Fantasy Football: Why Tom Brady Isn't in My Top 5 Fantasy QB Rankings

I know it’s blasphemy for a Patriots fan like myself to not rank Tom Brady in the top five in fantasy quarterback rankings, but that’s how I roll. I try to look at things with an unbiased eye and  to give my most honest evaluations.

In an actual game, there aren’t many quarterbacks in the league, if any, that I would hand the ball to over Brady in a crucial spot, but you can’t play favorites when assembling your fantasy team.

Brady is coming off a remarkable season that saw him toss 36 touchdowns to just four interceptions to lead all quarterbacks with a 111.0 passer rating. Oh, and he threw for 3,900 yards to boot. Those numbers are sick.

After averaging 38 touchdown passes over his past three full seasons I must be off my rocker to rank Brady sixth. Hear me out.

The Patriots drafted a pair of running backs in the 2011 NFL draft leading me to believe that Bill Belichick is looking to pound the ball on the ground more to take some of the pressure off of his defense.

I know it didn’t affect him last year, but without Randy Moss, Brady does not have the means to stretch the field. Wes Welker and his young tight ends are nearly impossible to cover, but they aren’t deep threats. I think Brady has a hard time reaching 30 touchdown passes again.

Brady owners also have to be concerned with Bill Belichick’s schemes. The only thing that matters to Belichick and Brady is the win.

There were three games that Brady threw fewer than 250 yards with just one touchdown. There were five more games in which he threw for less than 250 yards and two touchdowns. In half of Brady’s games, he was average or better. Three of his three-touchdown games saw him pass for 258 yards or fewer.

We all know he’s capable of putting up a huge game, but more often than not, he’s not putting up the monster game.

In my estimation there are six elite fantasy quarterbacks this year. Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Michael Vick, Peyton Manning and Brady.  Tony Romo and Matt Schaub are right on the cusp, but a notch below.

Ranking Brady sixth is less a knock on him and more a testament to the number of top tier quarterbacks.

What are your thoughts on Tom Brady heading into the 2011 season?


Also check out:

• 2011 Early Fantasy Football RB Rankings
• 2011 Early Fantasy Football WR Rankings