I'll trade you Pujols for Peyton ...

A friend of mine mentioned a pretty interesting idea the other day: could a combination football/baseball fantasy league work?

It's an intriguing proposition to say the least. The logistics would be complicated and the commitment great. First off, you'd have to get the same 8-12 people to sign up for a season that would last from April to December. My guess is there's probably a good deal of overlapping of folks who play in both a baseball and a football league, but who knows?

Another big factor: The standings and scoring format. Would you play head-to-head throughout the year? Would you crown a "midseason champion" at the end of baseball season and give that winner some kind of prize bonus (not that I condone monetary gambling of any kind)? Would you then reset the standings completely? (Probably not, since you might as well just play two separate leagues in that case.) If it's one long season and a team's stuck near the bottom of the standings around August, would the prospect of reinforcing your team with a whole football roster be enough to keep them interested?

Here's the really fascinating part, as my bud Jason Dill put it when he was pitching this idea: What if you could trade Albert Pujols for Peyton Manning? Or Alex Rodriguez for Adrian Peterson (A-Rod for AD)? Or to be a little more obscure, Chone Figgins for Shonn Greene?

If you held your football draft early enough in the NFL preseason, you could have about a month's overlap between football and baseball seasons with which to swap players between sports. You'd probably have to make this a keeper league, too, to keep owners from dumping all their best baseball players to shore up their football team - which adds yet another layer of complication to this Super League.

And if you really wanted to blow this thing out: How about making it a fantasy basketball league, too?

Just something to think about during a slow time in the fantasy sports world.

2009 Fantasy Awards, Pt. 1

Time for my annual season review and the handing out of some well-deserved honors. No popularity contests or personal biases here: These awards are based strictly on the cold, hard numbers and the players' direct impact on fantasy success.

Let's do this.


FANTASY MVP

I was tempted to give the honor to Aaron Rodgers, who produced as well as any quarterback this season but could have been taken in the 3rd or 4th round or later at most drafts. But while there were a few QBs at the top of the rankings with similar stats - Rodgers, Drew Brees, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning - one running back stood out from the pack at his position.

Chris Johnson's 2,006-yard rushing season will go down as one of the greatest in league history. CJ had a few disappointing games in the early weeks of 2009 - he had four sub-100-yard rushing performances in his first five games and failed to score a TD in any of them. But a monster Week 2 against Houston (197 rushing yards and 2 TDs, plus 87 receiving yards and a TD catch) showed us just what he was capable of. Johnson finished the season with 11 straight 100-plus-yard games. He scored 14 TDs on the ground, plus 2 more through the air to go with more than 500 receiving yards. In short, he was a fantasy beast, and in many leagues he wasn't among the top 5 or even 10 players drafted. That won't be the case next year.

BUST OF THE YEAR

I tended to be a little more bullish on Matt Forte's 2009 fantasy prospects than some publications. With the Bears' offseason acquisition of Jay Cutler, I thought Forte might significantly improve on a standout rookie season. Boy, was I wrong. He finished with just 929 rushing yards, down from last year's 1,238. He scored 4 rushing TDs, down from last year's 8. He caught 57 passes, down from last year's 63. He caught 0 TDs, down from last year's 4.

In other words, he was a bust.

2009 ALL FANTASY TEAM

QB - Drew Brees
RB1 - Chris Johnson
RB2 - Adrian Peterson
WR1 - Andre Johsnon
WR2 - Randy Moss
TE - Vernon Davis
K - David Akers
DEF - Eagles

PICKUP OF THE YEAR

Receivers Miles Austin of the Cowboys and Steve Smith of the Giants deserve recognition for going from off the radar to bona fide fantasy starters in 2009. But the honor goes to Kansas City's Jamaal Charles, who started the year blocked by Larry Johnson but finished as a 1,000-yard rusher. After the Chiefs unceremoniously dumped Johnson, Charles immediately stepped in with 103 yards and a TD against Oakland in Week 10 and never looked back. He scored 7 times in the season's final 8 weeks and topped 100 rushing yards in each of his final 4 games during a critical stretch of the fantasy season, culminating with his 259-yard, 2-TD showing in Week 17.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

