2010 NFC Wild Card Winners

Dallas Cowboys, 10-6
Do not count the Dallas Cowboys out of the NFC East division race. I truly believe Dallas has a legitimate chance of winning the division. However, if the team does not win the division, they will win a wild card spot for sure. This year's team is too good to miss the playoffs. Plus, the Cowboys have extra incentive to make a deep playoff run this year because the location of the Super Bowl is in the Cowboys' brand new stadium. The Cowboys have a lot of wide receiver talent like rookie Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, Roy Williams, and Patrick Crayton. The team also has a pretty well-established running game with Marion Barber handling red zone carries, fast and furious Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice. Tony Romo's favorite target on the team is Jason Witten, but Witten does not score many touchdowns. He is mainly used for blocking purposes. Dallas also has a solid defense. The Cowboys are going to have their share of success this season, but they are also going to struggle. Dallas' success literally lies in the hands of Tony Romo. He is prone to fumbling the ball and throwing interceptions. Romo is a good quarterback, but he is not a great one (not yet anyways). I think most of the Cowboys' struggles will be within the division, and that is going to hurt them the most.

Minnesota Vikings, 10-6
If Brett Favre was not coming back, I would have predicted that Minnesota was going to miss the postseason. I really like the way Tarvaris Jackson plays behind center, but he is not quite ready to lead a team. Maybe, he needs one more year behind Favre to really develop his leadership skills. With Favre at the quarterback position, the Vikings are going to have lots of ups and downs this season like in years past. Brett will probably not reproduce the numbers he had last year. He is bound to throw more interceptions, and remember, he is still nursing an injured ankle. I do not think the Vikings can catch the dynamic Green Bay Packers in the NFC North. Brett Favre is one of the greatest quarterbacks in football history, but he is turning 41 years old this season. Just like the Saints pounded him in the NFC title game, other teams this year are going to attack him early and often. Plus, Favre and Brad Childress still are not getting along. The defense is good, but overall, the team is in question. If the Minnesota Vikings struggle early in the season, then the second half will not be pretty, and I would expect the Atlanta Falcons to take the final playoff spot. I predict Atlanta to also have a 10-6 record. I expect the New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, and the Seattle Seahawks to all be fighting for a wild card spot at season's end.

2010 AFC Conference Predictions...Who wins what Division?

AFC East Champions: New England Patriots, 10-6
Who says Tom Brady and the Patriots' dynasty is over? New England has completely dominated the AFC East in the past decade. Brady's knee is fully recovered from what happened in week one of 2008. Wes Welker seems like he is going to be ready to play after getting injured in the final week before postseason. The Patriots also have Randy Moss and Julian Edelman at wide receiver. The team also added Alge Crumpler for help at the tight end position. So, New England will have no trouble on the offensive side of the ball, but their defense remains in question. I would not say the Patriots are a sure bid for the AFC East crown. The New York Jets have a really good, well-rounded team. The Jets' defense is perhaps best in the league with or without Darelle Revis (his holdout is a whole different story). They also have weapons on offense. I really like the addition of Santanio Holmes to give second-year quarterback Mark Sanchez an extra target on the field. I give head coach Rex Ryan a lot of respect for the way he has resurrected the New York Jets organization. Do not sleep much on the Miami Dolphins, a team that added wide receiver Brandon Marshall and also received some defensive help as well.

AFC South Champions: Houston Texans, 12-4
I believe this year a team other than the Indianapolis Colts is going to win the AFC East division. So, the team that has the best chance of derailing the Colts is the Houston Texans. Houston almost beat the Colts last year. The Texans are an explosive, offensive team because they have probably one of the best wide receivers in Andre Johnson. Johnson has a very high value in fantasy leagues. He is a first-rounder without a doubt. On the field, he is a perfect target for QB Matt Schaub. Houston still has a developing, young defense. I think if Houston wants to outlast Indianapolis, the Texans are going to have to beat the Colts in Texas in the first game of the regular season. Houston must make a statement early. The Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars are easy to forget about. If those teams want to crawl out of the basement of their division, each team has to heavily rely on their star players. For Jacksonville, Maurice Jones-Drew and David Garrard are going to have to really step up. It is the same situation for Chris Johnson and Vince Young for Tennessee.

