Redraft leagues, or those you redraft from scratch each summer, are the most widely used league formats in fantasy football today. You are focusing on what the player will do for you this season and this season only. With that being said, and noting that my opinions will vary greatly at times with others, here are my redraft quarterback rankings at the moment for 2010 fantasy leagues (be sure to check out our early dynasty QB rankings):

1. Aaron Rodgers, GB. If you owned Aaron Rodgers last year, you likely consumed ways too much Alka-Seltzer. That’s because his O-line was so shoddy, every blitzing defender seemed to get a clear shot at Rodgers. Without really knowing Rodgers potential, we all winced and waited for his name to show up on the injury report. Say all you want about Drew Brees, Peyton Manning or anyone else on this list, but I’ll take the QB who can take a licking and keep on flicking the ball down the field. His line will be much improved, his weapons are young and more than able and he has a workmanlike running game behind him.

2. Drew Brees, NO. Perhaps he’d be better ranked as 1A. The Saints offense revolves around the passing game, and there are more weapons at Brees’ disposal than you’ll find in a Quentin Tarantino film. The loss of third-down back Mike Bell will potentially lead to more red zone pass attempts, and Brees will continue to rake up the stats, Madden curse or no Madden curse.

3. Peyton Manning, IND. What can one say that hasn’t already been said about this guy during his illustrious career? I was fully expecting him to take a step backwards last season, and he responded by sprinting a 100-meter dash forward. Anthony Gonzalez adds yet another young and able weapon to Manning’s arsenal, and methinks that No. 18 will have something to prove this season after falling short in the Super Bowl.

4. Matt Schaub, HOU. Here’s where my rankings may conflict with others, but I’m not too worried about that. Schaub’s biggest detractor last season was concerns about him starting a full slate of games. He met that challenge and then some. He throws to the best WR in the game. He has a stellar supporting cast. Many forget how effective Owen Daniels was in the passing game last season before his injury. Daniels will be back this season, and the Kevin Walter/Jacoby Jones combo should provide a solid backup option for Schaub. It is obvious that the Texans are a pass heavy team, and the running game is still a question mark. Plus, the Texans will be in more shootouts than the other teams represented so far on this list.

5. Tony Romo, DAL. After a very productive 2009 season, Romo gets an uber-rookie receiving talent in Dez Bryant to play catch with. Miles Austin showed he can be a solid option, Jason Witten provides a reliable safety net and Felix Jones, who is a huge asset out of the backfield as a receiver, is slated to get more action in the offense.

6. Tom Brady, NE. Some knock Brady’s value this season due to the questions surrounding Wes Welker’s health. However, the Patriots have ample talent available to fill the void, and did nothing to bring in an elite running back to shift the offense’s overall focus away from the pass. Randy Moss should have a huge season … he’s in a contract situation and knows he’s likely out of New England after this season. He will step up his game, which will only help Brady.

7. Philip Rivers, SD. Rivers took the next step in his quarterbacking career last season and produced very solid stats across the board. Concerns about Vincent Jackson’s situation with the Chargers is the only red flag to watch with this young up-and-comer.

8. Jay Cutler, CHI. The 26 interceptions last year was simply unacceptable, and a reason to be sour on Cutler in 2010. However, one has to like the additon of OC Mike Martz and the chemistry that is allegedly forming between the two already. The Bears lack any proven receiving commodities, but do have a good mix of speed and size among the weapons.

9. Matt Ryan, ATL. Another head-scratcher, perhaps, for some reading this list. However, Ryan is primed to take the next step in his maturing under center this season. Even in a “disappointing” sophomore season, Ryan finished with 22 touchdowns. Roddy White is an elite receiver, and while Tony Gonzalez isn’t getting any younger, he’s still a reliable option. If you look at Peyton Manning’s stats his first two seasons as a pro QB, you’d be surprised at how similar they are to Matt Ryan’s. That is one of many reasons I have Ryan as one of my QB sleepers in drafts this summer.

10. Brett Favre, MIN. As the chinstrap ninja faithful know, I’m a huge Favre fan, and recently wrote him a letter on his pending yearly late-summer decision on whether or not to play again. Favre was purely amazing stats-wise last season, and there is little reason to think he won’t be effective again as quarterback of the Vikings. All the big-play weapons are still at his disposal, and the Vikings have some juicy matchups again in 2010. Just don’t expect him to throw only seven interceptions again.

11. Eli Manning, NYG. Quietly, Eli has become a solid fantasy QB in the league and is someone who shouldn’t be overlooked on draft day. The 4,021 yards and 27 TDs were career highs for Manning, and he has emerging weapons in Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham. I’m also a fan of Ramses Barden. The Giants running game doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence, and will likely lead to another solid passing campaign from Peyton’s little brother.

12. Joe Flacco, BAL. Sure, the addition of Anquan Boldin, combined with the solid pass-catching ability of Ray Rice out of the backfield and reliability of Derrick Mason are all reasons to love the potential of young Flacco, but I was sold moreso on his grittiness last season playing through injury and still producing quality stats. The Ravens are on the path to big things, and Flacco is a main cog in that process. He’s another guy I’m targeting later in drafts this summer.

13. Donovan McNabb, WAS. It’s weird how close I have both Kolb and McNabb on this list. Kolb has the better weapons but much less experience. McNabb has the experience, but much less impressive weapons. Call me old fashioned, but I’ll take the experience and McNabb’s ability to make plays over the largely unproven Kolb at the moment.

14. Kevin Kolb, PHI. Again, I could switch Kolb and McNabb on this list and not lose any sleep. Kolb did fare well in limited action last season and does have some nice toys to play with. He’s one guy who could produce up with the Jay Cutlers on this list, or down with the Matt Cassels.

15. Alex Smith, SF. Say what you will about Smith, but I like his potential in that offense. Crabtree should continue to emerge as a big-play threat, Frank Gore offers plenty of security out of the backfield and Vernon Davis is finally reaching his potential. Add in the fact that the Niners have a pretty juicy schedule this year, and Smith should be a solid option when the other names are off the board.

16. Carson Palmer, CIN. A horrific dropoff last season could be tied to a number of issues, including lack of true weapons. Antonio Bryant and rookie tight end Jermaine Gresham will help in that regard. Palmer is too talented to suddenly fall off the edge of the football earth, so a bounceback season with less pressure on him is likely, just don’t overpay.

17. Matt Leinart, ARI. Hard to truly gauge where Leinart belongs on this list. He has some solid weapons at his disposal and a nice slate of games ahead of him. Beanie Wells and the running game will take pressure off his shoulders, and Derek Anderson is talented enough to provide some competition to keep Leinart striving for his best.

18. Matthew Stafford, DET. Thrown to the wolves as a rookie, Stafford survived the trial by fire fairly admirably. The addition of Nate Burleson should add some more options for Stafford and the fact that the Lions will be playing catch-up much of the time are reasons to like his chances of maturing into a decent QB2 in fantasy circles this season.

19. Chad Henne, MIA. There’s a lot to like about Henne, regardless of what some consider his recklessness in trying to force throws places they shouldn’t go. Brandon Marshall adds a huge dimension to the passing game, and Henne could mature into a player deserving a much higher spot on this list by midseason.

20. Mark Sanchez, NYJ. The Jets spoonfed Sanchez last season and the strategy worked fairly well. The squad will continue to be a run-first program, but Sanchez will have more and more opportunity to ride his bike without the training wheels, so to speak. The addition of Santonio Holmes will help once Holmes is back from suspension, and LaDanian Tomlinson offers some out-of-the-backfield throw-downs when Shonn Green isn’t toting the rock.

Others of note:

Vince Young is not a guy I’d want to hang my fantasy team on. Sure, he wins games in the NFL, but his style of play isn’t conducive to fantasy stats. Let someone else take the risk.

Ben Roethlisberger has really fallen from grace. Even if he does miss just the first four weeks of the season, he still comes back to a team void of Santonio Holmes and one focused moreso on the running game. Big Ben has long-term potential in dynasty leagues, but not buying him in redrafts this year.

Jason Campbell could be a nice story in Oakland if he can find reliable targets. As a backup QB with the right weekly matchup, Campbell could be serviceable.

