Here is the second half of the PPR Mock Draft that I posted a few days ago. Again, the positions are 1 QB, 2 RBs, 3 WRs, 1 TE, 1 DEF. No kickers. Kickers are truly a ridiculous position.

Round 7
73. Jerricho Cotchery
74. Bernard Berrian
75. Donnie Avery
76. Dallas Clark
77. Lav Coles
78. Kellen Winslow
79. Jonathan Stewart
80. Jeremy Shockey
81. Knowshon Moreno
82. Darren McFadden
83. Steve Breaston
84. Dustin Keller

Jerricho, Berrian, and Avery are all #1 receivers with plenty of breakout potential. They are great values at the top of round 7. Team 7 adds another great player with Jonathan Stewart, who should not have dropped this far. He could be in for a 15 TD season if his workload increases. Obviously we didn’t know what to do with the guys who are not yet drafted into the NFL, but we couldn’t resist starting to draft them anyways. Your competitors are definitely going to be on the lookout for the next Matt Forte, Chris Johnson, Steve Slaton type.

Round 8
85. Leon Washington
86. Deion Branch
87. Steve Smith (NY)
88. Chris Cooley
89. Donald Driver
90. Owen Daniels
91. Greg Camarillo
92. Julius Jones
93. Derrick Ward
94. Justin Gage
95. Leron McClain
96. Larry Johnson

By my calculations, something awesome happens 62.34% of the time Leon Washington touches the ball. This new coaching staff needs to realize this and get him more carries. Greg Camarillo is not the right Dolphin to take here. As I said in my rankings I think its Davonne Bess’s job. Julius Jones, Derrick Ward, and Le’Ron McClain are high quality backs, maybe even #2 RB Quality. Watch out for Jones this year with the new focus on the running game in Seattle. Take him as your RB3 or 4 after round 8 and reap the rewards. None of us really knew what to do with Larry Johnson here in March so we let him fall. TEs are trickling off the board, now nine total. If you don’t get one of the guys drafted already I would wait and draft Celek in the 11th.

Round 9
97. Kevin Walter
98. Derrick Mason
99. Eli Manning
100. Ted Ginn Jr
101. Willis McGahee
102. Earnest Graham
103. Patrick Crayton
104. Correll Buckhalter
105. Torry Holt
106. Matt Hasselbeck
107. Chris Wells
108. Sammy Morris

Kevin Walter, Willis McGahee, and Sammy Morris could all be steals here. Patrick Crayton will be good here if he wins the #2 job, but that may not happen. Watch out for Miles Austin. We still don’t know where Torry Holt will end up, but I don’t see him having much more value than this. A Denver RB finally comes off the board here in 9. That situation is a complete mystery at this point so give no credit to this draft position. Again with the wrong Dolphins WR…

Round 10
109. Devery Henderson
110. Chris Chambers
111. Justin Fargas
112. DJ Hackett
113. Muhsin Muhammed
114. Chad Pennington
115. Kevin Curtis
116. Michael Crabtree
117. Kevin Faulk
118. Fred Taylor
119. Davonne Bess
120. Felix Jones

Whew, finally Davonne comes off the board. He will not be this undervalued on draft day, but I suspect he’ll be a good value where ever his final ADP comes in. Crabtree has the tools to contribute immediately, but if he gets drafted by the Raiders he won’t get to put those tools to good use. Felix Jones at 120 overall is a great way to fill the RB4 hole. I guess round 10 is the round where everything gets less exciting, because the rest of these picks are just dull.

Round 11
121. Fred Jackson
122. Mike Walker
123. Greg Jones
124. Micheal Jenkins
125. Steelers Defense
126. Bears Defense
127. Giants Defense
128. Ravens Defense
129. Vikings Defense
130. Brent Celek
131. Devin Hester
132. Eagles Defense

What an epic run on Defense. We’d all filled our rosters and drafted a few backups so it was about that time. We had wildly different opinions on what defenses will dominate in 2009. That led to some interesting discussion. I’m targeting the Steelers, Vikings, Jets, Titans, Patriots, Giants, and Chargers. The Jets will be the best value here – I think Rex Ryan is already making that unit the next dominant NFL D. Drop the Ravens down your rankings list without Ryan and Scott, but remember they still have Ed Reed. The best defensive player in football can make the Ravens a top 10 fantasy defense by himself. Mike Walker has his plate set for a huge breakout season in 09. Fred Jackson is also worth a mention as we wait to see what happens with The Commissioner vs Lynch.

Round 12
133. Jake Delhomme
134. Matt Cassel
135. Jets Defense
136. Trent Edwards
137. Kerry Collins
138. Titans Defense
139. Greg Olsen
140. Sage Rosenfels
141. Redskinds Defense
142. Colts Defense
143. Packers Defense
144. Patriots Defense

All backup QBs and D’s, with a little Greg Olsen added in to spice things up a bit. Olsen in the 12th is a decent value for those who want/need to wait on their TE. Pair him with a Vernon Davis or Bo Scaife in the next couple of rounds and you’ll have a couple of interesting options to choose from each week. Delhomme, Cassel, Edwards, and Collins are serviceable bye week fill-ins, but God help you if you have to rely on one of them to win your league title.

Round 13
145. Chester Taylor
146. Cowboys Defense
147. Reggie Williams
148. Jason Campbell
149. Ricky Williams
150. David Garrard
151. Peyton Hillis
152. Bo Scaife
153. Isaac Bruce
154. Vernon Davis
155. Chargers Defense
156. Mewelde Moore

Leave no stone unturned as you search for value in the last couple rounds of your draft. You may find such treasures as a white NFL RB, a guy named Mewelde, a 50 year old receiver, a hippie RB, and more! These are the rounds where you take chances or draft handcuffs. Draft some of those random Denver RBs here.

Round 14
157. Rashard Mendenhall
158. Seahawks Defense
159. Josh Morgan
160. Michael Clayton
161. Panthers Defense
162. Nate Washington
163. Jerrius Norwood
164. Ladell Betts
165. Antwan Randle-El
166. Bryant Johnson
167. Mark Clayton
168. Marvin Harrison

The last round looks much like the one before it, especially since this league does not use kickers. Jerrius Norwood is a huge value here, we let him fall too far. I also like Mendenall, Josh Morgan, and Bryant Johnson. Nate Washington could be a surprise in TN so I think he should be rostered in all leagues.

