Cubsfan4evr Fantasy Advice: Players to Target

Now that we have had the Game Of Inches Fantasy football draft I can post all of my fantasy football secrets for this season. Here is a list of the player I am targeting for this season. Like my colleague Sexy Rexy did, some of these players are top tier players who you expect a great season out of and other guys you can get later in the draft for better value. This isn’t necessary about value though, but about the safest picks.

Quarterback


Top Tier


Phillip Rivers-
An elite quarterback who is in the prime of his career at only 29 years old. After Aaron Rodgers Michael Vick has only performed at this high level for one year and is a high injury risk with his game style. With Petyon’s neck injury and Brady (35) getting older look for Rivers to have a chance to be an top three quarterback and the safest consistent scorer every week.
Tony Romo- He has been on the verge of emerging from tier two to tier one for the last two years. With Roy Williams out of town and Dez Branzt in his second season with the explosive Miles Austin and Jason Witten he has many options that he can get the ball to.

Middle Tier


Matt Ryan- If you like waiting on a quarterback and pass on Rodgers, Rivers, or Romo, Ryan would be the way to go. The other two would be the safer picks, but if you get decide to wait at QB Ryan has the tools along with an second option now in Julio Jones to go along with Roddy White and a solid running game in Michael Turner, even though I am not a big fan.
Josh Freeman- A trendy sleeper who has tremendous skills. In addition to being able to throw the ball he can also run pretty well, which only him and Rodgers can do on this list. I like Tampa Bay’s young core in Freeman, Blount, and Mike Williams, but Freeman could use a second average receiver to take off the pressure.
Joe Flaco- Flaco and Kolb were my sleepers last year and I learned my lesson on Kolb by getting burned and not picking up his backup in Michael Vick. Even though Sexy Rexy told me to pick up Michael Vick. Flaco is getting more experience and has another year with Anquan Boldin who will have a better season now that he is the go to guy. Bring in lee Evans will also help by the deep threat Baltimore did not have last year to stretch the field. Flaco should only be drafted as a backup in standard leagues and a good option for two QB leagues.

Running back


Top Tier


Jamal Charles- Charles should be a top five running back unless he gets injured. He has too much talent and his carries will go up this season, even with Thomas Jones still there. He will find the end zone more so don’t worry and he could be the #1 RB in the game.
Ray Rice- Part of the reason I like Joe Flaco this season is because I think Ray Rice is going to have a great season. Last year Rice had a disappointing season for him. Because Rice struggled they had to thro more than they liked and not be as balanced. If they get back to a more balance attack Rice can have a monster season back like two seasons ago.

Middle Tier


Lesean Mccoy- Meet Brian Westbrook 2.0 so what else do I have to say. With Michael Vick or Vince Young at QB they will have a balanced offense to keep the defenses guessing. In PPR leagues he is a top running back and one of the safest backs kin the league.
Shonn Green-The Jets love to run the ball and ran the ball the most in the NFL last year. With LT getting older and breaking down at the end of the season, look for the young, fresh Green to get the ball more. He is not a good PPR player, and doesn’t find the end zone much with is a cause for concern with LT still there, but it should go up and he is good value for where he is going.
LeGarrette Blount-I love Blount and the value you can get for him. Do not draft him in PPR leagues, but in standard leagues he will be a stud. He is going in the third round but I think he can be a 8-10 running back.
Felix Jones- The Dallas offense is electric with Romo, Austin, Bryant, Witten, and Felix Jones is at the center of it. With the passing game opening things up for the running game look for Jones to run like crazy with Marion Barber out of the picture.

Sleepers


Daniel Thomas- I know Thomas is in the dog out and backing up Reggie Bush, but Bush has never stayed healthy. Bush is not a every down back and never will be. Thomas can emerge as a number one back, and there is tremendous value here. My favorite sleeper at running back!
Mark Ingram- The Saints are going to try and run more and Ingram should be at the center of it. He is explosive and should see the end zone a lot.
Willis Macghee- In deep leagues this is a great handcuff. John Fox has a hostory of being a run first head coach and like I don’t believe in Reggie Bush being an every down back, I don’t believe in Knowshon Moreno. Macghee has been solid the last few years in Baltimore and will get a lot of goal line carries at best, but have the opportunity for even more when Moreno gets injured or is ineffective.
Jerome Harrison-I was a big fan of Jahvid Best last season because I loved the value for where he was being drafted for a starting running back with his potential. Now after seeing him play and a year of looking at his stats, I am disappointed and think he is just an big injury risk like he was in college. I was going to be very big on Mikel Leshoure this year like I was on Best last year until his season ending injury. Now Harrison is the backup and I think he will take over the job from best and be the effective back. Harrison was never really given a chance in Clevleand.
Montario Hardstey- I think Peyton Hillis is one of the biggest injury risk around with Michael Vick. Cleveland drafted Hardstey high to be their starter so when Hillis gets injured or is ineffective (he is built like a fullback) than I think Hardstey will run away with the job.


Wide Receivers



Top Tier


Miles Austin- I think Austin is going to rebound from last year now with Romo back and in his third year as a starting receiver show what he is made of.
Vincent Jackson- He will reestablish himself as one of the best receivers in the game if people seem to forget and doubt him after he sat out most of last year. He has one of the best quarterbacks in the game throwing to him and still in the prime of his career with a lot to prove.

Middle Tier


Brandon Marshall-Very disappointing season, but now that he came out he has an personality order hopefully he will get help for those issues. Chad Henne still has to get him the ball, but Marshall is such an talent it can happen, especially for where he is going in drafts. Great value for where you can draft him.
Anquan Boldin – Another great value for a wide receiver who has the potential to be a top 10 receiver. Now in year two he has a relationship with Flaco, and he is the primary receiver in Baltimore.

Sleepers


Julio Jones- He looks like the real deal. Jones and White can be a scary combination and feed off each other.
Mike-sims Walker- Bradford finally has a real wide receiver and for that reason alone I like him.
Lee Evans- A fresh start and he will compliment Boldin well as he can stretch the field as a deep threat. Now with a contending team hopefully the drive will be there again.
Braylon Edwards- He has always had the talent, but never been consistent. This year he won’t have a good quarterback, but even last year he caught 904 yards with mark Sanchez. This year he could be the number one receiver and there is great value so worth the risk, because he can’t be worse than last year.



Tight Ends


Middle Tier


Jimmy Grahm- New Orleans doesn’t have a real number one receiver and Grahm is a good tight end who can be a good red zone target. Look for him to have a good number of touch downs, even if the yards aren’t there.

Sleepers


Jared Cook- A team that doesn’t have many receiving options. I like Britt if he can put it together, but we don’t know if he will be playing and he has so many issues that he is too risky. Cook is the only player on the Titans that has stepped it up and he could lead the team in receptions.
Jermaine Gresham-Cincinnati’s quarterback hasn’t looked the best, but neither have many of their wide receivers. He is more for deep league or if you want to draft a second TE, or for bye weeks.

These are players that I like this season and that I am targeting in my leagues.

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