Daily Blog - Weekend Edition

It has come to my attention that many of my most avid readers also play college fantasy football, and this sure seems like a match made in heaven. Statistical analysis and prognostication, my specialties, are the key components of a successful college fantasy football campaign. And as we continue to provide the most thorough and accurate college football analysis, the loyal readers of PhilSteele.com can also look forward to a weekly look at the top college fantasy football players across the nation. We’ll provide the data needed to compete in your BCS or conference-only league, and with the help of my friends at CFFinsider.com, you’ll be privy to the insider information needed to dominate and hoist the trophy at season’s end.

We start with my preseason positional rankings.

Quarterbacks
In my college football preview I have Houston and Texas Tech as my top rated passing offenses, so it stands to reason that Case Keenum and Taylor Potts are among my top-five signal callers heading into the season. Worried about Taylor Potts and his inexperience? Don’t be, the Texas Tech offense has proven itself over the years.

SMU and Hawaii will be the two most-improved passing offenses, thus owners can expect a considerable statistical spike from Bo Levi Mitchell and Greg Alexander.

1) Case Keenum, HOUSTON
2) Colt McCoy, TEXAS
3) Sam Bradford, OKLAHOMA
4) Taylor Potts, TEXAS TECH
5) Tim Tebow, FLORIDA
6) Dan LeFevour, CENTRAL MICHIGAN
7) Colin Kaepernick, NEVADA
8) Max Hall, BYU
9) Todd Reesing, KANSAS
10) Zac Robinson, OKLAHOMA ST
11) Trevor Vittatoe, UTEP
12) Juice Williams, ILLINOIS
13) Austin Davis, SOUTHERN MISS
14) Robert Griffin, BAYLOR
15) Jimmy Clausen, NOTRE DAME
16) Bo Levi Mitchell, SMU
17) Greg Alexander, HAWAII
18) GJ Kinne, TULSA
19) Jerrod Johnson, TEXAS A&M
20) Austen Arnaud, IOWA ST
21) Tony Pike, CINCINNATI
22) Kellen Moore, BOSTON COLLEGE
23) Terrelle Pryor, OHIO ST
24) Tim Hiller, WESTERN MICHIGAN
25) Jake Locker, WASHINGTON

CFFinsider.com Sleepers: Levi Brown - TROY, Dwight Dasher - MIDDLE TENNESSEE, Tate Forcier - MICHIGAN, Mike Kafka - NORTHWESTERN, Travis Benjamin - WYOMING and Grant Gregory - KANSAS ST

Running Backs
I have Clemson and Michigan as my top most improved rushing offenses for 2009, so owners may be able to count on seniors CJ Spiller and Brandon Minor as top fantasy backs, however there is some nice talent backing up each.
Georgia Tech is my top rated rushing offense with 280 yards projected, though in such a run-heavy attack the carries will be spread around. And it speaks to Jonathan Dwyer’s talent that even with so many backs in the equation he sits only behind Jahvid Best among the top fantasy running backs.

1) Jahvid Best, CALIFORNIA
2) Jonathan Dwyer, GEORGIA TECH
3) Kendall Hunter, OKLAHOMA ST
4) LeGarrette Blount, OREGON
5) Jacquizz Rodgers, OREGON ST
6) Bryce Beall, HOUSTON
7) Evan Royster, PENN ST
8) CJ Spiller, CLEMSON
9) MiQuale Lewis, BALL ST
10) Andre Anderson, TULANE
11) DeMarco Murray, OKLAHOMA
12) Eugene Jarvis, KENT
13) Damion Fletcher, SOUTHERN MISS
14) Chris Brown, OKLAHOMA
15) Charles Scott, LSU
16) Noel Devine, WEST VIRGINIA
17) Daniel Porter, LA TECH
18) Toby Gerhart, STANFORD
19) John Clay, WISCONSIN
20) Charles Clay, TULSA
21) Roy Helu Jr., NEBRASKA
22) Ryan Mathews, FRESNO ST
23) Vai Taua, NEVADA
24) Matt Asiata, UTAH
25) Brandon Minor, MICHIGAN

CFFinsider.com Sleepers: Brandon Thermilus - BUFFALO, Mikell Simpson - VIRGINIA, Michael Bennet - MINNESOTA, Moises Plancher - USF, Larry Caper - MISSISSIPPI ST, Daniel Thomas - KANSAS ST and Christine Michael - TEXAS A&M

Wide Receivers
Notice the top three (and four of first five) wide receivers all play in the Big 12, which just happens to be where five of my top ten quarterbacks practice their trade.

