Who is the next Brady (1 Viewer)

[Chazzhawk]

Obviously there isn't another Brady, but fantasy wise there might be. Remember that Brady burst onto the scene in 2001 he wasn't a guy you wanted as your starting quarterback until 2007. Since 2007 (minus his injury year) he has been one of the top 3 or 4 quarterbacks for fantasy year in and year out. So who is next? Who is the guy you don't mind having a quarterback committee or as your quarterback 2 but he scares the hell out of you if he is your quarterback 1.

My choice is Bradford, I think the accuracy is there and as he gets weapons and the coaches start to trust him more he will be the guy in 2 or 3 years that will be the guy.

 

[lbouchard]

I voted Dalton. Has Fisher ever produced a stud QB? Seems like he prefers to lean on ground game.

 

[Red Herring]

I'd say Freeman. He's already shown the ability to put up huge games, and is getting weapons in place around him. The main thing he needs is a couple years of high quality coaching.

 

[identikit]

Matt Ryan

 

[plasticman]

Matt Ryan

My choice as well.

 

[rizzler]

I'd say Freeman. He's already shown the ability to put up huge games, and is getting weapons in place around him. The main thing he needs is a couple years of high quality coaching.

What's your favorite lake to fish in?I love Lake Erie pickerel.

 

[Abspara]

Matt Ryan

 

[Chazzhawk]

Matt Ryan

My choice as well.

I didn't include Ryan as a choice because since his 3rd year he actually has finished 8th, 6th, and 4th in the last 3 years. Those are solid numbers and they happened shortly after coming into the league. Not 6 years after coming into the league like Brady.

 

[KCitons]

If you are going to be accurate you have to throw out ever quarterback taken before the 5th or 6th round. The closest QB I can think of would be Tony Romo. His draft position is as close as your going to get, but the similarities on the field are no where near the same.

Every starting QB in the league has to be ignored. Who are some of the unknowns sitting on benches? A few that come to mind were Cousins, Stanzi, maybe McElroy and Lindley (before they started a game)

 

[ImTheScientist]

I voted Other: Russell Wilson.

 

[Red Herring]

I'd say Freeman. He's already shown the ability to put up huge games, and is getting weapons in place around him. The main thing he needs is a couple years of high quality coaching.

What's your favorite lake to fish in?I love Lake Erie pickerel.

Lake Ontario, but no fishing here. Freeman's been improving: compared to 2011, he had 500+ more yards, 10 more TD, and 5 less INT, with almost the exact same amount of attempts (551 v 558). Given the Brady timeframe of 6 years before exploding (2001-2006), I definitely think Freeman could explode in another 2-3 years. He mainly needs to make better decisions with the football and limit his turnovers, which I think a good QB coach could teach. A 4,000/27/17 season in his 3rd full year is certainly a good start IMHO

 

[devouredbychaos]

I voted Other: Russell Wilson.

lol

 

[ImTheScientist]

I voted Other: Russell Wilson.

lol

He finished the season with more fantasy points then every QB listed in that poll.

 

[Chachi]

The Chachinator is amused at the lack of reading comprehension skills.

 

[pbandy1]

Other: Nick Foles

 

[Time Kibitzer]

Sam Bradford, Andy Dalton, and Other are the only ones who I think stand a chance.

 

[cheese]

Probably will never get to Brady's level, but I would bank on Kaepernick as the guy that gets his shot and never looks back until he is a top flight QB.

 

[Hang 10]

Chad Henne

 

[Black&Gold]

I voted Other: Russell Wilson.

lol

He finished the season with more fantasy points then every QB listed in that poll.

I agree 100%. He may not have been drafted in the 6th like Brady but he dropped to the 3rd. This guy has everything but height. He just seems to have all the makings of a stud QB. He can make all the throws and can also run. Wilson will have a better career than RG3 and Luck. I can see Seattle getting themselves a couple rings over the next several years with that D and ground game to go with the new franchise QB. Pete is going to take the reigns off next year as well. They have some weapons in the air as well but just as Brady has proven, a great QB makes great WRs.

