A lot of fantasy sites offer weekly individual stats projections. Most of those sites are not free. I have no guarantees that these are going to be better than those expensive ones, but they are all pretty realistic. Safe even. At least there’s that.

In this edition we discuss the 2010 NFL Week 1 game between the Raiders and Titans in Tennessee.

The projections are based on last season’s statistics with tweaks where necessary for teams that have undergone major changes. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s all we have this week.

Other games: MIN@NO | CLE@TB | MIA@BUF | CIN@NE | ATL@PIT | DEN@JAX | IND@HOU | OAK@TEN | CAR@NYG | DET@CHI | ARI@STL | GB@PHI | SF@SEA | DAL@WAS | BAL@NYJ | SD@KC

Jason Campbell’s debut in black and silver could be an interesting one. The Titans offer a favorable passing matchup against the Raiders. The statistics say the Titans win 23-19, and though it is unlikely, Campbell could change that considerably.

Matchups

The aforementioned matchup goes for the players receiving passes from Campbell as well. We should find out right away if the Raiders are going to be better with a better quarterback under center. However, each team has a top level cornerback, the Raiders’ Nnamdi Asomugha and the Titans’ Cortland Finnegan, that could hinder the top receivers for each team.

Matchups also favor what the Titans want to do on the offensive side of the ball. The Raiders gave up almost as many yards on the ground per game last season as the CJ-led Titans accumulated.

The Raiders should rush for more than 100 yards as a team and the injury to Michael Bush means Darren McFadden should get opportunities to get most of those yards. If he is ineffective, look for Rock Cartwright and Michael Bennett to get some carries.

Quarterback

Jason Campbell, WAS: 21-34, 209 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 20 yards rushing

Vince Young, TEN: 17-29, 198 yards, 1TD, 1 INT; 20 yards rushing, fumble

Running back

Chris Johnson, TEN: 140 yards, TD; 3 catches, 40 yards receiving, TD

Darren McFadden, OAK: 80 yards, TD; 5 catches, 40 yards receiving

Rock Cartwright, OAK: 5 yards

Michael Bennett, OAK: 5 yards

Javon Ringer, TEN: 5 yards; 1 catch, 5 yards receiving

Wide receiver

Nate Washington, TEN: 5-45

Darrius Heyward-Bey, OAK: 4-50

Louis Murphy, OAK: 5-50

Justin Gage, TEN: 4-40

Johnnie Lee Higgins, OAK: 1-5

Jacoby Ford, OAK: 1-5

Tight end

Zach Miller, OAK: 6-80, TD

Bo Scaife, TEN: 4-40

Kicker

Rob Bironas, TEN: 2 FG, 2 XP

Sebastian Janikowski, OAK: 1 FG, 2 XP

Defense

Raiders: 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT

Titans: 3 sacks, 1 INT

Related posts

• 2010 AFC South Divisional Preview (0)
• AFC West: The Preseason preview (5)
• 2010 AFC West Divisional Preview (3)
• Fantasy football: Week 1 projections (TEN@PIT) (0)
• Dissecting NFL box scores from Week 3 [FFB] (0)

Be sure to note, however, that some of the rankings used were not as up-to-date as the others, depending on how quickly each site has updated its own list of players and factored in offseason injuries, position battles, etc. Therefore, the following rankings may see a little skewing compared to what you’d expect.

Be sure to check out the composite running back rankings along with our collection of strategies and sleepers, and all of our 2010 fantasy football rankings.

Without further ado, here are the composite QB rankings:

1. Drew Brees
2. Aaron Rodgers
3. Peyton Manning
4. Tom Brady
5. Matt Schaub
6. Tony Romo
7. Philip Rivers
8. Jay Cutler
9. Joe Flacco
10. Matt Ryan
11. Eli Manning
12. Brett Favre
13. Kevin Kolb
14. Donovan McNabb
15. Carson Palmer
16. Ben Roethlisberger
17. Chad Henne
18. Alex Smith
19. Matthew Stafford
20. Vince Young
21. Matt Cassel
22. David Garrard
23. Mark Sanchez
24. Jason Campbell
25. Matt Hasselbeck
26. Matt Leinart
27. Kyle Orton
28. Matt Moore
29. Josh Freeman
30. Sam Bradford
31. Tarvaris Jackson
32. Jake Delhomme
33. Trent Edwards
34. Derek Anderson
35. Byron Leftwich

Related posts

• 2010 Redraft Quarterback Rankings with Player Capsules (5)
• Fantasy football ADP: Analyzing the top 25 quarterbacks (0)
• The most extensive 2010 dynasty quarterback rankings on the net (7)
• 2010 redraft fantasy football rankings: Quarterbacks (4)
• Fantasy football: NFL Week 3 QB matchup rankings (1)

Let’s take another look at quarterbacks in redrafts:

1. Aaron Rodgers – Rodgers was the top fantasy producing QB last year in most formats.  I see no reason why they would change in 2010.  He has a better offensive line with the signing of Bryan Bulaga.  He should have TE Jermichael Finley healthy and active for a full season.  Finley was a beast down the stretch last year.  Plus better o-line play could lead to more play to leading receiver Greg Jennings.  James Starks also provides them with the added dimension of a receiving running back, something they did not have in 2009.  The only downer could be Donald Driver’s knees but the Pack have James Jones and Jordy Nelson chomping at the bit to fill his shoes anyway.

