Top Ten Fantasy Football Value Picks of 2011
By Adam McGill
Fantasy football is normally not won by the glamour picks such as Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees, but rather the impressive late round picks such as Cam Newton or Jordy Nelson. Value picks help fill out a fantasy squad, and can either make a team sit in the basement or round out a roster of Pro Bowlers. Below are the top-ten fantasy football value picks of the past year:
10. QB Eli Manning, NYG – Manning went from 27 turnovers in 2010 to only 16 in all of 2011. He set career highs in passing yards (4,933) and passing attempts (589), throwing for more yards than any other Giants’ quarterback in team history. He showcased his talents in the playoffs by beating last year’s Super Bowl Champions, the Green Bay Packers, and this could end up being a repeat of New York’s dream 2007 Championship run.
9. WR A.J. Green, CIN – The rookie from Georgia carried an otherwise mediocre Bengals’ passing attack. Green caught 65 passes for an impressive 1,057 yards with 7 touchdowns. He may have struggled with one touchdown in his last five games, but he was able to have a tremendous fantasy impact in the first two months of the year. He is bound to get better with time after catching passes from fellow rookie Andy Dalton, so do not be surprised to see Green in Hawaii soon.
8. QB Cam Newton, CAR – Newton was drafted in fantasy leagues around the nation, but the difference being that he was in no way drafted to be a starter in fantasy. The rookie ended the season fifth in the NFL with 35 total touchdowns (21 passing and 14 rushing) from a quarterback and proved every analyst wrong in the process.
7. RB Beanie Wells, ARI - After missing the majority of the 2010 season with a rib injury and a torn meniscus in his knee, Wells came back with a vengeance in 2011. He posted the first 10 touchdown season of his career, as the 23-year old also went over the 1,000 yard mark for the first time. He was typically picked after the fifth round and the former Ohio State star proved to be a great second back for owners. Wells’ breakout season put him on the map as far as fantasy running backs go, and he will not come so cheaply in 2012.
6. QB Matthew Stafford, DET - Stafford was a favorable sleeper heading into this year, but he still slipped past the fifth round in a majority of leagues. The former first round pick brought the Lions’ out of the basement with 41 passing touchdowns and over 5,000 passing yards, far surpassing any expectations that fantasy owners had of the youngster. He posted numbers comparable to Packers’ star quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, but was available six rounds later.
5. TE Jimmy Graham, NO – Graham went into the year relatively unknown and quickly became the best late round pick in the game. He caught 1,300 yards and 11 touchdowns from a tight end position, and was easily quarterback, Drew Brees’ favorite target. He was drafted after Jason Witten and Tony Gonzalez in almost every league, but yet outshined two of the best in the game.
4. WR Jordy Nelson, GB – Nelson torched the opposing team’s secondary with 15 touchdown grabs this past season and was shockingly quarterback, Aaron Rodgers’ most trusted downfield target even over Greg Jennings. Nelson was third in the league in touchdown receptions and the former Kansas State star has matured well in Mike McCarthy’s offense.
3. RB Marshawn Lynch, SEA – Lynch may have been embarrassing early in the year by averaging 35 yards in his first four starts, but he quickly cranked it up into “Beast Mode”. He ended the season by scoring 12 touchdowns in the last 12 games and as predicted was the player to taste pay-dirt (or Taste the Rainbow) and ended the 49ers’ streak of fourteen consecutive games without a rushing touchdown against them. Lynch was viewed as a bench running back heading into the year, even after his sensational 67-yard run in the playoffs last season, but still put up numbers like a solid number one back. Lynch’s season was the definition of how to have patience in your fantasy backs and for a reminder just ask one of the guys who bailed on him after the first month.
2. WR Victor Cruz, NYG – Cruz was not only undrafted in almost every league, but he was not even on a roster until week 3. He surprised the G-men faithful by becoming the main deep threat in New York as Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks were forced to play second fiddle to the speedster during the regular season.
1. TE Rob Gronkowski, NE – Gronkowski may have been drafted as a starting tight end this year, but no one expected him to outscore several quarterbacks through the course of the fantasy season. ”Rob Gron” scored an unprecedented 18 touchdowns for a tight end as he outscored every skilled player in the league. He gave fantasy owners’ a definite advantage from the “TE” position, as he more often than not scored as many points as two or three tight ends combined.
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