Peyton Manning turned 36 in March.

He is trying to recover from multiple neck surgeries that wiped out his 2011 season, and he admits his arm strength isn't completely back.

Then there's this: In his first 13 years in the NFL, Manning averaged 4,218 yards passing and 32 total touchdowns.

And this: In 2009 and 2010, he had norms of 4,600 yards and 33 TDs.

And this: Has there been a better fantasy quarterback in your lifetime? (Remember, Kurt Warner only had three huge years -- 1999, 2001 and 2008. Here, look.)

So where would you place Manning -- once as safe of a pick as you could make on draft day -- in the quarterback pecking order entering this season? I ranked him 10th, one behind another risky injury selection, Michael Vick, and one ahead of a safe choice, Matt Ryan.

The reasoning: If Manning plays the entire season, he could be better than any fantasy QB not named Rodgers, Brees, Brady and Newton.

Granted, he could also take a brutal hit that puts his career in jeopardy. But I would be willing to take that risk after the top nine QBs were off the board, knowing that I need to make sure I select another quarterback soon after.

Without further delay, our early rankings:

Rank, player, team (bye week): GP, Passing yards-TD-Int, Rushing yards-TD
1. Aaron Rodgers, GB (10): 15, 4,643-45-6, 257-3
2. Drew Brees, NO (6): 16, 5,476-46-14, 86-1
3. Tom Brady, NE (9): 16, 5,235-39-12, 109-3

4. Cam Newton, Car (6): 16, 4,051-21-17, 706-14

5. Matthew Stafford, Det (5): 16, 5,038-41-16, 78-0

6. Eli Manning, NYG (11): 16, 4,933-29-16, 15-1

7. Philip Rivers, SD (7): 16, 4,624-27-20, 36-1

8. Tony Romo, Dal (5): 16, 4,184-31-10, 46-1

9. Michael Vick, Phi (7): 13, 3,303-18-14, 589-1

10. Peyton Manning, Den (7): Did not play

11. Matt Ryan, Atl (7): 16, 4,177-29-12, 84-2

12. Ben Roethlisberger, Pit (4): 15, 4,077-21-14, 70-0

13. Matt Schaub, Hou (8): 10, 2,479-15-6, 9-2

14. Jay Cutler, Chi (6): 10, 2,319-13-7, 55-1

15. Robert Griffin III, Was (10): Rookie

16. Joe Flacco, Bal (8): 16, 3,610-20-12, 88-1

17. Josh Freeman, TB (5): 15, 3,592-16-22, 238-4

18. Andy Dalton, Cin (8): 16, 3,398-20-13, 152-1

19. Carson Palmer, Oak (5): 10, 2,753-13-16, 20-1

20. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buf (8): 16, 3,832-24-23, 56-0

21. Alex Smith, SF (9): 16, 3,144-17-5, 179-2

22. Andrew Luck, Ind (4): Rookie

23. Sam Bradford, StL (9): 10, 2,164-6-6, 26-0

24. Matt Cassel, KC (7): 9, 1,713-10-9, 99-0

25. Mark Sanchez, NYJ (9): 16, 3,474-26-18, 103-6

NOTE: All statistics are from the 2011 season.

QUICK SLANTS: In the last four seasons, Rodgers has 147 combined passing and rushing touchdowns and has averaged 4,259 yards passing. ... In that same span, Brees has thrown for at least 4,388 yards and 33 TDs each year. ... Brady has a combined 79 TD tosses the last two years. ... Prior to playing a full season in 2011, Stafford appeared in 13 games in his first two NFL campaigns. ... Eli Manning has had three consecutive 4,000-yard seasons, and he has a norm of 29 TD passes in that stretch. ... Rivers, possibly because of the departure of Vincent Jackson in free agency, is underrated by some sites, despite averaging 4,399 yards and 30 TDs the last four seasons. ... Romo, who played six games in 2010, averaged 4,334 yards and 30 total TDs in 2009 and '11, when he appeared in all 16 contests each year. ... Ryan has norms of 3,941 yards and 30 total TDs since 2010. ... In 2009 and '10, Schaub averaged 16 games, 4,570 yards and 27 TDs. He could be a great value pick in the middle rounds. .. Flacco's yards passing the last three years: 3,613, 3,622 and 3,610. ... Freeman was terrible for much of last season, but was productive in 2010 (3,451 yards, 25 TDs, six interceptions). ... If Sanchez holds off the legend of Tim Tebow and starts all season, he is better than many fantasy backups. He had 32 combined passing and rushing TDs in 2011.

NEXT: Running backs

In case you weren't excited about Jackie Battle, we now give you Earnest Graham in the In-Season Rush to Acquire a Starting Running Back Sweepstakes.

Thursday, a report circulated by Pro Football Talk that credited WQYK-AM 1010 in Tampa stated Buccaneers running back LeGarrette Blount will miss "several weeks" with a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his knee.

If accurate, that leaves Graham as the best of the Bucs' remaining running backs, along with an intriguing choice in point-per-reception formats.

Blount has been somewhat disappointing in his second season. He has rushed for 328 yards and three touchdowns in five games. Since he isn't a threat to catch passes (four for 58 yards thus far), the fact he has rushed for 71 yards or fewer in three of five contests is even more damaging.

Graham, meanwhile, has 23 receptions and 41 touches in five games. The 31-year-old had a breakout 2007 (898 yards rushing, 10 TDs, 49 receptions for 324 yards), but he has compiled 812 yards and five TDs on the ground in 40 games since.

