Well, with the lockout and pre-season behind us, we're back for another exciting season of NFL Fantasy Football. So let's get straight into it.

In no particular order, here are our STARTS of the week based on their relevant match-ups:

Quarterback:
Matt Schaub Vs Colts
Kyle Orton Vs Raiders
Philip Rivers Vs Vikings
Eli Manning @ Redskins

Running back:


Run DMC tore the Broncos to shreds last season, incl 200 yrs all purpose and 4 TD's

Darren McFadden @ Broncos
DeAngelo Williams @ Cardinals
Beanie Wells Vs Panthers
Jamaal Charles Vs Bills
Frank Gore Vs Seahawks

Wide Receiver:
Santonio Holmes Vs Cowboys
Mario Manningham @ Redskins
Brandon Marshall Vs Patriots
Dez Bryant @ Jets

Tight End:
Jimmy Graham @ Packers
Dallas Clark @ Texans
Jared Cook @ Jaguars
Lance Kendricks Vs Eagles

D/ST:
Chargers Vs Vikings
Giants @ Redskins
49ers Vs Seahawks
Browns Vs Bengals

As always, we'd appreciate your thoughts, so hit us up in the comments section, or send us through an email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Here's what you have all been waiting for readers, our latest Fantasy Football draft, consisting of 12 teams, and 15 rounds of selections. We hope that you find this useful for your upcoming drafts. Should you be looking for further assistance, check out our latest Fantasy Dudes NFL Fantasy Rankings, which have thus far been a hit:

So here is how the draft went down. PPR league, snake draft (non keeper):

Round: 1
 Arian Foster RB
 Adrian Peterson RB
 Chris Johnson RB
 Jamaal Charles RB
 Aaron Rodgers QB
 Maurice Jones Drew RB
 Andre Johnson WR
 Tom Brady QB
 Ray Rice RB
 LeSean McCoy RB
 Michael Vick QB
 Roddy White WR

Round: 2
 Rashard Mendenhall RB
 Calvin Johnson WR
 Greg Jennings WR
 Michael Turner RB
 Frank Gore RB
 Larry Fitzgerald WR
 Drew Brees QB
 Darren McFadden RB
 Philip Rivers QB
 Peyton Manning QB
 Peyton Hillis RB
 Hakeem Nicks WR

Round: 3
 Matt Forte RB
 Miles Austin WR
 Mike Wallace WR
 Steven Jackson RB
 Vincent Jackson WR
 DeSean Jackson WR
 Tony Romo QB
 LeGarrette Blount RB
 Reggie Wayne WR
 Ahmad Bradshaw RB
 Knowshon Moreno RB
 Dwayne Bowe WR

Round: 4
 Matt Schaub QB
 Antonio Gates TE
 Dez Bryant WR
 DeAngelo Williams RB
 Jeremy Maclin WR
 Jermichael Finley TE
 Marques Colston WR
 Ryan Mathews RB
 Wes Welker WR
 Jonathan Stewart RB
 Mike Williams WR
 Jahvid Best RB

Round: 5
 Jason Witten TE
 Matt Ryan QB
 Steve Johnson WR
 Dallas Clark TE
 Santonio Holmes WR
 Ryan Grant RB
 BenJarvus Green Ellis RB
 Austin Collie WR
 Ben Roethlisberger QB
 Shonn Greene RB
 Cedric Benson RB
 Felix Jones RB

Round: 6
 Anquan Boldin WR
 Brandon Lloyd WR
 Josh Freeman QB
 Vernon Davis TE
 Owen Daniels TE
 Fred Jackson RB
 Kenny Britt WR
 Brandon Marshall WR
 Daniel Thomas RB
 Marcedes Lewis TE
 Percy Harvin WR
 Mario Manningham WR

Round: 7
 Chad Ochocinco WR
 Jordy Nelson WR
 Beanie Wells RB
 Mike Thomas WR
 Mark Ingram RB
 Marshawn Lynch RB
 James Starks RB
 Packers D/ST D/ST
 Pierre Garcon WR
 Sidney Rice WR
 Pierre Thomas RB
 C.J. Spiller RB

Round: 8
 Kellen Winslow TE
 Joseph Addai RB
 Sam Bradford QB
 Santana Moss WR
 Steve Smith WR
 Mike Tolbert RB
 Eli Manning QB
 Ryan Torain RB
 Steelers D/ST D/ST
 Malcom Floyd WR
 Jimmy Graham TE
 Matthew Stafford QB

