The following are the 10 biggest winners in this years 2012 NFL Free Agent (so far)

Top 10 Winners

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2. Denver Broncos

3. San Fransisco 49er’s

The 49er’s made a huge upgrade to their receiving core, and can now stretch the field with the best of them. The off-season to-do list just got a little shorter and the 49er’s NFL draft warroom now has the luxury of picking the best payer available.

-Bonus points for re-signing Carlos Rogers.

4. Buffalo Bills

More Recently: Bills add Mark Anderson

5. New England Patriots

6. Dallas Cowboys

Brandon Carr is hopefully the missing piece to the Cowboys puzzle. This rare 6-foot 207 lbs. cornerback adds strength to push around smaller receivers at the line. Carr has excellent coverage skills and is not afraid to jump the occasionally route. Great addition to the Cowboys depth chart.

7. Kansas City Chiefs

Peyton Hillis looks great on paper, but what does he really bring to the table? Fresh of a terrible Madden cursed season, one has to wonder if Peyton Hillis is an addition or a money pit.

Eric Winston was a great free agent signing, there were a few teams after the former Texan offensive lineman.

8. Philadelphia Eagles

Recent addition: Eagles trade for DeMeco Ryans

9. San Diego Chargers

10. St. Louis Rams

The Rams were huge winners in fleecing the Redskins in a trade for draft picks, their karma comes in the form of losing their defensive coordinator Greg Williams for at least this season. Regardless of draft picks and penalties, the Rams free agent moves have been good enough to make my top 10 list. Cortland Finnegan is a very underrated DB in the league and should be interesting to see how well he adjusts playing in a dome. Kendall Langford is also another value pick-up that may get overlook by big names like Mario Williams. Check out more on the Rams off-season in a great article called:  2-14 Rams, Couldn’t Look Any Better

Fantasy Football:

Manningham and recently signed veteran Randy Moss add depth to a weak receiver group. The Manningham market was slow developing, but rapidly accelerated once the Rams appeared to be on the verge of landing the Giants’ former No. 3 receiver.

Peyton Manning is in the final days of selecting his next team, and the 49er’s are very much in the running, signing Manningham was a nice strategic play by San Francisco.

Manningham’s stock got a massive spike after making a clutch 38-yard pass along the sidelines on the first play of the Super Bowl-winning drive. It’s likely, Manningham will get plugged in the slot receiver role despite possibly being the number two target in San Fransisco. With Moss, Crabtree Manningham and an all pro tight end Vernon Davis, the 49er’s have drastically upgraded a weak spot on an otherwise strong team.

Mario Manningham Stats

Fantasy Football:

Michael Crabtree had 874 receiving yards and 4 TD’s last year.

In the playoffs, Crabtree caught a 5-yard touchdown pass in the divisional round against the Saints to give the 49ers an early 14-0 lead. Yet, in the Saints game and NFC Championship game against the Giants, he totaled only five receptions for 28 yards.

Fans would love to see a big name like Randy Moss, yet a second tier free agent wideout may be the smartest bet. Pursuing a vertical field target like Mario Manningham or Robert Meachem could improve the current roster, but a bigger more possession type receiver, to fight for tough passes in press coverage or across the middle, may be the smarter investment.

Check back for Gridiron Experts NFL draft coverage, starting shortly.

Fantasy Football:

What a draft you just finished. It’s September 3rd, and things are looking up! After much research and with assistance from Gridiron Experts, you assembled an unstoppable team. Your big guns are Jamaal Charles, Hakeem Nicks, Vincent Jackson, Tom Brady, Miles Austin, and Mario Manningham. Sure you’re patching things together at RB2, but this lineup is potent and explosive, and any RB who will produce any kind of points can fill that spot.

