MUST BE DREAMING: TEMPLE IS 9-2?
In case you've missed earlier rankings, here's what we've had:
And today, the wide receivers:
1. Randy Moss, Patriots
It’s impossible not to have him ranked first after Moss scored 23 touchdowns last season. He’s a big-play threat and a red-zone threat. A repeat of last year might be unrealistic, but expect around 15 TDs for the top-ranked wide receiver.
2. Terrell Owens, Cowboys
He’s had 13-plus touchdowns in six of the past eight seasons. Look for T.O. to get there again this season. As Tony Romo’s favorite target, Owens set a career high, averaging 16.7 yards per catch last season.
3. Reggie Wayne, Colts
Wayne led all wideouts with 1,510 yards last season. He’s averaged nine touchdowns over the past four seasons and is a lock to be a top-five receiver, barring injury.
4. Braylon Edwards, Browns
His 16 touchdowns last year trailed only Moss among wide receivers. Edwards didn’t go consecutive games without a score all season and set career highs across the board with 80 catches for 1,289 yards.
5. Andre Johnson, Texans
When healthy, Johnson was a fantasy beast last year, averaging 94.6 yards per game, tops in the NFL. He also scored eight touchdowns. If he stays on the field for all 16 games, Johnson could put up numbers comparable to anyone on this list.
6. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
Hard to believe this guy’s only 24-years-old. Fitzgerald signed a big contract after catching 100 balls (sixth-best) for 1,409 yards (fourth-best) and 10 touchdowns last season. One of these years he will finish the season as the top-ranked fantasy receiver.
7. Marques Colston, Saints
Colston’s piled up 2,240 yards and 19 touchdowns in his first two NFL seasons. Those numbers are unlikely to drop off for the New Orleans receiver, especially considering the Saints threw the ball more than any other team in the league last year.
8. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Bengals
He tied for the NFL lead with 112 catches a year ago, also posting career highs in yards (1,143) and touchdowns (12). Houshmandzadeh faded in the second half, with no 100-yard games after Week 6 and just one touchdown in his final six games.
9. Plaxico Burress, Giants
Burress has 29 touchdowns in three seasons with the Giants. Last year he set a career high with 12 scores to go along with 1,025 yards.
10. Torry Holt, Rams
He’s had no fewer than 1,188 yards in the past eight seasons, and has only missed two games in that span. Holt managed seven touchdowns with a Rams offense that was one of the league’s worst. Holt’s no longer an elite receiver, but don’t let him slip too far.
11. Chad Johnson, Bengals
After trade rumors in the offseason, Johnson is back with the Bengals. He set a career high last season with 1,440 yards, good enough for third-best among all receivers. Johnson did suffered shoulder injury in the preseason, but if healthy, pencil him in for 90 catches, 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns
12. Wes Welker, Patriots
He tied for the NFL lead with 112 catches last year, breaking out with 1,175 yards and eight touchdowns. There’s no reason to think he can’t match those numbers in 2008.
13. Brandon Marshall, Broncos
Marshall was tremendous last year, with 102 catches for 1,325 yards and seven touchdowns. He finished strong with 100-yard games in three of the season’s final four weeks. However, a three-game suspension to start the season prevents Marshall from being ranked higher.
14. Steve Smith, Panthers
Smith will miss the first two games after punching teammate Ken Lucas in practice. He got off to a great start last season before Jake Delhomme went down but ended up with 1,002 yards and seven touchdowns.
15. Anquan Boldin, Cardinals
Boldin’s not happy with his contract situation, but that should have little effect on the fantasy front. He set a career high with nine touchdowns last season, but managed just 853 yards in 12 games.
16. Greg Jennings, Packers
Jennings averaged 17.4 yards per catch last season, fourth-best in the NFL. And he scored 12 touchdowns in 13 games; only three receivers had more. Jennings has shown he can pick up big-time yards after the catch. That shouldn’t change just because Aaron Rodgers is the quarterback.
