My Jamaal Charles Blog

The following rankings are based on a fantasy football player's year to end season value. If a draft or auction were to occur today this is the rank and value we place on the players based on their past performance and predicted future production. The basis for the valuations is a 10 team league starting 1 QB 2 RB 2 WR 1 TE 1 K 1 Defense with a 50% yardage and 50% TD scoring system with no points awarded for receptions. The rankings are updated every Tuesday morning, allowing players to value their teams, analyze player values for trades and plan future moves to get the most return out of your Fantasy Football players.

1 Chris Johnson Titans, RB
The love child of Jar Jar Binks and Whoopi Goldberg keeps racking up points. Great playoff schedule. $43

2 Adrian Peterson
Vikings, RB He has racked up 1519 total yards and 14 tds (tied for rushing TD lead) and apparently can grow lizard skin at will. $38

3 Maurice Jones-Drew
Jaguars, RB What Would Jones Drew? Should bring home some fantasy hardware for teams. $37

4 Ray Rice Ravens, RB
He's a top 5 guy and we get the feeling he's only scratching the surface of his potential....if only he was featured more in their offense. $35

5 Cedric Benson Bengals, RB
With his hips healthy again he should be dancing back to early season form. Almost hung a hundo on the stout Vikes run D. $28

6 Ricky Williams Miami, RB
Ever since Crockett got hurt, Tubs has taken over. Look for Miami Vice solo act Ricky "Tubs" Williams to deliver the goods championship week, against the Texans. $28

7 Steven Jackson Rams, RB

4 TD's on the year is hard to forgive. But, with 2 good playoff matchups he could redeem himself. $25

8 Larry Fitzgerald Cardinals, WR
If old man Warner can keep it together his playoff matchups look incredible..... @DET then home vs STL. Pending results of Monday Night Injury. $25

9 Ryan Grant Packers, RB
Tough 1st playoff game vs PIT. He and Packers are surging though, we are believers. $24

10 DeAngelo Williams Panthers, RB
After last years fantasy playoff run, you gotta have him in your line up. $23

11 Andre Johnson Texans,WR
He and Schaub are clicking... Rams and Dolphins make for a good playoff schedule. $22

12 Thomas Jones Jets, RB
If you seek flashy highlight reel TD replays, go elsewhere, but if you like reliable production, you've come to the right place. $21

13 Aaron Rodgers Packers,QB
Now that he is getting the playground approved 5 banana count from his O-line, he is looking better than ever. Topping the charts in most scoring formats. $21

14 Drew Brees Saints, QB
If you're a Brees owner your rooting for one of two options; Saints try to go undefeated or the start losing.... either scenario keeps him on the field. $20

15 Anquan Boldin Cardinals,WR
This won't be the last time you hear this at this site, the Cardinals fantasy playoff schedule is as good as it gets. $20

16 Randy Moss Patriots, WR
Giving body language like he's starting to check out mentally for the season, on the other hand a strong finish would not surprise us. Tough read. $19

17 Rashard Mendenhall Steelers, RB
Despite killing owners with his recent performance against CLE, he remains a strong option going forward. $19

18 DeSean Jackson Eagles, WR
Seems to be clear of the concussion. He doesn't get a ton of receptions, but 18.9 yds/catch is tops in the league (of relevant WR's)....and he returns the occasional punt for 6 as well. $19

19 Frank Gore 49ers, RB
What happened to running 3 times and then punting? Obviously, the 49ers are better off with their new pass first offense, but that is not sitting well with Gore owners. $17

20 Jamaal Charles Chiefs, RB
He's been red hot since taking over the starting role. Chiefs are not a high powered an offense, but he is getting it done on his end. $17

21 Brandon Marshall Broncos, WR
Just set the single game NFL reception record (21) and looks to be hitting his stride, rewarding owners who stuck with him. $17

22 Joesph Addai Colts, RB
Quietly having a really nice season. He has pressed the pause button on the Donald Brown era for now. $17

23 LaDainian Tomlinson Chargers, RB
He's been surprisingly consistent since coming back from injury early in the year. $16

24 Wes Welker Patriots, WR
The league leader in Receptions (105) and second in yardage (1158) gives you week in week out consistent production, any TD's are just icing on the cake. $16

25 Vincent Jackson Chargers, WR
Is to San Diego WR's what MadMen is to AMC.....both have made something completely irrelevant worth watching now. $16

26 Kurt Warner Cardinals, QB
The old man has two great matchups to bring home fantasy championships; @DET then home vs STL. $15

27 Miles Austin Cowboys,WR
Blind Melon, The Proclaimers, Chumbawumba and Hanson want to know his secret for multiple hit success. $14

28 Sidney Rice Vikings, WR
Having the prototypical wide receiver 3rd year breakout season. Expecting even bigger things next year. $14

29 Chad Ochocinco Bengals,WR
Typical streaky season for Chad OchoTweets. Faces 10th (SD) and 24th (KC) ranked pass defenses weeks 15 & 16. $14

30 Calvin Johnson Lions, WR
Looking more like a 'second tier' transforming machine to robot action figure of the 80's......Gobot in disguise! $13

31 Pierre Thomas Saints, RB
He plays Suzanne Summers in the Saints aggravating Three's Company sitcom. He is the hottest by far, yet Mike Bell in the role of the butch brunette gets far too much screen time $12

32 Matt Schaub Texans, QB
He has been a house of fire all season. Faces STL (19th) and MIA (22nd) next two weeks. $12

33 Phillip Rivers Chargers, QB
The main reason the Chargers have won 8 straight. Model of consistency; never scored more than 23 or less than 9. $11

34 Tom Brady Patriots, QB
Everyone in the AFC is rooting for a colicky Brady baby to hamper his production. $11

35 Brandon Jacobs Giants, RB
Like B Jacobs....as much as everyone likes the Cool Asian guy with the twirling kicks in Karate Kid, at the All Valley Tourney, maybe it's just time to admit he's not quite as good as we'd like him to be. $11

36 Steve Smith Giants, WR
Nothing too flashy here, just a consistent 75 yds/game and a TD mixed in every few. $10

37 Peyton Manning Colts, QB
Will you get more than 2 quarters of production out of him? If he's playing for the perfect season, we think so. $10

38 Mike Sims-Walker Jaguars, WR
Having a solid year for the Jaguar-Leopards. As long as he's healthy he could finish very strong. $9

39 Vernon Davis 49ers, TE
A monster who probably deserves to be higher. He'll be spending his off-season lobbying for equal treatment of Tight Ends. $9

40 Kevin Smith Lions, RB
Fairly consistent for such a bad offense. Hope for 8 points, anything more is gravy. $8

41 Roddy White Falcons, WR
247 yds and 2 scores in the last 4 games, not setting the world ablaze, but a strong #2 WR. $8

42 Michael Turner Falcons, RB
The Burner......if last year he was fueled by petroleum products......this year he's apparently switched to "easy bake oven" technology. $8

43 Antonio Gates Chargers, TE
Slow start, but coming on strong. He's delivered fantasy championships before, in Gates we trust. $8

44 Reggie Wayne Colts, WR
Hasn't gone over 50 yds in the last three weeks, cutting his owners deep......I'm talking like BJ Penn cutting Diego Sanchez's forehead with a head kick deep. $7

45 Marion Barber Cowboys, RB
716 yds and 4 TD's on the year....he's on the list based on potential, not for past performance. $7

46 Marques Colston Saints, WR
Marques, along with posse; Shonne, Toni, Geoff, and Alicks frequent the island of misfit name spellers. $7

47 Quinton Ganther Redskins, RB
Shined in his first start against the Raiders, now let's see how he does vs an NFL team. $7

48 Fred Jackson Bills, RB
Every other week streak means, bench next week, cash in on championship game pending your options. $7

49 Beanie Wells Cardinals, RB
Received the bulk of the carries in the Monday night game vs SF. If he continues to get the lion's share of the work, he has plenty of upside with the aforementioned AZ playoff schedule. $7

50 Greg Jennings Packers, WR
His reversal of fortune this season rivals only that of an amateur competitive eater; one minute focused and poised for a Coney Island Championship, the next he's got semi-digested wet hot dogs & buns all over his shoes. $7

The Kansas City Chiefs brought a new boss, a new quarterback, a new general manager, a new system for the 2009-10 pick season football team and went 4-12. Equipment was 7-9, the best selection of the NFL against the spread, passing over the total of 9 times, less than 5 times and was 2 pushes. The Kansas City Chiefs in 2010–11 are seeking to improve dramatically, what else you can expect all team will have one year of experience in this coach to to Todd Haley system.? Last year there was a very bright point and that was the game run with Jamaal Charles, who rushed to 1,120 yards and scored 9 touchdowns, Charles also doubled as a kick returner. Quarterback Matt Cassel threw for 2,924 yards and Chris Chambers led the team with 608 yards in only half a season. Kansas City defense was led by Tamba Hali with 8 ' sacks and cornerback Brandon Flowers took the with five interceptions. Heads were just a last in each category in attack and defence, the defence occupied day 30 yards total abandon more than 388 per game, 31 in rushing waive 156.5 yards per game and were 29 League NFL teams give up more than 26 points per game. The offensive was not much better ranking 25 in passing yards and total yards per game, the game runtime ranked 11th in the League.

The Chiefs drafted Eric Berry a very famous security out of the University of Tennessee, who has been regarded as the best selection of NFL better perspective in over a decade in the position. The defence will have better stop execution and that means high pick Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson, the duo Dorsey and Jackson were suppose to be the future of the defense, but that has not worked, this sports Predictor thinks Jackson were a scope in the slot that he was drafted in.The linebackers are very average at best and the team must improve allí.El defensive backfield has two potential all pro selection if the rookie Berry and Brandon Flowers, rookie in Draft Javier Arenas should also make an impact.

