As we head into Week 5 we have to start dealing with some bye weeks for the first time. Keeping this in mind, we have tried to identify some under the radar players in our week 5 IDP rankings for you.

This week make sure to start Jason Babin. He has seven sacks in four weeks and is on a ridiculous pace so far. Nobody has taken to the Philly defense and it’s 9-technique DE format better than Babin has. While he will face extra attention with Trent Cole out, Babin has been virtually unblockable through the first quarter of the season and will give that porous Buffalo O-Line fits.

Also make sure to keep an eye on Vince Wilfork. He is typically not a great play, but the big man has come up with two interceptions already this year and this week he draws a Jets O-Line minus Nick Mangold again. He will wreak havoc just as Haloti Ngata did last week. Dont be surprised to seem him get a handful of tackles and a performance play or two. He will force Mark Sanchez into a few bad decisions in week 5.

After a strong Week-One performance against the Saints, Aaron Rodgers is our No. 1 fantasy quarterback this week.

Your usual fantasy guru Ray Tannock is taking a break from the rankings this week, so I am here to give you the lowdown on what’s going to go down in Week Two. We had a lot of surprises at quarterback in Week One. The biggest one, obviously, being Cam Newton’s breakout performance against the Cardinals. Things should settle down this weekend, but we could have a surprise or two that pop up out of nowhere.

Before I start, I would like to congratulate Ray for coming in first place in Fantasy Football Crystal Ball’s Week One Accuracy Score for Quarterbacks last week. Way to go RAY!!!!!!!

Below are my quarterback rankings going into Week Two.

TOP FIVE WEEK-TWO MATCHUPS (MUST START)

1. Aaron Rogers (GB) @ CAR: Is there any reason to not put Rodgers at No. 1 this week? I know Tom Brady had that huge game against Miami, but my money is on Rodgers to lead the charge against a Carolina Defense that gave up 309 yards and two scores against Kevin Kolb.

2. Tom Brady (NE) vs. SD: Putting Brady any lower than No. 2 would be ridiculous. The guy simply doesn’t stop at putting up big games. Hell, he even made Deion Branch look like a stud Monday night. The Chargers Defense will come back down to Earth after facing Donovan McNabb in Week One.

3. Michael Vick (PHI) @ ATL: Vick didn’t throw for very many yards (187) against the Rams, but his two passing touchdowns and 98 rushing yards made up for it. Vick showed he still has plenty left in the legs. He will need that in, what figures to be, a very emotional game against his old team the Falcons in their house.

4. Matthew Stafford (DET) vs. KC: Stafford had a huge Week One, throwing for three touchdowns against the Bucs. Kansas City didn’t have an answer for Ryan Fitzpatrick. And after losing Eric Berry to a torn ACL, Stafford should have his way with the Chiefs’ secondary.

5. Philip Rivers (SD) @ NE: The Chargers’ receivers were held in check by the Vikings, but Rivers still had a huge fantasy day, using both Mike Tolbert and Ryan Mathews in the passing game. If Chad Henne can look like a Pro Bowler against the Patriots D, Rivers should have a field day in Foxboro.

Kevin Kolb had an excellent regular-season debut.

Despite throwing for two scores in Week One against the Bengals, Colt McCoy is better off on your bench.

BEST OF THE REST:

THE BOTTOM FEEDERS:

I wish everyone the best of luck this week. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post below.

So without further ado, here is Week One’s top 50 players:
Standard Scoring: 4 points per passing TD, 6 points per rushing and receiving and PPR.

As with everything fantasy and pop-culture related, it remains important not to overreact. Remember the popped-collar-polo phase you thought was “the bomb” a few years ago? Remember using phrases like “the bomb?” Or how about as recently as last spring when everyone was convinced zubaz were making a comeback? Yeah. You’ll thank me later, surely, for this golden nugget: don’t go mortgage the proverbial farm for the “Fantasy Hall of Fame” Carolina passing attack. Hey, Cam Newton could certainly have a great first year- and I do like his chances to outperform expectations- but he will have his down weeks, too, as will the ageless Steve Smith (Green Bay brings a formidable secondary to town next week and the Panthers visit Soldier Field in week four).

But, we have much to attend to. Cue the music! As with The Rocks from the Schoolhouse, the best part, the start, the intro, that which we must begin with is of course the funky…

Week 1: The Funky
One nation, under a groove, gettin’ down just for the funk of it. -George Clinton

Sadly, unlike Mr. Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic, some of the happenings in this week’s batch of games were anything but smooth and soulful. In fact, watching Dallas’ 4th-quarter self-destruction was harder to stomach than an episode of Toddlers and Tiaras. You want funky? Consider this: it’s one thing to blow a lead. It’s another entirely to be up fourteen with the ball inside your opponent’s five in the fourth quarter and lose without scoring any more points. Speaking of which, the play that led to the just-mentioned scenario? Tony Romo hit Jason Witten in the seam and Witten took it to the house… almost. It was the longest reception of his career and a few more yards would have made it a monster day for Witten, Romo, and the Dallas Cowboys. Instead, Witten remembered how slow he was and found a way to get caught just shy of the goal line, erasing an additional four points from Romo’s fantasy day. The Dallas Quarterback then fumbled three plays later, costing some owners even more. As for the rest of the team? It’s more of what we already knew: Miles Austin and Dez Bryant will be starter-worthy, and Felix Jones will get his touches (what he will do with them is another question entirely).
Oh, and then there’s this guy named Plaxico Burress. 72 yards and a score on nine targets. Nine targets. If you watched the game, Mark Sanchez looked his was when it counted. I think Plax is for real. LaDanian Tomlinson might be, too. Let’s not forget, Tomlinson had the better 2010 fantasy season between the two Jets rushers. I’m not saying Shonn Greene won’t show up and be who we think he will be- maybe he will. But if this game is any indication, he wasn’t worth his average draft position.
Yeah, I think Burress could and probably will have a decent year- at least I wouldn’t want to bet against it. He doesn’t look like he’s lost much… and you can’t teach size. Dare I say it? I dare: the Jets offense looks like something you want a fantasy part of. We even had a Dustin Keller sighting.

