Several Packers Ranked Highly on Fantasy Draft Boards

What's the next-best thing to watching the Packers play on Sunday? Having awesome Packers on your fantasy football team! That way, when the Packers win and kick butt, you do too! Yahoo Sports released the rankings of their top five fantasy football players at each position on Monday, and to nobody's surprise, the Packers' offense was prominently featured.

#1 quarterback: Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers is listed ahead of Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Cam Newton, and Matthew Stafford. Rodgers is the most complete player at the quarterback position. His scrambling ability gives him the rushing stats that push him above Brady and Brees into the top spot. With a bigger dropoff between the top QB's and the middle tier than in recent years, I would be comfortable drafting Rodgers in the middle of the first round.

#5 wide receiver: Jordy Nelson

From Yahoo:

Nelson ranked second in touchdowns last season at the wide receiver position (15) and while he could take a step back, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense are just too powerful to overlook.

Last year it was Greg Jennings who was the most attractive Packer receiver on draft day. Now Nelson's big-play ability has vaulted him to a top-5 ranking. I'm not entirely sure that I'd have him in my top 5, but there's no way he'd fall out of my top 10. I see Jordy being a good value in the late third or the fourth round.

#5 tight end: Jermichael Finley

You could make the case for Jason Witten over Finley at No. 5, but the Green Bay tight end ranked third among tight ends last season in touchdown receptions (8).

Finley needs to be more consistent to be an every-week play at tight end. What Yahoo didn't mention was that he didn't really have any big games aside from his three-touchdown explosion against the Bears in Week 3. There's a steep drop-off after the top four players on the board (Gronkowski, Graham, Hernandez, and Gates), but I agree that Jermike is the best option of that group. Consider him in the middle rounds, somewhere between 7 and 8.

#5 defense: Green Bay Packers

The turnovers are going to be there. Yes, they gave up a ton of yardage last year, but that doesn't matter in most fantasy leagues. Turnovers and points are key. This defense has been an interception machine in recent years and though they finished 19th in the league in points allowed in 2011, they were in the top 10 in 2009 and 2010. The addition of Nick Perry and Jerel Worthy should help boost the defense's sack numbers as well. I do like their choices of Houston and San Francisco for the top two spots, but I think the Packers will be a better fantasy defense than the Eagles or Steelers.

As the summer goes on, keep your eyes open for the Acme Packing Company fantasy league.

Where would you rank the Packers' playmakers?