Twitter Fantasy Football

Being part of the first ever Twitter Fantasy Football draft is a lot of fun and quite the honor. I'm really glad I was lucky enough to get in on it before it filled up. And even though it took a looooooooooong time to complete, the anticipation with each pick in each round was well worth the wait. Here's my team and why I took each player.

Round One: RB Adrian Peterson (Minn) Not a tough choice with the first overall pick. AP led the league in rushing last year, but I'm hoping he improves on his touchdown total. It would also help if he gets more involved in the passing game this year. The possible addition of Bret Favre could also boost Peterson's stats because opposing defenses will have to respect the passing game even more.

Round Two: WR Roddy White (Atl) Was hoping Andre Johnson would fall to me here, but he was taken one pick in front of me. (Durn you Cal Spears) So I took who I thought was the best receiver left. If Matt Ryan improves in his sophomore season, White's numbers should increase. He's also a new favorite of mine since he helped me win a championship last year after I drafted him in the seventh round.

Round Three: RB Joseph Addai (Ind) In hindsight, I might have wanted to take another receiver here, but Addai was my next rated RB. Despite the fact that the Colts drafted RB Donald Brown in the first round of the NFL Draft, I'm hoping Addai still gets the bulk of the carries.

Round Four: WR Chad Ochocinco (Cin) I like this pick a lot. I really think the departure of Housh and a healthy Carson Palmer will combine to increase the numbers for "8-5". And if what he's said in recent interviews comes true, he's going to come into the season with a better outlook and attitude. I'm crossing my fingers that he's not just blowing smoke.

Round Five: QB Donovan McNabb (Phil) VERY pleased with my starting QB. McNabb has a lot to prove this year and I think the new faces on offense will invigorate him even more. The additions of rookies WR Jeremy Maclin and RB LeSean McCoy may be enough to boost McNabb's numbers. Was pleased to get my target QB right where I'd hoped he would fall to me. Hoping he can stay healthy for another full season.

Round Six: RB Willie Parker (Pit)Not everyday you can say you got the starting tailback for the Super Bowl Champions in the sixth round. Parker may not score as much as I'd like but he's good for yardage, especially against Ohio teams...

Round Seven: WR Anthony Gonzalez (Ind) This could be a breakout year for Gonzo. Marvin Harrison is gone, so he becomes Peyton Manning's #2 WR. I was pleased to get him this late. The fact that he's a former Buckeye is a bonus! I'm such a homer.

Round Eight: QB Carson Palmer (Cin) As mentioned earlier, I'm hoping for a healthy Carson Palmer this year. But I'm also hoping I won't have to start him this year other than McNabb's bye week. Week 4 when McNabb gets his break, Palmer and the Bengals play the Browns so I should have a good matchup there.

Round Nine: WR Hakeem Nicks (NYG) Decided to go with a rookie (I am famous for having to have at least one rookie on any fantasy squad I've ever drafted) as my fourth WR. And with the Giants WR corp in flux due to the losses of Plaxico and Toomer, Nicks has a good chance to produce in his rookie season. Domenik Hixon and Steve Smith are reportedly entrenched as the starters, but the third receiver job is up for grabs with Nicks in contention with Sinorice Moss and Mario Manningham. A good value in Round 9 I think.

Round Ten: RB Laurence Maroney (NE) Had several RBs marked for this pick, but they all went bye bye in the half a dozen picks before mine, so I decided to take a chance on this former first rounder who struggled with injuries last year and didn't see much action. I don't think Fred Taylor will have the impact that other people predict and Sammy Morris is almost as injury-prone. As my fourth RB, Maroney is very easily waived if it looks like he won't produce.

Round Eleven: TE Zach Miller (Oak) Waited and waited for a TE because the value on them this year is extremely poor. Other than Witten, Gates, or Gonzalez, they all pretty much look the same to me. Miller and Jamarcus Russell have had plenty of time to get a feel for each other so there is potential here.

Round Twelve: DST Green Bay Packers Here's what I remember from last year: my better half seemed to score twenty plus points per week with her Packers defense! Between Will Blackmon returning punts and Charles Woodson and Nick Collins returning interceptions, it seemed like they racked up a huge amount of DST touchdowns. They've added some stud players in the draft and are poised to improve in other categories as well.

