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Fantasy Football Draft Guide - Player Profiles and AnalysisLow-tier quarterback analysis
By Cory J. Bonini Low-tier quarterbacksMatt Leinart | Arizona Cardinals | 6-foot-5, 232 pounds | 5th year 2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics
Fantasy tip: Leinart's completion percentage was a career-best 66.2 in his 77 attempts last year, but he threw three picks to no touchdown passes. His noodle of an arm will limit the passing game (see his terrible 5.6 yards-per-attempt average last year). With wideout Anquan Boldin now a Baltimore Raven, Leinart lost one of his top targets. While Larry Fitzgerald remains, it probably won't be enough for the former USC star to make fantasy owners forget about Kurt Warner any time soon. We're not even sold on Leinart winning the starting job, but if he does, Leinart is a No. 3 fantasy quarterback with little upside in Arizona's new run-first system. Trent Edwards | Buffalo Bills | 6-foot-4, 231 pounds | 4th year 2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics
Fantasy tip: Edwards is running with the first-team offense, which should continue into the regular season. He has shown flashes at times, but we've also seen a lot of downside. Injuries have been his biggest enemy; Edwards has missed at least two games in each of his three pro seasons. Given the Bills' limited offensive weapons in the passing game, Edwards shouldn't be considered as anything more than a desperation No. 3 fantasy quarterback. Jake Delhomme | Cleveland Browns | 6-foot-2, 215 pounds | 12th year 2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics
Fantasy tip: It was the 2005 season when fantasy owners last considered Delhomme a reliable option. Since, he has been the definition of failure. Whether or not injury caused this meltdown, Delhomme enters a situation that doesn't instill confidence for a rebound year. He shouldn't be drafted in any league, but he could be worth a waiver wire acquisition if the stars align. Josh Freeman | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 6-foot-6, 248 pounds | 2nd year 2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics
Fantasy tip: In nine starts, Freeman, who has a fractured tip of his throwing thumb, looked every bit like the long-term project we expected him to be. He threw 10 touchdowns to 18 interceptions and fumbled 10 times (lost two). Count on seeing some growth in his second year. Even still, it doesn't figure to be enough to make him a fantasy-worthy commodity. Freeman is probably two to three years away from being a consistent contributor. Sam Bradford | St. Louis Rams | 6-foot-4, 228 pounds | Rookie 2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics
Fantasy tip: The cerebral Oklahoma standout is coming off 2009 shoulder surgery. We've seen quarterbacks come back from this procedure before (Drew Brees). Bradford has to beat out 10-year veteran quarterback A.J. Feeley, which doesn't figure to be too much of a problem. The rookie's biggest hurdle may be learning an NFL passing system and executing it the way his coaches expect him to. His true value is in full-retention keeper formats; avoid Bradford in single-year setups. Mark Sanchez | New York Jets | 6-foot-2, 225 pounds | 2nd year 2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics
Fantasy tip: Despite a remarkable run in real life last year, virtual owners didn't exactly fall in love with Sanchez in 2009. He threw 20 interceptions to only 12 touchdown passes (15 starts). Offseason knee surgery cost Sanchez valuable time in minicamp, but he should be fine for Week 1. The Jets will pound the rock until the cows come home, and Sanchez will be asked to do just enough to win games. Game managers don't make for viable fantasy quarterbacks more than a few times per year. Sanchez is, at best, a weak No. 3 in deep fantasy leagues. Ryan Fitzpatrick | Buffalo Bills | 6-foot-2, 225 pounds | 5th year 2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics
Fantasy tip: Unless - scratch that ... when - Trent Edwards winds up on the mend, expect to see Fitzpatrick. Edwards' injury history leads us to believe we'll see Fitz a few times in 2010. Either way, he has no fantasy value at this time. Seneca Wallace | Cleveland Browns | 5-foot-11, 205 pounds | 8th year 2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics
Fantasy tip: Wallace will see time in special packages and could start a few games if Jake Delhomme's recent injury-prone nature resurfaces. While efficient, Wallace isn't a fantasy force. Avoid him in all leagues. Charlie Whitehurst | Seattle Seahawks | 6-foot-5, 225 pounds | 5th year 2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics
