Silva's August Top 200

I usually do a long intro at the front of these, but decided not to this time. I'd suggest using these rankings as a rough draft before constructing your own, adjusting for personal player preferences and your own league scoring.

For far more thorough rundowns on each player listed here, read my Fantasy Team Preview Series at this link. I plan to publish this year's Shy Away 40 column on Wednesday, August 19.

1. Le'Veon Bell -- Top all-purpose back in NFL in one of league's top offenses.
2. Jamaal Charles -- Still only 28. Has avg'd 4.97+ YPC in each of 7 NFL seasons.
3. Eddie Lacy -- High-floor pick with upside to lead the league in touchdowns.
4. Adrian Peterson -- Stat lines over his last 16 games: 334-1,540-11, 32-197-2.
5. Rob Gronkowski -- Arguably best player in NFL regardless of their position.
6. Marshawn Lynch -- Turned 29 in April. Four consecutive top-5 RB1 finishes.
7. Julio Jones -- Will vacuum targets with Roddy aging & so little at tight end.
8. Dez Bryant -- Should benefit from likely regression in Cowboys run game.
9. Antonio Brown -- Favorite to lead NFL in catches for a second straight year.
10. Demaryius Thomas -- Immense TD upside with Julius Thomas gone to JAX.
11. C.J. Anderson -- Will be an every-down back in Peyton Manning's offense.
12. Odell Beckham -- Combines strengths of Antonio Brown & DeSean Jackson.
13. DeMarco Murray -- His usage will drop, but Murray should score lots of TDs.
14. Calvin Johnson -- Went on 98-1,458-12 receiving pace in last year's 2nd half.
15. Matt Forte -- Efficiency dipping, turning 30, and catches could be cut in half.
16. Jeremy Hill -- Pace stats last 8 games of his rookie year: 296-1,550-8, 26-150.
17. Jordy Nelson -- Practicing without restrictions after offseason hip surgery.
18. A.J. Green -- Receiving stats over his last 16 games: 89-1,292-9. 157 targets.
19. Alshon Jeffery -- Sneaky bet to finish No. 1 fantasy WR with Marshall gone.
20. Mike Evans -- Finished as the overall WR11 in fantasy as 21-year-old rookie.
21. Lamar Miller -- I'm buying coachspeak that Miller will get fed voluminously.
22. LeSean McCoy -- Could get ugly at times, but the centerpiece of his offense.
23. T.Y. Hilton -- Ascending contract-year WR at age 25. Last year's overall WR10.
24. Randall Cobb -- Would benefit if Jordy has any issues coming off hip surgery.
25. Justin Forsett -- Ranked No. 5 in NFL in rushing in 2014 & catches should rise.
26. DeAndre Hopkins -- QB play is a concern, but could push for NFL target lead.
27. Andrew Luck -- QBs fast-paced offense with elite weapons & easy schedule.
28. Aaron Rodgers -- Top-two fantasy quarterback in 7 straight healthy seasons.
29. Frank Gore -- Expect big spikes in touchdown and receiving opportunities.
30. Melvin Gordon -- New lead RB in good offense with upgraded offensive line.
31. Mark Ingram -- Chance to be centerpiece of good offense with improved OL.
32. C.J. Spiller -- Third-round fantasy pick in PPR. Drops two rounds in non-PPR.
33. Jimmy Graham -- Catch total will drop, but still good bet for double-digit TDs.
34. Jordan Matthews -- The new No. 1 WR in league's highest-volume offense.
35. Brandin Cooks -- Heavy favorite to lead Drew Brees' offense in receptions.
36. Jonathan Stewart -- Still only 28. 270-1,406-4 rushing pace over last 8 games.
37. Alfred Morris -- Value pick in 4th round of non-PPR drafts; 5th round in PPR.
38. Andre Johnson -- Reggie Wayne & Hakeem Nicks leave behind 184 targets.
39. Brandon Marshall -- Jets new 1A WR. Stats over his last 16 games: 77-926-11.
40. Emmanuel Sanders -- Expects his production to dip in more conservative O.
41. Joseph Randle -- His path to big usage in DAL keeps getting clearer & clearer.
42. Todd Gurley -- High-risk/high-reward RB2 pick. OL & offense question marks.
