (59%) from beyond 50 yards. The Rams drafted RB Todd Gurley in the first round of the 2015 draft and traded for QB Nick Foles in the offseason. BUST: In 2014, Zuerlein ranked 18th with 24 field goals made and 19th with 34 PATs. The Rams play in the NFC West and have two dates apiece with tough defensive teams, Arizona, San Francisco, and Seattle. BOTTOM LINE: For Zuerlein to be anything more than a low-level fantasy backup or bye-week replacement, the Rams would need to improve significantly on last year’s 28th ranked offense.

BEST OF THE REST 21 JOSH BROWN | GIANTS Last year, in his 11th season, Brown made 24-of-26 field goals and all 44 PATs. 22 GRAHAM GANO | PANTHERS After three forgettable seasons in Washington, he’s kicked fairly well the last three seasons in Carolina. 23 MIKE NUGENT | BENGALS Was 0-for-3 from 50+ last season and just 9-of-22 from long range in his career. 24 RANDY BULLOCK | TEXANS His 30 field goals made last season were good for sixth best in the league. Bullock was 4-of-5 from plus 50. 25 SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI | RAIDERS Pathetic offense limited him to 85 points in 2014.

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FANTASY

Defenses Don’t reach for ‘D’ unless it’s the ’Hawks Williams, Marcell Dareus and Jerry Hughes get after the passer and help create big plays. Ndamukong Suh’s arrival in Miami he Seahawks … and CONSENSUS should make an already-good D-line everybody else. with Cameron Wake and Olivier For three years in a Vernon even better. The Jets’ D-line has row now, the Seahawks No. 5 overall pick Leonard Williams have led the league and new coach Todd Bowles, whose in scoring defense, Cardinals defenses were solid the allowing the fewest FANTASY DEFENSES past two seasons. Then there’s Bill points in the NFL from Belichick’s Patriots, who are without 1. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 2012-14. That’s just one Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, aspect of fantasy defense scoring, but 2. BUFFALO BILLS but are always a good team in the year after year, fantasy owners can be 3. HOUSTON TEXANS takeaway category. confident in Pete Carroll’s unit as the Our No. 3 defense, Houston, has the best, most consistent and reliable of the 4. NEW YORK JETS best defensive player in the league in J.J. fantasy defenses. 5. MIAMI DOLPHINS Watt. Houston finished second by NFL. The front seven features sack artists com’s fantasy scoring last year with six Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril and Bruce 6. DENVER BRONCOS touchdowns, five of those coming from Irvin, while the “Legion of Boom” 7. ST. LOUIS RAMS Watt. If Jadeveon Clowney can stay on creates turnovers, with Richard the field, watch out. Sherman, Kam Chancellor and Earl 8. ARIZONA CARDINALS As much is said about Chip Kelly’s Thomas. It’s an aggressive defense that 9. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS offense, the Eagles had NFL.com’s top has found a way to keep up with the fantasy defense last year thanks to 10. CAROLINA PANTHERS uptick of offense around the league. seven touchdowns from their ‘D’ and Last season, the Seahawks allowed 1 1. BALTIMORE RAVENS four more on special teams. The defense more than seven points only once in the 12. GREEN BAY PACKERS lost Trent Cole but still has Connor final six games, and that was 14 points Barwin, Fletcher Cox and former Bill to Philadelphia. They were perfect 13. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS in Kiko Alonso. They had 49 sacks last for owners in the fantasy playoffs. In 14. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES year, second only to the Bills. 2013, they allowed at least 20 points The other team that vies for the title only five times in 16 games and led the 15. MINNESOTA VIKINGS of “best defensive line in the game” is league in takeaways. It’s that kind of 16. DETROIT LIONS the Rams, who finished fourth in NFL. dependability that has the Seahawks as com’s scoring system. They must not the only team defense worth keeping on 17. CLEVELAND BROWNS have thought that Chris Long, Aaron a roster for all the weeks of a fantasy 18. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS Donald, Michael Brockers and Robert season. Quinn were enough, so they added Nick The uncertainty below Seattle might 19. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Fairley, formerly of the Lions. keep owners from using a high pick 20. DALLAS COWBOYS Two teams known for their on a team defense, instead relying on quarterback play get out to big leads, a matchup-based strategy. Let’s say making sacks and takeaways easier to come by. The Broncos an owner decides to roll with the Chiefs’ defense, but then get Wade Phillips in town to work with Von Miller, DeMarcus Week 3 rolls around and he has to play Aaron Rodgers and Ware and ball hawk Aqib Talib. The Packers defense might the Packers? With no clear-cut, top-tier defenses, owners give up a lot of points, but it had 41 sacks last year and the may want to stream their defenses, finding matchups league’s best turnover ratio (+14). against poor offenses and hope for the best. The Cardinals and Panthers are two teams that have to So where should owners go after the Seahawks? They rely on defense to make up for inconsistent offenses, so their should start in the loaded AFC East, with three of the best owners need to root for low-scoring games. defensive lines in the game, three defensive-minded coaches There are plenty of good options this year, but only one and the defending champions. great one, as usual standouts like the 49ers and Ravens Per ESPN’s scoring system, the Bills had the best defense have slipped over the years. If you don’t get the Seahawks, last season in fantasy football. With a league-high 54 sacks be prepared to be a savvy owner with your team defense and 30 takeaways (third-most) last season, this ‘D’ should be roster spot. even better with Rex Ryan in charge. Mario Williams, Kyle

KEVIN FISHBAIN AND ARTHUR ARKUSH

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1. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS BOOM: Fast, violent and just the third defense since the 1970 merger to lead the NFL in points surrendered, yardage and takeaways. A rush keyed by speedy DEs Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril now includes controversial rookie Frank Clark to add a power element. Speaking of boom, the Legion of Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, comprising the NFL’s top secondary, adds another playmaker brimming with confidence in Cary Williams. BUST: The “L.O.B.” lost its fourth member for a second consecutive offseason, and the Seahawks have a new coordinator, Kris Richard, for the second time in three offseasons. Injuries mounted by postseason’s end, and the Seahawks finished outside of the top 10 in sacks and interceptions and weren’t top five in takeaways nor overall fantasy scoring. BOTTOM LINE: With blue-chip talent at all three levels and a scheme designed to suffocate en vogue horizontal passing attacks, Seattle should storm back to the top of fantasy’s top defenses.

2. BUFFALO BILLS BOOM: With three players in double digits in sacks last season, the Bills led the league in putting the quarterback on his back (57 times). A front four of Mario Williams, Kyle Williams, Jerry Hughes and Marcell Dareus will put fear into the minds of opposing signalcallers, and now add Rex Ryan to the mix, and this group should still be formidable. Buffalo has had 30 takeaways each of the last two seasons. BUST: The offense is supposed to be better, but with questions at quarterback, the Bills defense might not have the luxury of often playing with a lead. There are personnel questions in the back seven, and the run ‘D’ was average last season. BOTTOM LINE: In addition to the right coach and the right defensive line, the Bills have what appears to be a favorable schedule for a team defense. They have some potential gamebreakers in the return game, too. Last year showed that even the Bills can break through and be a dependable fantasy defense.

3. HOUSTON TEXANS BOOM: Two-time reigning defensive MVP J.J. Watt is clearly capable of singularly destroying game plans, and now he could finally have the front-seven help he deserves. Houston essentially receives two rookie classes, with Jadeveon Clowney and Louis Nix III now redshirt sophomores and top 2015 picks Kevin Johnson and Benardrick McKinney also expected to contribute. The arrivals

Buffalo Bills

of Vince Wilfork and Rahim Moore and the healthy return of Brian Cushing, is further ammunition. BUST: Clowney and Nix didn’t exactly endear themselves to coaches, and Clowney’s explosiveness after microfracture surgery is unknown. Whitney Mercilus received an extension but has never sniffed double-digit sacks – his five were second on Houston, yet just one-fourth of Watt’s 20.5. BOTTOM LINE: Fantasy’s No. 2 scoring defense recharged and reloaded, and as long as Watt is on the field, Romeo Crennel’s group will be destructive, especially in a lackluster division with inexperienced Blake Bortles and Marcus Mariota.

4. NEW YORK JETS BOOM: The Jets already had a sackcollecting, turnover-creating D-line with Sheldon Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson and Damon Harrison. Now throw top pick Leonard Williams into the mix. Richardson and Wilkerson each had

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21 tackles behind the line last season. Darrelle Revis returns home, joining a revamped secondary with Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine for defensiveminded coach Todd Bowles. BUST: Despite the personnel, the Jets had a league-low 13 takeaways in 2014. They were stout against the run but not as much against the pass while allowing 25.1 points per game. The linebackers are getting old, and the offense needs to prove it can help the defense with better play at quarterback. BOTTOM LINE: The offseason additions vault the Jets defense into our top five coming off a down season. They have track stars at returner as well and with the D-line/DB combination should get back to being one of the league’s best.

5. MIAMI DOLPHINS BOOM: Adding havoc-wreaker Ndamukong Suh makes all the difference. The Dolphins already had Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon, and now Suh gives them a force up front to get sacks and

POSITION force turnovers. Safeties Reshad Jones and Louis Delmas are ball hawks in the secondary, along with feisty cornerback Brent Grimes. The pass ‘D’ was sixth in the league in 2014. BUST: A usually-stout run ‘D’ took a hit last year and the Dolphins fell to 20th in points allowed, their worst ranking since 2009. Defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle was under fire after a tough last stretch of the season. BOTTOM LINE: With Suh up front, this defense should be improved, and the Dolphins have better playmakers in the secondary than the Bills and Patriots. The kick return game is sound, too, but this group has to be more consistent, especially at linebacker.

6. DENVER BRONCOS BOOM: One of football’s most talented units will now be one of its most aggressive. The arrival of Wade Phillips bodes well for Denver’s rush, headlined by defensive MVP candidate Von Miller and future Hall-of-Famer DeMarcus Ware and bolstered by top pick Shane Ray and budding star Malik Jackson. A lockdown secondary will reap the benefits of both opponents throwing to catch up – and to avoid being caught. BUST: The ILB corps has some injury concerns, and seamlessly replacing Rahim Moore and Terrance Knighton with Darian Stewart and Sylvester Williams is a lot to ask. Ware will soon be 33, and Ray must avoid Denver’s trappings and prove his foot issue won’t linger. BOTTOM LINE: With the volume of All-Pro talent at the disposal of Phillips, who boasts an outstanding record of Year One success as a coordinator with his attacking scheme, Denver should see a significant uptick over last year’s No. 18 fantasy finish.

7. ST. LOUIS RAMS BOOM: St. Louis notched a top-five fantasy finish despite a slow start from Robert Quinn and an injury-plagued, one-sack campaign from Chris Long. With Long healthy, Quinn at the peak of his powers and rookie sensations Aaron Donald and E.J. Gaines just scratching the surface, the Rams, with another former first-round D-lineman in Nick Fairley, could finally break through. BUST: For a D-line that now boasts a quintuplet of first-rounders, St. Louis’ secondary didn’t take full advantage with just 13 picks. The Rams have two daunting non-divisional clashes before the bye, visiting Pittsburgh and hosting Green Bay. Still a young and, subsequently, inconsistent group, St. Louis surrendered 30-plus points seven times, offsetting five

REPORTS

games allowing 12 or fewer. BOTTOM LINE: This could be the league’s top pass rush. If the rest of the unit plays more opportunistically, the sky’s the limit. However, the jury remains out on a unit that trades off bouts of brilliance and brain flatulence.

8. ARIZONA CARDINALS BOOM: Arizona can’t get hit harder by injuries than in 2014, when it still managed a No. 9 fantasy finish without several core members up the middle. Now, with Tyrann Mathieu healthy, Daryl Washington potentially returning from suspension and a veteran infusion including Cory Redding and Sean Weatherspoon, a group led by returning Pro Bowlers Calais Campbell and Patrick Peterson seems headed for another stellar fantasy campaign. BUST: How much of Arizona’s success was concocted by departed coordinator Todd Bowles? His exotic blitz packages partially masked a unit devoid of an impact rusher, and the Cards still mustered only 35 sacks. How much of Peterson’s Pro Bowl nod in a down year was a popularity contest? ILB depth is fragile, especially given Washington’s volatility. BOTTOM LINE: The talent in the secondary can’t be discounted, especially if Peterson returns to being a shutdown corner. But there are a lot of moving parts, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the ‘D’ misses Bowles.

9. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS BOOM: Players move around, but Bill Belichick is still there, which always makes this a fine fantasy defense. The Pats have finished in the top 10 in points allowed in eight of the past nine seasons. They scored five times on defense/special teams in 2014 and had the second-best turnover ratio in the league. Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones are solid sack artists. BUST: Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner and Vince Wilfork are gone, and the Patriots didn’t do much to replace them, relying on “next man up” and Belichick and Matt Patricia’s scheme. The defense gives up a lot of yards; it hasn’t been top10 in yards allowed since 2008. BOTTOM LINE: The Patriots aren’t a top-tier fantasy defense, but their opportunistic ways (regardless of personnel) give owners the chance of a touchdown every week. Julian Edelman is a threat in the return game. Owners need to monitor how the pass ‘D’ fares with new faces at corner.

10. CAROLINA PANTHERS BOOM: Pairing athletic top pick Shaq Thompson with Pro Bowlers Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis makes Carolina’s LB trio

DEF arguably the NFL’s best. The emergence of corners Bene Benwikere and Josh Norman, and safety Tre Boston late in 2014, helped stabilize Carolina’s young secondary. The development of Mario Addison and drafting of Kony Ealy softens the blow of Greg Hardy’s departure. BUST: Minus Hardy and following a secondary shakeup, the Panthers’ defense plummeted from No. 3 in fantasy scoring in 2013 to No. 20 last season. Plenty of talent remains up front, but the secondary, despite impressive strides late last season, remains unproven. The rest of the division’s offenses received a wealth of new resources. BOTTOM LINE: If the pleasant secondary surprises can sustain late success and Charles Johnson, Addison, Ealy and a disruptive tackle tandem can effectively close the book on Hardy, the Panthers should again become a valuable fantasy commodity.

11. BALTIMORE RAVENS BOOM: Forgive the Ravens for not sounding the panic sirens after losing Haloti Ngata and Pernell McPhee. For Ozzie Newsome’s franchise, shipping off Ngata doesn’t happen without a strong contingency plan in DTs Timmy Jernigan, Brandon Williams and Iowa rookie Carl Davis. McPhee was stuck behind arguably the NFL’s best edge rush tandem in Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil. Indeed, fantasy’s No. 7 scoring unit in 2014 reloads rather than rebuilds. BUST: Baltimore requires some rebounding in the secondary, where former first-rounder Matt Elam hasn’t looked like an NFL starter, Lardarius Webb regressed considerably and the Ravens were thrashed by formidable passing attacks like New England, San Diego and New Orleans. BOTTOM LINE: As long as the fountain of youth doesn’t dry up for Suggs, Dumervil and ILB Daryl Smith – which could leave Baltimore missing McPhee – and Jimmy Smith returns from his Lisfranc injury to fortify the secondary, another steady weekly fantasy output should be expected.

12. GREEN BAY PACKERS BOOM: From fantasy irrelevant in 2013 to a top-five scoring outfit last season, Dom Capers’ unit thrived following the addition of Julius Peppers and the adjustment of Clay Matthews inside. After receiving three of four top draft picks on defense, Capers has options in replacing Tramon Williams and Davon House while potentially keeping Matthews and Casey Hayward in their natural spots. BUST: An instant spicing was predictable

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DEF after Peppers’ arrival, but will the 35-yearold be equally motivated – and effective – in Year Two? Replacing stalwarts Williams and A.J. Hawk with unproven rookies won’t be seamless. Does adding a few rookies help establish the killer instinct that was absent when Green Bay’s defense and special teams squandered a super chance late in Seattle? BOTTOM LINE: Opponents assuredly will be chasing Green Bay’s top offense, and Capers will maintain his aggressive ways. But with Peppers likely to slip, they need someone other than Matthews and Mike Daniels to emerge.

13. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS BOOM: With Justin Houston off one edge and Tamba Hali off the other, the Chiefs will get sacks for fantasy owners, finishing with 46 last season (fifth-most in the league). The pass defense was second-best in the league in 2014, and the Chiefs gave up only 17.6 points per game. BUST: As good as the Chiefs were against the pass, they were fifthworst against the run. Kansas City’s 14 takeaways were tied with the Raiders for second-fewest in the league, including a league low six interceptions (tied with the Jets and Jaguars). Without safety Eric Berry, the Chiefs lack a back-end playmaker. First-round CB Marcus Peters will have to step up. BOTTOM LINE: Knile Davis and De’Anthony Thomas lead one of the game’s better return groups, and there’s a lot to like about what the defense did last year but still not enough big plays to be any more than a fringe starting defense.

14. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES BOOM: Expecting Philadelphia to match 2014’s 11 return touchdowns – the third-most in NFL history – is silly, but anticipating marked secondary improvement with the significant investments in Byron Maxwell and rookie Eric Rowe is logical. In addition to the anomalous special teams contributions, the NFL’s No. 2 pass rush helped Philly to its No. 1 fantasy finish. Re-signing Brandon Graham was key in attempting to replicate the rushing success. BUST: Relying on return touchdowns in fantasy is futile, and predicting to what extent Philly deviates is tough. The Eagles showed how much they value their current safeties by trying, unsuccessfully, to lure Devin McCourty from New England. Connor Barwin’s 14.5 sacks are also unlikely to be replicated, and 2014 firstround OLB Marcus Smith is an unknown after disappointing as a rookie. BOTTOM LINE: Philly’s front seven is underrated and includes a number of

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young, ascending talents, and the offense could also apply pressure on opponents. The key for this group is tempering expectations after 2014.

15. MINNESOTA VIKINGS BOOM: Minnesota leapt 21 spots in scoring defense in the first year under Mike Zimmer, and a similar fantasy rise could follow for the game’s No. 14 ‘D,’ which in the draft added a pair of likely Day One starters in Trae Waynes and Eric Kendricks. They’ll join a group full of young impact defenders – Everson Griffen, Sharrif Floyd, Anthony Barr, Xavier Rhodes and Harrison Smith. BUST: Playmakers aside from Smith must emerge to improve on just 20 takeaways, and for all of their potential, young LB and CB pairings will likely include some growing pains. In nondivisional contests, Minnesota draws prolific passing offenses in Atlanta and New York. The return game didn’t match expectations with Cordarrelle Patterson’s sophomore slide. BOTTOM LINE: Zimmer and Rick Spielman are building a defense with both star and staying power, but how quickly the second and third levels develop will determine how fast Minnesota ascends to top-tier fantasy standing.

16. DETROIT LIONS BOOM: Teryl Austin overcame various injuries to oversee one of the NFL’s stoutest, most surprising defenses, and even after the loss of Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley, talent abounds in Motown, where the Lions finished 10th among fantasy defenses. If Ziggy Ansah can work with Haloti Ngata like he did Suh and if an upstart secondary remains larcenous, Detroit might avoid a big drop-off. BUST: Even with a five-time Pro Bowler in Ngata, Austin needs quite the magic trick to pull another top-five finish out of his hat without his defense’s No. 1 conjuror. The ‘D’ is also very reliant on a trio of aging veterans in Ngata, James Ihedigbo and Rashean Mathis. Aside from Ansah, who in the front four wreaks consistent havoc? BOTTOM LINE: We’ll soon find out how good Detroit’s secondary is without the pocket perennially pushed inside. Enough talent remains to make this group dangerous, but danger could also await the Suh-less Lions.

17. CLEVELAND BROWNS BOOM: The Browns were on the periphery of weekly fantasy value, even with considerable cornerback woes opposite Joe Haden and the league’s worst run defense, issues the arrivals

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of Tramon Williams and rookie Danny Shelton should help correct. Paul Kruger and Barkevious Mingo flashed formidable edge tandem potential, and Haden, Donte Whitner and Tashaun Gipson represent a Pro Bowl triumvirate in the secondary. BUST: Aside from Kruger, the pass rush was nearly nonexistent, and if Cleveland doesn’t make big strides against the run, it won’t earn the right to rush and create takeaway chances for its talented secondary. There are a lot of 30-somethings on a unit without great depth, and with Cleveland in perennial rebuild mode, the baton could be passed to young, inexperienced players sooner than expected. BOTTOM LINE: Perhaps rookies Nate Orchard and Xavier Williams add needed explosiveness to the front seven, but this group might be just good enough to get you beat.

18. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS BOOM: The 49ers weathered myriad storms in 2014 and still ranked in the top five in most major categories, as well as No. 12 in fantasy. The conditions became bleaker this offseason but shouldn’t completely cloud the talent that remains – Aldon Smith, NaVorro Bowman, Aaron Lynch and rookie Arik Armstead, among others. BUST: Vic Fangio and Ed Donatell, both instrumental in helping the ‘D’ overcome so much adversity, are gone. Justin Smith, Patrick Willis, Ray McDonald and Chris Borland are just a few of the many departed stalwarts that helped create and sustain San Francisco’s recent dominance. In many ways, they appear to be rebuilding under Jim Tomsula. Aldon Smith hasn’t been the same player without Justin Smith. Even one of the league’s deeper rosters will struggle to endure this much turnover. BOTTOM LINE: The loss of the NFL’s top coordinator and the jolt with which so much of the nucleus disappeared in the same offseason make a big fall imminent.

19. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS BOOM: When we last saw Robert Mathis, he was the NFL’s sacks leader in his first full outside ‘backer campaign. He’s back from a ruptured Achilles, now flanked by former Eagle Trent Cole. Intriguing OLB Jonathan Newsome comes off a strong rookie campaign (6.5 sacks, three forced fumbles) to provide a third rush threat. Indianapolis finished No. 10 in fantasy for a second consecutive season – and ninth in sacks – without Mathis’ services. BUST: Mathis and Cole are 33 and 32, respectively, and who knows what

POSITION

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never been a starter. However, with one of the league’s best coordinators and some players who’ve succeeded in a 4-3 (Jared Allen, Willie Young, Lamarr Houston), Chicago’s 3-4 switch could provide fantasy value.

26. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Abysmal in 2014, Rob Ryan’s unit is relying on DEs Akiem Hicks and Jordan Cameron returning to their ’13 form and FS Jairus Byrd again becoming one of the league’s best playmaking safeties. Ryan will certainly be bringing the heat with his lengthy corners pressing more outside.

27. WASHINGTON

Maybe the arrivals of vet Stephen Paea and rookie Preston Smith offsets Brian Orakpo’s lost production. Smith, Ryan Kerrigan and 2014- second-rounder Trent Murphy could give Washington a terrorizing trio, and they’ll have to given its concerning secondary.

28. ATLANTA FALCONS San Francisco 49ers

to expect from Mathis after so much time away. The run ‘D’ has broken down late, and there’s legitimate concern an aging roster could do the same with the 34-year-old S Mike Adams trying to replicate a breakout season and D’Qwell Jackson, 31, showing his age. BOTTOM LINE: Chuck Pagano and Greg Manusky did excellent work without Robert Mathis and Arthur Jones, but an offensive offseason focus might’ve been better served on an aging ‘D.’

20. DALLAS COWBOYS BOOM: A potential rush pairing of Greg Hardy and Randy Gregory could be as unstoppable as it is volatile. In Hardy’s absence from a suspension, DeMarcus Lawrence will look to build off his late rookie success. Back from injury, Sean Lee will try and regain his All-Pro form next to Rolando McClain and Anthony Hitchens to form an impressive LB corps. BUST: Dallas finished 19th in fantasy in 2014 and lost perhaps its best interior rusher, Henry Melton. Although athletic rookie CB Byron Jones will contribute immediately, former first-rounder Morris Claiborne and former Chief Brandon Carr have been utterly disappointing. Lee hasn’t played a full 16-game season in his four-year career, nor has McClain, just one slipup from joining Hardy on the suspension list. The NFC East is suddenly brimming with firepower. BOTTOM LINE: Dallas’ pass rush is more potential than production for now, and the secondary’s deficiencies could be exposed quickly.

BEST OF THE REST 21. NEW YORK GIANTS

Franchise tag DE Jason Pierre-Paul should be motivated to build on his resurgent 2014, but even 47 team sacks didn’t prevent a No. 21 fantasy finish. S Landon Collins’ arrival helps the backend, but where’s the tidal pressure wave of yesteryear?

22. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Perhaps Melvin Ingram is healthy and, with Jerry Attochu, gives San Diego an energy rush at OLB. The back end is intriguing with Eric Weddle, Brandon Flowers and Jason Verrett, but an anemic rush must find its first pressure player since Shawne Merriman.

23. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Very little went right in Lovie Smith’s first year in Tampa, though his ‘D’ finished 13th in fantasy. Now Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David receive three veteran playmakers – DL Henry Melton and George Johnson and OLB Bruce Carter – putting the onus on Smith to coax considerable improvement.

24. CINCINNATI BENGALS

The NFL’s worst pass rush welcomes back DE Michael Johnson, and DT Geno Atkins is now two years removed from ACL surgery. If Atkins and WLB Vontaze Burfict return to 2013 form, Paul Guenther’s No. 12 scoring unit could enjoy a nice bounceback.

25. CHICAGO BEARS

Pernell McPhee is as close to a sure thing as the Bears have at OLB, and he’s

Don’t be surprised when Dan Quinn whips Atlanta quickly into shape after a productive offseason that included drafting Vic Beasley and signing OLBs Brooks Reed and Justin Durant. Quinn needs Ra’Shede Hageman to become his Michael Bennett for the NFL’s 30th-ranked rush to soar.

29. TENNESSEE TITANS

Pairing Derrick Morgan with fellow OLB Brian Orakpo should help Tennessee improve on just 28 sacks, and coordinator Ray Horton’s 3-4 should be better equipped in Year Two. Marcus Mariota was the right pick for Tennessee, but Leonard Williams was the fantasy pick.

30. PITTSBURGH STEELERS

No Dick LeBeau, Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor or Brett Keisel. The Steelers are younger, but failing to restock the pipeline has been part of the problem, and there’s no assurance that changes in the first year after the LeBeau era ends.

31. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

The good vibes surrounding Jacksonville’s exciting offseason disappeared fast after Dante Fowler, Jr.’s unfortunate ACL tear in May. A shame because the “Seattle East” D-line was seemingly ready to do damage, but Fowler, Jr. was the key to solving Jacksonville’s perennial rush shortage.

32. OAKLAND RAIDERS

LBs Khalil Mack and Sio Moore and rookie DE Mario Edwards, Jr., help put Oakland’s stock on the rise. Yet Justin Tuck’s team-leading five sacks rising seems unlikely, as does Charles Woodson’s four interceptions. The final year in the Black Hole is another fantasy DST abyss.

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POSITION

FANTASY

IDP

Individual defensive players

IDP leagues provide the total fantasy package By

PAT FITZMAURICE

F

REPORTS

or a lot of fantasy owners, drafting a team defense simply isn’t enough. Why should fantasy football include individual players on only one side of the ball? The hunger for a more inclusive fantasy experience has fueled the continued growth of leagues that use individual defensive players – better known as IDP leagues. Do team defenses really provide that much fantasy fulfillment? If you’ve never tried the IDP format, my friend, you need to experience the joy of seeing your defensive end strip-sack some hapless quarterback, or feel the excitement as your safety picks off a fluttering pass and takes it to the house. But you, Mr. IDP Owner, know exactly what we’re taking about. You’re well aware that IDP fantasy football delivers the complete package. IDP veterans can skip ahead to the next paragraph. Newbies, here’s a quick IDP primer. Defensive players are awarded points for big plays like TDs, sacks, interceptions, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries. But the primary unit of currency in most IDP leagues is the tackle. Touchdowns, turnovers and sacks are worth more points than tackles, of course, but those plays are relatively rare, whereas nearly every play from scrimmage ends with a tackle. IDP scoring systems differ from league to league, and some leagues place great emphasis on the big plays. In most leagues, however, finding top tacklers is of the essence. Middle and insider linebackers are

CONSENSUS

Top FANTASY DEFENDERS 1. J.J. WATT | TEXANS 2. LUKE KUECHLY | PANTHERS 3. LAVONTE DAVID | BUCCANEERS 4. DeANDRE LEVY | LIONS 5. ROBERT QUINN | RAMS 6. JASON PIERRE-PAUL | GIANTS 7. CHANDLER JONES | PATRIOTS 8. NaVORRO BOWMAN | 49ERS 9. BOBBY WAGNER | SEAHAWKS 10. C.J. MOSLEY | RAVENS 11. PAUL POSLUSZNY | JAGUARS 12. CALAIS CAMPBELL | CARDINALS 13. MYCHAL KENDRICKS | EAGLES 14. PAUL WORRILOW | FALCONS 15. JAMIE COLLINS | PATRIOTS 16. HARRISON SMITH | VIKINGS 17. MORGAN BURNETT | PACKERS 18. ALEC OGLETREE | RAMS 19. CAMERON WAKE | DOLPHINS 20. ROB NINKOVICH | PATRIOTS the tackle kings and are typically the most valuable defensive players in IDP leagues. Outside linebackers tend to be less valuable than their inside counterparts, though there are a few outside ’backers who consistently produce big tackle numbers. Some OLBs, such as Von Miller, can generate a lot of value with big sack totals. Safeties also can be valuable because of their tackle numbers – far more valuable than cornerbacks. (That’s not how it is in the real game, of course, but never mind.) Defensive tackles are less valuable than defensive ends, who generally get more tackles and sacks. While there’s ample room for debate about which wide receiver deserves

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the top ranking this year, there’s little debate about which individual defensive player deserves to be No. 1. Texans DE J.J. Watt is a nearunanimous choice, which seems only fitting since Watt is the NFL’s reigning Defensive MVP. He puts up obscenely good sack numbers, his tackle totals are excellent, and every once in a while he’ll do something special, like intercept a pass and run it back 80 yards for a touchdown, as he did against the Bills last season in Week 4. After Watt, the next best bets are at linebacker. The Panthers’ Luke Kuechly is the top LB on most boards, and he’s No. 1 on our board, too. The three-year veteran has generated gaudy tackle numbers for three consecutive years, doesn’t come off the field on passing downs because he’s so good in coverage, and hasn’t missed a game since coming into the league. The consensus No. 2 linebacker (and No. 1 in a few people’s eyes) is the Buccaneers’ Lavonte David, who came into the league the same year Kuechly did. If he hadn’t missed two games with a hamstring injury last season. David probably would have beaten out Kuechly for the tackle title. Also worthy of early consideration is the Lions’ DeAndre Levy, who turned into a tackling machine last year and, like Kuechly, is superb in pass coverage. Our top prospect in the secondary is Vikings FS Harrison Smith, a playmaker who should continue to shine in Mike Zimmer’s defense. Not far behind is the Packers SS Morgan Burnett, who doesn’t make as many big plays as Smith but has produced terrific tackle numbers. Jaguars SS Johnathan Cyprien and Chargers FS Eric Weddle round out our fab four at defensive back. One parting tip for veteran IDP owners looking for an edge: Do some research on the stat crews that work the games. Yes, stat crews. Pencilpushers like you and me can have an effect on IDP numbers. For example, the stat guys for the Giants and Ravens are known to be generous in awarding solo tackles, while the stat crews for the Bengals and Dolphins tend to be stingy in handing out solos.

WR

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IDP DEFENSIVE LINEMEN 1. J.J. WATT | TEXANS The fifth-year Texan has established himself as the most dominating defensive force in football. The NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year finished second in sacks last year, but no one has collected more sacks than Watt over the past three years. He has 51.5 sacks over that span, finishing with 20.5 sacks in two of the past three seasons. Watt forced four fumbles last season and had an 80yard interception return for a touchdown, illustrating his freakish athleticism. He led all defensive linemen in tackles in 2014 and 2012, and he finished second in 2013. Watt hasn’t missed a game in his four NFL seasons.

2. ROBERT QUINN | RAMS Quinn has recorded a double-digit sack total in three consecutive seasons, though he dipped from 19 sacks in 2013 to 10.5 last season. Part of that is attributable to a slow start – he didn’t pick up his first sack until Oct. 19. Quinn’s five forced fumbles last year tied him for the league lead. Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has an aggressive system that should continue to promote big sack totals. And Quinn isn’t going to see many double teams as part of an outstanding defensive line that also features DE Chris Long and DTs Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers. Quinn is still only 25 years old and should be among the NFL’s best pass rushers for years to come.

3. JASON PIERRE-PAUL | GIANTS After recording just two sacks in an injury-marred 2013 season, JPP had 12.5 sacks last season. He also had 77 tackles, finishing second among D-linemen in that category, just one tackle behind J.J. Watt. About the only thing Pierre-Paul didn’t do last season was score a defensive TD – something he had done in each of the two previous seasons. Still, there’s some risk here. JPP had only 8.5 sacks over the 2012 and 2013 seasons, and his 2013 tackle total was poor, even if you factor in the games he missed.

4. CHANDLER JONES | PATRIOTS A hip injury limited Jones to 10 games last season, but he still made 43 stops – fine tackle production for a defensive lineman. In 2013, Jones finished third among defensive linemen in total tackles with 79, and the Patriots’ system frees up their defensive ends to make more tackles than their counterparts on most other teams. (One of the two linemen Jones trailed in tackles two years ago was teammate Rob Ninkovich, who led the league.) The 25-year-old Jones has accumulated 23.5 sacks in his three

POSITION

REPORTS

professional seasons, and he has the talent to produce double-digit sacks on a consistent basis.

5. CALAIS CAMPBELL | CARDINALS A paragon of consistency, Campbell has averaged 62.2 tackles and 7.3 sacks over the past five seasons. Campbell has recorded at least 58 total tackles in each of those years and is one of the most dependable tackle collectors at his position. Two mild concerns: 1. Campbell has limited sack potential, never having recorded more than nine sacks in a single season; and 2. Todd Bowles stepped down as the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator to become head coach of the Jets, and it’s unclear how Arizona’s defensive scheme will change under new coordinator James Bettcher.

6. CAMERON WAKE | DOLPHINS The relentless Wake had 11.5 sacks last season, a total that matches his season average over the past five years. Wake had only 36 tackles last year and 37 in 2013, but the arrival of DT Ndamukong Suh in Miami should help free up Wake to make more tackles and potentially improve upon his already impressive sack totals.

7. ROB NINKOVICH | PATRIOTS In 2013, Ninkovich led all defensive linemen with 91 tackles, and even though he had 29 fewer stops in 2014, that was still the sixth-highest tackle total at the position. The 31-year-old Ninkovich has averaged 69.4 tackles over the past five years and should continue to make plenty of stops for the Pats, whose system boosts the tackle numbers of defensive ends. Ninkovich also has had eight sacks in each of the past three years.

8. EVERSON GRIFFEN | VIKINGS The defensive system of Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer clearly suits Griffen’s talents. After recording 17.5 sacks over the previous three years and never delivering more than 27 tackles in a single season, Griffen erupted for 12.5 sacks and 55 tackles last year. Cincinnati’s defensive ends often put up good fantasy numbers during Zimmer’s run as the Bengals’ defensive coordinator, so Griffen is a good bet to remain productive in 2015 even though he’s coming off the first noteworthy season of his five-year career.

9. MUHAMMAD WILKERSON | JETS Despite missing three games last season, Wilkerson still finished with 56 tackles, including 31 solos. He averaged 66 tackles over the 2012 and 2013 seasons, and he’s had a respectable 21.5 sacks over the last three years. The

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talented Wilkerson should shine under new head coach Todd Bowles, who helped Cardinals DE Calais Campbell rack up impressive tackle numbers over the past two seasons.

10. CARLOS DUNLAP | BENGALS Dunlap registered a career-high 66 tackles last season, and his eight sacks were the most he’s had since recording 9.5 as a rookie in 2010. Dunlap has racked up 124 tackles and forced six fumbles over the past two seasons. The question is whether the presence of Michael Johnson, who returns to the Bengals after spending a disappointing season with the Buccaneers, will cut into Dunlap’s totals.

11. ZIGGY ANSAH | LIONS The Ghana native has accumulated 15.5 sacks over his first two NFL seasons, and last year he made 49 tackles and forced three fumbles. Ansah is only 25 and didn’t begin playing organized football until 2010, when he switched from basketball to football at BYU, so his potential is vast.

12. MARIO WILLIAMS | BILLS One of the NFL’s top pass rushers, Williams has averaged 12.7 sacks over the past three years and has finished with a double-digit sack total in five of the last eight years. With the Bills switching to a 3-4 defense under new head coach Rex Ryan, the 30-year-old Williams may end up as an outside linebacker, which could hamper his fantasy production.

13. SHELDON RICHARDSON | JETS After ringing up 78 total tackles as a rookie in 2013, Richardson made “only” 67 stops last year (which ranked fourth among defensive linemen), but he made up for the dip in tackle production by boosting his sack total from 3.5 to 8.0. He’ll no longer be playing under Rex Ryan, but expect Richardson’s numbers to remain strong under new Jets head coach Todd Bowles.

14. OLIVIER VERNON | DOLPHINS After a breakout 2013 season in which he recorded 11.5 sacks and 57 total tackles, Vernon fell to 6.5 sacks and 46 tackles last season. But with DE Cameron Wake lining up on the other side and DT Ndamukong Suh wreaking havoc in the middle, Vernon won’t see many double teams and has a good chance to rebound from a disappointing year.

15. CAMERON JORDAN | SAINTS After recording 12.5 sacks in 2013, Jordan only had 7.5 last season. But the four-year pro offers a nice balance of sack and tackle productivity, having averaged 55 tackles and 9.3 sacks over the past three years. Cameron is heading

POSITION

IDP

REPORTS

has led the NFL in tackles in two of his three seasons, averaging 157.7 stops a year. He’s terrific in pass coverage, which means he never comes off the field. For leagues that award points for passes defensed, Kuechly has had 27 of them in his career, and he also has seven career interceptions. Money in the bank in IDP formats, Kuechly deserves consideration as the top defender in IDP redraft leagues.

2. LAVONTE DAVID | BUCCANEERS Despite missing two games with a hamstring injury, David posted a careerbest 146 tackles last year, finishing third in the league in total stops. He’s had at least 139 tackles in each of his three seasons. David also has 10 career sacks, six forced fumbles, six interceptions and 19 pass breakups in his career. David is only 25 and figures to be an elite IDP performer for years to come.

3. DeANDRE LEVY | LIONS

Luke Kuechly

into a contract year and will have every incentive to bring the goods this season.

of his 10 seasons, and he’s missed only three games in his career.

16. JURRELL CASEY | TITANS

19. AARON DONALD | RAMS

Casey had a career-best 68 total tackles last season, the third-highest total among all defensive linemen, and he’s had at least 52 tackles in each of his four NFL seasons. Casey is no slouch as a pass rusher either with five sacks last year and 10.5 in 2013.

17. JERRY HUGHES | BILLS

As is the case with teammate Mario Williams, Hughes could wind up playing outside linebacker as the Bills make the transition to a 3-4 defense under new head coach Rex Ryan. But regardless of where he lines up, Hughes is capable of bringing serious heat off the edge. He’s tallied 20 sacks over the past two seasons to go along with 99 tackles and five forced fumbles.

18. DEMARCUS WARE | BRONCOS

Ware will be 33 when the season begins, and with just 16 sacks over the previous two seasons (subpar production by Ware’s lofty standards), he might be starting to slow down. But Ware has recorded double-digit sacks in all but two

Donald’s rookie season made it clear that full-fledged stardom is just around the corner. As a rookie, the former University of Pittsburgh standout finished with nine sacks and 48 total tackles. He’ll have a good chance to improve upon those numbers now that he’s had a year to learn defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ system.

20. COREY LIUGET | CHARGERS Now entering his fifth season, Liuget has developed into a steady, dependable fantasy performer. He had a career-best 57 tackles last season, including 45 solo stops. He’s averaged 50 tackles over the past three years and has also had 17 sacks and three forced fumbles over that span. Liuget has missed only one game in four years.

LINEBACKERS 1. LUKE KUECHLY | PANTHERS The fourth-year pro out of Boston College is a relentless tackling machine. Kuechly

Levy’s numbers just keep getting better and better. After setting a career high with 119 tackles in 2013, he blew that number away last year by recording 151 tackles, which ranked him behind only Luke Kuechly in that category. Levy is also an exceptional pass defender who has 12 interceptions and 32 pass breakups over six NFL seasons. Two key questions for Levy: 1. Will he be able to approach last year’s tackle total now that DT Ndamukong Suh is no longer around to raise hell up front; and 2. will Stephen Tulloch’s return from injury cut into Levy’s production?

4. NaVORRO BOWMAN | 49ERS It’s risky to assume that Bowman will be the same player he was before the major knee injury that caused him to miss the entire 2014 season, but with Patrick Willis and Chris Borland both retiring in the offseason, Bowman is poised to record a boatload of tackles, assuming he can stay healthy. Bowman averaged 145.3 tackles from 2011 through 2013, but in January 2014, he tore his ACL and MCL in the NFC championship. Bowman is reportedly on track to participate fully in training camp and be ready for Week One.

5. BOBBY WAGNER | SEAHAWKS Foot problems forced Wagner to miss five games last season, but he was excellent when healthy, recording 104 tackles. Wagner will be only 25 when the 2015 season begins, but he’s established himself as a key contributor to one of the better defenses in recent memory. A true three-down linebacker, Wagner has averaged 8.9 tackles over 41 career regular-season games. While his floor is high, Wagner’s ceiling is somewhat

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IDP limited by the overall effectiveness of the Seattle defense.

6. C.J. MOSLEY | RAVENS As a rookie, the former Alabama stalwart registered 133 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions. Offseason wrist surgery is a mild concern that will probably be laid to rest after a few days of training camp. Mosley is a true threedown linebacker, and he appears capable of helping the Ravens continue their tradition of top-drawer LB play.

7. PAUL POSLUSZNY | JAGUARS Posluszny is 30, he played only seven games last season due to a torn pectoral muscle, and he had offseason chest surgery that caused him to lose nearly 20 pounds. But if Posluszny can stay healthy all season, it’s a fairly safe bet that he’ll finish among the NFL tackle leaders. Since 2010, the former Penn State star has averaged 9.4 tackles per game. Posluszny turned in a 162-tackle season for Jacksonville in 2013 and a 151-tackle season for Buffalo in 2010.

8. MYCHAL KENDRICKS | EAGLES The 6-0, 240-pound Kendricks has been an undersized, sideline-to-sideline dynamo for the Eagles. Although he missed four games with a calf injury last season, Kendricks averaged 6.9 tackles a game, recorded four sacks and forced three fumbles. In 2013, he had 106 tackles, four sacks, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.

9. PAUL WORRILOW | FALCONS An undrafted free agent out of Delaware, Worrilow has now given the Falcons two highly productive seasons. After starting 12 games for the Falcons as a rookie in 2013 and racking up 127 tackles, Worrilow started all 16 games last season and finished with 145 tackles, the fifth-highest total in the league. Worrilow doesn’t have a classic pedigree and probably isn’t quite as effective as the tackle stats suggest, but that matters little to IDP owners, who crave numbers and don’t care how they get them.

10. JAMIE COLLINS | PATRIOTS Collins stepped up in a big way when the Patriots put Jerod Mayo on injured reserve in October, collecting 90 tackles over New England’s last 10 regular-season games. He also had four sacks, four forced fumbles and two interceptions. Mayo’s return complicates things, but Collins is expected to be the starting strong-side linebacker and could stamp himself as an elite defender in 2015.

11. ALEC OGLETREE | RAMS Ogletree will be only 23 when the 2015 season gets under way, but he’s already

POSITION

REPORTS

recorded 228 tackles over his first two seasons with the Rams and has forced 10 fumbles. He’s a dynasty-league gem and should be one of the first 15 linebackers off the board in IDP redraft leagues.

12. JEROD MAYO | PATRIOTS Mayo has played only 12 games total the past two seasons after sustaining a torn pectoral muscle in 2013 and a torn patellar tendon in 2014. He’s been wildly productive when healthy, averaging 8.6 tackles a game from 2008 through 2012. Mayo had a league-best 175 tackles in 2010, and he was fourth in tackles in 2012 with 147. Mayo is known to have an exemplary work ethic, which makes it more tempting to make an IDP investment in him despite the injury risk.

13. VONTAZE BURFICT | BENGALS Burfict had to undergo two knee surgeries in the offseason, including microfracture surgery. It’s possible that he’ll have to open the season on the PUP list, in which case he won’t be a top-20 linebacker. But if Burfict can come back and play at anything close to the level he played at in 2013, when he led the NFL with 171 tackles, he’ll be a steal for any IDP owner who took advantage of the injury discount.

14. KIKO ALONSO | EAGLES

After missing all of 2014 with a torn ACL, Alonso was traded from the Bills to the Eagles, where he’ll try to fulfill the promise of his 2013 rookie season. Alonso finished third in the league in tackles that year with 159, and he also picked off four passes. Perhaps the biggest risk with Alonso isn’t his health, but rather the chance that Alonso and fellow Eagles ILB Mychal Kendricks could cut into each other’s tackle totals.

15. JAMES LAURINAITIS | RAMS The rise of Alec Ogletree has taken a bite out of Laurinaitis’ tackle numbers. Laurinaitis recorded 142 tackles in each of the two seasons before the Rams drafted Ogletree, but in the two seasons since, Laurinaitis has had 116 and 109 tackles. Still, Laurinaitis hasn’t missed a single game in six NFL seasons, and last year’s 109 tackles represented the lowest total of his career. If that’s as bad as it gets, the downside isn’t so terrible.

16. DERRICK JOHNSON | CHIEFS Johnson missed only seven games over the first nine years of his career, but he tore his Achilles in Week One of 2014 and is now attempting to come back from that difficult injury at age 32. But Johnson has been a reliable tackler for Kansas City, averaging 121 stops from 2010 through 2013. He probably doesn’t have many productive seasons left, but he’s worth

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betting on for 2015.

17. KARLOS DANSBY | BROWNS

After playing 16 regular games for three consecutive seasons, Dansby missed four games last year with a sprained knee, causing him to fall short of the 100-tackle mark for the first time since 2010. Dansby’s tackle numbers may not be elite, but he’s likely to chip in a few sacks, having recorded 41 of them over his 11-year career. At 33, Dansby could soon lose his mojo, but he figures to do a lot of cleaning up for the Browns this season and could be a bargain buy for IDP owners.

18. LAWRENCE TIMMONS | STEELERS

Timmons finished eighth in the league in tackles last season with 132, and he had 126 tackles in 2013. The former Florida State standout has been remarkably durable, missing only two games over eight NFL seasons. The question is whether the emergence of talented young ILB Ryan Shazier will start to chisel into Timmons’ tackle stats.

19. SEAN LEE | COWBOYS

Lee’s talent and drive are undeniable, but he’s an extremely risky fantasy investment. Lee missed the entire 2014 season after ripping up his knee in OTAs, and he missed 15 games over the 2012 and 2013 seasons due to toe, hamstring and neck injuries. In addition to the obvious injury risk, Lee is being moved from middle linebacker to weak-side linebacker, where it won’t be as easy for him to collect big-time tackle numbers. Still, Lee is a playmaker who merits IDP consideration after the first 12 to 15 linebackers have come off the board.