First-year running backs Knowshon Moreno, Beanie Wells and LeSean McCoy were all valuable fantasy commodities at various times, but WR Percy Harvin gets the nod after catching 6 TDs. That's more than such fantasy stalwarts as Calvin Johnson, Anquan Boldin, Terrell Owens, Wes Welker, Dwayne Bowe, TJ Houshmandzadeh and Antonio Bryant. Harvin also rushed for 731 yards and scored two return TDs, making him one of the season's best flex players.

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR

I hate to say it, but it's got to be Favre. He tied Rodgers for the third most pasing TDs with 33, his most since 1997. He also threw only 7 TDs, his fewest ever in a full season. That was a whopping improvement on last year's ratio (22 TDs/22 INTs). Favre entered the year considered a marginal fantasy backup but was one of the game's best QBs in 2009.

Best of the decade?

As we say goodbye to 2009, I'm seeing all kinds of all-decade lists popping up all over the place (Best movies? Best songs? Best TV themes?)

It got me thinking: Who were the best fantasy players of the 2000s? It'd be awfully hard to narrow it down to an all-decade team. For instance, Peyton Manning's probably the obvious choice at QB, but how do you deny Tom Brady's record-busting 2007 season? Or how do you narrow it down to 1 or 2 running backs - say, LaDainian Tomlinson and Priest Holmes - and leave out a Brian Westbrook or Adrian Peterson or Marshall Faulk?

Jay Clemons of SI.com actually figured out a better approach, ranking the top 10 fantasy seasons of the decade. Here's what they came up with in a nutshell:

1. Tom Brady, 2007
2. LaDainian Tomlinson, 2006
3. Peyton Manning, 2004
4. Randy Moss, 2007
5. Shaun Alexander, 2005
6. Daunte Culpepper, 2004
7. LaDainian Tomlinson, 2003
8. Marvin Harrison, 2002
9. Tony Gonzalez, 2004
10. Drew Brees, 2008

A few things jump out at me:

- How does Holmes not make the list? It's easy to forget that near the start of the decade he was every bit as dominating as Tomlinson in his prime and single-handedly won many leagues in the early 2000s. A tight end makes the list and Priest doesn't?

- Brady may have had the single most impressive fantasy season of the '00s, but as SI points out, the rest of his career belongs simply in the "good" category, from a fantasy standpoint.

- It's almost unfathomable that Culpepper, who can't even stay on the field for the Detroit Lions nowadays, was once the game's best fantasy QB. I owned him in 2004, his incredible 39-TD season, and loved every minute of it. I also drafted him the following year, the start of his long downward career spiral, and still haven't forgiven him.

Photo by The Associated Press

Week 11 recap

- Laurence Maroney (77 yards, 2 TDs) continues to be an every-week starter. Keep riding with him.

- Jason Avant now has 3 TDs in his past two games. This week's matchup with Washington is tough, but he could be a sneaky play as a flex/No. 3 WR.

- Week 11 Hot Pickup Bernard Scott had 21 carries for 119 yards filling in for Cedric Benson. Put in a claim for him if he's still available in your league, because he'd certainly be worth a look against Cleveland this week if Benson can't go.

- Tim Hightower's career-high 110 yards against St. Louis could be a little deceiving. His previous best also came against the Rams last year, and he's still splitting time with Beanie Wells, who scored a TD Sunday. Hightower may best be left on your bench until he meets St. Louis again in Week 16, right around the time of most fantasy Super Bowls.

- Who's the imposter in the No. 81 Bills jersey? Surely that wasn't Terrell Owens (9 catches, 197 yards, TD) - that's like 3 T.O. games rolled into one! It seems like new Buffalo coach Perry Fewell is making a concerted effort to get Owens the ball - wise choice - and you may actually want to getcha popcorn ready and put him in your lineup this week against Miami.

