Fantasy Football Rankings: Top Players at Every Position for Week 8

We've traversed seven weeks of the 2012 NFL season, and that means that we've rounded the midway point of another fantasy football campaign and begun our journey down the stretch towards the fantasy postseason.

For some fantasy owners, the first half of the season was very kind, while others haven't been as fortunate, as injuries and under-performing players have left them scrambling like crazy to keep their fading playoff hopes afloat.

Whether your team is swimming right along or taking on water faster than you can bail it out, all fantasy owners want to field the best team possible, and to assist you in doing so here's a look at the top players at every position for Week 8.

Aaron Rodgers and the Top 20 Quarterbacks

Through the first three weeks of the 2012 season fantasy owners of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers were likely having a panic attack, as the eighth-year pro averaged fewer than 250 yards a game with three touchdown passes and two interceptions.

Since that slow start order has been restored to the universe, however, and after throwing 16 touchdown passes against only two picks over his past four contests Rodgers should continue his hot streak this week against the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars.

1.) Aaron Rodgers - GB vs. JAX

2.) Drew Brees - NO at DEN

3.) Ben Roethlisberger - PIT vs. WAS

4.) Tom Brady - NE at STL

5.) Robert Griffin III - WAS at PIT

6.) Peyton Manning - DEN vs. NO

7.) Matt Ryan - ATL at PHI

8.) Eli Manning - NYG at DAL

9.) Philip Rivers - SD at CLE

10.) Michael Vick - PHI vs. ATL

11.) Tony Romo - DAL vs. NYG

12.) Jay Cutler - CHI vs. CAR

13.) Andrew Luck - IND at TEN

14.) Cam Newton - CAR at CHI

15.) Matthew Stafford - DET vs. SEA

16.) Josh Freeman - TB at MIN

17.) Matt Hasselbeck - TEN vs. IND

18.) Carson Palmer - OAK at KC

19.) Alex Smith - SF at ARI

20.) Christian Ponder - MIN vs. TB

Matt Forte and the Top 20 Running Backs

If last week's win over the Detroit Lions was any indication than Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte is fully recovered from his sprained knee, as the fifth-year pro racked up 100 total yards on 25 touches in the Windy City on Monday night.

Forte is now averaging a robust 4.6 yards per carry on the season, and he should find room to roam this week against a Carolina Panthers defense that ranks 19th in the NFL against the run and, more importantly, has allowed the most fantasy points per game to running backs this year.

1.) Matt Forte - CHI vs. CAR

2.) Adrian Peterson - MIN vs. TB

3.) Jamaal Charles - KC vs. OAK

4.) LeSean McCoy - PHI vs. ATL

5.) Ryan Mathews - SD at CLE

6.) Willis McGahee - DEN vs. NO

7.) Darren McFadden - OAK at KC

8.) Chris Johnson - TEN vs. IND

9.) Ahmad Bradshaw - NYG at DAL

10.) Frank Gore - SF at ARI

11.) Reggie Bush - MIA at NYJ

12.) Marshawn Lynch - SEA at DET

13.) Alfred Morris - WAS at PIT

14.) Doug Martin - TB at MIN

15.) Stevan Ridley - NE at STL

16.) Darren Sproles - NO at DEN

17.) Alex Green - GB vs. JAX

18.) Shonn Greene - NYJ vs. MIA

19.) Steven Jackson - STL vs. NE

20.) Rashad Jennings - JAX at GB

Percy Harvin and the Top 20 Wide Receivers

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin has become one of the most dangerous players in the National Football League with a football in his hands, as whether it's as a receiver, runner or returner Harvin is a threat to score every time he touches the rock.

The fourth-year pro has tallied 650 total yards and scored three touchdowns so far in 2012, and Harvin may well find the end zone again Thursday night in a top-five fantasy matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

1.) Percy Harvin - MIN vs. TB

2.) Victor Cruz - NYG at DAL

3.) Brandon Marshall - CHI vs. CAR

4.) Jordy Nelson - GB vs. JAX

5.) Calvin Johnson - DET vs. SEA

6.) Reggie Wayne - IND at TEN

7.) Roddy White - ATL at PHI

8.) Demaryius Thomas - DEN vs. NO

9.) Antonio Brown - PIT vs. WAS

10.) Miles Austin - DAL vs. NYG

11.) Vincent Jackson - TB at MIN

12.) Larry Fitzgerald - ARI vs. SF

13.) Eric Decker - DEN vs. NO

14.) Mike Wallace - PIT vs. WAS

15.) Marques Colston - NO at DEN

16.) Wes Welker - NE at STL

17.) Julio Jones - ATL at PHI

18.) Jeremy Maclin - PHI vs. ATL

19.) Dez Bryant - DAL vs. NYG

20.) Hakeem Nicks - NYG at DAL

Tony Gonzalez and the Top 20 Tight Ends

In the words of Mark Twain, reports of the demise of tight end Tony Gonzalez of the Atlanta Falcons were apparently greatly exaggerated, as through six weeks this season the 36-year-old has averaged more than seven catches a game, averaged 10 yards a reception and scored four times.

