In our last episode of the Top-50 keeper rankings, we went over the near misses, the fallers, and lucky numbers 31-50. Now come the grown ups. For any questions on how the players are evaluated, check out the first article. And yes, the top 30 is really the top-32 with two ties. This is what happens when you self-edit.

Top 50 Keepers
Rank from the last two seasons (2008, 2007) in parentheses

30. (tie) Kevin Smith, Lions: If Smith saw he was only ranked this low, he would inevitably look at me cross and say: "C'Mon man!" I love the toughness and the will to gain the extra yard. I love the versatility and that he wasn't overworked. I don't love the franchise he plays for.

30. (tie) Joseph Addai, Colts (8, 5): Toughest guy to rank. Last year, I wrote Addai had the, "least amount of downside of anyone on his list after LT2," which should be nominated for the year's Most Misguided Sentence in So Many Ways. Was it the offensive line's fault or was it Addai? Either way, he way he's not a workhorse and he'll probably be in a timeshare next season.

29. Tony Romo, Cowboys (28): Mr. December, he's not. The career leader in yards-per-attempt since 1960, he is. T.O. is aging and Roy Williams is overrated, but Romo remains a very safe bet.

28. Anquan Boldin, Cardinals (30, 29): A Rotoworld guy from day one. We're just going to have to accept the fact he will miss a handful of games each season and run people over during the rest of them. The top-50 rank speaks to his consistency.

27. LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers (1, 1): This is what I wrote about Shaun Alexander two years ago when I ranked him twentieth: "Not many runners who reach 30 have bounce back seasons. This is probably too high."

I should have trusted my instincts then. Tomlinson has a better skill set to extend his career, but my instincts now say that I want no part of LT2 next season. He's breaking down and is ordinary when he plays. The longer I've worked on this column, the further LT2 has dropped. If I kept him, I'd trade him. A timeshare is a growing possibility.

26. Ronnie Brown, Dolphins (33, 17): Ricky Williams slows his roll, but Brown had his best fantasy season by far the year following ACL surgery. Better days are ahead.

25. Greg Jennings, Packers (40): Consolidated gains from breakout season despite the quarterback change. After his first 16-game season proved Jennings is durable, there really isn't a chink in the armor.

24. Jay Cutler, Broncos (Just Missed): Made The Leap, just like we hoped. Throwing for 4,500 yards again will be tougher without Mike Shanahan. Watch the Denver hiring closely.

23. Reggie Wayne, Colts (12, 18): I often write about high ceilings and low floors. Wayne may have the highest floor of any wideout. 1,145 yards and six touchdowns is a borderline bust year for him.

23. (tie) Roddy White, Falcons (Just Missed): If someone told me after Roddy White's second season (506 yards), that he would reach these heights, well, you know the rest. The maturation of Matt Ryan is only going to help.

22. Steve Slaton, Texans: The Texans could add another back, which would knock this ranking down. But Slaton proved he could handle a heavy workload far better than Reggie Bush ever has, and he plays on a top-five offense. He should be here to stay.

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21. Peyton Manning, Colts (19, 16): First-half struggles were just the aftereffects of his knee surgery. He should be good for at least one more 4,000-yard season before a decline sets in.

20. Drew Brees, Saints (41, 32): Safety in numbers: Brees has attempted 206 more attempts than any other quarterback in the last two years! He's like a running back that tops 400 carries every season, but without the concerns that he'll break down.

19. Randy Moss, Patriots (6): He managed to finished tenth among fantasy wideouts without Tom Brady, playing the good solider all the while. Don't forget he's almost five years younger than Terrell Owens.

18. Clinton Portis, Redskins (9, 10): He doesn't finish. Years of heavy usage appeared to catch up with Portis late in '08, making him a risky bet for next year. He's the type of player you almost have to keep, but he's a great sell-high trade candidate in all formats.

17. Marshawn Lynch, Bills (16): He's already very good, but he hasn't realized his potential to be great. His rookie year may have come too easily for him, because Lynch didn't run with the same aggression in '08. Improved receiving ability almost made up for it.

16. Steve Smith, Panthers (24, 15): It was the monster season we've expected since 2005. Jake Delhomme probably won't be so good next season, but Smith should be close.

15. Brandon Marshall, Broncos (22): Like Adrian Peterson, he's a fantasy pillar with so much more to learn. He's also 24 years old.

14. DeAngelo Williams, Panthers (NR, 35): It goes without saying that no veteran boosted his stock more over the last 12 months. Reasons for sustainability: fantastic young offensive line, run-first coach, fresh legs, and two more years on his contract. Reasons for concern: most talented backup in football, questionable goal-line role, and deal with devil expires. Add it up, and DeAngelo is a great keeper, and a fine trade candidate.

13. Brandon Jacobs, Giants (26, 28): The year The Train proved he could last the season – almost. He would lose value if he left New York, but that looks unlikely to happen. Knock him down a few pegs in PPR leagues.

12. Calvin Johnson, Lions (50): As I wrote yesterday, receivers get a bonus in the keeper rankings because they are safer and will endure longer. If Megatron could be the WR3 despite the slop he played with in '08, he may bring about world peace by '15. And you can keep him until then.
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