 

[David Yudkin]

The options seem off to me. Big Ben will be playing in his 10th season and will be 31 next year, so he doesn't seem to fit. Schaub also will be in his 10th season and will 32 next year.

If the question is wondering who can be a top ranking fantasy QB year in and year out, why are RGIII, Cam, and Luck not options? Or are they too obvious?

 

[cheese]

The options seem off to me. Big Ben will be playing in his 10th season and will be 31 next year, so he doesn't seem to fit. Schaub also will be in his 10th season and will 32 next year.If the question is wondering who can be a top ranking fantasy QB year in and year out, why are RGIII, Cam, and Luck not options? Or are they too obvious?

To me the #1 criteria for being the "next Brady" is coming in without huge draft hype, not being handed the job right away, and then taking the league by storm when you finally get a chance. Even if those 3 guys become as good or better than Brady, they won't have much in common with what Brady did considering they were all top 2 overall picks.

 

[drater]

Ricky Stanzi...c'mon Andy Reid, see the light!!!

 

[David Yudkin]

The options seem off to me. Big Ben will be playing in his 10th season and will be 31 next year, so he doesn't seem to fit. Schaub also will be in his 10th season and will 32 next year.If the question is wondering who can be a top ranking fantasy QB year in and year out, why are RGIII, Cam, and Luck not options? Or are they too obvious?

To me the #1 criteria for being the "next Brady" is coming in without huge draft hype, not being handed the job right away, and then taking the league by storm when you finally get a chance. Even if those 3 guys become as good or better than Brady, they won't have much in common with what Brady did considering they were all top 2 overall picks.

Again, I personally am unclear what we are looking for. A late round pick that intiatially was a 4th string QB, didn't start initially or play his first year, and then put up multiple good fantasy seasons?We already had someone recently (Romo), who has posted 5 Top 10 seasons and who was undrafted.Since 2000, other guys that put up over 5,000 career passing yards who were 4th round picks or later . . .Marc BulgerDavid GarrardKyle OrtonRyan FitzpatrickMatt CasselDerek Anderson

 

[Warrior]

I voted Other: Russell Wilson.

lol

He finished the season with more fantasy points then every QB listed in that poll.

lol

 

[simey]

The options seem off to me. Big Ben will be playing in his 10th season and will be 31 next year, so he doesn't seem to fit. Schaub also will be in his 10th season and will 32 next year.If the question is wondering who can be a top ranking fantasy QB year in and year out, why are RGIII, Cam, and Luck not options? Or are they too obvious?

To me the #1 criteria for being the "next Brady" is coming in without huge draft hype, not being handed the job right away, and then taking the league by storm when you finally get a chance. Even if those 3 guys become as good or better than Brady, they won't have much in common with what Brady did considering they were all top 2 overall picks.

Aaron Rodgers was the 24th pick in his draft, and sat behind Favre for three years, and took the league by storm when he became the starter.

 

[dickey moe]

Hortence - daughter of Peter and his wife Adrianne

 

[Chazzhawk]

If you are going to be accurate you have to throw out ever quarterback taken before the 5th or 6th round. The closest QB I can think of would be Tony Romo. His draft position is as close as your going to get, but the similarities on the field are no where near the same. Every starting QB in the league has to be ignored. Who are some of the unknowns sitting on benches? A few that come to mind were Cousins, Stanzi, maybe McElroy and Lindley (before they started a game)

I am not going in terms of the NFL, I am only talking fantasy. Next you will tell me that all the quarterbacks have to be 6'4 and 225lbs. Romo isn't on this list because when he took the starting job he was a good fantasy quarterback the rest of that season and I believe he was a top 3 quarterback his first full season of starting.

 

[Chazzhawk]

Chad Henne

I don't think it will happen, but I like your thinking there. I didn't even think of him.

