You didn’t ask for it; you got it. It’s Buster Gunning’s 3rd Annual Guide to Fantasy Football. This year promises to be full of busts, and if you follow this simple guide, you are guaranteed not to pick one*
Many factors go into a player having a breakout season. Sometimes guys higher on the depth chart leave via free agency or get hurt in training camp or early in the season, providing the opportunity for increased playing time and production.
Why is Art Monk in the Hall now, and Cris Carter isn't? Well, you have to understand the selection process first, where media representatives make the case for their players.
While everyone focuses on the marquee players that will be drafted on day one this Saturday, the key to building a winning team is by acquiring 5-7 impact makers. It was Marques Colston last year, who will it be this year?
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By Christopher Reina
Quarterback
1. Peyton Manning: You know you’re good when down seasons land you at the top of your position. Manning threw for 31 touchdowns and 4397 yards and even ran for four touchdowns. In 2007, he is set to pass Johnny Unitas, Warren Moon and John Elway for career touchdowns. Will he ever throw for more than 40 in a season again?
2. Drew Brees: Brees had nearly 1000 more yards in 2006 than he did in any previous season in San Diego, coming in at 4418 yards which was first in the NFL. He threw for 26 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions and would have been the NFL MVP if not for his former teammate.
3. Marc Bulger: In Bulger’s first season without Mike Martz, he had career bests in yards (4301) and touchdowns (24).
4. Carson Palmer: Palmer’s 2006 (4035 yards, 28 touchdowns) was less shocking than his 2005 (3836, 32 touchdowns), but was probably more impressive when factoring in “the injury.”
5. Michael Vick: Vick had more passing touchdowns (20) and rushing yards (1039) than he had in any previous season, but it wasn’t enough to make the playoffs and keep Jim Mora’s job. Now that he is beginning to get used to the West Coast Offense, Bobby Petrino will be on board in 2007.
6. Tom Brady: Another subtle season for Tom Brady as he was in the top-10 in nearly every QB category. With Laurence Marooney looking like a future All-Pro back, it looks like Brady will never have that superstar single season.
7. Jon Kitna: Kitna led the NFL in completions and was fourth in yards in what was undoubtedly a career year. As is typical with Kitna, his interception tally was excessive, finishing the season with 22 interceptions compared to 21 touchdowns.
8. Donovan McNabb: McNabb played in just 10 games in 2006, but still warrents mention on this list. Before he got hurt, he was the MVP of FFL (also before LT lost his mind). He threw for 18 touchdowns, 2647 yards and rushed for 3 scores; this is a season for even very good QBs.
9. Brett Favre: As long as Favre keeps taking snaps, he will continue to be a gun slinger. He threw for just 18 touchdowns, but he was able to get his interception ratio back under control.
10. Philip Rivers: Rivers threw for 22 touchdowns and just 9 interceptions in his first full season. It is easy to play QB when you have LT lined up behind you, but Rivers didn’t falter while throwing for 3388 yards and leading the Chargers to the best record in the NFL.
Honorable Mention: Vince Young: Nice work picking up Young if you are in a keeper league. He finished the season with 12 touchdowns passing and 7 touchdowns rushing. He will not be the FFL tease that Michael Vick has become known as.
Running Backs 1. LaDainian Tomlinson: Unquestionably, Tomlinson was the most valuable fantasy football player in 2006. He broke Shaun Alexander’s single-season touchdown record of 28 touchdowns by finishing with 31
2. Larry Johnson: You can’t fault Herm Edwards for Johnson being the second best back in 2006, as he broke the single-season record for carries. If you took him over LT, you are of course regretting the move, but imagine if you took Alexander over LJ. 19 touchdowns and 2199 yards from scrimmage.. very nice.
3. Steven Jackson: Who had the most yards from scrimmage in 2006? You would bet on Tomlinson, but it was actually Steven Jackson’s 2334. He also scored 16 total touchdowns, this kind of production is usually good enough to be named the best running back in the game, but he was a complete afterthought.
