With the 2016 fantasy season coming to a close, the attention turns towards next season and where the top players for 2017 will be drafted. During the postseason, fans can play a form of fantasy football on sites like NFL.com. Fantasy players can also submit daily lineups through DFS websites like FanDuel and DraftKings. While these options will keep fans occupied for the next month, a long off-season awaits as fantasy players debate the merits of their favorite players with thoughts towards next season's fantasy draft. Our list includes some of the players that consistently are drafted high each season. It also includes newcomers to the list like Ezekiel Elliott who have proven in their short careers that they have already become bedrocks for fantasy football teams. Prior to the 2016 season, the Zero RB Theory was gaining traction as some fantasy owners opted to avoid drafting running backs early. Those who adopted this idea likely found the season challenging with so many of the top fantasy performers coming from the running back position. The 2017 list of top players reflects a shifting of balance slowly back towards running backs. Stats listed from the 2016 fantasy season are courtesy of ESPN standard scoring leagues but applicable across platforms. Heavy's list is a mock draft of how we see the top ten picks playing out next season. There is still plenty of time for things to change before the season starts. The NFL Draft has yet to take place and several teams are in the interview process of finding a new head coach. Here's how we see the top players as of today. Send your rankings to me on Twitter @JonDAdams or leave them here in the comments section. Click the arrow on the right side of the above image to see Heavy's early rankings for the top fantasy football players of 2017. (Getty)
No. 10 WR A.J. Green
Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Position: Wide Receiver
2016 Stats: 66 receptions, 1,297 receiving yards, 10 touchdowns and 100 targets
Outlook: Green played 10 games this season before suffering a season-ending hamstring injury. Green was on his way to a great fantasy season and was averaging 10 targets a game. It seems Green and Dez Bryant consistently find themselves being selected anywhere ranging from the end of round one to the beginning of round two. There's no signs that point to Green not being fully recovered by the start of the season. If all goes as planned, Green will be a tempting player for fantasy owners who are picking near the turn of their fantasy drafts. (Getty)
No. 9 WR Jordy Nelson
Team: Green Bay Packers
Position: Wide Receiver
2016 Stats: 97 receptions, 1,257 receiving yards, 14 touchdowns and 152 targets
Outlook: There may not be a more underrated player heading into next season than Nelson. As one of the more established players on this list, he does not have the same upside as some of the younger players given you know Nelson's range of production. That said, Nelson has as high of a floor as any other wide receiver and carries much less risk than some of the younger players. There is concern over Davante Adams role moving forward and whether it will eat into Nelson's targets. Even with Adams emergence, Nelson was sixth this season in targets. As long as Aaron Rodgers is under center for Green Bay, there is going to be room for multiple Packers receivers to be fantasy relevant. Nelson also has more history with Rodgers than any other receiver on the roster. (Getty)
No. 8 RB DeMarco Murray
Team: Tennessee Titans
Position: Running Back
2016 Stats: 293 carries, 1,287 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns; 53 receptions, 377 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns
Outlook: If you were wise enough to snatch up Murray in your fantasy draft this past season, chances are you had a solid season. Murray was going for a bargain price for two key reasons. He was coming off a disappointing season with the Eagles. Secondly, there was concern over what his workload would be given the Titans had used a high draft pick to select Derrick Henry. As the season progressed, it became clear that Henry would not be taking away touches from Murray. It also became clear that Murray was not being utilized to his full potential the previous season in Chip Kelly's offense in Philadelphia. This season, Murray looked more like the player we saw in Dallas. Heading into 2017, fantasy owners will have to pay up as Murray will not be around in the middle rounds for a bargain like he was in many drafts a season ago. (Getty)
No. 7 WR Julio Jones
Team: Atlanta Falcons
Position: Wide Receiver
2016 Stats: 83 receptions, 1,409 receiving yards, 6 touchdowns and 129 targets
Outlook: Jones finished sixth in total fantasy points among fantasy wide receivers despite missing two games with injuries. Those that have owned Julio Jones know the downside to an otherwise phenomenal fantasy option. There will be weeks where Jones fantasy production is non-existent. Not including the games he missed, Jones had five games with 6 fantasy points or less. However, very few receivers have more upside than Jones. He had 12 receptions for 300 yards in Week 4 against the Panthers. Jones had six games with 15 or more fantasy points. With Matt Ryan at the helm, the Falcons have historically put up points providing a high floor for Jones each season. (Getty)
No. 6 WR Mike Evans
Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Position: Wide Receiver
2016 Stats: 96 receptions, 1,321 receiving yards, 12 touchdowns, 175 targets
Outlook: Evans led the league in targets this season with 175. A strong argument could be made for Evans to be the top wide receiver drafted. His age, size and upside will lead to some owners snatching him up before Antonio Brown or Odell Beckham Jr. This season, we saw positive regression as Evans hit 12 touchdowns which is a significant increase from three touchdowns in 2015. It is looking like his 2015 season is more of an outlier given his numbers in 2014 and 2016. The consistency is just a notch below Brown and Beckham for us to have him ranked about them but his upside gives room for pause. (Getty)
No. 5 WR Odell Beckham Jr.
