Fantasy Football Rankings-Fantasy Quarterback Picks

My Fantasy Football Rankings for Quarterback Picks

These may change as the year progresses.  You’ll be the first to know when I update them when you sign up for my free Fantasy Football Picks and Tips.

1.    Drew Brees/Saints- The Super Bowl MVP should again have a big year in 2010. A big key to his success could be the re-signing of RB Pierre Thomas. Although RB Reggie Bush has shown improvement in the running game, he is still a much deadlier pass catcher than runner. Thomas adds the threat of a running game, which can take some pressure off of Brees on early downs. With the emergence of Robert Meachem at WR along with Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, and TE’s Jeremy Shockey, David Thomas, and rookie Jimmy Graham, and a very good offensive line, Brees should once again be among the best fantasy players at his position.

2.    Aaron Rodgers/Packers- With the team as a whole continually improving, Rodgers has the chance to put together another spectacular season. While the offensive line is adequate, it would be scary to see what kind of numbers Rodgers could put up with one of the better offensive lines in football.  Jermichael Finley has the potential to become one of the top TE’s in the NFL, and the presence of Donald Driver and Greg Jennings at WR makes Rodgers a fantasy force to be reckoned with.

3.    Peyton Manning/Colts- Peyton is Peyton, and he proved his legacy is a strong one by again having an MVP type year  and leading his team to the Super Bowl. He did it without the great Marvin Harrison and his “replacement” Anthony Gonzalez being injured for the entire season. With WR Austin Collie coming off an excellent rookie season and WR Pierre Garcon continuing to improve, there is no reason to think that Manning will not have a stellar season again in 2010. WR Reggie Wayne is still one of the top WR’s in the league, and TE Dallas Clark should again be one of the top 3 TE’s, adding more certainty to the fact that Manning will be one of the top fantasy QB’s taken this season.

4.    Philip Rivers/Chargers- Rivers’ success will depend a lot on the re-signing of WR’s Vincent Jackson and Malcolm Floyd, who both remain unsigned at the moment. Not that Floyd has proven to be a great receiver, but he’s the best they have next to the ever improving Vincent Jackson. Jackson showed last year he could be one of the top WR’s in the NFL, but without him Rivers’ WR’s would be Legedu Naanee’ and Craig Davis or rookie free agent Seyi Ajirotutu.  Antonio Gates is still a monster at TE, and rookie Dedrick Epps may get some looks at the 2nd TE, with  Darren Sproles  and rookie Ryan Matthews also catching some passes out of the backfield, but without Jackson and Floyd you can’t expect Rivers to put up the numbers he has been. Keep an eye on this situation, as Rivers may move down if these guys, especially Jackson, decide they won’t re-sign.

5.    Tom Brady/Patriots- While Brady may not be worthy of one of the top 3 spots anymore, he is still one of the better fantasy QB’s in the league. Randy Moss may not exactly give 100 percent on every play, but he is still one of the top 5 WR’s in the game. Wes Welker’s injury is not as bad as it was originally thought, and they added rookie Taylor Price and veteran Torry Holt to their receiving corps as well, meaning they should be better or at least just as good as last year. RB Kevin Faulk is also a reliable receiver and the combination of ex-Falcon/Titan Alge Crumpler and rookies Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez at TE also means that there will be some passes thrown to that position. With one of the top 10 offensive lines in football, there’s no reason to believe that Brady will not be a top five QB again in 2010.

6.    Matt Schaub/Texans- Well it sure doesn’t hurt to have Andre Johnson to throw the ball to. Johnson is probably the most dominant WR in the game at the moment, and Schaub is reaping the benefits. He finally showed that he could stay healthy for an entire season, and if he can continue to do that he should shine. Kevin Walter has proven to be a solid no. 2 WR, and Jacoby Jones and David Anderson also continue to get better. TE Owen Daniels is still unsigned at the moment, and the Texans may be trying to send him a message by drafting two TE’s that could potentially start. Wisconsin’s Garrett Graham has improved every season and at the very least should be an effective blocker because of his strength and agility. Pitt’s Dorin Dickerson might even be better, running a 4.4. 40 at this year’s combine and being just as strong and agile.  If RB Steve Slaton can cure his fumblitis and do what he does best, catch passes, then that’s another weapon in the arsenal. While Houston’s offensive line may not be among the best ,they still will be good enough for Schaub to have an outstanding season.

