Player Rankings (August)

Will Chad Pennington be a better fantasy QB than Aaron Brooks this year? Is Priest Holmes still at the head of the RB class, or will LaDainian Tomlinson take over? Can rookie Kellen Winslow be a top five tight end?

In order to answer these questions and more, we asked seven fantasy veterans to share their personal cheat sheets with us. Each player was assigned a rank by all seven experts; the lower this score compared with other players at the same position, the better. By combining these lists, we can see both individual preferences and the overall consensus among the rankers.

Average rank indicates the average of the scores assigned to a player by each person (for this calculation, players not appearing in an individual list were assigned a score of 26 for QBs, TEs, Ks and Ds, 41 for RBs, and 51 for WRs). Each ranker’s list can be seen in the seven columns at the right.

Please note that this is a tool for draft preparation; it will not be updated throughout the season. Enjoy, and good luck in your drafts!

QB RB WR TE K D

QUARTERBACKS	Avg Rank	P o o b	B u c k	t e r p	L u s h	D a z e	S h a t	K G
Daunte Culpepper – Min (4)*	1.43	2	1	1	1	3	1	1
Peyton Manning – Ind (6)	1.86	1	2	2	2	1	2	3
Michael Vick – Atl (9)	4.14	6	3	3	3	6	4	4
Donovan McNabb – Phi (5)	4.14	8	4	5	5	2	3	2
Matt Hasselbeck – Sea (4)	4.71	3	5	4	4	7	5	5
Steve McNair – Ten (9)	6.14	4	8	6	6	5	7	7
Trent Green – KC (5)	7.71	7	6	10	9	8	8	6
Chad Pennington – NYJ (3)	8.71	5	12	11	7	10	6	10
Aaron Brooks – NO (8)	8.71	10	7	7	8	12	9	8
Marc Bulger – StL (8)	10.43	9	10	8	11	15	11	9
Brett Favre – GB (9)	11.00	12	11	9	10	4	12	19
Jeff Garcia – Cle (8)	11.29	11	9	13	14	11	10	11
Tom Brady – NE (3)	12.71	13	14	12	13	9	14	14
Jake Plummer – Den (10)	15.86	15	16	14	12	22	20	12
Mark Brunell – Was (7)	16.29	22	17	15	17	13	15	15
Brad Johnson – TB (8)	17.14	24	13	17	15	19	16	16
Byron Leftwich – Jax (9)	18.00	16	22	16	16	23	13	20
Jake Delhomme – Car (3)	19.14	19	18	21	18	16	21	21
David Carr – Hou (7)	20.14	18	23	23	20	21	18	18
Josh McCown – Ari (6)	20.71	14	19	24	23	26	26	13
Carson Palmer – Cin (5)	21.29	21	20	19	19	25	19	26
Drew Bledsoe – Buf (3)	21.29	17	24	20	25	20	17	26
Tommy Maddox – Pit (7)	22.00	20	25	22	24	14	23	26
Joey Harrington – Det (4)	22.14	23	21	18	21	24	22	26
Rich Gannon – Oak (10)	22.57	26	15	25	26	18	24	24
Kerry Collins – Oak (10)	24.71	26	26	26	26	17	26	26
Kurt Warner – NYG (6)	24.71	26	26	26	26	26	26	17
Tim Rattay – SF (7)	25.14	25	26	26	22	26	26	25
Kyle Boller – Bal (6)	25.43	26	26	26	26	26	26	22
Rex Grossman – Chi (5)	25.57	26	26	26	26	26	26	23
Jon Kitna – Cin (5)	25.86	26	26	26	26	26	25	26

