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NFL fantasy football: Five predictions for 2013

1. Peyton Manning will be one of the top two quarterbacks. Rumors of Manning's demise have been greatly exaggerated. Yes, he struggled with some of his longer throws late in the season. But there aren't many QBs who can adjust to problems as well as The Sheriff. Plus, adding Wes Welker as an underneath option in the slot can alleviate some of those issues. And if you believe the talk that the Broncos offense is going to play even faster this season, the extra snaps should lead to extra production.

2. LeSean McCoy will be a top five running back. No one in Philadelphia should be happier about Chip Kelly's hire than McCoy, who was used inconsistently in past seasons. This season, look for Shady to be the center of the Eagles dynamic offense -- he'll see the ball as a running back and a receiver. Lead running backs in Kelly's offenses have generally been uber-productive and now McCoy gets to wear that label in 2013.

3. The Falcons will have two players with 100-plus catches. Last season, Tony Gonzalez caught 93 passes, Roddy White snagged 92 and Julio Jones grabbed 79. This year, two of those guys will top the century mark -- take your pick as to which two. The NFL is a pass-catcher's playground and Atlanta has three of the best in the game right now. Look for the Dirty Birds to fly the friendly skies in 2013.

4. Vernon Davis will be a top five tight end. This will be a combination of Davis bouncing back from a disappointing 2012 and the tight end position being generally underwhelming. The status of Rob Gronkowski is uncertain and Aaron Hernandez has never been able to finish a full season. With Davis finding a rapport with QB Colin Kaepernick, the potential is there for the veteran to return to his status as one of the league's best weapons in the center of the field.

5. DeAndre Hopkins will be the top rookie WR in fantasy football. The Houston Texans have high expectations for their first-round pick. So far, he's lived up to the hype. Granted, we've yet to play anything resembling an actual football game, but coach Gary Kubiak has plenty of plans for how to use the former Clemson star. With an obvious opening at the second WR slot, Hopkins will have every opportunity to be on the field making plays right from the start of the 2013 season.

Marcas Grant is a fantasy editor for NFL.com. You can find him on Twitter @MarcasG.

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