2015 NFL Predictions: Fantasy Studs and Duds at Every Position

The NFL preseason has begun, which means that fantasy league drafts are shifting into high gear. Chances are at this point you've completed a mock draft or two and are in the process of ranking your players. 

Some players are just a great investment, while others immediately have red flags. We'll break down some studs and duds at every position to help you shape your team. 

The following players are recommended (or cautioned against) for standard-scoring, 12-team leagues.  

Studs

Quarterback

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers: Sure, Rodgers' fantasy prowess is partially derived from his accuracy and his arm, but have you seen the weapons this guy has to work with? With a solid No. 3 receiver to start the season in Davante Adams and new rookie weapon Ty Montgomery joining veterans Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, Rodgers should be lighting it up in 2015. Plus, he seems to get less mistake-prone over time. His five interceptions in 2014 were the lowest of his career. 

The quarterback has struggled with injuries the last two seasons, but he said he's good to go heading into 2015. 

"I have no restrictions with my body," Rodgers told Fox Sports Wisconsin's Paul Imig in May. "I'm feeling good. I'm at a decent weight where I want to be."

2014 fantasy stats: 342 points, 4,381 yards, 38 TD, 5 INT

Running Back

Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs: In a vacuum, the best fantasy running back this year may very well be Pittsburgh's Le'Veon Bell, who had 272 points in 2014 and is one of the younger players at the position, at 23 years old. However, Bell's two-game suspension to start the season will cause his production to take a dip.

Instead, look at Kansas City's Jamaal Charles, who has 33 touchdowns over his last two seasons (rushing and receiving). Charles is one of your best bets if you're looking for production but don't want a running back with worn tread on his tires. Though he's averaged 5.5 yards per carry over his career, he has never surpassed 285 attempts.

The Chiefs have found the perfect balance of using Charles as a feature back without running him into the ground. His production is consistent, making him a solid No. 1 back in your lineup. 

2014 fantasy stats: 197 points, 206 carries, 1,033 rush yards, 291 rec. yards, 9 rush TD, 5 rec. TD, 3 Fmb

Wide Receiver

Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers: Antonio Brown was fantasy's top wideout in 2014, and there's no reason to think he's not the best target for your No. 1 spot this season as well. Last season Brown led the league in receptions and yards, and he was tied for second in touchdowns.

Brown had 13 touchdowns in 2014. The former high school quarterback had a touchdown pass as well, joining wideouts Mohamed Sanu and Cecil Shorts for that distinction. 

The star wideout had 251 fantasy points last season. The next closest wide receiver in scoring was Demaryius Thomas...with 223. Barring injuries (and he's played 16 games in each of his last two seasons), Brown should be the consensus No. 1 receiver in 2015. 

2014 fantasy stats: 251 points, 129 receptions, 1,698 yards, 13 TD, 2 Fmb

Tight End

Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots: It's tempting to consider Seattle's Jimmy Graham here, for the simple reason that if New England quarterback Tom Brady's four-week suspension does hold, Gronkowski's fantasy outlook for the first quarter of the season becomes unpredictable. 

On one hand, Gronkowski's receptions could suffer without one of the league's top arms passing to him. On the other hand, young quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo may look to Gronkowski as a safety net, as many young quarterbacks do with their tight ends, potentially increasing his targets.

While the Russell Wilson-Graham connection is intriguing, Gronkowski is never a bad bet. The top tight end had 178 points in 2014, 30 more than the next player: San Diego's Antonio Gates. (Read more about him below.)  

Gronkowski led all tight ends in yardage and tied for the lead in touchdowns (12), despite only having the fourth-most receptions. 

2014 fantasy stats: 178 points, 130 targets, 82 receptions, 1,124 yards, 12 TD, 0 Fmb

D/ST

Seattle Seahawks: Another year, another attempt to grab the Seahawks defense at that perfect not-too-early, not-too-late position in your draft. 

There are plenty of good options on D/ST this season, including the Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans and St. Louis Rams. But as long as Seattle's defense can stay healthy, this is the unit to target.

Seattle had 37 sacks in 2014, good for 37 points in standard scoring, and two defensive touchdowns. In 2014, Seattle's defense allowed the fewest points of any team in the league: just 16.3 per game on average, per TeamRankings.com. Over the last six games of the regular season, opponents scored just 39 points against Seattle's defense, making the unit fantasy gold heading into the playoffs. 

It's logical to think the Legion of Boom can do that again in 2015, as Seattle returns most of its star playmakers, including cornerback Richard Sherman, safety Earl Thomas, defensive end Cliff Avril and linebacker Bobby Wagner.

In training camp, the team is currently without Thomas (injury) and Kam Chancellor (who is holding out), per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. However, Peter King of the MMQB reported Monday that Thomas should be ready by Week 1, and that, per Sherman, another player will "step up" if Chancellor's holdout continues into the season. 

