It’s that time of the year again: fantasy football season. Fantasy football is a fun, exciting way for fans to feel as if they are a part of what actually happens on Sundays in the NFL. Fantasy football is actually quite simple and for some people can consume their lives for the few months that football is in season.

Anybody that plays can tell you that building a completely balanced team is the key to winning your league. That being said, here are the top 5 players at each position for fantasy with some breakdowns of players and what their upside and downside will be during this upcoming 2014 fantasy football season:

Adrian Peterson should be the #1 overall pick in every fantasy football league.
By Mike Morbeck, via Wikimedia Commons

Running Backs (RB):

1. Adrian Peterson: For the last few years since his return from injury, AP has just been filthy and he will again in 2014 be a monster. Peterson is basically the Vikings’ entire offense with the exception of wideout Cordarrelle Patterson. With his quarterback to either be Matt Cassel or rookie Teddy Bridgewater, Peterson is primed to have another great year as long as he stays healthy.
2. Matt Forte: Having Forte this high may come to a surprise of many but when healthy, Forte is an absolute beast. He can catch, he can run, he can do it all. The Bears look primed to have a very scary offense that centers around Forte especially if Cutler injuries himself yet again.
3. LeSean McCoy: Shady McCoy is coming off a breakout season with Chip Kelly and his offense. McCoy will have another stellar season but his production will fade, as teams defenses will figure out ways to slow down Kelly and his offense.
4. Jamaal Charles: Charles was everything for the Chiefs last season and so he put up some exceptional numbers. I just don’t see the Chiefs relying so heavily on Charles again in 2014 but that doesn’t mean he won’t put up numbers. Charles is still a main option in that offense and will continue to be.
5. Eddie Lacy: Not seeing Marshawn Lynch in the top 5 will make some people angry but I believe that Eddie Lacy has taken over the fifth spot. I am fearful that Lynch will get caught-up in the Super Bowl champion hype and it will affect his numbers slightly. Plus, Lacy has a lot to prove being so that he doesn’t endure a sophomore slump. 

Quarterback (QB):

1. Peyton Mannng: Despite the Super Bowl meltdown, need I even say more about this one?
2. Aaron Rodgers: I am looking for Rodgers to have a great season in 2014. He is healthy and wants to remind everyone just who the king of the QBs is. Watch out for Rodgers in 2014.
3. Drew Brees: Brees and the Saints were so close to beating Seattle in Seattle in the playoffs. The Saints always have an explosive offense, which makes Brees a top fantasy QB every year.
4. Matthew Stafford: Just having Calvin Johnson as your number 1 WR, you are going to make the top 5 despite all the turnovers. Stafford will look to cut down on the turnovers and if he does so, the Lions may have a chance at the playoffs this season.
5. Matt Ryan: I know this is a gamble putting him here but I believe with a healthy Julio Jones and Roddy White, the Falcons can have their scary offensive attack back. Plus the addition of speedster Devin Hester will help Ryan and the Falcons.

Wide Receiver (WR):

1. Calvin Johnson: Johnson scares anyone who goes up against him even in fantasy because he is that good. He will have another amazing season so fantasy owners be afraid if he isn’t in your lineup.
2. Dez Bryant: Whom else do the Cowboys have on offense? Their offense mainly consists of Tony Romo throwing deep to Bryant for the touchdown and after that it’s a mix of runs by Murray and some balls to Jason Witten. Bryant will have another breakout year.
3. AJ Green: Green has been one of the more consistent fantasy wide receivers in his first three seasons and more of the same in 2014. Andy Dalton and Green have a connection and Green will take advantage of that yet again. Green will have another pro bowl year in 2014.
4. Demaryius Thomas: Thomas would be higher than 4 if the Broncos didn’t have so many other weapons for Manning to throw to. Still Thomas is a deadly wide-out to go up against as he can explode for a few touchdowns in one game.
5. Julio Jones: When healthy, Jones is a top five wide receiver in the NFL. He is back and looks to be healthy and should be who we all know he is. Picking between him and Brandon Marshall was a difficult one but Jones gets the slight edge because of the Falcons weaker running back situation.

