The Cardinals also lost one of their premier receivers to the Baltimore Ravens: Anquan Boldin. The loss of Boldin could put a hurt on the aforementioned pass-oriented offense.

Quarterbacks:
During the offseason, the Cardinals were able to acquire the much recently maligned Derek Anderson, formerly of the Cleveland Browns. Anderson had a terrific year in 2007, nearly leading the hapless Browns to the playoffs. Since then, he has struggled and split time with Brady Quinn (who is also no longer with the Browns). The addition of Anderson will keep things interesting in the quarterback position, as Matt Leinart, the anticipated replacement of Kurt Warner, will be opposing Anderson to start. The outlook at quarterback is not the most promising situation for fantasy owners. Kurt Warner was about as consistent as a fantasy quarterback as you may see in the league, and with him no longer in Arizona, the state of the quarterback position has taken a hit. Matt Leinart is the projected starter, and his value is up in the air. Even with the loss of Boldin, he still has Larry Fitzgerald, who is one of, if not the, best receivers in the league. Just having Fitz will be a huge boost for Leinart. The other weapons Leinart has at the receiver position are Steve Breaston and Early Doucet. If you are looking at trying to find a quarterback to bolster your roster, you should look over the Arizona Cardinals, as there are no solid options at this point.

Wide Receivers:
Larry Fitzgerald’s skills cannot be denied. His size and athleticism are almost unmatched. Fitz had another great year in 2009, and may be considered one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. While that is all well and good, fantasy owners should be weary of his new lead dog, Matt Leinart. Having Kurt Warner, a future HOFer, throwing to you is one thing; having an unproven quarterback with a possible attitude problem is a completely different story. Fitzgerald’s average draft position in 2009 was right around pick #9. This year his ADP is around #12. The drop is not drastic, but it does show that owner’s are somewhat concerned with a slightly disappointing season in terms of huge fantasy games last season, and also with his current situation. The change in quarterbacks should lead to the conclusion that he is a little bit less valuable than last season, but still should go within the first 15 picks, or sooner. The remainder of the receiving corps, Steve Breaston and Early Doucet are a little bit less valuable. However, their perceived lack of value is something to look into, as they could become some important wide receiver sleepers in 2010. Breaston moves to the #2 receiver position with the loss of Boldin, and Doucet is now #3. Breaston had a slightly down year in 2009 compared to his 2008 season. With 700+ receiving yards last year, and over 1,000 yards in 2008, he should be looked at as a very interesting player to keep in mind while drafting. He could potentially benefit greatly from the loss of Boldin. Doucet could fill in the role of Boldin; the larger receiver who can get scores in the redzone.

Running Backs:
The offense for Arizona took a huge turn when it added Guard Alan Faneca during the offseason. While Faneca is getting up in years, he still helped anchor the most important offensive lines in the league, the New York Jets. The Jets ended up with the best rushing offense in the league, and Faneca could help the Cardinals’ rushing attack tremendously. Beanie Wells is the starter in the backfield, with Tim Hightower playing a good deal of time as well. The two backs are the absolute prototypical tandem backfield, as Wells only had about 30 more carries than Hightower. They both were able to hit paydirt; 7 rushing TDs for Wells, and 8 rushing TDs Hightower. The stat that separates the two is the receiving stats out of the backfield. Hightower blew away Wells with over 50 more catches and nearly 300 more receiving yards. In PPR leagues, Hightower is the much more valuable back to have. The outlook for both is decent. The offense should look to be more balanced in terms of running and passing, so that should mean more opportunities for both Wells and Hightower. However, neither back can be counted on week in and week out, as they get very similar carries and touchdowns, so either could have good games on any given week.

Tight Ends:
The tight end position has not been a very important one in Arizona recently. The two important figures in this position are Anthony Becht and Ben Patrick. Neither player had a good season by any stretch of the imagination. The loss of Warner could actually benefit the two, as Leinart may look to his tight ends more often. The Cardinals also added former Rams’ tight end Dominique Byrd, who caught passes from Leinart back at USC. Still, none of the options look even semi-productive, and fantasy owners should not consider a Cardinal tight end until they prove otherwise.

Check back for the rest of the NFC West, as well as the other NFL teams.

Key Additions: G – Alan Faneca, QB – Derek Anderson
Key Departures: QB – Kurt Warner, WR – Anquan Boldin

Previously, we took a very cursory look at the early picks for the top ten fantasy football running backs and wide receivers. Here is our list of top ten fantasy football quarterbacks.

Drew Brees




Aaron Rodgers




Peyton Manning




Tom Brady




Matt Schaub




Tony Romo




Philip Rivers




Brett Favre




Jay Cutler




Kevin Kolb

1. Andre Johnson

2. Larry Fitzgerald

3. Reggie Wayne

4. Calvin Johnson

5. Brandon Marshall

6. DeSean Jackson

7. Miles Austin

8. Roddy White

9. Vincent Jackson

10. Randy Moss

Here is an early list of some potential sleepers for the 2010 fantasy football season.  We will come out with some more as time moves forward, and roles are more clearly defined.

Early Doucet/Steve Breaston (WR – Arizona)

With no more Anquan Boldin, and team’s keeping an eye, and possibly multiple defensive backs, on Larry Fitzgerald, either one of Early Doucet or Steve Breaston could have a lot more of an impact on the passing game than they have in the past.  The problem with these two, however, has to do with the loss of Kurt Warner, and the shaky Matt Leinart replacing him.

Michael Crabtree (WR – San Francisco)

After actually deciding he wanted to play last season, Crabtree had some pretty solid performances, and should be able to increase his productivity after actually going through an NFL training camp.