Matt Cassel doesn’t inspire great fantasy assurance, despite having some weapons at his disposal. There are plenty of other options with more potential.

Matt Moore could be a sneaky sleeper pick. He found good chemistry at the end of the season with Steve Smith, and if he holds the starting gig for any length of time over Jimmy Clausen, he could be a nice fantasy option.

Matt Hasselbeck and Charlie Whitehurst are joined at the hip and it isn’t a good idea to rely on any at the moment until a clear frontrunner emerges.

Jake Delhomme may be playing plenty of catchup with the Browns, but then again, could lose his job to Seneca Wallace to even at times to rookie Colt McCoy.

How do you have QBs ranked in redraft formats? We’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

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Denver Broncos

Quarterback

Kyle Orton: Orton proved once again that he is a winning QB with Denver in 2009.  He is not the flashiest player and doesn’t put up huge statistics.  Come the end of the day though, his team usually finds itself on top.  Overall Orton usually avoids the stupid mistakes that can kill a team.  He should benefit from another season of tutelage under Josh McDaniels.

Running back

Knowshon Moreno: Moreno seemed to fatigue as the season wore on.  Perhaps the time missed in training camp really hurt his conditioning.  He needs to prove he can carry the load for a full season.

Correll Buckhalter: Buckhalter is a capable backup and role player.  He could never be an every down back, but provides solid support to the running game.

Wide receiver

Demaryius Thomas: Thomas has huge shoes to try to fill with the departure of Brandon Marshall.  The Broncos just better temper their expectations from Thomas for his rookie season.

Eddie Royal: McDaniels disappointed me last year with the lack of use of Eddie Royal in the offense.  Royal had a superb rookie season in 2008 but seemed to be on the outside looking in on the offense in 2009.  Hopefully McDaniels wakes up and doesn’t waste such a talented player on his roster.

Tight end

Daniel Graham: Graham will play the TE role in McDaniels offense.  He will see limited action if any as this offense is more receiver and running back driven.

Kicker

Matt Prater: It seems as though the Denver kicker always finishes in the top third of the fantasy kickers.  I would imagine 2010 should not be an exception to that rule.

DEF/ST

The defense lost its coaching guru Mike Nolan in the offseason to the Dolphins.    I can’t imagine that “Wink” Martindale has near the qualifications that Nolan has.  I see a decline in the Denver defense back to the bottom third of the fantasy pack.

San Diego Chargers

Quarterback

Philip Rivers: You don’t get any better at a position than having a young stud player like Rivers to drive the team.  He is a top five QB talent in this league today.  There will be no need to address the QB position in San Diego for years to come.

Running back

Ryan Mathews: This is the player San Diego jumped up all those spots in the first round to get.  He is a steal if you can get him in the fourth round of your draft.  He should have the best opportunity for fantasy points of all the rookie running backs.

Darren Sproles: He is a great role and special teams player.  A full time starting back in the NFL he is not.  Sproles will fit in nicely again complimenting Mathews.

Wide receiver

Vincent Jackson: Jackson has steadily become one of the top receivers in the game today.  His one lack is his total receptions which always seem on the low end considering he is a No. 1 receiver.  Perhaps his totals will increase in 2010 as the team continues to become a more pass oriented offense.

Malcom Floyd: Floyd is a decent WR2 in the offense, but he still is the third target overall considering Antonio Gates is in San Diego. 

Tight end

Antonio Gates: Gates is still an elite TE option in the NFL.  The Chargers won’t replace him anytime soon with all the holes they have on defense.

Kicker

Nate Kaeding: Even though he tends to choke come playoff time, Kaeding is a top third fantasy kicker in the regular season.

DEF/ST

This defense has always had such talent yet underperformed way too often.  They had some key offseason losses in Jamal Williams and Antonio Cromartie.  They are a middle third defense.

Kansas City Chiefs

Quarterback

Matt Cassel: Cassel was who I thought he was in 2009.  He was merely an average QB that benefited from a system and stellar receivers in New England.  Now the Chiefs have so much invested in him they have to keep him as the starter to save face.

Running back

Jamaal Charles: Charles had skyrocketed all the way up into many people’s top 10 overall fantasy draft picks for 2010.  Then the team signed free agent Thomas Jones.  It burst that bubble in a hurry.  Charles will still get some yards.  But I think down by the goal line it will be TJ time in Kansas City.

Thomas Jones: I initially had the Chiefs going after Stanford’s Toby Gerhart in the upcoming draft.  They fooled me and signed the wily veteran Jones instead.  He will remain an option as a change of pace and goal line back.

Wide receiver

Dwayne Bowe: I have heard more positive news on Bowe already this offseason than I did the entire training camp and preseason last year.  Maybe he finally woke up and realized he could be a great talent in the NFL if he just put the effort into it.

Chris Chambers: The Chiefs resigned Chambers for 2010.  He proved to be a valuable receiver down the stretch especially during Dwayne Bowe’s suspension.  Hopefully he can play a solid role in the offense again.

Tight end

Tony Moeaki: Moeaki represents an upgrade at the position for the Chiefs.  I would project him as a decent fantasy backup TE.

Kicker

Ryan Succop: 2009’s Mr. Irrelevant in the draft is also fairly irrelevant for fantasy scoring and will finish in the bottom third of fantasy kickers in 2010.

DEF/ST

Even though they did draft Eric Berry to bolster the defense, this unit has a long way to go.  Bottom third of the fantasy defenses for you.

Oakland Raiders

Quarterback

Jason Campbell: While Campbell isn’t a superstar he does represent a significant upgrade over JaMarcus Russell and Bruce Gradkowski from 2009.  Maybe now we can truly evaluate the young talent the Raiders have at running back and receiver with a professional QB in town.

Running back

Darren McFadden: With Justin Fargas gone, McFadden finally gets his chance to show the world he is the back that the Raiders expected when they took him in round 1.  It could be do or die for McFadden, as he has Michael Bush nipping at his heels for playing time.

Michael Bush: Someday a RB is going to step up and be the leader.  The Raiders hope Bush or McFadden can be that back.

Wide receiver

Darrius Heyward-Bey: Last year’s first round draft bust (seems like a recurring theme in Oakland doesn’t it) needs to step up his game and contribute in some fashion on offense.  Maybe he can develop some chemistry with Campbell after a full offseason of workouts.

Chaz Schilens: Schilens may actually be the top WR option on the team.  He played well in a few games late in the year.  He was set back most of the season due to an ankle injury.  It will be interesting to see how well he does in a full season of work.

Tight end

Zach Miller: Miller is a very sneaky sleeper candidate at the TE position.  Campbell used Chris Cooley and Fred Davis frequently in his Washington days.  He should have no trouble finding Miller open in the offense.

Kicker

Sebastian Janikowski: Janikowski is a decent kicker, but the Raiders don’t get in the red zone enough to make him fantasy effective.  I would project bottom third of the fantasy kicker pack for him.

DEF/ST

The Raiders defense is an excellent unit in stopping the pass, it’s the run that kills them so much.  Hopefully first round draft pick Rolando McClain can help rectify that situation.  I predict a middle third of the defensive teams fantasy finish for them.

Here is how the teams project to finish in 2010:

1. San Diego Chargers
2. Oakland Raiders
3. Kansas City Chiefs
4. Denver Broncos

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Let me first say I think the correct pick should be and most likely will be Bradford but for a few reasons I think the Rams could be calling someone else come Thursday.

Tim Couch, Akili Smith, Joey Harrington, Cade McNown, $50 million, shoulder problems… all of these things are going to be running through the Ram’s war room come selection time.

For every Peyton Manning there are two or three Couches.  It has been announced officially that Bradford will not sign a contract prior to being selected.  This is usually not a good sign for the franchises.  It is also being reported that Bradford will command in the $50 million guaranteed range.  That is big time money to sink into a player that is unproven.  I know that the Lions put $42 million into Stafford last year but he didn’t have as many injury question marks as Bradford does.

