Fantasy QB Bottom Feeding

After two straight seasons of reeling in fantasy championship with a tight rope size net with the help of Peyton Manning, this year calls for change. The running back situation in the early rounds is just too uncertain that I am reverting back to the old philosophy - prior to riding the Mr. Peyton Super Highway. This is a good year to stockpile running backs early on to guarantee at least a solid trio of reliable starters.

Why? There are just so many loose cannons in the early rounds. Is Ryan Grant really a first rounder without Favre keeping offenses on their heels? Are Matt Forte, Jonathan Stewart, Kevin Smith, and Darren McFadden worth the gamble in a rookie season where they aren't even guaranteed to start? Is Jamal Lewis still actually good? Earnest Graham? Really? Larry Johnson? Oh God. Get the defibrillator...

You get the point, right? So, where does leave us? Like I said, the best way to navigate this murky swamp of poop water is to load up on running backs. It's hard to make these calls and injuries will always factor into play. Thus, the quarterback is your sacrifice. You cannot build a strong running back stable this year without taking a risk at the QB position. Therefore, I'm giving a lot of thought as to who makes a decent choice to lead the troops. Here are the front runners with one that I like head and shoulders above the rest.

Jake Delhomme - Here's your silver tuna. I know this is risky with Delhomme coming off elbow surgery, but Jake has a good situation. Jeff Otah fortifies the line and the receiver corps is top tier. If Steve Smith plays like he should and the addition of D.J. Hackett and Muhsin Muhammad reunion pan out, this is a pretty lethal concoction. OK, maybe not lethal, but serviceable - and that's what we need here.

Alex Smith - A more reasonable prognosticator would stop drinking the Martz Kool-Aid after watching the Lions crap in the pool last season, but attempts equal points. Smith will get the throws. There's a good chance that he will continue to play like crap, because quite frankly he hasn't shown anything very impressive yet, but there's also a strong chance that when you bring in Mike Martz and a receiver who dominated the league in his offense (Isaac Bruce), Smith should put up big numbers.

Jon Kitna - I'm not confident here, but all the talk about Detroit is that they are gonna run-run-run. Yet, they still have Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson and CJ should be healthy this time. Plus, the Lions have improved the offensive line considerably, so he might actually have just enough time to get a pass off. Let's wait and see how things look closer to the season here, but this is a possibility as long as backup Drew Stanton doesn't beat him out for the starting spot.

Aaron Rodgers - This is one of those moments where I realize why I write on a blog and not a serious publication. I'm basing my thesis for Aaron Rodgers being a solid pick here because Green Bay fans kick ass. They stand behind their quarterbacks in a way that nobody else does and it builds confidence. Remember, this city actually stood behind Don Majikowski. They called him the Magic Man. The dude wasn't exactly magic. He did have a nice mullet though. Plus, the line is rock solid and the receivers are there. Plus, he'll be around very very late in the draft (i.e., nobody else will take him). Also, if Brett comes back, just take Brett and call it a day. He's the prototype for this strategy.

Derek Anderson - Obviously, gauge his value based on how low he falls and how hard interceptions hit the point scoring, but in my book, Cleveland has the best receivers in the game (Braylon Edwards, Joe Jurevicious, Kellen Winslow, and Donte Stallworth). With Joe Thomas keeping the blind side clean and Jamal Lewis keeping defenses honest, this is dangerous. Keep your eye on the Man Casserole though (Brady Quinn).

Do Not Touch - Matt Leinart (Warner is just better), Marc Bulger (he's too brittle), David Garrard (not enough attempts), Jeff Garcia (too many QB options in Tampa), and JaMarcus Russell (he's still a rookie in my book).

Finally, if you're subscribing to this bottom feeding QB theory this season, there is a cardinal rule to follow; you need at least two of these low round QBs that you believe will pan out. They certainly will not all work out and you'll need to play your matchups wisely. If you play your cards right though, you can win a championship this way.