It’s an overly common cliché in Little League, corporate seminars, and the Greek phalanx: “You’re only as strong as your weakest link”. Many people think the top players automatically win in fantasy, regardless of what the lower-tier starters do. If you have the top performer, you’ll win, period. But while the top 50 of most mock drafts.

Top 5 Fantasy Mid-Round Steals

5. #16 RB in our Fantasy Draft Kit)
ESPN Projected Rank: #64 (#24 RB)
Average Draft Position: #86 (#35 RB)
numberFire Projected Fantasy Points: 162.9

For years, the two-headed, generic-named monster of Stewart and #13 WR in our Fantasy Draft Kit)
ESPN Projected Rank: #57 (#21 WR)
Average Draft Position: #58 (#24 WR)
numberFire Projected Fantasy Points: 251.87

Dwayne Bowe wasn’t going to duplicate his 15-touchdown season from 2010; anybody who told you otherwise had their face painted red and yellow. However, 81 catches and 1159 yards isn’t half bad, especially from a guy who supposedly had a down year. Bowe’s currently in the middle of a hold-out, but I see little reason to believe that he won’t be in camp. Bowe may have a new offensive coordinator, but Brian Daboll was also the man who helped #4 TE in our Fantasy Draft Kit)
ESPN Projected Rank: #69 (#5 TE)
Average Draft Position: #72 (#7 TE)
numberFire Projected Fantasy Points: 130.3

The major difference between numberFire and other fantasy services here is the relative importance placed on the tight end position. Both sides agree that the two top guys (Gronk and Graham) should go in the first 25 picks. But a solid mid-round tight end solidifies a spot where others may take occasional zeroes - Witten has exactly one season (Witten, 2005) under 100 fantasy points since 2003. While he’s not worth near the #37 overall pick due to his position, he could easily be had in the 6th round as a solid contributor and could be worth more than other receivers (Brandon Lloyd, Percy Harvin) taken near the top of 5th round.

2. #5 QB in our Fantasy Draft Kit)
ESPN Projected Rank: #73 (#11 QB)
Average Draft Position: #74 (#11 QB)
numberFire Projected Fantasy Points: 266.84

A lot has been made on this site already about Matt Ryan being our number five overall quarterback. In fact, when he was taken in the second round of the numberFire mock draft, many people (including stats guru Keith Goldner and contributor Abe Schwadron) called it one of the reaches of the draft. But if he’s still sitting there in the mid-rounds and you’re without a quarterback? You’d be crazy not to take him. Both his yardage and touchdowns have increased each of the past 3 seasons, and he’s topped 300 fantasy points in a standard league each of the past two. He’s also not moving out of that Atlanta dome any time soon. Perhaps most telling: after the week 9 bye last year, when both #11 WR in our Fantasy Draft Kit)
ESPN Projected Rank: #60 (#23 WR)
Average Draft Position: #61 (#26 WR)
numberFire Projected Fantasy Points: 153.61

Steve Johnson can be a little outspoken at times. But the man can play football. His first two years in the starting lineup for Buffalo, he’s put up 1000 receiving yards each year, with 10 TDs in 2010 and 7 TDs in 2011. Those worried about his drop-off late last season shouldn’t be – Johnson played with a torn groin that he says is fully healed, while he wants to double his yardage total… which would give him over 2000 on the season. Are you going to tell him he can’t? While he’s currently going in the sixth round on average, he may be worth looking at as high as the fourth.