43. DeSean Jackson -- Underrated WR2 pick who will produce elite WR1 weeks.
44. Kelvin Benjamin -- Should keep scoring TDs, but overvalued at current ADP.
45. Keenan Allen -- Still favorite to lead SD in receptions after sophomore slump.
46. T.J. Yeldon -- Will be 3-down back, but low TD ceiling in bad Jaguars offense.
47. Allen Robinson -- Sneaky bet to finish top ten in NFL in targets this season.
48. Ameer Abdullah -- 10-12 touches/game floor & 17-19 touches/game upside.
49. Travis Kelce -- My overall TE3, but not considering him until the 5th round.
50. Andre Ellington -- Cards drafted 3rd-round RB, now flirting w/ Chris Johnson.
51. Golden Tate -- His 2014 production took a major hit with Megatron healthy.
52. Russell Wilson -- Last year's overall QB3 added TD machine Jimmy Graham.
53. Jeremy Maclin -- From WR1 in Philly to low-ceiling WR2 with Alex Smith.
54. Carlos Hyde -- As a general rule, 2-down RBs on bad teams are best avoided.
55. Latavius Murray -- See Carlos Hyde. OAK has one of league's toughest skeds.
56. Sammy Watkins -- Bad QBs, run-heavy offense, more target competition.
57. Amari Cooper -- Could lead all rookie WRs in catches by significant margin.
58. Mike Wallace -- Has been a top-25 fantasy WR in five consecutive seasons.
59. Chris Ivory -- Wildly undervalued at 8th-round ADP. Will be Jets bellcow RB.
60. Jarvis Landry -- Favorite to lead Dolphins in receptions and targets this year.
61. Julian Edelman -- On my avoid list, especially if Brady's suspension stands.
62. Rashad Jennings -- Injury/age concerns, but still Giants best all-around back.
63. Tevin Coleman -- Usage uncertain, but highest ceiling in Falcons RB stable.
64. LeGarrette Blount -- Rushing stats over last 16 games with Pats: 209-1,053-15.
65. Vincent Jackson -- Should return WR2/3 value with upgrade at quarterback.
66. Peyton Manning -- Top-six fantasy QB in each of his last 15 healthy seasons.
67. Martellus Bennett -- My overall TE4. Will benefit with Brandon Marshall gone.
68. Martavis Bryant -- Including playoffs, Bryant had 9 TDs in 11 games as rookie.
69. Greg Olsen -- My overall TE5. Poor bet to repeat last year's career-best stats.
70. John Brown -- Michael Floyd injury may launch Brown toward breakout year.
71. Shane Vereen -- Solid 6th/7th-round pick in PPR, but likely won't score TDs.
72. Breshad Perriman -- Huge rookie upside if he gets healthy/wins starting job.
73. Joique Bell -- Has more red flags than any "starting" running back in the NFL.
74. Eric Decker -- WR3/4 fantasy pick who should deliver fair share of WR2 weeks.
75. Nelson Agholor -- He's replacing Jeremy Maclin, who saw 143 targets in 2014.
76. Doug Martin -- Likely 2-down back only on bad team with poor run blocking.
77. Jordan Cameron -- Top-5 athlete at his position. My favorite middle-round TE.
78. Ben Roethlisberger -- Steelers should play top-three passing offense in 2015.
79. Giovani Bernard -- Gio's ceiling is 7-12 touches per game behind Jeremy Hill.
80. Anquan Boldin -- Annually underrated WR3/4 pick who scores like a WR2.
81. Larry Fitzgerald -- 85-1,288-5 receiving pace in Carson Palmer's six 2014 starts.
82. Steve Smith Sr. -- Limited target competition. Likely catches 75+ balls again.
83. Brandon LaFell -- LaFell should hover around last year's numbers (74-953-7).
84. Charles Johnson -- Prime breakout candidate with very limited NFL resume.
85. Roddy White -- Balky knee, turning 34, has been outplayed by L. Hankerson.
86. Drew Brees -- Weapons stripped as Saints pursue more ball-control offense.
87. Kendall Wright -- Sneaky bet for 90 grabs as Mariota's high-percentage WR.
88. Ryan Mathews -- Flex/RB3 with Murray healthy. Top-10 RB1 if he goes down.
89. Isaiah Crowell -- Has a tenuous grip on the early-down carries in Cleveland.
90. Duke Johnson -- Must get hamstring right to establish big early-season role.

