Quarterbacks are the marquis players of most NFL teams. They are sometimes male models (Tom Brady), accomplished hunters (Brett Favre), commercial actors (Peyton Manning), and occasionally dog fighters (Michael Vick), but they are always full-time awesome.  As football fans, we live and die by the quarterback. We watch them command the offense and throw huge TD bombs. We can all agree that running backs are generally better fantasy options, but there is something about having an incredible quarterback in your lineup that each fantasy football player loves.

So, please pay close attention to this list and draft accordingly.

1. Aaron Rodgers–GB
Most people looked at Favre leaving the Packers as the beginning of a great quarterback drought in Green Bay. Not the case. Aaron Rodgers’ steady climb up the fantasy ladder has him atop many fantasy quarterback lists for the upcoming season.  Even Brett Favre never reached 30 touchdowns with only 7 interceptions.  Expect him to be a first round pick in every league.

2. Drew Brees–NO
Productivity is Drew Brees’ best attribute.  Though his stats dropped off a little bit from his ridiculous 5,069 yard career high in ’09, he still threw 34 touchdowns (league high).  Even with the loss of Mike Bell as a nice 3rd down back, expect the offense to be back to their highflying ways.  It was a toss up between Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees for the No. 1 spot, and honestly, I chose Rodgers because he is 2 inches taller. Brees stands in the backfield at 6 foot flat.

3. Peyton Manning–IND
Manning just continues to be Mr. Consistency.  While Peyton haters looked forward to Peyton losing Marvin Harrison, we all began to realize that it doesn’t matter whom he’s throwing to.  Nobody thought that Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie would be able to fill in for Anthony Gonzalez who missed 15 weeks with a knee injury last year, but Garcon and Collie helped Peyton have his second best fantasy year since 2004’s 49 TD season.  With his deadly receiving core, Peyton is capable of anything.

4. Tom Brady–NE
Don’t call it a comeback.  Tom Brady wasn’t 100 percent back to his legendary 2008 fantasy season stats, but he did end up as a top 10 QB in most leagues. As a former 50 td passer, there is only up from his modest 28 TD number from 2009. Welker rebounding from his late season knee injury will dampen his numbers from the start, but Julian Edelman, who will be replacing Welker in the lineup, is practically Welker’s twin.  After getting embarrassed by the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs, the Pats will be looking to take revenge by keeping starters in the game and running up the score just like old days.

5. Tony Romo–DAL
“Miles who??” we all asked ourselves last year as we saw Tony Romo sling two touchdown bombs to Miles Austin, racking up 250 receiving yards in Week 5 to come from behind and beat the Chiefs. Now, just as Miles Austin is reaching elite receiver status, the Cowboys drafted another big name receiver with a lot of potential, Dez Bryant.  Tony Romo’s stock is quickly rising and so are the skills of the offensive weapons surrounding him. With Austin as the possession receiver and Bryant spreading the field as the second coming of T.O., Tony Romo will be deadlier than ever.

6. Matt Schaub–HOU
Matt Schaub is an animal.  Nine of his games last year he threw for 300 plus yards (tied for most in the league). He ended the season with the most yards in the league, and threw an impressive 29 touchdowns.  This is all due to the fact that Matt Schaub avoided injury last year. The last two years, he has only played 11 games and still managed to put up pretty impressive numbers.  With Andre Johnson, arguably the best receiver in the league, as a target and the return of the amazing Owen Daniels at tight end,  Schaub could even look to improve on what he did last year.  The biggest question has been the Texans’ run game; Ben Tate was picked in the second round of the 2010 draft. If he can have a Slaton-esq rookie year, he could take some pressure off of Schaub and force the defense to stack the box. The keys here are improvement in the run game and keeping Schaub healthy.