*Bye week given in parentheses

RUNNING BACKS	Avg Rank	Poob	Buck	terp	Lush	Daze	Shat	KG
Priest Holmes – KC (5)	1.29	1	1	2	1	2	1	1
LaDainian Tomlinson – SD (10)	2.00	2	2	1	2	1	2	4
Ahman Green – GB (9)	3.43	3	3	4	3	6	3	2
Clinton Portis – Was (7)	4.00	5	4	3	4	3	4	5
Deuce McAllister – NO (8)	4.71	4	5	5	5	4	7	3
Shaun Alexander – Sea (4)	6.57	6	7	6	6	9	5	7
Jamal Lewis – Bal (6)	6.71	7	6	7	8	7	6	6
Edgerrin James – Ind (6)	8.14	10	8	8	7	8	8	8
Fred Taylor – Jax (9)	9.86	9	12	9	9	12	9	9
Domanick Davis – Hou (7)	11.71	12	11	10	11	13	11	14
Travis Henry – Buf (3)	12.00	16	14	12	10	11	10	11
Marshall Faulk – StL (8)	13.71	14	13	16	13	10	12	18
Kevan Barlow – SF (7)	13.71	13	10	11	12	19	14	17
Rudi Johnson – Cin (5)	15.86	15	16	13	15	15	15	22
Tiki Barber – NYG (6)	16.57	25	15	14	14	17	18	13
Stephen Davis – Car (3)	17.14	19	18	15	18	18	16	16
Michael Bennett – Min (4)	18.57	24	22	17	17	16	19	15
Corey Dillon – NE (3)	19.29	11	20	41	16	14	13	20
Curtis Martin – NYJ (3)	20.57	22	21	18	20	22	20	21
Brian Westbrook – Phi (5)	20.71	18	17	19	21	21	17	32
Duce Staley – Pit (7)	21.14	23	19	20	19	23	21	23
Charlie Garner – TB (8)	24.57	27	24	23	23	20	30	25
Thomas Jones – Chi (5)	25.00	21	25	24	24	31	23	27
Kevin Jones – Det (4)	25.57	20	23	21	34	24	28	29
Chris Brown – Ten (9)	25.86	26	39	25	26	33	22	10
Quentin Griffin – Den (10)	26.29	31	26	29	30	30	26	12
TJ Duckett – Atl (9)	27.86	28	30	26	27	28	25	31
Julius Jones – Dal (4)	28.14	29	29	22	35	25	31	26
Warrick Dunn – Atl (9)	28.29	35	28	30	22	27	32	24
Eddie George – Dal (4)	32.71	33	31	36	25	36	27	41
Lee Suggs – Cle (8)	34.00	30	41	28	37	37	29	36
William Green – Cle (8)	35.00	37	27	32	29	41	38	41
Tyrone Wheatley – Oak (10)	35.57	32	32	35	41	41	40	28
Travis Minor – Mia (10)	35.71	41	41	41	26	41	41	19
DeShaun Foster – Car (3)	36.57	41	35	34	31	41	33	41
Tatum Bell – Den (10)	37.29	41	38	33	38	29	41	41
Onterrio Smith – Min (4)	38.00	41	33	41	41	32	37	41
Steven Jackson – StL (8)	38.29	36	36	40	41	39	35	41
Willis McGahee – Buf (3)	39.14	34	41	41	41	41	41	35
Antowain Smith – Ten (9)	39.14	41	37	41	32	41	41	41
Garrison Hearst – Den (10)	39.14	40	41	37	41	38	36	41
Moe Williams – Min (4)	39.71	41	41	39	41	34	41	41
Artose Pinner – Det (4)	39.86	41	41	41	41	41	41	33
Anthony Thomas – Chi (5)	40.29	41	41	38	41	41	39	41
Chris Perry – Cin (5)	40.43	41	41	41	41	41	41	37
Mike Alstott – TB (8)	40.57	41	41	41	39	41	41	40
Justin Fargas – Oak (10)	40.57	41	41	41	41	41	41	38
Lamar Gordon – StL (8)	40.71	41	41	41	41	41	41	39
Richie Anderson – Dal (4)	40.71	39	41	41	41	41	41	41
Jerome Bettis – Pit (7)	40.86	41	41	41	40	41	41	41
Lamont Jordan – NYJ (3)	40.86	41	41	41	41	40	41	41

