Fantasy Football Projections: AFC East

Fantasy football week is upon us once again. Each FanHouse NFL division writer used their keen insight to predict the top four fantasy football scorers at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end.

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Andy Kent covers the AFC East.


QUARTERBACKS

1. Tom Brady, New England: 4,100 yards, 30 touchdowns.

Three years removed from setting the record for most touchdowns in a season (50) -- and with Randy Moss and an on-the-mend but still sure-handed Wes Welker at his disposal -- Brady is a virtual lock for 4,000-plus passing yards, at least a 62 percent completion rate and shouldn't have too much trouble surpassing 30 touchdown passes while keeping his interceptions in the very low double figures.

2. Chad Henne, Miami: 3,500 yards, 25 touchdowns.

In 13 starts last year with a nondescript receiving corps Henne still managed to throw for almost 3,000 yards (2,878), 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions after being thrown into the fire following Chad Pennington's season-ending shoulder injury. Now he has that experience under his belt and easily one of the top five wide receivers in the league in Brandon Marshall, so 3,500-plus yards, high-50s to low-60s completion percentage, between 25 to 30 touchdowns and closer to 10 interceptions are realistic.

3. Mark Sanchez, New York Jets: 2,600 yards, 20 touchdowns.

The Jets have surrounded him with lots of talent at wide receiver, tight end and running back. But Sanchez is still going to be asked to manage the game more while relying on the running game and the defense to win low-scoring games and not take too many risks. Expect him to lower the number of interceptions from the 20 he had last year and get closer to 20 touchdown passes while staying around 2,500 to 2,750 passing yards and 60 percent completion.

4. Trent Edwards, Buffalo: 3,100 yards, 17 touchdowns.

Edwards can't help but go up from last year's dismal performance in seven starts, even without Terrell Owens, as new Bills coach Chan Gailey works well with quarterbacks. Still, Buffalo will be facing tough defenses within the division and interceptions seem to find this QB at the worst times. If he stays healthy and starts the whole season, Edwards should surpass 3,000 passing yards, but his TD-to-INT ratio will probably be around 17-to-16.


RUNNING BACKS

1. Ronnie Brown, Miami: 1,500 yards, 13 touchdowns.

The last time he was coming back from injury Brown reached the Pro Bowl in 2008 thanks to the Wildcat and some hard running. He and Ricky Williams were on pace to both surpass 1,000 rushing yards last year when he suffered a season-ending foot injury. Brown is due to go start-to-finish this year for between 1,400 and 1,600 rushing yards, at least 300 receiving yards and between 8 to 10 rushing touchdowns and another one to three receiving touchdowns -- if he can stay healthy.

2. Shonn Greene, New York Jets: 1,400 yards, 10 touchdowns.

As a rookie, Greene showed flashes of being an every-down running back, which made Jets coach Rex Ryan and the front office feel comfortable with letting Thomas Jones go. Now that he will be the featured back in a run-first offense, Greene appears capable of a 1,300 to 1,500-yard season and nine to 11 rushing touchdowns, but LaDainian Tomlinson will eat up the receiving yards and receptions.

3. Ricky Williams, Miami: 1,200 yards, 9 touchdowns.

This remains a very potent one-two tandem for the Dolphins, and when Brown went down last year Williams showed he had plenty left in the tank to carry a ground attack. He is just as good a receiver out of the backfield as Brown and rushed for 1,121 yards in just seven starts, so he can easily stretch that to 1,300-plus yards and seven to nine rushing touchdowns along with another 275 to 300 receiving yards and one or two touchdown receptions.

4. C.J. Spiller, Buffalo: 1,100 yards, 10 touchdowns.

He wasn't supposed to be thrust into a featured role as a rookie, but injuries to Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch forced the Bills to utilize him that way in the last two preseason games and he has responded well. Even if Jackson and Lynch come back 100 percent, Spiller is a fantasy star waiting to happen with his versatility. Spiller should be good for 600 to 800 rushing yards, another 500 receiving yards and a combined 10 touchdowns.

WIDE RECEIVERS

1. Randy Moss, New England: 90 catches, 1,450 yards, 17 touchdowns.

The same year Brady set the record for most TD passes in a season, Moss broke Jerry Rice's record for most TD receptions with 23 and his "down years" in 2008 and 2009 still resulted in double-digit TD receptions (11 and 13) and back-to-back seasons over 1,000 receiving yards (1,264 in 2009). Now that Brady is back to his old form, expect Moss to catch between 85 to 90 passes for more than 1,400 yards and at least 15 touchdowns.

2. Brandon Marshall, Miami: 1,200 yards, 10 touchdowns.

Three straight seasons of more than 100 receptions have established Marshall as an elite receiver and now he has a quarterback in Henne with a cannon for an arm who can find him anywhere on the field. Despite the Dolphins' run-first attitude, a thoroughbred like Marshall with his big price tag has to be used properly, which should mean another 100-catch season for between 1,100 to 1,300 yards and between eight to 10 touchdowns.

3. Wes Welker, New England: 100 catches, 1,100 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Had he not torn the ACL and MCL in his left knee in the 2009 regular-season finale, it would be easy to predict that he could come close to matching the 123 catches for 1,348 yards and four TDs he racked up. He led the NFL in receptions, but even though he has made a fast recovery, the Patriots and Brady won't want to overextend him early in the season.

4. Braylon Edwards, New York Jets: 75 catches for 900 yards and 8 touchdowns.

Edwards made an immediate impact for the Jets after they acquired him from the Cleveland Browns in Week 5 and finished with 35 catches for 541 yards and four TDs in 11 starts and 12 games. He and Sanchez have had a full offseason and training camp to develop a better chemistry, and with Santonio Holmes suspended for the first four games Edwards will be more of a target.


TIGHT ENDS

1. Dustin Keller, New York Jets: 50 catches for 700 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Keller is more like a wide receiver in a tight end's body and was Sanchez's best safety valve last season, catching 45 passes or 522 yards and two touchdowns. At 6-foot-2 and 248 pounds he is faster than most tight ends and can get deep, but is also reliable in the red zone.

2. Anthony Fasano, Miami: 45 catches for 550 yards and 6 touchdowns.

When he was teamed up with David Martin back in 2008, Fasano tied a franchise record with seven TDs on 34 receptions for 454 yards, and Martin re-signed with the team one week into training camp. The addition of Marshall will open up the middle of the field for Fasano and Martin, so he should have little trouble matching or even surpassing his 2008 totals.

3. David Martin, Miami: 35 catches for 450 yards and 3 touchdowns.

A knee injury sidelined Martin all of last season as the Dolphins placed him on IR and then released him in December, but he has quickly gotten back into shape and is clicking again with Fasano. That same year, he reeled in 31 passes for 450 yards and three TDs, and as a tight end that can run the seam route and get deep, he will also benefit from Marshall's addition.

4. Alge Crumpler, New England: 25 catches for 325 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Crumpler is a four-time Pro Bowler who now has arguably one of the greatest QBs of all-time throwing to him in Brady. The Patriots drafted two tight ends to fill that need but Crumpler's experience should prove valuable as New England looks to reign supreme in the AFC East.