Team: New York Giants
Position: Wide Receiver
2016 Stats: 101 receptions, 1,367 receiving yards, 10 touchdowns, 169 targets
Outlook: There have been some disappointing moments from OBJ this season. Beckham had six games with single digit fantasy points in standard scoring leagues. Along with those poor fantasy performances, he brings extreme upside as he had eight games with 12 or more fantasy points. Beckham tends to not miss much time with injuries, but he is constantly on the the injury report. Fantasy owners that draft Beckham have to be okay constantly monitoring the injury report and learn not to panic. There may be safer picks than Beckham, but few players are more fun to have on your fantasy team than OBJ. (Getty)
No. 4 WR Antonio Brown
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Position: Wide Receiver
2016 Stats: 106 receptions, 1,284 receiving yards, 12 touchdowns, 155 targets
Outlook: Brown has consistently been one of the top fantasy wide receivers each season. There are likely three wide receivers that will be in the mix to be the top wide receiver taken next season. Right now, we have Brown as the top option for a few reasons. The Steelers offense has proven it can be trusted over the long-term. The Pittsburgh offense has been able to sustain multiple fantasy options on a consistent basis. Another reason for Brown's high ranking is his body of work. There are younger receivers with higher upside, but their floor is also a lot lower. Brown will likely have a few running backs taken above him next season, but it will be hard for fantasy owners to pass on him once the top running backs have been selected. (Getty)
No. 3 RB Le'Veon Bell
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Position: Running Back
2016 Stats: 261 carries, 1,268 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns; 75 receptions, 616 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns
Outlook: Despite missing time at the beginning of the season to serve a suspension, Bell put up better numbers than nearly any other player. His receiving numbers are second to only David Johnson in the running back category. With the injuries and off-field issues over his career, you take on a bit more risk with Bell than you do with the other two top running backs, but he is still near the top of all players even when you factor in the risk. The production he has given fantasy owners when he is on the field gives you a chance to win your matchup each week given his high upside. (Getty)
No. 2 RB David Johnson
Team: Arizona Cardinals
Position: Running Back
2016 Stats: 293 carries, 1,239 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns; 80 receptions, 879 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns
Outlook: After being carted off the field in the Cardinals final game, Johnson will not need surgery. It appears he will just need some time off from football to get back to full strength. We downgraded him slightly as Ezekiel Elliott looks like the safer option, but this could change as positive reports begin to circulate closer to the beginning of the season. From a production standpoint, no one tops Johnson. He did it in a small sample size his rookie season after taking over the lead back role in Arizona. This season marked his first full season in the role, and Johnson did not disappoint. What makes him so special is his usage in the passing game. His reception numbers top many lead running backs rushing numbers making him a cornerstone for any fantasy team. (Getty)
No. 1 RB Ezekiel Elliott
Team: Dallas Cowboys
Position: Running Back
2016 Stats: 322 carries, 1,631 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns; 32 receptions, 363 receiving yards and 1 touchdown
Outlook: It seems there is a three-man race for the top pick in next year's fantasy draft. It will be between Ezekiel Elliott, David Johnson and Le'Veon Bell. Elliott is the safest of the three options. He had close to 2,000 total yards in his rookie season, and the Cowboys stellar offensive line is not going anywhere. Elliott has not peaked and is only going to get better as his career progresses. To compete with a healthy David Johnson, the Cowboys will need to up his usage in the passing game. It is not out of the question to think Elliott is capable of running for 2,000 yards next season. (Getty)
Fantasy Football Rankings 2017: Top 10 Best Players