Top 10 Defenses and Special Teams For Fantasy Owners

Defenses are arguably one of the harder positions to figure out from year to year as to which one will be better. In 2010 the Cowboys and Lions had a solid Top 10 Defense while the 49ers had a mediocre one in a losing season. But last year the Cowboys and Lions defenses gave up some of the worst yardage through the air and the 49ers had one of the best defenses, not giving up a rushing TD till late in the season. As I said, hard to predict, but here are some of the Top Defenses, some should be better while some probably won't change.

Top 10 Defenses For the 2012 Season 

(The Texans Defense Was the One of the Top Defenses in the League Last Year; how will that translate next year? Photo Courtesy: www.Dailyfantasysports.org)

1. San Francisco 49ers-  Their defense may give up a rushing TD earlier in the season simply because of the unlikeliness of accomplishing their 2011 feat again, but their defense should be solid, maybe even better after keeping most of their starters from last year. 

2. Detroit Lions- The Lions did address their need at CB in the draft and could have potentially gotten some starters to help that secondary that got destroyed throughout the season. It could be tough because they are playing Cutler and Rodgers twice a year each, and perhaps a better Christian Ponder. But their sack totals will continue because of that vicious defensive front. 

3. Houston Texans- The Texans were one of the best defenses in the league last season.  When you lose your two top QB to injury and still make the playoffs your defense is playing good. The loss of Mario Williams will hurt the defense but he was hurt half of last season so it could be unnoticed. 

4. Green Bay Packers- This is a defense that if it wasn't for all the turnovers they wouldn't be ranked this high because of how much passing yards they gave up per game. With Clay Matthews and Rod Woodson constantly creating turnovers that often turned into points, they should stay a solid Top 5 defense. 

5. Philadelphia Eagles- The Eagles finally addressed the defensive line position that was being gashed by every RB in the league last season. With this addition the Eagles could have a defense that could go deep into the playoffs. 

6. Chicago Bears- The Chicago Bears only didn't make the playoffs the defense because of their offense after Forte and Cutler got hurt. The Bears defense kept the team in games and only lost because they were on the field so much. The Bears also drafted a couple of corners late in the draft and a DE with their first pick. 

7. Baltimore Ravens- How good this team would be if Terrell Suggs had not gotten injured. Unfortunately with Suggs injury now Courtney Upshaw has to step-up and try to be at least half as good as Suggs. If Suggs is true to his word though, he could return midseason; which would be a plus for fantasy owners who take the Ravens.

8. Dallas Cowboys- The Cowboys have become a complete a defense with the additions of Brandon Carr and Morris Clayborne. If they don't get rid of Mike Jenkins, they could have a secondary that is strong enough to give Aaron Rodgers some trouble. But the Cowboys linebackers have to play just as good as they did last season. 

9. New York Jets- Remember the 2009/2010 seasons when the Jets defense made its name off of stopping the run and pass. Last year that was non-existent as the Jets allowed more than 20 points in multiple games last year. The Jets did draft a DE in the draft who should allow a pass-rush and could create turnovers. 

10. Denver Broncos- The Broncos actually had a decent defense last season. Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil combined for almost 20 sacks.With the addition of Tracy Porter and a rookie DT drafted with their first pick, the defense should be very much improved over the defense that helped the Broncos to an 8-8 record. 

***Sleeper*** New York Giants- The Giants consistently do have a decent defense from year to year. They are streaky though, sometimes they are excellent for a few weeks in a row while sometimes they do give up many points. 

***Beware*** New Orleans Saints- The Saints are losing Jonathon Vilma for the whole season. Vilma is a huge loss because he is the leader of that defense, pair that with the loss of Greg Williams also and the learning of Steve Spagnuol's system, the Saints may have a hard time staying with their standard.

Top 10 TEs for Fantasy Football

The final of the "skill" position players in which points are made off yards and TD, Tight Ends are a different breed of players. There are two type of TEs; blocking and catching, obviously the catching ones are most important for fantasy football, and most of them can wait until the fourth round. There are a couple though that would be worth a third-round pick. Here are the top fantasy TEs for next season:

Top TEs for Fantasy Owners

(Jason Witten (#82), Rob Gronkowski (#87), and Aaron Hernandez (#81) all can be good fantasy TEs. Photo credit: ESPN.com)

1. Antonio Gates (Chargers)- Antonio Gates had another great season last year. While Rob Gronkowski is a great TE for Brady, Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates hooked up for 7 TD and 700+ yards. This is also with Antonio Gates missing multiple games with a foot injury. 

2. Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)- Rob Gronkowski had a break out season in 2011 picking up where he left off in 2010. "The Gronk" set the record for TD in a season breaking the legendary Mike Ditka's record. Even on an injured ankle in the Super Bowl Gronkowski had a "decent" game. Gronkowski is one of the few that are worth a third-round pick.

3. Jimmy Graham (Saints)- It was a race for a long time between "the Gronk" and "the Dunk" as to who would have more receiving yards at the end of the season. Granted, Gronkowski won out by 17 yards; but Jimmy Graham didn't miss by much, as he finished with more than 1300 years and 11 TD. Graham is the last of the TEs that an argument can be made to spend a third-round pick. 

4. Jason Witten (Cowboys)- Jason Witten is one of the most consistent TEs in the league. He is well worth an early fourth-round pick. He only had 7 TDs but he had almost 1000 yards. He continues to be Tony Romo's favorite target and is good for 40-50 yards a game, and if he can get that TD, he is worth it. 

5. Tony Gonzales (Falcons)- Tony Gonzales may be getting older, but he is in amazing shape and continues to be security blanket for Matt Ryan. He is similar to Jason Witten in his stats and remains a solid pick for fantasy owners. 

6. Vernon Davis (49ers)- Vernon Davis has been a consistent TE for many years for fantasy owners. Last year Vernon Davis became very productive towards the end of the season and was a huge reason for the 49ers upset victory over the Saints. 

7. Jermichael Finley (Packers)- Jermichael Finley would likely be higher if he stayed healthy. When Finley is healthy, he can be as good as an Antonio Gates or Jimmy Graham, he is as quick and tall as a WR but as physical as a TE. He has over 700 yards last year.

8. Aaron Hernandez (Patriots)- Aaron Hernandez is the "other TE" in New England. But when Gronkowski is covered and inaccessible, which does happen, Hernandez takes over and become Brady's favorite target. Also, the Patriots will use him in the run game occasionally, which throws defenses off, granted it was only 45 yards on the ground. But as a backup TE, Hernandez had over 900 yards.

9. Brent Celek (Eagles)-  Brent Celek is another odd TE. He is somewhat underrated because he gets lost in all the speedy receivers that the Eagles. But he is a very good security blanket for Mike Vick and can make a lot of players miss.

10. Dustin Keller (Jets)- Very similar to Brent Celek, Dustin Keller is underrated as he gets lost in all the Jets have going on in their defense, receivers and Mark Sanchez. But between Mark Sanchez or Tim Tebow, whoever starts, Celek is a very good drop off for young QB.

**Sleeper** Jacob Tamme (Broncos)- Jacob Tamme had a great season with Peyton Manning when Dallas Clark was injured. But had an awful year without Peyton Manning when Peyton was hurt. Translation Peyton+Tamme= Fantasy Consistency. 

**Beware** Fred Davis (Redskins)- Although Davis was only consistent for a few weeks, it was enough to make some fantasy owners consider taking him next year. But they have RG3 who as a young QB will try to hit the top receiver or run it.

Top 20 WRs For Fantasy Owners

The WR position. Unlike the RB in Fantasy Football, the WR position is one that normally you can go to the second or third round and still get a quality WR. WR also can be fragile as I learned last year when I took Andre Johnson of the Texans in the first round. Although the games he did play were good for me, he wasn't worth a first-round pick because of how injured he was. There are still a couple of WR that are worth a first-round pick, it would just be a risky pick. With this in mind here is the list of the Top 20 WR for Fantasy Owners this season:

Top 20 WRs in Fantasy Football

(Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald are both poised to have great seasons. One difference, Calvin Johnson has Matthew Stafford, while Larry Fitzgerald is going to be working with either Kevin Kolb or John Skelton. Photo Courtesy of www.bleacherreport.com)

1. Calvin Johnson (Lions)- Let's pretend he is not on the cover of Madden NFL 13 and hope he doesn't suffer from the "Madden Curse." Megatron was one of the most productive WR in the league last year as he and Matthew Stafford hooked up for 16 TD and 1600+ yards. He is one of the few WR that is worth a first-round pick simply because everyone else is going to be chomping at the bit to get him.

2. Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)- At the QB position the Cardinals were shifting between Kevin Kolb and John Skelton multiple times last year and the Cards finished 8-8. Oh yeah and Larry Fitzgerald still had 1400+ yards and 8 TD. If the Cardinals can get some stability at QB and if rookie Michael Floyd can steal some coverage from Larry Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald will have a great year.

3. Jordy Nelson (Packers)- Why isn't Greg Jennings up here you ask? Because Jennings is usually covered and Nelson tends to get open for Rodgers when the defense is focused on Jennings. Nelson only had 1200+ yards, but had 15 TD, which is an average of almost a TD a game. 

4. Wes Welker (Patriots)- Wes Welker had one of his better years last year with 1500+ yards and 9 TD. Which actually made him score the third highest points in most fantasy leagues last year. But the Patriots also added Dante Stallworth and Brandon Lloyd this off season. But even with the crowded WR depth, Welker is Brady's most familiar target and should be good over the middle where he dominates the field. 

5. Victor Cruz (Giants)- What a year Cruz had last year. With numbers like Welker's, Cruz was Eli's favorite target and a huge reason why the Giants made it to the Super Bowl. Cruz should have another good year, maybe not quite the year he had last year because now teams have tape on him. But he should be good for at least 1200+ yards and 7 or 8 TD. 

6. Roddy White (Falcons)- Roddy White was one of the WR last year that fantasy owners drafted in the first round last season who saw a slide in production. But this is mostly because of rookie Julio Jones taking catches from Roddy White. Despite this, Roddy White still had 1200+ yards and 8 TD. He is well worth a late second-round pick.

7. Steve Smith (Panthers)- What a surprisingly great year Steve Smith had with Cam Newton last year.  Steve Smith saw a resurgence in his career as he ranked 6th in Fantasy Points in most leagues last year. He is worth the third-round pick maybe even second-round.

8. Brandon Marshall (Bears)- The Bears finally gave Jay Cutler the big-time WR that Cutler has needed since he got to Chicago. And who better than former Bronco teammate Brandon Marshall. The Dolphins finished 6-10 last year after starting 0-7. Brandon Marshall, although he has off the field issues, is one of the most consistent WR in the league and helped Matt Moore in helping the Dolphins off their losing streak. He is very much worth a second-round pick if you haven't drafted a WR. 

9. Dez Bryant (Cowboys)- Dez Bryant is only this low because he does have problems staying healthy at times. Dez Bryant has had a very quiet off season and this is good because of how much attention he got the last two years. Bryant is very similar to Brandon Marshall in that he is a big WR that will get up and grab the ball. Tony Romo should be better next season because he will be healthy also which will help him get the ball the Bryant more. Well worth an early third-round pick. 

10. Greg Jennings (Packers)- Whenever Jordy Nelson isn't still his catches, Greg Jennings is Rodgers #1 target. Greg Jennings is one of the big and speedy WR in the league and should be better next year because he will be healthier next year. The only reason he didn't break 1000+ yards is because of a Week 15 injury . The Packers also didn't add any new targets to their WR core, which will allow both Jennings and Nelson, and occasionally Donald Driver to still do their average work. 

11. Percy Harvin (Vikings)- Percy Harvin was a risk last year in fantasy because of his migraines he struggled with in the 2010 season. But in the 2011 season, he seemed to have them under control and after they made the switch to Christian Ponder, Harvin broke loose in both the run and the pass game. He had over 300 yards in rushing and had a huge game against the Broncos on his way to 900 yards receiving. 

12. A.J. Green (Bengals)- As well as his Bengal teammate Andy Dalton, A.J. Green was a surprise to the Bengals. How is he going to top his 1057 receiving yards and 7 TD? Teams are going to have more tape on him this year and he will probably face more coverage than he did last season. Either way, it should be another successful year and he is worth a third-round pick as you put together your dream team in Fantasy this season. 

13. Hakeem Nicks (Giants)- Although Victor Cruz has people saying "Hakeem who?" Hakeem Nicks is still a very good target for Eli Manning. Nicks had over 1000 yards and 7 TD. Nicks will likely benefit from Victor Cruz having more coverage and will likely get more looks from Eli on his way to repeating his performance last year. 

