RotoWire 150 - NFL: Liss' Overall Cheat Sheet

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Updated on August 26, 2011 3:35PM EST

Here are our top-150 overall rankings for a standard league (1-QB, 2-RB, 3-WR, 1-TE, 1-K, 1-D; 3/6 TDs, 20/10 yardage) as of August 26.

Note: the RotoWire 150 is merely an feature article that is NOT updated regularly. Moreover, who you should draft will vary according to the composition of your roster and what positions are more heavily targeted by other teams. For a good draft list, use our by-position cheat sheets that are linked to our database and updated daily as well as our customizable rankings.

Rank	Player	Pos	Team	Comment
1	Adrian Peterson	RB	MIN	Does it every year and catches passes now, too
2	Arian Foster	RB	HOU	2,220 yards from scrimmage, 18 TDs, 66 receptions last year; ideal environment
3	Jamaal Charles	RB	KC	Averaged 6.4 YPC on 230 attempts; could be No. 1 overall if the Chiefs used him at the goal line
4	Ray Rice	RB	BAL	63 receptions, 307 carries, but only 4.0 YPC and six total TDs; McGahee gone, however
5	Andre Johnson	WR	HOU	Most reliable receiver in the game, but lack of goal-line looks limits upside
6	Calvin Johnson	WR	DET	Still don't know what he could do with above average quarterbacking
7	LeSean McCoy	RB	PHI	78 catches, but only 207 carries, and just seven at the goal-line. Upside if that changes
8	Maurice Jones-Drew	RB	JAC	TDs were down, but otherwise very solid as usual; recovery from knee surgery expected, but a concern
9	Michael Turner	RB

Here are our top-150 overall rankings for a standard league (1-QB, 2-RB, 3-WR, 1-TE, 1-K, 1-D; 3/6 TDs, 20/10 yardage) as of August 26.