Going back to my most improved passing offenses, note that Emmanuel Sanders and Aldrick Robinson are firmly entrenched in my top twenty ranking of wide receivers. Hawaii receivers are nowhere to be found, but this will likely change once play begins.

1) Dez Bryant, OKLAHOMA ST
2) Dezmon Briscoe, KANSAS
3) DeAndre Brown, SOUTHERN MISS
4) Arrelious Benn, ILLINOIS
5) Jordan Shipley, TEXAS
6) Mardy Gilyard, CINCINNATI
7) Emmanuel Sanders, SMU
8) Kerry Meier, KANSAS
9) Eric Decker, MINNESOTA
10) Julio Jones, ALABAMA
11) A.J. Green, GEORGIA
12) Golden Tate, NOTRE DAME
13) T.Y. Hilton, FIU
14) Jerrel Jernigan, TROY
15) Tyron Carrier, HOUSTON
16) Dexter McCluster, MISSISSIPPI
17) Aldrick Robinson, SMU
18) Damaris Johnson, TULSA
19) Naaman Roosevelt, BUFFALO
20) Kris Adams, UTEP
21) Bryan Anderson, CENTRAL MICHIGAN
22) Antonio Brown, CENTRAL MICHIGAN
23) Damian Williams, USC
24) Detron Lewis, TEXAS TECH
25) James Rodgers, OREGON ST

CFFinsider.com Sleepers: Lyle Leong - TEXAS TECH, Alex Torres – TEXAS TECH, Edward Britton – TEXAS TECH, Malcolm Williams - TEXAS, Darius Darks - IOWA ST, Rodney Bradley - HAWAII and Randall Carroll - UCLA

Tight Ends
When you talk athletic tight ends then Jermaine Gresham, Rob Gronkowski, DJ Williams & Aaron Hernandez are head and shoulders above the rest, and all four could lead their respective teams in receptions & touchdowns through the air.

The only questions surrounding Jason Harmon and Tony Moeaki deal with each player’s ability to make it through the season injury-free.

1) Jermaine Gresham, OKLAHOMA
2) Rob Gronkowski, ARIZONA
3) D.J. Williams, ARKANSAS
4) Dennis Pitta, BYU
5) Garrett Graham, WISCONSIN
6) Cody Slate, MARSHALL
7) Aaron Hernandez, FLORIDA
8) Jason Harmon, FAU
9) Charlie Gantt, MISSISSIPPI ST
10) Tony Moeaki, IOWA
11) Richard Dickson, LSU
12) Mike McNeill, NEBRASKA
13) Jamie McCoy, TEXAS A&M
14) Jeron Mastrud, KANSAS ST
15) Nate Byham, PITT

CFFinsider.com Sleepers: Colin Franklin - IOWA ST, Weslye Saunders - SOUTH CAROLINA, Brian Linthicum - MISSISSIPPI ST, Jamal Mosely - OKLAHOMA ST and Taylor Wardlow -RICE

Kicker
Hunter Lawrence & Dan Bailey may score their points one at a time, but in the end they’ll still be more prolific than the others. Look for Matt Bosher to have a great season, provided the Jacory Harris-led offense makes the anticipated strides.

1) Hunter Lawrence, TEXAS
2) Dan Bailey, OKLAHOMA ST
3) Alex Henery, NEBRASKA
4) Leigh Tiffin, ALABAMA
5) Joshua Shene, MISSISSIPPI
6) Jonathan Phillips, FLORIDA
7) Matt Bosher, MIAMI
8) Kai Forbath, UCLA
9) Kyle Brotzman, BOISE ST
10) Sam Glusman, TROY
11) Ross Evans, TCU
12) Philip Welch, WISCONSIN
13) Brett Swenson, MISSISSIPPI ST
14) Aaron Pettrey, OHIO ST
15) Thomas Weber, ARIZONA ST

Defenses
The Gators, thanks to their incredible defensive talent that returns, are far and away the top defensive unit.
USC’s lofty place in the top five is a tribute to Pete Carroll’s amazing recruiting haul over the years and the belief that there is ample talent ready to emerge in light of the unit’s considerable losses on the defensive side.

1) Florida
2) TCU
3) Alabama
4) Pittsburgh
5) Iowa
6) USC
7) Penn St
8) Virginia Tech
9) USF
10) Clemson
11) California
12) Mississippi
12) Ohio St
13) Texas
14) Utah
15) Rutgers

5 DAYS UNTIL FOOTBALL SEASON!