14. Brandon Lloyd (Patriots)- What happens when you combine Brandon Lloyd, Tom Brady, and Josh McDaniels? If it works out in the Patriots favor it could easily be a repeat of the 2007 season when the Patriots went 16-0 on the way to the Super Bowl. Not to mention the Patriots have the easiest schedule in the league next season based on last season's ending records. Let's not forget that while Josh McDaniels was the head coach in Denver, Brandon Lloyd went to the Pro Bowl and made Kyle Orton look like a Top 10 QB.

15. Julio Jones (Falcons)- Although it took a while, Julio Jones eventually made the Falcons very proud that they traded so much to move up in the draft and take him. Julio Jones eventually stole catches from Roddy White on the way to 959 yards and 8 TD in his rookie season. If he picks up where he left off last year, he could easily produce more and be worth a third round pick. 

16. Mike Wallace (Steelers)- Mike Wallace is one of the speediest WR in the league and is a favorite target of Ben Roethlisberger's. Also with the retirement of Hines Ward in the off season, Mike Wallace should be getting more looks from Big Ben and should pad his almost 1200 yards and 8 TD from last year. 

17. Steve Johnson (Bills)- Steve Johnson got the contract extension he had been looking for. But also had a slide in production from his 2010 season. He barely had more than 1000 yards and 7 TD and had catches taken from him by David Nelson. He could still have a good year next season, but he will need to work more on his catching the ball (for less drops) and less on his TD celebrations.

18. Miles Austin (Cowboys)- What happened to Miles Austin last year? Between the success of DeMarco Murray and Laurent Robinson (who is now with the Jaguars), Miles Austin showed a slide in production. But as I pointed out Laurent Robinson is now with the Jaguars and shouldn't steal any catches from Miles Austin. It is now up to him and Dez Bryant to make Tony Romo and Co. a fantasy team. 

19. Dwayne Bowe (Chiefs)- Dwayne Bowe was somewhat productive on a struggling Chief offense last season. But what Dwayne Bowe needs more of next season is consistency at the QB position. A WR is only as good as his QB, and that couldn't be more true for Dwayne Bowe. If Matt Cassel stays healthy and becomes the QB that the Chiefs wanted him to be before the 2009 season when he got the huge contract, then Bowe will be just fine. 

20. Eric Decker (Broncos)- Eric Decker is a big WR who has been working out with new Broncos QB Peyton Manning every chance he gets. Which means he could be Manning's new favorite target, and Decker also has the hands to catch just about any ball thrown his way, regardless of what it might do to his body (he has been shaken up on at least two catches). With Tim Tebow and Kyle Orton throwing to him he had 600 yards and 8 TDs, imagine what would happen with Peyton throwing his way. 

*Sleeper* Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)- Demaryius Thomas was a big reason for the Broncos success both in the regular season and the playoffs. Hook him up with Peyton Manning then you have a Pro Bowl caliber player, if he can stay healthy. 

*Owners Beware* Reggie Wayne (Colts)- With Rookie Andrew Luck getting all the hype he has, it is very tempting to take Reggie Wayne at any time. After all he did have 900+ yards with a number of backup QBs last season, but those 900 yards were spread out throughout the season and he only had 4 TD, which is an average of a TD in every four games. He may prove to be a very successful target for Andrew Luck, but its better to take the wait-and-see approach.

Top NFL RBs for Fantasy

In today's installment of the Top Fantasy Players to look out for in this year's fantasy drafts we are going to talk about RBs. RBs in my opinion are better for a first-round pick than QBs. Because RBs can get you both receiving and rushing yards in most of today's West Coast Offenses. Here are the ones to keep an eye out for.

(Each year Arian Foster (left #23) gets better and better, this year looks to be no different.            Photo Courtesy of www.newyorktimes.com)

Top 20 Fantasy RBs

1. Arian Foster (Texans)- Arian Foster didn't have the most fantasy points last year, but he is definitely worth a first-round pick. Foster had 1200+ rushing yards and 600+ receiving and missed the first couple games of last season. If the Texans are going to repeat their AFC South crown, they will need to get the ball to Arian Foster. 

