Who's Playing For Second?

With a rather mundane NBA playoffs and a baseball regular season in its infancy that has registered more bad news than good as of late, it's important to remember one fact: WE'RE ONLY MONTHS AWAY FROM PRE-SEASON FOOTBALL!!! While exhibition games are nothing to get your TiVo ready over, pre-season also means the start of fantasy football drafts. Come on, people!! It's never too early to talk fantasy football, right? Right? (awkward silence). Anyway, while picking at the end of the draft has always been a preferred strategy of mine(as well as, I'm sure, many others), this upcoming season makes that strategy more crucial than ever. With Vikings running back Adrian Peterson now the consensus top overall pick, the question remains.....who's #2? Fear not, BoomRoastedSports readers(all 4 of you), I have done some research.....here are your top candidates(Note: This is in no particular order):

1. Brian Westbrook, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Upside: He's the NFL's newest version of Marshall Faulk. A versitile swiss-army knife that racks up points by both running and recieving. As the Eagles only proven option, Westbrook stands to have the best shot at garnering # 2 pick value. Now, the Eagles proved last season they aren't very good around the goal-line, but Westbrook stands to get at least some red zone touches. Plus, the Eagles get the AFC West this year, home of three of the worst run defenses in the NFL(KC, Oakland and Denver). Also, he has a better chance than ever before to kick the injury bug as rookie LeSean McCoy will be used to keep Westbrook fresh down the stretch.

Downside: He's the NFL's version of Marshall Faulk....after the Madden Curse. Westbrook's inability to stay healthy has been well-documented, having never played a full 16 games. Also, the Eagles have always been a passing team and would appear to be more so with the addition of 1st round pick Jeremy Maclin and, while that doesn't exactly hurt Westbrook given his ability to catch the ball, it means less value on the ground. There's also the presence of McCoy. While the Eagles have been saying for years that they were going to keep Westbrook fresh by using a bevy of late-round pick backs(Correll Buckhalter, Tony Hunt, Ryan Moats), it never really ends up that way. Even if Shady proves to be a valuable backup to Westbrook, the better he does stands to take yards and points away from Westbrook.

2. Steven Jackson, RB, St. Louis Rams

Upside: Like Westbrook, he's a threat in the run game and the passing game. Unlike Westbrook, nobody's taking carries from The Dreadlock Monster. At 240 pounds with nimble feet and surprising speed, Jackson is a load to handle. Jackson's troubles over the past two seasons have alot to do with a swiss-cheese offensive line and the Rams hope they've erradicated that problem with the first round selection of Baylor left tackle Jason Smith. The Rams, for the first time in a long time, lack a true top-flight reciever which means Jackson will get a lot of work this year, which could mean a lot of points for you. Is another 90 catch season out of the question? I don't think so.

Downside: Jackson's wildly inconsistant. Some weeks he'll tear the walls down like he did last season against Dallas and some weeks he'll be a non-factor. Also, his physical style always seems to a litany of injuries(albeit nothing major yet). Another obvious red flag? The Rams aren't very good, which means this team will be passing most of the time in the second half this season. While Smith is certianly a welcomed addition(over the legendary but clearly declining Orlando Pace), it remains to be seen whether he can run block after coming out of a passing offense at Baylor. Also, while the lack of a proven reciever might give Jackson more touches, it also means he'll have more men in the box trying to stop him. Sure, 90 catches isn't out of the question, but unless someone else emerges, it might be wishful thinking.

3. Clinton Portis, RB, Washington Redskins

Upside: Portis always seems to be overlooked by people still writing him off as either injury-prone or a system running back, but Portis is the goods. With the exception of an injury-shortened 2006, Portis has garnered at least 1200 yards since entering the league. He has a solid offensive line, great speed, and is a factor out of the backfield on passing downs. Plus, improvements on defense(the drafting of Brian Orakpo, the signing of Albert Haynesworth) means Portis could see more time on the field than in years past. He's also still only 27 and while he isn't the biggest of backs, he has some more tread on those legs. Plus, like Westbrook, Portis draws the light defenses of the AFC West this year and with the NFC East tempertures dropping during the second half of the season, the Redskins will be more likely to run during December(i.e. fantasy playoffs) than pass into the swirling winds.

Downside: The injury-prone label isn't what it used to be(Portis has played the full 16 the past 2 seasons) but the lack of a true backup to give Portis a breather only leaves him more vulnerable to injury. He's also sharing with the backfield with a quarterback with a chip on his shoulder after nearly being replaced twice in a span of a month. You think Jason Campbell, in a contract year, isn't trying to air it out this season? Then, of course, there's last season's tiff with head coach Jim Zorn. Who knows what happens to Portis if his mouth lands him in Zorn's doghouse?

4. Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots

Upside: As you may know, the last time Brady played a full-season, he threw 50 touchdown passes and shattered passing records week-by-week. This year, he's back with a vengeance and he still has old buddies Randy Moss and Wes Welker to throw to, not to mention the additions of Joey Galloway and Alex Smith. He also gets to feast on AFC East secondaries again and the hunger to make up for last season(as well as blowing their shot at a perfect season two years ago) will only motivate the league's best QB. Sure, the loss of OC Josh McDaniels hurts, but the Pats have proven to be able to replace coordinators before. Also, the Pats improved the running game with the addition of Fred Taylor, meaning teams will have to respect both the run and the pass.

Downside: To use an old boxing cliche', everyone has a plan 'til they get hit. The fact remains that Brady hasn't been on the field in a meaningful game until his knee crumpled to pieces against the Chiefs last September. While Brady is on schedule to be 100% by Opening Day, there's just no telling how jittery he'll get under pressure if he feels a bit uncertian about his knee. Also, the AFC East has gotten a little better since Brady last gazed upon it. The Bills added T.O. and pass-rushing dynamo Aaron Maybin. The Jets revamped their defense even further with Lito Sheppard and Bart Scott and the Dolphins aren't the same 1-15 laughing stocks they were two years ago. Carson Palmer returned from a torn ACL after rigourous workouts(in a much shorter span, too) and played admirable in his first season back from surgery. Daunte Culpepper did not. So the biggest question remains how Brady responds to his first major pro injury.

5. Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis Colts

Upside: While Brady was on crutches, Manning spent last season adding another MVP to his trophy case. As the NFL's cerebral assassin, Manning's ability to pick apart defenses with his laser rocket arm gets better with each passing season. With the addition of RB Donald Brown, Manning now has two young backs who can be factors in the passing game. Oh, and there's still Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark. Sure, the old staples are gone. Marvin Harrison was cut and Tony Dungy and some of the offensive staff retired, but Manning has always been the head coach of the offense and if he can win an MVP coming off two knee surgeries, who knows what he can do with a clean bill of health. Like Brady, Manning's value will be determined by your league's emphasis on passing stats, but if you're looking for the safest pick in the draft, it's definitely Peyton.

Downside: Manning also has the daunting task of playing in the league's toughest division. The Jags, Titans and Texans all have legitimate shots at making the playoffs. Manning is also 33 and not exactly the most mobile of quarterbacks. While Manning has always been Superman when it comes to avoiding the injury bug, the same could've been said about Brady at the start of last year. Plus, while Harrison lost a few steps, it still remains to be seen whether third-year man Anthony Gonzalez can fit in those shoes. Manning-to-Harrison was one of, if not the, greatest passing combos in league history and you can't just replace that with a few OTAs and training camps. Plus, you're using the 2nd pick on a quarterback, albeit a great one. While Manning is as steady as they come, Brady should be a warning sign to anyone using high picks on quarterbacks, particularly stationary targets who just lost the only offensive line coach they've ever had.

6. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals

Upside: He's the league's most dynamic offensive weapon. He's big, he has huge hands, he can jump to the ceiling and he has stealthy quickness. He also plays with a quarterback with some experience in dynamic passing attacks and a #2 reciever(for now) who can keep the double teams off of him. While last year's playoffs was Fitz's coming-out party, Fitzgerald has lived up to the hype as the NFL's next great reciever since entering the league in 2004. Fitzgerald also has the benefit of a division lacking in top flight pass defenses(particularly Seattle, although they've improved some in the offseason). Sure, taking a wideout with the 2nd pick is a bit ballsy, but with so much uncertianty at the top, it might be smarter to just opt for the safer, albeit uncommon, choice.

Downside: Well, first off, there's the Madden Curse. Fitzgerald will be joining Steelers safety Troy Polamalu on the cover of Madden 10, which always spells danger for somebody's limbs. There's also the status of teammate Anquan Boldin, who wants out of Arizona and is still on the trade market. Also, the label of Best NFL WR always seems to fluctuate from year to year and while Fitzgerald has always been consistant, it's a bit of a crapshoot to predict that he'll have better numbers than fellow recievers like Steve Smith, Andre Johnson and Chad Johnson. There's also the advanced age of QB Kurt Warner. While Warner was healthy all of last season, he's still pushing 40 and it goes without saying that backup Matt Leinart is a significant downgrade if Leinart's forced to come in relief.

So there you go. Of course, scoring systems and pre-season injuries will dictate what you do on Draft Day, but at least you know that you have this blog to look over for the next 3 months until you go on the clock.

---Dave