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With tonight concluding the 2010 NFL pre-season, this will likely be our last update for fantasy tight ends before the season begins in one week (unless we are feeling overly ambitious). In other words, this will definitely be our last fantasy TE update before the start of the season.

Throughout the season, we will provide weekly rankings based on matchups, injuries, byes, etc. In addition, we will update our position rankings, in general terms, on a monthly basis to help you evaluate trade proposals and such.

For now, here are our top 20 fantasy tight ends entering the 2010 NFL season:

1. Antonio Gates, Chargers: Despite only ranking sixth among tight ends in targets (114), Gates led tight ends -- and set a career-high -- in receiving yards (1,157) in 2009. With Vincent Jackson out for three (or more) weeks, Gates should see more targets in 2010.

2. Dallas Clark, Colts: What's not to like? With a line of 100-1106-10, Clark ranked first in receptions, second in yards and third in touchdowns among tight ends.

3. Vernon Davis, 49ers: Davis finally broke out last year. So much so that last season (78-965-13) was essentially better than his two previous seasons combined (83-867-6).

4. Brent Celek, Eagles: Two of Celek's three 100-yard games came in the only two in which quarterback Kevin Kolb started. Perhaps that overstates the Kolb-Celek chemistry, but it's not hard to picture an improvement upon his breakout campaign (76-971-8).

5. Jason Witten, Cowboys: Witten had a "down" year of 94 passes for 1,030 yards (and only two touchdowns). Many tight ends (or wide receivers) would love to have a "down" year like that. I guarantee that Witten will have more than two touchdowns in 2010. Otherwise, I refund 110% of your cost for this advice. I'm confident; make that double your cost.

6. Jermichael Finley, Packers: In his final eight games (including the Packers' post-season game), Finley finished with 44 receptions for 575 yards and four touchdowns. Despite missing three games, Finley still finished in the top ten in receiving yards among TEs in his second season.

7. Tony Gonzalez, Falcons: Arguably the greatest tight end ever. Gonzalez had more targets (135) than any other tight end and finished with 83 receptions for 867 yards and six touchdowns in 2009.

8. Owen Daniels, Texans: In an injury-shortened half-season, Daniels caught 40 passes for 519 yards and five touchdowns. His pace (80-1038-10) would have ranked him fourth in receptions, third in yards and tied for third in TDs among tight ends.

9. Visanthe Shiancoe, Vikings: Shiancoe has never surpassed 596 yards in one season, but he has been a touchdown machine over the past two seasons (18 TDs).

10. Zach Miller, Raiders: Only seven TEs had more receiving yards than Miller (805) had in 2009. In his three seasons, his receptions (44 to 56 to 66) and yards (444 to 778 to 805) have increased every season.

Continue reading "(Updated) 2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends (TEs)" »

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With teams getting ready for their pre-season finales tomorrow night, here are my (updated) Top 50 Fantasy WRs for 2010:

1. Andre Johnson, Texans: For me, this is (still) a no-brainer. Johnson, who was the third overall pick in 2003, has posted back-to-back 100-reception, 1,500-yard seasons.

2. Calvin Johnson, Lions: After a stellar sophomore campaign (78-1331-12) with Dan Orlovsky as his quarterback, MegaTron battled nagging injuries in 2009 and even missed two games. Provided he stays healthy, however, the sky is the limit in 2010 for this gifted athlete.

3. Randy Moss, Patriots: Moss has scored 47 touchdowns over the past three seasons, however, all five of his 100-yard games last year came in the first nine weeks of the season. Whether or not you questioned his motivation in the second-half last year, Moss is entering his contract year and is looking as good as ever.

4. Reggie Wayne, Colts: Only three players (two receivers) finished the season with at least 100 receptions, 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns. If you own Wayne, hope for a few Colts' early-season losses so Wayne plays more than a half in your fantasy championship game.

5. Miles Austin, Cowboys: The list? Andre Johnson and Wes Welker. The topic? Receivers who had more yards than Austin in 2009. The biggest concern for Austin will be the competition for targets with Jason Witten, Dez Bryant, Roy Williams and the running game.

6.Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals: Over the past three seasons, Fitzgerald has caught a combined 293 passes for 3,932 yards and 35 touchdowns. With Kurt Warner retiring this off-season, however, the person (either Matt Leinart or Derek Anderson) getting him the ball is a huge downgrade.

7. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins: Marshall has had 100+ receptions and 1,100+ yards for three consecutive seasons. Marshall has a fat new contract and should be happy. Then again, he's a head case as his punting reinactment illustrated earlier in camp.

8. Roddy White, Falcons: Only Andre Johnson (171) had more targets than did White (165) in 2009. In the past three seasons, White has been consistent: 83, 88 and 85 receptions as well as 1,202, 1,382 and 1,153 yards, respectively. Even better, he set a career-high in TDs (11) in 2009.

9. DeSean Jackson, Eagles: Despite his size, Jackson is one of most explosive big-play receivers in the league. He ranked second in yards (18.5) per reception and first in the league in receptions of 40 yards or more (10).

10. Greg Jennings, Packers: From weeks 4-14, Jennings had only one 100-yard game. In his final four games (counting playoffs), Jennings had three 100-yard games.

Continue reading "(Updated) 2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers (WRs)" »

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 01:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Through three pre-season games, here are my (updated) Top 40 Fantasy RBs for 2010:

1. Chris Johnson, Titans: 2,006 yards. 11 straight 100-yard games. While those numbers would be nearly impossible to repeat, Johnson can take it to the house on any given play with his 4.24 speed. Plus, Johnson is now greedy (not hungry): "I graduated from hungry to greedy, and all I want is more.”

2. Adrian Peterson, Vikings: In three NFL seasons, Peterson has rushed for 1,300+ yards and 10+ touchdowns every year. His fumbling issues are well-documented, but he also had his best season as a receiver (43 receptions for 436) in 2009. And with Sidney Rice out for roughly half of this season, those receiving numbers should increase.

3. Ray Rice, Ravens: Rice led RBs in receptions (78) and receiving yards (702) in 2009. He was one of only two backs to have over 2000 yards from scrimmage.

4. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars: In his first season as the featured back, Pocket Hercules delivered with 1,391 rushing yards, 374 receiving yards on 53 receptions and 16 combined touchdowns. Although he denies he's had knee surgery, he has been shut down for the rest of the pre-season.

5. Michael Turner, Falcons: An ankle injury in week 10 essentially wiped out the rest of his season, but he was getting into a groove before the injury (428 rushing yards on 47 carries (9.1 YPC) and three touchdowns in 2 1/2 games). In his 27 games as a Falcon, Turner has rushed for more touchdowns (27) than he has receptions (11).

6. Frank Gore, 49ers: With two first-round picks in the 2010 NFL Draft, the 49ers drafted two offensive linemen (Trent Williams and Mike Iupati), which is obviously a benefit to Gore. In addition to rushing for over 1,000 yards in the past four years, he has also averaged 52 receptions per season during that span.

7. Steven Jackson, Rams: With the Rams' lack of offensive weapons to complement Jackson, opposing defenses know what is coming. Yet Jackson still finished second in the NFL in rushing in 2009 despite being hampered by back issues for the second half of the season.

8. Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers: Starting in week four, Mendenhall rushed for 1,068 yards and seven TDs in the final 13 games of the season. (That's a 1300-yard pace.) Fortunately, the rumors of a broken arm were false.

9. DeAngelo Williams, Panthers: Despite missing three games last year, Williams has rushed for 2,632 yards and scored 27 touchdowns (25 rushing and two receiving) in the past two seasons. His only drawback? Backfield mate Jonathan Stewart has rushed for close to 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns during that same span. Williams is in a contract year.

10. Shonn Greene, Jets: The Jets replaced one thirty-something back with another, but it's Greene's team now (even if LaDainian Tomlinson isn't aware of that). And with arguably the league's best line in front of him, Greene could have a monster season.

Speaking of Shonn Greene, he's one of the five players listed for our Week 1 Fantasy Football Contest.

Continue reading "(Updated) 2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs (RBs)" »

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Today the Houston Texans released three players: cornerback Fred Bennett, defensive end Pannel Egboh and wide receiver London Crawford.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Steelers suspended quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will meet with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Friday.

Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno and wide receiver Demaryius Thomas "don’t look anywhere near close to returning," per Mike Klis of the Denver Post.

Steelers linebacker James Farrior suffered a head laceration making a tackle in tonight's pre-season game against the Broncos.

Of the NFL's eight divisions, which is the toughest from top to bottom? Discuss in our forums.

Redskins receiver Malcolm Kelly will play in the team's pre-season finale as his status on the team's 53-man roster is in peril.

As we already know, T.O. loves him some him. Apparently, so does Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, who said, "I love what Terrell is doing."

Speaking of his opportunity with the Vikings, receiver Javon Walker said (via the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, "It's been a long time waiting. But I always knew it was there. To come here with a team like this one, it feels great to contribute and try and add on to what they're doing. This is a great team, and I just want to be a part of their success."

Which new Vikings receiver will make a greater impact: Walker or Greg Camarillo?

The Patriots re-signed DB Terrence Johnson and released OL Brian Simmons today.

Raiders receiver Chaz Schilens will miss three to six weeks, but the team is not interested in Antonio Bryant, who was released by the Bengals today.

Is Cleveland rookie quarterback Colt McCoy on the roster bubble?

Per Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, intangibles will factor into the decision to select the Cardinals' starting quarterback.

Jets linebacker Calvin Pace will miss 4-6 weeks due to a broken foot and the team could fill the void with linebacker Adalius Thomas.

Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington joked that the key to winning the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award is to “get hurt and then come back.”

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Detroit Lions have placed defensive end Jared DeVries on injured reserve (IR), per Tim Twentyman of The Detroit News.

Reports that Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew had knee surgery were denied by his agent.

After running routes yesterday at practice, Cowboys rookie Dez Bryant said (via the Dallas Morning News), "I know for a fact that I'm going to be ready for Washington. I know for a fact. I feel great, I feel fine."

According to Forbes magazine (via the Detroit Free Press), three of the top four most valuable NFL franchises play in the NFC East.

As pointed out by Pro Football Talk, Cardinals demoted quarterback Matt Leinart is in the process of burning bridges in Arizona.

The X-rays taken of Indianapolis MLB Gary Brackett's right hand came back negative.

Meanwhile, Colts running back Joseph Addai suffered a minor concussion in last night's pre-season game against the Packers yet he said that he "just got a little dizzy" but he "was cool.”

Vikings rookie cornerback Chris Cook will start against the Seahawks in their pre-season game on Saturday.

The NFL has fined Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks and Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor $10,000 each for their fight in their pre-season game last weekend.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees was given the "Good Guy" Award, per the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

It's confirmed that Rams receiver Donnie Avery will miss the season with a torn ACL.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

FYI: Today we have updated our fantasy football cheat sheet.

Want to see who is #1? Click here.

Want to see who is #48? Click here.

How about #119? Click here.

Ok, we'll stop with the cheap attempts to get you to click the link. If you click the link, we will be grateful. If you don't click the link, however, we will understand. But we want you to have the link. So here's the link.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With a full week of NFL pre-season games under out belt, here are my (updated) Top 25 Fantasy QBs for 2010:

1. Drew Brees, Saints: No quarterback has passed for more yards (9,457) or touchdowns (68) than Brees over the past two seasons. The only reason he had a four-year low of 4,388 passing yards last year was the Saints rested him in week 17 to get ready for their Super Bowl run.

2. Aaron Rodgers, Packers: Like Brees, Rodgers has thrown for 4,000+ yards in each of the past two seasons. Unlike Brees, Rodgers put up solid rushing stats (523 yards and nine touchdowns in the past two years).

3. Peyton Manning, Colts: In 12 NFL seasons, Manning has reached the 4,000-yard milestone ten times including the past four seasons. The two he missed: 3,739 (rookie season) and 3,747 (2005). Considering he's only been sacked 24 times in his past two seasons, he's about as safe of a pick as possible.