AFC West Champions: San Diego Chargers, 13-3
Like the NFC West, the AFC West is the weakest division in the AFC Conference, perhaps in all of football. However, this division said good bye to some old faces and said hello to some new ones. Jason Campbell came to the Oakland Raiders after the team dropped QB JaMarcus Russell. Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall left the Denver Broncos and took his talents to Miami. However, the Broncos added the cultural icon, Tim Tebow, and Brady Quinn at the quarterback positions, but I would expect Kyle Orton to get the starting job when week one rolls around. Kansas City Chiefs went shopping for a running back and got the services of Thomas Jones who is coming off a pretty good season with the Jets. After all the reshuffling of players in the AFC West, the San Diego Chargers still remain the favorites to win the division despite losing future hall of famer LaDanian Tomlinson. However, the Chargers still have a championship caliber football team with players like Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates, and Vincent Jackson.

AFC North Champions: Cincinnati Bengals, 11-5
I had the Bengals winning this tough division ever since Terrell Owens teamed up with Chad Ochocinco in the off season. Before Ben Roethlisberger received his six game suspension and Santonio Holmes left for the Jets, I thought for sure the Steelers would be the team to beat. Jake Delhomme is a huge improvement in Cleveland, but the Browns will be at the bottom for quite awhile. The Baltimore Ravens will be the Bengals' toughest competitor in the AFC North. Joe Flacco is a rising young, star. Baltimore also added former Cardinal Anquan Boldin as well. The defense has been the Ravens' biggest strength. Ray Lewis and the defensive players have been at the top of the league consistently year after year. However, Cincinnati has the more complete team, and hence, the Bengals takes the division by the slightest of margins.

2010-2011 NFC Conference Predictions...Who wins what Division?

NFC East Champions: Philadelphia Eagles, 10-6
This division is perhaps the toughest division in professional football. Why did I predict the Eagles over the Dallas Cowboys? Dallas has Tony Romo behind center, has many talented wide receivers like Miles Austin and Dez Bryant, and it is the location of this year's Super Bowl. So, it seems intuitive to pick the Cowboys to finally win a Super Bowl after the past few years of disappointment in the early rounds of the playoffs (I blame head coach Wade Phillips for the Cowboys' shortcomings, not Romo). Do not forget about the Redskins and Giants. Expect both those teams to compete as well, especially the Redskins because they have a new coach (Mike Shanahan) and a new quarterback (Donovan McNabb). However, I like Philadelphia to win out the division this year. The Eagles have one of the most underrated starting quarterbacks in Kevin Kolb who will get his first full year as starter if he stays healthy. If not healthy, Kolb's backup is Michael Vick. The Eagles also have a solid defense and some pretty fast, explosive play makers like DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy.

NFC South Champions: New Orleans Saints, 12-4
This is also a very hard division to pick because this division has been up for grabs for the past few seasons now. I expect the Saints to finish with another strong year because the Saints will have most of their players back from the phenomenal 2009-2010 season including Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, Marques Colston, Darren Sharper, and Jeremy Shockey. New Orleans has one of the most explosive offenses in the game because Brees loves to sit back and throw the ball down field. Plus, the Saints have one of the toughest places to play with their home stadium, the legendary Superdome. Do they beat the Vikings in Week 1? Most definitely they do. Also, the Carolina Panthers lost Jake Delhomme to the Browns and Julius Peppers to the Bears, so Carolina is in somewhat of a rebuilding mode as the team experiments with new guys like starting quarterback Matt Moore and rookie Jimmy Clausen from Notre Dame. Do not expect the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to compete much either. That team has a lot to prove to the league with Josh Freeman as quarterback, but the Bucs are one of the youngest, most inexperienced teams in the league. The Saints' biggest competition within the division should come from Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons, a team which has a great chance to clinch a wild card this year.

NFC West Champions: San Francisco 49ers, 9-7
This division is probably the weakest division in the NFC, especially now that Kurt Warner left the Arizona Cardinals and decided to retire. So, young Matt Leinart from USC will take over Kurt's spot on the roster. He is a valuable sleeper in fantasy leagues, but he and the Cardinals do not have enough to win the division. Plus, the Cardinals lost wide receiver Anquan Boldin to the Baltimore Ravens in the off season. The St. Louis Rams are in a rebuilding mode as the team experiments with the 2010 number one draft pick Sam Bradford. The only fantasy value the Rams have right now is running back Steven Jackson. The two teams I have competing in the West are the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers. Seattle has a new coach, a healthy Matt Hasselbeck, and a much improved defense. Besides their new head coach, no one has been talking about this team much. However, the Seahawks have a fair chance of reaching the postseason. I believe the 49ers will finally win the division and make the playoffs. San Francisco just signed Brian Westbrook and has pro bowl running back Frank Gore. Defense needs to improve more this season, but on the offensive side of the ball, Alex Smith is developing quite nicely at the quarterback position.

