1. Aaron Rodgers, GB – The loss of Greg Jennings is bigger than most realize, but there’s plenty of talent across the skill positions for Rodgers to retain top billing in fantasy football this year. The system also plays perfectly to his strengths.
2. Drew Brees, NO - The return of Sean Payton will pay huge dividends once again for Brees. Their skill players remain intact, and they’ll have an easier schedule coming off a disappointing season.
3. Peyton Manning, Den – The addition of Wes Welker will be welcomed by Manning. The inconsistency of the running game should have Manning put the ball in the air frequently.
4. Cam Newton, Car – Unrealistic expectations and an underwhelming supporting cast affected Newton’s sophomore season. He’ll return to fantasy glory this year with a better supporting cast and another year under his belt.
5. Tom Brady, NE – There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding Brady this year. With Rob Gronkowski’s status less than certain, Aaron Hernandez gone and Wes Welker in Denver, Brady is not the shoe-in he usually is. Look for a very good season, but he might end up a few notches down in 2013.
6. Andrew Luck, Ind – He’ll look to build off an excellent rookie season. The AFC South is nothing special with Houston being the one team with a good defense, and the Colts defense, below average, will force Luck to throw.
7. Colin Kaepernick, SF – The loss of Michael Crabtree cannot be overstated. That was Kaepernick’s go-to guy. However, Jim Harbaugh is a brilliant offensive mind and will put Kaepernick into a position to succeed. He’s a dual threat.
8. Russell Wilson, Sea - Wilson is blessed with tremendous talent around him, but could suffer a slump in year 2. Teams will have more footage on tape and NFL defenses will defend the read option better. His upside is huge, but he could disappoint depending on when you draft him.
9. Matt Ryan, Atl – Blessed with arguably the best WR duo in the league, he’ll put up numbers similar to a year ago.
10. Robert Griffin III, Was – The surgically repaired knee with take away the running threat that RGIII was a year ago, and that accounted for many fantasy points. That being said, he does have a better supporting cast and is very accurate passing, but look for a step back in his 2nd year.