4. Tony Romo, Cowboys: Only Matt Schaub and Peyton Manning threw for more yards and only Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers threw fewer interceptions (among full-season starters) than Romo in 2009. And, for a change, Romo finished the season strong: 1,859 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions in final six regular-season games.
5. Matt Schaub, Texans: Schaub led the NFL in passing yards (4,770) despite being without his stud tight end (Owen Daniels) for half of the year.

6. Tom Brady, Patriots: In his first full season back from the knee injury, Brady threw for nearly 4,400 yards and 28 touchdowns. The big question for 2010 is the status of Wes Welker's knee although his rehab has been going remarkably well.

7. Philip Rivers, Chargers: He's one of four QBs that have passed for 4,000 yards in each of the past two seasons and only Brees has thrown more TDs during that stretch. Without Vincent Jackson for three games (suspension) and possibly ten or more games (holdout), there's a good chance his fantasy production will fall short of his abilities.

8. Joe Flacco, Ravens: With new weapons in the passing game (free agents Anquan Boldin and Donte' Stallworth as well as rookies Ed Dickson, Dennis Pitta and David Reed) and improved health, Flacco should easily exceed his 2009 numbers of 3,613 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Enter our free 2010 Fantasy Football Contest by making your Week 1 entry here.

9. Jay Cutler, Bears: Without Martz, Cutler passed for 3,666 yards and 27 TDs despite a career-high in interceptions (26). If Martz can help Cutler reign in the turnovers, he could be in for a huge season. Either way, Cutler said of Martz: "He makes you want to come to work every day."

10. Eli Manning, Giants: With a core group of young receivers (Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, etc.), Eli set career highs in yards (4,021) and TDs (27) in 2009.

11. Donovan McNabb, Redskins: With a downgrade in weapons in the passing game, it will be difficult for McNabb to duplicate his 16-game pace (he missed two games) in 2009 of 4,060 yards and 25 TDs.

12. Kevin Kolb, Eagles: With weapons like DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek, it wouldn't surprise me to see Kolb finish in the 10-12 range of fantasy quarterbacks (and even ahead of McNabb) in 2010 with the Eagles' pass-first offense.

13. Matt Ryan, Falcons: Despite his sophomore slump, partly due to injury (missed two games and most of another), Ryan has weapons such as Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez at his disposal and should be poised for a bounce-back year. And in 14 games, he still threw 22 touchdowns.

14. Brett Favre, Vikings: Regardless of whether Favre texted teammates or not, most expect him to return for another season. But it depends largely on the health of his ankle. And duplicating last year's phenominal success (4,202 yards, 33 TDs, 7 INTs) seems nearly impossible, especially with Percy Harvin battling migraines and Sidney Rice recovering from his hip injury.

15. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers: Only Brees and Schaub had more passing yards per game than Big Ben (288.5) in 2009. Although an announcement hasn't yet been made, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said that Roethlisberger has exceeded what was expected of him so expect his suspension to be reduced to four (from six) games.

16. Matthew Stafford, Lions: The Lions added Nate Burleson, a big upgrade as their No. 2 receiver, via free agency and MegaTron is healthy again. Last year, Stafford led the NFL in pass attempts per game (37.7).

17. Chad Henne, Dolphins: The off-season addition of Brandon Marshall should help Henne continue to develop in his second season as a starter. In the second half of 2009, Henne threw for 1,888 yards but he also threw 11 interceptions and only eight touchdowns.

18. Carson Palmer, Bengals: Palmer threw for only 1,262 yards, seven TDs and six interceptions in the final eight games of 2010. Regardless of all the "Batman" & "Robin" nonsense, the Bengals are a run-first (and defensive-minded) team with a quarterback that has some question marks.

19. Jason Campbell, Raiders: Last year, Campbell posted career highs in passing yards (3,618) and TDs (20). It will be difficult to surpass those numbers in Oakland considering the lack of weapons in their passing game.

20. Alex Smith, 49ers: Although Smith played in only 11 games, his per-game stats equate to a pace of 3,418 yards and 26 touchdowns over a full 16-game season. Plus, the Niners have decent weapons in the passing game: Vernon Davis (one of the league's top three tight ends), Michael Crabtree (the top-rated receiver heading into last year's rookie class) and Frank Gore (who has averaged 52 receptions over the past four years).

21. David Garrard, Jaguars: Garrard has quietly been a steady fantasy producer over the past two seasons. As a back-up QB on your fantasy team, hope that your starter has his bye when Garrard is at home (over 2,000 yards and 12 TDs at home last year).

22. Vince Young, Titans: This is still a run-first team, but VY can make plays with his legs. During the Titans' 7-1 run from weeks 8 to 15, Young threw 10 touchdowns and only three interceptions.

23. Matt Cassel, Chiefs: Only three quarterbacks were sacked more times than Cassel (42), who will look to improve upon his 2009 numbers (2,924 yards and 16 touchdowns).

24. Mark Sanchez, Jets: Typical of rookie quarterbacks, Sanchez had an up-and-down season. In four games with 3+ interceptions, he threw two touchdowns and 15 interceptions. In his other 11 games, he threw 10 touchdowns and only five interceptions. The addition of Santonio Holmes, who will serve a four-game suspension to start the season, should help Sanchez make progress in his second season.

25. Matt Moore, Panthers: With Jake Delhomme out of the picture (and the threat of Jimmy Clausen taking over), Moore will get an opportunity to build on his 2009 success (61.6% completion, 8 TDs, 2 INTs). That said, how long is his leash? (Vote on our poll: Who will the Panthers' starting QB in week 17?)

Also, check out our other 2010 Fantasy Football rankings (which will be updated this week): Top 40 RBs | Top 50 WRs | Top 20 TEs

Follow us on Twitter (Twitter.com/EDSFootball) or on Facebook (Facebook.com/EDSFootball).

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When I was younger, I was driving a small Honda CRX when a full-size pickup truck "landed" on my hood, pushing my car back about 20 feet as my hood broke its rear axle.

One of the onlookers commented that I had "good karma" for being able to get out of the car (essentially) unscathed.

In a way, Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald got "good" news in a similar context.

In other words, it could have been worse.

Although Fitzgerald left last night's game with a knee injury, he expects to be ready for the season opener on September 12th against the St. Louis Rams. (See Cardinals 2010 schedule)

According to Darren Urban from the team's website, the MRI on Fitzgerald's knee revealed only an MCL sprain.

So, I wouldn't expect to see him on the field for any of the team's remaining pre-season games.

Unless, of course, that's what you consider a game against the Rams.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Arizona Cardinals have signed defensive tackle Dan Williams to a five-year deal, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Williams, who was the 26th overall pick, is strong against the run, not much of a pass-rusher and has been inconsistent and some have questioned his motivation.

Here is part of what DraftCountdown.com wrote in their scouting report for Williams: "... Talented prospect who can be as good as he wants to be but shaky intangibles are a big concern --- Showed what an impact player he is capable of being at times as a senior but the key will be keeping him in shape and motivated --- Boom or Bust."

There are now six unsigned first-rounders considering that Jacksonville's Tyson Alualu hasn't officially accepted/signed his offer from the Jaguars, according to his agent.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The NFL pre-season gets underway a month from Thursday (Hall of Fame game between Cowboys and Bengals).

Over the next month, we will release our rankings keeper rankings, point-per-reception (PPR) rankings and our top 150 cheat sheets as well as in-depth player analysis and projections. For now, here is our updated list of the top 20 tight ends for fantasy football:

1. Antonio Gates, Chargers: Despite only ranking sixth among tight ends in targets (114), Gates led tight ends -- and set a career-high -- in receiving yards (1,157) in 2009. With the three-game suspension (and potential holdout beyond that) of Vincent Jackson, Gates should see more targets in 2010. Therefore, I swapped Gates and Dallas Clark in the updated rankings.

2. Dallas Clark, Colts: What's not to like? With a line of 100-1106-10, Clark ranked first in receptions, second in yards and third in touchdowns among tight ends.

3. Vernon Davis, 49ers: The wait is over. Davis finally broke out. Last year's numbers (78-965-13) were essentially better than his two previous seasons combined (83-867-6).

4. Brent Celek, Eagles: Two of Celek's three 100-yard games came in the only two in which Kevin Kolb started. It's hard to not picture an even better season than what he produced in his breakout campaign (76-971-8).

5. Jermichael Finley, Packers: In his final eight games (including the Packers' post-season game), Finley finished with 44 receptions for 575 yards and four touchdowns. Despite missing three games, Finley still finished in the top ten in receiving yards among TEs in his second (and breakout) season.

6. Jason Witten, Cowboys: Witten had a "down" year of 94 passes for 1,030 yards (and only two touchdowns). Many tight ends (or wide receivers) would love to have a "down" year like that. By drafting Dez Bryant in the first round, the Cowboys have another weapon competing for targets.

7. Owen Daniels, Texans: In an injury-shortened half-season, Daniels caught 40 passes for 519 yards and five touchdowns. His pace (80-1038-10) would have ranked him fourth in receptions, third in yards and tied for third in TDs among tight ends.

8. Kellen Winslow, Buccaneers: Considering the weakness of the Buccaneers' receiving corps, he's the only legitimate weapon in the Bucs' passing attack. Last year, Winslow ranked fourth among tight ends in targets (127).

9. Tony Gonzalez, Falcons: Arguably the greatest tight end ever. Gonzalez had more targets (135) than any other tight end and finished with 83 receptions for 867 yards and six touchdowns in 2009.

10. Visanthe Shiancoe, Vikings: Shiancoe has never surpassed 596 yards in one season, but he has been a touchdown machine over the past two seasons (18 TDs).

Continue reading "(Updated) 2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends (TEs)" »

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The NFL pre-season gets underway a month from Thursday (Hall of Fame game between Cowboys and Bengals).

Over the next month, we will release our rankings keeper rankings, point-per-reception (PPR) rankings and our top 150 cheat sheets as well as in-depth player analysis and projections. For now, here is our updated list of the top 50 wide receivers for fantasy football:

1. Andre Johnson, Texans: For me, this is (still) a no-brainer. Johnson, who was the third overall pick in 2003, has posted back-to-back 100-reception, 1,500-yard seasons.

2. Calvin Johnson, Lions: After a stellar sophomore campaign (78-1331-12), MegaTron battled nagging injuries in 2009 and even missed two games. Provided he stays healthy, the sky is the limit for this gifted athlete.

3. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals: Over the past three seasons, Fitzgerald has caught a combined 293 passes for 3,932 yards and 35 touchdowns. But it's an understatement to say Matt Leinart (or Derek Anderson) is a downgrade from Kurt Warner, who retired this off-season.

4. Randy Moss, Patriots: All five of his 100-yard games came in the first nine weeks and his attitude and motivation were questioned by some down the stretch. But he has scored 47 touchdowns over the past three seasons. It's hard to question that production.

5. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins: Marshall has had 100+ receptions and 1,100+ yards for three consecutive seasons. With a fat new contract, the random temper tantrum seems unlikely. For now.

6. Reggie Wayne, Colts: Only three players (two receivers) finished the season with at least 100 receptions, 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns. If you own Wayne, hope for a few Colts' early-season losses so Wayne plays more than a half in your fantasy championship game.

7. Roddy White, Falcons: Only Andre Johnson (171) had more targets than did White (165) in 2009. In the past three seasons, White has been consistent: 83, 88 and 85 receptions as well as 1,202, 1,382 and 1,153 yards, respectively. Even better, he set a career-high in TDs (11) in 2009.

8. Miles Austin, Cowboys: The list? Andre Johnson and Wes Welker. The topic? Receivers who had more yards than Austin in 2009. The addition of rookie Dez Bryant, who was drafted by the Cowboys in the first round, will take away some targets for Austin in 2010. If it's any consolation (more so for Austin in real life than for you as his fantasy owner), his new girlfriend is Kim Kardashian.

9. Sidney Rice, Vikings: A waiver-wire pick-up for many last year, Rice had more receiving yards than all but three receivers in 2009. Assuming a Favre return, Rice should have another monster season in 2010.

10. DeSean Jackson, Eagles: Despite his size, Jackson is one of most explosive big-play receivers in the league. He ranked second in yards (18.5) per reception and first in the league in receptions of 40 yards or more (10).

