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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)

"Head & Shoulders has gone above and beyond this year by insuring my Samoan locks for a cool $1 million," [Steelers safety Troy] Polamalu said, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Jets coach Rex Ryan wants free safety Brodney Pool, who missed today's practice due to a sprained ankle, to be more of a "ballhawk," according to Kevin Armstrong of the NY Daily News.

Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who got a second opinion on his groin injury, won't require surgery, per Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Lions coach Jim Schwartz says "it's a possibility" that DeAndre Levy's groin injury might keep him out of the team's season opener, per Tom Kowalski of MLive.com.

Bills receiver Roscoe Parrish has found his niche as the slot receiver in Chan Gailey's offense.

The Broncos have released Broncos running back Justin Fargas and cornerback Tony Carter, per Lindsay Jones of the Denver Post.

FYI: Our fantasy football contest is open; here is the link for our Week 1 thread.

Bears receiver Earl Bennett returned to practice for the first time since August 8th.

The Dolphins have placed tight end Joey Haynos on the waived/injured list Monday.

Carolina is 0-for-42 in scoring touchdowns on their offensive drives this pre-season.

Colts rookie cornerback Kevin Thomas was placed on injured reserve (IR) today, as expected.

Vikings quarterback Brett Favre described a lubricant injection into his ankle as being "like a grease fitting,'' per SI's Peter King.

The Lions signed linebacker Rocky Boiman in addition to releasing linebacker Lee Campbell, wide receiver Eric Fowler and defensive end Chima Ihekwoaba and waived-injured fullback Jake Nordin.

Ravens cornerback Fabian Washington missed practice with bruised ribs, but he's expected to be ready for the season opener.

In addition, cornerback Lardarius Webb won't play in the Ravens' fourth pre-season game.

BIlls running back Marshawn Lynch will test his ankle tomorrow to determine whether he plays in the team's pre-season finale against the Lions.

Speaking about the Browns' Ring of Honor ceremony on September 19th, Hall-of-Fame running back Jim Brown said: "I don't have any trophies in my home on display. I don't claim to be the best at anything, and I emphatically do not need validation from any man, so I will not participate in your Ring of Honor."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:54 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)

To prevent rookie defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh from being double-teamed too often, Lions defensive coordinator says teams have "to find him first. We're going to move him around. He's smart enough to play all the positions."

The Jets are on the verge of a long-term extension with center Nick Mangold.

In his return to Denver (as a Detroit Lion), tight end Tony Scheffler said, "It felt good, man. It was good to be back here, good to win the game. But I didn't expect the boos."

According to Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs, it's not how start but how you finish.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin said that Brandon Jacobs' injury (that made him a scratch for last night's game) "came out of nowhere." And the injury is "nothing serious," according to GM Jerry Reese.

Meanwhile quarterback Eli Manning will return (with a baseball cap on instead of a helmet) to the practice field on Monday.

Seahawks left tackle Russell Okung will miss the next two-to-four weeks due to an ankle sprain, per NFL Network's Jason La Canfora.

Vikings quarterback Brett Favre has addressed his teammates twice this week and said, "I did feel -- more so than last year, believe it or not -- I needed them to know I'm all in."

In addition, Favre is getting more money to be "all in."

It's unlikely that Cowboys safety Gerald Sensabaugh (shoulder) will return before the team's regular-season opener.

Teammate Keith Brooking says of his shoulder injury, "We did X rays and it was a Grade 1 so there's no separation in there. It's a very minor deal."

Vernon Gholstson said of the fight Rob Turner was asked (by Rex Ryan and Mike Pettine) to start with him: “Fighting? We can do that if necessary. But my job is always to try to become a better football player and try to help this team win…They saw how I responded. I ain’t scared of no fight.”

"Man, that one was pretty special," was how Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford described the 20-yard touchdown that he connected on with Calvin Johnson.

