Will Roddy White lose fantasy value with the addition of Julio Jones? -- LeeTSanders (via Twitter)
Michael Fabiano: Not at all. In fact, the addition of another legitimate threat in the pass attack could be a positive for White. If Jones can make his presence felt during his rookie year, opposing defenses are going to have to account for him. That could take away at least some of the defensive attention White sees on a regular basis. Overall, the superstar out of UAB will continue to put up solid totals in what figures to be an explosive Falcons offense. White is the second-rated wideout in fantasy football on NFL.com.
Will Cam Newton have more fantasy draft value than Christian Ponder or Jake Locker? -- Zacn_Engel98 (via Twitter)
M.F.: Honestly, it's difficult to gauge the value of these three quarterbacks due to the lockout. On the surface I think Newton will have the most value of this trio -- especially if Jimmy Clausen is his lone competitor -- but what if the Panthers add a veteran signal-caller to come in and become a one-year starter? Obviously, that would alter the situation. I think that sort of scenario should be expected in Minnesota and Tenneesee, as neither Ponder nor Locker will be handed the top spot on their respective team's depth chart. In fact, there have been some rumors about Donovan McNabb possibly landing with the Vikings, while Matt Hasselbeck has been tied to the Titans. Also keep in mind that most rookie quarterbacks fail to make an immediate fantasy impact -- even Sam Bradford ranked just 20th in points at the position last season -- so Newton, Ponder and Locker won't have a ton of value.
Who will be the best fantasy option in Denver this season -- Tim Tebow or Knowshon Moreno? -- JohnnyPaugh (via Twitter)
M.F.: Moreno is definitely going to be the first member of the Broncos roster drafted in fantasy leagues, most likely in the second round. The next will be Brandon Lloyd, though I think he has bust written all over him. If Tebow earns a starting role out of training camp, he could be worth as much as a middle-round selection in all seasonal leagues. Remember, the Florida product scored more fantasy points than any other player during the final three weeks of the 2010 campaign. Based on his skills as a runner, which makes a quarterback more valuable based on fantasy scoring, Tebow could develop into a legitimate starting option in leagues with 12-plus teams if he unseats Kyle Orton.
With four running backs heading into training camp, which players (if any) would you draft out of the Cowboys backfield? -- Romomentum2010 (via Twitter)
M.F.:Felix Jones is clearly the best option in the Cowboys backfield, but he has little chance to be a featured option. While I believe the team will part ways with Marion Barber later this offseason, Tashard Choice and rookie DeMarco Murray are still going to be in the mix for carries. Coach Jason Garrett has already praised Murray's versatile skill set, so don't be shocked if he finishes ahead of Choice on the depth chart. Jones, who hasn't been overly durable at the NFL level, should be seen as middle-round, borderline No. 2 or 3 fantasy runner in 2011.
Which rookie will have the greatest fantasy impact and should be targeted in drafts this season? -- joeluna_buzz (via Twitter)
M.F.: Again, a lot can change once the lockout is lifted and player movement is allowed. But as it stands, I think Daniel Thomas will be the first rookie taken in all seasonal drafts. I don't see Ronnie Brown or Ricky Williams back with the Dolphins, leaving Thomas to see a featured role. The Kansas State product is a downhill runner with good hands and a nose for the end zone -- he scored 19 touchdowns in his final collegiate season. The team is expected to sign a free agent like Darren Sproles to compliment Thomas, but all signs point to the rookie leading the team in backfield touches. He'll be worth as much as a middle-round selection, assuming this situation isn't heavily altered.
How will Ryan Grant fair this season in terms of his fantasy value? -- worthy_one77 (via Twitter)
M.F.: Grant, who is coming off ankle surgery, is not going to be a featured back moving forward. James Starks emerged into a legitimate NFL back late in his rookie season, helping the Packers to a win in Super Bowl XLV and earning a much bigger role in the offense. The Packers also added Alex Green in the NFL draft, so the backfield is a bit crowded at this point. I see Grant as a borderline No. 2 or 3 fantasy runner, but he's a safer draft choice as a flex starter based on the potential for him to lose significant touches in 2011.
Which of these second-tier quarterbacks will have the best statistical season in 2011: Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco or Matthew Stafford? -- Tav2real (via Twitter)
M.F.: I have Ryan ranked ahead of Flacco and Stafford, and that won't change now that the Falcons gave him another weapon in the pass attack in the rookie Jones. However, I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see Stafford lead this trio in fantasy points. The talented Georgia product has shown flashes of potential at the NFL level, and his stable of offensive weapons continued to grow with the addition of Titus Young and Mikel LeShoure in the draft. The downfall, of course, is that Stafford has suffered multiple shoulder ailments over the last two years and ultimately comes with some risk. If he can remain free of injuries, I think Stafford could put up top-10 fantasy numbers at his position.
With the addition of Nick Fairley, where does the Lions defense rank in fantasy football? Who are your top 10 defenses overall? -- BillGalvin6 (via Twitter)
M.F.: Fairley and Ndamukong Suh are going to make one heck of a combination on the Lions defensive line, and there's no doubt this unit as a whole is gaining fantasy value. Don't forget, the addition of Young is also going to help make this unit more valuable, as he has the potential to be an explosive return man on special teams. While I still don't see this defense as an elite unit, I do think the Lions can be a low-end No. 1 fantasy option in 2011. My current top 10 at the position is as follows: 1. Packers; 2. Steelers; 3. Jets; 4. Bears; 5. Eagles; 6. Ravens 7. Giants; 8. Patriots; 9. Chargers; 10. Cowboys. The Lions come in at No. 13, behind the Cardinals and Falcons.
There always seems to be at least one third-year wideout who breaks out. Who will it be in 2011? -- TFehn21 (via Twitter)
M.F.: I realize that his off-field issues are troublesome, but I love Kenny Britt's potential in 2011. The third-year wideout from Rutgers has already shown that he can be a major stat-sheet stuffer, posting 775 yards and nine touchdowns in just 12 games last season. As long as he doesn't face any sort of NFL discipline -- and the Titans add a veteran quarterback like Hasselbeck to run the offense -- I think Britt can easily post 1,000-plus yards and double-digit touchdowns as the team's first option in the pass attack.
How many running backs do you think will be drafted ahead of Michael Vick? -- JustinHuestis (via Twitter)
M.F.: I'm not going to draft a quarterback until the middle rounds -- there is just too much depth at the position to fill the position in Round 1 -- but Vick is guaranteed to be a first-rounder in almost every seasonal draft. With that said, I feel confident that the trio of Adrian Peterson, Chris Johnson and Arian Foster will all be taken ahead of him. Other running backs who could go before Vick in standard formats include Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Rice, Jamal Charles, Frank Gore, Rashard Mendehall and Darren McFadden.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com. Have a burning question for Michael on anything fantasy football related? Send it to **AskFabiano@nfl.com** or tweet it at _**MichaelFabiano**_!