Continue reading "(Updated) 2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers (WRs)" »

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The NFL pre-season gets underway a month from Thursday (Hall of Fame game between Cowboys and Bengals).

Over the next month, we will release our rankings keeper rankings, point-per-reception (PPR) rankings and our top 150 cheat sheets as well as in-depth player analysis and projections. For now, here is our updated list of the top 40 running backs for fantasy football:

1. Chris Johnson, Titans: 2,006 yards. 11 straight 100-yard games. While those numbers would be nearly impossible to repeat, Johnson can take it to the house on any given play with his 4.24 speed. The question is: Will he do so for his $550,000 salary? On a positive note, a compromise to the contract situation may be reached before the start of the season, per Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean.

2. Adrian Peterson, Vikings: In three NFL seasons, Peterson has rushed for 1,300+ yards and 10+ touchdowns every year. His fumbling issues are well-documented, but he also had his best season as a receiver (43 receptions for 436) in 2009.

3. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars: In his first season as the featured back, Pocket Hercules delivered with 1,391 rushing yards, 374 receiving yards on 53 receptions and 16 combined touchdowns. My only concern? MJD had two games with single-digit rushing attempts. What if that happens against Washington in week 16?

4. Ray Rice, Ravens: Rice led RBs in receptions (78) and receiving yards (702) in 2009. He was one of only two backs to have over 2000 yards from scrimmage.

5. Michael Turner, Falcons: An ankle injury in week 10 essentially wiped out the rest of his season, but he was getting into a groove before the injury (428 rushing yards on 47 carries (9.1 YPC) and three touchdowns in 2 1/2 games). In his 27 games as a Falcon, Turner has rushed for more touchdowns (27) than he has receptions (11).

(Note: although these rankings are not based on a point-per-reception scoring, I will release my PPR rankings within the next two weeks.)

6. Frank Gore, 49ers: With two first-round picks in the 2010 NFL Draft, the 49ers drafted two offensive linemen (Trent Williams and Mike Iupati), which is obviously a benefit to Gore. In addition to rushing for over 1,000 yards in the past four years, he has also averaged 52 receptions per season during that span.

7. Steven Jackson, Rams: With the Rams' lack of offensive weapons to complement Jackson, opposing defenses know what is coming. Yet Jackson still finished second in the NFL in rushing in 2009 despite being hampered by back issues for the second half of the season.

8. Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers: Starting in week four, Mendenhall rushed for 1,068 yards and seven TDs in the final 13 games of the season. (That's a 1300-yard pace.) With Fast Willie in D.C. now, a repeat (or even an improvement) of that pace seems likely.

9. Ryan Grant, Packers: As the runner for one of the league's best aerial assaults, Grant should continue to see a lot of seven-men fronts and open lanes to run. Only four RBs rushed for more yards (1,253) and TDs (11) than Grant in 2009.

10. DeAngelo Williams, Panthers: Despite missing three games last year, Williams has rushed for 2,632 yards and scored 27 touchdowns (25 rushing and two receiving) in the past two seasons. His only drawback? Backfield mate Jonathan Stewart has rushed for close to 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns during that same span.

Continue reading "(Updated) 2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs (RBs)" »

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The NFL pre-season gets underway a month from Thursday (Hall of Fame game between Cowboys and Bengals).

Over the next month, we will release our rankings keeper rankings, our top 150 cheat sheets as well as in-depth player analysis and projections. For now, here is our updated list of the top 25 quarterbacks for fantasy football:

1. Drew Brees, Saints: No QB has passed for more yards (9,457) or touchdowns (68) than Brees over the past two seasons. The only reason he had a four-year low of 4,388 passing yards last year was the Saints rested him in week 17 to get ready for their Super Bowl run.

2. Aaron Rodgers, Packers: With back-to-back 4,000-yard seasons under his belt, it wouldn't surprise me if Rodgers finished 2010 as the top-ranked fantasy passer partly due to his rushing numbers (316 yards and five touchdowns in 2009).

3. Peyton Manning, Colts: In 12 NFL seasons, Manning has reached the 4,000-yard milestone ten times including the past four seasons. The two he missed: 3,739 (rookie season) and 3,747 (2005). Considering he's only been sacked 24 times in his past two seasons, he's about as safe of a pick as possible.

4. Tom Brady, Patriots: Although Wes Welker may not be ready to go week one, he is "happy" about the progress of his rehab. And with Randy Moss, Julian Edelman, Torry Holt and a pair of pass-catching rookie tight ends (Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez), Brady should be in for a big year.

5. Tony Romo, Cowboys: Only Matt Schaub and Peyton Manning threw for more yards and only Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers threw fewer interceptions (among full-season starters) than Romo in 2009. With rookie Dez Bryant, who cornerback Mike Jenkins said will be a "big-time receiver" someday, joining an offense that includes Miles Austin, Jason Witten, Roy Williams and Felix Jones, Romo is poised for a monster season in 2010.
6. Matt Schaub, Texans: Schaub led the NFL in passing yards (4,770) despite being without his stud tight end (Owen Daniels) for half of the year.

7. Brett Favre, Vikings: The summer of mowing the lawn and throwing to high-schoolers has begun for Favre. While the 40-year-old QB may not be able duplicate last year's tremendous success (4,202 yards, 33 TDs, 7 INTs), it's realistic to expect something close to 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns with his supporting cast in Minnesota.

8. Philip Rivers, Chargers: He's one of four QBs that have passed for 4,000 yards in each of the past two seasons and only Brees has thrown more TDs during that stretch. With Vincent Jackson serving a three-game suspension and possibly holding out through the first ten games, Rivers' fantasy value takes a big hit (he was fourth in my late-May rankings).

9. Joe Flacco, Ravens: With new weapons in the passing game (free agents Anquan Boldin and Donte' Stallworth as well as rookies Ed Dickson, Dennis Pitta and David Reed), Flacco should easily exceed his 2009 numbers of 3,613 yards and 21 touchdowns.

10. Eli Manning, Giants: With a core group of young receivers (Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, etc.), Eli set career highs in yards (4,021) and TDs (27) in 2009.

Continue reading "(Updated) 2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks (QBs)" »

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Cardinals receiver Ed Gant has been suspended four games for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs, per Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic.

With Anquan Boldin and Jerheme Urban no longer on the roster, Gant, who spent last year on the team's practice squad, had a shot to earn a roster spot as the team's fourth or fifth receiver.

Instead, those spots seem likely to go to Andre Roberts, who was the team's third-round pick this year, and Onrea Jones.

Gant, who spent last season on the practice squad, has dropped many passes during the team's off-season workouts and his inconsistent play and suspension will likely lead to the end of his career in Arizona, according to Somers.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

According to Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic, Cardinals guard Deuce Lutui has signed his one-year tender as a restricted free agent.

Lutui, who was the team's second-round pick in 2006, will earn $1.76 million in 2010 and avoided a possible reduction to $580,000, which was ten percent more than he earned in 2009.

As McManaman points out, Lutui will likely be behind Alan Faneca, who was released by the Jets this off-season, and Reggie Wells on the depth chart to begin training camp next month.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart, who was the team's first-round pick in 2006, has been a "bust" (at least, a mild one) so far in his relatively short career.

In fact, if you compare his numbers with those of ex-Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell, the career totals are remarkably similar.

Through 29 career games, Leinart has thrown for 3,893 yards, 14 touchdowns and 20 interceptions with a quarterback rating of 70.8. Meanwhile, Russell has thrown for 4,083 yards, 18 touchdowns and 23 interceptions with a quarterback rating of 65.2 through 31 career games.

That said, coach Ken Whisenhunt is singing the praises of Leinart, who is set to replace Kurt Warner as starter. At least, for now.

"It's obvious to me he's more comfortable with the whole process, not just throwing a pass or knowing where guys line up," Whisenhunt said on Tuesday, per Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. "He understands the concepts of the plays and he has the ability to get us in and out of certain plays - all those things you see more assuredness from him. I am excited with what he has done in the OTAs (organized team activities) so far."

And if you ask Leinart himself, he'll tell you "I feel like I'm good."

"I'm just feeling good every time I'm coming out here," Leinart said. "My confidence is back. It's hard to explain. It's one of those things where I feel like I'm good and I got to just keep progressing. I just know it's coming to me a lot easier than it ever has."

The Cardinals brought in Derek Anderson to compete with Leinart and rumors exist (despite the team's denials) about the possibility of bringing in ex-Rams quarterback Marc Bulger.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Per Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, Cardinals running back Tim Hightower -- not Beanie Wells -- has been the No. 1 running back on the team's depth chart this off-season.

That said, coach Ken Whisenhunt is non-committal about his rotation for 2010.

"This is a whole new season," Whisenhunt said. "We've got a lot of time before we have to make any decisions with that. Both guys are good football players."

Although Hightower started every week, Wells led the team in rushing yards (793) and rushing attempts (176). Meanwhile, Hightower ranked third on the team in receptions (63) and fourth in receiving yards (428).

In our fantasy rankings, Wells was in the top 12 running backs while Hightower fell (just) outside of the top 40.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Although we are more than two months away from the start of NFL training camps, we have already updated our initial fantasy football rankings from April 22nd.

Here are my (updated) Top 20 Fantasy TEs for 2010:

1. Dallas Clark, Colts (previous 1): What's not to like? With a line of 100-1106-10, Clark ranked first in receptions, second in yards and third in touchdowns among tight ends.

2. Antonio Gates, Chargers (previous 2): Not really the #2 fantasy TE; more like the 1(a). Gates led tight ends -- and set a career-high -- in receiving yards (1,157) in 2009.

3. Vernon Davis, 49ers (previous 3): The wait is over. Davis finally broke out. Last year's numbers (78-965-13) were essentially better than his two previous seasons combined (83-867-6).

4. Brent Celek, Eagles (previous 4): Two of Celek's three 100-yard games came in the only two in which Kevin Kolb started. It's hard to not picture an even better season than what he produced in his breakout campaign (76-971-8).

5. Owen Daniels, Texans (previous 6): In an injury-shortened half-season, Daniels caught 40 passes for 519 yards and five touchdowns. His pace (80-1038-10) would have ranked him fourth in receptions, third in yards and tied for third in TDs among tight ends.

6. Jason Witten, Cowboys (previous 5): Witten had a "down" year of 94 receptions for 1,030 yards (and only two touchdowns). Many tight ends (or wide receivers) would love to have a "down" year like that. By drafting Dez Bryant in the first round, the Cowboys have another weapon competing for targets.

7. Jermichael Finley, Packers (previous 7): In his final eight games (including the Packers' post-season game), Finley finished with 44 receptions for 575 yards and four touchdowns. Despite missing three games, Finley still finished in the top ten in receiving yards among TEs in his second (and breakout) season.

8. Kellen Winslow, Buccaneers (previous 8): He's a bozo, but he has talent. And considering the weakness of the Buccaneers' receiving corps, he's the only legitimate weapon in the Bucs' passing attack.

9. Tony Gonzalez, Falcons (previous 9): Arguably the greatest tight end ever. While Gonzalez is no longer the clear-cut top tight end in fantasy, he provides excellent value near the bottom of the top ten.

10. Visanthe Shiancoe, Vikings (previous 10): Shiancoe has never surpassed 596 yards in one season, but he has been a touchdown machine over the past two seasons (18 TDs).

11. Chris Cooley, Redskins (previous 11): Cooley missed nine games last year due to a broken ankle, but he had 83 receptions for 849 yards in his last full season (2008).

12. Zach Miller, Raiders (previous 13): Only seven TEs had more receiving yards than Miller (805) had in 2009. In his three seasons, his receptions (44 to 56 to 66) and yards (444 to 778 to 805) have increased every season. And Miller should benefit from having quarterback Jason Campbell, a huge upgrade over JaMarcus Russell.

13. Heath Miller, Steelers (previous 12): Miller set career highs in receptions (76) and receiving yards (789) in 2009. How much will Ben Roethlisberger's six-game suspension affect his production in 2010?

14. John Carlson, Seahawks (previous 15): Carlson has been respectable but not spectacular in his first two NFL seasons(55-627-5 and 51-574-7, respectively), but he enters 2010 with a four-game touchdown streak.

