Surprise, surprise. Brett Favre is reportedly thinking about coming out of retirement to join the Minnesota Vikings. Please stop me if you’ve heard this before.

Is Brett Favre considering putting on a Minnesota Vikings' helmet? (Image: Newscom)

Even though Favre’s retirement game is getting slightly annoying, if he joins the Vikings and starts for the team at quarterback, he will definitely have a 2009 fantasy football impact.

Even though Favre is 39 years old and far past his prime, he showed glimpses of great play last year with the New York Jets. Compared to the quarterbacks that are currently in Minnesota (Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels), Favre would be an upgrade.

Last year with the Jets, Favre finished the season with 3,472 yards and 22 touchdowns to go with 22 interceptions. However, if you look closer at the numbers, Favre played much better near the beginning of the season. His play suffered down the stretch run, partly due to an arm injury.

Besides, the Vikings were the team Favre originally wanted to go to after leaving Green Bay. He’d have to be re-energized and focused on making the Packers regret their decision.

As far fantasy football value, Favre on the Vikings would make a solid backup quarterback option with a relatively high ceiling. Additionally, if Favre joins Minnesota, the stocks for all the receiving options will immediately rise.

Brett Favre, one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, has announced his retirement. The quarterback informed the New York Jets that he would not be returning in the 2009 season.

In his career, mostly spent with the Green Bay Packers, Favre passed for more than 65,000 yards and 464 touchdowns. He’ll be remembered for his courage, durability and his big play ability.

In the fantasy football world, Favre will be remembered as a quarterback who always gave your fantasy team a chance. On any given week, Favre was capable of exploding — even against great defenses. Near the end of his career, Favre had a resurgence and was once again a very sought after fantasy option.

In the 2009 NFL season, the Jets will have a lot of options at quarterback to replace Favre. If they are going to go with a player already under contract, Kellen Clemens would be the front runner. Before acquiring Favre last season, most league experts expected Clemens to get the nod at quarterback.

Outside of Clemens, the Jets could look going young with either Brett Ratliff or Erik Ainge. Ratliff is a 23-year-old QB out of Utah, while Ainge is a 22-year-old QB out of Tennessee. The Jets could also look to the 2009 NFL Draft and pick one of the top quarterback prospects.

A couple of final options are free agency or trade. The Jets traded for Favre last season so they might make another trade to find his replacement.

QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
After winning the Super Bowl as a rookie, Ben Roethlisberger has blossomed into a very capable fantasy football quarterback. He’s not going to wow you with pass attempts but he’s a very steady hand who is dependable on a week to week basis. If he’s your starter, he won’t beat you.

RB Earnest Graham, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Quietly, Earnest Graham has been very good since becoming a starter. This season, he is averaging over five and half yards per rush. He also has three touchdowns and is a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield. He doesn’t have great breakaway speed but he’s a solid football player who can produce for your fantasy football team.

WR Laveranues Coles, New York Jets
This season, Laveranues Coles has been thrust into the spotlight due to being one of Brett Favre’s main targets. The truth is, however, that Coles has been a very solid fantasy football wide receiver for a long while now. He makes up average size and average speed by having very good hands and running great routes.

TE Owen Daniels, Houston Texans
Many fantasy football owners overlook Owen Daniels because he hasn’t racked up many touchdowns over the last two seasons. What those owners are missing is that he has a very healthy amount of catches and receiving yards. And while it’d be great for him to have more touchdowns, those should come soon enough.

QB Dan Orlovsky, Detroit Lions
So far this season, Dan Orlovsky hasn’t looked much like a capable fantasy football quarterback. But if you are really desperate for a QB in Week 7, consider Orlovsky a fantasy football sleeper for the week. He’s facing a bendable Houston Texans defense and with Jon Kitna out of the year, he no longer has to look over his shoulder. Expect him to have at least one touchdown pass.

RB Michael Pittman, Denver Broncos
While it’s never a happy feeling starting a running back against the New England Patriots, Pittman should have some success. He’s coming off of a very good week in Week 6 and the Patriots have shown some holes so far in 2008. Pittman is a sleeper to have a huge week this weekend.

WR Isaac Bruce, San Francisco 49ers
The matchup against the New York Giants looks daunting but the Cleveland Browns had success last week through the air against NY. If the 49ers can have similar success, Bruce will be in for a big game. He has emerged as the team’s go-to receiver and he looks to be in very good shape.

TE Donald Lee, Green Bay Packers
It appears as if Aaron Rodgers is slowly but surely adding tight end Donald Lee into the team’s passing attack. Lee, who thrived last season when Brett Favre was quarterback, has a better than average matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Consider Lee a fantasy football sleeper in Week 7.

QB Brett Favre, New York Jets
In Week 4, Brett Favre was amazing. His six touchdown passes reminded the world what he is capable of doing. However, don’t hesitate to sell him high if another fantasy owner comes calling.

RB Ronnie Brown, Miami Dolphins
The last time the 2008 fantasy football world saw Ronnie Brown, he was scoring five touchdowns against the New England Patriots defense. With his value likely never to be higher, now is a good time to try to trade him.

