Power Ranking the Top 10 Keeper Candidates in Fantasy Football

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With the NFL season soon coming to a close, most people aren't thinking about fantasy football. But it's never too early to be game-planning for your 2013 league draft, especially if you just so happen to be in a keeper league.

So, here are the top 10 keeper candidates in the NFL. All of these players should give you a great fantasy performance next season, so you can't really go wrong anywhere on this list. 

10. Colin Kaepernick

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Colin Kaepernick wasn't a starter heading into the 2012 season, but here we are in 2013, and he's set to start in the Super Bowl. Kaepernick's shown the ability to throw in the pocket or on the run and is as elusive a QB as you'll find in the NFL. 

Kaepernick looks like he's going to be a star for years to come and is someone I'd definitely want on my team going forward. His combination of running ability and throwing ability will be netting tons of fantasy points for years to come. 

9. Calvin Johnson

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Calvin Johnson had a season to remember, catching 122 balls for nearly 2,000 yards (Per ESPN). However, Johnson's TD numbers were low, at just five for the season. That's primarily why he isn't higher on this list. 

Johnson's still young, though, and should be a major force in the NFL over the next few seasons, so if you have the chance, draft him with full confidence. 

8. Robert Griffin III

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RGIII had a season to remember as a rookie, and he showed that he's capable of being one of the elite NFL QB's. One knock against Griffin, though, is he appears to be a guy with relatively high injury risk. His right knee is pretty badly torn up, as it has been injured multiple times in his career. 

Still though, Griffin should be putting up solid fantasy football stats in the future and is worth the risk that he brings. 

7. LeSean McCoy

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LeSean McCoy had a down year due to injuries, but with Chip Kelly replacing Andy Reid as the head coach in Philadelphia, McCoy should finally get the touches he deserves. Reid didn't hand him the rock enough, which never let McCoy fully realize his fantasy potential. 

McCoy's going to get 20-plus carries almost every week under Kelly and should be involved in the passing game as well. Things are looking up for him in 2013. 

6. Aaron Rodgers

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What can you say about Aaron Rodgers? He's a top three QB in the NFL and puts up big numbers week in and week out. He doesn't really get hurt either, which is always a plus for a guy you're going to be spending a top pick on. 

Rodgers has a lot of good years left and will have another excellent season in 2013, hence his spot at No. 6 on this list. 

5. Doug Martin

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Doug Martin had one of the more impressive rookie seasons by a RB in recent NFL history. Martin rushed for nearly 1500 yards and had 11 touchdowns. He's also involved in the passing game, hauling in 49 receptions in 2012 (Per ESPN). 

Martin looks like a star in the making, and unless he has a major letdown, he should be putting up great production once again in 2013 and beyond. He's certainly got the talent. 

4. A.J. Green

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A.J. Green continued to impress in 2012 after a stellar rookie campaign. Green is one of the most talented wideouts in the NFL, and he gets a monster amount of targets in Cincy, which is always what you want to see when evaluating fantasy potential. 

If you were going to invest in an NFL WR, A.J. Green is probably the guy you'd buy stock in. He's only going to improve from this point and will be putting up great production moving forward. 

3. Ray Rice

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Ray Rice never gets hurt and is always piling up the rushing yards and touchdowns. Basically, he's a fantasy owners' dream. Rice is a virtual lock week in and week out to be one of the top fantasy performers, and he's got a firm, established place in Baltimore's offense. 

Barring an injury in the Super Bowl, Rice is without a doubt a top fantasy keeper candidate. He's all but guaranteed to be a top RB in 2013. 

2. Arian Foster

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Picking between the guys at the top of this list was very tough, but we've got Arian Foster coming in at the No. 2 position. Foster is yet to have a letdown in his career, and is always getting plenty of touches. 

Foster does has moderate injury risk, but he's usually pretty close to healthy. Foster's got great fantasy ability going forward and is an ideal RB to have on your team as your RB1. 

1. Adrian Peterson

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We've finally arrived at No. 1. The top fantasy football keeper candidate is Adrian Peterson. Peterson is coming off one of the best seasons in NFL history, nearly breaking the NFL rushing record in the process. What's even more impressive is that he did it after tearing his ACL last season. 

Peterson will come into 2013 100 percent healthy. And despite the fact that it'll be hard to duplicate an all-time great season, he'll still be the best player in fantasy. 

 

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