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Don’t be that fantasy owner that loves to think if they don’t draft Jimmy Graham or Julius Thomas that they don’t have to worry about getting a tight end. The days of having a couple of makeshift tight ends and still surviving are over. If you don’t get a quality tight end you may lose a valuable double digit in points every week.

Try to get one in the top five to seven if you’re going to wait. Don’t be one of the other five to six owners stuck with a project or inconsistency.

1. Jimmy Graham
The man got paid and unlike other super stars that get the big checks, Graham’s productivity shouldn’t wane. There are concerns with Drew Brees’s oblique injury but I wouldn’t expect that to hamper Graham. If anything it would affect Brees’s deep ball.

2. Jordan Cameron
Cameron was the mystery guy last preseason that carried it over to the regular season. There won’t be Brandon Weeden to contract everyone’s talent on the field and likely no Josh Gordon either. Draftees of Cameron should be confident in the upgrade of Manziel and Hoyer.

3. Vernon Davis
Any type of escalated improvement mechanically with Colin Kaepernick and the passing game will mean a monster year for Davis. He was the main threat a year ago and teams still couldn’t stop him. Kaepernick’s reads were limited to protect the football but I expect to see a leap in the way the 49ers unleash Kaepernick.

4. Julius Thomas
Thomas was the hidden gem coveted by Peyton Manning career followers. I do expect Manning’s numbers to dip a bit in 2014 as the Broncos do a better job of preserving Manning for the playoffs.

5. Rob Gronkowski
When will the Gronk actually be healthy and return to the field. His latest setbacks have hindered him to possibly missing the majority of the preseason. At this time even ranking Gronk as a top five tight end is risky. But all plans in New England are to bring him back when he is 100 percent. If that 100 percent is late September and he finishes a full 12 to 13 games, his value still super seeds the rest of the NFL tight ends.

6. Kyle Rudolph
7. Zach Ertz
8. Jason Witten
9. Greg Olsen
10.Martellus Bennett
11.Charles Clay
12.Tyler Eifert
13.Heath Miller
14.Garrett Graham
15.Dennis Pitta
16.Antonio Gates
17.Dwayne Allen
18.LaDarius Green
19.Coby Fleener
20.Eric Ebron

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It’s the third day and a row that I have unveiled new updated fantasy football rankings. Today I’ll delve into the wide receivers as we look at filling your top three starting wideouts and bench fillers.

1. Calvin Johnson
If there is a consensus amongst every fantasy football fanatic and correspondent it’s here. Megatron added another level last year that I didn’t think was possible.

2. AJ Green
Out of all the potential top five to ten receivers, Green still has the most upside in terms of improvement. That’s scary to even think of, but he is only in his fourth season. Cincinnati has kept growing offensively which should only bolster Green’s 2014 season.

3. DeMaryius Thomas
The train that keeps Peyton Manning’s stats humming for ridiculous Hall of Fame accolades is Thomas. The connection these two have already is amazing. Well I guess if Tim Tebow had success with Thomas than Manning would never show his age.

4. Julio Jones
If 100 percent healthy I see no reason to keep Jones from the top five. He is in a system that thrives on getting the receivers unlimited looks every game. He still possesses uncanny size to speed combination, as well as a young strong duo with quarterback Matt Ryan.

5. Dez Bryant
The combustion for an incredible season or one that leaves Dallas in crumbles seems to be the way Bryant’s track record has been. Last year he shook aside the criticism and matured on the football field. Certain stretches of the season he was the top wideout in the league. But Dallas gets in its own way more than any other team in the NFL. This may be the year that things begin to unravel and that’s why I have Bryant down a bit.

6. Keenan Allen
Some fantasy analysts are afraid of the second year fall off from Allen, not me. San Diego is one of those teams that can throw the football more and benefit opposed to running the football consistently. They have a short immediate passing offense that helped Danny Woodhead and Allen become valuable last year. Look for more of the same this season.

7. Jordy Nelson
The pack attack is back in 2014. Last year was ineffective due to a plethora of injuries that plagued the team. Assuming the team can have a bit of better success in that department, it’s safe to predict a natural high reward season from Nelson.

8. Brandon Marshall
Marshall’s demeanor is the exact opposite from what we saw as a Dolphin and Bronco. Since he sought out help for his mental disorder it has brought on a new and improved Marshall all around. The way he was going before he looked like the next TO, Chad Johnson, and other over the top wideouts that fell dramatically in their 30’s. Now he looks like a rejuvenated player that may continue to be a top ten fantasy wideout for the next couple of seasons.

