About Fantasy Football

Derek Anderson is a stud Fantasy Quarterback for the 2008 season. I rode him as a waiver wire pickup last season, don’t expect such luck in the upcoming season.

The Browns thought so much of Anderson that they traded their week one starter before week two last season. Think about that for a minute, that says a whole lot for what the Browns think of this kid. They went and picked up another receiver for him this off season, he has a stud offensive line, and a very capable running back. He has some explosive weapons on the offensive side of the ball, and the play calling will continue to be aggressive.

Anderson could put up some huge numbers this season. I expect him to be a top five fantasy quarterback, and not far off the pace to be number one. Value-wise, I think he is a great quarterback selection. You won’t have to spend a pick in the first 3 or 4 rounds to grab him, and he will very likely put up better numbers than a couple quarterbacks selected before him.

I really really like Anderson. I could be a bit biased as he made me very happy last year, but don’t be surprised if he tosses 40 touchdowns and 4,000 yards this year.

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Carson Palmer is due for a bounce back year in 2008. Draft him as a solid number one fantasy quarterback.

Palmer threw the ball a whole lot last year. Their running game was not firing, and it really showed on Palmer’s bottom line numbers. I expect Chad Johnson to be back with the team, as well as TJ, giving Palmer two stud wide receivers to throw the ball to.
Additionally, the Bengals should come out a bit more committed to the run, taking some of the weight off of Palmers shoulders.
I look for Palmer to be a top 5, possibly top 3, quarterback this season. Let the other guys spend a first round pick on Brady or Manning, or even a second or third round pick on Romo. Palmer gives you great value a couple rounds later.

I have him marked as a stud quarterback this year, and will take a strong look at targeting him this season. He had an off season in 2007, but still tossed 26 touchdowns and over 4,000 yards. Look for those numbers to be improved upon in 2008.

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Ben Roethlisberger should be one of the first five quarterbacks off the board in the 2008 fantasy football draft, and you should be able to pick him up without having to spend a terribly high pick on him.

Roethlisberger should have another solid outing in the upcoming season. With the Steelers starting to throw more, Ben with some good experience under his belt, and Holmes turning into a very capable target, Roethlisberger may well be primed for a career year.

He had a QB rating over 100 last year, and tossed 32 touchdowns. He could easily throw for 35-40 this season, and I think he has some yardage upside as well. He will be a solid performer, giving you solid stats at the quarterback position week in and week out. Look for him early in the fifth round this year, and he has the potential to slip further depending on how your draft goes.

I could see Palmer, Anderson, Brees, maybe even McNabb or Bulger going before Roethlisberger in some drafts, just because of their names. He should out perform these guys in 2008, take my word for it, he has a big year coming up. Maybe not 2007 Tom Brady big, but he will post some excellent numbers.

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Kellen Winslow is a stud fantasy football tight end. No doubt about it, he is a top five TE, with the potential to end the season as the number one at his position.

Winslow plays for the Browns, who I really like right now. They have a vertical offense, and should continue to stretch the field in 2008.

Winslow had 82 catches for 1106 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2007. He should put up very similar numbers, but I expect his touchdown total to increase. He will be a prime red zone target, and has great hands. Plays like a wide receiver, and puts up the numbers to support that style of play.

Expect Winslow to be the third TE taken this year, behind Witten and Gates. I don’t think there will be a large gap between the numbers these three put up, if you want a top level tight end, Winslow offers a decent value without having to spend a top 2 or 3 pick.

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Jason Witten is a stud TE, and an excellent pickup for the 2008 fantasy football season.

Witten puts up numbers that compete with some of the top receivers. Coming from the tight end position, that is extremely valuable. It’s nice to get some big games, and overall solid numbers from the TE position, and well worth a fourth round pick.

Witten has a proven quarterback in Romo, and a Stud receiver in Owens. In addition to a strong run game and huge line, Witten is going to have another career year in 2008. 90 catches, 1200 yards and 10 touchdowns is very realistic. If you watch him play, he is a big guy with great hands. He can just chew up the yards once he gets his hands on the ball, and is a dangerous weapon in the red zone. Not only that, he also has the ability to break off the long gains.

Look for some big games out of Witten, along with very solid production week in and week out. Take him in the fourth round. He may slip to the fifth, but don’t count on it.

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Tony Romo will be a popular pick for the 2008 fantasy football season. He’s a solid quarterback, and will put up good numbers all year long.

If you want to grab Romo, you’re probably going to need to spend a third round pick on him, and may even need to snatch him earlier. He has developed quite a working relationship with TO and Whitten, and these guys will have a chip on their shoulders after losing again in the playoffs. Additionally, he has a huge line in front of him, and should have great pass protection again this year.

You should expect numbers pretty similar to those of last year, with the potential to throw for more than 40 TD’s. Romo is a good anchor at the QB position, you just will have to be willing to spend an early round pick on the quarterback position to get him. With the other quarterbacks to be had a couple rounds from now, I don’t see Romo on my team unless it is with a late third round pick or lower.