Tight Ends (TE):

1. Jimmy Graham: Graham is a touchdown machine because of his size and speed. Also having Drew Brees as his quarterback doesn’t hurt either. Graham looks to repeat his astounding 2013 season in 2014.
2. Rob Gronkowski: The key for Gronk is staying healthy. We all know what he can do when he’s actually on the field but his health has been an issue the last few seasons for the Patriots.
3. Julius Thomas: Thomas made a name for himself with the help of Peyton Manning in 2013, but much like his counterpart Demaryius Thomas, the Broncos have so many weapons where Thomas could be left out depending on the week.
4. Vernon Davis: When the 49ers throw the football, Davis is usually target number-one but they prefer to pound the ball and throw on third down. Davis will get his TDs and numbers but don’t expect him to exceed expectations.
5. Jordan Cameron: He had a hot start to the 2013 season only to cool down a bit towards the end. Yet with Josh Gordon likely to be indisposed, Cameron will and should be targeted more often. He is a great sleeper tight end option.

Defense/Special Teams (DST):

1. Seattle Seahawks: The NFL’s best defense in 2013 will again be dominant. You can’t go wrong with the Seahawks at all.
2. San Francisco 49ers: Like the Seahawks, you can’t go wrong with the 49ers. They are a physical and strong defense that will hit the opponent hard.
3. Carolina Panthers: I am actually scared to put this defense so high on here but I can’t overlook what they did last season. I am a big believer in showing what you can do in consecutive years so you prove that it wasn’t a one-year wonder. The Panthers will need to do that in order to maintain a top spot on here.
4. Cincinnati Bengals: Overlooked for some reason by the poor performance by Andy Dalton, the Bengals defense has quietly been one of the best every season for the last few years. They were a top-three defense without two of its best players last year so yeah, they deserve to be here.
5. Kansas City Chiefs: This defense has the most takeaways last season. That’s worth a lot.

Kicker (K):

1. Matt Prater: Prater is a benefactor of the Broncos explosive offense, but he is suspended for the first four games so beware if you have him on your roster until he comes back.
2. Justin Tucker: Tucker is a stud and you don’t usually hear that about a kicker. He makes just about everything and doesn’t crumble under pressure, which is exactly what you want in a kicker.
3. Stephen Gostkowski: Like the Broncos, the Patriots have a high-powered offense, which benefits Gostkowski. Nonetheless he is a good kicker and you can’t go wrong with selecting him.
4. Mason Crosby: Crosby is a consistent kicker who plays for a good offensive team. Like the others on this list, he is a quality selection.
5. Blair Walsh: Although Walsh plays for a bad team, he is a good pickup for a kicker in fantasy. Walsh can help any fantasy team get over the hump with his consistency.

Every season the AFC seems to be the favorite over the NFC to have the future Super Bowl Champion. In 2014, the pundits seem to be thinking the same way. With teams like the Broncos, Patriots, and Colts, the AFC will look to regain its dominance that the conference has held for so many years. Like their NFC counterparts, these teams are quietly good. Here is a breakdown of all 16 AFC teams and how the standings will look like when the season is all said and done:

Peyton Manning and the Broncos are the kings of the AFC, but will they make another appearance in the Super Bowl? By United States Marine Corps/Sgt. D.R. Cotton [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Denver Broncos: As football fans, we can all hope that Peyton Manning and the Broncos put the beat down they received in the Super Bowl behind them and get back to playing Bronco football. Denver especially revamped their defense with additions of DeMarcus Ware and Aqib Talib. They lost Eric Decker and Knowshon Moreno but this gives Montee Ball time to shine. The Broncos will be strong contenders once again next year.