The injury history is a major concern in my opinion.  You can tell me till your blue in the face that his pro day showed he could play but I am not buying it.  What he proved is that he can throw the ball in shorts and a tee shirt with no pass rush.  He played less than an entire game in the college season and there is no way to know how the shoulder will really hold up.  Dr. James Andrews says it’s all good but he isn’t the one getting hit by 300+ pound linemen.  The worse thing that could happen is they pay Bradford he goes out there drops back to pass and boom AC joint issues all over again.

Normally there are not numerous top talents to select, this year is different.  Ndamukong Suh and Eric Berry are wildly proclaimed to be the top talents in the draft.  A strong case could be made for the Ram’s to select Suh and even make Berry the top pick.  They could also be secured with a contract prior to the draft ensuring there will be no holdouts.

A holdout could be deadly for the Rams.  Jamarcus Russell, Michael Crabtree, and Philip Rivers all held out. While Rivers developed into a good player, his progression was set back a year or two… while people forget this because of Drew Brees’ and LaDainian Tomlinson’s play.  Russell has never got in a groove and seems to be a bust and Crabtree was also set back since he was unable to be with the team. He has come on strong.

The quarterback position is a whole different game. If a holdout lasts into training camp you can kiss the first half of the season goodbye for a young quarterback.  It is also likely that it will take Bradford or any young quarterback a year or two to learn to be an NFL quarterback so getting the experience early is important.

Again I think Bradford is the right pick, but fear on draft day could cause the Rams to go elsewhere.  Do you think the fear of not being able to sign Bradford in a timely manner will cause the Rams to go elsewhere come draft day? In a few short days we will know.

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When it comes to fantasy football, you can let your chinstrapninjas do the surfing.

As the rest of the collective football world slowly wakes up from its Super Bowl stupor and thinks it is safe to turn its attention to college hoops and fantasy baseball, this becomes one of the best times for fantasy football dynasty league owners to morph into stealthy ninja form and take their opponents by surprise.

Some consider early-offseason trading in dynasty leagues as fantasy suicide … you don’t know what to expect from offseason moves and the NFL rookie draft.

However, with careful calculated projections and predictions, this can be a perfect time to strike a deal that could catapult your squad to fantasy prominence not only in 2010, but well beyond.

As I discussed some potential deals in my own dynasty league, I was disappointed in how few other sites and resources were far-sighted enough to start providing solid dynasty rankings for 2010. Sure it’s early, but then again, you need some items in your fantasy tool belt if Johnny Trade-a-lot springs a multi-player blockbuster deal on you.

It would be easy for me to provide you with my position-by-position dynasty rankings, and while I feel pretty confident in my personal list, I didn’t develop it until after doing a good deal of research and checking out similar lists on other sites.

So, for the best dynasty rankings all in one convenient location, I developed the following complete early 2010 dynasty quarterback rankings, scoring in similar lists from fftoolbox, rotoworld, dynastyrankings.blogspot and footballdiehards websites. This composite list includes my personal ranking (in parentheses before each name), each QB’s current team, age and (after the name in parentheses) the composite scoring from the four sites above.

Check back soon for similar rankings at each of the other positions.

1. (2) Drew Brees, New Orleans, 31 years old (6pts). The Super Bowl MVP has a lot to offer fantasy owners. He’s matured into a top-notch QB with a huge arsenal at his disposal. He should be around for years to come, and many are thinking the Saints have morphed into the new-age version of “The Greatest Show on Turf.” Some already are talking about Brees being on track to being one of the best QB of all time.

Scoring-wise, Brees was only one overall point higher than Aaron Rodgers for the top spot, and I personally have Rodgers ranked first at the position, but when it comes to the crème de la crème at signal caller, you really can’t go wrong with either option.

2. (1) Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay, 26 (7 pts). What’s not to love about Rodgers moving forward? He has arguably the best weapons of any QB on this list. Even if Donald Driver retires in the not-too-distant future, Rodgers still has elite options in Greg Jennings and Jermichael Finley at his disposal, along with plenty of other young pieces with upside.

Rumor-mill whisperings suggest that the Packers draft a speedy backfield complement to Ryan Grant, which should give Rodgers even more short yardage and red zone opportunities out of the backfield.

Those who knock Rodgers from the top spot argue that he’s a major injury waiting to happen considering how much he was knocked around in 2009 by opposing defenses and poor O-line play.  I think that’s ridiculous. Don’t you think that the Packers brass watch the same games we do? Don’t you think they winced in horror every time Rodgers was smacked to the turf? Don’t you think they’ll make the O-line a major organizational priority this offseason?

Also, make sure you take note of Rodgers’ age … a good five years younger than Brees and the youngest QB in the composite top eight QB options.

3. (3) Peyton Manning, Indianapolis, 33 (11 pts). Forget the miscues in the Super Bowl, Manning proved during the regular season that his talent is ageless. Many, including yours truly, expected Manning to take a step back in 2009. He did the opposite.

He has emerging young weapons and an undervalued running game at his disposal. His pocket presence and overall O-line protection will help keep Peyton healthy long after most of his quarterbacking peers. He may be the third oldest option on this list (outside of Brett Favre and Donovan McNabb), but who else would you want starting for you when your fantasy season is on the line?

One word of caution for Manning is the tendency for Colts higher-ups to sit the QB late in the year (typically during the fantasy playoffs) when his team’s NFL postseason ticket is punched.

4. (5) Philip Rivers, San Diego, 28 (18 pts). Gone are the days that the Chargers are a run-first, grind-it-out offense. This is King Philip’s team now, and Rivers has shown that he can handle the challenge.

The steady, reliable production of Antonio Gates coupled with the emerging skillset of Vincent Jackson has allowed Rivers to become a viable fantasy option both in 2010 and beyond. Darren Sproles offers a solid out-of-the-backfield target and San Diego is certain to select a young RB with good hands during the upcoming draft.

While I’ve never looked at Rivers as an elite QB option, it is hard to deny that he has arrived on the fantasy scene and should be considered a reliable option for the long haul.

5. (6) Tom Brady, New England, 32 (20 pts). The 2009 Comeback Player of the Year has been a fantasy staple for years now … thanks especially to the breakout emergence of Wes Welker and the big-play abilities of Randy Moss.

However, while his season-ending stats were impressive, there were some visible chinks in the armor that need close monitoring this offseason. Welker went down in the postseason with severe knee injuries. While he predicts he’ll be back for the 2010 season opener, more realistic projections don’t have Welker back into later in the campaign … and it remains to be seen what level he’ll be playing at when he does return.

Moss, who’s been on his best behavior for the Patriots, started to show some trademark attitude in 2009. Not enough to think he’ll become a liability in 2010, but enough to wonder what may play out in the years to come. News that Moss had been fighting with pain from a separated shoulder most of the season is actually encouraging for Brady owners, however, because the injury provides a viable excuse for Moss’s struggles at times this year.

The postseason emergence of the young and talented Julian Edelman also gives hope to the Brady-a-holics. It is way too soon to consider Brady on the downside of his fantasy career, but he does have more question marks surrounding him than others on this list.

6. (9) Tony Romo, Dallas, 29 (26 pts). Thanks in large part to Miles Austin, Romo’s fantasy stock soared in 2009. Many were suspicious how Romo would produce without an elite No. 1 WR in the mix, but Austin filled that role nicely as the season progressed.

Tight end Jason Witten, who struggled to start the season, started hitting his fantasy stride down the stretch. The breaking down of running back Marion Barber led to a breakout emergence for Felix Jones in the postseason … and if Jones continues to get a majority of the backfield starts in 2010, he provides a much better receiving option for Romo.

7. (8) Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh, 27 (27 pts). Many dynasty owners were low on Big Ben several years ago because he filled the prototypical QB on a running-first squad role. However, Roethlisberger and the Steelers passing game took a major leap forward in 2009.

Hines Ward is ageless, Santonio Holmes continues to emerge as a top-flight option, Heath Miller started living up to his tight end potential, even rookie Mike Wallace played an important role in the Pittsburgh aerial attack.

In addition to Rashard Mendenhall becoming a bigger piece of the offensive puzzle moving forward, Roethlisberger needs to be respected in fantasy circles.

