Free Fantasy Football Top Picks-NFC West Fantasy Football Preview

June 2010 NFC West Fantasy Football Preview

Arizona Cardinals

WR Larry Fitzgerald- Even with the departures of QB Kurt Warner and WR Anquan Boldin, Fitzgerald should still be one of the top 3 WR’s in the game. Whether catching the ball across the middle or streaking down the sideline, Fitzgerald has the hands and the moves to make most defensive backs look silly. He will again be the main target in the passing game and should put up Pro Bowl type numbers once again. Look for Fitzgerald to be a low first or high second round draft pick that will solidify your number one WR spot.
RB Chris “Beanie” Wells- Wells should take over as the starter this season, and with Warner now retired the Cardinals will likely look to run the ball more often. Wells can be a nice mid round pick as a 2nd RB for your fantasy squad. The offensive line added G Alan Faneca during the offseason, which should help increase Wells’ value.
RB Tim Hightower- While Wells may start, Hightower should still see his share of snaps in the Arizona offense. Hightower can be especially useful in PPR leagues and should again score some TD’s as well. Look for Hightower to be drafted right around the same time as Wells and provide your fantasy team with a valuable flex player who may also fit in as a decent number 2 RB.
WR Steve Breaston- Breaston will step into the starting lineup this season replacing Anquan Boldin. While the loss of QB Kurt Warner may hurt, Breaston still has the talent to become a productive starting WR and could be a nice mid round draft choice as the no. 2 WR for your fantasy team.
San Francisco 49ers
RB Frank Gore- Gore is one of the top RB’s in the league, and it is scary to think how good he could be if he ever had a very good offensive line in front of him. While the line still may need some work, Gore can still run the ball effectively and catch the ball out of the backfield as well as almost any RB in the league. With the 49ers defense emerging into a very good unit, they will likely want to run the ball as much as they can, making Gore a valuable fantasy RB. Look for Gore to go within the first five to seven picks in most fantasy drafts and be a number one RB that will be able to carry your team to victory on several occasions in 2010.
TE Vernon Davis- Davis was nothing short of amazing last season and will be a nightmare for opposing LB’s and safeties once again this season. His combination of speed and pass catching ability is rarely seen at the TE position, making Davis one of the league’s premier tight ends. Davis will be a nice addition to any fantasy roster and will likely be taken somewhere in the middle rounds of the draft.
WR Josh Morgan- While Michael Crabtree has gotten most of the hype since being drafted last season, Morgan just continues to get better and could be a steal in the middle or late rounds of your fantasy draft. He will likely be their number one WR again in 2010 and should be a productive 2nd WR for your fantasy team.
WR Michael Crabtree- Now that Crabtree will be available for an entire season his value should go up, but just how much remains to be seen. Morgan is a better WR at this point in their careers, and TE Vernon Davis will get a lot of looks as well. The fact that the Niners will also likely want to run the ball a lot will also detract from his value, so I wouldn’t want to waste a mid round pick on someone who could be the fourth option on the offense. Crabtree should still have a good season and can add value as a flex player or 3rd WR, but at this point in his career I wouldn’t suggest taking him too high, as he may not be worth an early round pick.
QB David Carr- Yeah, that’s right. I listed Carr instead of Alex Smith because I’m still not convinced that Smith will perform well enough in the preseason to warrant a starting position. There is also the fact that Smith is a bit fragile and may not make it through an entire season. Regardless of what happens, I really wouldn’t count on any 49er QB to be much more than a bye week replacement or a good play when the matchup is right.

Seattle Seahawks

RB Justin Forsett- Forsett proved last season that he can be productive when called upon and can catch the ball as well as run it. With what should be an improved offensive line and an under-achieving Julius Jones as his competition, Forsett could become a valuable fantasy player in 2010. I would look for Forsett somewhere in the middle rounds as a nice choice for your 2nd RB.
WR T.J.Houshmandzadeh- With a fully healthy Matt Hasselbeck at QB and help on the other side in the form of rookie Golden Tate, Housh should be able to improve upon last year’s numbers. While I still don’t think he will put up number one WR type numbers, he can still be a good mid to late round choice as a 2nd WR for your fantasy squad.
WR (R)Golden Tate- The Notre Dame product could be a good possession type receiver who also has the speed to occasionally break one. He has the potential to be just as valuable as Houshmandzadeh and should be drafted right around the same time with the potential to be a nice addition as a number 2 or 3 fantasy WR.
TE John Carlson- Carlson didn’t quite turn into the target that I thought he would last season, but still provided decent production for a TE. Carlson can be a good late round pick if you still have a need for a TE, but isn’t someone you will likely be able to count on week in and week out.
RB Julius Jones- Jones hasn’t exactly emerged as one of the league’s most feared running backs, but he can still have some good games at times. With the addition of ex-Jet Leon Washington though, it will remain to be seen exactly what role Jones will play in the Seahawks offense this season. Right now he is nothing more than a late round pick to add depth at the RB position who may be able to fill in when the matchup is right.
RB Leon Washington- Ditto for Washington. Until the preseason gets going and we see just how each of these Seahawks RB’s are going to fit into the offense, Washington’s value will be similar to Jones’.

QB Matt Hasselbeck- Hasselbeck may have seen better years, and should be considered nothing more than a decent backup or spot play for your fantasy squad.

Saint Louis Rams

RB Steven Jackson- If Jackson were on a better team he just may be a bonafide superstar. Unfortunately, being stuck in St. Louis will again have a negative effect on his fantasy impact. Defenses will again gang up on Jackson knowing he is the Rams number one option, but that hasn’t stopped him from excelling in the past. While he may not be worthy of a first round pick anymore due to the situation in St. Louis, he can still be an excellent early to mid round choice as the 2nd RB for your fantasy team.
WR Donnie Avery- Avery will again be the main WR for the Rams, but with rookie Sam Bradford at QB it remains to be seen just how productive he will actually be. Avery can be a decent late round pick as a 3rd WR or flex player.
WR Brandon Gibson- Gibson is one of those players that no one really knows a lot about, but has the chance to take over as the number 2 WR for the Rams. He is only in his second year and should continue to improve, but having a rookie QB at the controls isn’t going to help his progress. Gibson could be a nice late round pick with the potential to slip into the flex position when the matchup is right and could fit in as a 3rd WR as the season progresses.