Fantasy football preview: quarterbacks

Manning or Brees? Rodgers or Brady? I was recently asked who’s the best fantasy quarterback. Simple question that deserves a simple answer. However, lots of factors to consider, which turns this into a complicated answer. Which makes you want to keep reading, right?

Without looking at the stats – don’t look! – you might guess Peyton Manning or Drew Brees, right? But five minutes with a media guide will tell you that Rodgers totaled the best numbers last year. The primary reason – he has the added element of rushing yards – 316 vs. Manning, Brees and Brady, who combined, ran for less than 100.

But wait, there’s more… Rodgers can throw too. Last season, he propelled himself into the best-of-class ranking with 4,434 yards, 35 TDs, while only tossing seven picks. He has great targets in Greg Jennings, Donald Driver and Jermichael Finley.

You should be happy with any of them. And who you pick is largely dictated by draft order. But be careful not to over-value this group of stars. If you’re the type who always buys the biggest soda sold, even when you know you won’t drink it all, then you probably ignore value. Think about it. You could have a medium drink and a Snickers bar or that XXL fountain drink that won’t even fit in the cup holder.

This is how I see quarterbacks. Sure, who doesn’t want Manning, Brees or Rodgers anchoring their team. But if you look a little lower on the QB rankings, you can use higher draft picks on running backs and wide receivers without sacrificing much at QB.

Take a look:

Phillip Rivers – While criticized for his lack of arm strength, Rivers makes it up with accuracy and dependability. The Chargers have transitioned from a ground game to an air attack, and Rivers’ owners benefit from that. With LaDainian Tomlinson in New York , and rookie running back Ryan Matthews expected to start, Rivers will be counted on even more in 2010. The emergence of Vincent Jackson and steady Antonio Gates give him great power-forward-like targets. Rivers is not only among the best in QB points, but overall points. Last year, he was among the top 10 in overall points (give or take, depending on league settings). With 4,254 passing yards and 28 TDs, he also yielded only nine interceptions. Count on him to post similar numbers this year.

Matt Schaub – I realize this looks like a homer suggestion. But I’ve also had the added benefit of following him closely. When healthy, Schaub is among the best, and he proved that in 2009 when he led the NFL in completions (396) and yards (4,770), beating our Manning, who did sit out game 16. With Andre Johnson, who is arguably the best wideout in the game, and a healthy Owen Daniels, Schaub is destined to have numbers close to last year’s. If the Texans can improve the run game, it will make the offense more dynamic, and make for an even more effective air game.

Sleeper: Joe Flacco – If you miss out on the top signal callers, it’s ok. Take a chance on Flacco, who shows a lot of promise this year. Adding Anquan Boldin to your arsenal makes any QB better. Add to that a solid offensive line, and great run game, Flacco has the tools to elevate himself to the top-10 tier this season. The Ravens’ offensive coordinator Cam Cameron runs a conservative offense, but it’s likely that Flacco will be throwing more with Boldin in the lineup. Flacco is a safe pickup and a good value for where he’ll be drafted – around the fifth or sixth rounds.

Have a question for Erin Skelley? E-mail her at ERSkelley@yahoo.com. Also, tune in to Erin's fantasy football advice on Sports Radio 610 in Houston every Friday during the football season. And if you want more, more, more, check out Erin's blog on FantasyPros911.