TOP 25 FANTASY QBs (2008)

August 7th, 2008 by Daniel Freer

What is a good fantasy team without a good fantasy QB?

It’s like Iron Man using aluminum…

Juno without the baby…

Hellboy without the big right hand (but, can he throw with it?)

Enough with the cinematic references…However, your fantasy squad will bomb without a decent QB.

Fortunately, the QB crop for 2008 is very deep, and should afford all fantasy players with a productive QB or two for the entire season. Unless your league has 35 teams, you should be able to find a serviceable QB…even during the off-weeks of your #1 and #2 QB.

Here is our Fantasy College Blitz Top 25 Fantasy QBs for 2008.

1. GRAHAM HARRELL – Texas Tech: America’s most pass-happy offense could be setting records like crazy in 2008. Armed with the best WR in America in Michael Crabtree , Harrell could break the 6000 yard-50 TD barrier this season. This is a QB who threw for 400+ yards in every game, except one, in 2007. Adding to the excess…the Red Raiders face two FCS schools this fall. What can I trade for your Number One overall draft choice?

2. DAN LeFEVOUR – Central Michigan: LeFevour will Fire up the Chips and your fantasy squad for 2008…for last season he threw 37 TD passes and ran for 19 more. LeFevour may be more Tim Tebow than Tim Tebow this season. If CMU did not have a visit to Georgia in Week Two, LeFevour could arguably be the top fantasy QB in 2008.

3. TIM TEBOW – Florida: The first NCAA QB to throw for more than 20 TDs and rush for over 20 TDs in the same season, look for the 2007 Heisman winner to come close to those numbers this season. Although the Gator backfield gets a boost with Emmanuel Moody transferring in from USC, I still see Tebow getting the calls on third/fourth down and short.

4. NATE DAVIS – Ball State: Davis has been on the verge of major-breakout since he arrived in Muncie a few seasons ago. With stud WR Dante Love and stud TE Darius Hill catching passes, this season will be the year Davis explodes. Also, the Cardinals may have the easiest, most fantasy-friendly, schedule of any MAC school in 2008.

5. CHASE DANIEL – Missouri: A consistent stat-producer who should continue to tear it up this season. Another QB with an excellent WR and TE (Jeremy Maclin, Chase Coffman , respectively) who should at least equal his 2007 production in 2008. Daniel is also good for 4-5 rushing TDs, and a few hundred rushing yards, per season.

6. PAT WHITE – West Virginia: White threw for 14 TDs and rushed for 14 more in 2007, and gets better each season throwing the football. Look for continued big rushing numbers from the mobile QB in 2008, as the Mountaineers return their entire starting offensive line. And, do not expect changes with the offense with new head coach Bill Stewart

7. DAVID JOHNSON – Tulsa: Replacing a 5000 yard passer and 60 total TD producer in Paul Smith will be no easy task, but Johnson has most of Smith’s offensive weapons returning, like WRs Brennan Marion and Trae Johnson , along with RBs Tarrion Adams and Charles Clay . With backup QB Clark Harrell transferring, the Golden Hurricane QB job is between Johnson and JUCO import Jacob Bower .

8. CHASE HOLBROOK – New Mexico State: Injuries cut into his production in 2007, but Holbrook still passed for nearly 4000 yards. With the return of WR Chris Williams from injury, look for Holbrook to return to 2006 form, when he was one of the top producing QBs.

9. TYLER GRAUNKE/INOKE FUNAKI – Hawaii: With Greg McMacklin taking over as head coach from June Jones , do not expect a huge drop-off in production in 2008…just not certain as of press time which Warrior QB will be the starter. UH also lost their top WRs from last season, and will need new starters to emerge at that position.

10. RILEY DODGE – North Texas: Some may think it is nutty to put a true-freshman on this list, but Dodge comes into UNT already knowing the "Dodge Ball" offense…his dad, Todd Dodge , is the head coach. The younger Dodge is not a product of nepotism…he originally committed to Texas (as in, Longhorns). And, the Mean Green has good WRs like Casey Fitzgerald for Dodge to throw to.

