My Joe Flacco Blog

Joe Flacco and the 2008 Baltimore Ravens came out of nowhere finishing 11-5 and winning 2 playoff games before finally succumbing 23-14 to the Pittsburg Steelers in the AFC Championship Game. Nobody and I mean nobody could have predicted Flacco's success as he clearly demonstrated that he has the mo-jo and leadership qualities necessary to be a success in the NFL. However, historically the Ravens have not been known to produce many fantasy studs and that was no different last year as with the exception of WR Derek Mason and RB LeRon McClain no Raven invoked fears amongst fantasy owners.

Flacco was a nice surprise in 2008 but that doesn't make him any more attractive in 2009 as a fantasy starter. It is not so much Flacco but the system that he plays in and the receivers that he has at his disposal that makes him fall well short of a number one fantasy option at QB. Furthermore, teams will not be surprised by Flacco much in the same way that they will not be surprised with Atlanta QB Matt Ryan. Both had exceptional rookie campaigns but this is the NFL and teams always make adjustments and this will no doubt be the case regarding both Flacco and Ryan. Pure and simple Flacco just doesn't have many weapons to work with and that hurts his fantasy stock dramatically. Until the Ravens get Flacco some legitimate targets to replace the rag tag guys currently on the roster at the WR position don't look for him to produce quality stats and certainly don't look at him as a starting fantasy QB.

McClain was a nice surprise last year and he no doubt helped some owners to titles with his play down the stretch run. The problem is that all reports coming out of Baltimore indicate that McClain is going to be relegated to FB behind Willis McGahee and Ray Rice. McGahee, while only 27 has had numerous major injuries and is extremely weathered. Furthermore, he seems to think that he is better than he actually is with his attitude. Heads up Willis, you are an average NFL RB at best. McGahee rushed for 671 yards and 7 TD's in 2009 falling well short of what owners who drafted him expected. Don't look for much more out of McGahee this year as McClain in my estimation will still see the majority of goal line reps and Rice will cut into his attempts between the 20's. McGahee will go higher in drafts but I believe that Rice will be the more productive fantasy back this year for Baltimore. Treat McGahee as a number 4 rusher similarly to Cleveland's Jamal Lewis only to be used in desperate situations. Keep on eye on both McClain and Rice in drafts and if you can secure the services of either with a pick around the 9th-10th round snag either of them.

Every year people treat Mason as a fantasy piece of trash yet year in and year out proves without a shadow of a doubt that he is the number one receiving option for Baltimore. 2008 saw Mason catch 80 passes for 1037 yards and 5 TD's and he was CLEARLY Flacco's security blanket all year long. Don't look for anything to change in '09 as the Ravens have virtually the same receiving corps in tact despite flirting with the Cardinals Anquan Boldin during the off season. That being said Mason still represents at very best a number 4 option for fantasy owners this year. Mark Clayton has been a major disappointment pretty much since day one and is worth nothing more than a late round flier in most formats. TE Todd Heap is injury prone and may be surpassed on the depth chart by Quinn Sypniewski who has shown a lot of promise in his 4 years in the league. Treat Sypniewski as a nice sleeper possibility and avoid Heap based on his past injury problems.

Although ageing the Ravens DST still remains one of the NFL's best and a worthy number one fantasy unit. However, the team lost a lot of its luster this off season as Defensive Coordinator Rex Ryan left to take the Head Coaching position with the NY Jets and took defensive stalwarts Bart Scott and Jim Leonhard with him. The loss of Ryan will surely have an impact on the Ravens and it will be seen whether the team can continue on without him. LB Ray Lewis still anchors this fine unit but if you draft them don't expect the same kind of dominance you saw from them unit during the early to mid 2000's. The Ravens are in transition at kicker with veteran Matt Stover no longer with the organization. Rookie Graham Gotto and and Steve Hauschka will battle for the starting position come training camp in July. Whoever wins that battle you are far better off looking at other options at kicker for 2009.

On paper no player on the Ravens roster is starting fantasy material heading into '09 with the exception of the DST and even then keep your expectations to a minimum as the unit is aging and also minus its leader Ryan. Well, that concludes my examination of the AFC North in terms of fantasy potential for 2009. Next, I will focus on the AFC West and I will start with none other than my Oakland Raiders.

Chris Limburg is the fantatical purveyor of OaklandRaidersCentral.com: A Oakland Raiders/Fantasy Football blog that provides commentary on everything that is the NFL. Sign up for my free newsletter at [http://www.oaklandraiderscentral.com] and receive my fantasy football e-course that will prepare you for your draft and enable you to dominate your league in 2009.