More funk:
-Michael Vick’s two kneel-downs angered plenty of owners, especially those in leagues who award bonuses for eclipsing 100 yards. Hey, it’s fantasy folks. But seriously, how ’bout them Eagles?
-Anyone care to explain why the Bears almost exclusively threw the ball during a possession with under eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, leading 30-6? This brilliant strategy resulted in a pick-6 for the Falcons’ defense. I wonder how many fantasy hopes and dreams that brilliant move crushed?
-The Steelers Defense, or as I like to call them, “Ray Rice’s former Kryptonite” (cool funk band name- take notes) looked like they could have used a few more OTA’s and perhaps another, oh, decade’s worth of training camp. Nah, I’m not worried too much about the unit as a whole. I think what this shows us more than anything is that Baltimore. is. for. real. P.S. Rice’s explosion is a perfect example of why you always, always play your studs. No matter the matchup. Rule no. 2 of fantasy football: you don’t talk about fant… I mean: rule no. 2 of fantasy football: don’t get cute.

Week 1: Edumucation
As your body grows bigger your mind must flower. It’s great to learn, ’cause knowledge is power! -Schoolhouse Rocky

This is the part of the program where little bits of a rainbow begin to form on your mostly-black television screen and a celebrity voice comes on and says, “The more you know!” and you get that happy feeling inside.

Actually, this is where I extol the virtues of Mike Tolbert. Assuming he is as “fine” as Norv Turner claims, he just may be the true Fantasy Hall of Famer for 2011. Yes, he had a monster three-touchdown day, which may be his best output of the season. But, let’s look a little closer at the numbers. Tolbert:
-Received an equal number of carries as Ryan Mathews (12) but got the score.
-Was targeted nine times in the passing game and caught all nine passes, including two scores
That’s 21 total touches on a competent offense with plenty of weapons. Obviously, a lot of the passes were dump-offs, but Tolbert did something with them.

As for Minnesota? Nothing to see here. Move along.

In other news, Beanie Wells put together a nice day. I’ve heard grumblings and in fact have personally received several phone calls offering Wells as a “sell-high.” I took him in trade in every instance but one (No, I’ll not part with Michael Vick, thank you). I believe in Wells this year (can we get a T-shirt made to that effect?) and here is why:
-He’s on an offense with stars at the skill positions. Kevin Kolb was a great acquisition and Todd Heap was a nice pickup, too.
-He’s not in a time-share of any kind. Remember, Tim Hightower is on the other side of the country now.
-He does things with his touches, to the tune of 90 yards on 18 carries.
Again, don’t fall victim to overreaction. Things are in place for Wells to have a nice season in Arizona, yes, but it’s still only week one.

Three is a Magic Number

1. Amongst quarterbacks, Jay Cutler and Matthew Stafford had arguably the most to prove on opening day. The Chicago offensive line held up and Mike Martz’s playcalling seemed spot-on all day (minus the fourth quarter blip). If his schedule wasn’t so murderous, I could buy Cutler as top-10 this year, fantasy-wise. Stafford, on the other hand, looked terrific. It helps that he has freak of nature Calvin Johnson doing whatever he pleases to opposing secondaries, but Stafford spread the love, completing passes to eight different receivers for over 300 yards and three scores.
2. Sticking with the Lions, their defense was impressive. The lovable Buccaneers were held to only 56 total yards on the ground. No, I’m not worried about LeGarrette Blount… yet. Though it is troubling he was not involved in the passing game.
3. The Bengals-Browns game was interesting on several fronts. Yes, we had a Cedric Benson sighting. But more interesting was the play of Colt McCoy, who also connected with eight different receivers for 213 yards and two scores. That’s starter material. And next week the Browns get the Colts… just saying. If you’re thin at quarterback, in a deep league, or just enjoy rolling the dice, McCoy is worth a look. Oh, and Peyton Hillis should feast mightily.

Until next time,
keep it funky.

_PDK
follow me on twitter! @petethegreekff

I’ll be taking a look at the Top 25 starters for Week 1; in a similar fashion I did my Week 1 Quarterback Rankings.

There are a TON of receivers in the league, and each individualistic league setup will vary along with each individual team, so not everyone out there will be listed here obviously.

If there is a player not found on this particular list that you have a question about, feel free to ask away below, or in our Forum.

You can also check out our Member Only Services, which provides specific player updates, fully customizable to your liking—here’s the link, if you’re interested.

Also, DON’T FORGET ABOUT THURSDAY NIGHT’S GAME!

And now, the fantasy football WR rankings for Week 1.

1. Larry Fitzgerald – vs. Carolina: It has been well documented that Cardinals Quarterback Kevin Kolb has found a true sync with WR Larry Fitzgerald, and that is good news for fantasy owners who own him—like me! Carolina will struggle to cover Fitz as everybody does, and Kolb will look to target Fitz early and often, making his matchup better than any other fantasy receiver in Week 1.

The End Of Vincent Jackson?

2. Vincent Jackson – vs. Minnesota: The Chargers simply have way too many weapons for the Vikings to cover, even if the Vikings were a Top 10 coverage team against fantasy receivers in 2010. The Chargers were an already explosive team in 2010 WITHOUT Vincent Jackson, so just imagine what is going to happen in not only the home opener, but also Jackson’s first game BACK as a Charger in fantasy land.

3. Andre Johnson – vs. Indianapolis: I love this matchup for Johnson, but I worry about Houston’s added emphasis on the ground game, which will cut down on overall aerial targets in this game. The other issue is that Johnson will be targeted early, no doubt, to help build a comfortable lead, but if that happens, the Texans will inevitably go BACK to the run by the second half for game preservation, especially against a Colts team that will not be able to keep up without manning under center. He’s still aTop 3 receiver though.

4. Roddy White – @ Chicago: Again, this will be a game in which quarterback Matt Ryan will spread the ball around in a pass-happy offense, and while White will have Top 5 numbers, he doesn’t quite have a better matchup than the other four above. Chicago has always had trouble dealing with big physical receivers deep, which still makes this game a tasty matchup for fantasy owners.

