Sunday Night Football Notes
Can Brees repeat in 2009?
There is no question the 2008 season was a pretty spectacular and special season for the Saints quarterback Drew Brees. His 5,069-yards passing weren’t quite record setting, but his performance was quite memorable, especially for fantasy owners.
Brees put the ball up 635 times last season completing 65% of those throws. His 5,000-yard passing season was the second highest in league history and his 34 touchdown passes were an added bonus for fantasy owners.
Incredibly, Brees was able to pull off this spectacular run without his favorite target Marques Colston (only started six games in 2008) for much of the season. What made Brees so effective was the emergence of his most consistent target last year, wide receiver Lance Moore. Moore was clearly the team’s go-to-receiver for much of the season, catching 79 passes for nearly 1,000-yards with 10 touchdowns.
Last season Brees was handicapped without Colston for a better part of the season and he lost running back Reggie Bush for six games. Despite the setbacks, the Saints offense operated at the highest level, ranking at the top in passing, scoring, and total yards. Brees was able to top 300-yards 10 times and threw three or more touchdowns six times.
With the 2009 approaching, the Saints offense looks to be in much better shape heading into training camp. With a healthy pair of receivers (Colston and Moore) and a backfield that will include Bush (884-total yards in 08) and Pierre Thomas (9 rushing touchdowns last season), Brees could be poised to have another big year.
Last season a banged up Shockey opened the door for back-up Billy Miller (45 catches in 2008) giving the Saints some versatility to run more two-tight end sets. Out of the backfield, both Bush and Thomas combined for 83 receptions for 724-yards. Most likely the biggest difference heading into 2009 for Brees will be a healthy Colston heading into camp joined by Moore, and deep threat specialist Devery Henderson (32 catches, 24.8-yards per catch in 08).
Brees is going to once again have a full arsenal of versatile weapons to throw at opposing defenses and could very easily be set to make a run into the history books. He’ll have his top seven receivers from the 2008 campaign returning and with the same system and personnel, this group should only be better.
It’s hard to imagine being good enough to pass for over 5,000-yards, complete 65% of your passes (413 of 635) and throw over 30-touchdowns, but could you imagine being better. There are definite signs and indicators that Brees could not only be this good again, but he should be even better in 2009.
Fantasy owners will undoubtedly make the Saints quarterback a top priority in fantasy drafts later this summer. With his pedigree, there is an argument for Brees to be the number one fantasy pick in most 2009 fantasy leagues.
By David Ortega
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