• London Fletcher (Age 34) – Quite simply, he is the most consistent IDP of this decade.  From 2000 thru week 3 of the 2009 season Fletcher has 1,286 total tackles which is 111 more than the player with the second most during this period, Zach Thomas.  For this season, boosted with games of 18 and 16 tackles, Fletcher leads the NFL with 52 total tackles.  He is on pace for 208 total tackles which would be the most in the NFL since Hardy Nickerson put up an unofficial record of 214 in 1993.  An 8-time Pro Bowl alternate; if Fletcher keeps up his current pace, then there’s no way they’ll be able to keep him out of Honolu, uh I mean Miami in the 2009 Pro Bowl.

• Joey Porter (Age 32) – With 2 sacks thru his first three games, “J. Peezy” is picking up right where he left off last year when he led the AFC with a career-high 17.5 sacks.  I’m sure Porter was salivating on the sideline as the Dolphins collected six sacks on Trent Edwards in Week Four.  But Porter is more than just a rush-linebacker; he can also drop into zone coverage and pick off the occasional pass.  He has posted four seasons with multiple interceptions which is the same number that former teammate Troy Polamalu has posted.  Here’s a stat that I bet you didn’t know: Joey Porter is the only player in NFL history to record at least 70 sacks and 10 interceptions in his career.

• Brett Favre (Age 39) – Thru Week 3 Brett Favre has a passing rating of 94.5 and pending his play tonight and the rest of the season, Favre could have the highest ever passing rating in a season for a QB in his 40s.  On October 10 Favre will turn 40 and no full-time starter has ever had a rating of at least 90 in any season played in their 40s.  Granted, there are not many QBs who were starters in their 40s but of the ones who were, the names are pretty impressive.  They are either in the Hall of Fame (Moon, Unitas, Dawson, Jurgensen) or Heisman winners (Testaverde, Flutie).  None of those players ever topped Favre’s current passing rating and if he can maintain it throughout the season, then Favre will do what we are accustomed with seeing him do-make more history.

• Hines Ward (Age 33) – With 113 yards last night, Ward now has 355 for the season and is on pace for over 1400 for the year.  If he maintains his current pace then he would become only the second player in NFL history to get at least 1400 receiving yards at the age of 33.  The incomparable Jerry Rice is the other.  Ward also is on pace to catch over 100 passes which is something only two other receivers have done: Rice and Derrick Mason in 2007.

• Honorable Mention: Darren Sharper (Age 34) – Yes, Darren Sharper is leading the NFL with five interceptions and yes he is the active leader in interceptions with 59, which is 15 more than Ed Reed and Champ Bailey.  But the reason why Sharper gets an honorable mention is because of the quarterbacks that Sharper has picked off this season.  All five of his interceptions have either come against rookie quarterbacks, Stafford and Sanchez, or a QB making his first career start in Kevin Kolb.  I’d like to see Sharper have these kinds of performances against more experienced quarterbacks before we can officially say that he’s found the fountain of youth.