11. JAKE LOCKER – Washington: Another QB compared to that Heisman guy in Gainesville…except that Locker is pretty much the whole Husky offense. The sophomore should add to his near-1000 yard rushing and 13 rushing TDs from last season. Linebackers do not like tackling this dude.

12. ZAC ROBINSON – Oklahoma State: Robinson (pictured, above, thanks IconSMI ) will definitely make Cowboy coach Mike Gundy "the man" if he produces like last season…especially matching the 800+ yards rushing and 9 rushing TDs. It helps also throwing to talent like WR Dez Bryant and TE Brandon Pettigrew

13. CURTIS PAINTER – Purdue: Painter would be higher on this list if his Boilermakers did not struggle as much with the Big Ten elite, but, Painter performs quite well against lesser opponents. Fortunately, for Purdue, Ohio State only appears once on this year’s schedule.

14. SAM BRADFORD – Oklahoma: I may get some heat from Norman putting the Stillwater guy ahead of Bradford, but the OU QB is not the runner like his Sooner State counterpart. Plus, OSU alum T. Boone Pickens may shut off my power. All kidding aside, Bradford is a good fantasy QB with his entire O-Line back.

15. JUSTIN WILLIS – SMU: Of course, pending on Willis winning the staring job at Mockingbird Lane…as he missed spring ball. He is the best QB New Pony Coach (sounds like a band) June Jones inherits from the fomer SMU staff, and brings a run-threat Jones never really had while at Hawaii. Willis could make things sweet if he can run the Run-And-Shoot offense.

16. MAX HALL – BYU: The only thing that may slow the Cougar QB down in 2008 is handing off to stud RB Harvey Unga . Fortunately, Unga also catches a lot of passes, like teammates WR Austin Collie and TE Dennis Pitta . BYU is arguably the best non-BCS team this season, and Hall is a big reason why.

17. MATT GROTHE – South Florida : Similar to his Big East counterpart Pat White, except Grothe is a better passer. Only drawback with Grothe is that he seems to break down later in the year, as he is so much of the Bulls offense. Watch out if skill talent around him finally breaks-out.

18. COLT McCOY – Texas: I am probably the only one who still thinks McCoy is a good QB. No, he did not match his stellar 2006 freshman season in 2007, but, he still produces…and is a credible running threat.

19. WILLIE TUITAMA – Arizona: No other Pac Ten QB threw for more yards than Tuitama last season, and returns a great WR corps led by Mike Thomas . The Wildcat QB could use a little more consistentcy.

20. RUSTY SMITH – Florida Atlantic: Smith broke out last season, throwing for 32 TDs and a whole bunch of yards. His top targets, WR Cortez Gent and TE Jason Harmon , are back…and the Owls are the best team in the Sun Belt.

21. CHASE CLEMENT – Rice: A slow start in 2007 did not hamper another good season for another Owl signal-caller. With All-American WR Jarett Dillard to throw to, and great mobility, Clement is on the verge of being an elite fantasy QB.

22. ADAM WEBER – Minnesota: The Gophers may have went only 1-11 last season, but do not blame Weber, as he threw 24 TD passes and rushed for over 600 yards and 5 TDs. With WR Eric Decker on the receiving end, the Gopher tandem may be the best hook-up in the Big Ten.

23. CULLEN HARPER – Clemson: The ACCs best QB threw for nearly 3000 yards and 27 TDs last season, and would be higher on this list if he didn’t have big-time RBs James Davis and C.J. Spiller to hand-off to.

24. TYLER SHEEHAN – Bowling Green: Interesting scenario for Sheehan…his best WR, Freddie Barnes , and his best RB, Anthony Turner …were the ones he beat out for the starting QB job. With the job securely his, Sheehan should continue to pile up the stats in 2008.

25. COLIN KAEPERNICK – Nevada: A tall, lanky QB with a huge arm and very fast legs, Kaepernick may have to battle former starter Nick Graziano for the starting job…but Kaepernick is a budding talent who should feast on the WAC in 2008.

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