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I've published 32 of my fantasy football picks for quarterbacks. These are top 5 picks. If you are new to fantasy football, this is a place to start your own quarterback rankings list. These may change as the year progresses.

1. Drew Brees/Saints

- The Super Bowl MVP should again have a big year in 2010. A big key to his success could be the re-signing of RB Pierre Thomas. Although RB Reggie Bush has shown improvement in the running game, he is still a much deadlier pass catcher than runner. Thomas adds the threat of a running game, which can take some pressure off of Brees on early downs. With the emergence of Robert Meachem at WR along with Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, and TE's Jeremy Shockey, David Thomas, and rookie Jimmy Graham, and a very good offensive line, Brees should once again be among the best fantasy players at his position.

2. Aaron Rodgers/Packers- With the team as a whole continually improving, Rodgers has the chance to put together another spectacular season. While the offensive line is adequate, it would be scary to see what kind of numbers Rodgers could put up with one of the better offensive lines in football. Jermichael Finley has the potential to become one of the top TE's in the NFL, and the presence of Donald Driver and Greg Jennings at WR makes Rodgers a fantasy force to be reckoned with.

3. Peyton Manning/Colts- Peyton is Peyton, and he proved his legacy is a strong one by again having an MVP type year and leading his team to the Super Bowl. He did it without the great Marvin Harrison and his "replacement" Anthony Gonzalez being injured for the entire season. With WR Austin Collie coming off an excellent rookie season and WR Pierre Garcon continuing to improve, there is no reason to think that Manning will not have a stellar season again in 2010. WR Reggie Wayne is still one of the top WR's in the league, and TE Dallas Clark should again be one of the top 3 TE's, adding more certainty to the fact that Manning will be one of the top fantasy QB's taken this season.

4. Philip Rivers/Chargers- Rivers' success will depend a lot on the re-signing of WR's Vincent Jackson and Malcolm Floyd, who both remain unsigned at the moment. Not that Floyd has proven to be a great receiver, but he's the best they have next to the ever improving Vincent Jackson. Jackson showed last year he could be one of the top WR's in the NFL, but without him Rivers' WR's would be Legedu Naanee' and Craig Davis or rookie free agent Seyi Ajirotutu. Antonio Gates is still a monster at TE, and rookie Dedrick Epps may get some looks at the 2nd TE, with Darren Sproles and rookie Ryan Matthews also catching some passes out of the backfield, but without Jackson and Floyd you can't expect Rivers to put up the numbers he has been. Keep an eye on this situation, as Rivers may move down if these guys, especially Jackson, decide they won't re-sign.

5. Tom Brady/Patriots- While Brady may not be worthy of one of the top 3 spots anymore, he is still one of the better fantasy QB's in the league. Randy Moss may not exactly give 100 percent on every play, but he is still one of the top 5 WR's in the game. Wes Welker's injury is not as bad as it was originally thought, and they added rookie Taylor Price and veteran Torry Holt to their receiving corps as well, meaning they should be better or at least just as good as last year. RB Kevin Faulk is also a reliable receiver and the combination of ex-Falcon/Titan Alge Crumpler and rookies Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez at TE also means that there will be some passes thrown to that position. With one of the top 10 offensive lines in football, there's no reason to believe that Brady will not be a top five QB again in 2010.

So there you have it. On half of my complete fantasy football picks for quarterbacks.

Depending on how strong the rest of your team is you could likely win a championship with the top 16, but to find out the complete list you need to check out my complete list of 32 fantasy football picks for Quarterback position. Feel free to start your own fantasy football cheatsheet with this list. Keep up on any updates to my fantasy football rankings and picks at http://JohnnyNFL.com

The Indianapolis Colts 2009 season started off with a close win against the Jacksonville Jaguars and a remarkable win on Monday Night Football against the Miami Dolphins.

Having the football on offense for less the 15 minutes and still winning just shows you have talented on offense the Colts can be. Peyton Manning is completing nearly 70% of his pass attempts and will certainly make another run at the league MVP again this season.

The Colts are loaded on offense with WR Reggie Wayne, WR Pierre Garcon, WR Anthony Gonzalez, TE Dallas Clark, RB Joseph Addai, RB Donald Brown and of course QB Peyton Manning.

While Joseph Addai had a down year in 08', many expect him to regain his form from 07' and be a major contributor this season.

While Manning is one of the best QB's in the league, there still needs to be a balance between running and throwing the ball. Peyton Manning is averaging over 300 yards passing per game, if this continues expect the Colts to be playing deep in January.

While it goes without saying how good the Colts offense is, their defense will eventually decide the fate of their season. While the Colts defense has given up more yards then they would like, their opponents scoring is in the teens, which is very good.

Keeping NFL teams from scoring, on average, less then 20 points per game gives the Colts the opportunity to win every single game with Manning leading the way.