The knee injury suffered by Troy Polamalu had Steeler fans’ hearts in their throats.  But his injury is not the only one that Pittsburgh has to worry about as Lawrence Timmons is also out with a high ankle sprain.  While Timmons may be back shortly, this type of injury typically lingers for weeks so he may not be full strength until right around the time Polamalu returns which won’t be until October at the earliest.  Everyone knows how great Polamalu is so I’ll inform you about Timmons’ on Pittsburgh.  When the Steelers drafted Timmons in 2007, they essentially gave him the role that Polamalu had for the first four years of his career.  From 2003-2006 Polamalu had seven sacks whereas from 2007-2008 he did not record a sack.  That’s because Timmons is now used in the “joker” position that Polamalu formerly held.  This role is the same one that Adrian Wilson and Rodney Harrison performed on third downs with their respective teams.  It’s a hybrid linebacker-safety that plays close to the line of scrimmage and can either blitz or cover a tight end or running back out of the backfield.  Last season Timmons performed this role admirably in netting five sacks and one interception despite playing only 50% of the defensive snaps.
His injury, along with Polamalu’s, means the Steelers will have to be much more conservative with their blitzes simply because they don’t have the personnel required to utilize the exotic zone blitzes that they are famous for.  The defense as a whole may not take a hit in terms of points given up, but Polamalu’s loss will cause a decrease in interceptions for Pittsburgh simply because there is no safety outside of Baltimore that can do the things that he does.  Timmons’ loss will impact James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley.  All but one of Timmons’ sacks came in games in which both Harrison and Woodley also had a sack.  Before, opposing offensive linemen knew the Steeler blitz could come from three locations: left (Harrison), right (Woodley), or up the middle (Timmons).  Now with Timmons out, O-linemen can zero in on the two other locations and a running back can chip-block Harrison or Woodley instead of staying in the backfield in anticipation of a Timmons blitz up the gut.
These setbacks are by no means a reason to get rid of Pittsburgh’s D if you have them.  The scheme is still good enough to overcome personnel losses and the only way I would consider trading away their defense is if your fantasy league has an inverted scoring system.  That is one in which you are awarded more point for sacks and turnovers than you are for points allowed and yardage allowed.  Otherwise just bite the bullet for the next month or so as you’ll have to “settle” for numbers such as 13-17 points allowed, two sacks, and takeaway per game.  If you play in a league with someone who has Pittsburgh, is not satisfied with those numbers, and is looking to trade them away, then jump on it because it would be a great bargain.  After the Steelers bye in Week 8, they play only one team that had an offense ranked in the top 10 in scoring in 2008.  The 2008 record of the rest of the games vs. the teams after the bye is a combined 51-76-1.  This minor bump in the road is not much to be worried about because two things you can always count on with the Steelers are a great defense and a great running game.  Now if only someone would tell that to Willie Parker and the O-line.

Before the Bears and Packers took the field on Sunday night, I recall thinking that I didn’t expect to see as much offense as the experts were projecting. Both teams have solid defenses and after watching the Packers in preseason, I thought they had played better than they had been credited.

That said, I didn’t expect to see the game I watched Sunday.

The score at halftime was 10-2 after Jay Cutler had thrown three interceptions – one of which was nearly returned for a touchdown – and Aaron Rodgers had been sacked in his own endzone by Danielle Manning. The scoreboard prompted the ever-optimistic Lovie Smith to comment before halftime, “We’re down three takeaways but only one score.”

Overall, the game was characterized as a defensive battle. Despite Jay Cutler’s many errant throws, the Bears had a legitimate shot to win the game in the fourth quarter. It was a heckuva football game to watch; if you were a fantasy player, however, there was no doubt some serious frustration.

In case you missed it or want some analysis, here are some important notes I took during the game.

Chicago Bears

• Jay Cutler was the worst of 2007-2008 in the first half. He wasn’t comfortable in the pocket (or “standing tall”, as Chris Collinsworth noted), and his throws were rushed. His movement in the pocket had all the markings of his having “happy feet”; furthermore, when he was running away from pressure, he tried to force throws, which led to two of his three interceptions.
• The Bears need help at wide receiver. Sign someone, trade for someone, do something. This is not a good group of players, at least when based on this game. Players were dropping passes, cutting routes off, and, at least from an outsider’s perspective, running poor routes or the wrong routes in some cases. Not making these mistakes could have been the difference for Chicago in this game.
• The Bears offensive line struggled throughout, but especially in the first half. The Packers brought a lot of good blitz packages, but the amount of pressure Jay Cutler was under overwhelmed him. Chicago must do better to pick up blitzers and recognize blitzes.
• The game-plan in the first half was alarmngly run-heavy. I don’t know if Lovie Smith wanted to show off his new quarterback or whether he wanted to take the Packers by surprise; either way, it didn’t work. Chicago has a great running attack, and Matt Forte is a back who gets stronger with more carries. Balance the approach and set up the run with the pass; the Bears did that to open the second half and wound up scoring a touchdown in under five minutes. Better yet, Cutler had better protection (because Green Bay couldn’t pass-blitz with confidence), and he was able to complete two big passes that accounted for 60 yards and a touchdown.
• Earl Bennett is going to be a very big part of this offense. The Packers focused on keeping the ball out of Greg Olsen’s hands and were successful, but they struggled to stop Cutler from throwing to Bennett, who finished with 7 receptions for 66 yards.
• Devin Hester is for real as a wide receiver. He was at his best when the team threw him the ball with at least five yards separating him from a defender. His speed and agility in the open field were awesome to watch and he made the Packers pay on several occasions, finishing with 90 receiving yards and a touchdown. He’s the playmaker of this offense.