15. Greg Olsen, Bears (previous 14): Typically, tight ends don't flourish in a Mike Martz offense. Olsen posted solid season totals (60-612-8) but he had less than 10 yards in four games.

16. Dustin Keller, Jets (previous 16): I expected Keller to have a breakout season in 2009, but 2010 could be his year as he had a highly productive 2009 post-season (12-181-3 in three games).

17. Jeremy Shockey, Saints (previous 17): In 26 games over two seasons as a Saint, Shockey has only 98 combined receptions for 1,052 yards and three touchdowns. In the Saints' get-the-ball-to-the-open guy offense, his average of 40.3 and 40.6 yards per game over the past two seasons are the two lowest of his eight-year career.

18. Kevin Boss, Giants (previous 18): In the final three weeks of his season, Boss finished with 15 receptions for 176 yards and one touchdown. That was an average of 58.7 yards per game during that span. He had 391 yards in his first 12 games for an average of 32.6 ypg. Boss had ankle surgery last week, but he should be ready for training camp.

19. Brandon Pettigrew, Lions (previous 19): Before suffering a season-ending ACL injury in week 12, Pettigrew had 15 receptions for 165 yards and two touchowns in his previous three games. That said, the addition of Tony Scheffler somewhat dims Pettigrew's outlook for the 2010 season.

20. Jermaine Gresham, Bengals (previous unranked): Gresham significantly upgrades the Bengals at the tight end position. In my rookie rankings, I had Gresham a notch ahead of New England's Rob Gronkowski.

Also, check out our other 2010 Fantasy Football rankings: Top 25 QBs | Top 40 RBs | Top 50 WRs

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Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Although we are more than two months away from the start of NFL training camps, we have already updated our initial fantasy football rankings from April 21st.

Here are my (updated) Top 50 Fantasy WRs for 2010:

1. Andre Johnson, Texans (previous 1): For me, this is (still) a no-brainer. Johnson, who was the third overall pick in 2003, has posted back-to-back 100-reception, 1,500-yard seasons.

2.Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals (previous 2): Over the past three seasons, Fitzgerald has caught a combined 293 passes for 3,932 yards and 35 touchdowns. But it's an understatement to say Matt Leinart (or Derek Anderson) is a downgrade from Kurt Warner, who retired this off-season.

3. Calvin Johnson, Lions (previous 5): After a stellar sophomore campaign (78-1331-12), MegaTron battled nagging injuries in 2009 and even missed two games. Johnson, who has worked out with QB Matthew Stafford four times per week since March, is optimistic about the team's offense in 2010.

4. Randy Moss, Patriots (previous 3): All five of his 100-yard games came in the first nine weeks and his attitude and motivation were questioned by some down the stretch. But he has scored 47 touchdowns over the past three seasons. It's hard to question that production.

5. Reggie Wayne, Colts (previous 6): Only three players (two receivers) finished the season with at least 100 receptions, 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns. If you own Wayne, hope for a few Colts' early-season losses so Wayne plays more than a half in your fantasy championship game.

6. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins (previous 4): Marshall, who had hip surgery that will keep him out until training camp, has had 100+ receptions and 1,100+ yards for three consecutive seasons.

7. Roddy White, Falcons (previous 7): Only Andre Johnson (171) had more targets than did White (165) in 2009. In the past three seasons, White has been consistent: 83, 88 and 85 receptions as well as 1,202, 1,382 and 1,153 yards, respectively. Even better, he set a career-high in TDs (11) in 2009.

8. DeSean Jackson, Eagles (previous 9): Despite his size, Jackson is one of most explosive big-play receivers in the league. He ranked second in yards (18.5) per reception and first in the league in receptions of 40 yards or more (10).

9. Sidney Rice, Vikings (previous 10): A waiver-wire pick-up, Rice had more receiving yards than all but three receivers in 2009. Assuming a Favre return, which seems (even more) likely after Friday's ankle surgery, Rice should have another monster season in 2010.

10. Miles Austin, Cowboys (previous 8): The list? Andre Johnson and Wes Welker. The topic? Receivers who had more yards than Austin in 2009. The addition of rookie Dez Bryant, who was drafted by the Cowboys in the first round, will take away some targets for Austin in 2010.

11. Marques Colston, Saints (previous 11): Colston is the best receiver in the league's most explosive offense (31.9 points and 403.8 yards per game). Quarterback Drew Brees spreads the ball around, however, as Colston had less than five receptions in half of his games.

12. Greg Jennings, Packers (previous 12): From weeks 4-14, Jennings had only one 100-yard game. In his final four games (counting playoffs), Jennings had three 100-yard games.

13. Vincent Jackson, Chargers (previous 13): Jackson spent four days in jail this off-season after a second DUI arrest is likely facing a suspension by the league. In addition, Jackson, who is a restricted free agent, is currently not attending the team's voluntary workouts. That said, Jackson had his best season (68-1167-9) in 2009.

14. Anquan Boldin, Ravens (previous 14): The physical receiver should be a perfect fit into his new offense as he settles in as the Ravens' No. 1 receiver.

15. Chad Ochocinco, Bengals (previous 15): Ochocinco bounced back in 2009 with 72 receptions for 1,047 yards and nine touchdowns. However, quarterback Carson Palmer threw for only 1,262 yards, seven TDs and six interceptions in the final eight games of 2010. Ochocinco's splits: 1st half (44-639-5) vs 2nd half (28-408-4). Coincidence?

16. Steve Smith, Panthers (previous 16): With the exception of 2004 (played only one game), 2009 was the first season where Smith fell short of 1,000 yards since 2002. That said, he did play better with Matt Moore (not Jake Delhomme) under center.

17. Hines Ward, Steelers (previous 17): Ward, who said he will retire if he wins a third Super Bowl this year, had 95 receptions (tied for second-most in his career) and 1,167 (second-most) last season.

18. Steve Smith, Giants (previous 18): Smith finished fourth in the NFL in targets (157) in 2009 and set career highs in receptions (107), yards (1,220) and TDs (seven). Smith had four (or more) receptions 15 times and at least 40 yards receiving every week.

19. Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs (previous 25): The Chiefs' passing attack should improve with the addition of Charlie Weis as offensive coordinator. Despite a down (suspension-shortened) season, Bowe had 995 and 1,022 in his previous (first) two NFL seasons.

20. Derrick Mason, Ravens (previous 20): With Boldin in the mix, it's hard to envision Mason finishing 13th in the league in targets (like he did in 2009).

21. Mike Sims-Walker, Jaguars (previous 21): MSW's strong start (minus a missed game due to a missed curfew for a bootie call) was followed up with an equally weak ending to his second season. In his final six games, Sims-Walker had only 16 receptions for 175 yards and one touchdown (or 3.8 fantasy points per game during that stretch).

22. Michael Crabtree, 49ers (previous 23): Despite being the second receiver drafted in 2009, Crabtree led all rookies in receiving yards (56.8) per game. Plus, he had four (or more) receptions in nine of his 11 games played. Imagine if he had attended training camp and learned the whole offense.

23. Hakeem Nicks, Giants (previous 26): Of rookies, only Michael Crabtree (56.8 yards per game) averaged more receiving yards per game than Nicks (56.4 ypg). Only Austin Collie caught more TDs (seven). And only Mike Wallace had more 40-yard catches (six) than Nicks.

24. Wes Welker, Patriots (previous 24): Despite missing two games, Welker led the NFL in receptions (123) and finished second in receiving yards (1,348). Welker's 2010 fantasy value (and future position on this list) will largely be determined by how quickly and fully he returns from off-season ACL surgery. So far, Welker is "happy" with the progress of his rehab.

25. Donald Driver, Packers (previous 27): Although he just turned 35 in February, Driver had his sixth consecutive season with at least 70 receptions and 1,000 yards in 2009.

26. Santonio Holmes, Jets (previous 19): After a breakout campaign (79-1248-5) in 2009, Holmes will serve a four-game suspension in 2010 and moves to a run-first offense with a second-year (but developing) quarterback.

27. Steve Breaston, Cardinals (previous 22): One of the main reasons the Cards were willing to trade Boldin to Baltimore, Breaston has performed well as part of the high-flying Cardinals offense. That said, how high will it fly with Leinart at the helm.

28. Jeremy Maclin, Eagles (previous 30): After a solid rookie campaign (55-762-4), Maclin should continue to develop in 2010.

29. Percy Harvin, Vikings (previous 31): Assuming a return by Brett Favre, my only concern about Harvin is the migraine issues he has. Although he's a tough player, he was often a game-time decision. He led rookie receivers in receiving yards (790) and was tied for second in touchdowns (six).

30. Mike Wallace, Steelers (previous 29): Wallace, a big-play receiver who led the NFL in yards (19.4) per reception, will see an expanded role within the offense now that Santonio Holmes is now playing football in Jersey.

31. Pierre Garcon, Colts (previous 28): Garcon led NFL receivers with 21 post-season receptions for 251 yards and two touchdowns. Granted only the Colts, Jets and Saints played three playoff games, Garcon is poised for a strong 2010.

32. Kenny Britt, Titans (previous 32): Britt is a big (6-foot-3, 218 pounds), athletic receiver and should continue to improve in his second season.

33. Devin Aromashodu, Bears (previous 33): In the final five games of the season, Aromashodu ranked 15th in the NFL in targets (41). And he caught 22 passes for 282 yards and four touchdowns in the final four games of the season. With Mike Martz calling the plays, I expect big things from Aromashodu in 2010.

34. Nate Burleson, Lions (previous 34): As the Lions' No. 2 receiver across from MegaTron, Burleson will only see single coverage. In 13 games last year, he finished with 812 yards and 62.5 yards per game average would have projected to 1,000 yards flat over a 16-game season.

35. Robert Meachem, Saints (previous 36): Meachem needs to be more consistent, but the former first-round pick had a second-half split of 32-426-6. That said, he disappeared in the post-season (4-25-0).

36. Chris Chambers, Chiefs (previous 37): In the final eight games of the season, Chambers finished with 33 receptions for 538 yards and two touchdowns.

37. Davone Bess, Dolphins (previous 38): As the "anti-Lee Evans," Bess caught three (or more) passes in every game. Although he only scored two touchdowns, Bess finished with 76 receptions and 758 yards in his second season. The addition of Brandon Marshall should aid the development of Bess, who will get less attention from defenses.

38. Austin Collie, Colts (previous 42): Collie tied Minnesota rookie Percy Harvin for the lead among rookies in receptions (60) and no rookie receiver had more touchdowns (seven) than Collie.

39. Mario Manningham, Giants (previous 39): In two seasons, he's only played 21 total games. But Manningham had a nice second season (57-822-5).

40. Demaryius Thomas, Broncos (previous unranked): Due to his alma mater, size and athleticism, Thomas has been compared to Calvin Johnson. While that may be an unfair comparison, the first-receiver drafted should begin his NFL career as his team's No. 1 receiver.

41. Santana Moss, Redskins (previous 35): Although Jason Campbell played reasonably well last year, Moss should benefit from the upgrade at QB with Donovan McNabb under center even though he finished with 70 receptions for 902 yards in 2009. Being linked to the Anthony Galea-HGH scandal, however, could lead to a league-imposed suspension. If so, Moss would drop further in our rankings.

42. Dez Bryant, Cowboys (previous unranked): Although Roy Williams says there "ain't no such thing as me sitting on the bench," Bryant will be the team's second-most productive fantasy receiver. Even cornerback Mike Jenkins says that he will be a "big-time receiver" someday.

43. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Seahawks (previous 40): Although he finished with 79 receptions (tied for 13th in the NFL), Houshmandzadeh is a possession receiver that doesn't have much upside above his 2009 numbers (911 yards, three touchdowns).

44. Braylon Edwards, Jets (previous 41): With Santonio Holmes in New Jersey (for up to 12 games), the 2007 version (80-1289-16) of Edwards seems as likely as the 2007 version of Derek Anderson (3,787 yards and 29 TDs).

45. Early Doucet, Cardinals (previous 43): His two-game post-season (14-145-2) was close to his nine-game regular-season numbers (17-214-1). As the team's No. 3 WR in 2010, he should continue to build upon his post-season success.