Teams and players have been busy again this NFL off-season. We've seen players run from their current team, get traded, be pushed out or just flat let go. Whatever the reasons were, they've lead to an off-season that has seen some big name fantasy players shift teams. With all that shifting, comes all the speculation of who's going to do what and the impact on all teams and players affected. Depending on if you are a glass half full or half empty type that might determine your opinion on the expected future results. I like to think of myself as a "half full" kind of guy, but I'm struggling to get fired up about some of these moves this year. Regardless, it's important to make sure you know all the key players that changed locations and if their new home is an upgrade or downgrade before you go into your 2010 Fantasy Football Auction or Draft. With that, let's dig into some of the bigger names who have moved and determine if they move up or down on the Fantasy Fortune's board along with the impact to their former team.

Quarterback:
Donovan McNabb was the big name move amidst the gun slingers. I've always liked Donovan as a fantasy QB and have had pretty good luck with him on my teams, despite the injuries. I love him for his week one performances....I feel like when he's on your team; you're a lock for a week one win. But hey, that's only one week, there's a whole season after that and it's tough to imagine him getting better in Washington. McNabb had a good thing going with DeSean Jackson last year, but now he's going to have to make due with a lot less in Washington. If he outperforms expectations in 2010, I think it is going to be based purely on him seeking vengeance and wanting to prove people wrong. Public perception is that Philly fans never really took to McNabb, and I don't know why. Most teams would kill to have a QB like him. Trading him to a team in the same division will at least make for some interesting pre-game hype twice a year now for the otherwise boring PHI vs. WAS series. I'll be routing for him to succeed, I just don't think I'm taking a chance on him as my #1 QB. Speaking of players that won't be on my team, I know you don't care about Brady Quinn (Broncos) or Seneca Wallace (Browns), and neither do I. We try to analyze relevant fantasy players that you might actually have on your team.

McNabb to WAS:
McNabb: Downgrade.

PHI Offense: Downgrade. If only out of respect for the McNabb/Westbrook era being over. They get younger with their recent moves, but not necessarily better.

DeSean Jackson: Stable. Based on Kolb looking great in a couple games last year, hopefully he'll be good enough to keep DeSean producing at a high level.

WAS Offense and WR's: Upgrade. It's tough to envision a star emerging from their WR core right now, but having Donovan will at least give this offense a chance.

Running Backs:
I wish players had more of a sense of humor when it comes to the products they choose to endorse. Take the "Shell of LT" (formerly known as LaDainian Tomlinson) for example. Shouldn't he do some type of Car Wax commercial? Stay with me now; imagine LT in a cheesy green suit coat and slacks, "Our special formulated wax can keep your car looking new. You're car may be 10 years old with countless miles, but now no one needs to know. Keep your car looking the exact same on the outside even though it's a broken piece of junk on the inside!" Or how about doing a commercial for a tire shop that does re-treading? Are you telling me either of those businesses and LT wouldn't get some good publicity out of that? Why not LT? Laugh at yourself a little bit, it's ok, you're image could use the upgrade from your current "pouty" self. You have millions in the bank and should never have to work again, have some fun. With that here are sulky takes from me and my view from the bench (with my arms crossed and bottom lip protruding out).

LT to the Jets:
LT: Downgrade. Not because of the Jets running game by any means. LT (31 yrs old at beginning of '10 season) has regressed so much the last couple years I don't see a comeback this year especially with the new up and coming stud, Shonn Greene, who should get most of the work. LT's best chance to be relevant next year will be as a goal line vulture.

Shonn Greene: Downgrade. The swings have been violent for Greene's stock this off-season; first T Jones goes to the Chiefs, making Greene look like a monster. Then they bring in LT along with all sorts of question marks on workload distribution. We might have to wait a little while for the Greene era to officially begin. If LT goes down, I absolutely love Greene.

SD Running Game: Upgrade. Addition by subtraction? Ouch, sorry LT. It's sad to see the great ones deteriorate so quickly. SD has become more pass heavy and I don't see Darren Sproles lasting a whole season given his size. The upgrade here comes due to the potential of Ryan Matthews taking full time roll in a stellar offense. He could be an absolute beast of a rookie.

Thomas Jones to the Chiefs:
T. Jones: Downgrade. He's another year older and was already old to begin with (he'll be 32 at start of season). Jamaal Charles was great last year in the lead role. This could end up being a full split of the work here, yuck.

Jamaal Charles: Reluctant Downgrade. Errrr, I really liked him down the stretch last year, he's the only thing the Chiefs had going for them. But with Jones in house it's tough to imagine Charles getting the same number of touches in 2010.

