Tiering Up the Expert Rankings

  Posted 8/24 by Clayton Gray, Exclusive to Footballguys.com

Many of our readers love the concept of tiers. This column will identify separation between groups of players in our expert rankings and will be updated often as the preseason winds down. The tiers below are based upon the expert rankings from the morning of August 23rd. Now, on to the tiers.

Quarterbacks

Tier 1

• Drew Brees - NO
• Tom Brady - NE

These guys have rotated between 1a and 1b all preseason.

Tier 2

• Peyton Manning - Ind
• Aaron Rodgers - GB

Lately, Manning has increased the distance between he and Rodgers. If that continues, this tier will split in future updates.

Tier 3

• Donovan McNabb - Phi
• Kurt Warner - Ari
• Philip Rivers - SD

Tier 4

• Tony Romo - Dal

Questions abound with the loss of Owens, which is keeping Romo from joining Tier 3.

Tier 5

• Carson Palmer - Cin
• Jay Cutler - Chi
• Matt Schaub - Hou

Some like these guys to become elite, but health issues or supporting casts keep their value down.

Tier 6

• Matt Ryan - Atl
• David Garrard - Jac
• Ben Roethlisberger - Pit

The final group of QBs widely thought of a startable options in most leagues.

Tier 7

• Matt Cassel - KC
• Eli Manning - NYG
• Matt Hasselbeck - Sea
• Trent Edwards - Buf

Our first group of solid backups.

Tier 8

• Kyle Orton - Den
• Jason Campbell - Was
• Brett Favre - Min
• Chad Pennington - Mia
• Jake Delhomme - Car
• Joe Flacco - Bal

Final group of backups that most would feel comfortable with.

Tier 9

• Shaun Hill - SF
• Marc Bulger - StL
• JaMarcus Russell - Oak
• Kerry Collins - Ten
• Brady Quinn - Cle
• Mark Sanchez - NYJ
• Byron Leftwich - TB
• Matthew Stafford - Det

This group is far from sexy, but they are the last of the draftable QBs.

Running Backs

Tier 1

• Adrian Peterson

Almost unanimous No. 1 deserves his on grouping.

Tier 2

• Maurice Jones-Drew

Depending on the scoring system, Jones-Drew could join Peterson's group (in PPR leagues) or sink back to Turner's level (in TD-heavy leagues).

Tier 3

• Michael Turner

In PPR systems, Turner will be joined by the tier below, but in non-PPR leagues, he is notably ahead of them.

Tier 4

• LaDainian Tomlinson
• Steve Jackson

Injury histories keep these two from being higher.

Tier 5

• DeAngelo Williams - Car
• Matt Forte - Chi
• Frank Gore - SF

Strong group, but these are definitely below Tier 4 and ahead of Tier 6.

Tier 6

• Chris Johnson - Ten
• Steve Slaton - Hou
• Clinton Portis - Was
• Brandon Jacobs - NYG
• Brian Westbrook - Phi

These guys will lose a few touches to other backs, and that keeps them from joining a higher group.

Tier 7

• Marion Barber - Dal
• Ronnie Brown - Mia

Odd tier here in that each has been higher in the past.

Tier 8

• Ryan Grant - GB
• Kevin Smith - Det
• Pierre Thomas - NO

Strong group of backs that would be nice RB2 options.

Tier 9

• Darren McFadden - Oak
• Knowshon Moreno - Den
• Marshawn Lynch - Buf
• Reggie Bush - NO
• Larry Johnson - KC

A shakier group here full of issues (injury history, rookie struggles, and a pending suspension).

Tier 10

• Thomas Jones - NYJ
• Ray Rice - Bal
• Willie Parker - Pit
• Joseph Addai - Ind
• Cedric Benson - Cin
• Jonathan Stewart - Car
• Derrick Ward - TB
• Donald Brown - Ind

Here are players that are borderline RB2s but very nice options as third backs.

Tier 11

• Jamal Lewis - Cle
• Chris Wells - Ari
• Earnest Graham - TB
• LenDale White - Ten

A solid, but unspectacular group.

Tier 12

• Julius Jones - Sea
• Felix Jones - Dal
• Tim Hightower - Ari

Ultra-sleeper Felix Jones joins a pair of overlooked veterans.

Tier 13

• Fred Jackson - Buf
• Fred Taylor - NE
• Leon Washington - NYJ
• Darren Sproles - SD
• Jerious Norwood - Atl
• Willis McGahee - Bal
• Le'Ron McClain - Bal
• Chester Taylor - Min
• Ahmad Bradshaw - NYG
• LeSean - McCoy - Phi
• Rashard Mendenhall - Pit

While there are other backs below this tier, this is the last group with the potential to have productive 2009 campaigns.

Wide Receivers

Tier 1

• Randy Moss - NE
• Larry Fitzgerald - Ari
• Andre Johnson - Hou
• Calvin Johnson - Det

The Big 4.