WIDE RECEIVERS	Avg Rank	P o o b	B u c k	t e r p	L u s h	D a z e	S h a t	K G
Randy Moss – Min (4)	1.14	1	1	1	1	1	1	2
Marvin Harrison – Ind (6)	1.86	2	2	2	2	2	2	1
Torry Holt – StL (8)	3.43	3	3	3	3	5	3	4
Terrell Owens – Phi (5)	4.29	6	4	6	4	3	4	3
Hines Ward – Pit (7)	4.86	4	5	5	5	4	6	5
Chad Johnson – Cin (5)	5.57	5	6	4	6	6	5	7
Laveranues Coles – Was (7)	8.57	7	12	8	9	9	7	8
Derrick Mason – Ten (9)	8.71	9	11	7	7	13	8	6
Joe Horn – NO (8)	9.57	13	8	12	8	7	10	9
Steve Smith – Car (3)	10.71	12	10	10	10	8	12	13
*Anquan Boldin – Ari** (6)	11.00	10	7	9	16	10	13	12
*Out an estimated 8-12 weeks with knee injury
Santana Moss – NYJ (3)	11.14	8	9	11	11	11	11	17
Darrell Jackson – Sea (4)	13.71	11	15	14	13	12	16	15
Eric Moulds – Buf (3)	13.71	15	20	13	15	14	9	10
Andre Johnson – Hou (7)	15.14	16	13	15	14	15	14	19
Chris Chambers – Mia (10)	17.14	17	21	16	12	21	17	16
Amani Toomer – NYG (6)	18.71	19	25	21	18	17	20	11
Jimmy Smith – Jax (9)	20.57	18	17	19	20	31	18	21
Koren Robinson – Sea (4)	21.00	20	29	18	19	16	15	30
Peerless Price – Atl (9)	23.14	14	14	51	17	19	25	22
Isaac Bruce – StL (8)	23.43	22	33	25	22	22	22	18
Marty Booker – Chi (5)	24.57	24	24	24	36	23	27	14
Javon Walker – GB (9)	25.14	25	23	17	24	18	30	39
Charles Rogers – Det (4)	27.43	21	19	20	25	25	31	51
Plaxico Burress – Pit (7)	29.00	32	27	51	23	20	19	31
Rod Smith – Den (10)	29.14	37	41	22	28	28	24	24
Keyshawn Johnson – Dal (4)	30.00	23	18	30	40	44	32	23
Jerry Porter – Oak (10)	30.86	31	30	31	32	32	26	34
Justin McCareins – NYJ (3)	32.43	29	28	37	26	46	29	32
Reggie Wayne – Ind (6)	32.86	27	22	29	37	40	34	41
Keenan McCardell – TB (8)	33.00	39	26	28	21	43	23	51
Donte Stallworth – NO (8)	33.14	50	31	33	29	35	28	26
Ashley Lelie – Den (10)	33.57	28	35	27	38	24	36	47
Larry Fitzgerald – Ari (6)	34.86	30	45	32	30	27	37	43
Peter Warrick – Cin (5)	35.29	26	43	34	31	29	33	51
Deion Branch – NE (3)	35.43	36	51	26	39	30	38	28
Donald Driver – GB (9)	35.43	35	32	42	45	34	40	20
Roy Williams – Det (4)	38.14	38	47	43	34	26	43	36
Joey Galloway – TB (8)	40.43	40	39	44	48	39	35	38
Quincy Morgan – Cle (8)	42.43	47	34	35	44	38	48	51
Rod Gardner – Was (7)	43.00	48	36	40	42	45	39	51
Brandon Lloyd – SF (7)	43.43	41	48	38	33	51	42	51
Jerry Rice – Oak (10)	43.71	51	42	48	51	41	46	27
David Givens – NE (3)	43.86	34	50	36	47	47	51	42
Andre Davis – Cle (8)	44.00	45	37	45	43	36	51	51
Kevin Johnson – Bal (6)	44.86	42	51	41	51	51	49	29
Eddie Kennison – KC (5)	45.57	44	40	47	35	51	51	51
Ike Hilliard – NYG (6)	45.86	51	38	39	51	51	41	50
Drew Bennett – Ten (9)	45.86	43	46	51	46	33	51	51
Marcus Robinson – Min (4)	47.57	51	44	49	51	50	44	44
Dennis Northcutt – Cle (8)	48.00	46	51	51	51	51	51	35
Tai Streets – Det (4)	48.43	51	51	51	51	51	51	33
Tyrone Calico – Ten (9)	48.57	51	49	51	50	51	51	37
Muhsin Muhammad – Car (3)	49.14	49	51	51	51	42	51	49
Robert Ferguson – GB (9)	49.14	51	51	51	41	48	51	51
Darius Watts – Den (10)	49.43	51	51	51	51	51	51	40
Terry Glenn – Dal (4)	49.43	51	51	46	51	51	45	51
Rashaun Woods – SF (7)	50.14	51	51	50	51	51	51	46
Kasim Osgood – SD (10)	50.14	51	51	51	51	51	51	45
Antonio Bryant – Dal (4)	50.43	51	51	51	51	51	47	51
Brian Finneran – Atl (9)	50.57	51	51	51	51	51	51	48
Travis Taylor – Bal (6)	50.71	51	51	51	51	49	51	51
Justin Gage – Chi (5)	50.71	51	51	51	49	51	51	51
Reggie Williams – Jax (9)	50.86	51	51	51	51	51	50	51

