On the 15th anniversary of his signing with the New Orleans Saints, it was fitting that Drew Brees officially announced his retirement Sunday. His career accolades are too long to list out fully, but here are some highlights.
-5 seasons with 5,000-plus passing yards (no one else has more than 1)
-80,358 passing yards (most all-time)
-571 touchdowns (second all-time)
-67.7 percent completion rate (second all-time)
Injuries cost Brees a total of nine games over his final two seasons. So let’s throw those seasons out here. Here are Brees’ fantasy finishes from 2004-2018, spanning his last two seasons with the Chargers and his first 13 seasons with the Saints.
2004: QB9
2005: QB9
2006: QB3
2007: QB5
2008: QB1
2009: QB2
2010: QB6
2011: QB2
2012: QB1
2013: QB2
2014: QB6
2015: QB6
2016: QB3
2017: QB9
2018: QB8
Related: Fantasy Retrospective-Philip Rivers
Brees was, at worst, a top-10 fantasy quarterback in 15 straight seasons. Narrowing to his time with the Saints, was a top-six fantasy quarterback in 11 straight years, He was top-5 eight times, and top-5 seven of eight seasons from 2006-2013. Tom Brady can’t claim that kind of run without a blip.
Brees was at career crossroads when he hit free agency in 2006, coming off a major shoulder injury. The Miami Dolphins were in the mix to sign him, before team doctors balked at the condition of his throwing shoulder. They instead traded for Daunte Culpepper. Brees then signed with the Saints, joining then-new head coach Sean Payton. To say that was a fruitful marriage is a massive understatement.
Brees will take his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as soon as he’s eligible in 2026. But he doesn’t have to wait five years for a bust in the Fantasy Football Hall of Fame. I’ll put him there today, less than 24 hours after he called it a career.
