Fantasy Football: 50 Most Valuable Assets for Week 8 (Sunday/Monday)

The following countdown touts the 50 most valuable fantasy plays for Week 8, citing Sunday/Monday games only.

To clarify, this listing doesn't project the 50 highest scorers for the weekend in standard-scoring or points-per-reception leagues. If that was the case, we'd have quarterback after quarterback occupying the penthouse spots, and that would be extremely boring to read...and write (especially since The Fantasy Blog already has a top 25 countdown for quarterbacks).

This slideshow went heavy on running backs, wide receivers, quarterbacks and tight ends—the lifeblood positions of fantasy champions—but there was also room for one defensive/special teams unit.

On the flip side, there was no space for Packers wideout Jordy Nelson, who's iffy with a hamstring injury.

Enjoy the show!

50: Defense/Special Teams: Green Bay Packers

2012 Stats: 24 Sacks, 9 INT, 1 Kick-Return TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. The Packers and Bengals are currently tied for the NFL lead in sacks (24).

2. As part of that, Green Bay has recorded at least three sacks five times.

3. Randall Cobb is an excellent kicker returner, one of the NFL's most explosive assets in that realm.

4. The Packers, the first team to play three straight games on the road (Weeks 5-7), should be sky-high for their Lambeau Field return.

It also helps that they're hosting the offensively challenged Jaguars—and that moniker existed before Maurice Jones-Drew injured his foot.

49: RB Darren Sproles, New Orleans Saints

2012 Stats: 385 Total Yards (118 Rushing), 3 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Darren Sproles' value in points-per-reception leagues is considerably higher than standard-scoring ones. After all, Sproles has yet to rush for 70 yards or find the end zone on a tailback carry.

2. Sproles' numbers aren't too upsetting after realizing he hasn't logged more than 10 offensive touches in the last four games.

3. Saints-Broncos could easily be the highest-scoring game of the week, and Sproles will surely be a factor—especially in the red zone.

48: WR Miles Austin, Dallas Cowboys

2012 Stats: 25 Catches, 428 Yards, 4 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Through six games, Miles Austin has notched double-digit fantasy points five times (standard-scoring leagues).

2. In the season opener, Austin caught all four of his targeted balls for 73 yards and one touchdown. Going further, Austin has scored in three of his last four games against the Giants.

3. Either Austin or Dez Bryant should post big numbers on Sunday, but Austin gets the slight nod on the likeliness of more targets.

Through six games, Austin has tallied nine or more targets three times.

47: QB Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

2012 Stats: 1,492 Yards Passing, 10 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Philip Rivers has a completion rate of 67 percent—the best seasonal output of his career.

2. Through six games, Rivers has tallied multiple touchdowns four times.

3. The Cleveland Browns, Rivers' Sunday foe, are allowing 277 passing yards per game—a figure that includes three outings of 300 yards.

4. Rivers' three biggest playmakers (Ryan Mathews, Malcom Floyd, Antonio Gates) are, by all accounts, healthy and refreshed from the Chargers' Week 7 bye.

46: WR James Jones, Green Bay Packers

2012 Stats: 29 Catches, 323 Yards, 7 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. In standard-scoring leagues, James Jones enjoys a top-15 ranking amongst receivers.

2. Jones, Victor Cruz and A.J. Green share the lead, among wideouts, for seasonal touchdowns (seven).

3. For Weeks 4-6, Jones notched a pair of touchdowns in three straight games.

4. Jones' targets have spiked since Greg Jennings went down with a groin injury, collecting 24 in a three-week span. In fact, Jones had a season-high 10 targets last week against the Rams.

5. This lofty ranking could have easily gone to Randall Cobb.

Both Packers wideouts have been superb of late, filling in for the injured Jennings (and now Jordy Nelson, if necessary).

45: RB Mikel Leshoure, Detroit Lions

2012 Stats: 374 Total Yards (259 Rushing), 1 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Mikel Leshoure has accounted for 83 total yards and/or one touchdown in three of four games. In his NFL debut (Week 3 vs. Tennessee), he rushed for 100 yards and one score.

2. Leshoure has evolved into a Tier 2 asset with PPR leagues. He's averaging 4.25 catches, five targets and 29 receiving yards per game.

3. The second-year back, who missed the entire 2011 campaign with an Achilles injury, is quite possibly Detroit's best speed-power rusher since Billy Sims in the 1980s.