Chester Taylor to the Bears:
C. Taylor: Mild Upgrade. He put up decent numbers for a backup behind AP in Minnesota. The Bears might not be a better system, but he could easily overtake Forte as the lead dog in their running attack. Another inter-division trade, so he gets two cracks at the Vikes, but that isn't usually a good thing for opposing runners.

AP and Vikes running game: Slight upgrade to AP due to increased touches, downgrade to Vikes running game as a whole. AP is so good, but is he going to hold onto the ball next year? Bringing in Toby Gerhart from Stanford is interesting as well. You wouldn't think he would steal goal line or crunch time touches, but he not a 3rd down/pass catching back, so why did they bring him in....time will tell.

Westbrook to Wherever:
Sadly it doesn't matter. If he was a three course meal, he'd already have the salad fork and main course fork sticking in him.......now we're just waiting for that final dessert fork to be stuck in him. It was a good run until concussions took there toll. R.I.P. to one of the best combo running/catching backs fantasy has seen.

Wide Receivers:
Three big name Wide Receivers bounced around this off-season. They're not your stereotypical group of WR's with the "me first" attitude, trouble making, and generally unlikable clubhouse guys. Oh, wait, who am writing about again.....whoops, scratch that. Denny you want to take it from here, "they are who we thought they were!"

Brandon Marshall to the Dolphins:
B. Marshall: Stable. If he can flourish with Kyle Orton as his QB, I'll trust him in any offense at this point until proven otherwise.

Chad Henne: Upgrade. The bar is set pretty low; he's young enough that he should make some decent progress this year.

Kyle Orton: Downgrade. You can't really have a lot of confidence in Orton based on the front office moves made by Denver this off-season; brought in Brady Quinn and drafted Tim Tebow. Not exactly a ringing endorsement in your starting QB from 2009.

Anquan Boldin to the Ravens:
A. Boldin: Upgrade*. The asterisk is for the fact that I'm saying he's going from Matt Leinart to Joe Flacco, not Warner to Flacco, which would be a downgrade using that comparison.

Joe Flacco: Upgrade. It can't hurt to have a guy like Boldin going out for passes; he's a big, athletic target who always plays with a chip on his shoulder.

Matt Leinart: Downgrade. Dear Arizona fans, I'd be nervous. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

Santonio Holmes to the Jets:
S. Holmes: Downgrade. Hate on Roethlisberger all you want as a person, but he's a solid QB and Sanchez, while he shows promise, has a ways to go. The Jets are obviously a very run heavy offense as well. Oh, and don't forget the suspension to start the year, ouch.

Ben Roethlisberger: Downgrade. I knew he was lying when he said he was going to Disney World after those Super Bowl wins.

Mark Sanchez: Upgrade. Again, real life issues aside, Holmes has been pretty good, not great. He will help the Jets passing game.

All in all, a decent amount of big name players moving around, but things seems to skew a bit more heavily towards downgraded situations than upgrades, in relation to a player's rank on the overall and positional player rankings.

Don't agree with any of these takes? Let us know. Come check out our site and post your comments to the message board under the "Forums" page.

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There have been so many football players stepping it up and exceeding expectations through the first few weeks of the 2009 fantasy football season. Sure, this kind of thing does happen every year, but it seems like there are more "no names" rising to the occasion this year, suddenly emerging as top players at their positions. Let's take a look at a few of the many guys who have outperformed the expectations placed upon them at the beginning of the season. Keep in mind that we'll only be listing a few of the many players who fall into this category.

1. Steve Smith of the New York Giants. Who would have thought that this Steve Smith would be the fantasy stud WR through the first five weeks of the football season? He was basically unknown before the season started, and he's outperformed the "real" Steve Smith handily. With 481 receiving yards and 4 TDs through five weeks, his numbers have been off the charts so far.

2. Joe Flacco. In just his second season, Flacco is suddenly one of the more prolific fantasy football quarterbacks. He's fifth in overall scoring for QBs in 2009, and no one would have expected that entering the season. Flacco was typically drafted near the end of drafts, if at all.

3. Ricky Williams. The storied career of Ricky Williams is once again on the upswing. Williams is having his best season in years, with a ton of rush yards and receiving yards, not to mention 3 TDs through five games.