20. KEENAN ROBINSON | WASHINGTON

After barely playing in 2012 and missing all of 2013 due to pectoral tears, Robinson was a pleasant IDP surprise in 2014, collecting a team-high 109 tackles for Washington. With good health, he has a chance to rank among the NFL tackle leaders in 2015.

DEFENSIVE BACKS 1. HARRISON SMITH | VIKINGS

Smith was highly productive in his first season in Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer’s defense, recording 93 tackles, three sacks and five interceptions, one of which he ran back for a touchdown. Smith has scored three defensive TDs in his three professional seasons, and he’s up to 10 career interceptions. He’s averaged 6.4 tackles per game since being taken in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame.

2. MORGAN BURNETT | PACKERS

Burnett has led all defensive backs in

POSITION tackles in two of the past three seasons, with 130 stops last year and 123 in 2012. Burnett has only seven interceptions in his five-year career, but he’s averaged 113.8 tackles over the last four years, so his IDP owners probably haven’t been complaining about a shortage of big plays.

3. ERIC WEDDLE | CHARGERS Since becoming a starter in 2008, Weddle has averaged 102.7 tackles a season, and he’s produced tackle totals of 114 and 115 over the past two years. At age 30, Weddle probably doesn’t have a lot of productive seasons left, but given his solid play over the past two years, there’s no reason to think that a decline is imminent.

4. JOHNATHAN CYPRIEN | JAGUARS After logging 104 tackles as a rookie, Cyprien followed it up with 114 stops in his second season with the Jags, finishing ahead of all other defensive backs except for Morgan Burnett. As with Burnett, Cyprien has been doing fine with the tackle numbers but hasn’t made a lot of big plays. Cyprien has recorded only one sack and one interception over his first two seasons.

5. RESHAD JONES | DOLPHINS A four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy kept Jones on the shelf early last season, but he played well upon his return, producing 80 tackles and three interceptions over 12 games. Jones had 201 tackles and five interceptions over the 2012 and 2013 seasons, and he should continue to be a solid IDP option.

6. TYVON BRANCH | CHIEFS The Chiefs signed this run-stuffing safety to a one-year deal in the offseason. Branch can really pile up tackles when he’s healthy, but he’s appeared in only five games over the past two seasons due to foot and leg injuries. Branch did, however, average 112.3 tackles for the Raiders over a three-year span from 2009 to 2011, and a season of good health could demonstrate that he still has tremendous IDP value.

finished with 105 tackles, two sacks and an interception. McDonald is now firmly ensconced as a starter and has a bright future.

in 2013. It’s possible that the tackle numbers remain low due to Denver’s scheme, but Ward has the talent to make the most of any given system.

9. KAM CHANCELLOR | SEAHAWKS

15. TYRANN MATHIEU | CARDINALS

Chancellor is a key member of the NFL’s best defensive backfield and should continue to play a vital role for the Seahawks. He had 78 tackles in 14 games last year, and he averaged 100 tackles over the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Chancellor played through a torn MCL in last season’s playoffs but is expected to be fully healthy for the new season.

The “Honey Badger” is a big play waiting to happen, but can he stay healthy, and can he provide a steady enough supply of tackles to make him truly valuable in IDP leagues? Mathieu has been limited to 13 games in each of his first two seasons, missing time with knee and thumb injuries last season. He made 68 tackles as a rookie in 2013. But Mathieu had only 37 stops last season, and with only one interception, the big-play payoff was minimal.

10. ANTREL ROLLE | BEARS The Bears signed the 32-year-old Rolle in an attempt to stabilize their longunstable safety position. Now entering his 11th professional season, Rolle has missed only one game since 2005 and has been a pillar of consistency. He’s had no fewer than 87 tackles in any of the last five years, though Rolle has never had 100 tackles in any single season.

11. HA HA CLINTON-DIX | PACKERS It didn’t take the former Alabama star long to settle into a prominent role in the Green Bay defense. Clinton-Dix became a starter in mid-October and finished his rookie season with 92 tackles, a sack and an interception. With a full season as a starter, Clinton-Dix has a chance to become a high-level IDP contributor at the DB position.

12. CHARLES WOODSON | RAIDERS Entering his 18th NFL season, the 38-year-old Woodson is well positioned to be a significant IDP contributor, even if his best work is a few years behind him. He’ll get plenty of clean-up opportunities as a free safety for the woebegone Raiders. That was the case last year, when Woodson topped the 100-tackle mark for the first time in his career, finishing with 113. He also had four interceptions last season and could come up big in that category again courtesy of his highly refined ball skills.

13. EARL THOMAS | SEAHAWKS

The Cowboys’ overall improvement in 2014 didn’t seem to bode well for Church’s tackle stats. After leading all defensive backs with 135 tackles in 2013, Church slipped to 97 tackles last season despite playing all 16 regular-season games for Dallas.

IDP owners are well aware that Seattle’s individual defenders, as talented as they may be, aren’t likely to offer elite fantasy production. Opponents frequently fall behind against the Seahawks and have to abandon the running game, giving the Seattle safeties fewer chances to make tackles. But Thomas is obviously an elite defender, and his talent gives him a high floor.

8. T.J. McDONALD | RAMS

14. T.J. WARD | BRONCOS

McDonald played only 10 games as a rookie due to a fractured leg, but he played all 16 games last season and

Ward had 74 tackles in his first season with the Broncos – a sharp decline from the 112 stops he recorded with the Browns

7. BARRY CHURCH | COWBOYS

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REPORTS

16. DONTE WHITNER | BROWNS The move from San Francisco to Cleveland perked up Whitner’s tackle totals. After averaging 72.7 tackles over three seasons with the 49ers, Whitner had 106 stops for the Browns in 2014 – his best total since he led all defensive backs with 140 tackles as a member of the Bills in 2010.

17. JAMES IHEDIGBO | LIONS The 31-year-old Ihedigbo is something of a late bloomer. He notched 71 tackles and four interceptions for the Lions last season despite missing the first three games of the year with a neck injury. Ihedigbo had 101 tackles and three interceptions for the Ravens in 2013.

18. WILLIAM MOORE | FALCONS Shoulder problems limited Moore to seven games last season, and he’s now missed 17 games over the past four years. In his six seasons in Atlanta, Moore has been a decent tackle collector with a nose for interceptions.

19. ANTOINE BETHEA | 49ERS Demonstrating remarkable durability, Bethea hasn’t missed a game in the past seven seasons despite hazardous job requirements. After racking up more than 100 tackles in four consecutive seasons with the Colts, Bethea’s tackle total fell to 86 in his first season with the Niners. He partially made up for the tackle slippage with four interceptions, his highest INT total since 2009.

20. DEONE BUCANNON | CARDINALS Make sure Bucannon has secured a starting job before you spend a draft pick on him. As a rookie, Bucannon had 83 tackles in 16 games while playing sort of a hybrid linebacker/safety role for the Cardinals. He’s expected to be a full-time safety this season, and if he earns a spot in the starting lineup, he has a chance to be highly productive.

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Cardinals 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

New Orleans at Chicago San Francisco St. Louis at Detroit at Pittsburgh Baltimore at Cleveland BYE at Seattle Cincinnati at San Francisco at St. Louis Minnesota at Philadelphia Green Bay Seattle

Dead weight buried the Cardinals’ offense last season, as one nasty snakebite after another turned the desert into the NFL’s most populated fantasy graveyard. QB Carson Palmer suffered the deadliest bite in Week 10, when he tore the ACL in his left knee. Entering that game, Palmer had thrown for multiple touchdowns in four straight games while drastically cutting down on his interceptions from the previous season. A healthy Palmer for 16 games could result in a significant surge in fantasy success this season. Of course, it also wouldn’t hurt if the foot, hip and core issues that hindered lead RB Andre Ellington all of last season could be avoided. Same goes for the strained knee ligaments and sprained ankles that limited WR Larry Fitzgerald and promising second-year TE Troy Niklas, respectively. Keep a close eye on Michael Floyd and John Brown, a pair of ascending pass-catchers who have relegated Fitzgerald to more of a supporting role in the slot due to their considerable big-play prowess (combined 11 TDs in 2014). Head coach Bruce Arians said he thought Floyd should have easily gained 1,000 yards last season. More consistency and fewer decoy-type routes should enable the former first-round pick to accomplish that feat.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

CARSON PALMER DREW STANTON RUNNING BACKS

ANDRE ELLINGTON DAVID JOHNSON STEPFAN TAYLOR KERWYNN WILLIAMS WIDE RECEIVERS

MICHAEL FLOYD JOHN BROWN LARRY FITZGERALD TIGHT ENDS

TROY NIKLAS DARREN FELLS PLACEKICKER

CHANDLER CATANZARO

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS CARSON PALMER GAME

OPP

WK 1 SD WK 2 @ NYG WK 3 SF WK 5 @ DEN WK 6 WAS WK 7 @ OAK WK 8 PHI WK 9 @ DAL WK 10 STL WK 11 DET WK 12 @ SEA WK 13 @ ATL WK 14 KC WK 15 @ STL WK 16 SEA WK 17 @ SF SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

CMP

37

24

44 31 42 34 36

28 22 20 22 25

224

141

PASSING YDS TD

304 2 Inactive Inactive Inactive 250 2 253 2 329 2 249 3 241 0 Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 1626 11

STEPFAN TAYLOR

GAME

OPP

WK 1 SD WK 2 @ NYG WK 3 SF WK 5 @ DEN WK 6 WAS WK 7 @ OAK WK 8 PHI WK 9 @ DAL WK 10 STL WK 11 DET WK 12 @ SEA WK 13 @ ATL WK 14 KC WK 15 @ STL WK 16 SEA WK 17 @ SF SEASON TOTALS 

RUSHING ATT YDS

1 0 1 1 3 12 0 2 5 0 6 14 11 7 63

5 0 2 6 10 40 0 Inactive Inactive 6 14 0 19 61 19 26 208

DREW STANTON INT

RTG

0

108.4 29 33 26

0 1 0 1 1

93.9 103.3 90.3 103.7 76.3

3

95.6

LARRY FITZGERALD

TD

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

4 10 7 7 6 5 10 6 10 4 9 10 12 4 104

ATT

1 22 6 51 3 34 3 57 6 98 4 21 7 160 5 70 9 112 2 33 Inactive Inactive 4 34 7 30 4 33 2 29 63 784

0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

5 32 26 39 30 20 240

CMP

PASSING YDS TD

INT

Active, Did Not Play 14 167 0 18 244 2 11 118 0 Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 3 85 1 21 306 2 14 149 0 24 294 1 15 239 1 12 109 0 Inactive Inactive 132 1711 7

JOHN BROWN

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 2 29 4 3 28 6 4 52 7 2 4 6 4 43 5 2 41 10 5 119 5 2 10 9 5 73 9 5 69 5 3 61 5 2 40 4 0 0 6 2 22 8 3 54 9 4 51 103 48 696

108 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

ANDRE ELLINGTON

1 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5

RTG

0 0 0

66.3 98.5 56.2

0 2 1 2 0 0

143.8 91.4 54.8 72 88.1 74.8

5

78.7

MICHAEL FLOYD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

7 5 119 6 1 19 9 5 114 7 1 7 7 4 47 3 3 47 4 0 0 5 4 36 4 1 11 5 2 54 2 0 0 10 5 53 7 4 85 3 2 55 8 2 41 12 8 153 99 47 841

0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 6

RUSHING ATT YDS

KERWYNN WILLIAMS

TD

13 15 18 16 19 24 23 21 18 19 10 5

53 91 62 32 67 88 71 95 23 42 24 12 Inactive Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 201 660

0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0

3

ANDRE ELLINGTON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 3 4 7 9 9 6 4 5 4 8 0

5 27 1 10 3 13 4 112 6 26 6 72 3 14 4 39 5 19 4 24 5 39 0 0 Inactive Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 64 46 395

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

2

ATT

RUSHING YDS

TD

Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Active, Did Not Play 0 0 0 Inactive Inactive Not on Team 19 100 0 15 75 0 2 4 0 17 67 0 53 246 0

JOHN CARLSON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 1 20 3 2 43 3 3 33 3 2 19 6 4 14 4 2 20 6 2 16 8 2 19 4 2 33 4 3 37 4 3 25 3 2 38 1 1 1 1 1 11 3 2 15 1 1 6 55 33 350

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

T E A M A N A LY S I S

ATLANTA

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Falcons 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants at Dallas Houston Washington at New Orleans at Tennessee Tampa Bay at San Francisco BYE Indianapolis Minnesota at Tampa Bay at Carolina at Jacksonville Carolina New Orleans

VALUE CHART

If nothing else, Atlanta enters 2015 with a dominant passing game that should again be good for fantasy. Julio Jones completely broke out last season as an elite perimeter threat, finishing third in the league in yards – although his six touchdowns didn’t match the other top options. He’s a great bet for yards and the potential bonus for big-play touchdowns but isn’t a great red-zone option. Roddy White will turn 34 this fall and isn’t the 1,300-yard receiver he used to be, but he’ll still get some opportunities opposite Jones. Matt Ryan is coming off his fourth straight season with at least 4,100 yards and 26 touchdowns. At 29 and with Julio Jones to throw to, there’s no need to expect a drop-off. A new running game has some sorting out to do, but third-round rookie Tevin Coleman looks like a big-play runner and still could get the goal-line carries – if he can beat out Devonta Freeman for the starting nod. In this offense, Tony Moeaki could have a sneaky good year at tight end if he can finally get healthy. If not, Jacob Tamme is a decent option.

QUARTERBACKS

MATT RYAN RUNNING BACKS

TEVIN COLEMAN DEVONTA FREEMAN ANTONE SMITH WIDE RECEIVERS

JULIO JONES RODDY WHITE DEVIN HESTER LEONARD HANKERSON TIGHT ENDS

TONY MOEAKI JACOB TAMME LEVINE TOILOLO PLACEKICKER

MATT BRYANT

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS MATT RYAN

GAME

OPP

WK 1 NO WK 2 @ CIN WK 3 TB WK 4 @ MIN WK 5 @ NYG WK 6 CHI WK 7 @ BAL WK 8 DET WK 10 @ TB WK 11 @ CAR WK 12 CLE WK 13 AZ WK 14 @ GB WK 15 PIT WK 16 @ NO WK 17 CAR SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

CMP

43 44 24 41 45 37 44 27 31 45 43 41 39 37 40 47 628

31 24 21 25 29 19 29 20 20 31 27 30 24 26 30 29 415

PASSING YDS TD

448 231 286 298 316 271 228 228 219 268 273 361 375 310 322 260 4694

RODDY WHITE

GAME

OPP

WK 1 NO WK 2 @ CIN WK 3 TB WK 4 @ MIN WK 5 @ NYG WK 6 CHI WK 7 @ BAL WK 8 DET WK 10 @ TB WK 11 @ CAR WK 12 CLE WK 13 AZ WK 14 @ GB WK 15 PIT WK 16 @ NO WK 17 CAR SEASON TOTALS 

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

7 9 14 4 6 15 6 6 12 10 5 10 9 12 125

5 72 5 42 Inactive 4 73 2 26 3 40 9 100 5 66 6 72 8 75 9 96 Inactive 3 42 7 58 6 55 8 104 80 921

1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 7

3 1 3 3 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 4 2 1 0 28

STEVEN JACKSON

INT

RTG

0 3 0 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 2 14

128.8 48.6 155.9 87.2 83.2 73.1 86.2 108.3 96.0 91.7 86.7 105.8 116.9 102.3 106.5 58.8 93.9

HARRY DOUGLAS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

7 8 2

5 2 4 4 12 3 14 7 6 74

6 69 4 38 2 14 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 3 42 0 0 4 46 2 14 9 116 2 11 10 131 4 47 5 28 51 556

0 0 1

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2

RUSHING ATT YDS

12 11 14 13 13 6 8 18 16 17 13 18 16 11 4

52 46 54 49 37 25 22 60 81 41 34 101 50 46 9 Inactive 190 707

DEVONTA FREEMAN

TD

0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0

2 0 11 2 4 2 2 3 3 6 5 8 2 4 5 6 65

6

DEVIN HESTER

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 5 99 1 1 2 1 1 25 7 5 70 4 2 16 1 1 23 5 3 28 0 0 0 4 1 5 3 3 34 6 4 50 4 1 10 2 0 0 6 5 85 3 2 25 6 4 32 59 38 504

RUSHING ATT YDS

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2

15 0 12 8 38 5 20 5 16 28 7 26 -2 21 36 13 248

JACQUIZZ RODGERS

TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1

LEVINE TOILOLO

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 3 2 2 2 6 5 2 0 4 3 6 3 2 4 3 53

3 19 2 13 2 25 1 12 0 0 3 34 2 20 2 26 0 0 2 23 2 17 4 15 1 -1 1 4 4 17 2 14 31 238

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2

RUSHING ATT YDS

6 5 5 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 3 4 3 2 11 9 58

34 23 6 2 10 7 9 2 1 4 16 7 20 3 29 44 217

JULIO JONES

TD

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

DEVONTA FREEMAN

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

2 2 18 3 2 22 1 1 7 2 2 12 6 5 44 3 2 26 5 5 17 1 1 7 1 1 -2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 4 2 2 10 2 1 9 4 3 48 3 2 3 37 30 225

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

9 13 11 8 16 12 8 6 11 11 13 12 17

7 116 7 88 9 161 6 82 11 105 4 68 5 56 4 58 8 119 6 59 5 68 10 189 11 259 Inactive 8 7 107 8 4 58 163 104 1593

0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 6

ANTONE SMITH

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 1 54 4 2 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 83 4 4 64 2 2 -1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 15 13 222

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0

3

| 109

T E A M A N A LY S I S

BALTIMORE

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Ravens 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

at Denver at Oakland Cincinnati at Pittsburgh Cleveland at San Francisco at Arizona San Diego BYE Jacksonville St. Louis at Cleveland at Miami Seattle Kansas City Pittsburgh at Cincinnati

The Ravens enter 2015 still as one of the AFC’s top competitors behind the steady Joe Flacco, but come with some questions about what the guys around him are going to be able to do. Justin Forsett looks to be the best fantasy option on the team again after finishing sixth in rushing yards a year ago, but he is 29 and likely won’t often be the third-down option, a role expected to go to rookie Buck Allen. Steve Smith reignited his career here last season, but he’s 36 now and has never been a great red-zone threat. Torrey Smith was the better option a year ago, but he signed with San Francisco, and so first-round pick Breshad Perriman will try to fill the void. He’s raw, but expect a good number of endzone targets. New offensive coordinator Marc Trestman will make sure to target the running backs and tight ends. Baltimore spent its second-round pick on the best receiving tight end in the draft in Maxx Williams, and he should be a favorite right away. Flacco isn’t a terrific starting fantasy option, especially not with the questions surrounding his supporting cast. Justin Tucker’s leg strength will keep him a top kicker.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

JOE FLACCO RUNNING BACKS

JUSTIN FORSETT LORENZO TALIAFERRO BUCK ALLEN WIDE RECEIVERS

STEVE SMITH BRESHAD PERRIMAN MARLON BROWN KAMAR AIKEN MICHAEL CAMPANARO TIGHT ENDS

MAXX WILLIAMS CROCKETT GILLMORE PLACEKICKER

JUSTIN TUCKER

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS JOE FLACCO GAME

OPP

WK 1 CIN WK 2 PIT WK 3 @ CLE WK 4 CAR WK 5 @ IND WK 6 @ TB WK 7 ATL WK 8 @ CIN WK 9 @ PIT WK 10 TEN WK 12 @ NO WK 13 SD WK 14 @ MIA WK 15 JAX WK 16 @ HOU WK 17 CLE SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

62 29 31 31 38 28 25 34 45 27 24 31 33 30 50 36 554

CMP

35 21 19 22 22 21 16 17 30 16 18 19 25 20 21 22 344

PASSING YDS TD

345 166 217 327 235 306 258 195 303 169 243 225 269 221 195 312 3986

TORREY SMITH

GAME

OPP

WK 1 CIN WK 2 PIT WK 3 @ CLE WK 4 CAR WK 5 @ IND WK 6 @ TB WK 7 ATL WK 8 @ CIN WK 9 @ PIT WK 10 TEN WK 12 @ NO WK 13 SD WK 14 @ MIA WK 15 JAX WK 16 @ HOU WK 17 CLE SEASON TOTALS 

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

7 3 3 1 8 2 3 2 8 3 5 4 5 3 2 0 7 4 8 5 6 5 8 6 0 0 3 2 12 5 7 4 92 49

50 0 10 0 25 0 53 1 38 0 51 2 81 1 0 0 63 1 75 1 98 0 65 2 0 0 16 0 59 2 83 1 767 11

1 2 1 3 0 5 2 0 2 1 1 2 2 1 2 2 27

JUSTIN FORSETT

INT

RTG

1 0 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 12

71.0 109.3 79.6 137.4 65.1 149.7 91.8 43.1 91.3 89.9 120.7 104.9 106.8 99.4 41.7 107.6 91.0

OWEN DANIELS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 5 1 6 7 3 9 9 4 5 3 2 9 6 4 79

4 34 5 28 1 8 4 43 5 70 2 34 6 58 Inactive 6 53 2 20 2 7 2 30 2 27 4 62 1 7 2 46 48 527

0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4

RUSHING ATT YDS

11 8 11 14 6 14 23 17 9 20 22 24 13 16 10 17 235

70 56 63 66 42 111 95 68 38 112 182 106 71 48 19 119 1266

BERNARD PIERCE

TD

1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 8

JUSTIN FORSETT

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 5 14 4 4 16 5 4 2 4 3 31 8 7 55 0 0 0 1 0 0 5 3 17 8 5 67 1 0 0 2 2 8 3 2 17 2 2 7 2 1 -1 4 4 13 4 2 17 59 44 263

110 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RUSHING ATT YDS

LORENZO TALIAFERRO

TD

6 22

17 0 96 0 Inactive Active, Did Not Play 4 30 0 15 32 1 8 21 1 Inactive 1 2 0 8 31 0 7 28 0 6 16 0 3 50 0 6 37 0 1 -2 0 6 8 0 93 366 2

KAMAR AIKEN

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

4 4 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 22 1 1 8 2 2 20 1 1 18 6 2 15 1 1 12 1 1 13 0 0 0 4 3 51 7 6 65 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 13 32 24 267

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3

RUSHING ATT YDS

0 0 18 15 5 2 4 7 7 3 0 0 7

0 0 91 58 18 29 3 27 21 10 0 0 35 Inactive Not on Team Not on Team 68 292

STEVE SMITH

TD

0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0

4

MARLON BROWN

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 0 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 3 5 5 1 31

0 0 0 0 1 15 3 31 0 0 Inactive Inactive 1 2 3 27 2 18 1 14 3 25 3 30 5 66 1 10 1 17 24 255

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

15 7 118 10 6 71 7 5 101 10 7 139 7 5 34 6 5 110 5 3 67 9 3 35 8 5 36 7 3 17 6 4 89 4 1 2 11 7 70 5 5 37 12 5 49 12 8 90 134 79 1065

1 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 6

KYLE JUSZCZYK

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 0 0 0 0 0 4 3 54 2 2 8 2 0 0 3 2 29 1 1 4 1 1 21 2 1 12 3 3 26 3 3 21 2 0 0 2 2 3 1 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 27 19 182

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

T E A M A N A LY S I S

BUFFALO

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Bills 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

Indianapolis New England at Miami N.Y. Giants at Tennessee Cincinnati at Jacksonville BYE Miami at N.Y. Jets at New England at Kansas City Houston at Philadelphia at Washington Dallas N.Y. Jets

Rex Ryan is in town, so fantasy owners should grab Bills running backs, but understand that while Buffalo will ground-and-pound, that doesn’t mean LeSean McCoy will be a top pick. He’s still a No. 1 RB, but with Fred Jackson, Anthony Dixon and Bryce Brown as options, his workload may not be the same as it was in Philadelphia. Fantasy owners need to closely monitor the Bills’ preseason to see who emerges as the No. 2 running back. Jackson has the PPR value, and we’ll have to see who gets the ball near the goal line. Sammy Watkins is the top receiver, but he’ll need improved quarterback play to make that sophomore jump. Robert Woods is an intriguing fantasy option, and then there’s Percy Harvin, who may be good for one big play in a game, but is still a risk. Speedster Marquise Goodwin is a deep-league option. Whether it’s Matt Cassel or EJ Manuel, owners may want to avoid a Bills quarterback until the offense gets going. Tight end Charles Clay emerged last season with Miami, but like the other pass catchers, will need consistent QB play to maintain that success.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

MATT CASSEL EJ MANUEL RUNNING BACKS

LeSEAN McCOY FRED JACKSON ANTHONY DIXON WIDE RECEIVERS

SAMMY WATKINS ROBERT WOODS PERCY HARVIN MARQUISE GOODWIN TIGHT ENDS

CHARLES CLAY CHRIS GRAGG PLACEKICKER

DAN CARPENTER

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS KYLE ORTON GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ CHI WK 2 MIA WK 3 SD WK 4 @ HOU WK 5 @ DET WK 6 NE WK 7 MIN WK 8 @ NYJ WK 10 KC WK 11 @ MIA WK 12 NYJ WK 13 CLE WK 14 @ DEN WK 15 GB WK 16 @ OAK WK 17 @ NE SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

43 38 43 17 48 39 32 31 57 27 49 23 447

CMP

PASSING YDS TD

OPP

WK 1 @ CHI WK 2 MIA WK 3 SD WK 4 @ HOU WK 5 @ DET WK 6 NE WK 7 MIN WK 8 @ NYJ WK 10 KC WK 11 @ MIA WK 12 NYJ WK 13 CLE WK 14 @ DEN WK 15 GB WK 16 @ OAK WK 17 @ NE SEASON TOTALS 

INT

Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 30 308 1 1 24 299 2 1 31 283 2 1 10 238 4 0 29 259 1 0 22 193 0 0 24 230 2 0 17 190 1 2 38 355 1 2 14 158 0 1 32 329 3 2 16 176 1 0 287 3018 18 10

C.J. SPILLER

GAME

EJ MANUEL

RUSHING ATT YDS

15 53 12 69 10 25 15 60 10 8 6 19 1 53 Short-term IR Short-term IR Short-term IR Short-term IR Short-term IR Short-term IR Short-term IR 4 -4 5 17 78 300

RTG

22 26 39 44 88.1 94.1 95.4 142.8 81.9 69.7 115.4 57.2 74.8 54.2 87.9 106.4 87.8

FRED JACKSON

TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 4 10 7 9 6 3 5

0 0 0

4 4 14 6 12 3 90

ATT

3 13 2 27 8 78 6 52 7 58 4 17 3 16 Inactive 4 39 Inactive 3 13 3 27 10 37 3 27 9 93 1 4 66 501

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

0

131

CMP

PASSING YDS TD

FRED JACKSON

INT

16 173 1 16 202 1 23 238 1 21 225 2 Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 0 0 0 Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 76 838 5

ROBERT WOODS

1 0 0 2

RTG

91.7 98.6 85.2 59.4

7 12 6 7 10 10 3 3

0

0

3

80.3

SAMMY WATKINS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 4 78 3 1 5 8 3 19 12 3 17 4 3 37 10 7 78 5 4 10 3 3 50 8 6 52 5 2 15 11 9 118 7 4 71 4 3 36 5 2 22 9 7 52 4 4 39 104 65 699

4 3 31 11 8 117 8 2 19 9 4 30 12 7 87 3 2 27 14 9 122 6 3 157 10 4 27 7 3 32 5 3 35 9 3 11 12 7 127 6 1 28 7 3 75 5 3 57 128 65 982

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 5

RUSHING ATT YDS

0 1 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 6

10 21 8 20 6 18 141

ANTHONY DIXON TD

ATT

RUSHING YDS

TD

0 0 0 0 0 1 0

5 2 0 0 0 7 13 22 9 10 12 6 3 6 3 7 105

60 3 0 0 0 23 51 44 62 35 54 25 15 26 7 27 432

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2

61 24 34 33 49 26 12 Inactive 10 Inactive 32 70 35 71 10 58 525

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2

SCOTT CHANDLER

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 0 0 2 2 27 5 5 74 5 2 15 6 4 21 9 6 105 5 3 36 2 1 12 6 3 17 3 0 0 3 3 28 3 3 2 11 8 81 2 2 22 6 4 37 1 1 20 70 47 497

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 3

CHRIS HOGAN

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 27 6 5 72 6 5 63 1 1 14 7 5 57 9 7 74 3 2 5 4 2 8 9 7 54 2 1 6 9 3 43 3 1 3 61 41 426

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 4

| 111

T E A M A N A LY S I S

CAROLINA

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Panthers 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

at Jacksonville Houston New Orleans at Tampa Bay BYE at Seattle Philadelphia Indianapolis Green Bay at Tennessee Washington at Dallas at New Orleans Atlanta at N.Y. Giants at Atlanta Tampa Bay

As with real NFL success, the fantasy value of the Panthers lies with the health of their quarterback. Cam Newton was a top-five fantasy quarterback his first three seasons, but dropped to the teens last year due largely to a laundry list of injuries that included a car wreck. Expect a big bounce back this year. His ability to produce yards and scores on the ground makes him safer than many. With the release of longtime partner DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart received a big statement from his front office. The 235-pound load is a good option to ride – but watch out for injuries with that style of play and the fact that he’s missed 18 games the past three seasons. Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen tied with exactly 1,008 yards last season. They remain far and away the best receiving options on the team and could see better numbers with Newton coming back to form. Secondary receivers on this team will need a bet, but a good one might be second-round rookie Devin Funchess, who at 6-4 and 232 pounds can be a matchup problem.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

CAM NEWTON DEREK ANDERSON RUNNING BACKS

JONATHAN STEWART FOZZY WHITTAKER CAMERON ARTIS-PAYNE WIDE RECEIVERS

KELVIN BENJAMIN DEVIN FUNCHESS JERRICHO COTCHERY PHILLY BROWN TED GINN TIGHT ENDS

GREG OLSEN PLACEKICKER

GRAHAM GANO

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS CAM NEWTON GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ TB WK 2 DET WK 3 PIT WK 4 @ BAL WK 5 CHI WK 6 @ CIN WK 7 @ GB WK 8 SEA WK 9 NO WK 10 @ PHI WK 11 ATL WK 13 @ MIN WK 14 @ NO WK 15 TB WK 16 CLE WK 17 @ ATL SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

PASSING YDS TD

CMP

34 35 25 35 46 31 22 28 40 37 35 33

22 24 14 19 29 17 12 10 25 23 18 21

31 16 448

18 10 262

Inactive 281 1 250 1 197 1 255 2 284 2 205 1 171 0 151 0 306 2 292 2 194 1 226 3 Inactive 201 1 114 1 3127 18

KELVIN BENJAMIN

GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ TB WK 2 DET WK 3 PIT WK 4 @ BAL WK 5 CHI WK 6 @ CIN WK 7 @ GB WK 8 SEA WK 9 NO WK 10 @ PHI WK 11 ATL WK 13 @ MIN WK 14 @ NO WK 15 TB WK 16 CLE WK 17 @ ATL SEASON TOTALS 

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

8 6 92 8 2 46 11 8 115 9 5 76 11 3 38 8 7 49 6 3 61 7 4 94 10 2 18 7 3 70 13 9 109 12 5 56 5 2 24 13 8 104 12 5 47 5 1 9 145 73 1008

1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 9

JONATHAN STEWART

INT

RTG

0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 0

100.2 98.5 94.9 84.8 85.8 72.6 61.0 39.4 71.5 82.3 65.7 114

1 0 12

74.8 104.7 82.1

JERRICHO COTCHERY

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

4 4 7 4 10 8 5 5 7 4 5 2 5 5 3 78

4 32 4 46 Inactive 5 80 3 46 4 58 3 21 3 33 2 59 2 15 2 43 2 20 1 9 5 47 5 46 3 25 48 580

RUSHING ATT YDS

9 15 5

13 16 8 11 7 12 20 22 24 13 175

CAM NEWTON

TD

20 37 31 Inactive Inactive Inactive 50 79 46 36 24 85 155 75 122 49 809

0 1 0

0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 3

JONATHAN STEWART

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1

112 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

3 1 3

2 5 0 4 3 2 1 1 4 2 31

3 17 1 22 3 19 Inactive Inactive Inactive 1 12 3 15 0 0 4 23 3 15 2 25 0 0 1 6 2 7 2 20 25 181

0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1

RUSHING ATT YDS

4 2 2 6 17 7 12 7 2 5 9 12 12 6 103

Inactive 19 7 7 9 107 41 24 43 6 30 49 83 Inactive 63 51 539

DeANGELO WILLIAMS

TD

14 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 5

PHILLY BROWN

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 0 9 4 1 1 0

2 4 5 6 3 1 36

0 0 0 0 7 66 2 35 1 4 1 8 0 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive 1 47 2 34 3 42 1 10 2 22 1 28 21 296

RUSHING ATT YDS

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1 1 0 0 0 0 2

11

7 13 10 7

62

72 Inactive Inactive 34 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 20 31 41 21 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 219

GREG OLSEN

TD

0 0

0 0 0 0

0

JASON AVANT

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 1 0 7 5 54 6 2 12 3 2 24 4 2 42 7 5 47 5 2 6 1 0 0 4 1 8 2 1 8 0 0 0 Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 40 21 201

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

11 8 83 8 6 72 7 5 69 5 2 30 9 6 72 11 6 62 8 8 105 3 1 16 4 3 30 7 6 119 11 5 61 9 5 59 11 10 72 13 10 110 3 1 21 3 2 27 123 84 1008

1 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 6

BRENTON BERSIN

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 1 1 1 3 5 0 1 3 0 0 1 1 1 1 20

Inactive 1 8 1 29 1 12 1 21 2 13 3 21 0 0 0 0 2 24 0 0 0 0 1 9 0 0 1 14 0 0 13 151

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

T E A M A N A LY S I S

CHICAGO

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Bears 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

Green Bay Arizona at Seattle Oakland at Kansas City at Detroit BYE Minnesota at San Diego at St. Louis Denver at Green Bay San Francisco Washington at Minnesota at Tampa Bay Detroit

VALUE CHART

Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett return as key fantasy weapons, but the mode of attack will change under John Fox and coordinator Adam Gase, Cutler’s fifth different play-caller entering his seventh season under center in Chicago. Gase oversaw record-breaking offenses over the past two seasons in Denver, and Fox expects the Broncos’ late-season transformation into a run-first outfit will be replicated in Chicago. It’s a last-ditch attempt to repair Cutler, who, despite posting career highs in many categories, led the NFL in turnovers in a turbulent campaign that ended with housecleaning among the coaching and front office ranks. Cutler remains nothing if not a tantalizing fantasy wild card, but Forte and Jeffery enter contract years with plenty to prove – Forte that he’s unlike most NFL backs whose fade begins near 30; Jeffery that he’s capable of being a No. 1, though Kevin White brings similar size, more explosiveness and owners a WR2 with unlimited upside. Despite an offseason contract dispute, Bennett appears poised to pick up where he left off in a career year in 2014. Eddie Royal reunites with the quarterback that helped him to his unmatched rookie production.

QUARTERBACKS

JAY CUTLER JIMMY CLAUSEN RUNNING BACKS

MATT FORTE JEREMY LANGFORD JACQUIZZ RODGERS WIDE RECEIVERS

ALSHON JEFFERY KEVIN WHITE EDDIE ROYAL MARQUESS WILSON TIGHT ENDS

MARTELLUS BENNETT ZACH MILLER PLACEKICKER

ROBBIE GOULD

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS JAY CUTLER GAME

OPP

WK 1 BUF WK 2 @ SF WK 3 @ NYJ WK 4 GB WK 5 @ CAR WK 6 @ ATL WK 7 MIA WK 8 @ NE WK 10 @ GB WK 11 MIN WK 12 TB WK 13 @ DET WK 14 DAL WK 15 NO WK 16 DET WK 17 @ MIN SEASON TOTALS 

PASSING YDS TD

ATT

CMP

INT

RTG

49 34 38 34 36 38 34 30 37 43 27 48 46 31

34 349 2 2 23 176 4 0 23 225 2 0 22 256 2 2 28 289 2 2 26 381 1 0 21 190 1 1 20 227 3 1 22 272 1 2 31 330 3 2 17 130 1 0 31 280 2 2 32 341 2 1 17 194 2 3 Active, Did Not Play 23 172 0 0 370 3812 28 18

86.2 119.2 94.7 82.5 95.5 109.6 74.4 108.6 68.8 98.0 87.0 76.7 96.4 55.8

36 561

MARTELLUS BENNETT

GAME

OPP

WK 1 BUF WK 2 @ SF WK 3 @ NYJ WK 4 GB WK 5 @ CAR WK 6 @ ATL WK 7 MIA WK 8 @ NE WK 10 @ GB WK 11 MIN WK 12 TB WK 13 @ DET WK 14 DAL WK 15 NO WK 16 DET WK 17 @ MIN SEASON TOTALS 

MATT FORTE

75.2 88.6

ALSHON JEFFERY

RUSHING ATT YDS

17 12 13 23 17 17 12 19 17 26 23 5 13 16 19 17 266

Ka’DEEM CAREY

TD

82 21 33 122 61 80 49 114 54 117 89 6 26 78 55 51 1038

0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 6

BRANDON MARSHALL

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

10 8 70 8 7 37 8 5 54 11 9 134 5 3 17 8 4 52 8 5 58 7 6 95 6 2 45 4 4 29 7 4 37 11 8 109 15 12 84 6 4 36 3 1 0 11 8 59 128 90 916

6 5 71 0 6 3 47 0 13 8 105 0 7 4 39 1 7 6 97 1 7 5 136 0 7 2 9 0 8 5 59 1 12 6 63 0 17 11 135 1 4 3 22 1 13 9 71 2 9 6 95 1 9 4 78 1 15 6 72 1 5 2 34 0 145 85 1133 10

12 8 71 1 8 5 48 3 6 1 6 0 6 2 19 1 5 3 44 0 9 6 113 0 10 6 48 0 10 3 35 0 10 8 112 1 10 7 90 2 5 3 32 0 11 6 42 0 4 3 61 0 Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 106 61 721 8

1 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 6

RUSHING ATT YDS

JAY CUTLER

TD

1 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 14 72 0 2 2 0 4 19 0 0 0 0 6 33 0 2 13 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 2 8 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 36 158 0

MARQUESS WILSON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

Short-term IR Short-term IR Short-term IR Short-term IR Short-term IR Short-term IR Short-term IR Short-term IR Short-term IR 4 2 11 3 1 10 2 0 0 5 2 19 5 3 16 10 7 66 3 2 18 32 17 140

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1

RUSHING ATT YDS

0 5 5 3 3 6 2 1 2 5 0 1 2 1 0 3 39

0 25 14 29 22 4 3 6 0 21 0 -1 9 20 0 39 191

MATT FORTE

TD

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2

DANTE ROSARIO

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 1 1 1 4 0 2 2 1 2 1 0 0 2 1 3 22

1 1 1 0 3 0 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 2 16

12 9 8 0 20 0 15 6 3 7 6 0 0 4 1 25 116

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

9 8 87 8 5 15 7 6 43 6 5 49 12 12 105 13 10 77 7 6 60 8 6 54 7 3 27 6 6 58 6 5 23 9 6 52 9 8 74 5 2 21 6 6 40 12 8 23 130 102 808

0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 4

JOSH MORGAN

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 0 4 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 4 1 2 2 19

1 9 Inactive 0 0 3 24 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 1 11 Inactive 0 0 0 0 1 8 0 0 2 2 1 13 10 70

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

| 113

T E A M A N A LY S I S

CINCINNATI

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Bengals 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

at Oakland San Diego at Baltimore Kansas City Seattle Buffalo Bye at Pittsburgh Cleveland Houston at Arizona St. Louis at Cleveland Pittsburgh at San Francisco at Denver Baltimore

VALUE CHART

The Bengals finished average in offense last season but offer a few intriguing fantasy options. Most interesting are the running backs. Jeremy Hill is a second-round pick most places after a breakout rookie season in which he finished eighth in rushing yards. The player he unseated, Giovani Bernard, is much more than a backup. A handcuff strategy would be brilliant if it wouldn’t cost two of your top four or five picks. It can still be enticing given Cincinnati’s chances to run well after drafting two tackles with their top two picks. A.J. Green is as talented as just about any wide receiver, but his numbers will be limited with Andy Dalton’s inconsistency and the lack of surrounding receiving threats. Of his counterparts, Marvin Jones could be worth a look on potential alone as he returns from foot and ankle injuries that cost him all of last season. Dalton is a backup fantasy quarterback and nothing more, but the intriguing sleeper possibility on this team is Tyler Eifert. The athletic, 6-foot-6 tight end had 445 yards as a rookie in 2013 before injuries set in, and if he can stay healthy, the position will be all his with Jermaine Gresham out of the way.

QUARTERBACKS

ANDY DALTON RUNNING BACKS

JEREMY HILL GIOVANI BERNARD WIDE RECEIVERS

A.J. GREEN MARVIN JONES MOHAMED SANU JAMES WRIGHT DENARIUS MOORE TIGHT ENDS

TYLER EIFERT TYLER KROFT C.J. UZOMAH PLACEKICKER

MIKE NUGENT

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS ANDY DALTON GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ BAL WK 2 ATL WK 3 TEN WK 5 @ NE WK 6 CAR WK 7 @ IND WK 8 BAL WK 9 JAX WK 10 CLE WK 11 @ NO WK 12 HOU WK 13 @ TB WK 14 PIT WK 15 @ CLE WK 16 DEN WK 17 @ PIT SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

CMP

38 23 23 24 43 38 28 31 33 22 35 27 29 24 25 38 481

25 15 15 15 33 18 21 19 10 16 24 19 21 14 17 27 309

PASSING YDS TD

301 252 169 204 323 126 266 233 86 220 233 176 302 117 146 244 3398

JERMAINE GRESHAM

GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ BAL WK 2 ATL WK 3 TEN WK 5 @ NE WK 6 CAR WK 7 @ IND WK 8 BAL WK 9 JAX WK 10 CLE WK 11 @ NO WK 12 HOU WK 13 @ TB WK 14 PIT WK 15 @ CLE WK 16 DEN WK 17 @ PIT SEASON TOTALS 

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 3 1 4 7 12 4 6 6 3 6 5 4

2 16 3 25 1 5 2 15 6 68 10 48 4 34 5 36 3 29 2 13 4 33 5 33 3 23 Inactive 10 9 62 3 3 20 79 62 460

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 1 5

1 1 0 2 2 0 0 2 0 3 1 1 2 0 2 2 19

JEREMY HILL

INT

RTG

0 0 1 0 2 0 1 2 3 0 1 3 0 1 1 2 17

98.7 116.6 68.9 117.4 93.5 55.4 89.3 79.1 2.0 143.9 84.6 60.6 128.8 53.6 93.1 83.7 83.5

MOHAMED SANU

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 4 36 4 3 84 8 5 44 9 5 70 14 10 120 9 3 54 9 5 125 8 4 95 7 2 20 6 3 23 7 5 48 3 2 19 3 2 16 3 1 4 2 1 16 1 1 16 98 56 790

0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 5

RUSHING ATT YDS

4 15 7 2 8 4 10 24 12 27 18 13 8 25 22 23 222

19 74 39 1 22 15 25 154 55 152 87 40 46 148 147 100 1124

GIOVANI BERNARD

TD

0 1 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 9

GIOVANI BERNARD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

10 6 3 3 5 5 2

3 1 5 3 5 8 59

114 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

6 62 5 79 1 7 2 10 4 20 2 -1 2 2 Inactive Inactive Inactive 2 22 1 4 3 19 3 24 5 45 7 56 43 349

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 1 1 2

RUSHING ATT YDS

14 27 14 13 18 7 16

17 10 6 15 8 3 168

48 90 47 62 137 17 45 Inactive Inactive Inactive 45 49 17 79 36 8 680

ANDY DALTON

TD

0 1 2 0 1 0 1

0 0 0 0 0 0 5

JEREMY HILL

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 0 2 2 0 0 4 3 4 4 1 0 4 4 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 4 4 4 3 1 1 0 0 3 2 32 27

0 22 00 68 13 0 28 9 6 13 9 12 21 4 0 10 215

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RUSHING ATT YDS

6 3 3 2 4 1 6 2 3 5 7 3 4 2 6 3 60

3 6 3 16 25 0 14 11 8 12 6 7 22 3 25 8 169

A.J. GREEN

TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 4

BRANDON TATE

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 3 1 0 5 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 3 26

4 1 1 0 4 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 17

19 50 5 0 38 7 30 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 22 193

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

9 0 9 7

6 10 8 16 8 15 11 4 13 116

6 131 0 0 6 102 5 81 Inactive Inactive Inactive 3 44 3 23 6 127 12 121 4 57 11 224 5 49 0 0 8 82 69 1041

1 0 0 1

1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 6

RYAN HEWITT

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 6 15

0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 3 10

0 0 6 0 0 0 5 7 0 0 0 3 0 34 0 31 86

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

T E A M A N A LY S I S

CLEVELAND

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Browns 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

at N.Y. Jets Tennessee Oakland at San Diego at Baltimore Denver at St. Louis Arizona at Cincinnati at Pittsburgh BYE Baltimore Cincinnati San Francisco at Seattle at Kansas City Pittsburgh

After a surprising start with a nicely balanced offense, the Browns fell off the proverbial cliff last year and finished more troubled than ever. The best fantasy options the Browns had are both unavailable to them this year, with tight end Jordan Cameron bolting for Miami and wide receiver Josh Gordon earning a yearlong suspension for substance abuse. Add in Johnny Manziel’s offseason trip to rehab and a sixth offensive coordinator in six seasons, and the Browns aren’t exactly a fantasy hotbed. Cleveland did sign some mid-level starting receivers in Dwayne Bowe and Brian Hartline, both coming off their worst years. Tight end Rob Housler is athletic and could have some sleeper value. The success of these guys will largely come down to quarterback play, and Cleveland looks to be lost there. The running back position is the one to watch. Second-year UDFA Isaiah Crowell will get most of the goal-line touches; 2014 thirdrounder Terrance West rushed for 673 yards last year; and third-round pick Duke Johnson should provide a run-and-catch option. They’ll run behind what is a superb front line when healthy. Manziel might be worth a look on the waiver wire. But steer clear of him and Josh McCown in your draft.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

JOSH McCOWN JOHNNY MANZIEL RUNNING BACKS

ISAIAH CROWELL DUKE JOHNSON TERRANCE WEST WIDE RECEIVERS

ANDREW HAWKINS BRIAN HARTLINE DWAYNE BOWE VINCE MAYLE TIGHT ENDS

ROB HOUSLER JIM DRAY PLACEKICKER

TBD

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS BRIAN HOYER GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ PIT WK 2 NO WK 3 BAL WK 5 @ TEN WK 6 PIT WK 7 @ JAX WK 8 OAK WK 9 TB WK 10 @ CIN WK 11 HOU WK 12 @ ATL WK 13 @ BUF WK 14 IND WK 15 CIN WK 16 @ CAR WK 17 @ BAL SEASON TOTALS 

PASSING YDS TD

ATT

CMP

INT

RTG

30 40 25 37 17 41 28 34 23 50 40 30 30

18 222 1 0 24 204 1 0 19 290 1 0 21 291 3 1 8 217 1 0 16 215 0 1 19 275 1 0 21 300 2 2 15 198 0 0 20 330 1 1 23 322 0 3 18 192 0 2 13 136 0 2 Active, Did Not Play 7 134 1 1 Inactive 242 3326 12 13

94.0 81.7 127.1 97.9 113.0 46.3 111.5 85.4 92.3 61.2 52.3 51.0 29.3

13 438

BEN TATE

GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ PIT WK 2 NO WK 3 BAL WK 5 @ TEN WK 6 PIT WK 7 @ JAX WK 8 OAK WK 9 TB WK 10 @ CIN WK 11 HOU WK 12 @ ATL WK 13 @ BUF WK 14 IND WK 15 CIN WK 16 @ CAR WK 17 @ BAL SEASON TOTALS 

JOHNNY MANZIEL

RUSHING ATT YDS

6

41 Inactive Inactive 22 124 25 78 16 36 15 26 10 3 10 34 2 -9 Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 106 333

0 0 2 0 1 0 1 0

4

13 5 3 7 4 4 7 112

8 18 8

76.5

35

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

10 12 10 9 2 9 9 8

1 0

83.5

ANDREW HAWKINS

TD

ATT

8 87 6 70 7 87 3 26 0 0 5 112 7 88 3 34 Inactive 6 97 5 93 2 24 4 38 2 7 1 28 4 33 63 824

0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

CMP

PASSING YDS TD

TERRANCE WEST

INT

Active, Did Not Play 0 0 0 0 0 0 Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 5 63 0 Active, Did Not Play 10 80 0 3 32 0 Not on Team 18 175 0

MILES AUSTIN

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 2 20 10 6 44 7 6 51 3 2 54 3 2 29 8 3 53 2 2 34 5 3 54 6 5 48 8 3 31 8 6 64 9 7 86 Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 72 47 568

0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

2

RTG

0 0

39.6 0.0

0

87.0

2 0

27.3 50.0

2

42.0

TAYLOR GABRIEL

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 1 5 4 3 13 2 2 81 6 4 95 4 1 24 7 3 39 3 2 60 6 5 87 5 3 31 13 5 92 2 1 13 1 0 0 3 1 12 2 1 2 2 1 1 7 3 66 72 36 621

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

RUSHING ATT YDS

ISAIAH CROWELL

TD

ATT

RUSHING YDS

TD

100 0 68 1 36 1 31 0 Inactive 5 8 0 7 11 0 15 48 0 26 94 1 5 12 0 14 62 0 7 32 0 15 54 0 5 23 0 Active, Did Not Play 18 94 1 171 673 4

5 11 11 6 11 7 1 0 12 14 12 17 14 7 16 4 148

32 54 55 19 77 18 1 0 41 61 88 29 54 17 55 6 607

2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 8

16 19 12 7

TRAVIS BENJAMIN

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 2 20 4 1 6 1 1 43 4 4 48 1 1 31 4 0 0 2 0 0 4 2 52 5 3 46 3 1 23 2 0 0 2 0 0 5 1 27 1 1 9 2 0 0 3 1 9 46 18 314

1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

JORDAN CAMERON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 3 7 5 6 5

5 1 5 6 48

2 47 Inactive 1 23 3 33 3 102 1 5 3 40 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 4 41 1 4 3 88 3 41 24 424

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 0 1 0 0

0 0 1 0 2

| 115

T E A M A N A LY S I S

DALLAS

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Cowboys 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia Atlanta at New Orleans New England BYE at N.Y. Giants Seattle Philadelphia at Tampa Bay at Miami Carolina at Washington at Green Bay N.Y. Jets at Buffalo Washington

VALUE CHART

Did DeMarco Murray take the Cowboys’ considerable fantasy mojo with him to Philadelphia? Tune in on Week One, when the trio of Darren McFadden, Lance Dunbar and Joseph Randle likely combine in an attempt to fill the industrial-sized shoes of Murray, the league’s leading rusher last season who did such a masterful job setting the table for a highpowered offense that scored 467 points (at least 30 points in 10 games). Can you say downgrade? Absolutely. But Murray’s exit is likely to trigger an upgrade in the Cowboys’ passing game, which could bode well for Dez Bryant, an already top-tier wideout coming off a scintillating 16-TD campaign, and QB Tony Romo, who also did quite well, delivering 34 touchdown passes (second-most of his career) and only nine interceptions. To a lesser but still significant extent, WRs Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley and TE Jason Witten figure prominently in the Cowboys’ fantasy mix. Operating in the slot, the shifty Beasley stole touches down the stretch last season from Williams, who had eight TDs and zero drops in 65 targets. The equally sure-handed Witten (at least five TDs in four of the last five seasons) shares a rare chemistry with Romo.