7. Philip Rivers–SD
It’s hard not to love Philip Rivers, on and off the field. He doesn’t drink, he doesn’t curse, and yet he still screams and fires up his team on the sidelines (not to mention his pinpoint accuracy and telekinesis-like connection with wide receiver Vincent Jackson). His teammates all speak extremely highly of him and would follow him into battle.  However tight his bond is with his team, many skeptics think that Rivers may be in his most difficult fantasy year to date.  With the three-game suspension of Vincent Jackson and the addition of “the super-hyped” Ryan Matthews at running back, it would seem that his numbers will decline.  Not the case. Rivers will remain an extremely safe QB because the Chargers’ running game has always helped open up Rivers’ passing game.  Also, Vincent Jackson will be missed for the first few games, but Malcolm Floyd proved to be extremely capable wide receiver, nearly matching V-Jax’s yards per catch. All will be well in Charger-land.

8. Kevin Kolb–PHI
The NFL’s biggest sleeper quarterback this year is Kevin Kolb.  People thought that Philadelphia was crazy for getting rid of Donovan McNabb.  It might have been just what they needed.  Due to McNabb’s durability issues, Kolb got to start two games in 2009, throwing for 391 yards one week and 327 yards the next week. “Where did this come from?” you might ask. We don’t know, either, but with DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek as targets, it’s easy to see how much upside Kevin Kolb has.

9. Brett Favre–MIN
(Note: there are rumors that Favre won’t play this year, so if he does retire, this pick is obviously obsolete) As long as you have a late August draft, Favre should be this high on your draft board.  Last year, my league drafted before Brett had made his big announcement, so a friend of mine drafted him as his last pick. We all laughed at first, but when he began the season 7-0 with Brett at the helm, we weren’t laughing anymore. Despite all the drama and his age, Brett Favre is still a very valuable fantasy player. With good offensive weapons and very strong offensive line, Favre will be able to perform as good as last year, if not better. With a very good playoff run that was ended by Garrett Hartley, expect Favre to suit up in the purple and white, hungry to get another Super bowl ring.

10. Joe Flacco–BAL
In 2008, the Baltimore Ravens were the most run-heavy offense in the NFL and in 2009, dropped back to the seventh most run-heavy offense.  With the addition of Anquan Boldin and Donte’ Stallworth in the offseason and the return of “Old Man” Mason, the Ravens will most likely be looking to the air just as much as the ground game this year.  These receivers are all very physical receivers and dish out hits just as much as hard as they take them.  Flacco will definitely reap the benefits of the Y.A.C. that they will rack up after breaking tackles. The Ravens have never been a passing team, but this year seems to be the turning point.  Flacco could be a steal in later rounds.

11. Alex Smith–SF
When Alex Smith got his first chance six weeks into the season, no one expected much. Smith has gotten a full offseason to work with a true No. 1 receiver in Michael Crabtree and Pro Bowl tight end Vernon Davis and now these three can begin to light up the scoreboard.  There are still a few developmental issues with Smith.  People question his leadership and play-making abilities. He threw for 18 touchdowns in his 10 starts in 2009, but he also threw 12 interceptions.  With improvements in the offensive line and the defense, Mike Singletary is building a team around his quarterback.  Smith knows that he has to produce with backups Shaun Hill and David Carr breathing down his neck.

12. Jay Cutler–CHI
Last year it seemed like every possession, Cutler was throwing interceptions. Racking up as many as five interceptions against San Francisco added to his tab of 26 total interceptions last season.  With the surprise explosion of Devin Aromashodu late in the season, Cutler kept his ratio down to 11 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. With the addition of Mike Martz, expect Cutler to be the feature of this offense. Martz is known for his pass-first, run-second mentality and with the young and fast wide receiving corps at his disposal, Cutler will improve this year.

13. Donovan McNabb–WAS
The situation for Donovan McNabb in Washington is not ideal. Standing behind an offensive line that allowed 40 sacks last year, the injury prone 33-year-old McNabb will be extremely vulnerable. However, Donovan is taking a hands-on approach and took Devin Thomas, Santana Moss and Malcolm Kelly to Arizona for a week of intense training in the desert. Could “Hell Week” as Donovan calls it, bond them together and produce fantasy results? Here’s to hoping.

