Outlook: While Newton wasn’t quite as productive last season as he was during his impressive rookie season, there is little doubt the Panthers hit a home run by making him the first overall selection in the 2011 draft. No quarterback has thrown for more yards over their first two seasons than Newton's 7,920, and he has contributed 62 total touchdowns (40 passing, 22 running) over that time frame. That's impressive, especially considering the Panthers scored just 16 touchdowns during the 2010 season. Did we mention the hole? Unfortunately, the Panthers have done little to fill the hole in the depth chart at receiver opposite Steve Smith and thus improve their receiving corps in 2013, and that limits Newton's explosiveness in the passing game. With Rod Chudzinski now in Cleveland, Mike Shula takes over at offensive coordinator, which adds a little risk to Newton's fantasy profile. However, that's a minor issue since Newton has the talent to make any offense run well. Speaking of running, did we mention that Newton is the NFL's preeminent rushing quarterback (sorry, RGIII fans) with 1,447 yards over the past two seasons. Last season, we questioned Newton's ability to approach the 14 rushing touchdowns he had as a rookie, and he dropped to eight touchdowns. But we have no doubt that he can top 700 yards for the third consecutive season and score 8–10 touchdowns. To sum it up, Newton's lack of explosive receiving options puts him behind the likes of Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers, but he rates as the next best option, and one that possesses amazing upside. ~ Dave Stringer

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Outlook: Buyer beware. Palmer regularly gets lukewarm reviews as a fantasy QB, but he deserves more credit than he gets in that his arm isn't nearly as bad as it is made out to be. Sure, elbow surgery has taken some zip off of his passes, especially his deep throws, but there are plenty of quarterbacks who have worse arm strength than Palmer. Despite having to play with a group of Raiders receivers that was among the worst in the league last season, Palmer threw for more than 4,000 yards for the third time in his career, with 22 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. And that was despite missing almost two full games. In Arizona he gets a full set of receiving options in the form of Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, Andre Roberts and Robert Housler and an opportunity to operate new head coach Bruce Arians' downfield passing attack. There is some risk to drafting Palmer since his poor mobility is a bad fit playing behind a suspect Cardinals offensive line. Since Palmer finished last season as the 16th-ranked quarterback despite a lack of receiving talent, consider that his floor for 2013. Safely grab him as your QB2 and don't be shocked if he is surprisingly productive. ~ Dave Stringer

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Outlook: Two middling seasons after being taken with the 12th pick in the 2011 draft, Ponder faces a make-or-break season in 2013 with the Vikings. Entering training camp, reports indicated that the Vikings weren't going to allow Ponder to play through the growing pains he experienced during his first two years in the league, making him a candidate to be replaced at some point during the season. While he threw for a respectable 2,935 yards with 18 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions, Ponder offered little in the way of big-play ability and had several poor performances, throwing for fewer than 150 yards five times and topping 250 yards just four times. Although the Vikings added Greg Jennings in the offseason, the team still possesses one of the worst wide receiver depth charts in the league, and that will hinder Ponder's ability to keep free agent signee Matt Cassel nailed to the bench. ~ Dave Stringer

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Comment: Raiders haven't named a starting QB yet, but Pryor is the favorite. ~ Mike Krueger

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Outlook: There was a time when Rivers was surrounded by plenty of Pro Bowl talent but those days are long gone. While Rivers is just 31 years old, his days as a fantasy starter appear to be behind him, at least until the Chargers replace the Pro Bowl personnel they have lost in recent seasons. Vincent Jackson, Darren Sproles and left tackle Marcus McNeill have left town and tight end Antonio Gates no longer dominates at his position. Surrounded by less talent, Rives has overcompensated over the last two seasons, often trying to do too much and generating far too many turnovers (22 in 2012). Coming off a season in which he threw for just 3,606 yards and struggled to generate big plays, there aren't many reasons to suggest a career renaissance in 2013. Sure, he may have Danario Alexander for a full season, and the team added wide receiver Keenan Allen and right tackle D.J. Fluker in the draft, but these don't appear to be enough to get Rivers back into QB1 territory. Consider him a mid-tier QB2 this season. ~ Dave Stringer

