OK, here we go. In this thread will be the rankings of each player. This thread is merely for historical purposes. I will e-mail the lists to you. You must let me know, in this thread, that you have received the e-mails. Pay attention to the lists.
Each player at each position is ranked based on their ability in the 2004 NFL season. I have divided them into Blockers, Defensive Players, Skill Players and Special Teams.
Blockers:
T, G, C, TE, FB
The players are ranked on a 1-10 basis. 10 is high. For example, there are 2 tackles in the whole league that rate a 10. They are the best tackles. There is one center who ranks a ten. He is the best center. TE and FB highest rating is 4. A FB with a 4 rating is the best you can get. Blocking is the average of Run blocking and Pass blocking. Take that into consideration when building your team. If you want a strong running team then take blockers with a stronger run number.
Defensive Players:
DT, DE, OLB, ILB, S, CB
Again, the players are ranked on a 1-10 basis. 10 is high. This time the ranking is a total of the rush def, pass def and sack of a player. You need to look at this carefully. Great corners will have low run def, high pass def and no sack. Great DEs will have high run def, no pass def and great sack.
Special Teams:
K, P, LS, H, Gunner
Gunner is the only position that gets a number. It is their defensive ranking. For a gunner 3 or 4 is the norm. The K or P go on last years stats. The LS and H are only lists.
Skill Players:
QB, WR, RB, TE
These positions go by last years stats. They do not receive rankings.
Other things
1. As you will notice, several players have multiple positions. They are good to have because you can alter your lineup accordingly. A LB/DE can play either position. That is a benefit in short yardage and stuff like that.
2. Players listed as DB, HB...DB=Saftey or CB HB=FB or TE, again adds to flexibility
3. Durability - each player has a durability ranking based on last years history. IF they missed 8 games they will have trouble staying healthy. Players with 1 or 2 kicks or punts will also have trouble over time. You want players that played well over long periods of the season.
4. The lists below contain every player that played at least one play in the NFL last year. They will not be altered. They are listed for historical purposes only. It will be up to you to keep your own lists with who is still available.
BTW, I simmed the entire 2004 season last night, with rosters as they were in the 2004 season using the 2004 schedule. The Bills went 11-5.