91. Torrey Smith -- Not sold SF was good landing spot.
92. Tre Mason -- Offers RB2 value until Gurley is ready.
93. Eli Manning -- QBs fast-paced O with plus weapons.
94. Cam Newton -- CAR committed $118M. Will he run?
95. Davante Adams -- WR3/4 pick with WR2 upside.
96. Ryan Tannehill -- Last year's overall fantasy QB10.
97. Pierre Garcon -- Redskins seem truly committed to increasing his catch total.
98. Michael Floyd -- Out indefinitely (hand). No. 3 option in Cards passing game.
99. Philip Rivers -- Has 30+ TDs in back-to-back seasons with coach Mike McCoy.
100. Tony Romo -- Passing volume will rise, but how far will his efficiency dip?
101. Matt Ryan -- In 7 NFL seasons, has never finished above the fantasy QB7.
102. Tom Brady -- He'll move up if his four-game ban gets reduced or expunged.
103. Brian Quick -- Best WR talent on Rams, who have upgraded at quarterback.
104. Zach Ertz -- Seems likely to continue his rotational role in Eagles offense.
105. Bishop Sankey -- Likely lead back in RBBC on one of NFL's worst offenses.
106. Reggie Bush -- If 49ers are bad, Bush could end up out-snapping C. Hyde.
107. Alfred Blue -- Poor man's Shonn Greene in one of NFL's least-talented Os.
108. Devonta Freeman -- His ceiling is an RBBC member who won't score TDs.
109. Roy Helu -- Raiders 3rd-down back offers upside if Latavius Murray falters.
110. Delanie Walker -- Walker & Kendall Wright should be Mariota's top targets.
111. Julius Thomas -- Must have heavy target volume to offset drop in TDs.
112. Tyler Eifert -- Path clearing for Eifert to rank second on Bengals in targets.
113. Matthew Stafford -- Fringe QB1 pick. The QB11, QB7, QB16 last three years.
114. Sam Bradford -- Eagles QBs have accounted for 65 TDs the last two seasons.
115. David Johnson -- Hamstring strain has kept him out. Still threat to Ellington.
116. DeVante Parker -- Best WR talent on Dolphins, but missing entire preseason.
117. Arian Foster -- Return unclear, but seems likely to miss at least 4-6 games.
118. Jason Witten -- Blocked at career-high rate in '14. Expect increase in targets.
119. Danny Woodhead -- Finished as the RB13 in PPR his last healthy season ('13).
120. Kevin White -- Battling mysterious shin injury and questionable for Week 1.
121. Dorial Green-Beckham -- Starting to get 1st-team reps. Titans best WR talent.
122. Stevie Johnson -- If you think K. Allen has another down year, bet on Stevie.
123. Darren McFadden -- In danger of getting cut? Battling another hamstring inj.
124. Knile Davis -- The top pure handcuff in fantasy. RB1 if J. Charles goes down.
125. Terrance Williams -- Better best-ball than re-draft pick. Has a WR3 ceiling.
126. Rueben Randle -- A bet against Victor Cruz's knee is arguably a bet on Roob.
127. Jay Cutler -- Will smash his double-digit-round ADP if he keeps starting job.
128. Dwayne Allen -- Low-volume receiver, but still Colts top red-zone weapon.
129. Marvin Jones -- Scored 10 touchdowns in 2013 but seems increasingly brittle.
