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In the next week or two the annual fantasy football and football preview magazines will raid newsstands. They come out at the perfect time. Right after the NBA playoffs and right before major league baseball all star break. So while you are bored to death in the summer transition of sports, you can rile up your buddies by re-rubbing in last years fantasy football league. Go ahead and make fun of their draft picks last year, as you already pre-plan ideally who you want to snag for your money league team.

It’s June so the first installment of fantasy quarterback rankings is here. The past two years has seen the success of rookie quarterbacks, but no, you will not see EJ Manuel listed in my top fifteen.

* Biggest Dip From Current Rankings*- Russel Wilson
Wilson to me had a sort of Tim Tebow/first year anomaly to his performance on the field. His best games stood out as they came in spotlight profiled games. But for a lot of his games on the field, it would take more than a quarter and sometimes a half before he would produce consistent drives. I’m not buying him being a top ten fantasy quarterback just yet.

*Mr. Consistent*- Matt Ryan
I’m typically not a gambler on a quarterback but you want someone who you can depend on. A borderline guy that crosses your mind as a high pick but you would not risk it. Those are the type of players that fall into your lap as a steal, and Ryan is that guy. The Falcons are going to continue to air out the football with their receivers, and Ryan is as consistent a fantasy quarterback you can find.

*Biggest Rise*- Ryan Tannehill
It won’t be in the first part of the season but beyond the second half of the year, watch out for Tannehill and his development. He was undervalued heavily last year with the play of Luck, RG3, and Wilson. Before all three became media sensations for leading their team to the playoffs, Tannehill was displaying the same grit and leadership. Stats are what people want though, and I think Miami will open things up a bit more for him this year. His current ranking of twenty should be the lowest of the season.

1. Drew Brees- No one gets to spread the football around like Drew Brees does. With the Packers signing Steven Jackson, they’re going to try and recommit to the ground game and protect their defense. Brees still has plenty of solid fantasy years left in him. The only concern that appeared last season was his two plus interception games last season.

2. Cam Newton- It’s been a quiet offseason for the Panthers and Newton. Newton has shied away from the spotlight and I expect him to get closer to his numbers from 2011 from his rookie season. Last year he was riding high from his rookie season and likely didn’t expect any bumps along the way. They came and now he has had an offseason to adjust into this third year.

3. Tom Brady- Weapons with his tight ends and the Bill Belichick offense are synchronized to perfection each season. Cue the old “Love and Marriage” song from the classic 80’s and 90’s sitcom.

4. Aaron Rodgers- Rodgers dips just a bit from the top three setting. Green Bay tried to attack teams with the air arsenal game to game, only to get bit by their defensive struggles. Clock management had to be rethought, and they did that with Steven Jackson. Expect more carries in the backfield, and less throws from Rodgers. That won’t take away from his quick strike ability, but it does factor in terms of fantasy football overall weekly points.

5. Matt Stafford- You’re probably thinking a little high for Stafford after his season a year ago. Yes, he did wreck a lot of owners seasons for those that reached out high on him. With Megatron on the field and Stafford’s growth and maturity, I do not believe he will have a repeat of last years inconsitencies. You should not have to contemplate benching Staff even for a couple of fantasy games this year. Plus I’m not a big believer in the NFC North’s defenses. That’s six games you can count on decent averages.

6. Peyton Manning
7. Matt Ryan
8. RG3
9. Colin Kaepernick
10. Tony Romo
11. Eli Manning
12. Russell Wilson
13. Andrew Luck
14. Ben Roethlisberger
15. Philip Rivers
16. Carson Palmer
17. Joe Flacco
18. Matt Schaub
19. Jay Cutler
20. Ryan Tannehill
21. Mike Vick
22. Andy Dalton
23. Sam Bradford
24. Josh Freeman
25. Alex Smith

Yes there are more than twenty five franchises in the NFL, but beyond the current twenty five listed, they should not be on your fantasy football draft board. Much like GM’s and NFL franchises do on NFL Draft Day they go in with a nucleus of players and others they’ve X’d out. Scratch out Mark Sanchez, EJ Manuel, Christian Ponder, and others from even crossing your mind as a fantasy backup.

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