8. (4) Matt Schaub, Houston, 28 (30 pts). What else does Schaub need to do to gain the respect of fantasy owners? As I predicted this time last year, he proved in 2009 that he can survive a full season without missing time to injuries, he has arguably the best receiver in the game (Andre Johnson) and a very capable supporting cast.

Many quickly forget how prolific tight end Owen Daniels was last year up until his season-ending injury … Schaub would have been a contender for the highest producing fantasy QB in the NFL if Daniels has played the entire year.

Many are skeptical of the Houston backfield, but all the pieces currently in the RBBC there are major options for the passing game, including Steve Slaton, who could play more of a Reggie Bush-type role in 2010.

Schaub is young enough and has more than enough weapons around him on a team that always seems to be playing catchup to be considered an elite dynasty QB moving forward … hence my personal top-four ranking.

9. (7) Matt Ryan, Atlanta, 24 (35 pts). Everything you need to know about Ryan’s potential you can read in my early 2010 sleeper post. There are many reasons why I love Matt Ryan in dynasty leagues … the kid has tons of talent and a solid supporting cast.

As I posted in my sleeper column, Ryan’s numbers this past season may have seemed disappointing, but compare them to sophomore statistics of current QB greats such as Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Tom Brady. You’d be amazed how close they look on paper.

Fantasy owners are fickle. They were spoiled by Ryan’s amazing rookie numbers, and too lazy to look at the numbers and big picture behind what will surely be a long and prosperous career for Ryan both in the NFL and on your respective fantasy team.

10. (10) Joe Flacco, Baltimore, 25 (42 pts). Flacco continues to get little respect by fantasy owners … including those in dynasty leagues. It’s a shame, because when the Ravens land their next elite WR (Brandon Marshall, Anquan Boldin, someone else?), everyone will wonder where this Flacco kid came from.

Fantasy-wise, on a team fairly devoid of reliable receiving weapons, Flacco has been a gem. He made Derrick Mason a solid fantasy option in 2009. Flacco helped bring out the best in emerging talent Ray Rice.

If I’m re-building my dynasty team for the long-haul, I’d look to deal an older “veteran” option with more name value for a Flacco any day of the week, while improving my roster in other places, to boot. This time next season, Flacco will be higher on this list.

11. (12) Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia, 34 (46 pts). It’s amazing to me how undervalued McNabb is to both hard-core fans of the Eagles and fantasy owners alike. He is a top option at the position every year, regardless of the ebb-and-flow of the talent Philly puts on the field.

Last year as Brian Westbrook struggled to produce on a consistent basis, McNabb simply dished the ball out to the team’s very young stable of capable receivers. Still, McNabb finds himself in offseason rumormills about where he’ll be playing in 2010 and how much longer he’ll be a viable option.

As I predicted for this season, McNabb will stay in Philly and will again produce a solid stat-set that many will be too narrow-minded to enjoy. Don’t be one of those owners.

12. (14) Eli Manning, New York Giants, 29 (47 pts). Peyton’s little brother faced a changeover in the receiving guard last season, but was quick to find new favorite toys in Steve Smith, Mario Manningham and others.

The team continues to proclaim itself as a run-first juggernaut, but Brandon Jacobs definitely lost a step in 2009 and Manning stepped up his game to compensate. He will again provide respectable numbers in 2010 with the potential to move up higher on this list, even though there are some questions surrounding the Giants both in the running game and on the defensive side of the ball.

13. (11) Jay Cutler, Chicago, 26 (48 pts). After his move from Denver to Chicago last offseason, Cutler’s value has taken a hit. He struggled majorly at times in 2009, and many worry that he’s ways too inconsistent to be a starting fantasy QB.

However, that was before the recent hiring of Mike Martz as Bears Offensive Coordinator. Suddenly, Cutler becomes a QB sleeper. Martz is known for extremely elevating the passing games on every team he’s coached, and the Bears have some young talent that could translate into plenty of stats for Cutler.

Matt Forte is a good out-of-the-backfield target, Devin Aromashodu emerged as a Cutler favorite and big-time receiver at the end of the season, Earl Bennett and Johnny Knox are guys who stand to see significant boosts in value, as well.

Many forget just how young Cutler is, and he’s now in a situation that should elevate his fantasy game to the next level.

14. (21) Vince Young, Tennessee, 26 (53 pts). Young is young. Young has weapons. Young proved in 2009 that he can be a winner at the NFL level. However, I’m not sold on him as a fantasy option.

His passing game isn’t as polished as it could be simply because he is so quick to tuck the ball and try to make yardage on the ground. In the final 10 games of the regular season, Young threw for over 200 yards only four times and had multiple touchdown passes in just two contests. Not exactly fantasy-friendly production.

15. (13) Chad Henne, Miami, 24 (57 pts). Trying to fill Dan Marino’s cleats has proven to be difficult for the Dolphins, but they seem to have found their answer in Henne. While the Michigan product definitely suffered from growing pains as a starter last season, he showed plenty of potential in an offense fairly devoid of pure receiving talent.

He threw for over 300 yards in three of the team’s final five games, including a 335-yard, two-TD performance against division rival New England in Week 13.

Henne is lobbying for the team to draft an elite receiving threat, and there are plenty of rumors about either Anquan Boldin or Brandon Marshall ending up in Miami. Henne’s future is bright.

T-16. (15) Carson Palmer, Cincinnati, 30 (63 pts). After a statistically disappointing season for Palmer, NFL analyst Chris Mortensen said: “I don’t hear a lot of negative stuff from people in the league about Carson. You’ve got to surround him with weapons. He’s absolutely OK.”

The Bengals do have to get some young, speedy receivers. However, how do you account for Palmer’s loss in velocity and overall accuracy? It’s possible that we’ve seen the best of Carson Palmer.

T-16. (16) Brett Favre, Minnesota, 40 (63 pts). It doesn’t take rocket science to understand why Favre, a top-five fantasy QB in 2009, is ranked this low on a dynasty QB list. He could come back and single-handedly lead both the Vikings and your fantasy team to the promised land. He could finally retire for good.

My opinion? He’ll be back for one last try at a ring. He’s already the best QB in NFL history, according to me.

18. (17) Matthew Stafford, Detroit, 22 (64 pts). Those who doubt that Stafford could be a fantasy force for the Lions need only look at his 422-yard, five-TD outing against Cleveland last year. Sure, it was against the Browns … but he was totally locked in during that contest.

He has one of the best receivers in the game in Calvin Johnson, a second-year tight end in Brandon Pettigrew that could one day be a top-five fantasy performer at the position and a running back in Kevin Smith who is proficient in the passing game.

The Lions are behind in enough games for Stafford to need to air things out on a consistent basis. He had a rough rookie campaign, but will be a better sophomore QB because of it.

19. (18) Mark Sanchez, New York Jets, 23 (70 pts). Some may be scratching their head that a guy who threw just 12 TDs and 20 INTs last season would even make the top 25, but many also overlook that Sanchez was a rookie.

In the grand scheme of things, his numbers weren’t too far off base when looking at rookie numbers by other top-tier QB. Braylon Edwards underperformed most of the season, but should be a viable weapon in 2010, and the Jets aren’t done in accumulating WR talent … whether it be via free agency or the rookie draft.

In a couple years, Sanchez will be a top fantasy QB, and someone worth hoarding in all dynasty formats.

20. (23) Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay, 22 (75 pts). “We want him to complete 65 percent of his passes. He needs to be the first guy in the building. It’s the leadership aspect we need from him. He needs to be more vocal with teammates in and out of the huddle,” new QBs coach Alex Van Pelt said.

Being the first guy in the building and taking a bigger leadership role is totally on Freeman, but the Buccaneers need to provide some weapons if Freeman is to see his completion rate improve

Tampa needs to do a lot of things to be competitive again, and I wonder if Freeman will be a casualty of an impatient fan base before he ever really gets a good chance with a solid supporting cast.

21. (N/R) Jason Campbell, Washington, 28 (76 pts). Campbell’s long-term future is not with the Redskins, who will likely nab one of the top QB talents in the upcoming rookie draft. This means that Campbell will wind up in a lame duck role as a starter to keep the starting Redskin gig warm for Jimmy Clausen or Matthew Bradford … or he’ll wind up playing elsewhere in 2010.