He's a good receiver, and Sunday's matchup against the Saints is a decent one. New Orleans ranks 15th against the run, which is deceiving because the Saints' opponents usually take to the air, since they are often trailing. New Orleans is allowing 5.2 yards per carry and has given up four rushing TDs.

The Bucs' opponents in Week 7, the Bears, rank 28th against the run and have allowed 5.7 yards per carry.

Consider Graham a flex play in PPR formats, and a fringe No. 2 running back during weeks such as this, when six teams are on a bye.

A few more notes as we get ready for the weekend:

Start 'em

-- Cam Newton, QB, Panthers: In five games, the rookie has thrown for 1,610 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions. He has rushed for 160 yards and five scores. Can he continue this pace? Probably not. But I wouldn't sit him against Atlanta, which has the No. 28 pass defense (294.2 yards per game).

-- Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Lions: He had only five receptions for 64 yards and zero TDs in his first two games, but he's been a top-10 tight end since. In the last three weeks, Pettigrew has 21 catches for 215 yards and a TD. Sunday, Detroit will play host to San Francisco, which ranks No. 23 vs. the pass, but does have one more interception than TD tosses allowed (eight to seven).

PPR flex play of the week

Saints running back Darren Sproles has had at least five catches in each game this season, and he's received an average of 14 touches the last two contests. In that span, Sproles has 18 carries for 126 yards (7.0 average) and 10 receptions for 96 yards.

If Sproles continues to get in the neighborhood of 15 touches, he should produce more than 100 total yards. Combine that with his five catches per game, and any time he reaches the end zone would make a productive PPR play an excellent one.

An added bonus: Sunday's opponents, the Bucs, rank 23rd vs. the run and 20th against the pass.

Sit 'em

-- Dallas Clark, TE, Colts: I wouldn't be surprised if Clark is being dropped in some leagues, since Curtis Painter has targeted the tight end a combined nine times in two games. Clark has six receptions for 65 yards and zero TDs in Indy's last three games. On the season, he has 14 catches for 136 yards and a score. And to think I not too long ago thought Clark was the No. 2 tight end in fantasy.

-- Josh Freeman, QB, and Mike Williams, WR, Buccaneers: We believed Freeman was a fringe top-10 QB heading into the season, and he's been anything but. Freeman -- who threw for 3,451 yards, 25 TDs and six picks, and rushed for 364 yards in 2010, his second NFL season -- has one TD and four interceptions in his last three games. Overall, he has three TDs and six picks.

His struggles have coincided with the decline of Williams, who had 65 receptions for 964 yards and 11 TDs as a rookie in 2010. This year, he has 19 catches for 183 yards and one TD.

Sunday, the Bucs will face a Saints defense that has given up 10 TDs and has only three picks, and with Blount out, Freeman might be throwing quite a bit. Regardless, both players are difficult to keep in your lineup unless bye-week blues have left you desperate.

Give him another week

Jets tight end Dustin Keller, after catching 17 passes for 249 yards and two TDs in his first three games, has three catches for 19 yards in his last two contests. If you're growing impatient, you're not alone, especially since you might not have drafted Keller as a starter and might have two decent tight ends on your roster.

Monday night, the Jets will play host to Miami, which has the league's second-worst pass defense. The Dolphins are allowing 307 passing yards per game and have given up nine TD tosses, compared to two picks, in four contests.

Play Keller this week, and if he lets you down, keep him on your bench until he proves us wrong again.

Drop 'em

If you need the roster space, C.J. Spiller, LaDainian Tomlinson and Pierre Thomas are worthy candidates of joining the waiver wire.

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Imagine stepping into the cluttered mind of Steve Smith.

The 32-year-old Panthers receiver, once a stud, had all of 46 receptions for 554 yards and two touchdowns last season. There were four reasons for the poor numbers: Jimmy Clausen, Matt Moore, Brian St. Pierre and Tony Pike.

As Ken Lucas will tell you, Smith is not to be messed with. It's a safe assumption Clausen was more than a little terrified during his terrible rookie season of 2010.

Enter Cam Newton. Return to fantasy relevance for Smith.

I think the latter is the biggest development from Newton's huge day Sunday at Arizona. The 2011 No. 1 overall draft pick completed 24 of 37 passes for 422 yards, two TDs and one interception. He also rushed for 18 yards and a score.

The yards are the most ever for a rookie on opening day.

Newton's huge game undoubtedly will result in many owners rushing to acquire him on the waiver wire this week, since he went undrafted in many formats.

I can't disagree with anyone who wants Newton as a backup, but if you're hoping he will be your starter, you should make such a move with vastly reduced expectations.

Sunday undoubtedly will be Newton's best game of 2011. It occurred against a Cardinals defense that ranked 23rd against the pass last season.

Newton is relevant in fantasy for the first time, but that doesn't make him a No. 1 fantasy QB.

The fact that we can expect him to be decent this season, though, elevates Smith from a lower-level No. 3 receiver in a 12-team league to at least a low-end No. 2.

Sunday, Smith had eight catches for 178 yards and two TDs. The scores were from 77 and 26 yards out.

Consider that last year Smith never had more than 85 yards receiving in a game. He surpassed 50 yards in a contest four times in 14 chances, and he had more than five catches once. He has as many TDs in 2011 as he did in 2010.

You get the point.

Maybe 2010 wasn't a sign of him losing a step.

Maybe it was the fact his QBs were terrible.

And maybe he'll much more closely resemble the player who averaged 88 receptions for 1,288 yards and eight TDs from 2005 to '08 than the one who was so angry on the sideline last year Ken Lucas -- who wasn't even in the NFL in 2010 -- was petrified.