Fantasy Football: Adrian Peterson and the Best Fantasy Player on Every NFL Team

Every NFL team has their bad players and good players. Fact. 

You can easily name the most productive player on every team? Maybe not. 

Fantasy football is all about productivity in the very literal sense. A player may be one of the best blockers in the league, but he catches no passes and doesn't score any touchdowns.

Look at Dallas Clark of the Indianapolis Colts. He barely ever makes a block, yet he is fantasy gold for his ability to run distinct patterns and get open as a tight end. 

Here are the best FANTASY players on every team. Not overall best players but the best for your fantasy roster. Best of luck!

Buffalo Bills: Steve Johnson

Steve "Why So Serious" Johnson came out of nowhere last season and became a red-zone machine. The wide receiver out of Kentucky began hooking up with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, another fantasy surprise, almost every game. 

When the season was all said and done, Johnson had 82 receptions, 1,073 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.

Unfortunately, he was most remembered after last season for being the receiver who dropped a wide open touchdown pass in overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Johnson should continue his production this season. He is the clear cut No. 1 receiver on Buffalo, and the dude knows how to get open. A solid No. 2 or 3 wide receiver for your fantasy squad. 

Miami Dolphins: Daniel Thomas

In my top 200 overall fantasy players of 2011, I have wide receiver Brandon Marshall ranked higher than rookie running back Daniel Thomas, yet I think it will ultimately be Thomas who will walk away with the fantasy prize for the Miami Dolphins. 

The rookie out of Kansas State is a powerful runner, with great size and the ability to break free. Despite his 230-pound frame, he has great speed and will easily establish himself over Reggie Bush as the main backfield man in Miami. 

Draft him a little later (fifth to seventh round) and reap the benefits of drafting this year's potential No. 1 sleeper!

New England Patriots: Tom Brady

There's not much to say here. The New England Patriots are a haven of talent, from wide receivers Chad Ochocinco and Wes Welker to running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead, they are a stacked team offensively.

Usually in these cases, however, it is the quarterbacks who have the most consistent production. 

Brady, who's made four Super Bowl trips, will spread the ball around nicely to all his different toys, and he will be, once again, one of the best fantasy quarterbacks. 

New York Jets: Plaxico Burress

He's back, and he's ready!

I'm very high on Plaxico Burress' return this season. Ignoring the fact that I think his jail sentence was absolute bullsh*t, I think Burress is coming back with two intentions in mind. 

The first of these is that he wants to make a statement that he has not lost a step despite being screwed over by a legal technicality, and the second is to win a championship with the very capable New York Jets.

Santonio Holmes will have more receptions in New York, but Plaxico will make big plays, and he will make these quite often. 

Baltimore Ravens: Ray Rice

Absolute no-brainer here. Ray Rice is a top-five overall draft pick. He receives, he runs and he does both quite often. 

New signed running back Ricky Williams will take a few carries from Rice, but they will only serve as a much needed break for the overworked back. 

Cincinnati Bengals: Cedric Benson

Despite my overwhelming urge to support the practice of drafting no Bengals, Cedric Benson is not a bad option at running back when it's all said and done. 

Cincinnati is surely destined for an awful season this year. If they should surprise, so be it, and I will gladly eat my words. But rookie quarterback Andy Dalton throwing to wide receivers Jerome Simpson and Jordan Shipley doesn't cut it. 

Running back Cedric Benson, however, will produce. He is not an explosive runner at all, but he will touch the ball more than 20 times a game and is sure to have his big days.

Draft him as your No. 2 running back and prepare to have at least four weeks of frustration. 

Cleveland Browns: Peyton Hillis

No ifs, ands or buts, Peyton Hillis is the way to go in Cleveland.

A lot of analysts have him ranked pretty low in the running back rankings considering he was the second best overall runner last season. While there are certainly red flags, like a fullback running like he did being a fluke and his potential to share carries with Monatario Hardesty, I still think Hillis is a safe pick as a No. 1 running back. 

