Fantasy Football 2015: 20 Players You Can Definitely Count on to Rack Up Points

With the NFL season nearly upon us, fantasy football players around the country—nay, the world—are gearing up for their draft (or drafts, for those bold enough to play in multiple leagues).

When it comes to drafting, the general rule to follow is that you can't win your league in the first round, but you can lose it. What that means is that you should save your risky plays for the later rounds and take the closest thing to a sure bet you can with your first couple picks.

With that in mind, here are 20 reliable fantasy studs that you can count on in 2015. These aren't necessarily in a strict order, but the general alignment is from No. 1 to 20. By snagging any of these players early on, you will be laying a solid foundation for the rest of your roster and have a player that you can rely on week after week.

RB Le'Veon Bell

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Let's get the bad news out of the way first—if you draft Le'Veon Bell, you'll be without him for the first two games of the season while he serves his suspension. Once he returns, you can expect him to tear up opposing defenses.

Bell averaged just over 138 yards from scrimmage per game last year and scored 11 touchdowns. He enters the 2015 season in the best shape of his life, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, and is intent on proving that last season was no fluke.

"A lot of people talk about the season I had last year. They call it a breakout season, but I don't look at it like that," Bell told ESPN. "I look at it as me just getting started...I still feel like I can do a lot of things better. Last year wasn't even close to me being my best."

If Bell's best is yet to come, than fantasy owners will be thrilled about their return on investment, even if they use the No. 1 pick to take him.

RB Jamaal Charles

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Jamaal Charles is one of the most explosive players in the league, and after a monster 2013 season, his overall fantasy production declined a bit in 2014. The reason was not about Charles losing his form, however, but more a matter of usage.

The Chiefs gave Knile Davis more touches last season, and rookie tight end Travis Kelce emerged as the team's primary pass-catching option. Some might look at the decrease in touches as a sign of things to come, but Charles averaged 5.0 yards per carry in each of the last two seasons, and he still got the ball 246 times last year. 

Aside from his 2011 season in which he tore his ACL, Charles has never had a bad year. He's rushed for at least 1,000 in five of the past six seasons and scored eight of more touchdowns in four of the past six, including 19 in 2013 and 14 last year. ESPN's Matthew Berry argues that Charles should be the No. 1 pick in drafts due to his level of consistency.

If the addition of Jeremy Maclin opens up the Chiefs passing game, Charles could be even better than he has been, and if that's the case, fantasy owners will be rewarded for putting their faith in Charles with an early first-round pick.

RB Marshawn Lynch

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Marshawn Lynch is the definition of a workhorse. He's had at least 280 carries in each of the past four seasons, and he's been productive in all of them, rushing for at least 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns in all four years.

At some point, all that pounding will take a toll on him, and it's not unreasonable for fantasy owners to worry that this will be the year. But if ever there was a year that the Seahawks ease up on Beast Mode, this might be it.

Lynch has seen his offensive touches decrease slightly over the last three years, and after signing him to a two-year extension this offseason, Seattle might try to preserve his strength by lightening his load.

Russell Wilson got his massive contract, and the team traded for tight end Jimmy Graham, perhaps a sign that the usually run-heavy offense will be more balanced in 2015.

This is a rare case where a decrease in touches might actually do some good for a player's fantasy production. Even a 10 percent drop in carries from last season would put Lynch at 252 for 2015, and that is more than enough for him to again be a consistent lead running back for any fantasy team.

RB Adrian Peterson

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Having Adrian Peterson as a reliable fantasy option may seem a bit odd considering the Vikings running back missed 15 games last season.

But Peterson is cleared to play, and there is no reason to suggest that he won't continue to be among the most productive backs in the league as long as he stays on the field.

Peterson has been a stud since he entered the league in 2007. He turned 30 this offseason, so his age might be cause for some concern. But sitting out last season gave the All-Pro some valuable rest, which should outweigh any slowing caused by aging, according to Tadd Haislop of Sporting News.

RB Eddie Lacy

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Eddie Lacy has been an incredibly consistent player in his first two years in the league. He's averaged 1,500 yards from scrimmage per season, and with 20 total touchdowns he's shown that he knows how to find the end zone.

The Packers will always be a throw-first team with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, but Lacy has proved to be a reliable pass-catching option out of the backfield. He caught 42 passes on 55 targets in 2014 with four touchdowns, and he should continue to get more looks on short throws.

Lacy is a rare combination of a player with a high floor and a lot of upside. Taking him with a top-three pick can be viewed as being both a safe play and taking a chance. Either way, owners won't be disappointed with Lacy on their roster.

RB C.J. Anderson

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C.J. Anderson burst onto the scene during the second half of the 2014 season, and though that kind of quick ascent may seem like a flash in the pan, Anderson should be going high in drafts for 2015.