QUARTERBACKS

TONY ROMO BRANDON WEEDEN RUNNING BACKS

DARREN McFADDEN LANCE DUNBAR JOSEPH RANDLE WIDE RECEIVERS

DEZ BRYANT TERRANCE WILLIAMS COLE BEASLEY DEVIN STREET TIGHT ENDS

JASON WITTEN GAVIN ESCOBAR PLACEKICKER

DAN BAILEY

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS TONY ROMO

GAME

OPP

WK 1 SF WK 2 @ TEN WK 3 @ STL WK 4 NO WK 5 HOU WK 6 @ SEA WK 7 NYG WK 8 WAS WK 9 AZ WK 10 @ JAX WK 12 @ NYG WK 13 PHI WK 14 @ CHI WK 15 @ PHI WK 16 IND WK 17 @ WAS SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

CMP

37 29 23 29 41 32 23 28

23 19 18 22 28 21 17 17

27 26 29 26 31 20 34 435

20 18 18 21 22 18 22 304

PASSING YDS TD

281 1 176 1 217 2 262 3 324 2 250 2 279 3 209 1 Inactive 246 3 275 4 199 0 205 3 265 3 218 4 299 2 3705 34

JASON WITTEN

GAME

OPP

WK 1 SF WK 2 @ TEN WK 3 @ STL WK 4 NO WK 5 HOU WK 6 @ SEA WK 7 NYG WK 8 WAS WK 9 AZ WK 10 @ JAX WK 12 @ NYG WK 13 PHI WK 14 @ CHI WK 15 @ PHI WK 16 IND WK 17 @ WAS SEASON TOTALS 

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 2 14 7 4 32 5 4 49 5 5 61 5 4 59 5 2 24 2 2 27 8 5 70 7 6 62 7 5 33 6 4 30 2 1 8 3 2 26 9 7 69 7 7 90 6 4 49 90 64 703

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 5

DeMARCO MURRAY

INT

RTG

3 0 1 0 1 0 1 0

60.8 93.5 116.8 137.4 98.0 110.2 135.7 95.7

0 0 2 0 0 0 1 9

138.8 143.4 53.7 138.0 129.1 151.7 100.0 113.2

DeMARCO MURRAY

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

4 3 25 2 1 6 4 4 31 1 1 6 8 6 56 6 6 31 1 1 4 4 4 80 4 4 11 7 6 31 3 2 22 6 6 40 10 9 49 1 1 3 0 0 0 3 3 21 64 57 416

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RUSHING ATT YDS

22 29 24 24 31 28 28 19 19 19 24 20 32 31 22 20 392

118 167 100 149 136 115 128 141 79 100 121 73 179 81 58 100 1845

JOSEPH RANDLE

TD

1 1 1 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 1 1 13

COLE BEASLEY

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 4 42 1 1 10 2 1 9 2 2 14 4 4 23 2 1 11 0 0 0 2 1 11 2 1 12 1 1 11 2 2 66 7 4 41 3 3 42 4 4 42 3 2 29 9 6 57 49 37 420

116 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 4

RUSHING ATT YDS

0 3 2 4 2 5 2 3 1 7 0 2 1 2 13 4 51

LANCE DUNBAR

TD

0 26 9 22 4 52 7 23 2 56 0 6 17 13 37 69 343

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 3

TERRANCE WILLIAMS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

7 4 50 4 2 20 3 2 32 7 6 77 6 2 71 2 2 70 3 1 18 7 6 69 7 2 19 2 0 0 2 1 18 4 2 38 0 0 0 4 2 19 2 2 52 5 3 68 65 37 621

1 0 1 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 8

RUSHING ATT YDS

0 11 0 0 0 1 3 1 3 0 0 2 0 5 2 1 29

0 27 0 0 0 -4 16 6 9 0 0 15 0 22 4 4 99

DEZ BRYANT

TD

RECEIVING ATT YDS TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

6 4 55 0 14 10 103 1 7 6 89 1 6 3 44 1 14 9 85 1 10 4 63 0 13 9 151 0 7 3 30 1 10 2 15 1 8 6 158 2 9 7 86 2 7 4 73 0 8 6 82 0 7 6 114 3 5 5 73 1 6 4 99 2 137 88 1320 16

LANCE DUNBAR

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 3 0 0 1 0 3 2 0 0 4 4 0 0 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 2 0 0 22 18

21 0 0 36 0 48 0 11 52 7 26 0 0 6 10 0 217

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

GAVIN ESCOBAR

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 1 1 1 0 2 3 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 13

0 0 1 5 1 7 1 6 0 0 1 2 3 65 0 0 0 0 1 14 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 105

0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4

T E A M A N A LY S I S

DENVER

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Broncos 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

Baltimore at Kansas City at Detroit Minnesota at Oakland at Cleveland BYE Green Bay at Indianapolis Kansas City at Chicago New England at San Diego Oakland at Pittsburgh Cincinnati San Diego

Despite wholesale coaching changes, as well as the loss of several key offensive pieces for the second consecutive offseason, the Broncos welcome back the great equalizer, Peyton Manning. Manning’s performance suffered from a quad injury down the stretch, as the Broncos morphed into a run-first club led by emerging feature back C.J. Anderson. Expect new coach Gary Kubiak to continue emphasizing the run, positioning Anderson firmly in RB1 territory as a tailor-made back for Kubiak’s zone scheme, one that should still provide plenty of explosive plays through the air via play action. Thus, we also expect Manning – assuming he remains healthy behind a transitioning O-line – to maintain his top-five fantasy QB status, particularly due to the presence of Pro Bowler Demaryius Thomas and 2014 breakout star Emmanuel Sanders. Slapped with the franchise tag, Thomas is looking for a monster deal, while Sanders could be one of the game’s best values – both in reality and fantasy. After what was essentially a redshirt rookie year, Cody Latimer also should have fantasy owners’ attention. He’s a drop-off from mismatch piece Julius Thomas, but Owen Daniels should benefit from working with Manning and is again draft relevant. Yet, athletic Virgil Green could be the biggest benefactor of Thomas’ departure.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

PEYTON MANNING BROCK OSWEILER RUNNING BACKS

C.J. ANDERSON MONTEE BALL RONNIE HILLMAN WIDE RECEIVERS

DEMARYIUS THOMAS EMMANUEL SANDERS CODY LATIMER ANDRE CALDWELL TIGHT ENDS

OWEN DANIELS VIRGIL GREEN PLACEKICKER

CONNOR BARTH

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS PEYTON MANNING GAME

OPP

WK 1 IND WK 2 KC WK 3 @ SEA WK 5 AZ WK 6 @ NYJ WK 7 SF WK 8 SD WK 9 @ NE WK 10 @ OAK WK 11 @ STL WK 12 MIA WK 13 @ KC WK 14 BUF WK 15 @ SD WK 16 @ CIN WK 17 OAK SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

CMP

36 26 49 47 33 26 35 57 44 54 35 34 20 20 44 37 597

22 21 31 31 22 22 25 34 31 34 28 17 14 14 28 21 395

PASSING YDS TD

269 242 303 479 237 318 286 438 340 389 257 179 173 233 311 273 4727

DEMARYIUS THOMAS

GAME

OPP

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

WK 1 IND 11 4 48 0 WK 2 KC 7 5 62 1 WK 3 @ SEA 9 4 31 0 WK 5 AZ 16 8 226 2 WK 6 @ NYJ 12 10 124 1 WK 7 SF 9 8 171 2 WK 8 SD 12 8 105 0 WK 9 @ NE 11 7 127 0 WK 10 @ OAK 14 11 108 0 WK 11 @ STL 10 7 103 0 WK 12 MIA 13 10 87 3 WK 13 @ KC 13 6 63 1 WK 14 BUF 5 2 11 0 WK 15 @ SD 11 6 123 1 WK 16 @ CIN 14 7 115 0 WK 17 OAK 17 8 115 0 SEASON TOTALS  184 111 1619 11

3 3 2 4 3 4 3 2 5 1 4 2 0 1 2 0 39

C.J. ANDERSON

INT

RTG

0 0 1 2 0 0 0 2 2 2 0 0 2 0 4 0 15

111.9 143.9 85.7 110.2 117.9 157.2 124.2 80.9 111.9 75.3 135.4 85.3 56.9 125.6 61.8 80.1 101.5

EMMANUEL SANDERS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

9 6 77 9 8 108 15 11 149 9 7 101 6 3 38 3 3 41 9 9 120 16 10 151 8 5 67 8 5 102 13 9 125 11 6 73 6 4 56 3 3 53 7 6 70 9 6 73 141 101 1404

0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 9

RUSHING ATT YDS

4 5 2 0 2 1 3 13 9 27 32 21 29 18 13 179

27 31 -3 Inactive 0 9 0 18 90 29 167 168 58 85 83 87 849

RONNIE HILLMAN

TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 1 3 8

WES WELKER

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

Suspended Suspended 9 6 60 9 7 58 1 1 8 3 3 50 2 2 5 8 3 31 5 4 24 6 4 28 4 4 18 2 1 12 6 6 82 3 2 16 4 4 30 2 2 42 64 49 464

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2

RUSHING ATT YDS

JUWAN THOMPSON

TD

Inactive Active, Did Not Play 2 2 0 15 64 0 24 100 0 14 74 2 20 109 0 10 16 1 6 13 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 15 56 0 106 434 3

JULIUS THOMAS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

8 5 4 7 6 6 6 2 7 3

7 104 3 4 39 1 3 17 1 6 66 2 4 51 2 4 27 0 2 23 0 2 33 1 6 63 2 2 3 0 Inactive Inactive Active, Did Not Play 2 1 30 0 6 2 33 0 0 0 0 0 62 43 489 12

RUSHING ATT YDS

MONTEE BALL

TD

ATT

0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

23 12 14 6

0 0 0 3 8 6 7 2 4 0 5 10 4 4 1

0 0 0 15 38 30 24 6 8 0 33 39 63 14 2 Inactive 54 272

3

C.J. ANDERSON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 0 1 0 0 0 4 7 10 4 3 0 2 10 3 44

0 0 0 0 1 1 Inactive 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 33 4 73 8 86 4 28 2 17 0 0 2 11 8 55 2 20 34 324

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2

RUSHING YDS

TD

67 1 60 0 38 0 7 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 0 0 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Injured reserve Injured reserve Injured reserve 55 172 1

RONNIE HILLMAN

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

Inactive Active, Did Not Play 3 1 7 0 1 0 0 0 5 3 16 0 4 4 29 0 4 3 29 0 10 7 47 1 5 2 9 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 2 1 2 0 34 21 139 1

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

| 117

T E A M A N A LY S I S

DETROIT

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Lions 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

at San Diego at Minnesota Denver at Seattle Arizona Chicago Minnesota at Kansas City BYE at Green Bay Oakland Philadelphia Green Bay at St. Louis at New Orleans San Francisco at Chicago

After Ndamukong Suh took his talents to South Beach, the Lions, now more than ever, need Matthew Stafford to take the wheel on offense, redirect one of the league’s more talented but also underachieving units, and be the driving force toward a new identity in the Motor City. That Stafford’s 2014 apex occurred in Week One isn’t his fault alone: The O-line regressed, Calvin Johnson appeared in a career-low 13 games and, even after re-signing Brandon Pettigrew and using a luxurious top-10 pick on Eric Ebron, the Lions lacked consistent receiving threats. Just imagine where the NFL’s 22ndranked scoring offense would’ve been without Golden Tate’s 99 catches and 1,331 yards, fifth and seventh, respectively, among all NFL wideouts. A healthy “Megatron” – which he appeared to be by season’s end – and Tate represents one of the more formidable receiving duos in football and elite WR1 and WR2 options, respectively. After a disappointing rookie season, Ebron is a boom-or-bust candidate with dynamite upside, a description aptly shared by Stafford, who must earn his way back into the QB1 circle of trust. Joique Bell is a capable heavy lifter and RB2, but rookie Ameer Abdullah is the backfield’s most intriguing fantasy target. Both should benefit from brass’ strong commitment to rebuilding the O-line.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

MATTHEW STAFFORD KELLEN MOORE RUNNING BACKS

JOIQUE BELL AMEER ABDULLAH THEO RIDDICK WIDE RECEIVERS

CALVIN JOHNSON GOLDEN TATE JEREMY ROSS COREY FULLER TIGHT ENDS

ERIC EBRON BRANDON PETTIGREW PLACEKICKER

MATT PRATER

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS MATTHEW STAFFORD GAME

OPP

WK 1 NYG WK 2 @ CAR WK 3 GB WK 4 @ NYJ WK 5 BUF WK 6 @ MIN WK 7 NO WK 8 @ ATL WK 10 MIA WK 11 @ AZ WK 12 @ NE WK 13 CHI WK 14 TB WK 15 MIN WK 16 @ CHI WK 17 @ GB SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

32 48 34 34 31 33 40 47 40 30 46 45 34 28 39 41 602

CMP

22 27 22 24 18 19 27 24 25 18 18 34 26 17 22 20 363

PASSING YDS TD

346 291 246 293 231 185 299 325 280 183 264 390 311 153 243 217 4257

CALVIN JOHNSON

GAME

OPP

WK 1 NYG WK 2 @ CAR WK 3 GB WK 4 @ NYJ WK 5 BUF WK 6 @ MIN WK 7 NO WK 8 @ ATL WK 10 MIA WK 11 @ AZ WK 12 @ NE WK 13 CHI WK 14 TB WK 15 MIN WK 16 @ CHI WK 17 @ GB SEASON TOTALS 

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

11 13 10 2 1

15 12 10 16 9 6 12 11 128

7 164 6 83 6 82 2 12 1 7 Inactive Inactive Inactive 7 113 5 59 4 58 11 146 8 158 4 53 6 103 4 39 71 1077

2 0 0 0 0

1 0 0 2 1 0 0 2 8

2 1 0 2 1 1 2 2 2 0 0 2 3 1 0 3 22

JOIQUE BELL

INT

RTG

0 1 2 0 1 0 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 12

125.3 72.5 61.6 116.4 78.8 83.5 85.3 78.8 89.6 63.6 49.5 116.0 133.3 87.4 53.7 89.2 85.7

REGGIE BUSH

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 3 8 6 5 0 6 0 1

6 2 7 6 56

6 49 2 6 6 38 4 19 2 30 0 0 5 22 0 0 1 5 Inactive Inactive Inactive 4 8 1 10 6 44 3 22 40 253

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

RUSHING ATT YDS

15 10 15 8 18 18 14 10 14 19 23 18 15 13 13 223

51 36 33 32 Inactive 74 48 39 44 85 48 91 83 62 74 60 860

REGGIE BUSH

TD

1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 7

JOIQUE BELL

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 11 0 4 3 5 3 3 5 2 2 5 6 3 0 53

118 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

1 5 6 61 0 0 2 7 Inactive 2 23 2 19 2 22 2 37 3 30 1 -2 2 16 5 50 4 41 2 13 0 0 34 322

RUSHING ATT YDS

9 6 12 12 6 4 4

8 3 7 5 76

15 26 61 46 13 Inactive 10 Inactive 20 Inactive Inactive Inactive 26 7 54 19 297

THEO RIDDICK

TD

0 0 1 0 0

3 0

0 0 1 0 2

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

6 12 3 6 6 7 0 0 3 7 50

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Inactive 5 75 Inactive 8 74 2 5 3 24 3 40 6 54 0 0 0 0 2 10 5 34 34 316

1 1 3 1

0

THEO RIDDICK

0 0 0 0

RUSHING ATT YDS

0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4

3 3 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 20

4 0 16 2 Inactive 6 Inactive 5 0 2 12 0 0 4 0 0 51

GOLDEN TATE

TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

ERIC EBRON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

2 5 1 4 4 4 0 4 7 4 4 2 0 6 47

0 0 3 38 0 0 3 34 2 8 2 23 0 0 Inactive Inactive 4 22 2 23 3 23 3 28 1 11 0 0 2 38 25 248

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 6 93 8 5 57 7 5 51 10 8 116 9 7 134 12 7 44 13 10 154 15 7 151 13 11 109 2 2 41 11 4 97 10 8 89 5 4 50 7 7 38 10 5 62 6 3 45 144 99 1331

0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4

JEREMY ROSS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 0 0 3 2 23 3 3 20 2 2 65 2 1 13 3 1 8 4 3 32 3 3 31 2 1 5 1 1 7 5 3 35 1 1 31 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 11 2 2 33 35 24 314

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

T E A M A N A LY S I S

GREEN BAY

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Packers 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

at Chicago Seattle Kansas City at San Francisco St. Louis San Diego BYE at Denver at Carolina Detroit at Minnesota Chicago at Detroit Dallas at Oakland at Arizona Minnesota

VALUE CHART

The NFL’s top scoring offense – and one of the most prolific groups in franchise history – returns all 11 starters, positioning itself once again to be loaded with fantasy riches, starting with reigning MVP and potential No. 1 overall pick Aaron Rodgers. After extending his NFL record to six consecutive seasons with a passer rating north of 100.0, Rodgers continues his Hall of Fame trajectory, with unrivaled continuity among his supporting cast. True, Mike McCarthy relinquished playcalling duties to associate head coach Tom Clements, but the fantasy effect should be minimal, what with Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb – just the fifth receiving tandem in NFL history to each corral 12plus touchdowns – returning in their prime. Additionally, Davante Adams revealed a clutch gene as a rookie that should help him make a Lambeau-esque sophomore leap and fantasy owners secure a more affordable fantasy stake in Green Bay’s stellar offense. Sixth among all fantasy backs in scoring in 2014, Eddie Lacy has averaged 12 total touchdowns in his first two NFL campaigns, and last year flexed three-down chops to make him a surefire top-five pick.

QUARTERBACKS

AARON RODGERS SCOTT TOLZIEN RUNNING BACKS

EDDIE LACY JAMES STARKS WIDE RECEIVERS

JORDY NELSON RANDALL COBB DAVANTE ADAMS TY MONTGOMERY JARED ABBREDERIS TIGHT ENDS

RICHARD RODGERS KENNARD BACKMAN PLACEKICKER

MASON CROSBY

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS AARON RODGERS GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ SEA WK 2 NYJ WK 3 @ DET WK 4 @ CHI WK 5 MIN WK 6 @ MIA WK 7 CAR WK 8 @ NO WK 10 CHI WK 11 PHI WK 12 @ MIN WK 13 NE WK 14 ATL WK 15 @ BUF WK 16 @ TB WK 17 DET SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

CMP

33 42 27 28 17 42 22 39 27 36 29 38 36 42 40 22 520

23 25 16 22 12 24 19 28 18 22 19 24 24 17 31 17 341

PASSING YDS TD

189 346 162 302 156 264 255 418 315 341 209 368 327 185 318 226 4381

RANDALL COBB

GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ SEA WK 2 NYJ WK 3 @ DET WK 4 @ CHI WK 5 MIN WK 6 @ MIA WK 7 CAR WK 8 @ NO WK 10 CHI WK 11 PHI WK 12 @ MIN WK 13 NE WK 14 ATL WK 15 @ BUF WK 16 @ TB WK 17 DET SEASON TOTALS 

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

9 6 6 9 4 7 7 7 6 13 5 11 5 13 14 5 127

6 58 1 5 39 2 3 29 0 7 113 2 3 34 1 5 58 1 6 121 1 5 126 1 4 72 1 10 129 0 4 58 0 7 85 0 4 58 0 7 96 0 11 131 0 4 80 2 91 1287 12

1 3 1 4 3 3 3 1 6 3 2 2 3 0 1 2 38

EDDIE LACY

INT

RTG

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 5

81.5 109.8 88.8 151.2 138.7 99.7 154.5 93.8 145.8 120.3 109.7 112.6 123.3 34.3 108.1 139.6 112.2

EDDIE LACY

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 3 11 3 2 18 1 1 9 2 1 11 3 3 27 0 0 0 3 3 10 9 8 123 6 3 68 4 3 45 2 2 13 3 2 17 9 5 33 2 2 11 1 1 5 4 3 26 55 42 427

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 4

RUSHING ATT YDS

12 13 11 17 13 14 12 13 14 10 25 21 13 15 17 26 246

34 43 36 48 105 40 63 59 50 69 125 98 73 97 99 100 1139

JAMES STARKS

TD

0 0 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 9

DAVANTE ADAMS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 0 0 7 5 50 3 2 11 3 2 18 4 1 11 8 6 77 1 1 21 9 7 75 2 1 10 2 2 13 4 1 10 11 6 121 4 1 6 4 1 6 4 2 17 0 0 0 66 38 446

0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

RUSHING ATT YDS

7 0 8 0 12 8 7 2 5 8 1 1 10 4 7 5 85

AARON RODGERS

TD

37 0 38 0 46 31 36 5 10 9 -4 2 75 19 3 26 333

0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2

ANDREW QUARLESS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

4 3 26 2 1 8 5 4 43 0 0 0 2 2 19 5 2 11 1 1 9 3 2 19 5 2 10 2 2 35 3 2 50 2 2 17 4 3 52 4 1 7 3 2 17 1 0 0 46 29 323

0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

RUSHING ATT YDS

JORDY NELSON

TD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2

14 9 83 0 16 9 209 1 7 5 59 0 12 10 108 2 3 1 66 1 16 9 107 1 5 4 80 1 5 3 25 0 6 6 152 2 10 4 109 1 12 8 68 0 6 2 53 1 10 8 146 2 12 5 55 0 9 9 113 1 8 6 86 0 151 98 1519 13

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 6 0 1 0 7 3 2 0 3 6 5 5 3 0 2 43

0 28 0 8 0 34 21 21 0 32 34 22 28 27 0 14 269

RICHARD ROGERS

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 52 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 5 4 58 3 2 6 2 1 19 1 1 1 2 2 35 1 0 0 2 0 0 3 2 13 5 5 40 30 20 225

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2

JAMES STARKS

3 2 11 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 5 2 11 1 1 7 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 17 1 0 0 2 2 34 2 2 26 3 1 10 5 4 22 0 0 0 29 18 140

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

| 119

T E A M A N A LY S I S

HOUSTON

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Texans 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

Kansas City at Carolina Tampa Bay at Atlanta Indianapolis at Jacksonville at Miami Tennessee BYE at Cincinnati N.Y. Jets New Orleans at Buffalo New England at Indianapolis at Tennessee Jacksonville

J.J. Watt totaled five touchdowns last season, and though he probably could play quarterback, the most important position in all of sports remains unsettled in Houston. Ryan Mallett is the favorite to be under center in Week One, and actually provided reason for cautious optimism in his first NFL start, prior to a seasonending pectoral injury. Mallett isn’t worth a draft pick – yet – but he offers the most intrigue in a battle that includes journeyman Brian Hoyer and big-armed project Tom Savage. Arian Foster will be 29 when the season begins and was limited by injuries to 13 or fewer games for the third time in his six-year career, yet he provided RB1 value at an RB2 price and could yield similar returns for shrewd owners willing to roll the dice. Alfred Blue in rookie pinch-hitting duty did a strong Foster impersonation and is a vital handcuff. With Andre Johnson now across enemy lines, DeAndre Hopkins is Houston’s defacto No. 1 wideout. Unstable quarterbacking didn’t stop “Nuke” from busting out as a sophomore, and again won’t restrict this ascending talent. Rookie Jaelen Strong will be eased in slowly, but with a name matching his play style, he’s the No. 2 WR add here.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

RYAN MALLETT BRIAN HOYER RUNNING BACKS

ARIAN FOSTER ALFRED BLUE JONATHAN GRIMES WIDE RECEIVERS

DeANDRE HOPKINS JAELEN STRONG CECIL SHORTS NATE WASHINGTON TIGHT ENDS

GARRETT GRAHAM C.J. FIEDOROWICZ PLACEKICKER

RANDY BULLOCK

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS RYAN FITZPATRICK GAME

OPP

WK 1 WAS WK 2 @ OAK WK 3 @ NYG WK 4 BUF WK 5 @ DAL WK 6 IND WK 7 @ PIT WK 8 @ TEN WK 9 PHI WK 11 @ CLE WK 12 CIN WK 13 TEN WK 14 @ JAX WK 15 @ IND WK 16 BAL WK 17 JAX SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

22 19 34 37 25 23 32 35 27 33 19 6 312

CMP

PASSING YDS TD

OPP

ATT

INT

14 206 1 14 139 2 20 289 1 25 268 1 16 154 0 15 212 1 21 262 2 19 227 1 13 203 2 Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 24 358 6 13 135 0 3 30 0 Not on Team Not on Team 197 2483 17

ARIAN FOSTER GAME

CASE KEENUM

RUSHING YDS

WK 1 WAS 27 103 WK 2 @ OAK 28 138 WK 3 @ NYG Inactive WK 4 BUF 8 6 WK 5 @ DAL 23 157 WK 6 IND 20 109 WK 7 @ PIT 20 102 WK 8 @ TEN 20 151 WK 9 PHI 15 56 WK 11 @ CLE Inactive WK 12 CIN Inactive WK 13 TEN 19 79 WK 14 @ JAX 24 127 WK 15 @ IND 26 99 WK 16 BAL 25 96 WK 17 JAX 5 23 SEASON TOTALS  260 1246

0 0 3 2 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 8

RTG

109.3 129.1 59.6 75.1 64.4 109.3 98.7 83.9 82.8 147.5 88.7 64.6

CMP

Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 20 185 0 25 250 2 45 435 2

ANDRE JOHNSON

TD

ATT

RUSHING YDS

TD

0 1

1 11 13 9 5 3 5 14 7 36 16 7 9 8 8 17 169

0 40 78 9 16 22 14 42 13 156 46 6 15 26 6 39 528

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2

0 1 0 0 0 8

42 35 77

95.3

ALFRED BLUE

0 2 2 0 2 0

ATT

PASSING YDS TD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

9 7 11 7 8 12 9 12 7 10 12 11 4

6 93 6 74 4 24 6 71 5 58 7 99 5 77 7 55 2 12 7 68 3 36 7 53 4 17 Inactive 13 6 65 15 10 134 147 85 936

120 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3

RYAN MALLETT INT

RTG

ATT

0

30 45

1 1 2

50.2 98.5 72.2

DeANDRE HOPKINS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 4 89 5 3 22 9 6 116 6 5 64 6 6 63 2 1 12 9 6 108 11 5 95 11 6 115 8 4 80 9 5 39 9 9 238 6 4 49 13 5 77 12 5 38 6 2 5 127 76 1210

1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 6

75

CMP

PASSING YDS TD

ARIAN FOSTER

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

2 3 10 5 4 6 6 3 7 4 18 4 1 59

INT

Active, Did Not Play 0 0 0 Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 20 211 2 21 189 0 Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 41 400 2

2 17 2 12 Inactive 7 55 2 15 3 32 4 13 4 22 2 63 Inactive Inactive 5 26 2 21 6 8 1 23 1 10 38 327

0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 5

RTG

0

0.0

1 1

95.3 49.2

2

67.6

DAMARIS JOHNSON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 2 2 2 2 3 2 4 2 8 5 1 1 3 6 3 49

1 1 2 1 0 3 1 2 2 5 3 0 1 2 4 3 31

1 4 56 10 0 62 15 33 16 21 21 0 11 21 27 33 331

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

T E A M A N A LY S I S

INDIANAPOLIS

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Colts 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

at Buffalo N.Y. Jets at Tennessee Jacksonville at Houston New England New Orleans at Carolina Denver BYE at Atlanta Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh at Jacksonville Houston at Miami Tennessee

VALUE CHART

What happens when the NFL’s best under-30 quarterback and arguably its best over-30 running back and wide receiver are united under one offense? GM Ryan Grigson is banking on it equaling a Super Bowl. The results might not get better than they were for 2014 Andrew Luck fantasy owners, but they likely won’t get worse for those who owned Frank Gore and Andre Johnson. After all, Luck was already fantasy’s No. 2 scorer, pacing all passers in touchdowns and finishing second in yardage in an MVP-caliber third NFL campaign. This could be the first offseason when his name is called before future Hall of Famers Manning, Brady and Brees in fantasy drafts worldwide. Gore and Johnson might be in the twilight of their careers, when their remaining chances at an elusive Super Bowl ring are fleeting, but they’ve definitely never worked with a QB as talented as Luck. Let’s call them upper echelon RB2 and WR2, respectively, with high floors. T.Y. Hilton, meanwhile, is now fringe WR1 after an electrifying 2014, and Donte Moncrief ’s ceiling might be the highest of any Colts wideout, making him a sleeper special. Don’t forget Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener, the formidable tight end pairing that combined for 16 touchdowns and enter contract years.

QUARTERBACKS

ANDREW LUCK MATT HASSELBECK RUNNING BACKS

FRANK GORE DAN HERRON JOSH ROBINSON WIDE RECEIVERS

T.Y. HILTON ANDRE JOHNSON DONTE MONCRIEF PHILLIP DORSETT TIGHT ENDS

DWAYNE ALLEN COBY FLEENER PLACEKICKER

ADAM VINATIERI

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS ANDREW LUCK GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ DEN WK 2 PHI WK 3 @ JAX WK 4 TEN WK 5 BAL WK 6 @ HOU WK 7 CIN WK 8 @ PIT WK 9 @ NYG WK 11 NE WK 12 JAX WK 13 WAS WK 14 @ CLE WK 15 HOU WK 16 @ DAL WK 17 @ TEN SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

CMP

53 34 39 41 49 44 42 45 46 39 32 27 53 34 22 16 616

35 20 31 29 32 25 27 26 25 23 21 19 24 18 15 10 380

PASSING YDS TD

370 172 370 393 312 370 344 400 354 303 253 370 294 187 109 160 4761

REGGIE WAYNE

GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ DEN WK 2 PHI WK 3 @ JAX WK 4 TEN WK 5 BAL WK 6 @ HOU WK 7 CIN WK 8 @ PIT WK 9 @ NYG WK 11 NE WK 12 JAX WK 13 WAS WK 14 @ CLE WK 15 HOU WK 16 @ DAL WK 17 @ TEN SEASON TOTALS 

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

13 7 5 8 12 9 8 10 9 9 5 8 5 5 3 116

9 98 3 28 4 62 7 119 7 77 4 35 4 15 Inactive 4 70 5 91 3 10 4 31 1 5 4 24 3 23 2 91 64 779

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

2 3 4 4 1 3 2 3 4 2 1 5 2 2 0 2 40

TRENT RICHARDSON

INT

RTG

2 1 0 1 2 1 0 2 0 1 0 1 2 1 2 0 16

83.1 89.3 140.4 123.3 72.8 97.7 105.7 91.0 108.4 90.0 100.1 137.0 59.8 76.5 41.7 135.4 96.5

COBY FLEENER

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

8 1 7 3 2 4 5 4 11 7 4 7 10 5 7 7 92

3 1 4 2 1 2 4 1 4 7 2 4 5 2 4 5 51

21 13 49 26 30 11 64 4 77 144 28 127 56 32 36 56 774

0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 8

RUSHING ATT YDS

TD

6 20 0 21 79 0 14 57 0 20 47 1 9 37 0 17 41 1 14 77 0 Active, Did Not Play 7 33 0 6 0 0 13 42 1 8 12 0 7 30 0 9 32 0 2 1 0 6 11 0 159 519 3

AHMAD BRADSHAW

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 5 70 5 5 26 3 2 18 2 2 20 5 4 17 6 3 25 3 3 36 7 7 52 5 3 29 5 4 7 Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 47 38 300

0 2 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0

6

DAN HERRON

RUSHING ATT YDS

0 0 1 7 0 0 5 1 8 0 12 8 8 11 7 10 78

0 0 1 24 0 0 37 2 10 0 65 88 26 60 3 35 351

ANDREW LUCK

TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1

HAKEEM NICKS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 5 36 3 1 -4 4 4 50 6 2 12 6 3 29 7 2 18 1 0 0 5 1 27 4 3 44 5 2 15 1 1 16 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 2 44 11 9 72 6 3 46 68 38 405

1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 4

RUSHING ATT YDS

5 4 3 1 6 7 4 3 2 3 8 4 5 8 0 1 64

19 20 15 -1 22 18 5 26 5 15 49 20 37 18 0 5 273

T.Y. HILTON

TD

1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3

DONTE MONTCRIEF

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 1 9 1 1 16 5 4 55 2 2 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 9 12 7 113 1 1 2 1 0 0 4 4 38 4 3 134 4 3 33 4 0 0 3 2 5 5 3 16 49 32 444

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 3

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

11 11 6 10 12 9 9 10 6 7 5 5 19 8

5 41 6 65 5 80 6 105 9 90 9 223 7 107 6 155 3 71 3 24 4 122 5 62 10 150 4 50 Inactive 3 0 0 131 82 1345

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 2 0 0 7

DWAYNE ALLEN

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 1 6 3 5 7 6 2 5 0 3 4 3 50

4 64 0 0 4 43 3 38 4 59 3 49 3 52 1 21 4 48 0 0 Inactive Inactive 1 5 2 16 0 0 Inactive 29 395

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 8

| 121

T E A M A N A LY S I S

JACKSONVILLE

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Jaguars By drafting a running back in the second round, the Jaguars did something they had not done since taking Maurice Jones-Drew. Now only if T.J. Yeldon can be as good of a player, and fantasy scorer, as MJD was in his prime. Yeldon will be the workhorse, but doesn’t have a ceiling higher than RB2. Denard Robinson came on strong last year and is an option in deep leagues, while Toby Gerhart will be a short-yardage back and potential touchdown vulture. Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns were pleasant surprises last season, and along with Marqise Lee, should get more targets with Cecil Shorts gone. Not one went over 700 yards receiving last year, though, so expectations should be tempered. The top fantasy player on this roster is tight end Julius Thomas, the Jaguars’ offseason splurge. His numbers won’t be the same without Peyton Manning, but he’s still a weapon in the red zone and a huge upgrade compared to Marcedes Lewis. The production of the pass catchers hinges on Blake Bortles making a second-year leap. He had a mediocre rookie season, but certainly has the tools to be successful. He’s only a bye-week fill-in until any improvement is made.

2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

Carolina Miami at New England at Indianapolis at Tampa Bay Houston Buffalo BYE at N.Y. Jets at Baltimore Tennessee San Diego at Tennessee Indianapolis Atlanta at New Orleans at Houston

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

BLAKE BORTLES CHAD HENNE RUNNING BACKS

T.J. YELDON DENARD ROBINSON TOBY GERHART WIDE RECEIVERS

ALLEN ROBINSON MARQISE LEE ALLEN HURNS TOMMY STREETER TIGHT ENDS

JULIUS THOMAS MARCEDES LEWIS PLACEKICKER

JOSH SCOBEE

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS BLAKE BORTLES GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ PHI WK 2 @ WAS WK 3 IND WK 4 @ SD WK 5 PIT WK 6 @ TEN WK 7 CLE WK 8 MIA WK 9 @ CIN WK 10 DAL WK 12 @ IND WK 13 NYG WK 14 HOU WK 15 @ BAL WK 16 TEN WK 17 @ HOU SEASON TOTALS 

PASSING YDS TD

ATT

CMP

24 37 36 46 31 34 33 37 27 35 39 37 26 33 475

Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 14 223 2 2 29 254 1 2 22 191 0 2 32 336 1 1 17 159 1 3 18 221 1 2 22 247 2 1 22 290 0 1 15 146 0 1 21 194 1 0 20 205 1 1 21 210 0 1 13 115 1 0 14 117 0 0 280 2908 11 17

ALLEN HURNS

GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ PHI WK 2 @ WAS WK 3 IND WK 4 @ SD WK 5 PIT WK 6 @ TEN WK 7 CLE WK 8 MIA WK 9 @ CIN WK 10 DAL WK 12 @ IND WK 13 NYG WK 14 HOU WK 15 @ BAL WK 16 TEN WK 17 @ HOU SEASON TOTALS 

DENARD ROBINSON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

9 6 3 6 11 4 2 4 9 2 4 8 10 9 6 4 97

4 2 1 5 4 2 1 3 7 1 1 4 5 6 3 2 51

110 13 63 68 26 18 7 49 112 9 13 42 36 70 26 15 677

2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 6

INT

RTG

82.5 81.8 52.0 88.7 40.3 58.6 96.4 73.0 55.5 84.7 64.6 61.8 75.0 52.2 69.5

ALLEN ROBINSON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 1 0 6 4 75 10 7 79 7 5 38 11 5 51 9 8 68 7 4 60 10 5 82 8 4 35 10 5 60 Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 81 48 548

0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0

2

RUSHING ATT YDS

3 0 8 9 3 5 22 18 17 15 14 11 10

8 0 33 25 6 22 127 108 94 60 25 44 30 Inactive Not on Team Not on Team 135 582

BLAKE BORTLES

TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 0 0 0

4

MARQISE LEE

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

10 4

2 3 2 0 3 5 8 8 9 6 8 68

122 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

6 62 2 11 Inactive Inactive Inactive 2 26 1 20 1 9 0 0 1 13 3 52 6 75 5 67 4 14 4 65 2 8 37 422

RUSHING ATT YDS

TD

Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 2 30 0 5 24 0 4 14 0 5 38 0 5 37 0 6 48 0 4 10 0 3 3 0 5 24 0 5 68 0 3 10 0 1 2 0 5 50 0 3 61 0 56 419 0

CLAY HARBOR

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1

TOBY GERHART

8 4 4 6 4 2 4 0 2 0 0 0 1 35

Inactive Inactive Inactive 8 70 3 22 3 91 6 34 2 27 0 0 3 28 0 0 1 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 289

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

RUSHING ATT YDS

17 7 9 10 4 4 3 4 4 5 5 13 12 4 101

CECIL SHORTS

TD

42 8 32 32 9 Inactive Inactive 10 19 2 31 7 19 54 53 8 326

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2

DENARD ROBINSON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 2 1 3 2 3 1 2 2 3 5 4 2

1 3 2 14 0 0 3 7 2 -1 3 14 0 0 1 10 2 10 2 10 4 47 3 10 0 0 Inactive Not on Team Not on Team 31 23 124

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

10 4 16 9 8 7 7 3 8 10 11 7 10 110

Inactive Inactive 5 35 2 25 Inactive 10 103 3 12 3 41 5 40 5 119 1 6 4 35 2 3 6 76 2 15 5 47 53 557

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

MARCEDES LEWIS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

9 6 35 3 2 71 Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 0 0 0 0 0 0 Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 3 1 -5 3 2 8 4 3 69 3 2 22 3 2 6 3 0 0 31 18 206

0 1

0 0

0 0 0 0 1 0 2

T E A M A N A LY S I S

KANSAS CITY

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Chiefs 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

at Houston Denver at Green Bay at Cincinnati Chicago at Minnesota Pittsburgh Detroit BYE at Denver at San Diego Buffalo at Oakland San Diego at Baltimore Cleveland Oakland

The Chiefs were a one-player team in terms of starting fantasy players during last year’s drafts, but they should have three in 2015, led by top-five running back Jamaal Charles. Knile Davis should continue to get more work, so he’s a valuable handcuff. This shouldn’t be another year without a wide receiver touchdown for the Chiefs, especially with Jeremy Maclin in the mix. He’ll be the best fantasy wideout the Chiefs have had since Dwayne Bowe’s good years, but will he still be a fantasy No. 1 in a new offense? Fantasy owners should monitor De’Anthony Thomas, Albert Wilson, rookie Chris Conley and Jason Avant this summer to see if one of those players can emerge as a sleeper as Alex Smith’s No. 2 target at wideout. Travis Kelce could be primed for a big year, especially if Maclin attracts attention from opposing safeties. Kelce is a third-year player who was solid as a fantasy player last year with his five touchdowns and 862 receiving yards. He is likely a TE1 in drafts for 2015. Smith’s fantasy value could increase with the addition of Maclin, but he is still a QB2 in fantasy.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

ALEX SMITH CHASE DANIEL RUNNING BACKS

JAMAAL CHARLES KNILE DAVIS CYRUS GRAY WIDE RECEIVERS

JEREMY MACLIN ALBERT WILSON JASON AVANT De’ANTHONY THOMAS CHRIS CONLEY TIGHT ENDS

TRAVIS KELCE PLACEKICKER

CAIRO SANTOS

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS ALEX SMITH GAME

OPP

WK 1 TEN WK 2 @ DEN WK 3 @ MIA WK 4 NE WK 5 @ SF WK 7 @ SD WK 8 STL WK 9 NYJ WK 10 @ BUF WK 11 SEA WK 12 @ OAK WK 13 DEN WK 14 @ AZ WK 15 OAK WK 16 @ PIT WK 17 SD SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

CMP

35 42 25 26 30 28 29 31 29 16 36 23 39 30 45

19 26 19 20 16 19 25 21 17 11 20 15 26 18 31

464

303

PASSING YDS TD

202 1 255 0 186 3 248 3 158 1 221 1 223 0 199 2 177 0 108 0 234 2 153 2 293 1 297 2 311 0 Inactive 3265 18

TRAVIS KELCE

GAME

OPP

WK 1 TEN WK 2 @ DEN WK 3 @ MIA WK 4 NE WK 5 @ SF WK 7 @ SD WK 8 STL WK 9 NYJ WK 10 @ BUF WK 11 SEA WK 12 @ OAK WK 13 DEN WK 14 @ AZ WK 15 OAK WK 16 @ PIT WK 17 SD SEASON TOTALS 

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 3 49 6 4 81 4 3 36 9 8 93 3 2 15 4 4 33 6 4 45 5 4 67 2 2 19 5 3 37 5 4 67 3 3 36 9 7 110 6 5 59 7 4 31 8 7 84 87 67 862

0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 5

JAMAAL CHARLES

INT

RTG

3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0

45.2 79.0 136.0 144.4 65.7 103.4 98.7 106.8 76.4 87.5 94.0 95.0 86.8 115.6 88.3

6

93.4

DWAYNE BOWE

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

Suspended 6 3 40 5 3 32 6 5 81 6 3 42 7 5 84 6 6 64 10 6 55 12 8 93 4 2 18 5 3 42 5 2 18 3 2 29 7 3 69 8 6 57 5 3 30 95 60 754

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RUSHING ATT YDS

7 2 18 15 22 14 20 15 20 19 10 10 12 9 13 206

19 4 Inactive 92 80 95 67 78 98 159 80 35 91 52 29 54 1,033

KNILE DAVIS

RUSHING ATT YDS

TD

0 0

1 22 32 16 2 10 16 3 4 5 2 0 1 9 2 9 134

1 0 1 2 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 9

JAMAAL CHARLES

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

4 1 3 4 4 4 4 4 2 7 6 4 2 7 3 59

4 15 1 8 Inactive 3 16 1 4 2 12 4 44 2 10 3 20 2 19 4 42 4 24 2 20 1 1 5 48 2 8 40 291

