Midseason Fantasy Report - QBs Nov 6, 2009 | More

Here is a breakdown of the top-25 fantasy quarterbacks ranked by accumulated fantasy points (FP). The FP totals were calculated using the following scoring system: one point for every 20 yards passing (PYDS), four points for each touchdown pass (PTD), minus one point for each interception (INT), one point for every ten yards rushing (RYDS) and six points for each rushing touchdown (RTD).

As predicted, the number of quarterbacks that range from must-start to safe-start is clearly up from last year (No. 1 through No. 15 in the table). The number of elite fantasy passers (No. 1 through No. 9), however, has increased just slightly, which explains why they were in such high demand during the 2009 drafts and selected much earlier than usual. The number of second-tier passers (No. 10 through No. 15) seems stable, but they lack the consistent point production offered by the elite passers.

THE THREE BIGGEST SURPRISES:

1. Brett Favre - Even if you are tired of hearing about the future Hall of Famer, you should give the 40-year-old Favre his due. Many had reasonably thought Favre was destined to serve as a game manager for the Vikings, because of the presence of Adrian Peterson and a stellar defensive unit. Favre, however, is playing like a man on a mission. He currently ranks No. 5 in pass attempts (256), No. 8 in passing yards and No. 1 (tie) in touchdown passes with just three interceptions. Favre has surpassed the 300-yard passing mark in two games, and he has tossed multiple touchdowns in five games. Can Favre maintain this level of production in December or will his arm wear out as it did last year?

2. Ben Roethlisberger - Thanks to the Steelers’ newfound fascination with the passing game and their occasional difficulties running the football, Roethlisberger has been airing it out regularly. He ranks No. 10 (tie) in pass attempts (233), No. 3 in passing yards and No. 6 (tie) in touchdown passes. Roethlisberger has topped the 300-yard passing mark three times and has tossed multiple touchdown passes in three games. You should expect more rock-solid fantasy production from him in the second half.

3. Joe Flacco - It’s so strange to see a Baltimore Ravens quarterback racking up 300-yard passing games, but the rapidly up-and-coming Flacco has done that three times so far in 2009. The second-year pro also has thrown at least one touchdown pass in all of his starts and has tossed multiple scoring strikes in four contests. Flacco ranks No. 12 in passing yards and only eight other quarterbacks have tossed more touchdown passes. Can Flacco keep it up? His second-half schedule looks favorable overall.

THE THREE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS:

1. Matt Cassel - Many had thought the talented Cassel would rack up huge passing numbers each week in head coach Todd Haley’s quarterback friendly system, but even Tom Brady could not carry this talent-depleted Kansas City squad. With opposing defenses constantly double-teaming Dwayne Bowe -- the only talented receiver on the team -- Cassel still has managed to throw at least one touchdown pass in five of six starts and multiple touchdown passes in three outings. Cassel, however, has not topped 253 passing yards all season. It’s hard to see things getting better for Cassel in 2009.

2. Kurt Warner - Warner has played well overall, if you disregard his shaky Week 8 performance (five picks). However, owners who had spent a high draft pick on him are not getting the top-five passing numbers that they expected, as he is just the No. 15-rated fantasy quarterback. Warner has topped the 300-yard passing mark just two times. He has tossed at least one touchdown pass per start and multiple scoring strikes in four outings. Opposing defenses are frequently taking away the deep passes, forcing Warner to settle for underneath stuff. In addition, Arizona seems determined to run a more balanced offense, relying on Chris Wells and Tim Hightower to spark the ground game.

3. Matt Hasselbeck - He was a popular bounce-back candidate heading into the season, but anyone who drafted Hasselbeck in the later rounds to use as a QB1 has been frustrated. The 34-year-old Hasslebeck (ribs) has missed two games due to injury. When he has been in the starting lineup, Hasselbeck’s fantasy production has been hot and cold. In his three good starts, Hasselbeck has averaged 256.33 passing yards, 3.0 touchdowns and 0.67 interceptions per outing. During his two poor starts, Hasselbeck averaged 104.5 passing yards and zero touchdowns per game. His injured ribs are still a concern, and Seattle has some challenging matchups ahead.