Fantasy Football Rankings 2012: Aaron Rodgers and Must-Have QBs
The NFL draft is in the past, and training camp is in the not-too-distant future. And as spring turns into summer, fantasy football season will get rolling as leagues across the land conduct their drafts and the fantasy franchises of 2012 are assembled.
The quarterback position isn't necessarily as important in fantasy football as it is in the National Football League, but having a quality signal-caller can still have a big impact on your fantasy football fortunes. Here's a quick breakdown on what you need to know under center before this year's festivities get underway, from the top of the heap to best new face, with a sleeper and bust thrown in for good measure.
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Mr. Rodgers' Neighborhood
I'm not generally the type to advocate being the first team in your fantasy league to draft a quarterback, but if you're the type that likes to break the ice on the position, then that pick should be Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who threw for over 4,600 yards and 45 touchdowns against only six interceptions a year ago, en route to being named NFL MVP.
The seven-year veteran averaged well over 300 yards and three touchdowns a start in his 15 games last year, and although Rodgers finished second to Drew Brees in fantasy points among quarterbacks, Rodgers is a much better bet to back up his 2011 stats than Brees given all the turmoil facing the New Orleans Saints.
Is RG3 a QB1?
The first overall pick in April's NFL draft may have been Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, but it's Robert Griffin of the Washington Redskins who will be the top choice among rookie quarterbacks in fantasy football drafts this summer—at least in redraft leagues.
Griffin's scrambling ability and superior supporting cast make him a more appealing fantasy option than his counterpart in the Indianapolis Colts, and as Cam Newton showed with his surprising fifth-place fantasy finish last year, it's possible for a rookie signal-caller to make a big fantasy dent.
It may not be realistic to expect Griffin to match Newton's record-setting rookie numbers, but if the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner can acclimate to the NFL fairly quickly there's a solid chance that Griffin could sneak into the top 10 by season's end.
Sleeper Special
Fantasy owners searching for a quarterback who could crack the top 10—but finished outside the top 20 at his position a year ago—should look no farther than Matt Schaub of the Houston Texans, who missed Houston's run to the playoffs a year ago after a foot injury ended his season 10 games in.
Schaub, who threw for just under 2,500 yards and 15 touchdowns last year before going down, had the screws removed from his foot a few weeks ago, and the ninth-year pro has stated that he will be "100 percent ready to go" when training camp opens.
Durability is a concern with Schaub, as is the Texans' ball-control offense, but with top-10 fantasy finishes in 2009 and 2010 under his belt and a bevy of receiving options at his disposal, Schaub should at the very least be a decent matchup quarterback that can probably be had on the cheap.
Big Apple Bust
Although the New York Jets struggled through an up-and-down 2011 season, quarterback Mark Sanchez actually enjoyed his most successful statistical campaign ever, throwing for career highs in yardage and touchdowns, and cracking the top 10 at his position in fantasy points for the first time.
However, the presence of a certain wildly popular backup quarterback in the Big Apple casts a huge shadow over the fantasy fortunes of Sanchez in 2012. And with the possibility of Sanchez losing snaps or being pulled altogether in favor of Tim Tebow constantly looming overhead, Mark Sanchez has become an incredibly risky fantasy bet at best.
Top 20 quarterbacks for 2012 fantasy football
1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
3. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
6. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
12. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans
13. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
14. Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins (R)
15. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears
16. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals
17. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo Bills
18. Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
19. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
20. Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams
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