I got together six of my longtime fantasy football compadres at a bar last Monday night to do a mock draft for 2009. We did a 12 team league, each drafting two teams. 12 different drafters would have been ideal, but I was pleasantly surprised that I could even get six people interested this early. I guess we’re all a little football starved at this point, especially on those lonely Monday Al Michaels-less nights. Anyways, here are the results. We went 14 rounds, nearly a full draft. The results were quite intriguing. I’ll list the picks round by round below and give a little analysis.

This is a PPR league with 1 QB, 2 RBs, 3 WRs, 1 TE, 1 DEF, and no freaking kickers.

Round 1
1. Adrian Peterson
2. Brian Westbrook
3. Maurice Jones-Drew
4. Michael Turner
5. LaDanian Tomlinson
6. Marion Barber
7. DeAngelo Williams
8. Matt Forte
9. Steven Jackson
10. Joseph Addai
11. Pierre Thomas
12. Chris Johnson

Nothing too surprising here, but take a minute to let this first round sink in. The fantasy landscape changed drastically last year. Two second year RBs already reached the elite fantasy level. Michael Turner, DeAngelo Williams, and Pierre Thomas emerged in a similar fashion. There are also plenty of questions – LT is falling, and #5 is probably still too high for the declining performance and injury risk that comes with his selection. The Eagles offense still runs through Westbrook, but how much tread is left on those tires? Adrian Peterson is a beast, but is he worthy of #1 in a PPR league? Same goes for Turner. How much will Felix Jones and Tashard Choice cut into Barber’s production? Will Pierre Thomas carry the load between the tackles? Can he? Colts RB should = Fantasy gold, but can Addai stay healthy and command the lion’s share of the carries? Get your gambling hats on, folks. I don’t think any of these picks are too far out of line, except maybe Pierre Thomas. I’m high on him but don’t like taking that big of a risk in the first round.

Round 2
13. Larry Fitzgerald
14. Andre Johnson
15. Randy Moss
16. Reggie Bush
17. Calvin Johnson
18. Clinton Portis
19. Brandon Marshall
20. Reggie Wayne
21. Ronnie Brown
22. Brandon Jacobs
23. Frank Gore
24. Anquan Boldin

And, like clockwork, the receivers fall off the board in Round 2. Fantasy aficianados have learned that grabbing a couple of the top receivers in a PPR league can put you over the edge. There are plenty of first round quality pass catching RBs available early I would not recommend the WR/WR late first round strategy. I don’t fault any of these picks until Ronnie Brown. Frank Gore and Brandon Jacobs were both still on the board here, along with Steve Smith and Anquan Boldin. These guys are all better options than Brown here. If you take out Ronnie Brown’s monster Wildcat game against New England he had a very lackluster fantasy season. On top of that his performance waned as the season went on. Nothing suggests breakout to me here. RB is still an RB2, just don’t take him until the mid 3rd round at earliest. Jacobs and Gore are great values this late in the second round. They will never fall this far in a non PPR league. Notice no QBs off the board yet.

Round 3
25. Thomas Jones
26. Drew Brees
27. Steve Smith
28. Roddy White
29. Marshawn Lynch
30. Peyton Manning
32. Greg Jennings
32. Tom Brady
33. Wes Welker
34. Steve Slaton
35. Willie Parker
36. Ryan Grant

Here come the big QBs. Brees, Manning, and Brady go within 7 picks of each other in the third round. I believe these guys will separate themselves in the QB rankings this season so I find these draft positions dead on. In most drafts someone is going to reach for one of them earlier, though, which could trigger a run on all three. If Brady looks good in the preseason he will jump, but nobody at this draft was willing to take that risk just yet. Notice the guys that took top notch WRs in round 2 landed solid RB2s still. Thomas Jones, Marshawn Lynch (we’ll see about suspensions), Steve Slaton, and Ryan Grant will all get the job done. I would have passed on Willie Parker at 35, taking Kevin Smith or Ryan Grant instead. Team 10 is sitting very pretty with Joseph Addai, Randy Moss, and Steve Slaton through three rounds.

Round 4
37. Marques Colston
38. Jason Witten
39. Phillip Rivers
40. Terrell Owens
41. Darren Sproles
42. Kurt Warner
43. Dwayne Bowe
44. TJ Houshamadilly
45. Jay Cutler
46. Roy Williams
47. Antonio Gates
48. Tony Gonzalez

Marques Colston falls all the way to round 4. I think this will be common in 09, but it’s a mistake. Jump on Colston in the third if you need a #1 WR. A full year healthy with Brees could easily land him in the top 5. Darren Sproles is a ballsy gamble here at pick 41. He put up absurd numbers in the playoffs so I do think he’ll see an expanded role in 09. The main issue with this pick is that he could have been drafted just as easily in the next round. The elite WR options end with Colston. TO and TJ are both risks for lackluster seasons. Three TEs are interesting here. If Gonzalez stays in KC I’m psyched to see what he and Bowe can do with Cassel, so this isn’t as much of a reach as it seems. His reception totals were phenomenal once again last season. Lots of tier 2 QBs coming off the board now, just one round after the tier one guys. I’d prefer to wait until round 5 if I don’t get a top three option.

Round 5
49. Tony Romo
50. Santonio Holmes
51. Kevin Smith
52. Vincent Jackson
53. Braylon Edwards
54. Jamal Lewis
55. Eddie Royal
56. Lee Evans
57. Aaron Rodgers
58. Chad Ocho Cinco
59. Tim Hightower
60. Ben Roethlisberger

I groaned when Jamal Lewis was picked here, even though he fell to the fifth round. Apparently I don’t want to see him on any fantasy teams this year, not just my own, lol. Kevin Smith is a phenomenal value at 51 – a solid RB2 that catches a lot of balls in the beginning of the fifth. That should not have happened. Santonio, VJ, Lee Evans and Eddie Royal are solid WR2s but not too exciting. Edwards will be a great value if he bounces back. If Ocho Cinco has a shred of sanity left he’s due for a 90+ catch season, so this is good value for him.