45. Antonio Bryant, Bengals (previous 45): Injuries set back Bryant in 2009 (39-600-4 in 13 games) after a career-year (83-1,248-7) in 2008.

46. Jerricho Cotchery, Jets (previous 46): Cotchery was the favorite target of Mark Sanchez in 2009. That's likely to change when Santonio Holmes comes off suspension. In either case, Cotchery posted four-year lows in receptions (57) and yards (821) in 2009.

47. Roy Williams, Cowboys (previous 47): Despite his seven touchdowns, 68 receivers had more receptions and 55 receivers had more yards than Williams. Then again, he's shown us a 1,310-yard season (2006), too. There is a little bit of buzz around Williams in the Cowboys' off-season workouts, but I'm taking a wait-and-see approach.

48. Lee Evans, Bills (previous 44): In half of his games, Evans had two or less receptions. In half of his games, Evans had 35 yards or less. No thanks. You can have him.

50. Malcom Floyd, Chargers (previous 50): Floyd had his best game of the season in his last one (nine catches for 140 yards) and his second half (32 catches for 496 yards) was considerably better than his first half (13 catches for 280 yards).

Also, check out our other 2010 Fantasy Football rankings: Top 25 QBs | Top 40 RBs | Top 20 TEs

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Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Although we are more than two months away from the start of NFL training camps, we have already updated our initial fantasy football rankings from April 19th.

Here are my (updated) Top 40 Fantasy RBs for 2010:

1. Chris Johnson, Titans (previous 1): 2,006 yards. 11 straight 100-yard games. That's virtually impossible to repeat, but with 4.24 speed, Johnson can take it to the house on any given play. Provided he doesn't hold out (at least, for more than training camp).

2. Adrian Peterson, Vikings (previous 2): I would love to get AD as the second running back. Too many other weapons in Vikes' offense (assuming a Favre return, which seems like a lock after ankle surgery) and only one football to take over "Every Coach's Dream" for the top spot.

3. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars (previous 3): Is MJD dynamic? Absolutely. Could he be the most productive RB in fantasy? Possibly. But, for inexplicable reasons, MJD will have games with 6 or 8 carries. What if that's week 16?

4. Ray Rice, Ravens (previous 4): Rice led RBs in receptions (78) and receiving yards (702) in 2009. He was one of only two backs to have over 2000 yards from scrimmage.

5. Michael Turner, Falcons (previous 5): The good news? Turner didn't take the punishment of another 394-carry (counting playoffs) season in 2009. The bad news? It was because of his ankle injury. With good health (knock on wood), The Burner should be a top-five fantasy back in 2010.

6. Steven Jackson, Rams (previous 6): With the Rams lack of offensive weapons to complement Jackson, opposing defenses knew what was coming. Yet Jackson still finished second in the NFL in rushing, which is more remarkable considering the back issues he had last year. This off-season, Jackson had back surgery, but he expects to be ready for training camp.

7. Frank Gore, 49ers (previous 8): With two first-round picks, the 49ers drafted two offensive linemen (Trent Williams and Mike Iupati). And just as importantly for his fantasy value, they didn't draft running back C.J. Spiller (who was selected by the Bills).

8. Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers (previous 7): Starting in week four, Mendenhall rushed for 1,068 yards and seven TDs in the final 13 games of the season. (That's a 1300-yard pace.) With Fast Willie in D.C. now, a repeat (or even an improvement) of that pace seems likely.

9. Cedric Benson, Bengals (previous 9): As a back I recommended to target in 2009 fantasy drafts, Benson led the NFL in rushing for a good part of the season. Benson will be the featured workhorse again in 2010.

10. Ryan Grant, Packers (previous 10): As the runner for one of the league's best aerial assaults, Grant should continue to see a lot of seven-men fronts with lanes to run. He's a steady producer that's often overlooked on draft day.

11. DeAngelo Williams, Panthers (previous 11): One of the league's top backs although the Panthers have the league's best back-up RB, he has rushed for 2,632 yards and scored 27 touchdowns (25 rushing and two receiving) in the past two seasons.

12. Beanie Wells, Cardinals (previous 12): With the retirement of Kurt Warner and departure of Anquan Boldin (to Baltimore), the Cardinals will likely rely more on their running game in 2010. And Wells, who had 338 rushing/receiving yards in his last four games, should be ready to capitalize.

13. Ryan Mathews, Chargers (previous unranked): Mathews will be the top-ranked rookie running back. Not only does he have the skills (NCAA's second-leading rusher), Chargers coach Norv Turner expects Mathews to get around 250 carries in 2010. Only nine running backs had more in 2009.

14. Jamaal Charles, Chiefs (previous 12): Charles tore it up in the second half (968 rushing yards, 158 receiving yards and eight total TDs) including a record-setting performance in the finale, but the Chiefs have added Thomas Jones, who rushed for a career-high 1,402 yards in 2009. And Charles and Jones don't seem to be selfish, which is great for the Chiefs and bad for fantasy.

15. Jonathan Stewart, Panthers (previous 14): We saw what The Daily Show could do without DeAngelo Williams in the lineup: (440 rushing yards in final three games). Barring an injury to Williams, however, Stewart will get less than 50 percent of the available touches, which keeps him from reaching his full potential.

16. Shonn Greene, Jets (previous 15): The Jets replaced one thirty-something back with another, but it's Greene's team now. And with arguably the league's best line in front of him, he should have a monster season.

17. Knowshon Moreno, Broncos (previous 17): Moreno led all rookies in rushing (947 yards) and finished 16th overall even though he failed to go over the 50-yard mark in seven of his 16 games. He should be more consistent in 2010.

18. Pierre Thomas, Saints (previous 18): With the off-season departure of Mike Bell, Thomas should get more carries in 2010 than given in 2009 (147). In 14 games, he finished with 1,095 (793 rushing and 302 receiving) yards in 2009 and averaged 5.4 yards per rushing attempt.

19. Ronnie Brown, Dolphins (previous 19): When healthy, he's elite. However, he's missed 20 games in his five-year career. Therefore, his best season was 2006 when he finished with 1,008 rushing yards. Feeling lucky?

20. LeSean McCoy, Eagles (previous 21): The days of Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook are over in Philly. In the eight games that Westbrook missed in 2009, McCoy rushed for 473 yards and four TDs and caught 22 passes for 163 yards. A combined rushing/receiving total of 1,300+ seems reasonable for 2010.

21. Joseph Addai, Colts (previous 22): In 2009, Addai never rushed for more than 79 yards in a game and averaged only 3.8 yards per carry. That said, he finished with 13 total touchdowns in 15 games and had scores in ten of those games. Plus, his 51 receptions tied for sixth among running backs.

22. Brandon Jacobs, Giants (previous 23): After back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, Jacobs rushed for only 835 yards despite getting a career-high 224 carries. Even worse, his TD production dropped from 15 in 2008 to five in 2009. While there's a chance that Ahmad Bradshaw could get more of an even split of carries in 2010, it's hard to imagine a back with Jacobs' combination of size and speed not bouncing back in 2010.

23. Felix Jones, Cowboys (previous 26): Jones, who is a big-play threat, could become the starter in 2010. In two playoff games, Jones rushed for 217 yards on 30 carries (average of 7.2 YPC).

24. Ricky Williams, Dolphins (previous 24): He proved he can post big numbers if (or when) Ronnie Brown misses action. But these numbers -- 751 combined yards and seven TDs in nine games -- came with Brown in the lineup.

25. Fred Jackson, Bills (previous 20): When he received the bulk of work (over Marshawn Lynch), Jackson flourished as one of only 15 running backs to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark helped by a 212-yard performance in the season finale. He also finished tenth among RBs in receptions (46). The main question is how will the Bills use first-rounder C.J. Spiller?

26. Marion Barber, Cowboys (previous 25): Double-digit touchdowns are no longer a lock, Felix Jones may be the featured guy in 2010 and MBIII struggled to stay healthy last year. Therefore, he's the second-best fantasy running back on the team in 2010.

27. Jerome Harrison, Browns (previous 18): By drafting Montario Hardesty (who has since impressed coach Eric Mangini) in the second round, Harrison will have to share the workload with the rookie. But in the final three weeks of the season, Harrison had 561 yards and five touchdowns on 106 carries. Then again, he had only 88 carries for 301 yards and no scores in his other 11 games played. So, I guess we'll see.

28. Cadillac Williams, Buccaneers (previous 31): Cadillac had a solid (and, more importantly, healthy) season. His best month of the season was his last as he rushed for 301 yards in four December games with an average of 4.7 yards per carry.

29. Matt Forte, Bears (previous 30): This consensus top-five pick in 2009 was arguably fantasy football's biggest disappointment. With newcomers Mike Martz and Chester Taylor in town, 2010 is likely to be more like 2009 (929 rushing yards) than 2008 (1,238 rushing yards) for Forte.

30. Thomas Jones, Chiefs (previous 27): Thirty-something running backs tend to see precipitous declines in production. Despite setting career-highs in rushing yards and touchdowns, Jones will back up Jamaal Charles in 2010.

31. LaDainian Tomlinson, Jets (previous 28): L.T. called his game film from last year "misleading." But he's gone from 1,474 yards (315 carries) to 1,110 yards (292 carries) to 730 yards (223 carries). Despite moving to a team with arguably the best offensive line, the trend is fairly obvious.

32. Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants (previous 29): Bradshaw averaged 1.1 yards per carry more than Jacobs and scored two more touchdowns despite getting 61 fewer carries. Bradshaw had off-season surgery on his feet and ankle, but he says that he feels "10 times better."

33. C.J. Spiller, Bills (previous unranked): Like the guy that tops this list, Spiller is a big-play threat with world-class speed that can take it to the house on any given play.

34. Ben Tate, Texans (previous unranked): Steve Slaton says that he's "100 percent." That said, the Texans traded up to draft Ben Tate, who ranked third on my list of rookie running backs for fantasy football. If I were a betting man, I would put my money on Tate being the Texans' leading rusher in 2010.

35. Jahvid Best, Lions (previous unranked): The Lions moved back up into the first round to select Best. With a healthy Kevin Smith or not, it appears as though Best will get a larger workload than Smith.

36. Michael Bush, Raiders (previous 34): Bush led the Raiders in rushing in 2009 with 589 yards. With Justin Fargas no longer in the mix, there will be more carries for Bush and Darren McFadden. Despite McFadden's potential, Bush has produced (career 4.6 yards per carry) when given a chance.

37. Montario Hardesty, Browns (previous unranked): Hardesty has impressed the coaching staff in Cleveland with his physical running style and ability to pick up the offense and should push Jerome Harrison for carries in 2010.

38. Kevin Smith, Lions (previous 33): After off-season knee surgery, Smith might not be ready (or 100 percent) for the start of the season. Smith had 747 rushing yards and 415 receiving yards in 13 games in 2009, but the addition of Jahvid Best obviously hurts his fantasy value.

39. Steve Slaton, Texans (previous 36): There are plenty of concerns: fumbles lost, off-season neck surgery (although he says he's "100 percent") and Houston drafting Ben Tate. But in 11 games last year, Slaton still racked up 854 combined yards and scored seven touchdowns. That's a pace of 1,242 yards and ten touchdowns. Plus, he had 1,659 combined yards and 10 TDs in his 2008 rookie campaign.

40. Justin Forsett, Seahawks (previous 32): It looked as though the new regime led by coach Pete Carroll would give Forsett a fair shot to win the role as the featured back over Julius Jones. Although the Seahawks didn't draft competition for Forsett, they traded for LenDale White, who played for Carroll at USC, and for Leon Washington, who's one of the league's most versatile backs (when healthy). For now, I'm going to keep Forsett ahead of the other Seattle backs, but that could change.

Also, check out our other 2010 Fantasy Football rankings: Top 25 QBs | Top 50 WRs | Top 20 TEs

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Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Although we are more than two months away from the start of NFL training camps, we have already updated our initial fantasy football rankings from April 5th.

Here are my (updated) Top 25 Fantasy QBs for 2010:

1. Drew Brees, Saints (previous 1): No QB has passed for more yards (9,457) or touchdowns (68) than Brees over the past two seasons. In fact, his 4,388 passing yards was his worst performance over the past four seasons due to missing week 17 to rest for the playoffs. That said, most fantasy owners don't care about week 17 anyways.

