| Sunday | 08.28.16 | THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT | PAGE 9 fantasy football season-long coverage For fantasy sports news, analysis, statistics and projections, go to Joe Kacik’s blog at pilotonline.com/sports/fantasy-sports. Also, follow him on Twitter (@JKacik). Content by JOE KACIK The Virginian-Pilot Photography by The Associated Press GOING WIDE WIDE RECEIVERS HAVE REPLACED RUNNING BACKS as the trendy picks atop fantasy football drafts this season, especially after several top backs failed to deliver, suffered injuries or became part of backfield committees last year. Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown, the New York Giants’ Odell Beckham Jr. and Atlanta’s Julio Jones are the three wideouts going off the board first in most leagues. QUARTERBACKS Player Team Bye 1. Cam Newton CAR 7 2. Aaron Rodgers GB 4 3. Andrew Luck IND 10 4. Drew Brees NO 5 5. Russell Wilson SEA 5 6. Carson Palmer ARI 9 7. Eli Manning NYG 8 8. Blake Bortles JAC 5 9. Kirk Cousins WAS 9 10. Ben Roethlisberger PIT 8 11. Philip Rivers SD 11 12. Tom Brady NE 9 13. Derek Carr OAK 10 14. Matthew Stafford DET 10 15. Tyrod Taylor BUF 10 16. Jameis Winston TB 6 17. Marcus Mariota TEN 13 18. Andy Dalton CIN 9 19. Matt Ryan ATL 11 20. Ryan Fitzpatrick NYJ 11 RANKINGS RUNNING BACKS (STANDARD LEAGUES) Player Team Bye 1. Todd Gurley LA 8 2. David Johnson ARI 9 3. Adrian Peterson MIN 6 4. Ezekiel Elliott DAL 7 5. Devonta Freeman ATL 11 6. Lamar Miller HOU 9 7. Eddie Lacy GB 4 8. Jamaal Charles KC 5 9. LeSean McCoy BUF 10 10. C.J. Anderson DEN 11 11. Le’Veon Bell PIT 8 12. Doug Martin TB 6 13. Mark Ingram NO 5 14. Carlos Hyde SF 8 15. Latavius Murray OAK 10 16. DeMarco Murray TEN 13 17. Jeremy Hill CIN 9 18. Frank Gore IND 10 19. Thomas Rawls SEA 5 20. Jeremy Langford CHI 9 21. Matt Forte NYJ 11 22. Ryan Mathews PHI 4 23. Isaiah Crowell CLE 13 24. Giovani Bernard CIN 9 25. Melvin Gordon SD 11 26. Rashad Jennings NYG 8 27. Jonathan Stewart CAR 7 28. Chris Ivory JAC 5 29. Ameer Abdullah DET 10 30. Derrick Henry TEN 13 31. Charles Sims TB 6 32. LeGarrette Blount NE 9 33. Matt Jones WAS 9 34. Jay Ajayi MIA 8 35. Danny Woodhead SD 11 36. Duke Johnson CLE 13 37. Tevin Coleman ATL 11 38. DeAngelo Williams PIT 8 39. Bilal Powell NYJ 11 40. Justin Forsett BAL 8 41. Christine Michael SEA 5 42. Arian Foster MIA 8 43. T.J. Yeldon JAC 5 44. Spencer Ware KC 5 45. DeAndre Washington OAK 10 46. Theo Riddick DET 10 47. Devontae Booker DEN 11 48. Shane Vereen NYG 8 49. C.J. Prosise SEA 5 50. James Starks GB 4 RUNNING BACKS (PPR LEAGUES) Player Team Bye 1. David Johnson ARI 9 2. Todd Gurley LA 8 3. Devonta Freeman ATL 11 4. Lamar Miller HOU 9 5. Ezekiel Elliott DAL 7 6. Jamaal Charles KC 5 7. Adrian Peterson MIN 6 8. Le’Veon Bell PIT 8 9. Eddie Lacy GB 4 10. C.J. Anderson DEN 11 11. LeSean McCoy BUF 10 12. Mark Ingram NO 5 13. Doug Martin TB 6 14. Matt Forte NYJ 11 15. Carlos Hyde SF 8 16. Latavius Murray OAK 10 17. Giovani Bernard CIN 9 18. Danny Woodhead SD 11 19. DeMarco Murray TEN 13 20. Jeremy Langford CHI 9 21. Duke Johnson CLE 13 22. Thomas Rawls SEA 5 23. Ryan Mathews PHI 4 24. Frank Gore IND 10 25. Ameer Abdullah DET 10 26. Jeremy Hill CIN 9 27. Charles Sims TB 6 28. Melvin Gordon SD 11 29. Rashad Jennings NYG 8 30. Derrick Henry TEN 13 31. Bilal Powell NYJ 11 32. Chris Ivory JAC 5 33. Jonathan Stewart CAR 7 34. Isaiah Crowell CLE 13 35. Theo Riddick DET 10 36. DeAndre Washington OAK 10 37. Jay Ajayi MIA 8 38. Tevin Coleman ATL 11 39. T.J. Yeldon JAC 5 40. Shane Vereen NYG 8 41. Matt Jones WAS 9 42. Justin Forsett BAL 8 43. Arian Foster MIA 8 44. DeAngelo Williams PIT 8 45. Devontae Booker DEN 11 46. C.J. Prosise SEA 5 47. Darren Sproles PHI 4 48. James White NE 9 49. Kenneth Dixon