After the “fax-gate” scenario that led to Elvis Dumervil being released by the Denver Broncos, it was clear to everyone that the All-Pro defensive end was looking for work elsewhere. Yet for all intents and purposes, there really was only one team other than the Broncos that had a chance of signing Dumervil all along: [...]
As the Chicago Blackhawks gear-up for the final third of their season, they find themselves in the unique position of having not one, but two first class goalies. Starter Corey Crawford is top five in wins (5th with 13), goals against average (2nd: 1.86), and save percentage (4th: .926) and whenever coach Joel Quenneville decides [...]
Sure, you might remember Detroit Tigers DH Victor Martinez as the guy who missed the entire 2012 season with a torn ACL in his left knee that required surgery. The guy who is currently in the Tigers camp in that spot looks nothing like that, though. In fact, you might even say that Martinez looks [...]
As the NBA’s regular season quickly winds down, I’ll take a look at each player on the Indiana Pacers‘ roster — focusing on the season they’ve had to this point and their potential future with the franchise. Calling Paul George’s third season a breakout year for the 6-foot-8 wing seems like an injustice to him. [...]
With a lot of uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position for the Oklahoma State Cowboys there is a desperate need for other skill position players to step-up and take some pressure off of the QBs in Stillwater. OSU’s best bet to do that will be with their running backs. Despite the loss of their top rusher [...]
The No. 4 Michigan Wolverines and No. 3 Michigan State Spartans were the first Big Ten teams to make it to the Sweet 16, but there were two other Big Ten teams to join them today. The No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers and No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes both won today and will be playing in [...]
College basketball fans could not have asked for a better way to get their Sunday started when it comes to the 2013 NCAA Tournament as the Round of 32 matchup between Ohio State and Iowa State went down to the final seconds before Aaron Craft hit the game-winning three-point shot with .5 seconds left. The [...]
No. 7 San Diego State vs. No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast Yes, you read those teams names correctly. No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast advanced through to the third round, after not just shocking No. 2 Georgetown, but absolutely manhandling the Hoyas. The Eagles led by as much as 19 points in their win on Friday [...]
Dallas Cowboys‘ star wide receiver Dez Bryant had the best season of his career in 2012. He and teammate Tony Romo finally established a connection that translated into production on the field and in fantasy football. The stats were there. Dez had 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns. Dez had an average draft position of the [...]
After racking up back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons and coming off a 20-touchdown campaign in 2011, Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean “Shady” McCoy had very high expectations heading into 2012. Highly regarded as a top-three running back in many fantasy football circles, Shady proved to be anything but that this season, piling on just 1,213 total [...]
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It is well-known among fantasy football circles that the running back position is the most scarce almost every year. But what about the tight end position? The 2011 season ushered in a new generation of tight ends, a group that was more athletically gifted and fit for a more hybrid tight end/wide receiver role than [...]
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RB Ray Rice has been everything and more for the city of Baltimore since joining the NFL back in 2008. The Baltimore Ravens running back has demonstrated consistency carrying the rock, as he has rushed for over 1,000 yards in his last four seasons. He has been extremely durable, despite an average of 277.25 rushing [...]
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RB Vick Ballard may not be the sharpest tool in the shed in terms of production, but with a little opportunity, he could be just the right running back depth your looking for in 2013. Since filling in for incumbent starter Donald Brown back in Week 6, Ballard has proven to be a solid option [...]
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Some might view 2012 as a down year for Calvin Johnson as he went from having 16 touchdowns in 2011 to just five in 2012.
He did, however, finish the year with a career-high 1,964 receiving yards, crushing hall-of-fame WR Jerry Rice's NFL record for 1,848 receiving yards in a single season. Johnson also managed to finish as fantasy football's No. 1 receiver with a total of 220.40 fantasy points to cap off the year. So what is this Madden Curse everyone’s talking about, because I sure didn’t see it. Megatron is the real deal.
Beyond the usual stud performances, 2012 also saw returning faces to the top 10 such as Brandon Marshall, who swapped teams in the off-season to reunite with his best bud Jay Cutler in the Windy City.