Fast forward to September 19th: you wake up hoping renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews performed a miracle overnight on Jamaal Charles’ ACL, and he’ll only be out for a couple of weeks. You click on the little red cross next to Charles’ name, and you see the dreaded: IR. Knee. Panic sets in. The world is spinning, you’re starting to sweat, you’re seeing stars and wondering if this is karma’s way of getting back at you for not giving that dollar to the homeless guy who you assumed was going to use it on booze anyway. You look for the lucky owner who drafted Thomas Jones late in the draft and you send him this regretful text: “Would you do Miles Austin for Thomas Jones?” Before you even clicked send, the fortuitous owner responds with a resounding “YESSSSSSSSS!!” and laughs the bad guy in a movie laugh that all movies portray but nobody actually does.

This could basically be the beginning of the end for you. You made a bad situation worse. The key is just to understand that you’ll be sitting with no RBs for a week or two, and that the season is longer than a Janikowski field goal, so relax. Starting 1-2 or 0-3 in the beginning of the season is the same as having a 1-2 or 0-3 stretch in the middle of the season. The key to this great and frustrating game is patience and understanding value.

A simplistic and exaggerated way of looking at value is this: imagine you have 4 Rolexes, but really want to go for a bike ride. You find a person with 4 bikes; would it be logical for that person to ask you to trade a bike straight up for a Rolex? Of course not, that’s absurd because the value in this instance is obvious. It’s exactly the same thing in fantasy football. Sure you might not get what you want right away (a bike ride or a starting running back), but on the open market, you can get a lot more for Miles Austin (a Rolex) than just Thomas Jones (a Huffy). Who’s to say a 33 year old Jones will even be good? It’s only week two, and we have seen frustrated owners on message boards and texts everywhere who had drafted Peyton Manning, Arian Foster, Marques Colston, Vernon Davis, and the list goes on. By week 3 and 4, you will be able to get a lot more bang for your buck on Miles Austin, or any of your other top receivers.

Be patient. Take a deep breath, and gut out a week or two with no star running back. In most weeks there will be injuries. It happens every year, and this year is no exception. Non-injured star players values go up as the season goes on, just by virtue of there being less of them. If the season starts with 10 elite wide receivers, almost assuredly one or two of them will go down for an extended period of time, meaning the ones still healthy are more valuable. Simple supply and demand (the only part of Econ lecture I attended or stayed awake during). So don’t press the panic button, the easy button, the record button or any other button. Weather the storm for now, and you’ll come out ahead later.

Fantasy Football:

This is the first of our eight part preview where will will look at each of NFL division’s fantasy football values and sleepers. Rather than give you the same sleepers that you can find everywhere else, we will attempt to dig deep and find someone who is likely to go un-drafted in nearly every fantasy football draft that could contribute. All 2011 ADP rankings courtesy or friends at Myfantasyleague.com.

 Dallas Cowboys

Undervalued: Tony Romo (QB)- Romo was off to a great start last year before a broken clavicle cost him the rest of his season. The Cowboys looked revitalized under the leadership of new head coach Jason Garrett, and even Jon Kitna was able to produce solid fantasy stats down the stretch in 2010. Romo is returning 100% healthy and will be throwing to excellent receivers in Miles Austin, Dez Bryant and Jason Witten.

Tony Romo is commonly considered the last of the “tier 1″ group of top seven fantasy signal-callers this year. Should he stay healthy, he is a good candidate for 3600+ yards and 30 touchdown passes. He is every bit the elite fantasy QB and his ADP of 45.84 means you can get top five quarterbacking statistics for the discounted price of a late fourth or fifth round selection.

Overvalued: Felix Jones (RB)- So this will finally be the year that Felix Jones breaks out? Generally in the NFL, if you’re a great running back, it shows immediately…even if you’re on a poor team. Felix Jones has been in the league a full three season now and has gotten more touches every year. The problem is that is YPC number have declined as he’s gotten more work. Last year he bulked up to win the feature back job and seemed to have lost his elite speed and was still not able to clearly beat out a finished Marion Barber. Jones doesn’t have the frame to be a good inside runner and is likely to be an injury risk as he takes more punishment trying to run between the tackles.