Round: 9
 Roy Williams WR
 Ryan Williams RB
 Jets D/ST D/ST
 A.J. Green WR
 Michael Crabtree WR
 Zach Miller TE
 Johnny Knox WR
 Joe Flacco QB
 Eagles D/ST D/ST
 Michael Bush RB
 Julio Jones WR
 James Jones WR

Round: 10
 Reggie Bush RB
 Lance Moore WR
 Greg Olsen TE
 Jay Cutler QB
 Willis McGahee RB
 Brandon Jacobs RB
 Ravens D/ST D/ST
 Brandon Pettigrew TE
 Tim Hightower RB
 Rob Gronkowski TE
 Mason Crosby K
 Kevin Kolb QB

Round: 11
 Plaxico Burress WR
 Donald Driver WR
 Jerome Harrison RB
 Mark Sanchez QB
 Lee Evans WR
 Braylon Edwards WR
 LaDainian Tomlinson RB
 Deion Branch WR
 Robert Meachem WR
 Hines Ward WR
 Kyle Orton QB
 Matt Cassel QB

Round: 12
 Bears D/ST D/ST
 Montario Hardesty RB
 Emmanuel Sanders WR
 Thomas Jones RB
 Danny Woodhead RB
 Jerome Simpson WR
 Ricky Williams RB
 Davone Bess WR
 Ronnie Brown RB
 Mike Sims Walker WR
 Patriots D/ST D/ST
 Nate Kaeding K

Round: 13
 Jacoby Ford WR
 Donovan McNabb QB
 Billy Cundiff K
 Stephen Gostkowski K
 Chargers D/ST D/ST
 Mike Williams WR
 Lions D/ST D/ST
 Adam Vinatieri K
 Neil Rackers K
 Rashad Jennings RB
 Brent Celek TE
 Dustin Keller TE

Round: 14
 David Garrard QB
 Graham Gano K
 Falcons D/ST D/ST
 Darren Sproles RB
 Saints D/ST D/ST
 Josh Brown K
 Rob Bironas K
 Garrett Hartley K
 DeMarco Murray RB
 Jason Campbell QB
 Donald Brown RB
 Raiders D/ST D/ST

Round: 15
 Ben Tate RB
 Tony Gonzalez TE
 Anthony Dixon RB
 Kevin Walter WR
 Matt Flynn QB
 Roy Helu RB
 Cam Newton QB
 John Kuhn RB
 Derrick Mason WR
 Matt Bryant K
 Giants D/ST D/ST
 Sebastian Janikowski K

What do you think about this draft? Who were the stud and dud picks? Hit us up in the comments section, or send us through an email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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RUNNING BACKS:
Beanie Wells, Arizona: With highly touted rookie Ryan Williams of Virginia Tech potentially out for the season with injury, and Tim Hightower gone to the Redskins, Wells is the man in Arizona for the season ahead. If he can stay healthy (not a given with his injury history), Wells' output will far exceed his mediocre 2010 return. Move him up your draft rankings.

Jahvid Best, Detroit: Best was never fully healthy in 2010, and after a tantalising start to the season, faded badly, despite playing in all 16 Lions games. With Mike Leshoure injured, Best is only competing for touches with former Brown and Eagle Jerome Harrison. Best has a lot of upside, and if he can kick his toe turf worries, watch for a vastly improved sophomore season for the up and coming Lions.

Felix Jones, Dallas: No Marion Barber competing for TD's is great news for Jones owners, who finished strongly in 2010. Jones should go close to 1,000 rushing yards and 1,500 all purpose yards this season, and anything less that 5 TD's would be disappointing.

WIDE RECEIVERS:
Vincent Jackson, San Diego: Suspensions, holdouts, injuries - 2010 was not a good year for V-Jax owners. There shouldn't be any similar frustrations this season however, and expect Rivers' favourite target to resort to something closer to his excellent '08 and '09 seasons. Despite the tough inter-Division schedule for the Chargers (AFC East and NFC North - ouch), I feel Jackson is being drafted too low in most leagues.

Percy Harvin, Minnesota: With incoming veteran QB McNabb arriving in the Twin Cities, and Sidney Rice shipped to Seattle, I like Harvin to have a big season, as long as he can shake those migraine troubles. 6 TD's to go with 1,000 total yards wouldn't surprise.

Mario Manningham, NY Giants: With Steve Smith's exit to Philly, Super Mario is the clear # 2 wideout at NY, so expect plenty of plays called his way this season, especially considering his fantastic finish to the 2010 season (three straight games of > 100 yards, with 4 TD's). A schedule including the likes of Arizona, San Francisco, St Louis, Dallas and Buffalo certainly doesn't hurt either.