Tier 2

• Reggie Wayne - Ind
• Greg Jennings - GB
• Steve Smith - Car

Great WR1 options, but this group can't match Tier 1.

Tier 3

• Anquan Boldin -Ari
• Roddy White - Atl

Solid WR1s here, and they are noticeably ahead of the pair below.

Tier 4

• Marques Colston - NO
• Dwayne Bowe - KC

The last of the no-doubt WR1s.

Tier 5

• Terrell Owens - Buf
• Chad Ochocinco - Cin
• Wes Welker - NE

These guys will do in a pinch, but you'd like to have a stronger WR1.

Tier 6

• T.J. Houshmandzadeh - Sea
• Braylon Edwards - Cle

A pair of great WR2s.

Tier 7

• Eddie Royal - Den
• Brandon Marshall - Den
• Santonio Holmes - Pit

Nice WR2 options with the potential to be great.

Tier 8

• DeSean Jackson - Phi
• Roy Williams - Dal

These two represent the last of the quality WR2s.

Tier 9

• Vincent Jackson - SD
• Santana Moss - Was
• Hines Ward - Pit
• Anthony Gonzalez - Ind
• Jerricho Cotchery - NYJ
• Antonio Bryant - TB
• Lee Evans - Buf

Lots of uncertainty in this group, but they are solid receivers.

Tier 10

• Bernard Berrian - Min
• Laveranues Coles - Cin
• Donald Driver - GB
• Lance Moore - NO

Nice options with potential to be very good.

Tier 11

• Torry Holt - Jac
• Devin Hester - Chi
• Donnie Avery - StL
• Kevin Walter - Hou
• Ted Ginn - Mia
• Derrick Mason - Bal

Walter joins a group consisting mostly of primary receivers on less-than-spectacular passing offenses.

Tier 12

• Josh Morgan - SF
• Steve Smith - NYG
• Domenik Hixon - NYG
• Steve Breaston - Ari
• Kevin Curtis - Phi
• Chris Chambers - SD
• Muhsin Muhammad - Car
• Percy Harvin - Min
• Nate Burleson - Sea
• Earl Bennett - Chi
• Mark Clayton - Bal
• Nate Washington - Ten
• Justin Gage - Ten
• Chris Henry - Cin

Huge collection of sleeper-types.

Tight Ends

Tier 1

• Jason Witten - Dal
• Antonio Gates - SD

These two are a notch ahead of Tier 2.

Tier 2

• Tony Gonzalez - Atl
• Dallas Clark - Ind

This duo is noticeably ahead of the next group.

Tier 3

• Greg Olsen - Chi
• Kellen Winslow - TB
• Chris Cooley - Was
• Owen Daniels - Hou

Any of this quartet makes a great consolation prize if you can't get one of the Top 4.

Tier 4

• John Carlson - Sea
• Zach Miller - Oak
• Dustin Keller - NYJ

The last group of nice starters.

Tier 5

• Jeremy Shockey - NO
• Visanthe Shiancoe - Min
• Heath Miller - Pit

This tier is OK, but they are better suited as backup TEs.

Tier 6

• Anthony Fasano - Mia
• Brent Celek - Phi
• Vernon Davis - SF

Great potential here, but it would be stressful to have to rely on these guys to open the season.

Tier 7

• Kevin Boss - NYG
• Tony Scheffler - Den
• Bo Scaife - Ten

A ho-hum group.

Tier 8

• Todd Heap - Bal
• Randy McMichael - StL

A pair of veterans.

Tier 9

• Jermichael Finley - GB
• Brandon Pettigrew - Det
• Marcedes Lewis - Jac
• Jared Cook - Ten
• Martellus Bennett - Dal
• Donald Lee - GB

A mixed bag of young sleepers and guys that probably will never be great.

Place Kickers

Tier 1

• Stephen Gostkowski - NE

Tier 2

• Nate Kaeding - SD
• Rob Bironas - Ten

Tier 3

• Mason Crosby - GB
• Jason Elam - Atl

Tier 4

• David Akers - Phi
• Nick Folk - Dal
• Ryan Longwell - Min

Tier 5

• Neil Rackers - Ari
• Kris Brown - Hou
• Robbie Gould - Chi

Tier 6

• Adam Vinatieri - Ind
• Lawrence Tynes - NYG
• John Kasay - Car
• Jeff Reed - Pit
• Shayne Graham - Cin
• Josh Scobee - Jac

Team Defense

Tier 1

• Pittsburgh Steelers

Tier 2

• Minnesota Vikings
• New York Giants
• Baltimore Ravens

Tier 3

• Philadelphia Eagles
• San Diego Chargers

Tier 4

• New England Patriots
• Chicago Bears
• Tennessee Titans
• New York Jets
• Dallas Cowboys

Tier 5

• Green Bay Packers
• Carolina Panthers
• Miami Dolphins
• Jacksonville Jaguars

Tier 6

• Indianapolis Colts
• Arizona Cardinals
• Washington Redskins
• Houston Texans