Welcome to the first Fantasy Talk of the 2009-10 football season. Yes, I understand it's not even July yet but you can never be too prepared when it comes to fantasy football. Plus, as crazy as it sounds, there are leagues out there that have drafts as early as mid-July! (One of my two live drafts actually takes place on July 11th) So lets take a look at a few player rankings and points of interest.
Early Rankings
Just to get the ball going, let's take a look at the top 5 players in the 'power positions' (ie, running back, quarterback, and wide receiver...as decided by yours truely).
Quarterback: Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Phillip Rivers, Donovan McNabb.
Analysis: The top of the QB FF class is as tight as can be and as crucial as ever. No matter how the scoring varies from league to league, one thing is certain, you need a solid quarterback or you're in trouble. The question mark out of these five is obviously Tom Brady, coming off of that year long injury, while the QB you have to worry about least is the ever-reliable Peyton Manning. My sleeper out of these 5 is Donovan McNabb, who is primed for a great year after getting paid and after Philly upgraded his targets.
Position Importance: 9 out of 10
Running Back: Adrian Peterson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Michael Turner, Chris Johnson, Matt Forte
Analysis:I'm getting old, plain and simple, because I remember when the majority of those on the top 5 wouldn't even crack the top 20 but times are changing and the shelf-life is short on top end runners. That being said, question marks abound for every one of these 5 with the exception of AP.
Position Importance: 10 out of 10
Wide Receiver: Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Randy Moss
Analysis: This is as solid and reliable a top five as you'll see at any position. These guys are all proven contributers and can take over a game on any given Sunday. That being said, you're looking at one of the deepest positions in FF due to injuries, suspensions, and sleepers.
Position Importance: 7 out of 10
Words of Wisdom!
So your league's a 4 man keeper league and you're not sure who you want to keep, well let me give you a few pointers in how you figure that mess out.
*Know your power positions: Let's face it, QB and RB are the two most important positions in any fantasy football league and out of those two, your runners are your bread and butter. You can't go wrong with stocking up at the RB position because at the very least, you have trade bait. And if you have a blue chip quarterback, keep him!
*Play to your strengths: Though what worked for you last season doesn't always translates to success the next season, you'd be wise to follow it at least a bit. Just don't get too set in your ways unless you're an annual champion.
*Know what's going to be out there. Make sure to go over what everyone is keeping and plan your draft accordingly! Don't get caught with your pants down looking for a starting running back in the later rounds of a draft because more than likely you're not gonna find anything serviceable.
Final Thoughts
With only one of the four major sports in season right now, it's as good as time as any to start thinking about your upcoming drafts. Join me back here in two weeks as we take a look at a few more position and take a look at early sleepers.