Anderson's rise in the second half was merely a result of opportunity. He had just 17 total carries in his first seven games of the season, and once he started getting regular touches, he took advantage of them. He should benefit greatly from Denver's knew head coach Gary Kubiak, who's famous for his zone-blocking scheme.

If the Broncos become more run-oriented in an effort to take some pressure off of Peyton Manning, Anderson will continue to thrive. ESPN's KC Joyner laid out the argument for Anderson as the No. 1 overall pick in June, and though that might be a bit of a stretch, Anderson should be valued highly in upcoming drafts.

WR Antonio Brown

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Antonio Brown was the league's No. 1 fantasy wide receiver in 2014, and he should be among the best options in 2015 as well. He led the league in receiving yards (1,698) and catches (129) and also had 14 total touchdowns.

Per ESPN, Brown had 22 end-zone targets and 182 targets overall last season, and he should continue to get the ball thrown his way plenty in 2015. He might receive a small boost in targets of the Steelers are more pass-heavy in the two games they'll be without Bell.

Brown has two years remaining on his current contract, and the Steelers have said that they will not rework the deal with multiple years remaining, per Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. That might provide a little extra motivation for Brown, and he should have another big year.

RB Matt Forte

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The Chicago Bears were one of the most disappointing teams in the league last year, but Matt Forte was not the one to blame. The dynamic running back set the record for most receptions by a running back in a single season with 102, and he should continue to get the ball plenty in 2015.

Forte had 1,846 total yards from scrimmage last season with 10 touchdowns, and he could see an uptick in his rushing yards total with new head coach John Fox. He's another player with a lot of miles under his belt, but he's been the epitome of durability during his first seven seasons in the league, and he should continue to produce in 2015.

QB Aaron Rodgers

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The reigning league MVP is at the peak of his career right now, and there really is nothing the Packers QB isn't good at. Opposing defenses have shown no answer for Aaron Rodgers, and he should continue to light things up in 2015.

Green Bay's supporting cast provides even more to love about Rodgers' 2015 fantasy prospects. Eddie Lacy, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb are all early-round fantasy picks, and Rodgers makes them all better. Stopping the Packers offense is such a daunting task, and Rodgers' standing as the league's top fantasy quarterback is very secure.

TE Rob Gronkowski

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Gronk was practically unguardable in 2014, and the 6'6", 265 pound tight end is definitely worthy of a first-round pick.

Rob Gronkowski has 60 touchdowns in 72 career NFL games, including the playoffs. That's an astounding level of consistency, even considering the fact that he's missed 15 games in the past three seasons. He looked perfectly fine last season when he hauled in 82 catches and 12 touchdowns, and there's no reason to be concerned at the moment about his health.

Gronk is a game-changing player to have on your roster. Even with his sketchy health woes in recent years, you should feel comfortable taking him early in your draft, even if he is forced to play without Tom Brady for the first four games of the season.

WR Demaryius Thomas

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Demaryius Thomas has been an absolute nightmare for opposing secondaries since 2012, and his run as one of the league's most lethal downfield threats will continue on into 2015.

Here are the single-season low marks for Thomas in the past three seasons—92 receptions, 1,430 yards and 10 touchdowns. Again, those are the worst numbers for him over the last three years, so even if he has a down year, Thomas will be among the most productive fantasy receivers in the league.

Thomas led the league with 184 targets last season, so a down year shouldn't be expected. At age 27, he's firmly in the prime of his career, so there really is no need to worry about making this pick.

QB Andrew Luck

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Andrew Luck is an emerging superstar, and the Indianapolis Colts' willingness to let him air it out in 2014 bodes extremely well for his fantasy expectations in 2015.

Luck was third in the league in pass attempts last season, third in passing yards and first in touchdowns. He posted a career-high 7.73 yards per pass attempt, a sign that he's becoming a better downfield thrower. These are all great signs for future fantasy owners, as are the Colts' acquisitions of Andre Johnson and Frank Gore. Both players are in the twilight of their careers, but they should comprise a strong supporting cast.

Luck's interception rate jumped from 1.57 percent to 2.60 percent from 2013 to 2014, and if he can bring that number down, he'll be an even better fantasy option than he already is.

RB LeSean McCoy

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Moving from Philadelphia to Buffalo should have a positive impact on LeSean McCoy's fantasy value. Yes, Chip Kelly offenses tend to run the ball a lot, but they also have a history of divvying up carries more than normal.

That shouldn't be an issue for McCoy with the Bills. Fred Jackson is the clear No. 2 back, and though the Bills' lack of a good quarterback is concerning, their best chance to win games is by giving the ball to McCoy as much as possible.

