American Football Conference

EAST

1.       New England Patriots:  Quarterback Tom Brady being another season removed from ACL surgery should certainly help, as will having WR Wes Welker from Week One.  The running game won’t do much, but if WR Randy Moss is looking to prove he deserves a big contract in his free agent season, look out.

2.       New York Jets:  The Jets can certainly talk the talk; let’s see if they can walk the walk.  The holdout of CB Darrelle Revis certainly hurts the defense, as does the suspension of WR Santonio Holmes for the first four games.  The offense will go as far as second year QB Mark Sanchez can take them.  He needs to prove to defenses that they have to respect the pass as much as the run.

3.       Miami Dolphins:  Overall the Dolphins may have the best offense in the division with the addition WR Brandon Marshall, but where is the pass rush, and the secondary leaves much to be desired as well.

4.       Buffalo Bills:  Outside of C. J. Spiller and possibly Fred Jackson there is no one else on this team I would even think about drafting.  Even Spiller and Jackson are risky picks as the Bills don’t have a quarterback or offensive line, and Lee Evans is the only player to talk about as far as a receivers go.  No doubt teams will play eight in the box and force Buffalo to throw the ball.

NORTH

1.       Cincinnati Bengals:  Quite possibly the most well rounded team in the division.  The Bengals can run or pass the ball.  The addition of WR Terrell Owens in free agency and tight end Jermaine Gresham through the draft give QB Carson Palmer more weapons at his disposal than he has ever had.  Defense isn’t so bad either.

2.       Baltimore Ravens:  During the off-season I had Baltimore as not only my division winner, but Super Bowl representative from the AFC.  I’ve changed both opinions after seeing their secondary get decimated.  It’s going to be up to their front seven to keep offenses in check, and that may be too much to ask.

3.       Pittsburgh Steelers:  Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is suspended for the first four games, we all know that.  Pittsburgh plays Atlanta, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, and Baltimore during those first four games, looks like a 1-3 start to me.  Even when Ben returns, he doesn’t have Holmes to throw to anymore and the offensive line is below average.  Hard to see how the Steelers can put up the points necessary to become a 10+ win team this season.

4.       Cleveland Browns:  If the Bills or Rams aren’t picking first in the 2011 draft, than the Browns are the odds on favorite.  Just not much to like here on offense.  Jake Delhomme is your starter, ouch.  You have a descent running game, but we’re still waiting for a receiver to step up.   I wouldn’t touch this team fantasy wise.

SOUTH

1.       Indianapolis Colts:  Hard to see how the Colts won’t win the division once again.  Their offense may be next to unstoppable.  Quarterback Peyton Manning has choices galore that he can throw to.  Reggie Wayne is still one of the better receivers in the league.  Pierre Garcon is an up and coming big playmaker.  Austin Collie stepped right in for the injured Anthony Gonzalez last season, and now Gonzalez is 100% healthy and ready to battle for his starting job this season.  We haven’t even mentioned TE Dallas Clark yet, cha ching.

2.       Houston Texans:  Will this be the season that the Texans finally get over the hump and make the playoffs?  They might have made the playoffs last season if not for the poor kicking of Kris Brown.  Now they will have to deal with the suspension of linebacker Brian Cushing for the first four games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.  Tight end Owen Daniels who really opened up the field for WR Andre Johnson has barely practiced this training camp as he tries to overcome multiple knee injuries.

3.       Tennessee Titans:  I still wouldn’t trust quarterback Vince Young as far as I can throw him.  This team will go as far as running back Chris Johnson can take them.  Johnson is a threat to go all the way every time he touches the ball and a probable number one pick in your fantasy draft.  Until Young proves he can be a reliable passer however, none of his receivers are any better than a WR3.

4.       Jacksonville Jaguars:  Running back Maurice Jones-Drew will always give a team a puncher’s chance at winning the game, but he can’t do everything by himself.  Sure Mike Sims-Walker stepped up last season to prove he can be a number one receiver for the Jags, but they still need a complementary receiver, and is anyone really sold on QB David Garrard?

WEST

1.       San Diego Chargers:  The Chargers should thank their lucky stars they play in the AFC West.  Just no one in that division is ready to challenge them even if OL Marcus McNeil and WR Vincent Jackson make good on their threats to hold out the season.  Tight end Antonio Gates could have a monster season as he will be the first look on most pass plays.  WRs Malcolm Floyd and Legandu Naanee need to step up in order for the offense to keep purring along.  Either way, RBs Ryan Matthews and Darren Sproles should each be in for solid seasons.

2.       Oakland Raiders:  General manager Al Davis finally admitted he made a mistake with QB JaMarcus Russell and jettisoned him after they acquired Jason Campbell from the Redskins.  This instantly makes the team better, but not quite a playoff contender yet.  Will they do the same to RB Darren MacFadden if he is outplayed by Michael Bush this season?  Tight end Zach Miller could be the biggest beneficiary of Campbell’s passes as he becomes a legitimate fantasy threat, at least until one of the wide receivers steps up.

3.       Kansas City Chiefs:  Chiefs head coach Todd Haley has quite a few fantasy owners ready to jump off a ledge with his refusal to name RB Jamaal Charles the starter.  Charles had a monster second half last season  but Haley still tried every back on the roster before giving the ball to Charles full-time, and this season he plans on giving Tomas Jones a shot at the starting job.  I know Jones has a good season for the Jets in 2009, but Charles is a playmaker, something the Chiefs don’t have a lot of.  Give him the ball Todd!

4.       Denver Broncos:  Truth is I could’ve placed any of the teams outside of the Chargers 2-4.  I chose the Broncos because I just don’t see where the offense is going to come from.  You trade away a true number one receiver in Brandon Marshall.  You pass up on a potential number one receiver in the draft in Dez Bryant.  You trade up to select a QB in the first round of the 2010 draft which even the most optimistic of projections knows it will take a couple of years, if ever, before he will be ready to become an NFL starter, and your best offensive weapon, RB Knowshon Moreno may have a hamstring tear.

Wildcards

Baltimore

Jets

Super Bowl Representative

Indianapolis

National Football Conference

EAST

1.       Dallas Cowboys:  I was loving the Cowboys, but like everyone else, the depth along their offensive line scares me.  If one or two starters go down for the season, it may not matter how good your skill position players are.  If WR Dez Bryant starts from Week One, you’re looking at your probable Rookie of the Year.

2.       New York Giants:  The Giants have always been known as a team that wins football games with their run game and defense.  That’s all fine and good, but with the weapons that G-men have at receiver (Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham), and QB Eli Manning throwing the ball, a change in philosophy may be in order.

3.       Philadelphia Eagles:  The Eagles made a bold move this off-season when they traded quarterback Donovan McNabb to division rival Washington, thus starting the Kevin Kolb era.  While I believe Kolb will prove to be a solid NFL starter, there are sure to be growing pains along the way.

4.       Washington Redskins:  Great move by the Redskins in acquiring McNabb.  It gives them the franchise QB they have been lacking for most of this decade.  Now they just have to work on the offensive line and receiver positions.  Look for the Skins to use a two tight end system as their base offense as Chris Cooley and Fred Davis are their best offensive weapons.  If Washington played in a different division (NFC West), they might contend for a title, but the East is just too much for them.

NORTH

1.       Green Bay Packers:  I have flip flopped between the Pack and Vikings most of the off-season.  I never had a doubt that QB Brett Favre would return so that never entered into my thinking, and I know QB Aaron Rodgers is going to light up the scoreboard, but the lack of depth in the Packers secondary could lead to quite a few high scoring affairs, and it’s just difficult to win consistently like that.

2.       Minnesota Vikings:  Now the Vikings have problems of their own as WR Sidney Rice will miss at least the first six games and possibly the entire season after undergoing hip surgery last week.  This leaves Favre without his favorite weapon to throw to and moves Bernard Berrian into the top spot.  Problem is Favre and Berrian never seemed to be able to get in sync last season, and Favre showing up to camp only about 10 days ago doesn’t help matters any this season.

3.       Chicago Bears:  There shouldn’t be any doubt that with Mike Martz now the offensive coordinator for the Bears, yardage and points will be easy to come by.  The problem is can QB Jay Cutler survive the hits he is about to take?  Martz believes in putting multiple receivers into patterns leaving the bare minimum as far as protection.  If Cutler’s first option is covered, he’s going to get hit.  During the 10 seasons Martz has been an OC, his starting QB has only played all 16 games, four times.

4.       Detroit Lions:  Hate to put the Lions last as I love most of the moves they have made since the end of last season.  Acquiring WR Nate Burleson should take some of the coverage away from Calvin Johnson.  Drafting Javhid Best will give them the number one RB they haven’t had since Barry Sanders retired.  Their defense, especially their back seven still leave much to be desired, but they are headed in the right direction.

SOUTH

1.       New Orleans Saints:  Will the Saints repeat?  Quite possibly.  They still have an offense that can put up as many points as any in the league.  QB Drew Brees excels at seeing the weakness in the defense and exploiting it.  This may hurt his receivers as no one is a true number one, but it keeps those chains moving.