Though Felix Jones ended 2010 well, there will continue to be questions about his ability to be featured until he is able to prove it for a full season. His current ADP of 52.42 means he’s being taken as an RB2 in most leagues. There’s plenty of upside with Jones being the starter for an elite Dallas offense, but there’s also a lot more risk as well. Especially when you consider that Felix has managed to score only four rushing touchdowns in his last 30 games.

Deep Sleeper: Dwayne Harris (WR)- This 2011 6th round pick out of East Carolina has looked really sharp in camp and has shined in the Cowboys’ first two pre-season games. Harris has caught five passes for 127 yards and two scores so far and is a serious contender to be the third wide receiver on opening day. He’s slated to start the crucial third pre-season in place of a banged up Miles Austin, so watch how he does against the opposing first team defense. Harris doesn’t even register on ADP rankings, so if you’re in a deep league, he could be worth a late round grab n’ stash.

 New York Giants

Undervalued: Mario Manningham (WR)- When Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks were hurt last year, Manningham really shined as Eli Manning’s top target. Entering his fourth season, Manningham has gotten more opportunities each year and all of his number have gotten better and better. Now Steve Smith is gone and Manningham is entrenched as the starter opposite of Hakeem Nicks. With 16 starts, there’s little reason to think he can’t surpass 1000 receiving yards and be threat to score 8+ touchdowns.

These aren’t your father’s Giants. New York is now a pass-first offense, and there will be plenty of chances for Manningham. His current ADP of 72.81 is behind much riskier wide-outs like Austin Collie, Kenny Britt and Sidney Rice. For savvy fantasy owners he will produce good WR2 numbers at a WR3 price.

Overvalued: Ahmad Bradshaw (RB)- Bradshaw had an excellent 2010 campaign as he took over the RB1 job from Brandon Jacobs, but you almost get the feeling that the New York Giants see him as expendable. When the lockout ended, they left Bradshaw twisting in the wind and free to sign with any other team before he finally decided to return to The Big Apple. Reports this off-seaon also indicated that Brandon Jacobs is in the best shape of his life and worked out harder than he ever has. Jacobs is expected to reclaim more of a role in the Giants’ backfield and will likely retain his short yardage duties. Despite the fact that Bradshaw has been an effective short yardage back himself, if he’s not given enough opportunities, his touchdown numbers could remain soft.

Ahmad Bradshaw is a good fantasy football running back, especially in a PPR format. His current ADP of 35.98 means that for teams that may select an elite WR and QB early, they could be relying on Ahmad as their #1 running back. Considering that Bradshaw could lose some touches and that the Giants are morphing into an increasingly pass-happy team, fantasy football owners might be better off taking another back with less question marks.

Deep Sleeper: Travis Beckum (TE)- Wait too long to grab your second tight end? Look down that list and snag Beckum. Kevin Boss is gone off to Oakland, and Beckum is expected to take over his role for the Giants. Beckum is an athletic target who spent some time in the slot when Steve Smith was hurt. He caught both of his red zone target last year for touchdowns, and could be good for a few play-action scores in 2011.

 Philadelphia Eagles

Undervalued: Ronnie Brown (RB)- Brown has never lived up to his potential but may have landed in a situation that will allow him to put up some good fantasy stats one last time. He’s by far the biggest running back on the squad, and Brown’s skill-set from being in Miami’s wildcat heavy offense adds some interesting diversity to a club that’s sure to spend plenty of time in the red zone.

Should the under-sized LeSean McCoy miss some time with injuries, Brown could be handed the featured running back role for one of the most powerful offenses in the NFL. At the very least, he should be featured as the Eagles goal line runner, and could line up under center if Andy Reid wants to add more wildcat element into his playbook.

Overvalued: Michael Vick (QB)- Vick’s stunning resurgence will go down as one of the most memorable moments in fantasy football history. He single-handedly delivered thousands of championships to owners lucky enough to have selected him. But the magic may have run out. Vick’s numbers faded down the stretch as defenses figured how how to confuse him by disguising coverages and increasing blitzes. This led to a second half decline in passing numbers and a huge increase in turnovers. He’s also a huge injury risk who has only managed to stay healthy for 16 games one time in his whole career. With an entire off-season to study film defensive coordinators will have more time to prepare and exploit Vick’s weaknesses.