He is an exception. He's not just a fullback who got lucky. Hillis knows how to run, and despite his stocky physique, he is agile and fast. I don't think Hillis will disappoint. 

Pittsburgh Steelers: Rashard Mendenhall

The process of picking the best fantasy player in Pittsburgh was a tough one.

You have a flashy, explosive wide receiver in Mike Wallace and a consistent, game-changing quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger. Both of them are top guys in their respective positions. 

The top gun, however, is running back Rashard Mendenhall. He may be a quiet guy, but Mendenhall has proven that he is, for real, a serious runner. Last year, he had over 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns. 

Mendenhall won't provide a top-10 play, but he'll consistently battle his way to nearly 100 yards and a touchdown almost every game. 

Houston Texans: Arian Foster

On a team that has never made the playoffs, the Houston Texans sure do have some offensive weapons. Among the best, at this stage anyway, is running back Arian Foster. 

He broke out last season and literally grabbed the rushing title out of nowhere. He was a practice squad guy the prior season.

Despite the fact that he has all the cards lined up to be a one-hit wonder, I think Foster will still be one of the best runners in the league.

If you do happen to get Houston wide receiver Andre Johnson or quarterback Matt Schaub however, don't be too upset! 

Indianapolis Colts: Dallas Clark

Dallas Clark is probably the second or third best fantasy tight end after Antonio Gates and possibly Jason Witten. Nonetheless, if you are able to splurge early and draft him at tight end, you will be in good shape. 

Clark disappointed a lot of people last year when he got injured. Not his fault. Anyway, this year is he back, healthy and craving to play. 

I love the way Clark gets open, especially in the red zone. He shouldn't disappoint pending another injury. 

For those of you asking why Clark is listed higher than quarterback Peyton Manning, it is because I rank Manning the seventh best quarterback but Clark the third best tight end. 

Jacksonville Jaguars: Maurice Jones-Drew

Another scenario of "no questions asked," Maurice Jones-Drew is the only Jacksonville Jaguar worth drafting in the first eight rounds. 

Jacksonville has nearly no receivers. Mercedes Lewis is a good tight end, but they have two very average quarterbacks in veteran David Garrard and rookie Blaine Gabbert. 

The only consistency on the Jacksonville offense will prove to be Jones-Drew, who has rushed for 54 touchdowns and over 5,000 yards in his five-year career.

He should be one of the first 10 running backs off the board. Beware of him injuring himself though.  

Tennessee Titans: Chris Johnson

Sorry to be repetitive, but no questions asked, Chris Johnson is the only viable option worth drafting in the first seven rounds on Tennessee. 

He rushed for over 2,000 yards in 2009 and over 1,300 last season. Johnson is as safe of a bet as any, and he should be off the board by the third or fourth pick. 

Denver Broncos: Brandon Lloyd

This pick should go to quarterback Kyle Orton, but unfortunately, there is too much controversy surrounding his job security for me to safely pick him. 

As a Denver Broncos fan, I think it is ridiculous that there is even a question of who should start between Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow. Orton is more established and more accurate. Tebow has potential but not compared to Orton. 

Anyway, back to the focal point of this article, Brandon Lloyd should be able to produce with whomever throws to him. He won't be the No. 1 receiver again, but he's a safe No. 2 receiver pick for your fantasy team. 

What's a Broncos article nowadays with Tim Tebow, eh? 

Kansas City Chiefs: Jamaal Charles

Jamaal Charles will be, I'm calling it now, the No. 1 running back this season.

I think the amount of carries given to Thomas Jones goes WAY down and Charles has the best season of his career. I think he will flirt with 2,000 yards. 

Charles has amazing explosiveness, speed and agility. He can break tackles or avoid them. He's the whole package. 

Most mock drafts have Charles going fourth, but I would safely take him at No. 1. Do it. 