Round Thirteen: K Nick Folk (Dal) Darn it, I went and gone done it. I broke down here and grabbed the first kicker off of the board. I figured I was deep enough at QB, RB, and WR to go ahead and grab my last starter here in the 13th. Folk has been a solid scorer his first two years in the league, and I can't see that changing anytime soon.

Round Fourteen: WR Johnny Lee Higgins (Oak) Scored seven touchdowns last year (3 punt return) so even if he IS a Raider, he's still a great value this late in the draft. He's another reason they shouldn't have drafted Darrius Heyward-Bey ... they already had a speedster who could catch the deep ball and make big plays.

Round Fifteen: TE Brandon Pettigrew (Det) Told you I liked my rookies. Okay, so he's a rookie TE for the worst team in the league ..... I think he could put up numbers similar to Dustin Keller or John Carlson last year if given the chance.

Round Sixteen: QB Brady Quinn (Clev) Mr. Irrelevant! Last pick of the draft and I decided to take a third QB. Quinn could be a sleeper if Braylon Edwards quits putting so much pressure on himself and if rookie WR Brian Robiske is a fast learner.


Forecasted Starting Lineup

QB Donovan McNabb
RB Adrian Peterson
RB Joseph Addai
WR Roddy White
WR Chad Ochocinco
WR Anthony Gonzalez
TE Zach Miller
K Nick Folk
DST Packers





Favorite Pick: Ochocinco. I really believe he will bounce back and put up better numbers.

Second Guess Pick: Addai. Should I have taken Greg Jennings, Anquan Boldin, or Marques Colston instead and found a #2 RB in the fourth round?

Overview: I think I did well enough. My quarterbacks all have injury histories, but I'm optimistic that at least TWO can stay healthy this season. I've got solid RBs in Peterson, Addai, and Parker but they all need to get their touchdown totals up. If Donald Brown cuts into Addai's time too much I may have to use Parker as my #2 down the stretch.

My WRs aren't spectacular as such. White will hopefully improve on his TDs and Ochocinco will need to have a comeback year. Gonzalez hopefully will get a bigger share of the Colts offense this year. I'm not expecting a whole lot of points out of my tight ends, but one of them could surprise. And as far as my kicker and defense/special teams ... well, those are always a crap shoot .... even more than the skill positions.

For a twelve team league, I think I did a good job of drafting good depth at QB, RB, and WR. But I've got several players who had bad years last year and need to make comebacks: Addai, Ochocinco, Palmer, and Maroney.

The whole draft process was a lot of fun, even if it did take a couple of weeks to complete. I want to thank Mike Pera for organizing the whole thing and Mark Gram for coming up with the idea. Thanks to rest of my fellow drafters as well for your commentary and chatter on Twitter. I look forward to talking more with all of you throughout. Let's have a fun fantasy season!

My Early Top 20 Wide Receiver Rankings

1) Larry Fitzgerald (Ari) In his sixth season, Fitzgerald is one of the best and still very much in his prime. Fresh off of a Super Bowl where if the Cardinals had won, he easily would have been named MVP. His twelve touchdown catches tied for the league lead last year. Even if Anquan Boldin gets traded, I still think Fitzgerald will have a huge season with 1300 yards and double digit TDs.

2) Randy Moss (NE) Give Randy credit, unlike T.O. and Ochocinco he seems to have matured with age and not become a distraction to his team over the last couple of years. If Tom Brady is back healthy and in good form, Moss is easy money for at least a dozen touchdowns .....if not more.

3) Marques Colston (NO) Colston's season was derailed for five games with a broken hand, but when he came back he was still Drew Brees' go-to guy. He may have only caught five TDs but give him a full healthy season and he should have at least ten to eleven. The development of WR Lance Moore will keep teams from doubling Colston. You can't go wrong having the No.1 receiver from the league's best pass offense.

4) Calvin Johnson (Det) Despite playing with three different quarterbacks last season, Johnson tied with Fitzgerald for the league lead in touchdown catches with 12. He was the Lions one bright spot in a disastrous season. It won't matter if it's Dante Culpepper or Matt Stafford at QB, Johnson can make big plays anywhere on the field if he catches the ball.

5) Andre Johnson (Hou) With 115 catches for 1500 yards and 8 scores last year, Johnson finally became a #1 WR in fantasy. He had seven games with ten catches or more and eight games over 100 yards. If QB Matt Schaub stays healthy for a full season, we could easily see Johnson's TD total rise.