2.       Atlanta Falcons:  The Falcons were a huge disappointment last season as injuries ravaged their defense and eventually got around to QB Matt Ryan and RB Michael Turner.  Well both are back this season and look ready to put up big numbers.  Now Ryan is never going to be an elite QB as the Falcons have a run based offense, but he can certainly make WR Roddy White and TE Tony Gonzalez look good.

3.       Carolina Panthers:  Speaking of run based offenses the Panthers will certainly run the ball as much as possible with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.  Quarterback Matt Moore may have impressed the team late last season, and he certainly makes Steve Smith a threat again, but the Panthers know where their bread is buttered. 

4.       Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  When will QB Josh Freeman play.  He broke his thumb almost two weeks ago and is still hoping to play Week One.  Question is, even if he can return for that game how good will be?  Next question is, does it even matter?  We’re not talking about the best of offenses here.  Everyone from the running backs to the wide receivers carries some kind of question mark.  I’ll pass.

WEST

1.       San Francisco 49ers:  The 49ers are the definition of the right place at the right time.  They are far from a great team but play in a weak division.  Quarterback Alex Smith is still a big question mark.  Although the 49ers seem to be at their offensive best when they line up in multiple receiver formations, coach Mike Singletary will make sure to keep an even run/pass split.  RB Frank Gore will not be bored.

2.       Arizona Cardinals:  Looks like Matt Leinart won’t be the starting QB in Arizona after all.  Derek Anderson is going to get the gig.  Leinart was being called Captain Checkdown in camp for his propensity to throw the ball to backs out of the backfield.  This would lead to a high completion percentage, but not much in the way of yardage.  The switch to Anderson should allow WR Larry Fitzgerald to make some big plays.

3.       Seattle Seahawks:  Pete Carroll may have had a great team at USC but this is the NFL, and Seattle is a long way from great.  QB Matt Hasselback is healthy to begin the season, but how long with that last?  The running game, although I like Justin Forsett in a fantasy league, he is not a true feature back.  Julius Jones, are you kidding me.  The receivers aren’t much better, and tight end John Carlson may be forced to block more than run patterns.  Don’t even get me started on the defense.

4.       St. Louis Rams:  Outside of RB Steven Jackson I wouldn’t touch anyone fantasy wise.  Even Jackson comes with some risk as it’s hard to see a whole bunch of touchdowns coming his way.  Wide receiver Donnie Avery will miss the entire season after tearing his ACL, not exactly what first overall pick Sam Bradford wanted to hear.

Wildcards

Giants

Minnesota

Super Bowl Representative

Green Bay

Super Bowl Winner

Indianapolis

1.       Dallas Clark, Indianapolis Colts:  The consensus number one pick, although one does have to be worried with the plethora of weapons that quarterback Peyton Manning has to throw to.  Still, Clark is too good to pass up at the number one spot and even if he doesn’t catch 100+ passes this season, Manning still loves to look his way in the red zone.

2.       Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers:  With top receiver Vincent Jackson looking like he will hold out for the majority of the season or possibly even be traded, Gates should be the number one target on more pass plays than usual.  Gates is also 100% healthy for the first time in a couple of seasons.  He could have his best season to date.

3.       Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers:  It may have taken a few years to realize, but Davis is now showing how talented he actually is.  When the 49ers go into their spread offense Davis is pretty much another wide receiver out there.  Alex Smith at quarterback does give me some doubts, but not enough to drop him past the three spot.

4.       Jermichael Finley, Green Bay Packers:  Finley looks like he could be the next big thing at tight end.  Finley took over the starting job about halfway through last season and isn’t ever going to look back.  He is a huge target for Aaron Rodgers to throw to and a red zone weapon.

5.       Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys:  We all know Witten is going to catch 80+ passes; QB Tony Romo loves to look his way.  The problem is that when the Cowboys are in the red zone, Witten is often kept in to block.  If the Cowboys ever let Witten run patterns in the end zone he could easily climb a spot or two.

6.       Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons:  Gonzalez enters the 2010 season with 999 career receptions – safe to say he will reach the 1000 mark in Week One.  Gonzalez will be the number two target on most passing downs and with a healthy Matt Ryan should produce another solid season.

7.       Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles:  Celek is another exciting young tight end that is just coming into his own.  He had developed a nice chemistry with Donovan McNabb and will have to do the same with new QB Kevin Kolb.  If I was positive about this hookup I could easily move Kolb into the top five, but until I see this connection live, I’ll play it safe. 

8.       Visanthe Shiancoe, Minnesota Vikings:  The biggest benefactor due to the injury to Sidney Rice may be Shiancoe.  QB Brett Favre has already made Shiancoe more than just the touchdown guy he was a couple of seasons ago.  Now he is also someone who catches the ball between the 20s and should get even more looks with Rice out until at least mid-season.

9.       Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins:  As we mentioned above, McNabb loves to throw to his tight ends, and he may have no choice in Washington with the dearth of talent they have at wide receiver.  No one would be surprised if the Redskins base offense includes Cooley and Fred Davis as they may be the best receivers on the team.

10.   Zach Miller, Oakland Raiders:  All I have to say is about Miller is that he was productive with JaMarcus Russell throwing him the ball.  He should be able to do even more damage with a legitimate QB in Jason Campbell throwing him the pigskin.

11.   Dustin Keller, New York Jets:  Keller and QB Mark Sanchez looked like they were finally getting in sync last season during the playoffs.  Could this be a sign of things to come?  Possibly, especially once Santonio Holmes returns from suspension.  Holmes will keep the safeties busy allowing Keller to roam free underneath.

12.   Owen Daniels, Houston Texans:  Daniels could be a wildcard in your draft.  Last season while healthy he was producing top three tight end numbers.  However a torn ACL ended his season early and while rehabbing the injury he had a setback in May when he suffered a stress fracture to the knee.  He’s still on pace to start Week One, but it’s hard to see him having the same quickness he showed last season.

13.   Kellen Winslow, Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  The Bucs offense is a work in progress.  The running game is average at best, the wide receivers were just drafted this past April, the quarterback has a broken thumb, leaves Winslow as the only legitimate offensive force right now, but not even Superman may be able to do much with this group.

14.   John Carlson, Seattle Seahawks:  Carlson’s numbers were in decline last season due to the loss of QB Matt Hasselback, and the fact that he had to stay in and block because the offensive line had more holes in it than a block of Swiss cheese.  He’ll do better this season, but not enough to warrant starter status.

15.   Greg Olsen, Chicago Bears:  You may be looking at the only player on the Bears offensive roster who wasn’t happy when Mike Martz became offensive coordinator.  As good as Olsen is, Martz just doesn’t use his TE.  Perhaps this will change this season because of the talent that Olsen possesses, but I wouldn’t waste a high draft pick on it.

16.   Todd Heap, Baltimore Ravens:  Heap had a rebound year of sorts last season and in a re-draft league may be able to put up some descent number for you.  The addition of Anquan Boldin should clear out the middle of the field for him and Heap can still leap with the best of them to grab the ball in the end zone.

17.   Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers:  Miller is a favorite of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, unfortunately big Ben is suspended for at least the first four weeks of the season which could put a dent in Miller’s numbers.  With the Steelers offensive line also a question mark it’s a fair question to wonder whether or not he will be asked to block more than usual.

18.   Anthony Fasano, Miami Dolphins:  Another tight end who could benefit with the arrival of a big time wide receiver to the team.  This is Fasano’s last chance in Miami as he is a free agent after the season.  If he wants to stick around in south Florida, he will have to put up solid numbers this season or find a new home next year.

19.   Jeremy Shockey, New Orleans Saints:  There is very little chance that Shockey will make it through 16 games.  Seems like he is always questionable on the injury report.  If he does play however, he makes a good bye week fill in, as the Saints offense is as good as any in the NFL.

20.   Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati Bengals:   Gresham finally gives the Bengals a pass catching tight end that they haven’t had during the Carson Palmer era.  Problem is with Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens constantly griping to get the ball, will Gresham even have a chance.

1.       Andre Johnson, Houston Texans:  Not exactly going out on a limb here, as Johnson is pretty much everyone’s number one pick.  I do worry a bit about who will take away the defenses attention from Johnson on the other side.  Not sold on either Jacoby Jones or Kevin Walter, and tight end Owen Daniels is trying to return from a torn ACL.

2.       Randy Moss, New England Patriots:  Another consensus as most pundits have Moss pegged as the number two fantasy wideout.  Quarterback Tom Brady is another year removed from ACL surgery, Wes Welker looks like he will be able to play to begin the season, and we all know the Pats still don’t like to run the ball.

3.       Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions:  Megatron finally has some weapons around him to take the defenses attention off of him.  The Lions signed Nate Burleson to start opposite Johnson and drafted Javhid Best to give themselves a dynamic presence in the running game.  If quarterback Matthew Stafford takes the next step than Johnson could be in for a career season.

4.       Miles Austin, Dallas Cowboys:  Talk about a player who came out of nowhere.  Last season he didn’t even start until Roy Williams missed a game with an injury.  This season he’s a top five WR.  With Dez Bryant now on board the Cowboys could have one of the more prolific passing games in the NFL. 

5.       Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals:  As far as a pure receiver I would put Fitzgerald only behind Andre Johnson, but the absence of quarterback Kurt Warner and the decision making by coach Ken Whisenhunt forces me to put Fitzgerald a few notches lower than I would like.

