Should Drew Brees Be a NFL Fantasy Football First Round Pick?

Eric StashinJul 23, 2010

Drew Brees is second on our top 25 quarterbacks for 2010 (click here to view), and is also the second quarterback coming off the board based on ADP (12.09 according to Mock Draft Central). Should he be considered a first round selection, however? Let’s take a look…

He posted a monster season in 2009 despite missing a game—just look at the numbers:

363 Completions
4,388 Yards
34 Touchdowns
11 Interceptions

He was sixth in the league in yards. He led the league in touchdowns. He was fourth in completions. No matter what scoring system your league uses, he was one of the elite.

Brees has had 4,350-plus yards and 26-plus touchdowns in each of the past four seasons, so he has consistently been good. The 34 touchdowns tied for his career high (he matched that in 2008). His career high in yards was 5,069 in 2008.

The weapons in New Orleans almost appear unlimited. There were seven players with at least 35 receptions in 2009, all of whom are back for 2010.

They are dynamic on the outside, led by Marques Colston (three seasons of at least 1,000 yards).

Reggie Bush, who has failed to live up to expectations, continues to be an elite receiving threat out of the backfield. His 47 catches last season were actually a career low (he’s had as many as 88), so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him rebound.

They have Jeremy Shockey, Pierre Thomas, Devery Henderson, and Robert Meachem. Lance Moore had 14 catches in just seven games, but had 79 receptions in 2008 and should rebound.

The bottom line is, the reason you wouldn’t consider Brees in the first round is not due to the talent that he’s surrounded by.

One of the few knocks against him is the lack of production on the ground. While it’s a minor gripe, it is something that is worth noting. Brees has only once rushed for over 100 yards in a season, and that came back in 2002. He also has seven career touchdowns on the ground, meaning he’s not going to help you there, either.

Is it splitting hairs? Absolutely, but when you are discussing a potential first round pick, you have to look at every angle. Aaron Rodgers's ability to contribute in the running game is what gets him atop our rankings, and solidifies him as a first round pick.

Brees's ability is unquestioned, however, and when you are picking in the 11th or 12th spot, you are going to have a long time before picking at the end of the third round. There’s a chance that Tom Brady is still on the board when your pick comes back around, but it’s certainly no guarantee.

What that means is if you do pass on Brees, you are looking at names like Matt Schaub, Tony Romo, or Philip Rivers. While they are all good options, they don’t come close to Brees. I’d much rather take Brees with my first pick and then worry about running backs in rounds two and three. It’s possible you get a Jonathan Stewart, Knowshown Moreno, or LeSean McCoy at the tail end of round three.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with that, is there?

What are your thoughts on Brees? Would you take him at the end of the first round? If not, why?

Make sure to check out our 2010 rankings:

Also, make sure to check out our recent rookie rankings:

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