130. Marques Colston -- Looked done in 2014. Rookie Brandon Coleman is coming.
131. Kyle Rudolph -- Teddy's biggest & best red-zone threat in improving offense.
132. Doug Baldwin -- J. Graham could hurt, but was great down the stretch in '14.
133. Joe Flacco -- Top weapons are rookie TE & WR, 36-year-old Steve Smith Sr.
134. Kenny Stills -- Sidelined by calf injury. Likely to be low-volume WR in Miami.
135. Owen Daniels -- Aging, but Peyton and Kubiak TEs have a tendency to eat.
136. Eddie Royal -- Will open season as every-down WR with Kevin White ailing.
137. Dwayne Bowe -- I still consider Bowe the favorite for targets in Cleveland.
138. Antonio Gates -- Suspended for first month. Should return as low-end TE1.
139. Austin Seferian-Jenkins -- Probably doesn't break out until V-Jax leaves.
140. Andy Dalton -- Got all of his weapons back. Was a top-5 fantasy QB in 2013.
141. Heath Miller -- Will probably finish season with cumulative top-12 TE stats.
142. Colin Kaepernick -- A total wild card. Could be horrible, could hit fairly big.
143. Carson Palmer -- Palmer is going on 36 and coming off 2nd career ACL tear.
144. Teddy Bridgewater -- Should be solid QB2 but probably not fantasy starter.
145. Larry Donnell -- His production dipped sharply after 1st month of last year.
146. Malcom Floyd -- Low-volume vertical receiver will have some nice weeks.
147. Alex Smith -- Arguably has best weapons of career (Maclin, Kelce, Charles).
148. Jameis Winston -- Gunslinger with big WRs and NFL's easiest QB schedule.
149. Charles Sims -- Likely to be an inconsistent PPR asset behind Doug Martin.
150. Jerick McKinnon -- Could be a league winner if A.P. breaks down at age 30.
151. Kenny Britt
152. Vernon Davis
153. Buck Allen
154. Jordan Reed
155. Devin Funchess
156. Montee Ball
157. Victor Cruz
158. Markus Wheaton
159. Percy Harvin
160. Michael Crabtree
161. Charles Clay
162. Phillip Dorsett
163. Robert Griffin III
164. Donte Moncrief
165. Coby Fleener
166. Marcus Mariota
167. Lance Dunbar
168. Darren Sproles
169. Eric Ebron
170. Jared Cook
171. Ladarius Green
172. Chris Polk
173. DeAngelo Williams
174. Allen Hurns
175. Khiry Robinson
176. Dan Herron
177. Terrance West
178. Maxx Williams
179. David Cobb
180. Cecil Shorts
181. Nick Toon
182. Marqise Lee
183. Albert Wilson
184. Greg Jennings
185. Stedman Bailey
186. Richard Rodgers
187. Blake Bortles
188. Derek Carr
189. Andre Williams
190. Jace Amaro
191. Jonathan Grimes
192. Cole Beasley
193. Jacob Tamme
194. Ben Watson
195. Niles Paul
196. Ryan Fitzpatrick
197. Nick Foles
198. Damien Williams
199. Josh Hill
200. Theo Riddick

Also Considered: Geno Smith, Brian Hoyer; Juwan Thompson, Jay Ajayi, Bilal Powell, Denard Robinson, Stevan Ridley, James Starks, Fred Jackson, Matt Jones, Cameron Artis-Payne, Christine Michael; Andrew Hawkins, Nate Washington, Robert Woods, Brandon Coleman, Brian Hartline, Justin Hunter, Tavon Austin, Rod Streater, Cody Latimer, Danny Amendola, Taylor Gabriel, Jerricho Cotchery; Rob Housler, Virgil Green, Mychal Rivera, Scott Chandler, Luke Willson