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Cunningham’s effortless 98′ season, quickly vanished in 1999

On this father’s day I thought what better day to release my first installment of fantasy quarterback rankings. The same veteran quarterbacks are expected to lead the way in 2014. Much like in 1999, another year dominated by expected veteran quarterbacks, is there a steep decline coming?

In that year prolific quarterbacks suddenly became too old in a span of weeks. Quarterbacks like Steve Young, Randall Cunningham, Troy Aikman, Dan Marino, and a few others saw the door on their careers suddenly come to a screeching halt. Marino’s was by age, but Aikman, Young, and Cunningham had injuries that ravaged their old bodies.

Keep in mind Randall Cunningham was coming off a career year in 1998 with an aerial assault weekly with Randy Moss and Cris Carter. It’s still truly one of the most free flowing seasons a quarterback has had in the last 25 years. Each game Cunningham seemed to be connected.

It was a tough time in the NFL watching the old quarterbacks exit and a new breed of quarterbacks enter. Many failed, Akili Smith, Tim Couch, Cade McNown, and a long list of others.

Keep that in mind when drafting the top veteran quarterbacks with high picks. None are invincible. Here is my first rankings of quarterbacks for the 2014 season.

1. Colin Kaepernick
I fully expect Kaepernick to be outrank current prognostications with this forth coming season. People and fantasy owners expected too much out of the young quarterback last year. Now with a full year under his belt, Kaepernick is going to demonstrate why the 49ers are poised to take that next step. His blazing speed is not going anywhere. The true surge of his fantasy value will come via his improvement of studying the 49ers playbook and working with his wide receivers.

2. Aaron Rodgers
From a handicapping standpoint I profiled that Rogers and the Packers could be in trouble this season. Many are high on them, but I believe they will fall short again. From a fantasy football standpoint there is no doubt that Rodgers will continue to excel; barring any injuries.

3. Andrew Luck
This should be the season that Luck supplants the veteran trio that has been dominating the top five of fantasy football (Brees, Brady, Manning). I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Colts unveil more designated rollouts and quarterback keepers. He has the legs to cause havoc in proper open space. The ceiling still hasn’t been met from Luck, and likely won’t for a few more seasons.

4. Peyton Manning
I have my doubts with Manning this season. He has now completed two seasons as a Bronco after a full year off from surgery. People have quickly forgotten how much rehab Manning had to endure to get back on the field. In fact he had a return stretch where it looked like his arm may never get back to full strength (3 INT’s vs Falcons, etc.) But he shook that rust off and hasn’t looked back. He still has the mental fortitude to shape wins for the Broncos, but has the script been written by the Seahawks? They took away the quick check downs and that was it for Denver. More and more teams may start being more aggressive with an aging Manning.

5. Drew Brees
Will the Saints keep marching in? I was impressed with Brees last season more than any other top performing quarterback. The reason for that was because the Saints had an unusual unreliable offensive system. Whether it was at running back or even receiver, Drew Brees really did not have that main weapon besides Jimmy Graham. Graham truly made the difference in his season. Expect Brees to hold steady as a middle of the pack top ten fantasy quarterback.

6. Nick Foles
Chip Kelly made one of the more gutsy moves last year by pulling the plug on Mike Vick. Many coaches would have let a quarterback controversy roll over into the next season. Instead Vick was allowed to sign as a free agent elsewhere, and the Eagles didn’t have to fork out a heavy amount of money on a quarterback. They know who their starter is in Foles. Many want to label Foles as a system quarterback—so be it. He’ll keep getting the job done.

7. Tom Brady
Brady has kept himself in outstanding shape to further prolong his career the proper way. Some keep themselves in shape to just get by, but Brady believes he is in the best shape of his career. Judging by his body weight he looks to be telling the truth. Something Donovan McNabb could not accomplish in his mid 30’s. Brady is no longer that weekly dominating fantasy quarterback. He’ll have a few duds of low yardage or low touchdown numbers. He keeps his top ten ranking with his steadiness of reliability.

