By Adam McGill
With the fantasy playoffs right around the corner, knowing who to start is crucial in the ever important playoff push. Below are the top-ten players to roll with each week no matter what:
5. Rob Gronkowski, NE – Regardless of all the franchise yardage records Wes Welker might break this year, “Rob Gron” is by far the better red-zone target. Gronkowski stands at a towering 6’6” and thrives in the Pats’ two tight end sets. He is currently second in the league with 10 receiving touchdowns and the former second round pick has a NFL record 20 touchdowns in his first 26 games. He is a monster to cover inside the twenties and is an obvious upgrade over every other tight end in the game, excluding Jimmy Graham.
4. Calvin Johnson, DET – “Megatron” has been in hiding in the last two weeks with a mediocre 170 yards and no touchdowns. He is the most physically imposing receiver in the game at 6’5” 236 pounds and is absolutely impossible to cover one-on-one downfield. Johnson already has 11 touchdowns, but expect that number to round out to about 15 by season’s end.
3. Matt Forte, CHI – Forte is one of the most dangerous backs in the open field, especially considering how valuable he is as a receiver. He has amassed 1,491 yards from scrimmage on the year and will only get more touches with starting quarterback Jay Cutler being out for an extended period of time with a broken thumb.
2. LeSean McCoy, PHI – McCoy has been the Eagles’ MVP through the first ten weeks, regardless of the quarterback and receiver situation. He is leading the league with 1,019 rushing yards, while his 10 touchdowns only trail Adrian Peterson’s 11. McCoy will continue to get more carries as the Eagles’ season begins to fade and the former Pitt star is one of the only backs guaranteed to consistently see 20-30 touches a game. He still has not fumbled the ball and is the ideal starting running back.
1. Aaron Rodgers, GB – Rodgers is currently on pace to throw 49.6 touchdowns this season, a projected number right between the personal best of Peyton Manning (49) and Tom Brady (50), which propelled millions of owners to fantasy titles. The only thing that could hinder his fantasy value would be the Packers wrapping up the division in a couple weeks, but the team will still be chasing home field advantage. “A-Rod” should be a safe start for the rest of the season, but just to be safe owners should be advised to scoop up Matt Flynn.