Rex Ryan loves to run the ball and give McCoy plenty of touches. McCoy had 1,474 total yards from scrimmage last season, and though he only had five touchdowns, that number figures to increase due to regression to the mean. As long as he stays on the field (he hasn't missed a game the past two seasons), McCoy should be a top-10 fantasy running back.

WR Odell Beckham Jr.

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Odell Beckham Jr. put up an electrifying rookie season in 2014, and the scariest part about his season stats—91 catches, 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns—was that he achieved them in only 12 games.

He also did it without the benefit of having Victor Cruz lining up on the opposite side of the field from him. A healthy Cruz and Rueben Randle will help take some attention away from Beckham, but there is no question that he is the No. 1 receiver option on the team.

Beckham had 18 end-zone targets come his way last season, according to ESPN. That was the eighth most in the league, and he should rise up that leaderboard in 2015 and cash in big for fantasy owners.

RB DeMarco Murray

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DeMarco Murray was the definition of a workhorse for the Dallas Cowboys in 2014, and his move to Philadelphia should provide his legs with a bit of much-needed rest.

Murray had an insane 449 touches last season, and Chip Kelly has acknowledged that a workload of that magnitude is a valid cause for concern, according to Peter King of MMQB. Kelly will help manage Murray's fatigue level by spreading the carries more than Dallas did a year ago.

"Our plan all along was to get another running back with him," Kelly said. "I wanted to have two running backs, and that's why we got Ryan [Mathews]. I don't think you can have a guy carry it 370 to 400 times per season and be successful. We're going to run it a lot—we always do—but we'll have more than one guy doing it."

That said, Murray is still going to get the ball plenty in 2015. Owners should not expect results like last season's, but he is a top-10 running back and should be drafted as such.

WR Jordy Nelson

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Being the No. 1 receiver for Aaron Rodgers is a job every wideout in the league would love to have. Jordy Nelson has thrived in this role over the past four seasons and should continue that run in 2015.

Nelson posted career highs in catches (98) and receiving yards (1,519) last season and also hauled in 13 touchdowns. His 151 targets were fourth-most in the league, per ESPN, which speaks to how comfortable Rodgers is throwing the ball Nelson's way considering he has Randall Cobb and Davante Adams as other options.

Nelson will continue to get the lion's share of passes thrown to him in 2015, and for that he should be drafted with confidence.

WR Calvin Johnson

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Yet another player on this list who's had an enormous workload for his career and is starting to show slight signs of fatigue. Calvin Johnson missed just four games over his first six seasons in the league, and he's missed five the past two years. 

Those may seem like small numbers, but they speak to a larger issue of his body starting to show its first signs of aging since he's been in the league. After seeing a ridiculous 205 targets in 2012, Johnson had only 128 last year. For the first time since his rookie year, Johnson did not lead the team in receiving yards, falling short of Golden Tate's total of 1,331.

With all that being said, his resume is still among the strongest in the league. He reached the 1,000-yard mark last year and had eight touchdowns. If he can rediscover his health, he'll be a superstar. Even if he doesn't, he's still worth having as a No. 1 receiver on your roster.

WR A.J. Green

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A.J. Green has led the Bengals in targets and had at least 1,000 yards in each of his first four seasons, so fantasy owners should feel great about having him on their rosters.

Last season saw Green miss three games due to a toe injury that lingered throughout the season, and he still put up solid production. Considering his track record of health and production, there's no reason to be concerned that he'll deal with similar issues in 2015.

Andy Dalton loves throwing Green's way (who could blame him?), and at age 27, Green is in the prime of his career. His base-level production should make owners feel secure in drafting him early, and his potential for a serious breakout makes him even more attractive as an early pick.

QB Russell Wilson

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Russell Wilson finally got his big contract extension this offseason, and perhaps that will serve as a sign that the team is ready to become more pass-oriented.

Wilson was 19th in the league in pass attempts last season, but he's been a model of efficiency since he entered the league. He's never completed fewer that 63 percent of his passes and he's never thrown more than 10 interceptions, and that was in his rookie season.

Adding Jimmy Graham gives Wilson a big-time target, and he will always add fantasy value with his ability to run (6.1 yards per rush attempt for his career with 11 touchdowns). Wilson's floor is very high, and his potential to have a career year in 2015 is even higher.

WR Julio Jones

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Julio Jones entered the 2014 season with some red flags after he missed 11 games in 2013 with a foot injury. He proceeded to reward every fantasy owner who took a chance on him with a monster year, and he should produce again in 2015.

Jones posted career highs in catches (104) and receiving yards (1,593) last season. He was third in the league with 164 targets, and quarterback Matt Ryan should continue to throw plenty of balls his way.

In the three years he's been healthy (he played in 13 games his rookie year), Jones has averaged 79 catches and 1,250 yards. He's 26 years old and in his physical prime, so fantasy owners should draft Jones with little hesitation.