0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 5

3 79 132 107 6 25 49 9 1 10 2 0 4 11 2 23 463

ALEX SMITH

TD

0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 6

ANTHONY FASANO

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 4 2 1 7 1 4 3 1 2 1 1 1 2 0 36

3 29 3 39 2 23 0 0 4 32 0 0 4 19 3 24 1 7 Inactive 2 30 1 20 0 0 1 2 1 1 0 0 25 226

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 4

RUSHING ATT YDS

6 5 2 4 1 6 3 0 4 2 2 5 4 3 2

36 42 17 8 6 29 24 0 25 -1 5 6 26 17 14 Inactive 49 254

D’ANTHONY THOMAS TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

D’ANTHONY THOMAS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 2 5 1 0 1 6 2 1 3 7 3 31

Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 0 0 2 21 4 14 1 5 0 0 1 10 2 15 2 5 1 6 1 5 6 47 3 28 23 156

ATT

RUSHING YDS

TD

1 1 0 1 1 3 1 0 2 2 1 1 14

Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 17 5 0 26 3 22 9 0 5 14 -6 18 113

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

ALBERT WILSON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1 0 1 0 0 2 0 8 5 7 4 28

0 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 1 11 0 0 1 13 0 0 0 0 2 27 0 0 4 53 3 69 5 87 0 0 16 260

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

| 123

T E A M A N A LY S I S

MIAMI

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Dolphins 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

at Washington at Jacksonville Buffalo N.Y. Jets BYE at Tennessee Houston at New England at Buffalo at Philadelphia Dallas at N.Y. Jets Baltimore N.Y. Giants at San Diego Indianapolis New England

Entering his fourth NFL season coming off a pretty good 2014 campaign, Ryan Tannehill could be poised to continue ascending – or will he plateau? The Dolphins think it’s the former after giving him a new contract. He is not a No. 1 QB in fantasy, but a sleeper and definite QB2. Miami’s first-round pick, DeVante Parker, has big-play potential and could be the team’s deep-ball target. With all the success of rookie receivers, he’s worth an early look. Kenny Stills joins a receiving corps that includes last year’s impressive slot man Jarvis Landry, who should be dynamic for PPR leagues. Greg Jennings can work the middle of the field, too. Charles Clay is gone, but Jordan Cameron enters as a very good pass-catching option, especially in the red zone, if he can stay healthy. Miami can use him to help make up for the departed Mike Wallace’s 10 TDs in 2014. Lamar Miller had 1,099 rushing yards and nine total touchdowns last season. Can he pick up where he left off and emerge as a No. 1 fantasy back in 2015? Keep an eye on rookie Jay Ajayi to see if he gets the goal-line carries.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

RYAN TANNEHILL MATT MOORE RUNNING BACKS

LAMAR MILLER JAY AJAYI DAMIEN WILLIAMS WIDE RECEIVERS

DeVANTE PARKER JARVIS LANDRY KENNY STILLS GREG JENNINGS TIGHT ENDS

JORDAN CAMERON DION SIMS PLACEKICKER

CALEB STURGIS

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS RYAN TANNEHILL GAME

OPP

WK 1 NE WK 2 @ BUF WK 3 KC WK 4 @ OAK WK 6 GB WK 7 @ CHI WK 8 @ JAX WK 9 SD WK 10 @ DET WK 11 BUF WK 12 @ DEN WK 13 @ NYJ WK 14 BAL WK 15 @ NE WK 16 MIN WK 17 NYJ SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

32 49 43 31 31 32 29 34 38 34 36 35 33 47 47 39 590

PASSING YDS TD

CMP

18 31 21 23 20 25 16 24 27 26 26 25 23 29 35 23 392

178 241 205 278 244 277 196 288 207 240 228 235 227 346 396 259 4045

MIKE WALLACE

GAME

OPP

WK 1 NE WK 2 @ BUF WK 3 KC WK 4 @ OAK WK 6 GB WK 7 @ CHI WK 8 @ JAX WK 9 SD WK 10 @ DET WK 11 BUF WK 12 @ DEN WK 13 @ NYJ WK 14 BAL WK 15 @ NE WK 16 MIN WK 17 NYJ SEASON TOTALS 

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

11 7 81 1 8 5 56 1 12 5 74 0 4 3 35 1 9 5 67 1 8 5 46 1 7 2 59 0 8 3 50 0 8 5 51 1 7 4 38 0 5 4 35 1 11 6 69 0 4 3 39 0 7 5 104 1 5 5 58 2 1 0 0 0 115 67 862 10

2 1 1 2 2 2 1 3 1 2 3 0 1 1 4 1 27

LAMAR MILLER

INT

RTG

1 1 0 1 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 2 1 0 12

79.9 73.6 70.4 109.3 83.3 123.6 73.3 125.6 81.8 114.8 104.9 77.7 98.9 73.5 118.8 87.4 92.8

CHARLES CLAY

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 8 4 4 5 5 3 8 9 6 3 7 10 6 84

2 27 7 31 3 21 2 32 3 35 4 58 1 1 5 65 7 45 5 31 Inactive Inactive 2 41 6 59 6 114 5 45 58 605

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 3

RUSHING ATT YDS

11 11 15 12 14 18 14 11 4 15 12 13 12 16 19 19 216

59 46 108 64 53 61 78 49 10 86 59 56 53 47 92 178 1099

RYAN TANNEHILL

TD

0 0 0 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 8

BRIAN HARTLINE

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

4 2 26 8 5 36 7 3 25 7 6 74 2 0 0 3 3 35 4 1 19 7 5 50 1 1 1 4 3 55 2 2 39 1 1 9 4 2 11 2 0 0 1 0 0 6 5 94 63 39 474

124 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2

RUSHING ATT YDS

3 4 1 5 3 6 5 4 2 4 4 4 2 3 6 0 56

-2 11 9 35 49 48 48 47 0 16 15 13 6 21 -5 0 311

DANIEL THOMAS

TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1

LAMAR MILLER

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 4 19 5 2 7 5 4 24 2 2 3 3 3 40 3 2 22 3 3 21 2 1 8 2 1 -4 2 2 12 1 1 8 3 2 11 5 5 36 2 1 10 7 5 58 2 0 0 52 38 275

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

RUSHING ATT YDS

Not on Team Not on Team 2 15 5 35 Inactive 7 25 4 18 9 8 5 14 5 23 3 19 1 5 0 0 2 5 Inactive 1 1 44 168

JARVIS LANDRY

TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2

DION SIMS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 5 4 3 1 3 4 36

1 9 0 0 0 0 1 18 1 5 2 33 2 51 Inactive Inactive 2 11 4 31 4 58 2 18 0 0 3 35 2 15 24 284

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 0 0 6 5 49 7 3 24 4 4 38 8 6 75 5 4 46 3 3 23 6 5 46 10 7 53 5 5 46 11 7 50 11 8 68 6 6 55 11 8 99 9 8 31 9 5 55 112 84 758

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 5

BRANDON GIBSON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 4 4 4 3 2 2 3 6 3 3 4 5 7 51

1 9 3 27 1 3 2 26 Inactive Inactive 1 7 1 18 2 20 2 13 5 42 2 17 1 7 3 29 2 50 3 27 29 295

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

T E A M A N A LY S I S

MINNESOTA

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Vikings 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

at San Francisco Detroit San Diego at Denver BYE Kansas City at Detroit at Chicago St. Louis at Oakland Green Bay at Atlanta Seattle at Arizona Chicago N.Y. Giants at Green Bay

Back from suspension, Adrian Peterson is as healthy as he’s been in years and re-enters firm RB1 status. What he has left at 30 is debatable, but remember what Peterson did last time his fantasy value was questioned, and his situation is better under Norv Turner. Teddy Bridgewater isn’t yet in the reliable QB1 conversation, but after his impressive rookie growth, he is Minnesota’s unquestioned QB1 – with the moxie, athleticism and bolstered arsenal to be an intriguing late-round flier. Speaking of fliers, Mike Wallace’s arrival gives Bridgewater lethal perimeter speed and the true No. 1 he lacked in 2014. Wallace matched a career-high with 10 touchdowns, and could soar in Turner’s vertical attack. Wallace will be the first Vikings wideout drafted, but Charles Johnson could become the best producer. He has No. 1 traits and a burgeoning rapport with Bridgewater, giving Johnson definite sleeper potential. Cordarrelle Patterson remains a player with great potential but a lot to prove. Don’t discount Kyle Rudolph’s TE1 upside under Turner, but ensure the discount is fair given the red-zone threat’s injury woes. RB Jerick McKinnon isn’t just a vital handcuff; he has dynamic ability and a chance to be Turner’s fantasy-coveted receiving back (see: Sproles, Darren).

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

TEDDY BRIDGEWATER SHAUN HILL RUNNING BACKS

ADRIAN PETERSON JERICK McKINNON MATT ASIATA WIDE RECEIVERS

MIKE WALLACE CHARLES JOHNSON CORDARRELLE PATTERSON JARIUS WRIGHT TIGHT ENDS

KYLE RUDOPLH MyCOLE PRUITT PLACEKICKER

BLAIR WALSH

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS TEDDY BRIDGEWATER GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ STL WK 2 NE WK 3 @ NO WK 4 ATL WK 5 @ GB WK 6 DET WK 7 @ BUF WK 8 @ TB WK 9 WAS WK 11 @ CHI WK 12 GB WK 13 CAR WK 14 NYJ WK 15 @ DET WK 16 @ MIA WK 17 CHI SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

20 30 37 26 42 42 28 37 21 27 41 26 25 402

CMP

PASSING YDS TD

Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 12 150 0 0 19 317 0 0 Inactive 23 188 0 3 15 157 1 2 24 241 1 0 26 268 1 0 18 158 1 1 21 210 2 1 15 138 2 0 19 309 2 1 31 315 1 2 19 259 2 1 17 209 1 1 259 2919 14 12

MATT ASIATA

GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ STL WK 2 NE WK 3 @ NO WK 4 ATL WK 5 @ GB WK 6 DET WK 7 @ BUF WK 8 @ TB WK 9 WAS WK 11 @ CHI WK 12 GB WK 13 CAR WK 14 NYJ WK 15 @ DET WK 16 @ MIA WK 17 CHI SEASON TOTALS 

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 7 6 4 3 2 2 5 5 5 4 4 7 4 4 63

INT

1 5 5 48 3 36 3 22 0 0 1 18 1 13 4 26 4 31 3 12 Inactive 4 5 3 10 7 50 3 19 2 17 44 312

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

MATT ASIATA

RTG

83.3 98.9 41.3 56.1 81.5 88.2 76.2 79.8 120.7 117.7 84.9 114.1 90.2 85.2

JARIUS WRIGHT

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 2 25 3 1 12 0 0 0 10 8 132 8 3 27 6 4 17 4 4 60 3 2 13 4 2 29 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 40 5 4 123 6 4 49 3 3 38 3 3 23 62 42 588

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2

RUSHING ATT YDS

2 13 12 20 15 2 6 4 10 1

RUSHING ATT YDS

TD

0 0 1 2 0 9

1 7 -1 135 24 40 103 83 54 38 54 Inactive Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 113 538

CORDARRELLE PATTERSON

CHARLES JOHNSON

14 19 11 16 19 164

10 36 35 78 72 -5 24 1 26 2 Inactive 52 54 36 58 91 570

JERICK McKINNON

0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 3 0

1 2 2 18 7 11 19 16 14 8 15

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 3 26 7 4 56 5 4 61 4 2 38 4 2 8 8 2 15 4 2 9 12 6 86 7 1 9 3 2 24 2 2 18 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 16 1 1 18 1 0 0 67 33 384

0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

TEDDY BRIDGEWATER

TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

Not on Team Not on Team Inactive Inactive 3 1 7 3 2 22 0 0 0 5 2 18 1 1 13 7 6 87 11 3 52 4 2 41 8 4 103 7 5 72 6 3 38 4 2 22 59 31 475

0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2

RUSHING ATT YDS

TD

Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 6 27 0 5 27 1 Inactive 3 11 0 1 7 0 1 3 0 3 20 0 4 2 0 5 32 0 2 12 0 3 7 0 3 30 0 5 13 0 6 18 0 47 209 1

JERICK McKINNON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 3 5 3 5 6 4 1 4 7 3

0 0 2 5 2 9 1 17 3 22 6 42 2 -2 1 -1 3 14 4 20 3 9 Inactive Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 41 27 135

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0

GREG JENNINGS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

7 6 58 5 1 4 7 5 70 4 3 72 6 2 31 6 3 33 7 6 77 6 3 38 10 6 76 2 1 4 6 4 38 6 5 45 7 5 52 5 3 43 3 3 56 5 3 45 92 59 742

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 6

KYLE RUDOLPH

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

4 8 5

0 5 3 2 7 0 34

2 16 5 53 3 27 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 0 0 3 50 2 7 2 9 7 69 Inactive 0 0 24 231

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

1 0 0

0 0 1 0 0 0 2

| 125

T E A M A N A LY S I S

NEW ENGLAND

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Patriots 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

Pittsburgh at Buffalo Jacksonville BYE at Dallas at Indianapolis N.Y. Jets Miami Washington at N.Y. Giants Buffalo Bills at Denver Philadelphia at Houston Tennessee at N.Y. Jets at Miami

Tom Brady’s suspension for “Deflategate” certainly hurts his fantasy value, but he’s still worth a late QB1 pick if you also grab a solid QB2 who can put up decent numbers to start the season. Don’t be afraid to take a chance on Jimmy Garoppolo in the first few weeks. Rob Gronkowski remains the game’s best tight end, on the field and in fantasy football box scores. He is a touchdown threat every time the Patriots get to the red zone, whether it’s Brady or Garoppolo throwing to him. The challenge will be for owners to see if Tim Wright, Scott Chandler, Fred Davis or Michael Hoomanawanui is worth a roster spot as a sleeper tight end. Julian Edelman is the top wideout and a fantasy starter with great value in PPR leagues. Brandon LaFell came on strong late and is a flex player simply for being a target in the highly productive offense. Can Danny Amendola stay healthy and earn fantasy attention? Will a No. 4 receiver step up? Running back is always a crapshoot with Josh McDaniels’ offense. Week-in and week-out, owners won’t know if it’ll be LeGarrette Blount’s big day or Jonas Gray, and Brandon Bolden can get goal-line carries. James White and Travaris Cadet are options in deep leagues.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

TOM BRADY JIMMY GAROPPOLO RUNNING BACKS

LeGARRETTE BLOUNT JONAS GRAY BRANDON BOLDEN WIDE RECEIVERS

JULIAN EDELMAN BRANDON LaFELL DANNY AMENDOLA TIGHT ENDS

ROB GRONKOWSKI TIM WRIGHT SCOTT CHANDLER PLACEKICKER

STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS TOM BRADY GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ MIA WK 2 @ MIN WK 3 OAK WK 4 @ KC WK 5 CIN WK 6 @ BUF WK 7 NYJ WK 8 CHI WK 9 DEN WK 11 @ IND WK 12 DET WK 13 @GB WK 14 @ SD WK 15 MIA WK 16 @ NYJ WK 17 BUF SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

CMP

56 21 37 23 35 37 37 35 53 30 53 35 44 35 35 16 582

29 14 24 14 23 27 20 30 33 19 38 22 28 21 23 8 373

PASSING YDS TD

249 149 234 159 292 361 261 354 333 257 349 245 317 287 182 80 4109

JULIAN EDELMAN

GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ MIA WK 2 @ MIN WK 3 OAK WK 4 @ KC WK 5 CIN WK 6 @ BUF WK 7 NYJ WK 8 CHI WK 9 DEN WK 11 @ IND WK 12 DET WK 13 @GB WK 14 @ SD WK 15 MIA WK 16 @ NYJ WK 17 BUF SEASON TOTALS 

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

8 7 13 8 8 12 9 4 10 8 15 10 12 10

6 95 6 81 10 84 4 23 5 35 9 91 4 44 1 14 9 89 5 50 11 89 7 48 8 141 7 88 Inactive Inactive 134 92 972

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 4

1 1 1 1 2 4 3 5 4 2 2 2 2 2 1 0 33

JONAS GRAY

INT

RTG

0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 9

69.7 103.1 91.5 59.9 110.7 139.6 103.5 148.4 97.4 85.0 94.0 102.7 90.8 93.4 76.1 64.6 97.4

ROB GRONKOWSKI

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

11 6 6 3 11 9 10 9 10 5 10 12 11 8 10

4 40 1 4 32 0 3 44 1 2 31 1 6 100 1 7 94 0 5 68 0 9 149 3 9 105 1 4 71 1 5 78 0 7 98 0 8 87 1 3 96 1 6 31 1 Inactive 131 82 1124 12

RUSHING ATT YDS

SHANE VEREEN

TD

Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 3 12 0 17 86 0 12 33 0 37 201 4 Active, Did Not Play 1 4 0 2 9 0 11 62 0 6 5 1 Inactive 89 412 5

BRANDON LaFELL

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 0 0 0 0 0 8 4 46 10 6 119 4 1 20 6 4 97 5 4 55 11 11 124 13 6 53 4 3 62 12 9 98 7 5 38 9 4 41 8 6 66 10 7 64 6 4 70 119 74 953

126 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 7

RUSHING ATT YDS

7 6 7 8 9 5 11 5 11 1 8 3 1 6 6 2 96

36 40 20 26 90 4 43 22 29 18 12 6 1 5 38 1 391

STEVAN RIDLEY

TD

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2

SHANE VEREEN

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

8 5 35 1 0 0 6 4 17 5 5 41 3 3 18 3 1 3 8 5 71 5 3 23 10 5 38 4 4 59 9 8 48 2 1 26 4 3 30 3 1 12 2 1 12 4 3 14 77 52 447

0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

RUSHING ATT YDS

LeGARRETTE BLOUNT TD

8 21 0 25 101 1 19 54 0 5 28 0 27 113 1 10 23 0 Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve 94 340 2

DANNY AMENDOLA

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 3 16 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 7 0 0 0 3 1 19 2 2 5 3 2 35 2 2 13 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 3 7 1 1 11 11 8 63 7 4 24 42 27 200

0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

ATT

RUSHING YDS

Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 12 78 10 58 20 66 8 17 Inactive 10 62 60 281

TD

2 0 0 1 0 3

TIM WRIGHT

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 3 15 1 0 0 1 1 20 0 0 0 5 5 85 1 1 1 0 0 0 7 7 61 0 0 0 2 1 2 6 5 36 1 1 12 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 12 3 1 15 33 26 259

0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 6

T E A M A N A LY S I S

NEW ORLEANS

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Saints 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

at Arizona Tampa Bay at Carolina Dallas at Philadelphia Atlanta at Indianapolis N.Y. Giants Tennessee at Washington BYE at Houston Carolina at Tampa Bay Detroit Jacksonville at Atlanta

When the Saints traded Jimmy Graham to Seattle for a first-round pick, they not only gave up an elite fantasy tight end but also legitimately decreased the value of Drew Brees – not that they care. Brees has been one of the steadiest hands for seemingly forever, but projections are all over the map for the 36-year-old with middling surrounding skill players. He might be a guy who can help win your league if he’s one of the later starting quarterbacks taken, but otherwise, he presents a bit of a risk this year. That’s partly because none of his top receivers – Brandin Cooks, Marques Colston or Nick Toon – is a legitimate go-to option. Brees’ targets are good bets to do something, though, so watch out for them and new tight end Josh Hill, whom Saints brass has raved about and clearly trusts to make the trade it did. Oddly enough, the Saints’ running backs are their most intriguing options. Behind first-round left tackle Andrus Peat, Mark Ingram (eighth in yards per game in 2014) should do well with a bigger workload. Drafting the lightning-quick C.J. Spiller a little later could be a great handcuff strategy. The Saints will still score, so keep Shayne Graham in mind as a kicker.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

DREW BREES RUNNING BACKS

MARK INGRAM C.J. SPILLER KHIRY ROBINSON WIDE RECEIVERS

BRANDIN COOKS MARQUES COLSTON NICK TOON JOSEPH MORGAN SEANTAVIUS JONES TIGHT ENDS

JOSH HILL BEN WATSON PLACEKICKER

SHAYNE GRAHAM

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS DREW BREES

GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ ATL WK 2 @ CLE WK 3 MIN WK 4 @ DAL WK 5 TB WK 7 @ DET WK 8 GB WK 9 @ CAR WK 10 SF WK 11 CIN WK 12 BAL WK 13 @ PIT WK 14 CAR WK 15 @ CHI WK 16 ATL WK 17 @ TB SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

42 40 35 44 57 45 32 34 47 41 45 27 49 36 47 38 659

CMP

29 27 27 32 35 28 27 24 28 33 35 19 29 29 30 24 456

PASSING YDS TD

333 237 293 340 371 342 311 297 292 255 420 257 235 375 313 281 4952

KENNY STILLS

GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ ATL WK 2 @ CLE WK 3 MIN WK 4 @ DAL WK 5 TB WK 7 @ DET WK 8 GB WK 9 @ CAR WK 10 SF WK 11 CIN WK 12 BAL WK 13 @ PIT WK 14 CAR WK 15 @ CHI WK 16 ATL WK 17 @ TB SEASON TOTALS 

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

Inactive 4 3 25 5 4 38 3 2 62 3 1 16 5 5 103 4 4 57 8 5 72 6 3 26 4 4 32 9 8 98 6 5 162 4 3 23 7 5 67 8 6 68 8 5 82 84 63 931

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 3

1 2 2 2 2 2 3 1 3 1 3 5 1 3 1 1 33

MARK INGRAM

INT

RTG

1 1 0 1 3 1 0 1 2 0 1 0 1 0 2 3 17

90.7 89.3 120.3 100.6 70.1 91.2 138.4 94.9 81.2 100.7 118.5 140.0 69.7 137.8 72.4 61.4 97.0

MARQUES COLSTON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

8 5 110 0 0 0 5 2 25 11 5 50 6 3 63 10 6 111 5 4 49 3 3 36 4 2 36 8 4 56 4 4 82 5 3 16 7 5 72 7 5 65 10 6 80 6 2 51 99 59 902

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 5

RUSHING ATT YDS

13 11

10 24 30 27 23 11 23 10 17 13 14 226

60 83 Inactive Inactive Inactive 16 172 100 120 67 27 122 43 59 38 57 964

KHIRY ROBINSON

TD

2 1

0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 9

BRANDIN COOKS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

8 7 77 6 3 17 10 8 74 6 5 31 11 9 56 3 2 23 7 6 94 3 3 38 8 5 90 7 5 50 Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 69 53 550

1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0

3

RUSHING ATT YDS

6 8 18 8 21 3

0 3 2 7 76

28 31 69 87 89 26 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 0 10 7 15 362

PIERRE THOMAS

TD

1 0 0 0 1 0

0 0 0 1 3

PIERRE THOMAS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

7 3 3 2 10 4

6 58 3 16 3 21 2 15 8 77 4 17 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 8 6 37 4 2 16 6 4 14 5 5 83 3 2 24 Not on Team 55 45 378

0 0 0 0 1 0

0 0 0 0 0 1

RUSHING ATT YDS

7 3 8 2 4 6

31 16 30 8 35 13 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 5 19 3 21 5 38 2 11 0 0 Not on Team 45 222

JIMMY GRAHAM

TD

0 0 1 0 1 0

0 0 0 0 0 2

TRAVARIS CADET

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 0 0 6 5 9 5 5 5 5 2 2 2 0

1 5 0 0 0 0 6 59 3 19 6 51 4 40 3 29 3 18 4 31 2 11 2 11 2 13 0 0 Inactive 4 2 9 51 38 296

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

10 8 82 0 13 10 118 2 8 6 54 0 10 8 86 1 5 2 36 0 2 0 0 0 6 5 59 1 7 7 83 1 13 10 76 2 3 3 29 0 10 6 47 2 0 0 0 0 11 3 25 0 7 5 87 0 10 6 53 1 9 6 54 0 124 85 889 10

MARK INGRAM

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 4

3 2 2 5 7 2 2 2 0 3 3 36

1 1 3 21 Inactive Inactive Inactive 2 13 1 3 1 10 3 19 7 30 2 15 2 -1 2 13 0 0 3 17 2 4 29 145

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

| 127

T E A M A N A LY S I S

NEW YORK

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Giants 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

at Dallas Atlanta Washington at Buffalo San Francisco at Philadelphia Dallas at New Orleans at Tampa Bay New England BYE at Washington N.Y. Jets at Miami Carolina at Minnesota Philadelphia

Making his otherworldly, one-handed TD catch in the 31-28 Week 12 prime-time loss to Dallas seem almost routine, Giants WR Odell Beckham burst onto the scene with a brilliant 12-TD rookie campaign in only 12 games, making one great catch after another. He in effect singlehandedly carried the fantasy teams of his lucky owners to deep playoff runs. The prospect of Beckham picking up where he left off over an entire 16-game slate puts him in the conversation for top fantasy WR1 status entering 2015. As for the rest of the team, while there do not appear to be any bona fide fantasy starters on the horizon, there are a host of players capable of providing excellent fantasy depth, starting with veteran QB Eli Manning, who bounced back from a horrendous 2013 campaign with a respectable 30-14 TD-interception ratio in the fourth 4,000-yard passing season of his career. TE Larry Donnell, who started out like a house on fire last season (25 catches for 236 yards and four TDs the first four games), could be another particularly useful fantasy backup in an offense that likes to keep the tight end involved in the passing game.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

ELI MANNING RYAN NASSIB RUNNING BACKS

RASHAD JENNINGS SHANE VEREEN ANDRE WILLIAMS WIDE RECEIVERS

ODELL BECKHAM VICTOR CRUZ RUEBEN RANDLE DWAYNE HARRIS TIGHT ENDS

LARRY DONNELL ADRIEN ROBINSON PLACEKICKER

JOSH BROWN

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS ELI MANNING GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ DET WK 2 AZ WK 3 HOU WK 4 @ WAS WK 5 ATL WK 6 @ PHI WK 7 @ DAL WK 9 IND WK 10 @ SEA WK 11 SF WK 12 DAL WK 13 @ JAX WK 14 @ TEN WK 15 WAS WK 16 @ STL WK 17 PHI SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

CMP

33 39 28 39 30 23 33 52 44 45 40 34 42 34 32 53 601

18 26 21 28 19 13 21 27 29 22 29 24 26 23 25 28 379

PASSING YDS TD

163 277 234 300 200 151 248 359 283 280 338 247 260 250 391 429 4410

RUEBEN RANDLE

GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ DET WK 2 AZ WK 3 HOU WK 4 @ WAS WK 5 ATL WK 6 @ PHI WK 7 @ DAL WK 9 IND WK 10 @ SEA WK 11 SF WK 12 DAL WK 13 @ JAX WK 14 @ TEN WK 15 WAS WK 16 @ STL WK 17 PHI SEASON TOTALS 

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 7 10 10 10 9 9 11 10 15 3 4 3 4 6 13 127

2 1 4 39 5 27 8 89 4 33 5 58 6 74 4 49 5 39 7 112 3 36 3 52 1 9 2 30 6 132 6 158 71 938

0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3

1 2 2 4 2 0 3 2 1 1 3 1 1 3 3 1 30

ANDRE WILLIAMS

INT

RTG

2 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 5 1 0 1 0 0 1 14

53.0 83.0 123.2 117.5 104.9 76.5 116.7 86.9 81.9 36.6 112.3 101.0 77.5 118.5 148.8 78.3 92.1

LARRY DONNELL

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

8 5 56 9 7 81 6 6 45 8 7 54 1 0 0 2 1 6 7 7 90 8 4 25 6 4 26 6 3 54 4 2 24 7 5 55 7 4 28 2 2 11 5 4 42 6 2 26 92 63 623

1 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 6

RUSHING ATT YDS

5 8 6 15 20 17 18 12 13 2 10 8 24 18 26 15 217

9 12 18 66 65 59 51 22 33 2 35 21 131 44 110 43 721

RASHAD JENNINGS

TD

0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 7

PRESTON PARKER

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 0 0 2 1 29 4 3 33 5 3 29 3 3 61 1 1 6 3 2 19 6 1 7 7 7 79 2 1 9 3 1 16 4 2 6 5 5 60 4 1 12 3 3 32 4 2 20 56 36 418

128 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2

RUSHING ATT YDS

PEYTON HILLIS

ODELL BECKHAM, JR.

TD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 4

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 31 0 2 7 0 5 24 0 6 29 0 4 20 0 1 4 0 Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve 26 115 0

Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 4 44 1 2 28 0 4 34 2 8 156 0 7 108 0 6 93 0 10 146 2 7 90 0 11 130 1 12 143 3 8 148 2 12 185 1 91 1305 12

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

16 18 34 13 10

18 19 26 2 1 10 167

46 64 176 55 55 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 59 52 91 5 3 Inactive 33 639

TD

1 0 1 0 0

0 0 2 0 0

RASHAD JENNINGS

5 4 0 2 2

7 10 5 1 0 5 41

4 50 4 45 0 0 1 -3 2 17 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 4 8 8 68 3 3 1 17 0 0 Inactive 3 21 30 226

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RUSHING ATT YDS

VICTOR CRUZ

6 2 24 0 10 5 60 0 6 5 107 1 10 6 108 0 6 3 22 0 3 2 16 0 Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve Injured Reserve 41 23 337 1

5 4 6 11 9 13 11 8 15 15 12 21 130

ANDRE WILLIAMS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 0 0 4 2 7 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 18 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 1 24 5 2 5 2 1 4 2 1 12 3 2 16 5 3 16 4 1 9 1 0 0 3 3 19 37 18 130

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

T E A M A N A LY S I S

NEW YORK

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Jets 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

Cleveland at Indianapolis Philadelphia at Miami BYE Washington at New England at Oakland Jacksonville Buffalo at Houston Miami at N.Y. Giants Tennessee at Dallas New England at Buffalo

VALUE CHART

A new coach, a new wide receiver, but still lots of fantasy football questions for the Jets. Brandon Marshall has been a No. 1 WR since entering the league, but he’s coming off an injuryplagued season that was his least productive, and joining an offense with questions at quarterback. Still, he will be the team’s top weapon this season. Eric Decker’s production took an expected dip in his first year away from the Broncos, and while he won’t be the top target in 2015 because of Marshall, he should see more favorable coverages. Rookie Devin Smith has boom-or-bust potential, like he was in college, if he can periodically catch long TD passes for big fantasy weeks. Tight ends Jeff Cumberland and Jace Amaro both have the skills to be seam-stretching tight ends, but neither is starter-worthy in fantasy. Chris Ivory led the team last season in rushing and should be the workhorse again, but is no more than a No. 2 RB in fantasy. Bilal Powell and Zac Stacy are options in deep leagues. Can Geno Smith take a big step forward in a crucial Year 3, with Ryan Fitzpatrick there to compete? As of now, it appears the Jets again remain without a legit No. 1 fantasy quarterback.

QUARTERBACKS

GENO SMITH RYAN FITZPATRICK RUNNING BACKS

CHRIS IVORY BILAL POWELL ZAC STACY WIDE RECEIVERS

BRANDON MARSHALL ERIC DECKER DEVIN SMITH JEREMY KERLEY TIGHT ENDS

JEFF CUMBERLAND JACE AMARO PLACEKICKER

NICK FOLK

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS GENO SMITH GAME

OPP

ATT

CMP

28 32 43 33 12 43 34 8

23 16 26 17 4 23 20 2

PASSING YDS TD

INT

RTG

ATT

221 1 1 176 1 1 316 1 2 209 1 1 27 0 1 190 2 1 226 1 0 5 0 3 Inactive Active, Did Not Play 10 89 0 0 7 65 0 1 18 254 1 1 16 179 1 0 17 210 1 1 20 358 3 0 219 2525 13 13

96.6 64.1 71.5 68.9 7.6 70.9 88.6 0.0

1 0 0

WK 1 OAK WK 2 @ GB WK 3 CHI WK 4 DET WK 5 @ SD WK 6 DEN WK 7 @ NE WK 8 BUF WK 9 @ KC WK 10 PIT WK 12 @ BUF WK 13 MIA WK 14 @ MIN WK 15 @ TEN WK 16 NE WK 17 @ MIA SEASON TOTALS 

12 13 29 28 27 25 367

GAME

RUSHING ATT YDS

GENO SMITH

OPP

WK 1 OAK WK 2 @ GB WK 3 CHI WK 4 DET WK 5 @ SD WK 6 DEN WK 7 @ NE WK 8 BUF WK 9 @ KC WK 10 PIT WK 12 @ BUF WK 13 MIA WK 14 @ MIN WK 15 @ TEN WK 16 NE WK 17 @ MIA SEASON TOTALS 

10 7 3 4 1 2 7 1

MICHAEL VICK

97.6 35.7 87.4 88.2 83.9 158.3 77.5

ERIC DECKER

TD

38 0 26 1 20 0 4 0 3 0 11 0 37 0 0 0 Inactive Active, Did Not Play 2 4 0 4 19 0 6 33 0 4 16 0 3 9 0 5 18 0 59 238 1

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

7 7 1 10 10 7 11 12 4 8 4 8 11 4 11 115

5 74 4 63 1 19 4 48 Inactive 6 54 4 65 7 40 9 63 3 24 4 63 2 18 6 89 7 100 2 21 10 221 74 962

0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5

19 0 36 28 18 19

0 121

CMP

PASSING YDS TD

JACE AMARO

1 2 4 53

INT

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Active, Did Not Play 8 47 0 Active, Did Not Play 0 0 0 18 153 0 21 196 1 10 132 2 7 76 0 Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 0 0 0 64 604 3

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

4 1 4 5 3 12 5 5 0 5 2

CHRIS IVORY

2 7 1 6 3 54 5 58 3 19 10 68 3 22 5 51 0 0 2 6 0 0 Inactive Inactive 1 20 0 0 3 34 38 345

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2

RTG

0 0 0

39.6 0 0

0

49.7

0 1 0 0 1

0 49.9 105.7 116 27.5

0 2

0 68.3

JEREMY KERLEY

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 5 38 8 3 22 11 7 81 3 1 3 6 3 24 7 1 4 5 2 29 5 2 25 4 2 11 1 0 0 5 5 66 1 1 2 4 2 17 2 0 0 6 3 54 2 1 33 75 38 409

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

RUSHING ATT YDS

10 13 10 17 9 8 21 13 8 14 7 16 16 12 11 13 198

102 44 44 84 44 7 107 43 22 51 31 62 73 25 53 29 821

CHRIS JOHNSON TD

ATT

RUSHING YDS

TD

1 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 6

13 12 10 6 7 3 13 3 11 7 7 17 16 10 10 10 155

68 21 34 44 24 9 61 7 69 23 40 105 53 55 30 20 663

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

PERCY HARVIN

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 9 3 22 13 11 129 5 3 23 5 1 2 3 1 6 9 6 124 3 0 0 5 4 44 Inactive 52 29 350

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1

JEFF CUMBERLAND

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 4 50 2 1 14 6 3 18 1 0 0 6 2 12 2 2 10 4 3 50 3 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 5 1 0 0 2 0 0 2 2 22 5 3 43 3 2 23 47 23 247

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3

| 129

T E A M A N A LY S I S

OAKLAND

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Raiders 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

Cincinnati Baltimore at Cleveland at Chicago Denver BYE at San Diego N.Y. Jets at Pittsburgh Minnesota at Detroit at Tennessee Kansas City at Denver Green Bay San Diego at Kansas City

Oakland has become a black hole for fantasy owners – aside from their kicker. Owners need to find a player worth drafting, and the best on this team is a rookie – Amari Cooper. The former Alabama wideout was as close to a “sure thing” as anyone in the draft. While his production is contingent on the play of Derek Carr, he should be the top playmaker. Michael Crabtree joins the ranks as a solid PPR option as well, as he’ll get plenty of targets. Keep an eye on a potential WR3 sleeper, Andre Holmes. Carr, the second-year signalcaller, isn’t a No. 1 QB, but he has the highest potential for points, and could even be a sleeper in his sophomore season. An improved O-line helps, but he’ll need more weapons, and the ones he has also have to take a step forward. Latavius Murray takes over at running back with low expectations after showing flashes last season. Roy Helu has some value in PPR leagues along with Marcel Reece, who also could be a factor if he gets goal-line carries. At tight end, Mychal Rivera was productive in 2014, but no more than a bye-week fill-in. He would be primed for a good season if the offense improves. Keep an eye on rookie TE Clive Walford.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

DEREK CARR CHRISTIAN PONDER RUNNING BACKS

LATAVIUS MURRAY ROY HELU MARCEL REECE TRENT RICHARDSON WIDE RECEIVERS

AMARI COOPER MICHAEL CRABTREE ROD STREATER ANDRE HOLMES TIGHT ENDS

MYCHAL RIVERA PLACEKICKER

SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS DEREK CARR GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ NYJ WK 2 HOU WK 3 @ NE WK 4 MIA WK 6 SD WK 7 AZ WK 8 @ CLE WK 9 @ SEA WK 10 DEN WK 11 @ SD WK 12 KC WK 13 @ STL WK 14 SF WK 15 @ KC WK 16 BUF WK 17 @ DEN SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

32 42 34 25 34 28 54 41 47 34 35 39 28 56 34 36 599

CMP

20 27 21 16 18 16 34 24 30 16 18 24 22 27 17 18 348

PASSING YDS TD

151 263 174 146 282 173 328 194 192 172 174 173 254 222 214 158 3270

MYCHAL RIVERA

GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ NYJ WK 2 HOU WK 3 @ NE WK 4 MIA WK 6 SD WK 7 AZ WK 8 @ CLE WK 9 @ SEA WK 10 DEN WK 11 @ SD WK 12 KC WK 13 @ STL WK 14 SF WK 15 @ KC WK 16 BUF WK 17 @ DEN SEASON TOTALS 

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

4 3 31 7 5 31 4 2 11 4 2 10 3 0 0 1 1 18 9 7 83 11 8 38 8 6 64 5 3 40 4 1 8 8 3 21 7 7 109 12 7 39 4 1 5 8 2 26 99 58 534

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4

2 1 0 1 4 0 1 2 2 0 1 0 3 1 2 1 21

DARREN McFADDEN

INT

RTG

0 2 1 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 12

94.7 69.8 62.6 76.4 107.7 75.4 86.0 66.5 68.8 62.4 75.2 50.5 140.2 64.7 89.6 59.7 76.6

ANDRE HOLMES

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 0 0 7 5 45 2 1 29 12 5 74 8 4 121 5 3 34 7 5 69 5 2 28 1 0 0 6 2 19 10 5 55 6 3 28 5 2 38 11 5 70 6 3 73 7 2 10 98 47 693

0 0 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4

RUSHING ATT YDS

4 12 18 11 14 14 12 13 7 8 12 11 4 2 9 4 155

15 37 59 40 80 48 59 20 14 21 29 27 5 13 54 13 534

LATAVIAS MURRAY

TD

0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

MARCEL REECE

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 1 7 2 3 6 3 2 3 5 8 7 1 3 5 59

130 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

2 1 1 11 3 19 1 5 1 11 Inactive 5 34 1 12 2 6 2 -4 1 8 6 48 7 64 0 0 2 20 3 30 37 265

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

RUSHING ATT YDS

0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 4

MAURICE JONES-DREW

TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

TD

0 0 0 0 2

11 0 Inactive Inactive 2 1 0 4 30 0 3 6 0 6 8 0 2 -2 0 3 10 0 4 6 0 3 -1 0 5 21 0 0 0 0 2 6 0 Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 43 96 0

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

23 12 23 10 82

0 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 43 112 Inactive 76 59 86 37 424

RUSHING ATT YDS

DARREN McFADDEN

1 1 3 2 4 4 5 4 4 2 8 4 6 4 5 4 7 4 3 0 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 4 2 56 36

6 31 6 32 6 7 26 47 22 0 5 18 0 0 0 6 212

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

9

BRICE BUTLER

Inactive 2 1 -2 0 0 0 3 2 30 5 3 64 1 1 55 2 1 9 2 2 20 4 2 12 3 1 15 3 2 21 2 2 27 2 0 0 4 3 23 2 0 0 1 1 6 36 21 280

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

JAMES JONES

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 3 34 14 9 112 5 3 43 6 6 83 7 5 56 8 4 35 11 6 62 5 3 18 12 8 20 5 2 35 6 5 47 8 6 33 2 2 11 11 8 57 6 1 3 3 2 17 112 73 666

1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 6

KENBRELL THOMPKINS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 0 0 0 1 0 0 8 4 34 2 1 8 0 0 0 3 2 47 1 0 0 5 2 28 1 0 0 6 0 0 6 5 90 3 1 2 36 15 209

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

T E A M A N A LY S I S

PHILADELPHIA

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Eagles 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

at Atlanta Dallas at N.Y. Jets at Washington New Orleans N.Y. Giants at Carolina BYE at Dallas Miami Tampa Bay at Detroit at New England Buffalo Arizona Washington at N.Y. Giants

It’s obvious Chip Kelly does not believe in the timehonored axiom: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” It appears the Eagles head coach is hopelessly fixated on dramatically revamping his offense every year, as attested by his latest demolition of a unit that broke a team record in 2014 with 474 points. In one fell swoop, Kelly traded QB Nick Foles to the Rams in exchange for oft-injured QB Sam Bradford, and he sent star RB LeSean McCoy to the Bills in exchange for OLB Kiko Alonso, in addition to saying sayonara to No. 1 WR Jeremy Maclin (signed with Chiefs). While there can’t help but be concern at quarterback, where Bradford’s medical history poses the highest of risks, and at wide receiver with Maclin flying the coop, Kelly might have upgraded the running attack with the signings of ex-Cowboy DeMarco Murray, the league’s leading rusher last year by a wide margin, and ex-Charger Ryan Mathews. But will Murray and Mathews steal each other’s fantasy thunder sharing the load, with Darren Sproles also in the mix? A similar work-share situation could occur at wide receiver involving Jordan Matthews (six TDs in his last nine games as a rookie) and versatile first-rounder Nelson Agholor.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

SAM BRADFORD MARK SANCHEZ RUNNING BACKS

DeMARCO MURRAY RYAN MATHEWS DARREN SPROLES WIDE RECEIVERS

JORDAN MATTHEWS NELSON AGHOLOR RILEY COOPER JOSH HUFF TIGHT ENDS

ZACH ERTZ BRENT CELEK PLACEKICKER

CODY PARKEY

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS MARK SANCHEZ GAME

OPP

WK 1 JAX WK 2 @ IND WK 3 WAS WK 4 @ SF WK 5 STL WK 6 NYG WK 8 @ AZ WK 9 @ HOU WK 10 CAR WK 11 @ GB WK 12 TEN WK 13 @ DAL WK 14 SEA WK 15 DAL WK 16 @ WAS WK 17 @ NYG SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

22 37 44 43 29 20 28 50 36 309

CMP

PASSING YDS TD

OPP

WK 1 JAX WK 2 @ IND WK 3 WAS WK 4 @ SF WK 5 STL WK 6 NYG WK 8 @ AZ WK 9 @ HOU WK 10 CAR WK 11 @ GB WK 12 TEN WK 13 @ DAL WK 14 SEA WK 15 DAL WK 16 @ WAS WK 17 @ NYG SEASON TOTALS 

INT

Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 15 202 2 2 20 332 2 0 26 346 2 2 30 307 1 2 20 217 1 0 10 96 2 1 17 252 0 2 37 374 2 1 23 292 2 1 198 2418 14 11

JEREMY MACLIN

GAME

NICK FOLES

RTG

89.6 102.5 80.3 78.3 102.2 76.2 60.4 99.9 96.1 88.4

JORDAN MATTHEWS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

10 4 97 1 11 4 45 1 10 8 154 1 15 4 57 0 11 5 76 1 3 2 16 0 16 12 187 2 7 6 158 2 7 3 38 0 11 9 93 1 8 6 59 0 10 8 108 0 6 3 21 1 6 4 98 0 6 4 62 0 6 3 49 0 143 85 1318 10

4 2 37 4 1 17 9 8 59 7 4 28 7 4 35 6 4 50 11 6 47 4 3 40 9 7 138 8 5 107 8 6 77 5 4 51 5 2 23 1 0 0 5 3 58 10 8 105 103 67 872

0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 8

ATT

CMP

45 37 41 43 37 34 62 12

27 21 27 21 24 21 36 9

311

186

PASSING YDS TD

322 2 331 1 325 3 195 0 207 2 248 2 411 2 124 1 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 2163 13

ZACH ERTZ

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 3 77 6 4 86 3 2 14 6 4 43 6 3 39 5 3 47 8 5 48 2 1 4 3 1 17 7 4 55 6 4 30 1 0 0 3 2 39 4 3 32 18 15 115 6 4 56 89 58 702

1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3

LeSEAN McCOY

INT

RTG

1 1 0 2 1 2 2 1

87.5 84.4 114.4 42.3 86.2 79.0 75.4 100.7

10

81.4

RILEY COOPER

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

8 4 3 1 7 4 8 6 5 4 7 5 9 5 6 2 4 1 6 4 6 3 7 4 5 3 4 2 7 5 3 2 95 55

29 8 34 54 33 59 88 26 6 39 49 32 13 17 53 37 577

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3

RUSHING ATT YDS

21 19 19 10 24 22 20 24 12 23 21 25 17 16 22 17 312

74 79 22 17 81 149 83 117 19 88 130 159 50 64 88 99 1319

DARREN SPROLES TD

ATT

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 5

11 4 2 1 7 7

DARREN SPROLES

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 7 4 4 0 4 5 2 6 4 3 0 2 9 6 62

4 14 7 152 3 30 2 2 0 0 0 0 Inactive 4 46 1 13 2 23 3 14 3 19 0 0 2 8 6 43 3 23 40 387

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

3 1 2 6 1 4 3 4 1 57

RUSHING YDS

71 26 20 4 51 39 Inactive 17 8 21 25 13 0 5 24 5 329

TD

1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 6

BRENT CELEK

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

4 3 15 1 0 0 4 0 0 2 0 0 3 3 15 5 4 45 4 2 8 2 2 7 6 5 116 2 1 11 7 5 48 2 1 7 1 0 0 6 4 52 1 1 15 1 1 1 51 32 340

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1

| 131

T E A M A N A LY S I S

PITTSBURGH

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Steelers 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

at New England San Francisco at St. Louis Baltimore at San Diego Arizona at Kansas City Cincinnati Oakland Cleveland BYE at Seattle Indianapolis at Cincinnati Denver at Baltimore at Cleveland

After finishing second in total yards last season, the Steelers have a couple of breakout stars to offer the fantasy game. Le’Veon Bell posted a beautiful balance of 1,361 rushing yards and 854 receiving yards in his second year as a pro and might be the top overall fantasy player if not for the suspension for substance abuse he will have to serve to start the year. (By press time, the length sat at three games.) He’s still a sure-fire first-round pick, but making that selection should probably come with the handcuffing strategy with DeAngelo Williams, now 32 and a shell of who he was but suddenly a wonderful option to start the first few games. Antonio Brown led the NFL in receiving yards last season, his second straight with at least 1,400 yards and eight scores. He’s far and away Pittsburgh’s No. 1, although they have some nice mid-round options in youngsters Martavis Bryant and Markus Wheaton – both of whom will see more targets with the attention spent on Brown. Heath Miller is coming off one of the better seasons of his steady 10-year career. With how Pittsburgh can score, accurate kicker Shaun Suisham should be one of the better options at the position.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

BEN ROETHLISBERGER RUNNING BACKS

Le’VEON BELL DeANGELO WILLIAMS DRI ARCHER JOSH HARRIS WIDE RECEIVERS

ANTONIO BROWN MARTAVIS BRYANT MARKUS WHEATON SAMMIE COATES DARRIUS HEYWARD-BEY TIGHT ENDS

HEATH MILLER PLACEKICKER

SHAUN SUISHAM

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS BEN ROETHLISBERGER GAME

OPP

WK 1 CLE WK 2 @ BAL WK 3 @ CAR WK 4 TB WK 5 @ JAX WK 6 @ CLE WK 7 HOU WK 8 IND WK 10 BAL WK 11 @ NYJ WK 12 @ TEN WK 13 NO WK 14 @ CIN WK 15 @ ATL WK 16 KC WK 17 CIN SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

34 37 30 40 36 42 33 49 37 43 32 58 39 35 25 38 608

CMP

23 22 22 29 26 21 23 40 25 30 21 32 25 27 18 24 408

PASSING YDS TD

365 217 196 314 273 228 265 522 340 343 207 435 350 360 220 317 4952

Le’VEON BELL

GAME

OPP

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

WK 1 CLE 7 6 88 WK 2 @ BAL 5 5 48 WK 3 @ CAR 4 2 10 WK 4 TB 7 6 46 WK 5 @ JAX 6 5 36 WK 6 @ CLE 6 4 23 WK 7 HOU 8 8 88 WK 8 IND 7 6 56 WK 10 BAL 6 5 38 WK 11 @ NYJ 10 8 33 WK 12 @ TEN 4 2 18 WK 13 NO 11 8 159 WK 14 @ CIN 9 6 50 WK 15 @ ATL 7 5 72 WK 16 KC 2 1 9 WK 17 CIN 6 6 80 SEASON TOTALS  105 83 854

0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3

1 0 2 3 1 1 2 6 6 1 1 2 3 0 1 2 32

Le’VEON BELL

INT

RTG

1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 2 0 0 0 1 9

100.7 64.8 112.6 120.2 103.1 64.4 113.8 150.6 136.3 81.8 81.1 76.4 118.5 109.2 112.1 96.1 103.3

HEATH MILLER

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

4 3 7 4 5 4 11 10 4 3 4 2 1 1 8 7 2 1 3 3 5 5 14 8 3 1 5 4 8 7 7 3 91 66

26 35 51 85 46 19 13 112 14 29 71 82 1 68 68 41 761

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3

RUSHING ATT YDS

21 11 21 19 15 18 12 24 10 11 33 21 26 20 20 8 290

109 59 147 63 82 82 57 92 20 36 204 95 185 47 63 20 1361

LeGARRETTE BLOUNT

TD

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 1 0 8

MARKUS WHEATON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

7 6 97 8 5 38 5 4 35 6 4 57 2 1 17 11 4 33 2 0 0 5 5 56 4 2 62 7 4 41 5 1 6 9 5 61 3 2 31 5 5 66 3 2 27 4 3 17 86 53 644

132 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

RUSHING ATT YDS

TD

4 6 3 8 10 118 4 25 8 29 8 27 7 9 6 21 10 23 5 0 0 0 Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 65 266

1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

2

MARTAVIS BRYANT

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 7 5 8 5 4 6 5 2 2 49

Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 2 40 5 83 3 44 4 143 2 11 1 23 4 109 3 31 1 44 1 21 26 549

1 2 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 8

DRI ARCHER

RUSHING ATT YDS

1

TD

0 0 0

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 1 10

0

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 5 116 1 12 7 90 0 10 10 90 2 11 7 131 2 12 5 84 0 10 7 118 0 13 9 90 0 13 10 133 2 16 11 144 1 9 8 74 0 11 9 91 1 12 8 97 2 14 9 117 0 10 10 123 0 9 7 72 1 13 7 128 1 181 129 1698 13

0 1 3 2 0 1 0 0 1

4 Inactive Inactive 0 2 24 7 0 4 0 0 0 Inactive Inactive 0 -1 40

ANTONIO BROWN

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

LANCE MOORE

0 1 1 6 2 3 1 2 1 5 2 2 0 0 26

Inactive Inactive 0 0 1 12 1 26 1 26 2 12 2 33 1 4 2 28 1 15 2 13 1 29 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 198

0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

JUSTIN BROWN

4 4 4 2 3 4

3 38 1 6 2 10 1 5 3 26 2 9 Inactive Inactive Inactive 0 0 0 0 0 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 21 12 94

0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0

0

T E A M A N A LY S I S

ST. LOUIS

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Rams While new QB Nick Foles has proven to be a deadly efficient gunslinger as recently as two seasons ago – when he led the Eagles to a division title with a league-record 27-2 TD-interception ratio and a league-leading 9.1 yards per pass attempt – it would appear the Rams are more likely to have more fantasy success on the ground than through the air in 2015. Head coach Jeff Fisher always has preferred to pound away on the ground, and that approach won’t change after making Todd Gurley the first back taken in the 2015 draft. Considered an elite talent, Gurley will almost certainly become the Rams’ workhorse back in due time. But until he is fully recovered from the torn left ACL he suffered last November – which could take a while – second-year RB Tre Mason is probably the Rams’ best initial fantasy option. On the receiving front, Tavon Austin is a fantasy sleeper worth monitoring. A major big-play force on occasion the last two seasons, Austin’s numbers decreased in ’14 after an impressive rookie campaign. New offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti did not waste any time announcing that one of his top priorities was to get Austin more involved in the offense.