2. Ray Rice (Ravens)- Analysts on most sports networks say that the key to the Ravens offense is Ray Rice. They are right, because just like Arian Foster, the Ravens get the ball to Ray Rice because of what he does when he gets it. Rice had 1300+ rushing and 700 receiving yards with 15 TD. The one advantage Ray Rice does as opposed to Arian Foster is that he does not get injured often and doesn't share the backfield.

3. LeSean McCoy (Eagles)- Like Rice and Foster, LeSean McCoy is another RB that will justify using the #1 overall pick on, if your lucky enough to have it. McCoy showed fantasy owners last year that he is more than just a speed back, he is not afraid to go between the tackles and be that power back. And being in Andy Reid's West Coast Offense, he is sure to get receiving yards also. 

4. Maurice Jones-Drew (Jaguars)- There is a reason that they call him "Pocket Hercules." MJD led the league in rushing yards with 1606. This was done in a stale offense in which the Jaguars would go 5-11. Like Ray Rice, MJD hardly appears on any injury reports despite being one of the hardest players to tackle. He is very much worth a first-round pick.

5. Michael Turner (Falcons)- Michael Turner is the last of the RBs I believe are worth a first-round pick. Turner is another cog in the offense of the Falcons that some weeks were very hot but some weeks were less than average. But he still managed to get more than 1300 yards and proved to be versatile similar to Arian Foster. 

6. Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)- Anytime anyone speaks of Marshawn Lynch, people still mostly think about the play against the Saints in the playoffs a couple years ago when Lynch broke multiple tackles for a TD and caused the stadium to rock measuring on the Richter Scale. Last season wasn't any different, Lynch still rushed for more than 1200 yards. While he may not be a first-round pick, he is still worth an early second-round.

7. Adrian Peterson (Vikings)- If AP hadn't injured his knee toward the end of last season, then I would put him closer to the top. Despite Adrian Peterson saying he will be ready by Week 1, it will be hard for him not to have any rust and be the old Adrian Peterson. But even missing a few weeks AP still had more than 900 yards rushing.

8. Matt Forte (Bears)- Matt Forte is going through issues right now with his contract. But he has been for two offseasons now and has not seen a slide in production. Before getting hurt in the middle of last season, Forte had 997 rushing yards and almost 500 yards receiving.

9. Fred Jackson (Bills)- Fred Jackson is very similar to Matt Forte. He was having a career season and then he got hurt in the middle of last season. He had more than 900 yards rushing and more than 400 receiving. His injury is one of the key reasons why the Bills started to see a slide in production.

10. Chris Johnson (Titans)- Chris Johnson is an interesting story. He had two great seasons got a great deal and saw a slide in production that didn't stop till the middle of the season. He still managed to finish with more than 1000 yards, but definitely should be better this year with a good offseason and training camp.

11. DeMarco Murray (Cowboys)- The Cowboys during their winning streak last year may have found their RB for the future that they have been looking for since Marion Barber started to have his slide in production. DeMarco Murray was only the starter for a few weeks and had 895 yards rushing and 183 receiving. Definitely worth a second-round pick if he stays healthy.

12. Darren Sproles (Saints)- Darren Sproles was a surprise last season for the Saints, and very much missed by the Chargers. With Drew Brees throwing the ball to him as much as his receivers, Sproles is good for more receiving yards than rushing and a very versatile threat to the opposing defenses. While he may be a late second-round pick, he is worth an early second-round pick.

13. Jamaal Charles (Chiefs)- Jamaal Charles got injured in Week 1 of last year and tons of fantasy owners may have forgot about him. Like Adrian Peterson he is going to have some rust, but Romeo Crennel is a defensive minded coach so he is going to try to run a two-back backfield with Charles and Peyton Hillis. It may be hard for either of them to have a lot of fantasy points but, Jamaal Charles will likely be the starter.

14. Steven Jackson (Rams)- Steven Jackson may go earlier in most fantasy drafts, but fantasy owners need to remember the slide in production he had last year in an injury-plagued season. Still, when he did get healthy he was a great commodity and is worth a late second-round pick. 

15. Frank Gore (49ers)- Frank Gore is similar to Steven Jackson. He misses at least one game a season, but is better power back than he is a speed back which is why he is more suited for the second-round. He still had more than 1000 yards and was a key piece to a 49er offense that is slim at receiver.