- Kevin Boss (2 TDs) has now scored four times in his past three games and can still be found on many waiver wires (I picked him up and started him in one league this past week). He doesn't get quite as many looks as the upper-echelon TEs but he's as good a bet as any to score in any given week.

- Is Adrian Peterson actually being hurt by Brett Favre throwing all these TDs? All Day didn't get into the end zone despite the Vikings putting up 35 points, and he was held to under 100 rushing yards for the seventh time this season. Of course you never bench Peterson though, I'm just thinking out loud here.

- Jamaal Charles was limited to 58 yards rushing on 17 carries against the tough Steelers, but he scored on a 97-yard kick return and caught a 2-yard TD pass. Good to see him finding ways to get involved, an encouraging sign heading into this weekend's game against San Diego.

Matt Forte is killing me

Matt Forte is killing me.

I had this guy pegged as my No. 3 overall pick entering this season, right behind Adrian Peterson and Michael Turner. Ahead of Chris Johnson. Ahead of Maurice Jones-Drew. Ahead of Steven Jackson. Ahead of DeAngelo Williams.

How's that looking? Check this out:

PLAYER, YARDS, TDs

Adrian Peterson, 618, 7
Chris Johnson, 596, 2
Steven Jackson, 501, 0
Maurice Jones-Drew, 468, 8
DeAngelo Williams, 372, 4
Matt Forte, 294, 1

In other words, Forte's sucked.

This is a guy who rushed for 1,238 yards last year and 8 TDs. He also caught 63 balls for 477 yards and 4 more scores.

This year, he's caught only 18 balls, none for TDs.

You figured with strong-armed Jay Cutler in town, the Bears might rely a little less on the running game this year. I'll buy that. But didn't you figure Forte might be even more involved in the passing game? And even when they've run the ball with him, he hasn't been very effective - see his two fumbles on the goal line Sunday night against Atlanta.

Blame some of Forte's struggles on the Bears' schedule, which isn't getting any easier in the coming weeks. Five of Chicago's next six opponents rank in the upper-half of the league in run defense. We can only hope the Bears make a sustained effort to run the ball and Forte keeps getting carries and can somehow regain last year's form.

Photo by The Associated Press

9/3 Bust of the Day: Percy Harvin

WR PERCY HARVIN, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Don't get me wrong, I respect Harvin's playmaking abilities and the Vikes' willingness to utilize him in a variety of ways on the field. But I'm hearing a bit too much hype about a rookie wide receiver, a position that often tends to disappoint.


Minnesota has been in desperate need of a playmaker not named Adrian Peterson, and Harvin, the electrifying former Florida Gator certainly fits the bill. I think he'll be a big contributor and end up with decent numbers on the season. But the problem is his production won't come consistently - not with him being used in gimmicky formations like the Wildcat and as a returner. I see him being a boom-or-bust type player, and I'm not sure that's the guy I'd want as my No. 3 WR when I can take a Ted Ginn Jr., Devin Hester, Kevin Walter or Jerricho Cotchery who I know will be getting targeted on a more regular basis. I'd be thrilled if he falls to me as my No. 4 WR, because he's exactly the type of big-risk, big-reward player you'd want in that slot, but I have a feeling he'll be taken much too early for that in most leagues. If that's the case, I'll pass.

Switching gears to the gridiron

The dog days of summer are here, and for those of us whose fantasy baseball teams have fallen out of contention, it can seem like the season drags on endlessly.

The good news: Football is right around the corner.

Fantasy football's always been the lifeblood of this blog. Sure, baseball's fun for the first few months, but the daily grind can take its toll, especially when your team's been stuck in ninth place like mine for what seems an eternity. I'll admit I've been slacking lately on the baseball posts, for a variety of reasons - vacation, hectic times at my "other" job and the general suckiness of my team. But it's my pledge to you now that I'll be posting more regularly as we get ready for football season.

