[Hyperdrive]

Hier mal wieder das Rating von footballguys für unsere einzelnen Teams.
Allerdings wie letztes Jahr nur die Offense.
Sollten nach dem Draft schon Wechsel stattgefunden haben sind die allerdings nicht berücksichtigt!

[Hyperdrive]

QB: Tom Brady, Ryan Tannehill
RB: Ray Rice, Eddie Lacy, Darren McFadden, Ben Tate, Isaiah Pead
WR: Torrey Smith, Steve Smith, Reggie Wayne, Miles Austin, Justin Blackmon
TE: Jermichael Finley, Fred Davis
PK: Garrett Hartley

Overview:

Old school!

We like your overall strength at the traditionally less important positions, but make no mistake about it: this team is about strength at the running back position. And we think it will be among the top teams in the league. Somewhere Marshall Faulk is smiling.

Nonetheless, we'd be remiss if we didn't at least mention the relative lack of strength at quarterback and receiver. These are usually survivable weaknesses, but we'd feel better if we knew you were committed to zealously scouring the waiver wire for this year's emergent players at QB and WR. Getting a breakout player at one or both of those positions would take your already-good team to the next level.

Players we particularly like on this team include Jermichael Finley, Miles Austin, Fred Davis, Justin Blackmon, and Ben Tate. We have all these guys ranked ahead of where they are typically being drafted.
Bottom line:

With great inseason management, we think you have about a 75 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With good inseason management, we think you have about a 65 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With average inseason management, we think you have a 47 percent chance of making the playoffs.

In any event, we wish you the best of luck. Here's hoping all your weeks are like week 3 of 2011:
Torrey Smith vs. STL: 152 receiving yards, 3 TD
Darren McFadden vs. NYJ: 178 combined yards, 2 TD
Jermichael Finley vs. CHI: 85 receiving yards, 3 TD
Tom Brady vs. BUF: 387 passing yards, 4 TD
Ray Rice vs. STL: 164 combined yards

QB Summary:

We expect Tom Brady to be a solid starter. According to our projections, he's the #5 QB, so you should be better off than most teams in the starting quarterback slot.

We're not excited about Ryan Tannehill (our #20 QB) as a backup, but he'll probably be adequate.

Incidentally, Tannehill has what we project as a good matchup (TB) during Brady's bye.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

RB Summary:

We have Ray Rice ranked #7 at the position. So while he's passable as a first running back, he doesn't look particularly thrilling. But we do like your depth at RB, so we're not concerned about it.

Eddie Lacy should be a good second running back; he's a likely flex starter. Likewise, Darren McFadden should be excellent at RB3. Not only do we like Ben Tate as a fourth running back, we love that you stole him from the Arian Foster owner. Isaiah Pead is an excellent RB5.

A quick note about the same-team Rice/Torrey Smith and Lacy/Jermichael Finley duos you've got here. Though the effect is probably negligible, this kind of pairing is likely to make your team more (not less) consistent than a comparable-scoring different-team pair. See this article (which was written before the 2008 season) for more discussion.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some of our staffers have Ray Rice as high as #2, which would make him an above average first running back. Andy Hicks's take: "Those who fear that the presence of Bernard Pierce will cut into the numbers of Ray Rice shouldn't. Rice has been averaging 70 receptions over the last 4 years and that could rise with the departure of Anquan Boldin and injury to Dennis Pitta. Baltimore has no significant replacement in the receiving ranks. Rice will still get more than his share of rushes and I expect his touchdown numbers to be closer to his 2011 total, than last year when he recorded 10. Rice is one of the safer picks in the 1st round. "

Eddie Lacy is ranked #13 by some of our writers, which would make him an above average second running back. Mark Wimer reasons, "Lacy is getting nothing but kudos and strong endorsements from the Green Bay coaching staff and also outside observers/scouts. He's being called the best running back in Green Bay since Ahman Green - it looks like Lacy will be the featured back in Green Bay's potent offense this year, so he has jumped up both my RB and my overall boards a lot as of 8/19/13. The news on 8/27/13 that Dujuan Harris has landed on IR due to his knee re-injury means that Lacy has climbed my boards even higher, to borderline fantasy RB #1 status. He's the only show in town now with Harris out and Franklin struggling mightily. "

WR Summary:

We see both your starters at receiver as below average. Torrey Smith is our 14th ranked WR, and we have Steve Smith at #20.

Your bench looks good and should help offset the unexciting starting unit. We love Reggie Wayne as a third receiver. Likewise, Miles Austin should be excellent at WR4. Justin Blackmon looks great as a fifth receiver.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some of our staffers have Torrey Smith as high as #11, which would make him a fine first receiver. Chad Parsons's take: "Smith has one of the highest touchdown rates for any receiver in his first two seasons, totaling 15 scores on just 99 receptions. The departure of Anquan Boldin opens the door for Smith to expand on his primarily deep role in the Baltimore offense. While many think of Smith as a deep target, he has been a very effective red zone producer, converting 7-of-17 career targets inside the 20-yard-line into scores."

Some of our staffers have Steve Smith as high as #14, which would make him an above average second receiver. Anthony Borbely's take: "Smith still has his great speed at age 34 and shows no signs of slowing down. Smith has been a top-20 WR in 6 of the last 7 years and has at least 70 receptions and 1000 yards in 5 of the last 7 years. I see no reason for that to change and have Smith as an upper-WR2 with upside. "

TE Summary:

Jermichael Finley should be above average as a starting tight end. We have him ranked fourth overall at the position. Fred Davis is a nice backup.

Kicker Summary:

Garrett Hartley, our sixth ranked kicker, won't win the league for you, but he'll do.

[Hyperdrive]

QB: Cam Newton, Matt Schaub, Joe Flacco
RB: Arian Foster, Andre Brown, Jonathan Stewart, LaMichael James, Jonathan Dwyer
WR: Marques Colston, Mike Williams, Denarius Moore, Julian Edelman
TE: Rob Gronkowski, Jared Cook
PK:

Overview:

The quarterback position looks good, and we like your overall strength at the tradionally less important positions as well. But it has some serious issues post-draft. Your only real core strength is at quarterback, yet that's often the easiest position to fill during the season. Your weaknesses at both running back and receiver put you in a hole before any games have played. To end up with a team constructed like this, you probably did not get value on some of your selections. The players themselves are not necessarily bad --- you just might have paid more than what they were worth.

To make this team into a serious contender, you are going to need to be extremely active in trades and on the waiver wire. You esentially need to turn over significant parts of this roster. Last year running backs like Alfred Morris and Vick Ballard could be had dirt cheap at the draft. Additionally, wide receivers like James Jones and Cecil Shorts were available after a lot of the drafts. You are likely going to need to land some of this year's top waiver plays, so pay close attention to increased workloads, targets, injuries, etc.

