By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

The tier separation amongst positions is at its highest when it comes to quarterbacks. If you are not going to go after one of the top five quarterbacks than you better separate yourself somehow with your receivers and running backs. Distancing themselves like usual are the likes of Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Brady, Rodgers, and Rivers. We all know that. The key is who can be the quarterback that emerges to a high tier two level? The young crop of quarterbacks in the league are shaky at best to consider as starters, but some owners will have to rely on them. Lets look at our first unveiling of fantasy quarterback rankings.

1. Aaron Rodgers

Just take a glance at the way the Packers season ended. Though it was a loss in the playoffs to the Cardinals, the football world came away looking at the NFL’s youngest emerging quarterback. Rodgers threw every type of football possible and put on a show not scene in quite some time. Green Bay will keep spreading the football around and make Rodgers the number one quarterback this year in the world of fantasy.

2. Drew Brees

Brees is going to rack up incredible numbers just about every game. He is at a level that should not taper off for several years. New Orleans seems to have the right nucleus of packages to mix up the defense just enough to keep them on their heels every play. Having Reggie Bush as a threat to catch the ball in the open field just tacks on additional Brees points for us.

3. Philip Rivers

The burden keeps getting heavier on Rivers shoulders. Many would think Rivers should get more of a balance now that rookie Ryan Matthews has arrived. Rookies though tend to go through their struggles especially in pass protection. Rivers is a vocal leader and loves to air the football out to Vincent Jackson. We are a bit worried that his interceptions may rise, but he should have a career high in passing yards.

4. Peyton Manning

The equivalent of pouring a cup of coffee every day. It’s routine and nothing is going to change. Manning is an obvious rarity to the game of football, and he will continue putting on a clinic each and every Sunday. There’s been questions surrounding his team in years past and it’s never become an actual factor. At 34, he still has three to four years to keep dynasty league owners happy.

5. Matt Schaub

He finally stayed healthy and performed to that high paying contract the NFL world thought the Texans were foolish for signing him too. With the best receiver in the game at his disposal, Schaub is in calming territory. Injury woes seem to be in the past. The Schaub-Johnson combo is a must for owners that get their hands on Andre Johnson. There’s nothing like seeing your fantasy tracker update by almost twenty points when a touchdowns scored. That’s what will happen on the plethora of thirty plus yard bombs these two will connect on in 2010.

6. Tom Brady

We have him a bit lower than most would expect. Brady is still a tier one quarterback but he has been bypassed slightly over the past year. New England’s old ways of getting it all done through Tom Brady just is not going to work anymore. We were surprised just like every one that they decided not to find a new running back to supplant Laurence Maroney. The backfield of Maroney, Fred Taylor, and Kevin Faulk immediately brings us to question the direction of the Patriots. You have an aging team that’s on a decline. Brady also will have to deal with Randy Moss who could begin to quit and pout as he knows this is his last year on the Patriots.

7. Brett Favre

Yes we’re ranking him this high. After Favre finally retires everyone is going to be dumbfounded when last years stats finally sink in twenty years from now. At 40 years old, FORTY, Favre threw 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Amazing. Think of some of the forty year old quarterbacks that have tried to play in this league. Doug Flutie, Steve Deberg, Vinny Testaverde, and even Warren Moon. At that point in their careers as you’d expect they were finished. Favre came to life. You have to believe him when he talks that football means everything to him. The game does not age him after all the beatings he has taken.

8. Tony Romo

Dez Bryant’s in the mix now too add to Miles Austin and Roy Williams. The weapons are there for Romo to climb into the top three of fantasy quarterbacks. It should happen in fact, but just like the Cowboys have had their issues winning in the playoffs, we are not quick to move Romo up that far yet.

9. Kevin Kolb

This is not a 23 or 24 year old first year starter. Kolb is 26 and should be ready to step up to this stage. Timing is everything and it is Kolb’s time to flourish. He learned from a professional in Donovan McNabb, and also learned from Mike Vick a bit last season. Philly loves to throw the ball as they tend to lead the league in percentages of throws versus the run. The bad thing for Kolb is the Eagles are paying Vick a good chunk of change. If Kolb can’t handle the role Vick could be in before the month of September is completed.

10. Eli Manning

Manning quietly may boast the best trio of receivers in the league as a whole. Manningham, Steve Smith, and Hakeem Nicks are as electric as a group as we can think of. The Giants and Tom Coughlin have never been a team that likes to tally up the points and air out the football. Playing to your strengths is what wins you football games. Coughlin began to realize as last year rolled along that they needed to let Manning find these young receivers. How else could you explain an almost fifty yard increase in yards thrown per game by Manning compared to his prior three year average?

11. Chad Henne

12. Donovan McNabb

13. Joe Flacco

14. Jason Campbell

15. Matthew Stafford

16. Ben Roethlisberger* suspension

17. Jay Cutler

18. Matt Ryan

19. Carson Palmer

20. Vince Young

21. Matt Leinart

22. David Garrard

23. Matt Hasselbeck

24. Matt Cassel

25. Alex Smith

26. Matt Moore

27. Mark Sanchez

28. Jake Delhomme

29. Josh Freeman

30. Brady Quinn

31. Sam Bradford

32. Mike Vick

33. Trent Edwards

34. Derek Anderson

35. Kyle Orton

36. Charlie Whitehurst

37. Ryan Fitzpatrick

38. Seneca Wallace

39. Dennis Dixon

40. Jimmy Clausen

41. David Carr

42. Kerry Collins

43. Byron Leftwich

44. Billy Volek

45. Tarvaris Jackson