 

[David Yudkin]

If you are going to be accurate you have to throw out ever quarterback taken before the 5th or 6th round. The closest QB I can think of would be Tony Romo. His draft position is as close as your going to get, but the similarities on the field are no where near the same. Every starting QB in the league has to be ignored. Who are some of the unknowns sitting on benches? A few that come to mind were Cousins, Stanzi, maybe McElroy and Lindley (before they started a game)

I am not going in terms of the NFL, I am only talking fantasy. Next you will tell me that all the quarterbacks have to be 6'4 and 225lbs. Romo isn't on this list because when he took the starting job he was a good fantasy quarterback the rest of that season and I believe he was a top 3 quarterback his first full season of starting.

Why doesn't Romo count? He was an undrafted back up and sat 2 and a half years.I suppose he doesn't meet the took-a-while-to-post-great-fantasy-numbers part of the equation. However, Brady has been a Top 10 QB from his first FULL season as a starter (2002) and has remained as such for 10 years. Even in 2001, on a ppg basis, Brady still ranked as the #12 fantasy QB. However, with fantasy numbers for QBs so much lower then, no one seems to remember that. Bottom line, Brady has been a fantasy QB1 since he became a starter . . . just like Romo.

 

[Chazzhawk]

The options seem off to me. Big Ben will be playing in his 10th season and will be 31 next year, so he doesn't seem to fit. Schaub also will be in his 10th season and will 32 next year.If the question is wondering who can be a top ranking fantasy QB year in and year out, why are RGIII, Cam, and Luck not options? Or are they too obvious?

ya too obvious. Plus they have all had big years already. Was kind of looking for a sleeper type. Like I said in the original post if you drafted Brady in the 10th round in 07 and paired him with another late round quarterback you would hope that one of the guys had a career year and he would finish as quarterback 7 or 8, you didn't think you were getting the best quarterback that year and if you were in a keeper league he was a steal for the next 5 years.

 

[Chazzhawk]

The options seem off to me. Big Ben will be playing in his 10th season and will be 31 next year, so he doesn't seem to fit. Schaub also will be in his 10th season and will 32 next year.If the question is wondering who can be a top ranking fantasy QB year in and year out, why are RGIII, Cam, and Luck not options? Or are they too obvious?

To me the #1 criteria for being the "next Brady" is coming in without huge draft hype, not being handed the job right away, and then taking the league by storm when you finally get a chance. Even if those 3 guys become as good or better than Brady, they won't have much in common with what Brady did considering they were all top 2 overall picks.

We are talking fantasy not NFL.

 

[KellysHeroes]

on this list, i vote Bradford, however I will give Locker the benefit of the doubt due to the horrible O-line and wait 1 more yr before I sweep him under the rug; Jake very well can be the next Brady

 

[David Yudkin]

And Drew Bledsoe was the QB that was replaced by both Brady and Romo.

 

[Chazzhawk]

If you are going to be accurate you have to throw out ever quarterback taken before the 5th or 6th round. The closest QB I can think of would be Tony Romo. His draft position is as close as your going to get, but the similarities on the field are no where near the same. Every starting QB in the league has to be ignored. Who are some of the unknowns sitting on benches? A few that come to mind were Cousins, Stanzi, maybe McElroy and Lindley (before they started a game)

I am not going in terms of the NFL, I am only talking fantasy. Next you will tell me that all the quarterbacks have to be 6'4 and 225lbs. Romo isn't on this list because when he took the starting job he was a good fantasy quarterback the rest of that season and I believe he was a top 3 quarterback his first full season of starting.

Why doesn't Romo count? He was an undrafted back up and sat 2 and a half years.I suppose he doesn't meet the took-a-while-to-post-great-fantasy-numbers part of the equation. However, Brady has been a Top 10 QB from his first FULL season as a starter (2002) and has remained as such for 10 years. Even in 2001, on a ppg basis, Brady still ranked as the #12 fantasy QB. However, with fantasy numbers for QBs so much lower then, no one seems to remember that. Bottom line, Brady has been a fantasy QB1 since he became a starter . . . just like Romo.