5. Calvin Johnson – @ Tampa Bay: I worry about Aqib Talib’s presence, but I don’t worry about Megatron’s potential performance in this game. I would put him higher in the rankings, but Tampa is tough at home, and has a sneaky defense that is better than they appear to be on paper, which could keep Johnson just slightly in check—slightly.

The Rest of the Best

Sit ‘Em Down: There are few receivers that I would like to quickly run through that I feel are fantasy stars, but need to be considered as bench candidates for Week 1. Remember, a name does not always garner you fantasy points—a common rookie mistake—rather it is the matchups that present the best fantasy potential, both from a start perspective and a sit perspective.

• Percy Harvin isn’t going into a good matchup here. The Chargers ranked second overall against fantasy receivers in 2010, and the Vikings are likely to heavily rely on the run. He’s not a good start at all.
• Santonio Holmes is a nice superstar, but if you have a better option I would start him over Holmes. Mark Sanchez struggled in preseason and isn’t any better than an average quarterback, making Holmes’ stock drop against a good Dallas D this week.
• Steve Smith of the Panthers is another fantasy stud that should be sat, as he goes through the motions of having an unproven rookie QB under center against one of the better secondaries in the NFC. Not a lot of fantasy point potential here.
• A.J. Green: Explosive rookie with a lot of upside that plays in a bad offense, against a modestly good Browns secondary. Nuff said!
• Anquan Boldin didn’t show too much in the preseason, and the Steelers secondary usually has little trouble covering this guy, even over the middle. I don’t like Boldin’s chances in this game and recommend he sits in favor of better options if you have them.

Now that we have looked at the offensive side of the ball, be sure to make yourself a well rounded manager, and head on over to our IDP section where our own Tom “Diggs” Digliani has the entire defensive side of the ball covered with some VERY in-depth coverage you simply can’t ignore.

For many of you out there that are not familiar with NEXFL, the NEXFL is the National Experts Fantasy League. It is a 32-team league that includes Offense and Individual Defensive Players (IDP) and only has one “copy” of a player. There are a few other 32-team leagues out there, but many have two “copies” of a player (i.e. two teams can own Adrian Peterson, etc.). That is not the case in NEXFL. This is not a league for the unseasoned or casual fantasy fan. The draft is 23 rounds and amounts to over 730 picks that are selected through an online draft over the span of approximately a month. The purpose of NEXFL is to establish a league that is unlike any other. The concept was originally developed by Ryan “The Warden” Houston and later enhanced by George “SpiGuy” Kerwood and now Tom “Tomdiggs” Digliani in the hopes of providing fantasy football enthusiasts with a much more difficult and challenging task: Represent an NFL team and create the ultimate Fantasy Football team with precious resources. Do you have what it takes to compete?

To take a look at the teams and rosters for this season, check out the league site:

http://www14.myfantasyleague.com/2011/home/44638

Now, here is my personal analysis of this year’s teams and projections. These are my opinions and mine alone as the commissioner and avid NEXFL enthusiast.

For those that want to take part next year, start studying up on your IDP and deep sleepers. Then follow the league from afar throughout the league and let me know your interest so I can place you on a waiting list for the 2012 season. The league usually has 6-8 vacancies that open up per year.

Without further ado, here’s the league as I see it through my crystal ball.

AFC East
1. Bills – The reigning AFC Champs return with another solid squad. Vlad looks to be forming the basis for being an annual contender now after breaking through to the playoffs for the first time last season. While Alex Smith will hurt him in a division filled with exceptional QBs, the Bills’ depth and strength at WR and LB will carry them. If Dez Bryant does not pan out or if Austin Collie gets hurt then they could be in trouble. I expect big things from both, however. D’Qwell Jackson and Jonathan Vilma will carry the D and will be helped a lot by Trent Cole and Morgan Burnett. The real player to watch for the Bills is Lance Kendricks. If he stands out during the year like he has this preseason then this team could be dangerous. If one of many risks goes awry they could fall out of the playoff picture. I want to predict a better record, but with all the risks and with Alex Smith I need to temper expectations. Prediction: 8-5

2. Dolphins – Jerm has once again put together a tough squad. Joe Flacco, Mike Thomas, and Wes Welker will help carry the offense. The D has some good players in Robert Mathis, Jon Beason and Kevin Burnett. Beason’s early season injury is one to watch. If he misses time it could doom the Dolphins’ chances out of the gate in the early divisional games. I see them being slightly off of the Bills in running for the division crown. Prediction: 7-6

3. Patriots – The Pats may have a new NEXFL owner this year, but they drafted well. Michael Vick will be the first piece that will help carry this offense. However, there is some serious offensive talent here in addition to Vick with Rashard Mendenhall, Pierre Garcon and Greg Olsen. Olsen could be a gem in this league. The defense has some nice balance with AJ Hawk, Daryl Smith and Devin McCourty leading the way. Depth is an issue. There isn’t much at DL and Paris Lenon and Keith Brooking may not be starting for their NFL teams for very long. A good, but not great rookie year for the Pats. Prediction: 5-8

4. Jets – Just like the NFL Colts; this team’s status relies on Peyton Manning’s health. Manning will run this offense with Michael Turner, but a lack of talent at WR and LB could possibly hurt this team. James Jones and Plaxico Burress need to step up to help this team. Jason Witten should remain a stud. The DBs may all be cornerbacks, but having Charles Tillman, Richard Marshall and DeAngelo Hall will help offset the lack of talent at LB. Clay Matthews and Tamba Hali really need big years to help this D out. Prediction: 4-9

Summary: This division went from being one of the deepest last year to being a little thin this year in my opinion. I only see one team coming out of this division into the playoffs. Currently everyone is chasing the Bills in my opinion.