Players we particularly like on this team include Matt Schaub and Jared Cook. We have both these guys ranked ahead of where they are typically being drafted.
Bottom line:

With great inseason management, we think you have about a 40 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With good inseason management, we think you have about a 20 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With average inseason management, we think you have a 3 percent chance of making the playoffs.

In any event, we wish you the best of luck. Here's hoping all your weeks are like week 4 of 2012:
Cam Newton vs. ATL: 215 passing yards, 86 rushing yards, 3 TD
Marques Colston vs. GB: 153 receiving yards, 1 TD
Joe Flacco vs. CLE: 356 passing yards, 2 TD
Rob Gronkowski vs. BUF: 104 receiving yards, 1 TD

QB Summary:

We have Cam Newton rated #7 among quarterbacks, which makes him a less-than-stellar starter in this league. But we like the selection of our #14-rated QB, Matt Schaub, to go with him. Hopefully between the two of them, you should be able to cobble together some good production at the position, but this strategy always carries with it the downside that you'll drive yourself crazy trying to decide who to start from week to week.
Incidentally, these two have a terrific combined schedule and a nice playoff schedule too. If you simply played the one with the better matchup each week, this is the schedule you'd face:

SD | BUF | NYG | SEA | SF | MIN | KC | TB | IND | SF | NE | MIA | NE | NO | IND | NO

RB Summary:

We have Arian Foster ranked #9 at the position. So while he's passable as a first running back, he doesn't look particularly thrilling. And we also have some doubts about whether your depth at RB is going to make up for it, so this could be an area of some concern.

Andre Brown is a very weak second running back. Jonathan Stewart is also a liability at third running back. LaMichael James is a very weak fourth running back. Jonathan Dwyer is also a liability at fifth running back.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some members of our staff have Arian Foster ranked as high as second, which would make him an above average first running back. Anthony Borbely defends his high ranking as follows: "Foster has averaged more than 1800 yards from scrimmage and has 47 TDs in the last three years. With his high expected TD numbers, I think Foster has a great chance to be the top fantasy RB this year. There is some concern about Foster's back and leg issues, but he was activated from the PUP list and appears to be on target for the regular season opener. While there is risk, I am ranking Foster second to Adrian Peterson because of the huge numbers he has posted year after year. "

Some of our staffers have Andre Brown as high as #27. Andrew Garda's take: "No more Ahmad Bradshaw means Brown will get a larger piece of the pie--even more if David Wilson struggles with holding onto the ball as he did last season. Brown had injury issues in 2012, but performs when healthy. Brown lacks Wilson's explosiveness and overall skills, but is a solid and tough ball carrier. Brown needs to stay healthy though, as he is only on a one-year contract."

Some of our staffers have Jonathan Stewart as high as #29, which would make him an above average third running back. Adam Harstad's take: "Quelle frustration! There are not many examples of an RB who is still in his prime, among the highest paid players at his position in the league, and universally well-regarded, with a top-12 positional finish already under his belt... and who is still being drafted outside the top 30 at his position (Stewart's current ADP is RB31). Then again, there are not many situations similar to Jonathan Stewart's. You might have to go back to the '72-'73 Dolphins to find a pair of teammates more talented than Stewart and Williams. The only thing Stewart owners can comfort themselves with at this point is that it's a fallacy to believe that just because every critical juncture has broken against Stewart in the past, every future juncture will continue the pattern. Not even Stewart owners' rotten luck lasts forever."

Some of our staffers have LaMichael James as high as #44, which would make him a fine fourth running back. Chad Parsons's take: "James is still the best fit for the spread concepts San Francisco runs with Colin Kaepernick under center. Frank Gore is still the lead back, but James is the most intriguing secondary option."

WR Summary:

We see both your starters at receiver as below average. Marques Colston is our #15 ranked receiver, and we have Mike Williams at #29.

Denarius Moore is a very weak third receiver; he's a likely flex starter. Julian Edelman is also a liability at fourth receiver.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some of our staffers have Marques Colston as high as #11, which would make him a fine first receiver. Ryan Hester's take: "Colston's fantasy finishes among WRs since entering the NFL go as follows: 2006 - WR14; 2007 - WR8; 2008 - WR35 (missed five games due to injury); 2009 - WR13; 2010 - WR19; 2011 - WR11; 2012 - WR11. That's one non-injured down year for Colston. With Sean Payton returning this season after what must feel like a lost 2012 in New Orleans, Drew Brees, Colston, and Payton will likely want to make up for that lost time early and often. Give him the respect he deserves."

Some members of our staff have Mike Williams ranked as high as 10th, which would make him a great second receiver and even a legitimate WR1. Heath Cummings defends his high ranking as follows: "If you're looking for the outlier of the Footballguys WR rankings, here it is. Maybe I'm too easily dismissing Williams' 2011 but I see a young, talented receiver on a really good, and improving, offense. If I had to bet on a receiver posting career numbers in 2013, Williams would be the one. As for the concerns about Vincent Jackson being the true #1 in Tampa Bay, Jackson got off to a very hot start but from week eight on, Williams was the Bucs top receiver in fantasy points. I see 1100 yards and double digit TDs in the 4th year receiver's future."

Some members of our staff have Denarius Moore ranked as high as 33rd, which would make him a fine third receiver. Andy Hicks defends his high ranking as follows: "Denarius Moore is entering a crucial year in his career. He is also the expected WR1 following the departure of Darrius Heyward-Bey. The change in quarterbacks to Matt Flynn or whoever beats him out will also be important if Denarius Moore is to be fantasy relevant. The Oakland offense looks like a work in progress, if I'm putting it nicely and I'm not saying that Moore can't be a very productive fantasy receiver this year, I just think he has not demonstrated enough in his career to demostrate he can be anything better than a fantasy WR3."

TE Summary:

As you are well aware, Rob Gronkowski is an elite tight end. We have him ranked second overall at the position. He's about 1.4 points per game better than an average starting TE in this league. We also think Jared Cook is a starting quality tight end in this league. He's a luxury.

Kicker Summary:

Don't forget to pick up a kicker before the season starts.

[Hyperdrive]

QB: Tony Romo, Josh Freeman
RB: Jamaal Charles, Darren Sproles, Bryce Brown
WR: Brandon Marshall, Cecil Shorts, Hakeem Nicks, Steve Johnson, Chris Givens
TE: Zach Sudfeld, Ed Dickson
PK: Blair Wals

Overview:

A bit odd to name your team after the Jets and then not take any of them. But we're sure you have your reasons. On to the analysis...

Your receivers are the strongest part of this team. While no team can be expected to be above average at all three core positions (QB/RB/WR), you are in the precarious position of being a bit weak at two of them.

Although you should not be counted out yet, you may need to be active on both the waiver wire and in trades to turn this team into a legitimate contender. The best way to achieve that might be to sacrifice some of your wide receiver strength to gain multiple players than can help your roster now. It's generally easier finding quarterbacks and wide receivers on the waiver wire than quality running backs.