6.       Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons:  Quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Michael Turner are both healthy this season which should be music to White.  Outside of tight end Tony Gonzalez, there are no other legitimate receiving threats on Atlanta leaving White as the first option on most pass plays.

7.       Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts:  As I stated in my previous column, Wayne is fast becoming a player I’m avoiding in most drafts.  If you look at his last six or so games from last season you see a big decline in his numbers.  Is it because he has lost a step, or because there just aren’t enough balls to go around to all of the receivers in Indy? 

8.       Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packers:  Jennings had an up and down season in 2010.  The main reason for that may be because of an injury suffered early on last season and also because quarterback Aaron Rodgers often didn’t have time to find Jennings after taking seven step drops.  Once the Packers adjusted their offense to more three and five step drops Jennings season took off, and I would expect it to continue right through this season.

9.       Anquan Boldin, Baltimore Ravens:  Boldin may be the last piece of the puzzle for the Ravens offense.  We know they have a franchise QB in Joe Flacco and an outstanding RB in Ray Rice.  Now Boldin gives them a top flight wide receiver.  His addition allows Derek Mason to be a solid number two.  Another thing to consider, the Ravens may have secondary problems all season thereby giving up more points than usual, forcing them to throw the ball more to keep up.

10.   Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints:  Colston would get a lot more love if quarterback Drew Brees didn’t love to spread the ball around so much.  Colston may be the best receiver on the team but Brees will always throw to where his best matchup is.

11.   Brandon Marshall, Miami Dolphins:  Marshall is a great receiver but the Dolphins are still a running team with Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, and will always be as long as Bill Parcells is the GM.

12.   DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles:  The Eagles are going towards more of a true west coast offense with Kevin Kolb at the helm.  This means more three to five step drops and quick passes and less seven step drops and deep throws.  This could put a crimp in Jackson’s big play capabilities.

13.   Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs:  Will this be the season that Bowe steps up and becomes a true number one threat?  He’s going to have a strong run game that opposing defense will have to pay attention to.  Maybe even forcing them to bring their safeties closer to the line of scrimmage allowing Bowe to get behind them.

14.   Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants:  Nicks could be the next big thing to hit the receiving corps.  He’s got hands the size of Buicks and is especially dangerous when catching the ball in open space.  The only thing that may hold Nicks back this season is the Giants offense.  Traditionally they are a run first team, but the strength this season seems to be in the passing game. 

15.   Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers:  Might rank Crabtree higher if I was a true believer in quarterback Alex Smith.  I’m not however and I wonder if coach Mike Singletary will rely on his running game.  The 49ers play in a weak division and don’t have the toughest of schedules; Singletary may play it close to the vest so as not to give opposing teams a short field.

16.   Sidney Rice, Minnesota Vikings:  Rice is still battling a hip injury that he suffered during the Vikings playoff run last season.  Rice quickly became Brett Favre’s favorite receiver in 2009 and this is little reason to believe he wouldn’t be again if he can get on the field.

17.   Pierre Garcon, Indianapolis Colts:  Garcon took over the starting job opposite Reggie Wayne last season once Anthony Gonzalez went down to injury.  Garcon gave the Colts another big play weapon.  Just what they needed, like they had a dearth of offensive firepower.  He’s ranked here because of all the weapons at Peyton Manning’s disposal.  Not only Wayne and Gonzalez, but Dallas Clark and Austin Collie as well as the running backs, just not enough footballs to go around.

18.   Steve Smith, New York Giants:  Whereas Nicks may be the Giants big play receiver; Smith is the Giants chain mover.  He will catch plenty of passes from Eli Manning and with the emergence of Nicks; perhaps defenses will pay less attention to Smith.

19.   Johnny Knox, Chicago Bears:  Knox has been flying up my draft board for over a week now.  He seems to be a perfect fit for Mike Martz’s offense and as we all know, Martz loves to throw the ball and throw it early and often.  The receivers and quarterback will put up big numbers.  Knox seems to be Cutler’s favorite receiver right now.

20.   Chad Ochocinco, Cincinnati Bengals:   Ochocinco is so not the receiver he once was.  He has a hard time separating from defenders now as he doesn’t possess blazing speed anymore.  The addition of Terrell Owens is sure to take away some targets, and there are still questions about Carson Palmer’s arm strength.

21.   Robert Meachem, New Orleans Saints:  Meachem may finally be coming into his own but a toe injury has kept him sidelined most of the pre-season.  Meachem is playing in a high octane offense that can score points by the bucket load, problem is the Saints love to spread the ball around and as much as Meachem could have two touchdowns and 120 yards receiving one week, he could also have two catches and 18 yards the next.

22.   Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers:  At this point in his career Ward is what he is.  A physical, possession receiver who can no longer stretch the field.  Combine that with the fact that either Dennis Dixon or Byron Leftwich will start the first four games of the season for the suspended Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes was traded in the off-season and it’s real hard to see Ward having a big season in 2010.

23.   Mike Sims-Walker, Jacksonville Jaguars:  Is Sims-Walker a one year wonder?  Probably not but the Jaguars are a run team first and second and will only throw the ball when they have to.  Plus it would be nice if another receiver would step up to take some of the pressure off of Sims-Walker. 

24.   Jerricho Cotchery, New York Jets:  Cotchery is sort of flying under the radar with fantasy owners.  When you think Jets, you think of Santonio Holmes, but he can’t play the first month of the season.  How about Braylon Edwards? Well he has hands of stone, which leaves the reliable Cotchery to just keep on catching those passes from Mark Sanchez.

25.   Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh Steelers:  One of the reasons the Steelers felt confident that they could survive after trading Holmes was because of the emergence of Wallace.  Wallace has the speed to get deep, but with Roethlisberger unavailable until Week 5 at the earliest, and the Steelers offensive line not adept at run blocking, will the quarterback have enough time to find Wallace?

26.   Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers:  As Smith proves himself healthy he will climb up this list.  Not to far though as the Panthers are a running team first.  Smith finally has a quarterback however who can throw the ball deep down the field which may actually open up passing lanes underneath.  A possible change to rookie QB Jimmy Clausen at some point during the season could slow things down a bit.

27.   Devin Hester, Chicago Bears:  I’m certainly not a Hester fan.  He’s just not a true receiver and I believe the Bears would be best served by having Devin Aromashodu serve as their second receiver.  That being said, this is a Mike Martz offense and there will be plenty of footballs for each wideout to catch.

28.   Wes Welker, New England Patriots:  Another receiver that could fly up my board once I’m truly convinced he is healthy, and I’m starting to be convinced.  As I’m writing this Welker caught two passes for 20 yards against the Falcons.  Didn’t have a chance to run after the catch so couldn’t really see him cut, but he did look good. 

29.   Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys:  Where might he be on this list if he didn’t suffer a high ankle sprain earlier in camp?  Bryant is a superstar waiting to happen.  When will that happen?  I would assume after Dallas has their bye in Week 4.  Bryant will take over the starting job from Roy Williams and will have a fantastic season and career.

30.   Malcolm Floyd, San Diego Chargers:  As long as Vincent Jackson is holding out, Floyd has tremendous value.  Now keep in mind Floyd is not a young player, he has been in the NFL for six seasons.  Why all of a sudden is he taking off?  Could he just be a product of how good a QB Phillip Rivers is?  Maybe, but as long as he is catching passes, gaining yards, and scoring touchdowns, we don’t care.

31.   Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers:  Now here’s a player who keeps falling down my list.  He is suspended for the first three games of the season and threatening to hold out until Week 10.  Best guess is he’s not bluffing and once the Chargers realize that they will deal him.  Redskins anyone? 

32.   Donald Driver, Green Bay Packers:  Yeah I know he is playing on two gimpy knees, but still he’s just too good not to have on your team, especially as a third or fourth receiver.  Driver’s hay days are obviously over but he can still be a very useful piece to your puzzle.  Plus he knows he’s being pushed by Jordy Nelson and James Jones, he’s out to prove he still has something left.

33.   Nate Burleson, Detroit Lions:  Detroit signed Burleson to a big contract during the off-season to give defenses something else to think about other than triple covering Calvin Johnson.  Defenses are still going to look to keep Megatron in check and Burleson could have a solid season with 8+ touchdowns assuming he stays healthy.

34.   Terrell Owens, Cincinnati Bengals:  TO and Ochocinco together, wow, get your popcorn ready.  This could be fun to watch, almost definitely would’ve been if this was 2005 instead of 2010.  TO like Ochocinco can no longer get behind the defense on a regular basis and the Bengals are a run first team, but he is still able to put together a big game here and there, and is still a beast to take down once he catches the ball.

35.   Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings:  The major news of the day was Harvin having to be carted off the field after collapsing during practice (a practice he wasn’t participating in).  It seems these migraine headaches are taking a toll on Harvin and one has to wonder if he will ever be able to overcome them.

36.   Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia Eagles:  Whereas DeSean Jackson may be the deep threat for the Eagles it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if Maclin ends up with more catches.  The Eagles are a pass happy offense and I wouldn’t complain about having either player.

37.   T. J. Houshmandzadeh, Seattle Seahawks:  Someone has to catch passes in Seattle.  Housh reminds me of former Cowboy Alvin Harper.  Harper was great when paired with Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, but once he left via free agency and was expected to be number one guy, he was just never the same.