If you are going to take Romo with an early pick, make sure you have a draft plan in order. Early quarterback selections tend to put a bit of a strain on the quality of the rest of your team. Wait a couple rounds to take your quarterback, there’s a number of quality guys this year, Big Ben, Brees, Palmer, Anderson, Bulger, all very capable quarterbacks.

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Antonio Gates is as close to a sure bet as you will get in the 2008 fantasy football season. He’s sure to be the top TE, and even with an off year, he would be in the top 3.

If you play in a points per reception league, you should think about snatching Gates up if he is available in the third or fourth rounds. He will put up better numbers than many receivers, and the Chargers should continue to improve on offense under Norv Turner. They now have two pretty good wide-outs, and of course LT, you should expect big things from Gates this year.

The only hesitancy I would have pulling the trigger on Gates is from a strategic standpoint. There is quite a bit of depth at TE this year, you have Gonzales still catching them, Whitten is a stud, Winslow Jr. you can’t overlook, the Redskins have Cooley, any of these guys could well start for me at TE and make me happy, and you can wait a couple rounds and still be able to snag one of them. He is also coming off of a surgery this off-season, but I don’t expect that to hamper him.

Tough call. Someone is going to take Gates early, so you either spend a third round pick on him, maybe an early fourth rounder, or you miss the boat. He’s a guy who won’t fall in the draft, but he is also a guy who can anchor your team, giving you some big scoring numbers from the TE position. That’s a nice thing to have, big numbers from the TE position. If I’m drafting mid to late in the third round, I’m taking a long look at Gates this year.

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Marques Colston is primed for a terrific fantasy football season in 2008. He had an awful slow start to 2007, but still finished with some great numbers. I don’t expect him to get off to the same slow start in 2008.

It’s a common train of thought that a wide receiver’s third year in the NFL is their breakout year. If that holds true for Colston, watch out. Not only is he in his third year, but he is in the final year of his contract. Third year wide receiver and a contract year, and he is already one of the best around.

In addition to his personal upside, the Saints are going to come out of the gate with a chip on their shoulder. After their turbulent 2007 season and the early offensive struggles, you can expect them to be ready this year. They went deep into the playoffs in 2006, were favorites to win the NFC in last years preseason polls, and then missed the playoffs. Maybe they had a false sense of security, they won’t this year.

Brees is a great quarterback, they should find some stability with their running back rotation, and Colston is the number one receiver for the team. I expect 100+ receptions, 1500 yards and a dozen or more touchdowns in the 2008 season Big numbers, with solid output each week. Colston is a stud wide receiver, start thinking about drafting him in the third round come draft day.

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Smith has been suspended for the first two regular season games for his part in a training camp fight. He is still a number one WR, and will be a huge value pick with his value sliding on draft day. Make sure you have someone solid to fill in for the first two weeks, and feel good about being able to nab a fantasy stud in the 4th or 5th round!

Steve Smith should be a good value pick in the 2008 fantasy football draft. Last year he had an off year, but even in an off year, he racked up 1000 yards and just under 90 receptions.

Hopefully Delhomme stays healthy in 2008. With the addition of Muhsin Muhammad coming back to the Panthers and the prospect of his quarterback being back in the fold, you can expect big things from Smith in the upcoming fantasy football season.
You should be able to pick Smith up in the thrid round this year, and he may even slip further. I would take a long hard look at him if he is there when you pick come round 3.

He will be a number one receiver this year, and always has the potential to be a game breaker. He’s a fantasy stud, and this is the lowest his value has been in some time. Most receivers would be happy with 1000 yards, 87 catches and 7 touchdowns, Smith (and his 2007 owners) most certainly is not.

He will have a big year in 2008, and should be an excellent value on draft day. Don’t overlook him, he should be solid with some huge games that will win a couple weeks for you. Look for him in the thrid round, if he’s there in the fourth, grab him quick!

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T.J. Houshmandzadeh should pick up his 2008 fantasy football season right where his 2007 season ended. He is solid, works hard, plays for a team that will continue to throw and has a good supporting cast.

Houshmandzadeh has improved every year out, and in 2007, grabbed over 100 balls and found the end-zone a dozen times. Keep an eye on Chad Johnson, I expect him to be a Bengal next year, but if there is some movement on that front, it could impact T.J. I would not worry too much, however.

Take Houshmandzadeh as your #1 receiver and be comfortable in your choice. I have a feeling he will go a bit higher than I will want to take him this year, I think he will be a hot pick this year. If he’s around at the end of the second round, early on in the third, you’re doing pretty well.

He should have a solid 2008 season, and if you play in a point per reception league, even better.

He should have over 100 catches again this year, and should put up similar yardage and touchdown numbers as 2007.

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