The hype of Vick’s storybook return to the NFL is causing him to be routinely selected as the top signal-caller in many fantasy leagues, even as high as the first overall pick. His ADP of 11.22 is right behind Aaron Rodgers. It’s easy to see the appeal of having such a dynamic thrower and fantastic rusher as your top fantasy choice, but there is way too much risk to snag Vick in the first round. There are many great QB’s that can lead you to fantasy glory, but Vick defines high risk/high reward. If you feel like taking the gamble, be prepared to pay the price of shallow position players, and be sure to grab an adequate back up.

Deep Sleeper: Riley Cooper (WR)- As the NFL’s “Dream Team” is surrounded by hype, it’s difficult to find a true sleeper. Cooper is the biggest receiver in Philadelphia, and started to contribute more down the playoff stretch last season. Andy Reid will undoubtedly be looking to keep defenses on their heels by constantly adding elements to his offense. Cooper could make for a nice red zone target, and may even challenge Jason Avant as Philadelphia’s third wide-out.

 Washington Redskins:

Undervalued: Tim Hightower (RB)- The former Arizona Cardinal’s fantasy draft stock is soaring, but he’s still a great value. Hightower is an excellent fit in Mike Shanahan’s one cut zone blocking scheme and has looked fantastic throughout the entire pre-season. He’s also a good pass-blocker , proven insider runner, and excellent receiver. If you are lucky enough to draft him on your fantasy squad though, watch those fumbles and if the persist, sell high.

Despite the pre-season performance Hightower has shown, his ADP is still a low 121.06. Right now he’s a starting feature back with a very fantasy friendly skill-set, and to be able to acquire that kind of talent in the tenth round of your fantasy football draft is highway robbery.

Overvalued: Chris Cooley (TE)- Cooley has never been much of a touchdown scorer, but there’s even less optimism for 2011. First, He is battling a troublesome knee injury that could certainly have a negative impact on his ability to be ready for week one. Secondly, the Redskins are going to be quarterbacked by either John Beck or Rex Grossman. Finally, Cooley could begin to lose even more playing time to fellow tight end Fred Davis.

With an ADP of 133.27, Cooley is being selected as the 14th tight end so far in 2011. That means he could be a starter for teams in larger leagues or owners that choose to wait until the latter stages of their fantasy drafts to select a tight end. There’s way too many questions marks for Cooley to be selected ahead of Brent Celek, Aaron Hernandez, or a fine sleeper target like Greg Olsen.

Deep Sleeper: Terrence Austin (WR)- Austin barely played as a rookie in 2010, but is making a case for himself to be Washington’s fourth receiver in 2011. So far this pre-season he’s made 10 grabs for 140 yards and a nifty touchdown grab from presumed starting quarterback John Beck. Austin is similar in stature to Santana Moss and has also shown the ability to be a decent deep threat, making catches of 28 and 38 yards downfield. Keep your eye on the Redskins’ depth chart and see if Austin can secure a role with the club.

Fantasy Football:

Fantasy Football can be a lot like the week to week scrutiny of the NFL. “What have you done for me lately” is a phrase I love to throw around when looking over my fantasy team. Certain players never budge from your fantasy line-ups while others need to be swapped in and out on a week to week basis. The following 10 players are fantasy football prospects that are either on the rise or were only known to those who had them on their fantasy teams last season.

10. Davone Bess -WR

The Miami Dolphins you definitely knew about that were under producing had names like Chad Henne, Ronnie Brown or even in the touchdown department Brandon Marshall (3). Yet, Davone Bess was a decent fantasy option that owners leaned on in a pinch; his ability to churn out fantasy numbers happened more regularly down the stretch of the season and Bess may have a larger role this year.