38.   Antonio Bryant, Cincinnati Bengals:  Bryant has been falling on this list for a couple of weeks now and will most certainly be off of it by the time the season starts.  Just can’t stay healthy and the addition of Owens doesn’t leave Bryant with much to do.

39.   Santonio Holmes, New York Jets:  Suspended for the first four games of the season.  That’s a quarter of the season and a third of your fantasy season.  Plus he’s with a new team that doesn’t throw the ball a whole lot.  If you can get him as a reserve to plug in later in the season I like it, but don’t count on him being a big time player this season.

40.   Braylon Edwards, New York Jets:  If only Braylon was allowed to use stick-em.  Seriously how can a receiver drop so many passes?  Where will Braylon be once Holmes returns, second receiver, third?  He’s a big play waiting to happen, but will break your heart on more than one occasion.

1.       Who is my early pick for rookie of the year?  Now Joe didn’t specify offense of defense so we’ll take a look at some of the top players from both sides. 

• Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams:  We have to start with the first overall pick, don’t we?  I like Bradford and he may very well be the elite QB the Rams need, but not this year.  He is certain to suffer his share of growing pains.
• Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions:  Too hard for a defensive tackle to make enough big plays, especially in there rookie season to get ROY, same problem for the Buccaneers Gerald McCoy
• Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs:  He certainly will have plenty of chances to make big plays as the teams will look to throw all over what was a terrible secondary last season.  Still, it’s not going to happen for Berry or any other secondary player drafted in 2010.
• Rolando McCLain, Oakland Raiders:  An inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense will certainly have a truckload of chances to put up solid numbers and make highlight or two.
• CJ Spiller, Buffalo Bills:  If you would’ve asked me a week ago about Spiller, I would’ve told you no chance, but now that Fred Jackson is out until at least Week One and Marshawn Lynch maybe till the end of the pre-season puts Spiller back into the conversation, as he may play more than first advertised.  Still, no QB for that team, offensive line is Swiss cheese, and the wide receivers are average at best.
• Ryan Matthews, San Diego Chargers:  Certainly seems to be the leader heading to the clubhouse.  The holdout of wide receiver Vincent Jackson which could extend deep into the regular season could mean plenty of carries for both Matthews and Darren Sproles.  He’s on a solid team in a weak division, plenty to like here.
• Brandon Graham, Philadelphia Eagles:  Another player to keep an eye on.  The Eagles have boasted an above average defense the past few seasons but have been missing a good outside linebacker. Not anymore.
• Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati Bengals:  Carson Palmer finally has a receiving tight end.  However with the signings of Terrell Owens and Antonio Bryant, it’s hard to see enough balls being thrown Gresham’s way to make an impact this season.
• Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos:  Kyle Orton is your starting QB and you’re not even the starter for a team that doesn’t seem to have any receivers.
• Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys:  If he wouldn’t have suffered a high ankle sprain which will cause him to miss most of the pre-season, he certainly would’ve been in the conversation to begin the season as a starter.
• Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos:  Will probably start eventually and is a fan/media favorite, but hard to see him doing all that much statistically, same for Jimmy Claussen in Carolina.
• Javhid Best, Detroit Lions:  Another player to keep an eye on as the Lions are in love with him.  Offensive line is so-so which could hurt and he does have an injury history however.

Offense:  Ryan Matthews                                            Defense:  Rolando McClain

2.       Name two players you’re staying away from this season?  The first for me is Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.  Now don’t get me wrong - I think Fitzgerald may be the best WR in the NFL, but with the retirement of Kurt Warner, I want no part of Matt Leinart.  Plus, head coach Ken Whisenhunt has made it known that he wants to be more of a running team this season.  Yeah, he has no choice with Leinart under center.  My second choice is Quarterback Phillip Rivers.  As mentioned above he doesn’t have his best WR, he is also without his best offensive lineman, and this was on a team that had OL problems last season.  Just think he will go too early for my taste, and I’m not totally sold on Malcolm Floyd and Legandu Naanee being able to replace the consistency of Jackson.

3.       Name a player being drafted outside the top 100 that you’re trying to nab in drafts?  Johnny Knox, Chicago Bears.  I may not like OC Mike Martz, I may not like QB Jay Cutler, but there is no doubting that Martz’s offense will put up fantasy points.  Look what he did with Jon Kitna in Detroit and Shaun Hill in San Francisco.  The receiver who is looking like Cutler’s favorite target, Knox, I’ll take him in every draft.

4.       What player do you feel is way overrated coming into 2010?  Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts.  If you look at the last 6-8 games of last season, his numbers were not so good.  Maybe he has lost a step or maybe the colts just have too many weapons.  Peyton Manning can throw to Dallas Clark, Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie, and now Anthony Gonzalez is back.  Just not trusting Wayne as much as I used to.  There are many running backs I could’ve mentioned also as there are just too many running back by committee’s going on.

5.       What player will be the top scoring fantasy tight end this year?  Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers.  I’ve talked about this quite a few times in this column.  QB Phillip Rivers will have no choice but to look for Gates without WR Vincent Jackson.  Can’t see how Gates doesn’t catch 100 passes with 10-12 touchdowns.

6.       What quarterback will drastically outperform his average draft position in 2010?  This may be cheating or just good timing depending on how you look at it, but Brett Favre is being drafted in the 11^th round of 10 team leagues.  Granted that was before everyone knew he was returning.  I may hate how he waffles about retirement, but he’s going to put up solid fantasy points in any league. 

I’d like to add a little not to the end of this column.  My wife Maria gave birth to our second daughter on Monday.  Welcome to the world Madison Ann – now who are you going to take in the first round?

 1.       Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans:  Let’s face it, you would be happy with just about any of the top four RBs, I know I would.  Johnson is the biggest home run hitter of the bunch, as he is a threat to score a touchdown every time he touches the football.  Johnson is not only the only true threat to carry the ball for the Titans, but with their passing game also a bit of a mystery, he will be relied upon to be a big part of their offense once again.

 2.       Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings:  Perhaps AP would get the number one spot if quarterback Brett Favre retired, assuring the Vikings would certainly run the ball more with Tarvaris Jackson at QB.  Peterson may be in line for more carries anyway with the departure of Chester Taylor, but rookie Toby Gerhart could become a TD vulture at the goal line, especially if Peterson’s fumbling problems return.

  3.       Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens:  If this was a PPR league, then you could make an argument for Rice to be at least second on this list.  Rice is another back who can do it all.  Rice had a great season in 2009 regardless of the fact that Willis McGahee was the true definition of a touchdown vulture.  Some might think that the addition of wide receiver Anquan Boldin will force Baltimore to throw the ball more often.  While this may be true, the addition of Boldin also forces opposing safeties to back off the line of scrimmage allowing more room to roam for Rice.

 4.       Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars:  Jones-Drew is pretty much the Jaguars offense.  With QB David Garrard still erratic, it will be up to Jones-Drew to move the ball, either by carrying it or catching it.  Another little caveat to consider is that Jones-Drew is an avid fantasy player himself and he’s not afraid to admit that he’s been drafting himself in every league he plays in.  If Jones-Drew is good enough for his own team, he’s good enough for yours and mine.

  5.       Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons:  Turner would start the second tier of running backs.  It seems everyone is pointing towards the curse of 370 (carries in 2008) as to why he had an injury plagued season last year.  I’m not buying it.  Turner still ripped off quite a few big runs last season and is 100% healthy and primed for another big season in 2010.  The Falcons have even let it be known that they would like to get Turner more involved in the passing game, that’s nice and all but Turner’s bread is buttered with the ground game.

 6.       Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers:  There are so many reasons to like Gore this season.  Plays for what maybe the best team in the division.  The division itself is weak.  The schedule is far from daunting.  Coaching staff likes to run the ball and play defense.  Sure the 49ers have a good passing game with Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis, but the team is far from sold on QB Alex Smith and will keep the ball on the ground.  The only negative is that Gore always seems to suffer some kind of injury or another that will keep him out of a game or two.

 7.       Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals:  The jury was out on Benson, and I almost mean that literally as we were all waiting to see whether or not Commissioner Roger Goodell would suspend Benson for his role in a bar fracas.  Once Goodell decided Benson would not be suspended, then it was time to move Benson up the draft board.  I know the Bengals signed Antonio Bryant and Terrell Owens this off-season, and drafted Jermaine Grehsam and Jordan Shipley, but I’m far from convinced, QB Carson Palmer doesn’t has the arm anymore to take advantage of these weapons.  With that offensive line and playing in that division the run game becomes all the more important.  Another thing to remember is that the Bengals aren’t afraid to give the rock to Benson 30+ times if necessary.

 8.       Ryan Matthews, San Diego Chargers:  I’m one of those who believe that Matthews is going to have a pretty big rookie season, not because I believe he is a great back, but I do believe he is going to be given every opportunity to run the ball and succeed.  Unless you live in a cave, you know that WR Vincent Jackson and LT Marcus McNeil are holding out.  Assuming these holdouts do indeed last until Week 10 , the Chargers are going to rely on the ground game to win ballgames.  Sure the loss of McNeil will impact the running game as well, but the Chargers may play in the worst division in football and coach Norv Turner knows a thing or two about the running game.