AFC North
1. Browns – Wow what a difference a year makes. Dave went from a 5-8 owner last year to maybe assembling the best team in the NEXFL this year! Colt McCoy, Maurice Jones-Drew, DeSean Jackson, Steve Smith (Car), Braylon Edwards and Fred Davis make for a damn scary offense. The defense has some great LBs for a 32-team league in Nick Barnett, Stewart Bradley and Rocky McIntosh. Even the DBs have potential with Glover Quinn and William Moore leading the way. The only real weakness on this team is along the D-Line. There is not much there. Not a bad spot to be weak. I am not looking to facing them in week 8. Prediction: 10-3

2. Ravens – Yergs is in the running every single year and this is why. He just builds a ridiculously balanced team. Shonne Greene, Andre Johnson, Julio Jones and Brandon Pettigrew will make for a great base for the offense. His defense could be scary. Carlos Dunlap and Justin Tuck make for a great pairing at DL and they are filled in the starting lineup with Geno Hayes, Clint Session and Brandon Spikes. As long as the LBs can stay healthy (no small task with Spikes and Session already missing time), then this team will be in playoff contention. Prediction: 8-5

3. Bengals – Mike may be a new owner here, but his team turned out pretty well for his first NEXFL draft. Kevin Kolb will form a lethal one-two punch with Ray Rice on offense. If Dallas Clark stays healthy, he could be the best offensive player on the team. The WRs will decide how good this team can be. Nate Burleson, Michael Jenkins and Andre Roberts will all be NFL starters, but may not offer much punch in the box score. If they step up on offense, there is definitely enough on defense (Gary Brackett, Donald Butler, Cliff Avril, Patrick Peterson, and Antrel Rolle) to help buoy this team to the edge of playoff contention. Might be a bit tough in this division, however. Prediction: 6-7

4. Steelers – George is a seasoned vet of this league. I seemingly never like his teams and half the time I am right and half the time I am dead wrong. This year I am not high again. I love Matt Schaub and Matt Forte leading the offense and I like Todd Heap with how much Kevin Kolb has historically used the TE. The WRs are suspect though. If Steve Smith (Phi) and Eddie Royal can become decent fantasy contributors, then this team will prove me wrong. If they don’t the offense could be hurting a bit. Paul Posluszny and DeMeco Ryans will help carry the defense along with Dawan Landry. However, a lack of a third starting LB could hurt the overall production. Prediction: 3-10

Summary: This division might be close and is very good at the top. I do not like the fact that my AFC South division crosses over with this division this season. I definitely see two playoff teams coming out of this division. The Browns are the team to beat here and maybe in the AFC and entire NEXFL.

AFC South
1. Colts – Just as I said last year, some people do not rate their own teams. I say that is a cop-out! I have no problem addressing the likes and dislikes of my own team. I love my starting WRs, TEs and LBs. Last year I was 10-0 with Matt Hasselbeck as my QB. This was with him having less explosive options, less of an O-Line and less of a running game in Seattle then he will have in Tennessee this year. I think he could finish around the 20th rated QB and that should be just enough to help out. RB is a problem spot yet again. I lost my best one (Ryan Williams) for the year and will now have to rely on Reggie Bush yet again. Not good in a non-ppr RB league. Greg Jennings, Kenny Britt, Michael Crabtree, Jared Cook and Rob Gronkowski should help cover me though. I may have picked the wrong NE tight end, but if so that is my biggest regret on offense. My DL was terrible last year so I tried to fix that this year. I love having Julius Peppers and Matt Roth to start the year while Derrick Morgan gets healthy. The DBs are not stellar, but they do consist of a few high tackle CBs. I clearly need Tanard Jackson to get reinstated or I am in trouble here. The LBs lack depth but are big at the top. Despite losing Travis Goethel to a season ending injury already (yes, another), I still have David Hawthorne, Daryl Washington and NaVorro Bowman. That is likely three-100 tackle LBs and two with the chance to be 120 tackle guys. I like my team but have a brutal schedule and will not touch last year’s 10-3 record. Prediction: 9-4

2. Jaguars – I am getting sick of the Jags putting together good drafts. They are clearly putting pressure on this division. I cringe at facing this offense. Matthew Stafford, Michael Bush/Daniel Thomas, Miles Austin, Danny Amendola, Jermichael Finley…are you kidding? Even the extras like Harry Douglas are serviceable. The only hope is that the LBs do not perform. Having four starting NFL LBs is a luxury in this league and the Jags have them. None are exceptional, but Sean Lee, Chris Gocong, Michael Boley and Moise Fokou are good enough to keep the D afloat. Their O is probably better than the Colts, but the D might be a tiny bit behind. Close call. Prediction: 8-5

3. Titans – This team has the potential to steal the division away from the Colts of the Jaguars. Brandon Marshall and Percy Harvin are a hell of a one-two punch in a WR ppr league. If Aaron Hernandez keeps up this tear he is on, this offense is going to kill. LeGarrette Blount will be a great non-ppr RB too. The Jacksonville QB is a bit scary. They will be a good point producer while David Garrard is in there. Once Blaine Gabbart gets in, however, the QB spot could become an issue for them. You may not get much better than Patrick Willis and Brian Cushing as a 1-2 punch. Ndamukong Suh is going to be huge too. The D does not have much beyond them, however. They could surprise, but seem a tiny bit behind the other two teams in their division above them. Prediction: 6-7

4. Texans – This team might lack some punch on offense but will be held up by a strong defense. The D is led by the aging but exceptional duo of Ray Lewis and London fletcher. If they both continue to defy father time, this LB group will be brutal to face. Quinten Mikell, Earl Thomas and Major Wright will be great DBs too. While Drew Brees and Peyton Hillis are scary, the receiving options are a bit limited. Jacoby Ford, Mohammed Massaquoi, and Denarius Moore need to step up for them to compete weekly. Brent Celek will help too. I see this team being great if their WRs pan out. If not they will not be. I don’t have much faith in the WRs so I have them lower. They could surprise if I am wrong. Prediction: 4-9

Summary: I see this division as being considerably stronger than it was last year. The Colts and Jags will likely fight at the top if they remain healthy all year. This division could easily produce two playoff teams and do not be surprised if the Titans surprise the Colts or Jags and steal the division.