Can Ronnie Brown keep it up or was Week 3 a flash in the pan.

WR Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers is banged up and Greg Jennings is coming off of a great game. If Rodgers goes down, Jennings’ stock will plummet. A sell high might very well be in order.

TE Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City Chiefs
As long as Damon Huard is the quarterback for the Chiefs, Tony Gonzalez will have value. But that quarterback job in Kansas City is so tumultuous that it could change at any given moment.

D Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs have been very good so far in this fantasy football season. However, their schedule has been friendly and it is about to get a lot harder. Sell high if you have a buyer in your fantasy league.

Photo: Newscom

QB Brett Favre, New York Jets
In Week 4 of the fantasy football season, Brett Favre had one of the best games of his life. The soon to be 39-year-old quarterback had six touchdown passes to go along with 289 yards.

RB Larry Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs
Once upon a time Larry Johnson was a fantasy phenom. Those days might be coming back again if Johnson’s Week 4 production of 198 yards and two touchdowns is any indication.

WR Laveranues Coles, New York Jets
Favre’s favorite target on his historic day was Laveranues Coles. Coles finished the game with three touchdown receptions and 105 yards. All three of his TD’s were in the first half.

TE Zach Miller, Oakland Raiders
We named Zach Miller a Week 4 waiver wire starter and Miller didn’t disappoint. He finished the game against the San Diego Chargers with 95 yards receiving and a touchdown.

Photo: Newscom

Which players are underperforming right now but have a chance to finish the season strong? Here’s our list of sleepers in fantasy football as we head into Week 4 of the 2008 fantasy season.

QB Matt Cassel, New England Patriots
Not too long ago, fantasy football owners were rushing to get their hands on Matt Cassel after Tom Brady went down injured. Now his fantasy stock has plummeted. But give the guy time and remember, he still has Randy Moss on his side.

RB Ryan Torain, Denver Broncos
Currently, the Broncos are using a three-headed monster at running back with Selvin Young, Andre Hall and Michael Pittman. That could all change when Ryan Torain comes back if he’s able to impress the coaches again.

WR Chris Henry, Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals offense looks dead in the water. Chad Ocho Cinco doesn’t play like he’s related to Chad Johnson. That said, once Chris Henry comes back for Cincinnati following his suspension, he could become a very important part of that offense.

TE Dustin Keller, New York Jets
Brett Favre typically loves to pass to his tight ends, especially close to the end zone. While Dustin Keller has started off too amazingly, the rookie tight end for the Jets is starting to show signs of life. Keep an eye on him.

K Matt Prater, Denver Broncos
Jason Elam was the kicker for the Broncos forever. However, Matt Prater has stepped in and already has Broncos fans forgetting all about Elam. Prater has a strong long and should get plenty of opportunities in Denver’s high powered offense.

D New York Jets
The Jets defense hasn’t been too impressive yet this season but with all their free agent signings, this is a team that was bound to get off to a relatively slow start. Once they begin to mesh together, expect the Jets to become much better — especially defensively.

After his fifth practice with the New York Jets, Brett Favre indicated he was suffering from a fatigued arm. Despite the fatigue, Favre is expected to play in the Jets’ next preseason game.

The fact that Favre is suffering from a fatigued arm shouldn’t be too surprising considering he’s 38-years-old and didn’t play much football during the offseason. Arm fatigue at this point of the preseason shouldn’t affect his 2008 fantasy football draft stock much one way or the other.

Even though all the reports regarding Favre are positive, he remains best suited to be a backup fantasy football quarterback. While he certainly has the potential to put up good numbers this season, it would be risky to ride your hopes on his right arm.

Keep an eye on Favre during the preseason. If he looks extra sharp and has good rapport with his wide receivers, you might consider bumping him up in your fantasy football cheat sheets.

Photo: Newscom

Now that it is official that Brett Favre has been traded to the New York Jets, it is time to take a look back at his career with the Green Bay Packers. For more than a decade, Favre wowed NFL fans and fantasy football owners alike. When it came to a flair for the dramatic, Favre while on the Packers will be hard to ever top.

Favre may have a couple good seasons with the Jets, but he will always be remembered for his time with the Packers. Here is a look at a Brett Favre highlight video commemorating his time with the Packers:

Read more

The Brett Favre saga finally seems to be coming to an end. Favre was traded on Wednesday, but not to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as reported earlier, but to the New York Jets. The Jets needed a quarterback and now they have one of the best who has ever played.

While the Jets struggled last season, Favre actually has pretty good weapons on this team. Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery are both quality receivers. Favre should be able to connect with Coles and Cotchery relatively quickly. Not only those two wide receivers be good for Favre, but Favre should raise the fantasy football stock of both receivers.

This offseason, the Jets have added many veteran players in an attempt to win now. Favre should fit right in with the veteran cast the Jets have put together. While the lack of a quality running game is going to hurt Favre, he has had good fantasy seasons without a quality running game in the past.

Don’t expect Favre to put up the fantasy football numbers that he did last year for the Green Bay Packers. That said, this destination is better than the Bucs and Favre should be able to have at least an average season.

Photo: Newscom