What was Brady's best finish in terms of top fantasy quarterback before 2007? I don't have the things in front of me to research it, but I am pretty sure it isn't over quarterback 7. Trying to clear it up I don't care where the guy was drafted, I am looking for a guy that for his career has ranged around 8 to 14 in terms of fantasy points each year, then all of the sudden he gets weapons and he rockets up to a top 3 quarterback for the rest of his career. Cam Luck and RG3 already have done it in their first years.

 

[David Yudkin]

If you are going to be accurate you have to throw out ever quarterback taken before the 5th or 6th round. The closest QB I can think of would be Tony Romo. His draft position is as close as your going to get, but the similarities on the field are no where near the same. Every starting QB in the league has to be ignored. Who are some of the unknowns sitting on benches? A few that come to mind were Cousins, Stanzi, maybe McElroy and Lindley (before they started a game)

I am not going in terms of the NFL, I am only talking fantasy. Next you will tell me that all the quarterbacks have to be 6'4 and 225lbs. Romo isn't on this list because when he took the starting job he was a good fantasy quarterback the rest of that season and I believe he was a top 3 quarterback his first full season of starting.

Why doesn't Romo count? He was an undrafted back up and sat 2 and a half years.I suppose he doesn't meet the took-a-while-to-post-great-fantasy-numbers part of the equation. However, Brady has been a Top 10 QB from his first FULL season as a starter (2002) and has remained as such for 10 years. Even in 2001, on a ppg basis, Brady still ranked as the #12 fantasy QB. However, with fantasy numbers for QBs so much lower then, no one seems to remember that. Bottom line, Brady has been a fantasy QB1 since he became a starter . . . just like Romo.

What was Brady's best finish in terms of top fantasy quarterback before 2007? I don't have the things in front of me to research it, but I am pretty sure it isn't over quarterback 7. Trying to clear it up I don't care where the guy was drafted, I am looking for a guy that for his career has ranged around 8 to 14 in terms of fantasy points each year, then all of the sudden he gets weapons and he rockets up to a top 3 quarterback for the rest of his career. Cam Luck and RG3 already have done it in their first years.

Brady ranked 6, 10, 9, 2, and 7 in the 5 years prior to 2007.

 

[David Yudkin]

If you are going to be accurate you have to throw out ever quarterback taken before the 5th or 6th round. The closest QB I can think of would be Tony Romo. His draft position is as close as your going to get, but the similarities on the field are no where near the same. Every starting QB in the league has to be ignored. Who are some of the unknowns sitting on benches? A few that come to mind were Cousins, Stanzi, maybe McElroy and Lindley (before they started a game)

I am not going in terms of the NFL, I am only talking fantasy. Next you will tell me that all the quarterbacks have to be 6'4 and 225lbs. Romo isn't on this list because when he took the starting job he was a good fantasy quarterback the rest of that season and I believe he was a top 3 quarterback his first full season of starting.

Why doesn't Romo count? He was an undrafted back up and sat 2 and a half years.I suppose he doesn't meet the took-a-while-to-post-great-fantasy-numbers part of the equation. However, Brady has been a Top 10 QB from his first FULL season as a starter (2002) and has remained as such for 10 years. Even in 2001, on a ppg basis, Brady still ranked as the #12 fantasy QB. However, with fantasy numbers for QBs so much lower then, no one seems to remember that. Bottom line, Brady has been a fantasy QB1 since he became a starter . . . just like Romo.

What was Brady's best finish in terms of top fantasy quarterback before 2007? I don't have the things in front of me to research it, but I am pretty sure it isn't over quarterback 7. Trying to clear it up I don't care where the guy was drafted, I am looking for a guy that for his career has ranged around 8 to 14 in terms of fantasy points each year, then all of the sudden he gets weapons and he rockets up to a top 3 quarterback for the rest of his career. Cam Luck and RG3 already have done it in their first years.

