Fantasy Football Week 8 Rankings: Top 10 Players at Every Position

Seven weeks have passed in the 2011 NFL season, which means we've hit the halfway point of the regular season for fantasy football, with fantasy squads running the gamut from 7-0 powerhouses to 0-7 cream puffs with any number of possible combinations in between.

Whether you're sitting pretty or floundering hopelessly it's time to start looking ahead to Week 8, and to aid fantasy owners in doing so here's a look at the top 10 fantasy options at each position for the upcoming week's action.

1. Drew Brees and the Top 10 Quarterbacks

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees shredded the Indianapolis Colts Sunday night to the tune of 325 passing yards and five touchdown passes, and with a matchup upcoming against a woeful St. Louis Rams secondary, the 11th-year veteran headlines the top fantasy signal-callers for Week 8.

1. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (at STL)

2. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (vs. MIN)

3. Tom Brady, New England Patriots (at PIT)

4. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. DAL)

5. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys (at PHI)

6. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans (vs. JAX)

7. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers (at KC)

8. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (at DEN)

9. Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos (vs. DET)

10. Eli Manning, New York Giants (vs. MIA)

2. Adrian Peterson and the Top 10 Running Backs

Running back Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings shined in the Vikings' loss to the Green Bay Packers, rumbling for 175 yards on 24 carries, and with a Carolina Panthers team coming up that's allowed the most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, Peterson should make it two big games in a row this weekend.

1. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings (at CAR)

2. Arian Foster, Houston Texans (vs. JAX)

3. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens (vs. ARI)

4. Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills (vs. WAS)

5. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. DAL)

6. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers (vs. CLE)

7. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars (at HOU)

8. Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. NE)

9. Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants (vs. MIA)

10. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams (vs. NO)

3. Calvin Johnson and the Top 10 Wide Receivers

The Detroit Lions lost their second consecutive game in Week 7 but that loss can't be blamed on wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who reeled in five catches for 115 yards and his 10th touchdown of the season, and the fifth-year wideout will once again be the top fantasy wide receiver play when the Lions travel to meet the Denver Broncos this week.

1. Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions (at DEN)

2. Wes Welker, New England Patriots (at PIT)

3. Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers (vs. MIN)

4. Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys (at PHI)

5. DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. DAL)

6. Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers (at KC)

7. Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. NE)

8. Brandon Marshall, Miami Dolphins (at NYG)

9. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals (at BAL)

10. Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. SD)

4. Jimmy Graham and the Top 10 Tight Ends

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham was unable to top 100 receiving yards for the fifth straight game in the Saints' blowout win over the Indianapolis Colts, but the second-year pro found the end zone twice and is quickly emerging as one of the top tight end options in fantasy football.

1. Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints (at STL)

2. Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys (at PHI)

3. Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers (at KC)

4. Owen Daniels, Houston Texans (vs. JAX)

5. Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers (vs. CLE)

6. Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots (at PIT)

7. Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit Lions (at DEN)

8. Fred Davis, Washington Redskins (at BUF)

9. Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati Bengals (at SEA)

10. Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers (vs. MIN)

5. Steve Gostkowski and the Top 10 Kickers

Even the high-octane New England Patriots offense will likely have their hands full with the vaunted Pittsburgh Steelers defense this week, and a few stalled drives could lead to field-goal attempts, making kicker Steve Gostkowski the top fantasy option at his position in Week 8.

1. Steve Gostkowski, New England Patriots (at PIT)

2. Jason Hanson, Detroit Lions (at DEN)

3. John Kasay, New Orleans Saints (at STL)

4. Neil Rackers, Houston Texans (vs. JAX)

5. Rian Lindell, Buffalo Bills (vs. WAS)

6. Shaun Suisham, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. NE)

7. Dan Bailey, Dallas Cowboys (at PHI)

8. Lawrence Tynes, New York Giants (vs. MIA)

9. Nick Novak, San Diego Chargers (at KC)

10. Billy Cundiff, Baltimore Ravens (vs. ARI)

6. Baltimore Ravens and the Top 10 Team Defenses

The Baltimore Ravens are in their usual perch near the top of the NFL's total defense rankings, and with a matchup on tap with an error-prone Arizona Cardinals team that has surrendered the seventh-most fantasy points per game to opposing defenses, the Ravens are the top defensive play in fantasy football for the upcoming week.

1. Baltimore Ravens (vs. ARI)

2. New Orleans Saints (at STL)

3. New York Giants (vs. MIA)

4. Tennessee Titans (vs. IND)

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. NE)

6. Cincinnati Bengals (at SEA)

7. San Francisco 49ers (vs. CLE)

8. Detroit Lions (at DEN)

9. Buffalo Bills (vs. WAS)

10. Houston Texans (vs. JAX)