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At age 36 and after missing a year with an injury, how four-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning fares this year in Denver is anyone's guess. (Norm Hall/Getty Images)
With the preseason complete here are a look at fantasy football player (and defense) projections for the 2012 NFL season, starting with the quarterbacks.
Quarterbacks: 1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers; 2011 passing stats: 4,643 yards, 45 TDs, 6 ints, 68.3 completion percentage. 2. Tom Brady, New England Patriots; 2011 passing stats: 5,235 yards, 39 TDs, 12 ints, 65.6 completion percentage. 3. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints; 2011 passing stats: 5,476 yards, 46 TDs, 14 ints, 71.2 completion percentage. 4. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions; 2011 passing stats: 5,038 yards, 41 TDs, 16 ints, 63.5 completion percentage. 5. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers; 2011 passing stats: 4,051 yards, 21 TDs, 17 ints, 60.0 completion percentage. 6. Eli Manning, New York Giants; 2011 passing stats: 4,933 yards, 29 TDs, 16 ints, 61.0 completion percentage. 7. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons; 2011 passing stats: 4,177 yards, 29 TDs, 12 ints, 61.3 completion percentage. 8. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys; 2011 passing stats: 4,184 yards, 31 TDs, 10 ints, 66.3 completion percentage. 9. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos; 2010 passing stats*: 4,700 yards, 33 TDs, 17 ints, 66.3 completion percentage. 10. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles; 2011 passing stats: 3,303 yards, 18 TDs, 14 ints, 59.8 completion percentage.
Running Backs: 1. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles; 2011 rushing statistics: 1,309 yards, 4.8 yards/carry, 20 TDs, 315 receiving yards. 2. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens; 2011 rushing statistics: 1,364 yards, 4.7 yards/carry, 15 TDs, 704 receiving yards. 3. Arian Foster, Houston Texans; 2011 rushing statistics: 1,224 yards, 4.4 yards/carry, 12 TDs, 617 receiving yards. 4. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans; 2011 rushing statistics: 1,047 yards, 4.0 yards/carry, 4 TDs, 418 receiving yards. 5. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears; 2011 rushing statistics: 997 yards, 4.9 yards/carry, 4 TDs, 490 receiving yards. 6. Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders; 2011 rushing statistics: 614 yards yards, 5.4 yards/carry, 5 TDs, 154 receiving yards. 7. DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys; 2011 rushing statistics: 897 yards, 5.5 yards/carry, 2 TDs, 183 receiving yards. 8. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs; 2010 rushing statistics*: 1,467 yards, 6.4 yards/carry, 8 TDs, 468 receiving yards. 9. Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills; 2011 rushing statistics: 934 yards, 5.5 yards/carry, 6 TDs, 442 receiving yards. 10. Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants; 2011 rushing statistics: 659 yards, 3.9 yards/carry, 11 TDs, 267 receiving yards. 11. Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks; 2011 rushing statistics: 1,204 yards, 4.2 yards/carry, 13 TDs, 212 receiving yards. 12. Trent Richardson, Cleveland Browns; 2011 rushing statistics**: 1,679 yards, 5.9 yards/carry, 24 TDs, 338 receiving yards. 13. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers; 2011 rushing statistics: 1,211 yards, 4.3 yards/carry, 8 TDs, 114 receiving yards. 14. Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 2011 rushing statistics**: 1,299 yards, 4.9 yards/carry, 18 TDs, 255 receiving yards. 15. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars; 2011 rushing statistics: 1,606 yards, 4.7 yards/carry, 11 TDs, 374 receiving yards. 16. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams; 2011 rushing statistics: 1,145 yards, 4.4 yards/carry, 6 TDs, 333 receiving yards. 17. Ryan Mathews, San Diego Chargers; 2011 rushing statistics: 1,091 yards, 4.9 yards/carry, 6 TDs, 455 receiving yards. 18. Willis McGahee, Denver Broncos; 2011 rushing statistics: 1,299 yards, 4.8 yards/carry, 5 TDs, 51 receiving yards. 19. Cedric Benson, Green Bay Packers; 2011 rushing statistics: 1,067 yards, 3.9 yards/carry, 6 TDs, 82 receiving yards. 20. Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints; 2011 rushing statistics: 474 yards, 3.9 yards/carry, 5 TDs, 46 receiving yards.