The offense should get the ball to play Jamaal Charles and Chris Chambers responsible for both as possible, Chambers is 31 years old but have lots of experience, but is Carlos that training of staff and enthusiasts are excited about, this guy could have speed break away and is a hard on corredor.Quarterback Matt Cassel signed a huge contract and now he has to prove that you earned the pena.El Predictor of this sport will have the Chiefs improve to a record of 7-9 in the AFC West.

The Kansas City Chiefs is one of the most popular NFL teams and retains a permanent record of 104-40 since 1990. However, the team has not won any major football games at a time and ended 2007 with a depressing note 4-12 record. Now with a new offensive coordinator, the team prepares itself for a resurrection of 2008. The first sign of a good season will come from the project. The Chiefs elected fifth overall in the project and purchased some impressive talent.

First choice team of the was tackle defensive Glenn Dorsey LSU, followed by two selections of Virginia; guard Branden Albert Virginia and Brandon Flowers of Virginia Tech.De these priority cornerback selections were followed by running back Jamaal Charles from Texas, tight end Brad Cottam of Tennessee, DaJuan Morgan from the State of North Carolina, wide receiver Will Franklin of Missouri, cornerback Brandon Carr of Grand Valley State offensive tackle Barry Richardson of Clemson, wide receiver Kevin Robinson from the State of Utah, security teams linebacker Brian Johnston of Gardner - Webb and tight end Michael Merritt Central Florida for the project's final Draft.

Acquisition of Glenn Dorsey was the biggest news coming out of the project. Kansas City had actually been will be defensive end Chris Long for a time, especially with the loss of Jared Allen.However, the team spent with Glenn Dorsey in spite of not having no immediate need for a defensivo.El tackle team maintains top Dorsey was qualified as Long and also outside defends concerns that previous leg injuries Dorsey can make you a candidate for surgery (and free time) in the near future.However, some experts and fans applaud first round election heads of the because Dorsey is considered by many to be the best player in the draft this year.

The Chiefs directed their bows and arrows in starters this season and arrived home from the game very satisfied, with Dorsey, Branden Albert, and Brandon Flowers.Jamaal Charles is considered a valuable player, while DaJuan Morgan was considered by many experts as the free pure best safety in the draft this year. All these players have the potential to be starting players in the new season. Although less likely to go up so quickly, the rest of the project options are still viewed as talented players that will advance team.

What are the views of experts from the NFL? For a change, are synchronized with the view have more rabid fans of heads.Several experts have been cited saying that all the 2008 NFL teams, the Chiefs have the best selections of obvious proyecto.parece management team is investing in new blood as Kansas City received novice plus pool Big League over eight million dollars.The only criticism that the computer needs to address is the fact that Jared Allen does not have any true successor.This affect the performance of your computer for the new season?Experts and amateurs don't believe you and prepares to Kansas City for a long-awaited victory celebration.

Here is the simple strategy all sports bettors must have used during the bowl season recently completed 2005-06. Rule No. 1 was to take any underdog of six or more points. That would have produced a record 13-1 ATS, as only Louisville (plus-9 1/2) not could cover in that range from pointspread Gator Bowl (Va Tech lost 35-24). It is a winning percentage of 92.9%.

Also, one must have played each and every one of those 'dogs' on the moneyline, as eight of 13 pointspread winners also won their games SU.Finally, all sports bettors must have blindly played every game of Bull 'on' total, was 19 of 28 games for a winning percentage of 67,9%.¿Vea how easy that should have been?

Conference BIG or SMALL, the money is green, otherwise when you WIN! I have two great games of the month on Thursday Conference.One in the Horizon League and one in the Big-10.Conseguir them BOTH, now. My free play on Thursday is hosting James Madison Hofstra fewer points to 7: 00 ET.

The national championship game became a "classic", after a start very lento.mirando backwards, Reggie Bush is fortunate the Heisman voters voted earlier for this game, because it is difficult to imagine that someone not to vote for Vince Young to 467-yard performance last night.After Bush headed by bone side cost USC a chance to climb 14 - 0 in the second quarter, was hardly a factor in the game. Pete Carroll go in the fourth and one in Texas (up to 7-0), 17-yard line decision was an impulso-cambiador principle as well.

"Opponents of instant replay have to be hiding their heads this morning, as the system still has many flaws". "They" I have the right on the interception of Q2 Leinart at the goal line, but never considered (why?) work which had tuned Young (whose knee was clearly down around 10 a.m.!) back a young Selvin end for a TD that put the Longhorns up to 9-7.Then, in the most egregious error of night, "guys in the cockpit" rather than the rule that Texas Jamaal Charles had caught the ball (more made a football move) and then fumbled. on the contrary, confirmed the incomplete sentence in the field! At the time, USC took 31-23 (11 minutes left) and would have had the ball around the line of 40 yards of Texas.

However, in the end USC saw is 34-game streak adjusted also lost his chance in a without preceding third consecutive national title, which could not be converted into a work of 4th and two of the 45 Texas with more than two minutes remaining.In four previous second half possessions, USC had units of TD (7-62), (9-74), (9-80) and (4-81).

NBA tonight, TNT presents a risk, but is hardly ready for primetime material.The Rockets are in Cleveland, where the Cavs are favored by 7 1/2 points and the total of 191 1/2.Nightcap, the Pacers visit to Denver, where the Nuggets are favored by eight with a total of 196.

46-Game of college basketball schedule is highlighted by the ESPN2 games, starting at 7: 00 ET tripleheader.In the first game, is a clash of Big East with 9-0 Villanova visiting 11-1 Louisville (' Cats are a favorite of three points with a total of 143 1/2). near is the Big-10, where 12-2 Michigan St. visit Illinois 14 - 0 (Illini are favored by 6 1/2, with a total of 137) cast 11: 00 this (if you're still up), air force of 12-1 holds BYU 8-3 in a contest of CTM.Los "Flyboys" are 6 1/2 - point favorites with a total of 121.

Coverage recap addition of wild card NFL season will be the main focus of Friday Saturday and Sunday notes Ness.Ness notes are available for the 1: 00 ET on Monday to Friday and from 7 pm this Saturday and Sunday.

Opening week of the 2010 NFL season has come and gone and it included everything a football fan has come to expect from the National Football League.  There were controversial plays, upsets, teams that had trouble

getting their offenses going, teams that had their defenses picked apart, and teams that started the season out right on track and ready to play.

Let's take a look back at all the games played in week one of the 2010 NFL season.

New Orleans Saints 14 - Minnesota Vikings 9

The Saints defeated the Vikings in one of the most anticipated games of week one.  Drew Brees marched his team down the field for an easy score on their first possession of the game and it looked like it would be a route, but both defenses tightened up from there on out.  In the end, the Saints defense was a little too much for an aging Brett Favre and a Vikings team missing wide receiver Sidney Rice.

Miami Dolphins 15 - Buffalo Bills 10

The Dolphins won a low scoring contest, and did so by scoring nearly every way possible, including a touchdown, extra point, field goal, and safety.  Both offenses were somewhat ineffective as neither starting quarterback, Chad Henne for the Dolphins and Trent Edwards for the Bills, were able to break the 200 yard mark in passing.  Neither team had a 100 yard rusher either.

Chicago Bears 19 - Detroit Lions 14

The Bears and Lions have played a number of times over the years and they kicked off the 2010 season together.  This was a tough battle that ended with a controversial play as the Lions thought they'd scored a go ahead touchdown but the referee's saw it differently.  Jay Cutler of the Bears also starts the season off with a 300 yard game.

Tennessee Titans 38 - Oakland Raiders 13

The Titans jumped out to a 24-6 halftime lead and never looked back.  Chris Johnson had his way with the Oakland defense as he put up 142 yards rushing.  Oakland's Darren McFadden didn't do too badly himself either as he had 150 combined yards.  The Titans added two second half touchdowns and the Raiders scored one in the fourth quarter.

New England Patriots 38 - Cincinnati Bengals 24

The New England Patriots were in complete control of their week one matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals, even being ahead 24-3 at halftime.  The Bengals did get some offense going in the second half, but by then it was too little too late.  Carson Palmer finished the day with 345 passing yards and the other big star of the day was Chad Ochocinco who racked up 159 yards receiving.

New York Giants 31 - Carolina Panthers 18

Eli Manning hooked up with Hakeem Nicks for three touchdowns, yes three touchdowns, including one each in the first, second, and third quarters.  The duo took the fourth quarter off, with New York getting a rushing touchdown from Ahmad Bradshaw.  The Panthers got three field goals from the ageless John Kasay and a touchdown pass from the great Steve Smith.

Pittsburgh Steelers 15 - Atlanta Falcons 9

All eyes were on Pittsburgh as they started the season without two time Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.  His replacement, Dennis Dixon, finished with a very respectable 18 completions on 26 attempts for 236 yards.  This was a real defensive battle as neither team's offenses could get started.  At the end of the fourth quarter it was 9-9 and the game ended on a 50 yard touchdown run in overtime by Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17 - Cleveland Browns 14

Both the Buccaneers and the Browns started the game off scoring points and the 14-10 halftime score made it appear that each team was being at least somewhat successful.  The Bucs would shutout the Browns in the second half and would score a late fourth quarter touchdown of their own to take the lead and the win.

Jacksonville Jaguars 24 - Denver Broncos 17

Last season saw the Denver Broncos start out 6-0, but this season it didn't take too long for the team to lodge it's first loss.  This was a very even game that saw Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jaguars miss a 100 yard game by two yards and Denver's Kyle Orton missing a 300 yard game by five yards.  In the end, the Jaguars fourth quarter score put them over the top.

