I'm a child of the 1970s-1980s (damn I'm getting old) and a huge fan of movies, so some of my earliest memories of Hollywood include the original "Star Wars", "Rocky" and "Grease." Of course, I had a major crush on Olivia Newton-John. Seeing her in that black leather outfit at the end of the movie, well, goodness gracious. I wasn't sure why I liked her at that young age, but I knew I liked her.
One of the most popular songs in that historic flick was called "Summer Nights," which always comes to mind when I compile my annual list of fantasy football players who I love heading into the upcoming NFL season.
"Summer lovin' had me a blast, summer lovin' happened so fast."
Sometimes the players on this list go on to make beautiful music for fantasy owners and lead their teams to a league championship. Last season, the list included Cam Newton, A.J. Green, DeAndre Hopkins, Brandin Cooks, Latavius Murray and Amari Cooper. Of course, you also have the players who break your heart like C.J. Anderson and Carlos Hyde, but that's what sometimes happens when you put your "fantasy" feelings on the line.
With the summer here and fantasy fans getting geared up for their drafts, now's the time to release my Summer Lovin' list for 2016. These players don't fit under any one category (sleeper, breakout, bargain, etc.), they're just the guys I'm going to be targeting in all of my drafts.
You should too.
David Johnson, RB, Cardinals: Johnson started just five games in his rookie campaign, but he still finished seventh in fantasy points among running backs. We all know coach Bruce Arians likes to use a featured runner, so imagine what D.J. could do with a full season of touches? He's a first-rounder.
Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys: In the last two years, the Cowboys made DeMarco Murray the No. 1 fantasy runner (2014) and resurrected Darren McFadden from the dead. Enter Elliott, who is the unquestioned No. 1 rookie back and more talented than Murray or McFadden. He will be a top-five running back.
Lamar Miller, RB, Texans: I have long been a fan of Miller. Want proof? Check out this column where I mentioned him in 2013. With his move to Houston, I love Miller even more from a fantasy standpoint. He's the new Arian Foster for coach Bill O'Brien, so I'm expecting a monster year.
Sammy Watkins, WR, Bills: There's a little cause for concern here for Watkins, who is coming off foot surgery and could miss all of training camp. Barring any setbacks in his return, however, I'm still all in. Just look at what Watkins did in the second half of 2015. He's the real deal.
Keenan Allen, WR, Chargers: Allen was on pace for a ridiculous 134 catches, 1,450 yards and eight touchdowns last season before he suffered a lacerated kidney, so I'm not sure why more people aren't talking about him. Now that he's 100 percent, I see Allen finishing as a top-10 fantasy wideout.
C.J. Anderson, RB, Broncos: Anderson put up good numbers in the second half of last season, and I see him leading what should be a run-based Broncos offense in 2016. While Devontae Booker and Ronnie Hillman are in the mix, I think there's 18 million reasons to believe in Anderson as the main man.
Carlos Hyde, RB, 49ers: Hyde was on this list last season, and he left me feeling like Daario Naharis in the season six finale of "Game of Thrones". Still, the Ohio State product is still in a great position to break out under coach Chip Kelly. If he avoids injuries, Hyde could be a monster value.
Donte Moncrief, WR, Colts: Moncrief put up better than 700 yards last season, and he did it without Andrew Luck for nine games. With Luck back under the center, I wouldn't be surprised if both Moncrief and T.Y. Hilton each finished with 1,000-plus yards. The former could be a major draft bargain.
DeVante Parker, WR, Dolphins: Parker looked like a star in the making toward to end of last season, and new coach Adam Gase will bring out the best of this second-year wide receiver. Playing alongside Jarvis Landry, the Dolphins have their best pair of fantasy wideouts since the Marks Brothers.
Coby Fleener, TE, Saints: The tight end position is on the rise, and Fleener is a part of the reason. He'll now be featured in a Saints offense that loves to use the position, and it doesn't hurt to have a veteran quarterback like Drew Brees at the helm either. Fleener should bust out in 2016.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Have a burning question on anything fantasy related? Tweet it to _**@MichaelFabiano**_ or send a question via **Facebook**!