17. Roy Williams, Lions
After offseason trade rumors, Williams returns to Detroit. Surprise, surprise. He followed up a strong 2006 season with a disappointing 2007, managing 836 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games. Williams has missed at least two games in three of his four NFL seasons.
18. Santonio Holmes, Steelers
Many like Holmes to make the “third-year leap” in 2008. He only had 52 catches a year ago, but he led the NFL, averaging 18.1 yards per reception to go along with eight touchdowns.
19. Marvin Harrison, Colts
Probably the hardest receiver to project. After putting together eight straight seasons of at least 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns, Harrison fell off the map last year, appearing in just five games because of injury. He was the focus of offseason controversy but appears to be healthy in preseason action.
20. Roddy White, Falcons
White broke out in his third season, catching 83 balls for 1,202 yards. I know what you’re thinking: the Falcons could be starting a rookie at quarterback. But they didn’t exactly have Peyton Manning behind center in 2007, and White still put up big numbers.
21. Jerricho Cotchery, Jets
Cotchery has had 82 catches in each of the last two seasons. In 2007, he set a career high 1,130 yards but scored only two touchdowns. Expect that number to increase with Brett Favre under center.
22. Donald Driver, Packers
He’s another year older, and Driver’s touchdowns dropped off big-time last year, as he found the end zone just twice. Still, Driver has had at least 80 catches and over 1,000 yards in four straight seasons.
23. Hines Ward, Steelers
He’s one of those players who’s much better in real life than in fantasy. Ward has posted fewer than 1,000 yards in three straight seasons. Ward didn’t have a single 100-yard game last season, but he did score seven times.
24. Calvin Johnson, Lions
Johnson had a solid rookie season, catching 48 balls for 756 yards and four touchdowns. The all-world talent figures to improve on those numbers in 2008 and could be ranked as a top-10 receiver at this time next year.
25. Chris Chambers, Chargers
Chambers was traded from Miami to San Diego in the middle of last season. Overall, he caught 66 balls for 970 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but Chambers came on strong during the real-life playoffs. He’s averaged better than seven scores during the past five seasons.
26. Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs
Bowe surprised during his rookie season, catching 70 balls for 995 yards and five touchdowns. If not for a shaky quarterback situation in Kansas City, I’d have him ranked higher.
27. Joey Galloway, Bucs
He’ll kill you some weeks, but carry you in others. Galloway has put together three straight seasons of at least 1,000 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 17.8 yards per catch in 2007, second-best in the NFL.
28. Santana Moss, Redskins
Moss had just three touchdowns last season, the lowest output since his rookie season. He’s averaged fewer than 800 yards over the past two years. Can new head coach Jim Zorn resurrect his fantasy career?
29. Lee Evans, Bills
After putting up impressive numbers in 2006, Evans came back down to earth in 2007, catching 55 balls for 849 yards and five touchdowns. Inconsistent quarterback play was a major factor, and likely will continue to be in 2008.
30. Laveranues Coles, Jets
He’s still not happy that Chad Pennington is gone, but the hope here is that Coles’ fantasy value will increase with Favre behind center. He had just 646 yards last season, the lowest output since his rookie season. Coles also missed four games.
Others to consider:
Nate Burleson, Seahawks
Reggie Williams, Jaguars
Anthony Gonzalez, Colts
Derrick Mason, Ravens
Jerry Porter, Jaguars
Donte' Stallworth, Browns
Patrick Crayton, Cowboys
What we've covered so far:
Running back rankings (part one)
Also, don't forget to check out the Daily News' fantasy football preview.
Here are the rest of the running backs, Nos. 15-30:
15. Laurence Maroney, Patriots
Maroney owners hope he’ll resemble the running back who had four 100-plus yard games in the Patriots’ last six contests (including playoffs) in 2007. Maroney would be ranked higher, but the Patriots have a number of running backs on their roster, and no one really knows just how they’ll be used.