AFC West
1. Broncos – Many people might be sleeping on Kevin after last year. I will not. Kevin has been the historical competitor I compare myself to every year since I have been in this league starting in 2006. Kevin won the AFC West from 2006-2009 every year. He averaged 9 wins a year in those years and almost 166 points per game. Last year he finished with the worst record in the league somehow. Well guess what folks, he’s back! Mark Sanchez will not set the world on fire, but he will be a solid and stable NEXFL QB. Joseph Addai, Larry Fitzgerald, Robert Meachem and Lance Moore will fill out a very nice NEXFL offense. The D is even crazier. Curtis Lofton, DJ Williams, Chris Harris, Bernard Pollard, Aaron Kampman and Matt Shaughnessy give this team exceptional balance. The key for them is the early season injury to DJ Williams. If his loss costs them some key division games then there will be room to make up. Prediction: 9-4

2. Chargers – Tim has quickly become a force to be reckoned with in this league. This is his third division in as many years, but he keeps putting together exceptional teams. Dwayne Bowe and Brandon Lloyd are a great set of NEXFL WRs. Kyle Orton and Jahvid Best round out the offensive talent. I am a bit concerned with this team relying so much on Denver’s passing offense under John Fox. Orton, Lloyd and Julius Thomas are three starters that could struggle in Denver’s passing offense sputters or is underutilized. Defensively they are scary. Desmond Bishop, Mason Foster and Joe Mays form maybe the best starting LB group in NEXFL. How long Mays hangs on to the starting job is key. There is not much at DL, but the DBs are loaded with undervalued talent in Melvin Bullitt, Chris Hope and Jim Leonhard. I can see them fighting with the Broncos all year long trying to win this division. Prediction: 9-4

3. Raiders – Another year and another good Raiders team. Matt Ryan is in for a huge year and the duo of Ryan Grant and Beanie Wells will give two great RBs and a nice potential trade chip as well. The WRs and TEs are a bit lacking but have a little pop. Can Jerome Simpson and Mike Williams perform despite Andy Dalton and Tarvaris Jackson QBing their teams? If not the Raiders will struggle a bit. Rolando McClain, Tyvon Branch and Eric Berry will be great for the defense. The rest is filled with NFL starters that will be good role players but not likely to be NEXFL stars. Slow and steady wins the race, but this is a tough division. Prediction: 6-7

4. Chiefs – Boy do the NEXFL Chiefs have a lot of NFL Chiefs! If the NFL Chiefs are as good as last year then great! If not then it is not so great. I expect the NFL Chiefs to slip and thus I am a bit low on the NEXFL Chiefs. Matt Cassel could be in for a rude awakening with Charlie Weis and that NE passing offense. He was great in NE under it and great with Charlie Weis running the show. Weis is gone now though. Jamaal Charles will be a beast, but the receiving options need to get healthy to have a chance. Chris Cooley is hurt. Emmanuel Sanders has been hurt. Antonio Gates is ridiculously good when he plays, but he needs to remain healthy. Steve Breaston has been hurt. There is a lot of uncertainty with the receiving options here. If any falter then the Chiefs are hurt. If they all stay healthy and come through then my prediction is way too low. Terrell Suggs and John Abraham are an awesome starting DL pair and Michael Griffin is a great DB starter. Depth beyond them is limited. James Harrison and Ernie Sims have been hurt this preseason and if Sims doesn’t start to begin the year, then this team has Harrison and Anthony Spencer and a bunch of reserve NFL LBs. It could get ugly if that happens. Prediction: 3-10

Summary: I see two likely playoff teams her and the Raiders might make a little noise and prove me wrong and make it a 3-way race. The Chiefs have a ton of potential, but they need to get healthy and stay that way to have a chance in such a tough division.

AFC- 105-103

NFC East
1. Redskins – Chris is one of the league’s wily veterans and he has built another nice squad this year. This team has few weaknesses. It is solid at QB with Jay Cutler and is built heavily around some solid WRs and LBs. Reggie Wayne and Santonio Holmes will carry this offense and if Ryan Mathews steps up the offense could be deadly. When the team gets completely healthy and has Thomas Davis, Lance Briggs and Keith Rivers, look out. I would predict an even better record except this division will beat up on each other a good amount. Prediction: 8-5

2. Cowboys – I am happy to see Andrew gone from the AFC South and he will continue to compete annually in the NFC East now. Andrew’s team is built around stable commodities like Eli Manning and DeAngelo Williams and while his WRs are a bit thin, he has Calvin Johnson and two great TEs to start in Kellen Winslow and Vernon Davis. His LB depth is exceptional too with DeAndre Levy, Jonathan Goff and Kavell Conner to start the year. By the time Conner could get passed by Ernie Sims, he might have Nate Irving starting. Plus he has Mathias Kiwanuka for insurance. He will be fighting for the division title all year. Prediction: 8-5

3. Eagles – Jack’s team here might be just as good as or better than the two I have ranked above him. He has great talent to win on offense with LeSean McCoy, Mike Wallace, Mike Williams and Kevin Boss, but his defense is where he makes up ground. He has two great D-Linemen in Charles Johnson and Jason Babin and early in the year he will have four starting LBs in Karlos Dansby, Casey Matthews, Thomas Howard and Wesley Woodyard. He has a few weeks to sort things out before DJ Williams and Keith Rivers return. Their imminent returns and his bad QB situation are the only reason I list the Eagles behind the Skins and Cowboys here. Prediction: 7-6

4. Giants – Doug is another owner that always seems to prove me wrong. I normally expect his teams to struggle only to find them near the tops of the leader board in the NFC in points scored every year. Hopefully he proves me wrong again this year. Doug has a lot riding on the Giants as always and he needs Travis Beckum to step up for him. I love Hakeem Nicks and I like AJ Green’s talent, but if Green struggles due to poor WB play then the receivers here could be hurting. The LBs are also pretty rough with only Cameron Wake and Andra Davis to write home about. Doug does make up for it with arguably the best DBs in NEXFL with Yeremiah Bell, Roman Harper and Louis Delmas. I could see him being great if AJ Green and Ryan Fitzpatrick play out. I am not 100% sold on that, however. Prediction: 5-8

Summary: I see two likely playoff teams here. These teams are going to beat up on each other all year. The division is really strong top-to-bottom. The division is seemingly always tough and this year will be no different.