The Colts are a model of consistency and this 09' season has proven to be no different so far. The loss of Tony Dungy was a cause for a concern somewhat, but as of now it doesn't seem it matters who the head coach is as long as Peyton Manning is taking the snaps under center.

Visit the Indianapolis Colts forum and play fantasy football at RootZoo.

The NFL playoffs are about to get underway and its interesting that most of the early match ups in the playoffs are going to be repeats of the last week's games in the NFL. In this article, I thought it would be good to highlight the teams that made it to the playoffs in the AFC. These teams are the Indianapolis Colts, the San Diego Chargers, the New England Patriots, the Baltimore Ravens, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the New York Jets.

The big front runners in the division are the San Diego Chargers and the Indianapolis Colts. Both teams have byes in the first week and are coming off great seasons with all star quarterbacks. Peyton Manning of the Colts has had a great year and has a tremendous receiving corps with Dallas Clark, Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie all having a great season. The Chargers have a similar strong roster with Phillip Rivers and the likes of Antonio Gates and Vincent Jackson. Both teams have decent running efforts with Joseph Addai and Ladanian Tomlinson respectively, but they are clearly passing teams today.

In the lesser set of teams, it will be interesting to see what the others will come up with. The Ravens have a solid team with a nice mix of strong passing and running. Ray Rice is a Pro Bowl running back and Joe Flacco has had a great year with Derrick Mason. The team has a few holes in their defensive corps but overall they've put up a strong effort. It'll be interesting to see how they fare against the New England Patriots. With Tom Brady, the Patriots have a strong throwing game, but they will have an interesting battle now that star receiver Wes Welker is out. While the game previously looked in the bag for the Patriots, they will have to depend on their running game to step up and make the difference.

On the other side, the Bengals and Jets likely seemed like a no-contest win for the Bengals only a few weeks ago. But after taking down the Colts and the Bengals in a trouncing, the Jets have shown their hungry. Yes, the two teams played down some of their best players. But still, the New York Jets have a top defense, and one of the best running games in the NFL. The Bengals aren't a laughing matter either with Cedric Benson putting up a strong rushing game and a fierce defense that is known to play rough.

All in all, it's an interesting set of teams that could all throw in a good shot at making it to the Super Bowl. The next few weeks will show who has it all.

Martin Fister is an active product blogger, writing for web sites including halo sleep sack and glass tea kettle. In his spare time, Martin also pursues his interests in the music industry as a journalist.

Just when you think you have this whole fantasy football thing figured out, last week happens. How else do you explain Tom Brady going from playing at a Super Bowl level to playing at a Pop Warner level, or Vincent Jackson breaking the hearts of every fantasy enthusiast who put him in their lineups? Alas, we are still here to do our part to help you put together the best lineup possible.

Quarterbacks 1

1) Peyton Manning (vs. Tennessee): Manning has a great match-up this week against the Titans, who he beat for 36 completions, 309 yards and three touchdowns back in Week 5, and who are second to last in pass defense and passing scores allowed. And yes, we know they've won their past five games, but in that time they've faced three teams currently in the bottom half of the league in passing offense and one team playing with a backup quarterback.

2) Tom Brady (@ Miami): A total of 237 passing yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions last week are shocking totals for Brady, especially considering that he was in the midst of a string of five consecutive 300-yard passing games. But a bounce back this week is very possible against a Miami pass defense that is 23rd in the league, and one that he threw for 310 yards and one score against in Week 9.

3) Drew Brees (@ Washington): Although no one can be blamed for using Brees this week, match-ups matter, and Washington has the No. 1 pass defense in the NFL. Only three opposing quarterbacks have thrown for 200 yards against the Redskins this season, and it's happened just once over their last eight games. And it's not as if Brees is immune to quality pass defenses - three times this season he's been held to fewer than 200 passing yards.

4) Matt Schaub (@ Jacksonville): Schaub is a great choice in any fantasy football scoring format, but considering the amount of completions he racks up, he's an especially good option in this one. He's third in the league in overall completions, and has at least 25 in each of his last four games. Jacksonville is 26th in the league in pass defense, and only six teams have allowed more touchdown passes than they have. In his last meeting with the Jags, back in Week 3, Schaub threw for 300 yards with three scores.

5) Philip Rivers (@ Cleveland): Rivers is quietly putting together a very good season, and has an impressive three-game stretch going where he hasn't thrown an interception and has completed at least 75 percent of his passes. Cleveland's horrible pass defense shouldn't offer him a great challenge.

6) Kurt Warner (vs. Minnesota): Though there's optimism surrounding his chances to play this week (concussion), and his match-up is a solid one, there's always a chance he doesn't play at all or gets knocked out of the competition.

Quarterbacks 2

1) Brett Favre (@ Arizona): Favre has been nothing short of remarkable this season, with an unheard of 8:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (24 touchdown throws, three interceptions). Over his last four games, he has thrown 12 touchdowns and hasn't thrown an interception. Against the Cardinals, he should be golden; only three teams allow more passing yards per game than they do.

