2014 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Eric Mack's Ultimate Blueprint

Somewhere Over the Dwayne Bowe (h/t to my Fantasy FatCast co-host David Gonos of About.com for that team-name gem), you are officially on the clock.

"Uh, (panic) um, (lost bodily functions), I'll pick..."

It doesn't have to be so stressful or complex. Bleacher Report has you prepared as well as anyone with the Ultimate Blueprint from our 2014 Fantasy Football Draft Guide. This slideshow breaks down every position comprehensively, and we present you with all the options and reasoning.

All you need to do is read up now and push the buttons in a couple of weeks. Class is now in session...

Top 100 Overall: Jamaal Charles Still No. 1, but LeSean McCoy Is Closing Ground

Matt Rourke/Associated Press

Fantasy owners tend to complicate things. It might be because of very meticulous fantasy analysts.

When you are drafting, take just one tool with you. You don't want to be flipping through pages or a multitude of Internet links when you are making your decisions round by round.

K.I.S.S.: Keep it simple, stupid.

Most of the organization in Bleacher Report's Top 100 overall players for 2014 is explained in the following slides, but here is how everything comes together in one tidy package.

You will notice, analysts and the public are united in thinking the first four picks should be running backs in a standard draft this season. We will examine it a bit deeper in the running backs slide, but Jamaal Charles is clinging to a lead on LeSean McCoy as the No. 1 overall pick.

Bleacher Report Top 100

2014 Overall Draft Rankings—Eric Mack

Rank	Overall Rankings	Team	ECR	vs. ECR
1	Jamaal Charles	KC	1	0
2	LeSean McCoy	Phi	2	0
3	Adrian Peterson	Min	3	0
4	Matt Forte	Chi	4	0
5	Jimmy Graham	NO	7	+2
6	Calvin Johnson	Det	6	0
7	Eddie Lacy	GB	5	-2
8	Peyton Manning	Den	20	+12
9	DeMarco Murray	Dal	10	+1
10	Marshawn Lynch	Sea	12	+2
11	Doug Martin	TB	26	+15
12	Zac Stacy	StL	21	+9
13	A.J. Green	Cin	13	0
14	Demaryius Thomas	Den	8	-6
15	Dez Bryant	Dal	9	-6
16	Montee Ball	Den	11	-5
17	Aaron Rodgers	GB	25	+8
18	Drew Brees	NO	27	+9
19	Brandon Marshall	Chi	15	-4
20	Alfred Morris	Was	22	+2
21	Julio Jones	Atl	14	-7
22	Alshon Jeffery	Chi	23	+1
23	Le'Veon Bell	Pit	16	-7
24	Giovani Bernard	Cin	17	-7
25	Andre Ellington	Ari	28	+3
26	Julius Thomas	Den	36	+10
27	Antonio Brown	Pit	24	-3
28	Jordy Nelson	GB	19	-9
29	Randall Cobb	GB	29	0
30	C.J. Spiller	Buf	30	0
31	Pierre Garcon	Was	38	+7
32	Victor Cruz	NYG	35	+3
33	Arian Foster	Hou	18	-15
34	Reggie Bush	Det	42	+8
35	Rob Gronkowski	NE	34	-1
36	Larry Fitzgerald	Ari	40	+4
37	DeSean Jackson	Was	55	+18
38	Michael Crabtree	SF	44	+6
39	Chris Johnson	NYJ	59	+20
40	Andrew Luck	Ind	54	+14
41	Roddy White	Atl	41	0
42	Frank Gore	SF	46	+4
43	Ryan Mathews	SD	39	-4
44	Keenan Allen	SD	32	-12
45	Vernon Davis	SF	65	+20
46	Vincent Jackson	TB	31	-15
47	Torrey Smith	Bal	52	+5
48	Jeremy Maclin	Phi	75	+27
49	Rashad Jennings	NYG	43	-6
50	Matthew Stafford	Det	45	-5
51	T.Y. Hilton	Ind	67	+16
52	Michael Floyd	Ari	48	-4
53	Ben Tate	Cle	57	+4
54	Toby Gerhart	Jac	33	-21
55	Bishop Sankey	Ten	51	-4
56	Nick Foles	Phi	62	+6
57	Cam Newton	Car	72	+15
58	Robert Griffin	Was	64	+6
59	Julian Edelman	NE	78	+19
60	Trent Richardson	Ind	68	+8
61	Wes Welker	Den	50	-11
62	Eric Decker	NYJ	77	+15
63	Lamar Miller	Mia	63	0
64	Matt Ryan	Atl	66	+2
65	Marques Colston	NO	71	+6
66	Percy Harvin	Sea	53	-13
67	Tom Brady	NE	73	+6
68	Ray Rice	Bal	61	-7
69	Stevan Ridley	NE	70	+1
70	Andre Johnson	Hou	37	-33
71	Cordarrelle Patterson	Min	49	-22
72	Kendall Wright	Ten	69	-3
73	Jordan Cameron	Cle	58	-15
74	Russell Wilson	Sea	96	+22
75	Tony Romo	Dal	76	+1
76	Shane Vereen	NE	56	-20
77	Jason Witten	Dal	84	+7
78	Steven Jackson	Atl	74	-4
79	Maurice Jones-Drew	Oak	90	+11
80	Joique Bell	Det	47	-33
81	Greg Olsen	Car	82	+1
82	Cecil Shorts	Jac	97	+15
83	Jordan Reed	Was	89	+6
84	Sammy Watkins	Buf	95	+11
85	Mike Wallace	Mia	60	-25
86	Riley Cooper	Phi	108	+22
87	Terrance Williams	Dal	79	-8
88	Colin Kaepernick	SF	81	-7
89	Andy Dalton	Cin	123	+34
90	Dwayne Bowe	KC	94	+4
91	Jay Cutler	Chi	87	-4
92	Dennis Pitta	Bal	93	+1
93	Mark Ingram	NO	127	+34
94	Bernard Pierce	Bal	100	+6
95	Darren Sproles	Phi	111	+16
96	Hakeem Nicks	Ind	121	+25
97	Emmanuel Sanders	Den	85	-12
98	Kelvin Benjamin	Car	112	+14
99	Brandin Cooks	NO	99	0
100	DeAngelo Williams	Car	103	+3

Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR) from over 100 experts provided by FantasyPros

Quarterbacks: Pass on Peyton Manning? He'll Pass All over You

USA TODAY Sports

Fantasy analysts pound the pavement repeatedly in saying "wait on the quarterback position." There is even a whole website (LateRoundQB.com) and book by JJ Zachariason devoted to the strategy.

It was an effective strategy last year. Manning slipped into Round 5 of some drafts and wound up being the highest-scoring fantasy football player in history, as my former colleague Tristan Cockcroft wrote at ESPN.com.

Waiting on a quarterback this year will mean passing on the most prolific single-season passer in NFL history.

If you want options, strategies and the kitchen sink, we have it at B/R with our QB blueprint here.

Here are the highlights:

• Tiers: It is Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and then everybody else. If you don't get one of those elite three, you should wait until Round 6 to pick your starting passer in a standard, one-quarterback league.
• Rookies: Blake Bortles has been impressive in the preseason, but as of preseason Week 2, there isn't a rookie starting quarterback on the board. Don't draft any of them...yet.
• Breakout: The third time is a charm for Andrew Luck. He has the weapons set for a huge breakthrough into the fantasy elite.
• Bust: Nick Foles hasn't been a full-year starter yet in the NFL, but he is being drafted like he is a megastar at a position full of them. Consider this a warning.
• Sleeper: Every quarterback after that top trio above can fall to a position of great value in drafts.

B/R's Top 40 QBs (Updated)

2014 Quarterback Draft RankingsEric Mack

Rank	Quarterbacks	Team	ECR	vs. ECR
1	Peyton Manning	Den	1	0
2	Aaron Rodgers	GB	2	0
3	Drew Brees	NO	3	0
4	Andrew Luck	Ind	5	+1
5	Matthew Stafford	Det	4	-1
6	Nick Foles	Phi	6	0
7	Cam Newton	Car	9	+2
8	Robert Griffin	Was	7	-1
9	Matt Ryan	Atl	8	-1
10	Tom Brady	NE	10	0
11	Russell Wilson	Sea	14	+3
12	Tony Romo	Dal	11	-1
13	Colin Kaepernick	SF	12	-1
14	Andy Dalton	Cin	17	+3
15	Jay Cutler	Chi	13	-2
16	Philip Rivers	SD	15	-1
17	Ben Roethlisberger	Pit	16	-1
18	Eli Manning	NYG	21	+3
19	Joe Flacco	Bal	24	+5
20	Ryan Tannehill	Mia	18	-2
21	Alex Smith	KC	20	-1
22	Carson Palmer	Ari	19	-3
23	Brian Hoyer	Cle	31	+8
24	Josh McCown	TB	23	-1
25	Sam Bradford	StL	25	0
26	EJ Manuel	Buf	27	+1
27	Johnny Manziel	Cle	22	-5
28	Jake Locker	Ten	26	-2
29	Geno Smith	NYJ	29	0
30	Chad Henne	Jac	34	+4
31	Matt Cassel	Min	32	+1
32	Matt Schaub	Oak	33	+1
33	Ryan Fitzpatrick	Hou	28	-5
34	Blake Bortles	Jac	39	+5
35	Teddy Bridgewater	Min	30	-5
36	Case Keenum	Hou	43	+7
37	Michael Vick	NYJ	35	-2
38	Derek Carr	Oak	37	-1
39	Tom Savage	Hou	41	+2
40	Kirk Cousins	Was	38	-2

Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR) from over 100 experts provided by FantasyPros

Running Backs: You Still Have to Draft Them Early and Often

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

As the NFL continues to trend toward favoring the downfield passing games, fantasy football is following suit in passing up on running backs more and more. There should be only one way to attack the still-critical running back position: Take them early and often.