His short and long-term values are both tied to where he plays, and if he somehow winds up with a team like the Arizona Cardinals, as I predict here, than he could a good value player at this point. However, there is more risk than reward at the moment.

T-22. (19) Matt Leinart, Arizona, 26 (80 pts). Kurt Warner’s retirement should, at least on the surface, translate into Leinart getting the keys to one of the better passing offenses in the league.

Unfortunately for Leinart, coach Ken Whisenhunt comes from a run-first mentality, and there is good reason to believe that Anquan Boldin will be playing elsewhere in 2010.

Even with those factors involved, Leinart is a sneaky play here considering his age. However, his inconsistency in spot play backing up Warner could lead to some outside competition for the starting QB gig … from someone like Jason Campbell, among others.

T-22. (25) David Garrard, Jacksonville, 31 (80 pts). For years, Garrard has been arguably the most under-rated fantasy quarterback in the game … consistently and quietly ranking among the top 10 to 15 players at the position. However, coach Jack Del Rio has openly question whether Garrard is a Super Bowl-level signal caller.

“A quarterback like David Garrard can be that with a great supporting cast,” he said. “I don’t know. When you look at teams that have won multiple championships, I think they’ve had elite quarterbacks.”

Garrard’s future with Jacksonville is tenuous at best, and there are some rumors that certain rookie QBs are on the radar screen heading into the 2010 draft.

24. (N/R) Kyle Orton, Denver, 27 (84 pts). ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio has reported that the Browns, Bills and Broncos have expressed an interest in possibly trading for Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. Not exactly a glowing endorsement for Orton.

That’s a shame, because Orton exceeded many a fantasy owners’ expectations for the 2009 campaign with Denver by tossing multiple TDs in seven contests last year and tossing 200-plus yards in 10 contests (including a 431-yard game against Kansas City in the season finale).

25. (20) Matt Cassel, Kansas City, 27 (85 pts). Many expected Cassel to have a banner year. Sports Illustrated’s fantasy magazine actually asked the question of whether Cassel or Tom Brady would have a better year in 2009 (which is just one of many reasons I detest fantasy magazines).

However, Cassel lost his primary weapon, Dwayne Bowe, for most of the season and struggled to produce consistent statistical performances.

In 2010, however, Bowe should be back on the field (barring any unforeseen knuckle-headedness) and Cassel should thrive under new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis. Bowe is a definite sleeper candidate in most dynasty formats.

Other QBs of note:

While neither Alex Smith nor Michael Vick scored high enough to make the composite top-25 QB rankings via the websites listed above, I have both ranked in my personal dynasty QB rankings.

Smith (my 22nd ranked QB) didn’t start until Week 7, but still finished the season with 18 TD in the final 11 weeks – seven of which he threw for 200-plus yards in, as well. He has one of the most talented young WRs in the league to throw to (Michael Crabtree) and Vernon Davis has emerged as an elite pass-catching tight end.

It also helps that Smith has one of the league’s best targets out of the backfield in Frank Gore and that the Niners are habitually playing from behind in a fairly defensively depleted NFC-West.

Michael Vick (my 24th-ranked QB) was decent in spot play for the Eagles this season in his comeback to the NFL after dogfighting and animal cruelty charges landed Vick in prison. Vick wants to play for a team that will allow him to start, and there are several teams in need of a starting QB. My prediction, the Rams, would put Vick in a position to make plays and provide fantasy production for those who are willing to take a gamble on him.

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Cowboys at Vikings – Sunday, 1 p.m.

Dallas got off to a great playoff push by stashing its December jinx back in the closet and putting together a solid performance last week. Although the Cowboys matched up very well against the Eagles, the ‘Boys displayed two keys factors that tell us this Sunday should have the same result — Tony Romo made great decisions and Dallas ran the ball with a purpose.  That leads us to Felix Jones, who is kind of like Marion Barber was a few years ago priming to replace Julius Jones. While you enjoy Felix’s explosive bursts and receiving ability, jot down some insights on Tashard Choice, who was once a big time Heisman candidate at Georgia Tech. Choice could be one of those late round fantasy picks you snag just in case Felix or Marion go down or lose favor in Dallas’ offense.

Minnesota could be the most talented team in the playoffs — well, on paper. We’ve heard that for years about San Diego, yet the Chargers haven’t played in the Super Bowl since the real Beverly Hills 90210 was on television. This game will probably make a lot of Adrian Peterson owners furious, as I suspect the Vikings have been saving him just for this time of year.  We know what he can do, but are we convinced Sidney Rice is a reliable WR1? It will also be important to see how Minnesota schemes Percy Harvin, because they may have been saving some gem plays for the playoffs, which could shed some new light on how he could be used next season. Also, check out how quick Brett Favre (and count how often) he looks to Visanthe Shiancoe on third down and in the red zone. This breakout TE got first dibs on most of the TD opportunities during the season.

My foolish prediction: Dallas 20, Minnesota 10 … I still don’t know how Flozell Adams is going to block Jared Allen or avoid having five to eight false starts, but I figure Dallas is aware of the matchup problem and is prepared (dump offs to Felix Jones and bubble screens to Miles  Austin. Favre is Favre, and there is something fishy going on in Minnesota, so I tend to run away from weird smells.

Jets at Chargers – Sunday, 4:40 p.m.

New York has been getting a lot of love from NFL pundits this week. Their coach has boasted the talk and the team has walked the walk, so far. Let’s see how they fare against a team playing 100 percent and not overachieving. The one thing the Jets do really, really well is the one thing the Chargers don’t do on defense — run (defend) the ball. As a result, Shonn Greene will again be the featured attraction. This time, we need to be ready with our pen and paper. Is he fumble prone? Can he be a factor in the passing game? If we make (no/yes) check marks there, then I don’t see why this Hawkeye won’t be a top five pick next season. Also, if Mark (refuse to call him Sanchise) Sanchez has a solid game, then we can be confident he will continue his development in the off-season to be a good starter next year. But remember, the game is being played in sunny, calm San Diego … not cold, windy New Jersey where Sanchez will be playing eight games next year.

San Diego must be seeing a clear path to the promised land with their nemesis New England knocked out. The Chargers feel they own Indianapolis and shouldn’t be scared of Baltimore, but are they overlooking the Jets? I doubt it. Unless Darrelle Revis can cover more than one guy, I’m not sure who will stop Antonio Gates or any combination of Redwood trees San Diego throws out there as receivers? My hunch is Malcolm Floyd has an Early Doucet (Hey, how ya’ll doing) game to get on our fantasy radar. At 6-5, 225 Floyd should be an attractive red zone target, and Philip Rivers likes to throw deep too. Also, keep an eye on Legedu Naanee. Not only is his name fun to say, he could be the WR who benefits the most from the “We’re not going to let Revis pick us off” approach. Of course, Darren Sproles coming out of the backfield on screens and dump-offs could be a real effective tool against the Jets frantic blitz. But we already knew that.

As for the game itself: San Diego 31, New York 13 … I believe the Chargers have been chomping at the bit and remember they even played well in Week 17 with nothing on the line. The Jets have done very well with their generous path into the playoffs and Wildcard match-up (did anybody outside of Cincy feel the Bengals were as good as they looked at the beginning of the season?). Too much credence is being put on the Jets’ running game and Darrelle Revis. There are several other factors that go into winning an NFL game (i.e. special teams and passing), which the Jets do poorly and the Chargers excel at.

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I’d be willing to bet real money that one Super Bowl team, if not both of them, will feature one of the guys on this list. Sorry, Joe Flacco. So let’s talk about some quarterbacks who played good football in 2009 and what 2010 might bring:

Aaron Rodgers – To paraphrase Jay-Mo, what more is there to say about Rodgers? The Green Bay QB moved into the top tier, like the Chinstrap Ninjas expected in the preseason. He’s good. He’s got weapons. People in some redraft leagues will pick him in the first round in 2010. They won’t be disappointed.

