Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings

1. Peyton Manning (Indianapolis)
WHY: Manning did break the single-season touchdown record in 2004. His offense returns largely intact, with only tight end Marcus Pollard leaving for Detroit. There will be pressure on him to succeed, but he has the talent and the supporting cast to be the best fantasy quarterback again this season. WHY NOT: There will be too much pressure on Manning to duplicate his 49 touchdown passes from 2004. There are no real reasons not to pick Peyton, other than he hasn't missed a start yet in his career and is due for an injury.
*2004:* 336/497, 4557 yards, 49 TD, 10 INT, 121.1 QB rating.

2. Daunte Culpepper (Minnesota)

WHY: If it weren't for Manning's amazing campaign, Culpepper may have been the MVP last season. He led the league with 4717 yards last season and has more weapons this year at his disposal. He is also facing a very weak NFC North and should have 6 games against secondaries that cannot stop him.

WHY NOT: Randy Moss is in Oakland now. Culpepper lost his most active target, if not his favorite, and will have to jell with rookie Troy Williamson and incumbents Nate Burleson and Kelly Campbell.

*2004:* 379/548, 4717 yards, 39 TD, 11 INT, 110.9 QB rating.
3. Trent Green (Kansas City)
*WHY:* Green leads an offense in Kansas City that can score at will. His offensive line is among the best in the league and he has two proven running backs behind him to take attention from the passing game. His tight end is the best in the business and his receiving core is dependable. *WHY NOT:* Green is 35-years old and has not been the most durable QB in his career. The Chiefs also use their running backs a lot in the redzone, cutting down on his touchdown numbers. Green will also throw around 15 interceptions a year, something that can hurt you more than you think.
*2004:* 369/556, 4591 yards, 27 TD, 17 INT, 95.2 QB rating

4. Donovan McNabb (Philadelphia)
*WHY:* McNabb is an exciting dual threat at quarterback that really came into his own in 2004. With Terrell Owens at receiver, McNabb experienced the most success he has ever seen as a passer. There is a strong running game behind McNabb and he plays in a quarterback friendly west coast set. *WHY NOT:* TO may hold out, costing McNabb stats. They might win games without Owens, but the fantasy numbers will suffer. The key to McNabb having a good season rests on the playing time of TO. With him in the lineup, McNabb is a valuable player. Without, he's a middle of the road touchdown and yards guy.
*2004:* 300/469, 3875 yards, 31 TD, 8 INT, 104.7 QB rating.

5. Marc Bulger (St. Louis)
*WHY:* Bulger is surrounded with playmakers and is in an offense that loves to throw the ball. He has two very good running backs and two 1,000-yard receivers surrounding him. There is enough experience and talent here that the production should not fall off. They are also going against weak defenses in the NFC West. *WHY NOT:* There are not many reasons to pass over Bulger, but one is his interceptions. He is a consistent double-digit INT guy and will make costly mistakes. His yards and touchdowns will keep you alive, but if your league penalizes much for interceptions, you might look at another option.
*2004:* 321/485, 3964 yards, 21 TD, 14 INT, 93.7 QB rating.

6. Kerry Collins (Oakland)
*WHY:* Randy Moss, Jerry Porter, Ronald Curry and LaMont Jordan are reason enough to pick up Collins early this year. He is also a year into a system that is designed to his strengths of throwing the long ball. He has two excellent vertical receivers, an up and comer in Curry to work the slot and a punishing back in Jordan to keep defenses off of him and allow the play action to work. *WHY NOT:* Collins has had an inconsistent career and you never know when he is going to lapse back into mediocrity. His 20 interceptions last year show that he is too much of a gunslinger and won't pick his targets. Having Moss will help, but only some.
*2004:* 289/513, 3495 yards, 21 TD, 20 INT, 74.8 QB rating.