Our comprehensive B/R RB blueprint has all the machinations at the position you cannot loosen your grip on in drafts. Here are the highlights:

• Tiers: There is a clear top four that has developed, and you can make a case for any of them projecting to be the best running back in fantasy. We say it is either Charles or McCoy at No. 1, with Charles' slight lead dwindling by the day.
• Rookies: Bishop Sankey might be the only Week 1 starter of this group, but he still hasn't won his position battle. There are a lot of viable rookie handcuffs who will fly off the board in the middle rounds.
• Breakouts: While we cannot be sure of the rookies, we sure love a trio of second-year backs on the verge of fantasy stardom. Montee Ball, Andre Ellington and Giovani Bernard look ready to carry teams in 2014.
• Busts: Fantasy's biggest busts always come from this position and from the players you least expect to fall apart. In order to be labeled a bust, you would have had to have early-round expectations that were unmet. Look out at running back; everyone is suspect.
• Sleepers: It is impossible to see it now, but there are going to be late-rounders—and even waiver pickups—who wind up carrying you at this position. You cannot merely wait on them and pray, but drafting a slew of backs throughout can give you the best chance to snag one of those big-time surprises.

B/R's Top 90 RBs (Updated)

2014 Running Back Draft RankingsEric Mack

Rank	Running Backs	Team	ECR	vs. ECR
1	Jamaal Charles	KC	1	0
2	LeSean McCoy	Phi	2	0
3	Adrian Peterson	Min	3	0
4	Matt Forte	Chi	4	0
5	Eddie Lacy	GB	5	0
6	DeMarco Murray	Dal	6	0
7	Marshawn Lynch	Sea	8	+1
8	Doug Martin	TB	14	+6
9	Zac Stacy	StL	12	+3
10	Montee Ball	Den	7	-3
11	Alfred Morris	Was	13	+2
12	Le'Veon Bell	Pit	9	-3
13	Giovani Bernard	Cin	10	-3
14	Andre Ellington	Ari	15	+1
15	C.J. Spiller	Buf	16	+1
16	Arian Foster	Hou	11	-5
17	Reggie Bush	Det	19	+2
18	Chris Johnson	NYJ	26	+8
19	Frank Gore	SF	21	+2
20	Ryan Mathews	SD	18	-2
21	Rashad Jennings	NYG	20	-1
22	Ben Tate	Cle	25	+3
23	Toby Gerhart	Jac	17	-6
24	Bishop Sankey	Ten	23	-1
25	Trent Richardson	Ind	29	+4
26	Lamar Miller	Mia	28	+2
27	Ray Rice	Bal	27	0
28	Stevan Ridley	NE	30	+2
29	Shane Vereen	NE	24	-5
30	Steven Jackson	Atl	31	+1
31	Maurice Jones-Drew	Oak	34	+3
32	Joique Bell	Det	22	-10
33	Mark Ingram	NO	46	+13
34	Bernard Pierce	Bal	35	+1
35	Darren Sproles	Phi	40	+5
36	DeAngelo Williams	Car	37	+1
37	Jeremy Hill	Cin	38	+1
38	Pierre Thomas	NO	32	-6
39	Knowshon Moreno	Mia	43	+4
40	Darren McFadden	Oak	41	+1
41	Christine Michael	Sea	49	+8
42	Andre Williams	NYG	47	+5
43	Carlos Hyde	SF	44	+1
44	Khiry Robinson	NO	48	+4
45	Fred Jackson	Buf	33	-12
46	LeGarrette Blount	Pit	55	+9
47	Terrance West	Cle	39	-8
48	Devonta Freeman	Atl	45	-3
49	Tre Mason	StL	64	+15
50	Danny Woodhead	SD	36	-14
51	Chris Ivory	NYJ	42	-9
52	Knile Davis	KC	57	+5
53	Shonn Greene	Ten	51	-2
54	Jonathan Stewart	Car	52	-2
55	Ahmad Bradshaw	Ind	50	-5
56	Ronnie Hillman	Den	59	+3
57	Charles Sims	TB	61	+4
58	Bryce Brown	Buf	71	+13
59	BenJarvus Green-Ellis	Cin	68	+9
60	Jacquizz Rodgers	Atl	74	+14
61	Robert Turbin	Sea	69	+8
62	Ka'Deem Carey	Chi	77	+15
63	Donald Brown	SD	56	-7
64	Bilal Powell	NYJ	76	+12
65	Roy Helu	Was	65	0
66	Jonathan Grimes	Hou	63	-3
67	Daniel Thomas	Mia	82	+15
68	James White	NE	54	-14
69	Brandon Bolden	NE	99	+30
70	Lorenzo Taliaferro	Bal	90	+20
71	James Starks	GB	58	-13
72	Stepfan Taylor	Ari	66	-6
73	Storm Johnson	Jac	73	0
74	Latavius Murray	Oak	67	-7
75	Dexter McCluster	Ten	72	-3
76	Alfred Blue	Hou	89	+13
77	Jerick McKinnon	Min	95	+18
78	Lache Seastrunk	Was	94	+16
79	Isaiah Crowell	Cle	87	+8
80	Chris Polk	Phi	70	-10
81	Dion Lewis	Cle	105	+24
82	Lance Dunbar	Dal	53	-29
83	Denard Robinson	Jac	92	+9
84	Joseph Randle	Dal	96	+12
85	C.J. Anderson	Den	78	-7
86	Mikel Leshoure	Det	108	+22
87	Marcel Reece	Oak	81	-6
88	Peyton Hillis	NYG	98	+10
89	Dri Archer	Pit	80	-9
90	Marcus Lattimore	SF	86	-4

Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR) from over 100 experts provided by FantasyPros

Wide Receivers: They Are Sneaking Up into the 1st Round More Than Ever

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

Round 1 of fantasy drafts has tended to have one, maybe two, wide receivers getting picked. It has been Calvin Johnson for years. The 28-year-old Megatron looks like he has plenty of company now. Demaryius Thomas, A.J. Green, Dez Bryant and perhaps even Brandon Marshall are candidates to go among the top 12 picks in fantasy.

We break it all down in B/R's WR blueprint, but here are the bullet points:

• Tiers: Everyone is unanimous in thinking Megatron is No. 1 here, but those four first-round candidates above have closed the gap. It should be noted that Megatron was merely the third-highest-scoring fantasy wideout a year ago, per FFToday.com.
• Rookies: They tend to be overhyped at this position, because receiving can be more art than skill and takes time to develop. Sammy Watkins is the No. 1 rookie wideout, but Kelvin Benjamin and Brandin Cooks are also getting a lot of love this preseason.
• Breakouts: Get ready for Jeremy Maclin to smash his modest WR3 expectation/draft position. Also, Michael Crabtree is not a sorry receiver, and Randall Cobb is in that famed "contract-year" category.
• Busts: We all know to avoid running backs over the age of 30, but wide receivers are equally likely to decline at that advanced age. In fact, the fantasy statistical decline begins after the age of 27. Are you listening, Megatron owners?
• Sleepers: Dozens of late-round picks can emerge to be useful fantasy starters at this very deep position. So, while you keep plucking receivers off the board early, there will be some fantasy owners finding legit starters late.

B/R's Top 120 WRs (Updated)