The last time Cutler was throwing passes to Marshall (2009), the pair connected for 101 catches, 1,120 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning Marshall All-Pro honors for the first time in his career. So news of a Cutler/Marshall reunion definitely had fantasy circles excited but 118 catches for 1,508 and 11 touchdowns was something else entirely.
The 2012 off-season also elevated the talent of some lesser-known wideouts such as Demaryius Thomas who finished the season as fantasy’s No. 5 receiver, making the transition from fan-favorite Tim Tebow to all-time great Peyton Manning look easy, not that it needed much effort from Thomas’ part.
Also, the Packer duo James Jones and Randall Cobb proved that all they needed was an opportunity to get on the field to show the NFL universe that they belong in the top 20 group of receivers heading into 2013.
Outside of RB Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin is clearly the next best option in the Vikings offense.
Though, after some heated exchanges with coach Leslie Frazier prior to being placed on injured reserve, Harvin's relationship with the Vikings couldn't come into question at a worse time as Harvin enters the final year on his rookie contract in 2013.
Anything can happen in this business that is the NFL, but if you have the confidence to overlook this mishap, Harvin is easily a top 10 receiver based on the way he's heavily used in the Vikings offense.
Despite the erratic play of QB Christan Ponder for most of the season, the Vikings made it their mission to get Harvin the ball, and he was on a statistical tear (particularly in PPR formats) through nine games before going down with an ankle injury in Week 9 and ultimately being shelved for the remainder of the season.
An all-around football player that can lineup outside, inside, in the backfield and on special teams, Harvin will have plenty of opportunities to succeed. Only question to ask yourself is, will the Vikings plan life without Harvin or find ways to get the ball into their best receiver's hands?
Victor Cruz did plenty of salsa dancing through the first seven games of the season, accounting for seven touchdowns during that span.
But things began turning in the wrong direction for the New York Giants and, as a result, Cruz' numbers experienced a decline, catching only three touchdowns over the final nine games and racking up over 100 yards just twice during that span.
Despite the slow finish, Cruz seemed to be QB Eli Manning's only reliable target in the passing game, with WR Hakeem Nicks and TE Martellus Bennett in and out of the lineup with injuries.
A Healthier Nicks lined up opposite Cruz should only improve Cruz' fantasy outlook for next season, taking away some of the coverage. But even if Nicks isn't able to go a full 16 games, which is likely considering his injury history, that too will improve Cruz' value.
Cruz will be a low-end WR1 with upside.
Vincent Jackson felt right at home with his new team the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, besting his career numbers across the board with 69 receptions for 1,334 yards (88.9 YPG) and eight touchdowns.
Featured heavily in the most balanced offense he's been in since joining the NFL back in 2005 that features rookie sensation RB Doug Martin, who has proven to be a threat in the ground game, and WR Mike Williams, who will demand some attention from opposing defenses after a strong season in first-year coach Greg Schiano's offensive system, Jackson has finally found a team that can maximize his potential on a consistent basis.
Jackson finishes the season as fantasy's No. 6 wideout in total points and should remain in the top 10 in 2013.
Julio Jones had an exceptional year in 2012 but will need to improve his consistency a bit if he wants to be considered in the same category as Calvin Johnson and A.J. Green.
Jones was absolutely dominant on the road, averaging 15.4 fantasy points on the road as opposed to 7.6 points at home.
But his presence alone makes him an intriguing top 10 option. Blessed with that rare combination of size and speed, Jones is a home-run threat on any given play and has proven that he can blow right past defenders to make plays over the top of opposing defenses.
With the return of first year OC Dirk Koetter, Jones and the rest of the Atlanta Falcons offense will get a bump up in a fantasy value heading into 2013.
Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker were definitely on fantasy football radars heading into 2012 based on the presence of new addition QB Peyton Manning.
With Thomas and Decker finishing the season as fantasy's No. 5 and 7 wideouts in 2012, that speculation was rightfully justified.
