Peyton Manning Injury: 5 Fantasy Football Replacements for Colts Star

With the recent news that Peyton Manning will be sidelined again by the offseason neck surgery that cost him the entire preseason, fantasy players are fleeing from the quarterback in droves.

Manning will still be an amazing quarterback whenever he gets back on the field, so taking him in the mid-rounds when he falls is a great idea.

If you do take him, though, it will be essential that you spend one of the following picks selecting a quarterback that can fill in for the weeks Manning will be sidelined.

This is a list of the top five, mid-round quarterbacks that are worth a chance while Manning is on the mend. Good luck!

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5. Sam Bradford

The St. Louis Rams are bound for great things this season, and second-year quarterback Sam Bradford may be the perfect temporary replacement for Peyton Manning on your fantasy team.

In Bradford’s first season with the Rams, he passed for over 3,500 yards and 18 touchdowns, and looks to increase those numbers with his new toy, wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker.

With a new offensive coordinator in Josh McDaniels, Bradford will have to adjust to the new methodology, but he is definitely talented enough to do it consistently.

4. Kevin Kolb

While Kevin Kolb may be unproven, years of sitting behind Donovan McNabb with the Philadelphia Eagles and learning from offensive geniuses Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg will make him a great starter in Arizona.

The Cardinals have one of the best wide receivers in Larry Fitzgerald, and the fact that he put up 90 catches and over 1,100 receiving yards with the terrible quarterbacks they had last season proves Kolb will have an amazing season.

If you are looking for a late-round steal that can carry the load while Manning is sidelined, Kolb should be your man.

3. Josh Freeman

As good as Bradford was in his first year in the NFL, his numbers pale in comparison to the numbers put up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' new starter, Josh Freeman.

Freeman put up almost 3,500 yards and 25 touchdowns, and looks to build on those numbers with another solid year in Tampa Bay.

With Manning on the shelf for an extended period of time, Freeman would be a great addition to your fantasy team as a temporary starter.

2. Matt Ryan

The Atlanta Falcons have one of the most potent offenses in the entire NFL, and Matt Ryan will be at the helm of the offensive onslaught.

With Ryan falling in the draft to the second tier of quarterbacks, you could grab a player with over 3,700 yards passing and 28 touchdowns last season for a reasonably low draft pick.

The addition of Julio Jones to an offense that already boasts Pro Bowlers Roddy White, Michael Turner and Tony Gonzalez means Ryan’s offensive numbers have nowhere to go but up.

1. Eli Manning

What better way to replace or backup the ailing Peyton Manning by keeping it in the family by selecting Eli Manning as your team's starting quarterback while Peyton gets better.

Manning may scare many people away with his bad interceptions, but the Giants quarterback still amassed over 4,000 yards passing and 31 touchdowns.

While Eli is definitely a risk, it’s a temporary fix that the older brother will solve when he returns to the Colts in a few weeks. Getting both of Archie’s kids just can be an idea and he will be sure to thank you.