2. Rob Gronkowski: How is “Gronk” not my number one TE? First of all, I have seen WAY too many pictures of Gronk without a shirt on this offseason (that can never be a good thing). Second of all, the Pats finally added a decent WR to play alongside Wes Welker (Lloyd) and they added another really good TE in Visanthe Shiancoe. Finally, he’s one bonehead thing away from being in Belichick’s doghouse, which is nearly impossible to get out of.

3. Antonio Gates: Gates was injured all last year and contributed next to nothing until Week 7. He still had a really good second half of the year (again still injured) and ended up being a top 7 TE. He’s finally healthy and is back to being dangerous.

4. Jermichael Finley: Finley was a top 5 TE last year but only had 4 double digit point fantasy games. I think he’ll improve that this year.

Dec 18, 2011; Kansas City, MO, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley (88) is unable to catch this pass while defended by Kansas City Chiefs safety Sabby Piscitelli (42) in the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City won the game 19-14. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

5. Brandon Pettigrew: My top sleeper this year, I think Pettigrew improves from a solid 2011 season. He didn’t score very many TDs last year, only 5 after hauling in 83 catches. He’ll improve there and surprise some people.

6. Aaron Hernandez: Hernandez is a top-3 TE stuck behind Gronk in NWE. He’s still very productive and if something bad were to happen to his team’s top TE, Hernandez would vault to number one on this list.

7. Vernon Davis: I’m down on the 49ers but after the postseason VD had last year he’s entering unguardable territory, even with Alex Smith at QB.

8. Jason Witten: Pretty average productivity down the stretch last year. He won’t give you huge yardage games due to his slow speed but he’s still very valuable in PPR leagues.

9. Jared Cook: Cook averaged 113 yards a game his last three games last year. Not much production other than that so he is a bit risky.

10. Tony Gonzalez: The exact opposite of Cook, Gonzo averaged 21 yards a game his last three games last year. He was very productive other than that but is another year older. He has to slow down eventually and this could be that year.

11. Fred Davis: He’s a good 10 fantasy points a game (in non-PPR leagues) when he’s healthy. Young QBs love TEs so he could be a sleeper.

12. Brent Celek: Another guy who finished really strong and was injured for a good length of time last year. He’s a good backup TE that could help you out in a jam.

13. Kyle Rudolph: Arguably the best hands in football, he catches everything he gets his hands on. For some reason not known to me he gets very few targets from young QBs when he should be a young QB’s dream. Often injured free agent signee John Carlson is already hurt and rookie wideout Greg Childs was out for the year before getting waived so the Vikings are going to have to get the ball to Rudolph.

14. Martellus Bennett: What a fitting first name for this guy. He’s the league’s biggest trash talking TE despite the fact he has produced little to nothing. He has all the tools to be a huge threat; he just needs to take advantage of the opportunity.

15. Jermaine Gresham: With Jerome Simpson gone the Bengals have no proven receiving threat besides A.J. Green. Gresham showed flashes last year so he is more than capable of being a really good TE.

16. Greg Olsen: Jeremy Shockey is gone and Newton will only get better. He still finished as the 17th best fantasy option last year so I probably have him a little low.

17. Coby Fleener: He’s got his college teammate throwing him the ball with only Reggie Wayne there to take away targets. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up with 800 yards and 6 TDs this year.

18. Owen Daniels: Foster is a beast at RB, Andre Johnson is back but with Dreessen gone somebody’s gotta catch 60+ passes at TE for HOU. If Daniels can stay healthy he could be a top 15 guy but I’m skeptical.

19. Ed Dickson: Joe “Check Down” Flacco has to check down to someone other than Ray Rice a couple times a game. He’s a redzone threat and he’s got some ability so he could make some noise this year.

20. Kellen Winslow: I don’t know what is going on in Seattle at the QB position and with T.O. added to the mix they’re going to have their hands full with him and Winslow. I’d be skeptical of drafting anyone from Seattle.

Have any questions or comments? Feel free to email me at vikingagefantasy@yahoo.com or reach me on twitter at https://twitter.com/PHowell02

22. Dwayne Bowe: Somebody at WR on that team has to catch passes. As long as Bowe shows up there’s a good chance he puts up another 1000 yard season.

23. Antonio Brown: This Mike Wallace thing is bad for PIT, bad for Big Ben, bad for Mike Wallace, very good for Antonio Brown.

24. DeSean Jackson: He’s still a big time playmaker and he will show up with something to prove after a horrible 2011 campaign.