Don't worry, baseball fanatics: I'll still be blogging on America's pastime when the mood strikes me, especially if we see any big moves as the MLB trade deadline approaches. But from here on out the primary focus will be on the gridiron, and I've got lots of thoughts. Is Adrian Peterson a lock for the No. 1 overall pick? How long should you wait to draft a QB this year? Is Jay Cutler better off as a Bear? Can Terrell Owens still be a fantasy force in Buffalo? I'll be dropping some knowledge on these and many other topics in the coming weeks, as well as unveiling my position-by-position rankings, plus some more surprises. So stay tuned.

Your guide to success in important Week 14

Forget about putting up the Christmas lights this weekend and tell your significant other you’re taking a pass on that shopping trip.

This is a crucial week in fantasy football, either the regular season finale or the opening of the playoffs. We can’t be bothered with trivial stuff like holiday preparations, household chores and human interaction. It’s Week 14! Enough nonsense . . . we’ve got more important things to think about, like who to start and who to sit this week.

START ’EM

g RB Adrian Peterson at Detroit: The biggest no-brainer in the history of no-brainers.

g RB Larry Johnson at Denver: He torched the Broncos for 198 yards and two TDs in Week 4.

g RB DeAngelo Williams vs. Tampa Bay: I make it a point to never sit a running back coming off a four-TD game. Call me crazy.

g RB Brian Westbrook at New York Giants: See above.

g QB Matt Cassel at Seattle: Welcome back to reality, son. Now go out there and carve up that Seahawks “secondary.”

g QB Kurt Warner vs. St. Louis: If he doesn’t throw for at least 300 yards and two TDs, I’ll buy you a drink.

g WR Bernard Berrian at Detroit: His best fantasy output of the season was against — you guessed it — the Lions in Week 6 (five catches, 131 yards, TD).

g WR Lance Moore vs. Atlanta: Has caught six TDs in his past five games and should continue the trend.

g WR Torry Holt at Arizona: He has only two TD receptions this year, but one came against the generous Cardinals pass defense in Week 9.

SIT ’EM

g RB Jamal Lewis at Tennessee: I’m no defensive coordinator, but do you think the Titans might stack the box this week with Ken Dorsey playing QB for Cleveland?

g RB Clinton Portis at Baltimore: It pains me to say this because I know he’s carried you (and Washington) all year. But Portis is banged-up, coming off his worst game of the year (22 yards) and facing the Ravens. That’s three strikes.

g RB Marion Barber at Pittsburgh: Uncertainty about his toe injury and the Steelers’ run defense make me very apprehensive this week.

g RB Willis McGahee vs. Washington: How can you start a guy who suited up the week before but had no carries?

g QB Tony Romo at Pittsburgh: Games against San Francisco and Seattle were walks in the park, but did you see what the Steelers did to poor Cassel last week? Factor in the prospect of no Barber in the backfield and bad weather in the Steel City, and I’m considering other options.

g QB Jake Delhomme vs. Tampa Bay: The Bucs are simply too tough. There are at least 20 other quarterbacks with more upside this week.

g WR Braylon Edwards at Tennessee: No way am I putting my playoff chances in this guy’s hands. Or to be more accurate, letting them bounce off this guy’s fingertips.

g WR Chad Johnson at Indianapolis: There’s a big difference between doing funny things in the end zone and having an absolute joke of a season. I bet I could close my eyes, pick up a random receiver off the waiver wire and get more production out of him this week than Ocho Cinco.

g WR Roy Williams at Pittsburgh: This guy’s stock has plummeted more than — well, it’s just as bad as all the stocks out there in real life, I guess. But there’s no reason to start him in any fantasy league this week.

Worried about Peterson, Moss, others?

Week 4 is the perfect time to take stock of your fantasy team and figure out which direction it’s headed.

