Fantasy Football Preview: Defense/ST

Top 5 Keepers
5- Pittsburgh- They've been among the best defenses if not the best throughout Mike Tomlin's tenure, leading the league last season in rushing defense, points allowed, and sacks.  The addition of Cameron Heyward will help that great pass rush as well.

4- New Orleans- The 4th best defense in 2010 coming off a Super Bowl season, should be even better in 2011

3- Philadelphia- The 12th-best pass-rush should improve with the acquisition of Cullen Jenkins, but the real story is that great secondary, that features 3 pro-bowlers.

2- Green Bay- The League's fifth best defense won the Super Bowl after an injury-hampered season, it should be interesting to see what they can do at full-strength.

1- Baltimore- The League's fifth best pass-rush in 2010 remains intact, and the secondary (21st in NFL against pass), should improve with Ed Reed and Dominique Foxworth remaining healthy, as well as stud rookie Jimmy Smith, taken in the first round out of Colorado.

Top 5 Teams to Avoid
5- Detroit- The very talented young defense in Detroit still needs a little bit of work, being the 21st-ranked defense in the NFL.

4- Indianapolis- The once-fearful defense continues to get older and slower as the years go on.

3- Oakland- The loss of Asomugha burns a black hole in that secondary, and only 3 teams were worse than them against the rush in 2010.

2- San Francisco- Will be very good up front, but the loss of Nate Clements will hurt what was already the 25th ranked pass defense in the league.  There will also need to be an adjustment period to the system that will be run by new coach Jim Harbaugh.

1- NY Giants- With Osi Umienyiora out for at least the first few weeks and a tough offseason in which they lost out on the Asomugha sweepstakes to rival Philadelphia.

Top 5 Steals
5- Denver- The NFL's worst defense in 2010 will get a good defensive head-coach in Jon Fox, to go along with a strong core of LBs and Elvis Dumervil, the 2009 NFL sack leader, who missed all of 2010 with a torn pectoral muscle.

4- Houston- Wade Phillips comes into the 3rd-worst defense in 2010 with quite a bit of talent, and was helped in the draft, with 6 of the 8 picks being defensive players.

3- Jacksonville- The additions of Matt Roth, Paul Posluszny, and Dawan Landry should help the 28th-ranked defense from 2010.

2- New England- A defense that in the words of Bart Scott, "couldn't stop a nosebleed", added Albert Haynesworth, Andre Carter, and Shaun Ellis to go along with many other young, exciting players.

1- Dallas- The talent is there, all they've needed is the coaching.  Rob Ryan should fill that ever-needed void.

Fantasy Football Preview: Kickers

Top 5 Keepers
5- Adam Vinatieri- Last season was arguably his best year since joining Indianapolis, hitting 26 of 28 field goals to go along with 51 extra points, which led the NFL.  At 38, he might have a couple good years left in the tank.

4- Neil Rackers- Has hit 90% of his field goal attempts over the last 3 seasons and has missed just one extra point attempt.  Should get plenty of kicks with the Houston offense.

3- Nate Kaeding- Another guy who saw his season cut short by injuries in 2010 after an All-Pro year in 2009, should have plenty left in the tank given he is just 29 years old.

2- Stephen Gostkowski- Hit 87% of his field goals between 2007 and 2009 before a 2010 that was hampered by injuries.  He also hasn't missed an extra point since his rookie season back in 2006.

1- Matt Bryant- Hit a career-high 90% of his field goals and all 44 extra points, and with a Falcons offense that seems to be only getting better, expect that leg to be put to good use.

Top 5 Guys to Avoid
5- Nick Folk- Has missed 19 field goals over the last two years after missing just 7 in his first two seasons.

4- Josh Brown- Missed 6 field goals in 2010, the most since 2007.

3- Sebastian Janikowski- Was the AFC leader in points last year, but missed 8 field goals and saw his FG% go down to 80% from 89%.

2- Graham Gano- Made only 68% of his field goals in 2010.

1- Dan Carpenter- Missed 11 of his 41 field goals last year, but was a pro-bowler in 2009.  Plus he is in a Dolphins offense that is showing signs of being stagnant.