Houston Texans 34 - Indianapolis Colts 24

In what was one of the biggest upsets of the day, Matt Schaub who was the leading passer in the NFL last season, hardly had to throw the ball at all.  Schaub would finish with just 107 yards passing while Peyton Manning would rack up 433.  The difference though was the 231 yards rushing and three touchdowns put up by second year running back Arian Foster of the Texans.

Arizona Cardinals 17 - St. Louis Rams 13

In a quarterback duel between the number one overall draft pick from 2010, Sam Bradford and Derek Anderson who wasn't named the starting quarterback until a short time ago, the Cardinals would come out on top thanks to a fourth quarter touchdown reception by Larry Fitzgerald from Anderson.  Both teams had four turnovers in a game that both coaches probably wished was played a little better.

Green Bay Packers 27 - Philadelphia Eagles 20

The Packers and Eagles battled in a much looked forward to contest that featured a great game by Clay Matthews and the Packers defense and an injury to Eagles starting quarterback Kevin Kolb that saw Michael Vick come in for some significant playing time.  The Eagles mounted a comeback, but it wasn't enough.

Seattle Seahawks 31 - San Francisco 49ers 6

Pete Carroll's first game as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks was a massive success as his team was in control nearly all game long and was never threatened after the first quarter.  The Seahawks defense held 49ers running back to 38 yards on 17 carries which was a large part in stopping them from doing what they wanted to do.

Washington Redskins 13 - Dallas Cowboys 7

In a game that was marred by a serious amount of penalties and mistakes on Dallas' side of the ball, the Redskins ended up holding off a late charge by the Cowboys and giving new quarterback Donovan McNabb his first win in a Washington uniform.

Baltimore Ravens 10 - New York Jets 9

In a game that lacked a lot of offense, not surprisingly from the Jets who are not known as a high scoring team, but somewhat surprising from the Ravens who have a good running game and three very accomplished wide receivers, it came down to the last play of the game.  The Jets defense stymied the Ravens all night long and the Jets offense stymied itself.  LaDainian Tomlinson averaged over five yards a carry on his 11 touches for his new team and wide receiver Anquan Boldin racked up 110 yards receiving for his new team the Ravens.  In the end, the Jets turned it over on downs, unable to get a key first down, and the Ravens simply ran the clock out for the one point victory.

Kansas City Chiefs 21 - San Diego Chargers 14

The Chiefs were victorious in a Monday Night Football game that was at least statistically dominated by the Chargers.  Philip Rivers finished the day just two yards short of a 300 yard game and the Chargers had more first downs, total yards, and time of possession than their opponents.  The pesky Chiefs wouldn't be put away and scored two of their three touchdowns on long plays, the first a 56 yard run by Jamaal Charles and the third a 94 yard punt return for a score by Dexter McCluster.

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Interesting and fun football facts can be found about every one of the teams listed above, and even some that no longer play or play in different leagues at IQFB.com. Finding out hard to find information and great football trivia about your favorite team or player can be a lot of fun. You can even look really smart down the road when you throw out a little tidbit of knowledge that no one else knows. IQFB... Get Football Smart.

AFC
East: The AFC East, in my opinion, will be the most competitive division in the NFL this year.
WHY? Because...

Dolphins- Miami is coming off of a very frusterating year. Once they lost Ronnie Brown and Chad Pennington, the fans lost hope in Miami. Now remember, three years ago, the Dolphins were one of, if not the worst team in the NFL. They nearly became the first team in NFL history to go 0-16, but they defeated the Baltimore Ravens, who went 5-11 that year, on the last day of the regular season. The following year they went 11-5, and then last year's upset. This year, they have two powerful running backs, a young quarterback that has experience, and now a star wide receiver, which they were missing last year. I don't have any questions about the offense, but the defense I'm not so sure on. We'll see how it plays out.

* Patriots- New England could be one of the best teams in the NFL (again). They have Tom Brady at full health, they have to star wide receivers: Randy Moss and Wes Welker, and their defense is ready for any type of offense. This could lead to, once again, another Super Bowl ring for Tom Brady.

* Jets- The Jets are overrated. Let me remind you who carried the team last year; it wasn't Mark Sanchez, it wasn't Jerricho Cotchery or Braylon Edwards, nor was it Shonn Greene. Thomas Jones was the only reason why the Jets even got close to entering the Super Bowl. He had 14 touchdowns, 1402 yards, and tripled Shonn Greene's stats in almost every category! These are the "amazing" stats that the Jets put up in 2009 (the following are averages): 12.5 points (31st), 237 yards (30th), 147 passing yards (29th), and 89.5 rushing yards 22nd). Unless the offense can turn it around, I don't think that the Jets are going anywhere.

* Bills- Once again, the Bills are on the bottom of the list in the East...and they aren't going to surprise anyone. They will have another great rushing season, but their passing really needs to kick it up. I think they should have taken a quarterback in the first round instead of C.J. Spiller. Trent Edwards just isn't the right guy for the job. A rookie quarterback with a good arm, who doesn't need the ball all of the time. Tim Tebow is a guy that would have fit in.

* Standings after 2010:
x-Patriots: 12-4
x-Miami: 10-7
Jets: 9-7
Bills: 3-14
North: This division will also come down to the last game.
WHY? Because...

* Bengals- The Bengals could be the most powerful teams they have ever had in their franchise history, but they could also be a HUGE upset. Carson Palmer will have three top wide receivers to throw to, Ochocinco, Bryant, and Owens, and they have Cedric Benson coming off probably his best year in his career. Their defense will be a mystery every week, and so will tight end Jermaine Gresham.

* Ravens- The Baltimore Ravens had a great year last year...and their about to have an even better year. Anquan Boldin will help Joe Flacco out a ton. Last year Flacco had one main receiver to go to, Derrick Mason. Todd Heap was the other main target at the start of the season, but it turned out to be a disappointing year. Now with Heap hoping to have an excellent year to add on to his great career stats, Anquan Boldin ready to finally win the big one, and Derrick Mason in one of the last years, I would say they are going for it all.

* Browns- The Browns, sadly, could actually be a good team to watch this year. Jake Delhomme doesn't have a Steve Smith to throw this year, but Mohamed Massaquoi will be a great substitute. Jerome Harrison could be one of the top ten running backs this year, which will open up the passing game. The only thing a Browns fan should be worried about is the defense. Now that Jake Delhomme is helping the offense out, the defense will probably be off of the field more.

* Pittsburgh-Where should I start? Obviously Big-Ben is out for the first four-six weeks, Rashard Mendenhall is coming off of a great season, and they lost Santonio Holmes. Hines Ward should have another good season, and the loss of Santonio Holmes will open up the slots for Mike Wallace and Antwan Randle El. My predictions for the top performers this year are: Roethlisberger- 17 TD, 56.8 Perc., 3467 yds, Mendenhall- 276 ATT, 11 TD, 12,889 yds, Ward- 78 Rec., 5 TD, 879 yds.

* Standings after 2010:
y-Ravens: 12-4
Bengals: 9-7
Steelers: 8-8
Browns: 4-12

South: The AFC South will be a pretty competitive division, again, but I think it will be up to the Colts and the Texans. WHY? Because...

* Colts- The Colts won't be much different then last year. Peyton Manning will have another great year, Reggie Wayne will have over 1,000 yards, Joseph Addai won't get many carries, and Pierre Garcon will have to play a big role if the Colts want to make it to the Super Bowl again. Dallas Clark is healthy, and this could be the year.

* Jaguars- Jacksonville needs a quarterback and wide receivers. David Garrard could make it to the playoffs, but he wouldn't go anywhere. If you want to get to the playoffs in this division, you will have to work. Jones-Drew isn't able to carry the whole team by himself. If they had a good passing game to rely on, there wouldn't be anything to worry about. Mike Sims-Walker isn't enough to complete a wide receiver roster; they need another target to throw to. Aaron Hernandez would have been a great draft pick for the Jags.

* Titans- Again, one running back won't carry the whole team to the playoffs. There just isn't enough talent on this team to go anywhere. The defense could use some work, Vince Young would probably appreciate another receiving target, and Chris Johnson won't be able to run the ball if the passing game doesn't work. I don't see playoffs in the Titans next two years.

* Texans- Houston is a huge contender this year. Matt Schaub has Andre Johnson as his main target, and together, they could get total over 1,500 yards this year. Kevin Walter is an underrated fantasy player. He is the 2nd stringer, and he could 100 to 150 points this year. Arian Foster has taken over the role of running back this year. Steve Slaton worked hard, but didn't quite make it. Their tight end, Owen Daniels is probably going to get five to ten touchdowns, and over 600 yards. If the defense can keep the score under 20 points almost every game, the Texans are going to be a touch team to beat.

* Standings after 2010:
y-Colts: 14-2
x-Texans 11-5
Jaguars 7-9
Titans 6-10

West: The AFC West won't be much of a competitive season. I don't think it will even take the winning team to get over ten wins to get into the playoffs.
WHY? Because...

* Raiders- Oakland does have a better team than last year, but not good enough to get to the playoffs. Jason Campbell has Heyward-Bay and Schilens as main targets. Zach Miller could also be a big one. The defense is terrible and the running backs aren't that good either. The only thing that the Raiders are good for this year is to knock out other teams.

* Chargers- San Diego is going to make the playoffs, there's no question. Philip Rivers could get over 4,000 yards again this season, but without Vincent Jackson, I would say maybe 3,500. Malcolm Floyd is a question mark. He could either do really good or really bad. The defense doesn't look that bad, and Ryan Matthews is going to be a great addition.