2. Peyton Manning – What more can be said about Peyton that has not already been said?  He is just the most remarkably consistent QB perhaps to ever play the game.  His big drawback is that typically the Colts have their division wrapped up that they don’t give Manning much playing time in critical week 16 of the season when most fantasy championships are won.  If you get there with him, be prepared for a contingency plan in your league’s Super Bowl.

3. Drew Brees – I almost ranked him #1 on this list.  The Saints are one of the most sophisticated pass happy teams going.  I ranked him lower due to potential Super Bowl hangover.  He still is a top flight QB and may end up #1 on this list at season’s end.

4. Tom Brady – With one more season at least with Randy Moss in tow, look for Brady to Moss to light up the sky.  It may not be as magical as 2007 when they were both younger, but it should be special nonetheless.  For the detractors that say he can’t do it without Wes Welker, Julian Edelman has proven to be a worthy replacement for him, and I can guarantee Welker will return as soon as his body allows him.

5. Philip Rivers – This ranking goes under the assumption that the Chargers do something to sign Vincent Jackson.  I will assume they will.  Without him, they can kiss any Super Bowl aspirations they have goodbye.

6. Matt Schaub – Schaub posted some really nice numbers last season.  The Texans may run the ball a little more with Ben Tate and a full year of Arian Foster, but this is still a passing oriented team, make no mistake about it.

7. Tony Romo – I had Romo in the top 4 prior Dez Bryant’s injury.  Bryant being out 4-6 weeks in the preseason means more of Roy Williams in 2010.  How disappointing it must be in Dallas country.  I had them making a Super Bowl run.  Romo is still a decent QB, but he won’t make that upper echelon level in 2010.

8. Brett Favre – Yes Favre will come back.  He needs his one big red zone target, Sidney Rice, to get healthy to start the season.  Here’s to one more year in the sun you grizzly veteran.

9. Joe Flacco -  I like Flacco a lot for the 2010 season.  He is really going to come into his own and surprise some people.  Anquan Boldin was a huge addition.  Donte Stallworth also provides him with a decent third WR option.  In years past it was Derrick Mason and whoever took the field.  He has sleeper QB written all over him.  He could even post Philip Rivers type numbers in his coming out season.

10.  Matt Ryan – I rank Ryan ahead of Jay Cutler for several reasons.  One, he has 2 bonafide receiving threats in Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez.  Two, he is not the interception machine that Cutler can be at times.  Three, he has a legitimate running game with a rejuvenated Michael Turner in the backfield.  Look for Ryan to make big strides in 2010.

11.  Jay Cutler – Everyone is gushing over how Mike Martz (the offensive genius) will make Cutler such a better passer.  He will improve overall over last year simply due to the fact they will pass more in 2010 and he has another year of experience with the receivers under his belt.  One flaw in Martz’s system though is the amount of interceptions thrown.  Cutler is already interception prone.  I can easily see another 20-some interception season coming his way.  That high interception total tempers my interest a bit in him as my starting QB.

12.  Eli Manning – Eli really seemed to finally come into his own last year.  He is another QB that will benefit from another full season with his young receivers.  I have him below Cutler because the Giants will most likely run a little more in 2010 as long as Brandon Jacobs stays healthy all year.

13.  Carson Palmer – I originally had him a little lower, but the recent TO signing by the Bengals make him a sneaky fantasy pick in 2010.  They added Jermaine Gresham too.  It will be interesting to see how they fit a receiving TE into the offense.  That’s a facet they have never yet had under Carson Palmer’s tenure there.

14.  Donovan McNabb – McNabb to Moss and Cooley has a nice ring to it.  If any QB can adapt to a new environment, I believe McNabb can.  His scrambling skills have eroded with age, but he is still sneaky moving around in the pocket.  Plus he will have a chip on his shoulder to prove the Eagles made a mistake.

15.  Alex Smith – The 49ers are a team on the rise.  They also have a fairly easy 2010 schedule.  Smith posted some decent numbers later in the year last year.  A full offseason with main WR threat Michael Crabtree will definitely be a plus for him.

16.  Chad Henne – I like Chad Henne moving forward.  In a few more years he will be a great QB in this league.  He already has impact receiver Brandon Marshall on his side.  He could develop into a top 10 QB in a year or 2, mark my words.

17.  Matt Hasselbeck – A lot of people are forgetting this veteran and writing him off.  The addition of Russell Okung to the offensive line was huge this offseason.  If they keep Hasselbeck upright, he has the receiving weapons on this team to move higher up on this list.

18.  Byron Leftwich/Ben Roethlisberger – Yes you have to buy them both to achieve this ranking.  Otherwise look for Big Ben alone to be lower on the list.  A bigger attention to the running game in 2010 and suspension in the beginning of the season by Ben spells disaster for the Steelers passing game in 2010.