Green Bay Packers

• The 3-4 is looking great. Green Bay brought blitzes that Chicago wasn’t ready to defend and forced Cutler into making throws he shouldn’t have attempted. The defensive line and linebacking corps were outstanding, especially at tackle where Cullen Jenkins demanded attention. The Packers were saved by the defense in this game.
• The offense sputtered out of the gate, but finished well. Aaron Rodgers was under tremendous pressure throughout most of the game, but after Brian Urlacher went down with an injury, the team was able to run the ball effectively and balance the attack. Expect a better game next week – if not, this could be a long season.
• Right tackle Allen Barbre needs to get better or get replaced. Adewale Ogunleye made him look foolish throughout the game, dominating him in every situation. He doesn’t have the athleticism to deal with an elite pass rusher like Ogunleye, and that weakness was on full display in this game. Green Bay needs to find an answer to this huge question mark.
• Greg Jennings is going to light up defenses all season long – again. He was relatively quiet in the first half, but he exploded onto the scene in the fourth quarter, catching 3 passes for 69 yards and the go-ahead touchdown; in addition, he made a diving grab in the endzone to give the Packers two more points.
• Donald Driver didn’t look as solid as in recent seasons. He had 4 receptions for 39 yards in the game, but his drops were much more telling. He wasn’t hanging onto passes as he should have, and the Packers missed some opportunities because of it. Was it an anomaly? Probably. He’s one of the most sure-handed players in the division; he should play better in the future.
• Jordy Nelson wasn’t a receiving target often. He didn’t have a catch in the game, despite being thrown to twice. Both times he had a shot at catching the ball, but he didn’t make the play. He’ll need to prove he’s more than a punt returner and kick returner, though, as a side note, he looked pretty good in that capactity.
• Ryan Grant looked more explosive than last season. He didn’t look like he would outrun a host of defenders, but he moved with a purpose and looked very good in the game. Despite just 16 carries, he finished with a respectable 61 yards and 1 touchdown.

Overall, the Packers squeaked out an important early-season home win and Aaron Rodgers proved he can play very well under pressure. Jay Cutler’s season is off to a slow start, but his play at the end of the first half and into the second half showed a lot of promise.

The biggest thing both teams need to fix before problems are exacerbated: the pass protection, which kept both quarterbacks scrambling and making errant throws.

As more and more people become entrenched in the game of fantasy football, they are looking for unique ways to engage in the activity. One way that is gaining in popularity is that of IDP (Individual Defensive Player) leagues.

You’re probably familiar with the format, but for those who aren’t, it’s simple. In addition to the offensive players, fantasy owners also draft defensive players, starting a defensive lineman (DL), linebacker (LB), and defensive back (DB). Let’s take a look at a few players to target in this type of league (Note: Players may be eligible at different positions depending on the league. Baltimore’s Terrell Suggs, for example, is usually eligible at DL, but may also be eligible at LB).

There are myriad scoring systems, but for our purposes, we’ll use this one:

Solo Tackles: 1 point
Assists: 0.5 points
Sacks: 4 points (2 points for half of a sack)
Interception: 5 points
Forced Fumble: 3 points
Fumble Recovery: 2 points
Pass Defended: 1 point
Safety: 2 points
Touchdown: 6 points

Defensive Lineman: Due to the relative lack of tackles coming from defensive lineman, this is largely a make-or-break position. If your top choice at the position is having a down year in terms of sacks, you have problems. So consistency is obviously the key here, and Minnesota’s Jared Allen has never had fewer than 7.5 sacks in a season, and has amassed at least 11.0 in three of the last four seasons. He’s also caused at least three fumbles in each year of his career except his rookie campaign, and should get you somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 solo tackles.

Former No. 1 overall pick Mario Williams is someone to keep in mind as well. He’s had 26.0 sacks over his last two seasons and it would not be shocking if he gets somewhere in the range of 18.0 this year. For a sleeper, keep an eye on St. Louis’ Chris Long. The No. 2 overall pick last season, Long had a decent rookie campaign, but with new head coach Steve Spagnuolo, who was formerly the defensive coordinator of the Giants, he could take a large step up this year.