2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

Seattle at Washington Pittsburgh at Arizona at Green Bay BYE Cleveland San Francisco at Minnesota Chicago at Baltimore at Cincinnati Arizona Detroit Tampa Bay at Seattle at San Francisco

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

NICK FOLES RUNNING BACKS

TODD GURLEY TRE MASON BENNY CUNNINGHAM WIDE RECEIVERS

TAVON AUSTIN KENNY BRITT BRIAN QUICK STEDMAN BAILEY CHRIS GIVENS TIGHT ENDS

JARED COOK LANCE KENDRICKS PLACEKICKER

GREG ZUERLEIN

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS AUSTIN DAVIS GAME

OPP

WK 1 MIN WK 2 @ TB WK 3 DAL WK 5 @ PHI WK 6 SF WK 7 SEA WK 8 @ KC WK 9 @ SF WK 10 @ AZ WK 11 DEN WK 12 @ SD WK 13 OAK WK 14 @ WAS WK 15 AZ WK 16 NYG WK 17 @ SEA SEASON TOTALS 

PASSING YDS TD

ATT

CMP

23 29 42 49 42 20 25 24 30

16 192 0 22 235 0 30 327 3 29 375 3 21 236 1 17 155 2 15 160 1 13 105 1 17 216 1 Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 0 0 0 Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 180 2001 12

0

284

BENNY CUNNINGHAM GAME

OPP

WK 1 MIN WK 2 @ TB WK 3 DAL WK 5 @ PHI WK 6 SF WK 7 SEA WK 8 @ KC WK 9 @ SF WK 10 @ AZ WK 11 DEN WK 12 @ SD WK 13 OAK WK 14 @ WAS WK 15 AZ WK 16 NYG WK 17 @ SEA SEASON TOTALS 

SHAUN HILL

RUSHING ATT YDS

5 6 9 7 7 2 4 4 4 2 4 2 3 2 1 4 66

21 15 29 47 21 3 27 10 12 7 18 3 20 4 -1 10 246

TD

0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

INT

1 0 2 0 1 0 1 2 2

RTG

ATT

76.7 99.1 98.0 103.7 65.2 132.3 75.4 44.6 62.6

13

0

0.0

9

85.1

TAVON AUSTIN

RUSHING ATT YDS

3 2 0 3 5 2 2 1 2 3 2 5 1 3 2 36

5 21 Inactive 0 16 16 7 7 10 11 27 24 46 8 25 1 224

0 29 35 22 22 39 32 37 229

CMP

PASSING YDS TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2

INT

8 81 0 Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 0 0 0 Active, Did Not Play 20 220 1 18 198 1 13 183 2 16 213 2 20 229 0 24 290 2 26 243 0 145 1657 8

JARED COOK

TD

TRE MASON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

8 4 56 4 4 46 9 7 75 10 4 44 11 4 74 3 3 25 3 1 11 5 2 12 3 2 84 5 3 19 9 3 27 1 0 0 5 4 61 9 3 22 7 5 41 7 3 37 99 52 634

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3

RTG

1

RUSHING ATT YDS

47.3

0

0.0

0 2 0 0 1 1 2 7

102.7 54.2 116.3 133.3 58.6 110.2 65.5 83.9

KENNY BRITT

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 0 0 1 1 17 7 5 69 6 3 68 6 3 39 3 2 4 5 2 52 4 2 32 5 3 31 7 4 128 6 2 37 1 1 13 5 2 52 9 5 65 11 9 103 5 4 38 84 48 748

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

TD

TD

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 4

11 43 0 19 71 1 12 67 0 11 42 0 8 17 0 0 0 0 5 17 0 Active, Did Not Play 0 0 0 Active, Did Not Play 0 0 0 6 27 0 0 0 0 Active, Did Not Play 2 6 0 2 3 0 76 293 1

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 18 7 19 14 29 16 14 20 13 13 11 179

Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 40 85 32 65 48 113 62 117 66 33 76 28 765

ZAC STACY

RUSHING ATT YDS

TAVON AUSTIN

3 1 2 5 3 2 3 3 4 3 5 2 4 2 2 44

3 34 0 0 Inactive 2 33 4 35 2 9 2 12 2 11 2 20 2 10 3 11 2 11 2 14 2 14 1 15 2 13 31 242

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

BRIAN QUICK

9 7 99 9 7 74 4 2 62 9 5 87 4 1 10 2 2 33 2 1 10 Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 39 25 375

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 1 2 0 0 0

3

| 133

T E A M A N A LY S I S

SAN DIEGO

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Chargers 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

Detroit at Cincinnati at Minnesota Cleveland Pittsburgh at Green Bay Oakland at Baltimore Chicago BYE Kansas City at Jacksonville Denver at Kansas City Miami at Oakland at Denver

After being the subject of intense trade speculation, Philip Rivers enters his 10th season as the starter. Coming off another strong campaign, Rivers rumors stemmed from his expiring contract after 2015 and reported disinterest in a likely move to Los Angeles – not his play on the field, where he remains a valuable known commodity and underrated QB1. Indeed, 2015 could spell the end of a spectacular era in San Diego for both Rivers and future Hall of Fame TE Antonio Gates, who’s 35 and spent the offseason discussing a reduced role and life after football despite another wildly productive campaign. Gates’ dominance near the goal line is impressive, and he was a saving grace for many in a weak year for tight ends, but his age and touchdown dependency makes him a volatile fantasy starter. Is Keenan Allen poised for a rebound after a frustrating second season for he and his owners alike? The Chargers let Eddie Royal walk in part due to their affinity for the younger, slicker slot option, but owners would be wise to view Allen as a high-end WR2. Electrifying first-rounder Melvin Gordon leads a changing of the backfield guard and enters an attractive fantasy situation in a ball control offense under Mike McCoy, who has a knack for getting dangerous players like Gordon into space.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

PHILIP RIVERS KELLEN CLEMENS RUNNING BACKS

MELVIN GORDON BRANDEN OLIVER DANNY WOODHEAD DONALD BROWN WIDE RECEIVERS

KEENAN ALLEN MALCOM FLOYD JACOBY JONES TIGHT ENDS

ANTONIO GATES LADARIUS GREEN PLACEKICKER

NICK NOVAK

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS PHILIP RIVERS GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ AZ WK 2 SEA WK 3 @ BUF WK 4 JAX WK 5 NYJ WK 6 @ OAK WK 7 KC WK 8 @ DEN WK 9 @ MIA WK 11 OAK WK 12 STL WK 13 @ BAL WK 14 NE WK 15 DEN WK 16 @ SF WK 17 @ KC SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

CMP

36 37 25 39 28 34 31 41 23 34 35 45 33 41 54 34 570

21 28 18 29 20 22 17 30 12 22 29 34 20 24 33 20 379

PASSING YDS TD

238 284 256 377 288 313 205 252 138 193 291 383 189 232 356 291 4286

ANTONIO GATES

GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ AZ WK 2 SEA WK 3 @ BUF WK 4 JAX WK 5 NYJ WK 6 @ OAK WK 7 KC WK 8 @ DEN WK 9 @ MIA WK 11 OAK WK 12 STL WK 13 @ BAL WK 14 NE WK 15 DEN WK 16 @ SF WK 17 @ KC SEASON TOTALS 

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

10 6 81 0 7 7 96 3 1 1 8 0 5 3 30 0 6 4 60 2 8 3 27 1 5 3 61 1 8 5 54 2 5 3 28 0 3 3 32 0 2 2 14 0 8 7 83 0 8 5 34 0 7 6 54 1 9 7 92 2 6 4 67 0 98 69 821 12

1 3 2 3 3 3 2 3 0 1 1 3 1 1 4 0 31

BRANDEN OLIVER

INT

RTG

RUSHING ATT YDS

1 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 3 0 1 1 1 2 3 2 18

75.9 124.2 131.4 130.0 125.3 123.8 83.4 92.7 31.0 89.5 98.9 113.5 73.9 62.2 82.0 62.3 93.8

Inactive Inactive 11 23 114 101 67 36 19 36 17 7 1 26 53 71 582

EDDIE ROYAL

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 1 20 10 7 69 6 4 42 7 5 105 3 3 40 2 2 49 5 1 20 3 3 29 1 0 0 3 2 27 6 6 50 10 9 81 5 2 30 4 3 27 12 10 94 8 4 95 91 62 778

0 0 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 7

3 9 19 26 15 13 13 13 6 1 3 12 13 14 160

RYAN MATHEWS

TD

12 11 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3

MALCOM FLOYD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 4 50 1 0 0 4 2 98 4 3 39 3 3 72 7 5 103 7 3 50 7 4 58 5 4 60 6 4 44 5 4 30 6 3 85 6 3 54 7 3 34 10 4 50 8 3 29 92 52 856

134 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

RUSHING ATT YDS

1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 6

16 12 12 11

74

40 31 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 70 105 40 44 Inactive Inactive Inactive 330

DONALD BROWN

TD

1 0

0 1 1 0

3

BRANDEN OLIVER

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 4 4 5 2 8 2 3 4 0 2 4 5 2 45

Inactive Inactive 0 0 4 33 4 68 4 23 2 11 7 27 1 7 1 3 4 23 0 0 0 0 4 44 3 28 2 4 36 271

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

RUSHING ATT YDS

2 7 31 10 9

4 1 1 1 0 5 4 10 85

-2 21 62 19 26 Inactive Inactive Inactive 23 0 7 -2 0 18 12 39 223

KEENAN ALLEN

TD

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

DONALD BROWN

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 4 6 6 2

2 2 2 1 6 6 3 1 41

0 0 3 10 5 27 4 35 1 4 Inactive Inactive Inactive 1 6 1 4 2 20 1 6 5 49 4 38 1 4 1 8 29 211

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

9 6 2 11 7 6 10 13 9 13 9 15 3 8

5 37 5 55 2 17 10 135 3 25 3 27 6 58 9 73 4 47 8 63 6 104 11 121 2 3 3 18 Inactive Inactive 121 77 783

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 4

LADARIUS GREEN

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

2

2 24 0 0 0 0 6 4 64 0 Active, Did Not Play 1 1 8 0 5 4 60 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 9 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 11 0 3 2 34 0 2 2 1 0 2 2 15 0 Inactive 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 19 226 0

T E A M A N A LY S I S

SAN FRANCISCO

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

49ers 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WKv7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

Minnesota at Pittsburgh at Arizona Green Bay at N.Y. Giants Baltimore Seattle at St. Louis Atlanta BYE at Seattle Arizona at Chicago at Cleveland Cincinnati at Detroit St. Louis

By process of elimination, QB Colin Kaepernick is by far the Niners’ top candidate to make a fantasy impact this season, even though he is coming off a very forgettable fantasy campaign. The most optimistic thing that can be said about Kaepernick is that he will at least be getting an opportunity to make a comeback. By all accounts, he looks like a new man after training with ex-NFL QB Kurt Warner this offseason. But with head coach Jim Harbaugh, offensive coordinator Greg Roman, longtime leading rusher Frank Gore, former first-round WR Michael Crabtree and quality run blocker Mike Iupati all departing, Kaepernick’s supporting cast is definitely open to question, as is the offensive philosophy under new coordinator Geep Chryst. Two players offering potential fantasy value are promising second-year RB Carlos Hyde, the top candidate to replace Gore, and ex-Ravens WR Torrey Smith (lifetime 16.9 ypc), who had a careerhigh 11 TD catches last season. Others worth keeping tabs on are veteran WR Anquan Boldin, who has averaged 1,120.5 yards and six TDs in his two seasons with the Niners, and TE Vernon Davis, who, like Kaepernick, is hoping to rebound big-time from a disappointing season.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

COLIN KAEPERNICK BLAINE GABBERT RUNNING BACKS

CARLOS HYDE REGGIE BUSH KENDALL HUNTER BRUCE MILLER WIDE RECEIVERS

TORREY SMITH ANQUAN BOLDIN QUINTON PATTON BRUCE ELLINGTON TIGHT ENDS

VERNON DAVIS PLACEKICKER

PHIL DAWSON

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS COLIN KAEPERNICK GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ DAL WK 2 CHI WK 3 @ AZ WK 4 PHI WK 5 KC WK 6 @ STL WK 7 @ DEN WK 9 STL WK 10 @ NO WK 11 @ NYG WK 12 WAS WK 13 SEA WK 14 @ OAK WK 15 @ SEA WK 16 SD WK 17 AZ SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

CMP

23 34 37 30 26 35 39 33 32 29 29 29 33 19 24 26 478

16 21 29 17 14 22 24 22 14 15 20 16 18 11 15 15 289

PASSING YDS TD

201 248 245 218 201 343 263 237 210 193 256 121 174 141 114 204 3369

MICHAEL CRABTREE

GAME

OPP

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

WK 1 @ DAL 4 2 25 WK 2 CHI 9 7 82 WK 3 @ AZ 11 10 80 WK 4 PHI 8 5 43 WK 5 KC 4 1 16 WK 6 @ STL 8 3 49 WK 7 @ DEN 7 4 27 WK 9 STL 9 5 40 WK 10 @ NO 8 3 62 WK 11 @ NYG 8 3 85 WK 12 WAS 7 5 58 WK 13 SEA 3 3 10 WK 14 @ OAK 14 9 56 WK 15 @ SEA 3 3 19 WK 16 SD 1 1 5 WK 17 AZ 4 4 41 SEASON TOTALS  108 68 698

0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4

2 1 1 2 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 2 19

FRANK GORE

INT

RTG

0 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 0 0 10

125.5 57.0 103.3 87.9 92.0 123.9 79.3 97.7 76.3 84.4 93.5 36.7 54.4 81.2 87.8 108.5 86.4

STEVIE JOHNSON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

2 4 9 2 2 6 7 5 3 1 1 6 2

2 33 2 26 9 103 1 12 1 9 5 53 5 79 3 41 3 43 1 8 0 0 3 28 0 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive 50 35 435

0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

3

RUSHING ATT YDS

16 13 6 24 18 16 9 14 23 19 13 10 12 11 26 25 255

66 63 10 119 107 38 20 49 81 95 36 28 63 29 158 144 1106

COLIN KAEPERNICK

RUSHING ATT YDS

TD

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 4

VERNON DAVIS

5 9 12 7 10 3 3 5 4 8 9 3 3 9 7 7 104

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 3 3 6 5 3 4 5 5 3 4 2 0 1 50

4 44 3 39 Inactive 2 8 Inactive 3 30 2 21 2 19 1 8 1 7 3 21 2 13 2 26 0 0 0 0 1 9 26 245

2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

11 64 54 58 18 37 18 14 24 24 14 17 26 46 151 63 639

TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1

BRUCE MILLER

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 10 1 1 15 0 0 0 1 1 5 1 0 0 2 2 16 3 3 40 1 0 0 1 1 8 6 4 56 2 2 22 5 3 17 25 18 189

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2

CARLOS HYDE

RUSHING ATT YDS

7 4 3 10 10 11 3 2 4 9 7 5 2 6

50 0 13 26 43 14 15 17 36 25 16 19 4 55 Inactive Inactive 83 333

ANQUAN BOLDIN

TD

1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 4

BRANDON LLOYD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 4 5 5 1 6 1 0 2 1 6 2 0 1 35

0 0 Inactive 1 5 2 28 3 76 1 80 3 63 1 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 Inactive 1 12 0 0 1 14 14 294

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

9 8 99 6 2 34 6 6 36 7 5 62 8 4 72 9 7 94 10 7 50 7 6 93 15 6 95 6 5 53 12 9 137 5 3 18 9 4 54 4 2 23 9 7 61 9 2 81 131 83 1062

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 5

CARLOS HYDE

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 0 1 0 3 1 0

0 0 1 5 2 -2 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 8 1 5 0 0 1 5 0 0 3 38 1 8 0 0 Inactive Inactive 16 12 68

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

| 135

T E A M A N A LY S I S

SEATTLE

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Seahawks 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

at St. Louis at Green Bay Chicago Detroit at Cincinnati Carolina at San Francisco at Dallas BYE Arizona San Francisco Pittsburgh at Minnesota at Baltimore Cleveland St. Louis at Arizona

VALUE CHART

Talk about picking your poison. With arguably the league’s most potent red-zone threats both rushing and receiving in RB Marshawn Lynch and newly acquired TE Jimmy Graham, respectively, stratospheric fantasy statistics could be in the offing in Seattle. Despite striking out on their bold investment in WR Percy Harvin, another supposed high-powered offensive savior, the Seahawks didn’t flinch in their stunning pursuit of Graham, an offensive juggernaut who averaged 11.5 touchdowns the last four years for the Saints. With Graham complementing Lynch, who is coming off his best fantasy season ever (career-high 17 TDs), QB Russell Wilson has to be licking his chops. Wilson remains a major fantasy force in his own right, leading all NFL quarterbacks in rushing in 2014 with 849 yards and six TDs. Don’t be shocked by more five-star fantasy performances like his Week Seven effort last season, when he became the first player in league history to pass for 300 yards and rush for 100 yards in the same game. The imposing presence of both Lynch and Graham should also create more scoring opportunities for Seattle’s other receivers, with reliable Doug Baldwin and highlight-play specialist Jermaine Kearse figuring to be the most likely fantasy beneficiaries.

QUARTERBACKS

RUSSELL WILSON B.J. DANIELS RUNNING BACKS

MARSHAWN LYNCH ROBERT TURBIN CHRISTINE MICHAEL WIDE RECEIVERS

DOUG BALDWIN JERMAINE KEARSE PAUL RICHARDSON CHRIS MATTHEWS TIGHT ENDS

JIMMY GRAHAM LUKE WILLSON PLACEKICKER

STEVEN HAUSCHKA

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS RUSSELL WILSON GAME

OPP

WK 1 GB WK 2 @ SD WK 3 DEN WK 5 @ WAS WK 6 DAL WK 7 @ STL WK 8 @ CAR WK 9 OAK WK 10 NYG WK 11 @ KC WK 12 AZ WK 13 @ SF WK 14 @ PHI WK 15 SF WK 16 @ AZ WK 17 STL SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

28 25 34 24 28 36 32 35 17 32 22 22 37 24 31 25 452

CMP

19 17 24 18 14 23 20 17 10 20 17 15 22 12 20 17 285

PASSING YDS TD

191 202 258 201 126 313 199 179 172 178 211 236 263 168 339 239 3475

DOUG BALDWIN

GAME

OPP

WK 1 GB WK 2 @ SD WK 3 DEN WK 5 @ WAS WK 6 DAL WK 7 @ STL WK 8 @ CAR WK 9 OAK WK 10 NYG WK 11 @ KC WK 12 AZ WK 13 @ SF WK 14 @ PHI WK 15 SF WK 16 @ AZ WK 17 STL SEASON TOTALS 

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

5 3 14 6 3 35 5 4 56 5 4 50 3 2 32 11 7 123 8 6 61 6 5 38 6 4 31 9 6 45 2 2 6 4 2 28 7 5 97 6 3 53 11 7 113 4 3 43 98 66 825

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 3

2 2 2 2 0 2 1 0 0 2 1 1 2 1 2 0 20

MARSHAWN LYNCH

RUSHING ATT YDS

INT

RTG

0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 7

110.9 119.1 99.9 127.3 47.6 110.1 77.5 63.9 53.7 98.2 121.6 118.8 99.3 69.4 122.9 81.9 95.0

JERMAINE KEARSE

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 5 2 2 7 7 2 7 4 9 2 5 7 6 1

1 8 4 61 2 22 1 15 3 62 3 50 2 15 1 4 3 70 5 54 1 19 3 34 3 37 5 78 1 8 Inactive 69 38 537

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

20 6 26 17 10 18 14 21 21 24 15 20 23 21 10 14 280

110 36 88 72 61 53 62 67 140 124 39 104 86 91 113 60 1306

TD

RUSHING ATT YDS

2 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 4 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 13

7 2 9 11 2 7 6 8 14 8 10 7 10 5 6 6 118

MARSHAWN LYNCH

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

1 1 14 4 4 27 5 3 40 6 5 45 2 1 1 2 2 18 4 1 2 5 5 76 1 1 23 3 1 1 4 3 43 1 1 7 5 5 27 2 1 7 0 0 0 3 3 36 48 37 367

136 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

RUSSELL WILSON

0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4

29 18 40 122 12 106 35 31 107 71 73 35 48 27 88 7 849

ROBERT TURBIN

TD

0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 6

PAUL RICHARDSON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

0 0 1 0 5 3 6 2 4 0 1 3 5 7 7 44

0 0 0 0 1 7 0 0 Inactive 4 33 2 20 3 12 0 0 3 24 0 0 1 6 2 27 3 30 5 52 5 60 29 271

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1

RUSHING ATT YDS

6 2 2 5 2 2 2 5 6 4 4 4 4 5 10 11 74

27 7 1 19 10 7 10 35 32 11 12 8 7 33 38 53 310

CHRISTINE MICHAEL TD

ATT

RUSHING YDS

TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 2 5 0 4 12 0 4 16 0 4 71 0 1 -2 0 Active, Did Not Play 3 10 0 6 32 0 1 1 0 8 28 0 1 2 0 34 175 0

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

LUKE WILLSON

1 0 0 4 6 4 5 0 3 1 6 2 1 3 4 40

1 1 0 0 0 0 3 28 2 11 Inactive 1 23 1 16 0 0 3 51 1 21 4 39 1 1 0 0 3 139 2 32 22 362

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3

ROBERT TURBIN

0 2 1 0 0 4 3 2 0 0 3 2 2 0 0 1 20

0 0 2 35 1 4 0 0 0 0 3 24 3 32 1 14 0 0 0 0 2 3 2 47 1 14 0 0 0 0 1 13 16 186

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2

T E A M A N A LY S I S

TAMPA BAY

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Buccaneers 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

Tennessee at New Orleans at Houston Carolina Jacksonville BYE at Washington at Atlanta N.Y. Giants Dallas at Philadelphia at Indianapolis Atlanta New Orleans at St. Louis Chicago at Carolina

A year after going 2-14 and finishing 30th in offense, the Bucs suddenly have a number of options worth at least a look when it comes to fantasy. Mike Evans finished second among rookie receivers and 18th overall with 1,051 receiving yards to go with 12 touchdowns, and he can only expect to improve on those with a better quarterback in his second year. That quarterback is No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston, and while drafting a rookie playing for a team bad enough to pick first is generally a scary idea, this situation is unique. Winston has legitimate receiving talent around him and is more NFL-ready on the field than most rookies coming out. He’s not NFL-ready off the field, however, so there’s some serious risk here. In addition to Evans, he’ll throw to Vincent Jackson, who is 32 but has four straight 1,000-yard seasons and six of seven. Secondyear tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins is loaded with mid-range receiving potential at 6-5 and 262 pounds. It’s also worth looking at the running back duo of Charles Sims and Doug Martin, with the latter a more likely option and the handcuff a cheap way of getting the bulk of a team’s rushing yards.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

JAMEIS WINSTON MIKE GLENNON RUNNING BACKS

CHARLES SIMS DOUG MARTIN BOBBY RAINEY WIDE RECEIVERS

MIKE EVANS VINCENT JACKSON LOUIS MURPHY KENNY BELL TIGHT ENDS

AUSTIN SEFERIAN-JENKINS BRANDON MYERS PLACEKICKER

PATRICK MURRAY

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS JOSH McCOWN GAME

OPP

WK 1 CAR WK 2 STL WK 3 @ ATL WK 4 @ PIT WK 5 @ NO WK 6 BAL WK 8 MIN WK 9 @ CLE WK 10 ATL WK 11 @ WAS WK 12 @ CHI WK 13 CIN WK 14 @ DET WK 15 @ CAR WK 16 GB WK 17 NO SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

CMP

35 21 12

22 16 5

43 23 48 29 39 28 26 23 327

PASSING YDS TD

INT

RTG

183 2 2 179 0 1 58 0 1 Inactive Inactive Inactive Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 27 301 2 2 15 288 2 0 25 341 1 2 15 190 0 1 20 250 2 2 13 154 1 1 12 147 0 1 14 115 1 1 184 2206 11 14

71.5 81.2 22.2

CHARLES SIMS

GAME

OPP

WK 1 CAR WK 2 STL WK 3 @ ATL WK 4 @ PIT WK 5 @ NO WK 6 BAL WK 8 MIN WK 9 @ CLE WK 10 ATL WK 11 @ WAS WK 12 @ CHI WK 13 CIN WK 14 @ DET WK 15 @ CAR WK 16 GB WK 17 NO SEASON TOTALS 

MIKE GLENNON

RUSHING ATT YDS

Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Inactive 8 23 13 36 6 22 5 6 5 -4 7 34 4 -1 18 69 66 185

79.7 137.5 64.7 58.1 67.3 60.7 48.1 70.0 70.5

VINCENT JACKSON

TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

9 4 36 7 4 51 9 2 15 10 3 32 12 8 144 13 4 66 5 1 13 12 6 86 13 8 75 4 3 43 9 5 117 4 2 24 17 10 159 10 6 70 6 3 60 2 1 11 142 70 1002

0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

ATT

24 42 32 44 28 33

203

CMP

PASSING YDS TD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

8 7 11 9 9 11 9 11 8 7 6 123

INT

Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 17 121 1 21 302 2 19 249 2 24 314 2 19 171 1 17 260 2 Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 117 1417 10

MIKE EVANS

9 4 7 7

DOUG MARTIN

5 37 0 4 49 0 4 52 0 4 65 1 Inactive 4 55 1 4 78 0 7 124 2 7 125 1 7 209 2 3 47 1 4 49 0 4 45 2 2 13 1 4 49 0 5 54 1 68 1051 12

RTG

9 0 1 1 1 1 2

6

96.0 79.7 91.8 83.0 81.1 72.8

83.3

BOBBY RAINEY

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

2 3 8 2 4 3 6 3 5 1 6 2 0 0 0 45

RUSHING ATT YDS

2 8 3 30 7 64 1 16 3 21 0 0 6 41 1 34 4 42 0 0 4 18 2 41 Inactive 0 0 0 0 0 0 33 315

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

13 14 11 10

11 18 5 14 10 19 134

9 Inactive Inactive 40 45 45 27 Inactive Inactive Inactive 27 58 22 96 17 108 494

BOBBY RAINEY TD

ATT

0

4 22 11 4 6 7 8 19 6 5 1 1

1 0 0 0

0 1 0 0 0 0 2

LOUIS MURPHY

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 11 6 99 7 3 35 9 7 72 2 2 11 4 2 13 2 1 12 3 0 0 8 6 113 5 1 7 4 3 18 1 0 0 Not on Team Not on Team 56 31 380

0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

0 0 0 94

RUSHING YDS

12 144 41 2 21 42 25 87 14 4 3 11 Inactive 0 0 0 406

TD

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

BRANDON MYERS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

8 2 5 1 0 2 2 0 0 1 1 2 2 6 32

6 41 2 33 5 33 0 0 0 0 2 29 1 3 0 0 0 0 1 21 1 9 Inactive Inactive 0 0 0 0 4 21 22 190

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

| 137

T E A M A N A LY S I S

TENNESSEE

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Titans 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

at Tampa Bay at Cleveland Indianapolis BYE Buffalo Miami Atlanta at Houston at New Orleans Carolina at Jacksonville Oakland Jacksonville at N.Y. Jets at New England Houston at Indianapolis

VALUE CHART

The Titans hope the No. 2 pick, QB Marcus Mariota, can be the long-awaited answer at the position. Mariota may have more fantasy value than fellow rookie Jameis Winston because he can score touchdowns with his legs. One of the hindrances on Mariota’s value as a rookie is his supporting cast. RB Bishop Sankey was supposed to be the top rookie last year, but he managed only 569 yards rushing. Shonn Greene doesn’t provide much more, and Dexter McCluster has some intrigue in PPR leagues. Sankey may be a good “buy-low” option. At wideout, Kendall Wright was the team’s top fantasy player last year, leading Tennessee with six touchdowns, and he could be again, but Dorial Green-Beckham has a higher ceiling. The training camp battle to see who the No. 3/4/5 wideouts will be should reveal a flex option between Hakeem Nicks, Justin Hunter and Harry Douglas. Tight end Delanie Walker led the team in receptions and receiving yards last season. If he can put up similar numbers and be more of a threat near the goal line for Mariota, he has some definite starter potential in fantasy.

QUARTERBACKS

MARCUS MARIOTA ZACH METTENBERGER RUNNING BACKS

BISHOP SANKEY SHONN GREENE DEXTER McCLUSTER WIDE RECEIVERS

KENDALL WRIGHT DORIAL GREEN-BECKHAM HAKEEM NICKS JUSTIN HUNTER HARRY DOUGLAS TIGHT ENDS

DELANIE WALKER PLACEKICKER

RYAN SUCCOP

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS ZACH METTENBERGER GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ KC WK 2 DAL WK 3 @ CIN WK 4 @ IND WK 5 CLE WK 6 JAX WK 7 @ WAS WK 8 HOU WK 10 @ BAL WK 11 PIT WK 12 @ PHI WK 13 @ HOU WK 14 NYG WK 15 NYJ WK 16 @ JAX WK 17 IND SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

5

41 27 24 39 19 24

179

CMP

PASSING YDS TD

GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ KC WK 2 DAL WK 3 @ CIN WK 4 @ IND WK 5 CLE WK 6 JAX WK 7 @ WAS WK 8 HOU WK 10 @ BAL WK 11 PIT WK 12 @ PHI WK 13 @ HOU WK 14 NYG WK 15 NYJ WK 16 @ JAX WK 17 IND SEASON TOTALS 

INT

Inactive Inactive Inactive 2 17 0 Inactive Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 27 299 2 16 179 1 15 263 2 20 345 2 13 184 1 14 125 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive 107 1412 8

DEXTER McCLUSTER

RUSHING ATT YDS

9 29 4 30 1 0 2 1 3 10 2 6 1 -1 2 1 0 0 1 5 1 2 9 33 0 0 5 15 Not on Team Not on Team 40 131

TD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

CHARLIE WHITEHURST RTG

1

10.0

1 1 1 1 1 1

93.4 76.0 110.2 88.1 95.1 55.0

7

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

9 3 10 5 6 10 106

23 21 28 26

24 35 28 185

83.4

DELANIE WALKER

4 14 7 7 4 8 5 9 5

ATT

3 37 10 142 4 54 5 84 4 47 3 57 2 17 4 37 3 37 Inactive 5 155 1 6 4 27 4 93 4 54 7 43 63 890

1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4

CMP

PASSING YDS TD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 46 3 31 5 44 5 55 6 47 1 6 6 68 3 53 4 53 4 70 1 28 7 132 Inactive Inactive 5 4 73 5 2 9 93 57 715

138 | PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

INT

Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 12 177 1 13 194 2 17 233 0 17 160 2 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Active, Did Not Play 10 203 0 24 287 1 12 72 1 105 1326 7

KENDALL WRIGHT

7 5 10 8 8 1 9 5 7 8 6 9

BISHOP SANKEY

1 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 6

1 0 0 1

0 0 0 2

RTG

74.0 123.9 87.4 91.8

72.0 102.9 62.2 87.4

NATE WASHINGTON

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

6 4 59 6 1 1 3 0 0 4 1 20 7 4 57 2 2 23 1 1 9 4 4 68 3 2 30 2 1 80 6 4 63 9 5 61 3 3 56 10 6 102 3 2 18 3 0 0 72 40 647

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2

RUSHING ATT YDS

6 2 10 6 8 18 16 9 16 11 10 10 9 3 14 4 152

25 3 61 34 27 61 56 35 55 38 37 42 25 8 44 18 569

SHONN GREENE TD

ATT

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

15 5 10 3 11

JUSTIN HUNTER

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

8 3 63 6 2 26 7 3 37 5 1 12 5 3 99 5 3 77 2 1 6 10 4 31 2 1 17 4 2 48 10 4 64 3 1 18 Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team Not on Team 67 28 498

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0

3

1 4 3 6 2 16 7 11 94

RUSHING YDS

71 40 33 10 36 Inactive Inactive 1 8 6 15 0 Inactive 50 28 94 392

TD

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2

DEXTER McCLUSTER

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

2 1 17 1 1 9 2 2 15 1 0 0 2 1 -2 6 6 52 1 1 6 4 4 39 0 0 0 2 1 17 4 3 15 3 2 11 4 2 10 4 2 8 Not on Team Not on Team 36 26 197

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

T E A M A N A LY S I S

2015 PROJECTED FANTASY

Washington 2015 SCHEDULE GAME

OPPONENT

WK 1 WK 2 WK 3 WK 4 WK 5 WK 6 WK 7 WK 8 WK 9 WK 10 WK 11 WK 12 WK 13 WK 14 WK 15 WK 16 WK 17

Miami St. Louis at N.Y. Giants Philadelphia at Atlanta at N.Y. Jets Tampa Bay BYE at New England New Orleans at Carolina N.Y. Giants Dallas at Chicago Buffalo at Philadelphia at Dallas

Entering 2015 on a short leash as Washington’s projected starting QB following two shaky seasons in a row, it’s highly unlikely Robert Griffin III will ever come close to regaining the fantasy magic he produced as a rookie. With his rushing dimension all but shattered, managing only one TD run the last two years after setting a league rookie record for rushing yards by a QB (815) and scoring seven TDs in his debut season, RG3’s future looks increasingly murky. Subsequently, the uncertainty at the all-important QB position makes it difficult to put much stock in prospective fantasy contributors at other positions that all have noteworthy drawbacks. Alfred Morris, who scored eight TDs last year and ran for over 1,000 yards for the third straight season, is considered an aboveaverage fantasy running back, but his scant involvement in passing situations diminishes his value. WR DeSean Jackson is one of the league’s most dangerous deep threats (20.9 ypc and six TDs last season), but his inconsistency and lack of durability make it hard to count on him. Third-year TE Jordan Reed has been impressive when healthy, but he has missed 12 games the last two seasons due to assorted injuries.

VALUE CHART QUARTERBACKS

ROBERT GRIFFIN III COLT McCOY RUNNING BACKS

ALFRED MORRIS MATT JONES SILAS REDD CHRIS THOMPSON WIDE RECEIVERS

DeSEAN JACKSON PIERRE GARÇON ANDRE ROBERTS TIGHT ENDS

JORDAN REED NILES PAUL PLACEKICKER

KAI FORBATH

2014 TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS KIRK COUSINS GAME

OPP

WK 1 @ HOU WK 2 JAX WK 3 @ PHI WK 4 NYG WK 5 SEA WK 6 @ AZ WK 7 TEN WK 8 @ DAL WK 9 @ MIN WK 11 TB WK 12 @ SF WK 13 @ IND WK 14 STL WK 15 @ NYG WK 16 PHI WK 17 DAL SEASON TOTALS 

ATT

33 48 33 36 38 16

204

CMP

PASSING YDS TD

OPP

INT

Active, Did Not Play 22 250 2 30 427 3 19 257 1 21 283 2 24 354 2 10 139 0 Active, Did Not Play Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Active, Did Not Play Active, Did Not Play 126 1710 10

PIERRE GARCON

GAME

ROBERT GRIFFIN III

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

WK 1 @ HOU 12 10 77 WK 2 JAX 4 1 12 WK 3 @ PHI 16 11 138 WK 4 NYG 6 2 28 WK 5 SEA 3 2 23 WK 6 @ AZ 6 4 31 WK 7 TEN 6 5 87 WK 8 @ DAL 4 4 47 WK 9 @ MIN 5 3 15 WK 11 TB 2 1 6 WK 12 @ SF 4 3 34 WK 13 @ IND 9 3 9 WK 14 STL 11 9 95 WK 15 @ NYG 7 4 36 WK 16 PHI 5 4 61 WK 17 DAL 5 2 53 SEASON TOTALS  105 68 752

0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

0 1 4 0 3 1

RTG

109.4 103.4 53.0 102.0 78.2 64.3

9

86.4

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

8 6 3 95

CMP

37 3

29 2

28 32 19

DeSEAN JACKSON

9 2 11 4 11 5 5 7 7 6 5 6

ATT

8 62 1 19 5 117 1 9 5 157 3 115 3 49 6 136 4 120 4 35 2 39 5 84 Inactive 3 15 4 126 2 86 56 1169

0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 6

4 27 23 41 214

PASSING YDS TD

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

11 6 7 1 3 11 7 4 4 10 65

INT

267 0 38 0 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 18 251 1 23 207 1 11 106 0 Active, Did Not Play 3 33 0 18 236 1 16 220 0 27 336 1 147 1694 4

JORDAN REED

1

ALFRED MORRIS

1 4 Inactive Inactive Inactive Inactive 8 92 5 54 7 40 1 17 2 22 Inactive 9 123 3 25 3 13 2 5 9 70 50 465

0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

RTG

0 0

96.7 109.7

1 2 0

90 73.3 73.6

0 0 1 2 6

99 106.4 81.8 78.9 86.9

NILES PAUL

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

4 4 86 11 8 99 9 6 68 4 3 60 2 1 6 2 1 7 2 2 58 3 3 27 2 2 18 5 3 17 2 1 11 1 1 7 1 1 7 1 1 17 0 0 0 3 2 19 52 39 507

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

RUSHING ATT YDS

14 22 23 12 13 13 18 18 19 20 21 17 8 14 21 12 265

91 85 77 63 29 41 54 73 92 96 125 67 6 49 83 43 1074

ROY HELU

TD

0 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 8

ROY HELU

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 2 1 5 7 2 3 2 5 6 2 4 0

2 15 2 11 1 55 5 78 5 59 2 40 3 -9 2 14 4 46 6 57 2 9 4 61 0 0 Inactive Inactive 5 4 41 47 42 477

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2

RUSHING ATT YDS

4 8 1 2 2 3 5 5 3 0 0 1 0

46 25 1 8 -1 26 29 29 6 0 0 5 0 Inactive Inactive 6 42 40 216

TD

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

ANDRE ROBERTS

RECEIVING TARG REC YDS TD

3 1 22 5 4 57 6 4 38 5 1 18 9 5 29 9 5 55 4 2 18 5 1 11 5 2 18 2 2 21 4 1 7 5 2 46 2 2 11 4 2 81 2 1 14 3 1 7 73 36 453

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

| 139

2014 statistics FANTASY POINTS-TOTAL RANKINGS BY POSITION QUARTERBACKS PLAYER

PASSING RUSHING RECEIVING FUMB 2-PT FUMB FANTASY YARDS TD INT YARDS TD YARDS TD TD CONV LOST POINTS

Aaron Rodgers Andrew Luck Russell Wilson Peyton Manning Ben Roethlisberger Drew Brees Matt Ryan Ryan Tannehill Tom Brady Eli Manning Tony Romo Philip Rivers Joe Flacco Jay Cutler Matthew Stafford Colin Kaepernick Cam Newton Andy Dalton Alex Smith Derek Carr Ryan Fitzpatrick Teddy Bridgewater Kyle Orton Blake Bortles Brian Hoyer Geno Smith Mark Sanchez Josh McCown Nick Foles Austin Davis Carson Palmer Drew Stanton Mike Glennon Shaun Hill Kirk Cousins Robert Griffin III Charlie Whitehurst Zach Mettenberger Jake Locker Colt McCoy EJ Manuel

4381 38 5 4761 40 16 3475 20 7 4727 39 15 4952 32 9 4952 33 17 4694 28 14 4045 27 12 4109 33 9 4410 30 14 3705 34 9 4286 31 18 3986 27 12 3812 28 18 4257 22 12 3369 19 10 3127 18 12 3398 19 17 3265 18 6 3270 21 12 2483 17 8 2919 14 12 3018 18 10 2908 11 17 3326 12 13 2525 13 13 2418 14 11 2206 11 14 2163 13 10 2001 12 9 1626 11 3 1711 7 5 1417 10 6 1657 8 7 1710 10 9 1694 4 6 1326 7 2 1412 8 7 993 5 7 1057 4 3 838 5 3

269 2 273 3 849 6 -24 - 27 - 68 1 145 - 311 1 57 - 31 1 61 - 102 - 70 2 191 2 93 2 639 1 539 5 169 4 254 1 92 - 184 2 209 1 14 1 419 - 39 - 238 1 87 1 127 3 68 - 36 - 25 - 63 - 49 - 10 1 20 - 176 1 90 - 4 - 142 1 66 1 52 1

- - - - 17 - - - -6 - 1 - - - -4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 18 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 10 - - - - - - - - -

- 1 2 354.14 - - 6 351.74 - - - 327.60 - 2 2 312.68 - 3 5 306.18 - - 3 302.98 - 1 2 284.26 - - 2 278.50 - - 3 278.06 - - 4 269.50 - - 3 266.30 - - 2 265.64 - - - 262.44 - 4 6 255.58 - 1 3 251.58 - - 5 250.66 - 1 5 248.98 - 1 2 224.62 - - 1 220.00 - - 4 192.00 - - 1 179.72 - 2 - 179.66 - 1 3 176.12 - 1 1 168.22 - - 1 156.94 - - 3 150.80 - - 3 139.42 - - 4 126.94 - - 3 119.32 - - 3 107.64 - - 1 103.54 - 1 - 94.74 - - - 89.58 - - 1 89.28 - - 2 88.40 - - 4 87.36 - - - 87.04 - - 2 70.88 - - 1 63.92 - - 1 62.88 - - - 58.72

RUNNING BACKS PLAYER

DeMarco Murray Le’Veon Bell Marshawn Lynch Matt Forte Arian Foster Eddie Lacy Jamaal Charles Justin Forsett Lamar Miller Jeremy Hill C.J. Anderson LeSean McCoy Alfred Morris Joique Bell Mark Ingram Matt Asiata Frank Gore Giovani Bernard Chris Ivory Andre Ellington Andre Williams Fred Jackson Steven Jackson Jonathan Stewart Tre Mason Ahmad Bradshaw