2) Aaron Rodgers (vs. Baltimore): Rodgers has thrown 14 touchdowns over his last six games, and just three interceptions, and all of those picks came in one contest. In his last two contests he's thrown for over 340 yards in each, and he's completed at least 25 passes in each of his last three games. Baltimore is in the top half of the league in pass defense, but they're not so imposing that you shouldn't consider using Rodgers.

3) Donovan McNabb (@ Atlanta): McNabb has had some very ordinary games of late, and over his last five contests, he's thrown six touchdowns and five interceptions. Though McNabb could very likely be without top receiver DeSean Jackson, he's still a solid option this week because his opponent, Atlanta, is putrid against the pass, ranking 27th in the league in that category and 22nd in passing touchdowns given up.

4) Carson Palmer (vs. Detroit): Palmer isn't putting up numbers like we've seen him do in the past, and in fact hasn't completed more than 20 passes in his last five games, but he's playing Detroit this week. The same Detroit that is dead last in pass defense, and who has allowed more touchdown passes than any team in the NFL.

5) Tony Romo (@ NY Giants): Romo has had a solid season overall, and is seventh in the league in passing yards, ahead of the likes of Brett Favre and Kurt Warner. Yet he hasn't completed more than 20 passes in either of his last two games, and the last time he faced the Giants, he threw for a season-low 127 yards with three interceptions and one score.

6) Ben Roethlisberger (vs. Oakland): Big Ben will suit up this week after sitting out last week's contest against the Ravens with concussion symptoms. This led to some controversy, at least within the Steelers' locker room, but that has since died down. Roethlisberger does have a tough individual match-up this week against Oakland, however; only four teams have allowed fewer touchdown passes than they have.

Quarterbacks 3

1) Joe Flacco (@ Green Bay): IFlacco seemed to have been mired in a slump in Weeks 8-11. He threw for over 200 yards just once in those games, and tossed just one touchdown and three interceptions. But he rallied last week, throwing for nearly 300 yards with one score and no picks, and though his opponent this week, the Packers, are sixth in the NFL in pass defense, only three teams have allowed more touchdown passes than they have.

2) Jay Cutler (vs. St. Louis): Since interceptions aren't a worry in this scoring format, Cutler's transgressions in that area needn't play a role in deciding whether to put him in your lineup, especially against a soft pass defense like the Rams possess. But his confidence does seem to be wavering, and he hasn't thrown for even 175 yards in either of his past two games, and in his past three games he's thrown a total of two touchdowns and eight picks.

3) Vince Young (@ Indianapolis): Young was simply spectacular last week, but don't let that cloud your judgment for his game at Indy this week. He was facing an atrocious pass defense in the Cardinals last week, and the Colts are a much more formidable foe, especially with Young playing on the road. Also, only the Jets have given up fewer touchdown passes than they have.

4) Matt Cassel (vs. Denver): After a truly mediocre start, Cassel seems to have found his footing a bit. He's thrown for 215 or more yards in three of his last four contests, along with five touchdowns and two interceptions during that time. It should also be noted that he'll give you at least a few points running the ball - he's had at least four rushing attempts in seven of his 10 games this year.

5) Matt Hasselbeck (vs. San Francisco): Fantasy football players are justifiably baffled by Hasselbeck, who went from throwing for 315 yards against Arizona three weeks ago to accumulating just 102 passing yards last week against the Rams. He's at home against the 49ers this week, and San Francisco is just 28th in the NFL in pass defense, but it's too difficult to trust Hasselbeck.

6) David Garrard (vs. Houston): Garrard simply doesn't thrown enough touchdowns to be a viable fantasy football option; among the 24 NFL quarterbacks with at least 280 pass attempts, he is tied with Jake Delhomme for the fewest touchdown passes, having thrown only eight.

Quarterbacks 4

1) Kyle Orton (@ Kansas City): Orton's season has been solid, if unspectacular. He's thrown for more than 250 yards just once this season, and over his last five games has just three touchdown passes, but you can't ignore who his opponent is this week - only two other teams allow more passing yards per game than the Chiefs.

2) Alex Smith (@ Seattle): Smith's career has been resurrected this season, and fantasy football enthusiasts have taken note. They should again this week as he matches up with the Seahawks, a team that is 25th in the league in pass defense and 27th in passing scores allowed.

3) Eli Manning (vs. Dallas): The last time Manning went up against the Cowboys, he blistered them for 330 yards and two scores, though you should take into account that that game was played back in Week 2. Manning is highly inconsistent and is also playing on a bad foot, so while his match-up is solid, can you really count on him?

4) Jason Campbell (@ Philadelphia): Campbell hasn't been a great quarterback this season, but his numbers haven't been atrocious, either. He's thrown for at least one touchdown in all but three games this year, and the last time he faced Philly, he had a season-high 29 completions, along with 284 yards and two scores.