Round 6
61. Plaxico Burress
62. Donovan McNabb
63. Antonio Bryant
64. Santana Moss
65. Lendale White
66. Anthony Gonzalez
67. Cedric Benson
68. Matt Schaub
69. Lance Moore
70. Matt Ryan
71. DeSean Jackson
72. Hines Ward

I was shocked Antonio Bryant fell to round 6. This is around where I would take him considering his QB, but I figured someone would grab him earlier based on his obscene finish last season. Antonio is playing under the franchise tag and desperately wants a long term deal so this is probably too low for him. Plaxico Burress is a wild card at the time of this draft. He’ll get a two-round boost if he’s able to start the season as a Giant. I love the Anthony Gonzalez pick for team 7. With DeAngelo WIlliams, Clinton Portis, Greg Jennings, Kurt Warner, and Eddie Royal already rostered this team has the base to go for a high upside pick. That is exactly what A-Gonz is in 09 now that Harrison is out of Indy. Matt Schaub and Matt Ryan are bad picks here. These guys are low end starting QBs. They could have dropped further, but even if you miss out on them similar value can be found throughout the next four rounds.

I’m working on my 2009 TE rankings and Brent Celek is really starting to grow on me. Celek served as McNabb’s safety valve in the playoffs, when it mattered most. In three Playoff games he posted 19 receptions, 151 yards, and 3 TDs. That’s incredible production from a non-top 5 TE. He did this with fellow receiving TE L.J. Smith sharing time on the field. Now that L.J. is shipped off to Baltimore it’s officially the Brent Celek era in Philly.

So what should we expect from Celek in 2009? Nothing like what he did in the playoffs – McNabb spreads the ball around way too much for that. Westbrook, Jackson, Curtis, and even Brown will get their looks. Philly will continue to pass a ton, though, and Celek could average 6-7 looks per game. That’s enough to land him in the top 10 on my fantasy TEs rankings. I’ve got him bunched in with Owen Daniels, Greg Olsen, and John Carlson. He’s ranked just ahead of them though because he’s got the upside.

How in the world did this situation get so ugly? Why is this sharp-dressed fellow on the right raging to get out of Denver? Couldn’t basic professional communication have prevented this turmoil? That said, as of Monday afternoon, March 16th, I think the chances of Cutler getting traded are less than 20%. The Broncos told agent Bus Cook today they have no intentions of Trading Cutler. The easiest scenario is for McDaniels and the talented QB to make amends. Cutler has already made a Pro Bowl and has the tools to be a Hall of Fame QB. Any other QB option pales in comparison. The Broncos have made some nice off season acquisitions and will compete for the AFC West crown. However, there are some interesting trade options floating around. All of them have enormous fantasy implications so I figured I would write a quick update.

First, let’s talk about the Broncos without Cutler. Leading trade partner candidates are Cleveland, Detroit, NY Jets, and Tampa Bay. The only one of these teams that would trade back a “legit” QB is Cleveland. Jay Cutler > Brady Quinn. Quinn is familiar with the offense, though, after playing for Weis at Notre Dame. The values of Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal would take significant hits in this scenario. I would drop Marshall to four or five spots and Royal seven or eight. Quinn’s not experienced enough, and maybe not good enough, to complete all the same passes that made Marshall and Royal WR studs last season. If a deal goes through with any of the other three we may be looking at Mark Sanchez starting in Denver on day one. In that scenario Marhall falls to around the 15th WR on my board. The RB situation in Denver is currently the foggiest I have ever seen so I can’t even speak to that.

Cutler to Cleveland in a trade where the Broncos get back Shaun Rogers and Brady Quinn is the trade that makes the most sense to me. Cleveland gets the dominant QB they’ve been lacking. The Broncos get their nose tackle and a decent QB with lots of upside. Braylon Edwards jumps to #9 in my rankings. Dante Stallworth would also get a huge jump, but he’s too busy killing people while running red lights. That leaves Old Jurevicius, who is rarely healthy at this point in his career. The Browns will be signing a WR2 soon and that player will be an attractive option if Cutler shows up in the Dawg Pound.

If McDaniels is really as big of an asshole as he seems then he’s probably doing everything he can to trade Cutler to Detroit. That would be the ultimate “That’s what you get for challenging my authority” move. As bad as it seems, Detroit is the team that offers Cutler the best individual weapon. Jay Cutler to Calvin Johnson would be the stuff of fantasy legends. I would even bump Bryant Johnson to around 40th on my 2009 Wide Receivers Rankings list. Detroit’s defense is even worse than Denver’s so Cutler will be slinging that rock a lot. Cutler remains a top fantasy QB option, but I would drop him to 8th behind Aaron Rodgers. Denver would get a slew of quality draft picks in this scenario.

The New York Jets are also being hyped as a possible destination. You can’t put it past Tannenbaum after pulling off the Favre trade last season. The Jets would be the best place for Cutler to end up in terms of real football success. This is a solid team with a much improved defense. Dustin Keller would move to a top 6 TE. Jerricho Cotchery would be a top 20 WR. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington would also get a boost. If the Jets don’t make the playoffs with Cutler at the helm they’re just cursed. Also, Bill Belichick might put a hit out on Josh McDaniels if he let this happen.

The three above seem to be the most likely teams to do what it takes to get Cutler. Tampa Bay and Minnesota have also shown a lot of interest. Antonio Bryant, Kellen Winslow, and a pounding running game would ensure Cutler remains an elite option. I don’t like him as much in Minnesota where he’ll spend most of his time watching Adrian Peterson run into the sunset. He would be a nice fit for the Bears, too, but Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith appear to be the only two people in the world content with the Bears QB situation. Again, this trade is unlikely, but its the best drama going right now. It sure beats Days of Our Lives.

All 2009 Fantasy Football Player Rankings can be found here.  Below are our 2009 Wide Receiver Rankings, which were much easier than the RB rankings.  Keep in mind these are PPR rankings.  These are first being posted in March but will be updated as the myriad questions are answered.  The top 12 on this list are stone cold locks for a solid season.  After that it gets riskier, but this field is rife with opportunity for the savvy owner.  Come on draft day!