* Chiefs- Kansas City has one more year to improve. I don't think they will have a chance this year, but maybe next year. Once these two years are over they are going to lose a lot of their good players. Jamaal Charles won't have much trouble, if Matt Cassel can find Dwayne Bowe and Chris Chambers. The defense isn't the greatest, and that's the main thing that is going to irritate them.

* Broncos- With the mystery of who's starting at quarterback, and the lack of talent at wide receiver, Denver doesn't have much of a chance. McDaniels is trying to use what he can with Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter, while the defense has just a couple of problems to fix. Eric Decker will probably end up being one of the three starting wide receivers by the end of the year, if he stays healthy.

* Standings after 2010:
x-Chargers 11-5
Broncos- 8-8
Chiefs- 5-11
Raiders- 2-12

If it wasn't for the Lions and the Rams, the Kansas City Chiefs should consider the inferior-alimentadores part of the NFL for the last three seasons, but thanks to the two K.C. simply the title as franchise worse in the AFC this stretch (Yes, even worse than the Raiders) cumulative 10-38 record.

However, team has generally obtained degrees of very good project recently, so should begin to show improvement, right? Unfortunately some of those well considered selections exactly not criticized.For example, 2008 No. 15 pick Branden Albert was solid as a newbie but not very good tackle last year, committing 10 penalties and allowing nine sacks, who was fifth in the League the mayoría.Y wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, a first of 2007-rounder, seems to have regressed into a good start to his career and had drops 11 year passed.

Perhaps the Chiefs should stop writing former LSU defensive linemen. Tyson Jackson, no 3 pick in the 2009 draft has been nothing short of terrible, while Glenn Dorsey, general no. 5 choose draft pick in 2008, has been the best average. 2008 2.08 Free agent allegedly Wallace Bilberry looking better than both and could compel one to the bench (probably Jackson). Hopes of Kansas City finally it a home run with Tennessee former star Eric Berry, who was taken security no.global East 5 year and should begin inmediato.Los Chiefs need something to change in the defence, as they were at the penultimate in defense of peak and only 22 against the pass in 2009. Perhaps the new Coordinator Romeo Crennel shall fix that.

A large bright spot last year was running back Jamaal Charles, exploded once given the prominence of halfway back from last season. In the last eight games, rushed for 968 yards and scores of seven, including four of at least of 44 yards. He rushed for an equipo-registro 259 yards in the final game of the season in Denver. However, Charles is currently not. 2 the chart depth behind signed free agent Thomas Jones, the former Jet. In any case managers should have an excellent 1-2 punch there.And that can only help Matt Cassel, than last season hit 55% of his passes for 2,924 yards and 16 touchdowns.But also 16 intercepciones.Era had only a product of the system of the Patriots?Perhaps new Coordinator Charlie Weis will fix le.Captores chiefs pass took the NFL last year with drops of 48.

It seems that great talent has on this computer, and therefore, some experts call chiefs a large cabin this year if all these former first-rounders can play to where they were drafted and Cassel can get more preciso.BetUS lists 'over/under' managers for the total victory at 6.5 NFL season.

Let's break down Kansas City Chiefs 2010 (all times Eastern) schedule:

Week 1: Monday, September 13, San Diego, 10: 15 PM
Week 2: Sunday, 19 September, in Cleveland, 1: 00 p. M.
Week 3: Sunday, September 26, San Francisco, 1: 00 p. M.
Week 4: BYE
Week 5: Sunday, October 10, in Indianapolis, 1: 00 p. M.
Week 6: Sunday, October 17, in Houston, 1: 00 p. M.
Week 7: 24 October, Jacksonville, 1: 00 p. M.
Week 8: 31 October, Buffalo, 1: 00 p. M.
Week 9: Sunday, November 7, Oakland, 4: 15 PM
Week 10: Sunday, November 14, Denver, 4: 05 PM
Week 11: 21 November, Arizona, 1: 00 p. M.
Week 12: Sunday, November 28, in Seattle, 4: 05 PM
Week 13: 5 December, Denver, 1: 00 p. M.
Week 14: Sunday, December 12, in San Diego, 4: 15 PM
Week 15: Sunday, December 19, in St. Louis, 1: 00 p. M.
Week 16: 26 December, 1: 00 p. M., Tennessee
Week 17: 2 January, Oakland, 1: 00 p. M.

This is classified as a general programming harder 22 in NFL betting lines with 2009 winning percentage of.488 an opposition (125-131) .there only four games against playoff teams.

The Chiefs unveil a remodeled Arrowhead Stadium this season and can do it in the nightcap "Monday Night Football" against the Chargers.Es first Kansas City has never opened the season in force multinacional.Las things are promising there given beat Chargers Kansas City 7-37 and 43-14 season pasada.cargadores QB Philip Rivers threw for 600 yards and five total members in two games and was never saqueada.El last year the Chargers win their 11 final regular season contests.

K.C. won only one of its first eight games and one of its first 11 in 2008.Ese last year Brown is a rematch of the week 15 last year when Cleveland, which ended last offensive total in 2009, conditioning 41 points to win by one (thanks in large part to two carriage returns Josh Cribbs TD) touchdown .Crennel gets face against the team trained from 2005-08.

The Niners could be caught in a trap after vs. Saints of the week prior to K.C., then comes a bye too soon for the Chiefs.Las losses in Indy and Houston seem locks before the State get a stretch of seven games where he would not be a surprise if it has come to earn any of ellos.Los Jaguars will be a short MNF game week and bills are simply pésimo.En a total rarity, the heads have won in Oakland in the past three years, but have lost at home to Raiders of those years. and, of course, the Chiefs won at Invesco Field, last year by first time behind big game Charles '. the Seahawks or Cardinals expected that sniff.500 this year. have ties USC back with back to Cassel, as he laid his career behind Matt Leinart Arizona and of course the Trojans were trained by Pete Carroll.

K.C. opens December with its third series of back-to-back road before finishing with the two in a row in the hogar.Mi football betting system like a schedule of 6-10, so take the 'minor'.

Games with the preseason and some injuries to muddle things, let's look at the latest fantasy football in the mind of an expert ratings.

Chris Johnson
Adrian Peterson
Maurice Jones-Drew
Ray Rice
Frank Gore
Steven Jackson
Michael Turner
Ryan Grant
DeAngelo Williams
Rashard Mendenhall
11 Ryan Matthews
Knowshon Moreno
Jonathan Stewart
Beanie Wells
Jamaal Charles
LeSean McCoy
Shonn Greene
Matt Forte
Cedric Benson
Ronnie Brown
Pierre Thomas
Foster Arrian
Joseph Addai
24 Clinton Portis
25 Felix Jones
26. The CJ Spiller
27 Jahvid Best
28 Marion Barber
29 Justin Forsett
30. The Cadillac Williams
31 Ahmad Bradshaw
32 Jerome Harrison
33 Brandon Jacobs
34 Fred Jackson
Ricky Williams

-The first four remain the same in standard leagues but not argue if someone took Jones-Drew Peterson in PPR.

-The biggest mover from my first delivery was LeSean McCoy until the number boy 16.Este has a ton of talent and will be one of the most exciting players in football this year. El TD can be light due to the presence of Mike Bell and Leonard Weaver but catches and yards that go with it over will do for him.

-I have seen that Ryan Matthews ranked as high as number 7, which is crazy to mí.El man has yet to play a fall in the NFL and never would take it as a 1 budget ordinario.Matthews is in a stage as principals in a decent offensive but dont forget the presence of Darren Sproles, who will be overridden on third down, thus reducing their opportunities.

-I have yet DeAngelo Williams ranked on Jonathan Stewart, but this is only because it makes more than one impact paso.Todavía game master Stewart and I think that it is a beginning 2 RB.

-Jamaal Charles took a big dive number 15 due to the news that Thomas Jones will be starter, once you get going the temporada.Soy a great admirer of Carlos as what I took as my 1 RB in my league money (with Jonathan Stewart and Matt Forte my 2nd and 3rd back) and I still believe that he will be a great year, but perhaps not all year haev we expected.

-CJ Spiller passed Fred Jackson due to broken the hand ranking, but it is possible that Jackson returns before the apertura.Si this is the case, that he will be bPetter to target player.

-Foster Arrian rises to number 22, now that the backfield there seems less confusing with the season finale injurt to Ben Tate.Estoy in the dark about what you can really do Foster, but the playing time will be there.

-Keep an eye on Justin Forsett, they can do as major advance until the Board due to the fact that you must get the majority of the work in Seattle.Adepto to catch the ball, Forsett could be a real hallazgo.Yo you nabbed by the end of my project.

-Pierre Thomas, is less than 21 with the news that the saints are actively trying to find a finish line volver.Eso means more stolen TD Thomas and, therefore, a decline in their numbers.

That's all for ahora.Manténgase in touch for more classifications.

Football 2006 Texas Longhorns have some big shoes to fill after team of the year past won the national title. The team to return as much talent from last year the team but losing quarterback Vince Young for the NFL draft will be a huge gap in the Center. The team struggled to recruit young might have much time left in Austin, so early in the year that we anticipate problems.

Offensively 2006 Texas Longhorns will have to win with a quarterback who has not seen in the field. There are two strong candidates to be the caller of the signal, shirt with red freshman Colt McCoy and real rookie Jevan Snead both capable. Ground team attack must be able hands with the return of his second Jamaal Charles, student of second year Henry Melton and Selvin Young senior year.All three of these guys are a threat to put a substantial amount of yards and enter the ball in the area of annotation. team has two strong wide receivers to throw in juniors Sweed of files and Billy Pittman.

