How soon would you draft Demaryius Thomas now that Peyton Manning is in Denver? - @DerrickHeldbran (via Twitter)
Michael Fabiano: I haven't been shy about declaring Thomas my top breakout fantasy wide receiver for next season, and I'm even more confident in that prediction with Manning under center. Take this little nugget into consideration. In his last 10 years in Indianapolis (excluding 2011), Manning's top wide receiver based on yardage averaged close to 100 catches, over 1,300 and 10 touchdowns. While I doubt Thomas will reach the 100-catch mark, I can envision a scenario where he records 80-90 receptions, 1,300 yards and double-digit touchdowns. Barring a setback with Manning's return from multiple neck surgeries, I see Thomas being in the same tier of wideouts as A.J. Green, Brandon Marshall and Mike Wallace. He'll be selected between Rounds 3-5.
Which rookie quarterback would you prefer to draft in a seasonal league: Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III? - M. Wagner (via Facebook)
M.F.: My initial reaction to this question was Luck, but that was before the Colts cleaned house (yes, I'm assuming he's going No. 1 overall in April's draft). Now I'm leaning toward Griffin III, who I'll assume will be in Washington. That's not to say that the Redskins adding wideouts like Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan was a huge factor, but it's hard to look past RG3's skill set. He has a rocket right arm, and his skills as a runner make him a double threat in fantasy land. Can he make the same sort of impact as Cam Newton did during his rookie season? Probably not. But with an offensive guru like Mike Shanahan teaching him the pro game, Griffin III is going to have every opportunity to come out and make an instant impact. I have him ranked on the same tier as Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Schaub and Jay Cutler.
Now that we know who will be throwing the football to Randy Moss, what is his official fantasy value? - @Yoffredi10 (via Twitter)
M.F.: I just can't get behind Moss as a viable fantasy starter, and that opinion wouldn't have changed unless the 49ers had landed Manning. He's 35, past his prime and had three different teams quit on him the last time he was in the league - which was back in 2010. The last time I checked, Steve Young wasn't the No. 1 quarterback in San Francisco either. Sure, Alex Smith showed some flashes of potential last season. But the Niners are not going to morph into this pass-laden offense with the additions of Moss and Mario Manningham. The team was just a few Kyle Williams blunders from going to the Super Bowl, so there isn't grounds for some sort of huge change in offensive philosophies. I might take Moss with a late-round flier, but that's about the extend of his value in my opinion.
Will Tim Tebow have any fantasy value next season? I was planning on keeping him, but now I'm not so sure. - M. Linke (via Facebook)
M.F.: Tebow's fantasy stock has fallen after the trade that sent him to the New York Jets finally went through on Wednesday. While he will be used in the "Wildcat" formation and in some short-yardage and goal-line packages, Tebow appears destined to open next season second on the depth chart behind Mark Sanchez. That doesn't mean he can't pass Sanchez at some point during the season - some people might even expect it - but I don't see him as being draftable in a seasonal league as a backup in the Big Apple. He's not much of a keeper, either.
I need to retain three players from Newton, Jamaal Charles, Ryan Mathews, Michael Turner, Roddy White, Hakeem Nicks and Vernon Davis. Thoughts? - @silvz19 (via Twitter)
M.F.: Newton is the most attractive keeper option, and it's hard to look past White's consistent level of production over the past few years. That leaves the third keeper between Charles, Mathews, Turner, Nicks and Davis. As it stands, I would retain Mathews. He's a young running back with major upside, and he's staring a featured role right in the face with the offseason loss of Mike Tolbert (Panthers). If the Bolts land a prominent runner in the NFL draft, then Mathews would obviously lose some appeal. But if a less-threatening runner like Jackie Battle is signed, that would just add to Mathews' stock.
What can we expect from Rob Gronkowski next season? Is he worth a first-round pick? - M. Musumeci (via Facebook)
M.F.: I don't mean to be a "Negative Nancy," but does anyone really think Gronkowski is going to score another 18 total touchdowns? It's not often that a player breaks an NFL record and then does it again the very next season, so I would temper expectations for Gronkowski in 2012. Remember, even a season with 80 catches, 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns (all would be less than what he recorded in 2011) is still tremendous for a tight end. And while I wouldn't draft him in Round 1, I do think Gronkowski will come off the board in the second or third round in re-drafts.
How high of a draft pick is Jay Cutler worth now that Brandon Marshall is in Chicago? - @spencerve(via Twitter)
M.F.: Cutler's value is on the rise with Marshall in the Bears offense, but I still don't see him as a No. 1 fantasy quarterback. The position is so deep with the return of Manning and the addition of Luck and RG3 to the league, that Cutler won't be better than a high-end No. 2 option and matchup-based starter. On a positive note, the veteran from Santa Claus, Ind. does have one of the more favorable schedules among signal-callers based on 2011 fantasy points. At the end of the day, I see Cutler coming off the board in the middle to late rounds.
Which quarterbacks are worth a first-round pick in fantasy drafts next season? - A. Willis (via Facebook)
M.F.: This is something you would have never heard coming out of my mouth (or in this case from my keyboard) in the past, but I think there are five quarterbacks who will come off the board in Round 1. That list includes Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees (even without coach Sean Payton), Matthew Stafford and Newton. Part of the reason for this change in philosophies is the emergence of the passing game over the last few years. Another is the increase in backfield committees, not to mention the high number of prominent backs who are either coming off major injuries or are getting long in the tooth. Times, they are changing.
How does the departure of Manningham affect the fantasy value of Eli Manning and Victor Cruz? Also, what is Ahmad Bradshaw's value now that Brandon Jacobs has been released? - @gavsom (via Twitter)
M.F.: I don't think Manningham's departure has put a major dent into the fantasy appeal of Manning or Cruz. Wideouts like Manningham are shuffled in and out of NFL depth charts all the time, so the Giants will now look to give Ramses Barden, Jerrel Jernigan or a potential rookie addition a chance to step up and make an impact. The team also added Martellus Bennett, who has a ton of talent and could end up making some noise at the projected No. 1 tight end on the roster. With that said, I do think fantasy owners need to temper expectations for Cruz - based on the ridiculous season-to-season turnover of the top five and 10 wide receivers, he's no lock to be as productive as he was in 2011.
I have seen a lot of hype surrounding Demaryius Thomas now that Manning is in Denver, but what about Eric Decker? - T. Manuel (via Facebook)
M.F.: As I mentioned earlier, I think Thomas is the Broncos wideout to target in fantasy drafts. However, Decker's value is on the rise as well. A potential fantasy sleeper, Decker showed flashes of potential last season before slowing down the stretch. With Manning under center, Decker is a good bet to reach the 1,000-yard mark in what will be his third NFL season. I expect him to come off the board somewhere in the middle rounds as a No. 3 fantasy wideout with the potential to emerge into a terrific No. 2 next 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**!
