Fantasy Football Rankings: Top Players at Every Position for Week 7

We've hit Week 7 of the 2012 NFL season, and that means that when this week's games conclude, so will the first half of this year's fantasy football campaign.

The first half of the season has been the usual mix of breakout performances, crushing disappointments and inopportune injuries, but regardless of your record all fantasy owners have one thing in common.

They all want to get the most possible points out of their starting lineups.

To help you in doing so here's a look at the top fantasy plays at each position for Week 7 in point-per-reception (PPR) fantasy football leagues.

Drew Brees and the Top 20 Quarterbacks

The New Orleans Saints finally broke into the win column two weeks ago against the San Diego Chargers, due in large part to the play of quarterback Drew Brees, who threw for 370 yards and four touchdowns in the victory.

The 12th-year veteran doesn't have an especially favorable fantasy matchup this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but with two weeks to prepare and every game a "must win" for the Saints at this point Brees should come out firing on Sunday.

1. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (at TB)

2. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (at STL)

3. Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins (at NYG)

4. Tom Brady, New England Patriots (vs. NYJ)

5. Eli Manning, New York Giants (vs. WAS)

6. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (at CIN)

7. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts (vs. CLE)

8. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys (at CAR)

9. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. PIT)

10. Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. NO)

11. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears (vs. DET)

12. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (vs. DAL)

13. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (at CHI)

14. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens (at HOU)

15. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans (vs. BAL)

16. Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings (vs. ARI)

17. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo Bills (vs. TEN)

18. Carson Palmer, Oakland Raiders (vs. JAX)

19. Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers (vs. SEA)

20. Matt Hasselbeck, Tennessee Titans (at BUF)

Arian Foster and the Top 20 Running Backs

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster had a tough go of it last Sunday night from a yardage standpoint, managing only 29 yards on 17 carries against the Green Bay Packers, but the fourth-year pro salvaged a decent night for his fantasy owners by scoring a pair of touchdowns.

Foster should find the going much easier this week when the Texans host the Baltimore Ravens, whose defense has been ravaged by injuries and who are allowing the tenth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this year.

1. Arian Foster, Houston Texans (vs. BAL)

2. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens (at HOU)

3. Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders (vs. JAX)

4. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings (vs. ARI)

5. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears (vs. DET)

6. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars (at OAK)

7. Trent Richardson, Cleveland Browns (at IND)

8. Stevan Ridley, New England Patriots (at NYJ)

9. Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants (vs. WAS)

10. Alfred Morris, Washington Redskins (at NYG)

11. Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. NO)

12. Felix Jones, Dallas Cowboys (at CAR)

13. C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills (vs. TEN)

14. Darren Sproles, New Orleans Saints (at TB)

15. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans (at BUF)

16. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers (vs. SEA)

17. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams (vs. GB)

18. Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks (at SF)

19. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. PIT)

20. Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills (vs. TEN)

Brandon Marshall and the Top 20 Wide Receivers

Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall has settled right in to his new role as the top wide receiver for the Chicago Bears, averaging eight receptions and well over 100 yards over the past three games with two touchdowns over that stretch.

The seventh-year pro should have every opportunity to continue his reunion tour with quarterback Jay Cutler this week when the Bears face the Detroit Lions, who are susceptible to being beaten over the top in the passing game.

1. Brandon Marshall, Chicago Bears (vs. DET)

2. Victor Cruz, New York Giants (vs. WAS)

3. A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. PIT)

4. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts (vs. CLE)

5. Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions (at CHI)

6. Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings (vs. ARI)

7. Vincent Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. NO)

8. Wes Welker, New England Patriots (at NYJ)

9. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals (at MIN)

10. Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers (at STL)

11. Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints (at TB)

12. Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys (at CAR)

13. Steve Johnson, Buffalo Bills (vs. TEN)

14. Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh Steelers (at CIN)

15. Torrey Smith, Baltimore Ravens (at HOU)

16. Andre Johnson, Houston Texans (vs. BAL)

17. Miles Austin, Dallas Cowboys (at CAR)

18. Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers (vs. DAL)

19. Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants (vs. WAS)

20. Kenny Britt, Tennessee Titans (at BUF)

Rob Gronkowski and the Top 20 Tight Ends

Many fantasy experts expressed reservations that New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski would be hard-pressed to match his record-setting touchdown numbers from 2011, and sure enough the third-year pro has reeled in only three scores over the season's first six weeks.

