Tom Kessenich is the event director of the National Fantasy Football Championship and the NBC Sports Fantasy Football Championship. Kessenich has been the Managing Editor of Fantasy Sports Magazine since 1999 and prior to that he was an NFL beat writer for a decade. Go to NFC.NBCSports.com to find out more details about the two national events or call 800-726-9966 ext. 13284 to sign up today and reserve a spot before the events sell out.
When we formed the National Fantasy Football Championship in 2004, one of our first goals was simple: Restore the quarterback position to prominence.
That didn't mean we followed Brett Favre around like a bunch of puppydogs, eagerly reporting his every step, while breathlessly telling our participants which section of the newspaper he read first each day. Instead, we did that by bumping points for touchdown passes from the traditional four to six. It was our hope that by doing that, we'd see more owners placing a higher value on the quarterback position instead of being so running back oriented as fantasy drafts had become in the previous decade or so.
After four seasons of the <a href="http://www.rotoworld.com/premium/draftguide/football/viewcolumn.aspx?number=30459NFFC, it's become clear we've reached our goal.
How important has the QB position become in the NFFC? Consider that last year, Brian Westbrook led the way in the NFFC among running backs, averaging 21.7 points per game. However, 10 quarterbacks averaged more points per game last season. They were:
Tom Brady - 34.3
Tony Romo - 26.9
Jake Delhomme - 26.8
Ben Roethlisberger - 24.6
Peyton Manning - 24.5
Drew Brees - 23.8
Derek Anderson - 23.1
Kurt Warner - 22.6
Brett Favre - 22.4
Matt Hasselbeck - 22.4
So while having a quality RB remained important, having a top QB proved just as valuable - and perhaps moreso given all of the injuries and disappointments turned in by running backs in fantasy in 2007.
It's no surprise then that we're seeing more of the top quarterbacks being taken earlier in NFFC drafts so far this year. Brady's majestic 2007 campaign has elevated him to first-round status but he's not the only QB our NFFC owners are targeting in the early rounds this year.
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Based on Average Draft Position data on MockDraftCentral.com, nine quarterbacks are currently being taken in the first five rounds of NFFC drafts. They are:
Tom Brady (ADP of 6)
Peyton Manning (19)
Tony Romo (21)
Drew Brees (31)
Carson Palmer (40)
Ben Roethlisberger (48)
Derek Anderson (55)
Matt Hasselbeck (60)
Donovan McNabb (64)
So in an average NFFC draft, 64 percent of the owners have targeted a quarterback in the upper third of the draft. It's clear the days of the majority of owners waiting until the middle or later portion of their draft to target their starting quarterback are a thing of the past in our event. With six points per touchdown pass, many of our participants believe it's critical to land a quality starting QB early to pair with whatever talent they have landed at RB and WR.
Our NFFC Expert Panel Rankings reflect this belief as well. Six QBs are ranked among the Top 50 overall players with Brady coming in first (ranked 8th overall). Manning, Romo and Brees are all ranked among the Top 42 (or first three rounds in an NFFC draft) with Palmer ranked just outside that group at 44 overall.
That philosophy is even more paramount this year in my opinion. With so few standout quarterbacks available, I believe securing one of the top QBs is a critical part of building a championship team. But which QB provides the best value?
In my opinion it's Ben Roethlisberger.
As much as I like Brady, I'm not inclined to take a QB in the first round. And I'd prefer not to take one in the first two rounds. That eliminates Manning and Romo as well. But once the third round hits, I'll start more seriously considering an elite QB. Chances are, though, I'll want to make sure I'm strong at RB and WR before I draft my QB so that means Brees and Palmer will probably end up on another team as well.
That leaves Roethlisberger.
With an NFFC ADP of 48, you can secure a strong RB and two good WRs or vice versa with your first three picks and then look for a QB in the fourth round. Roethlisberger is a popular choice in that round. Given how he ranked fourth in NFFC scoring among QBs last year, he represents fine value if you can get him as the sixth QB selected in your draft.
If Roethlisberger is going in the middle of the fourth round in NFFC drafts, that means you could be starting off your draft with a lineup of:
QB-Roethlisberger
RB-Frank Gore
WR-Andre Johnson
WR-Plaxico Burress/Anquan Boldin
Or
QB-Roethlisberger
RB-Frank Gore
RB-Reggie Bush
WR-Plaxico Burress/Anquan Boldin
Either way, that's a strong start to any draft. And it's made possible by securing one of the few elite QBs in fantasy this year. In the NFFC, getting that top QB can pay big dividends. So if you join our event on Aug. 30 in Las Vegas, New York, Chicago or Orlando, don't be surprised to see the QB position take center stage in your draft.