Linebackers: This is the key position, of course, due to the points garnered by solo tackles. The graph to the right shows average solo tackles per week from last season, and the guy to concentrate on there is San Francisco’s Patrick Willis. He’ll likely be the first defensive player taken in IDP leagues. This is especially true considering his tackles were down last season from his rookie year. That year, 2007, Willis had 174 total tackles, with 135 of them being solo stops. His numbers very well could get back to that area this year.

Then there is Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware, who is probably the only player who may be selected before Willis. Ware was a monster last year, with 20.0 sacks, six forced fumbles, and 69 solo stops. His consistency was fantastic as well, as he recorded at least 1.0 sack in 14 of his team’s 16 games. For a bit of a sleeper at this position, pay attention to Atlanta’s second-round pick from last year, Curtis Lofton. Keith Brooking was the Falcons’ leading tackler last season, but he moved on to Dallas, and another linebacker, Michael Boley, moved on to New York. Lofton remains the man in the middle, and should take on an even bigger role than last season, when he piled up 94 tackles (67 solo).

Defensive Backs: Baltimore’s Ed Reed is a popular pick here on a year-to-year basis, but he doesn’t bring as much to the table as you might think. First of all, he’s accumulated more than 35 solo tackles just once in the last four seasons, and had at least 10 assists just once as well. And while he scored twice last season to go with nine interceptions, he had scored just once in the three previous seasons.

Two other guys to look at instead are San Diego’s Eric Weddle and St. Louis’ Oshiomogho Atogwe. Weddle led all DBs with 105 solo tackles while adding one sack and one interception. On the other hand, Atogwe had just 77 solo stops, but he’s been a playmaker his entire career. His six forced fumbles were second in the NFL last season, and his five interceptions tied him for sixth. In his four-year career, despite barely playing his rookie campaign, he has 11 forced fumbles and 17 interceptions. A decent sleeper is Cincinnati corner Leon Hall. He had three picks last season after five his rookie year, but he defended 24 passes, tops in the NFL, and is solid as a tackler as well, with at least 54 solo stops in each of his first two seasons.

We’ve been going over the top fantasy options at each position for the upcoming 2009 NFL season, and today we take a look at an often overlooked member of fantasy squads - the Defense/Special Teams unit.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers: Easily the top unit, last season Pittsburgh allowed the fewest points, the fewest passing yards, the second-fewest rushing yards, and were in the top-10 in takeaways. They were also second in sacks, which happens when you have two players in the top-10 in sacks, which is shown in the graph below.

2. Philadelphia Eagles:Not only were they in the top-five last season against the pass, against the rush, and points allowed, but they also scored twice on returns. Jeremy Maclin joined DeSean Jackson this season, making Philly’s return game even more rocket-fueled.

3. Baltimore Ravens: For the umpteenth year in a row, the Ravens should have one of the top fantasy units on defense. Yet, some concern lies in the fact that they lost three major contributors from last season in defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, linebacker Bart Scott and safety Jim Leonhard, each of whom now wear the green and white of the New York Jets.

4. New York Giants: The Giants defense is steady, if not spectacular. They were in the top-10 last season against both the run and the pass, ranked sixth in sacks, and fifth in points allowed.

5. New York Jets: The Jets were seventh in the NFL in sacks last season, and fifth in takeaways. Now that they’ve added the Baltimore triumvirate of Ryan, Scott and Leonhard, the Jets should only improve. They also have a dangerous return man in Leon Washington.

6. Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings are excellent against the run, having allowed just 3.3 yards per carry last season. The addition of Jared Allen a year ago also made them prone to sacking the quarterback. Their 45.0 last season was fourth-most in the league.

7. Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins were fifth in the league in takeaways in 2009, and were in the top-10 in both sacks and points allowed.

8. Tennessee Titans: True, they lost Albert Haynesworth, and that will hurt, but this is still a unit made up of 11 guys. And in 2008, they were third in the NFL with 31 takeaways, in the top-10 against both the pass and the run, and were fifth in sacks with 44.0

9. Chicago Bears: The Bears struggled against the pass last season, but were fifth against the run, and only the Ravens had more takeaways than Chicago’s 32. And despite Devin Hester’s relative struggles in the return game last campaign, does anyone really believe he doesn’t have some more end zone scampers in his future?

10. New England Patriots: A steady group, the Patriots were in the top-10 in points allowed last season, and they also have a very good return game, coming in ninth in average punt return yards, and third in average kick return yards, with one score.

