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Top 10 Fantasy Football Studs of 2014 at Midway Point

Top 10 Fantasy Football Studs of 2014 at Midway Point

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We're officially at the midway point of the 2014 fantasy football season, and it has been quite an exciting season so far. Between new stars emerging such as Carolina Panther rookie WR Kelvin Benjamin and current superstars being rendered fantasy irrelevant due to legal issues, it's been another football season to remember. With that in mind, let's take a look at the top 10 players making fantasy owners the happiest so far this year.

10. Demaryius Thomas - WR - Denver Broncos

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10. Demaryius Thomas - WR - Denver Broncos

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Remember during the first three weeks of the football season when everyone was asking, "What's wrong with Demaryius Thomas?" This was due to him only having 13 catches for 141 yards and a TD during that span. However, after the Broncos' bye week, Thomas has amassed 34 catches for 626 yards and five TDs. This four-week explosion has catapulted Thomas into the top 10 overall rankings for PPR leagues and has him ranked as the No. 2 fantasy WR.

9. Le'Veon Bell - RB - Pittsburgh Steelers

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9. Le'Veon Bell - RB - Pittsburgh Steelers

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It's become pretty obvious that the weight Le'Veon Bell lost over the summer has truly improved his overall game, especially his footwork. He currently has 1,086 total yards at the midpoint of the season which also includes an exceptional 42 receptions. The only knock on him is that he's been in the end zone twice this season, but that should change for the second half of the season. He's currently ranked as the No. 4 Fantasy RB in PPR leagues.

8. Philip Rivers - QB - San Diego Chargers

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8. Philip Rivers - QB - San Diego Chargers

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After his bounce-back 2013 season with 4,478 passing yards and 32 touchdowns, Rivers continues to put up excellent fantasy numbers for 2014. At the midpoint of this season, he's sitting on 2,213 passing yards, 20 TDs and five INTs. This has him on pace for another season with 4,400-plus yards and 40 TDs. He's currently ranked as the No. 4 fantasy QB, but he may end the season ranked higher than that.

7. Arian Foster - RB - Houston Texans

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7. Arian Foster - RB - Houston Texans

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Considering the fact that Arian Foster didn't play in Week 3 against the New York Giants and only carried the ball eight times against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4, it's impressive that he still has 932 total yards, which includes 766 yards on the ground. He also has nine total TDs, and those numbers would be higher if he didn't miss any time. This currently has him ranked as the third best fantasy RB at the midway point.

6. Peyton Manning - QB - Denver Broncos

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6. Peyton Manning - QB - Denver Broncos

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It should be no surprise to anyone that the all-time career leader in TDs is on this list, especially when he broke the record this season. Manning doesn't seem to be slowing down with age and his 2,134 passing yards, 22 TDs and three INTs are proof of that. While it's unlikely that he will repeat his insane 55-TD performance from last season, there's still a great chance that he may break 50 again. He is currently ranked as the No. 3 fantasy QB.

5. Aaron Rodgers - QB - Green Bay Packers

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5. Aaron Rodgers - QB - Green Bay Packers

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"R-E-L-A-X...Relax" was the quote from Aaron Rodgers when the Green Bay Packers stumbled out of the gates to start the season. He was addressing the Green Bay fans with his quote, but it was also appropriate for his fantasy owners. Currently, he has 2,092 passing yards, 19 TDs and only three INTs. If numbers like those didn't get his owners to relax, then nothing will. Currently he is the No. 2 fantasy QB and can make a push for No. 1 by the end.

4. DeMarco Murray - RB - Dallas Cowboys

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4. DeMarco Murray - RB - Dallas Cowboys

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The pride of Bishop Gorman HS in Las Vegas and former Oklahoma Sooner has been assaulting every defense in front of him this year. He broke Jim Brown's record for most consecutive 100-yard games to start the season with eight and shows no signs of slowing down. He currently has 1,054 rushing yards and seven TDs. This puts him on a pace for 2,108 yards, which would break the NFL record. However, he's not the top fantasy RB at the midway point.

3. Antonio Brown - WR - Pittsburgh Steelers

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3. Antonio Brown - WR - Pittsburgh Steelers

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Week after week, Antonio Brown continues to prove that he can't be stopped. He does it all for the Pittsburgh Steelers and currently sits on insane mid-season totals of 60 catches, 852 yards and seven TDs. He has even thrown a TD this season. His current pace for 120 catches, 1,704 yards and 14 TDs clearly and significantly sets him apart from every fantasy WR so far. Do not be surprised if he ends the season still ranked as the No. 1 fantasy WR.

2. Andrew Luck - QB - Indianapolis Colts

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2. Andrew Luck - QB - Indianapolis Colts

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Andrew Luck is proving to the world that the hype behind him was well deserved. He showed great improvement last year after a solid rookie year, but he has now taken his game to an entirely different level. His current numbers of 2,731 passing yards, 22 TDs and nine INTs along with two more TDs on the ground have him ranked as the top fantasy QB so far. Manning and Rodgers will challenge his top spot, but he should end the season still on top.

1. Matt Forte - RB - Chicago Bears

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1. Matt Forte - RB - Chicago Bears

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This may shock a lot of people, but say hello to the current top fantasy player at the midway point of the season. So far, he has 1,052 total yards and six TDs to go along with 58 receptions. Those numbers, in PPR leagues, help Matt Forte barely edge out Andrew Luck by 0.5 fantasy points. Only one question remains now and that is, "Can Forte maintain his spot as the No. 1 fantasy player for the rest of the season?"

Roje Smith is a Fantasy Sports writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @RoKnowsDFS, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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