7.    Brett Favre/Vikings- Amazing. That’s all you can say about Brett Favre last year. I know, he’s not “officially” back yet, but there’s no reason to think he won’t give it one more try. I wouldn’t expect, and Favre himself probably wouldn’t expect, for him to have the same kind of year as he had last year. A 107 QB rating with 33 TDs and only 7 INT’s and more than 4,000 yards passing is a QB’s dream year. This type of season doesn’t come along every year, but with the same WR’s, TE, and one of the top 3 offensive lines in football, not to mention RB’s Adrian Peterson and rookie Toby Gerhart,  there’s no reason to believe that Favre can’t at least throw for TD’s in the high 20’s and have more than 3300 yards, which still makes him a valuable fantasy QB.

8.    Tony Romo/Cowboys- With their top WR Miles Austin still unsigned, the Cowboys drafted highly touted WR Dez Bryant of Oklahoma State. I’m not sold on Bryant, however, and think at this point he will have trouble even moving past Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton on the WR depth chart. Austin should resign soon, and Williams should play better now that he is in his third year in Dallas. Crayton  is an unheralded WR who is better than most people give him credit for, and with these 4 WR’s and the beast-like Jason Witten at TE, it makes no sense to think that Romo will be anything but a valuable fantasy QB in 2010. Oh yeah, the offensive line may be one of the top 5 in football as well, and they also have RB Felix Jones.

9.    Donovan McNabb/Redskins- Talk about a QB who has a chance to move down in the standings. However,  remember McNabb only had T.O. for one season, and DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin together for one, so it’s not like he hasn’t produced without quality WR’s. The Skins still have Santana Moss, who is not a bad number one WR. Devin Thomas is in his crucial third year and has the potential to start, but the Redskins also have third year WR Malcom Kelly and recently signed Bobby Wade, giving McNabb some options at WR. The combination of Chris Cooley and Fred Davis at TE will only help, and FB Mike Sellers can catch some passes as well. Unfortunately, RB’s Clinton Portis, Willie Parker, and Larry Johnson are not exactly Brian Westbrook catching the ball, and the offensive line is not one of the best, but McNabb should still be a very serviceable fantasy QB in 2010.

10.    Carson Palmer/Bengals- Palmer continues to get healthier, but that might not last long unless the offensive line improves. This is the only reason he may move down, however, as Chad Ochocinco now has Antonio Bryant on the other side, and Andre Caldwell has proven he can be a reliable number three WR. Add in rookie Jordan Shipley and ex-Jaguar Matt Jones, and this has the potential to be a very deadly receiving corps. The Bengals also drafted what could be the best TE in the draft in Jermaine Gresham and still have RB Brian Leonard to catch some key passes in the clutch. Palmer might very well be a top 10 QB this fantasy season.

11.    Joe Flacco/Ravens- With the emergence of RB Ray Rice not only as a runner but also as a receiving threat and the addition of Anquan Boldin at WR, Flacco should have all the pieces in place to have a pretty good season.  The offensive line is also pretty good, and they added rookies Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta to help out Todd Heap at TE as well as adding Donte Stallworth at WR. Derrick Mason is back as well, and with Flacco continuing to improve, he could establish himself as a solid fantasy threat for years to come.

12.    David Garrard/Jaguars- Garrard is an under-rated fantasy commodity. While he might not be worthy of a top 5 choice, he could still have the potential to be a top 10 QB. Jacksonville’s offensive line may be inconsistent at times, but they are still better than most NFL teams. RB Maurice Jones-Drew can catch passes , and Marcedes Lewis is a better than average TE. 2ND year TE Zach Miller will also contribute, but it would be interesting to see what Garrard could do with a legitimate receiving corps. Mike Sims-Walker is a serviceable number one WR, and 2nd year WR Mike Thomas is better than expected. However, 2nd year WR’s  Jarrett Dillard and Nate Hughes and veteran Troy Williamson have not yet proven to be very productive. With his ability to score on the ground, Garrard is still a fantasy QB that could provide enough points on a weekly basis to be considered a fantasy starter.

