RB RANKINGS 1-16
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............8
When the Jaguars selected Bortles with the third-overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the plan was to let him learn and develop from the sideline for most of his rookie season. Unfortunately for the Jags, that plan switched to him learning under fire on the field in a hurry. Bortles' mechanics fell apart as his porous offensive line continuously let opposing rushers into his face, and he struggled through an up and down season. Bortles has the offensive playmakers around him to make a fantasy impact in the future, but it may take him awhile to develop into the signal-caller the Jags believe he can be. He's nothing more than a QB2 with upside for 2015.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............7
To say Jay Cutler's 2014 season went up in smoke is a bit of an understatement. The strong-armed signal-caller's erratic play eventually led to him being benched -- for Jimmy Clausen. Marc Trestman and company were ousted as the coaching staff, forcing Cutler to learn a new system yet again in 2015. However, calmer waters could be on Cutty's horizon as John Fox and Adam Gase are the new offensive braintrust in town after shepherding outstanding offenses in Denver for the last few years. Even though Brandon Marshall was traded in the offseason, the addition of Kevin White in the draft means Cutler still has one of the most talented crews around him. However, fantasy owners shouldn't trust him as any more than a No. 2 option in fantasy land this fall.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............5
Smith held off Michael Vick for the starting job during the offseason, but eventually lost it during the regular season. Smith showed some potential at the end of 2013, but 2014 brought the doubters back out in full force. Once again, Geno flashed his potential with a 358-yard, three-touchdown performance in the season finale, but his status in 2015 is still uncertain. While Smith has already been named the Week 1 starter, fantasy enthusiasts will have to watch how Geno handles another new offense, as well as the pressure of likely fending off Ryan Fitzpatrick to keep his starting gig. If Smith matures into the passer he's shown flashes of, he'll be a deep fantasy sleeper with his bevy of talented playmakers on offense that now features Brandon Marshall and Devin Smith. Keep an eye on him as a low-end QB2 with upside.
Auction...............$2
Bye Week.............6
"Famous" Jameis Winston has landed in the NFL as the face of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but what does his fantasy future hold? Many draft analysts believed that he was the most pro-ready field general in the draft based on his work in the pocket, strong arm and accuracy. Fantasy enthusiasts will be excited to see if that translates to the field, especially since he'll be working alongside a talented (and tall) group of pass-catchers featuring Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson and Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Winston could be worth a draft-and-stash as a QB2 come fall, as he has the potential and talent to make an impact in the stat sheets. There's just no telling if or when that might happen.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............6
Foles enters the 2015 fantasy season in a new city and with a new team: the St. Louis Rams. After missing roughly half of the games in 2014 with a broken collarbone (that will be 100 percent healed long before training camp), the Eagles and Rams flipped quarterbacks, sending Foles to St. Louis (along with a few draft picks) and Sam Bradford to Philadelphia. Fantasy-wise, Foles received the worse end of that deal, as he leaves the high-octane Philadelphia attack and lands in what appears to be a run-first offense. The Rams used their first-round pick on Todd Gurley, long assumed to be the top running back in the draft, even though they had drafted Tre Mason just last season. Foles does have an emerging Stedman Bailey to target along with Tavon Austin, Brian Quick and Kenny Britt, but his value will remain as a QB2.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............9
After posting career highs in passing yards and touchdowns in 2013, Smith's numbers regressed just a tad. He certainly wasn't helped by a receiving corps that didn't manage to catch a single touchdown all year. Smith is smart with the ball and doesn't commit turnovers, but he also doesn't create big plays either. The Chiefs hope to remedy that after signing Jeremy Maclin in the offseason and drafting Chris Conley, but Smith will still need to be able to put the ball in their hands downfield. His value could rise if he gets on the same page with Maclin and Conley early, but for now he's nothing more than a backup option for 2015.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............7
One year after vaulting into the top-five fantasy scoring quarterbacks, Andy Dalton regressed and plummeted all the way to 18th. New offensive coordinator Hue Jackson relied on a run-first approach behind talented rookie Jeremy Hill to help mask Dalton's struggles. The team will likely remain focused on the ground attack after drafting offensive linemen with their first two picks in the 2015 NFL Draft. Dalton will see the return of talented pass-catchers Marvin Jones and Tyler Eifert from injury and have a healthy A.J. Green at his disposal. Still, Dalton simply can't be trusted as anything more than a backup signal-caller in 2015.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............8
After struggling in 2013, this past year was supposed to be a fresh start for Robert Griffin III under the tutelage of Jay Gruden. Things didn't quite go according to plan. Griffin's mechanics and decision making regressed as he battled numerous injuries. The 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year looks like a far cry from the promising, dual-threat quarterback he once was. Griffin will be one of the riskiest quarterback options in 2014, but there is still hope that he can recapture his old form. Proceed with caution on draft day.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............4
Mariota might not have brought Oregon a national championship, but fantasy owners and fans of the Tennessee Titans are hoping he can bring them success at the NFL level. Mariota was a adept at running and passing at the collegiate level, but his biggest hurdle will be in making the jump from the simplified Oregon offense to a complex pro-system that requires him to make adjustments and work through his progressions more frequently. It'll be worth watching his progress in the preseason to determine whether or not he's worth an investment on draft day. His immediate value will most likely be in dynasty formats, or as a high-upside stash as a QB2.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............8