Top 5 Steals
5- Matt Prater- Another guy whos numbers have gone up every year since becoming a full-time kicker in 2008, despite having just 18 field goal attempts last season.

4- Ryan Longwell- Field goal percentage has gone up every year since 2007.

3- Phil Dawson- Made 23 of his 28 field goals in 2010.

2- Shayne Graham- Not currently under contract, but could help someone who needs a kicker.  Made all 12 field goal attempts with New England after Stephen Gostowski went on the IR.

1- Jay Feely- Made 89% of his field goal attempts last season, and should have more chances in an improved Arizona offense.

Fantasy Football Preview: Tight Ends

Top 5 Keepers
5- Antonio Gates- Will once again be one of Phillip Rivers' primary targets, coming off a year in which he scored 10 touchdowns, the most since 2005.

4- Rob Gronkowski- Had 10 touchdowns in his rookie season, and should catch more than 42 passes in 2011.

3- Vernon Davis- Has 20 touchdowns over the last two seasons, and in both years has topped the 900 yard mark.

2- Kellen Winslow- Has scored 10 of his 21 career touchdowns in his 2 seasons with Tampa Bay, and is the No. 2 target of Josh Freeman behind Mike Williams.

1- Jason Witten- Was the top-ranked TE in 2010 without Tony Romo, and in 2011 should be even better with the Cowboys pro-bowl QB back.  He has 1000 yards in 3 of his last 4 years.

Top 5 Guys to Avoid
5- Heath Miller- Scored a career-low 2 touchdowns in 2010, and caught just 42 balls for the AFC Champion Steelers.

4- Tony Gonzalez- Arguably the greatest receiving TE who ever played, may be seeing father time catching up with him, as his numbers have gone down in nearly ever receiving category since joining the Falcons prior to the 2009 season.

3- Ben Watson- Had a career year in his first year in Cleveland, but is no longer playing in a system run by Eric Mangini, which was similar to the New England system he played in for 6 seasons.  Also has been very inconsistent over the course of his career.

2- Zach Miller- An unstable QB situation combined with offensive line issues will slow Miller's production in Oakland.

1- Chris Cooley- A typical story of a guy who would be great if he wasn't stuck in the mess known as the Washington Redskins.

Top 5 Steals
5- Dallas Clark- Played just 6 games last year due to season-ending surgery, but had 1100 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2009.  Oh yeah, and he's got a pretty decent QB throwing the balls to him.

4- Dustin Keller- With prime targets of Mark Sanchez in Braylon Edwards and Jericho Cotchery taking their talents elsewhere, Dustin Keller could see even more balls flying in his direction.

3- Visanthe Shiancoe- Ranked in the top 6 for fantasy value at the TE position in 2008 and 2009, could find himself back there in 2011 with better quarterbacking and the departure of Sidney Rice.

2- Aaron Hernandez- One of New England's two golden boys at TE, should flourish in his second year in Brady's system coming off a rookie season in which he caught 45 balls for 563 yards and 6 TDs, third on the team in all 3 categories.\

1- Brandon Pettigrew- Saw his numbers go up in almost every category during year two, and should be even better in year three if Matthew Stafford can remain healthy.

On Deck: Kickers

Fantasy Football: Wide Receivers

Day 3 of my 6-day fantasy football preview, and today I will take a look at the fantasy WR market, looking at the keepers, the sleepers, and guys you should avoid all together.

Top 5 Keepers
5- Greg Jennings- The leading receiver for the World Champion Packers, has had 1200 receiving yards in 2 of the last 3 seasons and tied a career-high with 12 touchdowns.


4- Brandon Lloyd- Had a breakout year with Denver in his 8th NFL season, with 1488 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2010.

3- Larry Fitzgerald- Scored just six touchdowns in 2010 after having 12 and 13 in 2008 and 2009, respectively.  Kevin Kolb should help that number after what was a game of musical chairs at the QB position in 2010.

2- Roddy White- Caught a career-high 115 balls from Matt Ryan last year and set a career-high with 1389 receiving yards.  Had 10 touchdowns, 3 of which were of more than 30 yards.