8. Cam Newton
Newton somehow dodged a fantasy bust label with a strong finish to the season. Through the first half of the year though he was looking like a nightmare in Charlotte. Rumors were swirling that the Panthers could be looking for the next option at quarterback along with axing Ron Rivera. They turned things around as a team and did so with a very basic offense. It’ll be interesting to see if they keep things going in that direction. Newton is a borderline top twelve to fourteen quarterback with his arm, but his legs catapult his worth as a top ten quarterback.

9. RG3
The Redskins ran a gauntlet attack last season. Their wide open offense did not produce wins, but kept fantasy owners happy. RG3 has been away from the spotlight this offseason, unlike last year. Hopefully his focus has not deviated. He has the talent to rise above his critics and respond similar to the way Lebron James did in Miami. The Redskins decision to rest RG3 the last two games could prove to be one of the best moves not getting constant media attention.

10. Matt Ryan
Ryan had one of those inevitable seasons that all quarterbacks have happen. Atlanta had been side stepping issues at running back for too long. The addition of Steven Jackson just was not enough. The year was further compounded by endless injuries to the Falcons receivers. A bounce back season should be in-store in the toughest division in football for Matty ice. DeVaunte Smith could end up being a welcome addition for Matt.

Others
11. Russ Wilson
12. Philip Rivers
13. Tony Romo
14. Ryan Tannehill
15. Matt Stafford
16. Jay Cutler
17. Ben Roethlisberger
18. Johnny Manziel
19. Andy Dalton
20. Sam Bradford
21. Alex Smith
22. Joe Flacco
23. Eli Manning
24. Carson Palmer
25. EJ Manuel
26. Jake Locker
27. Ryan Fitzpatrick
28. Josh McCown
29. Mike Vick
30. Matt Schaub
31. Matt Cassel
32. Chad Henne
32.

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Watching the Dolphins last year as a fan you should of turned games off in the fourth quarter. An average season turned on several fourth quarters in which they let leads vanish. It was as if Miami could not hit that next gear offensively to over take a game. Playing it safe could work for three quarters before the opposing team would outplay the Dolphins.

Miami had to experience the dramatic losses they did if they wanted to entrust Ryan Tannehill as their future quarterback. Young starting quarterbacks are bound to make mistakes, and Tannehill made his share of alarming ones. By holding the football too long he had costly fumbles, including one against the Buffalo Bills, that would have netted Miami a win.

This will be a telling year for the Dolphins to see if they can entrust Tannehill 100 percent as the main signal caller. At times he would play outstanding. Delivering laser throws as he did in an early win at Indianapolis. Consistency just wasn’t up to par of a starting quarterback. You can say his play was comparable to old starting quarterback Chad Henne. Games mixed in with promise just weren’t enough to offset the common results.

The surprising early start from the Dolphins won’t shock anybody like it did in 2013. Teams will be prepared to rattle Ryan Tannehill and see if he has improved on his check downs throws. An area Miami hopes to see a boost in is in their running game. By adding Knowshown Moreno Miami hopes they can deliver the same triple threat the Broncos were able to emulate. Lamar Miller and Daniel Thomas are still young backs but have shown they need a veteran starter ahead of them.

From a fantasy standpoint, Tannehill ranks as a high teen to low 20’s quarterback. For now. At times he has shown he can be a backup fantasy quarterback in situational matchups. The opportunity to rise higher is there for Tannehill if he is ready. I’m not sure he is just yet. I’d expect Miami to ease him into the 2014 season, and continue to play the ball control style they exhibited in 2013. But if the Dolphins are hovering around .500 again they are going to need to flip the switch with Tannehill.

This is the point of the season that owners may be able to gamble on Tannehill more as a fantasy option. Miami will test their investments worth and see if Tannehill can lead them beyond a mediocre season.

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Aaron Rodgers has lit up the NFL and fantasy football world year after year. Any fantasy football stat tracker on a Sunday will showcase Rodgers points moving upward like a hot stock on Wall Street. He has earned the top spot as best quarterback in football and therefore fantasy football.

Age has a lot to do with why people will still draft Rodgers without thinking twice. His counterparts that still rank high in fantasy football efficiency are several years older than him. Players such as Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and even Tony Romo.