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Here are the rankings and my opinions to follow after:

1. Drew Brees

2. Aaron Rodgers

3. Peyton Manning

4. Tom Brady

5. Tony Romo

6. Matt Schaub

7. Philip Rivers

8. Brett Favre

9. Joe Flacco

10. Eli Manning

11. Matt Ryan

12. Donovan McNabb

13. Jay Cutler

14. Kevin Kolb

15. Chad Henne

16. Alex Smith

17. Ben Roethlisberger

18. Carson Palmer

19. Matt Leinart

20. Matt Cassell

21. Vince Young

22. Matthew Stafford

23. Mark Sanchez

24. Kyle Orton

25. Jason Campbell

I gave the top spot to Drew Brees for one big reason: WEATHER. I love Aaron Rodgers as much as the next guy but Brees playing the majority of his games in a done compared to the brutal Decembers in swirling wind and snow certainly enhance his chances for top notch numbers throughout the whole year. Despite Rodgers' rushing advantage, Brees has been the standard for the last three years and remains so. Durable and playing in the best offense in the league, Brees should be taken as soon as number 6 in the first round in drafts.

The guy I always aim for is Peyton Manning due to his awesome consistency from year to year. I snagged him in round 2 last year and thought that was a huge bargain and he will likely be available in the middle of the second round again. Its very rare when your QB leaves you no worries regarding injury or performance and that counts a huge amount in my book. I always say pass on Brees and Rodgers in round 1 and go with Manning in 2. Thats my plan.

Tom Brady is over a year removed from knee surgery and he should be sitting on a big year. Favorite receiver Wes Welker is looking like he will be ready for week 1 so look for an awesome year from him. Many people are forgetting about Brady now and letting him slide as he is no longer the IT player due to the rise of Rodgers and Matt Schaub. Dont be foolish and let him pass you by in round 3.

I put Tony Romo over Schaub based simply on durability. Schaub has never been the picture of health which is a huge worry. Losing your QB is devastating. You can get by with an injured top WR and maybe even a top RB if your number two back is good but you cant replace your stud passer. I always am about minimizing risk which is why I am leery of Scahub but IF HEALTHY he will be awesome. How lucky do you feel?

Philip Rivers drops to 7th due to the issues surrounding top WR Vincent Jackson. Jackson has already been suspended for 4 games and also threatens to hold out the entire year in a contract dispute. I dont buy the holdout nonsense as no player ever follows through with it but he could struggle a bit without him for those 4 games. Regardless Rivers is still awesome and actually makes a great value since he could drop to round 4 due to the controversy.

One guy I am really high on and who could thrust himself into the top 5 this year is Joe Flacco. Blessed with a cannon arm and a stud RB in Ray Rice, Flacco finally got some WR help with the addition of Anquan Boldin. Flacco is making the true journey to ace passer and that journey could be completed this season. BUY BUY BUY!!!!

Donovan McNabb to me is always a tease. He always misses a few games and will throw in his share of duds. I do like him but the overall package leaves you wanting more. He could see a boost in Washington getting away from the tough Philly crowds but who knows here.

Eli Manning quietly gets it done and no one really talks about him. I am a Giants fan and have seen every start he has made and he truly is a top 10 QB. I dont think he will ever be a star like his brother but he will get the job done. Durable like Peyton counts for a lot here and he is the guy you pick up later after you stock up on RB's and WR's. He's the guy you want if you use that strategy I am not opposed to it.

Two deep sleepers: one I LOVE and one I am intrigued with. First of all I am IN LOVE with Chad Henne. This guy is going to be incredible. He has IT. I saw all of his games last year and he was fantastic against the Pats and showed great poise. He now has Brandon Marshall to throw to and a top notch running game. Snatch him up as your backup and you just might get two studs in one draft. I know he will be on all of my teams. The one I am intrigued upon is Matt Cassell. Cassell did well in New England the year he replaced Tom Brady and now he has Charlie Weis as his offensive coordinator. Despite being a terrible college coach, Weis knows how to coach offense and Cassell will be put in position to succeed. Throw a lottery ticket on his name. He will make a very good backup.

So there you have it. Do you agree or disagree with my assessments? Who do I have ranked too high and who do I have ranked too low?

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You want to get maximum value from your Wide Receiver position, because this can be the hardest position to predict Fantasy production-wise. Only the top 13 - 15 WRs will give you 150 Fantasy points, but numbers 15 - 40 will score 100 to 150 points. Since these 25 mid - round picks are so similar, you want to avoid drafting any of them too soon. We toss the ball to our WRs in our ongoing series on Fantasy Football Sleepers.

Your goal here is to pick up 2 of these WRs in rounds 6 through 10, rather than rounds 4 and 5. As you can see by the above stat, you have roughly 25 route runners that achieve identical production, so let your competitors pick Dwayne Bowe or Santonio Holmes too early, and you can sneak in later with identical production.