Rank	Player	Pos	Team	Comment
1	Adrian Peterson	RB	MIN	Does it every year and catches passes now, too
2	Arian Foster	RB	HOU	2,220 yards from scrimmage, 18 TDs, 66 receptions last year; ideal environment
3	Jamaal Charles	RB	KC	Averaged 6.4 YPC on 230 attempts; could be No. 1 overall if the Chiefs used him at the goal line
4	Ray Rice	RB	BAL	63 receptions, 307 carries, but only 4.0 YPC and six total TDs; McGahee gone, however
5	Andre Johnson	WR	HOU	Most reliable receiver in the game, but lack of goal-line looks limits upside
6	Calvin Johnson	WR	DET	Still don't know what he could do with above average quarterbacking
7	LeSean McCoy	RB	PHI	78 catches, but only 207 carries, and just seven at the goal-line. Upside if that changes
8	Maurice Jones-Drew	RB	JAC	TDs were down, but otherwise very solid as usual; recovery from knee surgery expected, but a concern
9	Michael Turner	RB	ATL	One-dimensional power back, but 26 goal-line carries led NFL
10	Darren McFadden	RB	OAK	Home run threat and dangerous receiver out of the backfield; Bush will steal goal-line touches, though
11	Rashard Mendenhall	RB	PIT	23 goal-line carries, but only 3.9 YPC and 167 receiving yards
12	Larry Fitzgerald	WR	ARZ	Put up serviceable fantasy numbers despite abysmal quarterbacking. Should be better in 2011
13	Chris Johnson	RB	TEN	Vastly underpaid, but non-contending Titans have little incentive for big sign bonus; holdout could persist
14	Miles Austin	WR	DAL	Should bounce back with Tony Romo healthy again
15	Hakeem Nicks	WR	NYG	Big-play and red-zone threat simply needs to stay healthy
16	Ahmad Bradshaw	RB	NYG	If ankles hold up, can do it all, but shares carries with Brandon Jacobs
17	Frank Gore	RB	SF	Injury history knocks him down seven spots; one of the top receiving backs in the league
18	Roddy White	WR	ATL	Heavily targeted receiver with solid all-around skills
19	Matt Forte	RB	CHI	Got the spring back in his step; 4.5 YPC, 547 receiving yards
20	Peyton Hillis	RB	CLE	Tremendous season, but the punishment caught up to him late; Hardesty should share carries
21	Greg Jennings	WR	GB	Aaron Rodgers' big-play receiver
22	LeGarrette Blount	RB	TB	Bruising back with athleticism, struggled at the goal-line for some reason
23	Ryan Mathews	RB	SD	Week 17 showed what might have been had he stayed healthy
24	Aaron Rodgers	QB	GB	Elite pocket passer who stands alone because of his rushing ability
25	Brandon Lloyd	WR	DEN	Came out of nowhere last year to be league's No. 1 WR; good news that Orton remains QB
26	Vincent Jackson	WR	SD	Clear No. 1 in San Diego should see more targets than ever
27	Mike Williams	WR	TB	Josh Freeman's favorite target - has good athleticism and red-zone size
28	Dwayne Bowe	WR	KC	Monstrous seven-game midseason run, but disappeared unpredictably; still great TD source
29	Mike Wallace	WR	PIT	12.7 YPT was the best mark in the last 10 years; explosive big play receiver
30	Antonio Gates	TE	SD	On pace for a year for the ages before he got hurt; healthy at press time
31	Michael Vick	QB	PHI	Arguably No. 1 overall pick if guaranteed 16-game season; worth a gamble at this spot
32	Drew Brees	QB	NO	Volume and offensive scheme guarantee a high floor
33	Philip Rivers	QB	SD	Another elite season (8.7 YPA, 30 TD, 13 INT, 4710 yards), despite decimated receiving corps
34	DeSean Jackson	WR	PHI	Explosive deep threat, averaged 22.5 YPC
35	Brandon Marshall	WR	MIA	Physical talent never in doubt, but personal issues and poor environment add risk
36	DeAngelo Williams	RB	CAR	Great talent, but splitting the work again
37	Mark Ingram	RB	NO	Hard to know what his role will be, but huge upside in that offense if it's prominent
38	Steven Jackson	RB	STL	Old warhorse keeps trudging along; environment should improve, but what's left in the tank?
39	Shonn Greene	RB	NYJ	Set to be the lead back this year with Tomlinson taking on a third-down role
40	Dez Bryant	WR	DAL	Despite injury-riddled rookie season, showed superb physical skills. Must fight for targets
41	Tony Romo	QB	DAL	Healthy and with top shelf weapons. Upside: Top-3 QB
42	Jahvid Best	RB	DET	Look good early on when healthy; 250 carries seems like his ceiling
43	Tom Brady	QB	NE	36:4 TD:INT ratio is otherworldy; bump up five spots if NE gets him a big-time WR
44	Daniel Thomas	RB	MIA	Big, physical back not having a great camp; will battle Reggie Bush for carries
45	Percy Harvin	WR	MIN	Rushing and return stats a bonus; migraines only risk
46	Fred Jackson	RB	BUF	Established as the team's go-to back; Spiller could see a bigger role, however
47	Chris Wells	RB	ARZ	The job is his; needs to stay healthy