Keep an eye out for quarterbacks like Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck from last year, Cam Newton the year before, Michael Vick and Josh Freeman in 2010, and Matt Cassel and Kurt Warner in 2008. All were available cheap in August, and all contributed to fantasy championship teams. Likewise, running backs like Alfred Morris and Vick Ballard all could be had dirt cheap at the draft or shortly after. You are likely going to need to land some of this year's top waiver plays, so pay close attention to increased workloads, targets, injuries, etc.
Bottom line:

With great inseason management, we think you have about a 40 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With good inseason management, we think you have about a 20 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With average inseason management, we think you have a 3 percent chance of making the playoffs.

In any event, we wish you the best of luck. Here's hoping all your weeks are like week 12 of 2012:
Bryce Brown vs. CAR: 189 combined yards, 2 TD
Tony Romo vs. WAS: 441 passing yards, 3 TD
Chris Givens vs. ARI: 115 receiving yards, 1 TD
Cecil Shorts vs. TEN: 105 receiving yards, 1 TD

QB Summary:

We have Tony Romo rated #11 among quarterbacks, which makes him a viable starter if not an exciting one. And we're not crazy about Josh Freeman (ranked #25 among quarterbacks) as a backup. If Romo turns in the season we expect, this position won't ruin you, but it probably won't be a strength either. And if things go wrong, it could be a long year at QB.

Incidentally, Freeman has what we project as a bad matchup (ATL) during Romo's bye.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some members of our staff have Tony Romo ranked as high as fifth, which would make him an above average first quarterback. Heath Cummings defends his high ranking as follows: "I think with all the talk about his work ethic, Tony Romo really has something to prove this season. He has Dez Bryant, newly established as an elite receiver, and the ever reliable Jason Witten to lean on. Assuming an improved Cowboys offensive line we may see Romo's best season since 2007."

Some members of our staff have Josh Freeman ranked as high as 15th, which would make him an above average second quarterback. Mark Wimer defends his high ranking as follows: "Freeman has been inconsistent so far during his career, but he benefits from having a top-shelf running back to menace opposing defenses, and also a nice tandem at wide receiver to utilize. I think a top-ten finish among fantasy quarterbacks is a lock for Freeman this year, especially as he cut back on throwing interceptions last season. He looks like a player on the way up, so I like him as a strong QB #2 play, with possible top-five upside this season. "

RB Summary:

Jamaal Charles is a solid choice as a top running back. He's our #6 RB, so you're ahead of most teams there, which is good considering that, overall, running back is probably not going to be your strongest position.

We see Darren Sproles as an average second running back; he's a likely flex starter. Nice move keeping Bryce Brown away from the LeSean McCoy owner, but we wouldn't otherwise be excited about him at third RB.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some members of our staff have Jamaal Charles ranked as high as second, which would make him an above average first running back. Maurile Tremblay defends his high ranking as follows: "Charles is among the most talented running backs in the league, and he is a perfect fit for Andy Reid's offense."

Some members of our staff have Darren Sproles ranked as high as 20th, which would make him a fine second running back. Andy Hicks defends his high ranking as follows: "Darren Sproles gets all his value in the passing game. Since joining the Saints he averages 80 receptions a season, despite missing 3 games. With the minimal input running the ball, Sproles is still a good quality 2nd back for your fantasy squad, moreso in PPR. He has a knack for finding the end zone and with the other weapons in New Orleans will find himself open frequently. Despite being 30, as long as he still has his speed he should remain a viable option given the role he plays. "

Some of our staffers have Bryce Brown as high as #27, which would make him an above average third running back. Heath Cummings's take: "Chip Kelly's offense will provide plenty of opportunities for both Bryce Brown and LeSean McCoy to be successful. While McCoy is still the starter, and unlikely to go anywhere, I can see two stud running backs in this system. The addition of Felix Jones only bolsters that opinion as I wouldn't be surprised to see Brown and McCoy on the field together plenty in 2013."

WR Summary:

Your starting receivers should be adequate but not great. They don't stand out as difference-makers, but both should be OK. Brandon Marshall is our sixth ranked WR, and we have Cecil Shorts at #19.

Your bench looks good and should help offset the unexciting starting unit. Hakeem Nicks should serve as a very solid third receiver. Steve Johnson will also be among the best WR4s in the league. Tough to do better than Chris Givens at WR5.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some members of our staff have Brandon Marshall ranked as high as second, which would make him an above average first receiver. Adam Harstad defends his high ranking as follows: "Calvin Johnson's season was without question very impressive last year, but I would argue that Brandon Marshall was even better. Calvin set the record for receiving yards on a woeful team that also shattered the record for pass attempts after they'd been eliminated and had nothing left to play for. Marshall, on the other hand, was 3rd in the league in receiving yards in his very first season with a team that ranked 27th in the league in pass attempts and 29th in the league in passing yards. The Lions had one more passing TD than the Bears, but Marshall had six more receiving TDs than Johnson. One of the few receivers capable of carrying an entire passing game, Marshall is worth whatever price you have to pay to acquire him."

Some members of our staff have Cecil Shorts ranked as high as 14th, which would make him an above average second receiver. Matt Waldman defends his high ranking as follows: "If Shorts was on a mid-tier team like Miami, Indianapolis, Washington, or San Diego, he'd be a top-12 fantasy threat. Until the quarterback situation improves, he's a nice big-play option but still an untapped talent. I think he'll improve his production for a third consecutive year, but he still remains outside the WR1 tier. "

TE Summary:

This is a pretty motley crew. We don't see Zach Sudfeld as a viable starter or Ed Dickson as an above average backup. Help is needed.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some of our staffers have Zach Sudfeld as high as #12, which would make him a fine first tight end. Matt Waldman's take: "Sudfeld is a huge target with fluid athleticism. He has excellent concentration to win the ball in tight coverage while making adjustments that expose him to big hits. He has above average NFL athleticism at his position. He's not super fast, but he's quick and agile. Expect Sudfeld to be a hot commodity while Rob Gronkowski is on the bench early in the season and don't expect his production to drop off completely once Gronkowski returns. There's room for a player like Sudfeld to produce in 12 personnel sets. "

Some of our staffers have Ed Dickson as high as #10, which would make him a great second tight end and even a legitimate TE1. Mark Wimer's take: "With Dennis Pitta out for the season, Dickson vaults into fantasy TE #1 territory. The Ravens need to rely on the tight end more this year with Anquan Boldin now hanging his cleats in San Francisco and Jacoby Jones as the likely #2 wide receiver on the squad. However, Dickson's absence due to a hamstring injury (he returned to practice on August 19) opened the door to Visanthe Shiancoe and Dallas Clark to sign with the Ravens - the picture at tight end is now murkier than before Pitta and Dickson were hurt."

Kicker Summary:

Blair Walsh, our 11th ranked kicker, is below average but probably adequate.