Record: 12-4, division winner

San Diego Chargers: After making some noise in the playoffs, the Chargers are primed to try and build on that success, but 2014 isn’t the year for them. The AFC is so strong and even with the addition of Brandon Flowers, which I really like, the Chargers will barely miss the playoffs. Keenan Allen is an absolute stud and will help the Chargers offense but their defense is still weak which will be their downfall.

Record: 8-8

Kansas City Chiefs: I really hope I am wrong about this one but I don’t see the Chiefs repeating their 2013 success. I still can’t get over the epic playoff fail where they blew a 28-point lead to the Colts. Personally, I love Jamaal Charles but aside from him who is going to score or be a real offensive weapon? Look for the Chiefs to take a step back in 2014.

Record: 7-9

Oakland Raiders: The Black Hole should get excited this season and it isn’t because of the playoffs. The Raiders have built a semi competitive team for the first time in what seems like forever. Additions of Matt Schaub, Justin Tuck, James Jones, LaMar Woodley, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Khalil Mack will make this team interesting. If they could only get another WR or two, this team could be a playoff team. Plus this may be one of their last years in Oakland, so their fans better appreciate this team before it’s gone.

Record: 6-10

AFC East:

New England Patriots: With Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the Patriots will again be a top team in the AFC. I am just worried about their offense. They get Rob Gronkowski back, but they lost Legarrette Blount to Pittsburgh. Blount provided them will a large spark of offense. I’m sure they will find a way to do it yet again; I mean they are the Patriots after all right?

Record: 11-5, division winner

Miami Dolphins: After almost making the playoffs last season, I see the Dolphins being hungry for the taste of the postseason. They seem to have put the whole bullying situation last season behind them and will look to bring Miami back to the postseason. Adding Knowshon Moreno will give them some extra spark to their offensive attack. I look for the Dolphins to win a wild card spot in the playoffs this season.

Record: 9-7

New York Jets: J-E-T-S. JETS JETS JETS! After adding Eric Decker and Chris Johnson to their offense and adding rookie Calvin Pryor to a defense that puts out Sheldon Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson and Calvin Pace, the Jets defense is in good shape. While they are close, I still think they are a year away from the playoffs.

Record: 8-8

Buffalo Bills: IF the Bills can stay healthy they could an annoying matchup for some teams. They are still a few years away from really contending. I love the drafting of wide receiver, Sammy Watkins for them and they still have CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson at running back. I look for them to win a few games they shouldn’t win but they will end up in the lower-middle of the AFC standings.

Record: 5-11

AFC North:

Cincinnati Bengals: I understand that Andy Dalton has struggled during the playoffs but during the regular season, he has been pretty good. What I don’t understand is why everyone is so down on the Bengals this season. They are coming off an 11-5 record with a division crown. They drafted Darqueze Dennard out of Michigan State whom will vastly help their secondary, which was the weakest part of their top 3 ranked defense. Losing Mike Zimmer will hurt but losing Jay Gruden, as the OC will help them. Hue Jackson taking over means a more balanced offense with smarter play calling so no more throwing the ball at the 1 yard line. A second straight division title is in store for Cincinnati.

Record: 10-6, division winner

Baltimore Ravens: After missing the playoffs in 2013, the Ravens spent the offseason making sure they get back in 2014. Adding Steve Smith and drafting CJ Mosley out of Alabama are moves that will help them do so. Look for Joe Flacco and the Ravens to return to the playoffs where they rightfully belong.

Record: 9-7

Cleveland Browns: Johnny Manziel will dominate the headlines for the Browns this season and for good reason. If the Browns are smart and start him over Brian Hoyer, the Browns might have a chance to contend. Their only problem is that they don’t really have any receivers since Josh Gordon is too busy smoking pot to play football. Their defense is stacked with Paul Kruger, Justin Gilbert, Donte Whitner, and Joe Haden. The Browns are a season and a wide receiver away from actually contending again.