The 16th-year veteran has also averaged over three fantasy points a game more than the next closest player at his position this year, and while the Philadelphia Eagles aren't a favorable fantasy matchup that hasn't made much difference so far this season.

1.) Tony Gonzalez - ATL at PHI

2.) Rob Gronkowski - NE at STL

3.) Jason Witten - DAL vs. NYG

4.) Jimmy Graham - NO at DEN

5.) Aaron Hernandez - NE at STL

6.) Heath Miller - PIT vs. WAS

7.) Brandon Pettigrew - DET vs. SEA

8.) Vernon Davis - SF at ARI

9.) Antonio Gates - SD at CLE

10.) Brent Celek - PHI vs. ATL

11.) Greg Olsen - CAR at CHI

12.) Dustin Keller - NYJ vs. MIA

13.) Kyle Rudolph - MIN vs. TB

14.) Martellus Bennett - NYG at DAL

15.) Coby Fleener - IND at TEN

16.) Jacob Tamme - DEN vs. NO

17.) Jared Cook - TEN vs. IND

18.) Brandon Myers - OAK at KC

19.) Jermichael Finley - GB vs. JAX

20.) Lance Kendricks - STL vs. NE

Stephen Gostkowski and the Top 20 Kickers

Ah, the joy of predicting placekickers.

Kicker is easily the least predictable of all the positions in fantasy football, as evidenced by the fact that the top five kickers entering a given season are very rarely the top five options at season's end.

With that said it's as good an idea as any to just go with the leading scorer for the year at the position, and that would be Stephen Gostkowski of the New England Patriots, who will be journeying across the Pond to face the St. Louis Rams in London on Sunday.

1.) Stephen Gostkowski - NE at STL

2.) Mason Crosby - GB vs. JAX

3.) David Akers - SF at ARI

4.) Matt Prater - DEN vs. NO

5.) Garrett Hartley - NO at DEN

6.) Shaun Suisham - PIT vs. WAS

7.) Matt Bryant - ATL at PHI

8.) Lawrence Tynes - NYG at DAL

9.) Robbie Gould - CHI vs. CAR

10.) Blair Walsh - MIN vs. TB

11.) Jason Hanson - DET vs. SEA

12.) Greg Zuerlein - STL vs. NE

13.) Sebastian Janikowski - OAK at KC

14.) Dan Bailey - DAL vs. NYG

15.) Rob Bironas - TEN vs. IND

16.) Kai Forbath - WAS at PIT

17.) Nick Novak - SD at CLE

18.) Alex Henery - PHI vs. ATL

19.) Steve Hauschka - SEA at DET

20.) Connor Barth - TB at MIN

San Francisco 49ers and the Top 20 Defenses

If picking the right team defense is all about the matchup, then oh boy are the San Francisco 49ers the top fantasy play at the position this week.

Not only do the 49ers have one of the more formidable defenses in the National Football League, but they face an Arizona Cardinals squad that allows both the most sacks and fantasy points to opposing defenses and features a quarterback in John Skelton who has tossed at least one interception in 10 straight starts.

1.) San Francisco 49ers - SF at ARI

2.) Chicago Bears - CHI vs. CAR

3.) Atlanta Falcons - ATL at PHI

4.) Seattle Seahawks - SEA at DET

5.) Green Bay Packers - GB vs. JAX

6.) Arizona Cardinals - ARI vs. SF

7.) New England Patriots - NE at STL

8.) New York Giants - NYG at DAL

9.) Detroit Lions - DET vs. SEA

10.) Cleveland Browns - CLE vs. SD

11.) Oakland Raiders - OAK at KC

12.) Minnesota Vikings - MIN vs. TB

13.) Miami Dolphins - MIA at NYJ

14.) Kansas City Chiefs - KC vs. OAK

15.) Philadelphia Eagles - PHI vs. ATL

16.) New York Jets - NYJ vs. MIA

17.) San Diego Chargers - SD at CLE

18.) Pittsburgh Steelers - PIT vs. WAS

19.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - TB at MIN

20.) Tennessee Titans - TEN vs. IND