Quarterbacks
6/30/10
|
QBs
| RBs | WRs | TEs
|
The rankings below are meant to be used as a guide rather than a
list to follow in exact fashion. Many factors an owner has in regards
to their own roster can influence the value they should place among
certain players. In a dynasty league, age becomes one such factor.
You need to use logic between balancing your roster with aging veterans
and younger players you can afford to take risks on.
In regards to the scoring format these rankings are based upon,
10 yards receiving equals one point. Each touchdown catch is worth
6 points. Every reception is worth half a point, so adjust accordingly
dependant upon whether or not your league gives points for receptions.
Their position rank in 2009 is based upon FFToday’s
default scoring when looking at the players stats.
Also of note, the number in parenthesis following a players name
and team is the age he will be at the start of the 2010 season
(September 9th). If a “UR” appears in the ‘Position
Rank ‘09’ column it means the player failed to place
among the Top 40 last year. An “*” in any column simply
means the player is a rookie and therefore has no input to be
listed.
| Quarterback
Rankings - Dynasty |
| Rk |
Player |
Seasons |
Position
Rank '09 |
Yrs in Top 12
(Since 2000) |
Yrs in Top 24
(Since 2000) |
Projected Top 12
Seasons
(Next 3 Yrs) |
| 1 |
Drew Brees, NO (31) |
9 |
2 |
6 |
7 |
3 |
| Since
arriving in New Orleans and playing within head coach
Sean Payton’s offensive system Brees is yet to throw
for less than 4388 yards and 26 touchdowns in a single
season. He’s now accomplished that feat four years in
a row and shows no signs of slowing down. He’s also
coming off back-to-back seasons with more than 30 touchdown
passes – and oh yea, you might’ve heard he beat Peyton
Manning and the Colts last year in the Super Bowl. Brees
may not have the same name recognition of a Peyton Manning,
Tom Brady, or perhaps even Tony Romo, but he’s the best
QB in the business for your fantasy squad. |
| 2 |
Aaron Rodgers, GB (26) |
5 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
| Rodgers
spent three seasons as the backup to Brett Favre after
being selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft.
As a result, there were plenty of skeptics speaking
out once Green Bay made the decision to trade Favre
and let Rodgers take over going into the 2008 campaign.
While Rodgers’ career may never match that of a legend
like Favre, he has quieted his critics by throwing for
more than 4000 yards in each of his two seasons as the
starter while also combining for a total of 58 touchdown
passes during that same span. At just 26 years of age
heading into the 2010 season he should remain one of
the best fantasy options at QB for years to come. |
| 3 |
Peyton
Manning, IND (34) |
12 |
4 |
10 |
10 |
3 |
| Peyton
Manning has been amongst the upper echelon of NFL quarterbacks
since entering the league as the number one overall
pick way back in 1998. He’s as consistent as they
come at his position and his track record speaks for
itself. He’s a legitimate threat to throw for
over 4000 yards and 30 touchdowns every season, and
even at the age of 34 it’s very possible he’ll
be playing at an elite level for another 4-5 years. |
| 4 |
Tony
Romo, DAL (29) |
7 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
| Following
the release of Terrell Owens prior to the 2009 season,
there were more than a few people who felt Tony Romo
would struggle without the future Hall of Famer at wide
receiver. Romo proved his doubters wrong however as
he threw for a career high 4483 yards and 26 touchdowns.
Instead of Owens, Miles Austin emerged as his top target
amongst receivers while Jason Witten continued his high
level of play at tight end. Heading into 2010, not only
does Romo continue to have those two weapons at his
disposal, but the Cowboys also added Dez Bryant with
the 24th overall selection in this year’s draft.