Sleeper #1

Baltimore's Derrick Mason instantly became Rookie QB Joe Flacco's favorite target, and posted a quiet 1,000 yard 5 TD season. Flacco now has a year under his belt, and even though Mason is 35, he has not missed a game the last three years. He has averaged 93 catches and 1,000+ yards each of the last two years, and I think you can look for 1,100 yards and 7 scores in 2009, putting him in the 140 point range, which is top 20 WR status. Look for him in round 7 or 8 as your second WR.

Sleeper #2

Miles Austin or Patrick Clayton will step up and claim the second receiver spot now that Terribly Obtuse has left town. Watch training camp closely. The fact that you will hear a lot of talk about these two competing means some owners will be shy about picking one of these guys, and there-in lies the value here. Romo has averaged 264 yards a game passing since he became the full time starter, and you can look for 3,800 to 4,000 yards from him in 2009. Even if you factor in a 1,200 yd 10 TD year for Roy Williams, that leaves 2,600+ yards and 15-20 TDs to spread around. At Austin's size, he could be looked at around the goal line and red zone, running the fade routes Owens used to enjoy.

Remember, you want round 5 production from a round 8 pick. I got it last year, picking DeSean Jackson very late, and you can too if you stick with one of these sleeper picks.

Patrick O'Neill is an 18 year Fantasy Football Veteran who has won countless local and internet Fantasy Football Championships.
"If you are serious about winning, instead of competing, I recommend the same software I use, catered to your League's rules and scoring system. Win In 2009. Get it now, and win in 2009."
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The NFL's regular season is over, but the fantasy football season continues. Hopefully your fantasy football team was successful this season, but if not, one more chance for redemption awaits you. And even if you tasted success, and won your league, the playoffs allow you one more opportunity for fantasy football glory. And to help you achieve that exaltation, here are our player rankings.

Player 1
1) Peyton Manning: Despite playing less than a full game in each of his final two contests, Manning was second in the NFL in completions, completion percentage, passing yards and passing touchdowns (tied with Brett Favre). All that and his team was working on an undefeated season before essentially forfeiting their final two games.

2) Drew Brees: Brees set the NFL record for single-season completion percentage and led the NFL with 34 touchdown passes despite sitting out Week 17. If you believe the Saints' late-season struggles were just a blip on the radar, Brees is an excellent option.

3) Philip Rivers: Rivers never seems to get mentioned when the top quarterbacks in the league are mentioned, but fantasy football enthusiasts know plenty about him. His 104.4 quarterback rating for the season was third in the league, and he was in the top-10 in both passing yards and touchdown throws.

4) Tony Romo: Romo had a great season, coming in third in the NFL in passing yards, and he happens to be playing his best football right now. Dallas is the No. 3 seed in the NFC, and many pundits like them to make a run at the Super Bowl.

5) Aaron Rodgers: Rodgers was fourth in passing yards, passing scores and quarterback rating for this season, so there's no doubt he is one of the best in the game. Green Bay is the fifth seed as well, which means it's unlikely they'd be playing any home games. He's the ultimate boom-or-bust candidate in this group.

6) Brett Favre: Favre had a remarkable year in every way, and he ended the regular season with a flourish. You have to wonder, however, if the Vikings will gear up the running game more in the playoffs than they did towards the end of the regular season.

Player 2
1) Kurt Warner: We all saw what Warner could do last season if he got hot in the playoffs, and despite the Cards getting waxed by the Packers last week, it didn't seem like they gave their full effort, did it?

2) Donovan McNabb: McNabb was worse than his pedestrian numbers (20-of-36, no touchdowns, no interceptions) indicated last week against the Cowboys, as he missed a number of open receivers. That and the fact that Philly is the No. 6 seed in the NFC will lead some to be pessimistic about him for a postseason fantasy football run, but remember that Philly had won six in a row, and McNabb has led his team on a number of deep playoff runs.

3) Tom Brady: While we certainly believe the Patriots can make an extended playoff run, Brady is dealing with a plethora of problems. First and foremost are his busted bones - he reportedly has three cracked ribs and a broken index finger on his right (throwing) hand. Not to mention the fact that Brady has thrown for fewer than 200 yards in three of his last four games, and his leading pass-catcher, Wes Welker, tore up his knee and will miss the playoffs.

4) Joe Flacco: If you're looking for a sleeper candidate, Flacco may be your man. He doesn't put up huge numbers, but the Ravens have the running game and defense necessary to allow them to make an extended push in the playoffs, with Flacco doing enough to give you decent fantasy points along the way.