[Hyperdrive]

QB: Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan
RB: Marshawn Lynch, Frank Gore, Pierre Thomas, Fred Jackson, Shonn Greene
WR: Eric Decker, James Jones, Anquan Boldin, Lance Moore
TE: Antonio Gates, Jermaine Gresham
PK: Matt Bryant

Overview:

This team is built around strong quarterback play. But it has some serious issues post-draft. Your only real core strength is at quarterback, yet that's often the easiest position to fill during the season. Your weaknesses at both running back and receiver put you in a hole before any games have played. To end up with a team constructed like this, you probably did not get value on some of your selections. The players themselves are not necessarily bad --- you just might have paid more than what they were worth.

To make this team into a serious contender, you are going to need to be extremely active in trades and on the waiver wire. You esentially need to turn over significant parts of this roster. Last year running backs like Alfred Morris and Vick Ballard could be had dirt cheap at the draft. Additionally, wide receivers like James Jones and Cecil Shorts were available after a lot of the drafts. You are likely going to need to land some of this year's top waiver plays, so pay close attention to increased workloads, targets, injuries, etc.

Players we particularly like on this team include Peyton Manning and Frank Gore. We have both these guys ranked ahead of where they are typically being drafted.
Bottom line:

With great inseason management, we think you have about a 50 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With good inseason management, we think you have about a 35 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With average inseason management, we think you have a 15 percent chance of making the playoffs.

In any event, we wish you the best of luck. Here's hoping all your weeks are like week 16 of 2012:
Marshawn Lynch vs. SF: 130 combined yards, 2 TD
Matt Ryan vs. DET: 279 passing yards, 4 TD
Shonn Greene vs. SD: 80 combined yards, 2 TD
Eric Decker vs. CLE: 65 receiving yards, 2 TD
Peyton Manning vs. CLE: 339 passing yards, 3 TD
James Jones vs. TEN: 100 receiving yards, 1 TD

QB Summary:

You don't need us to tell you this, but we'll tell you anyway: Peyton Manning should ensure that your production at the quarterback position is among the best in the league. We have him as the #2 QB according to your scoring rules, and we figure he gives you about a 1.2 point-per-game advantage over an average starting QB.

We also love Matt Ryan as a backup. In fact, we think he's good enough to be someone's starting quarterback in this league. With Manning in place as your starter, he's something of a luxury for you. If he plays like we expect, you should be able to get good value for him in a trade after quarterback injuries hit some of your opponents.

Incidentally, Ryan has what we project as a bad matchup (CAR) during Manning's bye.

A quick note about the Manning/Eric Decker hookup you've got here: while we think the effect of the quarterback/receiver hookup has largely been exaggerated in fantasy football circles, it does have a tendency to make your team somewhat more inconsistent than comparable scoring duos from different NFL teams. But if you like the players at both ends of the connection, we do not see any need to make a change because of it.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

RB Summary:

We have Marshawn Lynch ranked #10 at the position. So while he's passable as a first running back, he doesn't look particularly thrilling. And we also have some doubts about whether your depth at RB is going to make up for it, so this could be an area of some concern.

Frank Gore should serve as a very solid second running back; he's a likely flex starter. Pierre Thomas, on the other hand, is an average-at-best third RB. Not only do we like Fred Jackson as a fourth running back, we love that you stole him from the C.J. Spiller owner. It was probably a good move to keep Shonn Greene away from the Chris Johnson owner, but we think he's a fine fifth running back in his own right.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Marshawn Lynch is ranked #4 by some of our writers, which would make him an above average first running back. Mark Wimer reasons, "Lynch is one of the few every-down running backs left in the NFL - he's a beast in all scoring formats. I like him as a fire-and-forget RB 1 all season long. He'll produce no matter which defenses he faces, due to his heavy workload, though there is a pending legal issue (DUI) that could impact his season. The delays in bringing the case to trial are making a resolution to the case (and any league suspension) unlikely during this season. "

Pierre Thomas is ranked #30 by some of our writers, which would make him an above average third running back. Matt Waldman reasons, "The most unsung running back in the NFL has RB2 upside, but is a flex-play in this current scheme. While he's the starter on the depth chart in August, this is still a three-way split and I think Thomas may have a higher floor than many backs, but his ceiling is capped because he'll split red zone time with Ingram and pass plays with Sproles. He's great on screens, draws, and certain I formation plays with a fullback lead, but that's not the main thrust of the Saints offense."

Some of our staffers have Fred Jackson as high as #26, which would make him a great fourth running back and even a legitimate RB3. Jeff Tefertiller's take: "Jackson will be healthy and playing week one after missing time last season with injury. Yes, he is aging, but a steal at this point. "

WR Summary:

We see both your starters at receiver as below average. Eric Decker is our #18 ranked receiver, and we have James Jones at #30.

Anquan Boldin is a little below average as a third receiver. But Lance Moore should be a very good fourth receiver.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some of our staffers have Eric Decker as high as #12, which would make him a fine first receiver. Matt Waldman's take: "Decker is likely the odd-man out with the acquisition of Wes Welker, but it depends how you define the phrase odd-man out. Out of the top-10 among fantasy receivers, yes. Out of the top-25? Not likely. Decker is a better route runner than Demaryius Thomas may ever become and he has the confidence of Peyton Manning on precision plays. Wes Welker may cut into Decker's totals, but there will be plenty of targets to Decker that result from Thomas's vertical threat and Welker driving slot defenders and linebackers to distraction. This offense has room for three fantasy starters in the receiving corps. Don't sleep on Decker. "

James Jones is ranked #17 by some of our writers, which would make him an above average second receiver. Mark Wimer reasons, "Aaron Rodgers has a great problem (for an NFL quarterback) - a plethora of quality wide receivers. However, news on August 6 that Jordy Nelson had knee surgery on Monday, August 5 and that Nelson is out 4-6 weeks means that I've bumped Randall Cobb and James Jones up my rankings quite a bit - they will get a lot of reps with Rodgers during training camp and Nelson may have trouble getting back into the starting lineup even when/if he is healthy again. "

Some of our staffers have Anquan Boldin as high as #23, which would make him a great third receiver and even a legitimate WR2. Mark Wimer's take: "With Michael Crabtree out for regular season due to a blown Achilles tendon, Boldin is going to be the lead receiver for the 49ers - he'll get his share of balls and should be a consistent-if-unspectacular fantasy receiver. "

TE Summary:

Antonio Gates is just OK as a starting tight end (we have him ranked #11). So the selection of Jermaine Gresham, who we see as a solid backup, was wise.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some of our staffers have Antonio Gates as high as #7, which would make him a fine first tight end. Jeff Tefertiller's take: "Gates could easily rebound in Mike McCoy's new offense. He is finally healthy and shoudl not be asked to stay in and block as much"

Jermaine Gresham is ranked #12 by some of our writers, which would make him a great second tight end and even a legitimate TE1. Andy Hicks reasons, "It would be easy to conclude that the arrival of Tyler Eifert will have a significant impact on Jermaine Greshams numbers in 2013, but rookies often don't hit the ground running. The Bengals offense should also be more productive. While Gresham is unlikely to break into the top 6 fantasy Tight Ends, he will perform far better than those who dismiss him altogether. Other teams have been able to get 2 productive fantasy Tight Ends and the Bengals will probably work towards that in 2014. This year the edge has to go to Gresham."

