Fantasy Football 2014 Sleepers, Rankings & Draft: Top Players to Consider at Each Position
The National Football League preseason is officially over. With the regular season almost here, fantasy football drafts are already underway. Everyone wants to get the No. 1 overall pick to get their favorite player or the most valuable player. Here are best players at each position heading into this season.
Quarterback: Peyton Manning
Manning is the easy pick for anyone who has first selection. Every year Manning is guaranteed to throw for over 4,000 yards and toss a lot of touchdowns. His incredible season last year broke almost every passing record previously held by another quarterback. Can Manning outdo last year's performance? Probably not, since 55 touchdowns thrown is just ridiculous. Regardless, Manning is the ultimate fantasy football quarterback to get this year.
Running Back: Adrian Peterson
You could make a strong case for selecting LeSean McCoy as your first back, and there's no problem with that. He did, after all, lead the NFL in rushing yards last season. But if you want to play it safe, go with Peterson. Peterson has eclipsed the 1,200 yard mark in six of his seven seasons. He has also scored double digit touchdowns in every single season he has played. The Eagles are a far more balanced team, whereas the Minnesota Vikings still have a lot of quarterback issues. Expect Peterson to get a lot of carries all year long.
Wide Receiver: Calvin Johnson
This is a tough one. There are a lot of receivers who are worthy of your first pick. Dez Bryant, A.J. Green and Demaryius Thomas all come to mind. In the end, the safe easy pick is Calvin "Megatron" Johnson. The 6-foot-5 wide out for Detroit Lions is widely regarded as the best in today's game. Johnson has caught over 1,100 yards the last four consecutive seasons and at least 12 touchdowns in three of the last four seasons. The Lions are the most "pass happy" team in the NFL, so fantasy owners won't have to worry about Jonson not getting the ball.
Tight End: Jimmy Graham
Don't take a chance on injury-plagued Robert Gronkowski -- it's far too risky. The common-sense pick is 27-year-old Jimmy Graham. Graham is a fantasy owners dream, who has scored 41 touchdowns in just four games. Last season, Graham recorded 16 touchdowns and 1,215 yards. Graham has also caught over 80 receptions the last three consecutive seasons. The New Orleans Saints, with Drew Brees at quarterback, will have no problem finding a way to get Graham the ball.
Defense: Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks and their "Legion of Boom" defense are the best in the league. Top-tier players such as Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas and Byron Maxwell lead this hard hitting secondary. In addition to having a good defense, the Seahawks also run the ball very effectively and take time off the clock, which results in more fantasy points for the defense. The Seahawks will face the AFC West this upcoming season.
Kicker: Adam Vinatieri
Yes, kickers matter too. Vinatieri continues to defy logic. The 42-year-old kicker made a career high 35 field goals last season for the Indianapolis Colts. He even made a career high four field goals of 50 yards or more last season. That's saying a lot considering he's been in the league since 1996. The Colts play in the weakest division in the NFL, the AFC South, so he will get plenty of opportunities to kick field goals.
For up-to-date sports news, scores, and more, follow Latin Post Sports on Twitter
FOR MORE NFL NEWS, TRADE AND FREE AGENCY UPDATES, CLICK ON THIS LINK TO VISIT LATIN POST.COM'S SPORTS PAGE.