2. Aaron Rodgers, Packers (previous 2): After back-to-back 4,000-yard seasons, it wouldn't surprise me if Rodgers finished 2010 as the top-ranked fantasy passer and made Packer fans (or, at least, fantasy owners) ask, "Brett who?"

3. Peyton Manning, Colts (previous 3): A student of the game? More like a coach on the field. 4,000+ yards and 25+ TDs should be a lock. Given the Colts' disregard for making history, the potential of locking up the division early and playing for one half in week 16 again is perhaps Peyton's biggest flaw as a fantasy quarterback.

4. Philip Rivers, Chargers (previous 4): He's one of four QBs that have passed for 4,000 yards in each of the past two seasons and only Brees has thrown more TDs during that stretch. Expect even more passing in the post-LT era.

5. Tom Brady, Patriots (previous 5): Although Wes Welker may not be ready to go week one, he is "happy" about the progress of his rehab. And with Randy Moss, Julian Edelman, Torry Holt and a pair of pass-catching rookie tight ends (Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez), Brady should be in for a big year.

6. Tony Romo, Cowboys (previous 7): His impressive play down the stretch along with the emergence of Miles Austin provides plenty of momentum for 2010. The Cowboys drafted Dez Bryant, who cornerback Mike Jenkins said will be a "big-time receiver" someday, and Roy Williams claims that he and Romo are "connecting like Montana and Rice."

7. Matt Schaub, Texans (previous 6): Schaub led the NFL in passing yards despite being without his stud tight end (Owen Daniels) for half of the year.

8. Brett Favre, Vikings (previous 8): As expected, Favre took the first step in returning for another season by having ankle surgery on Friday. With the weapons in the Minnesota offense, 3,800+ yards and 25+ touchdowns seems reasonable for the 40-year-old.

9. Eli Manning, Giants (previous 11): With a core group of young receivers (Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, etc.), Eli set career highs in yards (4,021) and TDs (27).

10. Donovan McNabb, Redskins (previous 10): McNabb's 16-game pace (he missed two) in 2009 was 4,060 yards and 25 TDs. Replicating that production over a full season in Washington will be difficult considering the downgrade in weapons in the passing game. (Also, Santana Moss could face a league suspension with his alleged ties to the Anthony Galea-HGH scandal.)

11. Joe Flacco, Ravens (previous 13): First, the Ravens acquired Anquan Boldin and Donte' Stallworth. Then, they drafted two pass-catching tight ends (Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta). Flacco should exceed his 2009 numbers of 3,613 yards and 21 touchdowns.

12. Jay Cutler, Bears (previous 12): Without Martz, Cutler passed for 3,666 yards and 27 TDs despite a career-high in interceptions (26). If Martz can reign in the gunslinger from throwing unnecessary drive-ending interceptions, he just might take a big step forward.

13. Matt Ryan, Falcons (previous 14): Despite his sophomore slump, partly due to injury (most of three games), Ryan has weapons such as Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez at his disposal and should be poised for a bounce-back year. And in 14 games, he still threw 22 touchdowns.

14. Kevin Kolb, Eagles (previous 15): With weapons like DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek, it wouldn't surprise me to see Kolb finish in the 10-12 range of fantasy quarterbacks in 2010 with the Eagles' pass-first offense.

15. Carson Palmer, Bengals (previous 16): Palmer threw for only 1,262 yards, seven TDs and six interceptions in the final eight games of 2010. That needs to be better. But the Bengals have added new receivers Antonio Bryant, Matt Jones and rookies Jordan Shipley and Dezmon Briscoe in addition to significantly upgrading their tight end position by drafting Jermaine Gresham with their first-round pick.

16. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers (previous 9): Only Brees and Schaub had more passing yards per game than Big Ben (288.5) in 2009. The problem is you won't get their per-game production until he serves his six-game (possibly four-game) suspension. Plus the team's leading receiver from 2009 was traded to the New York Jets for a fifth-round pick.

17. David Garrard, Jaguars (previous 17): Garrard has quietly been a steady fantasy producer over the past two seasons. As a back-up QB on your fantasy team, hope that your starter has his bye when Garrard is at home (over 2,000 yards and 12 TDs at home last year).

18. Jason Campbell, Raiders (previous 24): Last year, Campbell posted career highs in passing yards (3,618) and TDs (20). It will be difficult to surpass those numbers in Oakland considering the lack of weapons in their passing game. But that's not Campbell's fault.

19. Matthew Stafford, Lions (previous 22): The Lions added Nate Burleson, a huge upgrade at the WR2 position, in free agency to help last year's top pick. He and MegaTron have been working together four days a week since March to work on their chemistry. Last year, Stafford led the NFL in pass attempts per game (37.7) and considering the Lions are still a year away, it's likely that Stafford will be airing the ball out in 2010 as well.

20. Matt Cassel, Chiefs (previous unranked): With Charlie Weis calling the plays, Cassel will look to build upon his 2009 numbers (2,924 yards and 16 touchdowns). In addition, the Chiefs drafted Dexter McCluster, who is in the mold of Darren Sproles and should give the Chiefs another weapon in the passing game. A potential drawback? Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones have more 2009 rushing yards than any RB tandem in the NFL even if they compiled those yards on separate teams.

21. Vince Young, Titans (previous 18): It's been an interesting ride for Young, who once again appears to be the franchise's QB of the future. This is still a run-first team, but VY can make plays with his legs. During the Titans 7-1 run from weeks 8 to 15, Young threw 10 touchdowns and only three interceptions.

22. Alex Smith, 49ers (previous 20): Vernon Davis broke out. Michael Crabtree showed up. Smith got a second chance (after agreeing to a paycut will on his honeymoon, mind you.). Will he take another step forward in 2010?

23. Chad Henne, Dolphins (previous unranked): Since our first quarterback ranking, the Dolphins acquired Brandon Marshall. Although Marshall had a third hip surgery and won't be able to practice until training camp, the significant upgrade in the Dolphins' receiving corps should help Henne make big strides in 2010.

24. Mark Sanchez, Jets (previous unranked): The addition of Santonio Holmes to the Jets' offense, which means the Jets will use three-receiver sets more frequently, is a boon to Sanchez. If he can limit (or, better yet, avoid) the three-plus-interception games (he had four last year), Sanchez will finish higher than the 23rd-ranked fantasy quarterback at the end of the season.

25. Matt Moore, Panthers (previous 23): With Jake Delhomme out of the picture (and the threat of Jimmy Clausen taking over), Moore will get an opportunity to build on his 2009 success (61.6% completion, 8 TDs, 2 INTs). That said, how long is his leash? (Vote on our poll: Who will the Panthers' starting QB in week 17?)

Also, check out our other 2010 Fantasy Football rankings: Top 40 RBs | Top 50 WRs | Top 20 TEs

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Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In the past couple of years, we have seen several situations where rookie quarterbacks were declared their team's starting quarterback for the season opener. And, for the most part, their level of success has changed the view of what is expected from a rookie quarterback.

Now that the 2010 NFL Draft is in the books, I am about to begin my series on fantasy rankings for rookies, starting with quarterbacks.

Even in the case of Sam Bradford, this year's overall first pick, it seems unlikely that any of the rookie quarterbacks will be under center in week one. Then again, the Ravens anticipated bringing Joe Flacco along more slowly two years ago and training camp injuries/illnesses made him the starter, ready or not.

Unless you're in a very deep league or a keeper/dynasty league, you will likely (hopefully) look past this year's group of rookie QBs on draft day. (Note: I will release keeper rankings for all positions in the summer.)

That said, here are my top five for 2010:

1. Sam Bradford, Rams: Coach Steve Spagnuolo recently said that he liked how Donovan McNabb was brought along as a rookie. So, if Bradford sees a similar plan of action, expect him to be under center around mid-season. Bradford is incredibly accurate, but he played primarily in a spread offense in college. He is clearly the quarterback of the future and once he gets the starting job, it'll be his to keep. The receiving corps is weak (Donnie Avery, Laurent Robinson and fellow rookie Marty Gillyard), but Steven Jackson is a good receiver out of the backfield as is Brian Westbrook, who is mulling an offer from the Rams.

2. Jimmy Clausen, Panthers: In the final five games (four of which were wins), Matt Moore threw eight touchdowns and only one interception. That said, Clausen very well could have been drafted in the top ten overall and the Panthers are likely his team at some point in the future (perhaps sooner than later). One of the biggest plusses for Clausen is his NFL readiness as he played in a pro-style offense at Notre Dame. If Clausen gets on the field, he has a better (overall) running game, offensive line and group of receivers than Bradford has in St. Louis.

3. Tim Tebow, Broncos: It was surprising that Tebow was the second quarterback drafted. And he clearly isn't NFL-ready as a quarterback. Yet he's likely to see the field in wildcat formations and could score 5-10 touchdowns running and passing this season. That likelihood to see the field, even if it's not as a traditional passer, makes him more valuable in 2010 compared to any of the other QBs not named Sam or Jimmy.

4. Josh Skelton, Cardinals: Do you have faith in Matt Leinart? How about in Derek Anderson? Me neither. That's one of the reasons why I rank Skelton ahead of McCoy. Another is his size (6-foot-6, 243 pounds) and arm strength. And if he does see the field, you could argue that he would have the league's top receiving corps at his disposal.

5. Colt McCoy, Browns: Partly due to his height and lack of a big arm, he often gets compared (unfairly...for both) to Saints quarterback Drew Brees. In either case, he just won at Texas as a four-year starter. He's accurate and mobile and could turn into a good pro quarterback. In fact, he was a relative draft value for the Browns. With Mike Holmgren bringing in Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace, however, it's unlikely McCoy does anything other than hold a clipboard on Sundays in 2010.

Check back tomorrow for my fantasy rankings for rookie running backs. Also, next week I will make an update to my top 25 quarterbacks for 2010.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 26th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals select Tennessee defensive tackle Dan Williams.

Williams, who is a 6-foot-3, 327-pound nose tackle, is a good value pick by the Cardinals. NFLDraftScout.com had Williams ranked as the 14th overall prospect.

One of the teams that was looking to draft Williams was the Miami Dolphins, who traded down with the San Diego Chargers to 28th overall.

Now the New England Patriots are the on the clock with the 27th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's never too early to begin preparing for the upcoming fantasy football season -- even if it's nearly five months away.

Here are our 2010 Fantasy Football wide receiver rankings (excluding rookies) based on standard scoring and no point(s) per reception:

1. Dallas Clark, Colts: What's not to like? With a line of 100-1106-10, Clark ranked first in receptions, second in yards and third in touchdowns among tight ends.

2. Antonio Gates, Chargers: Not really the #2 fantasy TE; more like the 1(a). Gates led tight ends -- and set a career-high -- in receiving yards (1,157) in 2009.

3. Vernon Davis, 49ers: The wait is over. Davis finally broke out. Last year's numbers (78-965-13) were essentially better than his two previous seasons combined (83-867-6).

4. Brent Celek, Eagles: Two of Celek's three 100-yard games came in the only two in which Kevin Kolb started. It's hard to not picture an even better season than what he produced in his breakout campaign (76-971-8).

5. Jason Witten, Cowboys: Imagine complaining of a down season for a tight end that catches 94 passes for 1,030 yards. That's what fantasy owners did about Witten, who had only two scores in 2009, but he should be more productive in the redzone in 2010.

6. Owen Daniels, Texans: In an injury-shortened half-season, Daniels caught 40 passes for 519 yards and five touchdowns. His pace (80-1038-10) would have ranked him fourth in receptions, third in yards and tied for third in TDs among tight ends.

7. Jermichael Finley, Packers: In his final eight games (including the Packers' post-season game), Finley finished with 44 receptions for 575 yards and four touchdowns. Despite missing three games, Finley still finished in the top ten in receiving yards among TEs in his second (and breakout) season.

8. Kellen Winslow, Buccaneers: He's a bozo, but he has talent. And considering the weakness of the Buccaneers' receiving corps, he's the only legitimate weapon in the Bucs' passing attack.

