Top 25 for 2015 Fantasy Football

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Jan 7, 2015

Top 25 for 2015 Fantasy Football

Le'Veon Bell - RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Le'Veon-Bell-X159000_TK2_0901.jpg — Fred Vuich/SI

Bell, who topped 2,000 total yards this season, will be just 23 years old at the start of next season. He is the engine of the Pittsburgh offense.

Eddie Lacy - RB, Green Bay Packers

After a slow start, Lacy finished as fantasy’s No. 6 running back in 2014. Next year could be even better.

Demaryius Thomas - WR, Denver Broncos

Thomas has averaged 99 catches, 1,494.3 yards and 11.7 touchdowns per year in three seasons with Peyton Manning at the helm in Denver. So long as Manning holds up for another season, Thomas will be back up in the stratosphere.

Jamaal Charles - RB, Kansas City Chiefs

The mileage concerns are real with Charles, but he was the top-scoring back in fantasy leagues from Week 4 through Week 14 this year. He’ll remain the Chiefs’ workhorse.

Marshawn Lynch - RB, Seattle Seahawks

There may not be a player with a higher floor than Lynch. He has four straight seasons with at least 1,200 rushing yards, 1,400 total yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s obviously better off remaining in Seattle.

DeMarco Murray - RB, Dallas Cowboys

Murray takes a bit of a tumble because he could be on a different team next season. As great as he was in 2014, the Dallas offensive line deserves its share of the credit.

Dez Bryant - WR, Dallas Cowboys

Bryant set a career best with 16 touchdowns this year. He has three consecutive seasons with at least 1,200 yards and 12 scores. At 26 years old, he’s just entering his prime.

Adrian Peterson - RB, Minnesota Vikings

This might seem somewhat high after not playing last season, but the bet here is that Peterson makes a very strong return in 2015, no matter where he’s playing.

Antonio Brown - WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

The most consistent receiver on the planet, Brown’s worst game in 2014 saw him catch eight passes for 74 yards. In two seasons as Ben Roethlisberger’s top target, he’s averaging 119.5 receptions, 1,598.5 yards and 10.5 touchdowns.

Calvin Johnson - WR, Detroit Lions

Johnson is still a monster on a per-game basis, but he has missed five games over the last two seasons. That slides him behind Thomas, Bryant and Brown on the wide receiver board.

Odell Beckham Jr. - WR, New York Giants

The rookie out of LSU was the top receiver in fantasy from the moment he was first activated in Week 5. Track record keeps a handful of veterans ahead of him, but Beckham is a worthy first-round pick.

Jordy Nelson - WR, Green Bay Packers

There are perks to being Aaron Rodgers’ No. 1 receiver, but Nelson is every bit the elite receiver you think he is. His penchant for the big play (five catches of 60-plus yards) can win weeks single-handedly.

Matt Forte - RB, Chicago Bears

Forte remains one of the most versatile backs in the league, but the loss of Marc Trestman is notable for him. Forte averaged 1,889.5 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns per season with Trestman on the sidelines for Chicago.

Rob Gronkowski - TE, New England Patriots

Gronk separated himself entirely from the pack at the tight end position this season and has been fantasy’s top tight end, on a per-game basis, in three of the last four years. Health is always going to be a concern, but he’s an elite fantasy player when he’s on the field.

Julio Jones - WR, Atlanta Falcons

Jones is always a threat to be the top receiver in the league, but his occasional inconsistency has him in the middle of the second round. If not for a late-season hip injury, he may have led the NFL in receiving yards.

A.J. Green - WR, Cincinnati Bengals

He may not seem as exciting as the receivers ranked ahead of him, but Green is a safe bet to be a WR1 and a top-15 or 20 flex player.

LeSean McCoy - RB, Philadelphia Eagles

McCoy was a huge bust in 2014, and he may never reclaim his 2013 swagger. He lost the touches at the goal line and in the passing game this season that he had in his monster year.

Jeremy Hill - RB, Cincinnati Bengals

Hill took over as the primary back in Cincinnati this year, and that should carry over into 2015. Even with Giovani Bernard stealing touches, Hill can be a true workhorse.

Arian Foster - RB, Houston Texans

Foster defied the critics this season, finishing third among running backs in fantasy points per game behind DeMarco Murray and Le’Veon Bell. Having said that, he missed three games. Injuries will always loom over him.

Jimmy Graham - TE, New Orleans Saints

Graham lost the tight end championship belt to Rob Gronkowski this year, but he’s still an easy second-round pick with his yardage and touchdown upside.

Aaron Rodgers - QB, Green Bay Packers

Rodgers proved himself the best quarterback, from both a real-life and fantasy standpoint, in the league this season. Keeping Randall Cobb would be huge for him.

T.Y. Hilton - WR, Indianapolis Colts

We’d like to see more in the touchdown department (seven scores in 2014), but Hilton is unquestionably Andrew Luck’s top receiver. He has had at least 130 targets in each of the last two seasons and set a career high this year with 1,345 yards.

Jeremy Maclin - WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Maclin bounced back from an ACL tear in 2013 to have the best season of his career. The unrestricted free agent’s fantasy value would most likely take a hit if he left Philadelphia.

Andrew Luck - QB, Indianapolis Colts

Luck was the No. 1 fantasy quarterback by a comfortable margin in 2014, outscoring Aaron Rodgers by nearly 10 points in standard-scoring leagues. His remarkable consistency was even better for his owners than his sheer point totals.

Alshon Jeffery - WR, Chicago Bears

Despite the circus surrounding him in Chicago, Jeffery still had 85 catches for 1,133 yards and 10 touchdowns. Even with Brandon Marshall in town, Jeffery is the team’s top receiver.

Top 25 for 2015 Fantasy Football