1.  Larry Fitzgerald – Combine his ability with the Cardinal’s Offensive philosophy and talent and Fitzgerald is an unstoppable fantasy force.

2.  Andre Johnson – He’s like Terrell Owens only younger, better, and sane. Johnson had the most receptions and yards last season.  The only knock is that Slaton and Walter are grabbing a lot of red zone action.

3.  Randy Moss – Brady is coming back and Moss seems happy. He’s one season removed from a legendary 24 TD catch campaign. In his no-Brady year he still caught 11 TDs and added 1000 yards. Huge upside, limited downside – should he be #1?

4.  Calvin Johnson – Calvin owners from last year know that he got a ton of his fantasy points in garbage time. That should continue as the Lions rebuild, but I’m hoping this offense will be more stable with Culpepper, CJ, Bryant Johnson, and Kevin Smith. Expect a boost in reception numbers this year.

5.  Anquan Boldin – Q is a beast man that will rip heads off on his way to a 1200 yards, 12 TD season.

6.  Steve Smith – If Smith doesn’t blast anyone in the face in training camp he will break 1500 yards this season. The Panthers were so incredibly effective running the ball in the red zone that you have to worry about his TD totals.  I think its 50/50 that he breaks double digit TDs.

7.  Reggie Wayne – Wayne is over 30 and posted disappointing stats on ‘08, but don’t let that deter you. He’s the top WR option for the Indianapolis Colts. Expect numbers more like ‘07.

8. Marques Colston - Colston will be a bargain on draft day. He really only played half of ‘09, and it took a few weeks for him and Brees to get back on the same page. He’s falling in early rankings and drafts, and I smell opportunity. My healthy projection for him is 95 rec, 1300 yards, and 10 TDs.

9.  Roddy White – White went for 88, 1382, and 7 TDs with a rookie QB. He was only in this third year himself. Expect at least the same yardage numbers with more TDs this season.

10.  Greg Jennings – I had my doubts about Jennings the last couple of years but now I have to admit he’s an elite option.

11. Chad Johnson – The Palmer to Johnson connection can still be what it once was – Ocho Sinko had 1440 yards and 8 TDs in ‘07. If they get everything sorted out 85 could be a draft day steal. It’s Marvin’s last chance to make this thing work.

12.  Wes Welker – Drop him a few places for non-PPR leagues. It’s difficult to imagine a season where he plays 16 games in this offense and doesn’t get 100 receptions.

13.  Dwayne Bowe – This is the year of the Bowe. Cassel will help us see how good Bowe can be.

14.  Brandon Marshall – I dropped him 3 spaces after the Cutler trade. Orton is not exciting, but Brandon Marshall is. With a healthy hip maybe he can return to early 08 form. If not, he’s still a 6′4″, 240 lbs. target that Orton can’t miss in close and medium range.

15.  Terrell Owens – How long can he play with Trent Edwards in 0 degree weather before he becomes an extreme pain in the ass? Only time will tell. This situation is different, though – don’t let the talk of “he’s always good in year one” make you reach.

16.  Santonio Holmes – How about that Superbowl performance? This is the year he takes over Hines’ role as the #1 in Pittsburgh. 75 rec, 1100 yards, and 9 TDs.

17.  Antonio Bryant - Poor Antonio got the franchise tag so he will have to prove himself again before he gets the long term guaranteed deal. Then he will take some plays off. I’d rank him much higher if it weren’t for my lack of confidence in Luke McCown.

18.  Braylon Edwards – Drops Mcgee destroyed the fantasy teams that took him in the second round last year. He will return to the ranks of the fantasy elite when he has a strong QB and running game, but I’m not banking on that happening this season.

19.  Vincent Jackson – Chambers was a total non-factor in the second half of ‘08 while VJ quietly put up a 1000 yard, 7 TD season. I see more of the same in ‘09, and his upside is even higher assuming River’s continued improvement.

20.  Lee Evans – TO was brought in to take pressure off of Lee Evans. I look forward to seeing what he can do when defenses don’t key in on him. Again, Trent Edwards’ ability is the main issue here.

21. Eddie Royal- Orton to Royal just doesn’t have the same ring to it. Royal will be a steady PPR contributor, but is no longer the top 15 receiver he was under Jay Cutler.

22. TJ Houshmandzedah – Issues: New team with a new head coach and run-first OC. Branch, Burleson, and Carlson already have chemistry with Hass. On the other hand, Housh can step right in and take over Engram’s possession role. He should be valuable in PPR leagues.

23.  Roy Williams - As TO will tell you, Witten is the real number one option in Dallas. Roy Williams has got the talent, but he’s really only put it all together one season out of his entire career. I’m going to temper my expecations as he continues to adjust to life in Dallas. 900 yards and 8 TDs.

24.  Anthony Gonzalez – Anthony should enjoy his first 1000 yard season in 2009 as the undisputed #2, but Dallas Clark will limit his upside.

25.  Bernard Berrian – Dr. Deep Threat put up top 25 WR numbers last year without breaking 50 receptions. His downside is pretty limited.

26. Santana Moss – If Washington ever gets a QB that can run the West Coast offense then Santana will shoot up the rankings lists. Until then look forward to explosive games followed by no shows. Also keep in mind his production plummeted in the second half of ‘08.

27.  Jerricho Cotchery – Cotchery is really the Jets Lone Ranger at WR, and I like his potential. He should break 1000 yards again unless his QB is completely in competent.

28.  Lance Moore – I think Colston steals back the Lance Thunder this season. That said, there’s plenty of passing yards and TDs for everyone here.

29. Hines Ward – Please stop smiling

30.  DeSean Jackson – I’ll never forget when this donkey cost me a fantasy match against an arch rival when he dropped the ball before crossing the goal line in week 4. I forgive him, though, because his surprise rookie campaign helped me win that league. He’s their best receiving weapon outside of Westbrook and should see his role continue to expand.

31.  Steve Smith Lite – This Steve Smith (NYG) will be a PPR beast this season. He showed signs of life down the stretch last season and that will carry on into a breakout 3rd season. Don’t be afraid to reach for him. 70+ catches for 900+ yards and 5 TDs.

