Getting the jump on your fantasy league

It?s never too early to start talking fantasy football, even though discussions at this time of year to some are tantamount to putting out Christmas trees for sale in July in your local stores.

As for me, I have my priorities well-ordered: They are God, family and fantasy football.

With that disclaimer, it is a long-standing tradition in my local fantasy league to conduct the draft order draw on July 4, giving the league?s 20 owners time to decide who they will take at fantasy draft Aug. 20. It?s the draft order draw which can decide destinies in the coming season.

Last year, I drafted second in my conference, taking Shaun Alexander who had a record-setting year with 29 touchdowns. Seeing I went in the tank with my second-round pick and chose Jamal Lewis and made some other questionable personnel moves, I finished in a four-way tie for fourth last year in my league.

This year, the landscape has changed. This year I drew out the seventh pick, leaving me out in the cold as far as the elite players go. The way most enthusiasts are seeing it this year, there are four players head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to fantasy football.

First, you have your big three running backs in LaDanian Tomlinson, Shaun Alexander and Larry Johnson, the latter of whom?s stock went up this week when his co-star in Kansas City, Priest Holmes, announced he is still battling a serious neck injury and may have to retire. The fourth of the elite is former Vol Peyton Manning, who is a man amongst boys when it comes to fantasy league quarterbacks. While he won?t throw a record 49 touchdown passes this year, he will get his owners over 30 TD balls, something very few, if any, other quarterbacks will be able to do this season.

After those four, there are no clear choices as there is a big drop-off in expectations. Now most experts saw draft the running backs first because they are the most rare. This may be true, but if you?re drafting at the rear-end of a 10-team conference, where?s the value? Is Tiki Barber set for another good season or will Ronnie Brown shine in Miami with the departure of his cannibus-loving friend turned Toronto Argonaut Ricky Williams?

Or, would a person be better served to jump on the receiver train, perhaps taking Steve Smith or Santana Moss in the first round?

Or, will the old-timers, Randy Moss and Terrell Owens, put up first-round numbers again this year and make a better first-round value? They are both coming off of forgettable seasons with T.O. benched in Philly by his big mouth and Moss limping through most of last season with an injury, shagging passes from a quarterback who couldn?t throw a 40-yard post if his life depended on it.

Flash forward to 2006, out in Oakland Moss will be fielding passes from former Saint Aaron Brooks whose only talent was throwing the long ball. And, who is the best long-ball receiver in the game? Randy Moss, hurt or not hurt. Meanwhile, T.O. is in Dallas with what could be his last chance, fielding passes from Drew Bledsoe, who, in a past life in New England, was known to put up over 30 touchdowns in a season.

While it?s fun to speculate who may be the surprise or comeback performer, the harsh truth is that if, in your league, you aren?t picking in the top four, you?re already starting from behind.