13.    Chad Pennington/Dolphins- While Pennington may not be one of the top QB’s in the league, he may still be able to be a productive fantasy starter. The Dolphins offensive line keeps getting better and may now be one of the top 10 in the league. The addition of WR Brandon Marshall is a major boost for the passing game, and 3rd year WR Devone Bess along with 2009’s rookie standout  Brian Hartline and veteran Greg Camarillo give Pennington lots of targets as long as he can stay healthy.  Ricky Williams is also helpful out of the backfield, meaning Pennington could be an under-rated commodity coming into 2010.

14.    Kyle Orton/Broncos- I never would have thought three years ago that I would have Kyle Orton in the upper half of any QB rankings, but you have to give the guy credit. Orton seems to improve with every game he plays, and even though they lost Brandon Marshall, they still have a trio of WR’s in Eddie Royal, Jabar Gaffney, and rookie DeMaryius Thomas who can all be productive. RB’s Knowshown Moreno and Correll Buckhalter can also handle pass catching, and TE Daniel Graham  can also make some plays.  As long as the offensive line doesn’t fall apart, Orton could have a productive season in 2010.

15.    Vince Young/Titans- Young is not only getting better throwing the ball, but he can be a difference maker on the ground as well. The loss of Kevin Mawae at center will surely hurt, but the addition of rookie WR’s Damian Williams and Mark Marian to Nate Washington, Kenny Britt, and Justin Gage should bode well for Young. With Bo Scaife also making some clutch catches at TE, Young can have some value as a fantasy QB.

16.    Jason Campbell/Raiders- Campbell took the blame for a lot of Redskins losses that were actually not all his fault. The Raiders now have a better offensive line than the Redskins, and now that they don’t have Jamarcus Russell chucking the ball around the field, WR’s Chaz Schilens, Louis Murphy, Darrius Heyward-Bey, and rookie Jacoby Ford might actually be productive.  TE Zachary Miller  is one of the top TE’s in the league, giving Campbell a chance to have a pretty good season in Oakland.

17.    Ben Roethlisberger/Steelers- Since Roethlisberger is suspended for the first six games of the season, he will be nothing more than a good backup QB to have on your roster for when he comes back. Normally, he would be at least number 10 on the list, but missing the first 6 games hurts quite a bit.

18.    Eli Manning/Giants- The Giants receiving squad came alive last season, and should do well again this year. Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, and Hakeem Nicks provide Manning with some reliable targets, and TE Kevin Boss is a nice TE as well. The Giants still love to run the ball with Jacobs and Bradshaw though, and with the best offensive line in football leading the way, Manning’s numbers may not be as high as they have been.

19.    Kevin Kolb/Eagles- I’m not convinced that Kolb is as good as McNabb yet, but having DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin at WR along with TE Brent Celek surely won’t hurt his development. Playing a full season is a big difference than playing an entire season, however, and it will be hard for LeSean McCoy to be as productive as Brian Westbrook once was out of the backfield. The Eagles do still have FB Leonard Weaver though, so Kolb may have a chance to move up in the rankings.

20.    Matt Ryan/Falcons- Atlanta’s offensive line has not been one of the better lines in the league, but TE Tony Gonzalez will be in his second year with Ryan and WR Roddy White remains one of the top receiving threats in the league. Michael Jenkins in an under-rated 2nd WR and while Ryan may put up decent numbers at times, the presence of a healthy Michael Turner at RB  could mean average fantasy numbers for Ryan.

21.    Jay Cutler/Bears- The Bears offensive line should be better than most NFL teams, and the addition of RB Chester Taylor will also help Cutler in 2010. A better year from RB Matt Forte and an improving WR corps should help Cutler with his fantasy numbers in 2010. Greg Olsen is also one of the top 10 TE’s in the game, so Cutler may be a QB that could move up from this ranking.

22.    Matt Sanchez/Jets- The Jets should still rely on running the ball offensively, but with the addition of WR Santonio Holmes from the Steelers to WR’s Jerricho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards and the best offensive line in football, Sanchez should be able to put up some respectable games. TE Dustin Keller also helps and with another year under his belt, Sanchez should be able to have some pretty good games.