PASSING RUSHING RECEIVING FUMB 2-PT FUMB FANTASY YARDS TD INT YARDS TD YARDS TD TD CONV LOST POINTS

- - - 1845 13 416 - - - - 1361 8 854 3 - - - 1306 13 367 4 - - - 1038 6 808 4 5 1 - 1246 8 327 5 - - - 1139 9 427 4 - - - 1033 9 291 5 - - - 1266 8 263 - - - - 1099 8 275 1 - - - 1124 9 215 - - - - 849 8 324 2 - - - 1319 5 155 - - - - 1074 8 155 - - - - 860 7 322 1 - - - 964 9 145 - - - - 570 9 312 1 - - - 1106 4 111 1 - - - 680 5 349 2 - - - 821 6 123 1 - - - 660 3 395 2 - - - 721 7 130 - - - - 525 2 501 1 - - - 707 6 148 - - - - 809 3 181 1 - - - 765 4 148 1 - - - 425 2 300 6

- - 5 294.10 - - - 287.50 - - 2 265.30 - 2 2 244.60 - - 2 235.50 - - 2 230.60 - - 3 210.40 - 1 - 202.90 - - 3 185.40 - - 2 183.90 - - - 177.30 - - 3 171.40 - - - 170.90 - - 1 164.20 - - 1 162.90 - 2 1 150.20 - - 2 147.70 - - - 144.90 - - 1 134.30 - - 2 131.50 - - - 127.10 - 1 - 122.60 - - - 121.50 - - 1 121.00 - - 1 119.30 - - 2 116.50

140 | PRO FOOTBALL NOW • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

Shane Vereen Isaiah Crowell Branden Oliver Rashad Jennings Darren Sproles Terrance West Knile Davis Chris Johnson Trent Richardson Denard Robinson LeGarrette Blount Roy Helu Darren McFadden Alfred Blue Ronnie Hillman Benny Cunningham Bishop Sankey Bobby Rainey Pierre Thomas Jonas Gray Latavius Murray Doug Martin Jerick McKinnon Ben Tate Reggie Bush Antone Smith Lorenzo Taliaferro Carlos Hyde Toby Gerhart Theo Riddick Anthony Dixon Robert Turbin James Starks Ryan Mathews Devonta Freeman Khiry Robinson Stepfan Taylor Dan Herron Jacquizz Rodgers Joseph Randle Shonn Greene Jordan Todman Stevan Ridley Bernard Pierce Juwan Thompson C.J. Spiller Zac Stacy Donald Brown Chris Polk Charles Sims Daniel Thomas Darrel Young Marcel Reece Damien Williams Dexter McCluster Travaris Cadet De’Anthony Thomas Fozzy Whitaker Lance Dunbar Leon Washington Bruce Miller Bilal Powell Bryce Brown Montee Ball Kerwynn Williams DeAngelo Williams Silas Redd Jonathan Grimes Knowshon Moreno Ka’Deem Carey Peyton Hillis Storm Johnson Kyle Juszczyk Joe McKnight

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

391 2 607 8 582 3 639 4 329 6 673 4 463 6 663 1 519 3 582 4 547 5 216 1 534 2 528 2 434 3 246 3 569 2 406 1 222 2 412 5 424 2 494 2 538 - 371 4 297 2 144 2 292 4 333 4 326 2 51 - 432 2 310 - 333 2 330 3 248 1 362 3 208 1 351 1 217 1 343 3 392 2 186 1 340 2 366 2 272 3 300 - 293 1 223 - 172 4 185 1 168 2 22 3 85 - 122 - 131 - 32 - 113 1 145 1 99 - 57 - 9 - 141 1 126 - 172 1 246 - 219 - 75 1 153 - 148 1 158 - 115 - 86 2 - - 3 -

447 3 87 - 271 1 226 - 387 - 64 1 147 1 151 1 229 - 124 - 54 - 477 2 212 - 113 1 139 1 352 1 133 - 315 1 378 1 7 - 143 - 64 - 135 - 60 - 253 - 222 3 114 - 68 - 186 - 316 4 49 - 186 2 140 - 69 - 225 1 63 - 79 3 173 - 173 1 23 - 13 - 198 1 20 - 13 - 25 - 125 1 152 - 211 - 16 - 190 - 121 - 81 2 265 1 187 1 197 1 296 1 156 - 60 1 217 - 159 2 189 2 92 - 176 - 62 - 11 - 44 - 107 - 86 - 8 - 57 - 87 - –4 - 182 1 64 2

- - - 113.80 - - 2 113.40 - - - 109.30 - - 1 108.50 - - 1 105.60 - - 1 101.70 - - 2 99.00 - - 1 91.40 - - 1 90.80 - - 2 90.60 - - 1 88.10 - - 1 85.30 - - 1 84.60 - - - 82.10 - - - 81.30 - - 2 79.80 - - 2 78.20 - - 3 78.10 - - - 78.00 - - - 71.90 - - - 68.70 - - - 67.80 - - - 67.30 - - - 67.10 - - - 67.00 - - 1 64.60 - - 1 62.60 - - 1 62.10 - - 1 61.20 - - - 60.70 - - - 60.10 - - 1 59.60 - - - 59.30 - - - 57.90 - - 1 57.30 - - 2 56.50 - 1 - 54.70 - - 2 54.40 - - - 51.00 - - 2 50.60 - - 1 50.50 - - - 50.40 - - - 48.00 - - 1 47.90 - - - 47.70 - - 1 46.50 - - 2 46.50 - - - 43.40 - - - 42.80 - - 1 41.50 - 1 1 40.90 - - - 40.30 - - 1 39.00 - - 1 36.90 - - - 36.80 - - 2 34.80 - - - 32.90 - - - 32.50 - - - 31.60 - - 1 31.60 - - 1 29.80 - - - 29.30 - - 1 28.30 - - 1 27.40 - - - 25.70 - - 1 24.30 - - - 24.20 - - - 23.90 - - - 21.60 - - - 21.50 - - 1 20.20 - - 2 20.20 - - 2 20.20 - - - 18.70

2014 Christine Michael Mike Tolbert John Kuhn Brandon Bolden Robert Hughes Joe Banyard Zurlon Tipton Anthony Sherman Rex Burkhead Orleans Darkwa Marion Grice Patrick DiMarco Jonathan Dwyer Jed Collins John Conner Chris Ogbonnaya

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

175 - 78 - 85 1 89 1 11 - 88 - 18 - 8 - 27 1 23 1 41 1 - - 51 1 19 - 20 - 50 1

12 - 93 - 23 - 8 - 140 - 62 - 68 1 71 1 49 - 48 - 29 - 62 1 8 - 39 1 35 1 - -

STATISTICS

- - - 18.70 - - - 17.10 - - - 16.80 - - -1 15.70 - - - 15.10 - - - 15.00 - - - 14.60 - - - 13.90 - - - 13.60 - - - 13.10 - - - 13.00 - - - 12.20 - - - 11.90 - - - 11.80 - - - 11.50 - - - 11.00

WIDE RECEIVERS PLAYER

Antonio Brown Jordy Nelson Demaryius Thomas Dez Bryant Odell Beckham Randall Cobb Emmanuel Sanders Julio Jones Jeremy Maclin Mike Evans Alshon Jeffery T.Y. Hilton Golden Tate Calvin Johnson DeAndre Hopkins DeSean Jackson Kelvin Benjamin Mike Wallace Torrey Smith Steve Smith Anquan Boldin Brandon LaFell A.J. Green Jordan Matthews Sammy Watkins Roddy White Julian Edelman Eric Decker Mohamed Sanu Malcom Floyd Eddie Royal Michael Floyd Marques Colston Brandon Marshall Rueben Randle Kenny Stills Kendall Wright Vincent Jackson Greg Jennings Terrance Williams Andre Johnson Martavis Bryant Allen Hurns Doug Baldwin James Jones Robert Woods John Brown Keenan Allen Jarvis Landry Andrew Hawkins Kenny Britt Michael Crabtree Andre Holmes Pierre Garcon Larry Fitzgerald Reggie Wayne Brandin Cooks Percy Harvin Markus Wheaton Jarius Wright Nate Washington Dwayne Bowe Riley Cooper Devin Hester Harry Douglas

PASSING RUSHING RECEIVING FUMB 2-PT FUMB FANTASY YARDS TD INT YARDS TD YARDS TD TD CONV LOST POINTS

20 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 79 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

13 - 1698 13 - - 1519 13 - - 1619 11 - - 1320 16 35 - 1305 12 37 - 1287 12 44 - 1404 9 1 - 1593 6 - - 1318 10 - - 1051 12 33 - 1133 10 20 - 1345 7 30 - 1331 4 - - 1077 8 - - 1210 6 7 - 1169 6 - - 1008 9 16 - 862 10 - - 767 11 - - 1065 6 4 - 1062 5 13 - 953 7 2 - 1041 6 - - 872 8 8 - 982 6 - - 921 7 94 - 972 4 - - 962 5 51 - 790 5 - - 856 6 14 - 778 7 2 - 841 6 - - 902 5 - - 721 8 - - 938 3 -2 - 931 3 54 - 715 6 - - 1002 2 - - 742 6 - - 621 8 - - 936 3 12 - 549 8 - - 677 6 8 - 825 3 - - 666 6 - - 699 5 -6 - 696 5 - - 783 4 -4 - 758 5 15 - 824 2 14 - 748 3 4 - 698 4 - - 693 4 - - 752 3 - - 784 2 - - 779 2 73 1 550 3 202 1 483 1 19 - 644 2 71 - 588 2 - - 647 2 - - 754 - - - 577 3 36 1 504 2 - - 556 2

- 1 2 251.90 - - - 229.90 - 1 - 229.90 - - - 228.00 - - 1 204.00 - 1 2 202.40 - 1 - 200.80 - - 1 193.40 - - - 191.80 - - - 177.10 - - - 176.60 - - 1 176.50 - - - 160.10 - - - 155.70 - - 1 155.00 - - - 153.60 - - 1 152.80 - - 1 145.80 - - - 142.70 - - 1 140.50 - - - 136.60 - - 1 136.60 - - 2 136.30 - - - 135.20 - - 1 133.00 - - 1 132.10 - - - 130.60 - - - 126.20 - 1 - 123.26 - - - 121.60 - - 1 119.20 - - 1 118.30 - - 1 118.20 - - 1 118.10 - - - 111.80 - - - 110.90 - - 1 110.90 - - 1 110.20 - - - 110.20 - - - 110.10 - - 3 105.60 - - - 104.10 - - - 103.70 - - - 101.30 - - 1 100.60 - 1 1 99.90 - - - 99.00 - - 2 98.30 - - 4 97.40 - - - 95.90 - - - 94.20 - - - 94.20 - - - 93.30 - - - 93.20 - - 1 88.40 - - 1 87.90 - - - 86.30 - - 1 78.50 - - - 78.30 - - - 77.90 - - - 76.70 - - - 75.40 - - 1 73.70 - - 1 70.00 - 1 - 69.60

Taylor Gabriel Miles Austin Allen Robinson Justin Hunter Jerricho Cotchery Cecil Shorts Hakeem Nicks Donte Moncrief Davante Adams Chris Hogan Cole Beasley Jermaine Kearse Steve Johnson Charles Johnson Cordarrelle Patterson Brian Hartline Tavon Austin Wes Welker Jeremy Kerley Brian Quick Andre Roberts Preston Parker Stedman Bailey Travis Benjamin Louis Murphy Philly Brown Marqise Lee Kamar Aiken Jason Avant Damaris Johnson Brice Butler Victor Cruz Brandon Gibson Brandon Lloyd Jaron Brown Lance Moore Jeremy Ross Paul Richardson Ricardo Lockette Derek Hagan Josh Gordon Bruce Ellington Kenbrell Thompkins Danny Amendola Albert Wilson Nick Toon Rishard Matthews Marlon Brown Brandon Tate Corey Fuller

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 32 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

2 - 629 1 - - 568 2 - - 548 2 - - 498 3 - - 580 1 - - 557 1 - - 405 4 17 - 444 3 - - 446 3 - - 426 4 - - 420 4 15 - 537 1 - - 435 3 -11 - 475 2 117 1 384 1 - - 474 2 224 2 242 - - - 464 2 86 - 409 1 - - 375 3 21 - 453 2 - - 418 2 13 - 435 1 11 - 314 3 - - 380 2 95 - 296 2 9 - 422 1 - - 267 3 1 - 353 1 19 - 331 1 - - 280 2 - - 337 1 - - 295 1 - - 294 1 - - 229 2 - - 198 2 -1 - 314 1 - - 271 1 2 - 195 2 - - 254 1 - - 303 - 28 1 62 2 5 - 262 - - - 200 1 - - 260 - 4 - 215 1 3 - 135 2 - - 255 - 21 - 193 1 - - 212 1

- - - 69.10 - - - 68.80 - 1 - 68.80 - - - 67.80 - 1 - 66.00 - - 1 64.98 - - - 64.50 - - - 64.10 - - - 62.60 - - 2 62.60 - - 2 62.00 - - - 61.88 - - - 61.50 - 1 - 60.40 - - 1 60.10 - - - 59.40 - - - 58.60 - - - 58.40 - - - 55.50 - - - 55.50 - - 2 55.40 - - 1 51.80 - - - 50.80 - - - 50.50 - - - 50.00 - - 1 49.10 - - - 49.10 - - - 44.70 - - - 41.40 - - - 41.00 - - - 40.00 - - - 39.70 - - - 35.50 - - - 35.40 - - - 34.90 - 1 - 33.80 - - 2 33.30 - - - 33.10 - - - 31.70 - - - 31.40 - - - 30.30 - - - 27.00 - - - 26.70 - - - 26.00 - - - 26.00 - - 1 25.90 - - - 25.80 - - - 25.50 - - 1 25.40 - - 1 25.20

TIGHT ENDS PLAYER

PASSING RUSHING RECEIVING FUMB 2-PT FUMB FANTASY YARDS TD INT YARDS TD YARDS TD TD CONV LOST POINTS

Rob Gronkowski Antonio Gates Jimmy Graham Greg Olsen Martellus Bennett Coby Fleener Julius Thomas Travis Kelce Delanie Walker Jason Witten Heath Miller Larry Donnell Dwayne Allen Zach Ertz Jared Cook Charles Clay Owen Daniels Jermaine Gresham Mychal Rivera Scott Chandler Timothy Wright Lance Kendricks Niles Paul Jordan Cameron Luke Willson Andrew Quarless Josh Hill Anthony Fasano Jace Amaro Jordan Reed John Carlson Jeff Cumberland

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - 1124 12 - - 821 12 - - 889 10 - - 1008 6 - - 916 6 - - 774 8 - - 489 12 - - 862 5 - - 890 4 - - 703 5 - - 761 3 - - 623 6 - - 395 8 - - 702 3 - - 634 3 - - 605 3 - - 527 4 - - 460 5 - - 534 4 - - 497 3 -2 - 259 6 - - 259 5 - - 507 1 - - 424 2 - - 362 3 - - 323 3 - - 176 5 - - 226 4 - - 345 2 - - 465 - - - 350 1 - - 247 3

- - - 184.40 - - - 154.10 - - 2 144.90 - - - 136.80 - 2 - 131.60 - - - 125.40 - - - 120.90 1 - 3 116.20 - - - 113.00 - - - 100.30 - 1 1 94.10 - - 4 90.30 - - - 87.50 - - 1 86.20 - - - 81.40 - - - 78.50 - - - 76.70 - - - 76.00 - - 1 75.40 - - - 67.70 - - - 61.70 - - - 55.90 - - 1 54.70 - - - 54.40 - - - 54.20 - - - 50.30 - - - 47.60 - - - 46.60 - - - 46.50 - - 1 44.50 - 1 - 43.00 - - - 42.70

PRO FOOTBALL NOW • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

| 141

2014 PLACEKICKERS PLAYER

STATISTICS DEFENSES

PAT FIELD GOALS MADE MADE 0-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+

Stephen Gostkowski 51 Cody Parkey 54 Adam Vinatieri 50 Dan Carpenter 31 Mason Crosby 53 Dan Bailey 56 Matt Bryant 40 Randy Bullock 40 Steven Hauschka 41 Justin Tucker 42 Caleb Sturgis 41 Shaun Suisham 45 Nick Folk 23 Josh Brown 44 Graham Gano 34 Phil Dawson 33 Chandler Catanzaro 27 Mike Nugent 39 Blair Walsh 29 Greg Zuerlein 34 Cairo Santos 38 Nick Novak 40 Shayne Graham 46 Kai Forbath 31 Patrick Murray 31 Billy Cundiff 28 Sebastian Janikowski 28 Matt Prater 21 Josh Scobee 23 Ryan Succop 27 Brandon McManus 41 Connor Barth 15

FANTASY POINTS

1 11 10 12 1 158.00 - 10 14 4 4 158.00 - 10 10 7 3 146.00 - 9 12 7 6 145.00 - 7 11 5 4 142.00 - 6 6 8 5 141.00 - 10 4 8 7 141.00 - 6 13 7 4 138.00 - 10 10 9 2 138.00 - 10 11 4 4 137.00 1 12 7 6 3 134.00 - 12 6 10 1 134.00 - 13 7 9 3 125.00 1 6 9 4 4 124.00 - 7 12 9 1 123.00 - 6 8 5 6 120.00 - 5 12 10 2 118.00 - 6 10 10 - 117.00 2 4 8 7 5 117.00 1 6 10 2 5 116.00 1 10 6 7 1 115.00 1 6 8 4 3 112.00 - 6 9 3 1 105.00 - 11 6 7 - 103.00 - 2 7 6 5 101.00 - 6 10 5 1 96.00 - 2 5 9 3 91.00 - 8 4 6 3 90.00 - 3 7 7 3 89.00 - 5 7 5 2 88.00 - 5 2 2 - 68.00 2 4 5 3 1 62.00

FUMB DEF TEAM SACKS INT REC SAF TD

Philadelphia Eagles Houston Texans Buffalo Bills St. Louis Rams Green Bay Packers Seattle Seahawks Baltimore Ravens New England Patriots Arizona Cardinals Indianapolis Colts Detroit Lions San Francisco 49ers Cleveland Browns Minnesota Vikings Kansas City Chiefs Miami Dolphins Pittsburgh Steelers Denver Broncos Dallas Cowboys Carolina Panthers Jacksonville Jaguars New York Giants Cincinnati Bengals Tampa Bay Buccaneers Chicago Bears Atlanta Falcons San Diego Chargers Tennessee Titans New York Jets New Orleans Saints Washington Oakland Raiders

49 38 54 40 41 37 49 40 35 41 42 36 31 41 46 39 33 41 28 40 45 47 20 35 39 22 26 39 45 34 36 22

12 16 20 14 19 11 13 12 18 9 13 11 11 11 16 9 18 7 12 14 20 7 23 6 21 8 13 6 6 8 14 11 11 10 18 7 18 13 14 12 6 14 17 9 20 6 14 11 14 10 16 12 7 11 12 4 6 7 12 5 7 12 9 5

- 7 1 6 1 2 - 3 1 4 1 3 1 2 - 4 - 4 - 2 1 2 - 3 1 3 - 5 - 1 3 3 1 5 1 3 - 3 - 2 1 3 - 1 3 1 - 3 - 1 - 2 1 3 1 2 1 - 2 - - - - 2

RET PTS FANTASY TD ALLOWED POINTS

4 - 2 2 2 - 1 1 1 - - - - - 2 - 1 - - 1 - - - - 1 1 - - - - - -

382 177.00 293 170.00 273 169.00 306 147.00 336 145.00 252 143.00 302 141.00 301 139.00 293 137.00 337 129.00 280 128.00 328 125.00 331 125.00 333 122.00 279 120.00 373 120.00 368 119.00 342 117.00 338 117.00 368 114.00 380 111.00 382 109.00 326 103.00 394 103.00 430 99.00 385 97.00 336 96.00 422 77.00 381 73.00 400 69.00 414 65.00 428 57.00

REGARDLESS OF POSITION FANTASY PLAYER POINTS

Aaron Rodgers QB Andrew Luck QB Russell Wilson QB Peyton Manning, QB Ben Roethlisberger, QB Drew Brees, QB DeMarco Murray, RB Le’Veon Bell, RB Matt Ryan, QB Ryan Tannehill, QB Tom Brady, QB Eli Manning, QB Tony Romo, QB Philip Rivers, QB Marshawn Lynch, RB Joe Flacco, QB Jay Cutler, QB Antonio Brown, WR Matthew Stafford, QB Colin Kaepernick, QB Cam Newton, QB Matt Forte, RB Arian Foster, RB Eddie Lacy, RB Jordy Nelson, WR Demaryius Thomas, WR Dez Bryant, WR Andy Dalton, QB Alex Smith, QB Jamaal Charles, RB Odell Beckham, WR Justin Forsett, RB Randall Cobb, WR Emmanuel Sanders, WR Julio Jones, WR Derek Carr, QB Jeremy Maclin, WR Lamar Miller, RB Rob Gronkowski, TE Jeremy Hill, RB Ryan FitzpatrickVQB Teddy Bridgewater, QB C.J. Anderson, RB Mike Evans, WR Alshon Jeffery, WR T.Y. Hilton, WR Kyle Orton, QB

354.14 351.74 327.60 312.68 306.18 302.98 294.10 287.50 284.26 278.50 278.06 269.50 266.30 265.64 265.30 262.44 255.58 251.90 251.58 250.66 248.98 244.60 235.50 230.60 229.90 229.90 228.00 224.62 220.00 210.40 204.00 202.90 202.40 200.80 193.40 192.00 191.80 185.40 184.40 183.90 179.72 179.66 177.30 177.10 176.60 176.50 176.12

LeSean McCoy, RB Alfred Morris, RB Blake Bortles, QB Joique Bell, RB Mark Ingram, RB Golden Tate, WR Brian Hoyer, QB Calvin Johnson, WR DeAndre Hopkins, WR Antonio Gates, TE DeSean Jackson, WR Kelvin Benjamin, WR Geno Smith, QB Matt Asiata, RB Frank Gore, RB Mike Wallace, WR Giovani Bernard, RB Jimmy Graham, TE Torrey Smith, WR Steve Smith, WR Mark Sanchez, QB Greg Olsen, TE Anquan Boldin, WR Brandon LaFell, WR A.J. Green, WR Jordan Matthews, WR Chris Ivory, RB Sammy Watkins, WR Roddy White, WR Martellus Bennett, TE Andre Ellington, RB Julian Edelman, WR Andre Williams, RB Josh McCown, QB Eric Decker, WR Coby Fleener, TE Mohamed Sanu, WR Fred Jackson, RB Malcom Floyd, WR Steven Jackson, RB Jonathan Stewart, RB Julius Thomas, TE Nick Foles, QB Tre Mason, RB Eddie Royal, WR Michael Floyd, WR Marques Colston, WR Brandon Marshall, WR Ahmad Bradshaw, RB

171.40 170.90 168.22 164.20 162.90 160.10 156.94 155.70 155.00 154.10 153.60 152.80 150.80 150.20 147.70 145.80 144.90 144.90 142.70 140.50 139.42 136.80 136.60 136.60 136.30 135.20 134.40 133.00 132.10 131.60 131.50 130.60 127.10 126.94 126.20 125.40 123.26 122.60 121.60 121.50 121.00 120.90 119.32 119.30 119.20 118.30 118.20 118.10 116.50

Travis Kelce, TE Shane Vereen, RB Isaiah Crowell, RB Delanie Walker, TE Rueben Randle, WR Kenny Stills, WR Kendall Wright, WR Vincent Jackson, WR Greg Jennings, WR Terrance Williams, WR Branden Oliver, RB Rashad Jennings, RB Austin Davis, QB Andre Johnson, WR Darren Sproles, RB Martavis Bryant, WR Allen Hurns, WR Carson Palmer, QB Terrance West, RB Doug Baldwin, WR James Jones, WR Jason Witten, TE Robert Woods, WR John Brown, WR Knile Davis, RB Keenan Allen, WR Jarvis Landry, WR Andrew Hawkins, WR Drew Stanton, QB Kenny Britt, WR Michael Crabtree, WR Heath Miller, TE Andre Holmes, WR Pierre Garcon, WR Chris Johnson, RB - NYJ Trent Richardson, RB Denard Robinson, RB Larry Donnell, TE Mike Glennon, QB Shaun Hill, QB Kirk Cousins, QB Larry Fitzgerald, WR LeGarrette Blount, RB Reggie Wayne, WR Dwayne Allen, TE Robert Griffin III, QB Charlie Whitehurst, QB Brandin Cooks, WR Zach Ertz, TE

142 | PRO FOOTBALL NOW • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

116.20 113.80 113.40 113.00 111.80 110.90 110.90 110.20 110.20 110.10 109.30 108.50 107.64 105.60 105.60 104.10 103.70 103.54 101.70 101.30 100.60 100.30 99.90 99.00 99.00 98.30 97.40 95.90 94.74 94.20 94.20 94.10 93.30 93.20 91.40 90.80 90.60 90.30 89.58 89.28 88.40 88.40 88.10 87.90 87.50 87.36 87.04 86.30 86.20

Roy Helu, RB Darren McFadden, RB Alfred Blue, RB Jared Cook, TE Ronnie Hillman, RB Benny Cunningham, RB Charles Clay, TE Percy Harvin, WR Markus Wheaton, WR Bishop Sankey, RB Bobby Rainey, RB Pierre Thomas, RB Jarius Wright, WR Owen Daniels, TE Nate Washington, WR Jermaine Gresham, TE Dwayne Bowe, WR Mychal Rivera, TE Riley Cooper, WR Jonas Gray, RB Zach Mettenberger, QB Devin Hester, WR Harry Douglas, WR Taylor Gabriel, WR Miles Austin, WR Allen Robinson, WR Latavius Murray, RB Justin Hunter, WR Doug Martin, RB Scott Chandler, TE Jerick McKinnon, RB Ben Tate, RB Reggie Bush, RB Jerricho Cotchery, WR Cecil Shorts, WR Antone Smith, RB Hakeem Nicks, WR Donte Moncrief, WR Jake Locker, QB Colt McCoy, QB Davante Adams, WR Chris Hogan, WR Lorenzo Taliaferro, RB Carlos Hyde, RB Cole Beasley, WR Jermaine Kearse, WR Timothy Wright, TE Steve Johnson, WR Toby Gerhart, RB

85.30 84.60 82.10 81.40 81.30 79.80 78.50 78.50 78.30 78.20 78.10 78.00 77.90 76.70 76.70 76.00 75.40 75.40 73.70 71.90 70.88 70.00 69.60 69.10 68.80 68.80 68.70 67.80 67.80 67.70 67.30 67.10 67.00 66.00 64.98 64.60 64.50 64.10 63.92 62.88 62.60 62.60 62.60 62.10 62.00 61.88 61.70 61.50 61.20

Theo Riddick, RB Charles Johnson, WR Anthony Dixon, RB Cordarrelle Patterson, WR Robert Turbin, RB Brian Hartline, WR James Starks, RB EJ Manuel, QB Tavon Austin, WR Wes Welker, WR Ryan Mathews, RB Devonta Freeman, RB Khiry Robinson, RB Lance Kendricks, TE Jeremy Kerley, WR Brian Quick, WR Andre Roberts, WR Niles Paul, TE Stepfan Taylor, RB Jordan Cameron, TE Dan Herron, RB Luke Willson, TE Preston Parker, WR Jacquizz Rodgers, RB Stedman Bailey, WR Joseph Randle, RB Travis Benjamin, WR Shonn Greene, RB Derek Anderson, QB Jordan Todman, RB Andrew Quarless, TE Louis Murphy, WR Philly Brown, WR Marqise Lee, WR Stevan Ridley, RB Bernard Pierce, RB Juwan Thompson, RB Josh Hill, TE Anthony Fasano, TE Jace Amaro, TE C.J. Spiller, RB Zac Stacy, RB Kaman Aiken Jordan Reed, TE Michael Vick, QB Donald Brown, RB John Carlson, TE Chris Polk, RB Jeff Cumberland, TE Charles Sims, RB Jason Avant, WR

60.70 60.40 60.10 60.10 59.60 59.40 59.30 58.72 58.60 58.40 57.90 57.30 56.50 55.90 55.50 55.50 55.40 54.70 54.70 54.40 54.40 54.20 51.80 51.00 50.80 50.60 50.50 50.50 50.44 50.40 50.30 50.00 49.10 49.10 48.00 47.90 47.70 47.60 46.60 46.50 46.50 46.50 44.70 44.50 43.46 43.40 43.00 42.80 42.70 41.50 41.40

2014

STATISTICS AFC PASSING

Ben Roethlisberger

RK PLAYER (TEAM) 1. Roethlisberger, Ben (PIT) 2. Luck, Andrew (IND) 3. Manning, Peyton (DEN) 4. Rivers, Philip (SD) 5. Brady, Tom (NE) 6. Tannehill, Ryan (MIA) 7. Flacco, Joe (BAL) 8. Dalton, Andy (CIN) 9. Hoyer, Brian (CLE) 10. Carr, Derek (OAK) 11. Smith, Alex (KC) 12. Orton, Kyle (BUF) 13. Bortles, Blake (JAX) 14. Smith, Geno (NYJ) 15. Fitzpatrick, Ryan (HOU) 16. Mettenberger, Zach (TEN) 17. Whitehurst, Charlie (TEN) 18. Locker, Jake (TEN) 19. Manuel, E.J. (BUF) 20. Vick, Michael (NYJ) 21. Henne, Chad (JAX) 22. Keenum, Case (HOU) 23. Mallett, Ryan (HOU) 24. Hasselbeck, Matt (IND) 25. Garoppolo, Jimmy (NE) 26. Shaw, Connor (CLE) 27. Manziel, Johnny (CLE) 28. Daniel, Chase (KC) 29. McGloin, Matthew (OAK) 30. Savage, Tom (HOU) 31. Sanu, Mohamed (CIN) 32. Campbell, Jason (CIN) 33. Schaub, Matt (OAK) 34. Osweiler, Brock (DEN) 35. Simms, Matt (NYJ) 36. Quigley, Ryan (NYJ) 37. Shorts, Cecil (JAX) 38. Golden, Robert (PIT) 39. Moore, Matt (MIA) 40. Brown, Antonio (PIT) 41. Anger, Bryan (JAX)

COMP 408 380 395 379 373 392 344 309 242 348 303 287 280 219 197 107 105 86 76 64 42 45 41 30 19 14 18 16 12 10 3 11 5 4 3 1 2 1 2 2 1

RK PLAYER (TEAM) 1. Brees, Drew (NO) 2. Ryan, Matt (ATL) 3. Manning, Eli (NYG) 4. Rodgers, Aaron (GB) 5. Stafford, Matthew (DET) 6. Cutler, Jay (CHI) 7. Romo, Tony (DAL) 8. Wilson, Russell (SEA) 9. Kaepernick, Colin (SF) 10. Newton, Cam (CAR) 11. Bridgewater, Teddy (MIN) 12. Sanchez, Mark (PHI) 13. McCown, Josh (TB) 14. Foles, Nick (PHI) 15. Davis, Austin (STL) 16. Stanton, Drew (AZ) 17. Cousins, Kirk (WAS) 18. Griffin, Robert (WAS) 19. Hill, Shaun (STL) 20. Palmer, Carson (AZ) 21. Glennon, Mike (TB) 22. McCoy, Colt (WAS) 23. Anderson, Derek (CAR) 24. Lindley, Ryan (AZ) 25. Cassel, Matt (MIN) 26. Weeden, Brandon (DAL) 27. Clausen, Jimmy (CHI) 28. Ponder, Christian (MIN) 29. Thomas, Logan (AZ) 30. Flynn, Matt (GB) 31. Yates, T.J. (ATL) 32. Nassib, Ryan (NYG) 33. Gabbert, Blaine (SF) 34. Hekker, Johnny (STL) 35. Martin, Sam (DET) 36. Kearse, Jermaine (SEA) 37. Ginn, Ted (AZ)

COMP 456 415 379 341 363 370 304 285 289 262 259 198 184 186 180 132 126 147 145 141 117 91 65 45 41 24 26 22 1 8 3 4 3 2 2 1 1

ATT 608 616 597 570 582 590 554 481 438 599 464 447 475 367 312 179 185 146 131 121 78 77 75 44 27 28 35 28 19 19 3 19 10 10 8 1 2 1 4 2 1

YDS 4952 4761 4727 4286 4109 4045 3986 3398 3326 3270 3265 3018 2908 2525 2483 1412 1326 993 838 604 492 435 400 301 182 177 175 157 129 127 79 74 57 52 39 38 32 25 21 20 19

AVG 8.1 7.7 7.9 7.5 7.1 6.9 7.2 7.1 7.6 5.5 7.0 6.8 6.1 6.9 8.0 7.9 7.2 6.8 6.4 5.0 6.3 5.6 5.3 6.8 6.7 6.3 5.0 5.6 6.8 6.7 26.3 3.9 5.7 5.2 4.9 38.0 16.0 25.0 5.2 10.0 19.0

LONG 94 80 86 59 69 50 80 81 81 77 70 84 63 74 76 80 75 61 80 67 63 35 41 32 37 49 32 30 29 35 50 38 16 38 21 38 23 25 14 17 19

TD 32 40 39 31 33 27 27 19 12 21 18 18 11 13 17 8 7 5 5 3 3 2 2 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0

INT SACK/YARDS RATING 9 33 172 103.3 16 27 161 96.5 15 17 118 101.5 18 36 189 93.8 9 21 134 97.4 12 46 337 92.8 12 19 167 91.0 17 21 124 83.5 13 24 160 76.5 12 24 149 76.6 6 45 229 93.4 10 33 198 87.8 17 55 345 69.5 13 28 175 77.5 8 21 83 95.3 7 18 138 83.4 2 18 103 87.4 7 14 85 70.9 3 6 44 80.3 2 19 85 68.3 1 16 105 80.7 2 3 15 72.2 2 1 5 67.6 0 2 7 102.6 0 5 36 101.2 1 4 27 55.2 2 3 26 42.0 0 4 17 73.1 2 1 8 61.0 1 1 5 51.9 0 1 6 158.3 0 1 0 66.6 2 3 24 27.9 0 0 0 90.4 0 0 0 53.6 0 0 0 118.8 0 0 0 158.3 0 0 0 118.8 0 0 0 65.6 0 0 0 147.9 0 0 0 118.8

LONG 69 79 80 80 73 74 68 80 80 51 87 72 56 68 59 49 81 69 63 80 41 70 35 41 28 43 22 18 81 14 40 29 20 19 24 17 10

TD 33 28 30 38 22 28 34 20 19 18 14 14 11 13 12 7 10 4 8 11 10 4 5 2 3 3 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

INT SACK/YARDS RATING 17 29 186 97.0 14 31 205 93.9 14 28 187 92.1 5 28 174 112.2 12 45 254 85.7 18 38 223 88.6 9 29 215 113.2 7 42 242 95.0 10 52 344 86.4 12 38 300 82.1 12 39 249 85.2 11 23 151 88.4 14 36 235 70.5 10 9 74 81.4 9 29 179 85.1 5 11 66 78.7 9 8 70 86.4 6 33 227 86.9 7 18 116 83.9 3 9 59 95.6 6 16 91 83.3 3 17 117 96.4 0 4 17 105.2 4 6 46 56.8 4 6 39 65.8 2 1 9 85.7 1 3 20 71.8 2 6 34 45.8 0 2 11 101.6 1 2 12 34.9 1 0 0 77.1 0 2 11 116.7 0 0 0 100.0 0 0 0 118.8 0 0 0 118.8 0 0 0 118.8 0 0 0 108.3

NFC PASSING

Drew Brees

ATT 659 628 601 520 602 561 435 452 478 448 402 309 327 311 284 240 204 214 229 224 203 128 97 93 71 41 48 44 9 16 4 5 7 2 2 1 1

YDS 4952 4694 4410 4381 4257 3812 3705 3475 3369 3127 2919 2418 2206 2163 2001 1711 1710 1694 1657 1626 1417 1057 701 562 425 303 223 222 81 66 64 60 38 37 27 17 10

AVG 7.5 7.5 7.3 8.4 7.1 6.8 8.5 7.7 7.0 7.0 7.3 7.8 6.7 7.0 7.0 7.1 8.4 7.9 7.2 7.3 7.0 8.3 7.2 6.0 6.0 7.4 4.6 5.0 9.0 4.1 16.0 12.0 5.4 18.5 13.5 17.0 10.0

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2014

STATISTICS

AFC RUSHING RK PLAYER (TEAM) ATT YDS 1. Bell, Le’Veon (PIT) 290 1361 2. Forsett, Justin (BAL) 235 1266 3. Foster, Arian (HOU) 260 1246 4. Hill, Jeremy (CIN) 222 1124 5. Miller, Lamar (MIA) 216 1099 6. Charles, Jamaal (KC) 206 1033 7. Anderson, C.J. (DEN) 179 849 8. Ivory, Chris (NYJ) 198 821 9. Bernard, Giovani (CIN) 168 680 10. West, Terrance (CLE) 171 673 11. Johnson, Chris (NYJ) 155 663 12. Crowell, Isaiah (CLE) 148 607 13. Denard Robinson (JAX) 135 582 13. Branden Oliver (SD) 160 582 15. Bishop Sankey (TEN) 152 569 16. LeGarrette Blount (NE/PIT) 125 547 17. Darren McFadden (OAK) 155 534 18. Alfred Blue (HOU) 69 528 19. Fred Jackson (BUF) 141 525 20. Trent Richardson (IND) 159 519 21. Knile Davis (KC) 134 463 22. Ronnie Hillman (DEN) 106 434 23. Boobie Dixon (BUF) 105 432 24. Ahmad Bradshaw (IND) 90 425 25. Latavius Murray (OAK) 82 424 26. Blake Bortles (JAX) 56 419 27. Jonas Gray (NE) 89 412 28. Shonn Greene (TEN) 94 392 29. Shane Vereen (NE) 96 391 30. Ben Tate (CLE/PIT) 119 371 31. Bernard Pierce (BAL) 93 366 32. Daniel Herron (IND) 78 351 33. Stevan Ridley (NE) 94 340 34. Ryan Mathews (SD) 74 330 35. Toby Gerhart (JAX) 101 326 36. Ryan Tannehill (MIA) 56 311 37. C.J. Spiller (BUF) 78 300 38. Lorenzo Taliaferro (BAL) 68 292 39. Andrew Luck (IND) 64 273 40. Juwan Thompson (DEN) 54 272 41. Alex Smith (KC) 49 254 42. Geno Smith (NYJ) 59 238 43. Donald Brown (SD) 85 223 44. Jordan Todman (JAX) 32 186

AVG LG TD 4.7 81 8 5.4 52 8 4.8 51 8 5.1 85 9 5.1 97 8 5.0 63 9 4.7 27 8 4.1 71 6 4.0 89 5 3.9 36 4 4.3 47 1 4.1 35 8 4.3 41 4 3.6 52 3 3.7 22 2 4.4 50 5 3.4 25 2 3.1 46 2 3.7 38 2 3.3 27 3 3.5 48 6 4.1 37 3 4.1 47 2 4.7 29 2 5.2 90 2 7.5 34 0 4.6 20 5 4.2 52 2 4.1 19 2 3.1 25 4 3.9 28 2 4.5 49 1 3.6 43 2 4.5 32 3 3.2 23 2 5.6 40 1 3.8 53 0 4.3 31 4 4.3 20 3 5.0 47 3 5.2 25 1 4.0 18 1 2.6 16 0 5.8 62 1

NFC RUSHING RK PLAYER (TEAM) ATT 1. Murray, DeMarco (DAL) 392 2. McCoy, LeSean (PHI) 312 3. Lynch, Marshawn (SEA) 280 4. Lacy, Eddie (GB) 246 5. Gore, Frank (SF) 255 6. Morris, Alfred (WAS) 265 7. Forte, Matt (CHI) 266 8. Ingram, Mark (NO) 226 9. Bell, Joique (DET) 223 10. Wilson, Russell (SEA) 118 11. Stewart, Jonathan (CAR) 175 12. Mason, Tre (STL) 179 13. Williams, Andre (NYG) 217 14. Jackson, Steven (ATL) 190 15. Ellington, Andre (AZ) 201 16. Jennings, Rashad (NYG) 167 16. Kaepernick, Colin (SF) 104 18. Asiata, Matt (MIN) 164 19. Newton, Cam (CAR) 103 20. McKinnon, Jerick (MIN) 113 21. Martin, Doug (TB) 134 22. Rainey, Bobby (TB) 94 23. Robinson, Khiry (NO) 76 24. Randle, Joseph (DAL) 51 25. Starks, James (GB) 85 25. Hyde, Carlos (SF) 83 27. Sproles, Darren (PHI) 57 28. Turbin, Robert (SEA) 74 29. Bush, Reggie (DET) 76 30. Stacy, Zac (STL) 76 31. Rodgers, Aaron (GB) 43

YDS AVG LG TD 1845 4.7 51 13 1319 4.2 53 5 1306 4.7 79 13 1139 4.6 44 9 1106 4.3 52 4 1074 4.1 30 8 1038 3.9 32 6 964 4.3 31 9 860 3.9 57 7 849 7.2 55 6 809 4.6 69 3 765 4.3 89 4 721 3.3 50 7 707 3.7 55 6 660 3.3 22 3 639 3.8 18 4 639 6.1 90 1 570 3.5 19 9 539 5.2 22 5 538 4.8 55 0 494 3.7 63 2 406 4.3 31 1 362 4.8 62 3 343 6.7 65 3 333 3.9 41 2 333 4.0 28 4 329 5.8 49 6 310 4.2 17 0 297 3.9 26 2 293 3.9 16 1 269 6.3 19 2

DeMarco Murray 32. Freeman, Devonta (ATL) 33. Cunningham, Benny (STL) 33. Williams, Kerwynn (AZ) 35. Austin, Tavon (STL) 36. Thomas, Pierre (NO) 37. Williams, DeAngelo (CAR) 38. Rodgers, Jacquizz (ATL) 39. Helu, Roy (WAS) 40. Bridgewater, Teddy (MIN) 41. Taylor, Stepfan (AZ) 42. Cutler, Jay (CHI) 43. Sims, Charles (TB) 44. Griffin, Robert (WAS) 45. Michael, Christine (SEA) 46. Polk, Chris (PHI) 47. Carey, Ka’Deem (CHI) 48. Whittaker, Fozzy (CAR) 48. Ryan, Matt (ATL) 50. Smith, Antone (ATL) 51. McCown, Josh (TB) 52. Patterson, Cordarrelle (MIN) 53. Hillis, Peyton (NYG)

65 66 53 36 45 62 58 40 47 63 39 66 38 34 46 36 32 29 23 25 10 26

248 3.8 246 3.7 246 4.6 224 6.2 222 4.9 219 3.5 217 3.7 216 5.4 209 4.4 208 3.3 191 4.9 185 2.8 176 4.6 175 5.1 172 3.7 158 4.4 145 4.5 145 5.0 144 6.3 127 5.1 117 11.7 115 4.4

31 20 19 19 27 17 17 18 16 21 25 20 23 45 22 15 17 15 48 16 67 16

1 3 0 2 2 0 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 0 4 0 1 0 2 3 1 0

AFC RECEIVING

RK PLAYER (TEAM) 1. Brown, Antonio (PIT) 2. Thomas, Demaryius (DEN) 3. Sanders, Emmanuel (DEN) 4. Hilton, T.Y. (IND)

144 | PRO FOOTBALL NOW • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

NO YDS 129 1698 111 1619 101 1404 82 1345

AVG 13.2 14.6 13.9 16.4

LG TD 63 13 86 11 48 9 73 7

5. Hopkins, DeAndre (HOU) 6. Gronkowski, Rob (NE) 7. Smith, Steve (BAL) 8. Green, A.J. (CIN) 9. Watkins, Sammy (BUF) 10. Edelman, Julian (NE) 11. Decker, Eric (NYJ) 12. LaFell, Brandon (NE) 13. Johnson, Andre (HOU) 14. Walker, Delanie (TEN) 15. Wallace, Mike (MIA) 15. Kelce, Travis (KC) 17. Floyd, Malcom (SD) 18. Bell, Le’Veon (PIT) 19. Hawkins, Andrew (CLE) 20. Gates, Antonio (SD) 21. Sanu, Mohamed (CIN) 22. Allen, Keenan (SD) 23. Wayne, Reggie (IND) 24. Royal, Eddie (SD) 25. Fleener, Coby (IND) 26. Smith, Torrey (BAL) 27. Miller, Heath (PIT) 28. Landry, Jarvis (MIA) 29. Bowe, Dwayne (KC) 30. Wright, Kendall (TEN) 31. Woods, Robert (BUF) 32. Holmes, Andre (OAK) 33. Hurns, Allen (JAX)

76 1210 82 1124 79 1065 69 1041 65 982 92 972 74 962 74 953 85 936 63 890 67 862 67 862 52 856 83 854 63 824 69 821 56 790 77 783 64 779 62 778 51 774 49 767 66 761 84 758 60 754 57 715 65 699 47 693 51 677

15.9 13.7 13.5 15.1 15.1 10.6 13.0 12.9 11.0 14.1 12.9 12.9 16.5 10.3 13.1 11.9 14.1 10.2 12.2 12.5 15.2 15.7 11.5 9.0 12.6 12.5 10.8 14.7 13.3

76 6 46 12 80 6 81 6 84 6 69 4 74 5 56 7 35 3 68 4 50 10 34 5 59 6 48 3 65 2 34 12 76 5 35 4 80 2 47 7 73 8 53 11 49 3 25 5 37 0 48 6 37 5 77 4 63 6

2014

STATISTICS 25. Forte, Matt (CHI) 26. Fitzgerald, Larry (AZ) 27. Garcon, Pierre (WAS) 28. Britt, Kenny (STL) 29. Jennings, Greg (MIN) 30. Marshall, Brandon (CHI) 31. Witten, Jason (DAL) 32. Ertz, Zach (PHI) 33. Crabtree, Michael (SF) 34. Brown, John (AZ) 35. Cook, Jared (STL) 36. Donnell, Larry (NYG) 37. Williams, Terrance (DAL) 38. Wright, Jarius (MIN) 39. Cotchery, Jerricho (CAR) 40. Cooper, Riley (PHI) 41. Douglas, Harry (ATL) 42. Cooks, Brandin (NO) 43. Kearse, Jermaine (SEA) 44. Paul, Niles (WAS) 45. Hester, Devin (ATL) 46. Helu, Roy (WAS) 47. Charles Johnson (MIN) 48. Reed, Jordan (WAS) 49. Roberts, Andre (WAS) 50. Adams, Davante (GB) 51. Johnson, Steve (SF) 51. Stedman Baily (STL) 53. Lacy, Eddie (GB) 54. Beasley, Cole (DAL) 55. Parker, Preston (NYG) 56. Murray, DeMarco (DAL) 57. Ellington, Andre (AZ) 58. Sproles, Darren (PHI) 59. Patterson, Cordarrelle (MIN) 60. Murphy, Louis 61. Thomas, Pierre (NO) 62. Quick, Brian (STL) 63. Lynch, Marshawn (SEA) 64. Cunningham, Benny (STL) 65. Carlson, John (AZ) 66. Celek, Brent (PHI) 67. Cruz, Victor (NYG) 6 8. Quarless, Andrew (GB)