4. Leshoure is a reasonable bet for 90 total yards and/or one touchdown for Weeks 8-12 (Seattle, Jacksonville, Minnesota, Green Bay, Houston).

44: WR Denarius Moore, Oakland Raiders

2012 Stats: 21 Catches, 323 Yards, 3 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. For the season, Denarius Moore has racked up eight or more targets in all five games.

2. How's this for modest consistency? Moore has 67 receiving yards and/or one touchdown in all five games as well

3. Last year against the Chiefs (Week 16), Moore caught four balls for 94 yards and one touchdown. The nine targets served as his second-highest tally of the season.

4. Moore is the No. 1 receiving option for Raiders QB Carson Palmer, who's averaging 289 passing yards this season.

43: QB Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers

2012 Stats: 1,387 Yards Passing, 8 Total TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Real-world foibles aside, Cam Newton has crossed the QB-elite threshold of 275 total yards and/or three touchdowns in four of six games. In that span last year, Newton had the same ratio

2. Newton has the immense physical gifts to take over games for long stretches. In Week 4 against the Falcons, he accounted for 301 total yards and three scores while completing 63 percent of his passes.

3. Just like Matthew Stafford, Newton (4,757 total yards/35 TDs last year) is way too talented to be deemed mediocre for an entire campaign.

Bottom line: Newton simply has too much influence on the Panthers offense to struggle for two more months.

42: RB Stevan Ridley, New England Patriots

2012 Stats: 640 Total Yards (589 Rushing), 4 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Through seven games, Stevan Ridley already has four outings of 95 total yards and/or one touchdown.

2. For Weeks 4 and 5, Ridley rushed for 257 yards and three TDs...on 50 carries.

3. Ridley is a major cog in perhaps the NFL's most balanced offense. The Patriots have already garnered double-digit rushing touchdowns this year.

41: RB Alfred Morris, Washington Redskins

2012 Stats: 693 Total Yards (658 Rushing), 5 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Through seven games, Alfred Morris has notched 100 total yards and/or one touchdown six times. And the one-off game (Week 2 at St. Louis) entailed a respectable 89 rushing yards.

2. Morris has rushed for 100 yards in three of his last four outings. He also hasn't gone more than one game without a touchdown.

3. In any other week, Alfred Morris would easily have a No. 15 ranking among running backs. But the Steelers are a top-10 defense and are particularly stingy against the run (92.5 yards allowed per game).

40: RB Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams

2012 Stats: 456 Total Yards (380 Rushing), 1 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Steven Jackson remains a highly capable runner, especially in short-yardage and goal-line situations. He appears to be healthy, as well.

2. The Rams rusher has accounted for 76 total yards and/or one touchdown in each of his last three games.

3. New England coach Bill Belichick has never encountered Jackson as the Rams starter. In 2004, S-Jax was a second-string back to Marshall Faulk, and then he missed the 2008 game to injury.

4. Consider this a gut-call pick. Hopefully, Jackson can score a touchdown from one of his two goal-line carries against the Patriots.

39: QB Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles

2012 Stats: 1,632 Yards Passing, 9 Total TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Through six games, Michael Vick has crossed the QB-elite threshold of 275 total yards and/or three touchdowns four times.

2. Vick already has three outings of 300 yards passing—the same amount of times he reached that mark in 2011 (13 games).

3. In his only career start against the Falcons, his old team, Vick accounted for 267 total yards and two touchdowns in 2011 before getting knocked out in the second half.

4. He is well on his way to a third consecutive season of 3,000 yards passing.

38: RB Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons

2012 Stats: 434 Total Yards (357 Rushing), 4 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. From Weeks 2-5, Michael Turner accounted for 100 total yards and/or one touchdown in four straight games.

2. Last year against the Eagles (Week 2), Turner rolled for 146 total yards (114 rushing) and one touchdown.

3. On a personal note, I need Turner to have a big week, since a reader of The Fantasy Blog chose the Falcons back over Bucs rusher Doug Martin (214 yards/2 TD against Minnesota) at the flex spot. Ouch.

37: QB Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts

2012 Stats: 1,674 Yards Passing, 10 Total TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Through six games, Andrew Luck has either accounted for 280 yards passing or two touchdowns in every game.

