Happy Day! Training Camps are starting to get in full swing. And with the start of training camps coming part 1b. of America's Favorite Pastime: Fantasy Football.

I've decided to bring in one of my fave fantasy guys to give us his analysis on who to get for this upcoming fantasy season.

Allow me to re-introduce himself, his name Hize!





Okay... corny, I know.. but I love that Jay-Z line lol!

Anyways. Let me introduce you guys to J-Hize, the Fantasy Guy. Now, I'm sure you hear folks say all the time, they are fantasy experts, blah blah yadda wonk wonk. But Mr. Hize has a pretty impressive resume.

J. Hize is a long-time fantasy football competitor, and a real-life Washington Redskins fan (don't worry y'all... I'm working on converting him to purple and black, so don't hold this against him!). He participates in 4 leagues each year through CBS Sportsline and ESPN. His big-money league recently held its draft at the Palms in Las Vegas. He has 5 championships to show for his fantasy skills, along with a few playoff heartbreaks. Ultimately, fantasy football comes down to pure luck, but it's helpful to get advice from a guy who knows how to draft and manage a championship caliber team year in and year out. Pretty impressive, don't you agree?!

I'll be having J. Hize back with any fantasy tips throughout the season. So with without further ado, let's take a look at his 2009 projections:

Quarterbacks

Top Earner: Drew Brees, Saints. All the pieces are in place for Brees to have another monster year. Plus, with Pierre Thomas emerging as a touchdown back, Reggie can go back to being the home run receiver that he should be. It will take a first round pick to land Brees, but you’ll have fun watching him punish secondaries all year long.

Breakout Player: Matt Schaub, Texans. Health is a wonderful thing. So is having Andre Johnson on your team. Schaub was the hottest QB at the end of last season, and I expect him to pick up where he left off. His offensive weapons (Johnson, Walter, Slaton, and Daniels) are top-notch, so the foundation is set for a career year. Of the five available quarterbacks named Matt on draft day, Schaub should be your first choice.

Draft Sleeper: David Garrard, Jags. I recognize that drafting Garrard is as sexy as Susan Boyle in body paint, but there is some serious low-end value here. Not only will Maurice Jones-Drew stretch the field, but Torry Holt is a huge upgrade from anything Garrard had in the past. Plus, Garrard is accurate and durable which you can’t say about most fantasy shot callers.

Bumsauce: Matt Cassel, Chiefs. I really wanted to put Crybaby Cutler in this spot, but it’s hard to fathom how Cassel got paid those Brady bucks for one good season of relief pitching. Knowing that the KC offense is not exactly a replica of the Patriots, I just can’t see Dwayne Bowe, Bobby Engram and Mark Bradley putting up Moss and Welker numbers. Maybe I’m just a Tyler Thigpen loyalist, but I don’t ever see Cassel making good on that contract.

Running Backs

Top Earner: Michael Turner, Falcons. Sure, Adrian Peterson is going #1 in most drafts, but the Burner is the running back to own. Unlike Peterson, Turner is in an offense loaded with weapons at QB, WR and TE. He’s a consistent red-zone monster, so I expect him to at least repeat his 17 TD’s from a year ago.

Breakout Player: Pierre Thomas, Saints. You get Brandon Jacobs-like numbers at a lower draft pick. Lucky Pierre filled in for Reggie Bush and scored 12 touchdowns in ’08. He’s in a contract year and playing for a ridiculous offense. What’s not to like?

Draft Sleeper: Donald Brown, Colts. When the Colts grabbed the former UConn Huskie in the draft, it just felt like the stars aligned. Brown seems like the perfect fit to take over the reins from oft-injured Joseph Addai and be the new face of the Colts running game.

Bumsauce: Ronnie Brown, Dolphins. It’s impressive how sharp Brown was last year after returning from ACL surgery, but he really stumbled down the stretch. His numbers are also a bit inflated due to one insane 5 TD game. He’s being drafted as a #2 RB, but with Ricky Williams and Pat White lurking on the sidelines, I just don’t see a repeat for the Brown in the “Wildcat” formation.

Wide Receivers

Top Earner: Randy Moss, Patriots. While Tom Brady was off marrying a supermodel and making another baby, Randy waited patiently for his QB to get back on the field. The time has come for Tom and Randy to reunite and feel so good. Even though Larry Fitzgerald was playing on another planet last year, don’t be surprised to see Randy recapture the magic of 2007 to the tune of 1,200 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Breakout Player: Mark Clayton, Ravens. Joe Flacco found a love connection with Clayton last year to the tune of 41 catches for 695 yards. With Derrick Mason retired (for now), it’s Clayton that’s expected to be the top guy in ’09. Flacco is only going to get better, and Clayton happens to be in a contract year. Draft him in the middle to late rounds and expect to get a bargain performer.

Draft Sleeper: Percy Harvin, Vikings. Percy already has three strikes against him in the NFL. 1) He’s a rookie, 2) He’s from Florida, and 3) His name is Percy. With all that in mind, I still think Mr. Harvin will perform in his first year. His QB will likely be Tavaris Jackson (just making sure you’re awake). “Back and Forth Brett” has always gotten the most out of his speedy downfield targets and with Berrian getting double-teamed, I expect Harvin to take advantage. Draft him as a #4 WR, but don’t be surprised if he becomes a weekly starter.

Bumsauce: Antonio Bryant, Bucs. A.B. will get drafted as a #2 WR based on his 83 catch, 1,248 yard season last year. However, don’t let his ’08 campaign make you lose sight of the underwhelming six seasons that came before. Plus, he has to deal with QB musical chairs all year with Leftwich, McCown and Freeman. Wait another round and take Lee Evans or Eddie Royal.

Tight Ends

Top Earner: Jason Witten, Cowboys. Now that the T.O. vs. Romo & Witten lover’s quarrel is over, J-Dub should be in line for a huge season. He only stands to improve on his 81 catches from last season, with a healthy Romo in the pocket. Let’s just hope Witten isn’t preparing for a VH1 reality show anytime soon.

Breakout Player: John Carlson, Seahawks. Don’t expect any nacho-tossing fanfare when you draft him in the middle to late rounds, but you should expect solid numbers. His rookie season resulted in 627 yards and 5 touchdowns, and now he gets a healthy Matt Hasselbeck to go along with Houshmandzadeh, Branch and Burleson. Expect a lot of red-zone attention for the 6’5” target.

Draft Sleeper: Brandon Pettigrew, Lions. The only thing rookie quarterbacks like more than inflated signing bonuses, is a pass-catching tight end. Matthew Stafford gets a good one in Pettigrew. While Calvin Johnson is getting quadruple teamed, expect Pettigrew to get some consistent short-yardage and red-zone looks.

Bumsauce: Kellen Winslow, Jr., Bucs. Color me skeptical. Fantasy owners will reach for him in the 5^th or 6^th round, but I think his health and attitude issues will overshadow his on-field production. He got the richest contract extension for a TE in NFL history, but there’s at least 10 other tight ends I would take before grabbing the Soldier.

Kickers & Defenses

Where are the Kickers and Defenses? If I can offer any advice for your draft day, it’s that you don’t draft a kicker and defense until your last two picks. When your competition takes the Steelers with an 8^th round pick, just kick back and wait for the Dolphins, Panthers or Chargers. When the “Gost-kow-ski” chants begin in the second to last round, just remember that kickers flip-flop more than Brett Favre’s mind. Connor Barth or Steven Hauschka could just as easily finish as the top kicker in ’09. Was that the first Steven Hauschka fantasy football reference EVER?