Record: 7-9

Pittsburgh Steelers: After making a strong push for the playoffs last season, the Steelers fell short on a bad call by the referees. The Steelers are one of the best organizations in all of sports but that won’t help them in 2014. They are an older football team that will fail to make the playoffs again in 2014. They could surprise everyone and have a resurrection but I personally just don’t see it.

Record: 6-10

AFC South:

Indianapolis Colts: Too many times, people get caught up in what happens in the playoffs and they put players on pedestals because of it. I am a huge believer in Andrew Luck but the Chiefs lost the playoff game last season more than he brought his team back and won it. It was a 28-point comeback so that is a major failure by the Chiefs, but I am not trying to take anything away from Luck and the Colts. They benefit from being in the worst division in football and will again make the playoffs and look to build on their success again.

Record: 11-5

Tennessee Titans: It seems that each season the Titans have an average season yet don’t really do anything about it. They lost Chris Johnson and cornerback Alterraun Verner and Jake Locker has potential but has yet to do anything with that potential. The Titans will have another lackluster season and miss the playoffs again.

Record: 7-9

Houston Texans: Outside of their quarterback situation, which is extremely important, the Texans if they can stay healthy are just a piece or two away from making the playoffs again. Their defense is scary-good with Jadeveon Clowney and J.J. Watt on each side of the ball. They still have Andre Johnson and Arian Foster but both are just getting older so the Texans need to try and find a quarterback, and fast. Hopefully they can win some games this season and then try and fix the holes in the team during the next offseason.

Record: 6-10

Jacksonville Jaguars: This is a team that I really like in about two-three years. I hope Blake Bortles gets a chance this season as he has tremendous upside but for some reason, the Jaguars management doesn’t seem to want him to play in 2014. Marqise Lee was a great second round pickup for this team. The Jags will be back in the lottery of the draft but are only a few seasons away from making the playoffs if everything pans out.

Record: 5-11

Playoff Standings:

1. Denver Broncos
2. New England Patriots
3. Indianapolis Colts
4. Cincinnati Bengals
5. Baltimore Ravens (won tiebreaker with Dolphins)
6. Miami Dolphins

In contention: New York Jets, San Diego Chargers, and Kansas City Chiefs

Founded in 1960, the Raiders have moved from Oakland to Los Angeles and back and during that span they won three Super Bowl championships, 15 Division championships and made it to the playoffs following 21 of their 54 seasons. Yet since the Super Bowl loss in 2002, the Raiders have been really bad, with their best record coming in the 2010 and 2011 seasons at 8-8, when they still missed the playoffs. Since Bill Callahan left the team after the 2003 season, the Raiders have had six different head coaches most notably Norv Turner, Lane Kiffin and current head coach Dennis Allen. In addition to the constant coaching change, the Raiders have suffered from having 15 different quarterbacks start for them in that time period. 15. One-Five. The most notable of these are Carson Palmer, draft-bust JaMarcus Russell, and Jason Campbell.

The Raiders should take an early chance on another USC quarterback. By Neon Tommy, via Wikimedia Commons

In recent years, the Raiders have tried to find a winning recipe with a focus on the quarterback. Rich Gannon left the team after the 2003 season.  They drafted LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell with the top pick in 2007. Russell thrilled in his time at LSU, posting a 21-3 overall record, but he wasn’t cut for the NFL and the Raiders soon found that out. He had a record of 18-23 with only 18 touchdown passes through three seasons when the Raiders finally cut him.

