Week 12 Fantasy Rankings: Top 10 Players at Every Position

It's the 12th week of the 2011 National Football League season, which means families everywhere will be gathered around the television to watch the traditional Thanksgiving Day games.

The bye weeks are officially history and the fantasy football playoffs are just around the corner, making each week's lineup decisions all the more important.

To help fantasy owners in making sure they don't put forth a turkey of a team in Week 12, here's an early look at the top 10 players at each position for the upcoming week's action.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving everyone!

1. Aaron Rodgers and the Top 10 Quarterbacks

All Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers did in last week's victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was throw for a measly 299 yards and three touchdowns (the bum even threw an interception if you can believe it), but the seventh-year veteran maintains his tenuous grip atop the fantasy quarterbacks for Week 12.

1.) Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (at DET)

2.) Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (vs. NYG)

3.) Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (at IND)

4.) Tom Brady, New England Patriots (at PHI)

5.) Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys (vs. MIA)

6.) Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (vs. GB)

7.) Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos (at SD)

8.) Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (at KC)

9.) Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers (vs. DEN)

10.) Eli Manning, New York Giants (at NO)

2. Arian Foster and the Top 10 Running Backs

The season-ending injury to Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub will force the Texans to rely on running back Arian Foster and their potent rushing attack even more than usual, beginning this week when the Texans travel to face a Jacksonville Jaguars run defense that just gave up 100-plus yards to Chris freaking Ogbannaya.

1.) Arian Foster, Houston Texans (at JAX)

2.) LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. NE)

3.) Matt Forte, Chicago Bears (at OAK)

4.) Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams (vs. ARI)

5.) Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens (vs. SF)

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

7.) DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys (vs. MIA)

8.) Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers (at BAL)

9.) Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons (vs. MIN)

10.) Michael Bush, Oakland Raiders (vs. CHI)

3. Calvin Johnson and the Top 10 Wide Receivers

For the second consecutive game, Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson was held out of the end zone in Sunday's win over the Carolina Panthers (although he has 170 receiving yards over that span), but Megatron should be ready to feast on the Green Bay Packers secondary when they visit Ford Field on Turkey Day.

1.) Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions (vs. GB)

2.) Wes Welker, New England Patriots (at PHI)

3.) Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers (at IND)

4.) Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packers (at DET)

5.) Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh Steelers (at KC)

6.) Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys (vs. MIA)

7.) DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. NE)

8.) Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants (at NO)

9.) Andre Johnson, Houston Texans (at JAX)

10.) Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons (vs. MIN)

4. Jimmy Graham and the Top 10 Tight Ends

Now that the New Orleans Saints' bye week has passed, it's time for tight end Jimmy Graham to get back to shredding opposing defenses and pleasing his fantasy owners. The second-year pro is a golden fantasy play this week when the Saints play host to the New York Giants on Monday night.

1.) Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints (vs. NYG)

2.) Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots (at PHI)

3.) Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys (vs. MIA)

4.) Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers (vs. DEN)

5.) Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons (vs. MIN)

6.) Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers (at BAL)

7.) Fred Davis, Washington Redskins (at SEA)

8.) Owen Daniels, Houston Texans (at JAX)

9.) Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers (at IND)

10.) Aaron Hernandez, New England Patriots (at PHI)

5. Jason Hanson and the Top 10 Kickers

After carefully consulting the mystical gravy boat, speaking with the oracle of cranberry sauce and taking an audience with the poobah of pumpkin pie, I have come to the conclusion that you have to roll with a Thanksgiving Day kicker in Week 12, making Jason Hanson of the Detroit Lions the top fantasy foot this week.

1.) Jason Hanson, Detroit Lions (vs. GB)

2.) Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland Raiders (vs. CHI)

3.) Mason Crosby, Green Bay Packers (at DET)

4.) John Kasay, New Orleans Saints (vs. NYG)

5.) Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots (at PHI)

6.) Alex Henery, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. NE)

7.) Dan Bailey, Dallas Cowboys (vs. MIA)

8.) David Akers, San Francisco 49ers (at BAL)

9.) Neil Rackers, Houston Texans (at JAX)

10.) Matt Bryant, Atlanta Falcons (vs. MIN)

6. Pittsburgh Steelers and the Top 10 Defenses

Christmas has apparently come early for fantasy owners of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense, as in Week 12 the Steel Curtain will be set to fall on the Tyler Palko-led Kansas City Chiefs, which is about as gift-wrapped of a fantasy matchup as you can ask for and easily makes them the top play at their position in Week 12.

1.) Pittsburgh Steelers (at KC)

2.) New York Jets (vs. BUF)

3.) Cincinnati Bengals (vs. CLE)

4.) Baltimore Ravens (vs. SF)

5.) San Francisco 49ers (at BAL)

6.) Dallas Cowboys (vs. MIA)

7.) Green Bay Packers (at DET)

8.) Chicago Bears (at OAK)

9.) St. Louis Rams (vs. ARI)

10.) Tennessee Titans (vs. TB)