Fantasy Football 2012: Aaron Rodgers and Players Who Will Dominate

The NFL season is right around the corner, which means it's just about time to gear up for fantasy football.

Having one of the top picks in the draft can be a stressful experience, as the fear of passing up on the top player can overtake you. Fear not, dear reader, for we have a guide ready to help you through these difficult times.

Here are the top players who will dominate this season.

Aaron Rodgers

The typical strategy used to be to always take a running back with your first pick. Aaron Rodgers changed that last season.

He threw for 4,643 yards, tossed 45 touchdowns and only suffered six interceptions. As if those numbers weren't enough to make any fantasy owner sweat, he also rushed for three touchdowns and 257 yards. Oh, and did we mention he didn't even play in Week 17?

Although passer rating doesn't count in fantasy leagues, the fact that he broke the single-season record with a 122.5 rating should give a solid indication of the kind of season Aaron Rodgers had.

Even if Rodgers had a big decrease in his numbers, it would still yield a huge season. That's a big "if" with Rodgers, though, as there seems to be no indication of his slowing down. 

Rodgers will be losing two men on his offensive line in center Scott Wells and tackle Chad Clifton. However, the addition of Jeff Saturday and encouraging performances by Marshall Newhouse last season give reason to believe those gaps will be filled.

In terms of his receiving core, it remains one of the very best and diverse groups in the league. Jermichael Finley will continue to be one of the most dangerous tight ends in the NFL, while Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson will continue to provide the deep threat. 

Finally, the addition of Cedric Benson gives the Packers running game another dimension and takes a bit of pressure off of Rodgers.

The bottom line is, if you have the first pick in the draft, you can't pass up on Rodgers. 

Arian Foster

It's hard to be believe how recently it was that we had never heard of Arian Foster. After going undrafted, he exploded onto the scene two years ago with a huge season consisting of 1,616 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns.

Last season, a hamstring injury forced him to miss three games, but that didn't stop him from rumbling to 1,224 yards, 10 rushing touchdowns and a couple of receiving scores as well.

Behind an elite offensive line, there is no reason to think Foster will see a decrease in his stats. As of now, he is clearly the top running back in the league and a gem for any fantasy team. 

Ray Rice

Ray Rice is clearly an elite fantasy running back. It's that simple.

He totaled 2,068 yards and 15 touchdowns last season to follow up consecutive seasons with over 1,750 total yards. Better yet for your team, Rice has only lost a fumble four times in the past three seasons.

He is the centerpiece of the Ravens' offense, and his production should remain extremely high. You could do much worse with the third pick.

LeSean McCoy

It was expected that McCoy would produce for the Eagles last season, but nobody saw these numbers coming. He rushed for 1,309 yards and combined for 20 touchdowns, including 17 on the ground.

McCoy is part of an extremely explosive offense, and if Michael Vick can't stay healthy (which is a distinct possibility), Shady will become the main option of the Eagles' offense.

Even if Vick stays healthy, McCoy's production is extremely important to keeping pressure off of his quarterback so he will get plenty of touches. Expect another monster season.