16. Reggie Bush (Dolphins)- It will be interesting to see what Joe Philbin does with Reggie Bush in Miami in his first year of head coach. Reggie Bush worked very hard last season to be an every-down back and also be their answer for the future. He had more than 1000 yards and almost 300 receiving. 

17. Willis McGahee (Broncos)- Willis McGahee saw a career resurgence last year in Denver. Most analysts are saying it was after Denver switched to Tim Tebow on offense, but he was average almost 100 yards a game as a back up to Knowshon Moreno. With the Broncos switching to Peyton Manning it may be a little harder for him to get carries, but he is still a safe third-round RB.

18. Ryan Mathews (Chargers)- The Chargers seemed to fix Ryan Mathews fumbling issues and he still had more than 1000 yards rushing in the high-powered, high-flying passing offense led by Philip Rivers. Mathews could break out even more this year, but he needs to become more of a between the tackles RB with Mike Tolbert going to Carolina. 

19. Beanie Wells (Cardinals)- Last year, the Cardinals finally got the production out of Beanie Wells that they hoped for when they drafted him in the first round of the 2009 Draft. Wells ran for more than 1000 yards and that was with the Cardinals having a rough season going 8-8.

20. Ahmad Bradshaw (Giants)- The Giants seem to be shifting their style of play by giving the ball the Eli Manning to throw more. They also drafted a RB in the first round of the draft this year. But that doesn't mean they are going to stop handing off to Bradshaw.

*Sleeper* Trent Richardson (Browns)- Remember when Peyton Hillis had his great season in his first year with the Browns. Trent Richardson is a fast RB and not afraid to bounce off the tackles. Whether its Colt McCoy or Brandon Weeden, he is worth a chance pick. 

*Bust*Rashard Mendehall (Steelers)- The Steelers always seem to want to rush the ball, but end up throwing it instead. Mendehall will still get carries, but he won't get the top-level production that one would want out of him for fantasy purposes. Only take him if you have a high scoring receiver and QB on your team also.

Top 10 Fantasy QBs

The month is May; rookie camps have just started and some of the teams have a little bit of a QB controversy. Sure you have the usual suspects, Browns and Seahawks for example. But then you also have teams like the Cardinals and the Dolphins who think they may finally have an answer for the next 5-6 years in Kevin Kolb and Ryan Tannehill respectively. But what does this all mean? It means we are getting closer to putting together Fantasy Football teams.

Each year I have played Fantasy Football I have enjoyed it more and more. This year doesn't look to be any different. And we are going to get a head start on learning who we need to take this year in our drafts by having a post every few days on who we need to take. Lets start with the QBs:

It is very rare that you want to take a QB in the first round. Only in instances such as Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees and maybe (a strong maybe) Michael Vick do you want to take a QB in the first round. Because come the 2nd or 3rd round, you can still get reliable QBs such as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Tony Romo. So with this in mind here we go:

Top 10 Fantasy Quarterbacks

(Tony Romo (left) and Aaron Rodgers (right) are two QB that are normally very solid for Fantasy Owners, both put up alot of yards and points for owners last year. Photo Courtesy of www.NFL.com)

1. Aaron Rodgers- As I said in the introduction, Aaron Rodgers is one of the few quarterbacks that you can take in the first round and not regret it later. Last year was arguably Rodgers' best year because the Packers went 15-1 and he had 4643 passing years and 45 TD. He is a sure thing every year for 4000 passing yards and 25+ passing TD. His mobility insures that every couple weeks he could easily get a rushing TD as a treat to fantasy owners.

2. Drew Brees- Let's just assume that Drew Brees and the Saints get his contract situation settled, because let's face it, losing Drew Brees would be a huge blunder on the Saints so he is going to get a deal. Back to fantasy talk, Drew Brees just like Aaron Rodgers has been one of the most reliable fantasy QBs in the last 3-4 years. Last year was no different, breaking Dan Marino's passing record and have 46 passing TDs, Drew Brees was the 2nd highest point producing QB. He is the only other 1st-rd worthy QB in my honest opinion. 