It was no secret that the addition of Manning would elevate the entire Denver Broncos offense after a lucky season with fan-favorite Tim Tebow in the previous year, but seeing Thomas make the jump from 32/70/4 with Tebow to 94/1,434/10 with Manning is like trading in a nice Honda for a Lamborghini.
The combination of exceptional athletic ability and a top 5 NFL quarterback will be enough to consider Thomas as a first-round, second-round fantasy draft selection in 2013.
After a slow start to the season in which Andre Johnson averaged 3.4 catches, 56.6 yards and just 0.4 touchdowns through the first five games, outsiders wondered if Johnson had lost a step in his age 31 campaign.
What most people failed to realize was that Johnson was having a difficult time getting used to playing on his twice surgically repaired knee that he had done in the off-season.
Johnson would, however, finish the season on a strong note, amassing 112 catches for 1,598 yards and four touchdowns, placing him eighth among fantasy wideouts.
The highlight of Johnson's season came in Week 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars when Johnson single-handedly won the game with his 14/273/1 on the day.
Johnson will return to a Texans' run-heavy offense, but remains one of the most dangerous wideouts heading into 2013 and will continue to serve as QB Matt Schaub's go-to-receiver.
The long awaited emergence of Dez Bryant finally came in 2012.
Despite sustaining a fractured left index finger in Week 14 at Cincinnati, Bryant finished the season as one of fantasy's hottest receivers, averaging 19.75 fantasy points over the last seven games, and connecting on 10 touchdowns over that span.
After a strong finish, where Bryant earned career-highs in catches (92), yards (1,382) and touchdowns (12), fantasy's No. 3-ranked receiver should return in 2013 at a high level.
A.J. Green had a monster start to the season, pulling in 10 touchdowns through the first 11 weeks.
He was fantasy's No. 1 wideout for most of the season until opposing defenses started to get crafty and rolled extra coverage Green's way. After going 10 straight weeks with a touchdown, Green finished his final six games with just one score. He would finish the season as fantasy's No. 4 receiver.
With QB Andy Dalton showing progress in his second-year and the ground game running sharp behind a strong offensive line led by T Andre Smith, look for Green to remain one of fantasy's elite receiving options with one of the NFL's youngest, most promising teams in 2013.
Making the move from Miami to Chicago was definitely in Brandon Marshall's best interest, besting his career totals in catches (118), yards (1,508) and touchdowns (11).
The reunion between Marshall and QB Jay Cutler certainly panned out the way most people expected, after the success they had together during their Denver days.
Despite a workable ground game that consisted of RB Matt Forte and Michael Bush, Marshall still managed to garner 194 targets on the season, looking like Cutler's only trusted receiver in the passing game.
The great-working chemistry between the two will continue in 2013.
Calvin Johnson's No. 1 ranking is certainly justified after a record-breaking performance in 2012.
If Johnson wasn't going to see the end-zone 16 times, he was definitely going to make up for it by piling on the yardage. Johnson rode an eight-game streak of 100+ yards on his way to 1,964 yards to break Hall-of-Fame Jerry Rice's NFL record for most receiving yards in a single season.
After the Lions fell out of contention for a playoff berth, the team re-shifted their focus to getting Johnson that NFL record, which is quite evident when you look at Johnson's unreal 204 targets on the year.
If 2012 is any indication, Johnson will continue to be the NFL's most dominant receiver.
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Fantasy football’s No. 14-ranked receiver in 2012 is moving on up and should be on everyone’s fantasy radar heading into 2013 with the way this 49er finished the season. In his fourth year, Michael Crabtree has established himself as the clear No. 1 option in the San Francisco 49ers‘ passing game. His strong finish can [...]
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Running backs had a very special year in fantasy football leagues throughout 2012, but no one had a better year than Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson.
Peterson was the talk of the season after becoming just the seventh player in history to rush for over 2,000 yards and falling just nine yards short of Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record. Oh, I forgot to mention he had reconstructive knee surgery in the off-season and wasn't even expected to suit up in Week 1, let alone have one of the best seasons of his career.