NFC North
1. Lions – I had to pick next to Chris last year and it was no picnic. He has a knack for putting together some great teams. I see him being the class of the NFC North this year again. Sidney Rice’s bust potential scares me a bit, but there is enough talent on offense to make up for that with Jason Campbell, Tim Hightower, Vincent Jackson, and Early Doucet there to help. The TE situation is not pretty, lacking a starter on the roster. Luckily the defense is there to save the day. Barrett Ruud, Rey Maualuga and Pat Angerer will team with Jason Pierre-Paul to lead the D. They have a look of a division winner and high ranking playoff team. Prediction: 8-5

2. Vikings – The Vikings are another NEXFL team that often has a lot of their home team’s players. This year is no exception. The difference is the value this year. Chad Ochocinco, Anquan Boldin and Bernard Berrian will help the offense. As long as Donovan McNabb stays healthy, the offense will be ok. If he falters and Christian Ponder enters then this team is hurting as Berrian and Visanthe Shiancoe’s values would falter as well. The DBs and DLs on this team are nothing special, but the LBs are very nice, with David Harris, James Farrior and surprise preseason star Erin Henderson leading the way. If Kirk Morrison ends up starting in Buffalo at any point then this gets even better. All in all not a bad squad. Prediction: 7-6

3. Packers – I want to pick this team to basically win the division. They have a lot going for them. Aaron Rodgers is a stud and will carry them. Fred Jackson provides sneaky value at RB and Mario Manningham is set up to star this year. The problem I have is the lack of other weapons in the receiving game and the lack of oomph at LB. If Derrick Johnson and DeMarcus Ware can hold down the fort, then the Safeties with TJ Ward, Kerry Rhodes and Nick Collins can hopefully make up some ground. If there was a little bit more in the WR/TE department I could see them as a playoff team with a shot at the division. Prediction: 5-8

4. Bears – This is another team that is not barren and I hate predicting to finish this poorly. A team with Tom Brady, Cedric Benson, Mark Ingram, Brian Urlacher and Takeo Spikes is too good of a base to struggle mightily. However, there are just way too many question marks at WR and TE to stomach. When your top WRs and TEs are players that might not even start for their NFL teams (Roy Williams, Derrick Mason, Ben Obamanu, Tony Scheffler) then you know it could be a long year. Prediction: 5-8

Summary: This was a tough division for me to gauge. I don’t see the Packers or Bears being all that bad. They could flip-flop with the Vikings and all could be solid and competing to the bitter end just like last year. I just see the Lions above them for sure, that’s all. I only see one team making it out of this division into the playoffs this year. Maybe they will prove me wrong like they did last year.

NFC South
1. Buccaneers – I really like what Ty has done with his team. He is stocked strongly at QB (Philip Rivers), RB (Knowshon Moreno and CJ Spiller) and at WR (Marques Colston, Malcolm Floyd). He has Tony Gonzalez at TE but no depth behind him. He also needs one of his 3 other WRs to step up and form a decent WR3. On defense I love Elvis Dumervil and he has EJ Henderson and Von Miller to help out as well. If the Denver D struggles to pressure the QB then his team will struggle on D. They have looked good so far, so it is so-far-so-good. Prediction: 8-5

2. Panthers – Something tells me I am significantly under-rating the returning Champs. Ben Roethlisberger and Arian Foster are beats and will carry the offense. My concern is the receiving options again. This team needs both TEs to excel. Owen Daniels and Zach Miller need to be great for them to have a great offense. I don’t see much at WR to help carry the load. The defense here is what has me all types of uncertain. The DBs are top notch. George Wilson, Eric Weddle and Brent Grimes are awesome. The DL has Justin Smith and not much else. The tough part are the LBs. I do not believe in James Anderson as much as others do. The numbers speak for themselves, but I just don’t believe it. If Jamar Chaney goes back to the middle, this team could shoot up the division. If not, they have some work to do. Prediction: 6-7

3. Falcons – Welcome back Tim! Tim won the title in 2009 and then was out of the league last year. Here he is back again. I am not so sure I love the team, though. The Redskins QB will likely provide some ups and downs. Chris Johnson will be really good, and Marshawn Lynch provides some nice depth. However, if Steve Johnson struggles this team is in trouble. Johnson and Mike Sims-Walker are being relied on to carry a weak group of WRs and TEs. Defensively the DBs are great but the LBs and DL have potential and very little proven talent. I just can’t see a return to the playoffs unless everything goes right. In NEXFL it rarely does. Prediction: 5-8

4. Saints – To put it simply, I love the defense on Mike’s team and I hate the offense. The offense does not have much beyond Adrian Peterson. Cam Newton will struggle early on, none of the WRs are starters for their NFL team, and some are not even the third option for their teams. There are two very good TEs in Jimmy Graham and Dustin Keller, but both those teams have many NFL receiving options and they will be up and down week to week. It is hard to count out a team with guys like Osi Umenyiora, Chad Greenway, Stephen Tulloch, LaRon Landry and Adrian Wilson on it. I feel the need to though. With Umenyiora, Wilson and Landry dinged up, this team strength could be derailed really quickly. Prediction: 4-9

Summary: This was exceptionally hard for me. For some reason, I just simply do not like the teams in this division this year and the way they are built. I am also not an idiot and know that this division has represented the NFC in the championship three years in a row and has won the last two NEXFL Championships. These guys know what they are doing. They are likely to prove me very, very wrong. But as of now I can’t see more than one team coming out of here and I really don’t see much certainty beyond the Bucs.