5) Josh Freeman (@ Carolina): Freeman is getting plenty of accolades, and he's performed admirably in a couple games, but you'll probably want to avoid him this week. The Panthers have the No. 3 pass defense in the league, and are ninth in passing scores allowed.

6) Brady Quinn (vs. San Diego): Simply ignore Quinn.

Running Backs 1

1) Chris Johnson (@ Indianapolis): Johnson has been on a run that's as remarkable as anything the NFL or fantasy football has seen in some time. In his last six games, he's averaged 155 rushing yards on 23 carries (6.7 ypc), just over one touchdown (he has seven total in that span), and close to three receptions and 30 receiving yards per game.

2) Adrian Peterson (@ Arizona): Despite having only three games with at least 100 rushing yards, Peterson is still playing very well. He has 12 touchdowns in 11 games, and has already established a career-high with 27 receptions. Arizona has been killed on the ground of late, giving up 115 or more yards to an individual runner in four of their past five games.

3) Maurice Jones-Drew (vs. Houston): MJD has scored three rushing touchdowns in a game on two occasions this season, and one of them happened to be against the Texans, back in Week 3. He also caught four passes in that contest, one of seven times he's had at least that many receptions in a game. He's always an excellent option.

4) Rashard Mendenhall (vs. Oakland): No team has allowed more rushing yards to opposing running backs than the Raiders have, and only two teams have allowed opposing backs to score more touchdowns.

5) Steven Jackson (@ Chicago): Like Philip Rivers at quarterback, Jackson is quietly having an excellent season, though you can hardly blame anyone for not noticing that Jackson is the NFL's second-leading rusher because he's on a team that has won just one game. Nonetheless, he's always valuable in this scoring format not only because of the yards he piles up, but because of the amount of touches he receives.

6) Frank Gore (@ Seattle): Gore is always solid, but compared to the rest of this group, he doesn't get enough touches. He's carried the ball more than 16 times just twice all season, and has just 92 rushing yards over his past two games.

Running Backs 2

1) DeAngelo Williams (vs. Tampa Bay): Before last week's 40-yard performance, Williams had been averaging 127 yards over his previous six games. But he should come back with aplomb this week against a Tampa team that is 30th in the league in run defense, and against whom Williams had 152 yards and two scores against in Week 6.

2) Ray Rice (@ Green Bay): Over his last eight games, Rice has run for at least 70 yards six times (with one 69-yard effort), and has caught fewer than five passes just once. With receptions being three points each, that kind of production is highly valuable.

3) Ricky Williams (vs. New England): Williams has at least 20 carries, 100 yards and one touchdown in each of his three games since taking over for the injured Ronnie Brown in Miami. New England is tied for fewest rushing scores allowed, having given up just three all season, but one of the backs who found the end zone against them happened to be Williams.

4) Knowshon Moreno (@ Kansas City): Moreno has run for at least 80 yards in each of his past three games, and has a fantastic match-up this week against the Chiefs, who are 27th against the run and 22nd in rushing scores allowed.

5) Cedric Benson (vs. Detroit): Benson has missed two contests with a hip injury, but he's supposed to be back in the starting lineup this week. But Larry Johnson did a solid job filling in last week, and they may not want to overdo it with Benson this week.

6) Joseph Addai (vs. Tennessee): Addai simply is not putting up the numbers the other backs in this group have been; he's only run for 70 or more yards once all season, and has not carried the ball more than 20 times in any game.

Running Backs 3

1) LaDainian Tomlinson (@ Cleveland): Tomlinson has scored five times in his last three games, making up for otherwise ordinary numbers. He's not catching the ball like he used to (three receptions over his last five games), and he's run for at least 75 yards just once this year. But only three teams have allowed more rushing yards than the Browns, and only two teams have given up more rushing scores to opposing running backs.

2) Matt Forte (vs. St. Louis): Only the Bills have allowed more rushing scores to opposing running backs than St. Louis has, and if this were last season, Forte would be No. 1 on this list. As it is, he's struggling mightily this year running the ball. One thing that should be considered in this scoring format - he has averaged over five receptions per game in his last four contests.

3) Laurence Maroney (@ Miami): Over his last six games, Maroney has scored eight times, accounting for all of his touchdowns this season. Unfortunately, he also has lost a fumble in three consecutive games, and any more could mean fewer carries for him.

4) Kevin Smith (@ Cincinnati): Smith hasn't gained 70 or more rushing yards in eight games, and the Bengals are the No. 3-ranked rush defense in the league. The only thing saving him from being ranked last on this list is his ability to catch the ball.

5) Ryan Grant (vs. Baltimore): No doubt Grant has had a solid year, but a lot of things are working against him - Baltimore is seventh in run defense and allows the fewest yards per carry in the league, he doesn't catch the ball with regularity, and he sat out a practice this week with a stinger.