7. Matt Hasselbeck (Seattle)
*WHY:* Hasselbeck will get yards and touchdowns for you. If you choose to go with a running back in the first round, he's a good pick as a solid quarterback in the second to third range. *WHY NOT:* His interceptions were up last year and he lost Koren Robinson, with little replacing him. He'll lean heavily on Darrell Jackson and Bobby Engram, but if RB Shaun Alexander continues to hold out, the pressure will be on Matt to produce.
*2004:* 279/474, 3382 yards, 22 TD, 15 INT, 83.1 QB rating.

8. Brett Favre (Green Bay)
*WHY:* Because you never bet against Brett Favre and too many people forget he led the league in passing touchdowns in 2003. He is not that different of a player today, he just needs Javon Walker in uniform and the freedom to make plays. He is also the definition of durable and you don't have to worry about him missing starts. *WHY NOT:* He still throws too many interceptions and you worry about the loss of his two best linemen in the off-season. His numbers are still very good though and it is hard to put him this low.
*2004:* 346/540, 4088 yards, 30 TD, 17 INT, 92.4 QB rating.

9. Carson Palmer (Cincinnati)
*WHY:* His offense is loaded with playmakers and he really started to get hot the last part of the season. Palmer is big, strong and cool in the pocket. He has a rocket arm and the receivers to stretch the field. He's only scratching the surface of his potential right now. 30 touchdowns are not out of the question this season. He is coming into his second season as a starter and looks to have a monster year. *WHY NOT:* Because he hasn't proven himself, yet. In his one season as a starter, Palmer threw 18 TD and 18 INT, something critics will latch onto. He is also playing in a very tough division and will not get any easy games down the stretch.
*2004:* 263/432, 2897 yards, 18 TD, 18 INT, 77.3 QB rating.

10. Michael Vick (Atlanta)
*WHY:* If your league gives quarterbacks rushing yards, he's worth much more than this. If not, you can rejoice in the word that receivers Michael Jenkins and Roddy White are looking very good in camp. Vick is going to win games, but sadly we don't get points for that. His passing yards are never going to be great, but he should put up around 2,800 this year with 18 TDs and 10 INTs. All respectable numbers. *WHY NOT:* If you don't get rushing yards, push him way down this list. Either way, he is waiting to be hurt every time he runs, his receivers are raw, his line is a mess and he fumbles too much. Add to the fact that he's not a "real" quarterback and you start to wonder why you would draft him in a non-rushing QB league.
*2004:* 181/321, 2313 yds, 14 TD, 12 INT, 78.1 QB rtg. 120 car, 920 yds, 3 TD.

11. Jake Delhomme (Carolina)
*WHY:* He quietly put up impressive stats in 2004 and will have his go-to guy Steve Smith back in 2004. An improved line, a healthy running game and more talent at WR all point to a 4,000-yard, 30 TD season for Delhomme. *WHY NOT:* Losing Muhsin Muhammad and his 15 touchdowns will hurt the Panthers passing game. Delhomme is coming into his own as a passer and will have more freedom this year, but that could mean even more interceptions than the 15 he threw last year.
*2004:* 310/533, 3886 yards, 29 TD, 15 INT, 87.3 QB rating.

12. Drew Bledsoe (Dallas)
*WHY:* Bledsoe will play the 2005 season with two good receivers, a solid running game and most importantly, a stud tight end. Bledsoe loves his tight ends and will have the NFC's best here in Jason Witten. He is also being protected by a much better line and has the blessing of Coach Bill Parcells to throw the long ball. *WHY NOT:* He is 33-years old, slow and losing his confidence. Teams will blitz Bledsoe all day because they know he can't move in the pocket. He's also throwing more interceptions than ever.
*2004:* 256/450, 2932 yards, 20 TD, 16 INT, 76.6 QB rating.

13. Tom Brady (New England)
*WHY:* Someone in your league will draft Brady way too early because he wins Super Bowls and is famous, but don't let that be the reason you draft him. Brady can be a valuable second QB or even a starter if your running game can carry you. He'll throw for a good amount of touchdowns and over 3,000 yards, but he won't put up top 10 numbers in those categories. If you get points for wins, draft him sooner. *WHY NOT:* Brady will never be a statistical stud, he is a winner. He'll probably throw an interception for every two touchdowns and should hover around that 30/15 area with 3800 yards. Good numbers for sure, but if you can wait on him, do so.
*2004:* 288/474, 3692 yards, 28 TD, 14 INT, 92.6 QB rating.