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan says of Albert Haynesworth: "The days of him playing without practicing are over." (Discuss in our forums)

Jaguars receiver Mike Sims-Walker said he had "a little chip on my shoulder" going into last night's pre-season game.

The Rams signed wide receiver Danario Alexander.

The Colts have lost cornerback Jordan Hemby for the season due to a torn ACL.

A healthy Leon Washington scored on an 11-yard touchdown yesterday.

Seattle has reached a deal with wide receiver Brandon Jones.

Bears coach Lovie Smith said of Brian Urlacher's calf injury: ''It shouldn't be anything major."

Jay Cutler was sacked five times.

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said of his touchdown-saving tackle last night: “Preseason, whatever it is, how do you just let a guy go? I don’t think it was anything special, it was just reaction.”

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:52 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 it comes to the Detroit Lions backfield, many have written off third-year running back Kevin Smith, who had major knee surgery in December.

Although first-round rookie Jahvid Best has been "as good as advertised" in camp and getting the first-team reps in practice, it may be premature to write off Smith, according to Tom Kowalski of MLive.com.

Kowalski describes Smith's hunger as "blood-thirsty hunger" and writes that his intensity has reached "an entirely different level." In addition, it's looking more likely that he will enter the season at 100 percent (or very close to it).

So, even if Best is the Lions running back to own in fantasy leagues, Smith may provide owners with much more value.

According to MockDraftCentral.com, Best is the 20th running back and 37th player drafted based on his average draft position (ADP). Meanwhile, 57 running backs and 200 players are being drafted before Smith.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Unless, of course, he was already a rich man. If so, he's now a much richer man.

The Detroit Lions have agreed to terms with Ndamukong Suh, the second-overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, according to Tom Kowalski of MLive.com.

Kowalski reports that the five-year deal includes $40 million of guaranteed money and has a maximum value of $68 million.

Although the guaranteed amount is less than the $41.7 million guaranteed money given to Matthew Stafford, who was selected by the Lions last year with the top overall pick, it is more on a per annum basis since Stafford signed a six-year deal.

With Suh reaching a deal with the Lions, there are now only two unsigned first-rounders remaining: Seattle's Russell Okung and Buffalo's C.J. Spiller.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The initial rumors were that Ndamukong Suh, the second-overall pick by the Detroit Lions, wanted more than the record-setting guaranteed money ($50 million) given to Sam Bradford, the first-overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Eugene Parker, the agent for Suh, has told ESPN's Chris Mortensen that "Suh's deal will come in less" than Bradford's.

Even so, there is a reasonable chance that Suh will receive more guaranteed money than what Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford received from the team last year ($41.7 million) as the top overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, as pointed out by MLive.com's Tom Kowalski.

Last year, Suh had 12 sacks at Nebraska including four in the Big 12 Championship game against Texas.

In addition, he won numerous college football awards, such as the Bronko Nagurski Award, Chuck Bednarik Award, Outland Trophy and Vince Lombardi Award.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 02:26 PM | 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)

The Detroit Lions have signed cornerback Dre' Bly to a two-year contract, per Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.

In addition to signing Bly, they cut cornerback Paul Pratt

Bly, the second-round pick of the Rams in 1999, will begin his second stint with the Lions after spending last season with the 49ers and the previous two seasons with the Broncos.

During the first two (of his four seasons) in Detroit, Bly earned a trip to the Pro Bowl (2003 and 2004).

This off-season, the Lions have added six other defensive backs (four safeties and two cornerbacks). The other cornerbacks are Jonathan Wade, who guaranteed a playoff berth, and Dante Wesley.

Wade and Chris Houston currently top the Lions' depth chart at cornerback.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 03:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I don't know Jonathan Wade. I don't have anything against Wade. And, to be honest, I even respect and admire his confidence.

But, seriously, the Lions cornerback and some of his fellow teammates should just shut up and play.