6) Tim Hightower (vs. Minnesota): Not only is Hightower going to lose more and more playing time to Beanie Wells, but he's going up against the team that is second in the NFL in run defense, and the team that is tied in allowing the fewest rushing scores in the league.

Running Backs 4

1) LeSean McCoy (@ Atlanta): Brian Westbrook remains out, and DeSean Jackson is likely to be sidelined as well, leaving McCoy to be an even bigger piece of the puzzle this week. Atlanta's defense is sub-par in every area, and they are just 23rd in the league against the run. Something else to note - only one team has given up more receiving touchdowns to running backs than the Falcons have.

2) Jamaal Charles (vs. Denver): Charles has scored a rushing or receiving touchdown in each of his last three games since taking over after Larry Johnson was cut. He's an explosive player who makes things happen, and now that he's getting an opportunity, he's making the most of it.

3) Cadillac Williams (@ Carolina): The Caddy has a very good match-up against the 26th-ranked Panthers run defense, and it is one he gained 77 yards and scored a touchdown against back in Week 6, but he's also done very little since then. He hasn't rushed for even 60 yards in his past five games, or run for over 3.7 yards per carry.

4) Pierre Thomas (@ Washington): If only he were the clear-cut No. 1. As it is, he shares time with a couple other running backs, and though he's productive with the carries he does get, he really doesn't get enough looks to put up the big numbers he might be able to elsewhere.

5) Steve Slaton (@ Jacksonville): The Texans are still having trust issues with Slaton due to his previous fumbleitis, and he's dealing with a neck malady, so we'll have to see how many touches he gets, and until then, it's not safe to trust him.

6) Beanie Wells (vs. Minnesota): Leave Wells on the bench against one of the best run defenses in the NFL.

Wide Receivers 1

1) Wes Welker (@ Miami): With only six catches for 32 yards, Welker had his worst game of the season last week. He'll right the ship this week against a Miami team that he burned for nine catches and 84 yards in Week 9. Welker leads the NFL in catches, even though he missed two weeks, and with receptions at three points each, you can't go wrong using him.

2) Reggie Wayne (vs. Tennessee): The man with the second-most catches this season is Wayne, and his match-up is beautiful. No team has allowed opposing wideouts to catch more passes or score more touchdowns, and they've also allowed opposing receivers to accumulate the second-most receiving yards (by one yard). Wayne had six catches for 60 yards and one score against the Titans in Week 5.

3) Andre Johnson (@ Jacksonville): Only three teams have given up more receiving yards and receiving scores than the Jaguars have, and Johnson is the perfect person to exploit that weakness. He had four catches for 86 yards against them back in Week 3.

4) Randy Moss (@ Miami): Moss leads the league in receiving yards, but you wouldn't know that by the way he's played the last two weeks. He's accumulated only 101 yards combined in those two games, though a reprieve could very much be in the works this week - he blistered the Dolphins for 147 yards on six receptions (including one touchdown) when he first met them in Week 9.

5) Chad Ochocinco (vs. Detroit): The Ocho has stunk over his last five games, with no more than five receptions in any of them, and not one contest of even 70 receiving yards. Yet he plays the Lions this week, and he can easily fatten up on them - they're dead last in pass defense and have passing touchdowns allowed.

6) Larry Fitzgerald (vs. Minnesota): If Kurt Warner plays, Fitzgerald should be moved up in the rankings, but if noodle-armed Matt Leinart goes again, there are too many other receivers in this group to choose from who have Pro Bowl quarterbacks throwing to them.

Wide Receivers 2

1) Vincent Jackson (@ Cleveland): Jackson's disappearance over the last three games has been troubling. He hasn't scored since in that time, and he's accumulated a total of seven catches and 93 yards. But he has to bust out of it at some point, and it would be no shock if he did so against the terrifically awful Browns.

2) Mike Sims-Walker (vs. Houston): Three times in his past five games, Sims-Walker has accumulated fewer than 50 receiving yards, but he has scored three times in that span, easing the pain that was inflicted by his lack of yards. In his last game against the Texans, in Week 3, he had six catches for 81 yards.

3)Roddy White (vs. Philadelphia): White has not been as productive this season as he was last year in terms of yardage, and if he hadn't been scoring so many touchdowns, he would be a real disappointment. Yet he does have seven on the season, and he scored last week for the first time in three games.

4) Marques Colston (@ Washington): Colston caught one of Drew Brees' five touchdown passes last week, which was one of his four receptions and 121 yards. It was his first score in three weeks, but don't be too confident he can repeat that feat this week. The Redskins have allowed the second-fewest catches by opposing wide receivers.

5) Anquan Boldin (vs. Minnesota): Boldin is, surprisingly, not among the top-25 players in receiving yards, and possibly even more surprisingly, has just two touchdown catches this season. He was starting to play better before Kurt Warner went out, and if Warner does play this week, Boldin is a much more viable option than if the weak left arm of Matt Leinart has to play.