Fantasy tip: The Green Bay, Wis. native was paid a lot of money to compete with incumbent Matt Hasselbeck, but it doesn't look like he'll get that chance. Hass is the starter and has a stranglehold on the job. Meanwhile, Whitehurst has struggled mightily and could lose the No. 2 job to J.P. Losman. Whitehurst isn't a fantasy option at this time. Michael Vick | Philadelphia Eagles | 6-foot, 215 pounds | 9th year 2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics
Fantasy tip: Vick, whose signature athleticism has returned, is expected to have a larger role in the offense this year. We don't know how durable Kevin Kolb will be, but that doesn't mean Vick is draftable. In standard formats, he isn't worth considering. In deep leagues (18 rostered players or more), Vick could be worth a final-round flier as your third quarterback. He's best left for the wire, though. Tim Tebow | Denver Broncos | 6-foot-3, 245 pounds | Rookie 2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics
Fantasy tip: The highly touted rookie quarterback will be used in special scenarios, as long as the team remains in contention and starting quarterback Kyle Orton is effective. The moment Orton struggles, expect to hear calls for Tebow. That doesn't mean a switch will be made, at least not immediately. Tebow should be good for a few fantasy-worth games but isn't worth drafting in single-year formats. His 2010 value is found in full-retention drafts. Byron Leftwich | Pittsburgh Steelers | 6-foot-5, 250 pounds | 8th year 2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics
Fantasy tip: Leftwich will likely fill in for suspended quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who will miss at least four and possibly six games. Leftwich has experience as a starter, but his extra slow release, coupled with Pittsburgh's porous offensive line, makes for a poor outlook. Leftwich isn't worth drafting in any format. A.J. Feeley | St. Louis Rams | 6-foot-3, 220 pounds | 10th year 2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics
Fantasy tip: Feeley is battling rookie Sam Bradford for the starting gig. The money St. Louis has committed to Bradford could force their hand. Feeley isn't much to contend with, anyway. Even if he wins the job, avoid Feeley in all formats. Derek Anderson | Cleveland Browns | 6-foot-5, pounds | 6th year 2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics
Fantasy tip: Although we feel Anderson is a better fit for the Cardinals' offense than starter Matt Leinart, DA remains the backup. Fantasy owners shouldn't draft Anderson. Jimmy Clausen | Carolina Panthers | 6-foot-2, 222 pounds | Rookie 2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics
Fantasy tip: It's unlikely we'll see Clausen start in 2010. Unless Matt Moore struggles or misses time due to injury, the Notre Dame product will ride the pine in preparation for the future (Moore is a free agent after this year). Clausen's only value is found in full-retention keeper leagues. Dan Orlovsky | Houston Texans | 6-foot-5, 230 pounds | 6th year 2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics
Fantasy tip: The former Detroit Lion has shown meager displays of capability at the pro level, while also committing silly errors (stepping out of the back of the end zone, for example). Starter Matt Schaub is injury-prone, but that doesn't suggest Orlovsky will have fantasy value if he is called upon. Stay away on draft day. Rex Grossman | Washington Redskins | 6-foot-1, 225 pounds | 8th year 2010 Projected NFL/Fantasy Football Statistics
Fantasy tip: Unless quarterback Donovan McNabb falls to injury, don't count on seeing Grossman. There is a decent chance of that - McNabb has missed a game in five of the last six seasons - but Grossman is not worth stashing until it happens. He should be left for the wire in all leagues.
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Author Bio
Cory J. Bonini Cory J. Bonini is a senior editor at KFFL. In late 2002, Bonini joined the KFFL staff as a research analyst. He vaulted himself into one of the industry's leading fantasy analysts. Bonini has been involved in fantasy sports since 1996. A member of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association as well as Fantasy Sports Writers Association, he has been featured in print, on the radio and is also a published writer on scores of sites. Bonini co-hosts Big Lead Sports on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio each Wednesday evening from 10 p.m. - 1 a.m. ET. Bonini was recognized with the 2010 Best Article in Print Award from the FSWA and was a finalist for the same award in 2011. In '11, he finished first overall in the FSWA NFL experts challenge that featured 60 of the industry's best competitors. Featured LinksTalk Sports 24/7! Recent articles:
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