2. Luck has thrown for 300 yards three times this season—twice at home, once on the road.

3. The Colts QB already has a great rapport with Reggie Wayne—an elite fantasy receiver in standard-scoring and PPR leagues.

36: QB Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions

2012 Stats: 1,756 Yards Passing, 7 Total TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Matthew Stafford is currently averaging 44 pass attempts per outing, and his completion mark is a healthy 62 percent.

2. Even with Nate Burleson's season-ending injury, Stafford still has a skillful fleet of playmakers—from Calvin Johnson, Titus Young, Ryan Broyles to Mikel Leshoure, Brandon Pettgirew, Joique Bell. And that doesn't even include Jahvid Best (concussion symptoms) if/when he gets clearance from NFL doctors.

3. No NFL quarterback can match Stafford's fastball, whether in the pocket or when evading the pass rush.

4. Stafford and Hall of Famer Dan Marino are the only quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards/40 TDs in the same season...before their 25th birthdays.

35: RB Rashad Jennings, Jacksonville Jaguars

2012 Stats: 155 Total Yards (90 Rushing), 1 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. In Rashad Jennings' brief history of logging 20-plus touches (two games), the Jaguars tailback notched 100 total yards and one touchdown each time.

2. To limit the possessions of Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers (16 TD passes in his last four games), Jacksonville's offense needs a slew of time-consuming, ball-controlled drives. And Jennings is the go-to back in that scenario.

3. With Maurice Jones-Drew (foot) out, the over/under for Jennings touches against the Pack is 27.

4. From a PPR standpoint, Jennings has a decent shot at five catches and/or 45 yards, as well.

34: WR Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

2012 Stats: 30 Catches, 376 Yards, 4 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Through six games, Julio Jones has recorded seven-plus targets six times.

2. Jones is on pace to break last year's output in catches (54), yards (959) and touchdowns (eight).

3. Jones is arguably one of the five most athletic—and explosive—wideouts in fantasy today. He has the potential for 10 catches, 120 yards and two scores every time he takes the field.

4. How's this for quirky? On the road (three games), Jones boasts per-outing averages of seven catches, 90 yards and 1.33 TDs.

At home (three games), Jones hasn't tallied more than 63 yards or found the end zone once.

33: WR Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals

2012 Stats: 40 Catches, 459 Yards, 3 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Leading up to Week 8, Larry Fitzgerald is on the short list of NFL receivers to collect 11 or more targets four times.

2. Fitzgerald has a catch-per-target ratio of 50 percent or above in his last five games.

3. In two games against the 49ers last year, Fitzgerald had per-outing averages of five catches, 85 yards and one touchdown.

4. Against San Fran at home (2007-11), Fitzgerald has five-year averages of 6.8 catches, 91.8 yards and one touchdown.

5. John Skelton may be a bottom-rung fantasy quarterback (among starters), but he played an integral part in Fitzgerald's 2011 numbers (80 catches, 1,411 yards, 8 TD).

That built-in rapport cannot hurt Fitz's fantasy case for this year.

32: QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

2012 Stats: 1,752 Yards Passing, 10 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Through six games, Ben Roethlisberger has crossed the QB-elite threshold of 275 total yards and/or three touchdowns four times.

2. Roethlisberger has attempted 37-plus passes in all but one game this season.

3. Big Ben has three superb passing options (Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown, Heath Miller) at his regular disposal. Of equal importance, he confesses to be a fan of O-coordinator Todd Haley's dink-and-dunk offense.

4. The Redskins, Big Ben's Sunday foe, have the NFL's worst pass defense, surrendering 328 yards per game.

31: RB Willis McGahee, Denver Broncos

2012 Stats: 565 Total Yards (432 Rushing), 3 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Willis McGahee has racked up 100 total yards in three straight games.

2. Through six games, McGahee has notched 19 or more touches four times. That's an encouraging figure, considering the Broncos' transition to a pass-first offense on Peyton Manning's watch.

3. The Saints have the NFL's second-worst run defense, allowing 160 yards per game.

30: QB Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys

2012 Stats: 1,636 Yards Passing, 8 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. In the season opener against the Giants, Tony Romo threw for 307 yards and three touchdowns.

2. Against New York last year (two games), Romo had per-outing averages of 305 yards passing and three touchdowns.

3. Romo has averaged 38.4 pass attempts in his last five games. For the season, he's also passing at a 68 percent clip.

29: RB Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants

2012 Stats: 600 Total Yards (492 Rushing), 3 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Ahmad Bradshaw is on pace to break last year's personal high of 11 touchdowns.

