These 2009 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings will be updated often throughout the summer, so make sure you check back from time to time. Also, be sure to check out my other 2009 Fantasy Football articles, which will include sleepers, busts, tons of 2009 Fantasy Football mock drafts and other things.
2009 Fantasy Football Rankings – Quarterbacks:
Last Updated: Sept. 8, 2009
2009 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks 1-12 | QBs 13-33
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Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers. Bye: 8.
SEPT. 1 UPDATE: Ben Roethlisberger shredded Buffalo’s secondary Saturday night, going 15-of-19 for 168 yards. His offensive line gave him solid protection, but even when Buffalo defenders flooded the backfield, Big Ben was able to escape and find his receivers downfield. Every Arizona and Baltimore fan just grimaced.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: If we were drafting based on pure talent and clutch, Ben Roethlisberger would be the third quarterback off the board. However, this is fantasy football, where Roethlisberger is simply mediocre. He somehow had 32 touchdowns in 2007, but if you take away that output, he has never thrown more than 18 scores in a single year. Roethlisberer has also failed to compile more than 3,513 yards in his five NFL seasons.
However, I think it’s important to remember that Roethlisberger was hampered by a shoulder injury the entire 2008 campaign. He’ll be healthy in September, so I expect his touchdown total to jump into the low 20s.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 3,425 passing yards. 23 passing TDs. 14 INTs. 80 rushing yards. 2 rushing TDs.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 221.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 301.
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Joe Flacco, Ravens. Bye: 7. 
AUG. 31 UPDATE: Joe Flacco is now officially on my sleeper list, and it wouldn’t shock me at all if he finished as a top-10 fantasy quarterback.
Flacco began the game Saturday night 10-of-11 for 136 yards, with his only incompletion coming on a drop by Todd Heap’s carcass. Included in those numbers was a beautiful 42-yard connection to Kelley Washington on a fade route.
Despite playing just two-and-a-half quarters, Flacco finished 23-of-28 for 247 yards and a score. All five incompletions were either drops, deep shots off by a bit, or balls that were thrown away. Now that Flacco is in his second year, it appears as though John Harbaugh is trusting him a lot more. You should as well during your fantasy draft.
AUG. 15 UPDATE: Despite Joe Flacco’s training camp woes, he was very solid against the Redskins in the preseason opener. Flacco was 9-of-15 for 103 yards, and one of the incompletions was a dropped 15-yard reception by Marcus Smith as the ball bounced out of his hands.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: I was really disappointed when the Ravens walked away from the 2009 NFL Draft without a wide receiver. They had to settle for free-agent signing Kelley Washington, who won’t contribute much. Joe Flacco still has Derrick Mason, but he’s now 35. Todd Heap isn’t the same tight end he once was; L.J. Smith will suck as usual; and Quinn Sypniewski can only perform so many miracles in one season.
Flacco threw for more than 190 yards just twice in the final 10 weeks of the season. He never attempted more than 33 throws in a single game in that span, which should change now that he’s in his second year. Still, it would help if he had better weapons at his disposal.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 3,600 passing yards. 20 passing TDs. 12 INTs. 130 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 219.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 295.
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David Garrard, Jaguars. Bye: 7. 
AUG. 24 UPDATE: David Garrard struggled last week, so it was refreshing to see him bounce back Saturday night. Garrard went 10-of-16 for 216 yards and a score. Things looked promising right away, when Garrard had all the time in the world on the first play of the game, allowing him to find a streaking Troy Williamson 74 yards downfield.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: David Garrard was considered a fantasy sleeper in some circles (not here), so people were disappointed when he threw just 15 touchdowns to 13 picks. His passing yardage wasn’t bad (3,620) until you consider that he did that in 535 pass attempts, giving him a pedestrian YPA of 6.8.
That said, I expect Garrard to have a bounce-back season. He had no receiving help last year, as Jerry Porter and Troy Williamson both stole money from owner Wayne Weaver. This season, Garrard will have the luxury of throwing to Torry Holt, easily the most talented wideout he’s ever worked with.
Also, it’s important to note that Jacksonville added tons of depth to the offensive line. This was a major problem last year; front-line blockers were going down almost every week, so Garrard had no time to make all of his downfield reads. That would explain the 6.8 YPA.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 3,540 passing yards. 17 passing TDs. 10 INTs. 225 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 218.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 287.
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Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks. Bye: 7.