The future looks as bright as it’s ever been for
Romo and his owners. |
| 5 |
Tom
Brady, NE (33) |
10 |
7 |
7 |
8 |
3 |
| Brady
had a bit of an up and down season last year as he returned
to the field following an ACL tear that cost him nearly
all of the 2008 campaign. He got off to a mediocre start,
heated up during the middle of the season, and then
cooled off a bit as he finished the year with 4398 yards
passing and 28 touchdowns. Those are pretty good stats
from a guy that was considered to have a “down”
year. With Randy Moss still on board as his number one
wide-out, and Julian Edelman proving himself a fair
replacement for Wes Welker should Welker not be ready
at the start of the year following a torn ACL and MCL
suffered during the final game of the regular season,
Brady should be able to match last years totals. Having
made it through an entire season unscathed following
the year he lost to injury in 2008 should lead to more
consistent outings from him throughout the year as well. |
| 6 |
Philip Rivers, SD (28) |
6 |
9 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
| Rivers
spent his first two years in the league playing behind
Drew Brees. Then once he got the chance to start he
played in a run first offense for two years, which limited
the type of output, he was capable of. Over the last
two seasons however the Chargers have opened up their
offense a bit and Rivers has responded by throwing for
more than 4000 yards in each of those seasons while
compiling a total of 57 touchdown passes. If Pro-Bowl
wide receiver Vincent Jackson and Pro-Bowl left tackle
Marcus McNeill hold firm on their stance to sit out
until Week 10 of the regular season should they not
come to terms on a long term contract with the franchise,
it could hinder Rivers production this year, but he
should still be regarded as one of the more promising
QBs within dynasty leagues. |
| 7 |
Matt Schaub, HOU (29) |
6 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
| Matt
Schaub finally remained healthy enough throughout the
entire course of a season in 2009 after playing in only
eleven games during each of the previous two. The final
results were magnificent as he threw for 4770 yards
and 29 touchdown passes. With Andre Johnson still on
board at receiver, and the hopeful return of Owen Daniels
at tight end, Schaub should be in line for a few more
excellent outings in the years ahead. The only cause
for concern with him is that he’ll continue to
be viewed as somewhat of an injury risk until he makes
it through back-to-back seasons without missing multiple
games. |
| 8 |
Jay Cutler, CHI (27) |
4 |
11 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
| A
number of people are down on Cutler following his mediocre
outing with the Bears last season. He had a career year
with the Broncos in 2008 as he threw for 4525 yards,
and set a career high in touchdown passes during his
first season in Chicago with 27 in 2009, but also threw
26 interceptions. This year, he finds himself working
with Chicago’s new offensive coordinator, Mike
Martz, and as a result owners should expect a significant
increase in his yardage totals from a year ago (3666
yards passing). His touchdown totals should remain about
the same, and while he may continue to throw more interceptions
than anyone would like to see from him, it’s hard
to imagine he’ll come anywhere close to the amount
he threw last year. At 27, he remains one of the more
promising fantasy QBs to own within dynasty leagues. |
| 9 |
Joe Flacco, BAL (25) |
2 |
17 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
| Flacco
is entering his third year in the league and has shown
great promise at the quarterback position since entering
the NFL in 2008. While he is yet to have an outing that
has blown fantasy owners away, he is most definitely
on the rise, as is the Ravens offense in general. Ray
Rice has emerged as a true threat out of the backfield
and Anquan Boldin has been added as an extra target
for Flacco in the passing game. He also continues to
have Todd Heap at his disposal at tight end, and should
Heap breakdown or be released anytime soon the Ravens
have set themselves up nicely with the selections of
Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta in this year’s draft
to replace him. Whether it be this year or next, Flacco
should soon be considered among the Top 12 QB options
in fantasy leagues as someone you can safely start on
a weekly basis. |
| 10 |
Eli Manning, NYG (29) |
6 |
10 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
| Eli
Manning tends to be one of the least consistent fantasy
options at quarterback ever since he entered the league.
He tends to go through hot and cold streaks three to
four games at a time. Last season however, he showed
improvement in his performances on the field as he threw
for a career high 4021 yards and 27 touchdowns. More
impressive is that he accomplished those feats without
the presence of Plaxico Burress. That being the case,
he seems to be in a good position to match, improve
upon, or come close to those figures in the years ahead
as he grows more and more comfortable with the young
wide-outs he has in Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, and Mario
Manningham. Tight end Kevin Boss has proven himself
as a pretty good outlet option for Eli as well. |
| Rk |
Player |
Seasons |
Position
Rank '09 |
Yrs in Top 12
(Since 2000) |
Yrs in Top 24
(Since 2000) |
Projected Top 12
Seasons
(Next 3 Yrs) |
| 11 |
Kevin Kolb, PHI (26) |
3 |
UR |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| Some
may consider this ranking a bit too high for a quarterback
that only has two starts under his belt three years
into his NFL career. Nonetheless, Kolb has shown promise
during those starts, was hand picked by Andy Reid three
years ago to be groomed for the position he is in now,
and plays in a pass happy offense. He also is surrounded
by great young talent with the likes of DeSean Jackson,
Jeremy Maclin, and Jason Avant at wide receiver while
also having tight end Brent Celek at his disposal. It
should speak volumes about Kolb that Andy Reid was willing
to trade Donovan McNabb in order to get him on the field,
and it should also be noted that Reid has an excellent
track record working with quarterbacks. He’s done extremely
well with the likes of Brett Favre and Donovan McNabb,
while also getting good production from back-ups such
as Koy Detmer and A.J. Feeley when they were called
upon to fill in at times when McNabb’s been injured.
