With Percy Harvin now a member of the Seattle Seahawks, in what round would you draft Russell Wilson? Will he go as high as Round 2? - @Mike261265 (via Twitter)
Michael Fabiano: I've said it before and I'll likely say it again often throughout the offseason -- there is no need to draft a quarterback in the first few rounds in a standard scoring fantasy league. Not Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees, not Tom Brady or Cam Newton. The position is just so deep, it makes more sense to target running backs and wide receivers first. So, will Wilson be drafted in the second or third round in a lot of leagues? No doubt about it. Would I make the same move? Heck no. To me, Wilson shouldn't be drafted with one of the first 30-40 selections of a standard 10-team league. That says nothing about his talent and upside, especially with Harvin now in Seattle, it's more of a reflection on the quarterback position as a whole.
How does the addition of Wes Welker affect the fantasy value of Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker? - S. Forgey (via Facebook)
M.F.: I don't think it alters the value of Thomas much at all, since he's more of a vertical threat and will continue to be asked to stretch defenses in the pass attack. Decker could take the biggest hit from a fantasy standpoint, as he'll have a tough time getting back to double-digit touchdowns with Welker in the mix. In fact, I see him more as a No. 2 fantasy wideout even though he produced at the level of a No. 1 in 2012. Also keep in mind that Peyton Manning threw the football 583 times last season, and he's never thrown for more than 679 in a single year. Sure, it's possible for Thomas, Decker and Welker to all go for over 1,000 yards -- Manning helped Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Brandon Stokley all reach that mark while with the Indianapolis Colts in 2004 -- but should we expect that to happen? How's this for a little nugget? During the course of NFL history, the 2004 Colts, the 2008 Arizona Cardinals, the 1995 Atlanta Falcons, the 1989 Washington Redskins and the 1980 San Diego Chargers are the lone teams to have three 1,000-yard wideouts in a single campaign. In 1981, the Chargers had two wideouts (John Jefferson, Charlie Joiner) and a tight end (Kellen Winslow) all reached that mark.
Which players have seen their fantasy value drop the most as a result of free agency? - @CBailey31 (via Twitter)
M.F.: The first name that comes to mind is Greg Jennings, who goes from the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers to the Minnesota Vikings and Christian Ponder. A viable No. 1 fantasy wide receiver heading into 2012 drafts, Jennings should now be seen as more of a No. 2 or 3 option. Shonn Greene, Mikel Leshoure, Mike Wallace and Welker have also seen their value decline at one level or another as a result of switching teams.
Do you think Steven Jackson is now a No. 1 fantasy running back in Atlanta? - Allaround FantasyFb (via Facebook)
M.F.: I wouldn't consider him a No. 1 fantasy runner, but Jackson does see a nice increase in value despite the fact that he'll be 30 when the 2013 season starts. The veteran has rushed for 1,000-plus yards in each of the last eight years, and those seasons came while playing in St. Louis offenses that didn't have the same firepower as the current Falcons crew. Also keep in mind that Michael Turner, the former top back in Atlanta, rushed for at least 10 touchdowns in each of his five years with the team. That's good news for Jackson, whose fantasy Achilles heel has almost always been -- you guessed it -- getting into the end zone. Consider the former Oregon State star a high-end No. 2 fantasy option.
What do you think of Reggie Bush in Detroit? Will a timeshare with Mikel Leshoure emerge? - @P_Hoop (via Twitter)
M.F.: If we assume that Bush will start ahead of Leshoure next season, well, then this is a good move for his fantasy value. In fact, the Southern California product said that playing in the Lions offense is a "running back's dream." A versatile back, Bush could catch 60-plus passes in the role Jahvid Best has left vacant for the better part of the last two years. Remember, journeyman runner Joique Bell had 52 receptions under the guidance of coordinator Scott Linehan in 2012. While I do expect Bush to lose work in short-yardage and goal-line situations to Leshoure, he should still see around 225 touches overall. He's a viable No. 2 fantasy runner with even more value in PPR formats.
Has the free-agent period affected your top-five fantasy players per position? - M. Clark (via Facebook)
M.F.: Honestly, there hasn't been a lot of movement at the top of the fantasy skill positions. Manning is an even more attractive No. 1 quarterback with Welker in Denver, and I still have Demaryius Thomas ranked among the top wide receivers. The fact that Tony Gonzalez has decided to return for another season adds to the depth at tight end, and he'll be considered a top-five option at his position. With the addition of DE Cliff Avril, the Seattle Seahawks defense is even more secure as the top unit in fantasy football heading into 2013.
What do you think of Daryl Richardson now that Steven Jackson is gone? The addition of Jake Long should help! - @QuiGonJimJam (via Twitter)
M.F.: Richardson is definitely on the fantasy sleeper radar right now, as he'll compete with Isaiah Pead for the top spot on the depth chart in St. Louis. Of course, that could change if the team decides to use one of its two first-round picks in April's rookie draft on a running back; the cap-strapped Rams aren't likely to go after a free agent at the position. As it stands, Richardson will have middle-round value as a potential flex starter. But again, a lot of his value depends on what the team does to its backfield (if anything) between now and training camp.
I'm in a 10-team, PPR keeper league and can retain two players from Ray Rice, Trent Richardson, Julio Jones and Danny Amendola. Thoughts? - C. Arcelli (via Facebook)
M.F.: Those are four terrific options, but I couldn't pass on keeping Rice and Richardson. Both players are versatile and have youth on their side -- Rice is just 26, while Richardson isn't even 22 yet. With two stars in your backfield, the focus will turn to wide receivers and a quarterback in the first three to five rounds of the re-draft. Who knows, you might be able to re-acquire one of Jones or Amendola with your first pick depending on your draft position.
It looks like the Miami Dolphins have upgraded their offense immensely. Does this make Ryan Tannehill a late-round sleeper? - @GMandrella (via Twitter)
M.F.: I would feel more comfortable tabbing him as a deep sleeper, but the quarterback position is so stacked that Tannehill won't even be drafted in a lot of standard leagues. Think about it -- even if you wait to take your two quarterbacks until after the fifth round, you can still land a duo like Tony Romo and Ben Roethlisberger or Matthew Stafford and Matt Schaub. Personally, I would rather have a grizzled veteran as a backup fantasy signal-caller than taking a chance on someone like Tannehill. Does his value improve with the additions of Mike Wallace, Brandon Gibson and Dustin Keller? Of course, but it doesn't make him a must-draft option at a deep position.
I read your piece on waiting to select a fantasy quarterback until a bit later in the draft. Do you think this also comes into play with keeper leagues where we can retain multiple players (4)? Do you think it's worth keeping a quarterback, like in my case Rodgers, or letting him go and using the pick on a running back or wide receiver? - J. Weight (via Facebook)
M.F.: Yes, I firmly believe in the wait-on-a-quarterback strategy in fantasy football. Things are a bit different in keeper leagues, though. While I will almost always keep an elite runner over an elite quarterback, you're in a position to retain four players and Rodgers should be one of them. Unless you're in a very small league and have two stud backs and two stud wideouts to retain, it would be hard for me to pass up keeping the best quarterback in fantasy football.
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**!