Oakland Raiders: Darren McFadden

I'm not nearly as high on Darren McFadden as some people, but he is still easily the best fantasy player on the Oakland Raiders. It's not like that's a hard task. 

McFadden had a great season last year after being a bust for two years, but he still only had over 1,157 yards and seven touchdowns. It's a very good season, but is it No. 7 overall player good? I don't think so...

I still like McFadden as a top-12 runner but not much higher than that. 

San Diego Chargers: Philip Rivers

In San Diego, Philip Rivers is still the man. Last year, with an injured tight end in Antonio Gates and star receiver Vincent Jackson holding out, Rivers still put up amazing numbers. I know, he was on my fantasy team!

Rivers is a pure passer who can always make the tough throw. He will throw a stupid interception more than he should, but Rivers will always find a way to put up points on the board for his team. 

With a healthy Gates and a happy Jackson, I think the Chargers will have a comeback season and compete with the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC West division title. 

Dallas Cowboys: Jason Witten

This was a very tough one to pick. Felix Jones has potential to be a breakout star at running back and quarterback Tony Romo is always a contender to put up top numbers. Then you have wide receiver Miles Austin, who works well with Romo, and the other receiver, Dez Bryant, who has breakout star written all over him. 

In the end, however, it is tight end Jason Witten who is the team's fantasy star. 

The reason? Receptions. Witten has been averaging nearly 100/year over his last four seasons. If you are in a PPR league, he is the top pick at tight end. In a standard scoring league, he is number two after Antonio Gates of the San Diego Chargers. 

New York Giants: Hakeem Nicks

Another team that is tough to pick, running back Ahmad Bradshaw was a tough player not to pick. One problem holds back Bradshaw, however, and that is fumbles. He had seven last season - ewe. 

Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks only started 12 games last season and still had over 1,000 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. That's nuts. 

Hicks is quarterback Eli Manning's favorite target and with Steve Smith formally departed from New York, it should Nicks receiving (pun intended) all the best looks. 

Nicks should be one of the first six receivers off the draft board. 

Philadelphia Eagles: Michael Vick

It's a running back! It's a quarterback! It's an Eagle! 

All true, it's Michael Vick. 

On a team loaded with offensive weapons, to say that Vick is the hands down pick for the best fantasy player on the team is really saying something. The quarterback, who epically returned from his legal troubles last season in stellar fashion, is a player like no other. 

In addition to his over 3,000 passing yards and 21 touchdowns, Vick also 676 yards and nine touchdowns! (Denver Broncos starting running back, Knowshon Moreno, had 779 yards and five touchdowns.)

Vick's ability to pass and run gives him the potential to put up performances like his versus the Washington Redskins last season. In that game, he threw four touchdowns and rushed for two. He had more fantasy points that week than many guys got from their whole team. 

Vick should be the first receiver taken off the draft board and is a potential first round pick for someone willing to take him. It's not to much of a risk and he's certainly a more guaranteed pick than some of the league's top running backs. 

Washington Redskins: Tim Hightower?

Note the question mark above Tim Hightower's name above. It's not a typo, it's because I a) don't know if he will even be the starter and b) had a strong urge to suggest kicker Shayne Graham as the team's best fantasy player. 

Washington is completely depleted this season. The running back job is a competition between Hightower, and the incredibly average group of Ryan Torain, Keiland Williams, and rookies Roy Helu and Evan Royster. 

I can theoretically suggest them all as sleepers, but with so many guys competing for the job, I'm encouraging an "avoid all Redskins" policy this season. 

Hightower has some potential, but don't draft him high at all. 

Chicago Bears: Matt Forte

I really think quarterback Jay Cutler will have the best season of his career this year, but Matt Forte is definitely a safer pick than trusting my gut. 

The fourth-year running back out of Tulane, Forte is great for a variety of reasons. 