19.  Jason Campbell – Yes it’s a new system again for Campbell.  Yes it’s the Raiders.  But Campbell has always proven to be around the average starting football QB each and every season.  The Raiders’ best receiver is Zach Miller at TE. TE is a target Campbell was accustomed to using in Washington.  He will be decent again in 2010 and be a major improvement for the Silver and Black over JaMarcus Russell.

20.  Kevin Kolb – How can anyone have him ranked so low?  Isn’t he the best sleeper QB in 2010 you ask?  I think Kolb will be decent but experience some significant growing pains his first year at the helm.  He will look brilliant at times and then utterly pathetic at other times.  He has a great supporting cast.  He’s another QB that will be knocking on the top 10 doorstep in 2-3 years.  Just not in 2010.

21.  Matt Moore – Even though he is on a run first offense, Moore played really well for stretches in 2009.  He seemed to develop a nice chemistry with lead receiver Steve Smith.  Being pushed by Jimmy Clausen will help further his development.

22.  Vince Young – VY reminds me of the poor man’s Michael Vick.  He has some receiving weapons if Kenny Britt can get his head fastened on straight before the season start.  They will still remain a run first team.

23.  Matt Leinart – Leinart gets his shot in 2010.  I still think he is just a pretty boy out there living the good life without a real care about the game.  If he doesn’t develop into something this year, look for the Cards to be replacing him soon.

24.  Matthew Stafford – If he was a little more of a seasoned player, he would be much higher on this list.  He has premier talent Calvin Johnson to throw to.  Plus they have assembled a decent supporting cast.  His inexperience keeps him this low for 2010.

25.  David Garrard – Another mediocre QB on a run-first team.  That tends to be the theme on these lower end QB’s

26.  Mark Sanchez – See David Garrard.

27.  Matt Cassel – The QB that was purely a product of the system and talent in NE.  KC brought back the system with Charlie Weis, unfortunately the Randy Moss, Wes Welker talent is not there.

28.  Kyle Orton – Losing Brandon Marshall will be a big blow to this offense, no matter how McDaniels feels about it.  Orton will be a below average QB with the current receiving group he has.

29.  Josh Freeman – The only reason I rank him above the bottom three because 2 of the QB’s are absolutely pathetic (Edwards and Delhomme) and rookie Bradford will have a lot of growing pains.

30.  Trent Edwards- Is he better than Bradford in his rookie season?  I will rank him higher but I have my doubts.

31.  Sam Bradford – The rookie QB would normally be at the bottom of my redraft wish list every year.  It’s just that Jake Delhomme is so pathetic I have to rank him higher.

32.  Jake Delhomme/Seneca Wallace/Colt McCoy – Take any of the 3 and it spells 2010 disaster.  McCoy may have some upside down the road.

Related posts

• 2010 Composite Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings (2)
• Fantasy football ADP: Analyzing the top 25 quarterbacks (0)
• 2010 redraft fantasy football rankings: Quarterbacks (4)
• The most extensive 2010 dynasty quarterback rankings on the net (7)
• Fantasy football: NFL Week 3 QB matchup rankings (1)

After you check out our stuff on the front page, hop on over to our 2010 Fantasy Football Rankings page to get a taste of what we’ve done and what we plan to do. It’s a bit, um, aggressively expansive, but we’ve got a stable of talented writers who have all sorts of opinions.

You will get a taste of those varying opinions in these ADP rankings.

By reading the blurbs about these quarterbacks, no matter how long or short, it should be blatantly obvious whether I agree or disagree with a player’s average draft position (pulled from www.mockdraftcentral.com).

Where necessary, analysis will be expanded in upcoming redraft and dynasty rankings.

ADP: Top 25 quarterbacks

*ADP in parentheses

1. Aaron Rodgers (9.47) — Rodgers should be the top quarterback taken. The draft has to fall just right for experienced fantasy owners to pick Rodgers at his ADP. A half a round later? Snap him up.

2. Drew Brees (11.94) — Another high late-first, early-second ADP. Again, not a huge fan of picking QBs in the first round. However, if you want a true advantage at the position, you must get one of these two players.

3. Peyton Manning (21.83) — Manning in the third round feels like a value…

4. Tom Brady (34.86) — … But not as much as Brady in the fourth. Yes there’s risk, but the reward — if Brady is totally healed and still throwing to those weapons — is huge.

5. Tony Romo (40.84) — Romo in the fourth-fifth area might be the best pick of 2010. Don’t be surprised if he’s the top QB. Romo threw more passes than Brees or Brett Favre in 2009.

6. Philip Rivers (41.19) — The Chargers are a pass-first team now, a move that exaggerated the decline of LaDainian Tomlinson and makes Rivers a top option at QB.

7. Matt Schaub (45.93) — Not touching Schaub in the fifth round. He won’t stay healthy or lead the league in passing again.

8. Jay Cutler (71.05) — ADP puts him in the seventh round, which is a good place to find a mid-range QB. But if Mike Martz makes him throw more, all of his numbers have a chance of going up, including his interceptions.