TIGHT ENDS	Avg Rank	P o o b	B u c k	t e r p	L u s h	D a z e	S h a t	K G
Tony Gonzalez – KC (5)	1.00	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Todd Heap – Bal (6)	2.57	2	3	2	2	3	2	4
Jeremy Shockey – NYG (6)	2.71	3	2	3	3	2	4	2
Alge Crumpler – Atl (9)	4.57	5	7	4	4	4	5	3
Kellen Winslow – Cle (8)	5.71	4	4	6	7	5	3	11
Randy McMichael – Mia (10)	6.14	6	6	5	6	6	6	8
Boo Williams – NO (8)	6.14	7	5	7	5	7	7	5
Antonio Gates – SD (10)	10.57	11	8	9	9	21	9	7
Freddie Jones – Ari (6)	11.00	12	13	8	15	11	12	6
Bubba Franks – GB (9)	11.57	9	16	11	8	8	10	19
Daniel Graham – NE (3)	12.14	15	9	14	12	14	11	10
Dallas Clark – Ind (6)	12.43	10	17	10	11	10	17	12
Itula Mili – Sea (4)	14.29	14	12	16	23	9	13	13
Marcus Pollard – Ind (6)	15.1	20	11	13	17	17	8	20
Jim Kleinsasser – Min (4)	16.0	24	10	12	19	13	19	15
Jason Witten – Dal (4)	16.3	8	19	15	13	26	15	18
LJ Smith – Phi (5)	17.86	13	23	19	22	16	18	14
Billy Miller – Hou (7)	18.43	26	14	21	16	12	14	26
Desmond Clark – Chi (5)	18.86	16	25	17	18	23	16	17
Anthony Becht – NYJ (3)	19.71	21	15	18	10	26	22	26
Erron Kinney – Ten (9)	20.86	19	20	20	20	26	25	16
Jed Weaver – Den (10)	21.00	26	18	26	21	26	21	9
Eric Johnson – SF (7)	23.14	17	26	23	24	20	26	26
Doug Jolley – Oak (10)	23.43	26	22	26	26	18	23	23
Teyo Johnson – Oak (10)	24.29	18	26	22	26	26	26	26
Ben Troupe – Ten (9)	24.29	26	24	26	26	22	20	26
Christian Fauria – NE (3)	24.43	26	26	26	26	15	26	26
Chad Lewis – Phi (5)	24.71	26	26	26	26	19	24	26
Mark Campbell – Buf (3)	25.00	26	21	26	25	26	26	25
Jay Riemersma – Pit (7)	25.14	22	26	26	26	26	26	24
Casey Fitzsimmons – Det (4)	25.29	26	26	26	26	26	26	21
Stephen Alexander – Det (4)	25.43	23	26	26	26	25	26	26
Kyle Brady – Jax (9)	25.43	26	26	26	26	26	26	22
Mikhael Ricks – NYJ (3)	25.71	26	26	24	26	26	26	26
Cam Cleeland – StL (8)	25.71	26	26	26	26	24	26	26
Matt Schobel – Cin (5)	25.86	25	26	26	26	26	26	26
Byron Chamberlain – Den (10)	25.86	26	26	25	26	26	26	26

KICKERS	Avg Rank	P o o b	B u c k	t e r p	L u s h	D a z e	S h a t	K G
Mike Vanderjagt – Ind (6)	1.14	1	1	1	1	2	1	1
Jeff Wilkins – StL (8)	2.43	2	2	2	2	4	2	3
David Akers – Phi (5)	3.57	5	5	4	5	1	3	2
Jason Elam – Den (10)	4.29	4	6	3	3	3	5	6
Ryan Longwell – GB (9)	6.86	8	4	6	10	9	6	5
Adam Vinatieri – NE (3)	7.57	6	12	7	4	10	7	7
Matt Stover – Bal (6)	8.14	14	3	5	6	17	4	8
Josh Brown – Sea (4)	9.29	3	9	8	8	23	10	4
Jay Feely – Atl (9)	9.57	9	13	9	9	6	8	13
John Carney – NO (8)	12.00	11	10	18	12	7	11	15
Sebastian Janikowski – Oak (10)	12.71	15	7	13	15	8	14	17
Joe Nedney – Ten (9)	14.57	13	17	15	14	14	13	16
John Hall – Was (7)	14.57	21	19	10	16	12	15	9
Martin Gramatica – TB (8)	14.86	18	15	12	17	11	9	22
Morten Andersen – KC (5)	15.00	17	8	11	7	23	20	19
Olindo Mare – Mia (10)	15.71	12	14	14	18	5	23	24
John Kasay – Car (3)	17.00	24	11	26	13	23	12	10
Paul Edinger – Chi (5)	17.14	16	20	16	23	15	18	12
Aaron Elling – Min (4)	18.14	20	16	17	11	23	19	21
Shayne Graham – Cin (5)	19.00	10	21	22	20	23	26	11
Jeff Reed – Pit (7)	19.57	7	18	23	22	23	21	23
Billy Cundiff – Dal (4)	21.71	23	22	20	24	23	26	14
Doug Brien – NYJ (3)	22.00	26	26	25	19	23	17	18
Jason Hanson – Det (4)	23.00	26	24	19	21	19	26	26
Rian Lindell – Buf (3)	23.14	22	23	26	26	13	26	26
Phil Dawson – Cle (8)	23.86	26	25	24	25	16	25	26
Kris Brown – Hou (7)	24.00	26	26	21	26	18	26	25
Neil Rackers – Ari (6)	24.57	19	26	26	26	23	26	26
Josh Scobee – Jax (9)	24.71	26	26	26	26	23	26	20
Todd Peterson – SF (7)	24.86	25	26	26	26	23	22	26
Mike Hollis – NYG (6)	25.14	26	26	26	26	20	26	26
Jeff Chandler – Jac (9)	25.29	26	26	26	26	21	26	26
Nate Kaeding – SD (10)	25.29	26	26	26	26	23	24	26
Gary Anderson – Ten (9)	25.43	26	26	26	26	22	26	26