"I've got to find a way to help this team get to the playoffs," Wade said Thursday, per Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. "It's been said. I've heard it. I want you to write this down. It's been said. (Jon) Jansen said it. (Louis) Delmas said it. (DeAndre) Levy said it. Jonathan Wade now says we're going to the playoffs: 9-7. We're going to the playoffs."

Like many others, I believe the Lions will be better in 2010. And I certainly don't expect Wade to think that the Lions will or should lose. But let's face it: it'd be tough to be worse.

In the past two years, the Lions are a combined 2-30.

How often does Peyton Manning 'guarantee' a Colts' playoff appearance? How about Ray Lewis? Or Drew Brees?

Take a cue from the guys who actually make the playoffs -- not just talk about it (and lose).

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In the past nine years, the Detroit Lions have had more winless seasons (one) than they have had .500+ seasons (none).

Lions safety Louis Delmas thinks that is about to change.

"We know what we can do," Delmas said Saturday, per Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. "We just slipped up last year. I know that we lost a lot of games on last drives last year. It's no surprise if we come out and get eight wins -- I won't be surprised at all. We know we can do it."

Delmas added, "If we get eight wins and we don't make it to the playoffs, I'll be pissed. So that's what we're shooting for."

While the Lions are making progress in their rebuilding effort and I commend Delmas for his confidence, it doesn't make sense to follow in the footsteps of Jon Kitna, who predicted ten wins in 2008, or Kevin Smith, who guaranteed a playoff berth last year.

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

Lions second-year linebacker Deandre Levy, who started eight games as a rookie at outside linebacker, is transitioning to become a full-time starter in the middle.

And although Levy may have led the NFC North in missed tackles (12), the Lions like his ability to defend the run and the pass. Meanwhile, part of the problem was the talent (or lack thereof) around him last year. As the rest of the defense around him improves, Levy should see those missed tackles decline, per Tom Kowalski of MLive.com.

In 2009, the Lions ranked last in scoring defense (30.9 points per game) and total defense (392.1 yards allowed per game) in the NFL.

One team official told Kowalski, "If we put him on the trading block, we'd have 31 teams banging on our door.'' In addition, defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham said (of Levy), "I've never seen a young linebacker like him. I can't compare him to anybody. He's really coming out of his shell.''

John Niyo of the Detroit News named Levy as one of the five Lions that will make or break their season. The other four Niyo named were tackle Gosder Cherilus, defensive lineman Cliff Avril, cornerback Chris Houston and rookie running back Jahvid Best.

Levy, who was a third-round pick in 2009, had 85 tackes (including 12 in the season finale), one forced fumble and one interception as a rookie.

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

With the addition of first-rounder Jahvid Best to the Detroit Lions' backfield, it's likely to relegate Kevin Smith to a secondary role.

Smith, who is currently recovering from a season-ending knee injury, was described as a "complete player" as the Lions' No. 2 back by Tom Kowalski of MLive.com.

Depending on how the other backs perform and Smith's recovery process, it's possible that Smith could land on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list and ultimately miss the first six weeks of the regular season.

But Kowalski points to Smith's ability to run between the tackles, pass protect and receive out of the backfield that could make him an "ideal fit" as the team's back-up running back.

According to Mock Draft Central, Best currently has an average draft position (ADP) of 45.48 (21st RB) versus 173.16 (53rd RB) for Smith.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Players have made predictions. In fact, players in Detroit have made predictions. (See Kitna, Jon)

And those players were wrong.

So, Lions receiver Nate Burleson isn't making a guarantee or promise. Instead, he's making or stating a goal.

Burleson said, "I want to win eight games or more," per Terry Foster of the Detroit News.

"Now if we can have that mind-set, that at the end of the day when we take our jerseys off and look up at the scoreboard, regardless of the result, did they respect us? That means we had a chance to win the game. We were good."

Burleson, who says everyone is "tired of baby steps," could be poised for a big season. He missed two games in 2009, but he was on pace for a 1,000-yard season.