SEPT. 1 UPDATE: Matt Hasselbeck was certainly impressive statistically Saturday night, going 19-of-25 for 216 yards, two touchdowns and an interception that was tipped twice and returned for a touchdown by Brandon Flowers. Hasselbeck’s only mistake was completely missing Nate Burleson on one throw. He was very sharp otherwise, even going back to Burleson for a 31-yard connection on the next attempt.
AUG. 23 UPDATE: With Walter Jones coming off another knee surgery, Sean Locklear struggled in his place at left tackle and surrendered two sacks Saturday night. Hasselbeck was sacked three times total. If Locklear continues to struggle in Jones’ absence, Hasselbeck could get hurt. That said, Hasselbeck remains one of the best QB2s out there.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: Who has been Matt Hasselbeck’s best wide receiver in Seattle? Some may argue Bobby Engram. Others, Darrell Jackson. Deion Branch (when healthy) could get some votes. And who could forget the venerable Taco Wallace?
Well, beginning in September, that question will have a more definitive answer – T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
More importantly, Matt Hasselbeck should be good to go by training camp after missing nine games in 2008 with back and leg injuries. He’s a very solid QB2.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 3,450 passing yards. 23 passing TDs. 14 INTs. 50 rushing yards. 0 rushing TDs.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 207.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 287.
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Jason Campbell, Redskins. Bye: 8.
AUG. 29 UPDATE: Check out these numbers: Jason Campbell was 13-of-22 for 209 yards in slightly more than two quarters of work Friday night. Campbell was very impressive early and late in the first half, connecting on double-digit-yard passes with his targets on eight occasions. Campbell is a pretty solid QB2.
AUG. 23 UPDATE: Jason Campbell’s 1-of-7 for 10 yards on Saturday night is as bad as it looks. Campbell’s first pass was a deep throw to Malcolm Kelly, but it was underthrown and nearly picked off by Troy Polamalu. Campbell’s third attempt was way too high for Santana Moss. Campbell had a 10-yard reception wiped out because of a penalty, but he does not look like he’s progressing in this West Coast offense, which should not be a surprise because Campbell is not made for that system.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: Looking purely at the coaching staff, this should be Jason Campbell’s best year as a pro. After all, this is the first season where he’ll be playing in the same system as the year before. Coaching continuity is one of many things Daniel Snyder has undervalued as owner of the Redskins. Maybe he’s just figuring it out.
Along with being in the same offense, Campbell will have more options at his disposal. In addition to Santana Moss, Chris Cooley and Antwaan Randle El, Devin Thomas is expected to break into the starting lineup. Thomas was raw coming out of Michigan State, but he’ll play a larger role in Washington’s offense now that he’s in his second NFL season.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 3,250 passing yards. 16 passing TDs. 9 INTs. 175 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 199.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 264.
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Shaun Hill, 49ers. Bye: 6.
SEPT. 1 UPDATE: Shaun Hill was pedestrian at best Saturday night, going 9-of-17 for only 97 yards. Hill threw four very inaccurate passes, and on one play, had Josh Morgan wide open but decided to check down instead. Hill is a far better quarterback than Alex Smith, but this performance was very discouraging.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: Shaun Hill was a surprising fantasy commodity late in the season last year; in the final six weeks of the year, Hill averaged 240.5 yards and 1.5 touchdowns per game. Stretch that over a 16-game slate, and Hill would have managed 3,848 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Sleeper alert!? Quite possibly. Remember, Hill will also have Michael Crabtree as a downfield option this season.
It should be noted that of the six aforementioned opponents, five of them (Cowboys, Jets, Dolphins, Rams, Redskins) all struggled versus the pass. But Hill operates in the defensively challenged NFC West, and will have out-of-divisional battles with the Vikings, Falcons, Texans, Packers, Jaguars and Lions, all of whom aren’t particularly strong versus opposing aerial attacks.
Hill shouldn’t be your starting fantasy quarterback or anything, but he’s a late-round sleeper with a lot of upside as a QB2.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 3,350 passing yards. 16 passing TDs. 13 INTs. 120 rushing yards. 2 rushing TDs.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 196.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 261.
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Brett Favre, Vikings. Bye: 9.