48	Knowshon Moreno	RB	DEN	Should start in Denver, but new coach and new management clouds role and environment
49	Anquan Boldin	WR	BAL	Expect a bounce back in Year 2 in Baltimore if Boldin can stay healthy again
50	Jeremy Maclin	WR	PHI	Seems to be improving from illness, but need to see him on the field
51	Jermichael Finley	TE	GB	Sky's the limit with his skills in that environment if he can ever stay healthy
52	Vernon Davis	TE	SF	Best speed/size combo among tight ends; environment needs to improve
53	Marques Colston	WR	NO	Reliable receiver in Saints offense, but upside limited by its diversity
54	Reggie Wayne	WR	IND	Bad per-play numbers, only produced due to volume. Manning's injury also an issue
55	Felix Jones	RB	DAL	Should get a chance in the feature role; needs to prove he can carry the load
56	Chad Ochocinco	WR	NE	Huge upgrade as Tom Brady's presumed top downfield target
57	Santonio Holmes	WR	NYJ	Quick, explosive wideout with good hands; Jets' No. 1 this year
58	Mario Manningham	WR	NYG	Downfield playmaker, will see more targets with Steve Smith gone
59	Jason Witten	TE	DAL	Reliable tight end, not used much by Tony Romo in the red zone
60	Steve Johnson	WR	BUF	Surprise top target for Ryan Fitzpatrick; Bills should be forced to throw plenty in 2011
61	Wes Welker	WR	NE	Played at less than 100 percent last year; healthy now.
62	James Starks	RB	GB	Came on strong in the playoffs - should push Ryan Grant for carries
63	Kenny Britt	WR	TEN	Rising star needs to overcome off-field issues; QB situation unsettled, possible league suspension
64	Braylon Edwards	WR	SF	Still a big-time downfield weapon; can Alex Smith get him the ball?
65	Sidney Rice	WR	SEA	Athletic playmaker with good size
66	Jonathan Stewart	RB	CAR	Bruising back will split carries with DeAngelo Williams
67	Austin Collie	WR	IND	But for concussions and hand injury, might have been a top-10 receiver; QB's health an issue
68	Steve Smith	WR	CAR	Dangerous downfield target; has he lost a step at age 32?
69	Joseph Addai	RB	IND	The job is presumably still his for now
70	BenJarvus Green-Ellis	RB	NE	Competent back scored 13 TDs, but NE brought in a lot of competition
71	Cedric Benson	RB	CIN	It's not pretty, but 300 carries will pay the bills
72	Reggie Bush	RB	MIA	Landed in a good spot with only a rookie RB ahead of him, much better in PPR
73	Dallas Clark	TE	IND	Heavily-targeted tight end in elite offense
74	Pierre Thomas	RB	NO	Crowded backfield, injury history and fickle coach hurt his value, despite strong skills and offense
75	Ryan Grant	RB	GB	Battling for carries with James Starks
76	C.J. Spiller	RB	BUF	The Bills have to use him more in Year 2, don't they?
77	Marshawn Lynch	RB	SEA	Epic carry in playoff game possibly buys Lynch a few starts, but 3.6 YPC last year
78	Mike Thomas	WR	JAC	Clear No. 1 receiver, has great speed, but lacks size
79	Santana Moss	WR	WAS	Still productive at age 32, clear No. 1 in WAS
80	A.J. Green	WR	CIN	All-world prospect will fight for targets in Cincinnati
81	Earl Bennett	WR	CHI	Likely to be Jay Cutler's go-to possession receiver this year
82	Malcom Floyd	WR	SD	Looked like a legit No. 1 when Vincent Jackson was out; third option behind Jackson and Gates
83	Tim Hightower	RB	WAS	Atop the depth chart for now, but that doesn't mean a whole lot
84	Ben Roethlisberger	QB	PIT	Full season with game-breaker Mike Wallace bodes well
85	Matt Schaub	QB	HOU	Competent QB in good environment, but HOU usually runs near the goal line
86	Brandon Jacobs	RB	NYG	Limited workload resulted in 5.6 YPC. Splits work at the goal line
87	Eli Manning	QB	NYG	Competent QB with first-rate playmakers on the outside
88	Peyton Manning	QB	IND	Nerve injury clouds status
89	Julio Jones	WR	ATL	Second-fiddle to Roddy White, but Falcons didn't mortgage the farm not to use him
90	Mike Tolbert	RB	SD	Bruising fullback could still be in the mix, especially near the goal line
91	Jimmy Graham	TE	NO	6-6 target should be a major weapon in the red zone
92	Marcedes Lewis	TE	JAC	6-6 tight end is Jaguars primary red-zone threat
93	Matt Ryan	QB	ATL	Still getting better, and addition of Julio Jones will only help
94	Josh Freeman	QB	TB	Huge improvement in Year 2; rushing ability provides major upside
95	Michael Bush	RB	OAK	Could be a top-25 property if McFadden went down; should see some goal-line work
96	Roy Helu, Jr.	RB	WAS	Could easily replace Ryan Torain - more upside due to speed
97	Ben Tate	RB	HOU	If anything happens to Arian Foster, Tate's in a favorable spot
98	Michael Crabtree	WR	SF	Top prospect disappointed in Year 2; dealing with foot injury, presence of Braylon Edwards
