All In Sports

2010 NFL Pre-Seaon Fantasy Rankings

Ever been out somewhere, seen a girl (woman, lady, whatever your age-group uses these days), got the nerve to ask her out, (surprisingly) wasn’t rejected and actually went out with her? Then, when you see her for the second time, you notice something strange…she is not as good looking as you once thought. Now, looks aren’t the only determining factor in a person’s quality. Nevertheless, you can’t seem to shake the thought and wonder what happened.

I’ll tell you what happened. When you saw her the first time your brain tricked you. Yes, the sneaky little devil made you see something different. It’s because of comparison visualization (stay with me). Just search “comparison optical illusion” on the web, and you will see plenty of examples.

The fact is, when you have something to which you can compare what you are viewing, it will skew its reality. Now back track, and you can “see” that since she was surrounded by less attractive friends, this woman appeared to be more attractive than she really is. (And women, don’t try to pretend you don’t purposively do this. We would do it too if it didn’t mean judging other men’s looks…which is another story altogether). Now, while this woman is still attractive, she’s not the perfect-10 model you were thinking because you were tricked by science.

The same goes for women who are interested in sports. Perfect examples are some of the newer analysts on different programs. Many of them are attractive, but men elevate them to “hot” status because they cover sports. What guy doesn’t want a great looking girl who also enjoys watching the Sunday game?

All that said, the opposite can have the reverse affect. If we go back to these girls (let’s say there are four of them) and each one is slightly better looking than the next, it would be hard to pick out the best looking. However, if you saw the best looking one next to the least attractive one, it would be an easy decision. The more like-comparisons you add in, the more difficult it becomes.

That is what makes ranking players in any sport (fantasy or otherwise) difficult. Anyone can say Brandon Marshall is better than Johnny Knox, Santonio Holmes, or Santana Moss. Yet, how many can say with absolute certainty that he’s better than Calvin Johnson, Roddy White, Greg Jennings or Miles Austin. The fact is, no one can. Sometimes you have to go with your gut or personal feelings. Just like with dating, your opinion is the only one that matters.

So, as you scrutinize and judge my rankings, remember your science lesson for today. The difference between a #20 and #25 ranked player is negligible. If there are players close together that you feel differently about, or prefer one more than the other, good. I want you to use your brain. I hope you don’t just take my rankings as gospel…or, if you do, then I want a cut of your winnings.

Plus, it’s not even August yet. This is like choosing the best looking person from a group not knowing there are still contestants yet to show up. (I am probably losing any women readers I had at this point…it’s just an analogy – don’t hate me). If Brandon Jacobs gets hurt before my next set of rankings, then of course, Bradshaw would be much higher.

Enjoy the rankings, use them as a guide, but also use your brain. And, next time you are out meeting people and wonder if you are being visually tricked again…remember, looks aren’t everything, so who cares…science is fun.