 9.       Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams:  On talent alone Jackson deserves to be in the top five.  Problem is the talent, or lack thereof, around him.  The Rams drafted what they hope will be an elite QB in Sam Bradford, but that will do little for Jackson this season, and even if Bradford does turn out to be as good as advertised he still doesn’t have much in the way of receivers to throw to.  This will lead opposing defenses to do all they can to stop Jackson.  They will force the Rams to find another way to beat them.

 10.   Shonn Greene, New  York Jets:  With Greene I’m pretty much starting my next tier of running backs.  These are back I like and wouldn’t mind having on my team but there is something with each of them that give me pause.  With Greene that something is the addition of LaDainian Tomlinson.  No I don’t think Tomlinson has much left in the tank as far as running the ball, but LT still does one thing well and that is score touchdowns.  I can certainly see Greene doing all the grunt work but then LT getting the glory.

 11.   DeAngelo Williams, Carolina Panthers:  Williams will continue to produce, even with the presence of James Stewart.  There are plenty of carries to go around in Carolina, as they are a team which runs more than it throws.

 12.   Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh Steelers:  Mendenhall has all the tools to be a top back this season but I’m skeptical of his supporting cast.  Starting QB Ben Roethlisberger is suspended for at least the first four regular season games, they traded their best receiver in Santonio Holmes, and their best blocker is out for the season.  Could be dark times ahead for the Steelers running game.

 13.   Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs:  I would like to place Charles a few rungs higher but one has to wonder about why the KC coaching staff continues to start Thomas Jones ahead of him in training camp.  Same thing sort of happened last season where it seems like every other running back was given a chance on the Chiefs roster before they realized what they had in Charles.  Sooner or later head coach Todd Haley has to come to his senses and give Charles the starting job.

 14.   Ryan Grant, Green Bay Packers:  Grant is not really a sexy name but he gets the job done.  Not to mention, when opposing defenses thing about the Pack, they try and dream up ways to stop Aaron Rodgers and the passing game, not Grant.  The biggest worry with Grant from last season is that he would seem to get only one shot at scoring a touchdown from in close, if he wasn’t successful the Packers would go in a different direction.

 15.   Pierre Thomas, New Orleans Saints:  Much like Grant in Green Bay, Thomas is not someone who is going to light up a scoreboard with big runs.  The Saints will use their passing game to accomplish that feat.  Thomas though will be the beneficiary of opposing teams just not all that worried about the running game.

 16.   Ronnie Brown, Miami Dolphins:  Assuming Brown is healthy this season, he is being undervalued in drafts.  Sure the Dolphins traded for WR Brandon Marshall this off-season, but that doesn’t mean they are all of a sudden going to become a passing team.  They are still going to run the ball plenty, and with Marshall on board opposing safeties will no longer be able to play close to the line of scrimmage, allowing more room for Brown to roam.

 17.   Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos:  Moreno has the exact opposite problem of Grant and Thomas.  Teams will not be impressed by the Broncos passing game and will load up to stop Moreno.  Eight men in the box should be a constant sight this season for Denver. 

 18.   Javhid Best, Detroit Lions:  Best was one of the three ballyhooed running backs taken in the first round of this past April’s draft.  The Lions actually traded back into the first round to take him.  Best could have a good season with defenses worried about Calvin Johnson, but keep in mind that he does have a history of injuries coming out of college and one has to wonder if that will carry over to the NFL.

 19.   Arian Foster, Houston Texans:  At the beginning of the pre-season Foster was part of a three-headed monster in the Houston backfield with Steve Slaton and Ben Tate.  Tate is most likely gone for the season after breaking an ankle on Saturday.  Slaton still hasn’t overcome his fumbling problems which may lead to the full time job being Foster’s once again.  If Foster is able to keep the gig full-time all season he could be in for a top ten season.

 20.   Chris Wells, Arizona Cardinals: I might like Wells a little more this season if not for the fact that Kurt Warner is no longer at the controls and fellow running back Tim Hightower is no slouch himself.  Wells will get more carries than Hightower, but Hightower is the better receiver out of the backfield and won’t be forgotten about.  The good news is that the Cardinals have stated they want to run the ball more this season, of course without Warner, they probably have no choice.

 21.   Joseph Addai, Indianapolis Colts:  I have to admit I’m not the biggest Addai fan on the planet.  Big time passing offense and Donald Brown is still on board.  That being said, with Peyton Manning and the receivers that the Colts possess, a running back on this team is just too valuable not to take a shot on.

 22.   Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers:  Stewart is only this low because of the presence of DeAngelo Williams on this team.  That is a problem however that may be remedied next season as Williams will become a free agent.  As for this season however, Stewart will get his share of carries, perhaps as much as 40% and will probably get his share of touchdowns also but his only true value will come if Williams goes down with injury once again.

 23.   Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants:  Jacobs keeps dropping further and further in my rankings for a couple of reasons.  First, he has an incredibly difficult time staying healthy, always missing a few series or a few games during the season.  Second, Ahmad Bradshaw is making noises in camp and may actually be the starter come opening day.  I still like Jacobs, and wouldn’t mind having him on my team, but couple the above with the Giants possibly becoming more of a passing team and it’s time to start looking elsewhere for RB help.

 24.   Ricky Williams, Miami Dolphins:  Williams seems like he has been around forever, and with how the Dolphins run their offense, will still be a valuable member of your fantasy team.  Williams will get his share of carries and maybe even more if Ronnie Brown goes down with injury once again.  It’s hard to handcuff Williams to Brown because he’s good in his own right and you would have to draft him earlier than you would a normal handcuff, but if he were to slide late in your draft, that would be the way to go.

 25.   Matt Forte, Chicago Bears:  Forte is in a battle with Chester Taylor to see who fits the offense being run by Mike Martz.  It was originally thought that when Taylor was signed in the off-season that he would be the lead back, but it seems in pre-season that Forte has a slight lead for the job now.  This could be a battle that goes right down to the wire.

 26.   Darren Sproles, San Diego Chargers:  Good news bad news situation for the Chargers.  The likely holdout of Vincent Jackson should mean that the Chargers will run the ball giving Sproles more carries; it could also mean more passes in the flat to Sproles.  The bad news is that Marcus McNeil is also likely to be a holdout, making what was already an below average offensive line in 2009 even worse, and Ryan Matthews will handle a boatload of carries as well.

 27.   Felix Jones, Dallas Cowboys:  I have Jones at 27 and Marion Barber at 29 but truth is you could flip flop these two until Dallas names a starter.  Jones is your big play guy, someone who could take it to the house any time he touches the ball.  He does fumble to much especially near the goal line, so even if he is named the starter, he may not be the goal line back.

 28.   Thomas Jones, Kansas City Chiefs:  The only reason Jones is on this list is because the Chiefs have him running with the first team offense right now.  You have to believe Jamaal Charles is eventually going to get that job, don’t you?  Jones should be the touchdown vulture either way though.

 29.   Marion Barber, Dallas Cowboys:  As mentioned above, Barber and Jones are interchangeable, but I would expect Barber to be the main ball carrier when the Cowboys have the ball inside the five yard line.  Barber has lost some weight this off-season, actually weighs less than Jones, and is said to look quicker, but like Jones is an injury waiting to happen.

 30.   LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles:  Brian Westbrook is no longer on the Eagles.  Donovan McNabb is no longer on the Eagles.  Andy Reid is still coaching the Eagles.  This means that the Eagles are still going to throw the ball more than they pass.  Reid prefers a running back who can catch the ball out of the backfield rather than someone who can get big yards on the ground, just fits their style of offense better.

1.       Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints:  Hard not to have Brees as the number one selection.  He plays in a pass first offense and has thrown 34 touchdown passes in each of the past two seasons.  If yardage is what you’re looking for Brees threw for over 4300 last season, over 5000 in 2008.  He still has all of his receiving weapons and although their running game is adequate the passing game is definitely what will make this offense purr.

2.       Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers:  In a dynasty league I might switch up my top two but in a re-draft league I have Rodgers at #2.  I did give some thought to placing Rodgers at the top of this list but with the uncertainty surrounding wide receiver Donald Driver who had knee surgery on both knees in the off-season I decided to go with the safer route.

3.       Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts:  Manning lovers could also argue that their favorite player should garner the top spot.  It would be hard to blame them.  Manning has quite a receiving corps.  Reggie Wayne may be slowing down a bit but is still a big time threat, Pierre Garcon should only get better after a terrific rookie season, Austin Collie also proved that he can make a serious contribution to the passing attack and Anthony Gonzalez may finally return after what was a wasted 2009 season thanks to a knee injury.  All of this and I haven’t even mentioned all world tight end Dallas Clark.  I would not complain one iota if I ended up with Manning on my fantasy team.

4.       Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys:  Romo may be primed for an MVP season this year.  The emergence of wide receiver Miles Austin last season and the addition of first round draft pick Dez Bryant this season may give the Cowboys the best 1-2 punch in the game.  What may keep Romo from putting up the numbers of some of his contemporaries is that the Cowboys will still want to control the clock with the running game, and the biggest question mark on the team is their offensive line which may wear down as the season progresses.

