2012 NFL Fantasy Football Outlook
By Jason Rubin
I received my first invite of the fast approaching season for 1 of my 3 Fantasy Football leagues the other day. I had to do a double take. Is it that time already 12th Man? I find myself with a bounce in my step. A breeze at my back. Warmth on my face, even during June-uary. It IS that time. And with that, I’m going to attempt to look into my cloudy crystal ball, and come up with a ‘Top 10’ for each Fantasy Football roster position.
While this is just one writers puny voice amidst a thunderstorm of experts and prognosticators, I hope that the following is helpful during the pressure cooker that is Fantasy Draft Day. May your 2012 season be ripe with smack talk, rejected trades out of spite, and revelations like the one I had last season, Victor Cruz. Oh, and for all you keeper leaguers out there….yes, Marshawn is going to tear it up this season, so keep him if you can. Then name your team after him, a la my 1st Fantasy team name….”Taste the Rainbow”. Best of luck 12th Man, and away we go….
Quarterbacks
1. Aaron Rodgers
2. Matthew Stafford
3. Cam Newton
4. Tom Brady
5. Drew Brees
6. Jay Cutler
7. Phillip Rivers
8. Tony Romo
9. Eli Manning
10. Peyton Manning
Running Backs
1. LeSean McCoy
2. Arian Foster
3. Ray Rice
4. Marshawn Lynch
5. Matt Forte
6. Chris Johnson
7. Maurice Jones-Drew
8. Darren McFadden
9. DeMarco Murray
10. Ryan Matthews
Wide Receivers
1. Calvin Johnson
2. Andre Johnson
3. Brandon Marshall
4. Larry Fitzgerald
5. Wes Welker
6. Roddy White
7. Hakeem Nicks
8. Eric Decker
9. A.J. Green
10. Greg Jennings
Tight Ends
1. Rob Gronkowski
2. Jimmy Graham
3. Jermichael Finley
4. Vernon Davis
5. Jason Witten
6. Brandon Pettigrew
7. Jacob Tamme
8. Aaron Hernandez
9. Antonio Gates
10. Jermaine Gresham
Kickers
1. Sebastian Janikowski
2. David Akers
3. Mason Crosby
4. Stephen Gostkowski
5. Jason Hanson
6. Garrett Hartley
7. Matt Prater
8. Dan Bailey
9. Neil Rackers
10. Mike Nugent
Defense
1. San Francisco 49ers
2. Chicago Bears
3. Seattle Seahawks
4. New York Jets
5. Green Bay Packers
6. Houston Texans
7. Baltimore Ravens
8. Detroit Lions
9. Pittsburgh Steelers
10. Buffalo Bills
Now, in no way do I put these names in stone. Injuries, and every other possible factor that could land these gentlemen from the IR to the Bye-R are in no way clear to anyone. This is a late June attempt at the most dissected process since the Electoral College. I challenge any of our faithful readers to create a list of their own, and match it against anyone else’s. I bet there’s a discrepancy every time. But that’s the fun of it, isn’t it? A mix of developing a strategy then completely abandoning it, impulsive intuition, and sheer luck my friends. That’s what Fantasy Football is. Victor Cruz won me a game by himself one week last season. Victor Cruz. Mr. Campbell’s this year. Mr. Campbody last season. Keep your eye out for the unknown as you plan for the known. For every Aaron Rodgers, there’s a….Matt Flynn? For every Calvin Johnson, there’s a Victor Cruz. Who’s this years diamond in the rough? Well, he’s not on any of these lists, but one, or many of you will draft him. And VICTORy is yours….Best of luck to all. Feel free to comment as you will on this, I’d love to see the debate grow as we approach Training Camp. Football is back friends. Bathe in every lovely, glorious moment it gives us. All for now 12th.