Before we get started with the rest of the SEC units – namely, the TE/D-ST/K conundrum of replaceability – a quick note; Knile Davis’ broken ankle knocks him out for the season. Nobody in the Arkansas backfield has shown much of anything aside from Davis, and even 2009 Jovorski Lane impersonator extraordinaire Broderick Green (443 yards, 11 TDs) is out for the season. That leaves Ronnie Wingo and Dennis Johnson as the two primary RBs there, and neither has shown much of anything so far. Wingo’s more likely to excel based on what’s happened so far in their respective college careers, but they’re both in the “avoid until they show something” category.

The only silver lining here is an entirely personal one; the timing of Davis’ injury (which, let’s be honest, sucks for Arkansas, sucks for fantasy, and sucks for fans of wildly competitive divisions and conference cannibalism) means that I don’t have to preface any of the TE, D/ST units, or K in the SEC, which are all about as interesting as lead paint. Prepare accordingly.

SEC Tight Ends (or, the other dude)

1. Brandon Barden, Vanderbilt

Yeah, that’s how quick the tight end positions thins out this year. Barden had the unfortunate distinction of being Vanderbilt’s leading receiver last year, which …well, if you could sum up a season in a sentence, that would describe the Vanderbilt 2010 campaign. 500 yards and 5 TDs seem possible, but again, it’s Vanderbilt. Read the rest of this entry →

I'm here to declare myself the #1 fantasy WR in the SEC (Icon SMI)

I don’t want to mince words, so let’s just have it out: the SEC’s wide receivers kind of suck as a fantasy unit. There’s a steep dropoff from the top to the mid-tier right now; some of this will shake out over the course of the season, but it’s equally likely that it’ll just be slow chaos all around. It doesn’t help matters that so many of the top WRs from last year – AJ Green, Julio Jones, Denarius Moore – have bolted for the NFL. That leaves question marks all around.

First Tier: As Good As It Gets Here – Draft-Worthy

Yes, it’s gotten so bad here that we have to call out the guys that are actually worth drafting. I’m just glad there’s enough rain that there won’t be clouds of dust.

1. Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina Read the rest of this entry →

QB Tyler Wilson looks to step in as the new gunslinger at Arkansas (Icon SMI)

It’s a little strange to see a conference so historically run-heavy emerge with multiple viable fantasy QBs in nearly all formats, but that’s where we stand now. The unleashing of Bobby Petrino and Gus Malzahn’s on the SEC (and, let’s be honest, Cam Newton destroying everything) served as a nice reminder that hey, the guy under center not only doesn’t have to be under center, but he can also run or pass more than 25 times a game. This season, with the departure of Newton and Ryan Mallett, it easily looks like there’s a potential QB void in the SEC – again. That’s not the case.

First Tier – Draftable and Startable

1. Tyler Wilson, Arkansas

Wilson saw limited action last year (mostly when Mallett was injured) and served as a capable replacement, going toe-to-toe against the Auburn juggernaut. Granted, he didn’t exactly keep that game close, but it’s tough to notch a win when your defense looks like fresh baby food. With the emergence of Knile Davis and the return of nearly everyone who caught a pass among the receiver corps, Wilson has plenty of quality targets. He’s as plug-and-play as it gets for Petrino, and should approximate Mallett’s performance. Read the rest of this entry →

Auburn QB Cam Newton collects all the hardware as the top QB in the county. (Icon SMI)

Once again, it was another good season down south.  Undefeated team?  Check.  Two teams in BCS games?  Check. Sure, the names were different this year – Auburn and Arkansas aren’t your typical SEC powers on a national level, but they’re as strong as they’ve ever been this year.  The other surprise team was South Carolina, who rode some of their best recruiting classes to date to a SEC East title. Meanwhile, 2007-2009 powers Florida and Alabama struggled. Florida in particular has their own set of problems, which was an understatement this season (and may still be an understatement).

With all the changing of the guard, the first-team and second-team selections for the All-SEC Fantasy teams aren’t from the same teams that we’ve come to expect, although we will note that a dual-threat ex-Urban Meyer QB ended up as the first-team QB.  Some things never change.

First Team

QB:  Cam Newton, Auburn

I know this pick has to surprise everyone. Newton was the story of the 2010 season, putting up comic-book numbers (and completely destroying my ideas for the Auburn offense; thanks for being too good, Cam). Simply put, if you owned him, he dominated for you. Read the rest of this entry →