9. Kevin Kolb (79.27) — Anybody who has been following along knows I’m not a big fan of Kolb. He won’t throw the deep ball as well to DeSean Jackson and could throw as many INTs as TDs in his first season as a starting NFL QB. Don’t pay 8th-round money for a 10th-round QB.

10. Matt Ryan (80.48) — Ninth-round pick, throwing to a top-7 wide receiver, a top-5 TE and with a ground game that should keep defenses honest? Like Ryan here.

11. Joe Flacco (93.02) — Not much of a sleeper, since everyone says he is, but don’t be surprised if Flacco makes the expectations stand up. Lots of weapons in Baltimore. I’d reach on him before the 10th round.

12. Brett Favre (93.20) — Factoring in the current rumors — whether he denies them and says he’s playing if he’s healthy or not — I’m not picking Favre in my first 10 picks. One of these days he won’t be “ageless” anymore.

13. Eli Manning (94.04) — Should be a top-10 QB. I’d call out his name a round (or two) earlier than his ADP. The Giants are not a run-first team anymore.

14. Donovan McNabb (103.73) — Wait until the 10th-11th round for a QB, take McNabb and reap the rewards that were always out of Jason Campbell’s reach.

15. Carson Palmer (110.05) — This ADP should jump a couple spots between now and your draft. The addition of Terrell Owens could crank up this offense.

16. Ben Roethlisberger (121.58) — Read an AP story that Big Ben has “never been better.” I believe it. You’ll have to wait out the suspension, but he’ll put up good numbers when he returns.

17. Matthew Stafford (124.71) — Buy here, especially as part of a QB by committee. Lions are loaded with weapons — Calvin Johnson, Tony Scheffler, Jahvid Best — in the passing game.

18. Chad Henne (129.42) — Another quarterback that would be a nice part of a committee. The Dolphins are still going to run the ball, but the addition of Brandon Marshall changes this offense greatly.

19. Kyle Orton (167.45) — Did you know that last year Orton had his best year as a pro? Threw 21 TDs to 12 INTs and for 3,800 yards? Losing Brandon Marshall is a huge hit, but Orton is another year into the Broncos system. Not sure I’d reach for him, but I’d take him as a backup if he falls a round or two beyond his ADP.

20. Vince Young (180.46) — Since Young’s rookie season in 2006, Titans QBs have averaged around 2,900 yards passing with 13 TDs and 15 INTs. VY is a QB3 with upside — especially after the way he finished 2009, but he’s not a top-20 QB.

21. Matt Cassel (246.73) — In the 25th round, I’d buy Cassel. Yes, the Chiefs are horrible, but with weapons like Dwayne Bowe and Dexter McCluster and a two-headed running attack that could surprise, Cassel might stay off his back long enough to be a surprising QB2 by the end of the season.

22. Josh Freeman (270.66) — We’re in the 28th round and picking QB3s in 10-team leagues by this point. Don’t expect a breakout. Freeman’s a marginal speculative add here.

23. Alex Smith (276.04) — Skip Orton, Young, Cassel or Freeman and pick Smith a round or two earlier than his ADP.

24. Josh Johnson (283.83) — A second TB QB? Yep, and he’s as unexciting as Freeman. There are QBs that won’t make the ADP Top 25 with more upside than these two.

25. Matt Moore (284.20) — With Moore at the helm, the Panthers Steve Smith resembled the old Steve Smith. They still have the horses in the backfield to keep safeties honest. Obviously, rookie Jimmy Clausen is an elephant in the room looking to take Moore’s job. Like Smith, pass over a bunch of guys and pick Moore a round or two before his ADP.

Bonus quarterbacks:

Byron Leftwich (287.21) — Pick him late if you get Roethlisberger. Leftwich is the likely starter during Big Ben’s forced vacation.

Mark Sanchez (287.52) — The Jets are a run-first team, but they have some serious potential in the passing game.

Matt Leinart (291.91) — With all-world receiver Larry Fitzgerald and plenty of other passing threats, this offense is dripping with potential. I wouldn’t wait until the 30th round to pick Leinart … I doubt you even have a 30th round.

David Garrard (293.53) — If Mike Sims-Walker emerges as a WR1 he could take Garrard with him. You’ll only have to waste an end game pick to reap the rewards

Jason Campbell (296.36) — He gets ripped a lot, but he went through four different offensive systems in college and has gone through a handful more as a pro. Still, he completed more than 60% of his passes in every college season, and has improved his completion percentage and QB rating in every season as a pro. If you want/need a QB3 with upside, Campbell has some.

Matt Hasselbeck (298.04) — As much as I’d like to see Hasselbeck resurrected under Pete Carroll, I just don’t see it happening. However, like Campbell and Garrard, when you’re talking about the last pick — or one of your last three — there’s not much pain if he flops.

Related posts

• 2010 Redraft Quarterback Rankings with Player Capsules (5)
• 2010 Composite Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings (2)
• The most extensive 2010 dynasty quarterback rankings on the net (7)
• 2010 redraft fantasy football rankings: Quarterbacks (4)
• Fantasy football: NFL Week 3 QB matchup rankings (1)

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.