Former Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell was brought in. During his tenure in Washington, Campbell put up successful numbers, going 12-10 as a starter before suffering an injury six games into the 2011 season. He was replaced after the team traded for long-time veteran Carson Palmer. Palmer led the team to another 8-8 record in 2011 and by the end of the 2012 season the Raiders were 4-12 and at the bottom again. The Raiders went with two dual option quarterbacks in Russell and Campbell, then decided to try and work around a pass first type quarterback in Carson Palmer. Although Palmer didn’t have an impressive 2012, I believe a pass-first quarterback is best for the Raiders. Rich Gannon could move well, but he was an accurate passer and the Raiders should look to stick with that type of player instead of going back to a quarterback who runs fast and has a strong arm. The Raiders currently hold the third overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft and I believe they should use it on a quarterback.

What they should do in the draft: 

The Raiders have had what bad teams would call success recently, posting two 8-8 seasons out of the last three. Recently it has come out that the Raiders are interested in the number one ranked quarterback in this years class, Geno Smith. But the Raiders should be looking elsewhere for their savior. The Raiders have six draft picks throughout the draft yet most of the mock-drafts available don’t have the Raiders taking a quarterback in the first round. I’m no Mel Kiper, but I disagree and I believe that the Raiders should take a quarterback in the first round and it should be Matt Barkley.

During their collegiate careers, Geno Smith and USC quarterback Matt Barkley had simlarly great statistics. Geno Smith finished his college career throwing for 11,662 yards, 98 touchdowns and 21 interceptions, while Barkley threw for 12,327 yards, 116 touchdowns and 48 interceptions. While their individual stats are close, Smith is ranked far ahead of Barkley as the number one ranked quarterback in the draft but I don’t understand why. Both Barkley and Smith’s team had down seasons this past year, both finishing 7-6 although Barkley’s team did start the year ranked number one in the nation.

Barkley, I think, is a better version of Carson Palmer and could thrive in Oakland. He is a West coast guy and would fit right into Oakland’s system with a fellow Trojan to groom him.

The Raiders have young talent at both the running back and receiver positions in Darrius McFadden and Darrius Heyward-Bey. I believe that the Raiders should also draft a tight end and another receiver to match with Heyward-Bey. As for the tight end, I suggest they look into the senior from San Jose State, Ryan Otten. He caught 12 touchdowns in his four years and racked up 1,760 yards. One of the highest ranked tight ends, Tyler Eifert caught 11 touchdowns and 1,840 yards. The stats are pretty similar, yet the Raiders could get Otten later in the draft as he is projected to go sometime in the fifth or sixth round. With the other four draft picks the Raiders could focus on the offensive line, another receiver and maybe a defensive player or two.

Final Word:

It all starts with drafting Matt Barkley with the third overall pick though for the Raiders. Having a franchise quarterback is very important in the NFL and the Raiders could get one by drafting Barkley. The Raiders tried two dual-threat quarterbacks and the first one failed while the second one had some success if not for an injury. I believe in patterns in sports, and the next pattern in the Raiders quarterback shuffle would be to go with a passing first quarterback in Barkley. I may be wrong about Barkley but what I’ve seen from him throughout his college career and the Raiders recently, they would be a great pair. Also don’t forget that Barkley is just a year removed from being a “lock” for the Heisman Trophy and possibly being the number overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft if he had chosen to go into the NFL early. He has the credentials and the “it factor” that could really work in Oakland.

Plastic props and face paint, making Raider Nation the most ridiculous fan base in California. By BrokenSphere (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons

It’s obvious why Raider Nation is the most annoyingly destructive dress up party in California: A nation where skull-headed silver and black wackos drunkenly throw beers, curse and shank opposing fans with their straws. Every wannabe-hoodlum drops the baggie jeans and the side-cocked hat, replacing them with face paint and cheesy plastic side props. I’m all for the camaraderie threaded between like-minded fans, but when that fandom becomes a burlesque side show flashing gang signs and grills, it begins to get a little too weird.

2. Los Angeles Lakers

Becoming a Laker fan is a laissez faire decision. It is like being born into a wig-wearing aristocracy, where you sip soup with your silver spoon, and dance in one-of-a-kind clogs.  It’s just too damn easy. And yet Laker fans are still this annoying?