9. David Gettis -WR

Considering the ball was thrown by quarterbacks with lesser talent, Gettis had decent numbers as a second WR on the worst team in the league. With healthy starters returning and hopefully re-signing, the Panthers offense goes from looking bleak to underrated. Gettis was a 6th round selection in the 2010 NFL draft and looks to have tons of potential.

8. Louis Murphy -WR

10 of Louis Murphy’s 41 receptions were for over 20 yards. The Raiders are another team with quarterback problems, making this 3rd year fantasy prospect that much more appealing to those who can see the potential. He is the type of receiver that you stash on your bench and turn to in a jam.

7. Jordan Shipley -WR

How does a player put up these types of numbers with big names like Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco on the field? Shipley is a fantasy stud in the making once the noise of the diva receivers is removed. Although, the unfortunate aspect of Shipley’s fantasy value revolves around the quarterback position. The timing of Ochocinco and T.O.’s almost definite departures also includes Carson Palmer joining them. The Bengals are a fantasy football mess at the moment, but what does remain is this young talent for the future.

6. Jimmy Graham -TE

Move out of the way Shockey, this guy has real talent. At 6’6″ with soft hands, and now becoming the newest starting tight end on arguably the most explosive offensive in the game, it’s a wonder why more people don’t know about this budding star. This former Miami Basketball player causes headaches for defensive coordinators and should be Drew Brees’ favorite new red zone target.

5. Mike Tolbert -RB

Many chalk Mike Tolbert’s excellent 2010 fantasy season up to injury opportunity. Yet, the 243lb bowling ball became a reliable fantasy weapon even when Ryan Mathews was in the game. Tolbert had a 5 game TD streak and 3 games with at least 100 yards rushing. Coaches don’t care about depth charts, they just want to win; if that means that in the red zone you call Tolbert’s number even though Mathews is the 1st round pick star…so be it. Considering where fantasy owners will select Ryan Mathews on draft day, opposed to where one can scoop up Tolbert, the fantasy value of Tolbert is far more appealing and should be noted.

4. Marcedes Lewis TE

I completely understand why someone would hesitate on drafting Marcedes Lewis. His fantasy production blew up overnight and has not been a safe option over the years. Many Tight Ends have had one-year breakout seasons only to follow them up with let downs.

Nevertheless, Marcedes Lewis and the Jaguars are different; for starters the receiving core for Jacksonville is hardly intimidating. Even if the Jag’s landed a top wide receiver in free agency there is really a lack of depth on the team. Second, Blaine Gabbert ran a type of offense that relied on quick passes “Diggs” and “Skinny Posts” making the sure-handed Lewis an early favorite. Lastly, Jack Del Rio goes with what works; there is no B.S. with him, and zero chance the coaching staff would steer away from getting this 6’6″ target the ball after a season with 10 touchdowns.

3- Mario Manningham WR

Fantasy owners had a love/hate relationship with Manningham in 2010. Finishing merely a catch or two away from a 1000 yard season, Manningham played frequently in all 16 games, but started just 8 of them. Only on a depth chart for the New York Giants could this fantasy target wait on the sidelines. The talent level for receiving targets is quite high in front of him, still fantasy owners need to be aware of his potential. He will slip through the cracks as a number 3 WR, but could be so much more on any other team. Fantasy Football Stat: A combined 18 Rec’s, 204 yards and 3 TD’s at home against division rivals the Cowboys and Eagles last season.

2. Josh Freeman QB

Not on the top of your QB list, I know…but just look at these numbers. Josh Freeman had an excellent season throwing to a handful of rookie receiving targets. His fantasy value may not skyrocket like it should this summer, but in his last 4 games he looked poised and in control.

On a side note, I have yet to talk to anyone who made their Fantasy Super Bowl and started Josh Freeman. When I do, I’m guessing the story will involve a lot of laughing and bragging about how they won their league thanks to Josh Freeman’s 5 touchdown passes against the Seattle Seahawks in week 16.