16. Brandon Jacobs, Giants
No one would have guessed he would score less with Tiki Barber gone than he did when Barber was there. Jacobs was good when healthy last year, but he scored just six touchdowns. He’s productive when in the lineup, but is a bit of a risk, considering the Giants have solid backups and Jacobs has yet to prove he can shoulder the load for a No. 1 back
17. Darren McFadden, Raiders
If there’s an Adrian Peterson of this year, many think it will be McFadden. Oakland ran the ball 508 times last season, fourth-most in the league. And they were pretty effective too, averaging 130.4 yards per game on the ground, sixth-best in the league. Look for instant production from McFadden.
18. Earnest Graham, Bucs
In 2007, only four players had more rushing touchdowns than Graham, who found the end zone 10 times. He also showed versatility with 49 catches, 13 of which came in one game in Week 7.
19. Thomas Jones, Jets
New York made moves to improve its offensive line after Jones had nowhere to run last year. He had over 1,300 rushing/receiving yards but scored just twice. It’s rare for running backs to have strong fantasy years after their 30th birthdays.
20. Reggie Bush, Saints
Who knows if he’ll ever be a really good fantasy option? Bush didn’t show any improvement from a fantasy standpoint in his second season, totaling fewer than 1,000 yards in 12 games. Bush averaged just 3.7 yards per carry, but he did have 73 catches, which ranked second among running backs.
21. Michael Turner, Falcons
The Falcons struggled in pretty much all areas last year, including running the football. Now, Turner gets the ball as the primary back after years of being drafted as LT’s handcuff.
22. Ronnie Brown, Dolphins
He averaged over 141 rushing/receiving yards per game in 2007 before going down in Week 7 with a torn ACL. How much of a concern is Brown’s health? Will Ricky Williams be a factor? Those are the questions that prevent Brown from being ranked any higher.
23. Edgerrin James, Cardinals
He quietly ranked seventh in the NFL with 1,222 rushing yards, and only Portis had more carries. However, at the age of 30, James seems much more likely to fade than improve. He’s a risky pick.
24. LenDale White, Titans
The Titans drafted RB Chris Johnson, but White had a solid 2007 season, ranking 12th with 1,110 yards to go along with seven touchdowns. His 3.6 yards per carry should be a concern though.
25. Fred Taylor, Jaguars
At the age of 31, he was the league’s ninth-leading rusher with 1,202 yards to go along with an impressive 5.4 yards per carry. Taylor has quietly put together 1,100 yard seasons in five of the past six. And he’s only missed two games since 2006. Age, Maurice Jones-Drew and the fact that Taylor's not a threat as a receiver are all concerns
26. Selvin Young, Broncos
Draft Mike Shanahan running backs at your own risk. Young looks like he’ll be the man in Denver – for now. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry last season.
27. Kevin Smith, Lions
If he can replicate the numbers from his senior season at Central Florida, Smith will go down as the greatest fantasy player of all time. The rookie piled up 2,567 yards and 29 touchdowns in college last year. If you’re going to pick a Lions running back (and I'm not saying you should), he’s the one to take a chance on.
28. Matt Forte, Bears
With Cedric Benson out of the picture, it looks like Forte, a second-round pick, will get the bulk of the carries in Chicago. Unfortunately, the Bears averaged 3.1 yards per carry last season, the worst mark in the NFL.
29. Jonathan Stewart, Panthers
The talent is there, but excitement should be tempered, considering Stewart is likely to split carries with DeAngelo Williams. The Panthers ran for just seven touchdowns as a team last season.
30. Julius Jones, Seahawks
He never really produced as a fantasy back in Dallas, but maybe a change of scenery will help. Jones is only 27-years-old but could be splitting carries with Maurice Morris.
Others to consider:
Ricky Williams, Dolphins
Chris Johnson, Titans
Chris Perry, Bengals
DeAngelo Williams, Panthers
Justin Fargas, Raiders
Chester Taylor, Vikings
Andre Hall, Broncos
Maurice Morris, Seahawks
Rudi Johnson, Bengals
Kenny Watson, Bengals
The fantasy quarterbacks rankings got a bit long so I decided to split the running backs into two posts. Here are the top 15. Check back in the next 24 hours for the rest.
1. LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers
Tomlinson’s numbers came down from a monster 2006, but he was still an elite fantasy back, piling up 18 touchdowns and just under 2,000 rushing/receiving yards. He has 69 touchdowns over the last three seasons and has had 50-plus catches in each of his seven seasons in the league. The Chargers have rushed for touchdowns on 38 percent of their red zone trips in the last three seasons. That’s the highest total of any team in the NFL.
2. Adrian Peterson, Vikings
The scary part: Peterson had 77 fewer carries than Tomlinson, but only 133 fewer yards. As a rookie, he averaged 5.6 yards per carry and showed more explosiveness than any back in the league (224 yards in Week 6; 296 yards in Week 9). Health is a concern with Peterson. He missed two games last season and when he returned, his numbers weren’t the same (rushing totals of 3, 78, 27 and 36 respectively in the season’s final four weeks). If you’re looking for a player who can carry you and has the potential to put up a historic fantasy season, Peterson’s your man. But if you want a safer pick, you may want to bump him down one on your list behind…
3. Brian Westbrook, Eagles
Ridiculous numbers last year with 2,000-plus rushing/receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Westbrook got his money a couple weeks ago and remains the focal point of the Eagles’ offense. The best part about Westbrook is he doesn’t need 20 carries a game to be a great fantasy running back. He’s a lock for 60 catches and 600 yards receiving at the very least. And in terms of injury concerns, Westbrook has missed only one game each of the past two seasons.
4. Steven Jackson, Rams
He’s still holding out, so if your drafts are this weekend, that’s a concern. The Rams were a mess last year, and Jackson was no exception, managing an underwhelming 1,002 yards on the ground and six total touchdowns while missing four games because of injury. He came on down the stretch though, totaling over 100 rushing/receiving yards in seven of the final eight weeks weeks. While it would be asking a lot for Jackson to match his ’06 season when he rushed for 1,528 yards and had 90 catches for 806 yards, you can expect him to return to being a top-five running back.
5. Marion Barber, Cowboys
Only Tomlinson has more rushing touchdowns than Barber over the last two seasons. He ran for 10 TDs last year after notching 14 in ’06. Julius Jones is now in Seattle, and Barber is poised to get more carries. Don’t let the addition of rookie Felix Jones scare you. He’s unlikely to get more carries than the 164 Julius got last year. By the way, Barber had 44 catches last season.
6. Joseph Addai, Colts
He averaged just 46 yards per game rushing from Week 10 to Week 17 last season. That number is slightly deceiving since he only had 10 carries over the final two weeks. But even from Week 10 to Week 15, he averaged just 52.5 yards per game on the ground. The good news is Addai had 15 total touchdowns, and double-digit scores are a good bet in the Colts’ offense, but he’s getting a little overvalued in this year’s drafts.
7. Frank Gore, 49ers
The touchdowns weren’t there last season (five rushing, one receiving), but Gore still put together over 1,500 rushing/receiving yards. Stat that should scare you: Gore went without a rushing touchdown in all but one game after Week 2. If Gore performs like an RB1 this season, it’ll likely be due to his production as a receiver since Mike Martz is the new offensive coordinator.
8. Ryan Grant, Packers
Once he became a staple in Green Bay’s backfield in Week 8, Grant was a fantasy beast. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry, had 11 runs over 20 yards and found the end zone eight times. You should be happy if Grant’s your RB1 and ecstatic if he’s your RB2.
9. Clinton Portis, Redskins
Portis carried 325 times last season, tops in the NFL. The results were solid as he piled up 1,262 yards and 11 touchdowns. Portis also set career highs as a receiver, catching 47 balls for 389 yards.
10. Jamal Lewis, Browns
Lewis was great in his first season with Cleveland, ranking fifth in the NFL with 1,304 rushing yards. The veteran averaged 4.4 yards per carry, his best mark since 2003, and he finished strong with 100-yard games in four of the season’s final six weeks.
11. Willis McGahee, Ravens
McGahee had knee surgery recently, which should bump him down the rankings slightly. In his first year in Baltimore, McGahee ranked eighth in the NFL with 1,207 yards rushing. He had eight touchdowns, his highest total since his rookie season. McGahee also set a career high with 43 catches.
