• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Ask the Experts

How the guest experts responded when we asked them:

What is your preliminary top 10 for the 2008 season?

JEFFREY KAMYS

Here is our top 10; the only caveat here is that these rankings are based on Moss doing a new deal with the Pats. If Moss is somewhere else, Brady is probably not top 10.

1. Tom Brady
2. Randy Moss
3. LaDainian Tomlinson
4. Peyton Manning
5. Adrian Peterson
6. Brian Westbrook
7. Larry Johnson
8. Terrell Owens
9. Joseph Addai
10. Steven Jackson

Kamys is president of Dr. Stats Fantasy Sports. His company, via the web, offers player news, injury reports, cheat sheets, projections, weekly matchups, statistics, and a customized team tracker. Dr. Stats Fantasy Sports also e-mails preseason newsletters and reports throughout the season. For more info visit www.docstats.com or send e-mail to webmaster@docstats.com.

SCOTT ENDSLEY

A lot will happen in the offseason - it always does - but at a glance here's what we see.

1. Tomlinson - Remains a no-brainer.
2. S Jackson - Healthy for a full season he's outstanding.
3. B Westbrook - Still the best player on that team by far.
4. A Peterson - Simply can't ignore his rookie season.
5. W Parker - We'll be watching his recovery from injury very closely but when healthy this guy is a player.
6. M Lynch - Dual threat that moves up this list if the Bills team works to get better in the off season.
7. L Johnson - If Kansas City improves its offensive line LJ will bounce back.
8. C Portis - If he can just stay healthy....
9. Tom Brady - The weapons he has around him are almost unfair. Assuming they are all back Brady is the #1 QB
10. P Manning - Didn't get the attention this season but he's still a scoring machine.

Endsley is co-owner and a senior fantasy football consultant for FantasyDraftEdge.com. For more info, go to www.fantasydraftedge.com.

MIKE NAZAREK

1. RB LaDainian Tomlinson, SD - He's still the man!
2. RB Brian Westbrook, PHI - Despite the swollen knees, he's still a top producer.
3. RB Adrian Peterson, MIN - Can rack up the 200-yard games faster than anyone, but consistency isn't there yet.
4. RB Steven Jackson, SL - If healthy, he can truly push the 2,000-yard rushing barrier.
5. RB Joseph Addai, IND - He proved in 2007 he can be the workhorse back and produce big numbers.
6. RB Clinton Portis, WAS - Overcame sore knees to rank No. 5 RB in non-PPR leagues and No. 3 RB in PPR leagues in 2007.
7. RB Frank Gore, SF - Played most of 2007 on a bum ankle and still finished ranked in the top 10 RBs!
8. QB Tom Brady, NE - Probably overrated here. Remember Peyton after his 2004 season?
9. WR Randy Moss, NE - The Freak is BACK!
10. RB Larry Johnson, KC - Two things going for him in 2008... He'll be healthy and his schedule will be much softer.

Just missing the list:

RB Marion Barber, DAL - If Julius Jones signs elsewhere as expected, watch out!
WR Terrell Owens, DAL - When he's motivated, he can still be dominating.
RB Willis McGahee, BAL - A very consistent producer, but will the new coaching staff stick with him as the centerpiece of the offense?

Nazarek is the CEO of Fantasy Football Mastermind Inc. His company offers an online rookie draft kit, preseason draft guide, customizable cheat sheets, a fantasy auction drafting program, weekly in-season fantasy newsletters, injury reports and free NFL news (updated daily) at its web site. He is the reigning three-peat champion of the SI.com Experts Fantasy League. He is also a nationally published writer in several fantasy magazines and a columnist for SI.com. For more info go to http://www.ffmastermind.com. Nazarek can be reached at 702-568-7118 or miken@ffmastermind.com.

DAVID DOREY

Preliminary Top 10 and sure to change…

1. LaDainian Tomlinson
2. Adrian Peterson
3. Brian Westbrook
4. Steven Jackson
5. Tom Brady
6. Joseph Addai
7. Frank Gore
8. Larry Johnson
9. Randy Moss
10. Marion Barber

Dorey is the co-founder of TheHuddle.com and the lead NFL analyst. He has been projecting players and predicting games since 1997 and has also authored the book Fantasy Football: The Next Level which is available at all major bookstores and at Amazon.com. Dorey is one of the top prognosticators in the Fantasy Football Index Experts Poll every year and won it in 2005.

STEVEN LASSAN

It seems like a long way to the 2008 season, but this is our early guess at a top 10 for next season. Brady could easily be the No. 1 player selected in fantasy drafts, but you have to like Tomlinson's ability to find the end zone and with the running back position shaky this season, he is easily the best option. Willie Parker at ten is a gamble, but the Steelers figure to shore up their offensive line in the offseason and there is no way Fast Willie struggles to find the endzone once again. Minnesotaʼs Adrian Peterson could easily be the second or third player in this ranking, but Chester Taylor figures to stay in the mix, lowering his value just a tad. Randy Moss was almost a sure bet for a touchdown in every game this season and if he can repeat that in 2008, you have to consider him for a first round pick.