2. Against the Cowboys in Week 1, he rolled for 93 total yards (78 rushing) and one touchdown.

3. Bradshaw has scored one touchdown in three consecutive games. And for Weeks 5 and 6, he amassed 316 rushing yards and two scores (on 57 carries).

4. Normally, I'd be concerned about Bradshaw's production during weeks of little or no practice (resting a sore foot). But I'm sure that the prideful back has plenty of motivation to play well at Dallas—the site of last year's awkward first-half benching in Week 14 (apparently due to a broken curfew). In the second half, Bradshaw finished with a measly 19 total yards.

28: RB Reggie Bush, Miami Dolphins

2012 Stats: 574 Total Yards (434 Rushing), 3 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Through six games, Reggie Bush has racked up 100 total yards and/or one touchdown three times.

2. Bush is easily the Dolphins' No. 1 playmaker, and he's due for another breakout performance.

3. Upon joining the Dolphins last year, Bush didn't crack the century mark in total yardage until Week 8 (120 vs. the Giants). And after that, Bush produced 96 total yards and/or one TD for the next 10 games (including this season).

4. I don't live in fear of New York getting "revenge" on Bush for his thinly veiled what-goes-around-comes-around comments regarding Darrelle Revis's major injury (Week 3 against Miami).

5. The Jets currently have the NFL's third-worst defense against the run, allowing 147.4 yards per game.

27: WR Wes Welker, New England Patriots

2012 Stats: 54 Catches, 688 Yards, 2 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Wes Welker currently has the NFL lead in receiving yards (688).

2. For Weeks 2-6, Welker had five straight outings of double-digit targets.

3. Welker is the season's only receiver to post four consecutive games of 100 yards receiving.

4. For what it's worth, Welker caught 10 balls for 107 yards and one touchdown in his last game at London's Wembley Stadium (2009 vs. Tampa Bay).

26: TE Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons

2012 Stats: 43 Catches, 430 yards, 4 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. On a per-game basis, Tony Gonzalez ranks as fantasy's No. 1 tight end, regardless of scoring rules.

2. Gonzalez is on the short list of tight ends with three games of double-digit targets.

3. Jason Witten and Gonzo share the current seasonal record, among tight ends, for catches in a single game (13).

4. Gonzalez scored one touchdown in his first three games.

5. Through six games, Gonzalez has crossed the PPR-elite threshold (among tight ends) of five catches, 80 yards and/or one touchdown five times.

25: RB Ryan Mathews, San Diego Chargers

2012 Stats: 390 Total Yards (259 Rushing), 1 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. I didn't expect Ryan Mathews to dominate immediately after returning from a broken collarbone (August). Hence, I'm happy that he's tallied at least 76 total yards in all four games (encouraging start).

2. Barring injury, Mathews' per-game average of 97.5 total yards will improve to 110 in the latter half of the season. How does that happen? His per-game touches climb into the 20s.

3. There's a reason why most fantasy gurus had Mathews as a top-10 overall pick in July and early August (prior to injury). When everything's rolling, he's a weekly lock for 115 total yards and 0.4 touchdowns.

24: WR Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia Eagles

2012 Stats: 20 Catches, 295 Yards, 3 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. There is zero excuse for benching Jeremy Maclin on Sunday. In his last two games against the Falcons (2010-11), Maclin boasts absurd averages of 10 catches, 165 yards and two touchdowns.

2. By all accounts, Maclin has fully recovered (or something close to that) from a hip-pointer injury in September.

3. In his two healthiest games this season (Weeks 1 and 6), he totaled 13 catches, 24 targets, 226 yards and two touchdowns.

4. Maclin has plenty of experience with Falcons cornerback (and ex-Eagle) Asante Samuel.

23: WR Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh Steelers

2012 Stats: 29 Catches, 397 Yards, 4 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Last week, Mike Wallace drew 15 targets against the Bengals—his largest single-game output since Super Bowl XLV (16 vs. Green Bay).

2. Through six games, Wallace has crossed the PPR-elite threshold of six catches, 95 yards and/or one touchdown five times.

