Michael Vick, Jamaal Charles Top the 2011 Fantasy Football Top 25 Rankings

I have taken most things into account in putting together my break down, such as how players finished last season, how many games did they miss due to injury, trends in certain statistics and also possible changes in their team’s respective offense. 

One of the main things I did not take into account was team schedules. That is something that can only be looked at after the mass free-agent craze is over, once the lock out ends.

One player here and there can change the look of a team’s defense completely, which could ultimately affect when players get drafted.

Michael Vick

1.  You can’t argue with 3,018 passing yards and 21 touchdowns, to go with 676 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns, all while missing four games.   

He simply was the best fantasy player in 2010. 

While there is that risk for injury, you rest assured knowing that head coach, Andy Reid, and offensive coordinator, Marty Mornhinweg, have made it abundantly clear to him that he is sliding and running out of bounds, rather than diving for that extra yard.

Jamaal Charles

2.  Yes, I have him ahead of Adrian Peterson and for good reason. In 2010, he was second in the league with 1,467 rushing yards on 230 carries. Thomas Jones has 245 carries. 

That’s just not going to happen this year, if the Chiefs coaching staff is smart. 

I’m predicting Charles to push 1,700 yards and have 15 touchdowns.

Adrian Peterson

3.  Most experts have Peterson first or second overall on their mock draft boards—and rightfully so. 

He’s been the most consistent running back over the last four years. 

However, with the Minnesota Vikings rookie first-round quarterback, Christian Ponder, likely to start the season, and a shaky offensive line, this could be a down year for A.P. 

Arian Foster

4.  Over 1,600 rush yards and 18 total touchdowns is legit, but I need to see one more year of this type of production before I put him ahead of the other running backs.

Chris Johnson

5.  I knew when he publicly said, “I’m shooting for 2,500, but I’ll be happy with anything over the record,” that he is just out for himself, and that he was not going to duplicate what he did in 2009.  

That being said, the Tennessee Titans do have a great offensive line, but they could also have a rookie quarterback, Jake Locker, starting for them. 

If that is the case, expect defenses to put eight and sometimes nine in the box. 

It might be a struggle for Johnson this year.

Aaron Rodgers

6.  You can’t argue what he’s done since taking over for Brett Favre. 

In 2010, he had 28 touchdowns with almost 4,000 yards and hoisted up the Lombardi Trophy. 

Between Rodgers and Vick, Rodgers is the safer pick of the two, but Vick has the higher upside when it comes to fantasy scoring.

LeSean McCoy

7.  McCoy only had nine total touchdowns in 2010, but that number is sure to grow this year. 

The Eagles are going to protect their best offensive weapon the best they can, and what better way to do that than hand the ball off. 

A good fantasy back to have and an even better PPR fantasy back, having caught 78 balls for 592 yards and two scores.

Calvin Johnson Jr.

8.  At 6’5”, 236 lbs, the man they call Megatron is the most imposing receiver in the game and simply the best receiver in the game. 

In 2011, Calvin Johnson will be the best fantasy receiver in the game, and it won’t be close.  

Michael Turner

9.  I love Michael Turner here ninth overall. 

I have him behind LeSean McCoy only because of the offense that McCoy is in. 

Turner, quietly, was third in the league in rushing, with 1,371 yards and had 12 end-zone trips. 

With the addition of Julio Jones, opposite Roddy White, in the passing game, defenses will not be able to stack the box at all. 

This means Turner has the potential to have a monster season.  

Rashard Mendenhall

10.  This kid is a stud! 

The only downside to Mendenhall, other than him opening his mouth, is his lack of pass-catching ability.  Last season, he only caught 23 balls for 167 yards and zero touchdowns. 

Before I can put him up there with the elite backs of the league, he needs to really improve in this area.  

Ray Rice

11.  Ray Rice is frustrating to me and to a lot of fantasy owners for that matter. 

For me, he’s not frustrating because he’s underperforming, 1,220 rushing yards and 63 catches for 556 yards in 2010, he’s frustrating to me because of Willis McGahee.

Why this guy takes touches away from Rice is beyond me, but until there is a change, I have to say that Ray Rice is not a first-round pick in a 10-man league.

Tom Brady

12.  Can you name a quarterback who’s done more with less? 

With the exception of having Randy Moss, Tom Brady has never had a big name receiver in his career. 

This past season, he put up 3,900 yards and 36 touchdowns. That is big time! 

If it weren’t for Vick and Rodgers, who both can score with their feet, Brady would be the first fantasy quarterback out drafted. 

Darren McFadden

13.  I have been waiting for this guy to explode, since he came into the league back in 2008. 

“Run DMC” had a bit of a breakout season in 2010. 

He finished with over 1,150 rush yards and 10 total touchdowns. He compiled these numbers while missing three games due to injury. 

If he is able to stay healthy and play a full 16-game schedule, he is poised to crush his 2010 numbers.