Comment: The Chargers want Rivers to utilize the checkdown more often. ~ Mike Krueger

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Outlook: After a string of five consecutive seasons in which he has finished as the first- or second-ranked fantasy QB, Rodgers enters 2013 as the safest elite QB you can grab on draft day. And after a season in which he was considered a bit of a disappointment, the cost of adding him to your roster won't be as punitive as it was last year. With defenses taking away the Packers’ ability to generate big plays by playing their safeties deep and using plenty of zone coverage, Rodgers was forced to throw underneath more than in previous seasons, finishing the year with just 4,295 yards despite attempting 552 passes. That's a far cry from the 4,643 he put up in 2011 on just 502 attempts. His touchdown passes declined from 45 to 39 and he tacked on a pair of touchdowns and 259 yards on the ground. While Greg Jennings left as a free agent and Donald Driver retired, the Packers still feature one of the league's best trio of receivers in Randall Cobb, Jordy Nelson and James Jones, in addition to enigmatic tight end Jermichael Finley. With opposing defenses certain to replicate the strategies they used last season, Rodgers is unlikely to approach the 5,000 passing yards that some quarterbacks could hit this season. However, his rushing prowess and ability to avoid turnovers and keep the chains moving should ensure he finishes as the first- or second-ranked fantasy QB once again in 2013. ~ Dave Stringer

Comment: According to our Consistency Calculator, Rodgers has been the most consistent fantasy quarterback over the last three seasons. ~ Mike Krueger

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Outlook: With Big Ben, the question is which story do you believe? Is he the 31-year-old entrenched superstar coming off a superb season in which he threw for 3,265 yards with 26 touchdowns and just eight interceptions in only 13 games? The one who would have put up even greater numbers if not for three missed games, subpar play along the offensive line, Mike Wallace's holdout and Antonio Brown's injury issues? Or is he the declining veteran who has failed to play all 16 games since the 2008 season and who figures to struggle in 2013, given Wallace's departure and tight end Heath Miller's questionable health as he returns from a torn ACL suffered late last season? While Roethlisberger figures to benefit from having a year of experience in offensive coordinator Todd Haley's offense, there is no denying that the team has major issues at wide receiver and tight end, and an improved depth chart at running back. Pittsburgh's talent level would seem to dictate a more balanced run/pass ratio in 2013, and that doesn't bode well for Roethlisberger's fantasy prospects. While he has been rated as a lower-tier QB1 or upper-tier QB2 for several seasons, he enters 2013 as a lower-tier QB2 because of his injury issues and the question marks among his receiving core. ~ Dave Stringer

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Outlook: The Cowboys have put their faith in Tony Romo, signing him to a lucrative long-term extension during the offseason despite his age (33 on opening day) and his inconsistent play in 2012. While Romo doesn't look like a player that will ever lead the Cowboys to the promised land, his fantasy bona-fides are definitely in order. With the Cowboys struggling to establish a consistent running game last season, Romo had his most prolific passing season, establishing career highs in completions (425), attempts (648) and yards (4,903) while throwing for 28 touchdowns. While his penchant for untimely turnovers may have annoyed the Cowboys, it wasn't the death knell for his fantasy production, as he averaged over 21 PPG for the sixth consecutive season. With Dallas having brought back all their key passing attack weapons, and with improvement expected along the offensive line and the injury-prone DeMarco Murray still leading the rushing attack with no proven backup, Romo figures to come close to matching his 2012 production this season. Consider him a mid-tier QB1. ~ Dave Stringer

Comment: Romo finished as the 7th best fantasy QB in 2012; the 9th best fantasy QB in 2011. ~ Mike Krueger

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