Jeff Garcia is another QB that has played well under
Andy Reid during his tenure in Philadelphia. |
| 12 |
Ben Roethlisberger,
PIT (28) |
6 |
8 |
3 |
6 |
2 |
| Originally,
Ben Roethlisberger was ranked a few spots higher than
this, but then I started thinking that might be overrating
him a bit at the moment. The reasons being that he is
coming off the best yardage totals of his career (4328
passing yards) and it was also just the second year
in which he threw for more than 18 touchdown passes
(he threw for 32 in 2007, and 26 in 2009). That being
the case, it’s hard to get a legitimate read as
to what type of production one can expect from Roethlisberger
on a yearly basis. He’s clearly proven he’s
among the better quarterbacks in the NFL, but that doesn’t
always translate into worthwhile production in fantasy
leagues. If the Steelers revert back to their run heavy
offense, Roethlisberger’s statistics clearly take
a dive. Also working against his future production is
the loss of Santonio Holmes (traded to the Jets) and
the fact that Hines Ward (34 years old) won’t
be able to play forever. And last, but not least, are
the off the field situations Roethlisberger has found
himself in, the latest of which has earned him a 4-6
game suspension from commissioner Roger Goodell and
has left some wondering if the Rooney family would look
to trade him should Roethlisberger’s troublesome
decision making outside of football continue in the
future. |
| 13 |
Matt Ryan, ATL (25) |
2 |
19 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
| Matt
Ryan’s rookie campaign was impressive by anyone’s
standards as he led the Falcons to eleven wins and a
trip to the playoffs. He seemed to take a small step
backwards last year however as his completion percentage
dropped a bit and he missed two games due to injury
while the Falcons finished 9-7 and failed to qualify
for a playoff berth. That said, he still threw 22 touchdown
passes and for just under 3000 yards in only 14 starts.
Entering his third season, and assuming he remains healthy
throughout the year we should see him bounce back and
continue to develop into one of the better QBs in the
league. He’s currently only 25 and has plenty
of time to grow. |
| 14 |
Donovan
McNabb, WAS (33) |
11 |
13 |
4 |
9 |
2 |
| It’s
hard to believe McNabb is no longer an Eagle, but the
move to Washington shouldn’t have too much of
an affect on his overall performance. Playing within
Mike Shanahan’s offense may actually benefit McNabb
as it will likely translate into him receiving better
support from the ground game, which should provide his
fantasy owners with more consistent performances from
the signal caller on a week-to-week basis. The only
reason to suspect McNabb would falter in his first season
with the Redskins is if there’s a lack of chemistry
between him and the targets he will have to rely on
in the passing game. |
| 15 |
Carson Palmer, CIN (30) |
7 |
18 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
| Palmer
was among the more promising fantasy quarterbacks early
in his career, but an elbow injury limited him to just
five games in 2008 and upon his return last year he
barely managed to throw for more than 3000 yards with
21 touchdown passes despite starting all 16 games. While
Palmer has shown in the past he is capable of doing
more, his value has currently dropped a good bit due
to how his last two seasons played out and the fact
Cincinnati has begun to rely more on their ground game
ever since they acquired Cedric Benson part way into
2008. At this point, Palmer is viewed as a marginal
starter in fantasy leagues and his value won’t
rise unless he suddenly starts to throw for upwards
of 3600 yards and 25 touchdown passes again. |
| 16 |
Matthew Stafford, DET (22) |
1 |
25 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Considering
the dire situation Stafford was drafted into last season,
he managed to perform fairly well, although he was limited
to just 10 games as the result of knee and shoulder
injuries. As of now though, the injuries are behind
him as he took full participation in Detroit’s
recent organized team activities (OTAs). It will still
be a while before the Lions can again transform themselves
into a winning franchise, but the additions of Jahvid
Best (RB), Nate Burleson (WR), Tony Scheffler (TE),
and Rob Sims (LG) this offseason should help in the
young quarterback’s development. It’s also
important to remember he has Calvin Johnson to rely
on in the passing game – one of the best targets
for any quarterback in the league to have. |
| 17 |
Mark Sanchez, NYJ (23) |
1 |
23 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Sanchez
is another second year QB that managed to have a fair
level of success during his first season in the league.
