Week 2 Fantasy Football Rankings: Top Players at Every Position

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It's Week 2 of the 2012 NFL season, and that means it's a tale of two extremes in fantasy football.

You're either undefeated or winless. A have or a have-not. A Hatfield or a McCoy.

OK, so that last one didn't make much sense. The well ran dry.

So, whether you're looking to keep a winning streak going or hoping to put a stop to a losing one here's a look at the top fantasy options at every position for Week 2 in point-per-reception fantasy football leagues.

Aaron Rodgers and the Top 20 Quarterbacks

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Week 1 was a disappointment for the Green Bay Packers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers, as the team was outplayed pretty handily at home.

With that said the eight-year veteran still managed a solid fantasy outing with 303 passing yards and a pair of touchdown passes. However, with the Packers in dire need of a win against a Chicago Bears team that just allowed 300 passing yards to a rookie quarterback Rodgers, he should come out firing on Thursday night.

1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (vs. CHI)

2. Tom Brady, New England Patriots (vs. ARI)

3. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons (vs. DEN)

4. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (at CAR)

5. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (vs. NO)

6. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears (at GB)

7. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos (at ATL)

8. Eli Manning, New York Giants (vs. TB)

9. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys (at SEA)

10. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (at SF)

11. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. BAL)

12. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens (at PHI)

13. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers (vs. TEN)

14. Robert Griffin, Washington Redskins (at STL)

15. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans (at JAX)

16. Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers (vs. DET)

17. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. NYJ)

18. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks (vs. DAL)

19. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts (vs. MIN)

20. Matt Cassel, Kansas City Chiefs (at BUF)

Darren McFadden and the Top 20 Running Backs

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Looking at Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden's paltry rushing stat line of 32 yards on 15 carries against the San Diego Chargers it may seem surprising to see him atop this week's list.

Of course, then you see his ridiculous 13 catches for 82 yards and consider the Raiders' lack of other receiving options and things become quite a bit clearer, especially with a favorable matchup against the Miami Dolphins on tap.

1. Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders (at MIA)

2. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens (at PHI)

3. Arian Foster, Houston Texans (at JAX)

4. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings (at IND)

5. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. BAL)

6. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears (at GB)

7. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs (at BUF)

8. Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants (vs. TB)

9. C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills (vs. KC)

10. DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys (at SEA)

11. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams (vs. WAS)

12, Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers (vs. DET)

13. Reggie Bush, Miami Dolphins (vs. OAK)

14. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans (at SD)

15. Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at NYG)

16. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. HOU)

17. Stevan Ridley, New England Patriots (vs. ARI)

18. Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks (vs. DAL)

19. Darren Sproles, New Orleans Saints (at CAR)

20. Willis McGahee, Denver Broncos (at ATL)

Brandon Marshall and the Top 20 Wide Receivers

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It feels almost unnatural to type out a list of the top 20 wide receivers in fantasy football that doesn't have Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions atop it.

However, after snagging nine catches for 119 yards and a touchdown in his Chicago Bears debut, Brandon Marshall of the Chicago Bears is the top option at his position this week, given that he's going up against a Green Bay Packers pass defense that looks just as bad in 2012 as it was last year.

1. Brandon Marshall, Chicago Bears (at GB)

2. Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions (at SF)

3. Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons (vs. DEN)

4. Andre Johnson, Houston Texans (at JAX)

5. A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. CLE)

6. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals (at NE)

7. Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons (vs. DEN)

8. Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers (vs. CHI)

9. Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants (vs. TB)

10. Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings (at IND)

11. Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers (vs. NO)

12. Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints (at CAR)

13. Wes Welker, New Engalnd Patriots (vs. ARI)

14. Victor Cruz, New York Giants (vs. TB)

15. Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos (at ATL)

16. Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys (at SEA)

17. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts (vs. MIN)

18. Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. NYJ)

19. Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs (at BUF)

20. Steve Johnson, Buffalo Bills (vs. KC)

Jimmy Graham and the Top 20 Tight Ends

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Ahhh, now order has been restored to the universe.

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham picked up right where he left off in 2011 in last week's loss to the Washington Redskins, hauling in six passes for 85 yards and a touchdown.

The Saints face off against a Carolina Panthers team that was a top-10 fantasy matchup for opposing tight ends a season ago, and with the Saints smarting after a home loss, an angry New Orleans team is going to put the pedal to the metal this week.

1. Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints (at CAR)

2. Aaron Hernandez, New England Patriots (vs. ARI)

3. Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers (vs. TEN)

4. Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots (vs. ARI)

5. Jermichael Finley, Green Bay Packers (vs. CHI)

6. Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers (vs. DET)

7. Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons (vs. DEN)

8. Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit Lions (at SF)

9. Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers (vs. NO)

10. Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys (at SEA)

11. Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings (at IND)

12. Fred Davis, Washington Redskins (at STL)

13. Owen Daniels, Houston Texans (at JAX)

14. Jared Cook, Tennessee Titans (at SD)

15. Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. BAL)

16. Jacob Tamme, Denver Broncos (at ATL)

17. Coby Fleener, Indianapolis Colts (vs. MIN)

18. Martellus Bennett, New York Giants (vs. TB)

19. Dustin Keller, New York Jets (at PIT)

20. Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. CLE)

David Akers and the Top 20 Kickers

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This one's really quite simple.

If you boot a record-tying 63-yard field goal the week before, as San Francisco 49ers kicker David Akers did in last week's victory over the Green Bay Packers, then you get the top spot.

Enough said.

1. David Akers, San Francisco 49ers (vs. DET)

2. Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots (vs. ARI)

3. Garett Hartley, New Orleans Saints (at CAR)

4. Mason Crosby, Green Bay Packers (vs. CHI)

5. Matt Bryant, Atlanta Falcons (vs. DEN)

6. Shayne Graham, Houston Texans (at JAX)

7. Nate Kaeding, San Diego Chargers (vs. TEN)

8. Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland Raiders (at MIA)

9. Alex Henery, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. BAL)

10. Lawrence Tynes, New York Giants (vs. TB)

11. Shaun Suisham, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. NYJ)

12. Robbie Gould, Chicago Bears (at GB)

13. Billy Cundiff, Washington Redskins (at STL)

14. Matt Prater, Denver Broncos (at ATL)

15. Rian Lindell, Buffalo Bills (vs. KC)

16. Mike Nugent, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. CLE)

17. Dan Bailey, Dallas Cowboys (at SEA)

18. Blair Walsh, Minnesota Vikings (at IND)

19. Ryan Succop, Kansas City Chiefs (at BUF)

20. Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis Colts (vs. MIN)

New England Patriots and the Top 20 Team Defenses

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The New England Patriots defense did a solid job against the Tennessee Titans in its 34-13 victory in Week 1, notching two sacks, forcing a pair of turnovers and holding Tennessee to only 20 net yards rushing.

The Patriots get an even better matchup at home against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2, as the Redbirds usually struggle when traveling east and have been forced to turn to Kevin Kolb at quarterback.

1. New England Patriots (vs. ARI)

2. Houston Texans (at JAX)

3. San Francisco 49ers (vs. DET)

4. Cincinnati Bengals (vs. CLE)

5. Baltimore Ravens (at PHI)

6. New York Giants (vs. TB)

7. Minnesota Vikings (at IND)

8. Green Bay Packers (vs. CHI)

9. Philadelphia Eagles (vs. BAL)

10. New York Jets (at PIT)

11. Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. NYJ)

12. Dallas Cowboys (at SEA)