Last season was the year of the quarterback, leaving many of us to question our past belief that you don't take a passer in the top half of the first round -- or in my case, never in the opening round.

As we wrote in our preview column, a record 10 quarterbacks had at least 4,000 yards passing in 2009, and 17 finished with more than 3,500 yards. A dozen QBs had at least 25 touchdown tosses, also an all-time mark, and 18 had 20 TDs or more.

From 2000 to 2008, the average was four 4,000-yard passers, nine 3,500-yard passers, six QBs with 25-plus TDs and 11.6 with 20-plus scores.

Does that mean you take Drew Brees in the overall top five? I wouldn't, but I would take him at No. 6 in leagues in which you get six points for a TD pass, and I might even select him in that spot in the formats in which TD throws are four points.

With that in mind, here are our top 24 QBs, with more numbers to follow after the rankings.

Rank, player, team GP-Yds-TD-Int-Rush yds-TD
1. Drew Brees, NO 15-4,388-34-11-33-2
2. Aaron Rodgers, GB 16-4,434-30-7-316-5
3. Peyton Manning, Ind 16-4,500-33-16-(-13)-0
4. Tom Brady, NE 16-4,398-28-13-44-1
5. Philip Rivers, SD 16-4,254-28-9-50-1
6. Matt Schaub, Hou 16-4,770-29-15-57-0
7. Tony Romo, Dal 16-4,483-26-9-105-1
8. Kevin Kolb, Phi 5-741-4-3-(-1)-1
9. Brett Favre, Min 16-4,202-33-7-7-0
10. Eli Manning, NYG 16-4,021-27-14-65-0
11. Joe Flacco, Bal 16-3,613-21-12-56-0
12. Ben Roethlisberger, Pit 15-4,328-26-12-82-2
13. Jay Cutler, Chi 16-3,666-27-26-173-1
14. Matt Ryan, Atl 14-2,916-22-14-49-1
15. Donovan McNabb, Was 14-3,553-22-10-140-2
16. Carson Palmer, Cin 16-3,094-21-13-93-3
17. Chad Henne, Mia 14-2,878-12-14-32-1
18. Matt Cassel, KC 15-2,924-16-16-189-0
19. Matthew Stafford, Det 10-2,267-13-20-108-2
20. Matt Hasselbeck, Sea 14-3,029-17-17-119-0
21. David Garrard, Jac 16-3,597-15-10-323-3
22. Vince Young, Ten 12-1,879-10-7-281-2
23. Matt Leinart, Ari 8-435-0-3-(-6)-0
24. Kyle Orton, Den 16-3,802-21-12-71-0
NOTE: Statistics are from the 2009 season.

QUICK SLANTS

Brees has thrown for at least 4,388 yards in each of the last four seasons, and he's averaged 30.5 TD passes in that span. ... In the last two years, Rodgers has accounted for 67 scores (58 passing and nine rushing). ... Manning has thrown for at least 3,739 yards and 26 touchdowns in each of his 12 NFL seasons. ... In Weeks 2 and 3 last season, Kolb played for an injured McNabb and threw for 718 yards and four touchdowns, and he rushed for a score. ... In 2009, Favre had a career high in TDs and recorded his lowest interception total. ... The Steelers’ Roethlisberger will be suspended for at least the first four games of the season.

PAST PREVIEWS

-- Kicker rankings

-- Defense and special teams rankings

-- All player rankings

Later this week: We'll preview the running backs, wide receivers and tight ends.