Although his overall numbers weren’t all that
impressive, he did lead the Jets to the playoffs with
an 11-5 record and then followed up on that accomplishment
with two victories in the postseason against the Cincinnati
Bengals and San Diego Chargers before taking a loss
in the AFC Championship game against the Colts. Now
with that said, it is true that what drove the Jets
to victory throughout most of the season was a strong
rushing attack combined with the efforts of a defense
that finished best in the league in both points and
yards allowed. Nonetheless, Sanchez was a part of that
success and the experience should help him grow this
year and beyond. He also has some talented targets surrounding
him in the passing game with the likes of Braylon Edwards,
Santonio Holmes, Jerricho Cotchery and Dustin Keller
should the Jets decide to open things up a bit more
as Sanchez further develops. |
| 18 |
David Garrard, JAC (32) |
8 |
15 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
| Garrard
makes for a great back-up quarterback in fantasy leagues,
and due to his rushing capabilities he can sometimes
serve as a starter if needed, but he has never thrown
for more than 18 touchdowns in a season and when thinking
long term he may not have much of a future in the NFL
following his tenure with the Jaguars. At 32 years of
age he may not be given many starting opportunities
once his tenure in Jacksonville is over, and as it stands
now, there’s little reason to believe his numbers
will suddenly jump any higher than what we’ve
become accustomed to from him during the last three
years. |
| 19 |
Brett
Favre, MIN (40) |
19 |
6 |
9 |
10 |
1 |
| As
of now, it’s still unclear as to whether or not
Favre will play in 2010, but the fact he had offseason
surgery on his left ankle in May, which was a necessary
procedure should he wish to return for yet another season,
seems to indicate he’ll be under center for the
Vikings when the regular season starts. Should he play,
there’s no reason to think he won’t come
through with an effort worthwhile of making him a starter
in fantasy leagues. Due to his age however, his value
takes a hit in dynasty leagues as it’s hard to
imagine he’d continue playing beyond 2010. |
| 20 |
Alex Smith, SF (26) |
5 |
24 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| Alex
Smith found himself in a bit of a do-or-die situation
last year as most were fully prepared to write him off
as a first round bust. He lost out in the preseason
quarterback battle to Shaun Hill, but was named the
starter from Week 8 on and made the most of his new
found opportunity as he threw for 2350 yards and 18
touchdowns in the 11 games in which he took most of
the snaps. He made great use of tight end Vernon Davis,
and also did a good job finding rookie wide-out Michael
Crabtree once Crabtree was inserted into the starting
line-up. If he picks up where he left off last season
his value rises greatly. |
| Rk |
Player |
Seasons |
Position
Rank '09 |
Yrs in Top 12
(Since 2000) |
Yrs in Top 24
(Since 2000) |
Projected Top 12
Seasons
(Next 3 Yrs) |
| 21 |
Matt Leinart, ARI (27) |
4 |
UR |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Leinart
is a true wildcard at the quarterback position this
year in fantasy leagues. He showed some promise as a
rookie, then faltered during his second season in the
league, then gave way to Kurt Warner and has resided
on the bench since then. Warner is now retired however,
and the former first round pick is back atop the depth
chart, or at least for the time being. In other words,
it is his job to lose. With receivers such as Larry
Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston at his disposal it makes
Leinart a very intriguing option should he go into the
2010 campaign as Arizona’s starter. His struggles in
the past however leave some to wonder if he’s capable
of being a legitimate starter in the NFL, and if he
performs poorly in the preseason or early on in the
regular season the Cardinals coaching staff may decide
to go with Derek Anderson who they acquired via free
agency. |
| 22 |
Josh Freeman, TB (22) |
1 |
27 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Freeman
