Fantasy Football Player Rankings & Projections
2010 Quarterback Preseason Preview
Drew Brees
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You can take your pick when it comes
to the #1 quarterback in fantasy football, but Brees has
the resume and talent to remain #1 in 2010. |
1. Drew Brees - Saints - 2010 Preview:
2009 had a plethora of stud fantasy quarterback performances, any
of which, if repeated, could be considered the number one fantasy
football quarterback coming into 2010. At least Kurt Warner retired,
so he is out of the running. When there are so many players who
can statistically be number one, you have to look at consistency,
experience, health, surrounding offense, and the teams they play
in the fantasy football playoff run (the last four games are used
to judge this).
When you use the criteria Peyton Manning and Drew
Brees are at the top. Brees has
averaged over 4,000 yards
and just under 30 touchdowns per season, not to mention a lifetime
64.8 completion percentage.
The Saints offensive line is arguably
the best and that is key to giving Brees the time to pick apart
defenses. He has some great targets including Marques Colston, Jeremy
Shockey, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem and talented running backs
Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas.
There may be some questions about
a Super Bowl hangover and while this could prevent the Saints from
being an all-around dominating team like in 2009, it should have
little effect on a professional like Drew Brees.
2009 Statistics:
4,388 Yds - 34 TD's - 11 INT's - 70.6%
2010 Projection: 4,502
Yds - 35 TD's - 13 INT's - 68.2%
2. Peyton Manning - Colts - 2010 Preview:
Year-after-year one word comes up when you are talking about Manning
and that is once again consistency. He is almost guaranteed to throw
for 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns which brings up another word,
dominating. The idea that Manning is on his way down is ridiculous.
Yes it might happen soon, but not in 2010. Manning is an expert
game manager and can run an offense like no other quarterback in
NFL history. His health is without question among the best ever
not having missed a game in his career.
Manning has some of the best weapons in the NFL surrounding him
including arguably the best receiver in the league, Reggie Wayne
and arguably the best receiving tight end in the league, Dallas
Clark.
The offensive line, lead by Pro Bowl center, Jeff Saturday,
does a very good job at protecting Manning and plays well enough
to open holes for talented running backs Joseph Addai and Donald
Brown. The Colts now have great depth at wide receiver including
Anthony Gonzalez who returns from injury and 2009 breakouts, Pierre
Garcon and Austin Collie which will give Manning the options he
needs to pick apart offenses week-after-week.
2009 Statistics:
4,500 Yds - 33 TD's - 16 INT's - 68.8%
2010 Projection: 4,387
Yds - 32 TD's - 15 INT's - 67.2%
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3. Tom Brady - Patriots - 2010 Preview:
He had a slow start (for Brady standards) coming off an ACL, MCL
tear, throwing just 6 touchdowns in his first five games. Then Brady
threw six touchdowns in a 59-0 trouncing of the Tennessee Titans
and finished with 28 touchdown passes. With over a full year gone
by, Brady looks to be 100% in both body and mind in 2010 and once
again claim the throne as the best quarterback in fantasy football.
The
Patriots offense all starts with their gritty offensive line. They
protected Brady like no other line in the NFL giving up just 18
sacks all season. The Patriots resigned the best linemen, tackle
Logan Mankins, so nothing should change in 2010.
Randy Moss is reason
enough to scare offenses, but undersized Wes Welker may do more
damage. Kent State rookie Julian Edelman did his best Welker impersonation
and makes a nice slot-receiver and the Patriots added veteran Torry
Holt for depth. The loss of Ben Watson was filled by the signing
of veteran Alge Crumpler, but also drafted Rob Gronkowski and Aaron
Hernandez with their second and third-round picks.
The Patriots
haven't ran the ball well for a long time, but Laurence Maroney
and Kevin Faulk do a decent job. This is the Patriots offense only
flaw, but it generally means more passing for Brady and thus improves
him as a fantasy quarterback.
2009 Statistics:
4,398 Yds - 28 TD's - 13 INT's - 65.7%
2010 Projection: 4,415
Yds - 31 TD's - 13 INT's - 66.4%
4. Aaron Rodgers - Packers - 2010 Preview:
Many fantasy owners are placing Aaron Rodgers on the top of their
fantasy quarterback list and for good reason. In just his second
year as a starter Rodgers hit the magic "fantasy stud"
marks of 4,000 yards passing and 30 touchdowns. Rodgers added 316
yards rushing and five touchdowns which is enough to argue that
his 2009 statistics should place him at number one.
But those rushing
numbers, while great for the fantasy stat book, are a symptom of
a big problem and that is the Packers weak pass blocking. This will
take its toll on Rodgers and eventually it will have a negative
statistical effect. The five rushing touchdowns can never be counted
on for another season. The good news for the offensive line is that
the Packers resigned veteran tackle Chad Clifton and spent their
#1 pick on tackle Bryan Bulaga and a fifth-round pick on guard Marshall
Newhouse.
Rodgers has one of the best receiving duos in the NFL
with veteran Donald Driver and Greg Jennings. The need here is for
the development of a serious #3 option. 2008 second-round pick Jordy
Nelson and 2007 third-round pick James Jones have shown flashes,
but neither have stepped up to take the #3 slot. Tight end Jermichael
Finley gives Rodgers his third option anyway and may be one of the
best young receiving tight ends in the NFL.
2009 Statistics:
4,434 Yds - 30 TD's - 7 INT's - 64.7%
2010 Projection: 4,384
Yds - 30 TD's - 13 INT's - 64.9%