5.       Tom Brady, New England Patriots:  I’m now into my next tier of quarterbacks.  The big question for the Patriots will be the health of WR Wes Welker.  Welker is coming off major knee surgery and was placed on the PUP list before training camp began on Monday.  The Patriots are known for being coy with their injury reports and certainly won’t divulge any information unless they absolutely have to.  Without Welker teams will load up to stop Randy Moss possibly forcing Brady to hold the ball longer than he wants to.  Moss will still get his share of receptions, but I would be much more confident in Brady as a fantasy QB this season if I knew who that second WR was going to be.

6.       Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings:  Of course this ranking assumes that Favre will indeed return for another season.  Favre put up incredible numbers last season and will have the same complement of weapons this season.  My main worry about Favre is that teams may take the blueprint shown to them by the Saints in the NFC Championship game last season and hit Favre every chance they get.  He is over 40 after all, and those hits do add up.  I know Favre is the ironman, but still he would seem to be one hit away from retirement.

7.       Phillip Rivers, San Diego Chargers:  Normally I would have Rivers ranked a few slots higher on this list but with the likelihood that all-pro wide receiver Vincent Jackson will hold out until Week 10 of the regular season I’m going to have to hedge my bets.  Rivers still has Malcolm Floyd and Legedu Naanee in the fold but neither is anywhere near close to a proven number one WR.  Of Course Antonio Gates is still with the team and may even get more looks than normal from his tight end spot, but sooner or later you’re going to need a receiver who can stretch the field to put up big fantasy points quickly.

8.       Jay Cutler, Denver Broncos:  Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you that I’m not the biggest Cutler fan, but in a Mike Martz offense the QB almost always puts up big numbers and I don’t see this year being much different.  Now a couple of things to remember.  Not only will a QB put up big numbers but he will also take big hits.  Cutler is going to have to prove to be durable.  Martz will send out four and five receivers which doesn’t leave many blockers to protect Cutler.  If you’re in a league that penalizes QBs for interceptions, keep in mind that Cutler will most likely have quite a few of those as well.

 9.       Eli Manning, New York Giants:  When you think of the Giants and how they win games, you think of defense and the running game.  That’s all fine and good, but the strength of this team offensively is the passing game.  Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw are solid running backs, but Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, and budding superstar Hakeem Nicks could make this the Giants best passing game ever.  It would represent a big philosophical change for the Giants to become a pass-first team, but sometimes you have to play to your strengths.

 10.   Matt Schaub, Houston Texans:  I wanted to place Schaub a little higher, I really did, but a couple of things scare me about the Texans passing game.  First, they still don’t have a reliable threat opposite Andre Johnson.  Johnson may be an all-world receiver, but it would be nice if Jacoby Jones or Kevin Walter would step up to give opposing defenses something to think about.  Secondly, we have no idea how healthy tight end Owen Daniels is going to be.  Daniels was that player who gave defenses something to think about last season but he is unlikely to be at full strength at least early this season.

 11.   Kevin Kolb, Philadelphia Eagles:  Kolb is wildcard in the rankings.  He is pretty much a rookie, but did start two games last season.  We all know head coach Andy Reid loves to throw the ball and that is unlikely to change this season.  Could Kolb put up big numbers, yes, but unless you’re a true believer I would let someone else take that chance.

 12.   Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens:  Flacco may actually be in line for his best season yet as he will finally have a legitimate number one receiver after the Ravens traded for Anquan Boldin.  Derek Mason is still around to give him a solid number two as well.  That being said, this is still a run first tem with Ray Rice, and with that defense the Ravens aren’t all of a sudden going to be a pass happy team.

 13.   Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons:  Much like Flacco with Baltimore, Ryan does have the weapons to produce solid passing numbers.  Roddy White is a great talent at WR and Tony Gonzalez gives Ryan a Hall of Fame tight end to throw to, but also like Flacco he plays for a run first team that will give the ball plenty to Michael Turner.

 14.   Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions:  If you’re looking for a quarterback to take as a reserve in your league with high upside, it may very well be Stafford.  We all know he has Calvin Johnson to throw to, but the Lions went out and signed free agent WR Nate Burleson to give defenses something to think about opposite Megatron.  The Lions also obtained tight end Tony Scheffler from Denver and traded back in the first round to draft running back Jahvid Best.  Detroit is surrounding Stafford with the weapons he needs to succeed, but his offensive line may end up being his undoing.

 15.   Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers:  Smith has gone through many ups and downs in his NFL career.  The number one pick had a hard time living up to expectations and then had surgery a couple of times on his throwing shoulder.  Now the good, he has been put in charge of an offense that should have little problems scoring points.  Last year’s first round pick Michael Crabtree could be ready to have a great season, tight end Vernon Davis has already proven that he is a force to be reckoned with, and we all know how good a running back Frank Gore is.  Put all of this together with the fact that the 49ers play in one of the weakest divisions in the NFL and you have a recipe for success.

 16.   Chad Henne, Miami Dolphins:  Henne must have been jumping up and down when he heard that the Dolphins had acquired wide receiver Brendan Marshall from the Broncos.  He now finally has a true number one receiver who won’t drop every ball thrown to him.  Marshall should have a domino effect on the offense as Davone Bess, Brian Hartline, and even eight end Anthony Fasano should all have more room to roam in the secondary, but remember the Dolphins are still a run first team with Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams and Marshall’s addition will allow more holes for those two to run through as well.

 17.   Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals:  Well if you haven’t heard the news yet, let me be the first to tell you that the Bengals have signed Terrell Owens.  Chad Ochocinco and TO in the same huddle, this should be extremely interesting.  Problem is, Palmer doesn’t seem to have the greatest of arm strength anymore and the Bengals are still going to be a run first team with Cedric Benson.  Ochocinco and TO are also up there in age, which one stretches the field?  Wasn’t that what Antonio Bryant was supposed to do?

 18.   Donovan McNabb, Washington Redskins:  I’ve always been a McNabb supporter, but going from the pass happy Eagles to the Redskins certainly hurts his fantasy value.  The Redskin wide receivers are below average and we still don’t know what the result of Santana Moss’s name coming up in the Dr. Galea steroid scandal will be.  Their two tight ends, Chris Cooley and Fred Davis may be their best receivers.  The Redskin running game will scare no one as Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson, and Willie Parker aren’t only over the hill, but they are fall down the backside of it.  The Skins have done some work as far as fixing the offensive line with the trade for Jamaal Brown and the drafting of Trent Williams but this is not enough to make this an explosive offense all of a sudden.

 19.   Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers:  Normally Big Ben would be a top ten QB but his suspension for the first four games for being sub-human should eliminate him from those considerations.  Four games is likely a third of your fantasy season, a quarter if you’re in a points league and that is too much to miss.  Not to mention they lost their number one receiver in Santonio Holmes, and left tackle Willie Colon, pass by on Big Ben.

 20.   Mark Sanchez, New York Jets:  At this point in your draft you’re just rolling the dice anyway, so why not go with the quarterback of a team that many are predicting great things from this season -not me - but many others.  The Jets do have the running game to take the pressure off of Sanchez, but with Santonio Holmes suspended for the first four games and head coach Rex Ryan a big believer in keeping games close and winning them in the fourth quarter, I’d rather go with Jason Campbell in this spot.

New England Patriots:  Bill Belichick will have to decide before camp opens up whether or not to place WR Wes Welker on the PUP list thus keeping him from playing in the first six games of the regular season.  Smart money says they will rather do that then risk further injury.  Julian Edelman’s stock goes up and Torry Holt also becomes a more interesting play.  Perhaps he won’t flame out like Joey Galloway did last season.

 New York Jets:  In those leagues that are touchdown heavy, there is legitimate concern that RB LaDainian Tomlinson becomes a threat to vulture touchdowns from Shonn Greene.  Tomlinson may have lost a step or two, but still knows how to get into the end zone.

 Miami Dolphins:  The Dolphins still haven’t settled on who will be the starting WR opposite Brandan Marshall.  Logically one would think Davone Bess would be the easy choice but the Dolphins are toying with the idea of having Bess be their slot receiver as they plan on moving Marshall all over the field and want his opposite number to be able to do the same.

 Buffalo Bills:  The addition of RB C. J. Spiller in the draft and with Marshawn Lynch still on the team will lead to an extremely crowded backfield in Buffalo, and let’s face it, with their quarterback and receiver situation this team is going to run the ball as much as humanly possible.  Still though, it would be best for all if Lynch were to find a new home.

 Baltimore Ravens:  Much has been made about WR Anquan Boldin facing tougher coverage now that he is the number one WR in Baltimore.  People seem to forget that Boldin was also the top WR in Arizona before Larry Fitzgerald arrived and put up Pro Bowl numbers.  I’d be more worried about Boldin staying healthy.

 Cincinnati Bengals:  On paper the Bengals offense looks to be quite formidable.  Chad Ochocinco and Antonio Bryant are your starters at WR, Cedric Benson at RB, and they finally drafted at top TE in Jermaine Gresham, that being said I still have my doubts about QB Carson Palmer.  Not sure he has the arm strength anymore to lead a top passing game.

 Pittsburgh Steelers:  I’m staying far and away from the Steelers this season.  We all know that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been suspended for the first four games of the season and WR Santonio Holmes was traded to the Jets.  And now the loss of OT Willie Colon for the season may be the final straw that breaks the camel’s back.  Hard to see how this offense is able to get off the ground even when big Ben returns.