July 26, 2012;Bethlehem, PA. USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson (10) walks on to the field prior to training camp at Lehigh University. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-US PRESSWIRE

25. Brandon Lloyd: Every breathing body on New England is a worthwhile fantasy player.

26. Malcom Floyd: Someone on SD has to step it up with Vincent Jackson gone and if Floyd doesn’t step up SD could be in trouble.

27. Pierre Garson: Garson is another guy on a team where some WR has to step up. Might as well be the guy in WAS since they just paid him.

28. Torrey Smith: Probably the best deep threat in the league. Flacco’s got a cannon and this guy’s got some wheels.

29. Randy Moss: The 13 year old kid in me hopes Moss has got one last stealer season in him.

30. Sidney Rice: Could easily be a 1000+ yard 8+ TD season for Rice if he can stay healthy.

31. Reggie Wayne: I expect IND to have a decent year (maybe a 7 win team) and Wayne is still a pretty good WR.

32. Denarius Moore: He had a couple 20+ fantasy point games last year and if he can stay healthy he could do more of the same.

33. Nate Washington: I thought Kenny Brit was going to have a big year until he got busted for being an idiot behind the wheel yet again. Nate was a top 15 receiver last year so he could easily do it again this year.

34. Robert Meachem: Phillip Rivers loves to spread it around and Meachem has the talent to make an impact.

35. Titus Young: Young impressed me last year and I’m a little bit iffy on Calvin Johnson’s health so Young could double his stats from last year.

36. Eric Decker: Decker seems like someone who will want to put in extra time with Peyton and I think Peyton could give Decker an 800 yard, 8 TD season.

37. Steve Johnson: He could be a constant 8 points every week for your team if you’re into consistency.

38. Santonio Holmes: He’s been weirdly unhappy like Harvin was but still hasn’t got over it. He’s the only decent WR the Jets have so they’re going to do everything they can to make him happy.

39. Randall Cobb: My sleeper of the year for WRs. He’s got similar skills to Percy Harvin and has the added benefit of playing in a wide-open offense.

40. Chad Johnson: He seems more comfortable in Miami already than he ever did in New England. He’s got a couple good years left in him and he’s probably the only WR on that team that most people can name.

Have any questions or comments? Feel free to email me at vikingagefantasy@yahoo.com or reach me on twitter at https://twitter.com/PHowell02

1. Larry Fitzgerald: Your local high school’s third string QB could start for the Cardinals and Larry Fitz could still put up top 5 numbers. I expect big things for Beanie Wells and Michael Floyd will keep defenses from being able to focus solely on stoping Fitzgerald. Out of the top 3 WRs, I have faith that Fitzgerald is the only one who unquestionably will stay healthy for the entire year so he’s my number one.

2. Andre Johnson: Andre Johnson hasn’t been healthy for the entire season the past two years but this year I think he breaks the trend. In that explosive offense he can be an unstoppable force as long as Schaub can stay healthy himself. He’s 31 years old and coming off a lack luster season last year so I expect Johnson to have quite possibly a career year.

3. Calvin Johnson: Calvin Johnson is only number 3 on my list solely due to the fact that he was on the cover of Madden 13. I don’t think it will be as severe as it was for Peyton Hillis last year but more of Larry Fitzgerald type of curse (Madden 10 co-cover boy) where he slows down a bit. Calvin has easily the biggest potential of all the WRs but with the Lions being a mess right now with distractions I wouldn’t be surprised if the team and Calvin underachieve.

Jan 7, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson (81) eludes New Orleans Saints strong safety Roman Harper (41)during the 2011 NFC Wild Card Playoff game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints defeated the Lions 45-28. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

4. Greg Jennings: With no noticeable running game GB spreads the ball out all over the place, which is why Jordy Nelson ended up having the best year of all GB receivers last year (along with Jennings’s injury). I think Jennings will end up staying healthy and go back to being Rodgers’s favorite target so he’s ahead of Nelson for me.

5. Brandon Marshall: I would not be surprised one bit if Marshall ended up having the most targets among WRs this year. Jay Cutler will want to give his former teammate the ball and other than rookie Alshon Jeffery there is no real threat to take away balls from Marshall. Even if Marshall has one of those years where he’s dropping more balls then he should, the passing game will still be ran through him.

6. Mike Wallace: It’s weird to see Pittsburg as a pass first team but that’s what they’ve become with the maturation of Big Ben and an injury to Mendenhall. Mike Wallace is the big benefactor fantasy wise, becoming a top ten WR last year even with nagging injuries to his starting QB. I expect an even bigger year for Wallace this year, even though I think the rest of his team will underachieve.

7. Julio Jones: You can draft White or Jones and sleep safe knowing that you got yourself a big time WR. Jones was scary good the last 4 games of the season last year and I think that’s how he’ll play the majority of the year this year. I think Matt Ryan will put up big numbers and Jones will be a big reason why. I’m one the few people higher on Jones than other second year wideout A.J. Green but when it’s all said and done I think Jones’s play will back me up.

