Fantasy Advisor

1.  Andre Johnson – Johnson represents far and away the top receiver going into 2010, having led the league in receiving over each of the past 2 seasons.  While Houston’s running game shows signs of uncertainty behind the sudden second year regression of Steve Slaton, there’s no reason to expect any sort of step backwards out of Johnson or the Texans’ vaunted aerial attack.

2.  Randy Moss – So maybe Moss isn’t still the well-oiled 23 touchdown machine we witnessed in 2007, but in a down year among elite wide receivers, Moss still offers arguably the surest bet to post double digit touchdowns and 1,000+ receiving yards.  Combine Wes Welker’s questionable left knee with Darrelle Revis’ looming contract situation and Randy Moss could be looking at a strangely upward production trajectory for a 33-year-old receiver.

3.  Calvin Johnson – Mired by injury and an inconsistent offense, Megatron didn’t even break the 1,000 yard barrier in 2009.  With Matt Stafford entering his second season as starter, the acquisition of pass-catching TE Tony Scheffler and rookie Jahvid Best providing a realistic threat out of the backfield, the stage is set for an authoritative return to glory.  Unparalleled in terms of pure talent at the position, Johnson should put up numbers close to his 1,331 yard 12 TD 2008 campaign, with a ceiling as high as 20 touchdowns should offense take off. Read the rest of this entry »

7.  Frank Gore – Gore is an unquestioned lead back, though trapped in an inconsistent Niners offense his production is all but a sure thing.  Mike Singletary is as unpredictable as they come as a head coach, equally likely to go 4-wide for an entire game or pound the ball up the gut.  The potential is there for a big year, but a flop is equally likely.

8.  Cedric Benson – Once written off as a waiver wire outcast, Benson had a career resurgence as “The Man” in a ground-oriented Cincy offense.  Sure the arrival of big name WRs might scare away some owners, but the Bengals are a running team, and if healthy Benson will be sure to produce.

9.  Rashard Mendenhall – For the first time in a long time, the Steelers enter the season without Willie Parker on the roster, a welcome change for Mendenhall believers.  When given opportunity, Mendenhall shined last year amassing over 1,100 yards and 7 TDs, after only getting 7 carries through the first 3 weeks.  Barring injury, Mendenhall should see major increases across the board in his first full-season as starter.  Make what you will of the Roethlisberger absence.  It could mean more carries, but at the same time, few defenses fear the wrath of Byron Leftwich. Read the rest of this entry »

1.  Chris Johnson – Overlooked by many drafters a year ago with LenDale White hawking 16 TDs in 2008, Johnson exploded to become only the 5^th 2,000 yard rusher in NFL history.  No one’s overlooking him this year.

2.   Adrian Peterson – Purple Jesus actually had somewhat of a down year by his standards in 2009.  Still, Peterson scored 18 times even with Favre having a career year.  Favre is one year older and unlikely to repeat his show-stealing performance, but will certainly be dangerous enough to keep defenses honest.

3.  Ray Rice – The 2008 Tennessee Titans might as well be the 2009 Baltimore Ravens, with Willis McGahee serving as the resident LenDale White, a soon-to-be irrelevant afterthought.  Contributing through the ground and passing game, even if Rice doesn’t match Johnson’s prolific 2009 season, he should improve on his already formidable fantasy presence a year ago. Read the rest of this entry »

Jahvid Best, Detroit Lions, Reasonably picked as early as Round 4:

Look for the Lions to surprise a few people in 2010, with Jahvid Best serving as possibly the biggest impact newcomer in the NFL.  Last year’s incumbent starter Kevin Smith will most likely start the season injured, coming off a season ending ACL tear, meaning Best could easily win the starting job outright in his absence.  Even when he returns, there is no guarantee Smith will be at 100% effectiveness.   Best is likely the far more talented back, even with both players at full strength, and head coach Jim Schwarz can already be heard gushing over Best’s college highlight reel.  Best will likely be inconsistent as a rookie, both new to the league and behind an inconsistent Lions’ O-line, but he is sure to reel off big plays and will likely see far more touches than his current Average Draft Position would indicate.  A conservative comparison out of this admittedly optimistic camp would be a DeSean Jackson type rookie season.

Dexter McCluster, Kansas City Chiefs, Reasonably picked as early as round 8:

It remains to be seen whether McCluster will be available as a running back or wide receiver in most fantasy formats, as the rookie out of Ole Miss is more likely to contribute out of the slot for the Chiefs.  With limited offensive talent available split wide in Kansas City, McCluster could play a Welker-esque role as Scott Pioli tries to rebuild the Patriots offense with Matt Cassel at the helm.   Likely to contribute in the return game as well, McCluster could provide at least a Reggie Bush level of production in his first year, though widely available several rounds later than Bush in most drafts. Read the rest of this entry »

With so many split backfields now characterizing the NFL landscape, some owners have begun to ask the question, “is the old standby RB-RB method finally dead?”  For those relatively new to fantasy football, the RB-RB method is a long time strategy by fantasy football bluebloods in which a player selects a running back in each of the first two rounds.  Historically, the method has guaranteed production out of the running back position, leaving teams that choose to wait on RBs stuck frustrating split carry situations.  A new line of thinking has emerged that with so many carries now up for grabs among NFL teams, value can be easily found later in the draft.  While many experts are calling for owners to find value at QB or WR in the early rounds of the draft, for the team with the right draft position the RB-RB method is still a viable option.  Workhorse running backs are at a premium in the NFL, with few backs guaranteed north of 300 touches in a season.  When your fantasy team snags one of these select few ball carriers, it places your squad at a distinct advantage compared with the rest of your league, as almost all back in the 300-carry club will post valuable stats in terms of both yards and touchdowns. Read the rest of this entry »