Kyle’s View

Here we sit two weeks into the fantasy season and there are some questions that need to be answered and some players that are playing above draft position.Whats the deal with superstars not playing the way they should be. Players like Peyton Manning, Ladainian Tomlinson, Randy Moss, among others are no doing what they were projected and owners are starting to become worried.

Peyton Manning has a few issues to deal with in Indy, including the loss of his center Jeff Saturday who is not only a leader on the O-line, but also a key piece to his audibles and play calls at the line. He helps get the team set, makes great blocks and makes the line much stronger. Also not playing the preseason has hurt Manning. He needs to knock the rust off. That said the injury to Dallas Clark week one also did not help, as well as Marvin Harrison, who seems to not be the player he was before the injuries last season. All that said, I think Peyton will be fine and it seemed like the rust was coming off in the game against Minnesota.

As for LT, my optimism is not as high for him. He has an issue with his toe and that causes an issue for running backs. The inability to burst and make cuts can cause a running back of LT’s ability to not produce. I am worried about his fantasy value this season. He has not been the season since late last year going into the playoffs. Might want to look at Darren Sproles or Jacob Hester for the short term.

Randy Moss is a different story. Due to the injury of Tom Brady, Randy Moss’s numbers are down. He will be fine in a week or two. Week by week they will let Matt Cassell throw more and more. Moss will be fine. He wont be the Moss of last year but he will be up in the top 5 receiver.

As for the good news, the rookies this season have been a very nice surprise. Running backs like Matt Forte, Chris Johnson, Kevin Smith, and Jonothan Stewart have been amazing. The are proving to be guys you can not only count on but are starters an a almost every week basis. In addition to the running backs, the rookie wide receivers like DeSean Jackson and Eddie Royal who are putting 100 yard games and touchdowns in the first two weeks. These guys are starters on a week to week basis depending on the depth  you have at wideout.

There are some players that could prove a ton of upside and are draftable in the late rounds.

Antonio Pittman

Antonio has the potential to be a Kenny Watson type player this year in fantasy maybe even more. He is the back up to Stephen Jackson who has still not reported to camp because of contract negotiations. Also he missed a good chunk of last season due to injuries. Pittman could step in and play well. if he gets an opportunity look for him to take advantage.

Tight Ends

There is a laundry list of names that have the potential to be break out tight ends this year. The most common names are Mercedes Lewis in Jacksonville who had a solid rookie campaign, all the tools, and has looked great so far this preseason. Kevin Boss has also been impressive since stepping in for Jeremy

Shockey last season with the Giants. After trading Shockey this offseason, Boss is the starter and could be a value with the giants. Zach Miller and Dustin Keller are two players that have potential to be solid players much like Heath Miller and Todd Heap. Keller has been very impressive and is only helped by the addition of Favre. If JaMarcus Russell plays well then Miller could have a big season with a ton of red zone potential.

DJ Hackett

If Jake Delhomme can return to form Hackett has the potential to break out and be a solid third wide receiver. He could and probably will start opposite Steve Smith. Smith should take a lot of attention leaving Hackett with one-on-one coverage only helping his status. Something like 700 yards and 6 touchdowns is not out of the question, which is good for a third receiver in fantasy.

Chris Redman

Assuming Redman is the starter in Atlanta he could be a viable fantasy quarterback. He was a top 4 quarterback over the last 5 weeks. Only three quarterbacks threw more touchdowns than Redman. The Falcons will need to throw when they get down on the scoreboard and Redman will be chucking. This is why people need to also keep an eye on Roddy White this season.

Troy Smith

He will start for the Ravens and he knows how to win. He will get rushing yards and touchdowns which only boosts his value. Also Todd Heap will be back and help troy smith’s value.

Ricky Williams

Ronnie Brown is an injury waiting to happen and is returning from a torn achiles. These two things plus a focused Ricky Williams that has looked good in the preseason could lead to a good season.

Tavaris Jackson, Aaron Rodgers, and Jason Campbell

Not only will these three guys be fantasy starters by the end of the season but they will also have better seasons than Matt Hasselbeck and Jake Delhomme who are both drafted in every league.

1. LaDainian Tomlinson

Lt is all sorts of fantasy goodness. He is the undisputed choice for the number one pick. He is the only player who can get you a touchdown rushing, receiving, and passing. You can’t truly appreciate his greatness until you own him.

2. Adrian Peterson

AP came out of nowhere to be a top 5 fantasy player last season. He literally ran his way into the hearts of fantasy owners who were stoked with 200 yard games, multi-touchdown gems and consistent goodness all season. He will continue to impress this season as the Vikings are competing all season to win the NFC North.

3. Stephen Jackson

Steven Jackson has all the talent to be a top 3 running back. He combines both speed and power to create a dynamic running attack for the Rams. He does have a couple questions for the upcoming season. He has had issue with injuries which would seriously hurt his fantasy value. He also has yet to report to camp and this could also hamper his value. All that said I think Steven Jackson returns to his 2006 status and has a tremendous season.