NFC North Champions: Green Bay Packers, 13-3
When Brett Favre decided to return for his 20th NFL Season, I think he forgot that he was in one of the toughest divisions in football. The Vikings' chances of winning the division are slim. Sure, they have Brett Favre, but the Packers have the best quarterback in the league right now (and in fantasy leagues), Aaron Rodgers. He is probably one of the most accurate quarterbacks today. The Packers have the complete package to win the Super Bowl. They have, arguably, the best receiving core. They have a dominant running back in Ryan Grant. They have one of the top defenses in the league even without Jolly playing this year. The Chicago Bears improved in the off season. They brought in Julius Peppers for defensive help, and I think Jay Cutler is going to have a much better year than in the 2009-2010 season. If the Vikings want to win the division, they are going to have to rely more on Adrian Peterson and less on Favre in the second half of the season. I highly doubt Favre will play much in the second half of the season with his injured ankle. At best, Minnesota is getting a Wild Card spot.

Brett Favre is Back? What does it all mean?

Brett Favre is back in Minnesota. Today, August 17th, Favre landed in Minnesota and was driven to the Vikings training facility. Favre has still not decided if he will return for his 20th NFL Season, but it seems safe to say that his ankle has healed where he can play again. The age-old question is: does he still have game? The answer is not at all an easy one. I think he is mentally tough to play, but his physical toughness is going to be strongly questioned as the season progresses.

Brett is 40 years old, and he holds almost every single quarterback record known to man. He is one of the best quarterbacks of all time. He is respected all around the league, and the future hall of famer deserves to play. Despite his drama queen like behavior in the last two off seasons, he has contributed so much to the game of football that this sport will never be the same without him. He is a three time MVP from 1995 to 1997. He has two Super Bowl appearances including a championship win against the New England Patriots. No matter who your team is, Brett Favre has a home in National League Football. He is among the greatest, and to anybody who sees him, it is a true honor. I wish I got a chance to seem him play at Lambeau field. Now, I hope to see Green Bay's new quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, in Green Bay.

How will Favre survive the tough, grueling 2010-2011 season? I do not think he will. His fantasy value is declining by the second. The more he plays this season, the weaker is ankle and body will be. I truly do not think he can handle the physicality of football by mid season's end. The last time he was on a NFL football field was in New Orleans when the Vikings lost a heart breaker to the Saints in the NFC Championship Game decided in overtime on a field goal. The Saints' defense figured out how to handle Favre. They exposed Favre for who he is. He is a forty-year-old football player with a bad ankle and poor mobility. In the NFC Championship game, the Saints went right after Favre. The defense beat him up bad. Most football fans thought that game was the last of Favre's career and so did I.

However, no one could count Favre out. After all the Favre drama in Minnesota, he is finally back in Viking territory. It is too soon to tell whether the Vikings will get the Brett of 2009-2010 or a worn down player who is well past his glory days. So, it is not wise for fantasy owners to draft Favre in the early rounds. I predict he will have a good season early on if he plays again, but the Vikings are going to have to rely heavily on their running game with Adrian Peterson in the second half of the season. If Favre decides not to play this season, Tarvaris Jackson is another sleeper to look out for. If Favre does play, take a deep look at some of the Vikings' key receivers because Brett loves to throw down the field. The Vikings' receivers to watch this year include Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin, tight end Visanthe Shiancoe, and Bernard Berrian.

If Brett Favre plays, can the Vikings make the playoffs? They will make the playoffs if Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels can take some of the pressure off Favre and his injured ankle. Also, Peterson is going to have to carry a bigger load than in years past. If they make the playoffs, they will make the postseason as a wild card team. I do not think Minnesota has enough this season to derail the Packers who have emerging star Aaron Rodgers behind center.

No matter Favre's decision, the Vikings will be ready to play come week one, which makes the NFC North one of the toughest divisions in professional football. Just like the Vikings organization, fantasy owners need to complete their drafts regardless if Brett Favre is playing or not because he should not impact your league positively or negatively if he does play. In fantasy leagues, I would suggest that he is no better than a backup quarterback to use in case of a bye week, a injury by another quarterback on your roster, or to use in favorable match ups. Brett Favre will be valuable to the Minnesota Vikings and to fantasy owners in the 2010-2011 season, but be aware, his numbers will be down.