8. Roddy White: White has been as consistent as they come at WR that past few years and there is no reason to think he won’t be the same this year. I think it’s his last year as a top tier fantasy WR, with Julio Jones starting to emerge as a star and starting to take away targets from White. I’m not high on his long term production but a firm believer in his short term value.

9. Victor Cruz: Being a top 5 fantasy WR is rarely a fluke so I’m selling on the one-year wonder talks. He was consistent all year long and with Mario Manningham gone he becomes even more important to the offense. I think the NYG offense will go back to trying to be a run first team so I think his stats will fall down a little and knock him out of the top 5 but still in the top ten.

10. Wes Welker: If you’re in a PPR league you could easily argue that Welker is a top five guy for this year (Welker was still a top-5 guy in non PPR leagues last year). New England added a couple pretty good weapons in Brandon Lloyd and Visanthe Shiancoe so I do think he has a chance to lose some targets from Tom Brady. He’s still going to be around 100 catches this year (he had 122 last year) so he’s still a valuable receiver.

11. Steve Smith: Good to see Steve Smith back to being a big time receiver. Cam Newton injected some new life into Smith and Smith responded by being a top 8 fantasy WR last year. He is 33 years old but with no real threat to take away targets from Smith he will continue to put up some big numbers. Whenever I draft him he puts up terrible numbers and when I don’t draft him he has a huge year so I’ll let you know what to expect from Smith after my draft later next month.

12. Percy Harvin: I do not understand how a top ten fantasy WR last year is the 20+ best WR on people’s boards this year. Ponder will be better, the offensive line will be better, and an iffy Peterson means Harvin will have a huge role in the offense. He is the WR with the most upside where you will get him so I’m extremely high on Harvin this year.

13. Hakeem Nicks: If I had faith that Nicks would be healthy all year I would have had him and Cruz switch places. I obviously do not believe that to be true so I have him at 13. Other than Cruz there is no one to take away targets so he still is a close number 1 WR for teams in your league.

14. AJ Green: I am not high on Green this year. It’s nothing against his skill as a wide receiver, I’m just not sold on his QB and he plays in a really good defensive division. He’s still probably a little too high on my list but when a rookie puts up numbers like he did last year, I’ll give him some respect and put him near where he was last year.

15. Dez Bryant: As long as Bryant doesn’t go around laying the smack down on Tony Romo or Jerry Jones I think he’ll put up some pretty good numbers this year. He’s had injury problems and has had a tendency to disappear late in games when he isn’t being thrown the ball early and often but I think he has the type of year to put those problems to rest. Expect a career year from Bryant but for him to become an elite WR next year.

16. Jordy Nelson: I don’t think anyone expected the type of year Nelson had last year coming. He had 5 games with 5 points or fewer but still ended up being the number 2 overall WR last year. I think it has more to do with the fact that he plays in an offense with no running game and the teams number 1 WR missed a few games with injuries. I don’t think he will show any type of consistency this year from week to week so that puts him here on my list.

17. Marques Colston: Don’t expect Colston to play all 16 games this year but expect that when he does play he’s good for 7 catches and whatever yardages and TDs that brings. The Saints have A LOT of bad karma going against them this year so every Saints player carries a bit of risk. Even if Brees were to get hurt I’d expect him to finish here because his size makes him appealing to any QB, especially someone inexperienced.

18. Jeremy Maclin: I think Vick likes Maclin more than DeSean Jackson so I have him here. When healthy he’s shown that he can be a really good receiver and I expect Vick and the Eagle will have a good year, so that makes Maclin an attractive option. Someone’s going to have to be the man at wideout for this team and I think Maclin will be that guy.

19. Demaryius Thomas: Peyton’s got to throw the ball to someone and with someone as physically gifted as Thomas I think it’s him. Peyton can make an a below average WR look like a semi-star so as long as Thomas is willing to put in the time and effort Peyton will hold up his end.

20. Vincent Jackson: There was no one as frustrating to have on your fantasy last year at wideout than Vincent Jackson. Ignoring his nagging injuries from week to week the guy would put up 30 points one week, next to nothing the next week, a game with points in the teens the week after that, than 3 straight stinkers. Now add in the fact that inconsistent Vincent Jackson goes to TB to play with inconsistent Josh Freeman and you got yourself a major headache. If you enjoy playing Russian Roulette (fantasy football style), Jackson  is your man.

Have any questions or comments? Feel free to email me at vikingagefantasy@yahoo.com or reach me on twitter at https://twitter.com/PHowell02