With MegaTron getting all of the defense's attention, Burleson should see (almost exclusively) single coverage.

In my receiver rankings for the 2010 fantasy season, I ranked Burleson as the 34th-best receiver.

That is much higher than his current average draft position (ADP) of 77th WR at MockDraftCentral.com or as the 48th WR selected in the one-man mock draft of ESPN's Christopher Harris.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:33 PM | 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)

There is no wide receiver in the NFL with a greater combination of size, speed and athleticism than Detroit's Calvin Johnson.

Period.

And I still believe it's only a matter of time before MegaTron becomes the best receiver in football for an extended period even though I believe Houston's Andre Johnson is the best receiver in the league currently.

Johnson made huge strides from his rookie season (48-756-4) to his sophomore campaign (78-1331-12), but he struggled to stay healthy (and had a down season) in 2009. He only missed two games, but for many of the others, Johnson did not appear to be his same explosive self and regressed statistically (67-984-5).

As he prepares to head into the 2010 season with a clean bill of health (knock on wood), he's gushing about the outlook for Detroit's offense and the extra weapons within it that should help alleviate some of the burden from him.

"Oh, man," Johnson said, per Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press, "we're bigger, we're faster. We're going to be able to spread the ball around."

In addition, he's been working with second-year quarterback Matthew Stafford, last year's top overall pick, four times per week to develop their chemistry and rapport.

Although he's fifth in my pre-NFL Draft ranking of wide receivers for fantasy football, I will move Johnson up to third in my rankings update to be released on Monday.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Detroit Lions have a running back duo -- Kevin Smith and rookie Jahvid Best -- that will compete for carries in 2010.

As typically is the case, however, competitors for playing time on the field tend to be supportive of each other off it.

According to Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press, Smith is playing the part of mentor well and easing the worries of the first-round rookie (see full draft results).

"He made it real comfortable for me," Best said of Smith. "He's probably like my big brother right now. He's just giving me pointers and he's staying on me so I know what I'm doing when I'm out there."

That said, Smith, who is recovering from off-season knee surgery, isn't willing to concede anything yet.

"I'm always excited to compete," Smith said [of drafting Best], per Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News. "I thought it was a good pick. They are bringing in a guy who could potentially make plays. So when he gets out here, we'll compete at practice, but when we line up on Sundays, everybody needs each other and that's the goal."

As it becomes less common for NFL teams to have workhorse running backs, it's become increasingly important to have multiple backs that can make plays.

In 2010, Best and Smith have average draft positions (ADPs) of 63rd (28th RB) and 142nd (46th), respectively, according to Mock Draft Central.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In his rookie season, Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford had his share of ups and (mostly) downs.

Stafford, the top overall draft pick in 2009, had one of the most remarkable performances of the season by any player when he led the Lions to a comeback victory over the Cleveland Browns. But that was one of only two victories the Lions had, he struggled to stay healthy last year and he threw 20 interceptions (in only ten games).

That said, Nicholas Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press points out three things about a couple of spectacular throws made by Stafford at the team's Thursday workout: (1) he's healthy again, (2) he has support and (3) he has talent.

"I feel a lot better," Stafford said. "My shoulder feels good. My knee's feeling a lot better. As far as throwing the ball, I can step into it and let it go as good as I ever have."

With defenses focused on stopping Calvin Johnson, it should create opportunities for newcomer Nate Burleson, who is a big upgrade over last year's secondary receiver options (Bryant Johnson and Dennis Northcutt).

"You get to pump to [Calvin Johnson], look at him for a little bit," Stafford said [of a throw he made at practice]. "All the coverage shifted to him, and Nate was streaking down the middle. I just threw him the ball. He did the rest."

While the Lions should be better than they have been over the past couple of seasons, they are still another year away and they will often trail their opponents. That means Stafford should get an opportunity to air it out often even though the Lions drafted Jahvid Best in the first round.