Top 3 Tight Ends

Are you looking for extra receiver help on your fantasy roster? Maybe, you have drafted three or four good wide receivers, and you want some sure hands and some decent yardage at the tight end position. Good tight ends are hard to come by in fantasy leagues because a tight end's job is to not only to catch, but to block and to create opportunities for other guys down the field. They are not the fastest players, but a good tight end is still a valuable asset to any fantasy football team.

Make sure to think about some of the key tight ends that you want to draft, so you do not forget and have to settle for a guy who only averages one or two catches per game. In the NFL, a tight end's success is measured by blocking, running, and catching. In fantasy football, a tight end's value is determined by how many yard he picks up and by how many touchdowns he gets. There are a lot of top notch tight ends in the league, but there are usually about five or six sleeper tight ends that you can pick up very late in the draft or up on waivers after the draft is complete.

The idea is not to draft a tight end to early in the draft because even the best tight ends are not consistent from week to week, and most of them do not rack up a whole deal of points. It is better to have an excess of very good wide receivers than a tight end who averages very poor yardage because he barely sees any ball action all game. However, most tight ends are very valuable to an NFL team in the red zone where most touchdowns occur because the TE gives the quarterback another option in case the other receivers cannot find openings on the field. So, it is important to consider tight ends with very good hands and have the potential to score in the red zone. Let me tell you my top three tight ends entering into the 2010NFL season.

1. The best available tight end in the NFL is Antonio Gates of the San Diego Chargers. He has been the most consistent tight end from week to week in the league for the past few years now, especially since Gates receives the ball from one of the best quarterbacks in the game right now, Philip Rivers. Antonio Gates receives a lot of action in the red zone from Rivers. In fact, Gates is one of Philip's favorite targets no matter where the Chargers are positioned on the field. Most tight ends do not go over 1,000 yards, but expect Antonio Gates to come close because I believe that this year is Rivers' break out year despite how well Philip did last year. I would expect between 800-900 yards from Gates and about 8-10 touchdowns when the season is complete. Gates will probably be one of the first tight ends drafted in your fantasy league. Tight ends usually do not get drafted high, but I could possibly make an exception with the talents of Antonio Gates.

2. The second best tight end for fantasy owners behind Antonio Gates is Dallas Clark of the Indianapolis Colts. Clark is a very solid option for owners because he has one of the most accurate quarterbacks (Peyton Manning) in the league who passes for over 30 touchdowns in almost every season. The Colts have an excellent receiving core, but it is even better because of the abilities of Dallas Clark. He has soft hands, quick feet, good blocking ability, and can run pretty well too. I am not sure how consistent he will be from week to week, especially towards the end of the regular season where the Colts have a history of benching and resting key players to get them ready for the playoffs. Like Antonio Gates, Dallas Clark will probably be one of the first tight ends picked up in the draft. I would expect him to receive 7-8 touchdowns and around 600-700 receiving yards this year.

3. Rounding out my top 3 might be a bit of a surprise for most of you. It is not Jason Witten, Tony Gonzalez, or Vernon Davis. Although, these guys are reliable, dependable options that you should consider. My third best tight end is Jermichael Finley from the Green Bay Packers. Finley really caught the eyes of fantasy owners last year with the Packers. Finley, like Gates and Clark, has a quarterback with a very strong, powerful, and accurate arm. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers like to pass the ball, and they like to share the pigskin. In my opinion, the Packers have the best receiving core in the entire league with guys like Driver, Jennings, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, and Jermichael Finley. Finley was a sleeper in 2009, but I have a strong feeling he will not be one in 2010. He picks up a lot of yardage, yards after catch, and touchdowns usually on third down situations, especially in the red zone where Aaron Rodgers is extremely dangerous. Do not sleep on Finley this year, especially when Rodgers should have one of his best years at starting quarterback. I would expect Rodgers to throw for well over 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns. Plus, Jermichael Finley is going to receive his fair share of touchdown passes as well.