Best of the Rest

11. Washington Redskins
12. Carolina Panthers
13. Dallas Cowboys
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
15. San Diego Chargers

The NFL is back. This weekend, training camp got underway for the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles, and during the upcoming week, the remaining 30 teams will begin their preparation for the season. As such, fantasy football drafts will take place en masse over the next month or so. Let’s take a look at the top-30 gunslingers for the upcoming season. For a reference point, the graph below shows the top-15 quarterbacks from last season in terms of fantasy points.

1. Drew Brees: A no-brainer. Brees was the only QB with over 5,000 passing yards last season, and he tied Philip Rivers for the lead in TD passes with 34.

2. Peyton Manning: The epitome of consistency, which is gold in fantasy football. Manning has thrown for fewer than 4,000 yards just one time since his second year in the league, and has never tossed fewer than 26 touchdowns.

3. Tom Brady: A legitimate argument can be made to place him higher, but that 50-touchdown season won’t be repeated, and you have to be at least slightly concerned about anyone coming back from a knee injury like the one he did. Then again, he did have time to recover with a Victoria’s Secret model caring for him, which probably expedited the healing process.

4. Aaron Rodgers: It was easy to overlook Rodgers last season because the Packers were not contenders, but he was fourth in the league with 28 touchdown passes, has a plethora of talented wideouts, and oh yeah, ran for 200 yards, and made four trips to the end zone on foot.

5. Tony Romo: Missing three games hurt his yard total, which is why he was only in the middle of the pack in terms of fantasy scoring in 2008, but he was still fifth in the league with 27 scoring throws.

6. Philip Rivers: Rivers likely won’t repeat the career year he had last season, when he found the end zone 34 times, but at least 25 is more than reasonable to expect in 2009.

7. Kurt Warner: Injuries are the biggest concern, or he’d be higher on the list. The 38-year-old played in 16 games last season for the first time since 2001, and just the third time in his entire career.

8. Donovan McNabb: Threw more than 20 touchdowns last season for the first time since 2004, and just the fourth time in his 10-year career. He also had the fewest rushing yards of any season that he’s played in at least 10 games.

9. Jay Cutler: He comes to a new offense, and one that does not have nearly the weapons he had in Denver. That, along with a better defense that will not force him to throw so often, will cut into his numbers.

10. Carson Palmer: A potential under-the-radar pick, Palmer is without T.J. Houshmandzadeh for the first time in his career. Yet he still has some solid weapons, and before getting hurt last season, was coming off three straight campaigns of at least 26 touchdown throws.

11. Matt Cassel: Can Cassel accomplish the same things in K.C. that he did in New England without Randy Moss?

12. Matt Schaub: Fantasy owners are just waiting for him to blow up, as dynamic playmakers surround the former Virginia star. Now, if he can only stay healthy.

13. Ben Roethlisberger: The civil suit for sexual assault is troublesome beyond the scope of fantasy football, but he’s been overrated in that sense anyway due to one big season.

14. Matt Ryan: Ryan should follow his solid rookie campaign with another step forward. Whether it’s a baby step or a leap will help determine how he’s viewed in the future.

15. Matt Hasselbeck: Plagued by a back injury last season, Hasselbeck is one year removed from the best season of his career.

Best of the Rest

16. David Garrard
17. Kyle Orton
18. Chad Pennington
19. Eli Manning
20. Brett Favre
21. Jake Delhomme
22. Joe Flacco
23. Jason Campbell
24. Trent Edwards
25. Marc Bulger
26. JaMarcus Russell
27. Shaun Hill
28. Kerry Collins
29. Brady Quinn
30. Daunte Culpepper

Our series on potential breakout players in each division makes its way to the AFC West. Mediocrity reigned in the West in 2008, as no team had a record better than 8-8. Both Denver and San Diego managed that mark, with the Chargers being the playoff representative of the division. Each squad will be looking to improve in 2009, with the help of a few players who could come into their own, making an impact not only on their teams, but on those of fantasy owners as well. A look now at some candidates to break out.