32.  Lav Coles – Palmer, Coles, and 85 have enormous fantasy potential, especially if they are playing from behind. Don’t forget how good Palmer is if he’s healthy. Lav is a bargain at this point in the draft, but keep a close eye on Palmer.

33.  Donnie Avery – It’s the Donnie Avery show in St. Louis now. Good luck, kid.

34. Steve Breaston – The Cardinals had three WRs ranked in the fantasy top 25 last season. If Boldin doesn’t come back Breaston shoots into my top 15. If Boldin stays Breaston should still be a serviceable WR3 with huge upside whenever Boldin or Fitz are injured.

35.  Kevin Walter – Walter is the real deal – he gets plenty of opportunities, especially in the Red Zone. Excellent value pick at WR3.

36.  Donald Driver – In the twilight of his career Driver put up his fifth consecutive 1000 yard season. He won’t do it again as Jordy Nelson and James Jones become more involved. Driver will still get the job done as a borderline every week starter at WR3.

37. Devin Hester – Watching Kyle Orton trying to hit Hester on deep routes was always good for a chuckle. Cutler has the arm to take advantage of his speed. Can Hester catch the ball, though? We’ll know after this season if Hester has #1 WR mettle.

38.  Derrick Mason – Mason will be a valuable PPR player until the day he retires.

39. Earl Bennett – Super Sleeper! Get excited for this one. Bennett and Cutler had good chemistry at Vandy in 05. Bennett is a strong talent who is primed to emerge with Cutler. I’m banking on him turning into the reliable chain-mover while Hester remains the deep threat.

40.  Torry Holt – The targets will be there, but I just don’t see him being a factor in the Red Zone.  Old man Holt has lost a step.  Don’t worry about making a draft decision on him – someone in your league will almost certainly reach for him a few rounds too early based on name recognition.

41.  Justin Gage – Justin “The Answer” Gage is Collins’ top option going into 2009. The way they clicked down the stretch makes him a solid option.

42.  Deion Branch – Branch has never had a fully healthy season in Seattle. Nor has he ever had a 1000 yard season in his career. He did have a nice close to 2009 once he got healthy, scoring 4 TDs in the last 4 games. He’s a strong bounce back candidate.

43.  Davone Bess – Bess is my pick to lead the Dolphins in receiving this year, especially with Camarillo coming off of ACL surgery and missing OTAs. He’s a very strong sleeper pick with 1000 yard upside.

44.  Josh Morgan – San Fran’s #1 is one of the best value in fantasy drafts this season.

45. Michael Jenkins Keep an eye on Harry Douglas, but Jenkins’ numbers should improve in year 2 of the New Falcons

46.  Domenik Hixon – If he can hold down the job as the Giants starting flanker he’s assured a productive fantasy season. I don’t think he’s the talent they are looking for at this position, though. We’ll keep a close eye on this one.

47.  Ted Ginn JR – Ginn will burn you if you start him every week but can always break out as a bye week fill in.

48.  Miles Austin – Word on the street is that Miles Austin will be the #2 in Dallas. The upside potential here is tremendous considering Roy Williams may not hog the looks like TO did.

48. Mike Walker – Reggie Williams was released, everyone favorite coke-head was cut, and Dennis Northcutt rarely impresses. Walker could be a solid possession receiver and great PPR candidate depending on who else is brought in this offseason.

49. Chris Henry – Chris Henry had some solid fantasy seasons with a healthy Carson Palmer. He could become relevent again behind 85 and Lav.

50.  Mark Clayton – 2009 is Clayton’s contract year, so if he ever pulls it all together it will happen now. I like his upside in Flacco’s second year.

51.  Kevin Curtis – Looking forward to seeing what a healthy Kevin Curtis can do in a full season, but definitely not going to reach for him.

52.  Bryant Johnson – He should get plenty of opportunities alongside Calvin Johnson on a team that figures to have a lot of garbage time pass attempts.

53. Michael Crabtree – Crabtree has the build and talent to make an immediate impact for whoever drafts him.

54.  Chris Chambers – There’s just not a lot of room for Chambers behind LT, Gates, Jackson, and Sproles.

55. Joey Galloway – New England is probably the best place Galloway could have ended up. The veteran will fit in well and get his chances for some big plays. I could see 40 catches for 700 yards and a few TDs behind Moss and Welker.

56a.  Isaac Bruce – …

57.  Devin Thomas

58.  Sidney Rice – Will be a big beneficiary if the passing game improves.

59.  Patrick Crayton – Crayton is in the mix in Dallas so deserves fantasy consideration.

60.  Greg Camarillo – Camarillo was on his way to an 80 catch season before tearing his MCL. He’ll be ready to go this season but will struggle to beat out Bess and Ginn for a starting role.

61.  Nate Washington – Nasty Nate will give the Titans a real deep threat and a new red zone option in the passing game.

62. 

63.  Johnnie Lee Higgins – Some WR for Oakland needs to be drafted just in case, and my money is on Higgins.

64.  Jordy Nelson

65.  Nate Burleson - Burleson had his plate set for a breakout season before going down for the year in week one. With the way WRs get injured in Seattle we may be hearing from him again this season.

66. Reggie Brown – Probably the most annoying player in fantasy football, but still a factor in the Eagles offense. He will probably still be the starter on games where he is not recovering from a strained labia.

67.  Marvin Harrison

68.  Muhsin Muhammed

69.  Michael Clayton

70.  Robert Meachem

71.  Devery Henderson

72.  Javon Walker

73.  James Jones – Talented, but often injured and probably the fourth option behind Jennings, Driver, and Nelson.

All 2009 fantasy football player rankings found here.

My 2009 Fantasy Football Running Backs Rankings list is below, and man it was tough to do.  Effective RB by committees are producing super deep Running Back groups and creating a much flatter rankings field for the 2009 season.  These rankings, first posted in early March, will be updated as news comes in throughout the off season and preseason.

1.  Adrian Peterson - AP is the best runner in the league hands down. He’s not the clear number one overall fantasy RB, but I think he’s the most reliable option to put up strong numbers week to week. I could definitely change my mind on this number one ranking as we get closer to draft time.