1. LaDainian Tomlinson
2.Tom Brady
3.Brian Westbrook
4.Adrian Peterson
5.Joseph Addai
6.Steven Jackson
7.Peyton Manning
8.Frank Gore
9.Randy Moss
10.Willie Parker

Lassan is a senior staff writer for Pro Fantasy Sports. For more info, visit the websites www.profantasysports.com and www.fswa.org.

IAN ALLAN

1. RB LaDainian Tomlinson, 2. RB Adrian Peterson, 3. RB Joseph Addai, 4. RB Steven Jackson, 5. RB Larry Johnson, 6. RB Brian Westbrook, 7. WR Randy Moss, 8. QB Tom Brady, 9. RB Ryan Grant, 10. RB Maurice Jones-Drew.

I’m putting Tomlinson as the No. 1 guy for now, but that could change. In my eyes, there’s not a lot of difference between the top half-dozen backs. Tomlinson and Addai look like the safest choices. Peterson has more big-play ability, but he could have problems staying healthy and doesn’t catch as many passes. I’ve got Moss relatively high on my board, but that’s contingent on him re-signing with the Patriots. I like Brady; I think he’s got a good chance to approach 40 TD passes again, and that would make him worth a top-6 selection. But quarterbacks tend to be less valuable in most fantasy leagues because of there’s more scarcity at running back.

Allan is the senior writer for Fantasy Football Index magazine. He’s also one of the main content contributors for that company’s website, www.fantasyindex.com. His IAN ALLAN’S MAILBAG column is posted on Fridays.

PATRICK GLEESING

1. Ladainian Tomlinson - Nuff Said! (apologies to Stan Lee)
2. Adrian Peterson Minn - best O-line and a year of NFL conditioning! 2nd season magic!
3. Peyton Manning - Old Reliable.
4. Tom Brady - Where do you go when you're a dynasty? One for the Thumb!
5. Randy Moss - Who can stop him?
6. Earnest Graham - Emerging O-line, knack for the end zone, focus of scoring; watch the quarterback situation here.
7. Ryan Grant - This team is just going to get better and if Favre retires Rodgers is good and Grant will be better.
8. Terrell Owens - Maddeningly, he does deliver.
9. Willis McGahee - Focus of scoring.
10. Marshawn Lynch - Focus of emerging offense (look for line improvements)

Special Note: Jackson and Addai are on teams that love to throw into the end zone. The top ten is for reliable week to week scorers. Forget Johnson until Edwards is gone. Keep an eye on Jennings and Marshall.

Gleesing is the owner of and senior writer for fantasyfootballdrafthub.com. He can be reached at patrick@fantasyfootballdrafthub.com.

SCOTT PIANOWSKI

1. LaDainian Tomlinson (even off an ordinary year)
2. Brian Westbrook (more durable than many realize)
3. Joseph Addai (set up so well to succeed)
4. Adrian Peterson (boom or bust element brings fantasy risk)
5. Marion Barber (it's very likely Jones leaves)
6. Steven Jackson
7. Frank Gore
8. Randy Moss (if he's in New England)
9. Marshawn Lynch
10. Darren McFadden (has talent to produce anywhere)

Toughest omissions: Jamal Lewis (perfect setup if Cleveland keeps him), Willis McGahee (quietly got it done in 2007), Larry Johnson (I hope someone else takes him).

I'm not tempted by Tom Brady's 50 touchdowns - it's a passing league and next year you'll be rewarded if you wait at this position.

Pianowski is a free-lance journalist who's been writing about sports (fantasy and otherwise) for a variety of websites, newspapers and magazines for the last 20 years. He can be reached at pianowski31@yahoo.com.

DEAN RAMSAY

My preliminary Top 10 Overall for 2008 is:

1. LaDainian Tomlinson...perennial No. 1.
2. Adrian Peterson...legitimate shot at being No. 1 overall but I can't put him above LT yet.
3. Joseph Addai...being in the Colts offense helps stats but needs to stay healthy.
4. Brian Westbrook...Eagles No. 1 offensive weapon.
5. Steven Jackson...depends on OL situation this off-season
6. Marion Barber...he has a nose for the end zone.
7. Frank Gore...gotta love him with Mike Martz comin' to town.
8. Ryan Grant...has talent to be a Top 10 back.
9. Willie Parker...yardage is there, just needs more TDs.
10. Tom Brady...don't expect 50 TDs again but will still be highly productive if Moss stays.

Ramsay is the senior analyst for draftchamps.com. Draft Champs has been providing custom cheat sheets and value-based draft guides to the fantasy football community since 2003. For more info, visit www.draftchamps.com.