However, Peterson wasn't the only surprise of 2012. After a mediocre first-half, rookie Doug Martin took the NFL by storm after he rumbled for 251 yards and four scores against the Oakland Raiders back in Week 9, totaling an unreal 51.20 fantasy points. Martin would finish his first-year as fantasy football's second-best running back (only behind Peterson).
Just like any other season, 2012 saw it’s fair share of injuries to some key names such as Darren McFadden, DeMarco Murray and Maurice Jones-Drew, but gave way fresh faces such as rookies Alfred Morris, Trent Richardson and Martin.
We witnessed emerging stars such as C.J. Spiller, Stevan Ridley and BenJarvus Green-Ellis who have waited patiently in the shadows for their opportunity
In 2012 fantasy drafts, if you had a middle to late selection, you probably felt obligated to draft Chris Johnson if he fell in your lap somewhere between picks 5-15, but 2013 offers a deeper class of running backs where Johnson isn’t even found on my top 10 list.
Here are my top 10 running backs for 2013:
LeSean McCoy had a bit of a down year as coach Andy Reid seemed reluctant to feed his star running back the ball in 2012.
Even in a season where the offensive line was ravaged by injuries and the quarterback was getting absolutely no time to get rid of the ball, the Eagles just never seemed to get the ground game going or even give it a chance, which is odd since McCoy is widely viewed as a top 5 back in the NFL.
Well, since the season ended, the Philadelphia Eagles fired their longtime head coach and appear to be headed for an overhaul this off-season. With Michael Vick likely to be the first casualty, look for rookie QB Nick Foles to step in as the Eagles new signal caller.
What does that mean for McCoy's 2013 fantasy outlook?
Expect the Eagles to enter 2013 with a more run-heavy approach, utilizing their best offensive weapon while having up-and-comer Bryce Brown contribute in a change-of-pace role.
Because of the uncertainty that surrounds the Eagles, starting from the quarterback situation down to the offensive line, McCoy is ranked 10 on my list. But his ability to run hard and contribute in the passing game make him an attractive RB1 option.
All C.J. Spiller needed was an opportunity, and that's exactly what the explosive running back got when starter Fred Jackson went down with an injury in Week 1.
Since then, Spiller hasn't looked back, rushing the ball 207 times for 1,244 yards (6.0 YPC) and six touchdowns. He also added 43 catches for 459 yards (YPC 10.7) and two touchdowns, as he finished seventh among running backs in fantasy football (despite playing in an even timeshare with Jackson for most of the season).
Coach Chan Gailey was let go by the Buffalo Bills at the end of the regular season, which bodes well for Spiller's 2013 fantasy outlook, since it was Gailey who was committed to getting Jackson the rock.
Jackson admitted that he wants to return to Buffalo, even if that means playing second fiddle to Spiller.
I still can't picture Jackson being completely phased out of the offense, but I definitely envision an uptick in touches for Spiller in the near future. He'll be a high-end RB1 in 2013.
Trent Richardson served as the engine for the Cleveland Browns young offense in 2012.
He was everything and more as he ran hard on every play, contributed in the passing game and blocked well. It didn't take long for Richardson to take over as an every down back, and he would finish his rookie year as the ninth-best running back with 950 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns while also racking up 51 catches for 367 yards and a score.
Injuries hampered the second half of Richardson's season, as he openly spoke about how those injuries made it more difficult for him to run hard.
But if his production in the first half of the regular season is any indication of what 2013 will be, then I'm on board with Richardson as my eighth-best running back.
The Browns are the youngest, and one of the most promising teams heading into 2013. Richardson figures to be the primary beneficiary from the success that awaits this historic franchise.
Boy was the Ravens offense bad in 2012. And despite a 9-4 record, the Ravens ranked just 18th in total offense, which led OC Cam Cameron out the door midway through the season.
Despite the Ravens offensive struggles, Ray Rice was the lone bright spot for the team. Rice finished the season sixth among running backs in fantasy, and accounted for 1,143 rushing yards and nine touchdowns while adding 61 catches for 478 yards and a touchdown through the air.