Rank - Player - Team - Bye

1. Drew Brees - NO - 10

2. Aaron Rodgers - GB - 10

3. Peyton Manning - IND - 7

4. Matt Schaub - HOU - 7

5. Tony Romo - DAL - 4

6. Tom Brady - NE - 5

7. Philip Rivers - SD - 10

8. Brett Favre - MIN - 4

9. Eli Manning - NYG - 8

10. Jay Cutler - CHI - 8

11. Kevin Kolb - PHI - 8

12. Joe Flacco - BAL - 8

13. Matt Ryan - ATL - 8

14. Donovan McNabb - WAS - 9

15. Matthew Stafford - DET - 7

16. Carson Palmer - CIN - 6

17. Ben Roethlisberger - PIT - 5

18. Chad Henne - MIA - 5

19. Vince Young - TEN - 9

20. Alex Smith - SF - 9

21. David Garrard - JAC - 9

22. Matt Cassel - KC - 4

23. Mark Sanchez - NYJ - 7

24. Matt Leinart - ARI - 6

25. Jason Campbell - OAK - 10

26. Josh Freeman - TB - 4

27. Matt Hasselbeck - SEA - 5

28. Kyle Orton - DEN - 9

29. Matt Moore - CAR - 6

30. Sam Bradford - STL - 9

31. Jake Delhomme - CLE - 8

32. Trent Edwards - BUF - 6

Rank - Player - Team - Bye

1. Chris Johnson - TEN - 9

2. Adrian Peterson - MIN - 4

3. Maurice Jones-Drew - JAC - 9

4. Ray Rice - BAL - 8

5. Frank Gore - SF - 9

6. Michael Turner - ATL - 8

7. Steven Jackson - STL - 9

8. DeAngelo Williams - CAR - 6

9. Jamaal Charles - KC - 4

10. Ryan Mathews - SD - 10

11. Shonn Greene - NYJ - 7

12. Ryan Grant - GB - 10

13. Rashard Mendenhall - PIT - 5

14. Cedric Benson - CIN - 6

15. Knowshon Moreno - DEN - 9

16. Beanie Wells - ARI - 6

17. Pierre Thomas - NO - 10

18. LeSean McCoy - PHI - 8

19. Jonathan Stewart - CAR - 6

20. Joseph Addai - IND - 7

21. Jahvid Best - DET - 7

22. Ronnie Brown - MIA - 5

23. Felix Jones - DAL - 4

24. Matt Forte - CHI - 8

25. Brandon Jacobs - NYG - 8

26. Justin Forsett - SEA - 5

27. Marion Barber - DAL - 4

28. Fred Jackson - BUF - 6

29. Ricky Williams - MIA - 5

30. C.J. Spiller - BUF - 6

31. Reggie Bush - NO - 10

32. Ahmad Bradshaw - NYG - 8

33. Michael Bush - OAK - 10

34. Clinton Portis - WAS - 9

35. Jerome Harrison - CLE - 8

36. Ben Tate - HOU - 7

37. Cadillac Williams - TB - 4

38. Montario Hardesty - CLE - 8

39. Thomas Jones - KC - 4

40. Darren McFadden - OAK - 10

41. Donald Brown - IND - 7

42. Tim Hightower - ARI - 6

43. LaDainian Tomlinson - NYJ - 7

44. Laurence Maroney - NE - 5

45. Arian Foster - HOU - 7

46. Chester Taylor - CHI - 8

47. Darren Sproles - SD - 10

48. Willis McGahee - BAL - 8

49. Steve Slaton - HOU - 7

50. Derrick Ward - TB - 4

51. Leon Washington - SEA - 5

52. Correll Buckhalter - DEN - 9

53. Larry Johnson - WAS - 9

54. Marshawn Lynch - BUF - 6

55. Toby Gerhart - MIN - 4

56. Mike Bell - PHI - 8

57. Kevin Smith - DET - 7

58. Bernard Scott - CIN - 6

59. Tashard Choice - DAL - 4

60. Jason Snelling - ATL - 8

61. Julius Jones - SEA - 5

62. Javon Ringer - TEN - 9

63. Lynell Hamilton - NO - 10

64. Brian Westbrook - TBD

Rank - Player - Team - Bye

1. Andre Johnson - HOU - 7

2. Randy Moss - NE - 5

3. Reggie Wayne - IND - 7

4. Larry Fitzgerald - ARI - 6

5. Calvin Johnson - DET - 7

6. Brandon Marshall - MIA - 5

7. Roddy White - ATL - 8

8. Miles Austin - DAL - 4

9. Greg Jennings - GB - 10

10. DeSean Jackson - PHI - 8

11. Sidney Rice - MIN - 4

12. Marques Colston - NO - 10

13. Steve Smith - CAR - 6

14. Anquan Boldin - BAL - 8

15. Steve Smith - NYG - 8

16. Chad Ochocinco - CIN - 6

17. Michael Crabtree - SF - 9

18. Mike Sims-Walker - JAC - 9

19. Hines Ward - PIT - 5

20. Dwayne Bowe - KC - 4

21. Percy Harvin - MIN - 4

22. Hakeem Nicks - NYG - 8

23. Vincent Jackson - SD - 10

24. Santana Moss - WAS - 9

25. Donald Driver - GB - 10

26. Mike Wallace - PIT - 5

27. Robert Meachem - NO - 10