23.   Matt Hasselbeck/Seahawks- Hasselbeck may have seen better days, and 2010 may be a testament to that. The addition of rookie WR Golden Tate should help, but T.J.Houshmandzedah may have proven to be a better number two than number one WR. John Carlson will help at TE, and if Deion Branch can prove to be a worthy 3rd WR and RB Leon Washington can make some plays out of the backfield, Hasselbeck may be able to move up a few slots.

24.    Matt Moore/Panthers- Steve Smith is still a very good WR, but Dwayne Jarrett still needs to improve for Moore to be a viable fantasy option. Throw in the facts that the Panthers are a run first offense and Moore will also be trying to fend off rookie Jimmy Claussen for the starting job and you can see why Moore should be nothing more than a bye week replacement for your fantasy team.

25.    Seneca Wallace/Browns- Wallace had done a great job when he filled in for the Matt Hasselbeck and the Seahawks, but being a consistent threat with the Browns could be tough. Wallace is working with an offensive line that has the potential to be one of the top 10 in the NFL. Josh Cribbs may be an explosive player, but is only a decent 2nd WR. Mohamed Massaquoi  is not exactly a feared number one WR and TE Ben Watson is inconsistent. Unless they can step up and rookie RB Montario Hardesty becomes a force out of the backfield, Wallace likely won’t be a fantasy QB you can count on week in and week out.

26.    David Carr/49ers- Although the 49ers offensive line still needs to improve, Carr had to work with a horrible one when he was a rookie with the Texans. This could give him an advantage over Alex Smith for the starting job in San Fran. Vernon Davis has become a force at TE and Josh Morgan and Michael Crabtree should only get better at WR. With RB Frank Gore also being a viable receiving threat, Carr can have some good games for the Niners, but he still has to beat out Alex Smith this preseason.

27.    (R)Levi Brown/Bills- While the Bills still don’t have a very good offensive line and lost Terrell Owens in the offseason, the addition of rookie RB C.J.Spiller and rookie WR Marcus Easley could help.  Brown will have to beat out Trent Edwards for the starting job, but even if he does should not be considered a fantasy starter.

28.    Matt Cassell/Chiefs- I wasn’t high on Cassell last year, and I’m even lower on him this year. Although KC’s offensive line has the potential to be a top 10 unit now that G Brian Waters has decided to return, they will likely try to run the ball as much as they can with ex-Jet Thomas Jones and RB Jamal Charles. Rookie Dexter McCluster may help out in the passing game, and Dwayne Bowe and Chris Chambers aren’t bad receivers, but Cassell is just not ever going to be one of the better NFL QB’s.

29.    (R)John Skelton/Cardinals- Skelton will have to beat out Matt Leinart and Derek Anderson, but as of right now that doesn’t seem like a monumental task. Arizona’s offensive line is above average, and they still have the legendary Larry Fitzgerald at WR. The loss of Anquan Boldin will not hurt terribly since Steve Breaston may be just as good, but Kurt Warner was one of the best QB’s ever to play, and that is hard to replace.

30.    Shaun Hill/Lions- I know, Matt Stafford is most likely going to start, but I think Hill is better at this point in their careers. Stafford will likely start and could put up decent numbers, but the offensive line is still only average. The addition of WR Nate Burleson and rookie RB Jahvid Best should help, but I would still only take Hill or Stafford as a bye week replacement.

31.    Josh Freeman/Bucs- It’s a good thing the Bucs have a decent offensive line, because they still don’t have a very good receiving corps. Kellen Winslow helps at TE, but the Bucs are likely going to run the ball as much as they can, so Freeman is a QB to stay away from.

32.    (R)Sam Bradford/Rams-The Rams still have offensive line problems and Donnie Avery is still their best WR. Don’t be surprised if Bradford suffers the same woes as Tim Couch, Ryan Leaf, or many other first round draft picks that just couldn’t make it in the NFL after being drafted by a poor team. Unfortunately for Bradford, besides RB Steven Jackson there is just not a lot of talent here.
Remember, these are my fantasy football picks I developed in May, so these rankings will likely change a number of times prior to your fantasy draft. If you can grab one of the top 4 QB’s, your fantasy team should be in pretty good shape.

Depending on how strong the rest of your team is, however, you could likely win a championship with any one of the top 16. That’s what I’m saying now. We’ll have to see what happens over the next few months to be sure about that.

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