Quarterbacks:
Peyton Manning (Position: 2, Overall: 21):
Given Manning's consistency — he has reached 27
touchdown passes and 4,000 in three straight seasons — and the fact that Tom Brady is returning from injury, this ranking makes sense.
Drew Brees is
the number one ranked quarterback and no one can doubt his potential to be a
productive fantasy quarterback when his past three seasons and the fact that
Saints should be involved in a number of shootouts is considered.
In a 12-team draft, his overall ranking would place Manning at the tail end
of the second round, where he would be a steal. Chances are that someone
will take him earlier, especially if the draft is conducted somewhere in the
Indianapolis area.
But, anywhere in the second round is a good time to
take Manning, provided that you are interested in being set at the quarterback
position and not interested in taking a chance at a quarterback in the later
rounds when the sure things are off the board.
Other Options:
Kurt Warner (5, 33), Aaron Rogers (6, 34)
Running Backs:
Addai's struggles in 2008 caused him to drop in the rankings
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Joseph Addai: (21, 51):
Obviously, fantasy experts are concerned about Addai's ability to rebound
from offseason knee surgery and his chances of keeping rookie Donald Brown from
getting a healthy share of the touches in 2009.
If he can indeed be had towards the end of the fourth round or early in the
fifth round, Addai is an excellent value pick as a third running back,
especially in leagues that give you a point for every reception that a player
records (PPR).
With his pass catching ability and familiarity with the
blocking responsibilities required of a Colts running back in their scheme,
Addai will at least have value as a third down option even if he loses the
regular job to Brown.
However, he can no longer be depended upon as a marquee first or second back
for fantasy purposes, so don't draft him as such.
Other Options:
Pierre Thomas (22, 52), Willie Parker (23, 53).
Donald Brown: (27, 57):
Towards the end of the fifth round, Brown makes a lot of sense, especially if
you listen to some of the folks at ColtPower.com, who suggest that Brown will have
claimed the starting job and the majority of the carries by the end of the
season.
The good news hidden between the lines is that fantasy experts believe the
Indianapolis running game will recover in 2009, no matter who is the starter.
Other Options:
Ray Rice (66, 188), LenDale White (28, 74).
Wide Receivers:
Reggie Wayne: (3, 17):
Considering that Larry Fitzgerald and Randy Moss are the only two players at
the position that rank ahead of Wayne, he's doing very well for himself in the
fantasy rankings. Chances are slim that Wayne will go in the first round,
so if you are looking for a solid, productive receiver in the second round and
Fitzgerald and Moss are gone, you could do a lot worse.
Still, the fact remains that there are few options in Houston (Andre Johnson), Carolina (Steve Smith), and Green Bay (Greg Jennings), so if any of
those players are available, they would be better selections simply by virtue of
the fact that they will get more targets. The more targets a player gets,
the better the chances that they will produce.
Other Options:
Andre Johnson (4, 18), Steve Smith (5, 19), Greg Jennings (6, 20).
Anthony Gonzalez: (17, 37):
Gonzalez enters the 2009 season finding himself in the enviable position of
being Peyton Manning's second option. However, he has yet to put up
numbers that are indicative of his draft position in situations where he was in
a similar position to the one he finds himself in the coming season.
In 2007, when second receiver Marvin Harrison was hurt for most of the year,
he had 37 catches for 576 yards and three touchdowns. In 2008, Gonzalez improved with 57 catches for 664 yards and four
touchdowns, but those numbers still don't justify his position.
It could be that the switch will be flipped for Gonzalez in his third season,
as it tends to take receivers some time to adjust to the speed of the NFL game,
but he seems to be ranked awfully high for a player that has not produced
according to his ranking when given the chance.
Other Options:
Marques Colston (18, 42), Hines Ward (19, 43), Roy E. Williams (21, 58).
Tight End:
Clark should once again be a top five fantasy tight end
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Dallas Clark (5, 93):
Clark is correctly placed behind Jason Witten (1, 45), Tony Gonzalez (2, 46),
and Antonio Gates (3, 47), but is also ranked behind Kellen Winslow (4, 73), who
is with a new team and has proven to be inconsistent and/or injured in his time
in the league. Clark has been productive in terms of receptions and may
approach his 2007 touchdown numbers (11) if Gonzalez proves to be a liability in
the red zone.
If he is available in the late seventh or early eighth round, he would be a
valuable selection if your league requires that you start a tight end.
Other Options:
Chris Cooley (6, 98), Owen Daniels (8, 100)
Defense/Special Teams: (10, 143):
With a new emphasis on blitzing by defensive coordinator Larry Coyer, sacks
should be up. A healthy Bob Sanders will help the run defense and the
turnover department, which should vault the Indianapolis defense into the top
ten.
Points-wise and stats-wise, the Colts have held up and that should be
expected to continue. If the run defense holds up, they are a solid option
given that you choose your defense outside of the last two rounds of your draft.
Other Options:
Tennessee (11, 174), Atlanta (19, 208)
Kickers:
Adam Vinatieri: (12, 257):
Although Vinatieri is one of the greatest clutch kickers in the history of
the NFL, he is often overrated for fantasy purposes. As the magazine says,
"he has averaged only 23 field goals in the past three years and is only four
for nine from 40 yards or more in the past two seasons."
He's a good final option, but there are better options available when you get
around to drafting a kicker and the men in front of him have better reputations
fantasy-wise, as they play for teams that are less effective in the red zone
than the Colts and attempt more field goals.
Other Options:
Neil Rackers (8, 217), Ryan Longwell (9, 218).
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