The defence may be even more talented this year as the computer that ranked in the top 10 in scoring and yards against last year.The three front will be strong with Brian Robinson, Roy Miller and yard pass by land from Frank Okam.Los experts linebackers are led by Robert Killebrew return inbound and is looking to help shore up the defence of Texas running Rashad. The secondary is very talented but not a lot of depth, by what will be important to Tarell Brown and Michael Griffin stay healthy.

The schedule of this year will be difficult for the Longhorns.Empezar to work at home against Ohio State on September 9, and we hope that the Buckeyes to avenge Columbus Texas victory last season.The next big game is October 7 against Oklahoma, a game that the Sooners should be favoured en.Texas, will then have a couple of tough in Nebraska road games and Texas Tech for the end of October, and with these four difficult matchups will be difficult for the team to reach 10 wins.

I always find it helpful to break down specific positions into tiers. As always, the RB pool has some pretty distinct tiers. If you get any of these guys in the Top Tier, you've got a solid anchor to your squad.

Top Tier:
Chris Johnson $$72

Adrian Peterson $69

Maurice Jones-Drew $68

Ray Rice $66

Michael Turner $58

Frank Gore $55

Of course for every tier you can argue if certain players should be included or not and there is a pretty big swing in auction value from CJ to Gore ($17), but I believe these are all top tier talent.

Breakout candidate: Ray Rice

He had a great year last year, is very young and looks to be getting even better. Baltimore loves to run and Rice is a great receiving back as well. I don't think he's come anyway near his ceiling yet.

Safest Play: Maurice Jones-Drew

CJ and AP are also very safe, but you're going to have to pay for them. It feels like last year could be CJ's ceiling, well, you would think. AP looks steady to, but the fumbles are somewhat concerning if he keeps slipping up. Jones-Drew is the every down back who gets goal line work and 3rd down receptions. The Jags aren't a great team, but he is their best asset and they have to feed him.

Bust Potential: Chris Johnson*

It's tough to pinpoint a bust in the top tier this year. I love Chris Johnson, but so many things went right last year, it's just difficult to imagine he pulls it off again. Let me be clear, I don't think Chris Johnson is necessarily a bust (hence the asterisk), he's an awesome player and will have a great year. I just think that you might not get as much value out of him given his price tag this year, which could make him a bust relative to the % of your auction dollars you need to allocate to him to retain his services.

Best Value: Michael Turner

Last year he was a #2 overall guy going for the mid $60 range. He was having a very solid year and then got hurt. He came back very late a couple times but was never really ready nor was he effective. He's had time to heal now and get into better shape. Remember last year he had put on "muscle" coming into a camp. That is a code word for someone who got fat in the off-season. I can't ever think of a time when someone in a skill position puts on a bunch of weight, or "bulked up" as they sell it and it end up being a good thing. Turner will be back, slimmer and ready to return to form from his breakout campaign. His value has been knocked way down because of last year and I'm buying him if his price stays reasonable, like it looks on the board.

2nd Tier:

Steven Jackson $44

DeAngelo Williams $42

Rashard Mendenhall $41

Cedric Benson $40

Ryan Grant $35

Jamaal Charles $35

Ryan Matthews $35

Pierre Thomas $34

Shonn Greene $33

Beanie Wells $32

I almost cut off the tier after Grant, but opted to include the next 5 RB's after that as well. There is definitely a difference; I just don't think it's that huge.

Breakout Candidate: Shonn Greene

I think we were more timid about anointing this guy as the next RB god originally. Sure it was tough not to be high on him after his playoff performance, but once the Jets brought in LT, (even if you think he is done) it was a little worrisome. Given all that I am starting to think this guy could be a monster despite any value LT might shift away from him. The Jets run the ball so much and this guy looks like he can handle the load. It's tough to imagine LT getting any better than he was last year and if Greene is dominating, it's not going to take the Jets long to figure out that superior talent wins out and will get the bulk of the carries and goalline work. Look for Greene to move up our board on the next update.

Safest Play: Ryan Grant

He is the ultimate not-sexy running back. That's good though, because the tempting RB's are usually the ones that burn you. His offense is loaded, moves the ball and scores points. Nobody cuts into Grants workload and he's been producing at a solid level for a good stretch now.

Bust Potential: Rashard Mendenhall

I don't know if it's just me, but whenever I watched this guy play last year I was never overly impressed. I just think he's going way to high right now in drafts and auctions. The Steelers offense is in complete disarray with Big Ben out 6 weeks (maybe 4), Holmes gone and Hines Ward is supposed to be getting old for the tenth consecutive year.

Best Value: Ryan Matthews

I know, I know, how can a rookie have the best value when he's completely unproven. Based on Norv's statement of how much he wants to use this guy, I'm slightly bullish on him. Vincent Jackson might be holding out for a while after his suspension, which hurts the passing attack slightly. LT was such a disaster last year they had to get away from running it. I look for them to bring a more balanced attack again and Matthews will be the top dog in an offense that produces year in year out.

3rd Tier:

Moreno $26

Addai $24

Brown $23

McCoy $17

Stewart $17

Forte $14

Best $14

Tate $13

Jacobs $12

The third tier is the place where a person who did the opposite and went after WR's and QB's first lives. Sure you might get lucky on a couple of these guys if you get a few, but if one, or God forbid, two of them are your starters, I hope you got a really stacked WR corp and/or a premium QB.

Breakout Candidate: Everyone not named Joseph Addai

Seriously, you could make an argument for everyone on the list other than Addai that says each guy could have a breakout first season or rebound season. I just don't see a lot of upside with Addai.

Safest play: Joseph Addai

Huh? No, I'm not really a big fan of Addai, but the guy has produced at a moderate level the past few seasons, including 13 TD's last year. The Colts offense is always steady. The only concern is Donald Brown taking the job from him. Addai is not as old (27) as he feels like. When you're looking at the 3rd tier, it's tough to find safety, but Addai is the closest thing to it.

Bust Potential: Jahvid Best

How many rookie RB's from the Lions are you going to talk yourself into before you just give up and realize that anyone that is on the Lions is probably doomed for failure. Kevin Jones was the last one for me....never again. Let me summon my inner-Pitino...."Barry Sanders is not walking through that door!"

Best Value: Jonathon Stewart

Carolina is so run heavy, even the #2 guy (or depending how you view it, 1A guy) Jonathon Stewart is a beast. He posted starter-like numbers last year despite not being "the guy". He's a great value because if anything happens to DeAngelo, Stewart is probably a top 5 back, providing he doesn't get injured himself.

It's almost time for Fantasy Football season! Let the second guessing and over analysis begin!

The NFL's regular season is over, but the fantasy football season continues. Hopefully your fantasy football team was successful this season, but if not, one more chance for redemption awaits you. And even if you tasted success, and won your league, the playoffs allow you one more opportunity for fantasy football glory. And to help you achieve that exaltation, here are our player rankings.

Player 1
1) Peyton Manning: Despite playing less than a full game in each of his final two contests, Manning was second in the NFL in completions, completion percentage, passing yards and passing touchdowns (tied with Brett Favre). All that and his team was working on an undefeated season before essentially forfeiting their final two games.

2) Drew Brees: Brees set the NFL record for single-season completion percentage and led the NFL with 34 touchdown passes despite sitting out Week 17. If you believe the Saints' late-season struggles were just a blip on the radar, Brees is an excellent option.

3) Philip Rivers: Rivers never seems to get mentioned when the top quarterbacks in the league are mentioned, but fantasy football enthusiasts know plenty about him. His 104.4 quarterback rating for the season was third in the league, and he was in the top-10 in both passing yards and touchdown throws.

4) Tony Romo: Romo had a great season, coming in third in the NFL in passing yards, and he happens to be playing his best football right now. Dallas is the No. 3 seed in the NFC, and many pundits like them to make a run at the Super Bowl.

5) Aaron Rodgers: Rodgers was fourth in passing yards, passing scores and quarterback rating for this season, so there's no doubt he is one of the best in the game. Green Bay is the fifth seed as well, which means it's unlikely they'd be playing any home games. He's the ultimate boom-or-bust candidate in this group.

6) Brett Favre: Favre had a remarkable year in every way, and he ended the regular season with a flourish. You have to wonder, however, if the Vikings will gear up the running game more in the playoffs than they did towards the end of the regular season.

Player 2
1) Kurt Warner: We all saw what Warner could do last season if he got hot in the playoffs, and despite the Cards getting waxed by the Packers last week, it didn't seem like they gave their full effort, did it?

2) Donovan McNabb: McNabb was worse than his pedestrian numbers (20-of-36, no touchdowns, no interceptions) indicated last week against the Cowboys, as he missed a number of open receivers. That and the fact that Philly is the No. 6 seed in the NFC will lead some to be pessimistic about him for a postseason fantasy football run, but remember that Philly had won six in a row, and McNabb has led his team on a number of deep playoff runs.

3) Tom Brady: While we certainly believe the Patriots can make an extended playoff run, Brady is dealing with a plethora of problems. First and foremost are his busted bones - he reportedly has three cracked ribs and a broken index finger on his right (throwing) hand. Not to mention the fact that Brady has thrown for fewer than 200 yards in three of his last four games, and his leading pass-catcher, Wes Welker, tore up his knee and will miss the playoffs.

4) Joe Flacco: If you're looking for a sleeper candidate, Flacco may be your man. He doesn't put up huge numbers, but the Ravens have the running game and defense necessary to allow them to make an extended push in the playoffs, with Flacco doing enough to give you decent fantasy points along the way.

