Figuring Out a Fantasy Football Ranking

They might not play on winning teams or have the best attitudes, but when it comes to fantasy football players, the main attribute most are looking for is a players' fantasy football ranking. A fantasy football ranking is a projection that predicts how well the player is expected to perform. For example, for many fantasy football leagues, the Indianapolis Colts' Marvin Harrison will have the highest fantasy football ranking for a wide receiver.

A look at the AFC West division reveals some players that should have a high fantasy football ranking for each team. Start with the Denver Broncos. The Broncos should have a high fantasy football ranking attached to their running back, even though they do not have one proven, go-to running back. Why is that? Because the Broncos always have good running backs, regardless of who is running the ball, and they're usually one of the league leaders. The fantasy football ranking that might be the biggest unknown on Denver's team will be for quarterback Jay Cutler. Cutler was a rookie out of Vanderbilt and played only the last quarter of the year. While he showed flashes of his potential, he also showed that he is still young. What kind of fantasy football ranking Cutler will earn will be interesting to see.

The Kansas City Chiefs will feature a player who might have the second or third-highest fantasy football ranking in most leagues: running back Larry Johnson. Johnson ran for more than 1,500 yards last season, his first as a full-time starter. It was the continuation of an explosive 2005 season, in which Johnson rushed for more than 1,000 yards despite not starting until midway through the season. The Chiefs will also boast one of the highest fantasy football rankings for a tight end in veteran Tony Gonzalez. The University of California alum has been one of the league's top tight ends for years, and, consequently, always carries a high fantasy football ranking. There was talk in the offseason that he would be traded - instead, the Chiefs held on to Gonzalez.

The Oakland Raiders are a mess. Yet, they should have a couple of players featuring a high fantasy football ranking. Receiver Randy Moss, when healthy and inspired, is one of the top receivers in the game. The problem is Moss has not lived up to his high fantasy football ranking due to his poor attitude and issues with his team's quarterback. Last season, Aaron Brooks struggled to get Moss the ball. This season, the team will likely have a new quarterback, perhaps rookie JaMarcus Russell. Will Russell's arrival lead to a high fantasy football ranking for Moss again, or for Russell himself?

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