NFL Fantasy Football – A Look Back At 2009

The 2009 NFL Fantasy Football season was filled with record breaking scoring and the rise of new stars at virtually every position. Apart from the wide receiver position, each category of fantasy scoring had someone new at the top from the 2008 season.

While the torch is passed at certain positions each year, it is very rare that five of the six categories have a new top scorer from one year to the next. Here’s a look at what transpired from the 2009 world of fantasy football.

Fantasy Football 2009 Quarterback & Running Back Scoring

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers led all quarterbacks with 402.3 FP in 2009. Saints QB Drew Brees was a distant second with 360.3 FP while Texans QB Matt Schaub finished in third with 347.2 FP. Rodgers ended 2009 as the top overall scoring fantasy player. The top ten quarterbacks combined for 3,410 fantasy points as compared to 3,189 during the 2008 season

The RB position was led by the Titans Chris Johnson with 398.9 FP. Johnson’s 2009 season included a RB record eight weeks of 26 or more fantasy points. His weekly average of 24.93 was 4.09 points higher than second place finisher Adrian Peterson. “Purple Jesus” amassed 333.5 fantasy points while Ravens RB Ray Rice finished a close third with 330.1 FP. The top running backs totaled 2,898 fantasy points in 2009 compared to 2,717 in 2008.

Fantasy Football 2009 Wide Receiver & Tight End Scoring

The race for the top scoring wide receiver was a wild one during the 2009 season. Texans WR Andrea Johnson went back-to-back as he out dueled the Patriots Randy Moss down the stretch to record 314.9 FP. AJ had a monster Week 14 when he scored 42.6 points to take the WR lead and he never looked back. Moss finished second with 289.4 FP. Colts WR Reggie Wayne sat out most of Weeks 16 & 17 and finished third with 285.4 FP. Scoring was also up at the wide receiver position as the top ten WR scored 2,814 FP last season and just 2,705 during the 2008 fantasy football season.

Tight ends provided the closest finish of any of the four skilled position races in 2009. Veteran Colts TE Dallas Clark had a career year with 271.7 FP to grab the top spot over 49ers TE Vernon Davis who posted 252.5 FP. Charger TE Antonio Gates finished in third with 242.70 FP. The highest increase in scoring at any position from 2008 to 2009 came from the tight ends as they posted 2,138 FP last year as opposed to just 1746 the previous year.

Fantasy Football 2009 Place Kicker & Defense/Special Team Scoring

Chargers PK Nate Kaeding with 163.7 FP edged out Eagles PK David Ackers who finished with 161 FP. One area that was down in scoring in 2009 was the PK position. In 2008 the top ten kickers posted 1,521 FP but dropped off in 2009 to 1,4969 FP.

The Defense and Special Teams category was also close as the Saints shocked the fantasy world with 164 FP to finish in first ahead of the Eagles who posted 162 FP in 2009. The D/ST scoring remained virtually unchanged as the top ten scored  1,388 FP in 2008 and slightly less at 1,382 FP in 2009.

We are set for another wild ride as the 2010 NFL Fantasy Football season is now just a matter of hours away. Let’s get this thing kicked off – we’re ready!