102 63 68 48 59 61 64 58 68 48 52 63 37 42 48 55 51 53 38 39 38 42 31 50 36 38 35 30 42 37 36 57 46 40 33 31 45 25 37 45 33 32 23 29

808 784 752 748 742 721 703 702 698 696 634 623 621 588 580 577 556 550 537 507 504 477 475 465 453 446 435 435 427 420 418 416 395 387 384 380 378 375 367 352 350 340 337 323

7.9 12.4 11.1 15.6 12.6 11.8 11.0 12.1 10.3 14.5 12.2 9.9 16.8 14.0 12.1 10.5 10.9 10.4 14.1 13.0 13.3 11.4 15.3 9.3 12.6 11.7 12.4 14.5 10.2 11.4 11.6 7.3 8.6 9.7 11.6 12.3 8.4 15.0 9.9 7.8 10.6 10.6 14.7 11.1

56 4 80 2 70 3 63 3 38 6 47 8 34 5 35 3 51 4 75 5 59 3 32 6 51 8 87 2 47 1 50 3 41 2 50 3 60 1 50 1 46 2 55 2 56 2 30 0 61 2 45 3 32 3 38 1 67 4 45 4 42 2 34 0 81 2 57 0 28 1 54 2 39 1 51 3 39 4 19 1 32 1 37 1 61 1 34 3

AFC SCORING TDS TDS TDS TDS R K PLAYER (TEAM) TOT RSH REC RET PAT FG PTS

Antonio Brown 34. Jones, James (OAK) 35. Washington, Nate (TEN) 36. Wheaton, Markus (PIT) 37. Gabriel, Taylor (CLE) 38. Clay, Charles (MIA) 39. Austin, Miles (CLE) 40. Shorts, Cecil (JAX) 41. Martavis Bryant (PIT) 41. Robinson, Allen (JAX) 42. Rivera, Mychal (OAK) 43. Daniels, Owen (BAL) 44. Jackson, Fred (BUF) 45. Chandler, Scott (BUF) 46. Thomas, Julius (DEN) 47. Hartline, Brian (MIA) 48. Welker, Wes (DEN) 49. Gresham, Jermaine (CIN) 50. Vereen, Shane (NE) 51. Moncrief, Donte (IND) 52. Hogan, Chris (BUF) 53. Jordan Cameron (CLE) 53. Lee, Marqise (JAX) 54. Kerley, Jeremy (NYJ) 55. Nicks, Hakeem (IND) 56. Bernard, Giovani (CIN) 57. Amaro, Jace (NYJ) 58. Damaris Johnson (HOU) 59. Foster, Arian (HOU) 60. Anderson, C.J. (DEN) 61. Travis Benjamin (CLE)

73 40 53 36 58 47 53 26 48 58 48 66 47 43 39 49 62 52 32 41 24 37 38 38 43 38 31 38 34 18

666 647 644 621 605 568 557 549 548 534 527 501 497 489 474 464 460 447 444 426 422 422 409 405 349 345 331 327 324 314

9.1 16.2 12.2 17.2 10.4 12.1 10.5 21.1 11.4 9.2 11.0 7.6 10.6 11.4 12.2 9.5 7.4 8.6 13.9 10.4 17.7 11.4 10.8 10.7 8.1 9.1 10.4 8.6 9.5 17.4

42 6 80 2 47 2 70 1 41 3 31 2 53 1 94 8 54 2 33 4 39 4 34 1 37 3 35 12 35 2 39 2 23 5 49 3 79 3 31 4 81 2 37 1 33 1 29 4 46 2 43 2 44 1 56 5 51 2 43 3

62. Bradshaw, Ahmad (IND) 38 300 7.9 22 6 63. Charles, Jamaal (KC) 40 291 7.3 30 5 64. Clay Harbor (JAX) 35 289 11.1 59 1

NFC RECEIVING

RK PLAYER (TEAM) 1. Jones, Julio (ATL) 2. Nelson, Jordy (GB) 3. Tate, Golden (DET) 4. Bryant, Dez (DAL) 5. Maclin, Jeremy (PHI) 6. Beckham, Odell (NYG) 7. Cobb, Randall (GB) 8. Jackson, DeSean (WAS) 9. Jeffery, Alshon (CHI) 10. Johnson, Calvin (DET) 11. Boldin, Anquan (SF) 12. Evans, Mike (TB) 13. Olsen, Greg (CAR) 13. Benjamin, Kelvin (CAR) 15. Jackson, Vincent (TB) 16. Randle, Rueben (NYG) 17. Stills, Kenny (NO) 18. White, Roddy (ATL) 19. Bennett, Martellus (CHI) 20. Colston, Marques (NO) 21. Graham, Jimmy (NO) 22. Matthews, Jordan (PHI) 23. Floyd, Michael (AZ) 24. Baldwin, Doug (SEA)

NO YDS 104 1593 98 1519 99 1331 88 1320 85 1318 91 1305 91 1287 56 1169 85 1133 71 1077 83 1062 68 1051 84 1008 73 1008 70 1002 71 938 63 931 80 921 90 916 59 902 85 889 67 872 47 841 66 825

AVG 15.3 15.5 13.4 15.0 15.5 14.3 14.1 20.9 13.3 15.2 12.8 15.5 12.0 13.8 14.3 13.2 14.8 11.5 10.2 15.3 10.5 13.0 17.9 12.5

LG TD 79 6 80 13 73 4 68 16 72 10 80 12 70 12 81 6 74 10 67 8 76 5 56 12 38 6 51 9 50 2 49 3 69 3 39 7 37 6 57 5 29 10 44 8 63 6 49 3

1. Gostkowski, Stephen (NE) 2. Vinatieri, Adam (IND) 3. Carpenter, Dan (BUF) 4. Suisham, Shaun (PIT) 5. Bullock, Randy (HOU) 6. Tucker, Justin (BAL) 7. Sturgis, Caleb (MIA) 8. Folk, Nick (NYJ) 9. Nugent, Mike (CIN) 10. Santos, Cairo (KC) 11. Novak, Nick (SD) 12. Cundiff, Billy (CLE) 13. Brown, Antonio (PIT) 14. Janikowski, Sebastian (OAK) 15. Charles, Jamaal (KC) 15. Succop, Ryan (TEN) 17. Scobee, Josh (JAX) 18. Foster, Arian (HOU) 19. Thomas, Julius (DEN) 19. Gronkowski, Rob (NE) 19. Gates, Antonio (SD) 22. McManus, Brandon (DEN) 22. Thomas, Demaryius (DEN) 24. Smith, Torrey (BAL) 24. Bell, Le’Veon (PIT) 26. Wallace, Mike (MIA) 26. Barth, Connor (DEN) 26. Anderson, C.J. (DEN) 29. Sanders, Emmanuel (DEN) 30. Miller, Lamar (MIA) 30. Hill, Jeremy (CIN) 32. Forsett, Justin (BAL) 33. Bradshaw, Ahmad (IND)

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 0 14 0 0 13 12 12 12 0 11 11 11 10 0 10 9 9 9 8 8

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 8 0 8 9 8 2

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0 5 0 0 5 12 12 12 0 11 11 3 10 0 2 9 1 0 0 6

0 51 35 156 0 50 30 140 0 31 34 133 0 45 29 132 0 40 30 130 0 42 29 129 0 41 29 128 0 23 32 119 0 39 26 117 0 38 25 113 0 40 22 106 0 28 22 94 1 0 0 86 0 28 19 85 0 0 0 84 0 27 19 84 0 23 20 83 0 0 0 78 0 0 0 72 0 0 0 72 0 0 0 72 0 41 9 68 0 0 0 68 0 0 0 66 0 0 0 66 0 0 0 60 0 15 15 60 0 0 0 60 0 0 0 56 0 0 0 54 0 0 0 54 0 0 0 50 0 0 0 48

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2014 33. Bryant, Martavis (PIT) 33. Allen, Dwayne (IND) 33. Fleener, Coby (IND) 33. Davis, Knile (KC) 33. Crowell, Isaiah (CLE) 39. Bernard, Giovani (CIN) 39. Hilton, T.Y. (IND) 39. LaFell, Brandon (NE) 39. Ivory, Chris (NYJ) 39. Royal, Eddie (SD) 44. Jones, James (OAK) 44. Floyd, Malcom (SD) 44. Smith, Steve (BAL) 44. Green, A.J. (CIN) 44. Wright, Kendall (TEN) 44. Wright, Timothy (NE) 44. Hurns, Allen (JAX) 44. Kelce, Travis (KC) 44. Hopkins, DeAndre (HOU) 44. Watkins, Sammy (BUF) 54. Woods, Robert (BUF) 54. Sanu, Mohamed (CIN) 54. Watt, J.J. (HOU) 57. Dalton, Andy (CIN) 57. Vereen, Shane (NE) 57. Gray, Jonas (NE) 57. Gresham, Jermaine (CIN) 57. Decker, Eric (NYJ) 57. Edelman, Julian (NE) 57. West, Terrance (CLE) 57. Landry, Jarvis (MIA) 65. Hillman, Ronnie (DEN) 65. Oliver, Branden (SD) 65. Taliaferro, Lorenzo (BAL) 65. Blue, Alfred (HOU) 65. Allen, Keenan (SD) 65. Robinson, Denard (JAX) 65. Rivera, Mychal (OAK) 65. Walker, Delanie (TEN) 65. Fasano, Anthony (KC) 65. Daniels, Owen (BAL) 65. Nicks, Hakeem (IND) 65. Tate, Ben (CLE) 65. Aiken, Kamar (BAL) 65. Hogan, Chris (BUF) 65. Holmes, Andre (OAK) 80. Jackson, Fred (BUF) 80. Miller, Heath (PIT) 82. Johnson, Andre (HOU) 82. Chandler, Scott (BUF) 82. Gay, William (PIT) 82. Clay, Charles (MIA) 82. Mathews, Ryan (SD) 82. Cumberland, Jeff (NYJ) 82. Blount, LeGarrette (NE) 82. Butler, Brice (OAK) 82. Hunter, Justin (TEN) 82. Thompson, Juwan (DEN) 82. Benjamin, Travis (CLE) 82. Luck, Andrew (IND) 82. Richardson, Trent (IND) 82. Moncrief, Donte (IND) 96. Robinson, Allen (JAX) 96. Thomas, Daniel (MIA) 96. Moore, Lance (PIT) 99. Washington, Nate (TEN) 99. Welker, Wes (DEN)

8 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2

0 0 0 6 8 5 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 5 0 0 0 4 0 3 3 4 2 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 0 3 0 3 3 0 0 2 0 0 0

8 8 8 1 0 2 7 7 1 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 6 6 5 5 3 1 3 0 5 5 4 1 5 1 1 0 1 4 0 4 4 4 4 4 0 3 4 4 1 3 3 3 0 3 0 3 0 2 3 0 3 0 0 3 2 0 2 2 2

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

48 48 48 48 48 42 42 42 42 42 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 32 32 32 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 20 20 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 14 14 14 12 12

NFC SCORING TDS TDS TDS TDS RK PLAYER (TEAM) TOT RSH REC RET PAT FG PTS

1. Parkey, Cody (PHI) 2. Crosby, Mason (GB) 2. Hauschka, Steven (SEA) 4. Bailey, Dan (DAL) 5. Bryant, Matt (ATL) 6. Gano, Graham (CAR) 7. Brown, Josh (NYG) 8. Catanzaro, Chandler (AZ) 9. Dawson, Phil (SF) 10. Walsh, Blair (MIN)

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 54 32 150 0 53 27 134 0 41 31 134 0 56 25 131 0 40 29 127 0 34 29 121 0 44 24 116 0 27 29 114 0 33 25 108 0 29 26 107

STATISTICS

11. Zuerlein, Greg (STL) 0 12. Graham, Shayne (NO) 0 12. Forbath, Kai (WAS) 0 14. Lynch, Marshawn (SEA) 17 15. Bryant, Dez (DAL) 16 16. Murray, Patrick (TB) 0 17. Prater, Matt (DET) 0 18. Nelson, Jordy (GB) 13 18. Murray, DeMarco (DAL) 13 18. Lacy, Eddie (GB) 13 21. Cobb, Randall (GB) 12 22. Beckham, Odell (NYG) 12 22. Evans, Mike (TB) 12 24. Asiata, Matt (MIN) 10 24. Forte, Matt (CHI) 10 26. Jeffery, Alshon (CHI) 10 26. Graham, Jimmy (NO) 10 26. Maclin, Jeremy (PHI) 10 29. Gould, Robbie (CHI) 0 30. Ingram, Mark (NO) 9 30. Benjamin, Kelvin (CAR) 9 32. Johnson, Calvin (DET) 8 32. Sproles, Darren (PHI) 8 32. Marshall, Brandon (CHI) 8 32. Morris, Alfred (WAS) 8 32. Bell, Joique (DET) 8 32. Matthews, Jordan (PHI) 8 32. Williams, Terrance (DAL) 8 39. Williams, Andre (NYG) 7 39. White, Roddy (ATL) 7 41. Bennett, Martellus (CHI) 6 42. Jackson, DeSean (WAS) 6 42. Olsen, Greg (CAR) 6 42. Jennings, Greg (MIN) 6 42. Jackson, Steven (ATL) 6 42. Jones, Julio (ATL) 6 42. Wilson, Russell (SEA) 6 42. Donnell, Larry (NYG) 6 42. Floyd, Michael (AZ) 6 50. Kendricks, Lance (STL) 5 50. Newton, Cam (CAR) 5 50. McCoy, LeSean (PHI) 5 50. Boldin, Anquan (SF) 5 50. Witten, Jason (DAL) 5 50. Gore, Frank (SF) 5 50. Colston, Marques (NO) 5 50. Young, Darrel (WAS) 5 50. Smith, Antone (ATL) 5 50. Polk, Chris (PHI) 5 50. Ellington, Andre (AZ) 5 50. Hill, Josh (NO) 5 50. Brown, John (AZ) 5 50. Mason, Tre (STL) 5 64. Taylor, Stepfan (AZ) 4 65. Cunningham, Benny (STL) 4 65. Riddick, Theo (DET) 4 65. Hyde, Carlos (SF) 4 65. Cooks, Brandin (NO) 4 65. Escobar, Gavin (DAL) 4 65. Crabtree, Michael (SF) 4 65. Stewart, Jonathan (CAR) 4 65. Fells, Daniel (NYG) 4 65. Hester, Devin (ATL) 4 65. Jennings, Rashad (NYG) 4 65. Tate, Golden (DET) 4 65. Beasley, Cole (DAL) 4 77. McCown, Josh (TB) 3 77. Thomas, Pierre (NO) 3 77. Garcon, Pierre (WAS) 3 77. Johnson, Steve (SF) 3 77. Baldwin, Doug (SEA) 3 77. Randle, Rueben (NYG) 3 77. Helu, Roy (WAS) 3 77. Quarless, Andrew (GB) 3 77. Cooper, Riley (PHI) 3 77. Britt, Kenny (STL) 3 77. Cook, Jared (STL) 3 77. Austin, Tavon (STL) 3 77. Robinson, Khiry (NO) 3 77. Brown, Corey (CAR) 3

146 | PRO FOOTBALL NOW • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 0 13 0 0 0 0 13 9 0 0 0 9 6 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 6 0 8 7 0 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 6 0 0 0 5 5 0 0 4 0 3 2 4 3 0 0 4 1 3 0 4 1 0 0 3 0 1 4 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 3 0

0 0 0 4 16 0 0 13 0 4 12 12 12 1 4 10 10 10 0 0 9 8 0 8 0 1 8 8 0 7 6 6 6 6 0 6 0 6 6 5 0 0 5 5 1 5 2 3 0 2 5 5 1 3 1 4 0 3 4 4 1 4 2 0 4 4 0 1 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 0 0 2

0 34 24 106 0 46 19 103 0 31 24 103 0 0 0 102 0 0 0 96 0 31 20 91 0 21 21 84 0 0 0 78 0 0 0 78 0 0 0 78 0 0 0 74 0 0 0 72 0 0 0 72 0 0 0 64 0 0 0 64 0 0 0 60 0 0 0 60 0 0 0 60 0 28 9 55 0 0 0 54 0 0 0 54 0 0 0 48 2 0 0 48 0 0 0 48 0 0 0 48 0 0 0 48 0 0 0 48 0 0 0 48 0 0 0 42 0 0 0 42 0 0 0 40 0 0 0 36 0 0 0 36 0 0 0 36 0 0 0 36 0 0 0 36 0 0 0 36 0 0 0 36 0 0 0 36 0 0 0 30 0 0 0 30 0 0 0 30 0 0 0 30 0 0 0 30 0 0 0 30 0 0 0 30 0 0 0 30 0 0 0 30 1 0 0 30 0 0 0 30 0 0 0 30 0 0 0 30 0 0 0 30 0 0 0 26 0 0 0 24 0 0 0 24 0 0 0 24 0 0 0 24 0 0 0 24 0 0 0 24 0 0 0 24 0 0 0 24 1 0 0 24 0 0 0 24 0 0 0 24 0 0 0 24 0 0 0 18 0 0 0 18 0 0 0 18 0 0 0 18 0 0 0 18 0 0 0 18 0 0 0 18 0 0 0 18 0 0 0 18 0 0 0 18 0 0 0 18 1 0 0 18 0 0 0 18 1 0 0 18

77. Randle, Joseph (DAL) 3 3 77. Ertz, Zach (PHI) 3 0 77. Stills, Kenny (NO) 3 0 77. Willson, Luke (SEA) 3 0 77. Quick, Brian (STL) 3 0 77. Adams, Davante (GB) 3 0 77. Ellington, Bruce (SF) 3 1 98. Freese, Nate (DET) 0 0 99. Johnson, Charles (MIN) 2 0 99. Douglas, Harry (ATL) 2 0

0 3 3 3 3 3 2 0 2 2

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0

18 18 18 18 18 18 18 15 14 14

AFC PUNT RETURNS RK PLAYER (TEAM)

1. Thomas, De’Anthony (KC) 2. Brown, Antonio (PIT) 3. Edelman, Julian (NE) 4. Jones, Jacoby (BAL) 5. Jones, Adam (CIN) 6. Sanders, Ace (JAX) 7. Burse, Isaiah (DEN) 8. Landry, Jarvis (MIA) 9. Hammond, Frankie (KC) 10. Kerley, Jeremy (NYJ) 11. Carrie, T.J. (OAK) 12. Whalen, Griff (IND) 13. McKelvin, Leodis (BUF) 14. Tate, Brandon (CIN)

RET YDS AVG LONG TD FC

34 30 25 30 22 32 29 25 15 25 26 26 21 18

405 11.9 319 10.6 299 12.0 275 9.2 265 12.0 227 7.1 211 7.3 204 8.2 200 13.3 199 8.0 195 7.5 187 7.2 183 8.7 174 9.7

81 71 84 45 47 23 22 32 47 41 27 22 24 49

1 0 1 16 1 6 0 17 0 1 0 10 0 24 0 19 0 4 0 13 0 11 0 17 0 8 0 14

NFC PUNT RETURNS

RK PLAYER (TEAM)

1. Sproles, Darren (PHI) 2. Austin, Tavon (STL) 3. Sherels, Marcus (MIN) 4. Ross, Jeremy (DET) 5. Ginn, Ted (AZ) 6. Harris, Dwayne (DAL) 7. Hester, Devin (ATL) 8. Hyde, Micah (GB) 9. Roberts, Andre (WAS) 10. Walters, Bryan (SEA)

RET YDS AVG LONG TD FC

39 35 27 32 26 30 18 14 28 27

506 13.0 391 11.2 297 11.0 284 8.9 277 10.7 275 9.2 240 13.3 221 15.8 208 7.4 207 7.7

82 78 35 28 71 38 68 75 37 21

2 16 1 23 0 26 0 37 1 24 0 13 1 11 2 3 0 25 0 23

AFC KICKOFF RETURNS RK PLAYER (TEAM)

1. Jones, Jacoby (BAL) 2. Todman, Jordan (JAX) 3. Landry, Jarvis (MIA) 4. Jones, Adam (CIN) 5. Davis, Knile (KC) 6. Washington, Leon (TEN) 7. Cribbs, Josh (IND) 8. Harvin, Percy (NYJ) 9. Wheaton, Markus (PIT)

RET YDS AVG LONG TD FC

32 38 34 27 29 31 19 20 20

978 30.6 108 972 25.6 40 954 28.1 74 844 31.3 97 829 28.6 99 738 23.8 52 608 32.0 76 495 24.8 65 494 24.7 41

1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NFC KICKOFF RETURNS RK PLAYER (TEAM)

1. Hester, Devin (ATL) 2. Cunningham, Benny (STL) 3. Patterson, Cordarrelle (MIN) 4. Harris, Dwayne (DAL) 5. Roberts, Andre (WAS) 6. Ellington, Bruce (SF) 7. Ross, Jeremy (DET) 8. Williams, Chris (CHI) 9. Mariani, Marc (CHI) 10. Parker, Preston (NYG) 11. Harris, DuJuan (GB) 12. Ginn, Ted (AZ)

RET YDS AVG LONG TD FC

45 1128 25.1 66 35 963 27.5 75 34 871 25.6 51 30 742 24.7 42 30 710 23.7 45 24 614 25.6 38 23 584 25.4 41 24 579 24.1 101 20 510 25.5 67 21 509 24.2 45 22 456 20.7 41 22 417 19.0 43

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

AFC COMBINED YARDS RUSH REC KOR PR TOT RK PLAYER (TEAM) YDS YDS YDS YDS YDS

1. Bell, Le’Veon (PIT) 1361 854 0 0 2215 2. Brown, Antonio (PIT) 13 1698 0 319 2030 3. Landry, Jarvis (MIA) -4 758 954 204 1912 4. Thomas, Demaryius (DEN) 0 1619 0 0 1619 5. Foster, Arian (HOU) 1246 327 0 0 1573 6. Forsett, Justin (BAL) 1266 263 0 0 1529 7. Sanders, Emmanuel (DEN) 44 1404 54 11 1513 8. McCoy, LeSean (BUF) 1319 155 0 0 1474

2014

STATISTICS

Le’Veon Bell 9. Davis, Knile (KC) 463 147 10. Jones, Jacoby (SD) 16 131 11. Miller, Lamar (MIA) 1099 275 12. Hilton, T.Y. (IND) 20 1345 12. Edelman, Julian (NE) 94 972 14. Maclin, Jeremy (KC) 0 1318 15. Hill, Jeremy (CIN) 1124 215 16. Charles, Jamaal (KC) 1033 291 17. Gore, Frank (IND) 1106 111 18. Hopkins, DeAndre (HOU) 0 1210 19. Anderson, C.J. (DEN) 849 324 20. Wheaton, Markus (PIT) 19 644 21. Gronkowski, Rob (NE) 0 1124 22. Jones, Adam (CIN) 0 0 23. Thomas, De’Anthony (KC) 113 156 24. Smith, Steve (BAL) 0 1065 25. Green, A.J. (CIN) 2 1041 26. Jackson, Fred (BUF) 525 501 27. Bernard, Giovani (CIN) 680 349 28. Washington, Leon (TEN) 57 159 29. Murray, Latavius (OAK) 424 143 30. Watkins, Sammy (BUF) 8 982 31. LaFell, Brandon (NE) 13 953 32. Decker, Eric (NYJ) 0 962 33. Harvin, Percy (BUF) 110 350 34. Ivory, Chris (NYJ) 821 123 35. Johnson, Andre (IND) 0 936 36. Stills, Kenny (MIA) -2 931 37. Sankey, Bishop (TEN) 569 133 38. Walker, Delanie (TEN) 0 890

829 978 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 494 0 844 428 0 0 0 0 738 429 0 0 0 495 0 0 0 198 0

0 1439 275 1400 0 1374 0 1365 299 1365 25 1343 0 1339 0 1324 0 1217 0 1210 0 1173 0 1157 0 1124 265 1109 405 1102 0 1065 0 1043 5 1031 0 1029 47 1001 0 996 0 990 0 966 0 962 0 955 0 944 0 936 0 929 0 900 0 890

39. Allen, Keenan (SD) 0 40. Oliver, Branden (SD) 582 41. Kelce, Travis (KC) 0 42. Floyd, Malcom (SD) 0 43. Sanu, Mohamed (CIN) 51 44. Hawkins, Andrew (CLE) 15 45. Gates, Antonio (SD) 0 46. Amendola, Danny (NE) 0 46. Johnson, Chris (NYJ) 663 47. Tate, Brandon (CIN) 21 48. Wayne, Reggie (IND) 0 49. Fleener, Coby (IND) 0 50. Wright, Kendall (TEN) 54 51. Miller, Heath (PIT) 0 52. Bowe, Dwayne (CLE) 0 53. Richardson, Trent (OAK) 519 54. Cribbs, Joshua (IND) 0 55. West, Terrance (CLE) 673 56. Gabriel, Taylor (CLE) 10 57. Bradshaw, Ahmad (IND) 425 58. Marshall, Brandon (NYJ) 0 59. Woods, Robert (BUF) 0 60. Robinson, Denard (JAX) 582 61. Kerley, Jeremy (NYJ) 86 62. Michael Crabtree (OAK) 4 63. Benjamin, Travis (CLE) 11 64. Crowell, Isaiah (CLE) 607 65. Helu, Roy (OAK) 216 66. Holmes, Andre (OAK) 0 67. Cadet, Travaris (NE) 32

783 271 862 856 790 824 821 200 151 193 779 774 715 761 754 229 8 64 621 300 721 699 124 409 698 314 87 477 693 296

0 22 0 0 0 0 0 482 0 397 0 0 0 0 0 0 608 0 96 0 0 0 0 12 0 246 0 0 0 364

99 0 0 0 0 0 0 132 0 174 0 0 0 0 0 0 125 0 0 0 0 11 0 199 0 127 0 0 0 0

882 875 862 856 841 839 821 814 814 785 779 774 769 761 754 748 741 737 727 725 721 710 706 706 702 698 694 693 693 692

68. Hurns, Allen (JAX) 0 69. Jones, James (OAK) 0 70. Washington, Nate (HOU) 0 71. Blue, Alfred (HOU) 528 72. Clay, Charles (BUF) 0 73. Herron, Dan (IND) 351 74. Whalen, Griff (IND) 0 75. Hillman, Ronnie (DEN) 434 76. Bryant, Martavis (PIT) 12 77. Shorts, Cecil (HOU) 0 78. Carrie, T.J. (OAK) 0 79. Douglas, Harry (TEN) 0 80. Robinson, Allen (JAX) 0 81. Johnson, Damaris (HOU) 19 82. Welker, Wes (DEN) 0 83. Rivera, Mychal (OAK) 0 84. Dixon, Anthony (BUF) 432 85. Chris Polk (HOU) 172 86. Daniels, Owens (DEN) 0 87. Gerhart, Toby (JAX) 326 88. Hunter, Justin (TEN) 0 89. Chandler, Scott (NE) 0 90. Thomas, Julius (JAX) 0 91. McCluster, Dexter (TEN) 131 92. Davis, Chris (SD) 0 93. Hartline, Brian (CLE) 0 94. Moncrief, Donte (IND) 17 95. Gresham, Jermaine (CIN) 0 96. Stacy, Zac 293 97. Brown, Donald (SD) 223 103. Johnson, Steve (SD) 0 104. Lee, Marqise (JAX) 9 105. Bolden, Omar (DEN) 0 106. Hogan, Chris (BUF) 0 107. Cameron, Jordan (MIA) 0 108. Taliaferro, Lorenzo (BAL) 292 109. Blount, LeGarrette (NE) 281 110. Gray, Jonas (NE) 412 110. Bortles, Blake (JAX) 419 112. Williams, Damien (MIA) 122 113. Blount, LeGarrette (NE) 266 113. Nicks, Hakeem (IND) 0 113. Greene, Shonn (TEN) 392 114. Allen, Dwayne (IND) 0 115. Tate, Ben (PIT) 333 116. Pierce, Bernard (JAX) 366 117. Brown, Bryce (BUF) 126 118. Amaro, Jace (NYJ) 0 119. Ridley, Stevan (NE) 340 120. Reece, Marcel (OAK) 85 121. Caldwell, Andre (DEN) 0 122. Moore, Marlon (CLE) 0 123. Thigpen, Marcus (BUF) 0 124. Hammond, Frankie (KC) 0 125. Tannehill, Ryan (MIA) 311 126. Walters, Bryan (JAX) -2 127. Gordon, Josh (CLE) 0 128. Sanders, Ace (JAX) 0 129. Thompson, Juwan (DEN) 272 130. Gibson, Brandon (NE) 0 131. Harbor, Clay (JAX) 0 131. Thomas, Daniel (MIA) 168 133. Sims, Dion (MIA) 0 134. Wilson, Albert (KC) 0 134. Powell, Walter (NYJ) 0 136. Butler, Brice (OAK) 0 137. Hakim, Saalim (NYJ) 0 138. Thigpen, Marcus (BUF) 0 139. Luck, Andrew (IND) 273 140. Manning, Danieal (HOU) 0 140. Aiken, Kamar (BAL) 0 140. Powell, Bilal (NYJ) 141 143. Williams, DeAngelo (PIT) 219 144. Wright, Timothy (NE) -2 144. Thompkins, Kenbrell (OAK) 5 146. Brown, Marlon (BAL) 0 147. Hagan, Derek (TEN) 0 147. Smith, Alex (KC) 254 149. Martin, Keshawn (HOU) 0

677 0 0 666 0 0 647 0 0 113 0 0 605 0 0 173 78 0 23 379 187 139 0 0 549 0 0 557 0 0 0 362 195 556 0 0 548 0 0 331 136 54 464 0 74 534 0 0 49 52 0 16 340 0 527 0 0 186 0 0 498 0 0 497 0 0 489 0 0 197 0 155 0 476 4 474 0 0 444 0 0 460 0 0 152 0 0 211 8 0 435 0 0 422 0 0 0 429 0 426 0 0 424 0 0 114 15 0 36 103 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 187 102 0 36 103 0 405 0 0 13 0 0 395 0 0 60 0 0 13 0 0 176 75 0 345 21 0 20 0 0 265 0 0 47 278 0 0 322 0 0 165 155 45 74 200 -4 0 0 57 43 207 303 0 0 55 227 25 0 0 295 0 0 289 0 0 121 0 0 284 0 0 260 21 0 0 233 48 280 0 0 0 279 0 0 120 155 0 0 0 0 267 0 267 0 0 92 34 0 44 0 0 259 0 0 209 43 0 255 0 0 254 0 0 0 0 0 78 19 154

PRO FOOTBALL NOW • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

677 666 647 641 605 602 589 573 561 557 557 556 548 540 538 534 533 528 527 512 498 497 489 483 480 474 461 460 445 442 435 431 429 426 424 421 420 419 419 411 405 405 405 395 393 379 377 366 360 350 325 322 320 319 307 305 303 298 297 295 289 289 284 281 281 280 279 275 273 267 267 267 263 257 257 255 254 254 251

| 147

2014 150. McKelvin, Leodis (BUF) 0 150. Cumberland, Jeff (NYJ) 0 152. Dray, Jim (CLE) 0 153. Grimes, Jonathan (HOU) 153 154. Smith, Geno (NYJ) 238 155. Ball, Montee (DEN) 172 156. Thigpen, Marcus (BUF) 0 157. Green, Ladarius (SD) 0 157. Fasano, Anthony (TEN) 0 157. Archer, Dri (PIT) 40 160. Burse, Isaiah (DEN) 0 161. Juszczyk, Kyle (BAL) 0 162. Lewis, Marcedes (JAX) 0 163 Avant, Jason (KC) 1 164. Graham, T.J. (NYJ) 0 165. Moore, Lance (PIT) 0 166. Graham, Garrett (HOU) 0 167. Salas, Greg (NYJ) 20 168. Dalton, Andy (CIN) 169 169. Thigpen, Marcus (BUF) 0 170. Fitzpatrick, Ryan (NYJ) 184 171. Owusu, Chris (NYJ) 23 172. Avery, Donnie (KC) 0 173. Jones-Drew, Maurice (OAK) 96 174. Inman, Dontrelle (SD) 0 175. Barnidge, Gary (CLE) 0 176. Moreno, Knowshon (MIA) 148 177. Moore, Denarius (OAK) 1 178. Avant, Jason (KC) 1 179. Vick, Michael (NYJ) 153 180. Owusu, Chris (NYJ) 23 181. Locker, Jake (TEN) 142 181. Williams, Mike (BUF) 0 183. Chung, Patrick (NE) 0 184. Matthews, Rishard (MIA) 3 185. Gillmore, Crockett (BAL) 0 186. Atkinson, George (OAK) 0 186. Goodwin, Marquise (BUF) 8 186. Draughn, Shaun (CLE) 19 189. Gray, MarQueis (BUF) 0 189. McKnight, Joe (KC) 3 190. McCown, Josh (CLE) 127 191. Owusu, Chris (NYJ) 23 192. Pitta, Dennis (BAL) 0 193. Andrews, Antonio (TEN) 0 193. Wright, James (CIN) 30 195. Campanaro, Michael (BAL) 0 195. Pettis, Austin (SD) 0 197. Brown, Vincent (IND) 0 197. Doyle, Jack (IND) 0 199. Hemingway, Junior (KC) 0 200. Sanzenbacher, Dane (CIN) -1 201. Rivers, Philip (SD) 102 202. Thompkins, Kenbrell (OAK) 5 203. Whitehurst, Charlie (TEN) 90 204. Tate, Ben (PIT) 38 205. Brown, Ronnie (SD) 59 206. Bolden, Brandon (NE) 89 207. Cox, Perrish (TEN) 0 208. Brown, Justin (BUF) 0 209. Sudfeld, Zach (NYJ) 0 210. Sherman, Anthony (KC) 8 210. Carr, Derek (OAK) 92 212. Jenkins, A.J. (KC) -2 212. Griffin, Ryan (HOU) 0 214. Owusu, Chris (NYJ) 23 215. Hewitt, Ryan (CIN) 0 215. Tipton, Zurlon (IND) 18 217. Streater, Rod (OAK) 0 218. Tyms, Brian (NE) 0 218. Johnson, Storm (JAX) 86 220. Ta’ufo’ou, Will (JAX) 0 221. Battle, Jackie (TEN) 9 221. Toussaint, Fitzgerald (BAL) 12 223. Draughn, Shaun (CLE) 19 223. Green, Virgil (DEN) 3 225. Burkhead, Rex (CIN) 27 226. Woodhead, Danny (SD) 38 227. Flacco, Joe (BAL) 70

0 247 242 86 0 62 0 226 226 23 0 182 206 201 87 198 197 167 18 0 0 58 176 71 158 156 8 115 152 0 20 0 142 0 135 121 0 42 0 118 64 0 58 125 11 91 102 118 118 118 108 105 0 53 10 60 39 8 0 94 85 71 0 93 91 20 86 68 84 82 -4 81 28 27 0 74 49 34 0

64 0 0 0 0 0 165 0 0 161 7 28 0 0 113 0 0 8 0 120 0 102 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 102 0 0 140 0 15 134 84 115 14 65 0 45 0 110 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 43 0 0 0 0 60 0 9 13 0 0 0 45 0 0 0 0 0 0 43 41 58 0 0 0 0

183 0 0 0 0 0 65 0 0 2 211 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 65 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 35 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

247 247 242 239 238 234 230 226 226 226 218 210 206 202 200 198 197 195 187 185 184 183 176 167 158 156 156 154 153 153 145 142 142 140 138 136 134 134 134 132 132 127 126 125 121 121 119 119 118 118 108 104 102 101 100 98 98 97 95 94 94 92 92 91 91 88 86 86 84 82 82 81 80 80 77 77 76 72 70

STATISTICS

227. Peerman, Cedric (CIN) 43 27 228. Little, Greg (CIN) 0 69 229. Conner, John (NYJ) 20 35 230. Nelson, David (NYJ) 0 65 231. Coffman, Chase (TEN) 0 64 232. Brown, Ronnie (SD) 59 5 233. Felton, Jerome (BUF) 27 0 234. White, James (NE) 38 23 235. Brady, Tom (NE) 57 0 236. Durham, Kris (TEN) 0 54 237. Manuel, E.J. (BUF) 52 0 238. Gragg, Chris (BUF) 0 48 239. Develin, James (NE) 5 43 240. Spaeth, Matt (PIT) 0 46 241. Ajirotutu, Seyi (SD) 0 45 242. Latimer, Cody (DEN) 0 23 243. Hoomanawanui, Michael (NE) 0 44 244. Slater, Matt (NE) 0 0 245. Brown, Ronnie (SD) 4 39 246. Smith, Lee (OAK) 0 42 247. Poyer, Jordan (CLE) 0 0 248. Klug, Karl (TEN) 0 9 248. Johnson, Will (PIT) 0 41 250. Hoyer, Brian (HOU) 39 0 251. Dobson, Aaron (NE) 0 38 252. Eifert, Tyler (CIN) 0 37 252. Summers, Frank (BUF) 17 9 254. Leonhardt, Brian (OAK) 0 35 255. Bohanon, Tommy (NYJ) 3 30 255. Heyward-Bey, Darrius (PIT) 0 33 257. Gray, Cyrus (KC) 31 0 257. Leonhard, Jim (CLE) 0 0 259. Gray, MarQueis (BUF) 0 259. Posey, DeVier (HOU) 0 30 266. Manziel, Johnny (CLE) 29 0 261. Fiedorowicz, C.J. (HOU) 0 28 261. Woodson, Charles (OAK) 0 0 263. McCourty, Devin (NE) 0 0 263. Supernaw, Phillip (BAL) 0 27 265. Stevens, Craig (TEN) 0 26 266. Henne, Chad (JAX) 25 0 266. Blake, Antwon (PIT) 0 25 268. Thompson, Taylor (TEN) 0 24 268. Pantale, Chris (NYJ) 0 0 270. Prosch, Jay (HOU) 0 24 271. Stewart, Jeremy (DEN) 22 0 271. Davis, Ryan (JAX) 0 0 273. Hoskins, Gator (MIA) 0 21 273. Roethlisberger, Ben (PIT) 27 -6 273. Brock, Kevin (CIN) 0 21 276. Harris, Demetrius (KC) 0 20 277. Olawale, Jamize (OAK) 0 18 277. Cassel, Matt (BUF) 18 0 279. Jacobs, Nic (JAX) 0 16 279. Ponder, Christian (OAK) 16 0 279. Harris, Josh (PIT) 16 0 282. Daniel, Chase (KC) 15 0 283. Orton, Kyle (BUF) 14 0 283. Ausberry, David (OAK) 0 14 285. Williams, Tourek (SD) 0 0 285. Easley, Marcus (BUF) 0 0 285. Bruton, David (DEN) 13 0 285. Garner, Nate (MIA) 0 0 285. Fede, Terrence (MIA) 0 0 290. Alualu, Tyson (JAX) 0 0 290. Austin, Marvin (DEN) 0 0 292. Shaw, Connor (CLE) 9 0 292. James, LaMichael (MIA) 9 0 292. Brown, Ronnie (SD) 4 5 292. Garoppolo, Jimmy (NE) 9 0 296. Jensen, Marcel (JAX) 0 8 297. Robinson, Aldrick (BAL) 0 6 297. Schwenke, Brian (TEN) 0 6 299. Griffin, Michael (TEN) 0 0 300. Watt, J.J. (HOU) 0 4 300. Johnson, David (SD) 0 4 300. Dorsey, Kevin (NE) 0 4 300. Mettenberger, Zach (TEN) 4 0 304. McGloin, Matthew (OAK) 3 0

148 | PRO FOOTBALL NOW • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 70 0 0 69 12 0 67 0 0 65 0 0 64 0 0 64 36 0 63 0 0 61 0 0 57 0 0 54 0 0 52 0 0 48 0 0 48 0 0 46 0 0 45 22 0 45 0 0 44 44 0 44 0 0 43 0 0 42 14 28 42 32 0 41 0 0 41 0 0 39 0 0 38 0 0 37 11 0 37 0 0 35 0 0 33 0 0 33 0 0 31 5 26 31 14 0 30 0 0 30 0 0 29 0 0 28 0 28 28 27 0 27 0 0 27 0 0 26 0 0 25 0 0 25 0 0 24 24 0 24 0 0 24 0 0 22 22 0 22 0 0 21 0 0 21 0 0 21 0 0 20 0 0 18 0 0 18 0 0 16 0 0 16 0 0 16 0 0 15 0 0 14 0 0 14 13 0 13 13 0 13 0 0 13 13 0 13 13 0 13 12 0 12 12 0 12 0 0 9 0 0 9 0 0 9 0 0 9 0 0 8 0 0 6 0 0 6 0 5 5 0 0 4 0 0 4 0 0 4 0 0 4 0 0 3

3 04. Robertson, Craig (CLE) 0 304. Supernaw, Phillip (BAL) 0 304. Penn, Donald (OAK) 0 307. Simms, Matt (NYJ) 2 308. Phillips, John (SD) 0 308. Palmer, Michael (PIT) 0 308. Castonzo, Anthony (IND) 0 308. Campbell, Jason (CIN) 1 308. Barnes, Khalif (OAK) 0 313. Palmer, Jordan (TEN) -1 314. Moore, Matt (MIA) -2 314. Gradkowski, Bruce (PIT) -2 314. Mallett, Ryan (HOU) -2 317. Taylor, Tyrod (BUF) -3 318. Jackson, Gabe (OAK) 0 319. Savage, Tom (HOU) -6 320. Hasselbeck, Matt (IND) -11 321. Manning, Peyton (DEN) -24

0 3 3 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 -5 0 0 0

3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 3 0 3 0 3 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 -1 0 -2 0 -2 0 -2 0 -3 0 -5 0 -6 0 -11 0 -24

NFC COMBINED YARDS RUSH REC KOR PR TOT RK PLAYER (TEAM) YDS YDS YDS YDS YDS

1. Murray, DeMarco (PHI) 1845 416 0 2. Hester, Devin (ATL) 36 504 1128 3. Forte, Matt (CHI) 1038 808 0 4. Lynch, Marshawn (SEA) 1306 367 0 5. Jones, Julio (ATL) 1 1593 0 6. Lacy, Eddie (GB) 1139 427 0 7. Cunningham, Benny (STL) 246 352 963 8. Nelson, Jordy (GB) 0 1519 0 9. Beckham, Odell (NYG) 35 1305 0 10. Cobb, Randall (GB) 37 1287 0 11. Roberts, Andre (WAS) 21 453 710 12. Patterson, Cordarrelle (MIN) 117 384 871 13. Tate, Golden (DET) 30 1331 0 14. Todman, Jordan (CAR) 186 198 972 15. Bryant, Dez (DAL) 0 1320 0 16. Sproles, Darren (PHI) 329 387 15 17. Morris, Alfred (WAS) 1074 155 0 18. Bell, Joique (DET) 860 322 0 19. Ross, Jeremy (DET) -1 314 584 20. Jackson, DeSean (WAS) 7 1169 0 21. Jeffery, Alshon (CHI) 33 1133 0 22. Harris, Dwayne (NYG) 7 116 742 23. Ingram, Mark (NO) 964 145 0 24. Johnson, Calvin (DET) 0 1077 0 25. Boldin, Anquan (SF) 4 1062 0 26. Ellington, Andre (AZ) 660 395 0 27. Evans, Mike (TB) 0 1051 0 28. Olsen, Greg (CAR) 0 1008 0 28. Benjamin, Kelvin (CAR) 0 1008 0 30. Jackson, Vincent (TB) 0 1002 0 31. Stewart, Jonathan (CAR) 809 181 0 32. Parker, Preston (NYG) 0 418 509 33. Baldwin, Doug (SEA) 8 825 81 34. Randle, Rueben (NYG) 0 938 0 35. Rainey, Bobby (TB) 406 315 158 36. Asiata, Matt (MIN) 570 312 47 37. White, Roddy (ATL) 0 921 0 38. Bennett, Martellus (CHI) 0 916 0 39. Mason, Tre (STL) 765 148 0 40. Colston, Marques (NO) 0 902 0 41. Ellington, Bruce (SF) 28 62 614 41. Royal, Eddie (CHI) 14 778 0 43. Ginn, Ted (CAR) 6 190 417 44. Graham, Jimmy (SEA) 0 889 0 45. Wallace, Mike (MIN) 16 862 0 46. Austin, Tavon (STL) 224 242 19 47. Matthews, Jordan (PHI) 0 872 0 48. Wilson, Russell (SEA) 849 17 0 49. Jennings, Rashad (NYG) 639 226 0 50. Jackson, Steven (ATL) 707 148 0 51. Williams, Andre (NYG) 721 130 0 52. Floyd, Michael (AZ) 2 841 0 53. Vereen, Shane (NYG) 391 447 0 54. Brown, Corey (CAR) 95 296 273 55. McFadden, Darren (DAL) 534 212 59 56. Fitzgerald, Larry (AZ) 0 784 0

0 2261 240 1908 0 1846 0 1673 0 1594 0 1566 0 1561 0 1519 171 1511 112 1436 208 1392 0 1372 0 1361 0 1356 0 1320 506 1237 0 1229 0 1182 284 1181 0 1176 0 1166 275 1140 0 1109 0 1077 0 1066 0 1055 0 1051 0 1008 0 1008 0 1002 0 990 53 980 42 956 0 938 55 934 0 929 0 921 0 916 0 913 0 902 188 892 100 892 277 890 0 889 0 878 391 876 0 872 0 866 0 865 0 855 0 851 0 843 0 838 153 817 0 805 0 784