 Cleveland Browns:  You couldn’t get me to draft a Browns QB this season if, well you just couldn’t.  Jake “I can’t throw the ball 10 yards down the field” Delhomme and Seneca “thank god for Mike Holmgren or I might not have a job” Wallace as your best options at QB, ouch.  Stay away from the Browns passing game.

 Indianapolis Colts:  It was said that WR Anthony Gonzalez would get a chance in training camp to regain his starting role opposite Reggie Wayne.  Don’t buy into this.  Not only has Pierre Garcon cemented his role as that starter, but Gonzalez is still missing time with knee problems and we know all to well how the Colts aren’t exactly forthcoming with injury information.

 Houston Texans:  The Texans still need to find a dependable receiver opposite Andre Johnson.  Kevin Walter has never quite lived up to expectations although the Texans haven’t given up hope, as they signed him to a big contract in the off-season.  The Texans still have hope that Jacoby Jones can develop in that kind of receiver but his value may be as a special teams player more than anything else.  The problem for the Texans is that the receiver they could always rely on to take the pressure off of Johnson was TE Owen Daniels, but he is coming back from a torn ACL and that is the kind of injury in which you usually don’t return to form until two seasons after surgery.

 Tennessee Titans:  Let’s face it, the Titans are all about RB Chris Johnson.  QB Vince Young hasn’t convinced anyone that he is a franchise quarterback.  The Titans aren’t exactly loaded at WR either.  Hard to see the Titans taking that next step on offense until one of these two situations is remedied.

 Jacksonville Jaguars:  The only difference between the Titans and Jaguars is that Jacksonville has a receiver that has to be accounted for in Michael-Sims Walker.  The problem is both Walker and QB David Garrard seemed to disappear when the team hit the road.

 San Diego Chargers:  The Chargers are gambling with their season by calling the bluff of WR Vincent Jackson and OT Marcus McNeil.  The Chargers defense is average at best and it would seem they are going to need to score points to win games.  Somehow letting two of your best players hold out until week 10 doesn’t seem like a good idea.  Perhaps the Chargers believe they are good enough to win the AFC West without these two players and just want them back for the stretch run and the playoffs.  A big gamble indeed.

 Oakland Raiders:  The addition of QB Jason Campbell should bring some stability to the offense.  I certainly don’t believe Campbell is a top NFL QB, but he is one that will have control of the offense and will hit the open receivers.  TE Zach Miller should be a big beneficiary of having Campbell around and the WR corps now knows that if they get open, the ball will be there.

 Kansas City Chiefs:  TE Tony Moeaki has impressed the Chiefs a great deal since being drafted.  If he can prove to be the real deal who can make those catches over the middle, this could open up things for WR Dwayne Bowe and the running game.

 Denver Broncos:  Another team whose offense is a complete mess.  QB Kyle Orton was average last season with Brandon Marshall, this season it looks like Jabbar Gaffney may be their number one receiver.  Can RB Knowshon Moreno take the pressure off the passing game, that remains to be seen?  The over/under on when Tim Tebow starts at QB could be Week 8.

Dallas Cowboys:  They have all the pieces in place for a championship run.  Fantasy owners though have to be a bit concerned.  Who will emerge as the go to RB, Marion Barber or Felix Jones?  How about the number two WR opposite Miles Austin, Roy Williams or Dez Bryant?  We know it will be Bryant in time, but predicting when the time comes will have a good deal to do on when he will be drafted.

 New York Giants:  Traditionally the Giants have always been a team that believes in winning football games with a strong rushing attack and solid defense.  That’s all fine and good, but the strength of this football team seems to be in their passing game.  WR Hakeem Nicks is a superstar waiting to happen and Steve Smith is no slouch himself.  Not to mention, most teams would love to have a number three in Mario Manningham.

 Philadelphia Eagles:  FB Leonard Weaver was told this off-season not to expect to carry the ball as much as he did last season but to expect to block and catch the ball out of the backfield more.  This is a pretty clear indication that coach Andy Reid does not plan to deviate from his normal game day routine, which is to throw the football more than he runs it, even though he has what is essentially a rookie QB Kevin Kolb.

 Washington Redskins:  The Redskins have certainly shored up their offensive line this off-season with the drafting of Trent Williams and the trade for Jamaal Brown, now if they can only find some running backs that aren’t over the hill and a WR or two wouldn’t hurt either.

 Green Bay Packers:  WR Donald Driver had surgery on both knees this off-season.  Could we see the changing of the guard this season?  Could James Jones or Jordy Nelson be the next in line after Greg Jennings to receive passes from Aaron Rodgers?  Either way you need to drop Driver a few notches on your draft board.

 Minnesota Vikings:  WR Sidney Rice is still trying to recover from a hip injury suffered last season and his availability for the opening of training camp is in doubt, but then again as long as he’s ready to play once QB Brett Favre returns all should be well up north.

 Chicago Bears:  Offensive coordinator Mike Martz has stated that as of now Devin Hester and Johnny Knox are the starting WRs.  In a Martz offense the number three WR is just as valuable as the top two and there is little doubt that Devin Aromashodu should be the receiver to watch in Chicago.

 Detroit Lions:  Javhid Best has done nothing in OTAs and rookie camp to make the Lions believe they made a mistake in trading up for him.  The Lions should be a little cautious with Best however as they have to keep in mind of his concussion problems in college and not put too much on his plate to soon.

 New Orleans Saints:  It’s hard to find anything to worry about with the defending champions.  Biggest thing to remember is that QB Drew Brees is a big believer in spreading the ball around.  He looks for the best matchup and that’s where the ball goes, he doesn’t feel the need to get the ball to one specific receiver.  That’s good for the Saints, but bad for fantasy owners, so don’t overdraft New Orleans receivers.

 Atlanta Falcons:  Perhaps the only thing keeping the Falcons from making a deep playoff run this season is a dependable second receiver opposite Roddy White.  If anything were to happen to White or TE Tony Gonzalez this team would be toast.

 Carolina Panthers:  Let the Jimmy Claussen watch begin.  When will he take over the starting job?  QB Matt Moore was extremely impressive after taking over for Jake Delhomme last season but still the Panthers are going to want to see what they have sooner or later in Claussen.

 Tampa Bay Buccaneers:    I love the drafting of WRs Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams, which should certainly help the passing game and QB Josh Freeman, but not so much this season.  With the exception of dynasty leagues, I’m staying far, far away.

 San Francisco 49ers:  The big question in SF still seems to be QB Alex Smith.  All of the other pieces seem to be in place.  RB Frank Gore is still a top eight back; they have receivers in place such as Michael Crabtree and Josh Morgan and tight end Vernon Davis ready to lead a potent passing attack.  The question is, can Smith get this team to where they want to go?

 Arizona Cardinals:  What a difference a quarterback makes.  If Kurt Warner was still at the helm most people might still believe that the Cardinals are the best team in the division, but with Matt Leinart or Derek Anderson at the controls, not so much.  WR Larry Fitzgerald may be one of, if not the best WR in football, but with one of those two pulling the trigger and Anquan Boldin in Baltimore, it’s hard to see how he can have a great season.

 Seattle Seahawks:  Matt Hasselbeck is the QB for the Seahawks, but it just may be a matter of time until Charlie Whitehurst takes over the controls.  Hasselback has already proven over the past couple of seasons that he can’t stay healthy.  The Hawks don’t have much of a running attack to take the pressure off of him.  Could be a long season in the Northwest.

 Los Angeles Rams:  Sam Bradford probably won’t start the season, but it won’t be long until he does get behind center, not sure it matters however as besides RB Steven Jackson they don’t have a fantasy player worth taking except in extremely deep or some kind of keeper league, and even Jackson comes with quite a few health worries.

1. The fans vote for the starters:  I’m all for the fans getting involved in the game and watching their favorite players play in what is supposed to be an exhibition game but if the game is supposed to count, and it does as it determines home field advantage in the World Series, than the fans can no longer be allowed to vote.  I’m not saying every choice the fans make is wrong, but there are always a couple of head scratches and this season is no example.  St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina was voted to start the game, at the start of play on Tuesday, Molina was batting a robust .229.  That would be the lowest average for an All-Star starter since Cal Ripken Jr. in 1993 and it’s not like he makes up for his lack of average with power, he has only three home runs and 32 RBIs as well.  Miguel Olivo of Colorado would’ve been a much better choice.

 2. Players vote for reserves:  This does sound like a good idea as players would have a much better idea of who deserves to go.  Problem is, in an informal survey 50% of the players admitted to not filling out their own ballot, instead they handed the ballot to someone else (clubhouse attendant, etc) to fill out for them.

 3. Managers making selections:  We see this every season, and this year was no different.  Managers are going to take their own players.  Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel took his own player Ryan Howard over the Reds Joey Votto even though Votto is having a much better season this year and may be the National League MVP to date.  Yankees manager Joe Girardi did the same thing, taking Alex Rodriguez over Boston’s Kevin Youkilis.  It’s hard to blame the manager for these decisions.  They need their players to play for them in order the team to succeed.  Do you think Manuel or Girardi want Howard or ARod to be sulking the rest of the season and resent them for not selecting them to the game, of course not, and that’s why the selections should be made by the league presidents rather than the managers.