started nine games as a rookie last season and showed
enough promise that the Buccaneers feel they can build
their future around him. He had some issues with turnovers,
but throwing interceptions isn’t all that unusual
for rookie quarterbacks – Matthew Stafford and
Mark Sanchez had their own difficulties in that area
as well. While the Buccaneers currently lack any established
threats at the wide receiver position, Freeman did seem
to develop a nice chemistry with tight end Kellen Winslow
as the season progressed. They also drafted Arrelious
Benn in the second round out of Illinois and Mike Williams
in the fourth round from Syracuse to try and give their
young signal caller some worthwhile and young talent
to develop with over the next few seasons. |
| 23 |
Chad Henne, MIA (25) |
2 |
22 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Chad
Henne took over for Chad Pennington early in the season
last year and played well enough that he led the Dolphins
to victory in seven of his thirteen starts. He’s now
secured himself as the starter in Miami and should serve
his fantasy owners as a worthwhile back-up at the QB
position in the years to come. The offseason trade acquisition
of Brandon Marshall could even lead to some unexpected
totals from the third year veteran if Miami decides
to stray a bit from their ground game and open the offense
up a bit more through the air. |
| 24 |
Matt Cassel, KC (28) |
5 |
21 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| Cassel
had a very mediocre season last year after his breakout
performance with the Patriots filling in for the injured
Tom Brady in 2008. He quickly found out however that
it’s not as easy to perform that well when you aren’t
surrounded by the same level of talent or being coached
by a staff regarded as one of the best in the league.
He did manage to dodge a bullet in the draft this year
though when the Chiefs passed on the opportunity to
add Jimmy Clausen to their roster in the second round
and reunite him with his college football coach Charlie
Weis, who is now serving as the Chiefs offensive coordinator.
With Weis on board the Chiefs offense should be better
than it was a season ago, but Cassel remains nothing
more than a back-up in fantasy leagues for the time
being. |
| 25 |
Vince Young, TEN (27) |
4 |
26 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| Vince
Young, a young QB whose career seemed to be on life
support after he was replaced as the starter by Kerry
Collins of all people in 2008, breathed new life into
himself last season after taking the reigns back from
Collins following an 0-6 start by the Titans in 2009.
Once Young stepped in, Tennessee went on a five game
winning streak and closed out the regular season with
an 8-2 mark during the games he had started. Young played
admirably and made himself relevant in fantasy leagues
due to his rushing statistics that get added onto his
production through the air, but it still remains to
be seen if he’ll ever solidify himself as a legitimate
starter in the NFL. Off the field issues have shown
him in a bad light both this offseason and in the past.
He’ll also need to further develop himself as
a passer if he wishes to be looked upon as a reliable
starter within the league. |
| 26 |
Sam Bradford, STL (22) |
R |
* |
* |
* |
0 |
| Bradford
was the number one overall pick in this year’s
draft and as such will have a lot expected of him in
the coming seasons with St. Louis. He may sit on the
bench most of this season behind A.J. Feeley, a QB who
is familiar with offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur’s
system from their days together in Philadelphia, but
that may prove more beneficial rather than detrimental.
The Rams have one of the better running backs in the
league in Steven Jackson, but their offensive line is
regarded as one of the worst in the NFL and there are
no established receivers currently on the roster. |
| 27 |
Jason Campbell, OAK (28) |
5 |
14 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
| Campbell
has been a bit of a tease throughout his career, at
times looking like a young and promising prospect within
the league, and then at other times being a total disappointment.
