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MIAMI, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Days dwindle between now and the kickoff of the 2016 NFL season. That means you will soon be glued to your fantasy football league scoreboard, sweating out last minute victories and losses, but also suffering crippling defeats. The results can make or break your weekend.
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So at UPI, we have ranked all of the league's top offensive players and defensive units for your viewing pleasure. We have included our thoughts and projections on the top quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, flex, kickers, and defense/special team units in the NFL, for fantasy football purposes.
Below you will find our current player rankings and can print those rankings out as 'cheat sheets' for your upcoming fantasy drafts.
Feel free to follow the links to individual rankings for additional analysis. We will consistently update our top 150 fantasy football player rankings.
Top 50 quarterback rankings led by Aaron Rodgers
MIAMI, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Quarterback is a very intriguing position in fantasy football circles. Are you an early QB guy or a late QB guy?
Fantasy football veterans know that drafting one early brings huge risk. Even if the pick somewhat pays off with a successful season, it might not be enough to compensate for weaknesses at other positions. Drafting a quarterback as early as round one or two immediately puts you at a disadvantage to other teams in your league at running back and wide receiver. The art of waiting on a quarterback is a tricky one, so you are best suited to think of a group of able signal-callers instead of having your heart set at just one. That way, you can pay attention to what the positional needs are of the teams around you, while knowing how many of 'your guys' are still available, before and after 'the turn.'
Fantasy Football 2016: Top 100 running back rankings
MIAMI, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Running back is quickly becoming a forgotten position early in fantasy football drafts this year, but the veterans know that having a premier ball-carrier is essential to a successful team.
That is why, at UPI, we have ranked our top 100 running backs, in standard format, for your 2016 fantasy football draft kit.
Fantasy Football 2016: Top 100 wide receiver rankings, early season favorites
MIAMI, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Fantasy football draft weekends are upon us.
Although it doesn't quite have the ring of an official holiday, many men, women, and children will be making billions of draft selections over the next few weeks. One of the most important positions to draft this season will be wide receiver.
The days of the workhorse running back have nearly vanquished. Now many of your friends and foes will begin their drafts by selecting pass catchers. You might not be surprised to see your draft begin with some variation of Odell Beckham Jr., Antonio Brown, or Julio Jones being picked with the first three picks. But don't be shocked if the run doesn't end there.
PRINT CHEAT SHEETS BELOW
Fantasy Football 2016: Top 25 tight end rankings
MIAMI, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Fantasy football's forgotten position can give you a weekly edge against your opponent.
When you draft a tight end, you are usually best served to pick an elite guy early or be one of the last teams to select one. Depending on your league format, you might not need to draft the position at all.
That is why, at UPI, we have ranked our top 25 tight ends for your 2016 fantasy football draft kit.
Fantasy Football 2016: Top 100 flex rankings
MIAMI, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- When you play in a fantasy football league with a flex position, it is important to find consistent production, even from a cast of players.
More and more fantasy team owners are using a wide receiver in their flex [running back or wide receiver] slots, due to the pass-happy nature of the NFL. While this is a good idea, it is also nice to grab a dynamic running back, who you can also plug into the running back slot should you face an injury. For the safest bet, don't just consider one player as a lock for your flex, draft a series of guys who range from safe and steady to others with high ceilings and high risk. Sometimes the late to middle rounds are the best times to find your flex core.
Fantasy Football 2016: Top 20 defense and kicker rankings
MIAMI, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Most fantasy players know that drafting a fantasy football defense or kicker too early prompts laughter and ridicule from your league-mates.
Doing this, alone, will not ruin your fantasy football season, but it will put you in a hole at key positions and sacrifice the depth of your team. Still, there are several difference makers at these two positions. Some owners choose the later rounds to draft these positions, while others wait until the last two rounds in the draft to fill out their rosters with kicker and defensive/special teams selections.