Kicker Summary:

Matt Bryant, our sixth ranked kicker, won't win the league for you, but he'll do.

[Hyperdrive]

QB: Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger
RB: Trent Richardson, C.J. Spiller, Lamar Miller, Daryl Richardson
WR: Victor Cruz, Randall Cobb, Pierre Garcon, Kenny Britt, Aaron Dobson
TE: Brandon Pettigrew
PK: Phil Dawson

Overview:

Congratulations! You seem to have grabbed quality players at every turn of this draft. It's rare indeed to be better than the average team at the three core positions (quarterback, running back and receiver), but we think this team is.

You must be among the favorites in this league and have positioned yourself to grab one of the playoff spots. But before you start engraving the trophy, realize that the draft is not the end of the story. Things can and do go wrong, so you need to remain diligent throughout the year to ensure you remain strong until the playoffs.

Players we particularly like on this team include Trent Richardson, Aaron Rodgers, Kenny Britt, C.J. Spiller, Lamar Miller, and Daryl Richardson. We have all these guys ranked ahead of where they are typically being drafted.
Bottom line:

With great inseason management, we think you have about a 85 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With good inseason management, we think you have about a 75 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With average inseason management, we think you have a 61 percent chance of making the playoffs.

QB Summary:

You don't need us to tell you this, but we'll tell you anyway: Aaron Rodgers should ensure that your production at the quarterback position is among the best in the league. We have him as the #1 QB according to your scoring rules, and we figure he gives you about a 2.5 point-per-game advantage over an average starting QB.

Ben Roethlisberger, who we have rated as the #16 QB, is a fine backup.

Incidentally, Roethlisberger has what we project as a good matchup (MIN) during Rodgers's bye.

A quick note about the Rodgers/Randall Cobb hookup you've got here: while we think the effect of the quarterback/receiver hookup has largely been exaggerated in fantasy football circles, it does have a tendency to make your team somewhat more inconsistent than comparable scoring duos from different NFL teams. But if you like the players at both ends of the connection, we do not see any need to make a change because of it.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

RB Summary:

Trent Richardson is a solid choice as a top running back. He's our #3 RB, so you're ahead of most teams there.

C.J. Spiller looks great as a second running back; he's a likely flex starter. Likewise, Lamar Miller should be excellent at RB3. Daryl Richardson looks great as a fourth running back.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

WR Summary:

Your starting receivers should, as a unit, be adequate but not great. In particular we like Randall Cobb as a second WR. Victor Cruz is our #10 ranked receiver, and we have Cobb at #13.

Your bench looks good and should help offset the unexciting starting unit. We love Pierre Garcon as a third receiver. Likewise, Kenny Britt should be excellent at WR4. Aaron Dobson is a very weak fifth receiver.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some members of our staff have Victor Cruz ranked as high as eighth, which would make him a fine first receiver. Mark Wimer defends his high ranking as follows: "Cruz got his long-term contract, and given a healthy Hakeem Nicks across from him and all the trust Cruz earned from Eli Manning last year, I think this year Cruz will be a fantasy beast. He's on my short list of must-have fantasy wide receivers this year. I just drafted him as my #1 wide receiver on a start-up IDP dynasty squad. "

Some of our staffers have Aaron Dobson as high as #56, which would make him a fine fifth receiver. Heath Cummings's take: "It looks like Dobson may have a legitimate shot to earn a starting role in 2013. While I don't think he's an exceptional talent, any receiver with Tom Brady at quarterback has a chance to be special."

TE Summary:

With only Brandon Pettigrew, who we don't think is starter-quality in this league, this position is likely to be a trouble spot for you all season.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some members of our staff have Brandon Pettigrew ranked as high as ninth, which would make him a fine first tight end. Andy Hicks defends his high ranking as follows: "The Lions are more likely to resemble the 2011 offense than the struggling version last year and that brings Brandon Pettigrew right into play as a fantasy option. With Titus Young no longer at the Lions and Ryan Broyles and Nate Burleson coming off bad injuries, the Lions will need to take the pressure off Calvin Johnson and Reggie Bush. Pettigrew is the perfect player to do that. "

Kicker Summary:

Phil Dawson, our fifth ranked kicker, won't win the league for you, but he'll do.

[Hyperdrive]

QB: Alex Smith, Michael Vick
RB: Alfred Morris, Chris Johnson, Rashard Mendenhall, Mark Ingram
WR: Andre Johnson, Roddy White, Antonio Brown, Golden Tate
TE: Vernon Davis, Dwayne Allen
PK: Randy Bullock

Overview:

A bit odd to name your team after the Lions and then not take any of them. But we're sure you have your reasons. On to the analysis...

In a competitive league, almost every team has a weakness. It's almost impossible to build a team that is strong at all three core positions (quarterback, running back and wide receiver). As you probably suspect, we perceive your weakness to be at the quarterback position. Of all the deficiencies to have though, this is usually the easiest one to mask.

Footballguys owner David Dodds even recommends you go into your draft with the goal of landing the top RBs and WRs while waiting to grab QBs late. Value-Based Drafting principles also suggest that teams constructed in this manner end up being strong. But for this team to reach it's full potential, you might need to have a quick trigger finger at the QB position and stay on the look out for good quarterback help. Last year Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck could be had very cheap in August and September, but ended up contributing to a lot of fantasy championships. In 2011 it was Cam Newton; in 2010 it was Michael Vick and Josh Freeman; in 2008, the same could be said of players like Aaron Rodgers, Kurt Warner, and Matt Cassel. Quarterbacks like these can be found every year, and that could be the key to your team's success.

So although this team isn't perfect (few are), it's one that should be in the mix with good inseason management.

Players we particularly like on this team include Dwayne Allen, Antonio Brown, Mark Ingram, Chris Johnson, and Randy Bullock. We have all these guys ranked ahead of where they are typically being drafted.
Bottom line:

With great inseason management, we think you have about a 60 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With good inseason management, we think you have about a 45 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With average inseason management, we think you have a 24 percent chance of making the playoffs.