By now we’ve got a good idea of which NFL offenses look like powerhouses and which are just plain offensive. We’ve seen how certain running back timeshares will operate, which quarterbacks’ jobs are in jeopardy, whose surgically repaired body parts are holding up and whose legs have too many miles on them.

Also, with six NFL teams enjoying a bye week, the depth of fantasy rosters will be tested. It’s time to examine your squad with a critical eye and see where you stand. Some players will hold up to the scrutiny despite some early season question marks and injury concerns, while others are in serious danger.

Here are some notable guys I’m not too worried about, and some who deserve a red flag:

NO PROBLEMS HERE

LaDainian Tomlinson: His toe may be bothering him, but Tomlinson still rushed two touchdowns Monday night. That’s why I’d never sit LT – as long as he can stand on two feet, the San Diego Chargers will continue to feed him meaningful touches, no matter how good backup Darren Sproles looks.

Adrian Peterson: Even with a sore hamstring and the possibility he might sit out last Sunday, Peterson still started and gutted out a tough 17 carries for 77 yards against a good Carolina Panthers defense. Things get no easier this week against the Tennessee Titans, but Peterson is simply too dangerous and too valuable a fantasy commodity to leave on your bench if he’s active.

Brian Westbrook: He’s listed as day to day with an ankle sprain, but worse injuries than that haven’t stopped this tough little S.O.B. Westbrook is the most dangerous player in fantasy football and can never be benched unless he’s officially ruled out. Grab Correll Buckhalter or Lorenzo Booker as insurance if you feel compelled, but expect to see a Westbrook touchdown or two Sunday night in Chicago.

Brett Favre: The veteran QB’s numbers have been acceptable as a low-end fantasy No. 1 to this point (six TDs vs. three INTs) even as he’s learning on the fly with the New York Jets. Expect him to soar in the coming weeks (vs. Arizona, Cincinnati, Oakland, Kansas City).

PROCEED WITH CAUTION

Steven Jackson: From last season’s struggles to his holdout during camp, we had enough worries about Jackson entering the season. So far he and the miserable St. Louis Rams have done nothing to quell our fears, and the switch to QB Trent Green doesn’t help. This situation’s a mess.

Roy Williams: If the Detroit Lions can’t figure out Williams needs to get more than three targets a game, there’s no hope for them. With frustration mounting, Mike Martz gone and Calvin Johnson taking on a bigger role, I’m officially worried about our boy Roy.

Randy Moss: From Moss’ perspective, QB Matt Cassel looks a lot more like Andrew Walter than Tom Brady so far. Might it be that Moss is only as good as the quarterback throwing to him? If true, it could be a long year.

Braylon Edwards: We know his shoulder’s bothering him, but Edwards better start pulling down some catches starting this Sunday at Cincinnati, or he’s going to cost QB Derek Anderson and maybe coach Romeo Crennel their jobs. He’s got a long way to go in proving he’s a fantasy No. 1

Photos by The Associated Press.

Is McFadden this year's Peterson?

Inquiring minds want to know: Who is this year's Adrian Peterson?

AP dropped a bomb on fantasy leagues last year, rushing for 1,341 yards and 12 touchdowns after starting his rookie year in a platoon situation for the Minnesota Vikings. His 296-yard performance in Week 9 against the vaunted San Diego Chargers defense is one that will live in fantasy lore for the ages.

Peterson was taken in the fifth round or later in many drafts last year, but now the secret's out, and he has vaulted to the No. 2 running back ranking behind fantasy stalwart LaDainian Tomlinson. You'll no longer get such a huge return on your investment, since a minimum of 1,300 yards and 12 TDs will be expected from Peterson this year as a first-rounder.

So who's this year's Peterson?

Darren McFadden of the Oakland Raiders seems to be a popular answer. He's the highest rated rookie runner on most lists, including mine, and with good reason: he was an explosive and versatile collegiate back at Arkansas, as dominant as Peterson was at Oklahoma.



