No matter who you are, no matter how old you are, you have almost certainly had a crush or two in your lifetime. I know I've had my fair share. Who wasn't head over heels in love with Farrah Fawcett back in the 1970s-1980s? When I saw her in "The Cannonball Run", I knew there was something I liked (I was eight so I didn't know what it was that I liked, I just knew I liked it). Oh, and how about Alyssa Milano playing the role of Sam Micelli in "Who's the Boss?" Was there any guy now in his late 30s who didn't absolutely love her? Come on, admit it. You watched "Poison Ivy II" and even "Embrace of the Vampire" just to see, um, "more" of Milano.
Now that I'm older, I'm not sure the "crush" definition applies to me. But, I am man enough to admit that I do develop, well, an affinity to several NFL players each year that I think could be draft bargains or turn into superstars. No, it's not like the man crush George Costanza had on Tony in that one episode of "Seinfeld." Call it fantasy man love, call it a little fantasy infatuation. Call it what you want. I just see these guys in a different light. And let's get right down to it -- if you think a player can help you win a fantasy championship, there's no shame in expressing your feelings, right?
How many times do you hear, "I love that guy" in your fantasy football draft?
Alright, so now that we're on the same page with the whole "fantasy man crush" definition, here are the 10 players I absolutely love heading into the 2013 season.
Colin Kaepernick, QB, San Francisco 49ers: When Niners coach Jim Harbaugh went with Kaepernick as his No. 1 quarterback, I was swooning over the Nevada product like Brent Musburger gushed over Katherine Webb during the National Championship Game. His combination of passing and running skills make him a lethal weapon and a surefire No. 1 fantasy option moving forward.
Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts: Luck finished ninth in fantasy points among quarterbacks last season, though he failed to score at least 16 fantasy points in seven of his 16 starts. I think that percentage will improve in 2013, and it will come to the delight of fantasy owners. Luck has a chance to be the next great fantasy quarterback sooner than later.
Chris Ivory, RB, New York Jets: When Ivory was traded to the Jets during the 2013 NFL Draft, I couldn't have been happier because of the impact it would make on his fantasy value. Now the main man in Gan Green's backfield, I can easily see Ivory finishing among the 12-15 best runners in the league based on fantasy points. He'll be worth targeting in Rounds 4-5.
LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles: Running backs have thrived in the offensive system of new coach Chip Kelly -- just look at LaMichael James' numbers at Oregon - and at 24 years old, McCoy is just now entering what should be the prime of his career. Based on what the offense does for running backs in the stat sheets, McCoy should reboound from a poor 2012.
Lamar Miller, RB, Miami Dolphins: Edgerrin James. Clinton Portis. Frak Gore. Willis McGahee. These are just a few runners from the "U" who made a huge fantasy impact at the NFL level. I think Miller could be next in line to make his mark. The new top runner for the Dolphins, he'll have the easiest schedule at his position based on fantasy points in 2013.
Trent Richardson, RB, Cleveland Browns: Richardson was a member of last season's Fantasy man crush list, and he went on to finish as a top-10 runner. So ... why is he back on the list? Well, Richardson will continue to be the centerpiece of the offense and will benefit from the presence of new coordinator Norv Turner. He's soon to be a top-five fantasy back.
C.J. Spiller, RB, Buffalo Bills: Spiller ranked among the top-10 running backs last season, but some owners are concerned due to the return of Fred Jackson. I wouldn't worry. Spiller averaged a career-best six yards per carry and scored 212.30 fantasy points on 250 touches in 2012. That's the fewest touches of any of the top-10 runners. The kid's a stud.
Danny Amendola, WR, New England Patriots: In Wes Welker's final season with the Dolphins, he had67 catches and 687 yards. In his next six seasons with the Patriots, he posted 100-plus receptions five times. In Amendola's final season with the Rams, he posted 63 catches and 666 yards - can we expect the same statistical increase? He could be a PPR machine.
Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers: A potential breakout candidate, Brown will be in a great position to succeed this season as the top option in the Steelers pass attack. With Mike Wallace now out of the mix, Ben Roethlisberger will no doubt look to Brown often in 2013. He could turn into quite a nice draft bargain if you can land him as a No. 3 wide receiver.
Randall Cobb, WR, Green Bay Packers: With Greg Jennings in Minnesota and superstar Aaron Rodgers slinging him the football, Cobb is in line to reach the next level of fantasy stardom. In fact, I have him ranked 10th at his position for the 2013 campaign. Don't be surprised to see the upstart receiver come off the board in the third round in 2013.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Have a burning question on anything fantasy related? Tweet it to _**@MichaelFabiano**_ or send a question via **Facebook**!