4. Brian Westbrook: This was easily Westbrook’s best season of his five-year career. He had 1217 yards rushing and nearly 700 yards receiving.
5. Frank Gore: The 49ers were confident late 2005 that they had something special at running back in Gore and 2006 confirmed it. He rushed for 1695 yards and 8 touchdowns, while catching 61 passes for 485 yards out of the backfield.
6. Willie Parker: Life without the Bus was better for the Parker than it was for the rest of the team. Parker found the end zone 16 times and rushed for 1494 yards. He had two games where he eclipsed 200 yards rushing.
7. Maurice Drew: Drew found the end zone in each of the Jaguars’ final eight games. Despite shared time with Fred Jones, he scored 15 touchdowns and rushed for 941 yards.
8. Rudi Johnson: As the Bengals failed to live up to their lofty expectations, as did Rudi Johnson. Many were expecting Johnson to take his game to a higher level, but he scored 12 touchdowns, just as he did in each of the previous two seasons and his yards declined to 1309.
9. Tiki Barber: Yet again, Barber was a yardage machine, but the goal line carries went to Brandon Jacobs, who finished with 9 touchdowns. Barber didn’t reach the end zone until Week 9 and didn’t sniff it again until Week 15. The final regular season game of his career was brilliant when he rushed for 234 yards and three touchdowns against the Redskins.
10. Deuce McAllister: The arrival of Reggie Bush in 2006 also saw McAllister enjoy a return to form in a healthy season. He rejoined the 1000 yard club and he saw the end zone 10 times.
Honorable Mention: Joseph Addai: Addai came in from LSU and gave the Colts a very suitable replacement for Edgerinn James. He recorded 1081 yards and 7 rushing touchdowns, very Edge-esque.
Wide Receivers 1. Marvin Harrison: Harrison did what he does every single year, be the most consistently productive receiver in the game. He finished the season with 1366 yards, the most he has had since his 1722 in 2002 and just three short of yardage champ Chad Johnson. His 12 touchdowns also put him second best amongst receivers, but the combination of these two factors makes him the best FFL receiver in 2006.
2. Terrell Owens: Life with T.O. was a circus as usual, but he quietly had another Hall of Fame season. He had 1180 yards and led the league in receiving touchdowns (13) for the third time in his career.
3. Reggie Wayne: Wayne recorded career highs in receptions and yards in 2006. His touchdowns were up to 9 from 5 the season before. There is no regret in Indianapolis for giving him a big contract and letting Edgerinn James walk instead.
4. Chad Johnson: Johnson was M.I.A. during the initial eight games until he lit up the Chargers for 260 yards and two touchdowns. In their next game, he gave an encore performance, 190 yards and three touchdowns. Hopefully you had big games during these two weeks because Johnson did very few spectacular things during the remainder of the season.
5. Donald Driver: For the third consecutive season, Driver recorded at least 1200 yards, coming just five yards shy of 1300 this season. He and Brett Favre connected for 8 touchdowns.
6. Torry Holt: Holt’s yards declined for the fourth consecutive season, but he scored 10 touchdwosn, which was tied for third in the NFL.
7. Javon Walker: Walker bounced back from his devastating leg injury of 2005 to become a top receiver again. Few would have predicted him to log 1084 yards and 8 touchdowns.
8. Lee Evans: Evans eclipsed 1000 yards for the first time in his young career in 2006.
9. Plaxico Burress: Burress came 12 yards shy of 1000, but he did catch 10 touchdowns this season and might just be the final saving grace for Eli Manning’s career.
10. Steve Smith: It would have been nearly impossible for Smith to duplicate his 2005 no matter what was going on. In limited time, Smith once again had over 1000 yards and he caught 8 touchdown passes.
Honorable Mention: Marques Colston: Nobody predicted the Hofstra rookie would become more valuable to the Saints than the USC one. He was though, recording 8 touchdowns and 1038 yards.