2014 Wide Receiver Draft Rankings—Eric Mack

Rank	Wide Receivers	Team	ECR	vs. ECR
1	Calvin Johnson	Det	1	0
2	A.J. Green	Cin	4	+2
3	Demaryius Thomas	Den	2	-1
4	Dez Bryant	Dal	3	-1
5	Brandon Marshall	Chi	6	+1
6	Julio Jones	Atl	5	-1
7	Alshon Jeffery	Chi	8	+1
8	Antonio Brown	Pit	9	+1
9	Jordy Nelson	GB	7	-2
10	Randall Cobb	GB	10	0
11	Pierre Garcon	Was	15	+4
12	Victor Cruz	NYG	13	+1
13	Larry Fitzgerald	Ari	16	+3
14	DeSean Jackson	Was	24	+10
15	Michael Crabtree	SF	18	+3
16	Roddy White	Atl	17	+1
17	Keenan Allen	SD	12	-5
18	Vincent Jackson	TB	11	-7
19	Torrey Smith	Bal	22	+3
20	Jeremy Maclin	Phi	29	+9
21	T.Y. Hilton	Ind	26	+5
22	Michael Floyd	Ari	19	-3
23	Julian Edelman	NE	31	+8
24	Wes Welker	Den	21	-3
25	Eric Decker	NYJ	30	+5
26	Marques Colston	NO	28	+2
27	Percy Harvin	Sea	23	-4
28	Andre Johnson	Hou	14	-14
29	Cordarrelle Patterson	Min	20	-9
30	Kendall Wright	Ten	27	-3
31	Cecil Shorts	Jac	39	+8
32	Sammy Watkins	Buf	38	+6
33	Mike Wallace	Mia	25	-8
34	Riley Cooper	Phi	43	+9
35	Terrance Williams	Dal	32	-3
36	Dwayne Bowe	KC	37	+1
37	Hakeem Nicks	Ind	50	+13
38	Emmanuel Sanders	Den	34	-4
39	Kelvin Benjamin	Car	45	+6
40	Brandin Cooks	NO	40	0
41	Golden Tate	Det	33	-8
42	DeAndre Hopkins	Hou	42	0
43	Tavon Austin	StL	49	+6
44	Reggie Wayne	Ind	35	-9
45	Danny Amendola	NE	55	+10
46	Rueben Randle	NYG	36	-10
47	Anquan Boldin	SF	44	-3
48	Steve Smith	Bal	60	+12
49	Steve Johnson	SF	69	+20
50	Miles Austin	Cle	74	+24
51	James Jones	Oak	56	+5
52	Mike Evans	TB	41	-11
53	Doug Baldwin	Sea	58	+5
54	Greg Jennings	Min	48	-6
55	Aaron Dobson	NE	57	+2
56	Odell Beckham	NYG	70	+14
57	Kenny Stills	NO	51	-6
58	Brian Hartline	Mia	47	-11
59	Mike Williams	Buf	73	+14
60	Kenny Britt	StL	59	-1
61	Jordan Matthews	Phi	61	0
62	Mohamed Sanu	Cin	87	+25
63	Jarrett Boykin	GB	52	-11
64	Andrew Hawkins	Cle	63	-1
65	Cody Latimer	Den	75	+10
66	Kenbrell Thompkins	NE	76	+10
67	Harry Douglas	Atl	64	-3
68	Justin Hunter	Ten	46	-22
69	Brandon LaFell	NE	94	+25
70	Markus Wheaton	Pit	54	-16
71	Ryan Broyles	Det	109	+38
72	Donte Moncrief	Ind	97	+25
73	Andre Holmes	Oak	67	-6
74	Nick Toon	NO	100	+26
75	Robert Woods	Buf	65	-10
76	Denarius Moore	Oak	88	+12
77	Marvin Jones	Cin	53	-24
78	Da'Rick Rogers	Ind	78	0
79	Rod Streater	Oak	68	-11
80	Andre Roberts	Was	92	+12
81	Nate Burleson	Cle	99	+18
82	Marqise Lee	Jac	66	-16
83	Nate Washington	Ten	77	-6
84	Marlon Brown	Bal	90	+6
85	Jerricho Cotchery	Car	72	-13
86	Davante Adams	GB	86	0
87	Dexter McCluster	Ten	91	+4
88	Marquess Wilson	Chi	81	-7
89	Paul Richardson	Sea	95	+6
90	Jeremy Kerley	NYJ	101	+11
91	Malcom Floyd	SD	71	-20
92	Lance Moore	Pit	83	-9
93	Chris Givens	StL	98	+5
94	Brian Quick	StL	93	-1
95	Josh Huff	Phi	121	+26
96	Eddie Royal	SD	102	+6
97	Jermaine Kearse	Sea	89	-8
98	Allen Robinson	Jac	82	-16
99	Jalen Saunders	NYJ	161	+62
100	Martavis Bryant	Pit	105	+5
101	Marquise Goodwin	Buf	116	+15
102	Stedman Bailey	StL	96	-6
103	Jacoby Jones	Bal	122	+19
104	Greg Little	Oak	132	+28
105	A.J. Jenkins	KC	119	+14
106	Kris Durham	Det	150	+44
107	Ted Ginn	Ari	112	+5
108	Jerrel Jernigan	NYG	80	-28
109	Donnie Avery	KC	84	-25
110	Brandon Gibson	Mia	104	-6
111	Stephen Hill	NYJ	85	-26
112	John Brown	Ari	79	-33
113	Vincent Brown	SD	126	+13
114	Jerome Simpson	Min	135	+21
115	Joe Morgan	NO	124	+9
116	Quinton Patton	SF	117	+1
117	Jason Avant	Car	130	+13
118	Tiquan Underwood	Car	114	-4
119	Austin Pettis	StL	123	+4
120	Josh Gordon	Cle	62	-58

Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR) from over 100 experts provided by FantasyPros

Tight Ends: Jimmy Graham Now a SurefIre 1st-Rounder

USA TODAY Sports

A tight end going off the board in the middle of Round 1? Yeah, it is fantasy's reality in 2014. Jimmy Graham is a freak show in his prime at age 27 and the focal point of a pass-heavy Sean Payton-Drew Brees offense.

Assuming you are not lucking out with Graham falling to you, B/R's TE blueprint examines how you can attack the leftovers. Here is a sneak peak at the dynamics:

• Tiers: Jimmy Graham is alone at the top, but Julius Thomas is an example of how you can score big-time value here late.
• Rookies: Forget about them this year. Eric Ebron has potential, but he is still too far down his own team's depth chart to be picked as a starter right now. You shouldn't bother drafting a backup tight end in most leagues. Don't waste the roster spot when you need all the fliers you can get at running back and wide receiver.
• Breakouts: Ladarius Green is all the rage as a late-round pick right now. He can be this year's Thomas or Jordan Cameron.
• Busts: Again, be wary of injury risk (Rob Gronkowski) and age (32-year-old Jason Witten).
• Sleepers: Outside of the few top tiers, everyone at tight end is a sleeper, because we should be drafting our starter late. Jordan Reed and the aforementioned Green are good ones to put your latter-round stock in.

On Gronk, B/R's Michael Freeman quotes two players here who marvel at what Gronk is able to manage in terms in injury and pain. 

"I don't know if I would have been able to keep playing through everything he has," one told Freeman.

Freeman wrote another said: "He is displaying guts and toughness like I've never seen. Now I want him to look out for No. 1."

It sounds ominous for Gronk being ready for the start of the season, which makes him an extreme risk to be picked before Round 4 in drafts.

