2013 Fantasy Football Player Rankings: AFC South
Jan 13, 2013; Foxboro, MA, USA; Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) is pursued by New England Patriots defensive lineman Rob Ninkovich (50) and linebacker Jerod Mayo (51) in the AFC Divisional Round playoff game at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots defeated the Texans 41-28. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports
Here we are, finally, less than one week away from opening kickoff. Over the next few days, many of you will be participating in fantasy football drafts. To help you with that, here are my 2013 fantasy football player rankings for the AFC South.
| RANK | PLAYER, TEAM, POSITION |
| 1 | Arian Foster, Hou RB |
| 2 | Chris Johnson, Ten RB |
| 3 | Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac RB |
| 4 | Andre Johnson, Hou WR |
| 5 | Cecil Shorts, Jac WR |
| 6 | Reggie Wayne, Ind WR |
| 7 | Ahmad Bradshaw, Ind RB |
| 8 | Andrew Luck, Ind QB |
| 9 | T.Y. Hilton, Ind WR |
| 10 | Kenny Britt, Ten WR |
| 11 | Matt Schaub, Hou QB |
| 12 | Nate Washington, Ten WR |
| 13 | Texans D/ST |
| 14 | Owen Daniels, Hou TE |
| 15 | Kendall Wright, Ten WR |
| 16 | Ben Tate, Hou RB |
| 17 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou WR |
| 18 | Jake Locker, Ten QB |
| 19 | Vick Ballard, Ind RB |
| 20 | Randy Bullock, Hou K |
| 21 | Darrius Heyward-Bey, Ind WR |
| 22 | Coby Fleener, Ind TE |
| 23 | Adam Vinatieri, Ind K |
| 24 | Rob Bironas, Ten K |
| 25 | Justin Hunter, Ten WR |
| 26 | Marcedes Lewis, Jac TE |
| 27 | Justin Blackmon, Jac WR |
| 28 | Delanie Walker, Ten TE |
| 29 | Josh Scobee, Jac K |
| 30 | Shonn Greene, Ten RB |
| 31 | Taylor Thompson, Ten TE |
| 32 | Titans D/ST |
| 33 | Denard Robinson, Jac RB |
| 34 | Jordan Shipley, Jac WR |
| 35 | Dwayne Allen, Ind TE |
| 36 | Jackie Battle, Ten RB |
| 37 | Colts D/ST |
| 38 | Kerwynn Williams, Ind RB |
| 39 | Justin Forsett, Jac R |
| 40 | Blaine Gabbert, Jac QB |
| 41 | Chad Henne, Jac QB |
| 42 | Jaguars D/ST |
| 43 | Lestar Jean, Hou WR |
| 44 | Mohamed Massaquoi, Jac WR |
| 45 | Donald Brown, Ind RB |
| 46 | Cierre Wood, Hou RB |
| 47 | Garrett Graham, Hou TE |
| 48 | Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ten QB |
| 49 | Ray Graham, Hou RB |
| 50 | T.J. Yates, Hou QB |
Best Player: Arian Foster
There’s no question it’s Arian Foster. Even with the preseason injury woes, even with the declining yards-per-carry over the last three years, he’s still the best bet in the league for double-digit touchdowns.
Best Team: Indianapolis Colts
Tennessee and Indianapolis both have twelve players in the top fifty, while Houston and Jacksonville each clock in with only eleven players, but Indianapolis has the most players ranked in the top ten with four.
Best Draft-Day Value: Nate Washington
Nate the Great is going undrafted in most leagues. Many people view him as the number three, and possibly the fourth, receiver on the depth chart. But the fact of the matter is that Nate Washington is the only Titans receiver with a 1,000 yard season on his resume, and he clearly looked like Jake Locker’s favorite target throughout the preseason, when he led all Titan’s starters with 10 catches for 131 yards and one touchdown. If he stays healthy (and if he gets healthy by week 1), he has a real shot to lead the Titans receivers in fantasy points.
Best Running Backs: Tennessee Titans
The Texans have the best RB-tandem, but the Titans running backs possess the most fantasy value. Chris Johnson could be the fantasy MVP, and Shonn Greene may have more value than expected if he puts up LenDale White-style touchdown numbers (White had 15 TDs in 2008). Yes, Arian Foster is the best overall running back, as well as the best overall player (see the Best Player category above), and yes, Ben Tate is a talented runner who would be a viable option if Foster were to get injured. However, if everyone stays healthy, Shonn Greene is a better every-week option than Ben Tate, thanks to Greene’s touchdown potential.
Best Wide Receivers: Indianapolis Colts
Before you object, let me remind you: this category is best receivers for fantasy football purposes, and the Colts are the only team with two receivers that are potential every-week fantasy starters. Reggie Wayne has been a fantasy staple for years, and he is a lock for 150+ targets this season (he had 194 last year, second in the league). T.Y. Hilton can blow by any defensive back as he looks to continue his development in his second year. Hilton’s current ADP of 87 is far too low considering his upside.
I wish you all good luck in your drafts. Find me on Twitter @JGra_TitanSized, where you can ask me all of your fantasy football advice questions throughout the season.