Are you ready?

I'm super excited (as always) that the calendar flipped to August. It means it will be colder soon (thank God), and best of all fantasy football.
So, no album to review this week, but it is nearly football season, which means my rankings for fantasy football start today! 

We kick off the rankings with Quarterback.
First things first, lets take a look at how I did in 2015 for signal callers:
 Picked No. 1 for 2015, Aaron Rodgers. Actually finished: 11. Lost Jordy before the season began, so understandable that he dipped.
Picked No. 2 for 2015, Andrew Luck. Actually finished: 27. It was a strange year in Indy.
Picked No. 3 for 2015, Ben Roethlisberger. Actually finished: 20. Missed four games, or he would have been top 5ish.
Picked No. 4 for 2015, Russell Wilson. Actually finished: 3. Pat on the back for that one.
Picked No. 5 for 2015, Drew Brees. Actually finished: 4. Another solid pick.
Picked No. 7 for 2015, Matt Ryan. Actually finished: 17. How he is this bad with Julio Jones as a wideout is beyond me.
Picked No. 7 for 2015, Eli Manning. Actually finished: 7. Spot on. Just remember that, because next is...
Picked No. 8 for 2015, Peyton Manning. Actually finished: 31. This was just stupid. Should've known the cliff was coming.
Picked No. 9 for 2015, Tony Romo. Actually finished: 39. He broke the same bone twice, so whatever.
Picked No. 10 for 2015, Matt Stafford. Actually finished: 9. Pretty well done.


I feel like I did a reasonably good job. The ones I got wrong were pretty much just injuries, so not bad.


Without further ado, here is my picks for 2016:
1. Drew Brees: He had a really solid year last year, proving he could do well without Jimmy Graham. Brees can use anyone and still throw for 5,000 yards and 30 TDs. I think he's the safest bet at QB.
2. Ben Roethlisberger: Big Ben has had some injury issues, but when healthy he racks up the stats. With Antonio Brown and several young receiving options, he very well could have a monster year.
3. Aaron Rodgers: With Jordy back on the outside, it should boost Rodgers' numbers along with Randall Cobbs.
4. Russell Wilson: His running ability makes him a strong fantasy option. He doesn't have much for weapons, but his legs are enough to keep him in the top five again.
5. Matt Stafford: After the retirement of Megatron, I'm sure most people are dropping Stafford down the rankings, but even without him the past couple of years, Stafford has been as strong as ever. Marvin Jones might break out this year as well.
6. Andrew Luck: He should bounce back nicely after an offseason of rest.
7. Cam Newton: I think he'll regress quite a bit after earning the top spot a year ago, but being the team's goal line option means at least 6-8 rushing TDs and that is great. Plus he'll have Benjamin back.
8. Derek Carr: Oakland is still going to be terrible, so I figure Carr to be this year's Blake Bortles. Amari Cooper doesn't hurt either.
9. Blake Bortles: Speaking of Bortles, he has two really talented receiving options, and really a couple other wideouts that could start on other teams. I think his support is something that keeps him in the top 10.
10. Philip Rivers: You could plug in the name of any number of QBs here: Dalton, Romo, Flacco. I pick Rivers because he should have a full season of Keenan Allen, and that could prove to be fortuitous.

Next week will be running backs. Here are some baseball photos from recent games I've covered. Thanks and enjoy:

Little Falls' Justin Jenks fouls off a pitch at the Division I Legion State Tournament in Loretto, July 29.

Adam Hallberg of Little Falls Legion fires to first base for the out against Fairmont.

Dan Marod takes a big hack at pitch.

Brett Czajkowski fouls off a pitch.

AJ Jenks fires to first base.

Brett Kapsner races to foul territory to track down a pop fly at the Division II Legion State Tournament in Le Sueur, Saturday, July 30.

Lane Girtz chops a ball down the third base line in a pool play game against Glenwood.

Teddy Dehler checks the runner after knocking down a grounder.

Matt Tautges of Pierz Legion dives back, but got picked off.

Pierz' Preston Rocheleau snags the fly ball.

Kapsner swings and misses.

Sobieski pitcher Tyler Jendro pitches against St. Stephen on Sunday, July 31 at Pierz Legion park.

The Skis' Joey Hanowski lays down a sacrifice bunt in the first weekend of Region 8C competition.

Hanowski beat out the bunt for a single.

Sobieski hero Jake Kapphahn prepares to field a ground ball. He hit the game-winning dinger to keep the Skis alive.

This youngster helped drag the mound.

Brad Meyer pitches for Lastrup against Ft. Ripley, Sunday, July 31.

Brett Kramer celebrates with the third base coach after he hit a long ball.

Rebels pitcher Logan Kalis delivers some heat.

Lastrup's Rick Schlieman fouls off a pitch.

Lastrup third baseman Jason Sadlovsky cannot hold on to the ball after tagging Kramer at third base.

Ft. Ripley's Rhett Williamson lets loose his cannon at shortstop.

Meyer comes up short on a dive attempt from his shortstop position.

Pierz Bulldog draftee Brian Kiel pitches for Lastrup.

Jamie Litke made a relief appearance for the Lakers.

Dan Saehr pitched a couple of effective innings as well for Lastrup.