Larry Fitzgerald (L) has hauled in 80 or more catches five straight seasons. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Wide Receivers: 1. Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions; 2011 receiving stats: 96 catches, 1,681 yards, 16 TDs. 2. Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons; 2011 receiving stats: 54 catches, 959 yards, 8 TDs. 3. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals; 2011 receiving stats: 80 catches, 1,411 yards, 8 TDs. 4. Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packers; 2011 receiving stats: 67 catches, 949 yards, 9 TDs. 5. Andre Johnson, Houston Texans; 2011 receiving stats: 33 catches, 492 yards, 2 TDs. 6. Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants; 2011 receiving stats: 76 catches, 1,192 yards, 7 TDs. 7. Brandon Marshall, Chicago Bears; 2011 receiving stats: 81 catches, 1,214 yards, 6 TDs. 8. Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons; 2011 receiving stats: 100 catches, 1,296 yards, 8 TDs. 9. A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals; 2011 receiving stats: 65 catches, 1,057 yards, 7 TDs. 10. Victor Cruz, New York Giants; 2011 receiving stats: 82 catches, 1,536 yards, 9 TDs. 11. Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys; 2011 receiving stats: 63 catches, 928 yards, 9 TDs. 12. Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers; 2011 receiving stats: 68 catches, 1,263 yards, 15 TDs. 13. Wes Welker, New England Patriots; 2011 receiving stats: 122 catches, 1,569 yards, 9 TDs. 14. Steve Johnson, Buffalo Bills; 2011 receiving stats: 76 catches, 1,004 yards, 7 TDs. 15. Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints; 2011 receiving stats: 80 catches, 1,143 yards, 8 TDs. 16. Brandon Lloyd, New England Patriots; 2011 receiving stats: 70 catches, 966 yards, 5 TDs. 17. Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings; 2011 receiving stats: 87 catches, 967 yards, 8 TDs. 18. Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers; 2011 receiving stats: 69 catches, 1,108 yards, 2 TDs. 19. Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers; 2011 receiving stats: 79 catches, 1,394 yards, 7 TDs. 20. Eric Decker, Denver Broncos; 2011 receiving stats: 44 catches, 612 yards, 8 TDs.
Rob Gronkowski (87) is a tough matchup for any defensive back. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Tight Ends: 1. Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints; 2011 receiving stats: 99 catches, 1,310 yards, 11 TDs. 2. Aaron Hernandez, New England Patriots; 2011 receiving stats: 79 catches, 910 yards, 7 TDs. 3. Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots; 2011 receiving stats: 90 catches, 1,327 yards, 18 TDs. 4. Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers; 2011 receiving stats: 67 catches, 792 yards, 6 TDs. 5. Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers; 2011 receiving stats: 64 catches, 778 yards, 7 TDs. 6. Jermichael Finley, Green Bay Packers; 2011 receiving stats: 55 catches, 767 yards, 8 TDs. 7. Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys; 2011 receiving stats: 79 catches, 942 yards, 5 TDs. 8. Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit Lions; 2011 receiving stats: 83 catches, 777 yards, 5 TDs. 9. Jared Cook, Tennessee Titans; 2011 receiving stats: 49 catches, 759 yards, 3 TDs. 10. Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons; 2011 receiving stats: 80 catches, 875 yards, 7 TDs.
Defenses: 1. San Francisco 49ers 2. Houston Texans 3. Philadelphia Eagles 4. Baltimore Ravens 5. Pittsburgh Steelers 6. Chicago Bears 7. New York Giants 8. New York Jets 9. Green Bay Packers 10. New England Patriots*—Indicates little or no stats accumulated in 2011.
**—Indicates college statistics.
Jim Butz and Eric Butz each have over 14 years experience of playing fantasy football and between the two of them they’ve played in over 170 leagues. They have co-founded Suicide Fantasy Football (www.suicidefantasyfootball.com). Readers can use the coupon code 3for99 for this league that will give the buyer 3 entries into the grand prize league for $99. The grand prize is a trip for 2 to the Super Bowl, airfare, game tickets and hotel.
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