6) Roddy White (Atl) His chemistry with then rookie QB Matt Ryan was one of fantasy football's pleasant surprises last year. With 88 catches and over 1300 yards, Ryan looked to him early and often. With a year of playing together under their belt, I won't be surprised if White's totals grow. Especially in the TD department where he had only seven a year ago.

7) Greg Jennings (GB) Jennings did everything he could to make Aaron Rodgers look good last year in wake of Bret Favre's departure. With 80 catches, almost 1300 yards, and 9 scores last year, he was the Packers big play guy on offense. With Rodgers more comfortable under center this year, I see similar numbers out of Jennings in 2009.

8) Reggie Wayne (Ind) His touchdown totals were down last year from 10 in 2007 to only 6 in 2008, but he's still Peyton Manning's main guy in Indianapolis. As long as Manning has a healthier offseason then he did last year, Wayne's numbers should return to 2007 form.

9) Wes Welker (NE) Yes, he only scored 3 touchdowns with Matt Cassell at QB last year, but he caught 111 balls for 1165 yards. Now Tom Brady is back and he should see the end zone a few more times while still racking up the touches. In PPR leagues he's easily a #1 WR, but even in non-PPR leagues he should be more valuable then he was last year.

10) Anquan Boldin (Ariz) His value rises if he gets traded just because wherever he goes, he should be the #1 receiver. But if he stays, he's still a good choice as your first WR, even with Larry Fitzgerald on the same team. Even though he missed three games after almost getting decapitated against the Jets, he still racked up 89 catches and scored 11 times.

11) Roy Williams (Dal) Williams was more than disappointing after being traded to Dallas, catching only 19 passes in ten games. But T.O. has left the building and the onus is on Williams to replace the huge numbers that Owens accounted for. Give him a preseason with the team and time to work with Romo and I think he becomes a borderline #1 receiver or at least a solid #2.

12) Terrell Owens (Buff) He's not a #1 WR anymore, especially in Buffalo where Trent Edwards might be the least talented QB Owens has ever worked with. He'll be more valuable if Buffalo is winning, but if they tank early in the season he'll be next to worthless the rest of the way. Look for him to score 8 or 9 TDs ... if the Bills are in contention throughout.

13) Steve Smith (Car) He's still a huge playmaker, but with the emphasis on the running game in Carolina and inconsistent play from QB Jake Delhomme I'm not sold on him as #1 WR this year. While he did miss the first two games of 2008 due to suspension he still only managed 6 touchdowns. However, you can't discount his 18.2 yards per catch or the fact teams may defend him one on one while loading up the box to stop the run.

14) Dwayne Bowe (KC) The arrival of QB Matt Cassell and the departure of TE Tony Gonzalez makes Bowe a more interesting prospect than in his first two years. With practically nobody else in the KC receiving corp, Bowe should be a shining star. I think this could be a breakout third year for the LSU alum if Cassell is all he's cracked up to be.

15) Chad Ochocinco (Cin) No doubt his numbers plummeted in 2008 mainly due to Carson Palmer's absence. But with a healthy Palmer, Ochocinco has no more excuses. Somebody will have to take some of T.J. Houshmandzadeh's numbers, and I'm not sure Laveranues Coles will be as productive as Housh was. I definitely wouldn't take him as my first WR, but I think his numbers will definitely bounce back this year.

16) DeSean Jackson (Phil) He had a solid rookie year with 912 yards and a couple of scores (minus that one he SHOULD have had against the Cowboys)but this year he's prepped to be the #1 receiver for a team I feel will have one of the more explosive offenses in 2009. "Action" Jackson may be in for a huge sophmore season.

17) Braylon Edwards (Clev) After a huge 2007, Edwards got a huge case of the dropsies last year. He was probably the biggest WR disappointment in fantasy football. Some claim he put too much pressure on himself to produce huge numbers last year and it took away from his concentration. However, if the Browns decide on a QB and stick with him from Day One, I can see Braylon bouncing back to at least be a serviceable #2 WR. Hopefully he's learned his lesson.

18) Brandon Marshall (Den) Would have ranked him much higher if the Broncos hadn't screwed around with their QB situation and dumped Jay Cutler for Kyle Orton. His offseason issues are also starting to raise a red flag. All in all, this has the makings of a disaster. Buyer Beware.

