What are your thoughts on Andre Johnson? He just had arthroscopic knee surgery and has averaged just 10 games played in the last two seasons. - @KaseyRayScott (via Twitter)
Michael Fabiano:Fantasy owners could have lived without hearing the news that Johnson recently had his knee scoped and will miss OTAs as a result. The veteran did say there is "no doubt" he would be back in time for the start of training camp, however. Regardless, there is some cause for concern with Johnson. As you mentioned, he's missed a combined 12 games over the last two years. But can you pass on a player of his caliber in the second or third round? I couldn't do it. In fact, he came off the board in Round 2 in my latest one-man mock draft. He's still a No. 1 wideout.
Would you select Tony Romo is the first round this season? - C. Craig (via Facebook)
M.F.: I do think Romo could turn into one of the better draft bargains of 2012, but it's hard to recommend him as a first-round pick. That's because I have a total of five quarterbacks (Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Matthew Stafford, Cam Newton) ranked ahead of him. Can I see Romo coming off the board in Round 2? Yes, and I'm sure he will be in countless drafts. But I'd prefer to take him in the third round.
Last season I waited to take a tight end, and I suffered at the position. What round would you take Rob Gronkowski or Jimmy Graham in 2012? - @GMandrella (via Twitter)
M.F.: Drafting Gronkowski or Graham is like adding another wide receiver to your roster, so I can see both of them going in the second round and no later than Round 3. If you're in a league with diehard Patriots or Gronk fans, you might even see him come off the board late in the first round. Call me a traditionalist, but I couldn't bring myself to take a tight end that soon. In fact, chances are pretty good that I will wait to grab a tight end until the middle to late rounds and target someone like Fred Davis. I know that didn't work for you last season, but keep this in mind. In 2011, Graham (79.56), Gronkowski (92.04), Tony Gonzalez (102.24) and Aaron Hernandez (132.95) all had ADPs in Round 8 or lower. Those players made up for four of the five top-scoring players at the position.
I'm in a 10-team keeper league and need to retain three players. I plan to keep Matthew Stafford and Graham, but I'm torn between Darren McFadden, DeMarco Murray and A.J. Green for the third. Thoughts? - S. Adams (via Facebook)
M.F.: This is a tough one, but my initial reaction is to retain McFadden. The problem, of course, is that he's one of the league's most brittle running backs. In fact, McFadden has never played in more than 13 games in a single season at the NFL level. Murray is younger and has a ton of upside, but he has also spent his share of time in the trainer's room. I love Green's game and feel like he has the tools to be a top wideout for years to come, but I'm not sure I would retain him ahead of a runner with McFadden's potential in the stat sheets. With Michael Bush out of the mix, he's in line to see a true featured role and should be a workhorse for new coach Dennis Allen. With that said, I would also draft the winner of the Taiwan Jones and Mike Goodson battle in the late rounds as insurance.
With Mikel Leshoure back in the mix, what trade value do you think Jahvid Best will have in a dynasty league? I don't need him or want him! - @Dunder28 (via Twitter)
M.F.: Best is a talented running back, and at the age of just 23 he clearly has some additional value in dynasty leagues. The problem with Best is his proneness to injuries, which will make it tough to deal him for anything significant. He missed a total of 10 games last season as a result of a concussion, and I can't see him as a featured back because of Leshoure's presence in the backfield. If there's a team out there desperate for a running back and willing to make a move, it's worth floating an offer out there and see what happens. But if you're expecting to get someone like Julio Jones in return, well, you'll be disappointed.
Who would you select if you had the first overall pick in a fantasy football league? - J. Henry (via Facebook)
M.F.: There's no question in my mind, it's Arian Foster. He's the closest thing we have in the league to Marshall Faulk or Priest Holmes -- two of the top fantasy runners of their time -- and at 25 he's now in the prime of his career. The top-scoring runner based on fantasy points in 2010, Foster finished third at the position last season due in large part to the three games he missed with a bum hamstring. If you take the average fantasy points scored per game, though, Foster (19.24) was better than both Ray Rice (18.55) and LeSean McCoy (18.69). He'll remain the centerpiece of the Texans offense in 2012, so I'm expecting another huge statistical year from fantasy football's current king.
Please rank these running backs from best to worst: Best, Ahmad Bradshaw, Shonn Greene, Roy Helu, Willis McGahee and Beanie Wells. - @jacobpackrulzz (via Twitter)
M.F.: Here you go, Jacob: 1. Bradshaw; 2. Wells; 3. Helu; 4. Greene; 5. McGahee; 6. Best. Even with David Wilson in the mix for the G-Men, I still think Bradshaw is the best of this bunch. Wells, assuming he has no setbacks in his return from knee surgery, should remain a fine No. 2 fantasy back. Helu could drop behind Greene and McGahee if he ends up behind Tim Hightower on Washington's depth chart, and the fact that he plays under Mike Shanahan worries me as well. Greene is going to play in a run-based offense and is in a contract year, but I wonder if we've seen the best we're going to get from him already. McGahee won't see as many carries this season, plus the Broncos depth chart is crowded with Knowshon Moreno, Lance Ball and rookie Ronnie Hillman in the mix. Best, who I mentioned earlier, might have the most upside of any runner you have mentioned. The problem, again, is his proneness to injuries and Leshoure's presence in the backfield.
What are your thoughts on Philip Rivers? Will he be better in 2012? - A. Bronk (via Facebook)
M.F.:Fantasy owners have a right to be disappointed in Rivers, but he didn't have a terrible season in 2011. In fact, he still finished ninth in fantasy points among quarterbacks despite committing 25 total turnovers. One of his best games did come in Week 17, unfortunately, when most fantasy leagues were over. Regardless, I have a hard time projecting him to throw 20 picks again -- he averaged a mere 11 in his previous three seasons. With a solid core of receivers that will include a healthy Antonio Gates, Robert Meachem, Malcom Floyd, Vincent Brown and Eddie Royal, I'm expecting Rivers to increase his fantasy production while reducing his turnovers. He'll come off the board in the fourth or fifth round in drafts.
Would you take LeSean McCoy with the third overall pick in a seasonal league? - @McChief1961 (via Twitter)
M.F.: There's no doubt about it. In fact, I can see McCoy being a top-two pick in some leagues. With reports swirling that Ray Rice wants a contract in the same neighborhood as Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson -- something the Ravens appear unwilling to offer -- McCoy might end up as the No. 2 fantasy runner on my big board behind Foster. I will say this -- there is no way McCoy is going to score another 20 total touchdowns again. But his versatile skill set makes him a virtual lock to record around 50 catches, 1,500-plus scrimmage yards and 10-14 total end zone visits this season.
I'm in a keeper league and will retain Eli Manning, Demaryius Thomas and Roddy White. My last keeper spot is between Rashard Mendenhall, Beanie Wells, Antonio Brown, Eric Decker and Jason Witten. Who should I retain, or should I make a trade? - R. Hennessey (via Facebook)
M.F.: I would see if you can pull off a trade for a running back. In that scenario, you could attempt to package several players (Wells and Witten, for example) to upgrade your backfield with a player like Murray. Whatever the potential move, target a team with depth at running back that needs an upgrade at wide receiver or tight end. If you can't swing a trade, the player to retain is Wells. With a quarterback and two solid wideouts on your roster, you need to start thinking about your backs. I can't in good conscience advise you to retain Mendenhall (knee surgery) right now, because I'm not sure he'll be back in time for the start of the regular season.
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**!