4. Brian Westbrook

Brian Westbrook a lot of what makes LT a fantasy stud. He has the running ability to consistently get 100 yard games and a touchdown or two. He also provides a receiving threat out of the backfield that is always wanted in a number one back. He will continue to produce to his level and owners will not be disappointed they drafted him.

5. Marion Barber

He is going to be the guy in big D this year and this means even better numbers for a pro bowler and fantasy stud that was a back up and time splitter last season. He will share some time with rookie Felix Jones which will be a good thing. It will allow Barber to stay healthy and have the energy to be an impact all season. Also the Cowboys have an excellent aerial attack that will make the opponent stay balanced and give Barber plenty of running room.

6. Terrell Owens

Speaking of the Cowboys aerial attack, T.O. is set to return to the fantasy elite this season. He will produce monster numbers in one of the best offenses in football. He could be the Randy Moss of last season. Tony Romo will take another step forward and only improve a very good Cowboy offense. Patrick Crayton will be effective and help keep the double teams off of T.O. Jason Witten will also force the defense to single cover Owens and keep the defense honest.

7. Randy Moss

Randy Moss will provide monster numbers once again this season. The departure of Donte Stallworth will give Moss that much more opportunity, especially in the redzone. The Patriots will run more than last season which will bring his numbers down but will force the defense to stay honest and give Randy a ton of opportunities.

8. Joseph Addai

Joseph Addai has been a really good fantasy player since the Colts drafted him. He provides a great mix to Peyton Manning and the Colts passing attack. The Colts have a great offensive line that will open holes and create running room for Addai to run through. Something like 1200 yards and double digit touchdowns should be where Addai finishes. The only concern is injury for Addai. But the return of Dominic Rhodes and last years back up Kenton Keith able to provide a change of pace Addai should be a stud all season.

9. Tom Brady

Tom Brady was in the top 3 if not the best fantasy player last season. His consistent 300-500 yard passing game with multiple touchdowns kept teams winning for many weeks. He was a stud and did not disappoint anyone. He played all season while going for the perfect season keeping his numbers going through the playoffs and almost single handedly carried teams. He will once again be a stud this season. The patriots will be running more and the likelihood of another perfect season seems almost impossible which will lead to less need late in the season as the Pats prepare for another super bowl run. He will be good and be very helpful to whatever team drafts him.

10. Marshawn Lynch

if not for Adrian Peterson’s monster season last year, everyone would be talking about the fantasy rookie of the year as well as the NFL rookie of the year being Marshawn Lynch. I was able to get him late in my draft and had him sit on my bench. He was the nicest surprise for my season. He was able to step in when my first pick Steven Jackson went down with an injury. He continued to produce awesome numbers all season and was a huge boost to my team. He should be awesome on a weekly basis this season.

With the 2008 Fantasy season rapidly approaching and drafts happening over the next couple of months, I figured now was a good time to spread some advice that I have learned over my 10 years of playing fantasy. I will be updating weekly throughout the season. I hope to provide help to anyone who would like it. Here are some tips for your draft and planning for the season.

-Never take a quarterback in the first round.

This is a rule I follow because the effects it causes on the rest of your draft. Tom Brady was amazing last year and carried teams all season. However his numbers will be down this year simply because they Patriots will be more dedicated to the run, causing less passing attempts. Also with 18-0 not in the picture Brady will not be as active in the final games of the season which will also hurt his fantasy value. The reason I refer to Brady is because he is usually drafted in the 4-8 range depending on the league. The rest of your draft is then much worse because of this pick. Running backs are very important to your fantasy team and they rapid decrease in studs to solid players happens between round 1 and 2 assuming you play in the standard 10-12 team league. The draft will quickly go downhill after you pick Brady or Manning. You find yourself starting guys like Matt Forte or Selvin Young as a number one back because you were unable to grab an elite back. Once you draft a QB you quickly turn to wide receiver because that is where the talent lies. If you take a running back or elite wideout like Randy Moss with your first pick and then comeback with another solid back you find your team will star looking very nice. Then in a round three or four pick you have the ability to get studs like Carson Palmer, Drew Brees, Tony Romo, or Ben Roethlisberger.

The only exception to the rule is if you get one of the last two picks and can ensure you will get another stud on your next pick. This is still not set in stone so be careful if you employ this technique

-Wait to take your kicker and Defense

There is no need to draft a defense or kicker until late in the draft when you can get a solid defense and kicker late in you r draft. I generally use the 8th round as a solid starting point to start looking at defense. I look at team needs and plan accordingly. This is also a good time to see when kind of gems you can find in the player pool. This is when I take my gambles on young running backs or slumping wideouts who are ready to break out. When selecting a defense you want to pick a team that can get turnovers. These will provide a solid point total for your team. Also if that team has a good running game that is a plus because it means the offense for the other team will be on the bench, thus not on the field scoring points and hurting your point totals.

As for kicker the last two rounds are a good time to take a kicker. Generally if you get one of the top 6 or so kickers you will be fine. They will provide the point totals you need and you are able to take flyers on rookies and long shots that could become players that make an impact later in the season.

More advice will follow in the coming days including positions breakdowns and a top 10 list.