There will be many more 2010 Fantasy Football Rankings and features in the late spring and summer, including tons of 2010 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts, Player Rankings, Sleepers and Busts. I’ll also have an extensive 2010 NFL Fantasy Football Preseason Stock Report.
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings – Top 11-20 (May 21):
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Ryan Mathews, RB, Chargers
As truly awful as LaDainian Tomlinson was last year, he was still a decent fantasy running back because he scored 10 touchdowns.
Even those who don’t like Ryan Mathews as a pro have to acknowledge that he’ll be better than the 2009 version of Tomlinson. Even if he’s not, Mathews will be good for 800 rushing yards and 10-plus touchdowns – and that’s worst-case scenario (barring injury).
Mathews should be able to rush for 1,100-1,200 yards and score around 12 touchdowns. His reception total won’t be that high, however, because of Darren Sproles.
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Jamaal Charles, RB, Chiefs
A flash in the pan? Some may think so, but I don’t. Jamaal Charles is a stud. In the middle of the season, before Charles went nuts and nearly set the single-game rushing record at Denver, I wrote a thesis on why Todd Haley was an idiot for not using Jamaal Charles enough. It took him a while, but he finally listened.
Charles’ final four games, when he finally received 20 or more rushes: 94 carries, 658 rushing yards, 14 catches, 79 receiving yards, four touchdowns. Not too shabby.
Like Ray Rice, Charles won’t get the goal-line looks (Thomas Jones), but he has the talent to generate 1,800 total yards at the very least; he had 1,417 total yards last year, and he didn’t even get 200 carries.
Note: I’ve dropped Charles a few spots following the 2010 NFL Draft because Dexter McCluster will take some receptions away from him.
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Drew Brees, QB, Saints
I like Drew Brees as a 2010 fantasy prospect, but not as much as everyone else. And it has nothing to do with the Madden Curse. OK, maybe a little.
The big thing here is post-Super Bowl complacency. Not necessarily with Brees, but the entire team. What if the offensive linemen partied too hard and didn’t lift as much? What if the receivers are only in 80-percent shape? What if Brees and the coaching staff aren’t watching as much film?
It’s tough to prepare for the season after a championship because the hunger isn’t there anymore. Even Peyton Manning’s stats dropped the year after his Super Bowl victory.
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Cedric Benson, RB, Bengals
One of my favorite sleepers last year, Cedric Benson exceeded my expectations, and rushed for 1,251 yards and six touchdowns in only 13 games.
I like Benson again this season on only one condition – that he doesn’t get extended. Benson is a lazy bum and plays only for contracts and signing bonuses. If Cincinnati gives him a new deal, forget about it; don’t even draft him. But as long as Benson is playing for money, he’s a legitimate RB1.
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Ryan Grant, RB, Packers
Anyone who had Ryan Grant on their fantasy roster last year knows that he was very consistent. They also know that he really caught fire at the end of the year. Grant thrived when he had both Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher in the lineup. Consider the following numbers:
Grant WITHOUT Clifton or Tauscher (8 games): 147 carries, 604 yards (4.1 YPC). 3 TDs.
Grant WITH Clifton and Tauscher (8 games): 135 carries, 649 yards (4.8 YPC). 7 TDs.
A strong finish in 2009 should lead to a promising 2010 – especially with Bryan Bulaga on the roster.
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Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys
Tony Romo finally got over his December inconsistency and finished the 2009 season with 4,483 yards, 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions. That’s pretty amazing considering he didn’t have a legitimate No. 1 receiver until Miles Austin-Jones stepped up in Week 5. Also, don’t forget all of those instances when Romo had to force the issue to Roy Williams. That’s not happening anymore with Dez Bryant on the roster.
Romo concluded the 2009 campaign as the No. 6 fantasy quarterback, but unless he suffers an injury, I’ll be surprised if he’s not a top-three finisher this year.
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Jonathan Stewart, RB, Panthers
This is a really tough call. Both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are exceptional running backs. Both rushed for more than 1,100 yards in 2009 despite splitting carries. Both should be second-round fantasy picks.
I have Stewart over Williams by a hair. Stewart’s the better goal-line back, and while Williams is the superior pass-catcher, I’ll take 3-4 more touchdowns over 15-20 more receptions any day in non-PPR leagues. The Panthers also have more invested in Stewart, and based on his amazing finish last year (206 rushing yards against the Giants) he could command more rushing attempts than Williams this season.