In any event, we wish you the best of luck. Here's hoping all your weeks are like week 10 of 2010:
Michael Vick vs. WAS: 333 passing yards, 80 rushing yards, 6 TD
Roddy White vs. BAL: 138 receiving yards, 2 TD
Andre Johnson vs. JAX: 146 receiving yards, 1 TD
Chris Johnson vs. MIA: 124 combined yards, 1 TD

QB Summary:

We have Alex Smith rated #17 among quarterbacks, so we're not even sold on him as a fantasy starter in your league. And we're not sure that Michael Vick (our #21-rated QB) is likely to provide much help.
Incidentally, these two have a terrific combined schedule and a decent playoff schedule too. If you simply played the one with the better matchup each week, this is the schedule you'd face:

WAS | SD | PHI | NYG | TEN | OAK | HOU | CLE | BUF | GB | WAS | SD | DEN | WAS | OAK | IND

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some members of our staff have Alex Smith ranked as high as 16th. Jason Wood defends his high ranking as follows: "Andy Reid sent Donovan McNabb to five Pro Bowls, turned Michael Vick into an MVP candidate, and made A.J. Feeley and Koy Detmer seem like viable NFL starters. Anyone that thinks Reid can't work wonders with Alex Smith isn't a student of NFL history. Smith is accurate, in his prime, and has the athleticism and pocket awareness to flourish in Reid's West Coast offense."

Some members of our staff have Michael Vick ranked as high as ninth, which would make him a great second quarterback and even a legitimate QB1. Andy Hicks defends his high ranking as follows: "Once you get to the group of Quarterbacks available with Michael Vick, you have a tough choice to make. Now at the age of 33, we really could be seeing the end of Vick as a fantasy force. The new Chip Kelly regime in Philadelphia is key to his prospects in 2013. If they can work the offence to suit the game of Vick, then he can once again return to the fantasy elite. He does however also become very expendable if he doesn't take command of the offense. Vick is the ultimate High ceiling, low floor pick and is almost a luxury pick if you have set starters. The rewards could be great, but it is with a heavy risk. "

RB Summary:

We have Alfred Morris ranked #8 at the position. So while he's passable as a first running back, he doesn't look particularly thrilling. But we do like your depth at RB, so we're not concerned about it.

Tough to do better than Chris Johnson at RB2; he's a likely flex starter. Rashard Mendenhall should also be solidly above average at RB3. We love Mark Ingram as a fourth running back.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Alfred Morris is ranked #4 by some of our writers, which would make him an above average first running back. Heath Cummings reasons, "As a rookie out of Florida Atlantic, Morris toted the rock 335 times in 2012 and finished as the fifth best running back in fantasy football. That is an astounding sentence, and I think we'll may see a small regression in 2013. I think his workload will stay high, but I think a slightly lower YPC and a few less touchdowns is likely. Morris is all but invisible in the passing game and slips into borderline RB2 territory in PPR leagues. "

WR Summary:

Your starting receiver group is a strength, particularly Roddy White as a second receiver. Andre Johnson is our #7 ranked receiver, and we have White at #12.

Your bench also looks good. We love Antonio Brown as a third receiver. Golden Tate should also be solidly above average at WR4.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Andre Johnson is ranked #3 by some of our writers, which would make him an above average first receiver. Jeff Tefertiller reasons, "Expect Johnson's role to remain the same. Injuries are the only concern for the veteran receiver. The addition of Hopkins could actually help keep coverages honest ... much moreso than Kevin Walter"

TE Summary:

Vernon Davis should be above average as a starting tight end. We have him ranked sixth overall at the position. Dwayne Allen is a nice backup.

Kicker Summary:

Randy Bullock, our third ranked kicker, won't win the league for you, but he'll do.

[Hyperdrive]

QB: Colin Kaepernick, Andy Dalton, Eli Manning
RB: Matt Forte, Steven Jackson, Stevan Ridley, Mikel Leshoure
WR: Larry Fitzgerald, Dwayne Bowe, Mike Wallace, Percy Harvin
TE: Tony Gonzalez, Greg Olsen
PK: Justin Tucker

Overview:

A bit odd to name your team after the Steelers and then not take any of them. But we're sure you have your reasons. On to the analysis...

We think you're looking good at quarterback and running back, and tight end is a plus for this team as well. Your squad is therefore easy for us to like despite a bit of weakness at the receiver position. But as weaknesses go, this is one is survivable. It's usually relatively easy to find fill-in guys on a weekly basis until a better player emerges during the season. As long as you stay on top of things inseason, you should be the league favorite or very close to it.

Players we particularly like on this team include Colin Kaepernick, Dwayne Bowe, Andy Dalton, Greg Olsen, and Justin Tucker. We have all these guys ranked ahead of where they are typically being drafted.
Bottom line:

With great inseason management, we think you have about a 90 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With good inseason management, we think you have about a 80 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With average inseason management, we think you have a 73 percent chance of making the playoffs.

In any event, we wish you the best of luck. Here's hoping all your weeks are like week 10 of 2012:
Tony Gonzalez vs. NO: 122 receiving yards, 2 TD
Greg Olsen vs. DEN: 102 receiving yards, 2 TD
Steven Jackson vs. SF: 127 combined yards, 1 TD
Andy Dalton vs. NYG: 199 passing yards, 4 TD

QB Summary:

You don't need us to tell you this, but we'll tell you anyway: Colin Kaepernick should ensure that your production at the quarterback position is among the best in the league. We have him as the #3 QB according to your scoring rules, and we figure he gives you about a 1.1 point-per-game advantage over an average starting QB.

Andy Dalton, who we have rated as the #13 QB, is a fine backup.

Incidentally, Dalton has what we project as a neutral matchup (MIA) during Kaepernick's bye.

RB Summary:

We have Matt Forte ranked #11 at the position. So while he's passable as a first running back, he doesn't look particularly thrilling. But we do like your depth at RB, so we're not concerned about it.

Steven Jackson should serve as a very solid second running back; he's a likely flex starter. Stevan Ridley will also be among the best RB3s in the league. Mikel Leshoure is a very weak fourth running back.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

A quick note about the same-team Jackson/Tony Gonzalez duo you've got here. Though the effect is probably negligible, this kind of pairing is likely to make your team more (not less) consistent than a comparable-scoring different-team pair.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some members of our staff have Matt Forte ranked as high as fourth, which would make him an above average first running back. Matt Waldman defends his high ranking as follows: "Matt Forte is not considered a special talent by most fantasy owners, but I think he is. Marc Trestman's offense should help the passing game and if the team's draft picks at the line of scrimmage provide an immediate upgrade, Forte could have a strong year between the tackles. Kyle Long looked great at RG and Jermon Bushrod's arrival from New Orleans is also showing early returns. Where I think Forte earns his elite RB ranking is the passing game. Trestman has a history of throwing the ball to his backs in the early and often and it includes the red zone. I won't be drafting Forte here, because I won't need to, but I think he'll be in this range of production when it's all said and done. "

Some members of our staff have Mikel Leshoure ranked as high as 28th, which would make him a great fourth running back and even a legitimate RB3. Andrew Garda defends his high ranking as follows: "I was pretty disappointed in Leshoure's production last season. Oh, his totals--798 yards and nine touchdowns in 14 games--were adequate. His yards per carry (3.7), however, were not. Clearly the team had concerns as well,which led them to sign Reggie Bush. Leshoure will still get the bulk of the carries despite the presence of Bush, but I don't see an increase in overall yards or touchdowns coming. The offensive line also needs to improve its' play to give Leshoure a better chance. The O-line tends to give the backfield nothing to work with, and Leshoure has trouble making something out of nothing."