5) Carson Palmer: Really, Palmer and Mark Sanchez should be 6A and 6B, as neither is much of an option. Palmer was horrendous against the Jets last week, completing one of his 11 throws, for zero yards. New York is No. 1 in the NFL against the pass, but even if Cincy does beat them, Palmer won't give you much.

6) Mark Sanchez: Sanchez is the poorest passer among quarterbacks whose teams made it to the playoffs, and he should be treated as such here. Even a Super Bowl run for him may not produce equal numbers equal to two games from other quarterbacks in the playoffs.

Player 3
1) Adrian Peterson: Peterson led the NFL in rushing scores, and despite the fact he didn't have a 100-yard rushing game in the playoffs, his fantasy football value is beyond doubt, and there's reason to think that if the Vikings advance to the Super Bowl, he'll have a lot to do with it.

2) Ray Rice: Rice has huge value in this scoring format due to his pass-catching acumen, and if you believe that the Ravens can win at least one game, he may be worth choosing.

3) Joseph Addai: Addai doesn't rack up huge yards, but he was tied for ninth in the league with 10 rushing scores, catches the ball quite a bit, and also is on a team many think is the favorite to win the Super Bowl.

4) Thomas Jones: Jones has a tough go of it in the first round, against the Bengals' seventh-ranked run defense, and though he ran for two scores against them last week, he gained just 78 yards on 27 carries.

5) Ryan Grant: Grant is an excellent runner, and the Packers blew away the Cardinals last week, but his lack of receptions really hurts his value.

6) Cedric Benson: Benson will have to be most of the offense if Cincinnati is to advance in the postseason, but the Jets are a tough defense and there is no frame of reference for how he'll do against them because he sat out last week in their contest.

Player 4
1) LaDainian Tomlinson: Tomlinson has the advantage of being the lead back on a team that very well could wind up in the Super Bowl. Still, he had just one game with at least 75 rushing yards this season and two games with more than two receptions.

2) Pierre Thomas: Thomas had a bruised rib which was part of the reason he didn't suit up last week, but it's not a serious injury. He's a do-it-all back whose only question mark is how many carries he'll get.

3) Marion Barber: Barber had a solid season, though he carried the ball 20 times just once, and not more than 17 in any of his last six games. On a positive note, he did manage 91 yards last week against the Eagles.

4) Reggie Bush: Bush is more of a slot receiver than a running back, but the Saints clearly have the ability to make the Super Bowl, and he could catch enough passes to make him a worthwhile option.

5) Beanie Wells: Wells is now the lead back on a Cardinals team that we all know is dangerous considering what they did last season, and that was without a running game that Wells now provides them.

6) Brian Westbrook: Westbrook is a real wild card, and though we're not high on him due to what could be limited usage, if the Eagles wind up making a solid postseason run, Westbrook could be a big part of that, especially catching the ball.

Player 5
1) Felix Jones: Jones' explosiveness is what makes him an attractive option in this group. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry this season, tying Jamaal Charles for the highest average of any back with at least 100 carries. He also catches a decent amount of passes and received at least 10 carries in each of his last four games.

2) Darren Sproles: Speaking of explosive, Sproles fits right into that category, and he's also a very good receiver out of the backfield, but he doesn't receive the amount of carries Jones gets.

3) Chester Taylor: Taylor is a solid player who totes the rock between 5-10 times per game with 2-4 catches per. He could have good value if you think the Vikings are Super Bowl-bound.

4) Willis McGahee: We all saw what McGahee could do in Baltimore's last game of the season, and it may surprise you to know that he tied for fifth in the NFL with 12 touchdown runs.

5) Donald Brown: If the Colts weren't as good as they were, Brown would be last on this list, but he can pick up points based simply on the fact he may play more games. But he's clearly second fiddle to Joseph Addai, and has battled injuries all year.

6) Tim Hightower: Hightower received double-digit carries just once in his final five games, and he isn't explosive with the ball in his hands. What he does bring is potential fantasy points due to his ability to catch the ball.

Player 6
1) Dallas Clark: Clark was fifth in the NFL in receptions this season, tying teammate Reggie Wayne with 100 passes caught. He also tied Wayne for seventh in the league in touchdown grabs with 10, and is the most reliable pass-catching tight end in football.

2) Reggie Wayne: Wayne's numbers nearly mirrored Clark's in every way but receiving yards, where he picked up 158 more. Yet he's behind Clark due to his slow end to the year. He had fewer than 50 receiving yards in five of his final six games.

3) Sidney Rice: Rice broke out this season to place fourth in the NFL in receiving yards with 1,312 on 83 receptions for a robust average of 15.8 yards per catch. But with receptions so valuable in this fantasy football scoring format, he ranks behind both Indy players.

