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Mark Sanchez threw for 2444 yards and 12 touchdowns as a rookie. Last year he improved to 3291 yards and 17 touchdowns. He decreased his turnovers from 28 (20 INTs, 8 fumbles) in his rookie year to 18 (13 Ints, 5 fumbles) as a sophomore. His passer rating remained a modest 75.3, which was up from 63.0 as a rookie, but still not what you want from your starting quarterback. His completion percentage remained virtually unchanged (54.8% compared to 53.8 percent) and left plenty to be desired.
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Nobody is worried about him as a starter. After all, not many quarterbacks can boast that they’ve been to the AFC title game in his first two years in the league. Fantasy owners, on the other hand, are more concerned with the numbers he produces.
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Sanchez had a nice three-game span in which he averaged 316.7 yards per game. Of course that was against Detroit in overtime, Cleveland in overtime, and the historically bad Texans. In the other 12 games (not counting Week 17) he averaged 189.1 passing yards. Pretty brutal stuff.
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So will things get better in 2011? On paper I’d say no. The Jets are a run-first team. They put the pressure on their opponents with their punishing defense and stout ground game. The formula has worked well to this point so there is no reason to make a change. Sure, Rex Ryan may allow Sanchez to open things up a bit, but they aren’t turning into a passing team overnight.
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There also is the wide receiver issue. They are bound to lose at least one of Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, and Brad Smith. There is talk that Randy Moss could join the Jets, but you don’t know what you’re going to get from him. He could be brilliant or he could sabotage the entire operation.
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Sanchez’s Mock Draft Central ADP puts him at 24 making him a low-end QB2. Personally I would probably just roster one quarterback rather than own Sanchez and pick someone up for my starters bye week.
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What are your thoughts about Mark Sanchez?
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Also check out:

• 2011 Early Fantasy Football QB Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Football RB Rankings
• 2011 Early Fantasy Football WR Rankings
• 2011 Fantasy Football TE Rankings

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The AFC East is truly a case of the “haves” and the “have nots”.
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The quarterback position is the most glamorous one in the league, and the Patriots have the most glamorous one at that position. Not only does Tom Brady have the model wife and movie star looks, but he puts up video game numbers. Most quarterbacks would struggle after losing a talent like Randy Moss, but Brady got better. He finished with 3900 yards and 36 touchdowns while throwing just four interceptions. Jay Cutler did that in one game last year. Look for Brady to be the class of the division and among the best in the league again.
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Mark Sanchez doesn’t put up the monster numbers like Brady as he three for just 3291 yards and 17 TDs (13 INTs) last year, but he’s also a winner having been to two consecutive AFC Championships. With their rushing attack Sanchez doesn’t have to carry the team, but he is more than a caretaker. Look for Sanchez to improve once again for the Jets, assuming he gets Santonio Holmes and/or Braylon Edwards back.
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While Ryan Fiztpatrick is a far cry from Tom Brady, he actually was fairly effective for the Buffalo Bills. He threw for 3000 yards and 23 TDs (15 INT) despite playing just 13 games. There were thoughts that the Bills would grab Blaine Gabbert in the 2011 NFL Draft, but Buffalo opted to stick with the Harvard quarterback. He developed a nice rapport with Stevie Johnson, which should continue going forward. Questions remain as to whether or not the Bills will pick up Lee Evans option. If he leaves, it will be a blow to Fitzpatrick. If he stays, Fitzpatrick makes a solid QB2.
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Then there’s Miami. Chad Henne isn’t the answer. There is some talk that the fins will deal for Kyle Orton. He was be a quality QB2 if  he’s reunited with Brandon Marshall. We’ll have to see who ends up getting the nod before we can rate their quarterback situation.

Image courtesy of Icon SMI

I like Dustin Keller. He’s the kind of TE you end up with if you choose to focus on your QB, RB, and WR situations before turning to your tight end. He has an ADP of 151 (7th pick of 13th round) according to Mock Draft Central. He is the 15th TE coming off the board and 13th in my TE rankings (click to see 2010 Top 25 TE rankings) so he is right on the fringe.

Keller did little during the regular season to even merit TE1 consideration. He finished with 45 catches for 522 yards and two TDs. He started off with 116 yards and a TD in the first two weeks before going through a five game stretch which yielded just eight catches for  97 yards. He rebounded in Weeks 8-12 averaging 60 yards along with his other regular season TD. Then he hit another dry patch producing just nine catches for 69 yards in the final five games.

