100 Best Fantasy Football Players

Opening week of the 2010 NFL season is in the books, meaning Week 1 of the fantasy football season is complete, as well.

Among the stars of the first Sunday were Peyton Manning and Arian Foster, both of whom moved up my list, Peyton from No. 14 before the start of the season to No. 12 and Foster from No. 53 all the way to No. 10.

TOP FANTASY FOOTBALL PLAYERS

1. Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee Titans

2. Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings

3. Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

4. Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens

5. Frank Gore, RB, San Francisco 49ers

6. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints

7. Michael Turner, RB, Atlanta Falcons

8. Andre Johnson, WR, Houston Texans

9. Steven Jackson, RB, St. Louis Rams

10. Arian Foster, RB, Houston Texans

11. Ryan Mathews, RB, San Diego Chargers

12. Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis Colts

13. DeAngelo Williams, RB, Carolina Panthers

14. Reggie Wayne, WR, Indianapolis Colts

15. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers

16. Roddy White, WR, Atlanta Falcons

17. Jahvid Best, RB, Detroit Lions

18. Randy Moss, WR, New England Patriots

19. Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots

20. Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets

21. Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys

22. Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

23. Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions

24. Pierre Thomas, RB, New Orleans Saints

25. Brandon Marshall, WR, Miami Dolphins

26. Cedric Benson, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

27. Miles Austin, WR, Dallas Cowboys

28. Antonio Gates, TE, San Diego Chargers

29. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals

30. Matt Forte, RB, Chicago Bears

31. Greg Jennings, WR, Green Bay Packers

32. Hakeem Nicks, WR, New York Giants

33. Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

34. Marques Colston, WR, New Orleans Saints

35. Ronnie Brown, RB, Miami Dolphins

36. Wes Welker, WR, New England Patriots

37. Chad Ochocinco, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

38. Jermichael Finley, TE, Green Bay Packers

39. LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

40. Steve Smith, WR, Carolina Panthers

41. Phillip Rivers, QB, San Diego Chargers

42. DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

43. Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, New York Giants

44. Dallas Clark, TE, Indianapolis Colts

45. Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers

46. Anquan Boldin, WR, Baltimore Ravens

47. Hines Ward, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

48. Knowshon Moreno, RB, Denver Broncos

49. Steve Smith, WR, New York Giants

50. Vernon Davis, TE, San Francisco 49ers

51. Matt Schaub, QB, Houston Texans

52. Beanie Wells, RB, Arizona Cardinals

53. Marion Barber, RB, Dallas Cowboys

54. Jeremy Maclin, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

55. Joseph Addai, RB, Indianapolis Colts

56. Dwayne Bowe, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

57. Dez Bryant, WR, Dallas Cowboys

58. Michael Bush, RB, Oakland Raiders

59. David Garrard, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars

60. Vince Young, QB, Tennessee Titans

61. Terrell Owens, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

62. Carnell Williams, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

63. Mike Sims-Walker, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

64. Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons

65. Jason Witten, TE, Dallas Cowboys

66. Austin Collie, WR, Indianapolis Colts

67. Tony Gonzalez, TE, Atlanta Falcons

68. Felix Jones, RB, Dallas Cowboys

69. Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore Ravens

70. Thomas Jones, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

71. Reggie Bush, RB, New Orleans Saints

72. Clinton Portis, RB, Washington Redskins

73. Brett Favre, QB, Minnesota Vikings

74. Brent Celek, TE, Philadelphia Eagles

75. Jay Cutler, QB, Chicago Bears

76. LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, New York Jets

77. Darren McFadden, RB, Oakland Raiders

78. Legedu Naanee, WR, San Diego Chargers

79. Ricky Williams, RB, Miami Dolphins

80. Mike Williams, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

81. Visanthe Shiancoe, TE, Minnesota Vikings

82. Donald Driver, WR, Green Bay Packers

83. Brandon Jackson, RB, Green Bay Packers

84. Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants

85. Johnny Knox, WR, Chicago Bears

86. Santana Moss, WR, Washington Redskins

87. Pierre Garcon, WR, Indianapolis Colts

88. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, Seattle Seahawks

89. Malcom Floyd, WR, San Diego Chargers

90. Marcedes Lewis, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars

91. Jerome Harrison, RB, Cleveland Browns

92. Michael Crabtree, WR, San Francisco 49ers

93. Fred Jackson, RB, Buffalo Bills

94. Justin Forsett, RB, Seattle Seahawks

95. Kellen Winslow, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

96. C.J. Spiller, RB, Buffalo Bills

97. Mike Wallace, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

98. Robert Meachem, WR, New Orleans Saints

99. Heath Miller, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers

100. Derrick Mason, WR, Baltimore Ravens

Out of the Top 100:
Montario Hardesty, RB, Cleveland Browns
Ryan Grant, RB, Green Bay Packers
Brandon Jacobs, RB, New York Giants
Steve Slaton, RB, Houston Texans
Owen Daniels, TE, Houston Texans
Laurence Maroney, RB, Denver Broncos
Kevin Kolb, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
Donovan McNabb, QB, Washington Redskins

What do I know?
I've been playing fantasy football since 1998, and have participated in a keeper "dynasty" league since 2003. I also play in two or three single-season leagues each year, because as much as I love the keeper format, it's just fun to draft each season. I'm putting together these lists not because I think I'm a fantasy football expert (although I DID finally win my keeper league, plus another single-season league in 2009) but because I'm researching these players and stats and figured maybe I could help out other fantasy managers along the way. I'd love to hear your thoughts on these lists, and I'll continue rolling out positional and overall lists throughout the 2010 fantasy football season.