5) Carson Palmer: Really, Palmer and Mark Sanchez should be 6A and 6B, as neither is much of an option. Palmer was horrendous against the Jets last week, completing one of his 11 throws, for zero yards. New York is No. 1 in the NFL against the pass, but even if Cincy does beat them, Palmer won't give you much.

6) Mark Sanchez: Sanchez is the poorest passer among quarterbacks whose teams made it to the playoffs, and he should be treated as such here. Even a Super Bowl run for him may not produce equal numbers equal to two games from other quarterbacks in the playoffs.

Player 3
1) Adrian Peterson: Peterson led the NFL in rushing scores, and despite the fact he didn't have a 100-yard rushing game in the playoffs, his fantasy football value is beyond doubt, and there's reason to think that if the Vikings advance to the Super Bowl, he'll have a lot to do with it.

2) Ray Rice: Rice has huge value in this scoring format due to his pass-catching acumen, and if you believe that the Ravens can win at least one game, he may be worth choosing.

3) Joseph Addai: Addai doesn't rack up huge yards, but he was tied for ninth in the league with 10 rushing scores, catches the ball quite a bit, and also is on a team many think is the favorite to win the Super Bowl.

4) Thomas Jones: Jones has a tough go of it in the first round, against the Bengals' seventh-ranked run defense, and though he ran for two scores against them last week, he gained just 78 yards on 27 carries.

5) Ryan Grant: Grant is an excellent runner, and the Packers blew away the Cardinals last week, but his lack of receptions really hurts his value.

6) Cedric Benson: Benson will have to be most of the offense if Cincinnati is to advance in the postseason, but the Jets are a tough defense and there is no frame of reference for how he'll do against them because he sat out last week in their contest.

Player 4
1) LaDainian Tomlinson: Tomlinson has the advantage of being the lead back on a team that very well could wind up in the Super Bowl. Still, he had just one game with at least 75 rushing yards this season and two games with more than two receptions.

2) Pierre Thomas: Thomas had a bruised rib which was part of the reason he didn't suit up last week, but it's not a serious injury. He's a do-it-all back whose only question mark is how many carries he'll get.

3) Marion Barber: Barber had a solid season, though he carried the ball 20 times just once, and not more than 17 in any of his last six games. On a positive note, he did manage 91 yards last week against the Eagles.

4) Reggie Bush: Bush is more of a slot receiver than a running back, but the Saints clearly have the ability to make the Super Bowl, and he could catch enough passes to make him a worthwhile option.

5) Beanie Wells: Wells is now the lead back on a Cardinals team that we all know is dangerous considering what they did last season, and that was without a running game that Wells now provides them.

6) Brian Westbrook: Westbrook is a real wild card, and though we're not high on him due to what could be limited usage, if the Eagles wind up making a solid postseason run, Westbrook could be a big part of that, especially catching the ball.

Player 5
1) Felix Jones: Jones' explosiveness is what makes him an attractive option in this group. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry this season, tying Jamaal Charles for the highest average of any back with at least 100 carries. He also catches a decent amount of passes and received at least 10 carries in each of his last four games.

2) Darren Sproles: Speaking of explosive, Sproles fits right into that category, and he's also a very good receiver out of the backfield, but he doesn't receive the amount of carries Jones gets.

3) Chester Taylor: Taylor is a solid player who totes the rock between 5-10 times per game with 2-4 catches per. He could have good value if you think the Vikings are Super Bowl-bound.

4) Willis McGahee: We all saw what McGahee could do in Baltimore's last game of the season, and it may surprise you to know that he tied for fifth in the NFL with 12 touchdown runs.

5) Donald Brown: If the Colts weren't as good as they were, Brown would be last on this list, but he can pick up points based simply on the fact he may play more games. But he's clearly second fiddle to Joseph Addai, and has battled injuries all year.

6) Tim Hightower: Hightower received double-digit carries just once in his final five games, and he isn't explosive with the ball in his hands. What he does bring is potential fantasy points due to his ability to catch the ball.

Player 6
1) Dallas Clark: Clark was fifth in the NFL in receptions this season, tying teammate Reggie Wayne with 100 passes caught. He also tied Wayne for seventh in the league in touchdown grabs with 10, and is the most reliable pass-catching tight end in football.

2) Reggie Wayne: Wayne's numbers nearly mirrored Clark's in every way but receiving yards, where he picked up 158 more. Yet he's behind Clark due to his slow end to the year. He had fewer than 50 receiving yards in five of his final six games.

3) Sidney Rice: Rice broke out this season to place fourth in the NFL in receiving yards with 1,312 on 83 receptions for a robust average of 15.8 yards per catch. But with receptions so valuable in this fantasy football scoring format, he ranks behind both Indy players.

4) Antonio Gates: Gates is one of the best pass-catching tight end in the game, and arguably number one. He ended the season on a great note, catching a touchdown in each of his final four contests.

5) Vincent Jackson: Jackson started hot, slowed down, then got hot again, racking up 100 yards in two of his final three games. His inconsistency is a concern, especially with so few games in the postseason to make his mark.

6) Marques Colston: There's nothing wrong with selecting Colston, it's just that the Saints have so many weapons, you never can tell who will be the player Drew Brees goes to in any specific game.

Player 7
1) Randy Moss: Moss tied for the league lead in touchdown catches with 13, and without Wes Welker, the onus to do big things in the New England passing game falls squarely on him.

2) Miles Austin: No receiver is currently playing better than Austin right now, who is physically dominating his opponents. He gained 90 or more receiving yards in five of his last six games, and wound up third in the league in that statistic.

3) Larry Fitzgerald: One of the players tied with Moss for the most touchdown catches in the NFL was Fitzgerald, though all things considered, he had a bit of a disappointing season, especially where receiving yards are concerned - he ranked 17th in the NFL with 1,092.

4) DeSean Jackson: Jackson is capable of pretty much anything, but he ended the season with two games of fewer than 50 receiving yards, and plays a Cowboys team that held him in check in Week 17.

5) Greg Jennings: Jennings' four touchdowns on the season was a huge disappointment to fantasy football owners across the land, though he still gained over 1,100 yards. But it's hard to ignore his lack of trips to the end zone and the fact that he caught fewer than 70 passes on the year.

6) Chad Ochocinco: Ochocinco will have to go up against Darrelle Revis in the Bengals' opening playoff game, and Revis, combined with a knee bruise, held Ochocinco to zero catches and zero yards in Week 17.

Player 8
1) Jason Witten: Witten's 94 catches this season were ninth in the NFL, though he only scored twice - once in Week 2, and again in Week 17 - against the very same Eagles team he'll be facing this week.

2) Brent Celek: Celek has become a trusted option for Donovan McNabb, and has proven that all season, but especially in the final weeks. He's the only one that didn't seem to have the dropsies in Week 17 against the Cowboys, a game in which he had seven receptions for 97 yards.

3) Percy Harvin: Harvin is a home run hitter who can find the end zone any time he touches the ball. He'll also run the ball at least once per game, giving him further value. By no means is he a bad option, it's just that he may not get as many looks as some other players in this group. Unless you think the Vikings are headed to the Super Bowl; then, by all means, insert him in your lineup.

4) Anquan Boldin: Boldin is suffering from injuries to both his knee and ankle, and may not suit up for Arizona's initial playoff game, so check his status before employing him in your fantasy football lineup.

5) Donald Driver: Driver had six receptions for 65 yards in Week 17 against Arizona, but he hasn't had a big game since Thanksgiving, and ended the season with fewer than 80 receiving yards in nine of his last 10 games

6) Derrick Mason: Mason is as reliable as they come, but Baltimore will win by running the ball, and their prospects for going deep into the playoffs seem remote.

Player 9
1) Julian Edelman: Edelman takes over the Wes Welker role in the New England offense, and that means big things in this scoring format. For example, in Week 17 he was targeted a whopping 15 times and came up with 10 catches for 103 yards.

2) Jermichael Finley: Finley is on his way to becoming one of the league's elite tight ends, and he finished the season with a bang, gaining 80 receiving yards or scoring a touchdown (or both) in each of his final five games.

3) Pierre Garcon: Garcon battled a hand injury late in the year that stunted what was seemingly excellent growth throughout the season. He was really playing well in the middle of the year before this injury caught up to him, and he can be effective on a team that has Super Bowl aspirations.

4) Robert Meachem: Meachem was extremely hot in the middle of the year, catching a touchdown in five straight games from Weeks 9-13. He's only scored once since then, however, and gained at least 70 yards just once in his final seven contests.

5) Jeremy Maclin: Maclin, Philly's first-round pick this year, has had a very good rookie season, but he's behind both Brent Celek and DeSean Jackson on the depth chart, and had fewer than 50 yards in both of his meetings with Dallas this season, the team the Eagles will face in the first round of the playoffs.

6) Jerricho Cotchery: The Jets pound the rock on the ground to win their games, and despite the fact that Cotchery and Mark Sanchez clearly have a solid chemistry, he's really not worth using.

Player 10
1) Devery Henderson: It's a gamble placing Henderson here, but one that could really pay off. He gained 804 yards this season on 51 receptions, and is always a threat to make one or two huge plays per game.

2) Bernard Berrian: Berrian had a highly disappointing season for his fantasy football owners, but he's on a Vikings team that isn't afraid to use all of their options, and one that could make a significant postseason run.

3) Jeremy Shockey: Shockey has been battling an injury, and hasn't caught a pass since Week 14. Still, it's possible he comes up with a solid postseason effort, because everyone on the Saints is capable of doing so considering how much they spread the ball around.

4) Braylon Edwards: Edwards gained less than 50 receiving yards in six of his final seven games, but he has the capability to deliver. Still, it's difficult to believe in him, especially considering the Jets are the lowest seed in the AFC, and win by running the ball and defense.