6) Steve Smith (CAR) (vs. Tampa Bay): He had one reception for five yards last week. Five yards! Jake Delhomme is likely out, and though that's probably a good thing in the long run, it means the Panthers will simply rely more on the running game than usual this week.

Wide Receivers 3

1) Brandon Marshall (@ Kansas City): Just four teams have allowed more yards to opposing wide receivers than the Chiefs have, and Marshall typically destroys soft defenses. In two games against the Chiefs last season, he had 18 catches for 168 yards and three touchdowns.

2) Steve Smith (NYG) (vs. Dallas): After a bit of a three-game lull, Smith is back to catching oodles of passes. He's amassed seven or more receptions in three of his last four games, and has 65 or more yards in four of his last five games. And the last time he faced Dallas, he went ballistic, scoring once on one of his 10 receptions for 134 yards.

3) Santonio Holmes (vs. Oakland): Holmes finally did something that his fantasy owners have been waiting for since Week 1 - he scored his second touchdown of the season last week! Holmes has actually been playing very well of late, and that finally paid off. He has had at least six receptions and 74 receiving yards in each of his last four games.

4) Pierre Garcon (vs. Tennessee): Garcon is clearly the No. 2 man behind Reggie Wayne on the wideout depth chart in Indy. He had five receptions for 63 yards and one touchdown last week, and has at least 50 receiving yards in each of his last five games.

5) Robert Meachem (@ Washington): What hurts Meachem in this scoring format are his lack of receptions. And he also has a tough match-up this week, going up against the No. 1-ranked pass defense of the Redskins.

6) T.J. Houshmandzadeh (vs. San Francisco): If he can't get it done against the Rams, who can he get it done against? He's been a fantasy football bust all season.

Wide Receivers 4

1) Sidney Rice (@ Arizona): Of the top 15 players in terms of receiving yards, only Miles Austin is averaging more yards per reception than Rice's 17.2, a number that has catapulted Rice to third in the league in receiving yards despite just 56 receptions.

2) Derrick Mason (@ Green Bay): Mason has now had three very productive games in a row after his seven-catch, 62-yard, one touchdown performance last week against the Steelers. His opponent this week, the Packers, are sixth in the league in pass defense, but have also allowed more touchdown passes than all but three other teams.

3) Nate Burleson (vs. San Francisco): Burleson came up very short last week against the Rams, a team he should have torched. He managed just four receptions for 46 yards against a bad pass defense, and he failed to score for the sixth straight game. Burleson has a solid match-up against the 49ers, who are 28th in the NFL in pass defense.

4) Hines Ward (vs. Oakland): Ward apologized after being critical of Ben Roethlisberger last week after Big Ben didn't play due to a concussion. He insists there are no lingering hard feelings among the two, which is good, because that means Ward can go back to being one of the most productive wideouts in the NFL.

5) Santana Moss (@ Philadelphia): He's far too unreliable. There are much better options in this group.

6) Braylon Edwards (@ Buffalo): Edwards should not be used.

Wide Receivers 5

1) Calvin Johnson (@ Cincinnati): If you're going to take a chance on Megatron, now is as good a time as ever. He only caught two passes for 10 yards last week, but he did score a touchdown for the second straight week, and also has at least five receptions in five of the nine games he's played this season.

2) Percy Harvin (@ Arizona): Harvin's best game as a pro came last week, as he caught a touchdown for the second week in a row while setting career-highs in receptions (six), receiving yards (101) and rushing yards (45). Against the Cardinals' 30th-ranked pass defense, more career-highs are possible.

3) Donald Driver (vs. Baltimore): Driver tore up the Lions on Thanksgiving and has had a nice layoff since then to rest his 34-year-old body. He's only caught fewer than four passes in a game just one time this season, and has scored in three of his last six contests.

4) Devin Hester (vs. St. Louis): Hester is in a big-time slump, and although the Rams can break any offensive player out of their malaise, his inconsistency should be worrisome. Hester has only 86 receiving yards in his last three games.

5) Donnie Avery (@ Chicago): Avery plays in an inconsistent offense with a quarterback that is named Kyle Boller. Probably best to avoid him.

6) Greg Jennings (vs. Baltimore): He's being outplayed by his teammate, the far more consistent Donald Driver.

Tight Ends 1

1) Tony Gonzalez (vs. Philadelphia): No team has allowed opposing tight ends to catch more passes than Philly has, and only one team has allowed more receiving yards and touchdowns to players at that position. Even with Matt Ryan sidelined, Gonzalez should not be penalized.

2) Dallas Clark (vs. Tennessee): Clark, who has caught a touchdown in two straight games, last played the Titans in Week 5, a game in which he caught nine passes for 77 yards. He's caught seven or more passes in seven of his 11 games this season, and that can add up to huge points in this scoring format.

3) Antonio Gates (@ Cleveland): Only six teams have allowed more touchdown passes to opposing tight ends then Cleveland, and Gates recently broke out of a funk last week against the Chiefs, catching seven balls for 118 yards and two scores.

