As the Fantasy Football Season looms closer, it’s time to start looking at draft boards. Over the next few segments, we’ll rank each position – starting with this week’s quarterback inventory. This year’s quarterback class is remarkably deep, so it’s not really worth stretching to get a QB in any round. The best idea for a QB is to simply wait for value to fall to you. Aside from Drew Brees, there is no QB that should be drafted in the first 2 rounds, though there undoubtedly will be more than Brees drafted in your league by the time the second round is over. All 12 of the quarterbacks listed below will make fine week to week starters, so don’t be afraid to shun the big names in the early rounds in order to bulk up at the much thinner positions of running back and wide receiver. Enjoy, and as always, feel free to reply with your thoughts.
Quarterback Ranks for the 09-10 Fantasy Football Season
1. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
2. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
3. Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals
4. Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals
5. Tom Brady, New England Patriots
6. Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles
7. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
8. Phillip Rivers, San Diego Chargers
9. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys
10. Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks
11. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears
12. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
Best Overall - Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
This should be automatic for anyone who has paid attention to Fantasy Football over the last 3 years. His worst season stat line since joining the Saints is 26 touchdowns on 4418 yards, which makes for an floor that eclipses the highest ceilings of most other QBs around the NFL. His performance last year was particularly impressive, coming within a pass or two of the NFL all-time yardage lead (he finished with 5069, Dan Marino had 5084) despite having problems with new tight end Jeremy Shockey and injury concerns with #1 wideout Marques Colston. Both are healthy and ready to contribute in a big way, but frankly I don’t think it would matter if the entire Saints receiving corps was replaced by blind schoolgirls – Brees still going to get his numbers. There may be a legitimate argument about who is the best quarterback in real life, but in fantasy that question has a consensus answer – Drew Brees.
Best Value – Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals
After missing 12 games last season with an elbow injury, all of the key factors seem to be very much in place for Palmer to rebound strong this season. To start with, he has a very talented receiving lineup with a Chris Henry, Laveranues Coles, and a newly-motivated Chad Ochocinco. Secondly, the Bengals running game is in shambles, led by burnout Cedric Benson and anchored by an offensive line that lost its only 2 Pro Bowlers in the offseason. Not only does that likely mean an increased number of passing plays for Palmer’s offense, it further solidifies his standing as the number one option in the red zone. Carson is only a year removed from consistent 4000 yard/30 touchdown production, yet he is falling through 6 rounds of most early fantasy drafts and is not usually among the top 10 quarterbacks taken. He can be a pleasant surprise as a 5th or 6th round flier that will likely end up with top-3 quarterback fantasy numbers.
Most Over-hyped – Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
It’s important for me to reiterate that this is the most overhyped in fantasy football, as I am a firm believer that the elder Manning is the best quarterback in the NFL. The distiction is best illustrated by noting that last year Peyton won the NFL MVP because of his exemplary play, yet he was only the 6th ranked fantasy quarterback for the season. He is unlikely to repeat those numbers, as this offseason has cost the him head coach (Tony Dungy), offensive coordinator (Tom Moore), and #1 wide reciever (Marvin Harrison) that he has worked with for his entire career. I have no doubt that he will find a way to help Indy stay competitive regardless, but it’s hard to justify his current drafting position as the 3rd QB taken in standard drafts (befhind only Brees and Tom Brady). That usually equates to a late 2nd round pick, which would be far better spent on a solid running back or an elite reciever.