BRIAN SWAW

1. LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, Chargers - Still the No. 1 choice after AP struggled down the stretch.
2. Joseph Addai, RB, Colts - Like the Colts offense better than Vikings.
3. Steven Jackson, RB, Rams - Looked strong down the stretch and will have big bounce back year.
4. Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings - If Chester Taylor gets traded I would move him to No. 2.
5. Brian Westbrook, RB, Eagles - Top dual threat in the game.
6. Tom Brady, QB, Patriots - Hate naming QB in top 10 but can’t miss with Brady.
7. Randy Moss, WR, Patriots - If you have Brady in top ten Moss can’t be far behind.
8. Peyton Manning, QB, Colts - Much safer choice than rest of RBs.
9. Larry Johnson, RB, KC - LJ and Kansas City will be better in '08.
10. (Tie) Marion Barber and Frank Gore, RB, Cowboys, 49ers - With Jones gone Barber should be top 10 player in Cowboys offense and Gore will be back in spotlight after disappointing season.

Swaw is senior writer and owner of GameTimeDecisions.net and the co-host of two fantasy football radio shows for ESPN AM 1000 in Chicago -- Fantasy Football Island and Fantasy Expert. He has been a keynote speaker for the FSTA and several fantasy football conventions with the likes of John Clayton, Chris Mortensen, Sean Salisbury and Mark Schlereth. For more info, visit www.gametimedecisions.net.

CORY BONINI

1. LaDainian Tomlinson - Led the league in rushing scores and yardage; has a young offensive line returning.
2. Brian Westbrook - Back-to-back strong rushing seasons and always a threat out of the backfield for point-per-reception leagues.
3. Adrian Peterson - Dominant rookie campaign with unlimited upside; injury concerns prevent him from being ranked higher.
4. Steven Jackson - Was impressive when not injured in 2007 and has huge upside as a workhorse back.
5. Joseph Addai - A touchdown machine in 2007; can carry the load and should have an improved offensive line in 2008.
6. Clinton Portis - Proved that he could handle the load (more than 1,600 total yards, 11 touchdowns); offensive coordinator prefers a workhorse.
7. Tom Brady - Record-setting passer should have all of his targets, but second half showed it may be tough to duplicate.
8. Marshawn Lynch - Dynamic back easily would have been a top-10 fantasy performer had he not missed three contests.
9. Willis McGahee - Transitioned well to Baltimore, but much uncertainty on offense makes him risky in 2008.
10. Marion Barber III - Prospect of more touches for this tough ball carrier makes him a potential No. 1.

KFFL offers football as well as baseball content and has captured over a dozen expert league championships. Founded in 1996, this company offers daily news, preseason draft guides, player rankings, sleepers, busts, weekly newsletters and more. KFFL also provides fantasy content to various organizations including SportsTicker and Yahoo! Sports. For more information, visit www.kffl.com .

ANDY RICHARDSON

1. LaDainian Tomlinson - Too consistent and talented to drop behind anyone, unless Donovan McNabb ends up in Minnesota.
2. Adrian Peterson - Risky, but so is passing on this guy and watching him put up 1,700 yards and 15 TDs for another owner.
3. Joseph Addai - This year started out like a breakout year, but then he cooled off, in part due to the Colts being in extended playoff preparation. Next year he should put up Edgerrin-like numbers.
4. Steven Jackson - Showed me enough down the stretch that I'm willing to gamble on him having a bounce-back year.
5. Brian Westbrook - in a PPR format, maybe he's a spot or two higher. Probably the last of the "sure thing" running backs.
6. Frank Gore - Missing the preseason and horrible quarterbacking hurt him. San Francisco's QBing has to be better, and Gore is a young guy with less mileage than most of the other top backs.
7. Tom Brady - Hard to know if I'd actually pull the trigger on a QB here, but there are definitely questions with the remaining RBs.
8. Marion Barber - This is where things get tricky. Maybe I go WR, or maybe I go for Barber's considerable upside in a feature role. Obviously I'm assuming Julius Jones is gone and nobody of consequence shows up.
9. Randy Moss - Assuming he stays in New England.
10. Ryan Grant - This is assuming Brett Favre returns. If he does, Green Bay's offense should be fine and Grant should get plenty of opportunities for yards and touchdowns. Otherwise, maybe I look at Reggie Wayne or Marshawn Lynch here. Yes, I'm omitting Larry Johnson. How many of the problems the team had this year will be fixed next year?

Richardson has been a columnist and contributor to the Fantasy Football Index magazine and web site for the past six years. His responsibilities include team defense and IDP projections, as well as various site features. He has run the magazine's annual draft and auction leagues since their inception. Other writing credits have included FFToday.com and football coverage for newspapers in Colorado and Florida. For more information go to www.fantasyindex.com.

• Comments [0]

Readers' Comments

Add a Comment

Already a registered user? Please sign in to add comments.

To add comments, you must become a registered user of our site. To register, please click here.