4) Vernon Davis (@ Seattle): When Alex Smith made the transition to starting quarterback, he undoubtedly wanted to get his tight end involved. That's most certainly happened, as Davis has had at least one touchdown reception or 100 receiving yards (or both) in all but one of the six games the 49ers have played since Smith took over.

5) Jason Witten (@ NY Giants): Witten had his first 100-yard game of the season last week, and it was a long time coming for the preseason No. 1 fantasy football tight end. He has been consistent in catching the ball this season, catching exactly five passes in each of his last three games, and he doesn't have fewer than four receptions in any contest this year.

6) Visanthe Shiancoe (@ Arizona): Over his last eight games, Shiancoe has scored seven times. That's a great number, but within the context of this group of tight ends, he's not the top option on his team the way the other players here are.

Tight Ends 2

1) Brent Celek (@ Atlanta): Celek just signed a $33 million extension, and is certainly facing the right opponent in which to do prove he deserves that contract. Atlanta has allowed opposing tight ends to catch more passes than all but four other squads, and only three teams have allowed opposing tight ends to gain more receiving yards.

2) Greg Olsen (vs. St. Louis): Olsen is a solid play each week due to the fact that the Bears have a dearth of options at the receiver position, and the Rams have certainly been beaten by opposing tight ends before.

3) Kellen Winslow (@ Carolina): Winslow managed only 29 yards on three receptions the last time he squared off against the Panthers, but with rookie quarterback Josh Freeman at the helm, the situation is different this time around.

4) Zach Miller (Oakland Raiders): Bruce Gradkowski has really been beneficial to Miller - after little production over most of the season, he's combined for 10 receptions and 136 yards the last two weeks.

5) John Carlson (vs. San Francisco): With six catches for 46 yards in Week 2, one of Carlson's most productive games of the season came against San Francisco. That statistic alone should tell you how disappointing he's been this season.

6) Heath Miller (vs. Oakland): Despite how bad Oakland is, they completely shut down opposing tight ends - they are one of just two teams not to have allowed a touchdown reception by someone at that position.

The New York Giants 2007 season was their 83rd season overall. Their 84th season still puts the Giants as a strong contender; as they have improved upon their previous records and finished last season 10-6, finally winning the Super Bowl Championship against the New England Patriots. They also garnered some impressive wins last season, by defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the winning-streak Dallas Cowboys, and Green Bay Packers. The team became the 9th wild card team in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl and the 5th wild card team to win the Super Bowl.

In 2008 the team will attempt to defend their Super Bowl title and improve their personal best 11 consecutive wins. What should you be aware of as the Giants head into their new season? There have been some losses that should be taken into account. Linebacker Kawika Mitchell left to join the Buffalo Bills, while safety Gibril Wilson joined the Oakland Raiders, along with defensive tackle William Joseph. Even Linebacker Reggie Torbor went to the Miami Dolphins.

However, the team has some happier news in signings and re-signings. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo stayed loyal to New York over Washington and signed a lucrative six million dollar contract to remain the defensive mastermind of the team. Other re-signings included punter Jeff Feagles, kicker Lawrence Tynes and halfback Derrick Ward. How about new talent? The New York Giants managed to snatch away Pro Bowl safety Sammy Knight, as well as former Carolina Panthers quarterback David Carr and linebacker Danny Clark from the Jacksonville Jaguars.

More exciting news came from the NFL draft, as the team scored six college standouts. Kenny Phillips was signed for a safety position from the University of Miami, while Terrell Thomas from the University of Southern California agreed to be a cornerback. Wide Receiver Mario Manningham heard good things all the way from the University of Michigan, while Bryan Kehl and Jonathan Goff were both signed as linebackers, from Brigham Young University and Vanderbilt University respectively. Other draft picks included Andre' Woodson from the University of Kentucky as a quarterback and defensive end Robert Henderson from the University of Southern Mississippi.

The return of the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants will happen on August 7, 2008 at Ford Field, against the Detroit Lions in the first pre-season game and then on September 4, 2008 at the Giants Stadium, as the team starts the season against the Washington Redskins. How does the future look for the New York Giants? Will they repeat this year?

Fans and experts remain divided on the team's chances, suggesting that last year's win was unexpected. They are currently listed as #4th or #5th according to some gambling odds, behind the Colts, Cowboys and Patriots. However, don't count the Giants out yet, as they do have multiple conference wins and Super Bowl wins on their overall record, and, as history states, were still the best team of 2007. It could well take a David to slaughter these New York Giants in 2008.

When one thinks of professional football, probably the last thing one thinks about is arthritis. In a recent article appearing in the San Francisco Chronicle, though, arthritis is an all too painful reminder of the glory days for a group of famous players.

