Fantasy Football 2011 Top 20 Mock Draft: Who's Trending?
At this point in the year, fantasy seasons are either over or are coming to an end this week. There's plenty of NFL season left, but fantasy matchups are over.
Regardless of whether you had a good fantasy season or a bad one, it's never too early to look forward to next year.
There were some players who probably weren't even on your draft board last year that should rank high up on your board for 2011. Some familiar faces will remain at the top, but after the crazy season we've seen in the NFL this year, we've seen new faces emerge.
Today, I look at the top 20 fantasy picks heading into the 2011 season.
20. Matt Ryan
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This guy has just been getting better and better. He has a tremendous record when he plays at home but has been getting the job done on the road as well. He’s found a favorite target in Roddy White and has proven he can air it out when he needs to.
In 2010, he didn’t have a ton of weeks where he really went off, but he consistently puts up nice numbers. He’s still young and is only going to get better next season.
19. Hakeem Nicks
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Nicks is a player that really started to make a name for himself this season. He has great size and really displayed that he has a knack for using that size around the goal line.
Nicks had some setbacks this year due to injuries but really showed just how good he could be earlier in the season when he wasn’t hurt. He developed into Eli Manning’s favorite target and will continue to get a lot of looks from Manning in 2011.
18. LeSean McCoy
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McCoy is the best dual-threat running back in the league and showed that he can break open a big play just about every time he touches the ball. You can’t count on the Eagles handing him the ball 25 times a game, but McCoy certainly makes the best out of the touches he gets.
On ESPN’s scoring leader board through Week 15, McCoy has more fantasy points than Chris Johnson, Michael Turner and Maurice Jones-Drew.
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17. Dwayne Bowe
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After a down year in 2009, Bowe has bounced back in 2010 and set a career high in touchdowns, doubling his previous career high. He had a seven-game streak where he scored at least one touchdown, with five out of those seven games resulting in multiple touchdown games.
If the Chiefs continue to run the ball as well as they do now, Bowe should see a lot of open looks in 2011.
16. Calvin Johnson
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Year in and year out, Johnson puts up numbers for a team who consistently underperforms. I think he’s one of the most underrated receivers in the league and often gets overlooked because he plays for the Lions.
The guy is a beast around the goal line because of his size but has showed us he can stretch the field and beat defensive backs on a long play. If Matthew Stafford can stay healthy in 2011, we might see Johnson put up even bigger numbers than usual.
15. Chris Johnson
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Chris Johnson has had a pretty good fantasy year but hasn’t had nearly the year that his fantasy owners expected out of him. In a year where Johnson set a goal of 2,500 yards rushing for himself, he could very well finish 1,000 yards short. It was a lofty goal but many expected more.
For a Titans offense that has struggled down the stretch, Johnson is clearly their best player and will continue to get the most touches. He’s not a clear-cut number one pick anymore, but he ranks up there.
14. Aaron Rodgers
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Despite the Packers suffering a lot of offensive injuries early in the season, Rodgers was still able to put up solid numbers and rank among the top five quarterbacks in fantasy football.
In 2011, Rodgers will get Ryan Grant and Jermichael Finley back on offense. Grant will help to get the run game back on track, which should help open up the passing game. Finley was one of Rodgers’ favorite targets and will be one of his favorites again once he reenters the lineup.
13. Andre Johnson
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Although he wasn’t the number one fantasy receiver in 2010, I still believe he is the best receiver in the game (fantasy numbers aside). He’s a play maker and has a great combination of speed and size.
By drafting Johnson, you know exactly what you’re going to get. He’ll give you around 100 receptions 1,200-1,500 yards and 8-10 touchdowns. If you're in a PPR league, his receptions are definitely helpful. Regardless, he’s extremely consistent and will continue to be in 2011.
12. Michael Turner
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The Falcons have a very high-powered offense and it all starts with Michael Turner. Turner has more carries than any other running back in the NFL and continually takes on a heavy workload.
In 2010, Turner has gone 1,200 yards and found the end zone 11 times, which ranks him highly among running backs in both categories. Don’t expect Turner to slow down anytime soon. He’s a great option in 2011.
11. Maurice Jones-Drew
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Much like Turner, Jones-Drew is a workhorse for the Jaguars. He’s a hard runner and can wear a defense down as the game goes on. In 2010, he’s racked up a ton of yards but hasn’t found the end zone as much as his fantasy owners would like.