Next week: QB's and TE's.

Dallas Cowboys: A 2011-2012 Fantasy Perspective


Players you want: Tony Romo, Jason Witten, Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, David Buehler

Players you don't: Felix Jones, Tashard Choice, DeMarco Murray, Jon Kitna, Cowboys D/ST

Players to watch: Tony Romo. As the NBA calls it, win or go home. The spotlight is firmly on Tony and America's team, and he will have to deliver... from a fantasy perspective (excludes actual NFL playoffs), we like him to do just that.

Quick Slant: One of the early season favorites last year, the Cowboys came out of the blocks extremely slow, only to lose Romo after 5 games. From there, it was pretty much over. Kitna did a respectable job at QB, especially as the offense finished the season ranked 7th in total offensive yards, 6th in passing yards, and 7th in total touchdowns... although, this was all as a result of playing catch-up on the scoreboard because they couldn't defend (ranked 26th against the pass). Their defense should improve somewhat, but it is on the offensive side of the ball where they will shine. Their running game will be productive once again, but given the clutter in the backfield, it is hard to settle on one from a fantasy perspective due to time share. If we had to pick, go with Felix Jones (just expect frustrations). Miles Austin will certainly enjoy having Romo back... Witten, not so much. He will still perform, just not as well as he did once Kitna took over. Perhaps the Cowboys can follow the same path that Dirk Nowitzki, Mark Cuban and Mavericks just went down...

The Fantasy Dudes recommended site: Blogging The Boys 

Looking for help with your fantasy drafts? Check out our latest rankings. Should you have any questions, feel free to ask us on twitter.

Cleveland Browns: A 2011-2012 Fantasy Perspective


Players you want: Peyton Hillis, Benjamin Watson, Phil Dawson

Players you don't: Colt McCoy, Browns D/ST, Jordan Cameron, Brian Robiskie, Mohamed Massaquoi, Montario Hardesty, Seneca Wallace, Greg Little, and LeBron James (sorry, couldn't resist Cleveland)

Players to watch: Greg Little. The fact that Robiskie and Massaquoi will likely be left on the fantasy waiver wires for much of the season suggests that they are poor options. If anything, look for Little, a second round pick in the most recent draft, to be given ample opportunities to shine. We have him on the don't want list, but if he moves into the starting line-up, that would quickly change.

Quick Slant: The statistics weren't kind for the Browns last season. 29th in total offense, 29 in passing yards, 31st in scoring (yes, even with Peyton Hillis running amok at the start of the season. Their defense wasn't much better either. Sure, they picked up their game in this department through the draft, but it won't be enough to turn things around, especially with a rookie coach at the helm. Coming off a disappointing season, we expect much of the same again this year, with a hot and cold campaign from QB Colt McCoy, hence we suggest steering clear of the majority of the Browns roster this season (Hillis will see his workload reduced in light of what happened at the tail-end of last regular season).

The Fantasy Dudes recommended site: Dawgs By Nature

Looking for help with your fantasy drafts? Check out our latest rankings. Should you have any questions, feel free to ask us on twitter.

Cincinnati Bengals: A 2011-2012 Fantasy Perspective


Players you want: Cedric Benson, Jermaine Gresham, Jerome Simpson, AJ Green

Players you don't: Andy Dalton, Jordan Palmer, Bernard Scott, Jordan Shipley, Mike Nugent, Bengals D/ST.

Players to watch: 4th round pick AJ Green that should stand to benefit from increased action (although, expect inconsistencies, especially assuming Dalton will be under center).

Quick Slant: Following a playoff appearance in 2009, the Bengals crashed back down to earth in 2010 with a 4-12 season. We expect the defense to pick things up again this season, but uncertainty on the offensive end, particularly with the QB position, does not bode well for pre-season preparations, and indeed the fortunes this season. However, despite this, there are still diamonds in the rough to be found on the Bengals team from a fantasy perspective. The future for the Bengals looks promising, but that won't come into play until past the current year.

The Fantasy Dudes recommended site: The Cincy Jungle

Looking for help with your fantasy drafts? Check out our latest rankings. Should you have any questions, feel free to ask us on twitter.

Chicago Bears: A 2011-2012 Fantasy Perspective



Players you want: Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, Johnny Knox, Roy Williams, Bears D/ST, Robbie Gould

Players you don't: Kellen Davis, Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, Chester Taylor, Caleb Hanie

Players to watch: The Bears offensive line... as they go, so will Cutler and da bears! New Addition Roy Williams will also help, and is reunited with Martz.