There is also a good chance that Michael Bush signs somewhere else when the lockout ends.  

Peyton Manning

14.  What else can you say about Peyton Manning, other than he should go down as the best quarterback of all-time. 

He amassed 4,700 yards and 33 touchdowns in 2010 and never missed a game. 

I wouldn’t be too worried about the neck injury either. 

When the season starts, Manning will be ready—he always is.

Drew Brees

15.  You can really draft Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Phillip Rivers or Drew Brees, in any order, and you will not be wrong. 

Over 4,600 yards and 33 touchdowns, in 2010, is right on par with the aforementioned quarterbacks.

Phillip Rivers

16.  Phillip Rivers is an elite quarterback. 

People have a hard time putting him in the same category as Manning, Brady, Brees and Rodgers, but he’s in there. 

He doesn’t have the Super Bowl yet, but he will, and when he does, you won’t have any choice but to put him in that category.

Dwayne Bowe

17.  Dwayne Bowe had a good rookie campaign in 2007, 995 yards and five touchdowns. He followed that up with a better 2008 season, 1,022 yards and seven touchdowns. 

He really struggled in 2009(589 yards and four touchdowns), also having missed five games to injury. He also started the first month of the 2010 season real slow, and it seemed like everyone was giving up on this kid. 

Then something clicked with Mr. Bowe, and he tore the league up for the next two months, catching 13 of his 15 touchdowns in that span. 

The last month of the season was rough, as defenses started figuring things out, however, my gut is telling me that another 15 touchdown season is in the cards for Dwayne Bowe this year.  

Maurice Jones-Drew

18.  Mo-Jo will tell you, himself, that he had a frustrating year. 

He will also apologize to his fantasy owners for downing a ball just short of the end zone. He cares about us, and you have to like that in a player!

The yards are still there, and I have no doubt that, in 2011, he will at least double his touchdown performance of five from last season. 

MJD is a great value at the end of the second or beginning of the third round in a 10-team league.

Andre Johnson

19.  I really want to put Andre Johnson at the top of the receiver list. He has all the tools to be the best receiver in the league and possibly one of the best ever. 

Unfortunately, he struggles to get into the end zone. 

He has never cracked double-digit touchdowns in a season, with nine being the most he’s had in a single season, back in 2009. 

2010 was his best chance at a 10-plus touchdown year, but he lost three games because of injury. 

He is a yardage machine though, so that does help out.

Roddy White

20.  Everyone is high on this guy, as I am, however, with the Atlanta Falcons jumping up 21 spots to draft Julio Jones, Roddy White may have already seen his best season. 

Julio Jones presents Matt Ryan with another legitimate option at the wide receiver position, which could result in touches being taken away from White. 

Also, those options at receiver are going to open things up for Michael Turner to run the ball more.  

Greg Jennings

21.  This guy has quietly become one of the best receivers in the league. 

With Donald Driver getting older (36) and James Jones almost assuredly signing somewhere else when the lockout ends, look for Greg Jennings to do real big things in 2011.  

Steven Jackson

22.  There is no question that this dude is a machine. The only problem is that he doesn’t get into the end zone as much as fantasy owners would like. 

In 2006, Jackson totaled up 16 total touchdowns. By comparison, he has only racked up 22 total touchdowns since.  That is a glaring statistic of a team that was on a down swing for a few years. 

With a fast, young group of receivers that like to stretch the field, along with a legitimate stud at quarterback in Sam Bradford, Jackson could have one of the better seasons he's had in a while.

Peyton Hillis

23.  Peyton Hillis, the “other” Peyton, had a breakout year in 2010. He compiled 13 total touchdowns and rushed for 1,177 yards. 

The Cleveland Browns have an outstanding offensive line, which obviously helps out, but I really need to see one more season before I’m totally convinced. 

Can you say “Madden Curse?”

Larry Fitzgerald

24.  Many say that Larry Fitzgerald is the best receiver in the NFL, and they may be right. He has the best hands of any receiver in the league, and that’s not even up for discussion. 

He managed to catch 90 balls for 1,137 yards and six scores, all while having Derek Anderson, Max Hall, Richard Bartel and John Skelton throwing to him. 

As a Fitzgerald owner in 2010, it was personally painful to watch him have to deal with that mess at the quarterback position. 

If the Arizona Cardinals trade for Kevin Kolb, expect Fitz to have a big year.

Frank Gore

25.  Frankie Gore has a been a “Madden Curse” his whole career, without actually ever being on the cover—coming off a 2010 season where he missed five games due to injury. 

2006 was the only season he didn’t miss any action due to injury, and subsequently, was his best season running the ball to date, rushing for 1,695 yards. 

2009 was his best statistical season as he scored 13 touchdowns and amassed over 1,500 yards of total offense. 

Frank Gore has elite running back potential, but his proneness to injury severely hinders that.