It’s hard to blame him solely for such inconsistency
however considering he has had up to eight different
offensive coordinators over a span of ten years at one
point dating back to his days in college. Now he finds
himself an Oakland Raider, which is a situation not
many quarterbacks would envy him for. He has some talent
to work with in Zach Miller at tight end, and possibly
Chaz Schilens and Darrius Heyward-Bey at receiver, but
the Raiders have been so awful in recent years it’s
hard to imagine Campbell finding much success anytime
soon during his tenure with the franchise. |
| 28 |
Jimmy
Clausen, CAR (22) |
R |
* |
* |
* |
0 |
| Prior
to the draft, Clausen was thought by many to be a lock
as a first round selection – some even thought he’d
go among the Top 10 picks – but instead he fell to the
second round and was selected 48th overall by the Carolina
Panthers. While I’m sure Clausen would have loved to
be taken in the first round, he happens to find himself
in a pretty good situation in Carolina. The Panthers
have a strong ground game to rely on as Clausen works
his way through the difficulties many young quarterbacks
face in the NFL and they also have a reliable target
at receiver for him to throw to in Steve Smith. The
Panthers also used two third round selections on wide
receivers Brandon LaFell and Armanti Edwards, which
they hope will develop into worthwhile targets for Clausen
in the passing game as they develop together. Another
thing working in Clausen’s favor is that he has a chance
to start early in his career as the unproven Matt Moore
is the only QB ahead of him on the depth chart. |
| 29 |
Kyle Orton, DEN (27) |
5 |
16 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| Kyle
Orton had a pretty good year for himself last season
as he threw for over 3800 yards with 21 touchdown passes,
which may lead some to wonder how he isn’t listed higher
among these rankings. Well, there are a few things working
against his favor, most notably is the fact the Broncos
felt it necessary to not only trade for quarterback
Brady Quinn in the offseason, but they then used a first
round pick on Tim Tebow out of Florida. While Orton
is still expected to be the starter in Denver this year,
those offseason moves aren’t very promising for his
status atop the depth chart down the line. Another thing
working against him is the Broncos decision to trade
away their best receiver, Brandon Marshall. They did
use a first round pick on receiver Demaryius Thomas,
and a third rounder on receiver Eric Decker, but those
acquisitions may prove more useful to either Quinn or
Tebow in the future as opposed to immediately benefitting
Orton in the present. |
| 30 |
Charlie Whitehurst, SEA (28) |
4 |
UR |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Whitehurst
may not be known by all that many people in fantasy
leagues considering he has never thrown a pass in the
NFL while backing-up Philip Rivers in San Diego the
last four years, but he does have some relevance since
being traded to the Seattle Seahawks this offseason.
Matt Hasselbeck is the current starter in Seattle, but
Pete Carroll’s new coaching staff will have Whitehurst
competing with him for the starting job throughout the
preseason. Also of note are Hasselbeck’s age (he’ll
turn 35 in late September) and his lackluster performance
over the last two years. When a new coaching staff brings
a new quarterback in with them it usually means they
want to get him on the field. Expect Whitehurst to be
the starter in Seattle by 2011 if not sometime during
the 2010 campaign. |
| Rk |
Player |
Seasons |
Position
Rank '09 |
Yrs in Top 12
(Since 2000) |
Yrs in Top 24
(Since 2000) |
Projected Top 12
Seasons
(Next 3 Yrs) |
| 31 |
Colt McCoy, CLE (24) |
R |
* |
* |
* |
0 |
| McCoy
was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round
of this year’s draft and while he dropped a bit further
than some expected, he should get the opportunity to
start for Cleveland within the next 2-3 years. It wouldn’t
be a complete surprise if he ended up starting some
games as a rookie either if veteran Jake Delhomme struggles
as the starter. Seneca Wallace was acquired from the
Seahawks in the offseason by Browns new President of
Football Operations Mike Holmgren (Holmgren is familiar
with Wallace from his coaching tenure in Seattle) and
will likely be ahead of McCoy on the depth chart, but
he isn’t a long-term answer for them at quarterback. |
| 32 |
Tim
Tebow, DEN (23) |
R |
* |
* |
* |
0 |
| Tebow
was thought to be a player that could go in the draft
anywhere from round one through round three, so it was
a bit of a surprise when the Broncos selected him with
the 25th overall pick in the first round. Viewed as
a player that many felt could be used at a number of
different positions in the NFL, Tebow has already been
told by head coach Josh McDaniels that they will only
use him as a quarterback. Since Tebow is considered
a bit of a developmental project as an NFL quarterback
it may be another 2-3 years before he’s declared
the starter in Denver, but sooner or later it’s
going to happen, and with Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn
already on the roster it’s likely McDaniels feels
he can take all the time he needs with Tebow before
inserting him as the starter. Dynasty owners that draft
him could end up being rewarded very nicely if they
don’t lose patience with him taking up a place
on their roster as he develops. |
| 33 |
Matt
Hasselbeck, SEA (34) |
12 |
20 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
| Hasselbeck
makes the list because he currently remains the starter
in Seattle. His best days are behind him however, and
there is a strong possibility he will lose his spot
atop the depth chart with the Seahawks either this year
or next once Pete Carroll decides to see if Charlie
Whitehurst is capable of being a worthwhile starter
in the league. It would take a pretty remarkable resurgence
from Hasselbeck this season for his value to rise to
a more meaningful level. |
| 34 |
Brian Brohm, BUF (24) |
2 |
UR |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Brohm
was a second round pick of the Green Bay Packers in
2008, but now finds himself in the murky and muddled
QB competition, which is that of the Buffalo Bills.