12. Larry Johnson, Chiefs
He went down with a foot injury and didn’t play after Week 9 last season. The Chiefs, meanwhile, had the worst rushing offense in the league (78 yards per game) and just six touchdowns on the ground. In 2006, Johnson carried the ball 416 times, an NFL record. The hope here is that he’s healthy and can bounce back.
13. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars
His nine rushing touchdowns ranked seventh in the league last year. Jones-Drew has 26 touchdowns over the past two seasons. He’s not the featured back, with 12 attempts or fewer in all but three games last season, but Jones-Drew is a threat in the passing game, having totaled 843 receiving yards over the last two years.
14. Marshawn Lynch, Bills
He had a strong rookie season with nearly 1,300 rushing/receiving yards and seven touchdowns. According to Athlon, Lynch’s 21.5 carries per game led the NFL. However, he showed little production as a receiver with just 18 catches for 184 yards.
15. Willie Parker, Steelers
After scoring 16 touchdowns in 2006, Parker found the end zone just twice in 2007. He led the NFL in rushing when he went down with an injury in Week 16, but don’t forget, the Steelers used their first-round pick on running back Rashard Mendenhall.
Every week, I will be delivering various football links that mention the Eagles from around the Internet. While philly.com's Eagles section has your best local coverage, along with blogs Eagletarian and Birds' Eye View, these will be links you may have missed.
Eagles links are coming to you a day early since I need some extra time to complete my fantasy running back rankings. But normally, these links will be posted on Wednesday.
Anyway, Chris Mortensen reported on ESPN last night that Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin has renewed his request for a trade. Boldin is unhappy with his contract, and Mortensen mentioned the Eagles (along with the Cowboys) as a possible destination, saying it would take more than just Lito Sheppard to acquire the disgruntled wideout. However, Mortensen also said the Cardinals are unlikely to deal Boldin.
Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (thanks to ProFootballTalk.com for the link) confirms that Boldin has requested a trade, but he also confirms that the Cardinals will not deal him:
The Cardinals' stance remains unchanged, according to a team spokesman. They have no intention of trading Boldin and are hopeful of signing him to a contract extension.
The article also cites comments by Boldin to NFL Network where he talked about coach Ken Whisenhunt getting too involved in contract negotiations:
"At this point we have no relationship, and I don't see that changing," Boldin told NFL Network on Monday. "It's just gotten to a point where I think lines were crossed. If you ask me, coaches should be coaches, management should be management, and I don't think those lines should be crossed. But when you cross those lines, you put yourself in position for things like this to happen."
In other links, Adam Schein of FoxSports.com is expecting big things from Donovan McNabb this season:
Donovan McNabb is healthy both physically and mentally, primed for a Pro Bowl-caliber year, and will lead the Eagles back to the playoffs after an 8-8 campaign a year ago. You can lock that in. I've never been so sure about anything. I fully anticipate McNabb being in the mix for league MVP.
Jason Whitlock of FoxSports.com seems to agree with Schein:
This may be more of a wish than a belief, but Donovan McNabb is my pick for league MVP. He's been written off by most the experts. He's too injury prone. He's overrated without Terrell Owens. I love the way McNabb approaches the game. In the right situation -- had Owens supported McNabb the way Owens supports Tony Romo — McNabb could've been as good as Brady and Peyton Manning. McNabb is going to have a rebound season and make his critics choke on crow.
Meanwhile, ESPN.com asked readers to vote for the all-time best player for every NFL team. So who did readers pick for the Eagles? Reggie White earned 52 percent of the votes. Here's how the rest of the Eagles finished: Chuck Bednarik (12 percent); Randall Cunningham (11 percent); Donovan McNabb (8 percent); Brian Dawkins (4 percent); Brian Westbrook (4 percent); Ron Jaworski (4 percent); Steve Van Buren (3 percent); Wilbert Montgomery (1 percent); Tommy McDonald (1 percent).