3. On Sunday, the Steelers have the good fortune of facing the Redskins, the NFL's worst pass defense.

22: WR Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints

2012 Stats: 35 Catches, 517 Yards, 5 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Despite a slow start, Marques Colston still maintains a top-10 ranking among receivers in standard-scoring leagues.

2. In his last three games, Colston has an amazing tally of 25 catches, 357 yards and five touchdowns. This success coincided with his foot pain subsiding.

3. Colston is on the short list of NFL receivers with a three-touchdown game this season (Victor Cruz and Jordy Nelson).

4. Saints QB Drew Brees (2,097 yards passing, 18 TD) might eclipse his own single-season NFL record for passing yards (5,476 in 2011). If that happens, Colston should match or eclipse his 2011 totals in catches (80), yards (1,143) and touchdowns (eight).

21: WR Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts

2012 Stats: 47 Catches, 666 Yards, 2 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Reggie Wayne and Victor Cruz share the NFL lead in receiving targets (81).

2. In Week 5 against the Packers, Wayne rolled for 13 catches, 212 yards and one touchdown.

3. Through six games, Wayne has collected double-digit targets five times.

4. Wayne has crossed the PPR-elite threshold of six catches, 95 yards and/or one touchdown five times, as well.

5. In his last six games against the Titans, Wayne has per-outing averages of 5.17 catches, 63 yards and 0.5 touchdowns.

20: RB Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks

2012 Stats: 735 Total Yards (652 Rushing), 2 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Through seven games, Marshawn Lynch has logged 20-plus touches six times.

2. To date, he has racked up 94 total yards and/or one touchdown six times as well.

3. Lynch's tallies in rushing yards and total yards are up considerably from last year (first seven games). Obviously, he'll need to pick up the pace in the touchdown department.

4. How's this for quirky: Lynch has never faced Detroit in his six-year career (with Buffalo and Seattle).

5. In his last four games indoors (dating back to 2010), Lynch has per-outing averages of 108 total yards and 0.5 touchdowns.

19: WR Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons

2012 Stats: 37 Catches, 553 Yards, 4 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Amongst receivers who've already had a bye week, Roddy White maintains a top-three ranking in standard-scoring leagues.

2. In even-numbered games this season—all at home—he boasts excellent totals of 23 catches, 31 targets, 343 yards and four touchdowns.

3. White has per-outing averages of 6.5 catches, 81 yards and one touchdown in his last four games against the Eagles.

4. A high-end talent in standard-scoring and PPR leagues, White is a good bet for a third straight season of 100-plus catches and 1,200 yards.

18: WR Victor Cruz, New York Giants

2012 Stats: 50 Catches, 627 Yards, 7 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Among receivers, Victor Cruz currently boasts a top-five ranking in catches, yards, touchdowns and targets (81).

2. For the season, Cruz has collected eight or more targets in all seven games.

3. He has crossed the PPR-elite threshold of six catches, 95 yards and/or one touchdown in all seven games as well.

4. In the last four games, Cruz boasts averages of 6.75 catches, 11.25 targets, 87 yards and 1.25 touchdowns.

17: QB Eli Manning, New York Giants

2012 Stats: 2,109 Yards Passing, 12 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Eli Manning is on pace for a fourth consecutive season of 4,000 yards passing.

2. Manning currently ranks as the NFL passing leader (2,109 yards), just ahead of Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers.

3. Through seven games, Manning has crossed the QB-elite threshold of 275 total yards and/or three TDs five times.

4. In a six-game period from 2009-11, Manning passed for 300-plus yards against the Cowboys five times.

16: QB Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

2012 Stats: 1,756 Yards Passing, 15 Total TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Matt Ryan is on pace for 30 TD passes this season—a potential personal best.

2. Since Week 2, Ryan has averaged 41 pass attmepts per game.

3. Through six games, he has crossed the QB-elite threshold of 275 total yards and/or three TDs four times.

4. Against the Eagles last year, Ryan threw four TD passes in his club's comeback win.

5. Ryan may have the NFL's best trio of pass-catchers (Julio Jones, Tony Gonzalez, Roddy White) at his regular disposal.

15: WR Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions

2012 Stats: 38 Catches, 592 Yards, 1 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Calvin Johnson (96 catches, 1,681 yards, 16 TDs in 2011) is on the short list of NFL wideouts to collect double-digit targets in five straight games.