Rice figures to remain as the focal point in the Ravens offense in 2013, as the Joe Flacco experiment didn't seem to work out as expected in 2012.
Rice will be a high-end RB1 entering the 2013 season.
Alfred Morris was one of the biggest surprises of 2012, as he successfully put coach Mike Shanahan's shenanigans to rest.
What was once a backfield committee that consisted of Roy Helu, Evan Royster and Morris, has simply turned out to be the Morris Show.
The presence of Robert Griffin III also bodes well for the young back as RG3's ability to take off running prevents opposing defenses from stacking the box against Morris.
Morris will continue to benefit from RG3's unique attributes in the 2013 fantasy football season.
Jamaal Charles rounds out the top 5 thanks to the Chiefs recent acquisition of head coach Andy Reid.
Charles has always been that explosive, home-run threat. But there were times in 2012 where former coach Romeo Crennel would sort of forget about his most dangerous offensive weapon (odd, I know).
Worry no more, Reid has shown that he can groom elite running backs as he did with LeSean McCoy in Philadelphia. Charles figures to see his PPR value skyrocket in 2013, as Reid is known to get his backs the ball in space.
Marshawn Lynch, better known as Beast Mode, was at it again in 2013.
Leading Seattle's young offense on the ground for a career-high 1,590 yards and 11 touchdowns, and just second to Adrian Peterson in rushing yards on the season, Lynch has proven to fantasy football owners that he belongs in the elite group of running backs.
In an offense that prides itself on the run, Lynch's 2013 fantasy outlook is looking brighter each time Russell Wilson takes the field. Operating the read-option as well as any quarterback, Wilson's versatility bodes well for Lynch's fantasy value as opposing defenses can't afford to let Wilson roam free while stacking the box to stop Lynch.
Lynch will continue to be a focal point in the Seahawks offensive game plan in 2013, and is a high-end RB1 worth taking in the top 5 of your fantasy drafts.
Doug Martin comes in at third.
He'll only be in his sophomore year, but the Muscle Hamster showed plenty of promise in his rookie season, rushing for 1,454 yards and 11 touchdowns while adding 49 catches for 472 yards and a score.
He's a complete back, much like Ray Rice, that not only runs hard, but catches and blocks well too.
Successfully keeping backup RB LeGarrette Blount at bay all season, Martin has proven that he can be a bell cow in this league, and will continue to be the feature back in an offense that features Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams in the passing game.
Tampa's offense is surely one to keep an eye on for 2013, and Martin should be a top 3 running back by season's end.
Arian Foster was at it again in 2012, racking up 1,424 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns while adding 49 catches for 472 yards and a score through the air.
Foster finished third among running backs in fantasy land, but will be a candidate for the No. 1 overall pick in 2013 fantasy drafts.
In a Houston offense that makes the running game a priority, Foster will have every opportunity to succeed once again in 2013. Gary Kubiak has made it his personal mission to get Foster the ball 25-28 times per game, and that was evident as Foster finished the season with an NFL-leading 351 carries.
All Day gets the top spot over Arian Foster for obvious reasons, he's absolutely matchup proof, a freak of nature and consistently earns more yards than the entire passing game.
Accounting for 2,097 yards (nine yards shy of Eric Dickerson's NFL record for most rushing yards in a single season) and 12 touchdowns after less than a year removed from reconstructive knee surgery, Peterson defied all odds and had one of the best seasons of his remarkable career.
He's easily fantasy's best running back, and arguably fantasy's best all-around player.
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After Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions accumulated 5,000+ yards and 41 touchdowns through the air in 2011, the copycat league that is the NFL decided to take notice, and in 2012 it seemed like almost every offense transitioned into a pass-happy scheme (except for maybe the Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers and Washington Redskins).
2012 surely witnessed the long awaited emergence of Matt Ryan and Josh Freeman, two former first-rounders who are still trying to establish themselves as elite. They've definitely taken a step in the right direction this season, however, as it appears the shackles have finally been removed, and are being trusted with bigger roles in their respected offenses.
