The Machine has researched, reviewed, watched game tape and watched it again to provide you with the Top 10 Fantasy QBs (note: this is fantasy, not real life.\u00a0 That’s why Tony Romo’s in the Top 10).\u00a0 Note, next to each player’s name is their 2011 stats (yards\/tds\/ints).<\/p>\n
1. Aaron Rodgers<\/strong> (4,643\/45\/6).\u00a0 A-Rod (you know, the clutch, non-steroid A-Rod) stands on top of the fantasy football world.\u00a0 Not only are his 2011 stats phenomenal (don’t forget he also had 3 rushing tds…that’s nearly 50 tds of production), but the 2012 Pack should be much like the 2011 Pack…a powerhouse pass first offense with multiple weapons.\u00a0 The running game continues to be mediocre, leaving little room for doubt as to what drives this team.<\/p>\n 2. \u00a0Tom Brady<\/strong> (5235\/39\/12).\u00a0 In real life, as long as Tom Tom\u2019s not playing the G-Men, he\u2019s a winner.\u00a0 In fantasyland, he\u2019s a winner every day (arguably, with 3 superbowl victories and Gisele as a wife, he\u2019s a winner in real life too).\u00a0 Much like the Packers, the Patriots are loaded at receiving weapons and have an almost non-existent rushing game.\u00a0 5,000+ yards again is not out of the question.\u00a0\u00a0 Perhaps most impressive, in clutch time (defined in fantasy as Weeks 14-16) he averaged 327 yards and 2 touchdowns per game.<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0 Matthew Stafford<\/strong> (5,038\/41\/16).\u00a0 Is it possible to quietly throw for over 5,000 yards and 40+ tds?\u00a0 It is if you\u2019re Matthew Stafford.\u00a0 Stafford showed what he could when healthy.\u00a0 Playing a full season for the first time in his pro career, Stafford shattered all doubts that he\u2019s a franchise QB.\u00a0 He\u2019s only 24 years old, and hasn\u2019t even reached his prime.\u00a0 The only concern with him is his health, and he showed last season that he can play through pain.\u00a0 If healthy, the sky\u2019s the limit.\u00a0 And with Megatron, he\u2019s a threat to post huge numbers week in and week out.<\/p>\n 4.\u00a0 Eli Manning<\/strong> (4,933\/29\/16).\u00a0 This ain\u2019t yo daddy\u2019s New York Giants.\u00a0 Gone are the ground and pound Giants.\u00a0 The G-Men are unquestionably a pass-heavy offense.\u00a0 It only took 2 Superbowl MVPs, but Eli is finally getting recognition as a Top 5 QB.\u00a0 Fantasy-wise, he\u2019s also getting respect as a baller.\u00a0 Averaging more than 300 yards per game last year, there\u2019s no reason to believe why he won\u2019t provide the same amount of fantasy success in 2012.\u00a0 The running game has not improved from last year, which, for the record, was the worst in the NFL.\u00a0 However, the passing game is still solid.\u00a0 Nicks is a stud.\u00a0 Same with Cruz.\u00a0 And the G-Men will find others to step up to replace Manningham and Ballard (just like they did when Steve Smith and Kevin Boss left).\u00a0 The only knock on Fantasy-Eli is his interceptions, which he did cut down by 9 when compared to 2010.\u00a0 Look for that trend to continue this year.<\/p>\n 5.\u00a0 Drew Brees<\/strong> (5,476\/46\/14).\u00a0 Like most people who were smart enough to have Brees on their team (like yours truly) he responded by almost single-handedly bringing you a fantasy championship.\u00a0 He set the all-time record for passing yards, averaging a ridiculous 346 yards per game.\u00a0 Why then, does the Machine have Drew rated the #5 QB?\u00a0 Well, what a difference a few months make.\u00a0 Thus far, Drew has been a no-show at OTAs\u2026fist deep in an epic fight with management (seriously why haven\u2019t they signed him to a long term deal yet?).\u00a0 On top of that, the coaching staff (and team morale) have been gutted thanks to Bounty-gate, and Drew very well may not show up to work until August.\u00a0 All this adds up to a down year for the reigning fantasy QB champ.\u00a0 That said, he is Drew Brees, and should still be able to put up Top-5 stats, however many will overreach and take him as the first or second QB off the board.