I admit it, I was dead wrong.
After four straight sub-par games to open the season, I seriously questioned Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy's ability to contribute from a fantasy football perspective. Lacy must have read one of my columns because he proceeded to reel off 12 double digit fantasy outputs in 13 games. Overall, he had touchdowns in nine outings (13 total scores) and topped 100 total yards in ten games. Not bad at all for the second-year rusher. In fact, his season was so good that he landed atop ESPN's fantasy football rankings for 2015.
That's right, not just the No. 1 running back, but the No. 1 overall player. His second straight 1,110-yard rushing season obviously helps. But it was Lacy's development as a receiver that really put him over the top. The former Alabama star caught 42 passes for 427 yards and four touchdowns. He caught just 35 passes for 257 yards and no scores in his rookie season. At 5-foot-11 and 230 pounds, Lacy has a rare combination of power and speed to go alone with nimble footwork and soft hands.
But he isn't the only Packer getting love in the rankings. Green Bay was the only team with four players in the top 25. Actually, no other team had more than three players in the top 25.
Lacy was followed up by Jordy Nelson at No. 16 (No. 5 among receivers), Aaron Rodgers at No. 20 (No. 1 among quarterbacks), and Randall Cobb at No. 22 (No. 10 among receivers). So as we head into Mock Draft territory and pre-production on this year's fantasy season, it seems like Green Bay Packers players are pretty safe bets early on.
Lacy was followed by Le'Veon Bell, Jamaal Charles, Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch in the top five.