19) T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Sea) I've never been a big Matt Hasselbeck fan, but for the first time in a long while, he has a legitimate playmaker to throw to. Housh should be able to top 1000 yards and score 7-8 touchdowns in Seattle this year.

20) Anthony Gonzalez (Ind) He takes over for Marvin Harrison as the starter opposite Reggie Wayne. I like him for the wrong reasons, I admit ... 1) He's a Buckeye. 2) It's his third year. 3) Peyton Manning will be throwing him the ball. 4) He's a Buckeye. Seriously though, he's got the smarts and the hands to be a solid #3 fantasy receiver, if not a #2.

As always, comments here or on Twitter (http://twitter.com/vice2020) are most welcome.

My Top 20 Running Back Predictions

Last week I did quarterbacks, this week, the ever popular running backs. All comments and opinions appreciated.

1) Adrian Peterson (Min) Last year's NFL Rushing Leader and probably the player who will go first in the majority of fantasy drafts this year. He only scored 10 TDs and only caught 21 passes last year but both are bound to improve .... especially if the Vikings sign Bret Favre, which would make opposing defenses fear the deep pass and possibly open up a few more running lanes for Peterson. He had only one game last year with less than 76 yards rushing.

2) Chris Johnson (Ten) Last year everyone was scratching their heads when the Titans picked Johnson in the first round. But after a rookie season 1,228 yards on the ground, 43 receptions, and 10 total TDs, Johnson made the Titans look good and was the catalyst for a team that went 13-3 and led the league in total offense(YPG). True, LenDale White will steal some TDs from him but Johnson will get the majority of touches and certainly have a larger role in the passing game.

3) Michael Turner (Atl) "Burner" took to his role as a featured back like a fish to water. He was second in the league with 1,699 rushing yards and second in total touchdowns with 17. His 376 carries are a concern though, will he be worn down coming into this year? He was not much of a factor in the passing game, giving way to Jerious Norwood on third downs. But unlike some of the other top backs, he is THE go-to guy at the goal-line. He should score in the double digits again this year.

4) DeAngelo Williams (Car) One of the big surprises in fantasy football last year, Williams led the league in total TDs with 20 to go along with 1,515 yards on the ground. The real shock is that he did it on only 273 carries, averaging 5.5 yards on the ground. However, having second year RB Johnathan Stewart stealing carries and TDs makes me think Williams won't be scoring twenty touchdowns again this year. But the upside is, Stewart helps keep Williams fresh therefore keeping him at his best.

5) Matt Forte (Chi) Cedric Benson's abrupt departure from Chicago gave Forte the starting nod right out of the gate and he delivered like no one expected. Over 1700 yards from scrimmage and 12 TDs with 63 receptions made him a must have last year. This year with QB Jay Cutler on board, but with no clear cut No.1 WR, I expect Forte's numbers to stay about the same, especially in the reception amount. He will be in on the majority of of offensive snaps.

6) Steven Jackson (STL) Despite missing five games to injury Jackson still managed to post over 1400 total yards and 8 touchdowns last year. If he could stay healthy for sixteen games, he is a sure fire #1 RB on any fantasy team. More than likely, he will BE the Rams offense this year if he can stay on the field.

7) Brandon Jacobs (NYG) With Derrick Ward gone to Tampa, more of the workload will be given to Jacobs. He scored 15 touchdowns last year and ran for over a 1000 yards despite missing two games to injury. Even if Ahmad Bradshaw and others see more action, Jacobs will be THE goal-line back and get the majority of touchdowns.

8) Brian Westbrook (Phil) Will this be the year he falls and doesn't get up? He will be 30 years old when the season starts and a long list of injuries makes you wonder if he can go another full season. However, his ability and yearly production are undeniable. Rookie RB LeSean McCoy could be a key factor in keeping Westbrook healthy.

9) LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) You can't consider him one of the top five backs anymore due to his age and a growing list of ailments but given what he's done over his career, you can't quite count him out just yet. He's still a thousand yard back who still gets tough yards and still makes a lot of catches out of the backfield.

10) Maurice Jones-Drew (Jac) With Fred Taylor gone, Jones-Drew becomes the focal point of the Jags offense. I was really shocked to see him go first in one of expert mock drafts this week because I'm skeptical he can be a workload back for sixteen games. However, his numbers can't be argued with over his first three seasons. (38 total touchdowns and almost 4000 yards rushing and receiving.) He's a threat whenever he touches the ball.

