Fantasy Football 2016: Top Skill-Position Rankings and Ideas for Team Names

With NFL pads cracking in the summer heat, fantasy owners have started cracking knuckles over various devices while beginning to figure out plans for upcoming drafts.

Like any year, quarterback is the easiest position to figure out. It's the literally hundreds and hundreds of skill-position players who can give owners problems, especially with so many faces in new places.

Also like any year, the hunt for a quality team name takes some time. A good one makes victories better and losses sting less, while a bad one just stinks, like a canceled game (too soon?).

Let's converge these two interests into one resourceful guide by looking at skill-position rankings and fresh team names.

Skill-Position Rankings

Rank	Name
1	Todd Gurley
2	Adrian Peterson
3	David Johnson
4	Lamar Miller
5	Jamaal Charles
6	Devonta Freeman
7	Ezekiel Elliott
8	Le'Veon Bell
9	Mark Ingram
10	Doug Martin
11	LeSean McCoy
12	Matt Forte
13	Latavius Murray
14	Carlos Hyde
15	Thomas Rawls

Rank	Name
1	Antonio Brown
2	Odell Beckham Jr.
3	DeAndre Hopkins
4	Julio Jones
5	Dez Bryant
6	A.J. Green
7	Alshon Jeffery
8	Jordy Nelson
9	Mike Evans
10	Allen Robinson
11	Brandon Marshall
12	Keenan Allen
13	Brandin Cooks
14	Amari Cooper
15	Kelvin Benjamin
16	T.Y. Hilton
17	Sammy Watkins
18	Randall Cobb
19	Jeremy Maclin
20	Demaryius Thomas

Rank	Team
1	Rob Gronkowski
2	Greg Olsen
3	Jordan Reed
4	Travis Kelce
5	Delanie Walker
6	Julius Thomas
7	Tyler Eifert
8	Gary Barnidge
9	Zach Miller
10	Jason Witten

Player to Know at Each Spot

There's not much in the way of surprises here, but be on the lookout for new faces in new places such as Lamar Miller. The former Miami Dolphins running back now suits up for the Houston Texans in Arian Foster's old role. 

There, Miller doesn't face much competition from Alfred Blue. Already a top-10 scoring back last year on a worse rushing team than his new surroundings, Miller is a lock for 200 or more carries, which would be only the second time he's given such an opportunity over his five years in the league.

Gerry Broome/Associated Press

At wideout, be sure to keep tabs on Kelvin Benjamin of the Carolina Panthers. The 28th pick in the 2014 draft missed all of last season, making it easy to forget he caught 73 passes for 1,008 yards and nine scores as a rookie. Cam Newton has only improved, and Benjamin could explode into a top-10 scoring option with ease.

Finally, Zach Miller is the name to know at tight end. The Chicago Bears veteran ranked 16th in scoring last year despite only receiving 46 targets, sixth on the team. Over the offseason, he quietly ascended to first on the depth chart after the departure of Martellus Bennett.

Notable Team Names

Golden Tate Warriors

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

Get it?

The Golden State Warriors just posted the best regular season in NBA history, and all fantasy owners need from Detroit Lions wideout Golden Tate is a dominant regular season, too.

Tate might just have what it takes. He received 128 targets last year and found paydirt six times, though he scored double digits from a fantasy standpoint in just four games.

What's lost in the shuffle, though, is the fact the Lions lost Calvin Johnson over the offseason, meaning 150 targets just walked out the door. Marvin Jones joined in free agency, sure, but Tate might be a breakout No. 1 wideout this year.

For crossover fans and those on the hunt for a bargain at wideout, this name sticks out.

Eiferted

Frank Victores/Associated Press

No explanation here—sound it out. Or don't.

All kidding aside, Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert is one of the easiest picks in any draft. He missed three games last year, but he still landed sixth in scoring at his position with seven trips to double digits and three 20-plus-point outbursts. 

Health has been a constant issue with Eifert, but last year's production while missing three games says it all. He's flirting with Rob Gronkowski levels if he can stay on the field, which doesn't figure to change after the Bengals lost the aforementioned Jones and Mohamed Sanu to free agency.

Owners looking to pick him up have an obvious name choice.

Forte Shades of Grey

It's easy to look at the list of running backs, see Matt Forte, think about the Bears and call it a day.

Whoops. Forte suits up for the New York Jets now, and looking at the depth chart, he doesn't figure to see much of a challenge from the likes of Bilal Powell or Khiry Robinson.

He might be 30 years old and in new colors for the first time in his career, but Forte is coming off a season in which he ranked eighth in scoring among running backs and will now get to suit up for a run-first team built for the approach.

A guy with 40 or more catches in every season of his lengthy career, Forte once again looks like a lock for the top 10. Here, owners get a slick name playing into pop culture books and movies to boot—the perfect crossover marriage even non-NFL fans can appreciate.

All scoring info courtesy of ESPN standard leagues, as is points-against info and ownership stats. Statistics courtesy of ESPN.com. Average draft position (ADP) courtesy of Fantasy Football Calculator.