4) Antonio Gates: Gates is one of the best pass-catching tight end in the game, and arguably number one. He ended the season on a great note, catching a touchdown in each of his final four contests.

5) Vincent Jackson: Jackson started hot, slowed down, then got hot again, racking up 100 yards in two of his final three games. His inconsistency is a concern, especially with so few games in the postseason to make his mark.

6) Marques Colston: There's nothing wrong with selecting Colston, it's just that the Saints have so many weapons, you never can tell who will be the player Drew Brees goes to in any specific game.

Player 7
1) Randy Moss: Moss tied for the league lead in touchdown catches with 13, and without Wes Welker, the onus to do big things in the New England passing game falls squarely on him.

2) Miles Austin: No receiver is currently playing better than Austin right now, who is physically dominating his opponents. He gained 90 or more receiving yards in five of his last six games, and wound up third in the league in that statistic.

3) Larry Fitzgerald: One of the players tied with Moss for the most touchdown catches in the NFL was Fitzgerald, though all things considered, he had a bit of a disappointing season, especially where receiving yards are concerned - he ranked 17th in the NFL with 1,092.

4) DeSean Jackson: Jackson is capable of pretty much anything, but he ended the season with two games of fewer than 50 receiving yards, and plays a Cowboys team that held him in check in Week 17.

5) Greg Jennings: Jennings' four touchdowns on the season was a huge disappointment to fantasy football owners across the land, though he still gained over 1,100 yards. But it's hard to ignore his lack of trips to the end zone and the fact that he caught fewer than 70 passes on the year.

6) Chad Ochocinco: Ochocinco will have to go up against Darrelle Revis in the Bengals' opening playoff game, and Revis, combined with a knee bruise, held Ochocinco to zero catches and zero yards in Week 17.

Player 8
1) Jason Witten: Witten's 94 catches this season were ninth in the NFL, though he only scored twice - once in Week 2, and again in Week 17 - against the very same Eagles team he'll be facing this week.

2) Brent Celek: Celek has become a trusted option for Donovan McNabb, and has proven that all season, but especially in the final weeks. He's the only one that didn't seem to have the dropsies in Week 17 against the Cowboys, a game in which he had seven receptions for 97 yards.

3) Percy Harvin: Harvin is a home run hitter who can find the end zone any time he touches the ball. He'll also run the ball at least once per game, giving him further value. By no means is he a bad option, it's just that he may not get as many looks as some other players in this group. Unless you think the Vikings are headed to the Super Bowl; then, by all means, insert him in your lineup.

4) Anquan Boldin: Boldin is suffering from injuries to both his knee and ankle, and may not suit up for Arizona's initial playoff game, so check his status before employing him in your fantasy football lineup.

5) Donald Driver: Driver had six receptions for 65 yards in Week 17 against Arizona, but he hasn't had a big game since Thanksgiving, and ended the season with fewer than 80 receiving yards in nine of his last 10 games

6) Derrick Mason: Mason is as reliable as they come, but Baltimore will win by running the ball, and their prospects for going deep into the playoffs seem remote.

Player 9
1) Julian Edelman: Edelman takes over the Wes Welker role in the New England offense, and that means big things in this scoring format. For example, in Week 17 he was targeted a whopping 15 times and came up with 10 catches for 103 yards.

2) Jermichael Finley: Finley is on his way to becoming one of the league's elite tight ends, and he finished the season with a bang, gaining 80 receiving yards or scoring a touchdown (or both) in each of his final five games.

3) Pierre Garcon: Garcon battled a hand injury late in the year that stunted what was seemingly excellent growth throughout the season. He was really playing well in the middle of the year before this injury caught up to him, and he can be effective on a team that has Super Bowl aspirations.

4) Robert Meachem: Meachem was extremely hot in the middle of the year, catching a touchdown in five straight games from Weeks 9-13. He's only scored once since then, however, and gained at least 70 yards just once in his final seven contests.

5) Jeremy Maclin: Maclin, Philly's first-round pick this year, has had a very good rookie season, but he's behind both Brent Celek and DeSean Jackson on the depth chart, and had fewer than 50 yards in both of his meetings with Dallas this season, the team the Eagles will face in the first round of the playoffs.

6) Jerricho Cotchery: The Jets pound the rock on the ground to win their games, and despite the fact that Cotchery and Mark Sanchez clearly have a solid chemistry, he's really not worth using.

Player 10
1) Devery Henderson: It's a gamble placing Henderson here, but one that could really pay off. He gained 804 yards this season on 51 receptions, and is always a threat to make one or two huge plays per game.