Top 5 Quarterbacks

Picking the right quarterback in your fantasy draft can make all the difference in how successful you are throughout the season. Within the first three rounds, make sure you draft at least one quarterback because your quarterback in the weekly fantasy match up usually determines whether you win or lose. Quarterbacks touch the ball probably more than any other player (running backs are second). So, it is vitally important to find a quarterback with impressive leadership skills, a strong arm to throw down field, powerful legs for running and scrambling out of the pocket, and who usually plays at the end of the season. I might consider passing on Peyton Manning because the Colts usually clinch a division title or a home-field advantage spot well before the last game of the season. Also, try to avoid quarterbacks who tend to get injured consistently year after year like Donovan McNabb and Matt Hasselbeck. I am not saying that these type of players are not wise choices. It is just nice to have a guy who you can rely on throughout the entire season. Thus, to help you out, I will share with you my picks for the top five quarterbacks you should consider having on your roster.

1. The best available quarterback entering into this year's fantasy draft is Aaron Rodgers for the Green Bay Packers. Expect him to be taken in the first round or at the very latest in the early second round. Aaron Rodgers has a plethora of receivers to throw the ball to including veteran Donald Driver, safe-hands Greg Jennings, and young James Jones. Plus, Green Bay has an excellent running back in Ryan Grant who can run, block, and catch. The running game for the Packers usually sets up the long, accurate throws from Rodgers. Last year, Rodgers was sacked an awful lot, but expect him to throw more this year and get rid of the ball in a quicker fashion. The Packers are fully relying on this young quarterback's arm to get them to the playoffs. With Rodgers as quarterback, and if he remains healthy, the Packers have high hopes that they can make a deep playoff run this year.

2. The New Orleans Saints are coming off a magical season that led them to a Super Bowl win over the Colts. The Saints are looking to repeat their success, but the road is going to be more challenging. With Drew Brees behind center, the Saints will be one of the top contenders in the NFC Conference, and they are the front-runners to win the NFC South. Brees has one of the strongest arms in the game. Like Rodgers, Drew has a dominant receiving core in the NFL with players like Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachum, Jeremy Shockey, and Reggie Bush in the backfield. Do not shy away from Drew Brees in the draft just because it is very difficult for a team to have a repeat performance from the previous year. In most leagues, Brees could be drafted in the late first round, but no later than the second round. He knows how to win, and he will be a deep value to you and your fantasy roster.

3. With this next quarterback, I could have mentioned him in my "big sleeper picks" post, but he has much more value than what people think. Philip Rivers, if healthy, is going to be one of the best quarterbacks in the entire league. Last year, his San Diego Chargers got knocked out of the playoffs early by the New York Jets, so Rivers has extra motivation to lead his team. He is a very outspoken and energetic leader. He is not afraid to get fired up, but he also knows how to handle pressure and make accurate throws for touchdowns. Philip Rivers has one of the best tight ends in the league to throw the ball to in Antonio Gates. I expect Rivers to go no later than the fifth round in most fantasy leagues and to go as early as the second round. Rivers led my fantasy team to the championship three years ago, and he is my pick to lead the San Diego Chargers to the Super Bowl this year.

4. The next best quarterback available is Tom Brady. Since Brady's season-ending knee injury in week one a couple of years ago, his fantasy status and value has diminished. However, remember that Tom Brady knows how to win. He has already won three Super Bowl Championships. Arguably, he has the best wide receiver in the NFL with Randy Moss. Brady's knee has fully recovered, and he expects to have his favorite target, Wes Welker, back ready for week one this year. Right now, Brady and the Patriots organization are disputing on a long-term contract, but that issue should be resolved before the end of preseason. Tom Brady is a very difficult player to predict in most fantasy leagues. He could turn out to be a sleeper pick because of the Patriots' lack of success as of late. Also, he may be one of the top quarterbacks drafted because of his experience, leadership, accuracy, and poise.

5. There are so many good play makers out there that it is hard to pick just five top quarterbacks. So, I have Tony Romo(Dallas Cowboys) and Matt Schaub (Houston Texans) tied for the fifth best quarterbacks available for this year. Tony Romo is in a very competitive NFC east division facing teams like the Giants, Eagles, and newly improved Redskins. Schaub has no walk in the park either as he and the Texans try to derail the tough Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South. Both Romo and Schaub have a wide variety of receiver to hand the ball off to. Romo has young Miles Austin, veteran Roy Williams, Jason Witten at tight end, and the newly signed rookie Dez Bryant. Plus, Romo and the Cowboys have more motivation to win and make a deep playoff win because the next Super Bowl is in their home stadium in front of their home crowd. The negative side of Romo is that he is the cause of many turnovers with his fumbling problems. He is also a risky throwing quarterback, a trait which can help and hinder his fantasy value. Matt Schaub, like Romo, has options at the receiver position with Andre Johnson and sleeper Kevin Walter. I would expect Schaub to throw for over 4,000 yards and close to 30 touchdowns. I am making a bold prediction: the Houston Texans are winning the AFC South Division over Manning and the Colts.

