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The Life of a Stud (2006 Edition)
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Posted 7/7 by Mike Herman, Exclusive to Footballguys.com
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What does the career path of a fantasy football stud look like? When does studliness
begin, and when does it end? Are there any not-so-stud-like gaps in the middle?
The same types of questions surface every year about the current batch of top
fantasy players. A wide variety of factors will determine the answer for each
individual player. What follows is a graphic comparison of numerous studs' careers,
in hopes of finding any trends or parallels.
What exactly is a fantasy stud? That question could have numerous answers,
and could be an entire article in and of itself. For the purpose of this study,
I started by looking at all players who had a year end fantasy rank in the top
five, going back to 1980. To make the final cut, they had to have an additional
top five finish, or the top five plus two top tens. Some quality players probably
missed the cut. Some two-year-wonders that may not belong probably made the
list, however a player coming off of two strong years will be a candidate for
a top pick in fantasy drafts, and thus worth studying.
Following are the results for quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers,
and tight ends, showing the fantasy rank for each year of their NFL career.
Top five finishes are highlighted in yellow while top tens are in green. Active
players and their upcoming year (2006) are shown in blue.
Quarterbacks
| Quarterback |
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
| Jeff Blake |
71
|
19
|
4
|
4
|
22
|
44
|
11
|
24
|
85
|
27
|
22
|
58
|
69
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Kurt Warner |
69
|
1
|
14
|
1
|
40
|
53
|
29
|
22
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Donovan McNabb |
37
|
5
|
8
|
13
|
13
|
3
|
20
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Ken O'Brien |
33
|
3
|
5
|
12
|
18
|
16
|
19
|
10
|
41
|
43
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Aaron Brooks |
28
|
8
|
5
|
3
|
8
|
16
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Jeff Garcia |
18
|
2
|
2
|
10
|
12
|
27
|
43
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Daunte Culpepper |
73
|
1
|
15
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
33
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Trent Green |
76
|
7
|
23
|
14
|
8
|
3
|
4
|
8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Drew Bledsoe |
16
|
4
|
20
|
6
|
6
|
11
|
8
|
13
|
44
|
5
|
21
|
19
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Jim Kelly |
4
|
9
|
11
|
9
|
10
|
2
|
5
|
7
|
11
|
13
|
16
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Boomer Esiason |
43
|
6
|
2
|
8
|
4
|
6
|
9
|
14
|
28
|
6
|
15
|
27
|
29
|
27
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tom Brady |
72
|
21
|
9
|
11
|
10
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Doug Williams |
28
|
17
|
4
|
4
|
7
|
71
|
27
|
17
|
46
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Mark Brunell |
56
|
14
|
3
|
8
|
15
|
13
|
7
|
12
|
21
|
47
|
33
|
14
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tommy Kramer |
36
|
60
|
8
|
12
|
5
|
4
|
43
|
27
|
12
|
10
|
41
|
34
|
35
|
67
|
|
|
|
|
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| Neil Lomax |
29
|
20
|
9
|
2
|
11
|
17
|
4
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Steve McNair |
42
|
33
|
5
|
4
|
12
|
15
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
32
|
15
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Jim Everett |
34
|
21
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
12
|
6
|
27
|
8
|
8
|
23
|
51
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Ken Anderson |
28
|
16
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
7
|
10
|
18
|
15
|
30
|
2
|
3
|
24
|
24
|
54
|
61
|
|
|
|
| Randall Cunningham |
44
|
19
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
63
|
3
|
37
|
9
|
40
|
43
|
3
|
38
|
39
|
39
|
|
|
|
| Ron Jaworski |
49
|
41
|
48
|
5
|
13
|
13
|
5
|
13
|
11
|
8
|
15
|
9
|
31
|
58
|
49
|
|
|
|
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| Matt Hasselbeck |
66
|
59
|
30
|
19
|
4
|
13
|
5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Scott Mitchell |
68
|
68
|
24
|
27
|
2
|
9
|
10
|
56
|
63
|
40
|
87
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Jeff George |
23
|
19
|
26
|
19
|
7
|
7
|
47
|
3
|
38
|
14
|
37
|
60
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Phil Simms |
23
|
23
|
22
|
61
|
7
|
7
|
8
|
13
|
5
|
15
|
20
|
34
|
35
|
14
|
|
|
|
|
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| Danny White |