IMO, you should be looking for situations where QBs have great weapons should another QB step in (like Rodgers taking over for Favre or Romo taking over for Bledsoe). I think a lot of QBs could be much better fantasy QBs with better weapons. The flip side is finding guys that might be good fantasy candidates IF they added a lot more weapons, but I think that is harder to predict and requires a number of upgrades to do so. Matt Ryan seems to be a guy that had more production with Julio Jones. Dalton and AJ Green seem to have some chemistry. Megatron helped make Stafford a decent fantasy option, etc.

 

[Chazzhawk]

If you are going to be accurate you have to throw out ever quarterback taken before the 5th or 6th round. The closest QB I can think of would be Tony Romo. His draft position is as close as your going to get, but the similarities on the field are no where near the same. Every starting QB in the league has to be ignored. Who are some of the unknowns sitting on benches? A few that come to mind were Cousins, Stanzi, maybe McElroy and Lindley (before they started a game)

I am not going in terms of the NFL, I am only talking fantasy. Next you will tell me that all the quarterbacks have to be 6'4 and 225lbs. Romo isn't on this list because when he took the starting job he was a good fantasy quarterback the rest of that season and I believe he was a top 3 quarterback his first full season of starting.

Why doesn't Romo count? He was an undrafted back up and sat 2 and a half years.I suppose he doesn't meet the took-a-while-to-post-great-fantasy-numbers part of the equation. However, Brady has been a Top 10 QB from his first FULL season as a starter (2002) and has remained as such for 10 years. Even in 2001, on a ppg basis, Brady still ranked as the #12 fantasy QB. However, with fantasy numbers for QBs so much lower then, no one seems to remember that. Bottom line, Brady has been a fantasy QB1 since he became a starter . . . just like Romo.

What was Brady's best finish in terms of top fantasy quarterback before 2007? I don't have the things in front of me to research it, but I am pretty sure it isn't over quarterback 7. Trying to clear it up I don't care where the guy was drafted, I am looking for a guy that for his career has ranged around 8 to 14 in terms of fantasy points each year, then all of the sudden he gets weapons and he rockets up to a top 3 quarterback for the rest of his career. Cam Luck and RG3 already have done it in their first years.

Brady ranked 6, 10, 9, 2, and 7 in the 5 years prior to 2007.

He really ranked 2nd in 2005? My memory must really be failing me. The rest of them seem about right.

 

[cstu]

If you are going to be accurate you have to throw out ever quarterback taken before the 5th or 6th round. The closest QB I can think of would be Tony Romo. His draft position is as close as your going to get, but the similarities on the field are no where near the same. Every starting QB in the league has to be ignored. Who are some of the unknowns sitting on benches? A few that come to mind were Cousins, Stanzi, maybe McElroy and Lindley (before they started a game)

I am not going in terms of the NFL, I am only talking fantasy. Next you will tell me that all the quarterbacks have to be 6'4 and 225lbs. Romo isn't on this list because when he took the starting job he was a good fantasy quarterback the rest of that season and I believe he was a top 3 quarterback his first full season of starting.

Why doesn't Romo count? He was an undrafted back up and sat 2 and a half years.I suppose he doesn't meet the took-a-while-to-post-great-fantasy-numbers part of the equation. However, Brady has been a Top 10 QB from his first FULL season as a starter (2002) and has remained as such for 10 years. Even in 2001, on a ppg basis, Brady still ranked as the #12 fantasy QB. However, with fantasy numbers for QBs so much lower then, no one seems to remember that. Bottom line, Brady has been a fantasy QB1 since he became a starter . . . just like Romo.

What was Brady's best finish in terms of top fantasy quarterback before 2007? I don't have the things in front of me to research it, but I am pretty sure it isn't over quarterback 7. Trying to clear it up I don't care where the guy was drafted, I am looking for a guy that for his career has ranged around 8 to 14 in terms of fantasy points each year, then all of the sudden he gets weapons and he rockets up to a top 3 quarterback for the rest of his career. Cam Luck and RG3 already have done it in their first years.

Brady ranked 6, 10, 9, 2, and 7 in the 5 years prior to 2007.