1- Andre Johnson- Played just 13 games last season but still had 1216 yards and led the league for the third time in 4 years with 93.5 yards per game.

Top 5 Guys to Avoid
5- AJ Green- The fourth overall pick in the draft goes into what is a very unstable organization in Cincinnati that has tremendous uncertainty at the quarterback position.

4- Braylon Edwards- Just one time has he cracked the top 20 with position fantasy ranking (2007, 3rd), put him in San Francisco with a rough QB situation and a new coaching staff, it could be a sticky situation.  That being said, he has made quarterbacks look good with his receiving skills (see Mark Sanchez).

3- Dez Bryant- Had only 561 yards but did have 6 touchdowns last season.  There are mumblings of character issues as well.  I like Romo and I like the Cowboys this season, but Bryant is a guy who I'm not on board with this season.

2- Steve Johnson- Had 1000 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in 2010 but the loss of Lee Evans makes him the primary target in Buffalo, with questions surrounding the quarterback position, despite the success of Ryan Fitzpatrick last season.

1- Brandon Marshall- His yards and approximate value have gone down in each of the last four seasons, and had just 3 touchdowns last year. 

Top 5 Steals
5- Jeremy Maclin- Started every game for Philly in his second season after being drafted in 2009 out of Mizzou, and had 70 receptions (up from 55), 964 yards (up from 762), and 10 touchdowns (up from 4).

4- Chad Ochocinco- Had a rough year in Cincinnati last year, but in New England playing in Tom Brady's system he should flourish.

3- Julio Jones- Has a QB in Matt Ryan that will put him in a position to put up respectable numbers.

2- Wes Welker- In his second year coming off knee surgery and in a contract year, should return to the guy who led the NFL in receptions from 2007 and 2009.

1-Calvin Johnson- Hasn't necessarily lived up to the hype that surrounded him when he was drafted 2nd overall out of Georgia Tech, but given he is with the Lions it's fair to say he has been a victim of circumstance.  If Stafford can stay healthy, he could be the biggest beneficiary of them all.

Next up: Tight Ends

Fantasy Football Preview: The Running Backs

Day 2 of my 6-day fantasy football preview, and today I will take a look at the fantasy RB market, looking at the keepers, the sleepers, and guys you should avoid all together.

Top 5 Keepers
5- Jamaal Charles- Was second in the NFL with 1467 rushing yards and had 6.4 yards per carry in 2010.  Should take more of the load this year from Thomas Jones, who turns 33 during training camp.

4- Arian Foster- Was with no doubt the surprise of 2010, leading the NFL in rushing yards, touchdowns, and yards per game.  Should follow that up with a solid 2011 campaign.

3- Chris Johnson- A 2,000 yard rusher in 2009, rushed for 1364 yards last season.  Should have a bounce back year as he lobbies for a new contract.

2- Michael Turner- Has 3941 rushing yards on 888 carries and 39 touchdowns while averaging just under 4.5 YPC since coming to Atlanta.  If he stays healthy, you can bank on 1200 yards and 10 touchdowns.

1- Ray Rice- Has averaged over 4.5 yards per carry since becoming a full-time starter in Baltimore as well as a 1200-yard runner in each of the last two seasons.  Touchdown numbers should go up with Willis McGahee no longer on the team.

Top 5 Guys to Avoid
5- Frank Gore- Carries have gone down every year since 2006, had a career-low 4.2 yards per carry and failed to reach 1000 rushing yards for the first time since 2005.

4- Ryan Torain- Take out the games with 100, 125, and 172 yards, his highest total was 70.

3- Cedric Benson- The Bengals are a mess, Benson has had some off-the-field issues that may warrant a suspension, and his yards per carry went down to 3.5 from 4.2.

2- Matt Forte- Hard to put money on a Bears running back given their offensive line issues.

1- Darren McFadden- The loss of Robert Gallery adversely affects that Oakland offense in addition to the coaching change.  Don't bank on another 1157 yard season.

Top 5 Steals
5- LaGarrette Blount- Averaged 5.0 yards a carry and had 1000 yards in his rookie season, all on just 201 carries.