Here’s the verdict until further notice: Stewart over Williams in non-PPR leagues. Williams over Stewart in PPR formats.
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DeAngelo Williams, RB, Panthers
Like I said, Jonathan Stewart over DeAngelo Williams by a hair in non-PPR leagues. Both runners are capable of 1,100-plus yards and about 10 touchdowns this season as long as the offensive line stays healthy.
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Calvin Johnson, WR, Lions
Calvin Johnson battled through injuries and the struggles of a rookie quarterback last year, finishing with a disappointing 67 catches, 984 yards and five touchdowns.
Buy low! Megatron, arguably the most talented receiver in the NFL, has to be happy with what the Lions have done this offseason. They brought in Nate Burleson and Tony Scheffler to draw some attention away from him. Matthew Stafford will also have more experience, and an expected rapid improvement from him should boost Johnson’s numbers.
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Miles Austin-Jones, WR, Cowboys
It’s amazing that Miles Austin-Jones finished with 81 receptions, 1,320 yards and 11 touchdowns in his first year as a starter – considering that he barely played in the first four games of the season. Now with an entire offseason to prepare as the No. 1 receiver, Austin-Jones could have a 90-catch 2010 campaign. And remember, the addition of Dez Bryant means that defenses won’t be able to pay as much attention to the Monmouth product.
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More 2010 Fantasy Football Articles:
2010 Fantasy Football: Home
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings:
2010 Fantasy Football Playoff Rankings - 1/5 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Week 17 Fantasy Rankings - 1/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 8/31 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 6/6 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 9/6 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 7/3 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 9/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 7/14 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 8/31 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 7/20 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Kickers - 6/10 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defenses - 6/11 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Auction Values - 9/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: IDP Defensive Linemen - 8/3 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: IDP Linebackers - 8/7 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: IDP Defensive Backs - 8/14 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Team-by-Team - 6/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Dynasty Rookie Rankings - 4/30 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Rookie Rankings - 4/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets:
2010 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 150 Traditional - 9/6 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 150 PPR - 9/6 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 150 Touchdown League - 9/6 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Rankings: Downloadable Spreadsheets - 9/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts:
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: WF.com Free League - 9/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Real Traditional Draft - 9/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Real PPR Draft - 8/26 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Real PPR Draft - 8/18 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Real Experts PPR Draft - 8/12 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Experts Mock Draft - 8/12 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Draft: Pros vs. Joes - 7/28 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR Draft with AKA - 7/20 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Mocking ESPN's Fantasy Mock Draft - 7/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: The Four-Man PPR Fantasy Draft - 7/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Articles:
2010 Fantasy Football Injury Reports: Week 17 - 1/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Start Em, Sit Em - 12/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Add/Drop - 12/20 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Stock Index - Week 8 - 10/29 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football Buffet: Week 8 - 10/28 (Steve)
2010 Fantasy Football Stock - 9/7 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Preseason Stock - 9/3 (Walt)
2010 NFL Preseason Recap, Fantasy Football Notes - 9/3 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: High-Upside Late-Round Sleepers - 8/25 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Top 12 Players to Avoid - 8/25 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Undervalued Players - 8/13 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Buy Low - 8/6 (Walt)
ESPN's 2010 Fantasy Football Magazine Errors - 8/3 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Defense Strategy - 8/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: My Round-by-Round Strategy - 7/27 (Walt)
Lack of 2010 Fantasy Depth: Blame the 2008 NFL Draft Class - 7/26 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Why You Should Pass on Chris Johnson - 7/14 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Draft Strategies - 7/13 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Wide Receiver Scarcity - 6/30 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Sleepers (Late-Round) - 6/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Sleepers (Mid-Round) - 6/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Busts - 5/31 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mailbag - 5/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Quarterbacks with New Receivers - 5/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: 2010 NFL Draft Stock Up - 4/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: 2010 NFL Draft Stock Down - 4/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Free Agency Stock Up - 4/15 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Free Agency Stock Down - 4/12 (Walt)
Running Backs with Most Carries - 4/10 (Walt)
NFL Picks - Nov. 25
NFL Power Rankings - Nov. 25
2025 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 20
Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4