In the playoffs is where Keller stepped up his game, leading to optimism for the upcoming season. Keller scored in all three playoff games, totaling 12 catches for 181 yards for an average of 4 catches for 60.3 yards and a TD per playoff game.

He built a nice rapport with Mark Sanchez, who should have a little more freedom in his second season. The Jets are still a run-first team, but I expect them to open things up this year. With Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards stretching the field, Keller should be able to work the underneath routes and serve as a check down option.

The best way to use Keller is to pair him with another fringe TE1 like John Carlson, Visanthe Shiancoe, Heath Miller, Greg Olsen, etc. With two solid options at TE, you can play the match-up game. You’d also have a bargaining chip if one of your opponents were to lose their starting TE to injury.

Prediction:  55 catches, 650 yards, 6 TDs

What are your expectations for Dustin Keller?

The Jets front office is as bold as their brash coach (Rex Ryan). The passing game got a shot in the arm with the addition of Santonio Holmes. As long as they figure a way to make Darrelle Revis happy, they should be a force, both in fantasy and reality.

Fantasy Playoffs Schedule:  Moderate
Not exactly a walk in the park for the Jets. They face Miami at home in Week 14 followed by road games in Pittsburgh and Chicago. Weather could play a role in all three games.

Five Star Fantasy Options
None

Four Star Fantasy Options
Shonn Greene – Greene is probably more like a 3.5 star player given his limited track record (108 carries as a rookie), but I’ll bump him up to four given his upside and the Jets’ strong offensive line.

Jets Defense/Special Teams – Assuming Revis plays, this will be a tough unit once again. Rex Ryan has this unit playing with a swagger, and keeps you guessing. Antonio Cromartie and Kyle Wilson were brought in to make their secondary even tougher. They clearly are building a defense to keep up with the Colts, Patriots, Saints, and Vikings.

Three Star Fantasy Options
Mark Sanchez – Sanchez should not only improve in his second year, but he should get a little more freedom after proving his worth. With a trio of solid WRs in Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edward, and Jerricho Cotchery, along with TE Dustin Keller, Sanchez will have plenty of weapons at his disposal.

Santonio Holmes - He’ll miss the first four games because of a suspension, but is easily the Jets’ best WR. He could take a game or two to get up to speed, but Holmes should be strong for the stretch fun.

Dustin Keller - Keller and Sanchez really started to gel in the playoffs with Keller catching a TD in each game.  His numbers could slip when Holmes returns, so he could possibly be a guy you want to unload after the first four games if the price is right.

Two Star Fantasy Options
LaDainian Tomlinson – LT isn’t what he once was, but he did go to a team that is committed to the run. Plus, Greene hasn’t had the opportunity to show he can handle the full load until now. If he can’t (or gets hurt) LT’s value increases dramatically. He’s a good flex option as he’ll likely be the goal line back.

Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery - Edwards and Cotchery will get a month to work with Holmes in the penalty box. When he returns Cotchery will likely handle slot duties. Edward is the best threat to lead the team in TDs. Cotchery, with the four game head start on Edwards, could lead the Jets in receptions for the fourth straight year.

One Star Fantasy Options
Joe McKnight - McKnight will handle third down duties for the Jets. He is extremely quick and has great hands out of the backfield. He’ll likely break a few explosive plays during the course of the year, but as long as he’s the third-stringer, he’s not a good fantasy option.

Click here for additional 2010 NFL Team Previews.

Both the Eagles and the Bengals got their butts handed to them in Week 17. For the Eagles it meant the difference between a Wildcard weekend bye vs. playing the Cowboys again on the road. The Bengals could have locked up the #3 seed. I’m not sure if facing the Jets or the Ravens would have been better. Regardless, both limped into the playoffs…

…And both played pretty uninspired football this week. It’s kind of ironic that Cedric Benson went from Chicago castoff to the only player who showed up for a #4 playoff team. He ran hard, as he has since he got a second chance with Cincinnati last year. It’s too bad the rest of the team didn’t play with that same fire. For the second straight game Revis made Chad Johnson an afterthought.

As for the Eagles, I hope they had a chance to look across the field in their embarrassing loss to see the Cowboys’ enjoying their thrashing of a once respectable opponent. Where did the Eagles go? If this is Brian Westbrook’s last game as an Eagle, what a damn shame.

The Cowboys have really found their mojo. The Vikings are going to have their hands full next week.

I’m not sure Indy wanted to face the J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets again. Not the way their defense is playing. I hope Reggie Wayne is up for the Revis challenge.