2) Bernard Berrian: Berrian had a highly disappointing season for his fantasy football owners, but he's on a Vikings team that isn't afraid to use all of their options, and one that could make a significant postseason run.

3) Jeremy Shockey: Shockey has been battling an injury, and hasn't caught a pass since Week 14. Still, it's possible he comes up with a solid postseason effort, because everyone on the Saints is capable of doing so considering how much they spread the ball around.

4) Braylon Edwards: Edwards gained less than 50 receiving yards in six of his final seven games, but he has the capability to deliver. Still, it's difficult to believe in him, especially considering the Jets are the lowest seed in the AFC, and win by running the ball and defense.

5) Roy Williams: If Williams gets the opportunity, he's shown he can make some things happen, but whether he does or not is anyone's guess. He's extremely frustrating to fantasy football owners, and can't be trusted, even if his talent says he can.

6) Steve Breaston: Breaston has ceded catches and yards to Early Doucet, so unless it's found out that Anquan Boldin's injury is a serious one, you should leave him be.

Player 11
1) Austin Collie: With Pierre Garcon out, Collie flourished, catching a touchdown in three consecutive games from Weeks 13-15. He also had nearly 100 yards in Week 16 and is a promising threat to, at the minimum, give you fantasy points with receptions, if not huge yards.

2) Malcolm Floyd: Floyd actually picked up 776 receiving yards on the season, which was more than players like Pierre Garcon, Jeremy Maclin and Robert Meachem. The problem was he did it on just 45 catches, which hurts in this scoring format, and he found the end zone only one time.

3) Patrick Crayton: Crayton is option three or four on the Dallas depth chart, depending on if Roy Williams actually shows up. But he had a big game against the Eagles in Week 17, and shouldn't be completely discounted because of his low spot on the pecking order.

4) James Jones: Jones did more than you might think by the Packers this season. He caught just 32 passes, but gained 440 yards, and more importantly, caught five touchdowns, which was one more than teammate Greg Jennings.

5) Todd Heap: Heap caught two touchdowns in each of his game during Week 15 and 16, and while that meant gold if you had the cajones to use him during your fantasy football playoffs, it was a rare feat for him, and he's just as likely to pick up 30 yards on two catches.

6) Dustin Keller: Keller is a middling option who didn't catch more than three passes or gain even 35 yards in any of his final five games.

Player 12
1) Nate Kaeding: Kaeding tied David Akers for the league lead in field goals, and was one of just two players who made 25 or more kicks to make at least 90 percent of his tries. He's the best kicker on a team with realistic Super Bowl expectations.

2) Ryan Longwell: Longwell has the benefit of kicking indoors until/if he reaches the Super Bowl, which is a nice bonus. He also plays on a high-scoring team and led the NFL in extra points made.

3) Garrett Hartley: Hartley only played five games this season, and though he was 9-for-11 in field goals, he only attempted one kick from 40 yards and beyond, and missed that kick. Still, he's on a team with a potent offense, and could be kicking in three games, which means plenty of points.

4) David Akers: As mentioned, Akers was tied for the league lead in field goals made. But he's on the sixth-seeded team in the NFC, and it may be difficult for the Eagles to advance deep into the postseason. Still, they very well could win a game or two, possibly making Akers a worthwhile selection.

5) Stephen Gostkowski: Gostkowski is on a team that can put up a lot of points, and has at least one home game, but his problem is long-distance kicking - he made only seven of his 11 kicks from 40 yards or beyond.

6) Jay Feely: Feely wasn't always accurate, making just over 83 percent of his field goal tries, but he was tied for third in the league in kicks made. Still, there are other options in this group that are better simply because they are on better teams.

7) Mason Crosby: Crosby made only 75 percent of his kicks this season, which is the worst percentage in this group. And he was only 6-of-13 from 40 yards or beyond.

8) Shaun Suisham: Suisham is a solid kicker, but he and Hartley are the only ones in this group not to have made a 50 yarder, and Suisham played nine more games than Hartley.

Player 13
1) Colts: The defensive group is the most subjective, and essentially boils down to which team you believe will go the furthest, thereby offering you the most opportunity to rack up points. For that reason, we've simply ranked the teams by their playoff seed.

2) Chargers:

3) Patriots:

4) Bengals:

5) Jets:

6) Ravens:

Player 14
1) Saints: The defensive group is the most subjective, and essentially boils down to which team you believe will go the furthest, thereby offering you the most opportunity to rack up points. For that reason, we've simply ranked the teams by their playoff seed.

2) Vikings:

3) Cowboys:

4) Cardinals:

5) Packers:

6) Eagles: