Now that it’s 2014, you might have thought the run of top-10 lists was over…not the case. With an eye towards the 2014 fantasy football season, here’s a look at the players who should probably be the first 10 picks in the majority of leagues. The order will probably change depending on factors like health, coaching hires and other unforeseen factors (remember Aaron Hernandez) but this is a general baseline for what to expect during fantasy drafts in late summer and early fall.
In no particular order:
Evan Bleier is a freelance writer based out of wherever he can plug in his laptop. You can send him questions, comments and Buffalo wing suggestions @itishowitis or "like" CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
Photo Credit: Getty (D. Thomas and J. Graham: Icon)
2014 Football Top 10 Picks
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Adrian Peterson RB - Minnesota Vikings
He’s clearly lost at least half a step -- either because of nagging injuries or age -- but it is way too soon to be counting out Peterson. People did that prior to the 2012 season and he rushed for over 2,000 yards. That said, he might not be a consensus No. 1 pick anymore and he actually might fall out of the top five depending on what Minnesota does this offseason to address their quarterbacking and coaching issues.
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Calvin Johnson WR - Detroit Lions
Similar to the problems that seemed to dog preseason No. 1 back Peterson, the projected No. 1 fantasy wideout showed flashes of brilliance but ended up falling short of expectations, especially in the fantasy playoffs. It was nice to see Johnson more involved in the Lions red-zone offense this year and he’ll have a full offseason to get back to full strength and re-develop some chemistry with quarterback Matthew Stafford.
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Demaryius Thomas WR - Denver Broncos
Speaking of consistency, there’s probably no better example than Thomas. After catching more than 90 passes and racking up over 1,400 yards in 2012, Thomas posted almost identical numbers in 2013, except he got into the end zone 14 times instead of 10. As long as Manning is in Denver, Thomas should be a top-three fantasy wideout.
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Drew Brees QB - New Orleans Saints
After missing a year because of Bounty-Gate, Saints coach Sean Payton returned to the sidelines and allowed Brees to pick up right where he left off as a top-three passer in the NFL. Other than Manning, Brees was probably the most consistent performer at the quarterback position in 2013, and because he is younger and has almost as many weapons, owners should expect a similar performance in 2014 with upside for more.
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Jamaal Charles RB - Kansas City Chiefs
Now two years removed from the ACL tear that ruined his season in 2011, Charles regained the form that made him a dual-threat fantasy star earlier in his career. Charles averaged more than 100 yards of total offense and more than a touchdown-per-game in 2013 and he should only be better after having another offseason to get acclimated to Andy Reid’s offense.
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Jimmy Graham TE - New Orleans Saints
In addition to being an excellent overall fantasy player, Graham is also unquestionably the No. 1 option at his position thanks to the mounting injuries to Rob Gronkowski. Even though it seemed as if Graham was on the injury report nearly every week, he suited up for all 16 weeks of the season and scored 16 touchdowns. He’s only missed two games in four NFL seasons and is locked and loaded as the top tight end in fantasy for the foreseeable future.
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Josh Gordon WR - Cleveland Browns
It didn’t matter whether it was Brandon Weeden, Jason Campbell or Brian Hoyer tossing him the pill, Gordon was going to come down with the ball and then do something with it. In only 14 games, Gordon amassed more than 85 catches, 1,600 receiving yards and scored nine touchdowns. It’s scary to think what he can do with a legit quarterback on his side.
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LeSean McCoy RB - Philadelphia Eagles
In his first year in Chip Kelly’s offense, McCoy set a career high in rushing yards with 1,607 and nearly equaled his career high in receiving yards with 539. He may start to cede some touches next year as the Eagles try to limit his wear and tear, but McCoy should still produce at a high level, especially when you consider that he will play six games against the porous defenses of the NFC East.
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Matt Forte RB - Chicago Bears
Forte came into this season as somewhat of a question mark and totally answered the bell for fantasy owners (and for the Bears). The six-year pro set career highs in rushing yards, receiving yards and equaled his career high from his rookie season with 12 touchdowns. Forte also carried the ball 289 times – the most since his rookie campaign – so any concerns about his durability or usage in the new-look Chicago offense should be assuaged.
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Peyton Manning QB - Denver Broncos
The odds aren’t great that Manning will be able to keep up his torrid passing pace for much longer, but he should still be able to put up top-notch numbers during 2014. Will he equal his 55 touchdowns passes and 5,477 passing yards from 2013? Probably not. Then again, the 37-year-old has proven time and again that it’s never a good idea to bet against him.