51
|
64
|
47
|
45
|
8
|
12
|
5
|
5
|
30
|
10
|
29
|
14
|
54
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Brian Sipe |
30
|
42
|
12
|
25
|
8
|
1
|
2
|
10
|
29
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Dave Krieg |
66
|
31
|
34
|
22
|
3
|
4
|
11
|
10
|
21
|
12
|
14
|
23
|
10
|
35
|
24
|
17
|
27
|
79
|
66
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| Steve Bartkowski |
17
|
39
|
32
|
16
|
18
|
3
|
3
|
14
|
7
|
21
|
40
|
42
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Joe Theismann |
47
|
58
|
29
|
22
|
11
|
9
|
15
|
7
|
6
|
3
|
6
|
25
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Dan Fouts |
26
|
17
|
24
|
11
|
29
|
7
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
14
|
11
|
8
|
16
|
16
|
|
|
|
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| Jeff Hostetler |
69
|
68
|
55
|
41
|
34
|
21
|
21
|
3
|
10
|
30
|
8
|
42
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|
|
|
|
|
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| Vinny Testaverde |
33
|
16
|
14
|
11
|
24
|
14
|
21
|
16
|
19
|
2
|
16
|
5
|
65
|
12
|
25
|
48
|
33
|
16
|
44
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| Rich Gannon |
74
|
63
|
18
|
15
|
19
|
39
|
58
|
40
|
31
|
18
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
2
|
37
|
45
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Peyton Manning |
9
|
4
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Steve Young |
35
|
14
|
30
|
36
|
31
|
38
|
7
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
9
|
10
|
9
|
1
|
54
|
|
|
|
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| Warren Moon |
12
|
18
|
12
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7
|
13
|
5
|
2
|
1
|
13
|
4
|
6
|
3
|
34
|
7
|
27
|
70
|
53
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|
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| Joe Montana |
52
|
26
|
8
|
2
|
2
|
4
|
1
|
23
|
2
|
9
|
4
|
3
|
56
|
18
|
12
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|
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| John Elway |
27
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13
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5
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6
|
3
|
8
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10
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6
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5
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17
|
2
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
4
|
13
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|
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| Brett Favre |
73
|
7
|
5
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
6
|
9
|
5
|
11
|
10
|
6
|
13
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|
|
|
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| Dan Marino |
12
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
5
|
3
|
7
|
8
|
3
|
2
|
32
|
3
|
11
|
14
|
11
|
10
|
24
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The upper 34 players are listed beginning with early starters through late
bloomers, so that players with similar career paths are grouped together. The
group of seven players at the bottom is the super-stud lifetime achievers. My
apologies to any of the players (or their fans) that just missed the arbitrary
cut.
Assorted observations and thoughts based on the quarterback "picture"
above:
- Let's start with who's not on the list. Fifteen players had a top five finish,
but didn't make the cut. The first five on this list are still active, so
they still have a chance to join.
| Michael Vick |
Kordell Stewart |
Troy Aikman |
| Jake Plummer |
Mark Rypien |
Tony Eason |
| Brad Johnson |
Timm Rosenbach |
Lynn Dickey |
| Carson Palmer |
Don Majkowski |
Billy Kenney |
| Eli Manning |
Steve Beuerlein |
Jay Schroeder |
- Four out of the 41 players were/are two-year wonders. Jeff Blake is the
only one that did so in back-to-back years. Kurt Warner has a chance at adding
another top ten finish to his resume, depending on how long he can hold off
Matt Leinart. Matt Hasselbeck is in the best situation to add a third top
ten.
- The most common number of top ten finishes is four years (7 out of the 27
that are done playing).
- The most top ten finishes: Brett Favre currently has 12, and needs just
one more to break his first place tie with John Elway. Right behind them is
Dan Marino with 11.
- Only two studs made the top ten in his first year. Jim Kelly was the first;
however he made a two-year pit stop in the USFL before playing in the NFL,
so he wasn't a true "rookie". Peyton Manning also started out in
the top ten and has never left.