He’ll be in competition with Trent Edwards and Ryan
Fitzpatrick to get the starting nod on opening day throughout
the preseason, but nothing is definite. He gets listed
here because he is the most untested of the three, and
may therefore get a look at some point simply to see
what he can do if for no other reason. |
| 35 |
Trent
Edwards, BUF (26) |
3 |
32 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Edwards
has shown a few glimpses of being a capable starter
within the league, but not nearly enough to secure himself
a career as one within the NFL. He’s entering his fourth
season in the league and is currently the favorite to
win the starting job for Buffalo, but if the team struggles
out of the gate, or if Edwards doesn’t impress the coaching
staff during the preseason, he’ll be hitting the bench
quickly. Ryan Fitzpatrick is in the mix to start for
Buffalo as well, but even if he won the job it’s doubtful
he’d any long term value as it would simply mean the
Bills need to draft a franchise QB in the very near
future. Seventh round pick Levi Brown has even been
mentioned as part of the QB competition, but that only
speaks as to how miserable the Bills quarterback situation
currently is. |
| 36 |
Michael Vick, PHI (30) |
7 |
UR |
4 |
4 |
0 |
| Vick
desperately wants another chance to start in the NFL,
but is currently the back-up to Kevin Kolb with the
Eagles. If Kolb proves to be a bust, Andy Reid likely
would plug Vick in as his starter, but it would take
some incredibly poor outings from Kolb in order for
that to happen. The good news for Vick is that he is
in the final year of his contract with the Eagles, which
means he may find a team to sign with in 2011 that is
willing to use him a starter. |
| 37 |
Matt
Moore, CAR (26) |
3 |
35 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Matt
Moore, who went undrafted before signing as a rookie
free agent with the Panthers in 2007, is currently thought
to be the Panthers starter, but he’ll face strong competition
from rookie Jimmy Clausen (and possibly fellow rookie
Tony Pike) to maintain his spot atop the depth chart
come opening day. Moore played well for the Panthers
in five starts for them last season (990 yards passing,
8 TDs, 1 INT, with a 4-1 record), but has never dealt
with the pressure of going into a season as an NFL franchises
starting quarterback. He may shock us, but it’d be surprising
if he holds onto the starting position throughout the
entire season should he even be named the starter for
opening day. |
| 38 |
Derek
Anderson, ARI (27) |
5 |
38 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| Anderson
makes the list based on the potential he has should
he earn the starting job ahead of Matt Leinart in Arizona.
It’d be a surprise if the Cardinals didn’t
give Leinart another look considering they used a first
round pick on him, but the simple possibility that Anderson
may get the chance to start in an offense featuring
Larry Fitzgerald gives him some value at the moment. |
| 39 |
Brady
Quinn, DEN (25) |
3 |
30 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| A
first round pick in 2007, things never worked out as
planned for Quinn in Cleveland. He was traded to the
Broncos this offseason, which for a moment raised the
possibility he could get another quick opportunity to
start again in the NFL, but once Denver used a 2010
first rounder on Tim Tebow Quinn’s value again
went downwards. He’s young enough that he could
have a future in Denver if he gets on the field and
plays well, but the Tebow selection wouldn’t make
much sense if the Broncos felt Quinn was going to be
a long term solution for them as a starting quarterback. |
| 40 |
Jake Delhomme, CLE (35) |
12 |
28 |
2 |
5 |
0 |
| Delhomme’s
best days are clearly behind him and at the age of 35
one has to wonder how many years he has left in the
NFL. He’s expected to start in Cleveland this
year, but it’s likely he’s only a stopgap
option until the Browns feel Colt McCoy is ready to
take over. If Delhomme is even more washed up than Cleveland
realizes, Seneca Wallace would likely get the chance
to start for a while, but sooner or later McCoy is the
quarterback Cleveland will attempt to build around long
term. |
|
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