QB: Kevin Kolb, Philadelphia
Those that are still doubting that Kolb is for real need to start believing. Not only is the young quarterback the new face of the Eagles franchise, his big arm is definitely for real. He's showed consistent ability to air it out downfield, which is good news for his highlight-reel receiver DeSean Jackson.
Kolb is road roommates with breakout TE Brent Celek, so the chemistry between those two shouldn't have a problem translating to the football field. The Eagles certainly aren't afraid to air it out as we've seen with Coach Andy Reid's potent aerial attack. Kolb should get plenty of opportunities inside the red zone.
With very young, prolific weapons on offense, Kolb shouldn't have any problems establishing himself as a very reliable option as a QB1. For those owners that hate burning an early round pick on one of the top five options, Kolb could definitely be your guy.
RB: Jahvid Best, Detroit
The NFL is often referred to as a game of opportunity. This case is no different.
Best is an explosive rookie out of Cal who fell into the Lions' lap at #31 overall in this year's draft. Incumbent Kevin Smith is still recovering from ACL surgery and Best has been given every chance to be the team's featured back in his absence. If he excels, the rookie could very well hold onto full-time duties even when Smith returns.
The eccentric little back is running behind a revamped offensive line. While Detroit won't be a playoff team, they figure to have a much more feared offensive attack now that Best is in the fold. He has a very good chance of eclipsing 1,000 yards and may push for double-digit TDs as well. He's a legitimate RB2 with definite RB1 upside and is being drafted at an absolute value in most standard leagues right now.
WR: Mike Williams, Tampa Bay
Had this kid not had so much trouble off the field when he was in school, he would've been a top 10 selection back in April. His athletic upside is undeniable and it seems he is making at least one highlight play in every practice thus far through training camp.
Everyone in the Bucs camp think that Williams has "star potential written all over him." It's clear that he's already the best wideout that the team has on the roster. He's been straight up dominant and despite a less-than-accurate QB throwing him the ball, Williams should be able to consistently make plays all season long. Drafted in the fourth round this year, Williams is another example of how NFL teams are putting too much stock into off-field hoopla (Dez Bryant, Percy Harvin).
Currently being selected in the very latter rounds of most drafts, Williams is an immediate WR3 with very high WR2 upside. If he's as good during the season as he has been through this point, owners are going to have plenty of reasons to smile.
TE: Zach Miller, Oakland
Thankfully for both Miller and his owners, neither has to struggle through the JaMarcus Russell experiment any longer. Now that new QB Jason Campbell is aboard, Miller fans have plenty of reasons to be excited. After establishing himself as Oakland's most reliable receiver last year, Miller is expected to be one of the major beneficiaries of Campbell's presence.
Miller was second among all TE's last season in YPC with just Antonio Gates ahead of him. So, why is Gates an early round, popular pick while Miller is a late-round flier? Perception. I'm not saying that Miller will match Gates' production this season, but simply that owners should keep that early-round pick for an impact player at a more critical position than TE. Owners in re-draft leagues should feel comfortable taking Miller at any point after the seventh round. He could very well turn into Campbell's favorite target by Week 1.
K: Nick Folk, New York (J)
Remember this guy?
Mr. Folk was a Pro Bowl selection in 2007, but has really toiled in mediocrity since. He fell out of favor quickly in Dallas after failing to match his '07 output and has been dealing with "the yips" ever since. However, the kicker couldn't have landed in a better spot to get his leg(s) underneath him. Jets Special Teams Coach Mike Westhoff is one of the best in the business and has really worked closely with the kid to get him back to his elite kicking ways.
Another critical piece to Folk's resurgence is that he's finally healthy after undergoing a complex operation on his hip in 2009. Designed to alleviate the pain he was feeling in his hip, Folk is expected to come back even stronger than his doctors anticipated. Now in New York, Folk has pretty much fallen off the fantasy radar of most owners and could be a very nice value pick in the last round of the draft.
Do you know what the difference between the top kicker and No. 10 kicker in fantasy football was last season? 33 points. That's less than two points per week, so don't be the owner that takes a kicker early and expect elite production--it just won't happen.
DEF: New York Giants
Perhaps one of the worst defenses in fantasy football last season, the G-Men were turned inside out on the defensive side of the ball. The team's weaknesses were constantly exposed in its first year without Steve Spagnuolo and the defense didn't look anything like the intimidating unit that we had seen the year prior.
Now in 2010, the defensive unit is coming in with a target on their backs as opposing teams know that they're certainly not insurmountable. However, let's not forget about all the talent that the Giants have on defense as the team suffered several injuries last season as well.
Big Blue could certainly enjoy a very nice rebound year for owners that are willing to gamble, but by no means am I predicting a return to their once-elite status.
