If Arian Foster were on the cover of the new Madden '13 video game, would you pass on him in a fantasy draft? - P. Limbrel (via Facebook)
Michael Fabiano: Please don't ask me that question! In all seriousness, fantasy fans should go out and voteagainst Foster being on the cover for fear of the curse. I've interviewed Foster in the past and I'm a fan -- he's the No. 1 overall player on my fantasy draft board -- but I don't know that anyone is above this dreaded hex. Remember when I sat down with Peyton Hillis last season? He wasn't worried about being on the cover, at least until it took hold of his career and shook it like a pit bull shakes a rag doll. Now, Hillis is a believer. And let's not forget about LaDainian Tomlinson, who admitted to me earlier this year that he passed on being on the cover of the '08 version for fear of getting hurt. So would I pass on Foster if he were the Madden cover athlete? I would be tempted to take McCoy instead, yes. But let's make sure that doesn't happen -- for the sake of fantasy owners, vote against Foster!
Based on the Saints bounty scandal, do you see Antonio Gates putting up better fantasy numbers than Jimmy Graham next season? - M. Wagner (via Facebook)
M.F.: Honestly, I don't think the absence of coach Sean Payton will have a major effect on the value of Drew Brees, Marques Colston or Graham. Brees can run that offense in his sleep, and Graham will continue to be one of his top options in the pass attack. When you also consider how Gates' foot problems have limited him - he's missed nine games over the last two years -- it's even less likely that he'll surpass Graham's level of value or production in 2012.
Will it be possible to end up with two featured running backs in fantasy drafts next season? - @PghChalkTalk (via Twitter)
M.F.: That all depends on how you define a featured back. Will Matt Forte be a featured back with Michael Bush in Chicago? Sure, he'll see most of the backfield touches. But Forte will also lose out on the short-yardage and goal-line work. To me, Foster is a featured back. So is Ray Rice, LeSean McCoy and Maurice Jones-Drew. Before he was injured, the same held true of Adrian Peterson. The duo of Ryan Mathews and Darren McFadden could turn into featured backs for their respective teams in 2012. So if you have that definition of "featured," I think it will be difficult to land two unless you focus on the position with your first two overall selections. In most cases, you will be starting at least one running back (and likely more if you have a flex spot) who shares at least a portion of his team's workload.
How does the addition of Brandon Jacobs affect Frank Gore's fantasy value? - @Rev_Jay (via Twitter)
M.F.: I don't think Jacobs' presence is a statistical death sentence, but the threat of losing some short-yardage and goal-line work does make Gore a little less attractive. With Kendall Hunter also in the mix, the 49ers now have three capable runners on their roster. What's more, Gore will be 29 and is coming off one of his heaviest workloads (311 carries between the regular season and postseason), so it's a bad idea to draft him as more than a No. 2 fantasy runner. Jacobs is worth a late-round look in most leagues, but I still see Hunter as the best handcuff for Gore.
Will Matthew Stafford continue to be an elite fantasy quarterback in 2012? - @AlexdeMonye (via Twitter)
M.F.: I am always at least a little conservative in projecting a player's numbers after a breakout season. Does that mean Stafford will see a major decline in the 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns he recorded in 2011? Not at all. As long as he avoids injuries, Stafford should be in a great position to record 4,500-4,800 yards and 35 touchdowns. Remember, he will be playing in the same exact offense with the same weapons and won't face a difficult schedule based on 2010 fantasy points allowed. I wouldn't think twice about grabbing Stafford late in Round 1 or in the second stanza.
I need to keep four players from Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Ahmad Bradshaw, DeMarco Murray, Andre Johnson, Demaryius Thomas and Wes Welker. I have the fifth overall pick in the re-draft, and the teams ahead of me will be targeting quarterbacks. What should I do? - D. Dun (via Facebook)
M.F.: Brady is a no brainer, and it's tough not to retain Johnson (despite his recent injury woes) and Welker. As much as I love Thomas, his stock is closely tied to Manning -- a quarterback who is 36 and might have two or three good seasons left in him. When you're talking about keepers, however, youth is an important factor. That doesn't mean you should keep someone like Cam Newton over Aaron Rodgers, but it does have an effect when you're talking about players like Murray and Bradshaw. The Cowboys runner is 24 and possesses a ton of upside, so I'd keep him ahead of Bradshaw.
Who are your top five overall picks in fantasy right now? - @mwilson1979 (via Twitter)
M.F.: As it stands, I'm going with (in order) Foster, McCoy, Ray Rice, Rodgers and Brady. That could change in the next few months, but right now I'm pretty dialed in to this group. Those running backs are three of the few players at the position who we can expect to see a true featured role (as mentioned above). Once that trio is gone, there's going to be a nice run on quarterbacks starting with Rodgers and Brady with Brees, Stafford and Cam Newton all coming off the board within the next five selections. Because of the number of backfield committees and stars at the position coming off injuries, I wouldn't be shocked to see just one other running back (Jones-Drew) drafted in Round 1.
Which prominent rookies have the best chance to start right out of the gate? - M. Haynes (via Facebook)
M.F.: It's tough to project starting roles before the players are drafted, but I think I'm safe to assume that Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Trent Richardson and Justin Blackmon will be playing prominent roles in their first NFL season. If the Browns pass on Richardson and take someone like Miami's Lamar Miller late in Round 1 (for example), he would have a legitimate shot to start as well. It's all about opportunities. Remember when the Houston Texans landed Steve Slaton in 2008? No one expected him to become a featured back as a rookie, but the situation warranted him seeing a ton of snaps.
Now that Peyton Manning is in Denver, which Broncos wide receiver and tight end will you target in fantasy drafts? - @JayMurray16 (via Twitter)
M.F.: Thomas and Eric Decker will both see a nice spike in fantasy appeal, but I'm going with the former. In fact, I have Thomas ranked in the top 10 among wide receivers heading into the 2012 season. Keep in mind, the Colts' top wideout (based on yardage) in Manning's last 10 seasons averaged close to 100 catches, 1,351 yards and 10 touchdowns. I like Jacob Tamme ahead of Joel Dreessen, because he's more of a pass catcher and already has an established rapport with Manning from their time together in Indianapolis. In fact, he'll be considered a nice late-round sleeper in most drafts.
I need to keep three players from Ray Rice, Rob Gronkowski, Victor Cruz and Steve Smith (Panthers). Thoughts? - C. Aiyer (via Facebook)
M.F.: Rice and Gronkowski are the easiest choices, so your final decision comes down to Cruz and Smith. This is a tougher call than you might think, because Cruz tun into a one-hit wonder while Smith has a far more impressive resume for fantasy success. But due to the difference in their ages (Smith will be 33 in May; Cruz turns 26 in November), I'd prefer the Giants wide receiver in a keeper format.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com. Have a burning question on anything fantasy related? Tweet it to _**@MichaelFabiano**_ or send a question via **Facebook**!