ESPN.com blogger Matt Mosley said the voting results aren't too surprising:
I'm not surprised that Randall Cunningham finished ahead of Donovan McNabb, although I think McNabb is the better quarterback. This city fell in love with Cunningham, and old habits die hard. I did think that Ron Jaworski would finish higher than seventh place.
FoxSports.com ranks the top 10 fan bases in the NFL, and the Eagles' faithful are listed No. 1:
Some might call this biased, but the most passionate fans in all of sports are without question Philadelphia Eagles fans. They're cold-blooded and probably give KC a run for their money as being the loudest. They are by far the most knowledgeable fans in the league, and invented the perfect "boo." What cemented Philadelphia fans' reputation as the most amoral, loathsome collection in sports is famously called The Booing of Santa Claus. You would boo and throw snow balls too if Santa came out drunk in a half-done costume. Eagles' fans must deal with sports owners whose actions have not produced a champion in 25 years. The Eagles haven't hoisted a championship flag in 48 years, but the waiting list for season tickets is so long that you could sell out three stadiums full of Eagles fans for games.
SI.com's Dr. Z answers a question about Shawn Andrews in his mailbag:
Chris, of Philadelphia, asks for my thoughts on Shawn Andrews and his battles with depression. Will it cause other players who suffer from the same ailment to step forward and talk about it? Psychiatric problems are always very delicate things among professional athletes, especially when there's medication involved. Often the meds will stabilize him, but they'll take away other things, such as the edge in his fast twitch muscles. I don't know whether Andrews is trying to battle his depression without the use of meds. I'm not a doctor, but I'd like to know more about how he is being treated. Sorry if I didn't fully answer your question, but there's too much half knowledge going around about these kind of things.
ESPN.com's Stephen A. Smith compares what happened to Brett Favre to McNabb:
For any NFL quarterback not named Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, the entire scenario is uncomfortable. For McNabb, it's flat-out alarming. Remember, he doesn't play in a low-key, get-'em-next-time environment like Green Bay. He punches a clock in Philadelphia, a city of fans so annoyed with his plethora of injuries and/or his inability to lead the Eagles to the postseason two of the past three years that the calls for backup Kevin Kolb have already begun.
USA Today lists possible first-time Pro Bowlers in 2008, and Kevin Curtis makes the list.
I'll be rolling out my fantasy rankings this week. First up are the quarterbacks.
1. Tom Brady, Patriots
Good news: He set an NFL-record by throwing for 50 touchdowns last season, and ran for two more while being intercepted just eight times. Not bad. Brady also led the league with 4,806 yards. He still has Randy Moss, Wes Welker and a possible chip on his shoulder after last year's Super Bowl loss. Expect 35-40 touchdowns from the top-ranked QB.
Bad news: Kind of tough to fill this section for Brady, but I’ll do my best. While he’s always been an elite quarterback, Brady hasn’t always been an elite fantasy quarterback. Prior to last season, he had never thrown for more than 28 touchdowns and had eclipsed the 4,000-yard passing mark just once. Owners who draft him and expect Brady to match last year’s numbers could be slightly disappointed. But only slightly.
2. Peyton Manning, Colts
Good news: Manning reached the 4,000-yard mark for the eighth time in nine seasons and also threw for 30-plus touchdowns for the third time in four years. It’s tough to find a more consistent fantasy quarterback over the years than Manning. He’s a lock to be among the top-five players at his position, and he’s never missed a game.
Bad news: Manning is recovering from offseason knee surgery, and while he has yet to practice with the team, he is expected to be ready for the regular-season opener. Another concern is that nobody knows what to expect from Marvin Harrison. That shouldn’t scare you too much though, considering Harrison missed most of last season and Manning still put up good numbers.
3. Tony Romo, Cowboys
Good news: Three quarterbacks threw for over 4,000 yards and 30-plus touchdowns last year. Two have already been listed. Romo is the third. His 36 touchdowns trailed only Brady last year, and his 4,211 yards were third to Brady and Drew Brees. Romo has the weapons in T.O. and Jason Witten to put up monster numbers once again this season.