11) Joseph Addai (Ind) Injuries derailed him last year, limiting him to twelve games and just 544 yards on the ground. However, he still managed to score 7 touchdowns and should still be the guy getting the goal line carries for the ever explosive Colt offense. Rookie RB Donald Brown will cut into his touches between the twenties.

12) Frank Gore (SF) Only played in fourteen games last year but still managed 1,036 yards and 8 total TDs. He'll be the focal point of a 49ers offense with questions at QB. RB Glen Coffee was drafted to spell Gore, but I don't think he'll be ready for a Johnathan Stewart-like role in the offense.

13) Ronnie Brown (Mia) The man who put the spotlight on the ever popular Wildcat offense when he torched the Patriots for 113 yards and four touchdowns (5 if you include he passed for one.)in Week 3 should be ready to take a bigger chunk of the carries over Ricky Williams this year. I look for Brown to exceed 1000 yards and have at least ten TDs.

14) Steve Slaton (Hou) A rookie surprise when Slaton exploded for over 1600 total yards and ten touchdowns. Not viewed as an every down back due to his size, Slaton shocked us all by getting over 300 touches. However, he is not a power back and seems to have trouble in short yardage situations. I'll be surprised if he exceeds or even matches his rookie year totals. He's still a solid #2 RB though.

15) Clinton Portis (Wash) Portis may be one of the grittiest players in the league, playing through injuries and still managing to produce good numbers. If he can stay healthy, he is a top ten back. He's a strong #2 back in any case.

16) Marion Barber (Dal) The Barbarian had some injury problems last year but he is still the goal-line back for the Cowboys. Felix Jones and Tashard Choice may cut into his touches enough to once again prevent him from reaching 1000 yards.

17) Cedric Benson (Cin) Benson's career was resurrected when he signed with the Bengals in mid season as led them in rushing with 747 yards. With Carson Palmer back and healthy, the offense should be much better, and I predict Rudi Johnson-like numbers for the former first round pick.

18) Derrick Ward (TB) Could be this year's Michael Turner. The Bucs got him to boost their running game and with Warrick Dunn gone, Cadillac Williams out at least half of the season, that leaves only Earnest Graham to take carries away. Ward had a 1000 yards rushing splitting carries with Brandon Jacobs last year ..... he should very welll be able to sharing with Graham.

19) Knowshon Moreno (Den) Will be the first rookie RB off of the board in most fantasy leagues. IF Josh McDaniels gives him the touches and doesn't play the RBBC game that his mentor Belichick does in NE, he should easily be a Top 20 RB. But with Correll Buckhalter and Lamont Jordan in the mix, he may not have the numbers we'd like. Still, had to have a rookie in my Top 20 and I'd have been a homer if I'd listed "Beanie" ahead of Knowshon.

20) LenDale White (Ten) Goal-line back for one of the best offenses in the league last year. While splitting time with rookie sensation Chris Johnson, White didn't get near the carries or yards that was expected. But he did manage 15 rushing touchdowns which included an 80 yarder against the Chiefs. I don't think he'll score as many TDs this year, but he should be considered as a low-end #2 back.

Feel free to to comment, I'd love to get feedback.

My Early Quarterback Predictions.

With the draft a couple of weeks behind us, and all of the fantasy gurus hard at work on their rankings for the upcoming season I thought I'd give my preliminary thoughts on who I think are the best quarterbacks to have on your fantasy team in 2009.

1) Drew Brees (NO) Despite various injuries to primary targets such as Marques Colston, Jeremy Shockey, and Reggie Bush Brees threw for a phenomenal 5,067 yards last year to go along with 34 touchdowns. WR Lance Moore had a breakout year as the second receiver with 928 yards and ten scores. Former first round pick Robert Meachem showed improvement and Devery Henderson continued to be the deep threat, averaging over 24 yards per catch. With so few changes in personnel in the offseason, there is no reason Brees can't exceed his TD totals while continuing to pass for a lot of yards. If Colston can stay healthy it's almost a guarantee.

2) Tom Brady (NE) When Brady collapsed to the turf just a few minutes into the first game of the year, it was the "Injury Felt Around The Fantasy World". (I was one of those that felt it.) And while yes, he's coming off of a major injury, he's still got an elite receiving duo in Randy Moss and Wes Welker. He's got a new deep threat in Joey Galloway and nice red zone target in TE Ben Watson. If he stays healthy I believe he can come close to the numbers he put up in 2007.

3) Kurt Warner (Ariz) This ranking will change if the Cardinals decide to trade WR Anquan Boldin. But with Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, and slot receiver Steve Breaston, Warner put up huge numbers last year. Of course, the lack of a running game helped boost Warner's stats last year and that area is bound to improve with the coming of rookie RB Chris "Beanie" Wells, but I can still see 30+ touchdowns from the old man.

4) Donovan McNabb (Phil) I'm hoping to get some debate about this choice (agreement would be nice too). The Eagles went out and got some weapons for McNabb in the draft in WR Jeremy Maclin, RB LeSean McCoy, and TE Cornelius Ingram. Add them to the always dangerous Brian Westbrook, up and coming WR DeSean Jackson, reliable vet WR Kevin Curtis, and red zone TD threat TE Bret Celek you have the makings of a high scoring offense. Plus you have to figure McNabb is still fired up about his Week 12 benching against the Ravens last year and all of the talk of him being traded. I think he'll be out to prove to everyone he can still get the job done. I consider him a very viable starter on any fantasy squad.

5) Aaron Rodgers (GB) I for one was pleasantly surprised by how Rodgers performed under intense scrutiny (Thanks to the Bret Favre Retirement Saga)last year. He had his bad moments, but his production was pretty consistent. With 28 touchdowns through the air and 4 more on the ground, Rodgers ended up being a solid starter on many fantasy teams (including mine)last year. Now that he has a solid footing in the offense and a nice tandem in WRs Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, I can see him matching and maybe even exceeding those numbers in 2009.

6) Peyton Manning (Ind) Normally predicted as a Top 3 QB annually, I think he may slide a bit this year. Marvin Harrison is gone and there is no proven No. 3 receiver in Indy. The Colts drafted RB Donald Brown in the first round to pair with Joseph Addai in a more run oriented attack like that of Carolina and others. Manning still has WR Reggie Wayne and TE Dallas Clark so he will continue to be a solid starter, but the days of gargantuan numbers may be in the rear-view mirror.

7) Tony Romo (Dal) Some people feel he is a Top 5 QB this year, but I'm not so convinced. Say what you want about Terrell Owens being a distraction or how many balls he dropped, he was still a huge playmaker that is hard to replace. WR Roy Williams is a legitimate No. 1 receiever and TE Jason Witten is one of the best tight ends in the league. But who are the number two and three WRs? Patrick Crayton and Miles Austin? I'm not convinced they can replace the numbers T.O. has put up over the last three years. I like Romo as a starter, but not quite as high on him as other folks.

8) Matt Ryan (Atl) After quite possibly the most solid rookie season of any quarterback in recent NFL history, my expectations of Matt Ryan are quite high for his sophmore season. He already has a great connection with WR Roddy White and now has a legitimate red zone TD threat in TE Tony Gonzalez. And while RB Michael Turner's 17 touchdowns helped limit Ryan to only 16 passing TDs, I can't see Turner being able to repeat that total. I can see Ryan throwing around ten to twelve more touchdowns than last year.

9) Philip Rivers (SD) Rivers shocked everyone last year by putting up 4,000 passing yards with 34 touchdowns. WR Vincent Jackson finally emerged as a legitimate threat while TE Antonio Gates continued to be a solid go-to guy in the red zone. Add Chris Chambers, Darren Sproles, Malcolm Floyd, and of course LaDainian Tomlinson to the mix. I'm not convinced he can repeat those numbers ... but then I didn't think he'd even come close to them LAST year. So at least for now, I have to say he's a solid starter.

10) Eli Manning (NYG) While Eli had the lowest TD total of his career since his rookie season, that was due in part to the dominant running game of the Giants. With Derrick Ward gone to the Buccaneers, the passing game might just get a boost, especially with the drafting of WRs Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden plus TE Travis Beckham and RB Andre Brown, who was regarded as the best pass catching RB coming out of the draft. WRs Steve Smith and Domenik Hixon return as well as TE Kevin Boss. Eli should be a viable starter or at least a very solid backup.

Of course, things can change between now and August. With rumors of high profile WRs still being on the block, it's always possible that other QBs lose value ... or gain value as the weeks wear on.