Eddie G's Super Early 2008 NFL Fantasy Top 10

The NFL season is still nearly four months away, but fantasy football enthusiasts are no doubt thinking ahead and strategizing.

For a couple of pre-draft radio spots, I was asked a few fantasy-related questions, one of which was on who my fantasy top five would be.

Fantasy content will become a regular part of The Red Zone Report, and I thought what better to kick it off than to give my fantasy top 10 for the 2008 season.

All of the names in my top five are on this list, though they’re not in the order that they were in that one.

1. Tom Brady, QB, New England: Sure, Donte’ Stallworth may have left, but Tom Brady still has plenty of targets, from fellow record-holder Randy Moss, to Wes Welker, to Kevin Faulk. It’s easy to hate Tom Brady, for one reason or another, but even if he falls off just the slightest from his 2007 production, he’s still going to get you a long way.

2. LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego: After his MVP season in 2006, where he compiled more than 2,300 yards total (1,815 rushing, 508 receiving) and scored 31 touchdowns (and threw two more), Tomlinson’s numbers dropped in 2007, but he still led the league with 1,474 yards rushing and scored 15 touchdowns, and caught 60 passes, with three of those going for scores.

He’s in his prime, and should once again push for 2,000 total yards and 20 or more touchdowns, and that’s why he’s a smart first pick. He’s prone to some bad days and inconsistency, but just as quickly, he’ll make up for it by tearing somebody up for 175 yards and three scores.

3. Tony Romo, QB, Dallas: Romo had a monster first full season as a starter, throwing for team records of 4,211 yards and 36 touchdowns. He has to lower his interception numbers (19), but he’s pretty consistent and productive (two or more touchdown passes in 12 of 16 regular-season games, six games with at least three touchdown tosses, and seven 300-yard games in 2007), and should have another big year in 2008.

4. Randy Moss, WR, New England: If the league’s top QB is first, then the top receiver shouldn’t be far behind. Moss can be stopped every now and then, but even when he catches only a few balls, he often makes the most out of them (i.e. Week 16 vs. Miami - five catches for only 50 yards, but two went for touchdowns). As long as he’s got Tom Brady throwing to him, Jerry Rice’s receiving touchdowns record is within his sights, and for you, a ton of fantasy points.

5. Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota: The best thing that Minnesota can do for Peterson’s productivity is beef up the passing game. They took a step towards doing that by adding Bernard Berrian, and if Tarvaris Jackson can get over the hump, Peterson will be freer than he is with Chester Taylor already taking the load off.

6. Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis: Manning has averaged more than 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns a year in his first 10 NFL seasons, and even with Marvin Harrison injured, threw for 4,047 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2007. You can’t go wrong with someone that you know is going to produce 9.5 times out of 10.

7. Brian Westbrook, RB, Philadelphia: Westbrook compiled more than 2,000 total yards in 2007 (1,333 rushing, 771 receiving). He doesn’t find the end zone as often as he could (12 touchdowns last season - a career-high), but he’s a threat to go for 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving every now and then, and it’s all the better if you play in a league that gives points per reception (he had 90 in 2007).

8. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans: In his first two seasons in New Orleans, Brees has thrown for 8,841 yards and 54 touchdowns. Enough said.

9. Terrell Owens, WR, Dallas: T.O. is T.R.’s go-to man, and caught 81 passes for 1,355 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2007. He’s the focus of matchups, and that might see him have a few poor games, but then he breaks out of it with a run where he’s unstoppable.

10. Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh: Big Ben had a career year in 2007, throwing a team-record 32 touchdown passes, despite being under pressure more often than he should’ve been. If he can stay upright in 2008, expect another big year, especially with Limas Sweed now in his arsenal of targets. Better yet for you, Big Ben threw only 11 interceptions in 2007, so you won’t have to worry about losing too many points in that area.

Agree/disagree with these choices? Who would your top 10 be?