Bad news: Only three quarterbacks had more interceptions than Romo’s 19 last season. Some have him ranked above Manning, but remember that Romo’s been a starter for less than two full seasons. Manning’s track record gives him a slight edge for the No. 2 spot. By the way, aren’t you glad that I got through writing about Romo without mentioning you-know who?
4. Drew Brees, Saints
Good news: Brees is one of four quarterbacks – Manning, Carson Palmer and Jon Kitna the others – who has thrown for over 4,000 yards in each of the past two seasons. A strong finish -- 13 touchdowns and four interceptions over the final six weeks – allowed him to set career highs with 4,423 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2007. Brees had two touchdowns or more in all but two games after Week 5. No one had more attempts than Brees, who slung it 652 times.
Bad news: As good as he was down the stretch, Brees was equally bad at the start of 2007, throwing one touchdown and nine interceptions during the season’s first four weeks. Other than Marques Colston, New Orleans has question marks in the receiving game, but the addition of Jeremy Shockey should help. Brees threw 18 interceptions in '07, and he’s never had a 30-TD season.
5. Carson Palmer, Bengals
Good news: Most people agree on the top four quarterbacks in some order, but this is where the real arguments begin. In a down year in 2007, Palmer set a career high with 4,131 yards while also throwing 26 touchdowns. Palmer has the tools in T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson to be a very good every-week starter, and he has the upside to be the top-ranked fantasy QB this season. I’m expecting a monster season from him.
Bad news: No one threw more interceptions than Palmer, who was picked off 20 times. He had zero or one touchdown in nine games and had just one multiple-TD game in the season’s final five weeks. Take away his six-TD game in Week 2, and Palmer managed just 20 scores in the other 15 games.
6. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
Good news: Only Brady and Romo threw for more touchdowns than Roethlisberger, who found the end zone 32 times and was only picked off 11 times. His 104.1 quarterback rating was second-best in the NFL behind Brady.
Bad news: I love Roethlisberger as a “real-life” quarterback, but he’s getting overrated slightly from a fantasy standpoint this season. The QBs I have ranked above Roethlisberger all have the potential to finish as the top-scoring fantasy quarterback. Roethlisberger doesn’t have that upside. He threw for more than 200 yards just once after Week 10 last season. Thirteen quarterbacks put up higher yardage totals, and 15 QBs attempted more passes. Roethlisberger is a fine fantasy starter, but don’t reach.
7. Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks
Good news: He had more touchdowns than Palmer and as many as Brees last season. Hasselbeck set career bests with 3,966 yards and 28 touchdowns. If he matches those totals, he could be a top-five fantasy option this season.
Bad news: Hasselbeck’s weapons are extremely iffy, but does he ever really have great weapons? I say no. Hasselbeck doesn't have the upside of some of the other quarterbacks in the top 10. He won't carry your team, but he could deliver great value as an every-week starter.
8. Derek Anderson, Browns
Good news: He wasn’t even the starter in Week 1 of 2007, but Anderson burst on to the fantasy scene with 29 touchdowns and 3,787 yards. Anderson has outstanding weapons in Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow and newly acquired Donte Stallworth.
Bad news: Of all the players I’ve listed so far, Anderson is the biggest risk. He faltered towards the end of last season, throwing five interceptions over the final two weeks. Overall, Anderson was picked off 19 times, and he had the lowest completion percentage (56.5) of any quarterback who ranked in the top 10 in touchdowns. Make sure you get a good QB2 if Anderson is your starter.
9. Donovan McNabb, Eagles
Good news: You might not be aware, but Andy Reid likes to throw the football. McNabb threw for 3,324 yards last season to go along with 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions even though he really only played in 13 full games.
Bad news: McNabb asked for playmakers in the offseason, but he didn't mean playmakers on offense. Of course not. Anyway, McNabb doesn’t have the weapons in the passing game that many of the quarterbacks above him have. Throw in the fact that he’s missed 15 games over the past three seasons, and you better make sure you have a good backup plan if McNabb’s your starter.