Not annoying because they win championships, but annoying because they complain, mope and point the finger at everyone else like a bunch of spoiled brats, if they don’t.

And if you don’t side with the Lakers, guess what you are? You’re a Laker Hater— the most adolescent tongue-sticking term coined by any fan base ever. Last I checked, most of us grew up and became secure enough in ourselves, not to use over simplified slander in order to be heard. But I guess that’s something Laker fans still have to learn. And oh, by the way, LeBron James is the best player post-MJ. Just sayin’.

3. USC Trojans

The University of Spoiled Children is a place where backroom deals are done like no other. From the Reggie Bush scandal  to the deflated balls incident, the Southern California Spoiled Children continue to soil their name with little to any moral remorse. And despite this, their fanbase blindly follows suit with a passion as persistent as any.

There is a time when as a fan, it is okay to walk away. My wife’s boss for instance: a longtime Dodgers fan, who after the brutal attack on Brian Stow, turned to the Giants as his new team of choice.

Maybe it is the tanning oil causing such defunctory? Maybe it is the madness of Southern California smog-infestation? Maybe it is the effects from large doses of botox bugging the brain? Whatever it is, it is hard to take serious any school like the Trojans. Each and every year the ridiculous gets more ridiculous.

4. San Diego Chargers

This ranking probably throws you off a bit. And I understand why. But anytime fans come out from the fringes when their team suddenly becomes a consistent competitor, irks me to no end. Where were you when your team was a joke?

If there was a ranking for most fickle fan in all of sports, I would rank the Chargers numero uno. I have always said that Ladainian Tomlinson literally saved the Chargers franchise by electrifying a lazy uninspired fan base into sudden outrageously inconsistent diehards.

5. San Francisco Giants*

Honestly, I had no problem with Giants fans until 2010, when it became sexy and cool to be so. Being an Angels fan made it easy for me, as I was suspended above the heated rivalry shared between Dodgers and Giants fans.

I grew up around my friends’ fathers who were lifelong fans of the Giants, and not because it was hip or cool. These men lived hours from San Francisco and told stories about greats like Willie Mays. They were far from cool. They were working men, wearing trucker hats with oil stained on their hands.

The new era Giants fan cocks a hat sideways, like a clown, and calls him/herself a real fan. Two world series in three years and being born in the Bay Area is all of a sudden a silly equation for one’s authenticity.

*My wife believes this ranking belongs to the Dodgers, because Dodger fans “kill people.”

In their first year in the Big Sky, can Cal Poly’s program prove it belongs?

How will the Mustangs’ new players fare this season?

How is head coach Tim Walsh feeling about his team’s first practice day of the Fall?

But, in the wake of defensive backs coach Randy Hanson’s arrest Sunday morning and subsequent suspension, the storyline from the from the first day was how the Mustangs plan to deal with the loss of Hanson. J.D. Scroggin (as usual) has the team well-covered and wrote this article in The Tribune describing Hanson’s arrest and suspension.

Remember, Hanson was the guy who was allegedly beaten up by former Raiders coach Tom Cable. Here are some details of Hanson’s arrest, also from The Tribune.

Hanson’s arrest could not have possibly come at a worse time. By getting in trouble when he did he gave his head coach, Tim Walsh, less than 48 hours to come up with a back-up plan. That back-up plan, according to the Tribune article, is to have Walsh coach the defensive backs for now. I don’t know what Walsh had planned to do during most of Monday’s first practice, but I would imagine it probably wasn’t spending the whole time with the DB’s.

On the Fansmanship Podcast last week, Scroggin talked about the defensive backfield as being a potential area of strength for this year’s Mustangs. It will be interesting to see how the defensive secondary, which will have four new starters, develops over the course of the season.

The Big Sky Conference was already going to make Cal Poly’s schedule more challenging than in past years. With one swing of a bottle, things just got even tougher.