Quarterback Blurb Breakdown: Drew Brees

For a complete look at my rankings, take a look at this article here. It will be edited to link to these breakdowns as I do them.

It’s hard to imagine Drew Brees matching is output from 2008. 5,069 and 34 touchdowns isn’t a minor total.
 
The question isn’t can he do it again—it’s dangerous to assume he can, as rare as the yardage total is—but how close can he come?
 
The answer is: pretty darn close.
 
If you look at the totals since Brees arrived in New Orleans, the man has consistently put up very good yardage totals (4,418 in ’06 and 4,428 in ’07), with pretty good touchdown totals (26 and 28) to go with them.
 
The Saints are a team which loves to pass and Brees is a great fit for them. Somehow, New Orleans excels through the air even when they have lost huge chunks of their offense as they did last season when Reggie Bush, Marques Colston and Jeremy Shockey were sidelined for portions of the year.
 
Yet players like Lance Moore, Pierre Thomas and Billy Miller filled in more than adequately. So far this offseason, everyone seems to be ready—and healthy—for camp.
 
Despite the ability that New Orleans has to replace cogs in their machine, the offense needs to stay healthy this season. You can’t lose guys like Colston every season and not slip at least a little.
 
Still, Brees is looking like a great bet to finish in the top three in fantasy at his position again this year.
 
The team loves to throw the ball, has the weapons to excel at it and the defense continues to put the team in positions where Brees has to throw. Even when they are ahead, though, this is a team that goes for the throat and does it through the air.
 
Brees has the weapons, the opportunity and the ability to top 4,000 yards with a more than respectable 25 or so touchdowns.
 
While it is very difficult to repeat numbers like Brees had last season, it’s hard to discount a guy who has been a top fantasy quarterback for several years in a row.

Add to this some concerns over Manning’s changing coaching staff and Brady’s coming back fro man injury and Brees has just enough going for him to edge out the first two for the top ranking.