He’s used more as a receiver in the Jaguars offense than Turner, so you have to keep that value in mind. Regardless if he’s running the ball or catching it, he’s going to get a lot of touches and is a great play for 2011.
10. Jamaal Charles
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I love Charles and the Chiefs proved that they love him too after signing him to an extension. Despite splitting a lot of carries with Thomas Jones this season, Charles still has rushed for over 1,300 yards.
Charles has proven to be the number one running option for the Chiefs and should see more action in 2011. He has the ability to break a big play every time he touches the ball, and I think he’s ready for an even bigger season in 2011.
9. Roddy White
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Roddy White has always been a solid player but is having the best season of his career as he’s clearly been Matt Ryan’s favorite weapon on offense. He’s gone over 100 receptions this year for the first time in his career and has racked up over 1,200 yards receiving.
His value in PPR leagues is huge, but regardless, he’s going to rack up yards and score touchdowns. In 2011, he’ll continue to be Ryan’s go to guy and will continue to be a great option for his fantasy owners.
8. Drew Brees
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Brees continues to be a great fantasy option every year as he heads an offense that allows him to throw the ball as much as he pleases. Although he’s thrown more interceptions than he’d like to this year, he’s still tied for the most passing touchdowns in the league.
Brees put up his fifth straight season with over 4,000 yards passing and it doesn’t look like he’ll be slowing down anytime soon.
7. Peyton Manning
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Old reliable. I think that’s a reasonable nickname for Manning when it comes to fantasy football. In a year where the Colts didn’t dominate like we’re used to seeing, Manning has still thrown for over 4,200 yards and 28 touchdowns. In his 13-year career, Manning has only thrown for over 4,000 yards twice and has never thrown less than 26 touchdowns in a year.
As long as Manning remains a quarterback in the NFL, he’ll be a top quarterback option for fantasy football players. This will be no different in 2011.
6. Adrian Peterson
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In a very poor year for the Vikings, Peterson still ranks third among running backs in fantasy points. With over 1,100 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns, it may be a down year in Peterson’s eyes, but fantasy owners can’t be too upset with his production.
There is a lot of question surrounding who will play quarterback for the Vikings in 2011. Regardless of whether they have a veteran starter or a rookie, one thing is certain. They will have a great running option lining up behind them. All day AP.
5. Peyton Hillis
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What a story Peyton Hillis has been this season. After not getting a lot of work through the first two weeks, Hillis became the feature back in Cleveland. He’s been a dominant runner with his size and power but has displayed impressive hands catching balls out of the backfield.
As it stands right now, the only running back who has scored more fantasy points in 2010 is Arian Foster. That’s pretty impressive for a guy who most people didn’t have on their draft boards this year. That’s going to change in 2011.
4. Philip Rivers
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Rivers has been an absolute assassin through the air in 2010 and currently ranks third in fantasy points among quarterbacks. Even with Vincent Jackson out of the lineup for most of the season, Rivers was airing it out week-in and week-out.
Heading into the season, Rivers was in the second-tier of throwing quarterbacks. However, he has shown us that he is ready to be considered one of the elite throwing quarterbacks in this league.
3. Tom Brady
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Will he be the NFL’s MVP in 2010? It’s possible. Brady has had a tremendous season and has done so with a lot of unknown players around him.
While throwing for over 3,500 yards, Brady has thrown for 31 touchdowns while only giving up four interceptions. Those are amazing statistics.
There aren’t any indications that Brady will be slowing down soon, so he will continue to be a top pick in fantasy football.
2. Arian Foster
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What a fantasy bull in 2010. Many people thought that he would be a great fantasy option before this season started, and Foster failed to disappoint.
He’s the league leader in rushing yards as well as rushing touchdowns and has also proven that he can make plays out of the backfield catching the ball. The Texans love getting him a bunch of touches each game and he has taken advantage of them. Foster should pick up in 2011 where he leaves off in 2010.
1. Michael Vick
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Vick is the clear-cut number one here. He’s the ultimate weapon. Although he’s only played in nine full games this season, he still has more fantasy points than any other player this year.
Vick is able to compete with the elite quarterbacks in terms of passing numbers but also is an extremely dangerous threat with his legs. He’s been scoring both with his arm and legs and will continue to do so in 2011.
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