He really ranked 2nd in 2005? My memory must really be failing me. The rest of them seem about right.

2005 was his breakout fantasy year, but I think it must have been a down year for QB's since it wasn't much better than his previous 3 seasons.

 

[cstu]

Matt Ryan

My choice as well.

I didn't include Ryan as a choice because since his 3rd year he actually has finished 8th, 6th, and 4th in the last 3 years. Those are solid numbers and they happened shortly after coming into the league. Not 6 years after coming into the league like Brady.

The reason Ryan came to mind for me is that finished 8, 8, 7 in his 3rd-5th years, similar to Brady's 6, 10, 9.

 

[Nucker101]

Ricky Stanzi...c'mon Andy Reid, see the light!!!

 

[Time Kibitzer]

The options seem off to me. Big Ben will be playing in his 10th season and will be 31 next year, so he doesn't seem to fit. Schaub also will be in his 10th season and will 32 next year.

If the question is wondering who can be a top ranking fantasy QB year in and year out, why are RGIII, Cam, and Luck not options? Or are they too obvious?

To me the #1 criteria for being the "next Brady" is coming in without huge draft hype, not being handed the job right away, and then taking the league by storm when you finally get a chance. Even if those 3 guys become as good or better than Brady, they won't have much in common with what Brady did considering they were all top 2 overall picks.

The OP asked who is the next Brady from a fantasy perspective. Although Brady enjoyed great team success in his first years as the Patriots QB, he really wasn't all that great of a fantasy QB til his 7th year starting, and since then he's been just about a top 5 fantasy QB every year. So from a fantasy perspective, he didn't take the league by storm when he finally got a chance like you said, it took him 7 seasons to take the league by storm. So OP is asking, what QB is most likely to start his career as a middling fantasy QB, to all of a sudden become a fantasy stud and remain as one for multiple years afterwards.

 

[SSOG]

I voted Dalton. Has Fisher ever produced a stud QB? Seems like he prefers to lean on ground game.

Steve McNair.

 

[meyerj31]

Obviously there isn't another Brady, but fantasy wise there might be. Remember that Brady burst onto the scene in 2001 he wasn't a guy you wanted as your starting quarterback until 2007. Since 2007 (minus his injury year) he has been one of the top 3 or 4 quarterbacks for fantasy year in and year out. So who is next? Who is the guy you don't mind having a quarterback committee or as your quarterback 2 but he scares the hell out of you if he is your quarterback 1. My choice is Bradford, I think the accuracy is there and as he gets weapons and the coaches start to trust him more he will be the guy in 2 or 3 years that will be the guy.

This thread is ridiculous. It's like asking "Who is the next Reggie White?"Just watch and enjoy. Getting tired of this culture of analysis and projection.

 

[Xue]

I really don't get the question. Brady was just a game manager before he broke out due to Moss and Welker. Then he gets Gronk, Hernandez, and Welker.

Shouldn't the question be who is the next QB to breakout after and improved WR core?

 

[David Yudkin]

Although Brady enjoyed great team success in his first years as the Patriots QB, he really wasn't all that great of a fantasy QB til his 7th year starting.

This really is not all that accurate. Because fantasy scoring for QBs was much lower in the early 2000s, as I posted earlier, Brady was always a fantasy QB1 ever since he took over (at least on a seasonal basis). If you consider Brady effectively didn't play much at the start of the 2001 season, he ranked as the QB12 the rest of the way once he became a starter. The following years (with limited weapons) he ranked 6, 10, 9, 2, and 7. Finally with a full arsenal at his disposal, he ranked 1st in 2007. He ranked 8, 1, 3, and 3 since then.IMO, Brady did not come out of nowhere to surprise people in 2007. He had played 5 straight seasons as a QB1. He got a boost production wise when the Pats added offensive talent, handed McDaniels the reigns on offense, and started slipping on defense. Yes, he's been out of sight since 2007, but he was not a fantasy no-name before then.

