| |
In 2001, 17 National Football League players scored 10
or more touchdowns for fantasy owners. In 2002, the same
number, 17, scored 10 or more touchdowns for fantasy owners.
This year, 16 players have already scored 10 or more touchdowns,
and there are still two games to go this season. With so
many good players poised at eight or nine touchdowns right
now, it is inevitable that in 2003 we will see many more
names at the top of the touchdown charts.
What this has meant to fantasy owners this year, and what
it may mean for owners next year, is that it is essential
to draft or compile a team of touchdown makers, instead
of simply grabbing players who get a lot of yards. If you
fall behind in this aspect of the fantasy game, you will
not catch up. The team that wins your championship will
have at least 3-4 players on this list this year.
In the chart below are the lists of players who have scored
or have the possibility of scoring 10 touchdowns in 2001,2002
or 2003. Only four players in the league, after 15 weeks
this season, have scored 10 or more touchdowns in all three
of the years, though two more players could achieve the
feat with the two remaining games.
That achievement shows how difficult a task it is to remain
a consistent scoring threat. A player must persevere through
small injuries, avoid large injuries or return from them
quickly, deal with injuries to other players and continue
to excel despite player turnover on his team and changing
offensive game plans. It also highlights how valuable the
four, and possibly six, players are in fantasy football.
If you can land one of these guys, your fantasy team has
a solid backbone. Land two of them, and you are in the
driver's seat.
SCORING LEADERS |
|
2001
|
2002
|
2003
|
| Player |
TD |
Player |
TD |
Player |
TD |
|
1 M. Faulk,
STL
2 Terrell
Owens, SF
3 S. Alexander, SEA
4 M. Harrison, IND
5 A. Smith,
NE
6 Corey Dillon, CIN
7 Mike Alstott, TB
8 Rod Smith, DEN
9 Ahman Green, GB
10 Derrick Mason, TEN
11 Tim Brown, OAK
12 Curtis Martin, NYJ
13 Priest Holmes, KAN
14 Randy Moss, MIN
15 Stacey Mack, JAC
16 L. Tomlinson, SD
17 D. Rhodes, IND
|
21
16
16
15
13
13
11
11
11
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10 |
1 Priest Holmes, KC
2 S. Alexander, SEA
3 R. Williams, MIA
4 C. Portis, DEN
5 D. McAllister, NO
6 L. Tomlinson, SD
7 Eddie George, TEN
8 Travis Henry, BUF
9 Terrell Owens, SF
10 Hines Ward, PIT
11
M. Harrison, IND
12 Tiki Barber, NYG
13 Moe Williams, MIN
14 C. Garner, OAK
15 D. Culpepper, MIN
16 Eric Moulds, BUF
17 M. Faulk, STL
|
24
18
17
17
16
15
14
14
14
12
11
11
11
11
10
10
10 |
1 Priest Holmes, KC
2 Ahman Green, GB
3 C. Portis, DEN
4 Randy Moss, MIN
5 S. Alexander, SEA
6 L. Tomlinson, SD
7 B. Westbrook, PHI
8 Torry Holt, STL
9 Jamal Lewis, BAL
10 Travis Henry, BUF
11 T.J. Duckett, ATL
12 M. Harrison, IND
13 Santana Moss, NYJ
14 Chad Johnson, CIN
15 Tony Gonzalez, KC
16 Joe Horn, NO
17 C. Chambers, MIA
18 Hines Ward, PIT
19 R. Williams, MIA
20 Terrell Owens, SF
21 D. Jackson, SEA
22 E. James, IND
23 D. McAllister, NO
24 S. Sharpe, DEN
25 M. Faulk, STL
26 Peter Warrick, CIN
27 K. McCardell, TB
28 Stephen Davis, CAR
29 C. Buckhalter, PHI
30 J. McCareins, TEN
31 Jeff Garcia, SF
32 Rudi Johnson, CIN
33 Zack Crockett, OAK
34 Tai Streets, SF
35 Moe Williams, MIN
36 Reggie Wayne, IND
37 Javon Walker, GB
38 Anquan Boldin, ARI
|
22
17
14
14
13
13
12
11
11
11
10
10
10
10
10
10
9
9
9
9
9
9
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
|
Bold = Four Players who have scored 10 or more
TD's in each of the three years.
Italics = Two Players who may join the first four.
Just as the charts identify the reigning red zone monarchs,
they also emphasize how quickly these top scorers can come
and go. Yesterday's touchdown maker may be a latte maker
before you know it, and players who no one counted on for
huge points jump onto the list each year.
In 2001, Antowain Smith had his resurgent year with the
Patriots in their run to the Super Bowl. He has since lost
playing time to Kevin Faulk and even Mike Cloud. Tim Brown,
who had been a perennial top scorer in the past, notched
10 touchdowns that year, and hasn't been a fantasy factor
since. And finally, backup Dominic Rhodes scored in bunches
once Edgerrin James was sidelined in Indy. He was subsequently
injured himself in 2002.
In 2002, we saw the last hurrah
of Eddie George. He has had the football ripped out of
his hands this
year by the team's offensive coordinator, and players like
rookie Tyrone Calico. Small backs Tiki Barber and Charlie
Garner
got to 10 touchdowns in 2002, and have struggled mightily
in 2003.
This year, four players have become big-time
touchdown guys. Brian Westbrook has scored 12 times for
a team that uses three running backs (his teammate Correll
Buckhalter has eight so far). T.J. Duckett has been scoring
touchdowns all season without Michael Vick to ease some
pressure, and now especially in the absence of Warrick
Dunn. Santana Moss exploded upon the scene with Pennington
returning, although Moss' production has dropped the last
three consecutive weeks. Finally, Chad Johnson has made
Cincinnati respectable again.
When you see touchdown makers
in the making, draft or trade for them as soon as possible,
and do what
you can to acquire a known, consistent, touchdown king - the
move can make your season.
Joe Levit, based in Boston, writes for www.cnnsi.com and www.thehuddle.com.
He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and a devoted Detroit
Lions fan. He can be contacted at lavishjetpoet@aol.com.
|
|