\u00a0 Expectations must be tempered.<\/p>\n 6. Cam Newton<\/strong> (4,051\/21\/17).\u00a0 Cam was simply a stud in his rookie year, more than validating his selection as the #1 pick in the 2011 Draft.\u00a0 He was even more impressive fantasy-wise.\u00a0 What has most people salivating was his 14 rushing tds (and 735 rushing yards) to back up his solid passing numbers.\u00a0 Double-digit rushing tds for a QB is fantasy crack, and Cam should continue to be a dual threat QB in year 2, thus more than worthy as the #6 fantasy QB.<\/p>\n 7.\u00a0 Tony Romo<\/strong> (4,184\/31\/10).\u00a0 If you\u2019re a real football fan, you don\u2019t want Tony Romo under center.\u00a0 He has this cavalier approach to quarterbacking that drives you crazy, as well as an ability to not show up when it matters most.\u00a0 As a fantasy football fan, however, you have no problems with Tony at the helm.\u00a0 The Cowboys are stacked with weapons, Bryant and Austin are a formidable 1-2 punch, and Witten is arguably the best safety valve in the league. \u00a0Tony should be able to consistently deliver solid fantasy numbers, just don\u2019t expect that to equate to real success.<\/p>\n 8.\u00a0 Philip Rivers<\/strong> (4,624\/27\/20).\u00a0 Rivers has averaged nearly 4,400 yards and 30 tds over the past 4 years.\u00a0 This is an impressive display of high-level consistency.\u00a0 However, there are some warning signs which indicate that that he may be south of those numbers this year.\u00a0 Vincent Jackson is gone, and Antono Gates is a year older with lingering health issues.\u00a0 They\u2019ve added Roscoe Parrish and Robert Meacham, but neither of them have ever been (or are) #1 WRs.\u00a0 Rivers is a gunslinger, he just doesn\u2019t have the ammunition to be a Top-flight fantasy QB.<\/p>\n 9.\u00a0 Peyton Manning<\/strong> (0\/0\/0).\u00a0 Is there a bigger risk\/reward pick in fantasy football this year?\u00a0 The fact that Peyton didn\u2019t take a snap last year, but is still a consensus Top-10 fantasy QB, is proof of his greatness, and proof that people think he\u2019s back (or as close to back as he can be) to the old Peyton.\u00a0 We got to believe Peyton has too much pride to come back and not be in top form.\u00a0 The ultimate professional and student of the game, changing teams shouldn\u2019t affect him at all.\u00a0 Emerging WR Demayrious Thomas should absolutely thrive with Peyton under center, and Eric Decker and Jacob Tamme will resemble Brandon Stokely and Dwight Clark, respectively.\u00a0 Peyton simply makes those around him better.\u00a0 Notwithstanding, dude\u2019s had 4 neck surgeries in the last 18 months, and he\u2019s just one bounty away from sipping applesauce through a straw.\u00a0 If you draft him, make sure you have a serviceable back up.\u00a0 Buyer beware.<\/p>\n 10.\u00a0 Ryan Fitzpatrick<\/strong> (3,832\/24\/23).\u00a0 There are many QBs worthy of the #10 spot (Michael Vick, Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Schaub, Matt Ryan), but the Machine gives the nod to Fitz.\u00a0 Call us a Bill-iever, but we like what\u2019s going on in Buffalo.\u00a0 We also like the pass-catching RBs in Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller, who each caught 39 balls last year.\u00a0 Over his first 8 games, before Fitz cracked two ribs in Week 8, he was averaging nearly 250 yards per game with 14 tds.\u00a0 In the ensuing 9 games after rib-gate, Fitz dropped to 232 yards a game and 10 tds.\u00a0 He needs to cut down on the ints (you would think an Ivy League grad wouldn\u2019t make so many bad decisions) but another year and Chan\u2019s offense should help to reduce that number.\u00a0 Look for Fitz to return to his pre-cracked ribs form in 2012.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Machine has researched, reviewed, watched game tape and watched it again to provide you with the Top 10 Fantasy QBs (note: this is fantasy, not real life.\u00a0 That’s why Tony Romo’s in the Top 10).\u00a0 Note, next to each … Continue reading