9. Tony Gonzalez, Falcons: Arguably the greatest tight end ever. While Gonzalez is no longer the clear-cut top tight end in fantasy, he provides excellent value near the bottom of the top ten.

10. Visanthe Shiancoe, Vikings: Shiancoe has never surpassed 596 yards in one season, but he has been a touchdown machine over the past two seasons (18 TDs).

Continue reading "2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends" »

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's never too early to begin preparing for the upcoming fantasy football season -- even if it's nearly five months away.

Earlier this month, we released the early edition of our 2010 Fantasy Football rankings for quarterbacks and the early edition of our 2010 Fantasy Football rankings for running backs. Now we have ranked the receivers based on standard scoring and no point(s) per reception.

Here is our 2010 Fantasy Football wide receiver rankings (excluding rookies):

1. Andre Johnson, Texans: For me, this is a no-brainer. Johnson, who was the third overall pick in 2003, has posted back-to-back 100-reception, 1,500-yard seasons.

2.Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals: Over the past three seasons, Fitzgerald has caught a combined 293 passes for 3,932 yards and 35 touchdowns. But it's an understatement to say Matt Leinart (or Derek Anderson) is a downgrade from Kurt Warner, who retired this off-season.

3. Randy Moss, Patriots: All five of his 100-yard games came in the first nine weeks and his attitude and motivation were questioned by some down the stretch. But he has scored 47 touchdowns over the past three seasons. It's hard to question that production.

4. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins: Marshall, who is now the highest-paid receiver in league history, has had 100+ receptions and 1,100+ yards for three consecutive seasons.

5. Calvin Johnson, Lions: After a stellar sophomore campaign (78-1331-12), MegaTron battled nagging injuries in 2009 and even missed two games. Provided he stays healthy, the sky is the limit for this athletic freak so I rank much higher than most will.

6. Reggie Wayne, Colts: Only three players (two receivers) finished the season with at least 100 receptions, 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns. If you own Wayne, hope for a few Colts' early-season losses so Wayne plays more than a half in your fantasy championship game.

7. Roddy White, Falcons: Only Andre Johnson (171) had more targets than did White (165) in 2009. In the past three seasons, White has been consistent: 83, 88 and 85 receptions as well as 1,202, 1,382 and 1,153 yards, respectively. Even better, he set a career-high in TDs (11) in 2009.

8. Miles Austin, Cowboys: The list? Andre Johnson and Wes Welker. The topic? Receivers who had more yards than Austin in 2009.

9. DeSean Jackson, Eagles: Despite his size, Jackson is one of most explosive big-play receivers in the league. He ranked second in yards (18.5) per reception and first in the league in receptions of 40 yards or more (10).

10. Sidney Rice, Vikings: A waiver-wire pick-up, Rice had more receiving yards than all but three receivers in 2009. Assuming a Favre return, Rice should have another monster season in 2010.

Continue reading "2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers" »

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Earlier this month, we released the early edition of our 2010 Fantasy Football rankings for quarterbacks. Over the next few days, we release our rankings for wide receivers and tight ends.

Here is our 2010 Fantasy Football running back rankings (excluding rookies):

1. Chris Johnson, Titans: 2,006 yards. 11 straight 100-yard games. That's virtually impossible to repeat, but with 4.24 speed, Johnson can take it to the house on any given play.

2. Adrian Peterson, Vikings: I would love to get AD as the second running back. Too many other weapons in Vikes' offense (assuming a Favre return) and only one football to take over "Every Coach's Dream" for the top spot.

3. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars: Is MJD dynamic? Absolutely. Could he be the most productive RB in fantasy? Possibly. But, for inexplicable reasons, MJD will have games with 6 or 8 carries. What if that's week 16?

4. Ray Rice, Ravens: Rice led RBs in receptions (78) and receiving yards (702) in 2009. He was one of only two backs to have over 2000 yards from scrimmage.

5. Michael Turner, Falcons: The good news? Turner didn't take the punishment of another 394-carry (counting playoffs) season in 2009. The bad news? It was because of his ankle injury. With good health (knock on wood), The Burner should be a top-five fantasy back in 2010.

6. Steven Jackson, Rams: With the Rams lack of offensive weapons to complement Jackson, opposing defenses knew what was coming. Yet Jackson still finished second in the NFL in rushing.

7. Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers: Starting in week four, Mendenhall rushed for 1,068 yards and seven TDs in the final 13 games of the season. (That's a 1300-yard pace.) With Fast Willie in D.C. now, a repeat (or even an improvement) of that pace seems likely.

8. Frank Gore, 49ers: Several mock drafts project the Niners selecting Clemson RB C.J. Spiller and if they do, that would knock Gore down a few spots.

9. Cedric Benson, Bengals: As a back I recommended to target in 2009 fantasy drafts, Benson led the NFL in rushing for a good part of the season. Benson will be the featured workhorse again in 2010.

10. Ryan Grant, Packers: As the runner for one of the league's best aerial assaults, Grant should continue to see a lot of seven-men fronts with lanes to run. He's a steady producer that's often overlooked on draft day.

Continue reading "2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs" »

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Houston Texans have signed kicker Neil Rackers to a two-year contract worth $4.1 million, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

By signing Rackers, the Texans incumbent kicker Kris Brown will have competition throughout the entire off-season, which was a stated goal of coach Gary Kubiak.

In 2009, Rackers missed only one field goal in the regular season and led the league in field goal percentage (94.1 percent). In the post-season, however, Rackers missed two of his three attempts.

Meanwhile, Brown ranked in the bottom four of the league by connecting on only 65.6 percent of his kicks.

Brown had two huge misses with time running out or nearly running out in back-to-back three-point losses to Indianapolis and Tennessee in November.

Had Brown converted on either of those two kicks, the Texans, who finished 9-7, would have made the playoffs over the Jets or Ravens, who both finished 9-7 and earned the two AFC wildcard playoff berths.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Although we are more than five months away from the start of the 2010 NFL season, it's never too early to start thinking about the upcoming fantasy football season.

This week, we will release our first edition of position rankings for 2010. These lists will exclude rookies, however, our post-draft update (late-April or early-May) will include the 2010 rookie class.

In addition to these rankings, we are towards the end of our 2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft. Visit our page on Blog Talk Radio to listen to the remaining rounds or archived editions of the first nine rounds.

Here are my Top 25 Fantasy QBs for 2010:

1. Drew Brees, Saints: No QB has passed for more yards (9,457) or touchdowns (68) than Brees over the past two seasons. In fact, his 4,388 passing yards was his worst performance over the past four seasons due to missing week 17 to rest for the playoffs. That said, most fantasy owners don't care about week 17 anyways.

2. Aaron Rodgers, Packers: After back-to-back 4,000-yard seasons, it wouldn't surprise me if Rodgers finished 2010 as the top-ranked fantasy passer and made Packer fans (or, at least, fantasy owners) ask, "Brett who?"

3. Peyton Manning, Colts: A student of the game? More like a coach on the field. 4,000+ yards and 25+ TDs should be a lock. Given the Colts' disregard for making history, the potential of locking up the division early and playing for one half in week 16 again is perhaps Peyton's biggest flaw as a fantasy quarterback.

4. Philip Rivers, Chargers: He's one of four QBs that have passed for 4,000 yards in each of the past two seasons and only Brees has thrown more TDs during that stretch. Expect even more passing in the post-LT era.

5. Tom Brady, Patriots: It remains to be seen whether he'll have Wes Welker to start the season. But at least he'll have Giselle.

6. Matt Schaub, Texans: Schaub led the NFL in passing yards despite being without his stud tight end (Owen Daniels) for half of the year.

7. Tony Romo, Cowboys: His impressive play down the stretch along with the emergence of Miles Austin provides plenty of momentum for 2010. Only if Romo could throw the ball "correctly" to Roy Williams like he does to the other receivers...

8. Brett Favre, Vikings: If Favre retires (again), expect an un-retirement to follow (again). The Vikes are stacked with weapons and fell just shy of the Super Bowl. While 4,202 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions shouldn't be expected for the 40-year-old, 3,800+ yards and 25+ touchdowns seems reasonable in that offense.

9. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers: Only Brees and Schaub had more passing yards per game than Big Ben (288.5) in 2009. Of course, his legal mess, which could lead to disciplinary action from the league, increases his riskiness. If he plays 16 games, however, he's a fantasy football bargain.

10. Donovan McNabb, Redskins: McNabb's 16-game pace (he missed two) in 2009 was 4,060 yards and 25 TDs. Replicating that production over a full season in Washington will be difficult considering the downgrade in weapons in the passing game.

Continue reading "2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks" »

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Arizona Cardinals linebacker Joey Porter was arrested and charged with DUI, resisting arrest and assaulting an officer outside of a Taco Bell in his hometown of Bakersfield (CA), per TMZ.

All three charges are misdemeanors.

Porter, who was released by the Dolphins this off-season, refused to provide his driver's license to the officer, then rolled up his window and slapped the officer's hand away when he tried to open Porter's door. The outspoken linebacker eventually got out of the car "in a confrontational manner," according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).

Although the Cardinals lost linebacker Karlos Dansby and safety Antrel Rolle via free agency, it was a little surprising that the Cardinals gave the 33-year-old Porter the size of the deal they did -- three years for $17.5 million, which could be worth as much as $24 million.

Over the past two seasons, Porter has 26.5 sacks -- nine of them in 2009 -- in 30 games.

At the time Porter signed the deal with the Cardinals, he said of coach Ken Whisenhunt: "I was looking to play for a West Coast team and I know everything Whiz is about."

Apparently, Whiz (and the Cardinals) didn't know everything Peezy is about (or care).

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Free-agent linebacker Karlos Dansby is set to meet with the Miami Dolphins today. However, if the Dolphins can't sign Dansby, the Cardinals will still be in the mix, according to Jason La Canfora of NFL.com.

After being franchised by the Cardinals for two consecutive seasons, Dansby is the top free-agent linebacker available this off-season and isn't limiting the teams he's willing to visit.

If the Dolphins don't sign Dansby, there is a good chance that they will use their first-round pick (12th overall) on an inside linebacker, which could limit their ability to upgrade at other key positions of need (outside linebacker, nose tackle and wide receiver), per ThePhinsider.com.

One of the teams that appeared set to bid on the free-agent linebacker was the New York Giants, who had released Antonio Pierce. However, they are unlikely to enter the bidding due to the amount of money Dansby is seeking and likely to get.

In six career NFL seasons (all in Arizona), Dansby has 559 tackles, 25.5 sacks and ten interceptions.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner has scheduled a press conference for this Friday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

As Schefter points out, it's unlikely that a player who schedules a press conference only a few weeks after the season ends will announce that he's going to play the next season.

Many believe that he's a borderline Hall-of-Famer, but his statistics and his groceries-to-MVP story make him a HoFer to me. He was named MVP of Super Bowl XXXIV in addition to being named league MVP during the 1999 and 2001 seasons.

Warner compiled career stats of 32,344 passing yards, 208 passing touchdowns and 128 interceptions in addition to winning Super Bowl XXXIV with the Rams. He ranks 26th all-time in passing yards and touchdowns.

So assuming that Warner won't be under center in 2010, that means the Cardinals' starting quarterback will be Matt Leinart, their former first-round pick, or they will trade for or draft another quarterback this off-season.

In the past three seasons as Warner's back-up, Leinart has completed 57.8 percent of the 218 passes he's thrown. During that span, he has thrown only three touchdowns and eight interceptions.

With Leinart under center, the fantasy value of the Cardinals' wide receivers including Larry Fitzgerald takes a hit.

In either case, I would rate Houston's Andre Johnson ahead of Larry Fitzgerald. If (when) Warner retires, I would then move Fitzgerald down a couple of spots in the receiver rankings to fourth or fifth.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Arizona Cardinals cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie does not have any ligament damage to his ACL and he injured -- but didn't tear -- his MCL, per Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic.

He also has a chipped bone in his tibia. According to Somers, DRC will undergo tests this week to determine if surgery is needed.

Considering that Rodgers-Cromartie thought he tore ligaments in his knee, this comes as good news for a defense that allowed 45 points in back-to-back playoff games.

On the season, DRC led the team with six interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. He also forced three fumbles in 2009.