The only problem is while Peterson landed in a perfect situation in Minnesota, McFadden's is a bit murkier. Oakland's offensive line isn't quite up to par with last year's group in Minnesota (which included two Pro Bowlers). And Peterson only had to compete with veteran Chester Taylor for carries, while McFadden must fend off both Justin Fargas (who broke out for 1,000 yards last year) and Michael Bush, a 2007 fourth-round draft pick and a former Heisman Trophy contender at Louisville who sat out last year with a broken leg.

That doesn't mean McFadden can't have the same impact as Peterson - it just makes it less likely. And it means you'd be foolish to draft McFadden - or any other rookie - counting on him to be your No. 1 RB.

Here's a look at the rest of the rankings:

1. Tomlinson, Chargers: Even with last year's knee injury (which didn't require surgery), he's simply too good and too consistent to go any lower than No. 1 overall.

2. Peterson, Vikings.

3. Brian Westbrook, Philadelphia Eagles: Played every game last year and got a contract extension from the notoriously stingy Birds. It's safe to remove the "injury risk" tag and simply say he's good.

4. Joseph Addai, Indianapolis Colts: An unexciting but consistent pick with very few question marks - that's what wins championships.

5. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams: Holdout has ended, and O-line simply has to be better than last year. A risk, for sure, but he has more fantasy upside than any player ranked below him.

6. Marshawn Lynch, Buffalo Bills: Will be running people over (pun intended) this year as Buffalo's offensive focal point.

7. Clinton Portis, Washington Redskins: New coach Jim Zorn plans to put the ball in Portis' hands a lot.

8. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers: Mike Martz is supposed to work wonders - but how did that work out for Kevin Jones and Tatum Bell last year? Gore should at least see more passes (but then again, look at who's throwing them). Be cautious.

9. Marion Barber, Dallas Cowboys: At his best when he's part of a one-two punch; will be a TD machine again only if rookie Felix Jones can fill the departed Julius Jones' shoes.

10. Ryan Grant, Green Bay Packers: Camp hasn't been encouraging, but he's got fresher legs and more job security than backs ranked below him.

Week 1: The good, bad and unpredictable

The first week of NFL action is always the hardest to predict. We went into our season-opening fantasy matchups basing our expectations on four meaningless preseason games, head coaches' cryptic comments, rumors, hearsay and innuendo.

For instance, who knew Randy Moss' hamstring was so healthy? The dude didn't play all preseason, Bill Belichick was his usual tight-lipped self - and Moss goes nuts for 183 yards and a TD on Sunday. I'm still not sold he'll be a consistent producer in the New England Patriots' spread-the-ball offense, but it looks like you can safely insert Moss into your lineup this week against the San Diego Chargers and at least get something out of him.

Moss' tale is just one piece of good news fantasy owners received after seeing some games that count. We've also gotten some red flags, too, concerning players we had big hopes for. Here's what we've learned so far.

GOOD NEWS

• Minnesota Vikings rookie Adrian Peterson showed a flash of his potential Sunday (163 total yards, TD) while running mate Chester Taylor went down. Taylor (oblique) will be back, but Peterson's already proven he can carry the load. He's a decent option against the Detroit Lions this week.

• Shaun Alexander showed no signs of last year's broken foot, romping for 106 yards and a TD. There are a few caveats - he had a whopping 27 carries, and they came against the soft Tampa Bay Buccaneers - but consider the foot problem a non-issue.

• Another non-issue: Travis Henry's preseason knee problems. The Denver Broncos' offseason acquisition looked as nimble as ever (139 rushing yards, 44 receiving yards) against the Buffalo Bills and should be a productive No. 1 RB.

• LaMont Jordan's 15 carries for 70 yards and a TD don't automatically erase last season's "bust" label from his forehead . . . but his nine receptions for 89 yards certainly help his cause. If new Oakland Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin is willing to utilize Jordan's pass-catching skills, we're all for it.