2.  Maurice Jones-Drew – Old Man Taylor is finally gone! As an MJD fan I’ve been waiting for this season for three years. If the Jags get their running game back on track he could find himself the consensus #1 pick next season. If Greg Jones vultures his goal line carries I will personally send a very angry letter to Jack Del Rio.

3.  Michael Turner - He doesn’t catch any balls but it doesn’t matter. Expect another 15-18 scores as Atlanta’s offense continues to improve.

4.  Matt Forte – Don’t forget Forte was the leading receiver for the Bears last season. A glance at the Bears D-List receiving corps suggests that will be the case again in 2009. He carries the load effectively and is PPR dynamite.

5.  LaDainian Tomlinson – LT2 stays in San Diego but it’s clear that the offense no longer centers on him. That said, he will improve on last year’s numbers if he avoids the nagging injuries – maybe to the tune of 1700 total yards and 15 TDs.  He’s simply falling too far on a lot of draft boards.

6.  DeAngelo Williams – Williams rushed for 1000 yards and scored 15 TDs in the final 8 games of 08, skyrocketing many fantasy owners into the playoffs. Jonathan Stewart added five TDs in that same stretch, while Delhomme threw 6 TDs and 7 INTs. Does this obscene rushing outburst mean the team figured something out during the bye week? Honestly, I’m not sure, but I don’t see him slipping past the mid to late first round in any drafts.  If Stewart wasn’t there to limit his upside I would rank Williams one or two.

7.  Chris Johnson – Hopefully Lendale White doesn’t get too upset as Chris Johnson becomes an even more dominant force in the Furious Fast and Fat Combo (I think that is what Lenwhale wanted the tandem to be called). Johnson’s upside is 1800 total yards and 12 TDs in his second campaign. His downside is pretty limited.

8.  Brian Westbrook – Philly’s offense still runs through Westbrook. He would be my top choice if it weren’t for injury concerns, especially in PPR leagues.

9. Marion Barber – Barber is amazing, but his touches will be limited. Felix Jones and even Tashard Choice will be involved. I’ll take Barber even at 15-20 touches per game over just about any other back, though.

10.  Frank Gore – With Martz gone San Fran will concentrate on running the ball again. Let’s not forget that Gore is really good at that.  I was worried San Fran was going to draft some talent that could threaten Gore’s load, but that didn’t really happen and I moved him up my list.  He’ll be one of the biggest workhorses this season.  He put up nearly 2200 total yards on 370 touches on  a weak San Fran team in 2006.  He still has that in him.  I would not be surprised to see a 1900 yard, 10 TD season.

11.  Steven Jackson – Jackson is a super-talented RB on a crappy team. Like Gore, he is the engine of this offense.  I’ve got him ranked lower because his team is worse and he’s had trouble staying healthy the past two seasons.The good news is he came off of injury to finish strong in 08, he plays in the weakest division in football, and Pat Shurmur intends on having a run heavy offense.  Of course it’s tough to be “run heavy” when your team is losing by 17 points.  If the Rams can just be a “good” team, Jackson could be a great fantasy options again.  Maybe in 2010.  By the way, if you want to hear asinine updates about  Jackson’s life, follow him on twitter! @sj39

12. Brandon Jacobs – I don’t see Jacobs’ carries increasing all that much with the release of Derrick Ward. The big bruiser’s running style often gets him bruised up himself. The Giants have always been careful to limit his workload and that should continue.  If he can stay healthy for 14 games he’s a lock for 1000+ yards and 15 TDs, all gravy from an RB2. 

13.    Steve Slaton – Slaton had 1650 yards from scrimmage, 50 catches, and 10 TDs as a Rookie. These stats are nearly identical to Chris Johnson’s. The difference is that Johnson did this while running alongside Lendale White, who also added 800 yards and 15 TDs. Slaton had no one. He’s a small guy that needs some help carrying this load. If no one is added Slaton should be boosted up quite a few spots.

14. Clinton Portis – The Redskins backfield will feature a timeshare between Dr. Do Itch Big, Prime Minister Yah Mon, Coach Janky Spanky, and Sheriff Gonna Getcha. Fortunately for us those are all iterations of Clinton Portis. He’s the last RB on my list that won’t have time share issues. He also quietly puts up top 10 RB numbers every year. He’s a great anchor in the late first round.  His workload over the past few years is so heavy that it’s scary.  

15. Pierre Thomas – PT Cruiser (best Brad Evans nickname ever) personifies the high upside risky pick.  His stretch run was DeAngelo-esque.  I won’t fault you for reaching for him but his touches will be limited with a healthy Reggie Bush. I hope to grab him in the mid second round to pair with a more fail-safe first round RB.

16. Reggie Bush – This is his PPR ranking. Drop him about 6 spots in non-PPR leagues. The team looked better with Pierre Thomas carrying the load but Bush was incredible in PPR leagues before the injury. Speaking of Bush injuries, they seem to happen quite a bit. He’s a risky pick with obvious high upside.  POTENTIAL PPR BARGAIN

17. Joseph Addai - The Colts went and did it.  They used their first round pick on a RB, Donald Brown.  I moved Addai down my list a few spots as soon as that happened.  Addai will still get the majority of carries to start but will not be a total workhorse.  If Brown impresses quickly then Addai will see his role diminish as the season wears on.  He does have a lot of upside as the starter in this offense, though.

18.  Thomas Jones - The lack of a pass threat and the emergence of Leon Washington are not going to be good for TJ’s 2009 fantasy football stats. Don’t be the guy that overpays for him.

19.  Ryan Grant - Grant was a big disappointment last year and I could never figure out why. Aaron Rodgers is his only competition at the goal line, so I expect his low TD total was an anomaly.   1400 total yards and 10 TDs this year shouldn’t be a surprise, but we’ll see.