BAL 8 50. Paul Perkins NYG 8 RANKINGS WIDE RECEIVERS (STANDARD LEAGUES) Player Team Bye 1. Antonio Brown PIT 8 2. Odell Beckham Jr. NYG 8 3. Julio Jones ATL 11 4. Allen Robinson JAC 5 5. A.J. Green CIN 9 6. DeAndre Hopkins HOU 9 7. Mike Evans TB 6 8. Brandon Marshall NYJ 11 9. Brandin Cooks NO 5 10. T.Y. Hilton IND 10 11. Keenan Allen SD 11 12. Alshon Jeffery CHI 9 13. Dez Bryant DAL 7 14. Sammy Watkins BUF 10 15. Demaryius Thomas DEN 11 16. Amari Cooper OAK 10 17. Jordy Nelson GB 4 18. Donte Moncrief IND 10 19. Julian Edelman NE 9 20. Eric Decker NYJ 11 21. Larry Fitzgerald ARI 9 22. Jeremy Maclin KC 5 23. Randall Cobb GB 4 24. Kelvin Benjamin CAR 7 25. John Brown ARI 9 26. Marvin Jones DET 10 27. Tyler Lockett SEA 5 28. Emmanuel Sanders DEN 11 29. DeVante Parker MIA 8 30. Jordan Matthews PHI 4 31. Golden Tate DET 10 32. Michael Floyd ARI 9 33. Allen Hurns JAC 5 34. Michael Crabtree OAK 10 35. Willie Snead NO 5 36. Michael Floyd ARI 9 37. Jarvis Landry MIA 8 38. Sterling Shepard NYG 8 39. Kevin White CHI 9 40. Doug Baldwin SEA 5 41. DeSean Jackson WAS 9 42. Tavon Austin LA 8 43. Josh Gordon CLE 13 44. Torrey Smith SF 8 45. Corey Coleman CLE 13 46. Tyler Boyd CIN 9 47. Chris Hogan NE 9 48. Stefon Diggs MIN 6 49. Michael Thomas NO 5 50. Phillip Dorsett IND 10 WIDE RECEIVERS (PPR LEAGUES) Player Team Bye 1. Antonio Brown PIT 8 2. Odell Beckham Jr. NYG 8 3. Julio Jones ATL 11 4. A.J. Green CIN 9 5. DeAndre Hopkins HOU 9 6. Allen Robinson JAC 5 7. Brandin Cooks NO 5 8. Keenan Allen SD 11 9. Mike Evans TB 6 10. Brandon Marshall NYJ 11 11. Dez Bryant DAL 7 12. Alshon Jeffery CHI 9 13. T.Y. Hilton IND 10 14. Amari Cooper OAK 10 15. Demaryius Thomas DEN 11 16. Jordy Nelson GB 4 17. Sammy Watkins BUF 10 18. Jarvis Landry MIA 8 19. Julian Edelman NE 9 20. Donte Moncrief IND 10 21. Randall Cobb GB 4 22. Jeremy Maclin KC 5 23. Marvin Jones DET 10 24. Eric Decker NYJ 11 25. Kelvin Benjamin CAR 7 26. Larry Fitzgerald ARI 9 27. Emmanuel Sanders DEN 11 28. Golden Tate DET 10 29. Jordan Matthews PHI 4 30. DeVante Parker MIA 8 31. DeSean Jackson WAS 9 32. John Brown ARI 9 33. Tyler Lockett SEA 5 34. Michael Floyd ARI 9 35. Doug Baldwin SEA 5 36. Sterling Shepard NYG 8 37. Willie Snead NO 5 38. Kevin White CHI 9 39. Corey Coleman CLE 13 40. Tyler Boyd CIN 9 41. Allen Hurns JAC 5 42. Michael Crabtree OAK 10 43. Torrey Smith SF 8 44. Tavon Austin LA 8 45. Josh Gordon CLE 13 46. Kamar Aiken BAL 8 47. Stefon Diggs MIN 6 48. Michael Thomas NO 5 49. Phillip Dorsett IND 10 50. Rishard Matthews TEN 13 TIGHT ENDS Player Team Bye 1. Rob Gronkowski NE 9 2. Jordan Reed WAS 9 3. Greg Olsen CAR 7 4. Delanie Walker TEN 13 5. Travis Kelce KC 5 6. Zach Ertz PHI 4 7. Coby Fleener NO 5 8. Gary Barnidge CLE 13 9. Antonio Gates SD 8 10. Julius Thomas JAC 5 11. Vance McDonald SF 8 12. Martellus Bennett NE 9 13. Dwayne Allen IND 10 14. Jason Witten DAL 7 15. Tyler Eifert CIN 9 16. Eric Ebron DET 10 17. Clive Walford OAK 10 18. Jimmy Graham SEA 5 19. Zach Miller CHI 9 20. Jordan Cameron MIA 4 WHY WIDEOUTS? SO MANY ISSUES AT RUNNING BACK If you’re wondering why so many wide receivers are going off the board early in drafts this year, take a look at the number of running backs who disappointments last season: n DeMarco Murray: After leading the NFL in rushing by a wide margin in 2014-15 with 1,845 yards and 13 TDs for Dallas, he was a bust in Philly last season with 702 rushing yards and six TDs. n LeSean McCoy: He’s been considered a top-10 fantasy running back for years, but knee and hamstring injuries forced him to miss four games in his first year in Buffalo. As a result, he failed to surpass 1,000 yards (895) for only the second time since his rookie season. He also finished with only three rushing TDs. n Eddie Lacy: After averaging 1,158 rushing yards and 10 rushing TDs in his first two seasons, he came into training camp last season overweight and wasn’t the same player. The results were downright crushing to his owners: 758 rushing yards (20th) and three TDs. And then there were the running backs who missed significant time last season: n Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh: He was suspended for the first two games, then missed eight games with a torn MCL and PCL in his knee. This season, he’s suspended for the first three games. n Jamaal Charles, Kansas City: He tore his ACL for the second time in his career and missed 11 games. n Marshawn Lynch, Seattle: After four straight seasons with at least 1,200 rushing yards, there were big expectations for him. He ended up missing nine games with an abdomen injury and retired in February. n Justin Forsett, Baltimore: He wasn’t having that great of a season anyway, and then missed the final six games with a broken arm. n Carlos Hyde, San Francisco: He missed nine games with a foot injury. n Arian Foster, Houston: He missed 12 games with groin and Achilles injuries and has now missed 23 regular-season games in the past three seasons. SLEEPERS/BARGAINS QUARTERBACKS n Philip Rivers, San Diego: He threw for career-high 4,792 yards without WR Keenan Allen last year. Think of what he could do if Allen can stay healthy this year. n Kirk Cousins, Washington: The Skins are deep at WR, have one of the NFL’s best tight ends and are weak at running the ball. Cousins was also the most accurate passer in the league last season. RUNNING BACKS n LeSean McCoy, Buffalo: His 2015 stats were down mainly because he missed four games due to injury. But for a guy who has averaged 81.9 rushing yards a game since his rookie season and is in a run-first offense, he’s a worthy third-round pick. n Danny Woodhead, San Diego: If you’re in a PPR league, he has to be on your radar. He finished third among RBs in PPR points last year, yet is going as late as the ninth round in some leagues. n Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati: With the Bengals’ No. 2 and 3 WRs gone via free agency and their top TE expected to miss several games, Bernard is expected to have a bigger role in the passing game. Remember that he had a lot more total yards than Jeremy Hill last season (1,202 to 873). WIDE RECEIVERS n Donte Moncrief, Indianapolis: After sharing playing time last year, Moncrief moves into a starting role and is primed to improve on solid numbers in 2015 (64-733, 6 TDs). It helps that he has a healthy Andrew Luck, too. n Marvin Jones, Detroit: He’s emerged as the Lions’ best deep threat and Matthew Stafford’s favorite target in camp, yet he’s barely being drafted among the top 100 players. n Tyler Lockett, Seattle: After 1,915 all-purpose yards (1,231 on returns) and 8 TDs last year, many expect him to take the next step. He’s especially valuable in leagues that give you points for return yards. TIGHT END n Vance McDonald, San Francisco: A relatively weak WR corps and Chip Kelly’s history of targeting TEs in the passing game gives McDonald plenty of upside. ROOKIES TO WATCH n Ekekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas n Sterling Shepard, WR, New York Giants n Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans n Corey Coleman, WR, Cleveland n Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee n Tyler Boyd, WR, Cincinnati n Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas n DeAndre Washington, RB, Oakland n Devontae Booker, RB, Denver n C.J. Prosise, RB, Seattle n Josh Doctson, WR, Washington San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers Buffalo running back LeSean McCoy Detroit wide receiver Marvin Jones