NFC West
1. Rams – Dave jumped over to the NFC this year and then went on to build a great team. Sam Bradford was a nice snag when the QBs began flying off the board and Felix Jones should be good this year. He even grabbed DeMarco Murray as a handcuff, which could be big if he beats out Tashard Choice. The receiving options on this team and the LBs are great. Not only that, but they are deep. Jeremy Maclin, Lee Evans, Donald Driver, and Danario Alexander could all be starters for their NFL teams. Even Demaryius Thomas has late season upside. Ben Watson is a solid contributor and the LBs are built around James Laurinaitis, Sean Weatherspoon and Aldon Smith. Smith has looked good in his transition this preseason and the Rams can even ride Dan Conner early in the year if Jon Beason misses time. This team is primed for a run. Prediction: 9-4

2. Cardinals – For a newcomer to NEXFL, James has built a nice team. It would be even nicer if he had not lost his 23rd rounder due to his not being up to date yet on his league payment. As soon as he rectifies that and adds some depth he will be even more of a force to be reckoned with. What’s not to like about a team built around Josh Freeman, Darren McFadden, Roddy White, and solid defenders like Will Witherspoon and Bradie James. This team has the makings of one that can make some noise. Prediction: 8-5

3. 49ers – Todd’s team perplexes me. I can see them being 8-5 or 5-8. The core is solid. Jerod Mayo and Lawrence Timmons will be a nightmare to face. The question is on offense. Can Jordan Shipley be decent with Andy Dalton? Can Johnny Knox nab his starting spot back? Can Marcedes Lewis repeat last year? Can Steven Jackson stay healthy? Can the Miami QB produce? Too many questions for me to go high. But this team could easily reverse my predicted record. Prediction: 5-8

4. Seahawks – James is probably going to hate me for this. If I am not mistaken, I predicted him to be 6-7 last year and he was. Hopefully I am wrong this year. Tony Romo, Frank Gore, Santana Moss and Davone Bess will lead the offense. The season-ending injury to Tony Moeaki hurts a lot. There is not much depth on the Seahawks behind him and not much on the waiver wire. The DBs here are great but the LBs are not much to write about beyond Bart Scott….which isn’t saying much. I hope I am wrong but I see a finish similar to last year. Prediction: 5-8

Summary: This division went from last year’s joke to a strong one this year. I can easily see two teams coming into the playoffs out of here. The Rams look like they may even be the class of the NFC at this early juncture. All in all it could get wild in the NEXFL NFC West this year.

NFC- 103-105

A player with a “U” symbol next to him signifies updated information.

Well here it is, the long awaited 2011 Quarterback Rankings brought to you by yours truly.

The votes are in and the final rankings have been updated and applied for everyone out there.

Also be sure to bone up on our other rankings:

WR rankings – RB rankings – TE rankings – IDP – Kickers – Team Defense

What I have done is separated this particular piece into three sections: The Top 10, The Middle Tier and High risk/High Reward, with a little something extra at the end.

Not mentioned in this ranking are Rex Grossman (Washington) and Vince Young (Philadelphia) who are slated as primary backups.

Be sure to stop by and also look at our Top 8 Bounce-Back Players for 2011 when you’re done here.

The Top 10:

1. Aaron Rodgers – GB: Rodgers plays in the most explosive offense in the NFL, and there is little reason to doubt another repeat performance of his stellar 2010 campaign that saw him pass for 3,922 yards with 28 TDs, 11 INT and a completion rate of 65.7%. The real point to notice here is the Packers will have a better O-line in 2011 and they also get Jermichael Finley back.U: The Packers have also retained James Jones, and plan on getting Jordy Nelson more involved in the passing game, which makes this team even deadlier than 2010…if you can imagine that. Rodgers is set to have a better season in 2011 than he did in 2010, and should remain my number 1 QB for the duration.

2. Tom Brady – NE: Brady moves into the number two spot as one of the best fantasy quarterbacks to come into this season. He has a new weapon in OchoCinco, and he is coming off of a career 2010 season which he’ll only build upon.

3. Drew Brees – NO: Brees is another QB who is among the elite, but concerns about having too many cooks in the kitchen—some of which with health issues— raises a tiny red flag. But for Standard leaguers, Brees might be better than originally anticipated with some new red-zone weapons at his disposal.

4. Matt Ryan – ATL: Saturday’s preseason game was confirmation that the Falcons are not only going pass-happy this season, but also plan to utilize the shotgun more which will bode well for Ryan and the Falcons. Ryan could wind up the leading passer in 2011 if all goes well.

5.Tony Romo – DAl: Final rankings are all about reality—especially in the Top 10—and the reality is, Romo has been on fire and is ready to reclaim his place as a fantasy QB elite. Remember, Romo had three straight seasons as a Top 9 fantasy QB before last year’s injury.

6. Phillip Rivers – SD: It’s hard to leave Rivers out of the Top 5, but it’ll be pulling straws in comparison at the end of the year. if you miss out on the first five, Rivers is just as good, and could potentially be better.

7. Michael Vick – PHI: Vick has had a nice preseason, but he also showed he has significant trouble against the 3-4 defenses (he faces 9 teams who run that defense this season) and he hasn’t played a full 16 since 2006. He’s still dangerous as hell, but this is as high as he should be ranked considering who’s ahead of him and his given risk factors.

8. Matt Schaub – HOU: The Texans will put more emphasis on the ground game this year which will hurt Schaub just a little bit, but I have a feeling they will be playing from behind in a lot of contests this year which will keep his numbers right where they should be every year.

9. Peyton Manning – IND:Sorry but he falls. Things are too risky, but keep in mind that these rankings reflect draft rankings more than projections. Manning should be fine once he does play.

10. Ben Roethlisberger – PIT: Big Ben should have a monster year with Pittsburgh going more vertical in 2011.

The Middle Tier:

11. Matthew Stafford – DETStafford has been on fire this preseason and has shown why—if he remains healthy—you should view him as a borderline elite fantasy quarterback.Stafford has completed 24 of 31 pass attempts (77.4% completion rate), and has thrown for 356 yards, five TDs and zero touchdowns, but he will also have a new three-wide set to play around with, and if he remains healthy, this guy is going to live up to all the hype. The health concerns keeps him out of the Top 10.