Last year, Stafford averaged 226.7 yards (and 37.7 pass attempts) per game. At that pace, Stafford would have thrown for 3,627 yards (and 603 pass attempts) over a 16-game season. (Houston's Matt Schaub led the NFL in pass attempts with 583.)

In my initial fantasy football quarterback rankings (April 5th) for 2010, Stafford ranked 22nd on the list. When I update my rankings in the next couple of days, Stafford will move up a few spots.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Unless you're in a deep league, a keeper league or one that starts two quarterbacks, there aren't any rookie quarterbacks that will make a big fantasy football impact in 2010.

That's not the case for rookie running backs.

Here are my top ten rookie running backs in fantasy football for 2010:

1. Ryan Mathews, Chargers: Mathews, who ranked second in college football in rushing last season, has the combination of skills and projected number of touches to put him at the top of this list. Chargers coach Norv Turner projects Mathews to get around 250 carries. Only nine running backs had more than that amount in 2009.

2. C.J. Spiller, Bills: No other running back in the rookie class has more pure talent than Spiller. And on any given play, Spiller, who was the first running back drafted, could turn it into a highlight-reel play. He has elite speed, but he will share the workload with Fred Jackson, who rushed for over 1,000 yards last year.

3. Ben Tate, Texans: While projecting workloads for the Texans' backfield is risky, Steve Slaton, who rushed for 1,282 yards as a rookie in 2008, is coming off surgery and his pre-surgery fumble-itis landed him in coach Gary Kubiak's doghouse. So, the job is Tate's for the taking if he can beat out Slaton, Arian Foster and Ryan Moats in camp and my bet is that the 58th-overall pick can.

4. Jahvid Best, Lions: The fantasy value of Best, who was drafted at the tail end of round one, is partly tied to the rehab of Kevin Smith, his backfield mate. Smith had a disappointing (and injury-shortened season) after a solid second half to his rookie season. At worst, Best will split carries with Smith. But Tom Kowalski of MLive.com writes that even with a healthy Smith, "Best likely will get the bulk of the workload."

5. Montario Hardesty, Browns: It says something when you break a rushing record set by Hall-of-Famer Jim Brown as Jerome Harrison in week 15 (286 yards). It also says something when the team drafts another back in the second round. Hardesty is a big back that projects to (at least) get the short yardage work. But considering Harrison had 106 carries in the final three games and 88 carries in his other ten games, it wouldn't surprise me to see Hardesty win the starting job in Cleveland.

6. Toby Gerhart, Vikings: Although he a second-round pick and Heisman finalist, Gerhart will back up the league's best all-around (and second-rated fantasy) running back. In addition, the Vikings have a potent pass offense led by Brett Favre. He is a physical runner, who could receive goalline carries. With the departure of Chester Taylor to Chicago, Gerhart will get touches and should be drafted by Peterson owners as a handcuff.

7. Dexter McCluster, Chiefs: With a similar skillset to Chargers RB Darren Sproles, McCluster does a lot of things well while lacking the size to be a durable, every-down back. Since most leagues don't reward return yardage and the Chiefs already have Jamal Charles and Thomas Jones on their roster, his fantasy impact will much more limited than his "real" impact. Also, McCluster will have more value in a point-per-reception (PPR) format.

8. Jonathan Dwyer, Steelers: Dwyer lasted much longer than projected in the NFL Draft. Backing up Rashard Mendenhall doesn't bode well for Dwyer's 2010 fantasy value, but it would be wise for Mendenhall owners to handcuff him with Dwyer.

9. Anthony Dixon, 49ers: Frank Gore must be happy as many mock drafts projected the Niners to draft Spiller, who went before San Francisco was on the clock. The Niners drafted two offensive linemen in round one (and Dixon in the sixth round). While Gore will get the bulk of work in the offense, Dixon is a big back (233 pounds) that was a four-year starter for Mississippi State.