WR Summary:

Depth is a serious concern, but we do like your starting group, particularly Dwayne Bowe as a second receiver. Larry Fitzgerald is our ninth ranked WR, and we have Bowe at #11.

Mike Wallace should serve as a very solid third receiver. But Percy Harvin is out of his league as a fourth WR.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Larry Fitzgerald is ranked #3 by some of our writers, which would make him an above average first receiver. Matt Waldman reasons, "If there is anyone happier than Larry Fitzgerald to see Carson Palmer in Arizona, it would be Carson Palmer. These two are excellent talents in need of each other. You may not believe me when I say this about the Palmer, but we all know that Fitzgerald just needed a competent passer with the deep accuracy and willingness to target him in tight coverage. Judging by the ridiculous number of catches that Rod Streater and Darrius Heyward-Bey dropped in tight coverage last year, I think we should see a return to PPR an performance prominence for Fitzgerald in a big way. The next 2-3 years might be the final hurrah for the big guy's fantasy standing as an elite option. Take advantage of it if you can. I see a Cutler-Marshall dynamic happening in Arizona, but w/more emphasis on the pass due to an average running game at best. "

Some of our staffers have Percy Harvin as high as #44, which would make him a fine fourth receiver. Andrew Garda's take: "Harvin was unhappy in Minnesota, so they finally gave him what he wanted -- a ticket elsewhere. The Vikes got peace of mind while the Seahawks gained a talented, but somewhat volatile player who is deadly with the ball in his hands. Russell Wilson managed to make Golden Tate and Sidney Rice dangerous receivers, so it's exciting to think about what he can accomplish with a guy like Harvin. Harvin was hurt last season, but the injury issues shouldn't carry over. Really, the only thing which can stop Harvin is Harvin."

TE Summary:

Tony Gonzalez should be above average as a starting tight end. We have him ranked fifth overall at the position. We also think Greg Olsen is a starting quality tight end in this league. He's a luxury.

Kicker Summary:

Justin Tucker, our fourth ranked kicker, won't win the league for you, but he'll do.

[Hyperdrive]

QB: Drew Brees, Carson Palmer
RB: LeSean McCoy, Ryan Mathews, LeVeon Bell, Ronnie Hillman
WR: Dez Bryant, Wes Welker, Sidney Rice, Brian Hartline
TE: Owen Daniels, Brandon Myers
PK: Matt Prater

Overview:

Your starting lineup is respectable, but the lack of depth is a serious problem. If you're lucky enough to avoid the injury bug, you might be OK. But that's a tough thing to have to count on.
To make this team into a serious contender, you are going to need to be extremely active in trades and on the waiver wire. You esentially need to turn over significant parts of this roster. Last year running backs like Alfred Morris and Vick Ballard all could be had dirt cheap at the draft. Additionally, wide receivers like James Jones and Cecil Shorts were available after a lot of the drafts. Quarterbacks like Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck last season, Cam Newton the year before, Michael Vick in 2010, and Matt Cassel in 2008 could all be had cheap just after draft time. You are likely going to need to land many of this year's top waiver plays to make any significant noise, so pay close attention to increased workloads, targets, injuries, etc.

Players we particularly like on this team include Dez Bryant and Matt Prater. We have both these guys ranked ahead of where they are typically being drafted.
Bottom line:

With great inseason management, we think you have about a 45 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With good inseason management, we think you have about a 30 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With average inseason management, we think you have a 11 percent chance of making the playoffs.

In any event, we wish you the best of luck. Here's hoping all your weeks are like week 3 of 2011:
Wes Welker vs. BUF: 217 receiving yards, 2 TD
Ryan Mathews vs. KC: 149 combined yards, 2 TD
LeSean McCoy vs. NYG: 141 combined yards, 1 TD
Drew Brees vs. HOU: 370 passing yards, 3 TD

QB Summary:

We expect Drew Brees to be a solid starter. According to our projections, he's the #4 QB, so you should be better off than most teams in the starting quarterback slot.

As of now, we're not buying Carson Palmer as a viable backup quarterback. Even though Brees should be starting for you most weeks, we'd recommend an upgrade here if possible.

Incidentally, Palmer has what we project as a bad matchup (SEA) during Brees's bye.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some of our staffers have Carson Palmer as high as #14, which would make him an above average second quarterback. Matt Waldman's take: "Palmer's demise is greatly exaggerated. He's a confident passer willing to target receivers in tight spots. That was the problem in Oakland because he lacked experienced receivers capable of catching these passes. Since Kurt Warner retired, Larry Fitzgerald has lacked a quarterback willing to give him the ball after getting two inches of daylight on his defender. If you ask me, this is like Chocolate and Peanut butter. "

RB Summary:

LeSean McCoy is a solid choice as a top running back. He's our #5 RB, so you're ahead of most teams there, which is good considering that, overall, running back is probably not going to be your strongest position.

We see Ryan Mathews as an average second running back; he's a likely flex starter. LeVeon Bell is also a fair-to-middlin' third running back. Tough to do better than Ronnie Hillman at RB4.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

LeSean McCoy is ranked #2 by some of our writers, which would make him an above average first running back. Sigmund Bloom reasons, "McCoy is excited, and that makes me excited about drafting him. The Chip Kelly offense will run a ton of plays, and the majority of those plays are likely to be run plays. McCoy slashing against tired and discombobulated defenses? I think that is worth a top 3 pick. Remember, it was just two years ago that he had 20 touchdowns, and he just turned 25."

Some of our staffers have Ryan Mathews as high as #19, which would make him a fine second running back. Jeff Tefertiller's take: "Even with the injury issues the past couple of seasons, the youngster has loads of upside. He makes a high-ceiling RB2 with relatively low risk. Like Rivers, much depends on the offensive line. "

WR Summary:

Your starting receivers should, as a unit, be adequate but not great. In particular we like Dez Bryant as a top WR. Bryant is our #2 ranked receiver, and we have Wes Welker at #35.

We don't particularly like Sidney Rice as a third receiver. Brian Hartline is also a fair-to-middlin' fourth receiver.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Wes Welker is ranked #12 by some of our writers, which would make him a great second receiver and even a legitimate WR1. Jeff Haseley reasons, "Remember how good Peyton Manning made Austin Collie in the first half of the 2010 season? He'll utilize Wes Welker in the same manner. Reception totals should reach 90 with plenty of opportunities for touchdowns in Denver's offense."

