It is time again to make those monumental decisions that will shape the course of your future.
Yes, fantasy football GMs across the nation are preparing themselves for another epic quest toward a championship and immortality.
Or at least a shot at absolutely embarrassing your buddy’s sorry excuse for a team.
So, to help everyone shore up their respective draft boards, here are my top picks at each position, along with some sleepers to look out for.
Running Back: Is it even necessary to say that if your lucky enough to have the first pick in your draft, Adrian Peterson is ready to carry a team all the way to the title? He only had 10 touchdowns last season, but this horse’s league-leading 1,760 yards ought to be enough to make any GM salivate.
RB sleeper: Brandon Jacobs is not in the top 10 at his position in some mock drafts, but he is coming off a career year in which he scored 15 touchdowns. Oh, did I mention he is 6 feet 4 inches tall and 265 pounds?
Good luck tackling him.
Wide Receiver: Look no further than right here in the Valley for this no-
brainer. Three out of the last four seasons, Larry Fitzgerald has had at least 10 touchdowns and 1,400 yards. He’s consistent and a freak of nature. Do it.
WR sleeper: In the late rounds, take a shot on Donald Driver. He is certainly a dinosaur in football years, but having one of the elite quarterbacks in the league in Aaron Rodgers should help pad his numbers.
Quarterback: He’s back, ladies and gentlemen. The model-dating GQ cover man and Super Bowl MVP extraordinaire is making his much-anticipated return to the gridiron. Targets like Randy Moss and Wes Welker could help Tom Brady produce another 50-touchdown season. That’s right, 50.
QB sleeper: Carson Palmer is coming back from an injury as well, and he should be available in the later rounds. Chad Ochocinco will be catching balls for him, and their past success rate speaks for itself.
Tight End: Jason Witten has become one of the most reliable and productive players in his position. I don’t see any signs of him letting up now. If he is there, take him.
TE sleeper: Anthony Fasano had seven touchdowns for the Miami Dolphins, which ranked third among tight ends last year. Also, Chad Pennington can’t really throw the ball further than 30 yards, so the majority of Fasano’s routes should fall within Pennington’s happy zone.
Kicker: Adam Vinatieri kicks indoors, and he is virtually automatic regardless of the setting.
K sleeper: Really? I’m not doing a sleeper for this position.
Defense: The Pittsburgh Steelers held opponents to just 13.9 points and only 237.2 yards per game. Both were fewest in the league. Enough said.
Defense sleeper: The Chicago Bears had one of the worst defenses in the league last season, but the addition of Rod Marinelli as the defensive line coach and Lovie Smith’s decision to take over the defensive play-calling duties should help this defense live up to its reputation as one of the nastiest in the NFL.
Reach the reporter at emschimm@asu.edu.