10. Joe McKnight, Jets: Drafting McKnight, who was teammate of quarterback Mark Sanchez at USC, made Leon Washington, who's now in Seattle, expendable. With Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson ahead of McKnight on the depth chart and the acquisition of suspended (four games) receiver Santonio Holmes, McKnight's offensive touches may be limited.

This week, I will also release my rookie rankings for wide receivers and tight ends in fantasy football.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If Adam "Pacman" Jones gets his wish, he will be reunited with Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz, who was his defensive coordinator in Tennessee.

“I can’t even put it in words how much I want to get back,” Jones said, per Nicholas Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press. “I would just love to play football, period, but I think Detroit would be a great fit.”

In the past three seasons, Jones has played only nine NFL games (with the Cowboys). And he was nowhere near the impact player he was in 2006 for Schwartz in Tennessee.

As Cotsonika points out, it's unlikely that the Lions will make a decision on Jones until after rookie orientation this weekend or even some OTAs in May.

If given the chance, Jones told Cotsonika that he would tell general manager Martin Mayhew: “... I’m not really here to talk about my past. I’ve made some dumb decisions in the past, but I’ve grown from that. I’m focused as a person. You ain’t got to worry about no phone calls at 3, 4 in the morning. I’m here to play football. That’s what I really would stress to him.”

Jones, who has a fiancee that is expecting his second child, also said: “I don’t do the things that I used to do. I don’t hang out with the crowd that I used to. I’m a grown man now. I have a little girl. I have a fiancée with another baby on the way. So them days are over with, the kid days. It’s about my family now.”

Mayhew played college football with Deion Sanders, who is mentoring Jones, at Florida State. In other words, regardless of whether they bring in Jones, Schwartz and Mayhew will be making a well-informed decision.

In 2009, the Lions allowed a league-high 35 passing touchdowns and 265.6 passing yards per game.

Jones says he's willing to play for the league minimum.

So, the worst-case scenario (on-the-field, anyways) is that he doesn't produce and they cut him. With the potential financial lost being relatively low, it makes sense to give him a second (or whatever number this is) chance.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 30th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions, who traded up with the Minnesota Vikings, select California running back Jahvid Best.

Best is the third running back off the board after Clemson's C.J. Spiller (to Buffalo) and Fresno State's Ryan Mathews (to San Diego).

In 2009, Best finished with 867 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns after missing the final three games of the season. Two years ago, he rushed for 1,580 yards and 15 touchdowns.

The Lions drafted Kevin Smith two seasons ago, but he is coming off knee surgery and may not be ready for the start of the season.

Now the Indianapolis Colts are the on the clock with the 31st overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the second pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions have selected Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

Suh, who won the Outland Trophy, had 12 of his career 24 sacks in 2009. He was also the only defensive player to be a finalist in the Heisman voting last year.

He also became the first defensive player to win the Associated Press College Player of the Year Award.

Now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the on the clock with the third overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:47 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)

Having a bad week? Well, it could be worse.

You could be former Lions receiver Charles Rogers, who was the second-overall draft pick in 2003.

Rogers was ordered by a judge to repay $6.1 million, which was roughly two-thirds of his $9.1 million signing bonus, to the team, per David Ashenfelter of the Detroit Free Press.

As Detroit4Lyfe points out, Rogers, who was sentenced to 93 days in jail in January for a probation violation, is no stranger to the legal system.

About a year ago, Rogers was talking about making an NFL comeback.

"I'm just going to do my 10 days, get out of the court system and try to get in shape for a comeback," Rogers said at the time.

"Who knows? Maybe we'll be talking in a year about me playing football again. It's not like I'm 35. I'm only 27 with fresh legs and a lot of life and football ahead of me."

Sad.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:53 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)

In the NFC North, the Detroit Lions ranked fourth of four teams in passing offense in 2009 with 216.9 passing yards per game.