Fantasy football owners also experienced a strange wave of successful rookie quarterbacks in Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson (all of whom finished in the top 10 among quarterbacks in fantasy rankings).
But this season wouldn't have been as magical if it wasn't for the extraordinary comeback of one of the all-time greats, Peyton Manning, who silenced his doubters by leading his new team to a 13-3 record and capturing the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
That said, 2013 will be a season in which fantasy football owners don't feel obligated in selecting one of the Big Three quarterbacks (Rodgers, Brees or Brady) because if 2012 showed us anything, it's that there's a longer list than usual of quarterbacks that can put up big numbers.
Here is a list of the top 10 quarterbacks heading into the 2013 fantasy football season.
Despite almost throwing for 5,000 yards in back-to-back seasons (4,967 yards in 2012), Matthew Stafford's 20 total touchdowns was largely a disappointment in fantasy land this year.
In the aftermath of Stafford and Calvin Johnson's rare 2011 season, where the pair connected for 16 touchdowns, opposing defenses seemed to figure out how to take the league's most dominant receiver out of the game by constantly rolling a safety over the top to prevent Johnson and Stafford from connecting on any big plays.
The duo would eventually gain momentum and pile on the yards (as Johnson crushed Jerry Rice's NFL record for most receiving yards in a single season), but they never seemed to get it going down in the red-zone.
We did, however, see a glimpse of what could be with a healthy (and cooperative) Titus Young, Ryan Broyles and Brandon Pettigrew in the lineup to take some of the pressure off of Megatron.
Stafford will have to clean-up that sloppy technique and show a little more trust in his star receiver before regaining the trust of his fantasy football owners. But, the Lions remain one of the most pass-happy teams in the NFL, and it's hard not to include a strong-armed quarterback that his Megatron at his disposal.
As scary as Andrew Luck was in his first season in the pros, year two will be much scarier.
Finishing the season as fantasy's ninth-ranked quarterback, Luck has brought longtime-Colt Reggie Wayne back to fantasy relevance. He even sparked life into T.Y. Hilton and Donnie Avery, making them nice sleepers for the 2013 fantasy football season.
Given his large frame, it would be easy to forget that Luck can be dangerous with his legs. At the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine, Luck ran a 40-yard dash (4.59) .01 seconds under Cam Newton (4.58). He prefers his arm as his weapon of choice, however, accounting for 4,374 passing yards and 23 touchdowns as opposed to 255 yards (4.1 YPC) and five touchdowns on the ground.
With a full season under his belt, I can't wait to see how much this Stanford alumni has matured in his second-year.
It's difficult to bet against Russell Wilson, especially at home, after the way he finished the 2012 season.
Leading his team to a 11-5 record and an NFC Wild Card spot in the playoffs, joining fellow rookie quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III (both of whom are on this list), Wilson finished as fantasy's 10th-ranked quarterback (ahead of Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Matthew Stafford). He also led all rookies and broke Peyton Manning's rookie record for most touchdown passes in a single season with 26, while racking up an additional 489 rushing yards and four scores.
His versatility and calm demeanor allow him to operate the read-option attack as well as anyone right now. And don't be fooled by his height, he has some of the biggest hands for any human being and a big arm to go with it.
Wilson has shown plenty of growth and maturity, and has brought balance to the Seahawks offensive attack, all of which has cemented his status in my top 10 quarterbacks for 2013.
Matt Ryan had his coming out party in 2012, finally emerging as the top 10 quarterback everyone expected him to be coming out of Boston College.
With one of the best wide receiver tandems in all of football (Roddy White and Julio Jones), along with a savvy old veteran in TE Tony Gonzalez, it was going to be hard for Matt Ryan not to succeed.
Proving to adapt well in first-year OC Dirk Koetter's new system, Ryan finishes the fantasy season as the seventh-ranked quarterback, and outside of a couple poor performances, was fairly strong throughout the season, racking up 4,719 yards and 32 touchdowns.