BAD NEWS

• Brandon Jacobs' knee injury was in fact the worst news from Week 1. A sprained MCL may keep the New York Giants RB sidelined three to five weeks. Backup Derrick Ward (and not Reuben Droughns, as I've previously warned) is probably the guy you want to add if you're desperate.

• The injury bug also bit Giants QB Eli Manning, who had an encouraging 2007 debut (312 yards, four TDs) Sunday night before exiting with a banged-up shoulder. Young Eli is week-to-week, so go with Plan B - and hopefully that's not hefty Giants second-stringer Jared Lorenzen.

• Still reeling from a sub-60-yard performance by Steven Jackson, Frank Gore, Larry Johnson, Rudi Johnson, Thomas Jones, Cedric Benson or LaDainian Tomlinson? Relax. I'm confident all of these gentlemen have multiple 100-yard games in their futures.

• Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints didn't have the outing we've come to expect in their season opener at Indianapolis. But better days are ahead for every member of that offense, beginning Sunday in Tampa.

Science fiction

Fantasy football is not a science.

As much as some fantasy “experts” try to crunch numbers, analyze data and apply formulas to their rankings and projections, this game is really just a crapshoot.

Don’t get me wrong: I’ve been known to break out a little scientific method now and then, trying to bring a little order to the chaotic universe of fantasy football. Part of my job involves taking all the information that’s out there and making sense of it all.

But in the end, science can only take you so far. Science couldn’t predict what Marques Colston did last year. And science has no explanation for how Warrick Dunn has lasted in the NFL this long.

There are no absolutes in fantasy football, no hard and fast rules that will hold up in lab testing. That’s why I’m more interested in Sir Isaac Bruce than Sir Isaac Newton, more concerned with the stud running back theory than the theory of relativity. And it’s why instead of giving you some kind of chiseled-in-stone laws for fantasy drafting, I’m going to share some simple gut feelings I have about players I like this season.


• QB Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles: If you’re the kind of person who plays penny slots in Vegas, this is not the gamble for you. But there are only five QBs I’d trust more than McNabb, who is capable of outproducing all of them (yes, all of them) if he can avoid injury.

• RB Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings: Here’s your chance to get this year’s version of Joseph Addai/Laurence Maroney. Even in a timeshare, Peterson will have a breakout role in the Vikings’ offensive philosophy of running to set up the run.

• RB Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants: Listen, he’s not Tiki Barber, but who is? After Jacobs is off the draft board, good luck finding another bona fide feature back out there. And no, I’m not worried about Reuben Droughns – he’s a fullback in a running back’s uniform.

• RB LaMont Jordan, Oakland Raiders: LaMont and I have a love/hate relationship. He burned me big-time last year, but he’s slowly winning me back with a great preseason. I don’t think I can stay mad at him.

• RB Thomas Jones, New York Jets: I thought this was a great offseason move, and his calf injury hasn’t swayed my opinion. Jones is the dependable, every-down back the Jets lacked last year. He’s going to make a fine No. 2 RB.

• QB Marc Bulger, St. Louis Rams: The pretty boys at the top of the QB rankings get all the attention, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see Bulger as a close second behind Peyton Manning when the season’s over.

• QB Jay Cutler, Denver Broncos: It’s not often you see a young quarterback surrounded with this much offensive talent and working behind this kind of quality offensive line. Don’t worry about the kid, he’s going to be fine.

Is there a Draft in here?

They say it can take a few years to really analyze an NFL Draft, but in fantasy, we don't have that luxury. We've got to identify the impact players right away in preparation for our own draft. Here are some of the big names taken this year and how they'll fit into your fantasy plans in '07:

• QB JaMarcus Russell to Raiders: Best-case scenario, Russell is a quick learner, takes the starting job early in the season and makes a Vince Young-type impact. Worst-case scenario: he struggles to adjust or, more likely, he gets thrown into the fire but that offensive line crumbles again. Russell is a nice speculative pick as a No. 2 QB for now, but you'll want a proven starter ahead of him.