Related posts

• 2010 Redraft Quarterback Rankings with Player Capsules (5)
• 2010 Composite Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings (2)
• Fantasy football ADP: Analyzing the top 25 quarterbacks (0)
• The most extensive 2010 dynasty quarterback rankings on the net (7)
• Fantasy football: NFL Week 3 QB matchup rankings (1)

Today let’s take a look at the Texans, Colts, Jaguars and Titans in the AFC South:

Houston Texans

• Tate ’er tot The backfield shakedown has plenty of questions, which probably won’t be answered until well into the regular season. Meanwhile, we should get some clues this preseason if Ben Tate, draft combine workout hero, is for real; if Steve Slaton, one-hit wonder, can rebound from a dreadful second year that ended with missing five games due to neck issues; or if Arian Foster, the underdog, can continue the push he made in the last two weeks of last season. 
• Andre the giant There’s no question who the No. 1 guy is on the edge, but the Texans are still searching for a capable running mate for Andre Johnson. With the potential for a high octane offense, being No. 2 could result in No. 1-type numbers. Seeing who gets the reps and makes the most of it should tell us who to snag in our upcoming drafts.
• Winner, winner chicken dinner After pushing the threshold of their first-ever winning season for several years, the Texans finally broke through last year. That makes this preseason a very important step in Houston’s rise or fall within the division, and for our purposes, player fantasy values. If the Texans come out strong this preseason, look locked-in and smooth; then we can feel good about drafting some of their fliers knowing we should get a good return on our investment.

Indianapolis Colts

• Circle the horses We saw first-hand the growth of Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon in the playoffs. Now, Anthony Gonzalez returns from injury to add another hat in the ring for No. 2 receiver. As automatic as  Peyton Manning’s production is, it’s a safe bet a clear No. 2 guy will be a fantasy gem. These coming weeks will tell us if we should be focusing on one guy or be frustrated with a committee approach.
• What can Brown do for you? Donald Brown was a popular pick last year from owners hoping to grab some extra receptions from this machine-like passing game. Unfortunately, if we paid attention last preseason we would’ve seen Brown’s inability to pick up the Colts’ pass protection scheme. That weakness kept him on the sidelines during the season and fantasy owners frustrated of his paltry numbers. The more Brown improves his blocking, the more snaps he’ll see. That’s good news for us, if we’re paying attention.
• Paint the fence Possibly the most automatic thing about Peyton Manning is his health. How much longer can he press his luck? No whammy, no whammy … no. It’s obvious the Colts’ production would take a serious hit if Manning went down, but someone has to lead the huddle and guide this well-oiled offensive juggernaut. By default it’s Curtis Painter, so let’s get to know him. You may be glad you did.

Jacksonville Jaguars

• A tight situation Marcedes Lewis was drafted out of UCLA four years ago in the first round to be the No. 1 guy. In the meantime, Lewis has put together a skimpy resume never tallying more than 41 receptions and 2 TDs in any year. With second-year man Zach Miller impressing his superiors (capped with an 8-69-2 performance in the final game last year), this may be Lewis final chance to keep his job. This preseason will also give us a sneak peek at probably one of this year’s hidden jewels in Miller.
• Sims City Mike Sims-Walker broke out last year, well at least at the beginning of the season before nagging injuries took a toll and defenses adjusted. In order for Sims-Walker to take the next fantasy step as a stud No. 1, the Jags need to find a capable No. 2. What better time to do so than this preseason?
• Survival of the fittest Three years ago, David Garrard was on the verge of stardom. Now, he’s on the verge of losing his job. The only thing saving him is the Jags don’t have a capable challenger, insert Luke McCown and Trevor Harris. What we can learn is if Garrard is taking his situation seriously and will stop taking so many chances, which depletes his completion percentage and raises his interception totals.

Tennessee Titans

• Hook ’em You could draw a lot of comparisons between Vince Young and Tim Tebow, including their throwing motion. However, one thing is clearly different. Young built his legacy, just like Tebow, by putting his team on his back for big wins. From time to time, Young was also able to do it with his arm (30 completions against USC in the BCS Championship). Tebow, not so much, outside of hitting wide open WRs. Now it’s time for Young to prove it on the professional level. He has shown glimpses, including last year against Arizona. This preseason will go a long way in determining if Young can be taken seriously as a productive fantasy quarterback.
• Receiving carousel As Young develops his passing skills and the Titans try to build a more balance attack to relieve pressure on Chris Johnson, the wide receiving corps will benefit. But who? Many will say (hope) it’s Kenny Britt, especially after seeing the magic between him and Young against Arizona last year (7-128-1). However, Britt tallied just nine total receptions the rest of the season. How the pecking order shapes out, particularly who connects best with Young, will be very telling this preseason and key for our draft charts.
• A bud for the stud Chris Johnson, unlike Steve Slaton, built on an impressive rookie campaign with an even better sophomore year. No need to elaborate, the fantasy draft magazines will. What we need to care about is who will help ease Johnson’s workload? The names are strange, but if one puts together a solid camp, it would reap tremendous value for fantasy owners this year. Let’s keep a particular eye on LeGarette Blount, who could evolve into a short-yardage/goal line specialist.