9. Antonio Brown
Pittsburgh Steelers fans are expecting a typical bounce back season from the Steelers. I’m on the opposite side and think we will see some of the same results as a year ago. Inconsistency plagued by a defense that has a ways to go for improvement. That bolds well for Brown owners as he will be able to be in second half delight situations of Big Ben air attacks.

10. Alshon Jeffrey
A prime reason that Marshall may continue to be a beast in Chicago is the rockstar on the other side of him. Jeffrey is a Brandon Marshall duplicate which is a scary proposition to face on a weekly basis.

11. Randall Cobb
12. Victor Cruz
13. Larry Fitzgerald
14. Percy Harvin
15. Pierre Garcon
16. Roddy White
17. Vincent Jackson
18. Michael Floyd
19. Andre Johnson
20. Wes Welker
21. DeSean Jackson
22. Mike Wallace
23. Jeremy Maclin
24. Michael Crabtree
25. Cordarelle Patterson
26. Eric Decker
27. Kendall Wright
28. Torrey Smith
29. Terrance Williams
30. Sammy Watkins
31. TY Hilton
32. Marques Colston
33. Brandin Cooks
34. Julian Edelman
35. Golden Tate
36. Cecil Shorts
37. Reggie Wayne
38. Kelvin Benjamin
39. Mike Evans
40. Reuben Randle
41. DeAndre Hopkins
42. Anquan Boldin
43. Markus Wheaton
44. Justin Hunter
45. Tavon Austin
46. Dwayne Bowe
47. Riley Cooper
48. Kenny Stills
49. Brian Hartline
50. Greg Jennings

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Yesterday I updated my fantasy football quarterback rankings and today I update the running back rankings. With the platoon back system setup with every team there is no shortage of quality running backs to draft. Years ago if you were at the bottom of the order in your fantasy football drafts you had a sick knot in your stomach. That’s how coveted getting a top running back use to be.

Now you can thrive by intermixing how you draft a running back. You’re bound to get a steal late if you seek out a good system backfield. Injuries are bound to happen and an increase in carries even for a stretch of games can be a big boost to your team.

1. Adrian Peterson
I’ll stay with everyones consensus in AP. Though the Barry Sanders effect of continually playing with poor quarterbacks may start to take its toll. Most running backs that come back from a blown out knee adjust their running styles. AP hasn’t, and the Vikings have not scaled back his carries either. His ride to the top may come to an abrupt ending like LT’s did in San Diego.

2. Matt Forte
I believe the synergy offensively for the Bears may be at the peak of any team in the NFL. The way Jay Cutler and McCown moved the football with ease last year was something special. Forte doesn’t get the hype of other top five fantasy backs but has been a top producer year after year.

3. Jamaal Charles
One thing we know about Andy Reid teams is sooner or later the star running back tumbles a bit. It happened with Brian Westbrook, Duce Staley, and even a younger LeSean McCoy. He puts a lot of stress on the running back to help burden the offense. Charles isn’t going to fall off the fantasy map but he’ll take a dip in 2014.

4. Marshawn Lych
Whatever he is planning as far as retirement won’t happen this season in my eyes. The Seahawks need him to be a part of their plan to extend at another chance at getting to the Super Bowl. Based on the ESPN Magazine body issue, Lynch isn’t the workaholic in the gym, but he is a bruiser that has the might to go strong in 2014.

5. Eddie Lacy
If Green Bay wants to shift back to the success they had a few years ago they need to go back to being a power running team. It’s a huge advantage to them in their divisional games in November and December, and continues for any hosted playoff games. It allows for Rodgers to use his pinpoint accuracy even more.

6. Arian Foster
7. Montee Ball
8. DeMarco Murray
9. Alfred Morris
10.Zac Stacy
11.Le’Veon Bell
12.Rashad Jennings
13.Reggie Bush
14.Giovanni Bernard
15.Bishop Sankey
16.Chris Johnson
17.CJ Spiller
18.Toby Gerhart
19.Shane Vereen
20.Andre Ellington
21.Frank Gore
22.Ben Tate
23.Ray Rice
24.Ryan Matthews
25.Steven Jackson
26.DeAngelo Williams
27.Trent Richardson
28.Fred Jackson
29.Mark Ingram
30.Lamar Miller
31Darren Sproles
32Stevan Ridley
33MJD
34.Bernard Pierce
35.Joique Bell
36.Pierre Thomas
37.Ronnie Hillman
38Knowshown Moreno
39.Terrance WEst
40.Andre Williams
41.Shonn Greene
42.Donald Brown
43.Bobby Rainey
44.Carlos Hyde
45.Knile Davis
46.LaTavius Murray
47.Mike Tolbert
48.Stepfan Taylor
49.Bryce Brown
50.Ahmad Bradshaw

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I haven’t updated my fantasy rankings since mid-June. This week I’ll unveil new updated rankings in all positions each day. If you have any personal questions to help your fantasy football team feel free to email me at notjustagame23@gmail.com or via twitter@cimini.