With that said, Gronkowski has a better than average chance of finding the end zone Sunday when the Patriots travel to face the New York Jets, who are among the friendliest fantasy matchups for the tight end position available in Week 7.

1. Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots (at NYJ)

2. Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys (at CAR)

3. Owen Daniels, Houston Texans (vs. BAL)

4. Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints (at TB)

5. Aaron Hernandez, New England Patriots (at NYJ)

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

7. Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers (vs. DAL)

8. Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit Lions (at CHI)

9. Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. PIT)

10. Fred Davis, Washington Redskins (at NYG)

11. Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers (at CIN)

12. Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings (vs. AZ)

13. Scott Chandler, Buffalo Bills (vs. TEN)

14. Jared Cook, Tennessee Titans (at BUF)

15. Brandon Myers, Oakland Raiders (vs. JAX)

16. Coby Fleener, Indianapolis Colts (vs. CLE)

17. Dennis Pitta, Baltimore Ravens (at HOU)

18. Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars (at OAK)

19. Dustin Keller, New York Jets (vs. NE)

20. Martellus Bennett, New York Giants (vs. WAS)

Lawrence Tynes and the Top 20 Kickers

Trying to pick the top fantasy kicker can be an exercise in futility, so about all you can do is find a matchup where a team should see ample scoring opportunities and has a decent kicker and hope for the best.

This week that's Lawrence Tynes of the New York Giants, who squares off with a Washington Redskins team allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to kickers in 2012.

1. Lawrence Tynes, New York Giants (vs. WAS)

2. Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots (at NYJ)

3. Shayne Graham, Houston Texans (vs. BAL)

4. Robbie Gould, Chicago Bears (vs. DET)

5. Garrett Hartley, New Orleans Saints (at TB)

6. David Akers, San Francisco 49ers (vs. SEA)

7. Jason Hanson, Detroit Lions (at CHI)

8. Mason Crosby, Green Bay Packers (at STL)

9. Greg Zuerlein, St. Louis Rams (vs. GB)

10. Rian Lindell, Buffalo Bills (vs. TEN)

11. Dan Bailey, Dallas Cowboys (at CAR)

12. Shaun Suisham, Pittsburgh Steelers (at CIN)

13. Sebastain Janikowski, Oakland Raiders (vs. JAX)

14. Blair Walsh, Minnesota Vikings (vs. AZ)

15. Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis Colts (vs. CLE)

16. Connor Barth, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. NO)

17. Mike Nugent, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. PIT)

18. Rob Bironas, Tennessee Titans (at BUF)

19. Josh Scobee, Jacksonville Jaguars (at OAK)

20. Phil Dawson, Cleveland Browns (at IND)

Chicago Bears and the Top 20 Defenses

When selecting a team defense in fantasy football it's all about the matchups, although past production is certainly a consideration as well.

That makes it fairly easy to select the Chicago Bears as this week's top defensive unit given a favorable matchup at home against the Detroit Lions and the fact that in each of the past two games the Bears scored a pair of defensive touchdowns.

1. Chicago Bears (vs. DET)

2. Minnesota Vikings (vs. ARI)

3. New England Patriots (at NYJ)

4. San Francisco 49ers (vs. SEA)

5. Seattle Seahawks (at SF)

6. New York Giants (vs. WAS)

7. Houston Texans (vs. BAL)

8. Green Bay Packers (at STL)

9. Dallas Cowboys (at CAR)

10. Indianapolis Colts (vs. CLE)

11. Buffalo Bills (at TEN)

12. Pittsburgh Steelers (at CIN)

13. Oakland Raiders (vs. JAX)

14. Carolina Panthers (vs. DAL)

15. Cleveland Browns (at IND)

16. New Orleans Saints (at TB)

17. Baltimore Ravens (at HOU)

18. Arizona Cardinals (at MIN)

19. Detroit Lions (at CHI)

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. NO)