SEPT. 1 UPDATE: Brett Favre made a number of impressive throws Monday night. On one play, he scrambled away from defenders and got the ball to Visanthe Shiancoe 19 yards downfield. Favre later showed off his arm strength with an 11-yard dart to Shiancoe on 3rd-and-7 on the next drive. Favre tossed a nice fade to Percy Harvin in the end zone which was dropped. On a later possession, Favre fired a 10-yard dart to Sidney Rice on third down to move the chains.
Favre made one mistake in this contest; he threw a quintessential Favre heave into double coverage in the second quarter that was almost picked off. I’m expecting more of those once he’s behind in the fourth quarter.
AUG. 22 UPDATE: All the talk was about Brett Favre on Friday night even though he threw only four passes. Favre’s first throw was wide of fullback Naufahu Tahi (why am I not surprised that Tahi was the recipient of Favre’s first target?) Favre completed his only pass on the next play, which was a 4-yard connection to Percy Harvin. Favre’s third throw missed Jaymar Johnson. Favre took a hit on his final attempt and sailed the ball over the middle of the field that could have been picked off.
It’s impossible to read much into this performance. Favre wasn’t impressive, but he’s only had a few days of practice. Next week’s game will be a better measuring stick.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: The Vikings have foolishly added a new quarterback to their team. Read all about it in the Brett Favre Vikings Signing. Favre is nothing more than a solid backup in fantasy leagues. Bump him up a few rankings if your league doesn’t penalize for interceptions.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 3,600 passing yards. 21 passing TDs. 21 INTs. 30 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 195.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 273.
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Matt Stafford, Lions. Bye: 7.
SEPT. 8 UPDATE: Matthew Stafford has been named the starting quarterback for the Lions. Stafford has the talent to be a Pro Bowler in the NFL, but he also has the horrid pass protection to become Joey Harrington 2.0. If Jeff Backus struggles once again, Stafford’s career could be ruined. Nevertheless, Calvin Johnson and Kevin Smith make Stafford a very capable QB2 with Matt Ryan-like upside.
SEPT. 4 UPDATE: Matthew Stafford played against Buffalo’s backups and went 5-of-9 for 81 yards Thursday night. Stafford had a touchdown wiped out by a penalty, but also had two turnovers (interception, fumble) on his first two drives. It’s worth noting that the pick was not Stafford’s fault; Keary Colbert slipped on his route (shocker).
AUG. 24 UPDATE: I broke down all 13 of Matthew Stafford’s throws in the 2009 NFL Preseason Fantasy Football Notes page. Stafford and the Lions will be bashed for Saturday night’s performance, but note that it won’t be as bad as people will make it out to be. Stafford did not have the services of Calvin Johnson, so things will be a lot different once Megatron is in the lineup.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: Matthew Stafford certainly didn’t disappoint in his preseason debut; he showed off his arm strength on the first throw, as the ball found Keary Colbert’s hands 25 yards downfield. Unfortunately, Colbert’s hands could not find the ball. Stafford connected on his next two passes for 15 yards, but his fourth attempt was yet another drop by Colbert. Apparently, Colbert was one of the people on the WF.com forums who did not like Lions-Stafford pick.
I was beginning to doubt that on the next series when Colbert caught a Stafford missile along the sidelines for 28 yards. However, Colbert dropped yet another deep pass two plays later.
Stafford had a pick-six at the beginning of the second half because he had too much pressure in his face (thanks for the left tackle). However, Stafford bounced back and led Detroit to the end zone on a 25-yard dart to Derrick Williams. Stafford finished 7-of-14 for 114 yards, one score and a pick.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 3,475 passing yards. 20 passing TDs. 16 INTs. 75 rushing yards. 0 rushing TDs.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 194.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 269.
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Trent Edwards, Bills. Bye: 9.
SEPT. 1 UPDATE: Trent Edwards was 6-of-13 for 31 yards and a pick-six Saturday night. On the interception, Josh Reed stopped running his route, and Edwards, who was under pressure, of course, had to hurry his throw. That wasn’t Edwards’ fault, but he nearly tossed another interception on a misfire to Reed in the flat later in the game. Edwards also overthrew Reed on a 3rd-and-9 on another occasion. The only silver lining here is that Terrell Owens and Lee Evans were out. That said, I’d still be extremely concerned if I were a Bills fan. PREVIOUS UPDATES: Trent Edwards managed Buffalo’s no-huddle offense very efficiently. Edwards completed all 10 of his passes for 79 yards. All but three were checkdowns (the ones that weren’t were completions of 36, 9 and 9 to Lee Evans). Terrell Owens did not play with a sprained toe.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 3,375 passing yards. 18 passing TDs. 14 INTs. 90 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 194.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 263.
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Matt Cassel, Chiefs. Bye: 8. 
AUG. 31 UPDATE: Both ProFootballTalk and Yahoo Sports are reporting that Matt Cassel has an MCL injury and could be out the first couple of weeks of the regular season. This could be a blessing for Dwayne Bowe owners, as Brodie Croyle is the superior real quarterback, while pistol-formation signal-caller Tyler Thigpen is better for fantasy purposes.
AUG. 22 UPDATE: Matt Cassel may not last the entire season because Kansas City’s offensive line is horrific. The Chiefs simply could not protect Cassel against a Minnesota defensive front on Friday night that was missing Jared Allen and Pat Williams. Cassel was pressured on his first two throws and was sacked three times in the first half. The Vikings’ starters sacked Cassel twice in the first quarter alone.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: Matt Cassel was absolutely horrific in the 2008 preseason, and at one point, it looked like he was going to get cut. But he took over for Tom Brady 20 minutes into the regular season, and went on to throw for 3,693 yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 picks. He also rushed for 271 yards and two scores.
However, as Emmitt would say, “Things will be a li-bit differently in the city of Kansas.” Cassel will no longer have Randy Moss and Wes Welker at his disposal. Dwayne Bowe is talented, but he’s no Moss. And Bobby Engram certainly isn’t Welker. Oh, and don’t forget how thin and untalented Kansas City’s offensive line is compared to New England’s.
Cassel is a system quarterback with no arm strength who can’t play under center. He’ll have good games against weaker defenses, but he’ll struggle mightily once he has to battle the Chargers, Ravens, Eagles, Giants, Redskins, etc.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 3,050 passing yards. 17 passing TDs. 14 INTs. 200 rushing yards. 2 rushing TDs.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 194.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 258.
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Kyle Orton, Broncos. Bye: 7.
AUG. 23 UPDATE: I discussed Kyle Orton’s pedestrian Saturday night performance in full detail in the 2009 NFL Preseason Fantasy Football Notes. Orton did not impress me one bit, but I feel as though he slightly raised his fantasy stock by purely saving his job. Orton is going to rack up tons of yardage completing his trademark 5-yard passes. Don’t expect a lot of touchdowns and look for a bunch of picks when he’s trying to play catch-up.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: Kyle Orton threw for 2,972 yards and 18 touchdowns in 15 games playing in Lovie Smith’s conservative offense last year. Orton’s 6.4 YPA was a disgrace, though to be fair, he didn’t exactly have the best receivers at his disposal.
So, what’s going to happen in Denver? Well, it’s safe to say that Orton’s pass attempts will rise from 465 to the low 500s. He’ll consequently throw for more yards and scores. However, his interception total will also rise dramatically; without a solid defense supporting him for the first time in his career, Orton will be forced into making poor throws late in games. Those who loved the Jay Cutler trade in Denver will soon realize the glaring difference between Cutler and Orton.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 3,425 passing yards. 20 passing TDs. 20 INTs. 60 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 189.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 263.
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Eli Manning, Giants. Bye: 10.
If you’ve never paid attention to Eli Manning’s stats, it may surprise you that he has never compiled a better completion percentage than 60.3, and his YPA has never been greater than 6.8.
Both of those numbers came in 2008, despite Manning’s sharp decline after the Plaxico Burress incident. In Manning’s final four games of the season, he completed just 54.6 percent of his throws on a horrific YPA of 5.7. Those are Ken Dorsey numbers.
I like Hakeem Nicks, and Manning will be better in 2009 because of him, but it’s unreasonable to expect a rookie receiver to instantly become a good replacement for Burress. Unless Nicks dominates the preseason, I wouldn’t recommend drafting Manning until the later rounds.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 3,220 passing yards. 19 passing TDs. 13 INTs. 20 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points: 257.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 186.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 257.
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Chad Pennington, Dolphins. Bye: 6.
Chad Pennington had the best season of his career with the Dolphins, throwing for 3,653 yards, 19 touchdowns and only seven picks on a great 7.7 YPA. He has one more year with the Dolphins until he becomes a free agent, so even though Pat White will come in to play in the Wildcat 8-10 times per game, Pennington should still put up solid numbers, though a decrease is natural, as Miami won’t have the luxury of beating up on the AFC and NFC West again.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 3,140 passing yards. 16 passing TDs. 8 INTs. 50 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points: 248.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 184.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 248.
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Jake Delhomme, Panthers. Bye: 4.
I speculated that Jake Delhomme threw the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Cardinals on purpose because his son was kidnapped. Well, the Panthers rewarded Delhomme and his six turnovers with a 5-year, $42.5 million extension. That leads me to believe that Carolina’s front office was in on it as well. It’s a conspiracy, I tells ya.
Delhomme is one of the most inconsistent quarterbacks in the NFL. On Week 8, he was 20-of-28 for 248 yards and two touchdowns against the Cardinals. Two Sundays later, Delhomme was a laughable 7-of-27 for 72 yards, one score and four picks at Oakland. Delhomme responded with a 10-of-19, 102-yard, one-touchdown performance versus the mighty Lions. A week later, Delhomme torched the Falcons for 295 yards and a score.
Delhomme is very unreliable, and he’s consequently nothing more than a low-end QB2.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 3,380 passing yards. 16 passing TDs. 13 INTs. 20 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 181.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 247.
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Brady Quinn, Browns. Bye: 9.
Brady Quinn was far from impressive when he played last year. In three games, he had 518 yards, two touchdowns, two picks and a terrible YPA of 5.8. If you take out his 23-of-35, 239-yard, two-touchdown performance against the defensively challenged Broncos, Quinn was just 22-of-54, 279 yards and two picks on the season.
Quinn’s obviously not as bad as those numbers indicate, but will he have help? Quinn has no running game. And outside of Braylon Edwards, he lacks a reliable, proven wideout. Brian Robiskie is talented, but he’s just a mere rookie. Robert Royal is a pretty pedestrian tight end. And even Edwards doesn’t show up unless he’s playing on national television.
Until Quinn gets some experience and better options to throw to, there’s not much to like here from a fantasy perspective.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 3,360 passing yards. 16 passing TDs. 16 INTs. 80 rushing yards. 0 rushing TDs.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 174.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 240.
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Mark Sanchez, Jets. Bye: 9.
SEPT. 4 UPDATE: Mark Sanchez looked very sharp on his only drive Thursday night. Granted, it was against the Eagles’ second-stringers, but all of his throws were sharp and accurate. Sanchez was 5-of-5 for 67 yards and a score. Sanchez can be a QB2, but he doesn’t have much upside in a conservative offense with no true No. 1 receiver.
AUG. 28 UPDATE: Mark Sanchez has been named the starting quarterback for the New York Jets. This is not a surprise, but I still don’t consider Sanchez a very good fantasy option in non-keeper leagues. His upside is limited by the lack of talent at receiver, while his offense will be way too conservative.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: Mark Sanchez should be the starter on Day 1. He has the offensive line and the pro-style experience to be limited as a potential bust. Unfortunately, he lacks anything beyond Dustin Keller and Jerricho Cotchery to be a solid fantasy rookie like Matt Ryan.
I wouldn’t consider drafting Sanchez unless he absolutely lights up the preseason. I’ll pay attention to him in the exhibition games and report on how he performs.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 2,925 passing yards. 16 passing TDs. 11 INTs. 75 rushing yards. 0 rushing TDs.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points: 204.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 166.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 227.
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JaMarcus Russell, Raiders. Bye: 9.
JULY 31 UPDATE: Per Raiders beat writer Jerry McDonald, JaMarcus Russell is once again – surprise – out of shape. Russell even said that he’s “probably a little heavy.” Who saw that coming?
Russell is a fat slob who doesn’t care about working hard or studying film. He should not be on anyone’s fantasy radar this year.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: JaMarcus Russell has a new coaching staff. His work ethic has also been questioned. And it didn’t help matters that Russell looked sluggish in mini-camps.
Al Davis envisions long Russell-to-Darrius Heyward-Bey touchdown bombs, but that’s not happening. More like Russell throws an interception or Heyward-Bey drops a perfectly placed ball. I feel sorry for Raider fans who will have to endure another season of this garbage.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 2,600 passing yards. 14 passing TDs. 10 INTs. 100 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 156.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 210.
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Kerry Collins, Titans. Bye: 7.