TEAM DEFENSE	Avg Rank	P o o b	B u c k	t e r p	L u s h	D a z e	S h a t	K G
New England (3)	1.14	1	2	1	1	1	1	1
Baltimore (6)	2.29	2	1	2	3	4	2	2
Carolina (3)	4.43	4	3	3	2	7	4	8
Philadelphia (5)	5.29	7	6	8	4	3	5	4
Miami (10)	5.86	5	5	4	7	2	3	15
Dallas (4)	6.57	3	7	6	5	6	7	12
Tampa Bay (8)	6.57	9	4	5	6	11	6	5
Tennessee (9)	8.57	11	8	7	11	8	8	7
St.Louis (8)	11.86	14	9	16	9	9	9	17
Jacksonville (9)	12.29	8	10	10	12	20	10	16
Seattle (4)	13.00	10	17	15	17	15	11	6
Green Bay (9)	13.14	16	16	11	13	13	12	11
Denver (10)	13.29	15	11	9	14	10	15	19
Kansas City (5)	13.86	18	18	19	21	5	13	3
Pittsburgh (7)	14.57	6	13	14	8	12	23	26
Minnesota (4)	15.29	12	14	12	15	26	18	10
Indianapolis (6)	15.29	22	15	13	16	16	16	9
Buffalo (3)	17.57	13	12	17	10	21	26	24
Washington (7)	17.86	19	19	18	19	17	20	13
Chicago (5)	19.71	17	22	21	22	14	21	21
Oakland (10)	20.57	23	20	24	20	18	25	14
New Orleans (8)	21.29	21	21	23	18	22	24	20
Atlanta (9)	22.29	20	26	22	23	25	17	23
NY Jets (3)	23.29	26	24	20	26	26	19	22
Cincinnati (5)	23.29	24	25	26	25	19	26	18
San Francisco (7)	23.57	26	23	26	24	26	14	26
NY Giants (6)	25.00	26	26	25	26	24	22	26
Houston (7)	25.43	25	26	26	26	23	26	26
Cleveland (8)	25.86	26	26	26	26	26	26	25

Legend
Poob = Poobah
Buck = Buckychudd
terp = terpfan
Lush = Lushcrush
Daze = Dazedncnfz
Shat = Shatner8
KG = KingGhidra

Assumed League Settings:

Single-season (no keepers), head-to-head with playoffs in weeks 16 and 17, 16-man rosters with the following starters:

1 QB
2 RB
3 WR
1 TE
1 K
1 Team Defense

along with a seven-man bench (any positions).

Scoring assumed is as follows:

Offense:
1 point per 25 passing yards
1 point per 10 rushing or receiving yards
6 points per passing, rushing, receiving or return touchdown
-2 points per interception or fumble

Kicking:
3 points per field goal up to 39 yards
4 points per field goal between 40 and 49 yards
5 points per field goal over 50 yards
1 point per extra point

Defense:
2 point per sack
1 point per blocked kick or punt
4 points per interception or fumble recovery
6 points per defensive touchdown
1 points per safety
1 point per return touchdown
10 points for a shutout
7 points for allowing up to 6 points
4 points for allowing up to 13 points
1 points for allowing up to 20 points
0 points for allowing up to 27 points
-1 points for allowing up to 34 points
-3 points for allowing over 35 points

Many thanks to the experts who generously shared their cheat sheets with us!

Player Rankings (August)

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