3. Matthew Stafford- Taking a chance here by saying Stafford is a very worthy 2nd-rd pick at QB. Last year he stayed healthy and he and Calvin Johnson Jr. (Megatron) formed a tandem the was the caliber of a Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin. Matthew Stafford threw for a 3rd-best 5038 yards in the league and added 41 TD on top of that. He was a sure thing for 300 yards a week. As long as Megatron don't suffer the Madden curse, and Matthew Stafford stays healthy, your looking at another Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers. 

4. Tom Brady- The Patriots are going to be loaded at WR next season. They added Brandon Lloyd (who had his best year under returning Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels in Denver) and brought back Jabar Gaffney and Dante Stallworth. These players added already with Chad Ochocinco, Wes Welker, and Deon Branch, Brady will have a #1 WR with his 2nd and 3rd looks. Tom Brady could easily repeat his 5000+ season from just a year ago.

5. Cam Newton- Cam Newton in his rookie season broke most of Peyton Manning's record from his rookie season. So what is a sophomore slump going to look like? Cam threw for 4000+ yards last year and ran for another 700. He is basically an accurate Tim Tebow, fantasy owners can expect the average yardage of 250ish and 2 TD with at least 50ish yard and a TD on the ground. Barring any setbacks Cam Newton should be a very reliable 2nd-rd worthy QB. 

6. Tony Romo- Oh Tony Romo; what a roller coaster year he had last year. He would have games of simple brilliance, such as the games against the 49ers, Bills, and Rams. But then he had his most boneheaded games in his career against the Lions and Jets. But lucky for fantasy owners, INTs are only worth -2 points in most leagues whereas in real life it can cost you the game. Tony Romo is primed to be a very great fantasy commodity and could be a late 2nd-rd early 3rd-rd QB steal. The Cowboys have a relatively soft schedule this season so he could easily have an above average season. Even on a bad year Romo was the 4th best passer by passer rating and had 4100+ yards and 31 TD.

7. Peyton Manning- Peyton Manning ranked #7? I believe most fantasy owners are going to be hesitant to take Peyton simply because of all the rust he is going to have. But remember a couple years ago when he missed training camp and the Colts started 3-4 and finished 12-4. They would lose but Peyton had an "average" year. The only risk taking Peyton in the 3rd-rd is the gasp of air fantasy owners will take the first time he gets hit. Peyton Manning will have Brandon Stokely to team up with Eric Decker. Demaryius Thomas made Tim Tebow look good a couple time last season and will also be a great target if he stays healthy. There will be rust, but an average Peyton Manning is a Top 10 QB for sure.

8. Eli Manning- Every QB goes through a Super Bowl hang over the year after winning it. Eli Manning will do the same which is why I have him in the 3rd-rd. But one thing that can be said about Eli, he really did carry the team last year through their rough times, which is why they were the Super Bowl champions. But this season they have the toughest schedule in the league and could easily fall from grace. Not to mention they lost Brandon Jacobs and Mario Manningham, two targets for Eli. Still, Eli was just fine after losing Plaxico in the 2008 season, and this time he kept his number one target, Victor Cruz.

9. Matt Ryan- All fantasy owners are waiting for Matt Ryan just to breakout and become a Tom Bradyesque player. I am not saying he will, because nobody can be Tom Brady. But Matt Ryan was very solid last year as he had 4000+ yards and 29 TD. He has Julio Jones and Roddy White still, as well as Tony Gonzales and Michael Turner. Matt Ryan is learning a new system but should still be able to get the ball to Roddy White for at least 250 yards a game and 2 TD. 

10. Michael Vick- I would really love to put Mike Vick in the 1st round, and that's where he was last year. But he also spent half the year hurt and had periods of bad play. Michael Vick's style of play, much like Tim Tebow, makes fantasy owners very concerned about how long he can stay healthy and how consistent he can be. But he is also good for rushing and passing yards and TD. If he can stay healthy, Michael Vick could easily make himself a 1st-rd caliber QB.

"Sleeper" Andy Dalton- Andy Dalton will be in his 2nd year at QB for the Bengals. He had a very solid first year and barring any set backs, should be better. He will have a returning A.J. Green and a rookie WR in Mohamed Sanu. 

"Beware" Joe Flacco- In the AFC championship game, Flacco was a dropped pass away from the Super Bowl. While we saw moments of brilliance from him last year, he still remained inconsistent and showed he can not totally carry the team. It will be a risk to the one who takes him.