Only four defensive backs (Philadelphia's Asante Samuel, New Orleans' Darren Sharper, Green Bay's Charles Woodson and Buffalo's Jairus Byrd) had more picks than DRC in 2009.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

While the NFC playoff seedings are now set, the final AFC playoff teams and seeding will be decided by the Jets-Bengals game tonight.

Here are the NFC seeds:

1. New Orleans: Although the Saints entered the weekend with the top seed already clinched, they enter the playoffs with a three-game losing streak after today's loss to the Panthers.

2. Minnesota: The Vikings bounced back in a big way with an old-fashioned beatdown of the New Jersey Giants by the score of 44-7.

3. Dallas: After back-to-back shutouts of the Redskins last week and the Eagles today, the Cowboys clinched the NFC East title and the #3 seed. They will host the Eagles again next week.

4. Arizona: The Cardinals won the NFC West and will face the Packers again next week. This week, the Packers crushed the Cardinals 33-7.

5. Green Bay: Tough to beat a playoff two weeks in a row. But that's what the Packers will try to do.

6. Philadelphia: If Minnesota had lost and Philadelphia had won today, the Eagles would have been the #2 seed. Instead it's two rematches of today's games in the wildcard round.

Click here to discuss the Jets-Bengals game in our NFL Gameday Forum.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With fantasy football championships hanging in the balance, here are four running backs that should have strong performances in Championship Week:

Beanie Wells, Cardinals (vs Rams): In the past two weeks, Wells has rushed for 189 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries. In the past six weeks, Wells has scored five of his six rushing touchdowns. This week, the Cardinals face the fantasy-friendly Rams' rush defense, which has allowed the second-most rushing touchdowns in the NFL. The Cardinals will likely establish an early lead against the one-win Rams, which means Wells should get a heavy dose of carries as Tim Hightower has a total of only 14 carries in the past three games.

Jerome Harrison, Browns (vs Raiders): Harrison's record-setting performance last week came out of nowhere. It was widely-expected that Chris Jennings would be the guy to get the majority of work against the Chiefs. Instead it was Harrison, who finished with 32 rush attempts for 286 yards and three scores. This week, the Browns face a defense that is not as good at stopping the run as last week's opponent. While I wouldn't expect Harrison to duplicate last week's performance, no team has allowed more rushing touchdowns than the Raiders.

Jonathan Stewart, Panthers (vs Giants): While it's been a feast-or-famine season for Stewart owners this season, Stewart has produced consistently when running mate DeAngelo Williams has been out of the game. In the past three weeks, Williams missed the Tampa game and left early in the Minnesota game. Stewart finished with 25+ carries and 100+ yards and one touchdown in both of those games. Williams is doubtful for Sunday's game against the Giants. Stewart has eight rushing touchdowns in the past 11 games and the Giants have allowed the third-most rushing touchdowns this season.

Fred Jackson, Bills (vs Falcons): In four of his past six games, Jackson has posted double-digit fantasy performances. During that same span, he was caught 3+ passes and had 20+ receiving yards in each of those six games. In the past three weeks, the Falcons have allowed the 12th-most fantasy points and third-most receiving yards to opposing running backs.

Click here for my week 16 running back rankings.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Every week, I pick three NFL games against the spread (ATS) and here are my week 13 picks:

Patriots -4.5 (over Dolphins): The Patriots are coming off a tough loss on a short week. And they are on the road against a division rival. The Saints held Tom Brady and the Patriots to no passing scores. But the Dolphins are coming off a disappointing loss as well against the Bills. Brady should bounce back against the league's 23rd-ranked pass defense. Meanwhile Laurence Maroney has scored a rushing TD (or two) in six consecutive games. The last time the Patriots lost two consecutive games was in November 2006.

Titans +6.5 (over Colts): I'm not necessarily calling for an outright upset here (although I wouldn't be shocked to see it happen). With the exception of a meaningless week 17 game last year, here are the point differentials in games Vince Young has started against the Colts: -1, +3, -2, +6. There's nothing wrong with winning close games, especially when you're 11-0, but the Colts have engineered come-from-behind victories in the fourth quarter in their past five games. With Chris Johnson running all over opponents (six straight games with 125+ yards), the Colts playing close games recently and the historical trend of close games in this series, give me the points.

Vikings -3.0 (over Cardinals): The Vikings are as complete as any team in football. With five weeks to go, they rank fifth in total offense and eighth in total defense. And despite all the will-he-or-won't-he-return drama, Brett Favre is a legitmate MVP contender. He's tied with Peyton Manning for second in TD passes (24) behind Drew Brees (27), but Favre has thrown only three interceptions. I expect Kurt Warner to return this week, but the Cardinals' pass offense is considerably less explosive with Matt Leinart under center.

Click here to see picks from all of our "handicappers."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the fantasy football playoffs on the horizon, here are my top 5 wide receivers for week 13:

1. Randy Moss, Patriots (at Dolphins): In his first matchup against the Dolphins, who rank in the bottom 10 in passing yards allowed (233 ypg), Moss had six receptions for 147 yards and one TD. On the season, Moss leads the NFL in receiving yards (992) and is only one behind the leaders in TD receptions (eight). After getting their ass whooped on prime-time TV, expect the Patriots, Tom Brady, Moss & Co. to come out swinging.

2. Andre Johnson, Texans (at Jaguars): Johnson is one of the league's most complete receivers and perhaps the most underrated. This week, Johnson gets a favorable matchup against the Jaguars, who have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to receivers this season. On the season, Johnson ranks fourth in the league in receiving yards (945).

3. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals (vs Vikings): The Vikings have been without Antoine Winfield, the team's best cornerback, for the past five games. On the season, the Vikings have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. My expectation is for QB Kurt Warner to return from his concussion as Fitzgerald had his worst game of the season with Matt Leinart as QB last week. Fitzgerald is tied for the league lead in touchdowns (nine) including four TDs in the last three games in which Warner has played.

4. Reggie Wayne, Colts (vs Titans): Wayne is second in receptions (79), second in receiving yards (987) and tied for first in touchdowns (nine) in the league. In addition to their improvements with Vince Young under center, the Titans have improved on the defensive side of the ball as they are healthier now. Only the Lions (27) have allowed more receiving touchdowns than the Titans (25) on the season. During their five-game winning streak, however, the Titans have allowed only the 18th-most fantasy points to opposing receivers.

5. Sidney Rice, Vikings (at Cardinals): In three of his past six games, Rice has 136 receiving yards or more including a game with 201yards. With the exception of his game at Green Bay, Rice has had 89 yards or more in five of his past six. Favre and Rice have built chemistry quickly and they have a favorable matchup against the Cardinals, who have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to receivers this season.

Click here for top 50 wide receivers for week 13.

More rankings: top 25 QBs | top 40 RBs | top 20 TEs | top 20 kickers | top 20 team defenses

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the fantasy football playoffs on the horizon, here are my top 5 running backs for week 13:

1. Thomas Jones, Jets (at Bills): The first time that Jones faced the Bills this season, he rushed for 210 yards and a touchdown. The Bills have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season and only the Raiders have allowed more rushing TDs than the Bills (16). Since the Jets want QB Mark Sanchez to air it out less and less (his attempts have gone from 35 to 30 to 21 to 17), Jones better bring his lunch-pail tonight.

2. Chris Johnson, Titans (at Colts): As well as Johnson has played in the past six weeks (125+ rushing yards every week), you can consider Johnson 1(a) -- not #2 -- in this week's rankings. During their five-game winning streak, Johnson has rushed for seven touchdowns. Although the Colts have a middle-of-the-pack run defense on the season, they've given up the 11th-most fantasy points to opposing RBs in the past three weeks.

3. DeAngelo Williams, Panthers (vs Buccaneers): DeAngelo has cooled off a bit with no touchdowns in the past three weeks and only one 100-yard game during that span. The first time that Williams faced the Buccaneers this season, he carried the ball 30 times for 152 yards and two scores. Expect more of the same against the league's third-worst rush defense.

4. Adrian Peterson, Vikings (at Cardinals): The Cardinals were the league's top-ranked run defense earlier in the season, but they have dropped to 14th in the NFL against the run (108.6 ypg allowed). In four of the past five weeks, they have allowed an opposing running back to eclipse the century mark. Surprisingly, Peterson has only three 100-yard games on the season, but he is second in the league with 12 rushing touchdowns.

5. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars (vs Texans): MJD has rushed for more rushing touchdowns (13) than any other running back. (Of course, none of those are as famous as the TD that he didn't score.) That said, Jones-Drew faces a Texans run defense that turned itself around after the first three weeks. In week 3, however, MJD rushed for 119 yards and three touchdowns.

Click here for top 40 running backs for week 13.

More rankings: top 25 QBs | top 50 WRs | top 20 TEs | top 20 kickers | top 20 team defenses

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

It's time to put up or shut up. If you haven't yet clinched a playoff berth in your fantasy league, it likely comes down to week 13 for you as most fantasy leagues start their playoffs in week 14.

And to paraphrase Bill Parcells, this is why you buy those cheat sheets, do those mock drafts, etc. -- to get into (and win in) the playoffs.

Here are my top 5 quarterbacks for week 13:

1. Peyton Manning, Colts (vs Titans): Manning is the only QB to average over 300 passing yards per game (310.5) and is second in passing touchdowns (24). While the Titans and their defense have been playing better lately, they have allowed the second-most passing touchdowns (25) this season.

2. Brett Favre, Vikings (at Cardinals): In his past four games, Favre has thrown 12 touchdowns and no interceptions. On the season, Arizona allows the fourth-most passing yards (258.3 ypg).

3. Drew Brees, Saints (at Redskins): Brees is coming off a five-TD performance against the Patriots in what was arguably the most important regular-season game in team history. Although this week's opponent (Washington) allows the fewest passing yards in the NFL (170.4 ypg), Brees and the Saints offense are firing on all cylinders right now.

4. Tom Brady, Patriots (at Dolphins): Brady failed to connect on a TD pass last week, but he had 332 passing yards against the Dolphins in their first match-up. With targets like Randy Moss and Wes Welker, it's not likely that Brady goes TD-less in back-to-back games.

5. Philip Rivers, Chargers (at Chiefs): Rivers has posted three consecutive 100+ QB ratings and this week he faces the Browns, who have allowed the ninth-most passing yards (233.4 ypg) this season. In the past four games, Rivers has thrown eight touchdowns and only two interceptions.

Click here for top 25 quarterbacks for week 13.

More rankings: top 40 RBs | top 50 WRs | top 20 TEs | top 20 kickers | top 20 team defenses

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here are three running backs that should have big weeks in fantasy football for week 11:

Kevin Smith, Lions: Along with Cincinnati's Cedric Benson and Baltimore's Ray Rice, Detroit's Kevin Smith was one of my Five Running Backs to Target in Fantasy Drafts. While Benson and Rice have exceeded even my expectations, Smith has been a huge disappointment in 2009. This season, Smith has rushed for 515 yards and only three touchdowns through nine games. He has only one 100-yard rushing game (week 3) and he hasn't scored a touchdown in five weeks. Smith's fortunate should change this week as the Lions face the Cleveland Browns this week. Only the Bills have allowed more fantasy points and more rushing touchdowns to running backs this season.

Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers: Mendenhall loves playing the AFC West as his two best games of the year came against the Broncos (155 rushing yards) and Chargers (165 rushing yards). This week, Mendenhall and the Steelers visit the Chiefs, who have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to running backs this season. The Steelers should be able to establish an early lead against a bad Kansas City team that will be without its best offensive player (Dwayne Bowe) for the next four weeks. With a matchup against the Raiders in week 13, Mendenhall could have an opportunity to eclipse the century mark against the entire division.

Beanie Wells, Cardinals: In his past four games, Wells has scored three touchdowns and is averaging 5.3 yards per carry. Wells is also getting a bigger chunk of the workload in his timeshare with Tim Hightower. In the past four games, Wells has 51 carries compared to 37 carries for Hightower. In the first five games of the season, the split was in Hightower's favor (51 to 35). With a favorable matchup against the Rams, who have given up the fourth-most fantasy points to running backs, Wells (and Hightower, for that matter) should have a big day Sunday.

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