As for kickers, doubling down on the Seattle defense and Steven Hauschka is always a good strategy. Hauschka got owners five points twice last year when he made two field goals over 50 yards, and he did pretty well on attempts of 40-49 yards (69.2 percent). 

Duds

Quarterback

Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers: How far the mighty have fallen. In 2012, Colin Kaepernick played 13 games for the 49ers in a breakout season: He had 10 passing touchdowns to three interceptions and added another five touchdowns rushing. He used his legs to average 6.6 yards per rushing attempt and rushed for 31.9 yards per game on average. 

Owners rushed to draft Kaepernick as their No. 1 quarterback in the 2013 fantasy season, and they were left disappointed. But no one could have predicted how much he would fall off in 2014. Kaepernick had 234 fantasy points last season, putting him at 17th among quarterbacks. That means, in an eight-team league, he should have been someone's third-string quarterback. 

The 49ers lost Frank Gore in the offseason, as well as wideout Michael Crabtree. Kaepernick also lost protection in the form of Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati. The team didn't do anything to stop Kaepernick's downward trend in fantasy. You might not even consider him as your No. 2, unless you draft at the very end of your order in a 12-team league. 

2014 fantasy stats: 234 points, 3,369 yards, 639 rush yards, 19 TD, 1 rush TD, 10 INT

Running Back

LeGarrette Blount, New England Patriots: LeGarrette Blount would make this list even if he weren't suspended for the first game of the season. Drafting anyone out of the Patriots backfield is always a risky move. Head coach Bill Belichick is unpredictable in how he uses his backs, and the team uses a committee approach. 

Additionally, New England has two up-and-coming young guns who could steal carries from the veteran: Jonas Gray and James White. Handcuffing those two players could prove to be a good strategy for anyone interested in the Patriots backfield. 

Blount only had 77 fantasy points in 2014 and five touchdowns. Even though he may technically be listed as the starter when he returns from his suspension in Week 2, he is one of the riskiest of the league's starting backs to bet on in 2015. 

2014 fantasy stats: 77 points, 125 carries, 547 yards, 54 rec. yards,  5 TD, 1 Fmb

Wide Receiver

Eric Decker, New York Jets: Eric Decker already experienced a drop-off in fantasy production after he came to the New York Jets from the Denver Broncos in 2014. Many thought his stats would suffer after parting ways with Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, but Decker's touchdowns dropped by more than half (11 in 2013 to five in 2014), and he had less than 1,000 yards for the first time since 2011. 

Now, the situation is even worse for Decker heading into 2015, given that his presumed starting quarterback, Geno Smith, will miss 6-10 weeks with a broken jaw suffered at the fist of ex-teammate IK Enemkpali, per the New York Post. 

Furthermore, the Jets brought in former Chicago Bears receiver Brandon Marshall this offseason, which reduces Decker to at most a No. 2 role with the team and siphons some of his would-be carries. 

Avoiding the Jets this season in fantasy as a general strategy may be a good idea. 

2014 fantasy stats: 120 points, 74 receptions, 962 yards, 5 TD

Tight End

Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers: This year could have been a transitional one for Antonio Gates, were he not set to miss the first four games of the season with a suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. 

It's somewhat shocking to see Gates end up on this list, considering he was the No. 2 fantasy tight end in 2014 with 148 points and 12 touchdowns, which tied for the most among all players at the position.

However, he just turned 35, and though his 12 scores last season were the second-highest of his career, his production in other areas has slowed. He averaged 51.3 yards per game in 2014, the fourth-lowest total of his career. His longest catch of 34 yards tied a career low, suggesting the team isn't using him as a deep threat as frequently. 

NFL Media fantasy analyst Michael Fabiano wrote that Gates is "worth no [than] more a late-round pick as a roster hold," and advises owners to look instead at Ladarius Green. The young tight end could carve out his future starting role this season. 

2014 fantasy stats: 178 points, 69 receptions, 821 yards, 12 TD

D/ST

Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals once had one of the first defenses taken off the board, due to the unit's ranking at No. 4 in the 2013 season.

However, owners who used that information to select Cincinnati in 2014 were severely disappointed, as the unit finished No. 24 overall. The Bengals came in last in the league in sacks, with just 20. They also allowed an average of 359.3 total yards per game, which put them at No. 22 in the league in that category. 

Still, the Bengals were able to limit opponents' scoring last season, holding them to an average of 21.5 points per game, good for 12th in the league. Owners looking for a one-week pickup to replace their starting D/ST unit on a bye week might look to Cincinnati, but don't take this unit as your No. 1 or you'll find yourself disappointed. 

All fantasy stats via ESPN.