Hot stocks in Wall Street are the ones that can bite you in a hurry. Aaron Rodgers has some gray areas that are evident but not being discussed.

For one he is a quarterback that has never had a proper running game. The Packers have made things work with a plethora of below average running backs. That has partly had to do with injuries occurring at a high rate. Things may be looking upward in that department with the combo of Eddie Lacy and Jonathan Franklin. But will either or be a viable option consistently?

Another area being over looked is the tenure between Rodgers and head coach Mike McCarthy. McCarthy has been the Packers head coach since 2007. There is no reason to consider firing McCarthy, but there is a common link between coaches and starting quarterbacks. They don’t go hand in hand over a long period of time without failure.

Look at over the course of even the last ten to fifteen years and you’ll notice the regression amongst good coaches and great quarterbacks. At some point or another that coaches system breaks down and effects the quarterback on the field.

That hasn’t happened to a noticeable effect yet, but you can see teams are better prepared for the Packers aerial attack than in years past. It’s similar to the way teams have been able to limit the Saints offense when big games occur. You’ll notice that since the Packers and Saints Super Bowl wins their playoff success and regular season success against winning teams has waned.

The biggest area to cast a shadow of doubt with Rodgers is his injury history. Injuries are so common now in fantasy football that some aren’t even factoring it in to their drafts. Their idea is to secure themselves for the inevitable with depth.

Well just like a scout team and personnel in major sports, drafting a player requires thinking of all possibilities.

Rodgers is coming off a year in which he missed six games due to injury. It was the first time he has missed more than one game in a season. In prior years he has only missed an individual game. Some would say back then he shook off injuries a week or two earlier than he should have to get back on the field.

Either way he has shown a history of injury concerns.

Rodgers time as an elite fantasy quarterback is not coming to an end. I’d just be a little bit leery drafting him without a proper top notch backup fantasy quarterback. If you’re in a top spot and someone wants to trade up to get Rodgers, maybe that’s a safer option.

Week Two Wide Receiver Rankings

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1. AJ Green
2. Calvin Johnson
3. DeMaryius Thomas
4. Larry Fitzgerald
5. Randall Cobb
6. Julio Jones
7. Victor Cruz
8. Brandon Marshall
9. Pierre Garcon
10. Dez Bryant
11. Wes Welker
12. Andre Johnson
13. Marques Colston
14. Reggie Wayne
15. Vincent Jackson
16. Hakeem Nicks
17. Jordy Nelson
18. DeSean Jackson
19. Torrey Smith
20. Anquan Boldin
21. Julian Edelman
22. Mike Wallace
23. Antonio Brown
24. Dwayne Bowe
25. Cecil Shorts
26. Eric Decker
27. Steve Smith
28. Lance Moore
29. Tavon Austin
30. Miles Austin
31. Mike Williams
32. Roddy White
33. Chris Givens
34. Rueben Randle
35. Steve Johnson
36. Michael Floyd
37. Golden Tate
38. Jerome Simpson
39. Brian Hartline
40. Greg Jennings
41. Andre Roberts
42. TY Hilton
43. Rod Streater
44. Harry Douglas
45. Marlon Brown
46. Kenny Britt
47. Chris Givens
48. Malcolm Floyd
49. Brandon LaFell
50. Santana Moss
51. Alshon Jeffrey
52. DeNarius Moore
53. Darrius Heyward-Bey
54. Kyle Williams
55. Doug Baldwin
56. Sidney Rice
57. Kenny Stills
58. Riley Cooper
59. Terrance Williams
60. Mohammed Sanu