While they may still rank fourth in the division in 2010, they added a weapon to their aerial attack early into free agency by signing receiver Nate Burleson to a five-year contract worth $25 million, of which $11 million is guaranteed.

Although Burleson missed three games last year, his average of 62.5 receiving yards per game was less than a yard shy of his career high 62.9 ypg in 2004.

In 2003 and 2004, Burleson played in a Minnesota offense led by Scott Linehan, who is now the Lions' offensive coordinator.

None of the Seahawks three divisional opponents (San Francisco, St. Louis and Arizona) ranked in the top 20 pass defenses based on passing yards in 2009. Meanwhile, all three of the Lions' divisional opponents (Green Bay, Chicago and Minnesota) rank in the top 20.

The signing of Burleson should help with the development of rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford and take some pressure off Calvin Johnson.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 02:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

According to the Twitter status of Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union Tribune (via Pro Football Talk), Chargers cornerback Antonio "... Cromartie could be a Lion soon. Regardless, Cro has almost certainly played his last game for Chargers."

The acquisition of Cromartie could come at a bargain-basement prices.

And Cromartie, who has one year remaining on his contract, would help the Lions' pass defense (despite a post-season reluctance to mix it up against the run).

But as Tom Kowalski of MLive.com points out, Lions' starting cornerbacks Anthony Henry and Phillip Buchanon were benched at points during the season due to lack of run support.

The Lions ranked last in the NFL in points allowed (30.9 per game), passing yards allowed (265.6 per game) and total yards allowed (392.1 per game) last season.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

After a promising rookie season (671 yards in the second half) in 2008, it seemed reasonable to expect that Detroit Lions running Kevin Smith would have a breakout year in 2009.

Instead, he had a break-down year.

Smith suffered from an injury-plagued sophomore season and missed the final three regular-season games due a knee injury that also put his status for training camp into doubt.

Against the Redskins on September 27th, Smith popped his shoulder out of place, returned to play the following week and it was expected that he would need shoulder surgery following the season.

Per Nicholas Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press, however, Smith will not need surgery on his shoulder.

“It was just assumed, ‘OK, well, it’s going to need to be done,’” [Lions coach Jim] Schwartz said. “And then things change, because as the year goes on and he’s able to play with it without having another issue with it, and then you get looks at new tests and strength and all those kind of things … yeah, that ended up changing things, yes.”

Although he was productive in the passing game (41 receptions for 415 yards), Smith only had 747 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

As he works to come back from tearing knee ligaments, there's a chance that he won't be ready to start the season. And it's widely believed that the Lions will add a running back in the off-season either in free agency or through the draft.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With playoffs beginning this week, here are three running backs that I would consider benching for week 14:

LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers (vs Cowboys): Tomlinson has seen a resurgence recently at least in terms of scoring touchdowns. In the past six weeks, he has rushed for eight touchdowns. This week, however, L.T. faces a Dallas defense that has been stingy against the run as they have allowed only five rushing TDs on the season. With a strong possibility of a scoreless day for L.T., it's not likely that you can rely on him accumulating a lot of rushing yards either.

Kevin Smith, Lions (vs Ravens): Smith had a decent game last week as he finished with a combined 104 rushing/receiving yards and a score. As the Lions face another tough run defense, it would be risky to rely on Smith. Smith has been productive in the passing game, but he has only two games with 20+ rushing attempts. And it's been seven weeks since the last 20-carry game.

Matt Forte, Bears (vs Packers): Forte made the Start'em list last week and he delivered with 91 rushing yards and a score. He has had only three games with more than 66 rushing yards and those three games came against Detroit, Cleveland and St. Louis. (Let's face it, you or I may be able to run for 100 yards against those defenses.) In week 14, Forte begins the murderers row of run defenses in fantasy playoffs against Green Bay, Minnesota and Baltimore.

For running backs to start for week 14, click here.

