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.

While we in Northeast Ohio breathlessly await the winner of the second annual Brady Quinn-Derek Anderson debate, the real battle is of the mythical variety.

Drew Brees or Tom Brady? What about Peyton Manning, who only seems to throw for 4,000 yards and 27-plus touchdowns every year?

Even if you've been so consumed in the Quinn-Anderson derby that you barely have time to join a fantasy league, you know Brady suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1 last season. The Patriots were so concerned they traded his productive backup, Matt Cassel, to the Chiefs.

That alone lets you know Brady should be OK. But I still wouldn't take him over Brees, who has thrown for a combined 9,492 yards and 62 touchdowns the last two seasons.

Brees likely will be a first-round pick in most leagues, but I wouldn't make that move unless your league awards six points for a TD pass. Otherwise, I'd wait until the second or third round and hope Philip Rivers or Kurt Warner falls.

Brady should be a high second-round pick, and Manning a mid- to late second-rounder. The latter doesn't have the weapons -- or the offensive line -- he's become accustomed to, which makes him a consensus No. 3 at the position between Brees and Brady.

As for the winner of the battle in Berea, two words of advice: Don't bother. Neither Quinn nor Anderson should be selected as a backup in a 12-team league. I'd rank the starter, likely Quinn, 26th at the position, one behind San Francisco's Shaun Hill (should he win the job over Alex Smith).

Let's get to the top 24 (all statistics are from 2008):

Rank, player, team GP-Yds-TD-Int-Rushing yds-TD
1. Drew Brees, NO 16-5,069-34-17-(-1)-0
2. Tom Brady, NE 1-76-0-0-0-0
3. Peyton Manning, Ind 16-4,002-27-12-21-4
4. Philip Rivers, SD 16-4,009-34-11-84-0
5. Aaron Rodgers, GB 16-4,038-28-13-207-4
6. Kurt Warner, Ari 16-4,583-30-14-(-2)-0
7. Donovan McNabb, Phi 16-3,916-23-11-147-2
8. Tony Romo, Dal 13-3,448-26-14-41-0
9. Jay Cutler, Chi 16-4,526-25-18-200-2
10. Matt Ryan, Atl 16-3,440-16-11-104-1
11. Matt Cassel, KC 16-3,693-21-11-270-2
12. Carson Palmer, Cin 4-731-3-4-38-0
13. Ben Roethlisberger, Pit 16-3,301-17-15-69-2
14. Matt Schaub, Hou 11-3,043-15-10-68-2
15. Matt Hasselbeck, Sea 7-1,216-5-10-38-0
16. Eli Manning, NYG 16-3,238-21-10-10-1
17. Kyle Orton, Den 15-2,972-18-12-49-3
18. David Garrard, Jac 16-3,625-15-13-322-2
19. Trent Edwards, Buf 14-2,699-11-10-117-3
20. Brett Favre, Min 16-3,472-22-22-43-1
21. Chad Pennington, Mia 16-3,653-19-7-62-1
22. Jake Delhomme, Car 16-3,288-15-12-21-2
23. Joe Flacco, Bal 16-2,971-14-12-180-2
24. Jason Campbell, Was 16-3,245-13-6-258-1

QUICK SLANTS
In 30 games played the last two seasons, Warner has thrown for 8,000 yards and 57 TDs. ... Romo, during the "happy" Terrell Owens times, was much better in 2007 (4,211 yards, 36 TD passes, two TD rushes) than 2008. ... Palmer threw a combined 86 TD passes from 2005-07, but had his '08 ruined by an elbow injury. ... Schaub has missed five games in each of the last two seasons. ... The indecisive Favre cracks the top 20, but I would only draft him as a backup behind an elite starter. ... The 33-year-old Pennington set a career high for yards passing in his first year in Miami. ... Stay away from the mistake-prone Delhomme, who hasn't had a big season since 2005. ... This likely is the last chance in Washington for Campbell, who has only 25 TD passes in 29 games the past two seasons. ... A name to remember, should he win the starting job: San Francisco's Hill, who in 12 games played the last two seasons has accounted for 21 TDs (18 passing and three rushing).

Next: We'll preview the tight ends this weekend, then the remaining four positions (running backs, wide receivers, kickers and defenses/special teams) next week. See Sunday's editions of the News-Herald, along with the N-H's main Sports site, for our fantasy football preview, which will include rankings at every position, bold predictions, overrated and underrated players and much more.