1. Drew Brees
The Saints may be ready to pull off the mountain hike back up to the top of the NFL. We’ve seen this trend with teams over the last ten years. They get to the top, stumble back to the bottom and then refocus back to the top. New Orleans impressed early on in the season going undefeated before teams began trapping Jimmy Graham. That won’t work as easily this season with the improvement of Kenny Stills and the drafting of Brandin Cooks. The field will be wide open again for Brees. Look for him to flourish at his typical high rate.

2. Cam Newton
I love the fact that Newton has stayed out of the limelight. His growth on the field took a dive in his second season and grew immensely last year. His all around great rookie season seems well in the past to fantasy owners. People may think the Panthers offense will stay grounded but look for Newton to be the big difference in its growth forward. Steve Smith wasn’t a number one receiver anymore and it was the appropriate time to move on. Newton will have his best fantasy season yet in 2014.

3. Aaron Rodgers
Remember a few seasons ago when Tony Romo was catching flack for parading with Jessica Simpson in the offseason. Rodgers has been in similar fashion this offseason but since he isn’t on the Cowboys it hasn’t been mentioned. Rodgers talent on the field speaks for itself. He is one quarterback that you don’t have to think twice about. Others have offensive limitations on a weekly basis or age worries.

4. Matthew Stafford
It was just a few seasons ago that Matt Stafford was being drafted in round one of fantasy leagues. Change in Detroit figures to be a primary beneficiary to the defense which has been heavily invested in by the Lions front office. Look for it to show the biggest difference in Stafford. Megatron is still there and there should be a retooled focus all around in Detroit.

5. Peyton Manning
I’m not ranking Manning one or two as I believe the Broncos are going to re-shift the way they manage Manning. If their ultimate goal is to get to the Super Bowl they have to protect Manning better. Reducing the amount of throws and focusing on a great running game will be the emphasis in 2014. He needs to be fresh and sharp for one last great playoff run. Elway will be an influence in this and it’ll lead to a lower than expected output from Manning.

6. Matt Ryan
7. Tony Romo
8. RG3
9. Colin Kaepernick
10.Nick Foles
11.Russ Wilson
12.Jay Cutler
13.Tom Brady
14.Ben Roethlisberger
15.Andrew Luck
16.Eli Manning
17.Johnny Manziel
18.Philip Rivers
19.Ryan Tannehill
20.Andy Dalton
21.Carson Palmer
22.Joe Flacco
23.Ryan Fitzpatrick
24.EJ Manuel
25.Sam Bradford
26.Josh McCown
27.Alex Smith
28.Jake Locker
29.Mike Vick
30.Matt Cassel
31.Blake Bortles
32.Matt Schaub

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Last July in Cardinals training camp in Glendale, Arizona, Cardinals running back Andre Ellington was already a standout amongst his teammates. Ellington is exactly who the Cardinals have been seeking after years of frustrating draft picks and veteran misses in free agency at the running back position.

With an improved passing offense with Carson Palmer the offense finally paced at the same level as the defense. The team went 10-6 on the season and still did not make the playoffs. There were plenty of positives from the season though and Ellington was one.

But there have been positives before from the likes of Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower in years past. Both never could muster another successful year as a Cardinal.

The fact of the matter is, Arizona has failed to produce a 1,000 yard running back in eleven of the last fourteen years. Edgerrin James did it twice in 2006 and 2007, and Beanie Wells barely surpassed 1,000 yards in 2011.

Too see Andre Ellington ranked as high as a top ten fantasy running back is a bit shocking. I could see a fairer range from 13th to 16th. That’s expecting quite a leap from Ellington and the Cardinals utilization of a running back. After all, Bruce Arians comes from Indianapolis where they didn’t involve the running back consistently.

Though Rashard Mendenhall is out of the picture with retirement, it remains to be seen if the Cardinals will platoon Mendenhall’s carries. There’s no doubt that Ellington will play a larger role but does an increase translate to the same deadly average per catch or rush as a year ago?