 4. Result decides which league gets home field advantage in the World Series:  This is an interesting idea.  One which would seem to make the game more competitive but there are a few problems.  Too many players that don’t deserve to be there for a variety of reasons are playing.  Do you think a player who is on a team that has no chance of making the playoffs (Baltimore, Pittsburgh) cares about home field advantage?  It’s not going to make a difference to them.  Why isn’t home field advantage awarded to the team that has the best record?  If you don’t like that idea how bout home field advantage to the league that has the best record in inter-league play?

 5. If this game is supposed to be for the fans, than why don’t the starters play longer than three innings?  These are the players voted in.  Shouldn’t they be around longer than the first third of the game?  You could also make the argument they should play the last three innings so they are on the field when the game is decided.

6. Omar Infante is an All-Star.  Are you kidding me?  Infante has 169 Abs for the Atlanta Braves so far this season.  Sure he is batting over .300, but he has one home run and 22 RBIs and three stolen bases.  He is not even a starter for his own team, but Commissioner Bud Selig in his infinite wisdom decided that each league needed to select a utility player.  Why was this necessary, 34 roster spots aren’t enough?  Should Infante really be able to put on his resume that he is a former All-Star?  Should Joey Votto really miss this game so Infante can play?  My guess is Infante is also pretty embarrassed to be taking a roster spot of several hundred more deserving players.

 7. Every team must be represented:  Once again a nice idea, but this is an All-Star game.  If your team doesn’t have anyone worthy of going to the game, than you shouldn’t have a representative.  Once again this game counts, can’t have some average player determining home field advantage with a weak AB in the 9^th inning. 

 8. Watching teams campaign for their players:  I know you want your team to be represented and it’s probably good marketing, but watching some teams do everything but stuff the ballot box for their players is just an embarrassment to baseball.

 9. All-Star bonuses:  Why should players be rewarded for doing their job well?  These clauses in their contract that states they will receive an extra 50K or 100K on top of the millions they already receive just for getting selected to the game.  Must drive owners nuts when although the rosters are only 34 players, it will be closer to 40 by the time all the injured players have to be selected, not to mention pitchers picked to play in the game but can’t pitch because they will start for their team on the Sunday prior.  Those extra players are still All-Stars and will cash in on those bonuses as well.  Joe Girardi actually picked three players for one spot.  He chose CC Sabathia to make the team knowing CC can’t pitch because he is starting on Sunday, to replace him he chose Jered Weaver of the Angels who is also schedule to start on Sunday, so he will need to be replaced as well.

 10. Players don’t really care about the game:  We all hear about how many players, once they are taken out of the game, they shower get dressed and clear out of the stadium well before the final out.  Not like they are all that concerned about the outcome.

 All of this being said, I will still watch the game.  I’m a Yankee fan so I will root for the American League to win, like I always have, but truth is I would just like to see a good game.  As for all of the above complaints, it seems most of them could be solved if MLB would just make up its mind – is this an exhibition game for the fans, or does it count?  MLB wants to bake their cake and eat it to, and they just can’t have it both ways.

Catcher:  Matt Wieters, Baltimore Orioles, .246 AVG, 4 HRs, 16 RBIs.

When Wieters was called up from AAA last season he was thought to be the second coming of Joe Mauer.  He started off slowly in 2009 but looked great in August and September leading to fantasy owners assuming he would be a top five catcher this season.  Well so far that has not come to fruition – not even close.  The good news is that defensively he has been good so there is no worry about Baltimore sending him back down to the minors, but at this point you have to start wondering if Wieters is trying to become the catching counterpart to Adam Laroche.  In other words, someone who has slow first halves before taking off in the second half.

Honorable Mention:  Chris Ianetta

First Base:  Carlos Pena, Tamp Bay Rays, .176 AVG, 8 HRs, 32 RBIs.

Pena’s RBI total almost got him off this list but that batting average just sticks out like a neon sign.  What is even more remarkable is that he is playing in a fantastic lineup and has plenty of opportunities.  Pena has been moved around in the order of late and one has to wonder if a benching could be in the works if his hitting doesn’t improve.  Pena was never expected to hit for a high average.  .240 would be acceptable if he were to be on pace for 35+ home runs, but so far he’s well short of that.  These are not the numbers you would expect of someone in their free agent year.

Honorable Mention:  Derek Lee, Chris Davis, Todd Helton .

Second Base:  Gordon Beckham, Chicago White Sox, .204 AVG, 1 HRs, 24 RBIs.

Big things were expected out of Beckham this season.  Like Wieters, he is a second year player, but unlike Wieters, he had no problems hitting from beginning to end last season.  So there was no reason to expect the disaster that has become the 2010 season for Beckham.  What should be of even bigger concern for fantasy owners is that there has been grumblings going on behind the scenes that Beckham may need a stint in the minors to figure things out.  Could the position switch from third base to second base be what is causing his problems?  Possibly, but everyone is denying that.  I have my doubts also as Beckham’s biggest problem seems to be hitting the fastball and no matter where you play on the diamond that shouldn’t be a problem.

Honorable Mention:  Chone Figgins

Shortstop:  Alcides Escobar, Milwaukee Brewers, .250 AVG, 2 HRs, 16 RBIs.

Another rookie who seems to have been overhyped.  The development of Escobar was one of the main reasons why the Brewers dealt J. J. Hardy to Minnesota in the offseason.  When you look at Escobar’s numbers, he wasn’t expected to hit for much power or drive in many runs, but what has happened to his speed?  His main fantasy asset was his ability to steal bases and to this date he has two.  That is just unacceptable.  Everyone goes into slumps where you can’t hit the ball, but speed should never go into a slump.

Honorable Mention:  J. J. Hardy, Yunel Escobar.

Third Base:  Aramis Ramirez, Chicago Cubs, .162 AVG, 4 HRs, 20 RBIs.

Yeah, who saw this coming?  Ramirez has been nothing short of a disaster so far this season.  Is he injured?  Sure he has had a thumb injury of late but what’s his excuse for the rest of the season?  Is his shoulder still bothering him from last season?  Is he just one of those players whose skills erode quickly?  There is no chance that you will be able to trade Ramirez for anything of value at this point in the season as his troubles have gotten wide publicity, but at this point I would certainly cut bait as there is no end in sight to his offensive woes.

Honorable Mention:  Jose Lopez, Miguel Tejada.

Outfielder:  B. J. Upton, Tampa Bay Rays, .219 AVG, 6 HRs, 21 RBIs.

Time may be running out on Upton in Tampa Bay as Desmond Jennings is getting closer and closer to being ready to play in the majors and his position, centerfield.  Upton is in a two-year slump.  Last year he was given a free pass as most thought the shoulder surgery he underwent after the 2008 season affected his play in 2009.  Upton can no longer use that injury as an excuse as his shoulder has had more than enough time to heal.  Upton’s attitude has also been called into question from time to time as he has sulked about being moved lower in the lineup, but someone batting around the Mendoza line doesn’t have the right to complain about batting in the bottom third of the order.

Outfielder:  Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles, .252 AVG, 5 HRs, 15 RBIs.

Another Oriole on this list, not that it should come as a surprise as the O’s are possibly the worst team in baseball.  Jones came out like gangbusters last season after Baltimore acquired the young outfielder from Seattle in the Erik Bedard deal.  Jones made the All-Star team and drove in the winning run for the American League in that game last season.  Well it has been mostly downhill since.  If you take away the first two months of the 2009 season, Jones has batted .233 with 11 home runs.  Will the real Jones please stand up?

Outfielder:  Carlos Lee, Houston Astros, .206 AVG, 5 HRs, 21 RBIs.

All you need to know about Lee is that when you hear about the players the Astros might try to trade before the deadline (Roy Oswalt, Lance Berkman); Lee’s name is not mentioned.  Is that because everyone knows he won’t play anywhere near what he is being paid?  The Astros are really close to being blown up, and even if Lee were to return to his previous form he may not have all that much help around him.

Honorable Mention:  Grady Sizemore, Kyle Blanks, Milton Bradley, Nolan Reimold, Nate McLouth.

Starting Pitcher: Josh Beckett, Boston Red Sox, 1-1, 7.29 ERA.

Even before he was placed on the disabled list Beckett was getting batted around with surprising regularity.  Beckett was supposed to be the ace of what is a very strong Boston rotation, but has had troubles starting from opening day.  Some thought it was his contract situation that was bothering him, but once that was settled he still struggled, and now comes word that he won’t even throw for the next 10 days making it highly unlikely that he will return before the All-Star break.

Honorable Mention:  Ben Sheets, Randy Wolf, Wandy Rodriguez, Rick Porcello, Carlos Zambrano,

Closer:  Trevor Hoffman, Milwaukee Brewers, 1-4, 5 saves, 11.65 ERA.

With the news on Wednesday that Mariners outfielder Ken Griffey will retire on Thursday, can Hoffman be far behind.  Hoffman has already allowed the most earned runs in a season since 1999.  It’s time to bow out gracefully Trevor.

Honorable Mention:  Brad Lidge, Mike Gonzalez, Franklin Morales, Chad Qualls, Frank Francisco, Bobby Jenks.

Prediction: Chicago in six