99	Ryan Torain	RB	WAS	Battling for carries, dealing with wrist injury - played well when healthy
100	Stevan Ridley	RB	NE	Looked great in preseason; could be in the mix with BJGE
101	Lee Evans	WR	BUF	Downfield playmaker, in a much better situation in Baltimore
102	Hines Ward	WR	PIT	Per-play averages still solid - should see targets bounce back with full season of Big Ben
103	Kellen Winslow	TE	TB	When healthy, one of the league's more reliable pass-catching tight ends
104	Alex Green	RB	GB	Third string for now, but whoever wins this battle has a ton of upside
105	Javon Ringer	RB	TEN	Chris Johnson's backup - could start if holdout persists
106	Delone Carter	RB	IND	Joseph Addai and Donald Brown are surmountable obstacles
107	Robert Meachem	WR	NO	Has the physical tools to be a No. 1, but apparently viewed as a complementary part
108	Lance Moore	WR	NO	Athletic possession type re-signs with the Saints
109	Brandon Pettigrew	TE	DET	Quietly caught 71 passes for 722 yards. If Stafford stays healthy, plenty of upside here
110	Willis McGahee	RB	DEN	Should see goal-line work and could push unreliable Moreno for starting job
111	Rashad Jennings	RB	JAC	Was solid as Maurice Jones-Drew's backup last year
112	Mike Williams	WR	SEA	Sidney Rice and Zach Miller signings hurt value
113	Mike Sims-Walker	WR	STL	Could emerge as Sam Bradford's No. 1
114	Plaxico Burress	WR	NYJ	Michael Vick proved jail makes you better
115	Johnny Knox	WR	CHI	Chicago's big-play threat, but lack of size limits red-zone looks
116	Jerome Harrison	RB	DET	Possible backup to injury-prone Jahvid Best
117	Greg Little	WR	CLE	Big, strong receiver could easily emerge as Colt McCoy's top target
118	Ronnie Brown	RB	PHI	Goal-line role in top offense could be useful
119	Pierre Garcon	WR	IND	Behind Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark and Austin Collie in the pecking order
120	Roy Williams	WR	CHI	Poor camp has him in danger of losing his job
121	Jay Cutler	QB	CHI	Year 2 with Mike Martz and an offensive line expected to improve
122	Joe Flacco	QB	BAL	25 TDs on 489 attempts last year; hasn't peaked yet
123	DeMarco Murray	RB	DAL	Neither Felix Jones nor Tashard Choice has set the world on fire; Murray could get a chance
124	Davone Bess	WR	MIA	Possession receiver who relies on volume
125	Deion Branch	WR	NE	Filled in admirably when Randy Moss left, but Ochocinco steals targets
126	Aaron Hernandez	TE	NE	Dynamic pass-catching TE, but will yield goal-line targets to Rob Gronkowski
127	Rob Gronkowski	TE	NE	Touchdown machine will share targets with Aaron Hernandez
128	Montario Hardesty	RB	CLE	Coming back from injury, spells Peyton Hillis behind first-rate offensive line
129	Jordy Nelson	WR	GB	Super Bowl performance creates opportunity; James Jones' re-signing limits it
130	Kyle Orton	QB	DEN	Bad defense could result in 4,000 yard season
131	Steve Breaston	WR	KC	No. 2 option in Kansas City
132	Jacoby Ford	WR	OAK	Versatile playmaker adds rushing, receiving and return yards and scores
133	Marion Barber	RB	CHI	Could see goal-line carries and some receptions
134	Kevin Kolb	QB	ARZ	Playing in a good climate with Larry Fitzgerald should ensure a good floor
135	Jason Snelling	RB	ATL	Tough runner, solid pass catcher, backup to Michael Turner
136	Louis Murphy	WR	OAK	Could be Raiders top receiver this year
137	Ricky Williams	RB	BAL	Ray Rice's backup
138	Chris Cooley	TE	WAS	Could be ready for the start of the season
139	Tony Gonzalez	TE	ATL	A down year was 70 catches and six TDs
140	Justin Forsett	RB	SEA	For whatever reason, the Seahawks don't trust him to carry the load
141	Owen Daniels	TE	HOU	Needs to stay healthy, and the Texans don't throw a lot in the red zone
142	Kendall Hunter	RB	SF	Likely backup to an injury-prone Frank Gore
143	Greg Olsen	TE	CAR	Could be the team's top receiver
144	Matthew Stafford	QB	DET	If he ever stays healthy, he has the physical tools and the weapons to break out
145	Arrelious Benn	WR	TB	Healing well after ACL surgery - has the talent to make an impact in Year 2
146	Nate Burleson	WR	DET	Should see a lot of single coverage
147	Sam Bradford	QB	STL	Scouts love him but 6.0 YPA last year
148	Jared Cook	TE	TEN	Great athlete, could be a frequent target
149	Danny Amendola	WR	STL	Much better in PPR if the Rams stick with him.
150	Steven Smith	WR	PHI	Reliable possession receiver coming off microfracture surgery; in pass-happy Philly offense

Players Who Dropped Out since the last edition: Ryan Williams, Bernard Berrian, Jerome Simpson, Zach Miller, Josh Morgan

Players Added:Marion Barber, Kyle Orton, Chris Cooley, Danny Amendola, Greg Olsen.