Matt Schaub – So, it helps when you’ve got someone like Andre Johnson to throw to, right? That’s not the end of the story. Take a look at what tight end Owen Daniels did until he got hurt. No. 1 or 2 tight end in the league, amirite? Schaub has shown flashes of greatness that have been extinguished due to injury in the past. He stayed healthy in 2010 and lived up to the preseason hype bestowed upon him by jzak, and other people who are less ninja-y.

Drew Brees – You could argue he’s the most productive fantasy QB on the planet. You’d be wrong technically because, y’know, he’s third on this list, but remember he took some time off at the end of the year. He should still be the top QB taken in 2010.

Peyton Manning – Speaking of taking time off … undefeated? … OK, I’m going to stop. Just understand that with his brother-in-arms Marvin Harrison completely out of the picture, Manning didn’t skip a beat. Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne are superstars because of Manning, and he made fantasy stars out of Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie.

Tony Romo – As great as Romo was this year — he set club records in completions, attempts and yards — I still have this feeling he’s going to be undervalued next year. Should we put him in the same class as Brees, Manning and Rodgers, and by that I mean potential first or second round selections? I’m going to answer that question with another question, and you’re not going to be ticked off because it is a legitimate answer in question form. Is he still throwing to Miles Austin and Jason Witten?

Brett Favre — It befuddles me that Favre waited until he was 97 years old and playing for a team that doesn’t wear green and yellow to have his best fantasy season. that’s right, I said befuddles and I’m loving it. He’ll be back next year Ninjas, and you won’t be able to get him in the final round of your draft, either. Will Favre be worth his draft spot? Probably not, but he’ll be a solid starter again in 2010. Yes, I did write that because the last three words rhyme.

Tom Brady – Terrific Tom didn’t look Totally Terrific at the end of the season. Then again, it takes a little while to be back from an injury that severe — don’t forget he got an infection in that knee that delayed the recovery process.  He’ll be better in 2010, and if his name wasn’t Brady, Tom, he’d be a value pick in next year’s draft.

Ben Roethlisberger – Big Ben is one of the quarterbacks nominated for a Platinum Shuriken MVP award. After a down 2008, he went for good value in 2009 drafts. Then he erupted onto the scene and finished as the No. 8 QB. He’ll be one of those guys that all the ‘perts say isn’t getting enough respect in the magazines. Then, by the time you draft, he’ll be going ahead of Brady and Brees. Don’t do that. But understand that with the aging Ward teamed with Santonio Holmes and Mike Wallace, Roethlisberger’s going to be an intriguing fantasy pick for years.

Philip Rivers – It’ll be interesting to see where Rivers goes in early drafts and where outlets have him ranked next season. When they play in the Super Bowl, he’ll get some hype added to his basket. The basket is not full by any means, because he’s got a legitimate shot to be a top 5 quarterback as long as that offense stays intact, and he’ll be drafted post-Favre and post-Brady. Probably shouldn’t neither.

Eli Manning – As a Giants fan, I feel a bit vindicated to relate this anecdote. After drafting Hakeem Nicks in one redraft league and expressing the pleasantness I felt with the pick, a fellow owner quipped “yeah, but he’s got Eli throwing to him.” Let it be said that Eli Manning, at least in the standard-type format I’m basing this list on, was a Top-10 quarterback in 2010. Let it also be noted that the Giants collapse was horrific and Eli Manning played a part. He threw for a career high in yards (4,071) and TDs (27), but also tied a career high in fumbles (13), set a high in fumbles lost (8) and threw 14 picks to amass the highest turnover total (22) of his career. But in 2010, he’s still throwing to Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, Kevin Boss, Ahmad Bradshaw and Mario Manningham, so expect more offensive production and a potential return to the top 10.

			5	-	Lonestars	426.30	84.05	26.64	21.95	16.75	45.35	9.60	28.15	33.90	31.50	22.95	26.90	33.55	26.60	29.80	0	31.80	31.25	21.35	14.90
2	Schaub, Matt	HOU	10	-	Mavericks	392.20	72.90	24.51	25.25	21.30	26.35	30.25	14.05	21.80	28.25	0	24.65	14.70	22.10	39.60	31.05	14.20	31.50	39.25	7.90
3	Brees, Drew	NOR	5	-	Lounge Lizards	389.10	37.60	24.32	0.00	18.90	18.70	28.80	32.95	41.55	21.35	17.15	21.90	26.70	27.20	38.05	0	10.00	8.40	31.55	45.90
4	Manning, Peyton	IND	6	-	Scorpions	382.50	46.75	23.91	3.75	9.60	33.40	24.00	17.50	24.20	16.95	35.35	24.10	22.35	23.75	0	31.45	29.65	36.95	26.45	23.05
5	Romo, Tony	DAL	6	-	Bruisers	362.55	69.55	22.66	25.55	19.30	24.70	20.45	36.60	26.45	11.30	16.15	21.35	24.80	33.65	0	28.05	12.75	14.95	13.65	32.85
6	Favre, Brett	MIN	9	-	Hooters	362.20	75.25	22.64	37.00	28.05	10.20	13.40	21.75	36.60	26.65	24.20	0	28.20	19.70	25.90	14.60	25.55	25.15	15.75	9.50
7	Brady, Tom	NWE	8	-	Jazz	361.90	46.80	22.62	8.30	29.75	8.75	12.60	26.60	10.05	25.40	35.05	26.10	0	28.90	48.00	17.75	23.00	19.85	10.00	31.80
8	Roethlisberger, Ben	PIT	8	-	Heretics	349.50	82.50	21.84	23.70	15.95	42.85	11.25	21.60	0.00	35.30	9.30	21.65	0	12.95	30.95	24.85	29.95	23.10	20.65	25.45
9	Rivers, Philip	SDG	5	-	Team	341.20	58.55	21.33	8.95	21.20	28.40	16.70	29.65	27.25	11.25	19.55	21.95	15.45	27.20	16.80	0	23.80	23.65	33.80	15.60
10	Manning, Eli	NYG	10	-	Jazz	313.25	48.85	19.58	5.05	18.40	25.40	36.35	19.05	9.80	35.20	0	20.75	16.50	13.15	10.90	16.65	24.60	16.95	29.70	14.80

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The format and formula I’m using this week are a little different than usual, but let’s follow the same rules. Don’t bench Drew Brees against the best defense in place of JaMarcus Russell against the worst, ok?

However, if you’re deciding between Tony Romo and Matt Ryan, like I am in one league, you’ll definitely want to take a look at these.

Before I give you the full list, let’s take a look at some key matchups:

Ben Roethlisberger vs. Minnesota Vikings

Big Ben’s big performances have been commonplace this year, and the Vikings are a top-10 matchup for opposing QBs.

The easy money’s on Peyton Manning against the Rams or Philip Rivers against the Chiefs as no-brainer picks of the week, but both of those games have the potential to be blowouts early. The Vikings-Steelers tilt should be one of the most competitive games of the season (Super Bowl preview?).

So, while Manning and Rivers might have three TD tosses by halftime, they won’t be racking up yards and scores in the fourth quarter like Big Ben.

Eli Manning vs. Arizona Cardinals

Eli and the Giants have impressed with their aerial assault this season, and they’ve got the best matchup of the week.

The Cardinals have allowed 265.2 yards per game, the second-most in the NFL this season, and 37.8 attempts per game, the fourth-most.

Donovan McNabb vs. Washington Redskins

The Redskins are the stingiest in the league against the passing game. Only the Panthers and the Giants are allowing less yards per game and only three teams – the Colts, Jets and Broncos – have allowed fewer TDs per game.

What’s worse, the Eagles QB was below average against Washington in 2008 (426 yards, 0 TDs in two games). Yes, McNabb has new weapons emerging in Brent Celek, Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy, but if your No. 2 is even an above average option, you probably want to steer clear of Philadelphia this week.

Jake Delhomme vs. Buffalo Bills

This is the failboat pick of the week. The Bills have 10 interceptions (tied for third most) and 14 sacks this season. Delhomme doesn’t even have to be below his average to make sure both of those numbers increase.

Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. Carolina Panthers

With Fitzpatrick expecting to start over Trent Edwards (concussion) this week, we might have been able to find out of Terrell Owens’ sucktitude is Edwardsian in nature.