2014 57. Smith, Torrey (SF) 0 58. Britt, Kenny (STL) 14 59. Garcon, Pierre (WAS) 0 60. Jennings, Greg (MIN) 0 61. Spiller, C.J. (NO) 300 62. Witten, Jason (DAL) 0 63. Crabtree, Michael (SF) 4 63. Ertz, Zach (PHI) 0 65. Brown, John (AZ) -6 66. McKinnon, Jerick (MIN) 538 67. Cooks, Brandin (NO) 73 68. Hyde, Carlos (SF) 333 69. Wright, Jarius (MIN) 71 70. Richardson, Paul (SEA) 0 71. Kaepernick, Colin (SF) 639 72. Cook, Jared (STL) 0 73. Donnell, Larry (NYG) 0 74. Williams, Terrance (DAL) 0 75. Williams, Chris (CHI) -8 76. Thomas, Pierre (NO) 222 77. Cotchery, Jerricho (CAR) 0 78. Cooper, Riley (PHI) 0 79. Austin, Miles (PHI) 0 80. Martin, Doug (TB) 494 81. Kearse, Jermaine (SEA) 15 82. Bush, Reggie (SF) 297 83. Bailey, Stedman (STL) 13 83. Patton, Solomon (TB) 19 85. Paul, Niles (WAS) 0 86. Mariani, Marc (CHI) 0 86. Newton, Cam (CAR) 539 88. Harris, DuJuan (MIN) 64 89. Polk, Chris (PHI) 172 90. Huff, Josh (PHI) 7 91. Turbin, Robert (SEA) 310 92. Starks, James (GB) 333 92. Freeman, Devonta (ATL) 248 94. Whittaker, Fozzy (CAR) 145 95. Reed, Jordan (WAS) 0 96. Johnson, Charles (MIN) -11 97. Robinson, Khiry (NO) 362 98. Adams, Davante (GB) 0 99. Stacy, Zac (STL) 293 100. BeaSTLey, Cole (DAL) 0 101. Sherels, Marcus (MIN) 0 102. Bersin, Brenton (CAR) 0 103. Rodgers, Jacquizz (ATL) 217 104. Willson, Luke (SEA) 0 104. Mathews, Ryan (PHI) 330 106. Murphy, Louis (TB) 0 107. Quick, Brian (STL) 0 107. Sims, Charles (TB) 185 109. Riddick, Theo (DET) 51 110. Randle, Joseph (DAL) 343 110. Smith, Antone (ATL) 144 112. Dunbar, Lance (DAL) 99 113. Carlson, John (AZ) 0 114. Celek, Brent (PHI) 0 115. Cruz, Victor (NYG) 0 116. Quarless, Andrew (GB) 0 117. Hyde, Micah (GB) 0 118. Cox, Michael (NYG) 33 119. Lloyd, Brandon (SF) 0 120. Taylor, Stepfan (AZ) 208 121. Ford, Chase (MIN) 0 122. Rodgers, Aaron (GB) 269 123. Givens, Chris (STL) 4 124. Kendricks, Lance (STL) 0 125. Williams, Kerwynn (AZ) 246 126. Demps, Quintin (NYG) 0 127. Davis, Vernon (SF) 4 128. Ebron, Eric (DET) 0 129. Saunders, Jalen (NO) 0 130. Toilolo, Levine (ATL) 0 131. Ellison, Rhett (MIN) 0 131. Rudolph, Kyle (MIN) 0 133. Brown, Jaron (AZ) 0

767 748 752 742 125 703 698 702 696 135 550 68 588 271 0 634 623 621 0 378 580 577 568 64 537 253 435 0 507 0 0 11 16 98 186 140 225 60 465 475 63 446 152 420 0 151 173 362 69 380 375 190 316 23 222 217 350 340 337 323 0 9 294 79 258 0 159 259 11 0 245 248 7 238 208 231 229

0 0 0 0 306 0 0 0 0 0 12 268 0 376 0 0 0 0 579 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 416 36 510 0 456 340 415 0 0 0 262 0 0 28 0 0 0 110 167 10 37 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 46 0 0 0 0 96 261 0 0 12 0 101 0 0 255 0 0 139 0 23 0 0

0 767 0 762 0 752 0 742 0 731 0 703 0 702 0 702 0 690 0 673 35 670 0 669 0 659 0 647 0 639 0 634 0 623 0 621 30 601 0 600 0 580 0 577 0 568 0 558 0 552 0 550 90 547 112 547 0 543 29 539 0 539 0 531 0 528 0 520 0 496 0 473 0 473 0 467 0 465 0 464 0 453 0 446 0 445 0 420 297 407 86 404 0 400 0 399 0 399 0 380 0 375 0 375 0 367 0 366 0 366 0 362 0 350 0 340 0 337 0 323 221 317 0 303 0 294 0 287 0 270 0 269 0 264 0 259 0 257 0 255 0 249 0 248 99 245 0 238 0 231 0 231 0 229

STATISTICS

134. Rodgers, Richard (GB) 0 135. Seferian-Jenkins, Austin (TB) 0 136. Toon, Nick (NO) 4 137. Miller, Bruce (SF) 9 138. Carey, Ka’Deem (CHI) 158 139. Fuller, Corey (DET) 0 140. Bridgewater, Teddy (MIN) 209 141. Hillis, Peyton (NYG) 115 142. Lockette, Ricardo (SEA) 2 143. Cutler, Jay (CHI) 191 144. Myers, Brandon (TB) 0 145. Fells, Daniel (NYG) 0 146. Michael, Christine (SEA) 175 147. Helfet, Cooper (SEA) 0 148. Redd, Silas (WAS) 75 149. Hill, Josh (NO) 0 149. Griffin, Robert (WAS) 176 151. Tolbert, Mike (CAR) 78 152. Saunders, Jalen (NO) 0 153. Thielen, Adam (MIN) 0 154. Morgan, Joe (NO) 67 155. Banyard, Joe (MIN) 88 156. Hughes, Robert (AZ) 11 157. Ryan, Matt (ATL) 145 158. Wilson, Marquess (CHI) 0 159. Brown, Mike (CAR) 0 159. Weems, Eric (ATL) 0 159. Watson, Benjamin (NO) 0 162. Moeaki, Tony (ATL) 0 163. HouSTLer, Rob (AZ) 1 164. Rosario, Dante (CHI) 0 165. Holmes, Santonio (CHI) 0 166. Moss, Santana (WAS) 0 167. Dickson, Ed (CAR) 0 168. Meachem, Robert (NO) 0 169. Young, Darrel (WAS) 22 170. Tamme, Jacob (ATL) 0 170. Reaves, Darrin (CAR) 78 172. Kuhn, John (GB) 85 173. Carrier, Derek (SF) 2 174. Ross, Rashad (WAS) 0 175. Escobar, Gavin (DAL) 0 176. Norwood, Kevin (SEA) 0 177. Winn, George (DET) 73 178. Morgan, Josh (CHI) 30 178. Holliday, Trindon (SF) 0 180. Casey, James (PHI) 0 181. Stafford, Matthew (DET) 93 181. Peterson, Adrian (MIN) 75 183. Patton, Quinton (SF) 20 183. Paulsen, Logan (WAS) 0 185. Sanchez, Mark (PHI) 87 185. Perry, Senorise (CHI) 0 187. Williams, Brandon (CAR) 0 188. Miller, Zach (SEA) 0 189. Fauria, Joseph (DET) 0 190. Fells, Darren (AZ) 0 191. Grice, Marion (AZ) 41 191. Lane, Jorvorskie (TB) 58 191. Pettigrew, Brandon (DET) 0 194. Webb, Joe (CAR) 0 194. Brees, Drew (NO) 68 196. Foles, Nick (STL) 68 196. Grant, Ryan (WAS) 0 198. McCoy, Colt (WAS) 66 199. Stanton, Drew (AZ) 63 199. Shepard, Russell (TB) 0 201. DiMarco, Patrick (ATL) 0 201. Holliday, Trindon (SF) 0 203. Romo, Tony (DAL) 61 204. Dwyer, Jonathan (AZ) 51 205. Collins, Jed (DAL) 19 205. Herron, Robert (TB) 0 207. Harkey, Cory (STL) 0 208. Celek, Garrett (SF) 0 209. Washington, Corey (NYG) 0 209. Darkwa, Orleans (NYG) 21

225 221 215 189 57 212 0 87 195 0 190 188 12 185 107 176 0 93 7 137 92 62 140 0 140 88 102 136 134 129 116 67 116 115 114 81 109 31 23 105 0 105 102 0 70 0 59 0 18 44 78 0 -1 44 76 74 71 29 3 70 16 1 0 68 0 0 63 62 0 0 8 39 58 55 53 52 31

0 0 225 0 0 221 0 0 219 19 0 217 0 0 215 0 0 212 0 0 209 0 0 202 0 0 197 0 0 191 0 0 190 0 0 188 0 0 187 0 0 185 0 0 182 0 0 176 0 0 176 2 0 173 139 26 172 33 0 170 0 0 159 8 0 158 0 0 151 0 0 145 0 0 140 11 37 136 34 0 136 0 0 136 0 0 134 0 0 130 7 0 123 0 50 117 0 0 116 0 0 115 0 0 114 10 0 113 0 0 109 0 0 109 0 0 108 0 0 107 106 0 106 0 0 105 0 0 102 28 0 101 0 0 100 83 17 100 38 0 97 0 0 93 0 0 93 24 0 88 10 0 88 0 0 87 88 0 87 36 0 80 0 0 76 0 0 74 0 0 71 0 0 70 9 0 70 0 0 70 53 0 69 0 0 69 0 0 68 0 0 68 0 0 66 0 0 63 0 0 63 0 0 62 45 17 62 0 0 61 0 0 59 0 0 58 0 0 58 0 0 55 0 0 53 0 0 52 0 0 52

211. Robinson, Adrien (NYG) 211. Ogbonnaya, Chris (NYG) 211. Ogletree, Kevin (NYG) 214. Glennon, Mike (TB) 215. Watts, Trey (STL) 215. Hanna, James (DAL) 215. Sendejo, Andrew (MIN) 218. Maehl, Jeff (PHI) 219. Carroll, Nolan (PHI) 220. Stocker, Luke (TB) 221. Thompson, Chris (WAS) 222. Niklas, Troy (AZ) 222. Darkwa, Orleans (NYG) 222. Jernigan, Jerrel (NYG) 225. Johnson, Austin (NO) 226. Davis, Austin (STL) 227. Keenum, Case (STL) 228. Darkwa, Orleans (NYG) 229. Smith, Brad (PHI) 229. James, Mike (TB) 231. Manning, Eli (NYG) 231. Lorig, Erik (NO) 233. Smith, Alfonso (SF) 233. McDonald, Vance (SF) 235. Coleman, Derrick (SEA) 236. Boykin, Jarrett (CAR) 237. Palmer, Carson (AZ) 237. Broyles, Ryan (DET) 239. Anderson, Derek (CAR) 240. Cousins, Kirk (WAS) 241. Trattou, Justin (MIN) 241. Darkwa, Orleans (NYG) 243. Johnson, Leonard (TB) 243. Jerod-Eddie, Tony (SF) 243. Street, Devin (DAL) 246. Brate, Cameron (TB) 246. Agnew, Ray (DAL) 248. Janis, Jeff (GB) 249. Leonard, Brian (NO) 250. Williams, Damian (STL) 251. Hynoski, Henry (NYG) 251. King, Tavarres (TB) 253. Long, Spencer (WAS) 253. Folkerts, Brian (CAR) 255. Roby, Courtney (ATL) 256. Hill, Shaun (MIN) 256. Lynch, Aaron (SF) 256. Burton, Trey (PHI) 259. Clausen, Jimmy (CHI) 260. Spurlock, Micheal (CHI) 260. Lemon, Orie (TB) 260. Thomas, Chase (SF) 263. Barnes, Tim (STL) 264. Tukuafu, Will (SEA) 265. Gabbert, Blaine (SF) 265. Ryan, Jon (SEA) 265. Jordan, Akeem (WAS) 268. Abdul-Quddus, Isa (DET) 268. Bostick, Brandon (MIN) 268. Pascoe, Bear (ATL) 268. Thomas, Earl (SEA) 268. Dahl, Craig (SF) 273. Osgood, Kassim (SF) 273. Cook, Chris (SF) 273. McCray, Danny (CHI) 273. Wilber, Kyle (DAL) 273. Baker, Edwin (NO) 273. Matthews, Cliff (ATL) 273. Way, Tress (WAS) 280. Clutts, Tyler (DAL) 281. Wilson, Josh (ATL) 281. Weeden, Brandon (DAL) 283. PreSTLey, DeAndre (CAR) 284. Nassib, Ryan (NYG) 285. Flynn, Matt (GB) 286. O’Donnell, Pat (CHI)

0 50 0 49 30 0 48 0 0 0 12 0 21 -2 22 36 35 2 0 37 31 4 19 0 0 0 25 0 24 20 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 13 0 0 0 0 10 0 10 9 0 0 0 0 2 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 0 -1 -2 -3 -10 -12

50 0 0 0 50 0 0 0 18 0 48 0 0 0 46 0 0 45 41 0 27 0 38 0 17 0 40 0 15 0 0 0 0 0 31 0 11 21 -5 0 0 0 27 0 11 0 30 0 29 0 23 3 0 0 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 17 0 0 18 0 18 18 0 17 0 15 0 16 0 15 0 14 0 0 0 13 0 0 12 0 12 11 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 8 0 8 0 7 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 3 0 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

PRO FOOTBALL NOW • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 0

50 50 50 49 48 48 48 46 45 41 39 38 38 38 37 36 35 33 32 32 31 31 30 30 29 26 25 25 24 20 19 19 18 18 18 17 17 16 15 14 13 13 12 12 11 10 10 10 9 8 8 8 7 6 5 5 5 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 -1 -1 -2 -3 -10 -12

| 149

2014 AFC INTERCEPTIONS

RK PLAYER (TEAM) INT 1 Gipson, Tashaun (CLE) 6 2 Adams, Mike (IND) 5 2 Grimes, Brent (MIA) 5 4 Woodson, Charles (OAK) 4 4 Nelson, Reggie (CIN) 4 4 Skrine, Buster (CLE) 4 4 Talib, Aqib (DEN) 4 4 Moore, Rahim (DEN) 4 4 McKelvin, Leodis (BUF) 4 4 Davis, Vontae (IND) 4 11 McCourty, Jason (TEN) 3 11 Jones, Reshad (MIA) 3 11 Iloka, George (CIN) 3 11 Haden, Joe (CLE) 3 11 Gay, William (PIT) 3 11 Jones, Adam (CIN) 3 11 Searcy, Da’Norris (BUF) 3 11 Jackson, Kareem (HOU) 3 11 Harris, Chris (DEN) 3 11 Bouye, A.J. (HOU) 3 11 Flowers, Brandon (SD) 3 11 Gilmore, Stephon (BUF) 3 11 Coleman, Kurt (KC) 3 11 McCain, Brice (PIT) 3 11 Rolle, Jumal (HOU) 3 11 Kirkpatrick, Dre (CIN) 3 27 MoSTLey, C.J. (BAL) 2 27 Collins, Jamie (NE) 2 27 Griffin, Michael (TEN) 2 27 Woodyard, WeSTLey (TEN) 2 27 Robertson, Craig (CLE) 2 27 Lamur, Emmanuel (CIN) 2 27 Lewis, Kendrick (HOU) 2 27 Thomas, J.T. (JAX) 2 27 Graham, Corey (BUF) 2 27 Joseph, Johnathan (HOU) 2 27 Ward, T.J. (DEN) 2 27 Swearinger, D.J. (HOU) 2 27 McCourty, Devin (NE) 2 27 Roby, Bradley (DEN) 2 27 Toler, Gregory (IND) 2 27 Ross, Brandian (OAK) 2 27 Revis, Darrelle (NE) 2 27 Allen, Cortez (PIT) 2 27 Walls, Darrin (NYJ) 2 27 Jarrett, Jaiquawn (NYJ) 2 27 Ryan, Logan (NE) 2 27 Leonhard, Jim (CLE) 2 27 Ngata, Haloti (BAL) 2 27 Rambo, Bacarri (BUF) 2 51 Smith, Daryl (BAL) 1 51 Marshall, Brandon (DEN) 1 51 Brown, Preston (BUF) 1 51 Whitner, Donte (CLE) 1 51 Weddle, Eric (SD) 1 51 Bradham, Nigel (BUF) 1

51 Smith, Telvin (JAX) 51 Parker, Ron (KC) 51 Dansby, Karlos (CLE) 51 Chung, Patrick (NE) 51 Watt, J.J. (HOU) 51 Gilchrist, Marcus (SD) 51 Williams, Aaron (BUF) 51 Abdullah, Husain (KC) 51 Newman, Terence (CIN) 51 Wilson, George (TEN) 51 Hall, Leon (CIN) 51 Delmas, Louis (MIA) 51 Ninkovich, Rob (NE) 51 Worilds, Jason (PIT) 51 Te’o, Manti (SD) 51 Maualuga, Rey (CIN) 51 Mohamed, Mike (HOU) 51 Wreh-Wilson, Blidi (TEN) 51 Wilson, Jimmy (MIA) 51 Gratz, Dwayne (JAX) 51 Stewart, Darian (BAL) 51 Smith, Sean (KC) 51 Hayden, D.J. (OAK) 51 Williams, Duke (BUF) 51 Wilfork, Vince (NE) 51 Webb, Lardarius (BAL) 51 Carrie, T.J. (OAK) 51 Tuck, Justin (OAK) 51 Ware, DeMarcus (DEN) 51 Williams, Kyle (BUF) 51 Reed, Brooks (HOU) 51 Hill, Will (BAL) 51 Trusnik, Jason (MIA) 51 Blake, Antwon (PIT) 51 Williams, Marcus (NYJ) 51 Tuggle, Justin (HOU) 51 Winn, Billy (CLE) 51 Morris, Darryl (HOU) 51 Gilbert, Justin (CLE) 51 Smith, Jimmy (BAL) 51 Shelby, Derrick (MIA) 51 Stafford, Daimion (TEN) 51 Browner, Brandon (NE) 51 Gordy, Josh (IND) 51 Adams, Phillip (NYJ) 51 Miles, Jeromy (BAL) 51 Ball, Alan (JAX) 51 Geathers, Robert (CIN) 51 Verrett, Jason (SD) 51 Ayers, Akeem (NE) 51 Keisel, Brett (PIT) 51 Gorrer, Danny (BAL) 51 Dennard, Alfonzo (NE) 51 Martin, Sherrod (JAX) 51 Huff, Marqueston (TEN) 51 Harmon, Duron (NE) 51 EaSTLey, Dominique (NE) 51 Aikens, Walt (MIA) 51 Stanford, R.J. (MIA)

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

STATISTICS

51 Ghee, Brandon (TEN) 51 Sanzenbacher, Dane (CIN) 51 Bush, Josh (DEN) 60 Wilson, Tavon (NE)

FGA 37 31 38 32 35 34 37 39 33 30 26 29 22 22 26 13 16 3

FGM FGBL LNG 35 0 53 30 0 53 34 1 58 29 0 53 30 2 55 29 1 55 29 2 53 32 2 55 26 1 49 25 0 53 22 1 52 22 1 52 19 0 57 19 0 51 20 3 53 9 0 44 15 0 50 3 0 43

NFC INTERCEPTIONS

RK PLAYER (TEAM) INT 1 Quin, Glover (DET) 7 2 Smith, Harrison (MIN) 5 2 Carter, Bruce (DAL) 5 2 Cox, Perrish (SF) 5 5 Mundy, Ryan (CHI) 4 5 Ishmael, Kemal (ATL) 4 5 Johnson, Rashad (AZ) 4 5 Bethea, Antoine (SF) 4 5 Ihedigbo, James (DET) 4 5 Fuller, Kyle (CHI) 4 5 Allen, Nate (PHI) 4 5 Harper, Roman (CAR) 4 5 Sherman, Richard (SEA) 4 5 Demps, Quintin (NYG) 4 5 Banks, Johnthan (TB) 4 5 Culliver, Chris (SF) 4 17 Rolle, Antrel (NYG) 3 17 Lansanah, Danny (TB) 3 17 Jenkins, Malcolm (PHI) 3 17 Williams, Tramon (GB) 3 17 Wilcox, J.J. (DAL) 3 17 Trufant, Desmond (ATL) 3 17 Powers, Jerraud (AZ) 3 17 Peterson, Patrick (AZ) 3 17 Cromartie, Antonio (AZ) 3 17 Amukamara, Prince (NYG) 3 17 Conte, Chris (CHI) 3 17 Robinson, Josh (MIN) 3 17 Reid, Eric (SF) 3 17 Johnson, Trumaine (STL) 3 17 Hayward, Casey (GB) 3 17 Alford, Robert (ATL) 3 33 Ogletree, Alec (STL) 2 33 Borland, Chris (SF) 2 33 Church, Barry (DAL) 2 33 Wilhoite, Michael (SF) 2 33 McClain, Rolando (DAL) 2 33 Lowery, Dwight (ATL) 2 33 Whitehead, Tahir (DET) 2 33 Verner, Alterraun (TB) 2 33 Vaccaro, Kenny (NO) 2 33 Gaines, E.J. (STL) 2 33 McLeod, Rodney (STL) 2 33 Breeland, Bashaud (WAS) 2 33 Munnerlyn, Captain (MIN) 2 33 STLay, Darius (DET) 2 33 Jenkins, Janoris (STL) 2 33 Williams, Cary (PHI) 2 33 Cason, Antoine (CAR) 2 33 Hyde, Micah (GB) 2 33 McClain, Robert (ATL) 2 33 Scandrick, Orlando (DAL) 2

AFC FIELD GOALS RK PLAYER (TEAM) 1. Gostkowski, Stephen (NE) 2. Vinatieri, Adam (IND) 3. Carpenter, Dan (BUF) 4. Suisham, Shaun (PIT) 5. Bullock, Randy (HOU) 6. Tucker, Justin (BAL) 7. Sturgis, Caleb (MIA) 8. Folk, Nick (NYJ) 9. Nugent, Mike (CIN) 10. Santos, Cairo (KC) 11. Novak, Nick (SD) 12. Cundiff, Billy (CLE) 13. Janikowski, Sebastian (OAK) 14. Succop, Ryan (TEN) 15. Scobee, Josh (JAX) 16. McManus, Brandon (DEN) 17. Barth, Connor (DEN) 18. Hartley, Garrett (CLE)

1 1 1 1

Glover Quin 33 White, Corey (NO) 2 33 Norman, Josh (CAR) 2 33 Peppers, Julius (GB) 2 33 Lewis, Keenan (NO) 2 33 Shields, Sam (GB) 2 33 Maxwell, Byron (SEA) 2 33 Rodgers-Cromartie, Dominique (NYG) 2 33 Irvin, Bruce (SEA) 2 33 Robinson, Patrick (NO) 2 33 Warren, Pierre (NO) 2 33 Bowman, Zackary (NYG) 2 33 Vaughn, Cassius (DET) 2 65 Kuechly, Luke (CAR) 1 65 Levy, DeAndre (DET) 1 65 Burnett, Morgan (GB) 1 65 Robinson, Keenan (WAS) 1 65 Blanton, Robert (MIN) 1 65 McDonald, T.J. (STL) 1 65 Clark, Ryan (WAS) 1 65 Thomas, Earl (SEA) 1 65 Clinton-Dix, Ha Ha (GB) 1 65 Foote, Larry (AZ) 1 65 Hawthorne, David (NO) 1 65 Chancellor, Kam (SEA) 1 65 Hitchens, Anthony (DAL) 1 65 Hodges, Gerald (MIN) 1 65 Matthews, Clay (GB) 1 65 Fletcher, Bradley (PHI) 1 65 Campbell, Calais (AZ) 1 65 Mathis, Rashean (DET) 1 65 Jordan, Cameron (NO) 1 65 Durant, Justin (DAL) 1 65 Rhodes, Xavier (MIN) 1 65 McDougald, Bradley (TB) 1 65 Ryans, DeMeco (PHI) 1 65 McDonald, Clinton (TB) 1

5 DeCoud, Thomas (CAR) 6 1 65 Boykin, Brandon (PHI) 1 65 Johnson, Leonard (TB) 1 65 Edwards, Dwan (CAR) 1 65 Mathieu, Tyrann (AZ) 1 65 White, Melvin (CAR) 1 65 Lattimore, Jamari (GB) 1 65 Willis, Patrick (SF) 1 65 Vereen, Brock (CHI) 1 65 Briggs, Lance (CHI) 1 65 Benwikere, Bene’ (CAR) 1 65 Hurst, Demontre (CHI) 1 65 Burley, Marcus (SEA) 1 65 Okafor, Alex (AZ) 1 65 Johnson, Dontae (SF) 1 65 Wilson, Josh (ATL) 1 65 Acho, Sam (AZ) 1 65 House, Davon (GB) 1 65 Boston, Tre (CAR) 1 65 Harris, Mike (NYG) 1 65 McBride, Trumaine (NYG) 1 65 Jones, Datone (GB) 1 65 Bynes, Josh (DET) 1 65 Hill, Jordan (SEA) 1 65 Southward, Dezmen (ATL) 1 65 Wynn, Kerry (NYG) 1 65 Dahl, Craig (SF) 1 65 Robinson, Trenton (WAS) 1 65 Simon, Tharold (SEA) 1 65 Dixon, Brandon (TB) 1 65 Roberson, Marcus (STL) 1 65 Claiborne, Morris (DAL) 1 65 Jeffcoat, Jackson (WAS) 1 65 Tandy, Keith (TB) 1 65 Patmon, Tyler (DAL) 1 65 Ducre, Greg (WAS) 1

NFC FIELD GOALS XPA 51 50 32 45 40 42 41 23 39 38 40 28 28 27 23 41 15 2

XPM XPBL PTS 51 0 156 50 0 140 31 0 133 45 0 132 40 0 130 42 0 129 41 0 128 23 0 119 39 0 117 38 0 113 40 0 106 28 0 94 28 0 85 27 0 84 23 0 83 41 0 68 15 0 60 2 0 11

150 | PRO FOOTBALL NOW • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

RK PLAYER (TEAM) 1. Parkey, Cody (PHI) 2. Hauschka, Steven (SEA) 2. Crosby, Mason (GB) 4. Bailey, Dan (DAL) 5. Bryant, Matt (ATL) 6. Gano, Graham (CAR) 7. Brown, Josh (NYG) 8. Catanzaro, Chandler (AZ) 9. Dawson, Phil (SF) 10. Walsh, Blair (MIN) 11. Zuerlein, Greg (STL) 12. Graham, Shayne (NO) 12. Forbath, Kai (WAS) 14. Murray, Patrick (TB) 15. Prater, Matt (DET) 16. Gould, Robbie (CHI) 17. Freese, Nate (DET) 18. Feely, Jay (CHI)

FGA 36 37 33 29 32 35 26 33 31 35 30 22 27 24 26 12 7 4

FGM FGBL LNG 32 0 54 31 2 58 27 3 55 25 1 56 29 1 54 29 1 53 24 1 53 29 0 51 25 1 55 26 2 55 24 1 56 19 0 50 24 0 49 20 2 55 21 2 52 9 0 45 3 0 30 3 0 48

XPA 54 41 55 56 40 34 44 27 33 29 35 47 32 31 21 29 6 6

XPM XPBL PTS 54 0 150 41 0 134 53 2 134 56 0 131 40 0 127 34 0 121 44 0 116 27 0 114 33 0 108 29 0 107 34 0 106 46 1 103 31 1 103 31 0 91 21 0 84 28 1 55 6 0 15 5 1 14

2014 AFC SACKS

55 Griffin, Michael (TEN) 55 Dansby, Karlos (CLE) 55 Moore, Sio (OAK) 55 Williamson, Avery (TEN) 55 Jackson, Malik (DEN) 55 Reed, Brooks (HOU) 55 Jones, Abry (JAX) 55 Hill, Sammie Lee (TEN) 55 Atkins, Geno (CIN) 55 Jean Francois, Ricky (IND) 55 Shelby, Derrick (MIA) 55 Jones, Chris (NE) 55 Charles, Stefan (BUF) 55 Smith, Antonio (OAK) 55 Branch, Andre (JAX) 55 Kerr, Zach (IND) 55 Smith, Chris (JAX) 73 Bradham, Nigel (BUF) 73 Woodyard, WeSTLey (TEN) 73 Landry, LaRon (IND) 73 Siliga, Sealver (NE) 73 Douzable, Leger (NYJ) 78 Timmons, Lawrence (PIT) 78 Marshall, Brandon (DEN) 78 Smith, Telvin (JAX) 78 Kirksey, Christian (CLE) 78 Ward, T.J. (DEN) 78 PoSTLuszny, Paul (JAX) 78 Hayes, Geno (JAX) 78 Sheard, Jabaal (CLE) 78 Mingo, Barkevious (CLE) 78 Mitchell, Earl (MIA) 78 Ngata, Haloti (BAL) 78 Knighton, Terrance (DEN) 78 Wimbley, Kamerion (TEN) 78 Alualu, Tyson (JAX) 78 Pitoitua, Ropati (TEN) 78 Babin, Jason (NYJ) 78 Klug, Karl (TEN) 78 Wilson, C.J. (OAK) 78 Walker, Vance (KC) 78 Phillips, Shaun (TEN) 78 Wynn, Jarius (BUF) 78 Jones, Jarvis (PIT) 78 Attaochu, Jeremiah (SD) 101 Landry, Dawan (NYJ) 101 Freeman, Jerrell (IND) 101 Nelson, Reggie (CIN) 101 Gilberry, Wallace (CIN) 101 Jarrett, Jaiquawn (NYJ) 101 Wolfe, Derek (DEN) 101 Jones, Arthur (IND) 101 Mathews, Ricardo (SD) 101 Jamison, Tim (HOU) 101 Lawson, Manny (BUF) 101 Bryant, Corbin (BUF) 101 Simon, John (HOU) 101 Ford, Dee (KC)

RK PLAYER (TEAM) SACKS 1 Houston, Justin (KC) 22 2 Watt, J.J. (HOU) 20.5 3 Dumervil, Elvis (BAL) 17 4 Williams, Mario (BUF) 14.5 5 Miller, Von (DEN) 14 6 Suggs, Terrell (BAL) 12 7 Wake, Cameron (MIA) 11.5 8 Kruger, Paul (CLE) 11 9 Hughes, Jerry (BUF) 10 9 Dareus, Marcell (BUF) 10 9 Ware, DeMarcus (DEN) 10 12 Marks, Sen’Derrick (JAX) 8.5 13 Richardson, Sheldon (NYJ) 8 13 Dunlap, Carlos (CIN) 8 13 Ninkovich, Rob (NE) 8 13 Clemons, Chris (JAX) 8 17 Worilds, Jason (PIT) 7.5 17 Heyward, Cameron (PIT) 7.5 17 McPhee, Pernell (BAL) 7.5 20 Morgan, Derrick (TEN) 6.5 20 Vernon, Olivier (MIA) 6.5 20 Coples, Quinton (NYJ) 6.5 20 Newsome, Jonathan (IND) 6.5 20 Davis, Ryan (JAX) 6.5 25 Hightower, Dont’a (NE) 6 25 Hali, Tamba (KC) 6 25 Wilkerson, Muhammad (NYJ) 6 25 Poe, Dontari (KC) 6 25 Jones, Chandler (NE) 6 25 Walden, Erik (IND) 6 31 Harris, David (NYJ) 5.5 31 Harrison, James (PIT) 5.5 31 Williams, Kyle (BUF) 5.5 34 Casey, Jurrell (TEN) 5 34 Mercilus, Whitney (HOU) 5 34 Bryant, Desmond (CLE) 5 34 Tuck, Justin (OAK) 5 34 Bailey, Allen (KC) 5 34 Pace, Calvin (NYJ) 5 40 Liuget, Corey (SD) 4.5 40 Starks, Randy (MIA) 4.5 42 Jackson, D’Qwell (IND) 4 42 Collins, Jamie (NE) 4 42 Mack, Khalil (OAK) 4 42 Werner, Bjoern (IND) 4 42 Ingram, Melvin (SD) 4 42 Moats, Arthur (PIT) 4 42 Jernigan, Timmy (BAL) 4 42 Ayers, Akeem (NE) 4 50 Davis, Demario (NYJ) 3.5 50 Jenkins, Jelani (MIA) 3.5 50 Crick, Jared (HOU) 3.5 50 Redding, Cory (IND) 3.5 50 Freeney, Dwight (SD) 3.5 55 MoSTLey, C.J. (BAL) 3

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5

STATISTICS NFC SACKS

RK PLAYER (TEAM)

SACKS

1 Barwin, Connor (PHI) 14.5 2 Kerrigan, Ryan (WAS) 13.5 3 Pierre-Paul, Jason (NYG) 12.5 4 Griffen, Everson (MIN) 12 5 Matthews, Clay (GB) 11 6 Quinn, Robert (STL) 10.5 7 Galette, Junior (NO) 10 7 Young, Willie (CHI) 10 9 Donald, Aaron (STL) 9 9 Curry, Vinny (PHI) 9 11 Suh, Ndamukong (DET) 8.5 11 Johnson, Charles (CAR) 8.5 11 McCoy, Gerald (TB) 8.5 14 Okafor, Alex (AZ) 8 15 Jordan, Cameron (NO) 7.5 15 Ansah, Ezekiel (DET) 7.5 17 Campbell, Calais (AZ) 7 17 Hankins, Johnathan (NYG) 7 17 Peppers, Julius (GB) 7 17 Bennett, Michael (SEA) 7 21 Cole, Trent (PHI) 6.5 21 Irvin, Bruce (SEA) 6.5 21 Ratliff, Jay (CHI) 6.5 21 Johnson, Tom (MIN) 6.5 21 Addison, Mario (CAR) 6.5 21 Smith, Jacquies (TB) 6.5 27 Mincey, Jeremy (DAL) 6 27 Paea, Stephen (CHI) 6 27 Brooks, Ahmad (SF) 6 27 Johnson, George (DET) 6 27 Lynch, Aaron (SF) 6 32 Allen, Jared (CHI) 5.5 32 Graham, Brandon (PHI) 5.5 32 Daniels, Mike (GB) 5.5 32 Hatcher, Jason (WAS) 5.5 32 Moore, Damontre (NYG) 5.5 32 Hill, Jordan (SEA) 5.5 38 McDonald, Clinton (TB) 5 38 Smith, Justin (SF) 5 38 Skuta, Dan (SF) 5 38 Rucker, Frostee (AZ) 5 38 Ayers, Robert (NYG) 5 38 Avril, Cliff (SEA) 5 38 Jones, Jason (DET) 5 38 Melton, Henry (DAL) 5 46 Biermann, Kroy (ATL) 4.5 46 Kennard, Devon (NYG) 4.5 46 Floyd, Sharrif (MIN) 4.5 46 Neal, Mike (GB) 4.5 46 Robison, Brian (MIN) 4.5 51 Kendricks, Mychal (PHI) 4 51 Barr, Anthony (MIN) 4

Justin Houston 51 Cox, Fletcher (PHI) 4 51 Hayes, William (STL) 4 51 Edwards, Dwan (CAR) 4 51 Johnson, Michael (TB) 4 51 Ealy, Kony (CAR) 4 58 Laurinaitis, James (STL) 3.5 58 Short, Kawann (CAR) 3.5 58 Guion, Letroy (GB) 3.5 61 Kuechly, Luke (CAR) 3 61 Smith, Harrison (MIN) 3 61 Hawthorne, David (NO) 3 61 Meriweather, Brandon (WAS) 3 61 Joseph, Linval (MIN) 3 61 McDonald, Ray (SF) 3 61 Spence, Akeem (TB) 3 61 Haralson, Parys (NO) 3 61 Crawford, Tyrone (DAL) 3 61 Williams, Kevin (SEA) 3 61 Selvie, George (DAL) 3 61 Sims, Eugene (STL) 3 61 Horton, Wes (CAR) 3 61 Perry, Nick (GB) 3 61 Barron, Mark (STL) 3 61 Carradine, Cornellius (SF) 3 61 Kearse, Frank (WAS) 3 61 Bass, David (CHI) 3 79 Levy, DeAndre (DET) 2.5 79 McClain, Jameel (NYG) 2.5 79 Davis, Thomas (CAR) 2.5 79 Murphy, Trent (WAS) 2.5 79 Kiwanuka, Mathias (NYG) 2.5 79 MoSTLey, C.J. (DET) 2.5 79 Walker, Tyrunn (NO) 2.5 79 Umenyiora, Osi (ATL) 2.5

AFC PUNTING RK PLAYER (TEAM)

NO YDS

1 Sam Koch (BAL) 2 Pat McAfee (IND) 3 Kevin Huber (CIN) 4 Brett Kern (TEN) 5 Dustin Colquitt (KC) 6 Marquette King (OAK) 7 Ryan Allen (NE) 7 Ryan Quigley (NYJ) 9 Bryan Anger (JAX) 10 Spencer Lanning (CLE) 11 Mike Scifres (SD) 12 Brad Wing (PIT) 13 Shane Lechler (HOU) 13 Colton Schmidt (BUF) 15 Brandon Fields (MIA) 16 Britton Colquitt (DEN) 17 Mat McBriar (SD)

60 69 73 88 71 109 66 78 94 93 55 61 83 86 58 69 13

2,841 3,221 3,419 4,118 3,164 4,930 3,060 3,580 4,464 4,119 2,516 2,668 3,847 3,692 2,688 3,048 610

NFC PUNTING

NET NET INS RET YDS LG AVG AVG BP 20 TB FC RET YDS

2,595 2,956 3,073 3,628 2,874 4,357 2,673 3,150 3,800 3,644 2,180 2,367 3,249 3,326 2,279 2,597 460

73 61 69 79 69 62 67 69 69 59 72 74 71 67 60 65 58

47.4 46.7 46.8 46.8 44.6 45.2 46.4 45.9 47.5 44.3 45.7 43.7 46.3 42.9 46.3 44.2 46.9

43.3 42.8 42.1 40.8 40.5 40.0 39.9 39.9 39.6 39.2 38.9 38.8 38.7 38.7 38.6 37.6 35.4

87 Worrilow, Paul (ATL) 2 87 Wright, K.J. (SEA) 2 87 McDonald, T.J. (STL) 2 87 Wagner, Bobby (SEA) 2 87 Riley, Perry (WAS) 2 87 Foote, Larry (AZ) 2 87 Bucannon, Deone (AZ) 2 87 Ihedigbo, James (DET) 2 87 Jones, Christian (CHI) 2 87 Gholston, William (TB) 2 87 Hicks, Akiem (NO) 2 87 Brockers, Michael (STL) 2 87 Babineaux, Jonathan (ATL) 2 87 Dial, Quinton (SF) 2 87 Lotulelei, Star (CAR) 2 87 Peters, Corey (ATL) 2 87 Massaquoi, Jonathan (ATL) 2 87 Ferguson, Ego (CHI) 2 87 Tulloch, Stephen (DET) 2 87 Schofield, O’Brien (SEA) 2 87 Smith, Aldon (SF) 2 87 Edebali, Kasim (NO) 2 87 Fluellen, Andre (DET) 2 87 Crawford, Jack (DAL) 2 111 Burnett, Morgan (GB) 1.5 111 Robinson, Keenan (WAS) 1.5 111 Lansanah, Danny (TB) 1.5 111 Matthews, Casey (PHI) 1.5 111 Wilber, Kyle (DAL) 1.5 111 Bowers, Da’Quan (TB) 1.5 111 Jones, Datone (GB) 1.5 111 Bair, Brandon (PHI) 1.5 111 Wynn, Kerry (NYG) 1.5 111 Palmer, Ashlee (DET) 1.5

0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0

26 4 14 23 166 30 3 19 35 205 27 6 15 30 226 28 7 25 43 350 31 5 20 29 190 31 3 33 47 513 25 6 15 29 267 23 9 23 25 250 25 10 20 52 464 25 9 26 42 295 21 6 12 21 216 20 4 18 27 221 27 10 24 32 398 31 6 20 38 246 21 3 11 36 349 25 4 19 33 371 1 0 1 10 130

RK PLAYER (TEAM)

NO YDS

1 Dave Zastudil (AZ) 11 2 Johnny Hekker (STL) 80 3 Tress Way (WAS) 77 4 Steve Weatherford (NYG) 80 5 Drew Butler (AZ) 79 6 Andy Lee (SF) 72 7 Donnie Jones (PHI) 76 8 Jeff Locke (MIN) 75 9 Brad Nortman (CAR) 72 10 Michael Koenen (TB) 78 11 Sam Martin (DET) 68 12 Pat O’Donnell (CHI) 71 13 Matt Bosher (ATL) 67 14 Thomas Morstead (NO) 58 15 Jon Ryan (SEA) 61 16 Chris Jones (DAL) 57 17 Tim Masthay (GB) 49

487 3,721 3,659 3,640 3,328 3,369 3,331 3,318 3,236 3,154 3,138 3,107 3,063 2,690 2,688 2,586 2,159

NET NET INS RET YDS LG AVG AVG BP 20 TB FC RET YDS

429 3,429 3,122 3,129 2,982 2,893 2,953 2,943 2,701 2,929 2,727 2,712 2,733 2,491 2,373 2,306 1,888

53 61 77 71 67 71 68 62 72 56 71 61 66 63 66 64 63

44.3 46.5 47.5 45.5 42.1 46.8 43.8 44.2 44.9 40.4 46.1 43.8 45.7 46.4 44.1 45.4 44.1

39.0 42.3 40.0 38.6 36.8 39.6 38.9 38.7 36.5 37.1 40.1 37.7 40.8 42.9 38.3 39.8 37.0

0 1 1 1 2 1 0 1 2 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 2

1 33 22 25 34 28 34 21 26 17 29 20 27 19 28 21 14

1 5 7 6 5 7 7 6 5 2 5 3 4 5 6 2 4

2 27 10 17 35 22 22 19 20 26 21 19 28 13 22 15 10

PRO FOOTBALL NOW • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

6 28 42 37 26 36 29 39 28 32 30 33 26 24 17 25 22

38 192 397 391 246 336 238 255 435 185 311 335 250 99 195 240 191

| 151

2014

STATISTICS

NFL TEAM RANKINGS OFFENSE

AZ

ATL

BAL

BUF

CAR

CHI

CIN

CLE

DAL

DEN

DET

GB

HOU

IND

JAX

KC

Yards / Game

24

8

12

26

16

21

15

23

7

4

19

6

17

3

31

25

Yards / Play

25

8

9

28

20

22

12

27

3

4

21

1

24

7

31

17

Rushing Yards / Game

31

24

8

25

7

27

6

17

2

15

28

11

5

22

21

10

Rushing Yards / Play

32

21

7

26

13

19

12

28

3

20

29

10

23

25

6

5

Passing Yards / Game

14

5

13

18

19

15

21

20

16

4

12

8

24

1

31

29

Passing Yards / Play

18

8

15

27

23

28

16

14

2

4

19

1

13

5

31

22

Interception Rate

9

15

10

12

11

24

29

26

14

17

6

1

20

16

27

2

Sacks / Pass Attempt

9

8

2

19

21

18

7

15

16

1

20

14

12

4

32

29

First Downs / Game

23

13

10

28

9

16

18t

24

11

6

20

7t

18t

3

29

21

Punt Return Avg

9

1

14

12

18

32

7

28

13

20

15

5

31

26

22

4

Kickoff Return Avg

32

14

1

17

24

15

4

28

13

8

10

31

29

3

12

2

Field Goals Made

9

4t

15

6

20

30

26

28

13

21

32

23

14

1

29

18t

3rd Down Pct

16

7

14

26

12

24

18

32

2

8

23

3

22

13

29

19

4th Down Pct

1

11t

11t

20

3t

17

8t

27

11t

18

11t

22t

5

22t

25t

21

Red Zone Pct

30

5

19

29

27

3

11

24

2

4

17

10

13t

12

31

8

Goal to Go%

32

7

23

9

13

10

4

12

3

11

16t

19

6

15

20t

16t

Avg Time of Possession

20

24

21

23

5

17t

16

28

2

12

6

14

8

4

30

19

Points / Game

24

12

8

18

19

23

15

27

5

2

22

1

14

6

32

16

ATL

BAL

BUF

CAR

CHI

CIN

CLE

DAL

DEN

DET

GB

HOU

IND

JAX

KC

DEFENSE

AZ

Yards / Game

24

32

8

4

10

30

22

23

19

3

2

15

16

11

26

7

Yards / Play

26

32

8

3

18

29

15

9

25

2

4

10

6

19

20

5

Rushing Yards / Game

13

21

4

11

16

17

20

32

8

2

1

23

10

18

27

28

Rushing Yards / Play

26

16

3

14

27

22

18

28

17

4

1

20

10

23

12

30

Passing Yards / Game

29

32

23

3

11

30

20

8

26

9

13

10

21

12

22

2

Passing Yards / Play

23

32

15

3

11

31

8

5

25

1

6

10

7

17

24

4

Interception Rate

10

11

26

3

17

16

5

2

8

12

4

9

7

21

31

32

Sacks / Pass Attempt

26

31

7

1

15

16

32

27

28

21

17

12

24

9

5

3

First Downs / Game

2t

32

14t

5

9t

20

25

29

17

14t

12t

27

22t

9t

24

12t

Punt Return Avg

15

21

9

4

32

24

10

8

20

29

25

14

31

3

16

6

Kickoff Return Avg

26

13

14

3

31

1

22

9

6

24

29

21

25

10

16

18

3rd Down Pct

12

32

17

1

22

21

7

11

27

5

9

18

3

2

23

6

4th Down Pct

10

18t

8

15t

15t

30

22

29

18t

27

11t

23

7

4

11t

9

Red Zone Pct

3

21

2

11

31

14

10

5

27

22

17

20

6t

32

8

1

Goal to Go%

14

26

3

19

28

17

10

13

32

20

22t

7

29t

27

8

2

Points / Game

5

27

6

4

21

31

12

9

15

16t

3

13t

7

19

26

2

Point Differential / Game

16

24

6

12

23

27

14

25

5

4

13

3

11

7

30

9

Yard Differential / Game

27

23

8

14

12

28

21

26

7

2

5

6

19

3

32

22

152 | PRO FOOTBALL NOW • FANTASY FOOTBALL 2015

2014

STATISTICS

NFL TEAM RANKINGS OFFENSE

MIA

MIN

NE

NO

NYG

NYJ

OAK

PHI

PIT

SD

SEA

SF

STL

TB

TEN

WAS

Yards / Game

14

27

11

1

10

22

32

5

2

18

9

20

28

30

29

13

Yards / Play

16

26

13

5

15

30

32

11

2

14

6

23

19

29

18

10

Rushing Yards / Game

12

14

18

13

23

3

32

9

16

30

1

4

20

29

26

19

Rushing Yards / Play

2

11

22

9

30

8

27

15

16

31

1

4

17

24

18

14

Passing Yards / Game

17

28

9

3

7

32

26

6

2

10

27

30

23

25

22

11

Passing Yards / Play

26

25

17

7

11

30

32

12

3

10

9

24

21

29

20

6

Interception Rate

7

31

3

19

13

21

18

30

5

25

4

8

22

32

23

28

Sacks / Pass Attempt

22

28

3

6

10

25

5

11

13

17

24

31

23

27

26

30

First Downs / Game

4t

26t

4t

1

12

25

32

7t

2

15

14

22

26t

30

31

17

Punt Return Avg

17

6

10

24

19

30

23

3

11

16

25

29

2

8

27

21

Kickoff Return Avg

6

26

21

7

18

19

23

5

27

22

30

9

11

20

16

25

Field Goals Made

27

31

2

10t

3

22

10t

7t

4t

16

17

24

25

18t

10t

7t

3rd Down Pct

17

21

6

1

10

20

28

9

5

4

11

15

27

25

31

30

4th Down Pct

25t

11t

8t

10

30

6

3t

2

11t

19

31

7

22t

29

28

32

Red Zone Pct

21

15t

9

6

7

32

1

23

18

13t

20

28

22

15t

25

26

Goal to Go%

27

20t

5

2

8

31

1

25t

20t

18

29t

25t

14

24

29t

28

Avg Time of Possession

15

26

22

17t

11

9

27

32

1

10

3

7

25

31

29

13

Points / Game

11

20

4

9

13

28

31

3

7

17

10

25

21

29

30

26

MIA

MIN

NE

NO