Cassel was penciled in as the starter for the Vikings as the season opened, but a broken foot quickly ended that plan. After the emergence of Teddy Bridgewater, Cassel was traded to the Buffalo Bills where he now figures to be the opening day starter ahead of Tyrod Taylor and EJ Manuel. Cassel hasn't exactly been a fantasy stud in his career, but he'll have the chance to prove his doubters wrong in Buffalo. Cassel will be surrounded by arguably the most talented supporting cast he's had since the 2008 season in New England. With Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, Percy Harvin and LeSean McCoy helping him out, Cassel could prove to be a serviceable starter for the Bills and a fantasy backup. There's no reason to draft him as anything more than that.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............11
McCown was a frequently discussed sleeper in Tampa Bay heading into 2014, after he put together an impressive 2013 season in relief of Jay Cutler with the Bears. Unfortunately, a combination of injuries and general ineffectiveness ruined his chance for fantasy success last season. In seven of his 11 games, McCown failed to throw for more than 200 passing yards, while throwing 11 touchdowns to 14 interceptions (after throwing 13 to one the year before). McCown now finds himself battling Johnny Manziel for the starting gig with the Cleveland Browns, and odds are he'll win that battle to start the season. He's likely not worth a draft pick except in very deep or two QB leagues.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............11
Johnny Football's grand plans of wrecking the league fell to pieces in his rookie season. Manziel only saw significant action in three games, and while the results weren't pretty, the jury is still far from out on his potential as an NFL starter -- and fantasy commodity. Manziel will have to learn the system of John DeFilippo, his new offensive coordinator in 2015, so it will be imperative to watch his progress during the offseason and training camp. All signs so far point to a new Manziel in the Browns organization and meeting rooms, but will fantasy enthusiasts see a new Manziel on the field? Either way, he'll have to beat out Josh McCown for the starting gig. If that happens, he's a QB2 with a little upside -- assuming he can recapture some of that magic he showed in college.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............9
Long the subject of offseason trade rumors, Mallett finally was part of one when he was shipped from New England to Houston. Mallett waited in the wings before getting called to replace a struggling Ryan Fitzpatrick. Mallett looked solid in his first audition, but suffered a torn pectoral muscle in his second, which sidelined him for the rest of the season. Matllett will have a chance to win the job again this offseason after impressing the team in 2014, but he'll have to best new addition Brian Hoyer, whom head coach Bill O'Brien worked with back in New England. If he impresses fantasy owners enough, he could be worth a flier as a high-upside QB2 come draft day, but again, he'll need to win the starting job first.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............9
The hometown hero in Cleveland was forced out of town after an up-and-down season, but landed safely in Houston where he finds himself in yet another quarterback battle. Hoyer has the benefit of having worked with head coach and offensive playcaller Bill O'Brien back in New England, but he'll be behind in terms of rapport with the receivers and understanding the playbook. If Hoyer wins the starting gig over the incumbent Ryan Mallett, he'd only be worth a desperate bye-week fill-in in fantasy next fall.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............5
Aside from one Fitz-magical Week 13 game (358 passing yards, six touchdowns), Fitzpatrick was the perfectly average quarterback everyone expected in 2014. His Week 13 performance accounted for almost 22 percent of his fantasy output, so keep that in mind while evaluating his stock for 2015 as he competes with Geno Smith to be the starting quarterback of the New York Jets. Fitzpatrick will have the benefit of reuniting with his former coach Chan Gailey, however, who will be coordinating the Jets offense. Keep an eye on this quarterback battle, but if Fitzpatrick wins he will be nothing more than a backup option once the season rolls around.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............8
Sanchez was thrust into the starting role for the Philadelphia Eagles when Nick Foles suffered his broken collarbone in 2014 and acquitted himself pretty well. The Sanchize started eight games, posting career-bests in completion percentage and yards per attempt while notching just shy of 140 fantasy points. Many will wonder if that production was from Sanchez's maturation as a quarterback, or the product of Chip Kelly's system. They might never know, however, as Sam Bradford figures to get the nod as the starter in Philadelphia once the season rolls around. Sanchez has limited value in 2015, unless he gets a second chance at a starting gig or Bradford suffers another injury.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............8
Cousins' 2014 season played out just like the others we've seen thus far in his career. He started behind Robert Griffin III (again), had a chance to prove his worth when Griffin was injured (again) and the results were mixed (again). Cousins' fantasy story doesn't figure to change much in 2015, either. His value will once again be minimal until injury or ineffectiveness forces him back into the starting lineup.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............7
For the first time, Brock Osweiler is on the fantasy radar. The fourth-year player has been waiting in the wings behind Peyton Manning his entire career, but now could be his chance to shine. He's one of the few (and possibly the only) quarterbacks worth hand-cuffing to the signal-caller in front of them. Don't waste the roster spot if it's in a smaller league, but for leagues with deeper benches, Osweiler could be worth a pick in case Peyton Manning's body finally wears down after nearly two decades in the NFL.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............8
Manuel entered 2014 as the starting quarterback of the Buffalo Bills, but after four haphazard performances was replaced by Kyle Orton for the remainder of the season. Manuel will very much be in the mix for the Bills this season, but he'll need some help to correct the flaws in his game if he hopes to beat out Matt Cassel for the starting gig. His completion percentage dropped in each consecutive start last season, as did his yards per attempt -- not the makings of a star signal-caller. Keep an eye on Manuel this offseason, but he's likely best left on waivers once the season kicks off.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............4
Garoppolo, a 2014 second-round pick by the Patriots, was thrust into the spotlight this offseason when Tom Brady was suspended by the NFL for his involvement in Deflategate. Garoppolo figures to be under center for up to the Patriots first four games (Brady is appealing his four-game suspension), which means he could have some value in fantasy formats. The team's brass is extremely high on Garoppolo, but fantasy owners will want to keep an eye on how he performs in the preseason before deciding to take a flier on him in fantasy. His value will disappear once Brady returns to the field by Week 6, if not sooner.
RB RANKINGS 1-16
