Fantasy Football 2014: 10 Players You Need On Your Team

Shane Vereen is not the primary back in New England's offense, but he is by far the most versatile. Not only will Vereen get some good touches in the running game, he is a weapon in the passing game. With questions surrounding Stevan Ridley and his fumbling problems, don't be shocked if Vereen gets more carries than he normally does. Vereen will be a solid bench player and a good option as a flex player in custom leagues.

After sharing carries with Jonathan Stewart the past few seasons, DeAngelo Williams has established himself as the lead running back for Carolina. Williams still has plenty left in the tank after only having 200 carries in just one of the past four seasons. Also, with no true weapons in the passing game, Williams will get even more touches in Carolina's offense. Williams can become a quality No. 2 back who can be picked up in later rounds.

After signing a long-term deal this offseason, 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick will be looking to lead the 49ers to a fourth straight NFC Championship game this season. In terms of fantasy, Kaepernick will be one of the top QBs due to his ability to run with the ball (524 yards and four touchdowns). As a passer, Kaepernick still has some learning to do, but he is a solid option as a backup QB or a flex play in custom leagues.

Anquan Boldin had a great fantasy season in 2013, catching 85 passes for over 1,100 yards and seven touchdowns. However, Boldin likely won't repeat those numbers given a healthy Michael Crabtree, the addition of Steve Johnson and the 49ers' reluctance to throw the ball, but Boldin is still a good fantasy pick later on in the draft. Boldin will be anywhere between a No. 2 and No. 3 receiver and can be found in the later rounds.

Jason Witten of the Dallas Cowboys is one of the first tight ends off the board in most fantasy football drafts. He is consistent every season and has a knack for getting not just yards, but touchdowns. Witten had over 800 yards receiving last year and eight touchdowns, which was a major upgrade over only three in 2012. He won't be drafted among the top-five tight ends, but he'll be just as productive as Jimmy Graham and Julius Thomas.

Marques Colston continues to be underrated as one of the better wide receivers not just in the league, but in fantasy football. He’s recorded 1,000 yards in six of his eight seasons in the league and had five or more touchdowns in each of his previous eight NFL seasons. If you are looking for a safe pick at wide receiver, look no further than Colston. He will be around later in the draft, and is productive enough to be a No. 2 or No. 3 receiver.

This offseason, Emmanuel Sanders jumped from a pass-happy team in the Pittsburgh Steelers to arguably the best passing team in the NFL in the Denver Broncos. After seeing what former Broncos receiver Eric Decker did last season, it is not out of the question to expect Sanders to produce similar numbers. Sanders had career highs in receptions, yards and touchdowns last season and will be a solid low-end No. 2 receiver this season.

C.J. Spiller had what can best be described as an inconsistent season in 2013. With major quarterback issues around him, including three different starting quarterbacks. Spiller only had two touchdowns total last season and only 1,118 total yards from scrimmage. With EJ Manuel now healthy to begin the season and rookie wideout Sammy Watkins in the fold, Spiller will get back to his old self and become a high-end No. 2 to low-end No. 1 back.

Jordy Nelson has been the No. 1 receiver for the Green Bay Packers in two of the past three seasons. Last season, when QB Aaron Rodgers was healthy, Nelson averaged 101.3 yards per game, but when Rodgers was on the bench, he averaged only 63 yards per game. Without James Jones this season, Nelson will get even more targets this year and will be a low-end No. 1 receiver as long as Rodgers can stay healthy this season.

While I don't expect Peyton Manning to post the same numbers as last season (5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns), he will still be an effective quarterback in fantasy football. Despite losing Eric Decker and Knowshon Moreno this offseason, Manning still has plenty of viable weapons in Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker and Julius Thomas and newcomers Emmanuel Sanders and Cody Latimer. Manning will be a top-three QB this season once again.