However, the Panthers are not the kind of team a new quarterback wants to take the reins against. Opposing QBs have attempted just 25.8 passes per game, and have netted just 156.8 yards per game – both numbers are the second-least in the NFL in 2009.

Jay Cutler vs. Cincinnatti Bengals

A must-start this week, Cutler threw for 300 in Week 6 against the Falcons. He’s thrown 2 TDs in every game since Week 2.

The Bengals have allowed 25 plays of 20 yards or more, that’s the most in the NFL. They’re also among the 10 worst teams in attempts per game, yards per attempt and yards per game.

Cutler’s virtually guaranteed 250yards and 2 TDs. And that’s a low estimate.

Not a matchup, but an important note

The Titans, Lions, Jaguars and Ravens are among the teams on bye this week. The Titans (1), Lions (3) and Jaguars (4) are three of the best matchups in fantasy football. The Ravens are the 10th best matchup.

That means there aren’t a lot of great quarterback matchups to go around for those of you with QBs on bye.

Shaun Hill, Derek Anderson, Mark Sanchez, Chad Henne, Marc Bulger – all potential bye-week fillers – have matchups against some of the best defenses against quarterbacks.

That said, they’re still better than Josh Johnson, JaMarcus Russell, Delhomme and Fitzpatrick this week.

On to the full list:

Best matchups for quarterbacks

1. Eli Manning vs. Arizona
2. Jay Cutler vs. Cincinnatti
3. Philip Rivers vs. Kansas City
4. Matt Ryan vs. Dallas
5. Ben Roethlisberger vs. Minnesota
6. Peyton Manning vs. St. Louis
7. Matt Schaub vs. San Francisco
8. Aaron Rodgers vs. Cleveland
9. Tom Brady vs. Tampa Bay
10. Tony Romo vs. Atlanta
11. Drew Brees vs. Miami
12. Carson Palmer vs. Chicago
13. Matt Cassel vs. San Diego
14. Brett Favre vs. Pittsburgh
15. Shaun Hill vs. Houston
16. Derek Anderson vs. Green Bay
17. Mark Sanchez vs. Oakland
18. Chad Henne vs. New Orleans
19. Jason Campbell vs. Philadelphia
20. Marc Bulger vs. Indianapolis
21. JaMarcus Russell vs. New York Jets
22. Trent Edwards/Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. Carolina
23. Kurt Warner vs. New York Giants
24. Josh Johnson vs. New England
25. Jake Delhomme vs. Buffalo
26. Donovan McNabb vs. Washington

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Should you care? Absolutely. I have Donovan McNabb in several leagues and I’m sweating my starting spot. If you’re in the same boat, and one of these guys is an option, why not take a chance and swing for the fences.

Again, these are based on matchups, not rankings. Please don’t start Jason Campbell over Kurt Warner even though Campbell has the best matchup this week and Warner has the worst. Ninjas don’t condone dumb, and that would fit the profile.

Just expect Warner to have a little tougher go of it than usual, and Campbell to be at least a little better than usual.

On to the matchup rankings for NFL Week 3, listed best to worst:

Jason Campbell, Redskins at Detroit

Jason, it’s up to you. There is no better matchup in fantasy football this week. Santana Moss and Co. are good enough to exploit the defense, you just have to get the ball to them.

Drew Brees, Saints at Buffalo

If you church, say a prayer for the Buffalo secondary on Sunday. Divine intervention might be the only thing that saves them from 600 yards and 6 TDs.

Eli Manning, Giants vs. Tampa Bay

There were probably few QBs happier than Eli Manning after the emergence of his star wide receivers in Week 2. While watching film this week, I’m sure he shed a few tears of joy.

Mark Sanchez, Jets vs. Tennessee

Like the fall of Tampa Bay, the Titans have gone from a top-5 defense against QBs to a must exploit matchup. Now, Sanchez isn’t going to throw for 400 and 3 TDs, so don’t start him unless your stud is among the walking wounded.

Kevin Kolb, Eagles vs. Kansas City

Joe Flacco demolished the Chiefs in Week 1. The only reason the Raiders didn’t do it last week is because JaMarcus Russell is bad. Kolb’s performance should lead to Jeff Garcia’s release.

Matt Schaub, Texans vs. Jacksonville

The buffet continues for Schaub to Andre Johnson in Week 3.

Aaron Rodgers, Packers at St. Louis

Time for Rodgers to get back on track, he and JerMichael Finley are going to be very busy Sunday.

Philip Rivers, Chargers vs. Miami

So, Rivers throws the ball a lot. He throws to tight end Antonio Gates a lot. Miami has given up a lot of fantasy points to QBs and a lot to TEs.

Tony Romo, Cowboys vs. Carolina (Monday night)

I’m not ready to give up on Romo. The Giants just had his number. The Panthers D might grab a pick-six, but Romo puts up overall solid fantasy numbers.

Jake Delhomme, Panthers at Dallas (Monday night)

Not sure if you heard, but the Dallas defense is susceptible to big plays from receivers. Delhomme to Smith could be a delightful combo for some fantasy owners.

Brady Quinn, Browns at Baltimore

Funny to see the Ravens this high, but they gave up the fourth-most fantasy points to a QB last week. Maybe they’re aging and not as dominant, but Quinn will have a difficult time taking advantage of it.

David Garrard, Jaguars at Houston

Based on what we know after two weeks, I don’t consider Houston an awful defense or a great defense. However, if they fail to pay attention to Maurice Jones Drew or Mike Sims-Walker like they ignored Chris Johnson, Garrard’s going to post career-high numbers.

Matt Ryan, Falcons at New England

The Patriots D is another one we’ll know more about after Week 3, but I’m not afraid of playing Matt Ryan this week.

Marc Bulger, Rams vs. Green Bay

Laurent Robinson and Donnie Avery just are not getting it done. Do they have a Mario Manningham type player waiting in the wings? No, no they don’t. I don’t care what Bulger’s matchup looks like. You start him, you deserve to lose. Wait until he has a decent game.

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers at Cincinnati

As good as Roethlisberger’s been this year, the Bengals defense looked improved against the Packers last week. I can’t tell you to sit him because this is a middle-of-the-road matchup. But I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Roethlisberger get beat up this week.

Brett Favre, Vikings vs. San Francisco

Favre had one of the best matchups last week (Detroit)and the passing game couldn’t take advantage. The Lions are better, but Favre is just a bye-week filler. And nobody’s on bye yet, so you shouldn’t start him.

Seneca Wallace, Seahawks vs. Chicago

This matchup would have been a little more exciting if it was Matt Hasselbeck and not Wallace. As it is, the Bears defense is a little better than it was last year, so you better have a darn good reason to start Wallace.

Carson Palmer, Bengals vs. Pittsburgh

Weird to have the Steelers up this high on a matchup list, but they’ve been middle of the road so far this year. You already know this, but don’t bench Palmer unless you’ve got a stud ahead of him.

Kyle Orton, Broncos at Oakland

Oakland was somewhat stingy against QBs last season and it has continued this year.

Peyton Manning, Colts at Arizona (Sunday night)

Arizona is one of the more improved defenses this year, but Manning will be himself and skewer the Cardinals’ defensive backs while skewing the defensive stats, because that’s what he does.

Trent Edwards, Bills  vs. New Orleans

It’s hard to read the Saints D. They were good against Matthew Stafford and the Lions, but they gave up massive points to the Kevin Kolb-led Eagles in Week 2. We’ll know more this week, but in either case, Edwards will have to try to match that Saints aerial assault.

Chad Pennington, Dolphins at San Diego

As I expected the Chargers defense has been much more stingy this year compared to last. Pennington’s not going to erupt for big games anyway, so this is a matchup ranking that you should follow as a real ranking. Bench’em

Tom Brady, Patriots vs. Atlanta

It’s Tom Brady. You start him against anybody even if he’s throwing to pancakes and orange juice against the best defense in the league. Atlanta should not concern you. And I’m hungry for breakfast.

Matthew Stafford, Lions vs. Washington

Stafford is a rookie QB making rookie mistakes. Washington is not so forgiving against QBs. Like putting ketchup on your breakfast cereal, playing Stafford this week is a bad idea. Really, breakfast would be a good call.