5) Roy Williams: If Williams gets the opportunity, he's shown he can make some things happen, but whether he does or not is anyone's guess. He's extremely frustrating to fantasy football owners, and can't be trusted, even if his talent says he can.

6) Steve Breaston: Breaston has ceded catches and yards to Early Doucet, so unless it's found out that Anquan Boldin's injury is a serious one, you should leave him be.

Player 11
1) Austin Collie: With Pierre Garcon out, Collie flourished, catching a touchdown in three consecutive games from Weeks 13-15. He also had nearly 100 yards in Week 16 and is a promising threat to, at the minimum, give you fantasy points with receptions, if not huge yards.

2) Malcolm Floyd: Floyd actually picked up 776 receiving yards on the season, which was more than players like Pierre Garcon, Jeremy Maclin and Robert Meachem. The problem was he did it on just 45 catches, which hurts in this scoring format, and he found the end zone only one time.

3) Patrick Crayton: Crayton is option three or four on the Dallas depth chart, depending on if Roy Williams actually shows up. But he had a big game against the Eagles in Week 17, and shouldn't be completely discounted because of his low spot on the pecking order.

4) James Jones: Jones did more than you might think by the Packers this season. He caught just 32 passes, but gained 440 yards, and more importantly, caught five touchdowns, which was one more than teammate Greg Jennings.

5) Todd Heap: Heap caught two touchdowns in each of his game during Week 15 and 16, and while that meant gold if you had the cajones to use him during your fantasy football playoffs, it was a rare feat for him, and he's just as likely to pick up 30 yards on two catches.

6) Dustin Keller: Keller is a middling option who didn't catch more than three passes or gain even 35 yards in any of his final five games.

Player 12
1) Nate Kaeding: Kaeding tied David Akers for the league lead in field goals, and was one of just two players who made 25 or more kicks to make at least 90 percent of his tries. He's the best kicker on a team with realistic Super Bowl expectations.

2) Ryan Longwell: Longwell has the benefit of kicking indoors until/if he reaches the Super Bowl, which is a nice bonus. He also plays on a high-scoring team and led the NFL in extra points made.

3) Garrett Hartley: Hartley only played five games this season, and though he was 9-for-11 in field goals, he only attempted one kick from 40 yards and beyond, and missed that kick. Still, he's on a team with a potent offense, and could be kicking in three games, which means plenty of points.

4) David Akers: As mentioned, Akers was tied for the league lead in field goals made. But he's on the sixth-seeded team in the NFC, and it may be difficult for the Eagles to advance deep into the postseason. Still, they very well could win a game or two, possibly making Akers a worthwhile selection.

5) Stephen Gostkowski: Gostkowski is on a team that can put up a lot of points, and has at least one home game, but his problem is long-distance kicking - he made only seven of his 11 kicks from 40 yards or beyond.

6) Jay Feely: Feely wasn't always accurate, making just over 83 percent of his field goal tries, but he was tied for third in the league in kicks made. Still, there are other options in this group that are better simply because they are on better teams.

7) Mason Crosby: Crosby made only 75 percent of his kicks this season, which is the worst percentage in this group. And he was only 6-of-13 from 40 yards or beyond.

8) Shaun Suisham: Suisham is a solid kicker, but he and Hartley are the only ones in this group not to have made a 50 yarder, and Suisham played nine more games than Hartley.

Player 13
1) Colts: The defensive group is the most subjective, and essentially boils down to which team you believe will go the furthest, thereby offering you the most opportunity to rack up points. For that reason, we've simply ranked the teams by their playoff seed.

2) Chargers:

3) Patriots:

4) Bengals:

5) Jets:

6) Ravens:

Player 14
1) Saints: The defensive group is the most subjective, and essentially boils down to which team you believe will go the furthest, thereby offering you the most opportunity to rack up points. For that reason, we've simply ranked the teams by their playoff seed.

2) Vikings:

3) Cowboys:

4) Cardinals:

5) Packers:

6) Eagles:

The following rankings are based on a fantasy football player's year to end season value. If a draft or auction were to occur today this is the rank and value we place on the players based on their past performance and predicted future production. The basis for the valuations is a 10 team league starting 1 QB 2 RB 2 WR 1 TE 1 K 1 Defense with a 50% yardage and 50% TD scoring system with no points awarded for receptions. The rankings are updated every Tuesday morning, allowing players to value their teams, analyze player values for trades and plan future moves to get the most return out of your Fantasy Football players.

RANK PLAYER DESCRIPTION AUCTION $

1 Chris Johnson Titans, RB

Faster than a speeding Usain Bolt, more powerful than a locomotive, able to jump tall lineman on a 4th down, it's a Falcon it's a Jet, it's Chris Johnson. $44

2 Adrian Peterson Vikings, RB

Despite having some erratic games and fumbling issues, if anyone's going to have a record setting year in '10, it feels like it could be AP. $40

3 Maurice Jones-Drew Jaguars, RB

2009 stats feel like it could be his ceiling, even so, no complaints.....offense remains stable and a repeat performance very likely. $35

4 Ray Rice Ravens, RB

His weekly production is as reliable as Rush Limbaugh's 4th donut of the day. $34

5 Micheal Turner Falcons, RB

The Burner......if in the '08 season he was fueled by petroleum products......he apparently switched to "easy bake oven" technology '09.....he'll get it back on track in '10. $30

6 Frank Gore 49ers, RB

The forecast calls for high weekly averages with spotty nagging injuries all season. $27

7 Steven Jackson Rams, RB

This much potential hasn't been squandered since Matt Damon turned down Famke Jannsen in Rounders. $25

8 Andre Johnson Texans, WR

2009 receiving yards leader by over 200 yds. Potential for even more TD's, but his performance is tied to Schuab staying healthy. $24

9 Larry Fitzgerald Cardinals, WR

If Warner retires, the Cardinals WR's are going to be like Rage Against the Machine trying to go on without Zach de la Rocha. $23

10 Cedric Benson Bears, RB

The question is....does his deal with the devil extend into the 2010 season? Or does he go back to the Cedric we know and hate? $22

11 Ryan Grant Packers, RB

Not the sexiest RB in terms of flash, but he does his job well......oddly the exact opposite can be said of Megan Fox. $21

12 Jamaal Charles Chiefs, RB

The Chiefs miserable team is not doing him any favors, but he is the kind of guy that is going to find a way to get his. $21

13 DeAngelo Williams Panthers,RB

The perks at a time share pitch are all fun and games, but make sure you know what the Panthers are selling before you buy...basically, a full split of two great backs. $21

14 Vincent Jackson Chargers, WR

Is to San Diego WR's what MadMen is to AMC.....both have made something completely irrelevant worth watching now. $20

15 Rashard Mendenhall Steelers,RB

Although we don't expect him to be unbelievable in '10; being the lead RB in PIT guarentee's a certain level of scoring. $19

16 Reggie Wayne Colts, WR

Like Charlize Theron, were not sure what we'll get out of Reggie next; the hottie in The Italian Job or the psycho in Monster that murders your fantasy season. He killed fantasy owners down the stretch of '09. $19

17 Aaron Rodgers Packers,QB

If his offensive line continues to give him the sandlot approved 5 banana count again next year like they did the second half of '09, we expect him to be the top rated fantasy QB again. $19

18 Drew Brees Saints, QB

In each of the past 4 years he's put up a minimum of 4,300 yds and 26 tds. Not too bad of numbers to build a fantasy team around. $19

19 DeSean Jackson Eagles, WR

Despite the fact that is was a turbulent ride with big swings in production....he had the highest average pts/game among Fantasy WR's last year. $19

20 Brandon Marshall Broncos, WR

It seems like every year leading up to Fantasy Drafts/Auctions, there are a lot of questions and reasons not to go after #15...for now we remain very optimistic on his '10 season. $19

21 Peyton Manning Colts, QB

Is he pimping any insurance companies on TV yet? If not he should, because when he's your FF QB, you always feel like your in good hands. $18

22 Miles Austin Cowboys, WR

We found out that his 200 yd game was not a one hit wonder last year....now we're curious if his '09 season was....if it's not, look for Blind Melon, The Proclaimers, Chumbawumba and Hanson to be knocking on his door for advice. $18

23 Randy Moss Patriots, WR

Don't get me wrong, its not that we don't like Moss' '09 numbers, its just we're kind of left with a bad taste in our mouths with how he went out in his last few games. $18

24 Thomas Jones Jets, RB

If you seek flashy highlight reel TD replays, go elsewhere, but if you like reliable production, you've come to the right place...assuming Father Time doesn't finally take him down. $17

25 Ronnie Brown Miami, RB

He's still young and we love him when healthy, but how many times can he bounce back from injury and be his old self. $17

26 Calvin Johnson Lions, WR

Looking more like a 'second tier' transforming action figure of the 80's......Gobot in disguise! $15

27 Beanie Wells Cardinals, RB

The trend at the end of 2009 season was Wells finally started getting the bulk of the carries over Hightower. If that continues into 2010, Wells will post solid numbers. $15

28 Knowshon Moreno Broncos, RB

With just under 1000 yds rushing and 9 total td's in 2009, he didn't exactly blow us away, but it wasn't a disaster either. Entering his second year he'll be counted on more and should deliver. $14

29 Anquan Boldin Cardinals, WR

If it's not too late, someone call Jeff Probst, Boldin would absolutely destroy the competition in an "injury bug" challenge on Survivor. $14

30 Joesph Addai Colts, RB

Addai's only 26...apparently he, Danny Almonte and Greg Oden all get their fake id's from the same place. $13