Quick Slant: Far from even being the greatest side-show on turf under Mike Martz, their offense just flat out stunk, ranking as one of the worst in the league last season. Yes, they did make the conference title game, but this came on the back of their stingy defense, led by Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers and Lance Briggs (could you imagine facing them on the other side of the ball). Whilst you can expect much of the same on the defensive end, we do actually expect an improvement on the offensive side of the ball too, instigated by none other than Jay Cutler and his offensive line (drafting Carimi at LT should help), hence both Johnny Knox and Roy Williams (yes, Roy Williams) should stand to benefit.

The Fantasy Dudes recommended site: Chicago Bears Blog 

Looking for help with your fantasy drafts? Check out our latest rankings. Should you have any questions, feel free to ask us on twitter.

Carolina Panthers: A 2011-2012 Fantasy Perspective



Players you want: Jonathan Stewart

Players you don't: Cam Newton, DeAngelo Williams, Jimmy Clausen, Steve Smith, Greg Olsen, Mike Goodson, David Getts, Brandon LaFell, Jeremy Shockey, John Kasey, Panthers D/ST.

Players to watch: David Getts

Quick slant: With the first pick in the 2011 NFL draft, the Panthers select Cam Newton! Welcome to a 2-14 team Cam. The Panthers last season ranked last in total offense, last in passing yards, last in scoring, and last in redzone touchdown conversions. Unfortunately Cam won't fix this overnight, especially due to the recent lockout... but the only way is up. Our suggestion would be for fantasy owners to steer well clear of drafting any of the Panther players this season. We lke Jonathan Stewart, but with DeAngelo Williams hanging around, both of their stats will be watered down. New comers Greg Olsen and Jeremy Shockey should see a number of passes his way from Newton as he looks for the quick options (but not enough to warrant top 15 at the TE position), however, we predict another frustrating season for 'the other' Steve Smith. For Panther fans, the future outlook is looking better, just not this season.

The Fantasy Dudes recommended site: Cat Scratch Reader

Looking for assistance with your draft? Why not check out our latest fantasy rankings 

Have any comments for us?

Buffalo Bills: A 2011-2012 Fantasy Perspective:



Players you want: Fred Jackson, Steve Johnson

Players you don't: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Lee Evans, Roscoe Parrish, CJ Spiller (unless you want him as a handcuff to FJ), Ryan Lindell, Bills D/ST

Players to watch: The Bills??? Really??? Sorry Buffalo fans, but there is nothing to see here this season, so move along

Quick Slant: The Bills lagged well behind in key numbers last season including a dismal 4-12 record. Not only were they one of they worst scoring teams, but also they had the worst rushing defense in the league (fantasy owners would know this as pretty much any running back last season who played them was money for that week)... this is why the Bills went hard in the draft, selecting a total of 7 defenders from their 9 overall picks, so they should see an improvement this season. Surprisingly though, the Bills ranked as the third best in the league at stopping the pass last year. Despite this, it is hard to like many of the Bills from a fantasy perspective... expect inconsistencies throughout the season, with a fourth placed finish again in the NFC East on the cards.

The Fantasy Dudes recommended link: Buffalo Rumblings

Need help with your fantasy draft? Check out our latest rankings.

Baltimore Ravens: A 2011-2012 Fantasy Perspective:



Players you want: Joe Flacco, Ray Rice, Anquan Boldin, Ravens D/ST, Billy Cundiff

Players you don't: Derrick Mason, Todd Heap

Players to watch: Torrey Smith or David Reed... whichever of the two ends up as the third receiver. Our pick is for Smith to be that guy. The rookie from Maryland should get plenty of looks, especially with the current starting receivers averaging ten years in the league.

Quick Slant: Now is the time for the Ravens to do something, particularly come play-off time. Their current crop of stars are getting on, hence their window is closing. Flacco has been solid under center, but more is expected of him this season, especially in the red-zone, where the Ravens ranked 22 in the league for TD conversions... a statFor fantasy owners, feel at ease with drafting Ray Rice, the workhorse, but ensure you hand-cuff him. The Ravens D/ST will again be a force (top ten last season) under the leadership of Ray Lewis. The selected Jimmy Smith with their first overall pick in the draft in order to sure up their secondary.

The Fantasy Dudes recommended link: Baltimore Beat Down.

Need help with your fantasy draft? Check out our latest rankings.