14. Byron Leftwich (Jacksonville)
*WHY:* Leftwich has a strong arm and can move the team up and down the field with ease. He has talent around him at running back and receiver with a new offensive system in place to play to his strengths. *WHY NOT:* The Jaguars just don't score as many points as they should. They are horrible in the redzone and seem to shutdown inside the 20. The running game could take a big hit if Fred Taylor stays hurt and their best receiver is on his last legs. We also don't know how healthy he is or if he'll play in the preseason.
*2004:* 267/441, 2941 yards, 15 TD, 10 INT, 82.2 QB rating.

15. Jake Plummer (Denver)
*WHY:* Plummer is the key to an offense that will rack up yards and points this season. He has talent and experience around him and a running game that gets all of the attention. He'll quietly throw for 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2005. *WHY NOT:* With those yards and touchdowns you get 20 interceptions and fumbles to match it. Plummer makes too many mistakes for a veteran quarterback and will break as many plays as he makes. He's not consistent and can look like a Pro Bowler one game and a bench warmer the next.
*2004:* 303/521, 4089 yards, 27 TD, 20 INT, 84.5 QB rating.

16. Aaron Brooks (New Orleans)
*WHY:* Brooks has two very good receivers and a stellar running game to bail him out. He's been putting up good numbers as of late, but nothing to warrant the hype he's been receiving by some. He is good for 20-25 touchdowns and close to 3,750 yards every season. New Orleans will throw the ball a lot, maximizing the chances to Brooks to do well. *WHY NOT:* Brooks cannot play at the same level for an entire season and will fall off at some point. His interceptions have been climbing and teams know how to stop him now. The offense will undergo a lot of changes this season and it remains to be seen how well Brooks can do in this system. If you can put up with interceptions and incomplete passes, he's a good pick in a middle round.
*2004:* 309/542, 3810 yards, 21 TD, 16 INT, 79.5 QB rating.

17. Drew Brees (San Diego)
*WHY:* Brees shocked us all in 2004 and put up some good numbers. He has the reigns to the starting job right now and with another year under his belt could do even better in ?05. Brees didn't make many mistakes last year and only threw 7 interceptions to his 27 touchdowns. His yards could be better, but he won't lose you many points. *WHY NOT:* While he won't lose points, he doesn't make many either. His yards really hurt a lot of owners in 2004 and although some are optimistic this season, the AFC West looks better defensively. There is also the chance the Chargers pull the plug on Brees if they can't win early to play Phil Rivers.
*2004:* 262/400, 3159 yards, 27 TD, 7 INT, 104.8 QB rating.

18. Chad Pennington (New York Jets)
*WHY:* Pennington will be playing in an exciting offense in 2005 with more playmakers at his disposal. After an amazing year in 2004, defenses will load up to stop Curtis Martin, opening things up for Pennington and the receivers. He has Laveranues Coles back and a true tight end in Doug Jolley to move the chains, now he just has to get on the field. *WHY NOT:* There are legitimate injury concerns surrounding Pennington and you are taking a gamble if you draft him too early. Put him in the back of your mind and take a chance with him as a backup or #2 QB, don't trust him as your starter until he's healthy.
*2004:* 242/370, 2673, 16 TD, 9 INT, 91.0 QB rating.

19. David Carr (Houston)
*WHY:* Carr has Pro Bowl talent and a Pro Bowler at receiver in Andre Johnson. There is talent on this offense and you get the feeling that Carr is ready to break out. He will pass for over 3500 yards again this season and should top 20 touchdowns if he can stay off his back. *WHY NOT:* The Texans lack a true left tackle to protect Carr and a true #2 wide receiver to keep defenses off of Johnson and the running game. Carr has never been protected much as a pro and teams will keep coming at them until they stop them. Carr's biggest drawback is the protection in front of him.
*2004:* 285/466, 3531 yards, 16 TD, 14 INT, 83.5 QB rating.

20. Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh)
*WHY:* If last season is any indication of how his career will go, Big Ben is going to be an all-time great. His numbers were somewhat pedestrian, but they will open things up for him more this year and let him use his talents. Last year was about winning and protecting him; this year they will see what they have. Expect them to air it out more, giving Ben a chance to make plays. *WHY NOT:* The Patriots proved last year that a zone defense would completely unravel Roethlisberger. Plus, you have to worry about the Steelers running game holding up with two aging players heading it up. Losing favorite receiver Plaxico Burress won't help either.
*2004:* 196/295, 2621 yards, 17 TD, 11 INT, 98.1 QB rating.

21. Steve McNair (Tennessee)
*WHY:* When he's healthy, McNabb is a league MVP. He can put up 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns with ease and won't throw many picks to add to that. He is also a dangerous runner, maybe not as much as he used to be, but he will still get a few rushing touchdowns along the way. One exciting note is that offensive coordinator Norm Chow will find a way to get points on the board. *WHY NOT:* The Titans have purged their roster of any real talent and are going to get by on cheap players and unproven talent this fall. If they lose early, McNair might be pulled in favor of Billy Volek. His health is also a big concern, whether the team lets on to that or not.
*2004:* 129/215, 1343 yards, 8 TD, 9 INT, 73.1 QB rating.

22. Eli Manning (New York Giants)
*WHY:* He has the pedigree, the talent and now he has the players around him to be a star. He got much needed exposure in 2004 and started to settle down at the end of the year. Now, he has to become a solid starter and use the players around him to make plays. *WHY NOT:* He is still a second-year player and very shaky at that. He looked out of place last year and the game looked too fast for him. The Giants line still has some big question marks about it and the key to a good season will be how much time Eli has to throw.
*2004:* 95/197, 1043 yards, 6 TD, 9 INT, 55.4 QB rating.

23. Brian Griese (Tampa Bay)
*WHY:* Believe it or not, he did have a very good season in 2004 once he got in. If he can remain the starter, Griese should put up 25 touchdowns and 3200 yards. He has never been one to keep his interception numbers down, so expect at least 12 of those if he is a full-time starter. If he's your man, you'll get good numbers, but not enough to carry you through the season. If for some reason he is declared the starter, I think he could come close to those numbers of 25 and 3200 yards. *WHY NOT:* Jon Gruden changes quarterbacks like most of us do our underwear. Chris Simms is lying in wait and we are not sure who will be the opening day starter. Either guy is capable, but in an early August draft, it is too much of a gamble to spend a high pick on either one.
*2004:* 233/336, 2632 yards, 20 TD, 12 INT, 97.5 QB rating.

24. Joey Harrington (Detroit)
*WHY:* He has three top-ten picks at wide receiver to work with and a running back that could easily lead the league in rushing to take the pressure off of him. Harrington has everything a quarterback could want around him, now he just has to produce. *WHY NOT:* Jeff Garcia is breathing down his neck and if he doesn't show up big in the first few games, he'll lose his job. He hasn't shown any ability to be consistent and a leader yet. The coaches in Detroit are this close to giving up.
*2004:* 274/489, 3047 yards, 19 TD, 12 INT, 77.5 QB rating.