Jay-Mo’s other preseason previews:

AFC East | AFC North | AFC South | AFC West

NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West

Related posts

• 2010 AFC South Divisional Preview (0)
• 2010 Week 1 Fantasy Football preview with projections: Colts at Texans (2)
• AFC-South: Not just Peyton’s place anymore (1)
• 2010 Composite Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings (0)
• The most extensive 2010 dynasty quarterback rankings on the net (7)

Yet, this is the ideal time to get a jump start on our upcoming fantasy football drafts. Be careful, because it’s very easy to get carried away with the thrill of finally having fresh football news. There will be a lot of stuff thrown your way; i.e. who is making strides. who is struggling to learn a new system and who is “recommitted” to making a difference for their team.

The characters may change, but the script remains the same.

What you should know

• The stars are stars and will be stars in 2010, so don’t worry about what they’re doing in camp and how little they play in preseason, unless they get hurt or arrested.  Peyton Manning is going to throw for at least 3,500 yards and 25 TDs. That’s just the way it is, and he doesn’t need the preseason to prove it.
• The most productive preparation you can do is to prepare for the middle rounds of your draft and late-round fliers. Watch for those position battles and focus on those questionable rookies you’re wondering about. Will Tim Tebow have an impact this year? You’ll get a clue in these coming weeks.
• Ignore coach interviews. Every coach is going to praise their players and progress their team is making, especially the strides their rookies are making. I heard for three years how well Ted Ginn Jr. was improving, yet he seemingly regressed annually in the regular season.
• Tread lightly on the mainstream media coverage. I prefer to look up respective local media coverage. These reporters cover their team everyday. They see who is surprisingly getting first team reps, who is being used in certain packages and who is clicking with the starting QB. How honest of a perspective can mainstream analysts give from visiting a team during a one-day stop on a bus tour? This approach is especially useful with teams going through a coaching change. The local guys don’t shy away from being critical and know first-hand how the new leadership compares to last year’s coaching approach.  If there are concerns we should be aware, these guys will tell us.
• Don’t get caught up on preseason performance. Remember teams use preseason to evaluate players, not to win. A majority of the offensive packages are vanilla and are only 25 percent of what teams will actually use in the regular season. If Tennessee suddenly is throwing the ball around the field, it doesn’t mean Vince Young is going to thrive as a passing QB. Chris Johnson will be the Titans’ offense, but it will be important to notice who Young looks to on his first and second reads. That may give us a clue who he has confidence in, aside from Johnson.

Related posts

• AFC South: The preseason preview (1)
• 2010 AFC South Divisional Preview (0)
• Week 9: Chambers, Lance Long and … Wait, what? (1)
• Week 2 box scores, what do they mean? [FFB] (0)
• The most extensive 2010 dynasty quarterback rankings on the net (7)

Indianapolis Colts

QB

Peyton Manning: Manning is probably the most consistent QB you will find in fantasy circles.  No need to panic at QB for Indy, although in another 2-3 years they may want to look for someone they would like to groom as his replacement.

RB

Joseph Addai: After being pushed initially by 2009 first round pick Donald Brown, Addai settled in and completed a decent season for fantasy owners.  You can no longer count on him being your RB1, but he makes for a solid RB2 candidate.

Donald Brown: The rookie struggled with the injury bug most of the season and really didn’t make a huge impact for himself statistically.  Although as previously stated, I think the Brown acquisition provided some motivation for Addai.  From that perspective the move was successful.  I do think Brown will eat more into Addai’s playing time in the future.

WR

Reggie Wayne: One of the top receivers in the game.  He should still have a few more quality seasons left.

Austin Collie/Pierre Garcon/Anthony Gonzalez: The Colts definitely do not lack in WR talent.  All 3 of these players should contribute to the 2010 passing attack and one of the three will be ready to take over the reigns as top dog once Reggie Wayne retires.  The big question is which one of these players is best to own.  Last year it was Austin Collie.  This year could be different.

TE

Dallas Clark: Clark stayed healthy the entire season and posted stellar fantasy numbers at the TE position in 2009.  I would look for his production to go down somewhat in 2010 due to the emergence of the aforementioned WRs.

K

Adam Viniatieri: Viniatieri may finally be over the injury bug that has plagued him the past few seasons and maybe now he can contribute again in 2010.  The word out of OTAs and minicamps so far has been promising.  Due to how efficient the Colts are in the Red Zone though, the Colts kicker figures to finish in the middle third of fantasy kickers for 2010.

DEF/ST

The Indianapolis defensive unit shows flashes of brilliance every year, but it almost always seems some injuries beset them and it puts the defense ranking in the middle third of the fantasy defensive pack.

