Week 1: Brees vs. Falcons
Drew Brees has terrorized the Falcons in the past, throwing for 5,140 yards with 34 touchdowns and a QB rating of 96.6. Atlanta has zero pass rush so Brees should have plenty of time to pick on a Falcon secondary that is decent, but receives no help from the front four. Not that we needed to convince you, but Brees is a must start every week and is our No. 2 overall QB for Week 1.
Fantasy Upside
Although he remains sidelined with an oblique injury that could cost him the entire preseason, there’s no reason to believe that Brees’ production will suddenly drop off. He plays for one of the most innovative offensive minds in Sean Payton, his front office made his best weapon happy this offseason when they signed TE Jimmy Graham to a long-term contract, and he’ll have yet another explosive playmaker to throw to in rookie Brandin Cooks (a serious OROY candidate). Brees continues to do the little things that make him an elite performer, such as perfect pump fakes in order to create separation for his receivers in the passing game and aligning his offensive line when it comes to pre-snap protections. In an era of pass-happy offenses, Brees leads one of the best attacks in the league.
Fantasy Downside
The oblique injury isn’t a huge concern but it does provide a reminder that Brees is no longer a spring chicken. The injury has also cost him practice time with youngsters like Cooks, who at some point needs to perfect the timing between himself and his quarterback. But even at 35, Brees still has a plenty left in the tank and barring a serious injury, there’s not much downside when it comes to his 2014 fantasy outlook.
Bottom Line
Brees has been a top-two fantasy quarterback in five of the last six seasons and remains a top-three option at his position. His ADP of 3.06 in standard and 3.02 in PPR offer reasonable value for a player of Brees’ skill set. If he’s healthy, he’s going to produce.