 

[Time Kibitzer]

Although Brady enjoyed great team success in his first years as the Patriots QB, he really wasn't all that great of a fantasy QB til his 7th year starting.

This really is not all that accurate. Because fantasy scoring for QBs was much lower in the early 2000s, as I posted earlier, Brady was always a fantasy QB1 ever since he took over (at least on a seasonal basis). If you consider Brady effectively didn't play much at the start of the 2001 season, he ranked as the QB12 the rest of the way once he became a starter. The following years (with limited weapons) he ranked 6, 10, 9, 2, and 7. Finally with a full arsenal at his disposal, he ranked 1st in 2007. He ranked 8, 1, 3, and 3 since then.IMO, Brady did not come out of nowhere to surprise people in 2007. He had played 5 straight seasons as a QB1. He got a boost production wise when the Pats added offensive talent, handed McDaniels the reigns on offense, and started slipping on defense. Yes, he's been out of sight since 2007, but he was not a fantasy no-name before then.

He might have been a QB1, but simpyl being a QB1 doesn't necessarily equate to being anything better than mediocre fantasy wise. The difference between the top 5 QBs and the 6-10 QBs from a fantasty perspective is usually quite significant, even though they're all QB1s by the strictest definition. For example, in 2006 when Brady had the 6th highest fantasy points among QBs, he still averaged a full 2 points less per game than Carson Palmer who ranked 5th. So it wasn't until 2007 where Brady became a great/elite fantasy QB where he actually offered a significant competitive advantage. Although it is interesting how QBs on the all collectively sucked in 2005.

 

[David Yudkin]

Although Brady enjoyed great team success in his first years as the Patriots QB, he really wasn't all that great of a fantasy QB til his 7th year starting.

This really is not all that accurate. Because fantasy scoring for QBs was much lower in the early 2000s, as I posted earlier, Brady was always a fantasy QB1 ever since he took over (at least on a seasonal basis). If you consider Brady effectively didn't play much at the start of the 2001 season, he ranked as the QB12 the rest of the way once he became a starter. The following years (with limited weapons) he ranked 6, 10, 9, 2, and 7. Finally with a full arsenal at his disposal, he ranked 1st in 2007. He ranked 8, 1, 3, and 3 since then.IMO, Brady did not come out of nowhere to surprise people in 2007. He had played 5 straight seasons as a QB1. He got a boost production wise when the Pats added offensive talent, handed McDaniels the reigns on offense, and started slipping on defense. Yes, he's been out of sight since 2007, but he was not a fantasy no-name before then.

He might have been a QB1, but simpyl being a QB1 doesn't necessarily equate to being anything better than mediocre fantasy wise. The difference between the top 5 QBs and the 6-10 QBs from a fantasty perspective is usually quite significant, even though they're all QB1s by the strictest definition. For example, in 2006 when Brady had the 6th highest fantasy points among QBs, he still averaged a full 2 points less per game than Carson Palmer who ranked 5th. So it wasn't until 2007 where Brady became a great/elite fantasy QB where he actually offered a significant competitive advantage. Although it is interesting how QBs on the all collectively sucked in 2005.

However, the OP seemed to make it out like Brady went from nobody to king of the hill overnight in one season. He clearly was a viable fantasy option pre-2007 (although I agree not a fantasy difference maker most years).

 

[David Yudkin]

Also, this just illustrates how difficult it is to time when to draft a fantasy QB. Brady was the perfect example. In some years, even though he was in or near the Top 5, he still did not have a ton of fantasy value. Other years, he was a one man fantasy wrecking crew. Depending upon how all the other fantasy QBs did, he may or may not be worth what it takes to acquire him.

Fantasy value (VBD) from year to year . . .

2001 0

2002 44

2003 6

2004 30

2005 56

2006 40

2007 241

2008 0

2009 48

2010 88

2011 176

2012 90

 

[Fly]

If you want the next Brady, why not look at the guy studying under him the past couple of years? Ryan Mallett anyone?

 

[Eminence]

Russel Wilson.