14. Eli Manning–NYG
Post plantar fasciitis, Eli Manning will rebound this year. The Giants are a balanced team and proved that their relatively unknown wide receiving corps could put up very good numbers.  The lesser known Steve Smith of the Giants put up much better numbers than Steve Smith of the Panthers. Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks will compete for the No. 2 spot. Each had around 800 yards and 5 touchdowns apiece.  If all goes according to plan, Eli will have the defense confused on whom to double cover.

15. Matt Ryan–ATL
With Michael Turner in the backfield and receiving targets like Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White, how did Matt Ryan throw have such a down year last year? Their offense was injury riddled and didn’t even make the playoffs.  This year if Ryan and the rest of his crew can stay healthy and in sync, he might play as well as his rookie year. Who knows, maybe he can make a few more Gillette commercials while he’s at it.

16. Carson Palmer–CIN
Everyone laughed last year when Ochocinco went on ESPN and told the anchors that they would win 12 games last season.  The Bengals weren’t too far off from Chad’s prediction. They won the division and went 10-6. Carson Palmer has very little excuse to not repeat that success this year. Offseason acquisitions Terrell Owens and Antonio Bryant could make Palmer a Top 10 quarterback this year.  Ochocinco has been calling this the  “Dream Team.” He might be right.  Palmer has all these weapons at his disposal and a pretty good ground game too.  Balance with the offense should make Palmer highly productive this season.

17. Mark Sanchez–NYJ
The Jets surprised everyone including head coach Rex Ryan, who told everyone in a press conference that the Jets couldn’t make the playoffs.  Well, the Jets did make the playoffs and even advanced past the Wild Card round.  Does this mean that Mark Sanchez will take you to your fantasy league playoffs? Not necessarily.  The Jets are a running team that prides themselves on their shut down defense.  Don’t get me wrong, Mark Sanchez has a ton of raw talent, but is not an elite fantasy quarterback.  He threw just12 touchdowns (less than one a game) and 20 interceptions (more than one a game!).  A year under his belt, the addition of Santonio Holmes, and a full offseason with Braylon Edwards could help Sanchez be more productive for your fantasy team.

18. Matt Stafford–DET
When he’s not doing cheesy Axe commercials, he is the quarterback of one of the worst teams in the NFL.  Even though his team is less than stellar, Stafford managed to prove that he will be the face of the franchise.  I looked on in amazement at the seemingly irrelevant game between the Lions and the Browns last year.  All of America fell in love with Matt Stafford that day. After separating his shoulder on the previous play, he threw the final touchdown as time expired. This wasn’t just any touchdown, it set the record for youngest quarterback to throw for 5 touchdowns and it set the single game rookie passing record at a whopping 422 yards.  Before you get too excited, remember that this was against the BROWNS.  There are some serious problems with his offensive line. The Lions are committed to surrounding Stafford with offensive weapons with the addition of Nate Burleson at wide out and Jahvid Best at Running back. As Brett Favre told Stafford after the Lions lost to the Vikings, “Keep Slinging.” So we hope that Stafford does “Keep Slinging.”

19. Chad Henne–MIA
Chad Henne proved a few games last year that he can air the ball out.  He had three games where they threw over 300 yards last year.  This was on a team that is known for their “run-only” wildcat formation.  Given that he is on a run-heavy team, they are focusing on improving their passing game with the addition of Brandon Marshall.  Brandon Marshall is not a home run hitter, though, but he is a fantastic possession receiver.  Don’t expect Brandon Marshall to be the answer to Henne’s passing woes.  He is an excellent backup quarterback option.  He has the ability to put up pretty good numbers, but the Dolphins will remain a running team.

20. Ben Roethlisberger–PIT
There is no player in the NFL that has shot himself in the foot as many times as Big Ben Roethlisberger (except Plaxico Burress).  The concussions, helmetless motorcycle accidents, and most recently his sexual harassment problems. Serving a six-game suspension, Ben will be the biggest wild card on draft day. The only way that I think he will be valuable fantasy-wise is if you draft an injury prone quarterback in the earlier rounds like Matt Schaub or Donovan McNabb and pray that they stay healthy until Roethlisberger is back in Week Seven.  The other way that he could be helpful is that if you have a quarterback with a bye week after Week 6, Big Ben would be a great bye week replacement.  He won’t lead your team to a fantasy championship, but he will put up great numbers and may dig you out of your 0-6 start.  Pass on Big Ben.