Check back later for our position-by-position rankings for week 14.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:03 PM | 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)

If you need a victory in week 13 to send you into your fantasy league's playoffs, here are three running backs that I don't expect to deliver:

Kevin Smith, Lions (vs Bengals): The good news for Kevin Smith fantasy owners is that he's been a factor in the Lions' passing game. Only four RBs have more receiving yards than Smith (367). The bad news is he's a "running" back and he (and the Lions) haven't run the ball effectively this season. Smith is averaging only 54.8 rushing yards per game and has only three rushing touchdowns this season. Meanwhile, the Bengals have allowed the third-fewest rushing yards (784) and is tied for the fewest rushing touchdowns (two) allowed this season. And in the past three weeks, no team has allowed fewer fantasy points to opposing running backs than the Bengals.

Brandon Jacobs, Giants (vs Cowboys): With colder weather and tougher opponents on the horizon, Jacobs was poised to come through for fantasy owners with a bigger workload and, in turn, greater fantasy production. Right? Apparently not. Jacobs still hasn't rushed for 100 yards in any game and he's averaging one touchdown per 58 rushing attempts this year. On the season, the Cowboys have allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs and only the Packers and Bengals have allowed fewer rushing touchdowns than the Cowboys have.

Ryan Grant, Packers (vs Ravens): Compared with the other two running backs on this list, Grant is having the best season (890 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns). When facing defenses that rank in the top 10 of fewest fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, here's Grant's production: CIN (10 points), MIN (10 points), MIN (5 points) and DAL (7 points). In those four games, he's averaged only 51.5 rushing yards per game. This week, Grant faces a Ravens' run defense that currently allows a league low 3.5 yards per carry. Another single-digit fantasy game is the most likely scenario for Grant.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Detroit Lions rookie tight end Brandon Pettigrew will miss the remainder of the season after he suffered a season-ending injury to his left knee in yesterday's game against the Packers, per Nicholas Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press.

The injury happened on a non-contact play in the first series of yesterday's game.

Pettigrew, the second of the Lions' two first-round picks, had 30 receptions for 346 yards and two touchdowns.

The other tight ends on the Lions' roster are Will Heller and Casey Fitzsimmons. Heller has 19 receptions for 209 yards and three touchdowns and Fitzsimmons has 17 receptions for 119 yards.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson was questionable and a game-time decision for today's game against the Green Bay Packers.

Meanwhile the Lions rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford seemed to be all but out of this game after suffering a separated (non-throwing) shoulder last week.

Both Stafford and Johnson, however, are in today's starting lineup and are currently on the field for the first series of the game after Detroit recovered a Jordy Nelson fumble on the opening kickoff.

You can discuss the game in our NFL Gameday Forum here.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford tied a franchise record by throwing five touchdowns in a come-from-behind 38-37 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

At 21 years old, Stafford, the 2009 top overall draft pick, also became the youngest quarterback in NFL history to accomplish the feat.

It looked like Stafford's shoulder might have popped out on the second-to-last play, but he didn't miss any snaps as the Browns called time out. And then he threw the game-winner to fellow first-round rookie Brandon Pettigrew with time running out.

“There’s a lot more that needs to be done,” Schwartz said. “But the first thing you wanted to eliminate was a broken collarbone or one of those things.”

The Lions play the Packers on Thanksgiving and it would seem unlikely that Stafford would play. But then again, he didn't miss a snap after suffering the injury.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Lions have the league's worst-ranked pass defense (271.7 yards per game allowed) and it's showing today.

As bad as the Browns' offense has been in the past year, they've been equally explosive against the Lions in the first quarter of today's game.

Browns QB Brady Quinn completed eight of nine passes in the first quarter for 151 yards and three touchdowns.

The TDs were all caught by different receivers -- Mohamed Massaquoi, Chansi Stuckey and Josh Cribbs.

It should be back to business as usual for the Browns' offense when they visit the Cincinnati Bengals next week.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 01:59 PM | 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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