Tennessee Titans

QB

Vince Young: VY looked more like the player that came out and won 2006 ROY honors last season than the player that struggled and then rode the bench for the first half of 2009.  He keeps many drives alive with his legs and has been a proven winner in the past.  VY should be a fixture at QB for the Titans for many years to come.

RB

Chris Johnson: Johnson totally dazzled and amazed the football world and fantasy owners alike in 2009.  Although I expect CJ2K to post another respectable season, I would look for a decline in his touches in 2010 as Jeff Fisher tries not to burn him out in only a few seasons.

Javon Ringer/LaGarrette Blount: Ringer or Blount will need to win the training camp battle this year in order to get some of the scrap carry leftovers that Chris Johnson will leave.  I would give the nod to Ringer since he already has a season into the Titans system.

WR

Nate Washington: Injuries plagued Washington most of the 2009 season.  He did have some nice performances mixed in when he could keep himself on the field.  The Titans hope he can develop some more consistency in 2010.

Kenny Britt: 2010 is the year I believe Britt will take a step forward and become the leading receiving target on this team.  He is a great target down by the goal line for VY to find.

TE

Bo Scaife/Jared Cook: Scaife was resigned by the Titans and knows the system well.  Eventually he will hand over the reigns to Jared Cook as the TE in Titanland.

K

Rob Bironas: The Titan offense typically struggles in the red zone every year and 2010 should be no exception.  Bironas will finish in the top third of the fantasy kickers because of it.

DEF/ST

The Titans defense is young and struggled throughout much of the 2009 season. 2010 may be another repeat in the bottom third of fantasy defenses until some of the young talent on the team develops.

Jacksonville Jaguars

QB

David Garrard: Garrard is a capable NFL QB but is not an elite option at the position by any means.  Garrard was given a vote of confidence by the Jaguar brass by them not selecting a QB in this year’s draft.  Garrard just needs to develop some chemistry with the young receivers to step up his game.

RB

Maurice Jones-Drew: You really can’t get anyone much better than MJD at the running back position.  He carries the majority of the load and has posted top 10 RB fantasy numbers in his entire career.  Look for him to be elite again in 2010.

Rashad Jennings: Jennings is a nice complimentary piece to MJD in the offense and was a great steal last year in the seventh round of the draft.  He is the MJD handcuff for 2010.

WR

Mike Sims-Walker: MSW was the leading receiver on the team in 2009.  Look for that to continue in 2010.  He should be a decent WR3 play especially in PPR leagues.

Mike Thomas: Last year’s rookie will most likely take over the other WR slot vacated by the departure of Torry Holt.  He needs to hone his skills more to become a viable fantasy option.

TE

Marcedes Lewis: Lewis has been a decent spot play now and again at TE.  He may be challenged a little more though for the position by Zach Miller (not the one from the Raiders).

K

Josh Scobee: Scobee figures to finish in the bottom third of fantasy kickers in 2010.

DEF/ST

This defensive unit could hardly generate any sacks all last season.  This is a unit that figures to finish near the bottom in fantasy points and should be avoided on draft day.

Houston Texans

QB

Matt Schaub: Schaub finally had his first full healthy season in the NFL and he proved in 2009 why he is a top 10 talent QB.  With the weapons he has in the passing game, there is no reason to expect a decline anytime soon.

RB

Steve Slaton/Ben Tate/Arian Foster: Tate was the rookie added to the mix this offseason.  He is behind a little bit since he has missed most of the offseason workouts due to a hamstring injury.  Tate is back practicing and the team figures to use him on most first and second downs.  Steve Slaton should see action as the third down back except in short yardage situations.

WR

Andre Johnson: What else can really be said about Andre Johnson?  He is a stud WR in any fantasy format and should continue to be with Matt Schaub at the helm.

Kevin Walter/Jacoby Jones: Walter had a very disappointing 2009 season.  He was retained though and should challenge to start opposite Andre.  However Jones seems to be developing into quite a solid complimentary player and will probably be given an ample shot during training camp to unseat Walter to start in 2010.

TE

Owen Daniels: Daniels was enjoying the best season of his career in 2009 before it came to an abrupt end with a knee injury.  If Daniels regains his pre-injury 2009 form, he could be a formidable force at the TE position in 2010.

K

Kris Brown/Neil Rackers: Brown and Rackers figure to duke it out in training camp for the kicking spot in Houston.  I would give Brown the nod and expect him to finish top part of the middle third of all fantasy kickers in 2010.

DEF/ST

The Houston defense settled in nicely towards the middle of the season last year.  The Brian Cushing suspension will hurt in the first four games, but after that don’t be surprised for this defense to finish just outside the fringe of the top third of defensive units in 2010.

Here is the predicted order of finish for 2010:

1. Indianapolis Colts
2. Houston Texans
3. Tennessee Titans
4. Jacksonville Jaguars

Related posts

• 2010 Week 1 Fantasy Football preview with projections: Colts at Texans (2)
• AFC-South: Not just Peyton’s place anymore (1)
• AFC South: The preseason preview (1)
• 2010 Composite Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings (0)
• 2010 Redraft PPR Wide Receiver Rankings with Commentary (0)

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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Coach Tom Cable said Charlie Frye, not JaMarcus “The Turnover” Russell will start at QB for Oakland on Sunday.

