Breakout Players for Fantasy Football in 2010

Every year there are several NFL players who were relegated to mopup duty in their rookie season or didn't get enough playing time to make much of an impact in fantasy football. Some of them may have even been toiling away in obscurity on an NFL team's practice squad. Some have been traded to another team due to a star player ahead of them on their NFL team's depth chart.

Some NFL players get their chance to shine only after a player ahead of them on their team has been let go due to the NFL salary cap.

In any event, every year there are Kurt Warners, Priest Holmes or Antonio Gates type players who explode on the fantasy football scene with little fanfare due to an injury by another player, etc.

Here are ten NFL players who could become breakout players for fantasy football in 2010:

Shonn Greene RB N.Y. Jets
Forget LTs presence in New York, I look for most of Thomas Jones' 2009 carries to go to holdover Shonn Greene. LT is a little long in the tooth at the age most NFL running backs are preparing to hang up the cleats. With Jones in KC and the Jets' "ground and pound" attitude, the Jets were one of the runningest teams in the NFL in 2009.

Even though Mark Sanchez is a year older, don't look for the Jets to throw the ball around like New Orleans any time soon. Greene figures to be the primary beneficiary of the Jets running ways in 2010. He had over a hundred yards in the Jets playoff win over San Diego and signing LT was just to keep Rex Ryan on the front of the sports pages in my opinion. Ryan may have a smaller belly in 2010, but his ego is still massive what with his constant talk of winning the Super Bowl next February.

Kevin Kolb QB Philadelphia
In two starts last season when Donovan McNabb was injured, Kevin Kolb passed for over 700 yards in the two games combined. The Eagles have always been pass first in the Andy Reid era and there's no evidence that philosophy won't continue. With DeSean Jackson and a few other good targets, look for Kolb to have a 4,000 yard season.

Johnny Knox/Devin Aromashodu WR Chicago
With Mike Martz bringing his "greatest show on turf" offense to the Bears, look for good years from at least one of these guys and probably both. Martz will call pass plays early and often from any part of the field without regard to turnovers and Jay Cutler will sling the football like never before.

Knox caught 45 passes as a rookie in 2009 and Aromashodu, who has bounced around with a few teams caught 24, but all in the second half of the season. Aromashodu might produce better fantasy football numbers due to his bigger build than the slight 6'0 185 lb. Knox. I wouldn't use a draft pick on either before the late rounds, but both are worthy of taking a flyer on as third receivers on your fantasy football team.

Beanie Wells RB Arizona
With 793 yards and 7 scores as a rookie, Beanie Wells graced some fantasy football rosters as a third back or backup late in 2009. Wells split time with Tim Hightower last season and the pair had similar fantasy numbers but with Hightower having lost 4 fumbles and being a more polished receiver, look for Wells to get more carries in 2010. With Matt Leinart taking over at QB, the Cardinals have professed a desire to have a more physical running attack this season. Wells figures to be the primary beneficiary.

LeSean McCoy RB Philadelphia
With Brian Westbrook having departed Philly, look for McCoy to pick up where Westbrook left off in 2010. Sharing the backfield with Westbrook, LeSean McCoy still had 945 total yards rushing and receiving combined with 4 TDs and 40 receptions. The Eagles will make McCoy the feature back in 2010, vastly increasing his fantasy football value.

Michael Bush RB Oakland
With JaMarc-bust Russell at QB the last 3 years, the Raiders have been behind so much, largely due to Russell's turnovers, the Raiders have had low time of possession and lots of passes. Too bad Russell couldn't hang onto the football like he would a bottle of Purple. When Michael Bush carries the ball 14 times or more in his two year NFL career, he has gained 100 yards or more.

Yes, Bush splits time with Darren McFadden but DMac has been sidelined with injuries a lot and is currently nursing a tight hamstring. As much as I would like the former Razorback McFadden to succeed, Bush is the best bet to put up fantasy numbers in the Raiders offense.

The addition of Jason Campbell, who has improved in every season in his NFL career, and the addition by subtraction of Russell, who couldn't lead a wild bear to relieve himself in the woods, will help the Raiders in several ways. Campbell will at least keep Oakland in games, giving both Bush and McFadden a chance to strut their stuff. In fantasy leagues with points per reception, McFadden could be a late round option.

Mike Wallace WR Pittsburgh
If you thought the old crustacean on CBS was the only 60 minute man, here is another, much younger version than Mike Wallace of CBS. This Mike Wallace is extremely fast. Maybe not as fast as Ben Roethlisberger thinks he is with the ladies, but in his rookie season last year, Wallace caught 39 passes for 756 yards and 6 touchdowns.

With Santonio Holmes and his 79 receptions for 1,248 yards having been banished to New York for misbehavior, look for this guy to benefit the most. Ben Roethlisberger's 4-6 game suspension will hurt Wallace's fantasy numbers some, but look for Mike Wallace to be the breakout WR in fantasy football in 2010.

Early Doucet WR Arizona
Most fantasy football observors are expecting Steve Breaston, the Cards' former 3rd WR to pick up departed Anquan Boldin's slack in 2010. After all, Breaston did have 55 receptions for over 700 yards a year ago. However, in Arizona's playoff win over Green Bay, Doucet caught 6 balls for 77 yards and 2 TDs. In their loss to New Orleans, Doucet had 8 catches. Yes, Early Doucet had only 17 catches for the season, but 14 in two playoff games. Of course, that was with now retired Kurt Warner throwing the ball, not Matt Leinart, but think about it.

With Leinart and Doucet both on the bench the last two years, the pair have had a lot of time to work together, building chemistry. Doucet is entering his third season, a time when so many receivers break out. Hmmm.

Charlie Whitehurst QB Seattle
Don't draft this guy in your fantasy football draft, but keep an eye on Whitehurst as a 2nd half of the season waiver pickup if you need a QB. Having spent 2-3 years on the bench in San Diego behind Phillip Rivers, Whitehurst was traded to Seattle to replace Matt Hasselbeck at some point.

That point will probably come in 2010 with Hasselbeck's fantasy numbers shrinking the last couple of years, along with Seattle's number of wins. If the Seahawks are out of playoff contention as expected, this guy should replace Elizabeth Hasselbeck's brother in law, he of the 17 TDs and 17 INTs in 2009.

These are my Top 10 fantasy football breakout players in 2010