Don't draft a wide receiver first overall.

Don't take a pitcher first overall.

Don't let the amusing Joe Mauer commercials fool you into believing he is still a top-three catcher.

We all have our rules in fantasy.

Another of mine: Don't take a closer early.

It's an argument for another day, but the basic premise is there is value at the position in the middle to late rounds, and avoiding the inevitable closer run in your draft allows you to stock up at other (much more important) positions.

Braves pitcher Craig Kimbrel is a rare player who will make me question that philosophy.

In his career, he has struck out 167 batters in 97 2/3 innings -- a ridiculous average of 15.4 Ks per nine innings. In 2011, his first full big-league season, Kimbrel set a rookie record with 46 saves, and posted a 2.10 ERA and 127 Ks in 77 innings.

He's a stud. But he's a closer, which means you shouldn't take him in the first five rounds of a 12-team league. In points-based leagues, which minimize closers more than rotisserie formats, Kimbrel should go even lower.

On to our final set of position rankings. We'll finish the early rankings rush later this week with our top 100 overall.

Note: All players are ranked at the positions at which they are expected to spend the most time in 2012, not all positions at which they are eligible. ... Stats are from 2011.

Rank, player, team IP, W-L, ERA, K, SV-Opp
1. Craig Kimbrel, Braves 77, 4-3, 2.10, 127, 46-54
2. Jonathan Papelbon, Phillies 64.1, 4-1, 2.94, 87, 31-34
3. John Axford, Brewers 73.2, 2-2, 1.95, 86, 46-48
4. Mariano Rivera, Yankees 61.1, 1-2, 1.91, 60, 44-49
5. Drew Storen, Nationals 75.1, 6-3, 2.75, 74, 43-48
6. Brian Wilson, Giants 55, 6-4, 3.11, 54, 36-41
7. Heath Bell, Marlins 62.2, 3-4, 2.44, 51, 43-48
8. J.J. Putz, Diamondbacks 58, 2-2, 2.17, 61, 45-49
9. Jose Valverde, Tigers 72.1, 2-4, 2.24, 69, 49-49
10. Joakim Soria, Royals 60.1, 5-5, 4.03, 60, 28-35
11. Ryan Madson, Reds 60.2, 4-2, 2.37, 62, 32-34
12. Joel Hanrahan, Pirates 68.2, 1-4, 1.83, 61, 40-44
13. Andrew Bailey, Red Sox 41.2, 0-4, 3.24, 41, 24-26
14. Jason Motte, Cardinals 68, 5-2, 2.25, 63, 9-13
15. Sergio Santos, Blue Jays 63.1, 4-5, 3.55, 92, 30-36
16. Carlos Marmol, Cubs 74, 2-6, 4.01, 99, 34-44
17. Jordan Walden, Angels 60.1, 5-5, 2.98, 26, 67, 32-42
18. Joe Nathan, Rangers 44.2, 2-1, 4.84, 43, 14-17
19. Chris Perez, Indians 59.2, 4-7, 3.32, 39, 36-40
20. Huston Street, Padres 58.1, 1-4, 3.86, 55, 29-33

Last three out: Brandon League, Mariners; Kyle Farnsworth, Rays; Javy Guerra, Dodgers.

Eligibility notes: As we noted in the rankings of the starting pitchers, Texas' Neftali Feliz and Tampa Bay's Matt Moore will begin the year in the rotation of their respective teams. If you are in a deep league and must play multiple relievers, start them as relievers if possible.

Key stats: Expect Papelbon to have a monster first season in Philly. Prior to 2011, he had averaged 37.6 saves in his previous five seasons. Last year, his save total dropped to 31, but he struck out 87 in 64 1/3 innings and blew only three save chances. As a team, the Phillies have averaged 44.5 saves per year since 2008.

PREVIOUS: Catchers, first basemen, second basemen, shortstops, third basemen, designated hitters, outfielders, starting pitchers

NEXT: Top 100 overall

It wouldn't be the first day of the fantasy baseball season if we didn't have closer drama. And we're not referring to John Axford's less-than-ideal start to the season.

Seattle's David Aardsma, Oakland's Andrew Bailey, Toronto's Frank Francisco, Philadelphia's Brad Lidge and our personal favorite, San Francisco's Brian Wilson, all opened the season on the disabled list.

As usual, owners in 5x5 roto leagues scrambled in the past few days to find replacements -- lending even more credence to the It's Better to Punt Saves on Draft Day Theory.

Because of baseball's midweek start this year, Week 1 will last through next week in most leagues, thus the injuries to Francisco (chest and shoulder) and Wilson (oblique) aren't of much concern. Both could be back as soon as next week, with Jon Rauch serving as Francisco's replacement and Sergio Romo (5-3, 2.18 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 70 strikeouts in 62 innings last season) the most likely candidate to get saves in Wilson's absence.

If you're looking for a longer-term replacement at closer, the other three teams have much more volatile situations.

Lidge could miss as much as two months because of a posterior rotator cuff strain, and Aardsma is expected to be out until May with a hip problem. The A's haven't give a return date for Bailey, who has a forearm injury, but he likely won't be back for at least a couple of weeks.

All of which brings us to our ranking of the three replacement closers:

1. Jose Contreras, Phillies: He was 6-4 with a 3.34 ERA and 57 Ks in 56 2/3 innings last season. Lidge hasn't exactly been a model of stability the last two seasons, so we wouldn't be surprised if Contreras has the job for longer than a couple of months this year.

2. Brian Fuentes, Athletics: He had 24 saves, a 2.81 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with the Angels and Twins last season, and he saved 48 games the year before in Los Angeles. He should be a reliable source of saves until the injury-prone Bailey returns.

3. Brandon League, Mariners: He might have the job longer than Fuentes, but he's much less of a sure thing after a 2010 in which he was 9-7, but blew half of his 12 save opportunities and had only 56 Ks in 79 innings. League has eight saves in seven big-league seasons.

One more quick note on closers: Owners who are relying on Atlanta's Craig Kimbrel and the Angels' Fernando Rodney had to be encouraged by Thursday's games. We know it's early, but neither was guaranteed the job in camp, and both struck out a pair of batters to pick up the save Thursday. Kimbrel, who now has 42 Ks in 21 2/3 innings in his young career, could be a top-10 reliever by season's end.