28. Pierre Garcon - IND - 7

29. Jeremy Maclin - PHI - 8

30. T.J. Houshmandzadeh - SEA - 5

31. Steve Breaston - ARI - 6

32. Derrick Mason - BAL - 8

33. Kenny Britt - TEN - 9

34. Lee Evans - BUF - 6

35. Dez Bryant - DAL - 4

36. Braylon Edwards - NYJ - 7

37. Malcom Floyd - SD - 10

38. Antonio Bryant - CIN - 6

39. Devin Hester - CHI - 8

40. Devin Aromashodu - CHI - 8

41. Wes Welker - NE - 5

42. Santonio Holmes - NYJ - 7

43. Jerricho Cotchery - NYJ - 7

44. Johnny Knox - CHI - 8

45. Austin Collie - IND - 7

46. Chaz Schilens - OAK - 10

47. Bernard Berrian - MIN - 4

48. Eddie Royal - DEN - 9

49. Donnie Avery - STL - 9

50. Nate Burleson - DET - 7

51. Jabar Gaffney - DEN - 9

52. Chris Chambers - KC - 4

53. Mohamed Massaquoi - CLE - 8

54. Kevin Walter - HOU - 7

55. Mario Manningham - NYG - 8

56. Devery Henderson - NO - 10

57. Jacoby Jones - HOU - 7

58. Golden Tate - SEA - 5

59. Devin Thomas - WAS - 9

60. Julian Edelman - NE - 5

61. Arrelious Benn - TB - 4

62. Nate Washington - TEN - 9

63. Terrell Owens - TBD

64. Early Doucet - ARI - 6

65. Louis Murphy - OAK - 10

66. Demaryius Thomas - DEN - 9

67. Roy E. Williams - DAL - 4

68. Davone Bess - MIA - 5

69. Josh Morgan - SF - 9

70. Dexter McCluster - KC - 4

71. Laurent Robinson - STL - 9

72. Joshua Cribbs - CLE - 8

Rank - Player - Team - Bye

1. Dallas Clark - IND - 7

2. Antonio Gates - SD - 10

3. Vernon Davis - SF - 9

4. Jermichael Finley - GB - 10

5. Jason Witten - DAL - 4

6. Brent Celek - PHI - 8

7. Tony Gonzalez - ATL - 8

8. Owen Daniels - HOU - 7

9. Kellen Winslow - TB - 4

10. Visanthe Shiancoe - MIN - 4

11. Chris Cooley - WAS - 9

12. Zach Miller - OAK - 10

13. John Carlson - SEA - 5

14. Heath Miller - PIT - 5

15. Dustin Keller - NYJ - 7

16. Greg Olsen - CHI - 8

17. Kevin Boss - NYG - 8

18. Jeremy Shockey - NO - 10

19. Tony Scheffler - DET - 7

20. Fred Davis - WAS - 9

21. Benjamin Watson - CLE - 8

22. Jermaine Gresham - CIN - 6

23. Todd Heap - BAL - 8

24. Marcedes Lewis - JAC - 9

25. Bo Scaife - TEN - 9

26. Anthony Fasano - MIA - 5

27. Jared Cook - TEN - 9

28. Shawn Nelson - BUF - 6

Rank - Player - Team - Bye

1. Nate Kaeding - SD - 4

2. Ryan Longwell - MIN - 9

3. Stephen Gostkowski - NE - 8

4. Garrett Hartley - NO - 7

5. David Akers - PHI - 10

6. Mason Crosby - GB - 6

7. Rob Bironas - TEN - 7

8. Robbie Gould - CHI - 5

9. Lawrence Tynes - NYG - 6

10. Jay Feely - ARI - 5

11. Matt Prater - DEN - 6

12. Dan Carpenter - MIA - 10

13. Jeff Reed - PIT - 4

14. Neil Rackers - HOU - 8

15. Sebastian Janikowski - OAK - 4

16. Joe Nedney - SF - 9

17. Adam Vinatieri - IND - 5

18. Nick Folk - NYJ - 9

19. Ryan Succop - KC - 6

20. Shayne Graham - BAL - 8

21. Jason Hanson - DET - 9

22. Olindo Mare - SEA - 10

23. Matt Bryant - ATL - 5

24. David Buehler - DAL - 8

25. John Kasay - CAR - 8

26. Rian Lindell - BUF - 9

27. Josh Brown - STL - 7

28. Josh Scobee - JAC - 7

29. Phil Dawson - CLE - 9

30. Graham Gano - WAS - 8

31. Dave Rayner - CIN - 6

32. Connor Barth - TB - 4

Rank - Team - Bye

1. Jets - 7

2. Vikings - 4

3. Eagles - 8

4. Packers - 10

5. Ravens - 8

6. Cowboys - 4

7. 49ers - 9

8. Steelers - 5

9. Saints - 10

10. Giants - 8

11. Chargers - 10

12. Bears - 8

13. Bengals - 6

14. Patriots - 5

15. Dolphins - 5

16. Texans - 7

17. Broncos - 9

18. Titans - 9

19. Colts - 7

20. Falcons - 8

21. Bills - 6

22. Cardinals - 6

23. Browns - 8

24. Lions - 7

25. Redskins - 9

26. Seahawks - 5

27. Panthers - 6

28. Buccaneers - 4

29. Chiefs - 4

30. Raiders - 10

31. Jaguars - 9

32. Rams - 9