2009 NFL All-Comeback Team

2009 NFL All-Comeback Team

This season has seen the resurgence of a number of players who were either thought to be over-the-hill, are returning from injury, or simply are exceeding expectations. Below are a few players at each skill position whose fantasy stock has rebounded significantly in 2009, an explanation for their current success, and a prognostication as to whether they will continue to put up numbers in 2010.

 

Quarterback

 

Tom Brady

Brady is a no-brainer for my number one comeback player at quarterback, and could even win Comeback Player of the Year. After tearing his knee in the first game of '08, Brady has rebounded to lead everyone in the NFL but Peyton Manning in passing yards, posting a near 100 passer rating with 20 touchdowns and eight picks. Despite a poor performance on Monday night in New Orleans, Brady is still having an excellent season. With his second-to-none preparation level and determination, expect Brady to be a top-five quarterback in 2010 and beyond.

 

Brett Favre

Favre started 2008 on fire in New York, but then faltered because of an apparent biceps injury. Most, including me, believed that the wear on Favre's tires had finally caught up to him, only to see him post an astonishing 24-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio this season. Even with All Day Peterson, the Vikings are winning games due to Favre's strong arm and, more importantly, tremendous decision making. It is hard to predict the future success of a 40-year-old in a young man's league, but at the conclusion of Favre's probable 2010 retirement/un-retirement/retirement/un-retirement debacle, it will be hard to argue against another year of domination for the Vikings' QB.

 

Honorable Mention

 

Matt Schaub

After playing in just 11 games each of his first two seasons as Houston's starter, Schaub is showing what he can do when healthy. With tons of young talent around him, including probably the league's most talented and under-appreciated wide receiver, expect this success to continue for the next few years.

 

Running Back

 

Cedric Benson

I highly doubt that anyone in America foresaw the incredible year Cedric Benson would have toting the rock for Cincy. Although currently on the shelf, Benson is fourth in the NFL in yards-per-game at 95.4, trailing just Chris Johnson, Steven Jackson, and Adrian Peterson.

Things had gotten so bad for Benson that, just one year ago, the running back-needy Texans brought Benson in for a workout but decided against signing him. Cincinnati saw potential in the formerly pronounced "first-round bust," and he has been their workhorse, leading the league with 22.8 carries-per-game. While Benson has been magnificent this season, I actually would not expect the success to continue for long. Among the top 18 running backs in yards-per-game, no one has a lower yards-per-carry average than Benson.

The Bengals could get younger at the position in the draft (and they already have rookie Bernard Scott), and Cedric, who has benefited greatly from the success of the passing game, just has not shown the consistency needed to expect great things again in 2010.

 

Ricky Williams

With just two games under his belt as Miami's lead back, Ricky Williams is already closing in on a 1,000 yard season, despite receiving just 10 carries-per-game in his first eight contests. Williams is tied for fourth in the league in rushing touchdowns, and has also added two scores via the air. Many thought Williams success was due to the presence of Ronnie Brown and the Wildcat, but with three straight 100+ yard games since Brown has been down (in which he has reached paydirt three times), Ricky has silenced those notions.

His 5.1 average yards-per-carry is 4th in the NFL among running backs with at least 100 carries. Normally 32-year-old ball-carriers don't flourish in the NFL, but after a few years away from the game, Williams has enough left in the tank to be at least a top-20 back in 2010.

 

Honorable Mention

 

Laurence Maroney

After receiving double-digit carries just once in the first five games, Maroney has topped that mark in each of the last six games. Not surprisingly, he has scored in every one of those games, and twice in each of the last two. Still, it is tough to predict numbers for any New England RB in the team's running back-by-committee approach.

 

Joseph Addai

Finally healthy, Addai is on pace for over 1,200 total yards and an amazing 16 touchdowns. Expect rookie Donald Brown to cut into those numbers a bit in 2010.

 

Wide Receiver

 

Chad Ochocinco

Despite cooling off a bit lately, Chad Ochocinco is on pace for over 1,100 yards and eight scores. While some may contend that his decline last year was a result of his own doing, there is no doubting that the flamboyant Bengals' wide receiver is back. Much of his success in 2009 is due to the return of Carson Palmer, but don't underestimate both the hard work Chad put into his training this offseason and the preparation he puts into each and every game. At 31, Chad's numbers probably will never get back to where they were in 2005, but two or three more seasons of 1,000 yards and 6 touchdowns is not out of the question.

 

Donald Driver

Driver's placement on this list is really more of a lifetime achievement award than anything else. Sure, Driver is on pace for the most yards and touchdowns he has had since 2006, but he has never really left us. Under-appreciated every year, Driver is just now being recognized as the playmaker he has always been. Unfortunately, at age 34 and with a wealth of young talent behind him, Driver's prosperity seems to be coming to an end, but perhaps I am underestimating him again.

 

Honorable Mention

 

Hines Ward

Like Driver, he really never left and is benefiting greatly from Pittsburgh's heavy spread look. Ward will still see some of his opportunities given to rookie Mike Wallace in 2010.

 

Nate Burleson

Burleson is on pace for over 1,000 yards for first time since playing opposite Randy Moss. It is hard to foresee this success continuing with Seattle's future quarterback status up in the air.

 

Derrick Mason

Mason came out of retirement just before the season and is putting up his usual solid numbers (52 catches, 734 yards, five touchdowns through 11 games), but is reportedly likely to hang up the cleats after this season.

 

Tight End

 

Vernon Davis

Davis is undoubtedly the most surprising tight end success story of '09. After landing in Coach Singletary's doghouse just a year ago, Vernon, now a team captain, has finally lived up to the unprecedented hype he started at the NFL Combine four years ago. With Mike Martz's tight end-unfriendly scheme out of the picture, Davis is shining in the bay this season. He leads all tight ends in touchdowns and has already set a career-high in receptions. At just 25, Davis figures to be a stud in this league for a long time to come.

 

Honorable Mention

 

Kellen Winslow

After a disastrous 2008 season, Winslow is very quietly putting up very solid numbers in '09 (54 receptions, 564 yards, 5 touchdowns through 11 games). The emergence of Josh Freeman should help Winslow's future stock.