Week Two Fantasy Quarterback Rankings

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1. Drew Brees- Geno Smith torched the Bucs with simple throws. Expect Brees to have a typical huge day
2. Aaron Rodgers- Lasers were thrown with precision against the 49ers. The Redskins may want to practice mimicking falling down to delay snaps.
3. Peyton Manning- Of course Manning wants to carve up his younger brother. It won’t be to the tune of seven touchdowns, but he’ll continue his hot start.
4. Matt Ryan- For wins and fantasy points almost no quarterback in the league is better at home.
5. Terrelle Pryor- I love his matchup against the Jaguars this week. The Jaguars defense mustered an all around effort last week only to succumb to zero points offensively. Pryor will roam the field with his legs and avoid ill throws.
6. Eli Manning- The Giants will be sound in all phases to prevent a disaster two weeks in a row. Eli will lead the way
7. Joe Flacco- This team has had a full ten days off, and can’t wait to get back on the football field. The Ravens will have the blowout game of the week.
8. Colin Kaepernick- I don’t care which defense is out on the field, this week it is Seattle. All defenses are in trouble this year if Kaepernick’s accuracy remains the way it was last week.
9. Mike Vick- The Eagles reload but will Vick stay healthy a full season in this fast pace offense?
10. Cam Newton- Fantasy owner want to breathe a sigh of relief with Newton. He’ll put up top ten fantasy quarterback numbers this week.
11. Andy Dalton
12. Andrew Luck
13. RG3
14. Tom Brady
15. Matthew Stafford
16. Jay Cutler
17. Russ Wilson
18. Tony Romo
19. Matt Schaub
20. Carson Palmer
21. Alex Smith
22. Philip Rivers
23. Ben Roethlisberger
24. Ryan Tannehill
25. Sam Bradford
26. EJ Manuel
27. Chad Henne
28. Brandon Weeden
29. Christian Ponder
30. Geno Smith

Newton Must Buckle Down Now

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Adversity in a career is sure to pop up several times. Cam Newton had instant success when he stepped onto the football field as a rookie against the Arizona Cardinals. It carried over to one of the more memorable years by a rookie quarterback. Then the offseason happened and defensive coordinators and staffs were able to prepare and study Newton’s tendencies all offseason.

Sort of like a pitcher that sees his command lost and ERA continue to skyrocket, Newton has not been able to snap out of a fantasy slump. Owners that want to say he stepped it up late in the season must have had some surprise players such as Alfred Morris or RG3 that helped boost Newton’s early woes in the season. For most owners of Newton he cost them several games for the first few months of the season.

You could pinpoint that Seattle against Carolina was a defensive game, which it was. But Russ Wilson was able to figure out a way to catapult his Seahawks when necessary and had over 300 yards passing.

Head to Bookmakers for up to date odds for Week Two’s games

This type of performance by Newton could be detrimental to his third year. In prior years Newton could look at his six divisional games as an opportunity to flourish against the mediocre and weak defenses of the Saints, Falcons, and Buccaneers. Well, those days are over. New Orleans has upgraded the defense with Monte Kiffen, and stifled the Falcons from their usual high octane offense. Atlanta has pieces in place to make a further run at the playoffs, and the Buccaneers main strength is defensively where they spent a ton of money bringing in key players.

So for Newton to be effective he is going to have to bring his A game to the table against top tier defenses. He can’t have ping pong type of performances where he settles for poor outings against higher caliber defenses, and then shines against teams that are poor. That will land Newton and Carolina with another record of near .500 or even a few games short.

Someone needs to emerge from the veteran Panthers and have a breakout game to lessen the burden for Newton. Whether it’s old skilled receiver Steve Smith, or running back DeAngelo Williams, Newton needs someone that almost all other top tier teams have in difference makers. All the pressure can’t be on Newton’s shoulders.

One game to start the year would not be a huge significant to a lot of player’s, but this one was for Newton. It does not get any easier for Newton as he has to travel to Buffalo and Arizona over the next three weeks. The game sandwiched in between is a rematch of last year’s Thursday night game against the New York Giants. In that game the Panthers also just scored one touchdown and were blown out from the onset.

An area Newton can find hope is the Panthers defense. They shined in preseason and have a great front seven that limited the Seahawks ground attack. Defenses only hold for so long before they begin to fold from poor offensive plays.

For fantasy owners you have to live by your decision to believe in Newton. As I stated after Sunday’s games, you may want to start your backup quarterback over the next game or two, until Newton has a game worthy of starting. That is if you have a capable fantasy backup.