The 2010 football season is full of high expectations. The National Football League as a whole has a lot to top after three straight spectacular Super Bowls and as much, if not more, hype than ever leading into the regular season. Individual teams are all looking to make the playoffs and improve on last year's performances. The players themselves are also getting busy making bold predictions about the outcome of their respective upcoming seasons. For most fantasy players, such as myself, this talk has little to no value whatsoever. We know how much each player is worth, at least in terms of fantasy points, and we know pretty much where to take them in our drafts.
With that mind, let's take a look at the players that will be gracing the tops of fantasy draft boards by position. I have also included a list of players on the rise as well as some guys that might be considered valuable late-round or free agent sleepers. I will not post any mock drafts or even begin to speculate on who I believe will be the biggest fantasy busts this year, as I do not need to show my entire hand to my opponents in the "No Pants League". Sorry guys.
Top Fantasy Players by Position:
Quarterbacks
1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers - Has become an All-Pro quarterback practically capable of making everybody in Wisconsin forget about the legend that preceded him. He was a savior on many fantasy teams last year.
2. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints - Great leader with all the intangibles could be the first QB off the board in any league.
3. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts - He may not be a fantasy stud but he shows up every week and never lets his owners down.
4. Tom Brady, New England Patriots - Was not the same after coming back from missing the '08 season due to knee surgery. He is worth a high pick though as he could put up another 4000 yards and 30+ touchdowns in 2010.
5. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys - Romo has all the tools to put up monster numbers as long as his O-line protects him. Do not be surprised if he gets sacked 50 times this year.
Running Backs
1. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans - Can he top 2500? Possible but not likely. Will he repeat his 2000 yard performance from last year? I do not doubt it. He is the number one fantasy player available.
2. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings - The second best fantasy player available might just end the season with the most points.
3. Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons - Had a subpar campaign in his second season in Atlanta. I expect him to rebound with at least 1300 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns.
4. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens - He will get his chances to carry the load and could top 1500 yards. Will fumbling be a problem for him?
5. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars - Can do it all out of the backfield and the Jaguars will be asking a lot of him. He is their key to success on offense.
Wide Receivers
1. Andrew Johnson, Houston Texans - Possibly a top ten pick. The biggest problem with him is that he faces a lot of double team coverage.
2. Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions - Nobody faces more double and triple team coverage than this guy. With Jahvid Best and Nate Burleson on board "Megatron" might catch 16 touchdowns in a season. Matt Stafford will be looking to him in the end zone every time they get near it.
3. Randy Moss, New England Patriots - Still had a good year last year despite the fact that his best days are behind him.
4. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals - Knee injury in preseason and inconsistency at quarterback could be a problem for him in 2010.
5. DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles - On his way to becoming a super star and could be a fantasy stud receiver.
Tight End
1. Dallas Clark, Indianapolis Colts - Tight ends are not particularly hot commodities but Clark is a steady producer with one of the game's best passers ever throwing to him.
2. Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers - 1,000 yards receiving and at least eight touchdowns are normal numbers for him over the last several seasons.
3. Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers - Broke out last year with 13 TD's but can he repeat it? He is currently sidelined with a minor knee injury.
4. Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles - The forgotten man in the Eagles' passing attack will surprise many fantasy owners.
5. Jason Whitten, Dallas Cowboys - Might be the best all-around tight end in the league. Will Romo be able to get the ball to him consistently?
I will leave the kickers and defense/special teams out of this discussion. Most people do not spend a high, or even mid-round, pick on either one for that matter. Personally, I prefer to wait until after the draft to grab them off the free agent list.
Fast Risers: The Top Five Players Moving Up Draft Boards
1. RB Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals - Benson had 1200 yards last year and could get more field to run with T.O. and Jermaine Gresham now on board, especially in the red zone.
2. QB Kevin Kolb, Philadelphia Eagles - The heir to McNabb's throne might just surprise everybody and become a top 25 fantasy player. He has looked good thus far and has the weapons around him to put up big numbers.
3. QB Matt Stafford, Detroit Lions - I expect Stafford to take a step in the right direction in his second season at the helm of the Lions offense. He also has one of the best players in the entire league to throw to in Calvin Johnson. 25 touchdowns is not out of reach for him.
4. RB Arian Foster, Houston Texans - The new starter for a team that expects to compete for a playoff spot. Foster has looked good in the preseason and has the size (6'1" 220 lbs) to carry the load.
5. WR Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh Steelers - Led the league in yards per catch (19.4) last season and will get a lot of opportunities to put his speed on display once again.
Potential Late Round and Free Agent Steals
1. QB Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Erratic rookie season and a fractured thumb will turn a lot of people off but he is poised and ready to prove he belongs in the NFL.
2. Cincinnati Bengals Defense - This unit looks as deep and talented as any on paper. They were fourth in the league in total D last year and are hungry for more.
3. WR Chris Chambers, Kansas City Chiefs - Might be quarterback Matt Cassel's favorite target and could take over as the team's number one receiver.
4. RB Leon Washington, Seattle Seahawks - Will get every chance to prove he has fully recovered from a gruesome leg injury. He has the speed and skills to score a lot of long TD's out of the backfield.
5. RB Bernard Scott, Cincinnati Bengals - The top backup behind Cedric Benson could get a lot of opportunities.
Top Five Rookies to Watch Down the Road
1. TE Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati Bengals - He will be the starter in Cincy and could find himself open a lot with Batman and Robin grabbing all the attention from coverages.
2. RB Dexter McCluster, Kansas City Chiefs - Has the ability to be a "game-changer".
3. WR Mike Williams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Has been practicing with the starting unit since day one of training camp and has not disappointed thus far in the preseason.
4. WR Jordan Shipley, Cincinnati Bengals - Could find himself as the team's slot receiver with his ability to run crisp routes, get open underneath, and secure the ball. So far he has looked good in preseason.
5. QB Jimmy Clausen, Carolina Panthers - May not start in week one but could be whipping balls to Steve Smith on Sundays by mid-season. He could quickly become a valuable backup.