20.  Kevin Smith - His team is awful but he gets a full workload. Expect him to improve upon his 1200 yard, 8 TD rookie campaign.  BARGAIN

21.  Ronnie Brown – Brown is already a hotly debated RB. He was pretty impressive in his ACL-surgery recovery season, but if you take out the legendary Wildcat game Brown had a 800 yard, six TD rushing season. His last six games were miserable and Ricky Williams and now Pat White limit his upside.  He’ll be taken earlier than this, but not by me.  OVERPRICED

22.  Marshawn Lynch – Marshawn is a thug-o-riffic RB2 if he drops into the late third/early fourth (and stays out of jail).  This three game suspension will probably be reduced to two games, and maybe even one (ala Brandon Marshall).  Fred Jackson is a must handcuff and will continue to be the third down back, but Lynch will get the goal line carries in an improved offense.  Don’t be scurred.

23.  Willie Parker – Willie Stay Healthy? Probably not. Parker scored 60% of his touchdowns in week 1 last year. I felt foolish for avoiding him in drafts while watching that week 1 game, but then he quickly proved me right. Rashard Mendenhall and Mewelde Moore will both cut into his production. Expect 1100 yards and 10 TDs if he stays healthy.

24.  Larry Johnson – This may be the only guy in the league I like less than TO. We’ll keep him here until we know what’s going to happen with him.

25.   Derrick Ward – Tampa’s running game is always surprising and Ward will fit in nicely. If Graham weren’t vulturing at the goal line he would be much higher.

26.  Jonathan Stewart – He scored an impressive 10 TDs while giving up most of the work to Williams. He could easily reach 1000 and 10, but his upside is even higher. 

27.  Darren McFadden – The Raiders offense could be called an awfense if it wasn’t for the glimmer of hope McFadden provides. They’ve got a good enough running game to get him 1100 yards and 8 or so TDs if he gets the lion’s share of the carries.

28.  Knowshon Moreno – I’m still shocked the Broncos took him instead of ANYONE for the defensive side of the ball.  McDaniel’s and crew must really like him.  He’s the frontrunner to lead the team in carries but will have a couple of backfield mates sharing the load, limiting his upside.  ROOKIE

29. Julius Jones – The Seasquawks offense should improve significantly this season and Greg Knapp wants to become more run-oriented.  Orange Julius is  getting no love so far and could be one of the best bargains come draft day.   http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seahawks/2008602316_hawk08.html BARGAIN

30.  Ahmad Bradshaw – Bradshaw is the leading candidate to take over Ward’s role. If that happens he should be bumped up the list. The Giants RB2 is also a fantasy RB2.

31. Le’ron McClain – I’ve got him this high because he should be getting the goal line carries at the very least and may get the lion’s share of the carries.  POTENTIAL BARGAIN

32.  Lendale White - I think Johnson takes a bigger chunk out of his totals this season but 750 yards and 12 TDs are reasonable expectations.

33.  Cedric Benson – Don’t buy into Cedric Benson turning his life around to be the RB of the future for the Bengals. A time share is likely. Also likely is that Cedric Benson will do something extremely dumb off the field. You can dress him up in Tiger Stripes but he’s still Ced Benson.

34.  Fred Jackson - Jackson is a proven asset in PPR leagues and a must handcuff to Marshawn Lynch.  With news of Lynch’s suspension Jackson gets a bit of a boost.  He can earn more playing time with his committee mate sidelined, but there is little chance of him taking the lion’s share of carries (especially at the goal line) from the powerful Lynch.

35a.  Darren Sproles – In Sproles’ two regular season games where he had 10+ touches he put up 200 yards and 3 TDs. I’ve been high on Sproles since his K State days, but he became my favorite player to watch in the Playoffs last season (which started in week 17 for the Chargers). His acceleration and frame allow him to find holes that don’t exist for other backs. If Norv gives him the touches 1000+ exciting yards from scrimmage and 8 TDs are in order, plus whatever he adds with returns.

35b.  Leon Washington – Like Sproles, Neon Leon has proven that he needs more touches. I like taking a high upside pass catcher here over the remaining options.

36a.  Beanie Wells – Hightower didn’t impress a great deal last season.  In fact, Edge ended up emerging as the workhorse on the superbowl run.  Beanie Wells looks to receiver the majority of the carries in a prolific offense.  ROOKIE

36b. Tim Hightower – However, even if Hightower’s role is limited, it may be limited to goal line back.  In the Cards offense that is where the fantasy RB value really lies.  I’m looking forward to seeing how this shakes out.

37.  Sammy Morris – The New England backfield is very crowded with Morris, Maroney, Taylor, and Faulk. I expect all of these guys to be time-shared out of weekly starter status.

38.  Jamal Lewis - Lewis needs to be splitting the load this season and should no longer be considered a solid #2.

39.  Earnest Graham – Graham takes a back seat to Ward but will be a major factor at the goal line.

40.  Donald Brown – At the end of Addai’s rookie season he had proven himself more effective than Dom Rhodes and earned the majority of carries.  This time around Addai could be the victim in a similar situation.  If and when Addai gets injured Brown could be a top 10 fantasy beast.  I’m gonna reach for him in at least one league based on that upside.  ROOKIE

41.  Willis McGahee – He’s not very valuable without the goal line carries, but he’s fairly low risk at this point in the rankings. My how the mighty have fallen.

42.  Chester Taylor – Gotta handcuff AP, and Chester can put up some stats of his own.

43. Felix Jones – Jones had some big games before getting injured. He’s a must-handcuff for Barber owners.

44. LeSean McCoy – He’s your Westbrook handcuff.  Westy’s banged up pretty regularly so watch out for this rookie when he gets his chance.  ROOKIE

44.  Rashard Mendenhall – He needs to be drafted in every league for his potential to be the goal line back.

45.  Edgerrin James – pending…

46.  Kevin Faulk - Faulk is one of my favorite WW pickup plug and plays. He’s got a role in every NE game plan.

47.  Mewelde Moore – A healthy Mendenhall drops him down the list, but he proved his worth yet again in 08.

48.  TJ Duckett - See Julius Jones above. If they don’t bring anyone else in Duckett could be relevant.

49.  Greg Jones – Should see more work with Taylor gone and appears to be the MJD handcuff.

50.  Maurice Morris – Not sure where he’ll end up but I’ll throw him a rankings bone

51.  Laurence Maroney – I’m still pissed at Laurence for his 08 showing and myself for taking him in the fifth round of the World Championship of Fantasy Football last season. You get ranked last my friend.