4- CJ Spiller- Had just 74 carries as a rookie.  Should expect more in his second season as a top-10 pick.

3- BenJarvus Green-Ellis- Averaged 53 yards per game prior to Logan Mankins' return to the team; had 71 per game after.  Should be interesting to see how many he will get with a full season.

2- Maurice Jones-Drew- Had 1324 yards in just 14 games.  Flies under the radar playing for Jacksonville.

1- Mark Ingram- People seem to forget he won the Heisman just under two years ago.  Couldn't be in a better situation than New Orleans; my pick for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Wednesday: Wide-Receivers

NFL Fantasy Football Preview: The Quarterbacks

Day 1 of my 6-day fantasy football preview, and today I will take a look at the fantasy QB market, looking at the keepers, the sleepers, and guys you should avoid all together.

Top 5 Keepers
5- Drew Brees- Did throw a career-high 22 picks in 2010, but did throw for 4620 yards and 33 touchdowns.  A recovered offensive line, which was among the NFL's best in 2009, should help his numbers, which has averaged over 4500 yards and 31 touchdowns per year to go along with a 67% completion percentage since arriving in the Bayou in 2006.

4- Peyton Manning- Injuries and an aging offensive line has caused a small decline for Manning, but has still managed to start every Colts game since 1998 and has thrown for 4000 or more yards in 11 of his 13 NFL seasons and has thrown 30 touchdown passes in 4 of the last 5 years. 

3- Matt Ryan- A guy who reminds me of a young Brady or Manning, set career-highs in touchdowns and yards as well as a career low in interceptions.  Julio Jones should only help those numbers.

2- Philip Rivers- Had a career year in 2010 setting career highs in completions, completion percentage, and passing yards while throwing 30 touchdowns.  Having started every Chargers game since 2006, he might be the most overlooked QB in the league.

1- Tom Brady- It's hard to envision how Brady can be any better than he was last year, but could be just that with a full season with Mankins at the left guard, the addition of a deep threat in Ochocinco, a fully healthy Welker, and the best running game on paper since the Corey Dillon era in New England.

Top 5 Guys to Avoid
5- David Garrard- Did throw a career-high 23 touchdown passes in 2010, but the interceptions spiked to 15 in 2010 from 10 in 2009, and the yards went down to 2734 in 2010 from 3597 in 2009.  Also 33 years old and could lose the Jags starting job to first-round pick Blaine Gabbert by season's end.

4- Ben Roethlisberger- Notorious for hangover years (only years of not making playoffs came post-Super Bowl years), I would avoid him at all costs.  In his defense, however, he did have his only 4000-yard season in 2009, following the Super Bowl 43 run.

3- Sam Bradford- The history of second-year quarterbacks is very discouraging, I'd pass on him and save him for future years.

2- Eli Manning- Has thrown for 4000 yards in each of the last two seasons, but his poor decision making (39 INTs in last 2 years), turns me away.


1- Jay Cutler- A guy who has not lived up to expectations in Chicago despite leading the Bears to the NFC Championship game, has thrown 42 interceptions and been sacked 87 times in his two years in Chicago, which is a combination of poor decision making on Cutler's part and an atrocious Bears offensive line.

Top 5 Steals
5- Kevin Kolb- With an underrated offensive line and one of the best wideouts in football in Larry Fitzgerald, Kolb could raise many eyebrows with his first year as a full-time starter in the desert.

4- Matthew Stafford- With an improving offensive line and an arsenal of weapons, Stafford could put up monster numbers, all given that he stays healthy.

3- Josh Freeman- Quietly had one of the best years of any QB in the NFL, throwing just 6 picks to 25 touchdowns and just under 3500 yards.  The leader of what is an ever-talented young group in Tampa Bay.

2- Tony Romo- Has taken some unfair heat for the Cowboys struggles in big games, but should be as motivated as ever coming off a year in which he played just 6 games, after having a career year in 2009.

1- Donovan McNabb- Coming to a Minnesota team that is just 19 months removed from the NFC Championship game, with weapons that McNabb has never had.

Tuesday: Running Backs