The Impact of Brett Favre's Return on Fantasy Football

(unless he's traded or released before training camp this is my last Favre related post, I promise)

For the sake of arguement, although its far from decided, lets assume that Brett Favre is the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers for Week 1. Of course, we'll obviously have to assume that you will be holding your league's draft after this is determined, otherwise it's anyone's guess right now where you would draft him.

So, with that disclaimer, your draft is being held the day after the Packers announce that Brett will be their starter.

Brett Favre returning to the Packers impacts fantasy football in three major ways:


1. He Gives Us Another QB1 to Draft
The top 3 at the position are set in stone and even if Favre didn't waffle this off-season, he wouldn't have been included anyways.

1. Tom Brady, Patriots
2. Peyton Manning, Colts
3. Tony Romo, Cowboys

The next group of four are all ranked together, although you probably have a different order, but regardless, Brett Favre would have had trouble cracking this second tier of QB's. Especially since everyone in this group probably posseses more upside than Favre would have had.

4-7
Drew Brees, Saints
Carson Palmer, Bengals
Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
Derek Anderson, Browns

Tier 3 is where we would have seen Favre ranked and upon his return, this is the group he would fall in, making him a surefire QB1 selection. This would end your internal debate of making the uncomfortable decision of Eli Manning as your starting QB.

8-12
Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks
Donovan McNabb, Eagles
BRETT FAVRE, PACKERS
Jay Cutler, Broncos
Marc Bulger, Rams


2. Ryan Grant's Value Would Strengthen
The player with the most to ADP to gain would be Ryan Grant. He's currently a mid to late RB2 selection with the obvious knock being if Aaron Rodgers is unable to perform, how will Grant handle seeing 8 men in the box. With Brett Favre slinging the ball around, those fears are qualmed quickly. The top 5 at the position are more or less locked with the following players in some sort of order:

1-5
LaDanian Tomlinson, Chargers
Adrian Peterson, Vikings
Brian Westbrook, Eagles
Steven Jackson, Rams
Joseph Addai, Colts

The bottom half of the top 10 running backs is where Ryan Grant would be included and would most likely bump out your least favorite.

6-10
Frank Gore, 49ers
Marion Barber, Cowboys
Clinton Portis, Redskins
Marshawn Lynch, Bills
Larry Johnson, Chiefs

With a Favre return to Green Bay, it wouldn't be out of the question to select Grant as the 6th through the 10th running back. Currently he's battling Willis McGahee and Jamal Lewis to be the last of the RB1's.


3. Greg Jennings ADP Would Be Justified
After a breakout 2007, Greg Jennings is enjoying mid WR2 status. There is no doubt that Brett Favre was locked into Jennings for the majority of the season last year resulting in some mind boggling TD totals for the second year wide receiver. Had Favre never "retired" there would have been plenty of websites and magazines foolishly ranking Jennings as a WR1. A drop off in TD production is bound to happen regardless of who is the QB, but with a change to Rodgers, Jennings should have been ranked as a early WR3 heading into the season. With Favre returning, there will be some "experts" wanting to move Jennings up and rank him above the likes of Anquan Boldin or possibly Plaxico Burress, but now his current ranking would be justified.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: Brett Favre will give an interview tonight at 10:00EST to FoxNews, http://gretawire.foxnews.com/