Here is the link back to all 2009 fantasy football player rankings.  My Quarterbacks Rankings list is below.  The 2009 fantasy season brings a lot of new faces into the top 10 QB Rankings.  Much is unknown at the time of the orginal posting but I will edit this page as new information becomes available.

1.  Drew Brees – He nearly set the record for yards passing and the Saints defense still looks to be in bad shape. Expect another prolific season from the Little General

2.  Tom Brady – The Golden Boy and Greg Lewis will make the ultimate tandem in 2009. Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and Joey Galloway will also help.  37-40 TDs still seems like a lock to me if he is fully recovered.

3.  Peyton Manning – I hear chatter of Manning blowing up huge this season. I don’t see him returning to number one, but 4000 yards and 30+ TDs are on the way.

4.  Donovan McNabb – I’m pretty excited for McNabb in 2009. The signings of Jason Peters and Stacy Andrews ensures solid protection. Westbrook, Jackson, and Curtis are strong weapons in the passing game. Add Jeremy Maclin to this mix and you’ve got one of the more versatile and talented groups in the league. The Eagles are pass first and loaded with talent. I’ll reach for McNabb this year.

5.  Kurt Warner -Warner to Fitz, Warner to Boldin, Warner to Breaston, Warner to Hightower, Warner to Waterboy, Warner to Granny Smith, Warner to anyone and everyone. He’s so good Ken Whisenhunt changed his philosophy to build an offense around him.

6. Tony Romo – Maybe he’s mature enough now to not melt in big games. If Williams steps up I’ve got him ranked a few spots too low. I feel like I should mention TO here: TO sucks.

7.  Aaron Rodgers – Rodgers was the secret sauce in a lot of fantasy playoff runs a year ago. This year you’ll have to draft him much earlier, but he’s worth it.

8.  Phillip Rivers – Rivers, not LT, was the Chargers’ TD machine last season. 34 to be exact. Turner is a run first coach, and a healthy Tomlinson and Sproles can do great damage on the ground. With Merriman back the defense should be able to avoid shootouts. I think Rivers sinks a few notches this season.

9. Ben Roethlisberger – Imagine how good he could be if he didn’t have to lug his 240 pound frame around the backfield in circles every other passing play. The best is yet to come fantasy wise for Big Ben, but I would like to see someone else win real NFL championships.

10. Matt Ryan – Ryan’s end of the year stats will not knock your socks off, but it was an extremely impressive rookie campaign. Now he has Tony Gonzalez, which gave him a big boost in everyone’s fantasy rankings. I think he’ll make that big of a difference. 4000+ yards and 20+ TDs coming up!

11.  Jay Cutler – Cutler’s new options are more interesting than you might think. Hester and Bennett can be a dynamic duo, and Olsen and Forte have proven they can move the chains. We need to see how this new offensive line treats him and give him a year to adjust to the new playbook, but he’s still a starting fantasy QB.

12.  Carson Palmer - Lav Coles and Chad Ocho Cinco are an emotional mess of a receiving corps. They are good at catching footballs, though. The off the field factors make Carson especially tough to rank but there is way too much talent between these three to not take him as a starter.

13.  Matt Hasselbeck – If you decide to punt QBs until late in your drafts then Hass should be your man. I don’t think he will be ranked on other lists as highly as I have him here. Houshmandzedah, Branch, and Burleson make up the most impressive receiving corps he’s ever worked with. I smell a bounceback baby!

14.  Matt Schaub – Andre Johnson is so good that I want to rank Schaub higher, but he still has more to prove. Above all, can he stay healthy enough to play more than 11 games??

15. Eli Manning – Nothing interesting I can say. This is just Eli being Eli.

16.  Chad Pennington – Pennington is the perfect backup – Reliable and top notch trade bait for when one of the big boys gets injured. He eeked out a top 10 fantasy QB season in his first year under center as a Dolphin.

17.  Matt Cassel - Waiver Wire treasure Matt Cassel’s back to back 400 yard, 3 TD games in weeks 11 and 12 is the stuff of fantasy legend. His production will decrease as a Chief but I still call for 20 TDs if Gonzo stays.

18.  Kerry Collins – Cocktail Kerry threw three TDs in the first eight games and nine in the final eight games. Expect more of the latter this season as defenses desperately try to contain the Titan’s run game.

19. Trent Edwards – Edwards sent a text message to Bills GM Russ Brandon asking him to add TO. The poor kid brought this on himself! TO is pretty tame in year one, so Edwards gets a one year boost in my rankings.

20.  Kyle Orton – Orton’s new WR’s are much more interesting than his old ones.  Marshall and Royal were both top 15 fantasy WRs last year with Cutler.  The offensive line is super solid and the OC is brilliant.  I’m pegging him as the starter at this point because Chris Simms is still Chris Simms.

21. Jake Delhomme Jake was disappointing in his return from the elbow injury but the Panthers still rolled through the NFC. If he can return to 04-07 form he will be a bargain.

22.  David Garrard – Garrard is a pretty boring fantasy option be he gets the job done as a backup.

23.  Jason Campbell – Campbell is no longer Mr. Potential Breakout. He’s now Mr. Last Chance to Breakout. His contract is up after this year and he’s still holding the ball too long. Expect similar stats to last year.

24.  Joe Flacco – I lacko enthusiasm for Flacco.

25.  Marc Bulger – At the time of this writing Marc’s entire receiving corps is Donnie Avery, Dane Looker, and Keenan Burton.

26. Luke McCown – Antonio Bryant and Kellen Winslow are very talented. I’m not sure if I can say the same for McCown, or if he will even be the starter, but I like his receivers.

27.  Sage Rosenfels/Tarvaris Jackson – You never know what you are going to get with either of these guys, but the team is good.

28. Brady Quinn/Derek Anderson – Braylon Edwards is still there to catch (err, drop) TDs, but these QBs will miss having Winslow as an option over the middle.

29. Daunte Culpepper – Calvin Johnson may catch 15 TDs next season, which is coincidentally the exact same number of TDs I expect Culpepper to throw.

30. Shaun Hill/Damon Huard/Alex Smith – Ugh

31. Kellen Clemens/Brett Ratliff – Eww

32. Jamarcus Russell – For serious?