2. No receiver strikes more fear into the hearts of NFL defenses than Johnson. And with Matthew Stafford as his quarterback, Calvin's mild malaise will end sooner than later.

3. Here's a gentle reminder of Johnson's greatness: In his final four games last year (including the playoffs), he amassed 200 receiving yards three times. And the one "clunker" game entailed 102 yards and one touchdown.

4. Don't underestimate the power of short-term motivation with Johnson, who was reportedly peeved with Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman changing his Twitter handle to "Optimus Prime" this week to counterbalance Johnson's alter ego as "Megatron."

14: WR Brandon Marshall, Chicago Bears

2012 Stats: 41 Catches, 577 Yards, 4 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Through six games, Brandon Marshall has collected eight-plus targets five times. In that span, he also has four outings of double-digit targets.

2. Marshall has scored one touchdown in his last three games.

3. In PPR leagues, Marshall, Reggie Wayne and Victor Cruz might be the three most bankable assets at receiver.

4. Marshall has faced the Panthers only once in his seven-year career, catching five balls for 48 yards four years ago (December 2008). And that middling performance was curiously sandwiched between outings of double-digit receptions—when Marshall had Jay Cutler in Denver.

13: RB Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders

2012 Stats: 491 Total Yards (324 Rushing), 2 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Darren McFadden hasn't proffered a great start to the season, only collecting 100 total yards and/or one TD in three of six games. However, he appears to be healthy, and that's the best news moving forward.

2. On talent alone, McFadden remains a top-12 fantasy back, regardless of scoring rules. Last year, he was a healthy lock for 110 total yards per week.

3. Raiders QB Carson Palmer enjoys having McFadden as a safety blanket in the passing game. In Week 1, DMC caught 13 balls for 86  yards.

4. The Chiefs defense has allowed 100 combined rushing yards in four of their last five games.

12: RB Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers

2012 Stats: 711 Total Yards (601 Rushing), 4 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Frank Gore burned the stingy Seahawks for 182 total yards (131 rushing) on Oct. 18.

2. Through seven games, he has accounted for 100 total yards and/or one touchdown five times.

3. Against the Cardinals last year (two games), Gore either racked up 94 total yards or scored one touchdown.

4. Gore has had a near-flawless start, solidifying himself as a top-10 fantasy back in standard-scoring leagues while holding off the challenge of Kendall Hunter.

11: QB Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins

2012 Stats: 1,601 Yards Passing, 13 Total TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. In standard-scoring leagues, Robert Griffin III is the current QB points leader.

2. He has racked up 486 rushing yards in just six games, easily the most of any NFL quarterback this season.

3. Of his six complete games, Griffin is a perfect 6-of-6 in reaching the QB-elite threshold of 275 total yards and/or three TDs.

4. If Griffin can post monster fantasy numbers against the Steelers, there may be no stopping him from this point forward.

10: TE Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots

2012 Stats: 35 Catches, 434 yards, 5 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Rob Gronkowski is just one week removed from his best fantasy performance, catching six balls for 78 yards and two touchdowns.

2. Gronkowski (18 total touchdowns in 2011) is actually ahead of last year's TD pace through seven games.

3. The Pats wunderkind has already notched double-digit fantasy points four times (standard-scoring).

4. With Aaron Hernandez out for Week 8 (ankle), Gronk will be counted on for big numbers against the Rams' improved secondary.

9: RB Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs

2012 Stats: 716 Total Yards (595 Rushing), 3 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Among the star tailbacks who've already had their bye week, Jamaal Charles leads the NFL in rushing yards (595).

2. For Weeks 3-5, he amazingly racked up 564 total yards (465 rushing) and three touchdowns. Come December, that may stand as the season's best three-game flurry.

3. With Brady Quinn playing quarterback for the Chiefs, it's imperative for Charles to log 25 touches every Sunday, regardless of the score.

4. In two games against the Raiders in 2010, he racked up 100 total yards both times.

8: RB Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans

2012 Stats: 606 Total Yards (496 Rushing), 2 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. In his last five games against the Titans (dating back to 2010), Chris Johnson has collected 100 total yards and/or one touchdown four times.

2. Johnson remains the heart and soul of the Titans offense, even with the club's athletic array of pass-catchers (Kenny Britt, Nate Washington, Kendall Wright, Jared Cook).