1 Jordy Nelson WR

Jordy Nelson should probably already be on your fantasy football radar after his performance at Super Bowl XLV. Nelson had an impressive 9 receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Steelers. Being a receiver for the high scoring Green Bay Packers offense, along with the eventual departure of veteran Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson has a lot of upside. The Packers are a pass-first team who loaded the bank with more offensive line help and even receiving help at this years NFL Draft. Clearly there are many targets on this team, but once Nelson earns and locks in the number two receiver position, the Super Bowl go-to target for Aaron Rodgers will rack up fantasy points on a weekly basis.

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Fantasy Football:

5 tough match-up decisions week 14

• Tom Brady- Patriots
  Sounds crazy, but people are actually on the fence with Brady up against an angry Bears defense and a cold windy environment. Benching Brady for a capable second stringer might payoff, but it could also be the ultimate heartbreak to your season. Brady is playing lights out football, don’t over think this match-up.
• Mario Manningham- Giants
  With the Giants-Vikings game being pushed to Monday night due to a snow storm, many are scrambling to figure out the status of receivers Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks. There are little options to changing your line-up on Monday if either player suits up and steals carries, yet the possibility of having Manningham the number one WR against the Vikings pass defense, is temping. My advice is that even if Smith or Nicks do get the start, their not going to be 100%, thereby Manningham will still see a large number of looks from Eli Manning. Making him a decent flex option week 14.
• Matt Schaub- Texans
  Schuab is one of our Start’em Quarterbacks of the week. Yes his match-up is going to be tough, but at home with the season riding on this game, we’re giving him a fantasy boost.
• Brent Celek- Eagles
  Its been a terrible year for tight ends in fantasy football. Celek was expected to be a major part of the Eagles passing attack in 2010, yet his fantasy value is little to none. This week he faces off against a hated division rival. Celek has a good history against the Cowboys and is coming in with 2 solid games behind him. Is the streak going to continue or have you given up on this fantasy option.
• Cedric Benson- Bengals
  This week fantasy owners are groaning over the idea of leaving Bengals RB Cedric Benson in against a tough Steelers defense. Expectations should be somewhat lower but unless a better option is available, you have to let him start. The Bengals give Benson a massive workload that should give him a chance for points. Entering week 14, Benson has had 237 carries, Bernard Scott has 33 carries.

Fantasy Football:

A wide receiver that is coming into his third season has in the past been considered a breakout candidate for fantasy teams.   This year there are a number of wide receivers entering this three year mark.  I have created a list of third year receivers to keep your eye on entering your fantasy league draft.  Some of these players have yet to live up to expectations, others stepped up their games last season, while others unfortunately had let downs last season.  Overall, all of these players are expected to make solid contributions to their teams in 2010.

Early Doucet – Arizona – Doucet moves up the depth chart in 2010 after the departure of Anquan Boldin.  Doucet was the team’s fourth receiver last season, but will move into the third receiver role at the start of training camp and will have the opportunity to compete for the #2 receiver spot.

James Hardy – Buffalo – Hardy has yet to live up to the expectations Buffalo had for him when they drafted him in the 2nd round.  However, this could be the make or break year for Hardy.  With the departure of Terrell Owens, Hardy will be given the chance to earn a starting spot opposite Lee Evans.

Earl Bennett – Chicago – Bennett is in a crowded group of receivers.  The Bears have many young receivers and Bennett will have to stand out during the preseason in order to get some quality playing time.

Andre Caldwell – Cincinnati – Caldwell did well last season when given opportunities.  He became a bit of a red zone favorite of Carson Palmer, but will have to battle newly acquired veteran, Antonio Bryant, for playing time.

Eddie Royal – Denver – Royal had a spectacular rookie year which was followed up by a true sophomore slump.  Last season Royal was expected to be the Wes Welker in new coach Josh McDaniels offense.  That did not happen, but news is coming out of Denver that this will be Royals role in the coming season.

Pierre Garcon – Indianapolis – Garcon was a surprise playmaker for the Colts last season.  He took over the #2 receiver spot and ran with it.  This season expect Garcon to do more of the same, although there are many receivers on the roster there are still plenty of balls to go around in Indy.

