Top Fantasy Football Picks-2010 AFC North Fantasy Football Preview

2010 AFC North Fantasy Football Preview

Get instant notification when I post updates to my top fantasy football picks and rankings when you follow me at http://twitter.com/johnnynfl This was as of June, so you will need to do due diligence to evaluate injuries and such. Take a look and feel free to build your own cheat sheets from this. Be sure to sign up for my Free picks and tips at http://JohnnyNFL.com.

Baltimore Ravens

RB Ray Rice- Rice has now proven he can carry the load as a starting NFL running back, and has also shown he can be as valuable a receiver as he is rusher.  With a good offensive line and the acquisition of WR Anquan Boldin to improve the passing game, Rice should be one of the top fantasy players of 2010. Rice should be one of the top five players taken in all fantasy drafts this season.

WR Anquan Boldin-  The Ravens finally have a complement to WR Derrick Mason, and with QB Joe Flacco continuing to improve, Boldin could have a spectacular season. The Ravens have a running game to be wary of, which will open things up for the passing game. Boldin wll likely become an excellent red zone target and should help the Ravens move the chains consistently. Boldin is a player who should be considered a valuable starter for your 2010 fantasy team.

WR Derrick Mason- Mason always seems to be under-rated, and has been for the better part of the last decade. I have had him on a number of my championship teams over the last decade, and will likely slip him into my roster again ahead of some other WR’s that should not be ranked so highly.  Mason can be an outstanding 2nd or 3rd WR for your fantasy team, and has proven to be a very consistent force no matter who the Ravens have on their offense.

QB  Joe Flacco- Flacco has proven to be an excellent starting QB, and one that can lead your fantasy team to victory. You may not get the same kind of consistent production as Brees, Peyton Manning, Rodgers, or Brady, but Flacco should be one of the top 10 QB’s this season and can be an effective starter for your fantasy squad.

RB Willis McGahee- McGahee is still going to see some action and score some TD’s this season. While he may no longer warrant a high draft pick, he can be a nice pick late in the draft to solidify your RB position and can even become an occasional starter at the flex position.

TE Todd Heap- Heap is no longer among the league’s elite at the TE position, but can be a decent play on a matchup basis. Heap will likely lose some playing time to rookies Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta, but can still be a good choice as a bye week replacement if the situation arises.

TE (R)Ed Dickson- Ditto for Dickson. While I wouldn’t rely on him as your starting TE, Dickson could present some value as a bye week replacement if the matchup is right.
Cincinnati Bengals

WR Chad Ochocinco- With Palmer now fully healthy again and Antonio Bryant on the other side as well as rookie Jermaine Gresham at TE, Ochocinco could have another excellent year for the Bengals. Ochocinco may not be as consistent as you would like, but he can still be a nice starting WR to have on your fantasy team.

RB Cedric Benson- Benson has done a good job since taking over as the Bengals starting RB, and he should do well again this season. I still don’t think the offensive line is going to be that good, so Benson’s production may not be as good as expected, but he can still be a valuable 2nd RB or flex player for your fantasy team.

QB Carson Palmer- Palmer now has help at TE in the form of rookie Jermaine Gresham, and with the addition of WR’s Antonio Bryant and rookie Jordan Shipley could again have a very good season. While Palmer may be just outside of the top 10 QB’s, he can be a good starter for your fantasy team as long as the rest of your team is solid.

WR Antonio Bryant- Bryant does have problems staying healthy, but can be a decent 3rd WR for your fantasy team if he is still available in the later rounds. I wouldn’t waste a mid round pick on him, because his production is just too much of a question mark, but if you can add him to your team without having to rely on him as a no.1 or no.2 starting WR, you will likely find that he can add some value to your fantasy team.

WR Andre Caldwell- Being a 3rd WR on the Bengals used to be like being a second WR on most other teams, and it may turn into that  again in 2010. Caldwell had a fine season in 2009, and should improve on those numbers in 2010. He may not be a reliable weekly starter, but he can add some depth to your bench as a 3rd WR or flex player if he is available late in the draft.

WR (R)Jordan Shipley- Shipley may not be worth a draft pick right now, but should anything happen to one of their top 3 WR’s, Shipley could warrant some interest as a flex player. Even as a number four WR he can be a little productive, but the more playing time he gets, the more valuable he will become as a fantasy player.

TE (R)Jermaine Gresham- Gresham has all the tools to be a good starting TE in the NFL. While I wouldn’t rely on him as my starter, he could present some value as a bye week replacement when your TE has off.
Cleveland Browns

RB (R)Montario Hardesty- With RB Jerome Harrison still not signed, Hardesty may become the focal point of the Browns offense. Even with Harrison back, Hardesty should still see some playing time, and his value could increase as the season wears on. I would look for Hardesty somewhere in the middle rounds as someone who can be a nice flex player and even a good 2nd RB should he fall into the starting RB spot.

WR Mohamed Massaquoi- While Josh Cribbs is still their most dangerous weapon,  Massaquoi may again be their top WR. With no one else on the roster really showing any potential as a no. 1 WR, Massaquoi could be a decent 3rd WR for your fantasy squad, but at this point I wouldn’t count on anything more than that.

QB Seneca Wallace- Wallace has a good chance to beat out Jake Delhomme and rookie Colt McCoy for the starting nod, but I wouldn’t suggest drafting him as your fantasy starter. There are even other QB’s you can likely pick up as your backup, meaning Wallace should be considered nothing more than a possible bye week replacement if the matchup is right.
Pittsburgh Steelers

WR Hines Ward- Year after year, Ward just produces. He is especially effective in PPR leagues, but even in standard leagues can be a productive number 2 WR. Ward always seems to slip further than you would think in fantasy drafts, and can be a nice mid round pickup for your fantasy squad.

RB Rashard Mendenhall- Mendenhall is solidly entrenched as the starting RB now, and can be especially productive during the first six weeks while Roethlisberger is suspended.  The Steelers will likely want to run the ball a lot, and Mendenhall looks like he can take the pounding. Mendenhall can be a valuable starting RB for your fantasy team and will likely be a first or high second round fantasy pick.

WR Mike Wallace- Wallace had an outstanding rookie season, and is part of the reason the Steelers were able to trade Santonio Holmes to the Jets in the offseason.  Wallace’s numbers will likely get better once Big Ben returns to action, but even with Leftwich or Batch starting, Wallace has enough talent to garner a starting WR spot on your fantasy roster.

QB Ben Roethlisberger- With Ben suspended for the first six games of the season, his value will obviously take a hit. He can be a prime late round pick to add QB depth to your roster, however. While Roethlisberger may not present any kind of benefit until around mid-season as the Steelers have a bye in Week 5, he could prove to be a valuable commodity towards the middle and end of the season if you can get by the first seven weeks of the season with him on your bench.

TE Heath Miller- While not in the elite group of TE’s, Miller can still be a decent starter for your fantasy team.  Even with Roethlisberger out for the beginning of the season, Miller will likely put up some good numbers. Don’t expect Dallas Clark like performances, but Miller can present a decent choice in the late rounds if you still need a TE.

WR Antwan Randle-El- The ex-Steeler returns home and should pick up the 3rd WR role, which could lead to some production. While I wouldn’t count on Randle-El as a consistent starter, he could present some value as a bye week replacement when the matchup is right.