With news that Koetter has decided to remain with Atlanta rather than interview for head coaching vacancies around the NFL, Ryan will look to capitalize following his best season.
Cam Newton was going through a bit of a sophomore slump early in the season, forcing many of his fantasy owners to jump ship and move on.
But little did we know, Newton had something up his sleeve (or maybe it was a big "S" under his shirt).
Newton was phenomenal for the second-half of the season, and no other quarterback was hotter in the final stretch of the regular season. Finishing fourth among quarterbacks in the fantasy rankings, Newton threw for 3,869 yards and 19 touchdowns through the air while racking up a career-best 741 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.
In a situation where he's not only the starting quarterback but the goal-line back and, on occasion, leads the team in rushing yards, Newton is a must-have. With another off-season to mature, Newton should start 2013 on a strong note, and finish that way.
After putting his neck injury concerns to rest in 2012, Peyton Manning has returned to top 5 form and that's right where he'll be in 2013.
Manning has always been the type of intelligent, hard-working quarterback that elevates everyone around him. So whether it was Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne in Indianapolis or Demariyus Thomas and Eric Decker in Denver, Manning will find ways to maximize the talent around him.
Manning hasn't had a viable running back to take some of the pressure off since Edgerrin James back in his Colts days, but the Broncos appear to have two backs that can get the job done in Willis McGahee, and most recently, Knowshon Moreno.
With so many weapons at his disposal, Manning should continue his elite play and is fully expected to remain in the top 10 in 2013.
I'm going to rank Robert Griffin III right outside the Big Three, because I can't imagine him hitting a sophomore slump the way Cam Newton did for the first-half of the 2012 season.
Despite his remarkable athleticism, he's a true quarterback at heart, and is capable of making plays with his arm just as well as he does with his legs.
Watching RG3 and the Redskins absolutely freeze DeMarcus Ware, one of the best linebackers in football, with the read-option while leaving him practically uncovered in Week 17 further solidifies RG3's rank in the top 5.
Tom Brady will always be Tom Brady until his hip breaks.
As long as coach Bill Belichick is calling the shots and the Patriots have Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez and Brandon Lloyd at Brady's disposal, he'll continue to be great.
Scratch that, because after Brady lost his most dangerous weapon in Randy Moss after the 2009 season, he found other ways to succeed and here we are three seasons later talking about how great Brady is.
For the first half of the season, you wouldn't have known the Saints had a running game because all they did was pass.
With a streaky defense that let opposing teams rack up the points, it was up to Drew Brees to keep the score close and his team in the game.
Remaining in the top 3 in fantasy quarterback rankings for most of the season, his fantasy production took a hit when the Saints attempted to experiment with their three-headed rushing attack (with Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory) and put an emphasis on the run game.
Brees should return to top form when coach Sean Payton returns to the Saints' sideline after serving his season-long ban. Strengthening the defense wouldn't hurt as well, then maybe Brees wouldn't throw as many interceptions in comeback mode when he has to attempt 50+ passes.
Anytime a quarterback loses his top two receivers (Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson) for most of the season yet still finds a way to catapult his No. 3 and 4 receivers (James Jones and Randall Cobb) into the top 20 in fantasy wide receiver rankings by the end of the regular season, and still finish as the second best quarterback in fantasy football, he deserves top recognition.
Aaron Rodgers will continue to be the safest, most-rewarding quarterback worth taking in the first-round.
Need Fantasy Baseball help? Here Are Some Sleepers for the 2013 Season
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Drafting a quarterback in your fantasy football draft can be tricky, especially if his name isn’t Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady or Drew Brees. That said, after the Big Three, the next line of quarterbacks could be anyone’s guess, and determining which round to select them is the difficult part. But the fun part is finding [...]
Need Fantasy Baseball help? Here Are Some Sleepers for the 2013 Season
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The Watch List gives fantasy football owners a look at player situations to monitor this off-season. With all 32 NFL teams making changes from the coaching staff down to the 53-man roster, players will see their fantasy value increase, decrease or remain the same depending on the team’s transactions. Player: David Wilson, RB, New York [...]
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