First, he gets a lot of carries and has the quickness and agility to breakout into long runs. Second, he is a great all-purpose back and one of the best receiving backs in football. He is good for 500 receiving yards and 50 receptions. Can you say PPR gold?

Forte's only setback is that he doesn't find the endzone as much as owners would like to see. Nonetheless, Forte is a 1,500 all-purpose yard player who should be off by the draft board by the end of the second round. 

Detroit Lions: Calvin Johnson

Since the Detroit Lions couldn't keep a quarterback or a running back healthy last season, their offensive game plan was basically "throw the ball in the general vicinity of Calvin Johnson."

Whether the pass came from Matt Stafford, Shaun Hill, or Drew Stanton, Calvin "Megatron" Johnson caught it. 

Johnson had over 1,100 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns despite the Lions employment troubles at quarterback. With the hope that Matt Stafford will stay healthy for the whole season this year, one can only imagine that Megatron's stats will go up. 

He should easily be one of the first three receivers off the draft board. (Roddy White and Andre Johnson may/may not go beforehand)

Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers

The Green Bay Packers have a pool of offensive talent, but none of them are as consistent or vital as ringleader Aaron Rodgers. The quarterback and last season's Super Bowl MVP is in the prime of his career. 

Rodgers threw for 3,922 yards last seasons and 28 touchdowns. What's more impressive than those figures? His passer rating. Last season it was 101.2. In 2009 it was 103.2. 

It sounds likes Rodgers has a fever, and he might, cause he is certainly red hot! (sorry, I had to) 

Number two quarterback off the boards after Michael Vick. If you want to take him first, it's not the worst idea. Vick has injury issues. 

Minnesota Vikings: Adrian Peterson

It was running back LaDainian Tomlinson who was the first true star of fantasy football. He entered the league in 2001 and took off, around the same time that fantasy football did the same with the popularization of the internet and sites like Yahoo, CBSsports, and ESPN. 

Sorry for the history lesson, but my point is, it was Adrian Peterson who took over those reigns and became fantasy football's second "abosolutely dominant" star. 

Peterson rushed for 1,298 yards last season, and this was the lowest such total in his four NFL seasons. That's not a bad 'worst season.' 

He averages 13 touchdowns/season, and entering his fifth league in the league, Peterson is in his prime. Maybe is isn't the unanimous number one pick he was two years ago, but he is still an easy top three pick and will be one of the league's most dominating fantasy players once again. 

Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan & Roddy White (Tie)

Maybe this is just a cop out for me to not have choose one and eat my words later, but it really is a good time to be an Atlanta Falcons fan. They have a top four quarterback and a top top receiver. 

Quarterback Matt Ryan may not be ranked as high by some other experts as I have him ranked in my top 200, but I think with Roddy White, rookie Julio Jones, and veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez, he will have a tremendous year. Ryan is very accurate, and his >3,700 passing yards and 28 touchdowns can only go up this year with a new weapon in Jones. 

Roddy White may be the best wide receiver in football. He claimed that this was his goal before last season and he backed up his words. He was just shy of 1,400 yards receiving and had 10 touchdowns. The very quiet White, who went to UAB, will likely put up amazing figures again this season. 

Oh yea, the Falcons also employ this running back named Michael Turner. He's pretty good I guess. When he's considered a team's third best fantasy player, that team's in good shape. 

Carolina Panthers: Jonathan Stewart

The Carolina Panthers re-signed veteran running back Deangelo Williams, and although he fought injuries last season, he has potential to rebound big this year in his sixth season.

That being said, I still think it will be the younger Jonathan Stewart who will emerge as the more productive back in Carolina and the team's most effective form of offense. 

Stewart also fought injuries last year, but I think the former Oregon Duck will stay healthy and have a season more reminiscent of his 2009 campaign, when he had over 1,100 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. 

Given the fact that Stewart and Williams will share carries, however, and remembering that Carolina is terrible, neither of them should be drafted too high or with too much reliance. 