• WR Calvin Johnson to Lions: Johnson may make the biggest fantasy impact of this rookie class, but take that with a grain of salt. Rookie WRs are anything but a sure but, and Marques Colston is the exception, not the rule. I'm a little more excited about the boost Roy Williams and, to a lesser extent Jon Kitna, will get from adding Johnson to the lineup. Still, Mike Martz will find ways to get Johnson the ball, so that makes him a No. 3 fantasy WR with a ton of upside. He's an obvious target in keeper leagues.

• RB Adrian Peterson to Vikings: Here's another keeper league no-brainer. The bad news is he'll most likely split carries with workhorse Chester Taylor. While the two-back platoon didn't hurt 2006 rookies Laurence Maroney or Reggie Bush that much, the Vikings' offense (perhaps led by Tarvaris Jackson) won't match the Patriots' last year, and Peterson won't contribute in the passing game the way Bush did. Don't get me wrong, I think Peterson will be a star in due time, but factor in a lingering collar bone injury and he might not have a ton of value in 2007 (unless Taylor goes down). For now, treat him as a third or fourth RB.

• WR Ted Ginn Jr. to Dolphins: Wow, Fins fans really weren't happy with this pick, huh? The reason is it's hard to envision Ginn as a stud No. 1 NFL receiver (like, say, Chris Chambers) - he just hasn't demonstrated those skills yet. Miami likes his raw talent and speed and hopes he can make a Devin Hester-type impact on special teams, but that isn't exactly helpful in fantasy terms. He's also been slow to recover from an ankle injury suffered in the BCS title game. Throw in the real possibility we'll see a whole lot of Cleo Lemon under center this year, and Ginn is nothing more than a late-round flier for now.

• RB Marshawn Lynch to Bills: Buffalo had a glaring need in its backfield after dealing Willis McGahee to Baltimore, and it filled that need by making Lynch the second RB taken in the draft. Lynch might not be as talented as draftmate Peterson, but he has the potential to be the more valuable fantasy rookie RB in 2007. That's because he has a good chance of supplanting Anthony Thomas as the Bills' feature back with a good showing in training camp, or at the very least getting a majority of the carries in a platoon system.

• QB Brady Quinn to Browns: Cleveland got its man, albeit later than most draft gurus predicted. Many of those same gurus seem to think Quinn has the skills to compete right away in the NFL. It remains to be seen if he can beat out Charlie Frye for the starting gig, but you have to figure we'll see Quinn starting at some point in '07. The addition of RB Jamal Lewis and rookie OL Joe Thomas will help boost what had been a dismal offense, and TE Kellen Winslow and WR Braylon Edwards are also exciting pieces. If everything goes right, Quinn might be able to make the same kind of impact Matt Leinart did last year, so he'd be an intriguing fantasy backup.

• TE Greg Olsen to Bears: Olsen could eventually be a serious receiving threat in the mold of Todd Heap and fellow Miami product Jeremy Shockey. He has the size (6-4, 250) and speed (4.5 in the 40) to really help QB Rex Grossman, but it will take him time to adjust to the NFL, and Desmond Clark will probably still take plenty of snaps at TE. It's a pretty deep position, so consider Olsen a No. 2 with some upside.

• WR Randy Moss to Patriots: He's not a rookie, but he stole the headlines at the draft when Oakland dealt the malcontent for a fourth-round pick. Moss' days out West were disastrous at best, and he'll try to resurrect his career in New England. I could see this going either way: A) Moss is motivated and happy and flourishes with a living, breathing QB throwing him the ball, gets 1,000 yards and becomes a model citizen in the hopes of winning a championship; or B) isn't happy about sharing the ball with Donte' Stallworth and Wes Welker and Jabar Gaffney and Reche Caldwell and Troy Brown and Ben Watson, and those nagging injuries and negative tendencies pop up again. So you can roll the dice by taking Moss as your No. 2, just recognize the risks and rewards involved.