Fantasy Football's Top 5 NFL Quarterbacks in 2010

Tier 1
1. Aaron Rodgers, Packers: After a Pro Bowl '09 season as the fantasy scoring leader amongst quarterbacks, Rodgers remains a mortal lock to rank amongst the top two fantasy quarterbacks in 2010. The Packers' franchise quarterback compiled 536+ passing attempts for the second consecutive season, while improving across the board in completion percentage, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions (with five rushing touchdowns to boot). After suffering 50 sacks last season, the Packers made shoring up the team's offensive line an offseason priority. In light of the Packers' middle-of-the-road rushing attack, a stable of talented receivers, and the emergence of star tight end Jermichael Finley, expect Green Bay's aerial assault to continue in 2010... delighting fantasy football owners in the process. A 4,500+ yard, 32 to 35 touchdown campaign appears to be a foregone conclusion, if Rodgers remains healthy.

2. Drew Brees, Saints: Expect the Super Bowl champions and the team's "King of New Orleans" to follow '09 with another fantasy-friendly season in 2010. Sean Payton's pass-happy offense will undoubtedly continue to cause fits for opposing defenses, by creating difficult matchup problems schematically, with personnel groupings, shifting, and motion. Brees should once again challenge for the league's passing yardage crown and replicate back-to-back 34 passing touchdown seasons, due to the team's unrivaled offensive efficiency, the friendly confines of the Superdome, and one of the league's best offensive lines. Rodgers certainly possesses greater upside, but Brees is more than likely the safer pick in 2010, as the Saints will play 13 out of their 16 games in a dome or warm-weather stadium, as opposed to three for the Packers.

3. Peyton Manning, Colts: The NFL's Most Valuable Player in '09, Manning remains fantasy football's most predictable producer during the past decade, after recording 30+ touchdowns and 4,000+ passing yards for the fourth time in the last six seasons. Expect Manning's stock to continue to pay dividends to fantasy owners in 2010, due to the Colts' sustained emphasis on the passing game (the NFL's second fewest rushing attempts in 2009), the return of Anthony Gonzalez, the development of promising young receivers Collie and Garcon, and the anticipated production of fantasy stalwarts, Wayne and Clark. Indianapolis faces a vaunted regular season schedule in 2010; however, Manning averaged 335 passing yards and 3 touchdowns versus eventual playoff teams during the Colts' 14-game winning streak in 2009. Anticipate 4,500+ passing yards and 30 to 32 passing touchdowns for Manning this season.

Tier 2
4. Tony Romo, Cowboys: 2010 looms as a career fantasy year for Romo and the Cowboys' stable of talented, young playmakers. Romo remarkably compiled eight 300+ yard passing performances in 2009, while an anticipated shift towards a more versatile featured back in Felix Jones, signals a continued emphasis on moving the football through the air. Expect the Cowboys to spread the field with Bryant and Austin as much as possible, in order to create mismatches underneath with Witten, Jones, and maybe even Roy Williams, once in awhile. With that much talent on the field, the Cowboys aerial attack could inevitably mirror the '09 Saints, while potentially staking claim as the NFL's most explosive offense in 2010. 4,500+ yards and 32 to 34 touchdowns (or more) certainly remain within the realm of possibility for Romo this season. In many leagues, owners will likely select Romo as the No. 6-No. 8 quarterback, allowing you to likely receive second round quarterback value in the third or fourth round.

5. Tom Brady, Patriots: Owners drafting Brady, in hopes that the five-time Pro Bowler returns to'07 form must temper their expectations. The former MVP's incredible 2007 campaign serves as the lone season Brady has surpassed 30 touchdowns or 4,500 yards. Ultimately, Brady delivered an impressive 2009 season, in light of the severity of his knee injury in 2008. Expect a determined Brady to produce 4,400 passing yards and 30 passing touchdowns, by default. If Wes Welker is able to return to Pro Bowl form, Randy Moss stays interested, a consistent third receiving threat emerges, and the ground game remains respectably productive, there certainly exists a higher ceiling for the Patriots' once-vaunted aerial attack.

References: All statistics, 2010 NFL schedules, and fantasy football rankings as referenced on ESPN.com's NFL page and Fantasy Football page.