Now, Frye is no Tom Brady. Heck, he’s probably not even as good as Matt Moore. But he’s definitely better than Russell.

So, should you plug every Raider you got into your starting lineup? No. Never.

But Darren McFadden, who the team used out wide and racked up 100 total yards last week, could be in your plans. Maybe Frye hooks up with Louis Murphy or Chaz Schilens for a score against Denver too. Check your waiver wire.

There are a couple other things we should discuss, let’s get to it:

Bruce Gradkowski – The Raiders need to shut the QB down. Maybe he won’t lead them to a championship, but he played like a savior the last few weeks. He’s got a torn MCL in one knee and a partial tear in the same ligament in the other knee. Please, Oakland, save him for next year, even if he ends up being the veteran-in-front-of-the-top-draft-pick guy.

Brian Westbrook – Word is he could be back in Week 15. When you’re talking concussion, you shouldn’t take chances. He should probably be shut down too. It’s not what fantasy owners want to hear, but the Eagles seem to be doing well enough without him for now. No sense taking chances.

LeSean McCoy – Had a text conversation with Jay-Mo, a regular here as Chinstrap Ninjas commenter and contributor. He’s calling out McCoy as 2010’s Ray Rice. I’m not completely sold, but compare McCoy’s averages in limited time this year with Rice’s averages in limited time last year and you can easily make the comparison.

Dwayne Bowe – He’s back from suspension this week. And he’s playing the Browns. Check your waiver wire in case some impatient owner dropped him to pick up Devin Aromashodu. In the one league I have him in, an ESPN league, I saw that second week of playoffs matchup and decided there was no way I was going to drop him.

Randy Moss – He gave up on a team before, but that was because it was in Oakland and the team sucked. If he’s giving up because Wes Welker’s getting the lion’s share of catches, Moss isn’t going to change things by not doing his job when he’s called on.

Kurt Warner – JaMarcus Russell could have done that.

Larry Fitzgerald – Warner’s inability to get Fitz the ball cost me, and probably plenty of other fantasy footballers, playoff victory. More importantly, especially for those of you who advanced, the MRI on Fitz’s knee was negative.

Vince Young – His status is uncertain, which stinks because VY was awesome in a half last week, thanks in part to the 44-yard run that injured him. If Young does play, he’ll be alright, but he’ll be running with a spare tire on one side. That would keep him well under 55 miles and hour.

Mike Hart and Donald Brown – In our Monday update, I said not to get too excited about Hart. But I’m taking that back now. The unbeaten Colts are going to start thinking about resting starters, including Joseph Addai. That means Hart will be the primary backup until Brown returns. Brown could be back this week, but either of these guys could help you in your semifinals and finals.

Ray Rice – Relax, his chest injury was not serious. He’ll be fine this week.

Devin Thomas – Jim Zorn said on his radio show that they want to get Thomas more interested. We’ve been plugging him for a little while here at Chinstrap Ninjas, and I even posted something about his potential way back when he was drafted. He’ll likely return punts this week.

Kevin Smith – The Lions running back was placed on IR. I can’t speak for the rest of the Ninjas, but I haven’t been playing him much in the two ESPN leagues that I have him in anyway.

Arian Foster – I told you I wasn’t excited about Ryan Moats or Chris Brown, two other Houston running backs, in our Monday update. The thing is, Houston plays the Rams this week. Moats was benched because he couldn’t hold onto the ball. Foster was decent – more effective in the passing game, actually – and could see more action this week. He’s not a must-get, but he could help some needy teams this week.

2010 rookies

Because many of you are already looking ahead to next year – damn you, Brandon Marshall! – I’ve got some words about three 2010 draft picks:

Arrelious Benn – The Illinois receiver is expected to declare for the draft today. He’ll be among the top three WRs taken, unless the Raiders pick a WR ahead of him. They’ll shock everyone and take some guy from Maryland who can’t catch the ball.

Jake Locker – Many experts had Locker pegged as the most NFL-ready QB in college football. Fantasy footballers will have to wait until 2011 though, because  he’s going back to Washington.

Mark Ingram – Won the Heisman. That’s a very prestigious award and the Alabama back should be proud. But despite Heisman winners’ dominance in the college game, their talent sometimes gets lost in the NFL. Ron Dayne, Eric Crouch, Chris Weinke, Jason White and Troy Smith all won Heismans in the last 10 years. That said, Ingram will likely be one of the most-coveted rookies in 2011 fantasy drafts.

UPDATE: As pointed out by SockoNFL in the comments, Ingram is a true sophomore and ineligible for the NFL draft. Must have been wishful thinking on my part, after Clemson’s C.J. Spiller and California’s Jahvid Best, the other good backs seem rather Reggie Bush-esque, and by that I mean ready to disappoint everyone.

So, what do you think? Is Frye better than Russell? Are you playing Arian Foster in the semifinals this week? Targeting Benn in 2010? Let us know in the comments.

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