B/R's Top 50 TEs (Updated)

2014 Tight End Draft Rankings—Eric Mack

Rank	Tight Ends	Team	ECR	vs. ECR
1	Jimmy Graham	NO	1	0
2	Julius Thomas	Den	3	+1
3	Rob Gronkowski	NE	2	-1
4	Vernon Davis	SF	5	+1
5	Jordan Cameron	Cle	4	-1
6	Jason Witten	Dal	7	+1
7	Greg Olsen	Car	6	-1
8	Jordan Reed	Was	8	0
9	Dennis Pitta	Bal	10	+1
10	Martellus Bennett	Chi	12	+2
11	Antonio Gates	SD	17	+6
12	Ladarius Green	SD	14	+2
13	Kyle Rudolph	Min	9	-4
14	Zach Ertz	Phi	11	-3
15	Coby Fleener	Ind	24	+9
16	Charles Clay	Mia	13	-3
17	Jared Cook	StL	22	+5
18	Dwayne Allen	Ind	18	0
19	Tyler Eifert	Cin	19	0
20	Eric Ebron	Det	20	0
21	Heath Miller	Pit	15	-6
22	Travis Kelce	KC	23	+1
23	Owen Daniels	Bal	35	+12
24	Delanie Walker	Ten	16	-8
25	Joseph Fauria	Det	49	+24
26	Brent Celek	Phi	44	+18
27	Jace Amaro	NYJ	26	-1
28	Scott Chandler	Buf	39	+11
29	Garrett Graham	Hou	21	-8
30	Jermaine Gresham	Cin	43	+13
31	Tim Wright	TB	25	-6
32	Richard Rodgers	GB	41	+9
33	Andrew Quarless	GB	29	-4
34	Brandon Myers	TB	28	-6
35	Austin Seferian-Jenkins	TB	34	-1
36	Marcedes Lewis	Jac	27	-9
37	Larry Donnell	NYG	53	+16
38	Brandon Pettigrew	Det	38	0
39	Rob Housler	Ari	45	+6
40	Levine Toilolo	Atl	31	-9
41	Tony Moeaki	Buf	67	+26
42	Ryan Griffin	Hou	40	-2
43	Zach Miller	Sea	42	-1
44	Mychal Rivera	Oak	33	-11
45	Luke Willson	Sea	50	+5
46	Gavin Escobar	Dal	37	-9
47	Lance Kendricks	StL	57	+10
48	Ed Dickson	Car	56	+8
49	Demetrius Harris	KC	48	-1
50	John Carlson	Ari	46	-4

Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR) from over 100 experts provided by FantasyPros

Defense/Special Teams: What Does the Legion of Boom Do for an Encore?

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Defense wins championships. The Seattle Seahawks proved that once again.

This does not apply to fantasy football. Defense is an afterthought...at least it should be. 

We show you why in-depth in B/R's D/ST blueprint, but here is the skinny: 

• Tiers: The Seattle Seahawks might be the only sure thing, but there are plenty of ways to wind up set at this late-round position.
• Breakouts: Lovie Smith is a fantasy football-defense godsend. He is going to turn the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense into this year's Carolina Panthers.
• Busts: Jadeveon Clowney working opposite J.J. Watt makes the Houston Texans an immediate defensive juggernaut? 'Naut so fast. The Texans' offensive woes will mitigate Clowney's addition. The Texans D/ST was bad last year. Actually, it was dead last, according to FFToday.com.
• Sleepers: Like waiting on quarterbacks and tight ends, you can score a suitable answer at D/ST in the very last round. Why bother eschewing the more important positions like running back and wide receiver in the 10- to 12-round range? Meh. Just pick your defense last. You are likely to rotate it out based on matchups anyway.

B/R's Complete D/ST Rankings (Updated)

2014 Defenses and Special Teams Draft Rankings—Eric Mack

Rank	Defenses and Special Teams	Team	ECR	vs. ECR
1	Seattle Seahawks	Sea	1	0
2	San Francisco 49ers	SF	2	0
3	Carolina Panthers	Car	3	0
4	Denver Broncos	Den	6	+2
5	Cincinnati Bengals	Cin	5	0
6	St. Louis Rams	StL	4	-2
7	New England Patriots	NE	8	+1
8	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	TB	12	+4
9	Arizona Cardinals	Ari	7	-2
10	Kansas City Chiefs	KC	9	-1
11	New Orleans Saints	NO	14	+3
12	Baltimore Ravens	Bal	10	-2
13	New York Jets	NYJ	19	+6
14	Houston Texans	Hou	11	-3
15	New York Giants	NYG	21	+6
16	Pittsburgh Steelers	Pit	16	0
17	Green Bay Packers	GB	18	+1
18	Cleveland Browns	Cle	13	-5
19	Buffalo Bills	Buf	15	-4
20	Miami Dolphins	Mia	20	0
21	Indianapolis Colts	Ind	26	+5
22	Detroit Lions	Det	22	0
23	Chicago Bears	Chi	17	-6
24	Tennessee Titans	Ten	24	0
25	Minnesota Vikings	Min	25	0
26	Philadelphia Eagles	Phi	23	-3
27	San Diego Chargers	SD	27	0
28	Jacksonville Jaguars	Jac	28	0
29	Washington Redskins	Was	29	0
30	Atlanta Falcons	Atl	30	0
31	Oakland Raiders	Oak	31	0
32	Dallas Cowboys	Dal	32	0

Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR) from over 100 experts provided by FantasyPros

Individual Defensive Players: IDP Leagues Are Awesome but Still Unrefined

USA TODAY Sports

Individual defensive player fantasy football is a great idea in theory. It is very poor in its execution. As important as defense is in real football—the Seattle Seahawks showed that while stomping the guts out of the most prolific offense in NFL history—and the NFL draft every year, it is conversely marginal in its impact in fantasy.

Still, fans love the thought of picking defense players, so we break down how to do it in B/Rs IDP blueprint. 

• Defensive linemen: Watt might be overshadowed by the eyes on Clowney this preseason, but he is the consensus No. 1 individual defensive player off the board.
• Linebackers: This is where the real points rack up, especially with the big studs in the middle after top-ranked outside linebacker Lavonte David and/or Vontaze Burfict are off the board.
• Defensive backs: This is a pass-happy NFL, and corners are at a premium in real football...not fantasy. You can draft them as late as your kicker or defense/special teams unit.
• Top 100: After Watt, it is a lot of gobbling up the elite linebackers. Like we said, those big-time tacklers are where the real points are at in these formats.
• Rookies: The hit TV miniseries known as the NFL draft amps up the hype, but you need to turn the channel when it comes to picking these developmental defensive players in IDP leagues.

B/R's Top 100 IDP Rankings

2014 IDP Draft Rankings—Eric Mack

Rank	IDP Rankings	Team	ECR	vs. ECR
1	J.J. Watt	Hou	1	0
2	Lavonte David	TB	2	0
3	Luke Kuechly	Car	3	0
4	Vontaze Burfict	Cin	4	0
5	James Laurinaitis	StL	16	+11
6	Robert Quinn	StL	6	0
7	Chandler Jones	NE	7	0
8	Patrick Willis	SF	9	+1
9	Paul Posluszny	Jac	5	-4
10	Derrick Johnson	KC	8	-2
11	Bobby Wagner	Sea	10	-1
12	Jerod Mayo	NE	11	-1
13	Cameron Wake	Mia	15	+2
14	Alec Ogletree	StL	18	+4
15	Mario Williams	Buf	27	+12
16	Karlos Dansby	Cle	12	-4
17	Von Miller	Den	36	+19
18	Paul Worrilow	Atl	14	-4
19	Greg Hardy	Car	13	-6
20	Earl Thomas	Sea	61	+41
21	DeMarcus Ware	Den	19	-2
22	Rob Ninkovich	NE	22	0
23	Calais Campbell	Ari	23	0
24	Barry Church	Dal	21	-3
25	Brian Cushing	Hou	17	-8
26	Chad Greenway	Min	20	-6
27	Eric Weddle	SD	34	+7
28	Cameron Jordan	NO	28	0
29	Muhammad Wilkerson	NYJ	35	+6
30	Curtis Lofton	NO	39	+9
31	Jared Allen	Chi	70	+39
32	D'Qwell Jackson	Ind	31	-1
33	Jerrell Freeman	Ind	44	+11
34	Jonathan Cyprien	Jac	37	+3
35	Jason Pierre-Paul	NYG	24	-11
36	C.J. Mosley	Bal	33	-3
37	T.J. Ward	Den	47	+10
38	Jadeveon Clowney	Hou	60	+22
39	Khalil Mack	Oak	58	+19
40	Carlos Dunlap	Cin	30	-10
41	Lawrence Timmons	Pit	38	-3
42	Clay Matthews	GB	76	+34
43	Justin Houston	KC	59	+16
44	Mychal Kendricks	Phi	43	-1
45	Wesley Woodyard	Ten	29	-16
46	Thomas Davis	Car	51	+5
47	Richard Sherman	Sea
48	Lamarr Houston	Chi	41	-7
49	Olivier Vernon	Mia	48	-1
50	Donald Butler	SD	40	-10
51	Harrison Smith	Min	26	-25
52	DeMeco Ryans	Phi	42	-10
53	Ezekiel Ansah	Det	49	-4
54	Daryl Smith	Bal	46	-8
55	Antrel Rolle	NYG	68	+13
56	Charles Johnson	Car	53	-3
57	Ryan Shazier	Pit	54	-3
58	Stephen Tulloch	Det	45	-13
59	Perry Riley	Was	50	-9
60	Kam Chancellor	Sea
61	Brad Jones	GB	57	-4
62	Jamie Collins	NE	69	+7
63	Kenny Vaccaro	NO	55	-8
64	Bernard Pollard	Ten	63	-1
65	Morgan Burnett	GB	25	-40
66	Nick Roach	Oak	66	0
67	Chris Long	StL	67	0
68	Mark Barron	TB	52	-16
69	Mason Foster	TB	62	-7
70	Michael Johnson	TB	56	-14
71	Tyvon Branch	Oak	64	-7
72	Kevin Minter	Ari	80	+8
73	Lance Briggs	Chi	72	-1
74	Everson Griffen	Min	79	+5
75	Jon Beason	NYG	73	-2
76	Navorro Bowman	SF	78	+2
77	Justin Tuck	Oak	74	-3
78	DeAndre Levy	Det	75	-3
79	Geno Atkins	Cin	81	+2
80	Nigel Bradham	Buf	85	+5
81	Gerald McCoy	TB	95	+14
82	Eric Berry	KC	65	-17
83	Michael Bennett	Sea	92	+9
84	Matt Elam	Bal
85	D.J. Williams	Chi	87	+2
86	Jurrell Casey	Ten	77	-9
87	Vincent Rey	Cin
88	Donte Whitner	Cle	97	+9
89	Charles Tillman	Chi	101	+12
90	Sheldon Richardson	NYJ	83	-7
91	Jairus Byrd	NO
92	Cliff Avril	Sea	90	-2
93	Koa Misi	Mia	93	0
94	Joplo Bartu	Atl	94	0
95	Adrian Clayborn	TB
96	LaMarr Woodley	Oak	86	-10
97	Stevie Brown	NYG	88	-9
98	Brian Robison	Min	96	-2
99	Kyle Williams	Buf
100	Ndamukong Suh	Det	98	-2

Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR) from over 100 experts provided by FantasyPros

Kickers: Draft Them Not Only Last but (Most Certainly) Least

Steven Senne/Associated Press

B/R's mea culpa: We didn't do a comprehensive blueprint for the kicker position in fantasy football. Here's why: Pick your kicker in the last round. Done.

We didn't think that even needed to be said anymore. We know that full well by now. If you're new, don't make a fool of yourself on draft day by thinking something like: "It's Round 5, nobody good is left. I am going to make sure I have the No. 1 kicker!"

(Don't lie, you said that to yourself at some point...when you picked in your first fantasy league when you were four years old.)

Still, you need to see where the lines are drawn at picking the position...

B/R's Top 25 Ks

2014 Kicker Draft Rankings—Eric Mack

Rank	Kickers	Team	ECR	vs. ECR
1	Stephen Gostkowski	NE	2	+1
2	Matt Prater	Den	1	-1
3	Steven Hauschka	Sea	4	+1
4	Justin Tucker	Bal	3	-1
5	Phil Dawson	SF	5	0
6	Mason Crosby	GB	7	+1
7	Adam Vinatieri	Ind	10	+3
8	Matt Bryant	Atl	8	0
9	Dan Bailey	Dal	6	-3
10	Shayne Graham	NO	13	+3
11	Blair Walsh	Min	9	-2
12	Greg Zuerlein	StL	15	+3
13	Alex Henery	Phi	14	+1
14	Ryan Succop	KC	17	+3
15	Robbie Gould	Chi	12	-3
16	Nick Novak	SD	11	-5
17	Nate Freese	Det	21	+4
18	Mike Nugent	Cin	25	+7
19	Caleb Sturgis	Mia	19	0
20	Nick Folk	NYJ	22	+2
21	Sebastian Janikowski	Oak	16	-5
22	Connor Barth	TB	28	+6
23	Shaun Suisham	Pit	23	0
24	Kai Forbath	Was	20	-4
25	Graham Gano	Car	18	-7

Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR) from over 100 experts provided by FantasyPros

Mock Draft, Consensus Rankings, ADP: Wrapping Up Everything

Brian Ach/Associated Press

We started this ultimate fantasy football blueprint by saying in the first slide fantasy owners need to simplify their materials at the draft table.

Here is a personal secret we are going to let you in on (don't tell my bosses and paycheck-signer): Average draft position is the only tool you need. After spending months analyzing, debating, projecting, reviewing and agonizing over players, as well as watching camps and the preseason, a good, updated ADP list is No. 1 tool this trusty fantasy analyst arms himself with.

Who cares what one man (or woman) thinks? We gave you a B/R mock draft earlier this week. It has been the most read piece of content in B/R's 2014 Fantasy Football Guide. Take it with a grain of salt.

That doesn't give you a representation of how your draft will go. Ah, now analysts consensus rankings and ADP can do that for you.

We like the ADP at FantasyPros.com, because it breaks down each of the major fantasy football draft sites. Every league, every draft and every drafting platform is different, so watch that, but in general the fantasy masses pick the way ADP lines up.

There's your single cheat sheet after consuming all the complexities of B/R's blueprints.

Follow @EricMackFantasy

Eric Mack, one of the giants among fantasy writers, is the Fantasy Football Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, where you can ask him endless questions about your team, rip him for his content and even challenge him to a head-to-head fantasy game.