Kevin Kolb (QB – Philadelphia)

In limited duty with Donovan McNabb ahead of him, Kolb put up some decent numbers when he did have the opportunity to play.  With DeSean Jackson still there, the possible emergence of Jeremy Maclin, and the sure-as-can-be tight end Brent Celek, Kolb has some nice pieces to throw to.

Justin Forsett (RB – Seattles)

Although Julius Jones is still in Seattle, Forsett should see a good number of touches.  What he does with those touches should be pretty solid.  Forsett can help fantasy teams with his ability to rack up receiving stats as well, which is huge in PPR leagues.

Chad Henne (QB – Miami)

Henne, without a typical #1 receiver, was able to string together some good performances during 2009.  His numbers didn’t blow you away initially, but he played well down the stretch, amassing three 300-yard passing games in the final 5 games of the season.  Now add one of the best receivers in the game, Brandon Marshall (just look how good he made Kyle Orton look), and now you have a quarterback with a #1 option, and a great running attack.

Malcolm Floyd (WR – San Diego)

Floyd had a solid 2009 season, finishing with 45 catches and over 750 yards.  He continues to look better and better, and has the Charger passing attack.  With defenses focused in on Vincent Jackson, Floyd should be able to put up even better numbers.  He is going to have to improve his TD numbers, however, after only finishing with 1 in 2009.

Devin Aromashodu (WR – Chicago)

Not only does he have one of the greatest names in the game, Devin Aromashodu is a legitimate weapon for a Chicago pass attack that was wildly inconsistent in 2009.  Aromashodu was finally given ample playing time towards the end of the season, and he did not disappoint.  Jay Cutler wanted Aromashodu the entire season, and finally got his wish, and now everyone was seeing why.

Kenny Britt (WR – Tennessee)

One of the youngest players in the league, Britt ended with over 700 yards in his rookie campaign.  He struggled to get involved in the offense down the stretch, but with a year under his belt, Britt should be Vince Young’s go-to receiver in 2010.

Mike Wallace (WR – Pittsburgh)

Wallace’s rookie season was impressive as he quietly led the league in yards per catch and scored 6 times.  Being one of the fastest receivers in the game allows him to be a deep threat and gives him the opportunity to score on any play.  If Wallace can gut it out and put up some points in the first few games of the season while Big Ben is out serving his suspension, he should be able to hit his stride when Roethlisberger does make his return.

It’s only May, we haven’t even sniffed training camp yet, but I see no better time to start ranking players.  Here is an early, early list of 2010′s top ten fantasy football running backs.

1.  Chris Johnson

Was this really a shock? After putting up only the sixth ever 2,000 yard rushing season, Chris Johnson has vaulted himself to the top spot, not only on the running back rankings, but the overall rankings. Not only was he the only back to average over 100 yards per game, he was able to put up over 125 yards per game. Not bad for a guy who was splitting carries with LenDale White not too long ago.

2. Adrian Peterson

After Peterson was in Chris Johnson’s position one year ago, he struggled to impress during the year. The overall numbers looked great in 2009, but the lack of 100 yard games and continued fumbling problem dropped his draft status. However, he was second in 20+ yard runs, only behind CJ, and led the entire league in rushing touchdowns. Overall, his outlook is very high, and he should not drop further than #2.

3. Ray Rice

Rice put up a very impressive sophomore season, leading all rushers in receptions and receiving yards, which looms huge in PPR leagues. Rice was also 7th amongst all backs with a 5.3 yard per carry average. Rice finished 2009 second in total yards from scrimmage, only behind Chris Johnson.

4. Maurice Jones-Drew

MJD, finished fourth in the league in total yards from scrimmage, second in rushing touchdowns, and fourth in receptions amongst running backs. Jones-Drew also tied for the second longest touchdown run of the season, showing his big play ability.

5. Steven Jackson

Jackson finished 3rd in the league in rushing yards per game, 7th in total receptions by running backs, and 5th in total yards from scrimmage. The lack of touchdowns hurt, but his Jackson will continue to get his touches, and those numbers could drastically improve.

6. Frank Gore

Gore continues to amass great fantasy stats year after year. In 2009 he was 9th in yards per game, but added to that with great receiving stats (52 catches, 406 yards, 3 TDs). He also scored 10 times on the ground, and was 7th overall in total yards from scrimmage.

7. Cedric Benson

Benson finally found a home in Cincinnati where he is realizing the potential that was seen in him. He is a workhorse in the Bengal backfield, and should continue to get a ton of carries going forward. Benson finished second in rushing yards per game in the league, and had no lost fumbles during the season. His lack of production catching the ball hurts.

8. Jamaal Charles

Charles had a huge end to the 2009 season, scoring at will, and racking up 100 yard games. His explosion from the unknown, had fantasy owners throwing his name around as a top pick. The addition of Thomas Jones hurts his value, as carries are yet to be determined. However, the potential to add great value to your roster is there.

9. Michael Turner

Turner only played in 11 games due to injuries in 2009, but he made the most of those games, hitting paydirt 10 times on the ground, and averaging nearly 5 yards per carry. Turner’s complete inability to be a part of the passing game does really hurt in PPR leagues.

10. DeAngelo Williams

This was tough, because it could have gone to either Panther back. Both Williams and teammate Jonathon Stewart finished with over 1,000 yards and over 5 yards per carry. Stewart had the edge in touchdowns (10 to 7), but Williams caught more balls out of the backfield. The only problem with either pick, is that the other may steal the show on any particular Sunday.