Shaun Hill, 49ers at Minnesota

Minnesota’s a bad matchup across all the skill positions except for tight end. So if you’re doing a revolving door TE thing and want to play Vernon Davis, have at it. Just don’t expect Hill to get too much.

Bryon Leftwich, Buccaneers vs. New York Giants

This is a sneaky pick because Leftwich could be forced to throw the ball a lot and the Giants will be without star safety Kenny Phillips who pillaged and plundered the Cowboys last week.

Matt Cassel, Chiefs at Philadelphia

Word is Cassel’s job isn’t safe. I hope you’re not stuck starting him this week. He’s got a bad matchup and he may only play a half before Brodie Croyle gets a shot. Brodie Croyle.

Joe Flacco, Ravens  vs. Cleveland

Despite their relative ineptitude, the Browns defense was among the 10 best against QBs in 2008 and they’ve actually been better than that so far in 2009. They give up a lot of points to RBs and the Ravens have plenty of them.

Kerry Collins, Titans at New York Jets

The Jets won’t ignore Chris Johnson, who is fast, and they’re the most improved fantasy defense against QBs from 2008 to 2009. If you’re thinking about starting Kerry Collins, who is old, you’re probably not online reading Chinstrap Ninjas or any other website for fantasy football advice anyway.

JaMarcus Russell, Raiders vs. Denver

Look up train wreck at the online encyclopedia of your choice and you’ll find Russell vs. Broncos 2009. The QB’s performance against the Raiders last week will be listed as a supporting statement.

Kurt Warner, Cardinals vs. Indianapolis (Sunday night)

The Colts were the second-best team against fantasy QBs in 2008. They were No. 2 in Week 1 and No. 1 in Week 2. Start Warner – because, y’know Fitzgerald and friends – just make sure you don’t take too many other chances with your lineup.

What do you guys think about these matchups? Am I totally off on one? Two? 10? What do you think is the best matchup this week? Let’s discuss it in the comments.

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Cedric Benson is a real NFL running back. (Note punctuation is a not a question mark) And Chris Johnson reads Chinstrap Ninjas. Who knew?!

Anyway, a lot of NFL game-y stuff happened yesterday. Here are some of the things I noticed from Week 2′s Sunday games:

Cedric Benson – He continues to make me look bad while playing good. After years of sucktitude I figured him for done, but he’s been first-, second-round running back good so far this season.

Chris Johnson – Mere hours after I used one-year wonder and Chris Johnson in the same sentence at Chinstrap Ninjas, the Titans back erupts with a game for the ages. Let’s try this again: If Steve Slaton doesn’t turn things around in Week 3, it’s going to be hard to consider him anything but a one-year wonder.

Matt Schaub – Contradictory to some of my matchups research, Schaub had a great day. Take away Andre Johnson’s penchant for demolishing the Titans and Schaub would probably have fit the profile.

Raiders/Chiefs offenses – They suck. Seriously, with the way those teams get dumped on by the rest of the league, this game should have produced a couple fantasy studs.

Anquan Boldin – Part of the Cardinals’ questionable brigade, Boldin manned up and went all possession receiver to help the squad.

Mario Manningham – It was not a particularly great matchup for the Giants, but Eli Manning to Manningham (and to Steve Smith) was a great combo Sunday night. Manningham had 10 catches and 150 yards. After that kind of performance, expect Eli to keep looking his way. If he’s available and you have roster space, pick him up.

Philip Rivers – Torched the Ravens defense, thanks to Darren Sproles and Vincent Jackson, but still lost because of Willis McGahee and Joe Flacco. This Ravens team is a Super Bowl contender.

Willis McGahee – Speaking of McGahee, his late round ADP is looking like steal-of-the-draft material after two weeks. He has 3 TDs in two weeks of 2009 after having seven all of last year. He’s also averaging almost five yards per carry.

Fred Jackson – Continues to prove why he should be in a committee when Marshawn Lynch returns from suspension.

Julian Edelman – Remember when you dynasty leaguers were deciding what rookie receiver you should pick to stash for the future – Hakeem Nicks, Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin or Kenny Britt? Why not the one who plays on the pass-happy Patriots? Brandon Tate, right? Apparently not. Edelman’s performance came out of nowhere. Not sure he’ll keep it up. There are a lot of weapons on that team and Brady likes to spread the ball around.

Johnny Knox – Another rookie receiver chosen late after his team had picked somebody else rounds earlier. Knox one of Knox’s six receptions was the game-winning TD. Not sure he’ll keep it up, but you never know because that offense is still trying to figure itself out.

Mike Sims-Walker – Read a few things about Sims-Walker in the preseason. You’d remember him as third-year receiver Mike Walker, who added some hyphenation in the offseason and had 106 yards receiving and a TD yesterday. He’s a definite waiver pickup.

Derek Schouman – Six catches for 62 yards for the third-year tight end out of Boise State. Like the Bears, the Bills are trying to figure everything out. Maybe Schouman emerges as a legitimate target from here out. If you’re backup tight end is merely a placeholder guy like Donald Lee, I’d drop him to get Schouman’s upside.

Lawrence Tynes – I said on multiple occasions how available Tynes was at the ends of drafts. For me, the writing was on the wall. Eli Manning’s not going to be consistent enough to throw for a ton of TDs and without Derrick Ward, the running game was going to be slowed down enough to lead to a few more field goals. Tynes helped fantasy teams win on Sunday, you don’t always get that out of kickers.

There were lots of games and big happenings on Sunday. What did I miss? What impressed you the most? Let us know in the comments.

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Even the best prognosticators didn’t think Tim Hightower would have 12 catches, or that Willie Parker would have 13 carries for 19 yards (that’s among the most pitiful performances I have ever seen).

Some prognosticators – Super Ninja jzak, for example – do seem like they’ve made a deal with the devil to see into the future. How do they do it? Beats me.

But what I do know is that when it comes to picking your lineup, looking at past performances can pay dividends. Last week, I told readers that Ben Roethlisberger was going to have a good game. I was off on the projections, but the fact is he had a great game.

But, and it’s a pretty big one, matchup evaluation also pegged Parker for a strong game.

So take these rankings with a grain of whatever food additive you choose and understand that they’re based on matchups and not final rankings. I provided commentary where I felt it was warranted.

Week 2 Quarterback matchup rankings

1. Kurt Warner @ Jacksonville
2. Peyton Manning @ Miami
3. Tom Brady @ NY Jets
4. Drew Brees @ Philadelphia – Philly D is strong this year, made the Panthers – Jake Delhomme in particular – look worse than they are.
5. Matt Schaub @ Tennessee – Titans were torched by Big Ben last week.
6. Tony Romo vs. NY Giants
7. Aaron Rodgers vs. Cincinnatti
8. David Garrard vs. Arizona – Shootout in the FLA?
9. Philip Rivers vs. Baltimore – Ravens will shut down the run, can Rivers make them pay?
10. Matt Ryan vs. Carolina – Did you see what the Eagles did to Carolina last week?
11. Kyle Orton vs. Cleveland – If Orton’s going to do anything in 2009, it’ll come against a team like the Browns. Still, an example of the matchups vs. real rankings discussion above.
12. Ben Roethlisberger at Chicago
13. Matt Hasselbeck at San Francisco
14. Shaun Hill vs. Seattle
15. Joe Flacco at San Diego
16. Brodie Croyle vs. Oakland – The honest to goodness matchup has Croyle 13th. I couldn’t bring myself to type a list that had Croyle in the top 13 of anything.
17. Bryon Leftwich at Buffalo
18. Mark Sanchez vs. New England
19. Chad Pennington vs. Indianapolis
20. Eli Manning at Dallas
21. Jason Campbell vs. St. Louis
22. Kevin Kolb vs. New Orleans – You should know to stay away from Kolb until he shows he can do anything at the NFL level.
23. Brett Favre at Detroit
24. Kerry Collins vs. Houston

What do you guys think? Are any of you starting Kyle Orton against the Browns or Brodie Croyle against Oakland? Let us know in the comments.

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