Big Sleeper Picks

As most of you prepare for your upcoming drafts, you are probably wondering and pondering about the same question: Who are some of the biggest sleepers? For those of you who are not familiar with the term, "sleeper" in fantasy football, I will briefly explain it to you. A sleeper pick is a player who may be undervalued coming into a draft or may go unnoticed by many of the members in a league. A sleeper is a player who usually gets picked up late in the draft because people do not think he is worth anything in a fantasy league, but once the football season starts, the player has a lot to contribute to a team's success. Intuitively, a sleeper is a player who fantasy owners "sleep on" or overlook. Let me tell you about a few potential sleepers for this upcoming season. Sleepers are subjective because one player's value is going to be different from owner to owner. So, do your research, and you decide if these players are worth your time.

The biggest sleeper in the 2010 season is Kevin Kolb, quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. I keep telling everyone not to sleep on Kolb. Kolb has been learning the game of football as a backup behind Donovan McNabb for several years now. Backups like Kevin Kolb (under McNabb), Matt Cassel(under Tom Brady), and Aaron Rodgers (under Brett Favre) tend to learn the most on the bench and turn out to be productive quarterbacks. Kolb is currently number one on the depth chart in Philadelphia with Michael Vick at number two. Donovan McNabb went to Washington in the off season. So, expect Kolb to get lots of playing time as an Eagle because coach Andy Reid has a lot of faith and trust in his young quarterback. Can he get you all the way to a fantasy playoff spot or a championship? Anything is possible, but I do not think Kolb should be used as a regular starter in fantasy leagues. This is Kolb's first full year as a starter, so I would suggest drafting a better quarterback in the early rounds, then, if Kolb is still around later (which he probably will be), you should pick him up to play as a backup on your roster.

Speaking of sleeper quarterbacks, I would also recommend taking a look at the young Matt Leinart from USC playing for the Arizona Cardinals. Leinart is taking over the Arizona quarterback position with big shoes to fill. Kurt Warner previously had the job, and even led the team to a Super Bowl appearance a couple of years ago. Warner decided to end his spectacular, hall of fame career during this past off season. Leinart was a great college quarterback in his days at USC, but he is still trying to prove himself in the NFL. Despite losing key receiver, Anquan Bolding to the Ravens, Leinart still has offensive weapons like Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston to throw to. With Leinart in as QB, I expect Arizona to be competing with the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers in the weak NFC West Division this year. For a fantasy football league, Leinart should not be used as a regular starting quarterback on your roster. Draft him, like Kolb (if still available), in the late rounds as a bench player for your roster. I think it is safe to say that Matt will go undrafted in most leagues, so if you need an extra quarterback, pick Matt up off waivers.

Let me share a couple more sleepers in this year's draft that might interest you in some way. There are a lot of good running backs that will be taken in the first and second rounds like Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Michael Turner. However, after all the explosive runners are gone, who is left? That is a good question. If you do not draft a good running back in the early rounds, do not be discouraged and do not worry because there are a lot of players out there that get drafted late and have good seasons. One running back is Marion Barber of the Dallas Cowboys. He is competing against Felix Jones and Tashard Choice. Most likely, these three guys are going to share time in the backfield. Barber may be a little bit undersized, and his body may be wearing down, but I would expect him to get a lot of red zone carries because of his aggressiveness and toughness that he brings to the Cowboys offense.

Barber's former University of Minnesota teammate, Laurence Maroney, is in a very similar situation as Barber up in New England. The Patriots do not run the ball much with the arm that Tom Brady has. Plus, Maroney is expected to get a bulk of the carries, but he is going to be sharing his time in the backfield with other guys. Maroney should pick up decent yardage and score touchdowns, but like Barber, he is not going to be a consistent running back from week to week in fantasy leagues. Use Barber and Maroney as specialists against weaker defenses, and use them when your star running backs have a bye week.

I hope this information helps you in your upcoming drafts. Stay tuned for more. Good luck in your draft and 2010 fantasy football season.