Ron Kroichick, a staff writer, wrote, "On the most famous play in 49ers history, amid the din at raucous Candlestick Park, Joe Montana raced to his right and hurriedly scanned the field. He backpedaled to elude three onrushing Dallas players, twice pumped his arm to throw and floated an off-balance pass into the back of the end zone.

Dwight Clark had cut to the middle before abruptly reversing direction. Clark sprinted toward the corner, leaped high, reached both arms above his head and made The Catch, forever cementing his place in 49ers lore."

Kroichick adds, "Twenty-five years later, Montana's left knee is essentially shredded. His neck is so stiff, he could not turn his head to look at a reporter asking him questions while he signed memorabilia. Montana, 50, turned both shoulders instead.

Clark, also 50, endures sharp pain every time he lifts his arms above his head -- the exact motion he effortlessly completed on The Catch -- because of a bent screw in his left shoulder and arthritis in his right shoulder. The simple act of turning his head also is a chore, thanks to all those jarring hits on crossing patterns over the middle."

"I hurt," Clark said, "from getting my head squashed down into my neck."

The article goes on to say, "The 49ers turned around their franchise in 1981: Two years removed from a second-consecutive 2-14 season, they steamed to the Super Bowl championship two weeks after Clark's epic catch in the NFC title game.

But glory came with a steep price.

The Chronicle interviewed 30 players from the 1981 team in recent months, ranging in age from 47 to 59. Twenty of those players cope with significant physical issues today, from arthritis to chronic back pain to joint replacements. Two (including Montana) have had spinal fusion surgery, two have had knee replacements and one has had a shoulder replacement.

Nine players said their doctors told them they eventually will need a joint replacement. The scorecard: seven knees, one shoulder, one hip."

Kroichick's article points out the devastating effects that occur long term when massive human beings collide with each other repeatedly at ultra high speed.

The most common type of arthritis occurring in adults is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a condition that happens as a result of the wearing away of cartilage, the gristle that covers the ends of long bones and provides the cushioning for joints.

One of the most common causes of osteoarthritis is trauma. Trauma alters the chemistry of cartilage, causing chronic inflammation and premature damage. One of the results of trauma is chronic arthritis in the spine- a condition known as spinal stenosis. People with this condition walk hunched over because standing leads to excruciating pain in the low back and legs. If present in the neck it can cause severe pain shooting into the back of the head, between the shoulder blades, and down the arms.

Another effect of trauma in these football players is damage to peripheral joints such as the shoulders, hips, elbows, hands, knees, and ankles.

The common denominator, regardless of location of the disease, is pain.

Medical management of osteoarthritis consists of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), physical therapy, and injections consisting of corticosteroids or viscosupplements. Unfortunately, with severe OA, patients often need surgery.

Osteoarthritis is the leading cause for joint replacement surgery in the United States. And, the 49ers experience, also demonstrates that spinal surgery is often required. While spinal surgery is effective for many patients, it also fails to help a significant percentage of people. Also, a not so small number of patients actually get worse and suffer from "failed back surgery syndrome."

Ex football players require joint replacement at a relatively young age. This means that they will need what is called a revision arthroplasty- a replacement of the replacement during their lives.

This article is being written on the eve of the 2007 Super Bowl pitting the Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts. While glory and fame will drape these players for a short time, the price to be paid in the end is a steep one.

These are my fantasy football picks for Tight Ends as of May 2010. Needless to say, depending on when you read this you need to do your own due diligence and evaluate the status of players. Stuff like injuries, team changes and suspensions.

Without further ado, Here are my fantasy football picks top five Tight Ends.

1. Dallas Clark/Colts- Clark is just simply too big for most defensive backs to cover and too fast for most linebackers. Clark takes some vicious hits and still hangs on to the ball, and with Peyton Manning under center Clark has become the most dangerous TE in the NFL.

2. Antonio Gates/Chargers- With QB Philip Rivers still intact, there's no reason to believe that Gates won't again be a valuable receiving target for the Chargers. A key here will be the re-signing of WR Vincent Jackson, as without him teams will be able to concentrate on covering Gates.

3. Tony Gonzalez/Falcons- Though Gonzalez did not have one of his typical seasons in 2009, he was nonetheless still one of the top TE's in football. With another year of playing experience with QB Matt Ryan, Gonzalez should once again be considered one of the top choices at TE this year.

4. Vernon Davis/49ers- Davis really exploded last season under Mike Singletary, and this season should render similar results. Davis is their number one receiving threat and presents matchup problems for many opponents. Whether it's Alex Smith or David Carr at QB, Davis should be a valuable fantasy starter.

5. Jason Witten/Cowboys- No matter what number you think Witten should be ranked at, if you end up drafting him you won't be disappointed. Witten has been the most reliable target the Cowboys have had over the past five or six seasons, but needs to improve in his TD totals if he wants to move up.

Now this is the short list. There are 10 more tight ends that you are welcome to use for your own fantasy football picks. Just check them out at JohnnyNFL.com. Follow me @johnnynfl on Twitter for immediate updates.