Davonne Bess – Miami – Bess is another receiver who will get the chance to start as the team’s #2.  The addition of Brandon Marshall can only help Bess’ chances to succeed as Marshall should draw coverage away from Miami’s number two man.

Mario Manningham – New York Giants – Manningham had a good sophomore season for the G-Men and had some outstanding performances during the year.  However, he will be battling for touches in the Giant’s offense and needs to impress the coaching staff in order to get on the field regularly.

David Clowney – New York Jets – Clowney was a sleeper pick by many last season, however he did not put up any big numbers or great single game stats.  The Jets receiving core is not a superior one, so if Clowney works hard he can expect to get additional playing time.

Chaz Schilens – Oakland – Schilens battled injuries last season along with some poor quarterback play in Oakland.  Schilens however may be the Raiders best bet to earn the #1 receiver slot in their offense and the addition of new starting QB Jason Campbell can only help all of Oakland’s receivers.

DeSean Jackson – Philadelphia – Jackson had a breakout season in 2009 and expectations are that he will only improve in the coming season.  The change at quarterback should not change Jackson’s value and he should be considered a solid #1 receiver for any fantasy team.

Josh Morgan – San Francisco – There were many fantasy owners who had high expectations for Morgan last season.  This season Morgan will be given the chance to earn the spot opposite #1 Michael Crabtree.

Donnie Avery – St Louis – Avery is a player who will be looked upon to step up his game in 2010.  The Rams will need someone to stretch the field to open up more running lanes and to also take pressure off of their rookie quarterback.

Devin Thomas & Malcolm Kelly – Washington – Both of these third year receivers will be asked to step up their games by new coach Mike Shanahan.  Each player should get every opportunity to play in the Redskins new offense, especially with a possible suspension of starter Santana Moss looming.  I expect Thomas to get more opportunities than Kelly, but if Shanahan and new quarterback Donovan McNabb can reproduce what they have done in prior years then owners can expect big things from Thomas and Kelly.

Fantasy Football:

Your newest fantasy crush is a rare Michigan receiver success story. Maybe.

Sure, Braylon Edwards had that one amazing year. And Desmond Howard, well, he wasn’t really a receiver, was he?

Mario Manningham was drafted in the third round by the New York Giants in 2008 after a stellar 2007 season that saw him catch 72 passes for 1,174 yards and 12 touchdowns.

This was especially impressive considering he hadn’t registered more than 750 receiving yards or eight touchdowns in his other two season at Michigan, while also coming off of a serious knee injury that prematurely ended his 2007 campaign. Throw in drug accusations and a horrid Wonderlic test score (6 out of 41), and Manningham’s draft stock plummeted, sending the once “day one” prospect to the middle rounds.

While Manningham has always been knocked for his small stature, (5’11″ and 183 lbs), he has always made up for it with good speed and excellent ball skills. Plain and simple, Manningham has always had a knack for getting open and making things happen when he gets the ball in his hands.

With both Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer around in 2008, the rookie Manningham was under-used, finishing the season with only four receptions. However, with Burress in prison and Toomer knocking on the door of retirement, Manningham entered 2008 as a prime candidate for a serious look at starter numbers.

After an injury took impressive rookie Hakeem Nicks off the field, a spot opened up for Manningham two weeks ago, and after a solid pre-season, it’s quite clear that Manningham is doing with his opportunity as he does with a football: running with it, and never looking back. In just two games, Manningham already has surpassed Domenik Hixon’s team-high 11 broken tackles from last year (for receivers), and rests fourth in the league in yardage from receivers. Few would have guessed that Eli Manning and the Giants offense would have been this effective in the early going, especially considering their strong commitment to the ground game. With 10 catches for 150 yards in his second game and a score in both of the Giants contests, Manningham is paying off for the Giants, and finally realizing his potential.

While it’s always good to avoid “waiver wire wonders” if possible, Manningham’s good speed and play-making ability figure to be constants in a suddenly potent Giants passing attack.

Fantasy Football: