Shaw's Fantasy QB Awards
It was the year of the quarterback!
We saw several passing records fall as offensive coordinators allowed their quarterbacks to put the ball in the air at a record-breaking rate.
There were several great performances as the usual suspects posted big numbers; Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees. And while Peyton Manning did not suit up for a single game due to a neck injury, his younger brother Eli threw for 200 more yards than Peyton ever had in a season.
There were some disappointments, as Michael Vick failed to meet lofty expectations and Kevin Kolb and Sam Bradford could not stay healthy. We also may have seen the last of Donovan McNabb who struggled with the Vikings.
On the other hand, Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, and Christian Ponder shined as rookies, while John Skelton and Alex Smith surprised us with giant leaps forward.
Here’s the 2011 regular season recap for the quarterback position.
The Best QB: Drew Brees, Saints
Ever since leading the Saints to an improbable Super Bowl championship, Drew Brees has gone widely underappreciated throughout the football world. After all, this is a quarterback who has posted 30-plus touchdowns in four straight seasons while often flirting with the all-time record in passing yards.
Finally this season, Brees surpassed Marino’s record with an astonishing 5,476 passing yards. Brees also made those yards mean something, as he set a career-high with 46 passing touchdowns, just four shy of the record held by Tom Brady.
Brees has many players to thank for his historic season. Certainly the offensive line did its job, limiting the opposition to just 24 sacks despite 657 passing attempts. Furthermore, Brees’ targets come in all shapes and sizes.
The diminutive 5’6" running back Darren Sproles earned the majority of his yards on passes, hauling in 86 grabs for 710 yards. Then there’s tight end Jimmy Graham, who measures a full foot taller than Sproles. Graham took in 99 receptions for 1,310 yards, the second most for a tight end in NFL history.
In this pass-happy NFL season, the most prolific passer was a player that the Chargers let walk away six years ago. Since then the Saints picked up a Super Bowl title and while San Diego will have to wait until the 2012 season to return to the field, Brees returns to the playoffs for a third straight season.
The Best Fantasy QB: Matthew Stafford, Lions
For several seasons the Lions were a laughingstock with a penchant for drafting wide receivers despite lacking a quality quarterback. That period of the franchise’s history was supposed to come to an end in 2009 when the Lions selected Matthew Stafford out of Georgia with the top pick of the NFL draft.
Unfortunately, Stafford took the field on just 13 occasions over his first two seasons due to injuries. However, with top playmakers Calvin Johnson, Nate Burleson, and Brandon Pettigrew on the roster there was a great deal of potential in Stafford’s arm. For the risk-adverse fantasy managers willing to draft Stafford this season, the rewards were vast both in fantasy and reality.
Despite an injury-ravaged backfield and a surprisingly erratic defense, the Lions will compete in the playoffs because of the passing game. Stafford was a champ, as he fell victim to 36 sacks this season, yet still stood tall at the end of the plays and only fumbled once. He threw for an astounding 5,038 yards while scoring 41 touchdowns compared to 16 interceptions.
It certainly helps having Johnson on the receiving end, but Stafford also made use out of Burleson and Pettigrew, as well as Tony Scheffler and Titus Young. A young team on the rise, Stafford will compete in a shootout against the Saints.
The Surprise QB: Cam Newton, Panthers
It wasn’t too long ago that I read an article titled, "Cam Newton has bust written all over him," on Bleacher Report. It turns out that the author Mad Chad was in fact ‘Mad.’
Newton was sensational this season, and found his way into the record books with 14 rushing touchdowns.
Don’t even think about comparing Newton to Michael Vick either. Newton was impressive with the arm, racking up 4,051 yards while playing all 16 games. He threw 21 touchdowns compared to 17 interceptions and he only lost the ball on a fumble twice. In comparison, Vick has only played all 16 games once in his career, and only last year he exceeded the 21 touchdown passes of Newton.
What should be concerning for the Panthers’ NFC rivals is that this was just the first season for Newton. He led the Panthers to wins in four of the final six games of the season and missing out on the playoffs should allow Carolina to add a bit more talent via the draft.
You’re best not even trying to find comparisons to Newton, because we have never seen a quarterback with the arm, speed, athleticism, and brute strength that we have witnessed from the rookie this season.
The Disappointing QB: Michael Vick, Eagles
The reason that the Eagles failed to meet expectations this season is that everyone focused primarily on the team’s strengths and not the weaknesses.
This is the case at an individual level, as the addition of cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha was considered a game-changer, and yet the former Raiders sensation had never enjoyed a winning season in his eight years in Oakland.
Similarly, quarterback Michael Vick had unattainable expectations entering this season. In just 12 games last season, Vick was excellent, tallying a combined 30 touchdowns compared to just nine turnovers. His passing improved in accuracy and his rushing resulted in a career-best nine touchdowns.
While Vick was fresh off his finest season, his foibles were overlooked. At 6’0, 215 lbs., Vick is significantly smaller than the lineman and linebackers that he is often in contact with. Only once in his career has Vick played all 16 games, and this season he met his average of 12 games. He also regressed a bit, which is normal for players coming off their best seasons.
In general, Vick was a solid quarterback who posted solid all-around numbers. However, that was not enough to meet the lofty expectations coming into the 2011 season.