Not much of a fantasy quarterback. While Kerry Collins did a great job managing the Titans last year, he had just four games where he threw for 200 yards or more. He also had just three multi-touchdown outputs. Look elsewhere for your backup quarterback.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 2,890 passing yards. 14 passing TDs. 9 INTs. 30 rushing yards. 0 rushing TDs.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 154.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 213.
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Marc Bulger, Rams. Bye: 9.
AUG. 20 UPDATE: Per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Marc Bulger is out for the rest of the preseason and quite possibly Week 1 with a fractured pinkie. Even if he plays, he probably won’t be effective and will constantly be sacked behind a weak offensive line. Avoid Bulger at all costs.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: The 2008 campaign was a nightmare for Marc Bulger, who suffered career-lows in completion percentage (57.0), YPA (6.2) and touchdowns (11). You can’t really blame him though; the offensive line was in shambles, Steven Jackson was in and out of the lineup, Isaac Bruce was gone, Randy McMichael barely played, and Torry Holt struggled.
Steve Spagnuolo brings some stability to the Rams. He drafted Jason Smith and signed Jason Brown, who will help protect Bulger. Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton will continue to improve. Also, McMichael will be back in the lineup.
Bulger’s YPA and touchdown total will climb out of the cellar, but that doesn’t mean that he’ll be a solid fantasy prospect. Bulger will be playing in the West Coast offense for the first time in his career, and there’s no telling what sort of effect all of those sacks will have on him.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 2,900 passing yards. 15 passing TDs. 17 INTs. 40 rushing yards. 0 rushing TDs.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 146.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 205.
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Byron Leftwich, Buccaneers. Bye: 8.
The stats say otherwise, but Luke McCown outplayed Byron Sandwich this preseason. Unfortunately, the offensive line let Raheem Morris know whom they preferred by not blocking at all for McCown. Leftwich has been named the starter, but he will be benched in October once the Buccaneers are 1-6 or 2-8. Don’t draft him.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 2,420 passing yards. 13 passing TDs. 16 INTs. 80 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 130.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 181.
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Daunte Culpepper, Lions. Bye: 7.
JULY 28 UPDATE: This could be the only time I mention Daunte Culpepper all summer, but it’s worth noting that MLive.com’s Tom Kowalski believes Matt Stafford will be the starter in Week 1. Either way, this is a situation to avoid until Detroit proves that it’s capable of protecting its quarterback.
PREVIOUS UPDATES: Daunte Culpepper stopped spamming people and hit the gym, trimming down 30 pounds to a svelte 260. Good for the Ford Field turf – it’ll absorb less damage each time Culpepper gets sacked this year.
The Lions have Calvin Johnson and Brandon Pettigrew as potent downfield targets, but like last year, Culpepper won’t have much time to throw because the offensive line is garbage. With no upgrades made to the offensive front, Culpepper seems doomed to match his career-low YPA of 6.8.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Stats: 700 passing yards. 4 passing TDs. 3 INTs. 20 rushing yards. 1 rushing TD.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (ESPN Scoring): 46.
Projected 2009 Fantasy Points (QB Friendly): 61.
2009 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks 1-12 | QBs 13-33
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ESPN's 2010 Fantasy Football Magazine Errors - 8/3 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Defense Strategy - 8/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: My Round-by-Round Strategy - 7/27 (Walt)
Lack of 2010 Fantasy Depth: Blame the 2008 NFL Draft Class - 7/26 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Why You Should Pass on Chris Johnson - 7/14 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Draft Strategies - 7/13 (John)
2010 Fantasy Football: Wide Receiver Scarcity - 6/30 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Sleepers (Late-Round) - 6/2 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Sleepers (Mid-Round) - 6/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Busts - 5/31 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football Mailbag - 5/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Quarterbacks with New Receivers - 5/1 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: 2010 NFL Draft Stock Up - 4/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: 2010 NFL Draft Stock Down - 4/29 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Free Agency Stock Up - 4/15 (Walt)
2010 Fantasy Football: Free Agency Stock Down - 4/12 (Walt)
Running Backs with Most Carries - 4/10 (Walt)
NFL Picks - Dec. 13
2025 NFL Mock Draft - Dec. 11
NFL Power Rankings - Dec. 9
2026 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 29
Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4
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Injured/injury risk
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Potential bust
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Potential sleeper
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Rank higher in touchdown leagues
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Rank lower in touchdown leagues
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Rank higher in PPR (points per reception) leagues
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Rank lower in PPR leagues
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