10. David Garrard, Jaguars
Good news: He may not be as flashy as some of the other quarterbacks, but I love Garrard’s value this season. He threw 18 touchdowns and just three interceptions in 12 games last season, compiling a QB rating of 102.2 (only Brady and Roethlisberger were rated higher). Garrard came on strong towards the end of 2007, tossing 12 touchdowns in weeks 11-16.
Bad news: Garrard had zero 300-yard games in 2007, and he doesn't have great weapons. Reggie Williams was the team's leading receiver last season with 38 catches for 629 yards. Jacksonville did add Jerry Porter in the offseason.
11. Jay Cutler, Broncos
He showed flashes in his first full year as a starter, throwing for 3,497 yards and 20 touchdowns. Cutler could be a year away from being an every-week fantasy starter, especially considering his top weapon, Brandon Marshall, has been suspended for the season’s first three games.
12. Brett Favre, Jets
Favre re-emerged as a fantasy quarterback last season, throwing for 4,155 yards, 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Of course, circumstances could be different in New York, and no one knows how Favre will connect with the Jets receivers before the season starts. Still, New York worked to improve the offensive line in the offseason, and I think Favre has decent weapons.
13. Marc Bulger, Rams
Bulger is one of the toughest QBs to project. Everything went wrong for him last year, as he averaged fewer than 200 yards per game, tossed 11 touchdowns and was picked off 15 times. Bulger also missed four games due to injury. In 2006, however, he was great, throwing for 4,301 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions. While I don’t expect his numbers to be as bad as last year, they won’t resemble his 2006 stats either. Bulger is a very risky pick.
14. Philip Rivers, Chargers
The Chargers have scored rushing touchdowns on 38 percent of their red zone opportunities in the last three years, according to ESPN. That’s the highest percentage of any team in the NFL. Rivers threw for fewer than 200 yards in four of San Diego’s final five games last year. With LT in the backfield, he won’t be given the opportunity to put up monster fantasy numbers, but he can be valuable in a platoon situation.
15. Eli Manning, Giants
Among the 13 quarterbacks who threw for 20-plus touchdowns last year, none had a worse completion percentage (56.1) than Manning. And no quarterback in the NFL threw more interceptions (20). Of course, none of this matters in real life because Manning won a Super Bowl. In fantasy however, you pretty much know what you’re getting from Manning: decent yardage numbers, around 24 TDs, and a lot of interceptions. He's a situational starter.
16. Matt Schaub, Texans
In the games he played, Schaub put up strong yardage numbers, and he completed more than 66 percent of his passes in his first season in Houston. If wide receiver Andre Johnson and Schaub can stay healthy for the whole season, they have the talent to form one of the better fantasy combinations in the NFL.
17. Matt Leinart/Kurt Warner, Cardinals
I realize it's a bit odd to list quarterbacks together like this, but hear me out. No starter has been named as of these rankings, but whoever wins the No. 1 job has the weapons in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin to put up big numbers. Leinart played in only five games last season, and didn’t do much of anything from a fantasy standpoint, but he has to show some improvement, doesn't he? Warner, meanwhile, was fantastic, throwing for 27 touchdowns and 3,417 yards.
18. Jake Delhomme, Panthers
He’s 33-years old and coming off elbow surgery. Not exciting from a fantasy perspective. The Panthers added D.J. Hackett and Muhsin Muhammad in the offseason, but Steve Smith will be out for the first two games.
19. Jon Kitna, Lions
He’s put up back-to-back 4,000-plus yard seasons, but Mike Martz is now gone so those totals seem likely to go down this season. Kitna has 39 touchdowns and 42 interceptions during the past two years. He has weapons in Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson but should be used only as a situational starter.
20. Aaron Rodgers, Packers
Everyone tries to analyze Rodgers' one half of action last year against the Cowboys, but the truth is his 2008 season cannot be projected by those 26 passes. Rodgers has had plenty of time to learn in Green Bay, and has talented weapons in Donald Driver, Greg Jennings and Donald Lee. The Packers gave up only 19 sacks last season, third-best in the NFL.