25. JP Losman (Buffalo)
*WHY:* Losman has a ton of talent around him and could be the leader of an explosive offense if he can play well enough. There is talent at wide receiver, but he has to be patient and get them the ball. Handing off to Willis McGahee will be his primary duty this fall. *WHY NOT:* He has never taken a snap in a NFL game and is injury prone. He's also a scrambler and will do more running than throwing this year behind an average offensive line and against some intimidating defenses in the AFC East.
*2004:* 3/5, 32 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT

26. Kyle Boller (Baltimore)
*WHY:* Adding Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton means they want to throw the ball more in 2005. He has three of the best quarterback minds in the game working him with and a supporting cast that provide the talent around him to win. So why is he so low? He hasn't proven himself yet and we aren't buying it yet. *WHY NOT:* Boller still looks lost and is relying on athleticism thus far. He hasn't made any significant reads on defense and will still default to handing the ball to Jamal Lewis for most of the season. If Todd Heap isn't ready to go, Boller will lose his best target. Then again, he could turn it all around this year and become a top 20 passer.
*2004:* 258/464, 2559 yards, 13 TD, 11 INT, 70.9 QB rating

27. Rex Grossman (Chicago)
*WHY:* Adding Cedric Benson and Muhsin Muhammad will only make this offense much better. Grossman is finally healthy and has a much improved staff around him. He is being set up to win and be productive and should have a better offensive system in place with Ron Turner. *WHY NOT:* His arm strength hasn't proven to be enough to win yet and he has been in and out of the lineup with injuries. When he was playing last year he looked decent, but no better than your average quarterback. He is another player that could turn it on this year, but we'll wait to see.
*2004:* 47/84, 607 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT, 64.1 QB rating.

28. Patrick Ramsey (Washington)
*WHY:* This is a tough one. If you are picking Ramsey, you have complete faith in the Redskins and probably a season ticket holder. There is not much hope that the Redskins will do much offensively in 2005, much less through the air. Should the amazing occur, it should be said that Ramsey has a very strong arm and is underrated by the coaching staff. *WHY NOT:* Joe Gibbs is dedicated to running the ball, Ramsey might lose time to first-round pick Jason Campbell and there is a lack of talent and confidence in the wide receivers.
*2004:* 169/272, 1665 yards, 10 TD, 11 INT, 74.8 QB rating.

29. Gus Frerotte (Miami)
*WHY:* He is the most likely to win the job as the starting quarterback for the Dolphins this season. He will have three good receivers to throw to and potential a game changing running back and safety valve tight end if they can get their off-the-field problems handled. Frerotte is a smart quarterback that won't make mistakes, but he won't win games either. He is just not a playmaker. *WHY NOT:* There is no certainty as to whom will be the starter all season long here. It could be AJ Feeley or a free agent pick up. Either way, the offense will be asked to hold on to leads and give the defense something to work with. The majority of the offense will come from yards after catch and the running game.
*2004:* 0/1, 0 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT

30. Kurt Warner (Arizona)
*WHY:* Warner is in a passer-friendly system with a lot of young talent around him. The media will be all over him as a comeback player early on and he'll be given plenty of time to learn and execute the offense. He does still have a good arm and throws a pretty ball. *WHY NOT:* He is washed up and needs all-day to throw, something he won't have here. Dennis Green also won't wait long to pull him if he's not effective, or even if he is. They are hoping for a rookie to lead the running game and both receivers are bigger, slower guys that make plays in the air, not on the ground.
*2004:* 174/277, 2054 yards, 6 TD, 4 INT, 86.5 QB rating.

31. Trent Dilfer (Cleveland)
*WHY:* He will be given 16 games to run this team. That is about all we know of the Browns offense right now. He has a very talented young receiver in Braylon Edwards, and he should look to him early and often. *WHY NOT:* There is not much talent here and Dilfer is not a fantasy quarterback. Losing Kellen Winslow killed his offense before it got started.
*2004:* 25/58, 333, 1 TD, 3 INT, 46.1 QB rating.

32. Alex Smith (San Francisco)
*WHY:* Smith is an exciting young player with the intelligence and skill to be good early. He'll get rushing yards and should put up a few touchdowns that way this year. *WHY NOT:* He has no one to throw to other than TE Eric Johnson and will be hit hard early this year unless the 49ers line steps up. The skill positions are all lacking, unless Brandon Lloyd and Johnnie Morton are going to resurrect their careers.
*2004:* College player

QB - RB - WR - TE - DL - LB - DB - K