31 Kevin Smith Lions, RB

If you can talk yourself into a Detroit Lions RB not named Barry Sanders, then by all means. $12

32 Pierre Thomas
Saints, RB

He plays Suzanne Summers in the Saints aggravating Three's Company sitcom. He is the hottest by far, yet Mike Bell in the role of the butch brunette gets far too much screen time $12

33 Tom Brady Patriots, QB

Like DeNiro/Pacino in Godfather II & Heat...Brady/Moss had some incredible highs, lets hope 2010 doesn't turn into a collect the paycheck year and pump out a 'Righteous Kill' type season. $12

34 Sidney Rice Vikings, WR

He'd still be good, but if Favre retires, we're not as bullish on Rice with T Jack or Gus throwing to him. $10

35 Greg Jennings Packers, WR

His reversal of fortune last season rivals only that of an ameteur competitive eater; one minute focused and poised for a Coney Island Championship, the next he's got semi-digested wet hot dogs & buns all over his shoes. $10

36 Roddy White Falcons, WR

Seriously, Mr. White....Mr. Blonde wants to know, "are you going to bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?" $10

37 Steve Smith Carolina, WR

He's still near the front of the plane, it just feels like he's moved from first class to businees class after last year. $10

38 Matt Schaub Texans, QB

The under appreciated girl in high school who you knew was hot and now you're too late to the party. $9

39 Dallas Clark Colts, TE

Dallas International Airport is the nation's 3rd busiest, Dallas Clark is our #1 ranked TE. Suck it airport. $9

40 Antonio Gates Chargers, TE

No signs of SD going back to a run heavy offense with the aging LT-Style Electric Slider (he don't like that call) $9

41 Vernon Davis 49ers, TE

Has all the physical gifts to be in the movie Avatar, he just couldn't learn how to speak Na'Vi. $8

42 Chad Ochocinco Bengals, WR

He's never been a TD machine; it was always the consistent big yards & receptions that made him special, but with declining numbers in those areas, he starts to look more ordinary. $7

43 Phillip Rivers Chargers,QB

Trending well; since 2007 he's increased Yardage and TD totals while reducing INT's every year. $7

44 Owen Daniels Texans, TE

This ranking assumes a full recovery and return to 2009 form, when he was a top TE. $7

45 Matt Forte Bears, RB

The teen equivalent of going from Prom King to Chess Club in one year. High School can be so cruel. $7

46 Jonathon Stewart Panthers, RB

Would love him if he was the workhorse back in this offense, but might have to wait a little while longer for that scenario to play out. $7

47 Marques Colston Saints, WR

That's Marcus with a "Q". Oh, of course it is Mrs. Colston, what a lovely child. $6

48 Steve Smith Giants, WR

A great #2 Fantasy WR that will give you week in week out receptions and yardage. $6

49 Santonio Holmes Steelers, WR

If Santonio Holmes career parallels Larry Holmes career we believe next season could be the Gerry Cooney fight where Holmes really finds his stride. $6

50 Tony Romo Cowboys, QB

Tony Romo does a little too much peacocking to be a true Cowboy. He fell flat in the final game. He has been a bit streaky but with Austin, Witten and Jones their offense looks to be dangerous. $6

You can approach your Fantasy Football Auction in three different ways and I think taking the Studs and Duds approach makes the most sense. In general, taking a Studs-N-Duds approach means to me; spending all auction money on a few players and paying around a dollar for all other players to fill the rest your lineup. I think there are two other mindsets you can have going into the auction; the first one would be creating a balanced communist team where you don't have any standouts and no real low end players. The third approach is basically having no approach and just flying by the seat of your pants. I don't know if there are exact definitions for any of these approaches and there are of course varying degrees of all three, but going forward, this is my mindset when I speak to each. Also, regardless of your approach, there should be a certain degree of flexibility if things get out of hand; severe under or over spending compared to fair auction values. You might have to roll with it when that happens and flip your strategy. In general though, if everything is equal I think Studs-N-Duds is the way to go.

Let's work our way from the bottom up. The "I have no strategy" approach requires almost zero discussion. Everyone knows the owners in their respective leagues who come in having just opened their fantasy magazine the night before and are mostly clueless. Let's be honest though, we don't mind these kinds of players. Hopefully they don't get too lucky and just end up donating their buy in to the league. If you're reading this article in June, chances are you are not this person.

If you actually do some research before your auction, chances are you might have talked yourself into the balanced team strategy at some point. While, I don't think this strategy is a disaster like the "I have no strategy" approach, I do think it is flawed. The main issue I have with it is too much depth on a roster. One might say, what's wrong with too much depth, my guys get hurt every year and I need solid backups. While I agree with that in theory, the problem lies in your lack of flexibility. I found this out first hand when I took this approach early in my auction career. You end up with such a stacked bench relative to everyone else; you're completely handcuffed to make any moves. Simply put, you can't make any additions via the waiver wire because you have no one to cut. Also, once the bye weeks start up, you will run into issues with filling positions you don't have a backup at (probably kicker, defense, TE and maybe even QB depending on your bench size). So you then have to cut someone that you shouldn't be cutting and then end up strengthening your opponent via waiver wire. Personally, I think a lot of the fun during the season is picking up players that come out of no where or have a lot of upside once a key starter gets injured. Last year nobody knew much about Jamaal Charles at the start of the season, but once he got the starting job, he was a guy you could ride to the championship. If you insist on creating a balanced team with depth, at least leave yourself one spot that you can cut without feeling too bad about it for a bye week pickup or a waiver wire gem.

The arguments against the balanced team approach end up being part of the reason why I think going in with the Studs-N-Duds (SND's) approach is best. When you spend your money early, you have no choice but to be left with some crappy players that maybe don't even belong on a roster. That's ok though, you've given yourself the opportunity to go after that WR that just had a breakout game (see Miles Austin or Sidney Rice last year) and the potential to become a star the rest of the season. There are so many players that come out of the woodwork during the year due to players getting injured in front of them or someone who just emerges as a superior talent. When that happens, you will always have a shot to add these players because you have someone you can cut with a clear conscience. Sure you might miss on a few or many of your waiver wire pick ups, but the fact is you'll be able to play it much more freely because you have bad players you can easily part with. It's just like a sales rep and cold calling, numbers, numbers, numbers, the more clients called on the more they convert to customers. Having this increase flexibility and by the sheer number of waiver moves you are allowed to make, you're bound to be able to land a couple players that pan out and when they do, all the better. Now you've just landed a waiver wire stud. Couple that with you're pre-established studs you bought in the auction and you could be on your way for a run at the championship. Conversely, if you have too much of a balanced team, you're much more reliant on the team you bought at the auction (that was based on preseason info and assumptions). Since you're more vested in the players you have and can't cut them, you're limited in the amount of transactions you can make. Thus have a much lower chance of being successful in mining the waiver wire because you're not getting enough good looks at players. Also, by going SND's, you don't get yourself into a bad spot where you're cutting good talent just so you can field a starting position where you have no back up and don't want to cut your starter.

For me though, the biggest reason to go SND's; if you spend your money on the best players early, you are getting the difference makers on your team. Every team needs a homerun hitter or two that can go out and win you the week. By spending your money on two to three big name high value players, you're setting yourself up for the opportunity to score big points each week. Those middle of the road guys just don't quite provide the pop a big name can. If you take middle of the road talent, expect middle of the road results. Sure, you might get a bunch of steady guys and every team needs some of those, but to win week in week out you need someone who can drop a monster game. I'd rather have Chris Johnson and some schmoes than have a bunch of mid-tier talent because I know Chris Johnson will win me some weeks outright by himself even if surrounded by waiver wire talent. You can always find QB's, WR's, TE's, K's and Def's on the waiver wire that are playable and maybe even have decent matchups. When sitting on a balanced team, you might get 40 points out of 2 RB's and 2 WR's and feel ok, but someone like a Chris Johnson or AP has the potential to put that up by themselves every week. Doesn't it seem like a lot of years, the guy who wins the league or does really well in the regular season is someone who had a player that had an incredible season? While players definitely can come from no where (which you are now free to go after on waiver wire), the best players most often end up being the ones that were expensive at the auction.

So let's say you got your studs and duds team and it's not working; you're not winning and you want to mix it up or you've taken multiple injuries to other positions. Providing your stud is performing, you can always sell him off in a 2 for 1 or 3 for 1 deal and get a bunch of fresh faces in the clubhouse. It's funny because usually it's the balanced team that is looking to trade to get the stud players. You never see the teams with the stud players out shopping them unless something awful has happened. So why not just pay for your studs right up front and build around them.

The only downside to the SND approach is injury and not having any trade value if your star(s) get injured. Truth is though, if one of your big horses goes down, your basically effed anyways. Even so, I'd argue that injuries are so unpredictable as far as who will get hurt and when, it's just not worth building a backup plan for. Most championship teams aren't won from someone's backup plan if their starters got hurt. Some seasons you're going to take more injuries than others. Sometimes you can manage through them, sometimes you can't. But if you build a mediocre team to try to handle potential injuries, expect average results. Go big or go home.

While I think the right strategy coming into an auction is going SND's, that's not to say you should spend all your money at foolish auction prices. I know I've written about being flexible at the auction in the past. I still agree with that theory, because if the Studs are just way too outrageous priced, you can't cripple your team by egregiously overspending. If that inflation does happen, you need to be flexible and acquire a more balanced team (and of course filling at least one roster spot with someone you can walk away from in 5 seconds flat if you smell a better player around the corner).

In general though, my mindset going into the auction is to get your studs early and be prepared to be an active manager who is always working the waiver wire to fill holes with solid prospects all season.