Denver Broncos - Kyle Orton: Speaking of sheer averageness, Orton has been just that as a quarterback in his four seasons in the NFL, throwing a total of 30 touchdowns and 27 interceptions while completing just over 55 percent of his passes. But last season, he showed fantasy owners a glimmer of his potential, with 18 touchdown passes to 12 picks and nearly 3,000 passing yards. Yet most of his damage was done in the season’s first seven contests, as he threw 10 scores and was intercepted only four times to go with four games of at least 265 passing yards. He got injured shortly after that, which caused him to miss one game. Then, in his final eight games, only twice did he accumulate more than 200 passing yards while tossing eight touchdowns and eight picks. But being traded to Denver should only help the former Purdue star. He goes to an offense led by head coach Josh McDaniels, who helped mold Matt Cassel into a productive player last season in New England, and the weapons around Orton are superior to what he was working with in Chicago. He’s not a QB1 for fantasy owners, but there are far worse options to have as backups.

Kansas City Chiefs - Jamaal Charles: At this point, if you believe that running back Larry Johnson will stay healthy for 16 games, you probably also believe North Korean leader Kim-Jong Il shot five holes-in-one the first time he ever played golf, as he has claimed. Which leads us to Johnson’s backup in former third-round pick Charles. Last season, he ran for over 350 yards and averaged 5.3 yards per carry, but he’s most proficient in the passing game, as he was fourth on the team with 27 receptions and 272 yards (see graph). New Chiefs head coach Todd Haley threw the ball to his running backs often last season as Arizona’s offensive coordinator, as Edgerrin James, Tim Hightower and J.J. Arrington combined to catch 75 passes. So even during the games Johnson is healthy, Charles is a threat out of the backfield. If you do decide to select Johnson, Charles is an essential handcuff, but considering selecting him even if, like many others, you decide Johnson isn’t worth the hassle.

Oakland Raiders - JaMarcus Russell: Alright, so putting someone here who was the first overall pick isn’t exactly going out on a limb. Granted. But the guy hasn’t lived up to that billing just yet. Still, Russell finally showed some signs of life at the end of last season, when in his last three games the former LSU gunslinger threw for 626 yards, six touchdowns and two picks while completing 63 percent of his passes. And though there is reason to be skeptical - a shoddy offensive line, unproven receivers - Russell has a huge arm and can do what the Raiders have said they will ask of him (via orders by the Crypt Keeper, Al Davis), which is throw deep. So maybe, just maybe, this is the year he puts it all together.

San Diego Chargers - Craig “Buster” Davis: On a team laden with proven veterans on offense, choosing a candidate to break out was fairly simple because the options were few. So we turned to Davis, the team’s first-round pick in 2007 who has just 24 career catches to his name. Only four of those receptions came last season as he injured his groin and failed to play in a contest after Week 5. But he’s 6-foot-1 and possesses good speed and athleticism, and could force his way into the lineup if he plays to his capabilities. Yet Davis’ health has been an issue since his days at LSU, so any hope of him breaking out rests on the fact that he actually, you know, gets on the field. If so, his dynamic abilities should shine.

By now, we’re all familiar with one Mr. Brett Favre, and his plans to unretire … again. Since we’re absolutely certain your thirst for information on the former Packers legend has not been quenched, let’s take a look at it through the most important prism - fantasy football style.

We’ve never been a Favre backer in this regard. His interceptions and inconsistency have always led us to believe he’s a more thorough contributor to the real game than the fantasy game. And should he join the Minnesota Vikings, he’ll continue to be unendorsed in this corner of cyberspace.

Even when Favre is healthy, as he supposedly was not at the tail end of last season when he single-handedly upended his fantasy owners’ dreams of a championship, he is not a player to covet. Favre’s main problem is, of course, interceptions.

The gun-slinger threw a whopping 10 in his last six games of the 2008 season, to go with just four touchdowns, and one 250-yard game. But he’s done this before. In 2007, when he was leading the Packers to 13 wins and a playoff berth, he still threw pick in bunches. He had six games where he threw multiple interceptions that season, and once again, failed down the stretch for fantasy owners. Favre tossed seven interceptions in that season’s final five games.

If he should go to Minnesota this season, there’s no reason to think the inconsistent, interception-tossing ways of old would cease to exist. This holds especially true considering the Vikings’ receiving corps is not nearly as talented as the one he had in Green Bay, even with Minnesota’s recent addition of the oft-injured Percy Harvin in the first round.

So Favre may indeed make his way back to to the NFL … again … but by no means should fantasy owners make his way back to fantasy rosters, except maybe as a late-round pick as a backup.