Some members of our staff have Sidney Rice ranked as high as 31st, which would make him a fine third receiver. Andy Hicks defends his high ranking as follows: "Sidney Rice was finally back to full fitness last year and he put up nice numbers given his relative lack of targets. With the right fantasy matchup though, he can be used for spot duty and his current draft slot means you can grab him much later than less reliable receivers. The injury to Percy Harvin puts Rice as the No.1 receiver, but flying to Switzerland for treatment puts alarm bells on Rice as well. Watch further news carefully as a fit Rice could return to fantasy starter status."

Some members of our staff have Brian Hartline ranked as high as 36th, which would make him a great fourth receiver and even a legitimate WR3. Heath Cummings defends his high ranking as follows: "The addition of Mike Wallace and departure of Davonne Bess create an intriguing opportunity for Hartline. Wallace should stretch the defense providing an opening underneath for Hartline. Hartline has established great rapport with Tannehill this offseason and could be a PPR monster."

TE Summary:

Owen Daniels is just OK as a starting tight end (we have him ranked #10). So the selection of Brandon Myers, who we see as a solid backup, was wise.

Kicker Summary:

Matt Prater, our second ranked kicker, won't win the league for you, but he'll do.

[Hyperdrive]

QB: Matthew Stafford, Sam Bradford, EJ Manuel
RB: Adrian Peterson, Reggie Bush, Ahmad Bradshaw, Knowshon Moreno
WR: A.J. Green, Danny Amendola, Jordy Nelson, Josh Gordon
TE: Kyle Rudolph, Jordan Cameron
PK: Josh Brown

Overview:

In a competitive league, almost every team has a weakness. It's almost impossible to build a team that is strong at all three core positions (quarterback, running back and wide receiver). As you probably suspect, we perceive your weakness to be at the quarterback position. Of all the deficiencies to have though, this is usually the easiest one to mask.

Footballguys owner David Dodds even recommends you go into your draft with the goal of landing the top RBs and WRs while waiting to grab QBs late. Value-Based Drafting principles also suggest that teams constructed in this manner end up being strong. But for this team to reach it's full potential, you might need to have a quick trigger finger at the QB position and stay on the look out for good quarterback help. Last year Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck could be had very cheap in August and September, but ended up contributing to a lot of fantasy championships. In 2011 it was Cam Newton; in 2010 it was Michael Vick and Josh Freeman; in 2008, the same could be said of players like Aaron Rodgers, Kurt Warner, and Matt Cassel. Quarterbacks like these can be found every year, and that could be the key to your team's success.

So although this team isn't perfect (few are), it should still be a strong contender.

Players we particularly like on this team include Sam Bradford, Danny Amendola, and Ahmad Bradshaw. We have all these guys ranked ahead of where they are typically being drafted.
Bottom line:

With great inseason management, we think you have about a 80 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With good inseason management, we think you have about a 65 percent chance of making the playoffs.
With average inseason management, we think you have a 53 percent chance of making the playoffs.

In any event, we wish you the best of luck. Here's hoping all your weeks are like week 6 of 2012:
Jordy Nelson vs. HOU: 121 receiving yards, 3 TD
A.J. Green vs. CLE: 135 receiving yards, 2 TD
Ahmad Bradshaw vs. SF: 120 combined yards, 1 TD
Matthew Stafford vs. PHI: 311 passing yards, 2 TD
Sam Bradford vs. MIA: 315 passing yards, 1 TD

QB Summary:

We have Matthew Stafford rated #12 among quarterbacks, which makes him a viable starter if not an exciting one. Sam Bradford, our #18 quarterback, should be solid as a backup, but we're not sure if he can hold down the fort as a starter if circumstances force him to be one.
Incidentally, these two have a pretty nice combined schedule and a good-looking playoff schedule too. If you simply played the one with the better matchup each week, this is the schedule you'd face:

MIN | ATL | WAS | SF | JAX | CLE | CIN | DAL | TEN | IND | PIT | TB | GB | PHI | NO | TB

A quick note about the same-team Stafford/Reggie Bush duo you've got here. Though the effect is probably negligible, this kind of pairing is likely to make your team more (not less) consistent than a comparable-scoring different-team pair.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Matthew Stafford is ranked #4 by some of our writers, which would make him an above average first quarterback. Mark Wimer reasons, "Stafford has the most dominant wide receiver in the game currently (Calvin Johnson), and also two very capable tight ends (Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler) - and the team added a dual-threat back in Reggie Bush during the offseason. Ryan Broyles is also reportedly looking excellent during training camp/preseason despite being held out of 1/3 of the team practices. This offense is loaded for bear and should be among the NFL's elite attacks during 2013. Also, Stafford just got a fat contract extension reflecting the team's commitment to the passing attack."

RB Summary:

Obviously, Adrian Peterson is a great way to anchor any RB group. We've got him ranked #1 at the position, and by our reckoning he gives you about a 2.5 point advantage over an average team in the first RB slot.

Reggie Bush should serve as a very solid second running back; he's a likely flex starter. Ahmad Bradshaw should also be solidly above average at RB3. Knowshon Moreno is a very weak fourth running back.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

Again, the same-team aspect of the Peterson/Kyle Rudolph duo does not concern us.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some members of our staff have Knowshon Moreno ranked as high as 40th, which would make him an above average fourth running back. Andy Hicks defends his high ranking as follows: "Knowshon Moreno demonstrated that he still has use as a running back in the NFL with a nice run at the end of 2012. Moreno stands to see significant work should one or both of rookie Montee Ball or 2nd year man Ronnie Hillman not be up to the standard required to protect Peyton Manning. John Fox will generally err on the side of caution and it wouldn't surprise me to see Knowshon Moreno play for significant parts of 2013."

WR Summary:

Nice work here. We like both your starting receivers, as our projections indicate that they give you a combined 1.1 point-per-game advantage over an average opponent in this league. A.J. Green is our fourth ranked WR, and we have Danny Amendola at #16.

Your bench also looks good. Jordy Nelson looks great as a third receiver. Josh Gordon should also be solidly above average at WR4.

We might suggest adding a bit more depth here.

TE Summary:

Though neither of them is elite, you have two viable starting tight ends in Kyle Rudolph and Jordan Cameron. If one of them breaks out, or if you play the matchups well, you'll probably get good production from the position.

Note that the above "thoughts" were generated by David Dodds's projections. Others have different takes:

Some members of our staff have Kyle Rudolph ranked as high as fourth, which would make him an above average first tight end. Chad Parsons defends his high ranking as follows: "Rudolph has been a major red zone factor through two seasons, converting a Gronkowski-like 11-of-19 targets into touchdowns. With the additions of Greg Jennings and Cordarrelle Patterson, Rudolph may need to match his nine touchdowns from a year ago to be an upper-tier tight end option. "

Kicker Summary:

Josh Brown, our eighth ranked kicker, won't win the league for you, but he'll do.