New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees

On a team flooded with talent, the New Orleans Saints really love to share the love, so to speak. 

Quarterback Drew Brees is the king, and it is up to him on which player in his court gets to touch the ball. It is for this reason that Brees is the top fantasy pick from the bayou. 

Wide receiver Marques Colston is Brees' favorite target and is always a top performer at his position, but other than that, wide receivers Devery Henderson, Lance Moore, Robert Meachem and tight ends Jimmy Graham and David Thomas will all have weeks of crazy production followed by weeks of statistical absence. 

Rookie running back Mark Ingram is definitely a sleeper candidate, especially given Reggie Bush's departure and Pierre Thomas' health issues. 

Tampa Bay Bucs: LeGarrette Blount

LeGarrette Blount only started seven games last season and had over 1,000 rushing yards. That's pretty sick. He is finally not remembered as "that Oregon player who punched the Boise State player." This is a very good thing for Blount. 

With a full season coming up where Blount is the established starter, I have no doubts in his ability. He is a top 20 rusher and is a safe choice as the number two running back on your fantasy team. 

Besides him, quarterback Josh Freeman and wide receiver Mike Williams are both good number two options at their respective positions. To put it bluntly though, Blount is the way to in Tampa.

Arizona Cardinals: Larry Fitzgerald

Is this really worth explaining? 

Larry Fitzgerald should hopefully get his swagger back this season with Kevin Kolb taking over as a stable quarterback in the desert. Kolb may prove to be a great pick at quarterback. He can be taken a little later and will likely put up better numbers than his draft position. 

No question, however, that Fitzgerald is the safest and most established pick in Arizona. 

St. Louis Rams: Steven Jackson

People are beginning to question how much juice running back Steven Jackson has left in the blender. I think he has at least another dominant year. In fact, I am more high on Jackson this year than in the past. The reason why? Jerious Norwood. 

Jerious Norwood, who has played all five of his NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, as a very effective backup until getting injured last season. He collected over 600 rushing yards on 99 carries in his rookie season. A solid average of 6.4 yards/carry. 

Norwood is so vital to Jackson's season because Jackson is no spring chicken and has played his entire career with no solid back up. Norwood provides the reliability that the St. Louis Rams need to feel comfortable in taking some of the weight off of Jackson's shoulders. 

With a few less carries and a little more time to rest, Jackson should be able to put together another great season. 

San Francisco 49ers: Frank Gore

Yea, cause this is the year quarterback Alex Smith finally breaks out...

Seriously though, Frank Gore is the hands down choice in San Francisco. A great runner who will put up a decent amount of receiving yards and receptions too, he's a safe second round pick. 

San Francisco has very talented players in tight end Vernon Davis and wide receiver Michael Crabtree too, but their success is all dependent on who throws them the ball. Epic draft bust Alex Smith is not the answer. San Francisco should have tried harder to get a quarterback this season, or they should just blow all their games and draft Andrew Luck first in next year's draft. Weak. 

Seattle Seahawks: Sidney Rice

This year will mark wide receiver Sidney Rice's first year as a Seattle Seahawk. Despite having only one really good season and being continually labeled as one of the most overrated players in the league, I think Rice is a great talent and will have a solid season in Seattle despite a potentially weak quarterback situation. 

Tavaris Jackson is obviously not any team's ideal quarterback choice, but the one interesting note to point out is that him and Rice worked together in Minnesota and are making the move to Seattle together. 

I'm not putting a million dollars on it, but I think the Jackson/Rice duo could surprise some people this season. 

Rice is nice pick as a number three wide receiver/flex option, while Jackson is a deep sleeper pick. 

Need fantasy football advice? Stuck on who to start? Contact Joe Rapolla Jr. here on Bleacher Report or email him at [e-mail]. Also, visit his fantasy football insight website at http://whoneedsreality.com and follow him on Twitter for all the game day starts/sits.