21. Vince Young, TEN – Young didn’t get the start for Tennessee until Week Seven, leading them to finish the season 8-2. Young could be a great fantasy option this year.

22. Matt Leinart, ARI – Leinart had his chance his rookie year and fell flat, the Cardinals will to shift to the run game.

23. Matt Cassel, KC – He still has serious accuracy issues and throws way too many interceptions.
24. Jason Campbell, OAK – Campbell had a lot of arm strength and will be passing to a notoriously fast, but brick handed WR corps.
25. Sam Bradford, STL – Bradford will have very little talent around him this season in St. Louis. It’s going to be a building process.
26. David Garrard, JAX – He has been very consistent on a mediocre level for the past two years hovering around 3,600 yards a season.
27. Kyle Orton, DEN – If he is the starter on Week One, he can still produce, just much less than last year. Avoid Kyle Orton.
28. Matt Hasselbeck, SEA – Hasselbeck is 34 and hands out interceptions, expect Whitehurst to start halfway through the season.
29. Matt Moore, CAR – He finished the season by throwing a total of 8 touchdowns in the last four games.  He could be a sleeper.
30. Josh Freeman, TB – Josh Freeman is a very mobile quarterback and at the age of 22, has upside for keeper leagues.
31. Byron Leftwich, PIT – Leftwich will get another chance as a starter the first six weeks during Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension. He’ll be sidelined after that.
32. Trent Edwards, BUF – Edwards has been placed into an environment that few quarterbacks could thrive in. No offensive line and very few playmakers.
33. Tarvaris Jackson, MIN – If Brett doesn’t come back, Jackson will start, and has a great offense around him. He struggles with accuracy.
34. Charlie Whitehurst, SEA – He has never played in an NFL game in 4 years with the chargers, but just signed a 2-year, $8 million deal in Seattle.
35. Jake Delhomme, CLE – He was benched midway through last season and with less weapons in Cleveland, he’ll struggle.
36. Jimmy Clausen, CAR – Matt Moore will presumably be the starter in Carolina, so avoid Clausen.
37. Seneca Wallace, CLE – If Delhomme collapses like he did last year in Carolina (strong possibility), Seneca will be ready for the start.
38. Rex Grossman, WAS – He throws more picks that touchdowns, and once again he will be a backup.
39. Brady Quinn, DEN – If the rumors are true and Orton is getting shopped around, Quinn could get the start.
40. Chris Redman, ATL – Redman stepped up when Matt Ryan was injured last year and put up very mediocre numbers.
41. Derek Anderson, ARZ – This former Pro Bowler has a horrible completion percentage and won’t see the field unless Leinart gets injured.
42. Matt Flynn, GB – He has only thrown the ball 17 times in his NFL career and has a 37 passer rating.  Enough said.
43. Josh Johnson, TB – He needs a lot more time to develop into a quarterback, but there are rumors of him becoming a wide receiver, which is noteworthy for keeper leagues.
44. Ryan Fitzpatrick, BUF – If he can impress the coaches more than Trent Edwards in camp, he could claim the starting spot back.
45. Jon Kitna, DAL – Last year, Kitna didn’t throw one pass, and it doesn’t look like he will be seeing the field anytime soon.
46. Brodie Croyle, KC – If you get stuck with Cassel and he goes down, Croyle could be an option, not a good option.
47. Tim Tebow, DEN – During Tebow’s freshman year at Florida, he was only used in gadget plays like the Wildcat, and that seems to be Denver’s plan too.
48. BillyVolek, SD – If Rivers does get injured, Volek has shown that he can be productive.
49. Troy Smith, BAL – He is very undersized and has lots of accuracy problems, but Flacco does take lots of hits.
50. Dan Orlovsky, HOU – With a stacked offense in Houston, if Schaub gets injured, which he has a history of, Orlovsky would become the starter.

For more, check out our rankings of the Top 30 Fantasy Defenses and the Top 75 Running Backs.