12. Joe Flacco – BAL: If Flacco goes as the number 12 quarterback in fantasy football draft, he will be the greatest value pick for a QB 1 have seen in years. Expect big things from Flacco this season.

13. Josh Freeman – TB: U - Freeman looks like a new quarterback and has been playing extremely well given he is a very slow work in progress player. He is not QB1 material just yet, but he is a solid member consideration for your roster this year.

14. Eli Manning – NYG: Manning is a great source for fantasy points, but he is also a huge turnover liability which nullifies those point totals. He has been having a horrid preseason, and still shows he throws off the back foot, which is where all the bad throws come from.

15. Sam Bradford – STL – U: Despite no change in Bradford’s ranking, it is noteworthy to mention that the addition of MSW greatly improves his overall projected fantasy value. Bradford is expected to make for a fine QB2 pick.

16. Jay Cutler – CHI: I don’t believe the Bears have elite talent at WR, and I don’t believe Cutler is mature enough to rise to the Top 10 level. He’s a safe QB 2, nothing more.

17. Matt Cassel – KC: Cassel should have another solid fantasy season, but needs to show fantasy owners his available weapons are quality producers before ranking any higher.

18. Kyle Orton – DEN: Orton should be the starter this season, but John Fox is far more conservative than McDaniels ever was. Expect a run first approach this season which will dip into Orton’s value. U: Orton is the starter, but his value may drop a bit in a run first approach expected to be deployed by coach Fox.

19. Jason Campbell – OAK: Has plenty of receivers with huge upside, but whether or not they step up is left to be seen. He will have sleeper candidate Jacoby Fordat his disposal for a full season this year, which should help.

20. David Garrard – JAC: He’s a good quarterback in a bad offense.

21. Ryan Fitzpatrick – BUF: Fitzpatrick rises to 21, but don’t necessarily view him as a low-ball option.Remember, this is a guy who threw for 3,000 yards and 23 TDs to only 13 INTs in 2010, and he accomplished that while SPLITTING TIME with Trent Edwards.

High Risk or High Reward?

22. Donovan McNabb – MIN:I cover the Vikings exclusively in other capacities, and I have given this a lot of thought.The consensus is, McNabb isn’t going to be that great, but I believe raising up to 22nd is just about right, and he could be a great waiver wire addition to someone later in the season, or even a savvy late-round draft selection for those who wan to to roll the dice. You could do a whole lot worse, trust me.

23. Matt Hasselbeck – TEN: Hasselbeck—previously un-ranked—now cracks the list at 23 taking the place of Browns QB Colt McCoy. While Hasselbeck’s presence will be immediately felt, it is important to remember that Jake Locker WILL get his chance. Whether it is this season or next, however, is yet to be seen.

24. Mark Sanchez – NYJ: Sanchez isn’t required to throw the ball much, and is set to lose Braylon Edwards, but that’s not even the real problem. Last year the Jets, and Sanchez, struggled heavily in drop-back passing because of the fact that Sanchez holds the ball way too long, rather than going through his progressions. His 3,291 yards and 17 touchdowns may cause some people to argue this point, but his 13 Interceptions are a better gauge of what’s to come in 2011 with a receiving corp. that will have fewer veterans, and a greater emphasis on the running game. Like I said, it’s still early, so something could happen to show a different possibility, but for now, Sanchez stays put. Remember, the Jets are a defensive team first and can win with or without him. Sanchez has looked horrible this preseason, ad should be left on the waiver wire as far as I am concerned.

25. Kevin Kolb – ARI: Kolb finally lands in the desert and cracks the list at 25, but that doesn’t mean he is devalued, only that it will take time for Kolb to learn the offense and prove to fantasy owners he is worthy of something higher than a possible mid to late round selection.Kolb has some exciting weapons to play with, though, in Fitzgerald and newly acquired TE Todd Heap which could raise his value by opening day.

26. Chad Henne – MIA: Henne is waiver wire material anyway, so i don’t think anyone is even going to notice his drop from 21 to 26.

27. Colt McCoy – CLE: Goodbye Tarvaris Jackson and hello Colt McCoy (again)! I am really turned by this guy and he is looking more and more as if he could be the real deal this season.The problem with McCoy will be what he does against the better defenses of the league, which is the fantasy concern. McCoy should wind up being a late season WW trend pick by my estimation.

Who’s Left?

The remaining balance of available quarterbacks do not rank high enough to be placed on this list, but do deserve a quick viewpoint for all of you fantasy owners out there.

The Redskins will go with the unproven John Beck who is getting an unwavered show of support from coach Shanahan. But Washington offers little weapons for the youngster, and there is too little amount of information for fantasy owners to trust him even in a Dynasty setting.

The 49ers will initially go with the reeling Alex Smith who is in a now-or-never mode. The 49ers will introduce the West Coast offense this year which could breath life into Smith’s career temporarily, but with rookie Colin Kaepernick breathing down his neck, and given Smith’s track record, I can’t seem him lasting a full 16 games. At this point he hold little value, but Kaepernick is an obvious choice for Dynasty leaguers.

The Panthers, Vikings and Bengals all offer rookie quarterback considerations for fantasy owners. But out of three offered—Cam Newton, Andy Dalton and Christian Ponder—only Ponder and Dalton offer limited value.

I don’t see Newton becoming the next “big thing” as many feel he will become, and would say that he ranks last among the 2011 rookie QB class.

Andy Dalton will get the nod as the opening day starter in Cincy, but the Bengals have all sorts of offensive issue right now, killing Dalton’s initial projected value for the 2011 season, while Christian Ponder will likely sit for a year or so behind McNabb, unless McNabb falls flat on his face.

I like Ponder over Dalton myself for all of you in Keeper and Dynasty leagues.

If you have a specific question please feel free to leave it below for me, and I will answer it. Also, be sure to check back regularly as these rankings will go through a few more changes before the season opens in September.

http://fantasyknuckleheads.com/2011-fantasy-football-sleeper-jacoby-ford/