- Top ten finishes at the latest point in their career: Marino had that honor
in his 16th season. Favre can join him this year.
- Most of the players took a break from the top 10 at some point and then
returned (23 out of the 27 that are done playing).
- The most common slump year appears to be the eighth season. Donovan McNabb,
Jeff Garcia, and Daunte Culpepper are all heading into their eighth year;
however none are coming off a top ten last year. The only current eighth year
guy that did was Matt Hasselbeck.
- Unlike running backs, a handful of the late-bloomer QBs had sustained success:
Dan Fouts, Steve Young, and Rich Gannon.
- Aaron Brooks dropped out of the top ten in his sixth season. Of the five
other QBs that previously did the same, four returned to the top ten in their
seventh year.
- Trent Green, Kurt Warner, and Peyton Manning are all entering their ninth
season. Only 12 of 31 studs logged a top ten finish in their ninth year.
- Drew Bledsoe is coming off a top ten finish as he enters his 14th season.
He's hoping to join the select company of Rich Gannon, Steve Young, Brett
Favre, and John Elway as the only studs to have back-to-back top tens that
late in their career.
- Mark Brunell has now gone five consecutive years without a top ten finish.
No stud has returned to the top ten after that long of a break. The closest
were Ken O'Brien and Dave Krieg who each had a gap of four years between top
ten finishes.
- Steve McNair enters his 12th season looking to return to the top ten. Only
Ron Jaworski, Vinny Testaverde, and Dan Marino were able to do so previously
in year twelve.
Running Backs
| Running Back |
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
| Billy Simms |
1
|
1
|
10
|
15
|
25
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Joe Cribbs |
3
|
10
|
17
|
7
|
61
|
27
|
66
|
131
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Jerome Bettis |
2
|
13
|
41
|
7
|
4
|
20
|
16
|
19
|
21
|
31
|
26
|
18
|
36
|
|
|
|
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| Fred Taylor |
4
|
28
|
6
|
103
|
11
|
8
|
20
|
33
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Curt Warner |
4
|
131
|
17
|
3
|
4
|
10
|
33
|
101
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Eddie George |
8
|
12
|
11
|
3
|
3
|
19
|
10
|
22
|
41
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Curtis Martin |
2
|
4
|
14
|
7
|
8
|
10
|
18
|
18
|
4
|
29
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Clinton Portis |
4
|
5
|
11
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Edgerrin James |
1
|
2
|
32
|
24
|
10
|
6
|
5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Earl Campbell |
2
|
1
|
2
|
12
|
25
|
8
|
55
|
52
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| LaDainian Tomlinson |
7
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Ottis Anderson |
4
|
5
|
9
|
21
|
10
|
6
|
45
|
69
|
153
|
51
|
6
|
16
|
88
|
117
|
|
|
|
| Marcus Allen |
1
|
6
|
3
|
1
|
17
|
10
|
15
|
60
|
13
|
60
|
46
|
5
|
19
|
24
|
15
|
27
|
|
| Herschel Walker |
4
|
2
|
3
|
11
|
14
|
8
|
10
|
12
|
21
|
67
|
91
|
86
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Terrell Davis |
12
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
77
|
58
|
46
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Terry Allen |
43
|
4
|
11
|
7
|
1
|
29
|
31
|
17
|
71
|
38
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| William Andrews |
21
|
8
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
97
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Shaun Alexander |
54
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Jamal Anderson |
146
|
87
|
10
|
10
|
2
|
120
|
22
|
65
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Ricky Williams |
27
|
18
|
8
|
2
|
9
|
ret
|
27
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Gerald Riggs |
26
|
42
|
5
|
5
|
8
|
20
|
52
|
26
|
41
|
37
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Ahman Green |
82
|
113
|
5
|
3
|
13
|
3
|
13
|
69
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Neal Anderson |
100
|
11
|
5
|
3
|
3
|
7
|
13
|
29
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Roger Craig |
16
|
11
|
2
|
11
|
7
|
2
|
10
|
48
|
44
|
41
|
70
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|
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| | 
Fantasy Football Info For Serious Players