3. He is a threat for 140 yards and one touchdown every time he takes the field.

4. Johnson is just one week removed from his breakout performance of the season, steamrolling the Bills for 198 total yards (195 rushing) and two touchdowns. And it could have been four scores if Jamie Harper didn't "vulture" two touchdowns from point-blank range.

7: QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots

2012 Stats: 2,104 Yards Passing, 14 Total TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Tom Brady is the current NFL leader in completions (186) and pass attempts (285).

2. He already has four outings of 316 or more passing yards.

3. For the season, Brady has thrown for 300 yards or notched multiple touchdowns in all seven games.

4. For what it's worth, Brady passed for 308 yards and three TDs in his last visit to London's Wembley Stadium (October 2009).

6: RB LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles

2012 Stats: 571 Total Yards (459 Rushing), 3 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Through six games, LeSean McCoy has tallied 100 total yards and/or one touchdown five times.

2. Atlanta's defense has allowed 100 combined rushing yards in every game to date.

3. I've heard complaints about McCoy's lack of red-zone carries this year—a valid gripe. But of his last six games, the Eagles back logged 20-plus touches five times.

4. McCoy is just 10 months removed from a brilliant season of 1,600 total yards and 20 TDs. By any measure, he's still a blue-chip fantasy asset.

5: WR Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos

2012 Stats: 32 Catches, 542 Yards, 3 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Through six games, Demaryius Thomas has crossed the PPR-elite threshold of six catches, 95 yards and/or one touchdown five times.

2. Thomas, who has thrice collected 11 targets, is just three weeks removed from a nine-catch, 180-yard outing against the Patriots.

3. The Saints defense has allowed a staggering 306 passing yards per game. In his last four games, Broncos QB Peyton Manning has thrown for 300 yards and two touchdowns each time.

4. Saints-Broncos is my pick for highest-scoring game of the week. And I wouldn't be shocked if Peyton Manning and Brees both tallied 350 yards and three touchdowns. By extension, Thomas is in line for a monster fantasy day...unless teammate Eric Decker rolls for 12 catches, 141 yards and two scores.

4: QB Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

2012 Stats: 2,097 Yards Passing, 19 Total TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Drew Brees is on pace for 5,592 yards passing, which would shatter his year-old, single-season NFL record for passing yards (5,476).

2. Speaking of NFL records, Brees has thrown at least one touchdown in 49 straight games. He broke Johnny Unitas's record of 47 on Oct. 7.

3. The no-brainer Hall of Famer has accounted for 300 yards passing or three touchdowns in all six games this season.

4. Going further, Brees has already tossed three or more TDs five times.

3: QB Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos

2012 Stats: 1,808 Yards Passing, 14 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Peyton Manning has eclipsed the 300-yard passing mark in four consecutive games. And in that span, he has 11 touchdowns.

2. For the season, Manning has a completion mark of 68 percent. And of his last five games, he's averaging 40.2 pass attempts.

3. Manning's matchup against New Orleans, the NFL's worst defense, is attractive for two reasons:

a. Peyton has had two weeks to prepare for this nationally televised home clash.

b. He's also had time to figure out how/why the Saints (30th against the pass, 31st against the run) have surrendered 460 total yards and 30.5 points per game.

2: RB Matt Forte, Chicago Bears

2012 Stats: 476 Total Yards (366 Rushing), 1 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

Let's keep this stanza short and sweet:

1. Through five games, Matt Forte has accounted for 100 total yards and/or one touchdown three times.

2. When healthy, he is a healthy lock for 1,600 total yards in a season.

3. Forte (476 total yards, 1 TD) has per-outing averages of 208 total yards and 1.5 touchdowns in his last two games against the Panthers.

1: QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

2012 Stats: 1,979 Yards Passing, 19 TD

Fantasy Reasons For This Honor

1. Aaron Rodgers is the current NFL leader in touchdown passes (19).

2. Through five games, Rodgers has crossed the QB-elite threshold of 275 total yards and/or three TDs five times.

3. He had an incredibly efficient outing against the Rams last week, throwing for 342 yards and three touchdowns. To further illustrate his greatness, Rodgers missed on only seven of 37 passes.

4. The reigning MVP has racked up 16 touchdowns in the last four games.

5. The Jaguars have the NFL's 24th-ranked pass defense, allowing 265 yards per game. Assuming full health, Rodgers is an easy lock to surpass that figure...by the third quarter.