The Monday night Super Bowl rematch was interesting to me, even if, as I keep saying, the stats don't matter. Those teams are just really important for fantasy football. Colts players, for obvious reasons, will be very popular on draft day, while only one member of the Bears will be. But the connection goes deeper than this, and not only because playing in front of such a large audience tends to make conference champion players overrated the next season. If it's all about value, then there's a lot to discuss.
Rex Grossman isn't and will likely never be Peyton Manning, but fantasy owners are going to depend on him over other, safer options because of the good things he did last season. I'm not sure why. Cedric Benson could, I suppose, become a star, and a critical second-round draft pick. Both teams' wide receivers elicit strong opinions in fantasy and that Bears defense will probably go too early in every draft. Anyway, I have thoughts on these teams, so what better time to share than the day after one of the few fun preseason games I've seen in awhile.
Quarterbacks: Manning is the best fantasy option at the position, but his draft status remains a hot topic of debate. Look, he's a joy to watch, and to own in fantasy. The numbers will be there, no matter who the opponent is. I maintain that Manning is worthy of first-round status in pretty much any format. Yes, he is better, safer and more consistent than any other quarterback, and with the running back position being messier than I can remember in years for safe first-rounders, I'm comfortable taking a passer that early. I haven't had the opportunity to do it yet, however.
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Eric Karabell