We’ve seen running backs with big play ability stem that ability with an increased role. Running backs like Reggie Bush actually had their value diminished with more plays on the field. It’s similar to a sixth man in the NBA. Some players just don’t shine as starters but excel with 20-25 minutes a game as a sixth man.

A player like Patty Mills for the Spurs showcased this last year. As a starter he surely would not have the flash and quick scoring ability he showcased against the Miami Heat.

Another alarming consideration for Arizona is their quarterback. Carson Palmer went unscathed from an injury last year. But his track record in Oakland and Cincinnati is littered with injury history. It’s no secret that he is not the most mobile quarterback and is susceptible to big hits.

If an injury were to occur, the Cardinals do not have the best fill in options at quarterback. Their depth consists of rookie Logan Thomas and journeyman Drew Stanton.

For those that have owned Larry Fitzgerald over the years, know how well the Arizona Cardinals have planned at the backup quarterback position. Quarterbacks such as John Skelton, Max Hall, Kevin Kolb, Ryan Lindley, and a few others have dragged down the Cardinals fantasy football weapons in the past.

Ellington can certainly reach top ten fantasy status, I just don’t believe that it’ll happen this season. Ellington was not a known threat going into a season ago, but now he is. Look for defenses to plan to swarm him and force Palmer to make the necessary over the top throws.

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Marks of careers are not always a splash out the gate like fantasy owners would like. General managers and coaches are just as impatient with player development. Well, maybe not to the extent of some fantasy owners, who’ll drop a player every other day. But there is certain value in player’s still in prominent roles that have yet to reach their potential.

Going into a fantasy football draft these type of players are likely on your radar as mid-round picks. They’re low-risk because other fantasy owners are concentrating on filling their starters and likely don’t have the same mindset as you for sleepers.

Of course if this “sleeper” pick doesn’t pan out its not the end of the world. They can end up being the next Beanie Wells or transform like Thomas Jones did.

Down in Miami stock is currently set low on running back Lamar Miller. Miami spent money to bring in Knowshown Moreno and the summer spotlight has been focusing on Miami new and improved offensive system. Eyes have been completely drawn off of Lamar Miller as the focus is on Ryan Tannehill, the coaching staff, and free agent additions.

For once though, Miller will be in prime position to get a firm stake as a Dolphins running back and therefore supplant himself on the fantasy radar. As a rookie, Miami’s offense was in disarray. They had poor weapons at the receiver and tight end position and were dealing with a rookie in Ryan Tannehill. Last year’s offense just had no rhyme or reason to it. The play calling was awful and affected not only Tannehill but the entire offense.

Not to mention the big scandal with the Dolphins offensive line with Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin. This came a year after losing offensive line centerpiece, Jake Long, to free agency to St. Louis. Throughout all the turmoil and rumor mill of what was going on with the MIami’s offensive line no one attributed the Dolphins poor ground game to it.

If anything you would of had to rate the Dolphins ground game last year above standard for the inconsistent play calling and issues with the offensive line. Stabilization is in place this year which can only mean growth for this team.

I believe Miller will have a mini-break out season for the Dolphins. Miller will be used more consistent even with the signing of Knowshown Moreno. Last year he had five games with over fifteen carries and six games with eight or fewer carries. That is a team choosing to abandon the running game similar to the Cowboys choose to.

If Miami develops a proper pattern of running the football I think Miller’s career will finally show progress.Years ago in the early 2000’s, Thomas Jones also had a rough time developing as a running back. It was not completely his fault as the Arizona Cardinals had no running game to think of developing.

Looking at both Jones and Miller you can draw comparisons of skill set and size. For the first three years of Jones career in Arizona he barely registered a 500 yard season. It took landing in Chicago and the New York Jets for Jones career to take off properly. The only difference from his tenure with those teams and Arizona was the utilization of Jones. Once he was used properly and consistently the results paid off for the teams that brought Jones in.

It’s not going to take Miller leaving Miami for the Dolphins to realize they made a mistake. They kept him on board as their starter for a reason. In practice he has shown the ability and in stints on the field he has as well.

If you’re looking for a bona-fide running back sleeper, Miller is your guy. The detraction of attention is there with the signing of Moreno. The drawback is stuck in fantasy minds due to his low touchdowns and ineffective use as a Dolphin.

Grab yourself a no-risk sleeper in Miller in the mid-rounds of your draft.