By Adam Conn:

As a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, I was asked to submit my ballot on the following; My 2009 All Fantasy Team, Fantasy MVP and a Rookie of the year selections. The MVP and Rookie are taken from a pool of five players, based on a ranking scale. I will post the final results of the poll once they are all collected and tabulated.

I based my votes on five factors – 1) Total numbers for the season, obviously. 2) How they fared between Weeks 13-17 (Week 17 was considered less than the rest). 3) Points per game. 4) Consistency.  5) Fantasy draft value.

In most cases the numbers speak for themselves (see Johnson, Chris), but when weighing the options, I looked further down the list.

Beginning with the All-Fantasy Team, many of these choices are self explanatory, but as a newspaper guy, I elaborate  for good measure.

All-FANTASY TEAM:

QB – Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers.

Drew Brees tossed 34 touchdown passes, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning had 33 apeice, but Rodgers added 316 rushing yards and five touchdowns to his 4,434 passing yards and 30 passing TDs – not to mention a couple of two-point conversions. Keep in mind Rodgers got punished behind a sub-par offensive line during the first half of the season, and yet he was still able to maintain elite fantasy status. All four QBs tailed off in December, but Rodgers had a couple of rushing TDs to beef up his numbers. Meanwhile Brees and Manning took sebaticals and while Favre was good over that stretch, his pedestrian weeks against the Bengals and Panthers didn’t help.

RB – Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans

2,000+ rushing yards, 500+ receiving yards, 16 total TDs (13 over last 10 games) and 11 straight 100-yard rushing games… Nuff said.

RB – Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

MJD and Ray Rice were briefly considered, but ADPs 18 touchdowns, not to mention his 280 rushing yards, 157 receiving and six touchdowns over the last four weeks, were plenty to earn my vote.

WR – Andre Johnson, Houston Texans

We’re still waiting for him to log 10+ touchdowns, but leading the league in yards by over 200, plus 101 receptions made him the highest scoring receiver in most standard leagues. Johnson was also amazing down the stretch (Weeks 14-17, 31-525-3TDs).

WR – Miles Austin, Dallas Cowboys

I’m sure I’m not the only one to choose Austin over Randy Moss, but this is where points-per-game came into play. In this case it was more like points-per-start. Austin didn’t become an every down player until Week 5. Through the first four weeks, he had just 5 receptions for 81 yards and one score. Moss, by comparison, had 29 receptions, 331 yards and a score. By season’s end, Austin had 76 more yards (1,320 to Moss’ 1,264), two less receptions (81-83), and two less TDs (11-13). According to ESPN standard scoring, he scored just two less fantasy points then Moss. Given his limited playing time over the first four weeks, Austin likely would have passed Andre Johnson as the leading fantasy receiver in the league.

TE – Dallas Clark, Indianapolis Colts

This came down to Clark vs. Vernon Davis. Frankly, I could still go either way on this one. Davis earns bonus points because he was a flyer draft pick at best in August and Davis bested Clark by three touchdowns, 13-10. But Clark grabbed 100 receptions to Davis’ 78, had 138 more yards and had five of his 10 touchdowns in Weeks 14 and 15, truly difference-making numbers come playoff time.

PK – Nate Kaeding, San Diego Chargers

Another coin flip between Kaeding and David Akers, who was slightly better than Kaeding over the final four weeks of the season. Akers was also rock solid nearly every game, scoring at least seven points in all but two games. Keading had more points, but was a bit more up and down with four games under seven points.  Kaeding, however, had more impact games. He tallied 12 points or more seven times. Akers had just three. Paralysis by analysis for kickers, I’m sure.

DEF – N.Y. Jets

This was hard in that there really wasn’t a single dominating fantasy defense this season. What one excelled in, it also lacked in another area. The Packers and Eagles had a good deal more turnovers and sacks, while the Saints scored touchdowns, one every other game on average, but all three gave up a ton of points over the last handful of games nullifying their early and mid-season success. The 49ers tightened up their game, but only scored big against the Rams and Lions.  Otherwise it was a good, but not great, season for San Fran. The Jets had a rocky few games in the middle of the season, but beginning Week 12 clamped down and was clearly the top defense in the league. It was the only must-start defense from Thanksgiving on.

IDP – LB Patrick Willis, San Francisco

This is strictly rewarding a player for points scored. Willis’ tackle numbers and contributions as a multi-dimensional linebacker easily earned him this award. But two others could earn this vote for different reasons. CB Charles Woodson had nine interceptions, three returned for touchdowns, with 18 passes defended and four forced fumbles. Add in his 66 solo tackles and Woodson was among the best fantasy defensive backs in the league, but by comparison to Willis, his fantasy numbers aren’t as close as they might appear. Next to Woodson, Darrelle Revis’s tackle numbers are even lower (47 solos) as are his interceptions (6). He had an astounding 31 passes defended while shutting down nearly every receiver in the game. He was a difference maker in that he held the opposition to well below average fantasy games. So if you were going up against Andre Johnson, Marques Colston, Randy Moss, Mike Sims-Walker, Steve Smith (CAR), Terrell Owens, Roddy White or Reggie Wayne at any point this season opposite Revis, you held a distinct advantage at wide receiver. That’s hard to measure, but to be sure, Revis’ contributions to fantasy football were felt in more ways than one.

MVP:

QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers – Johnson was great, no question, but Rodgers was great from Weeks 1-17.

RB Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans – It’s not his fault that Kerry Collins limited his ability. It’s actually quite impressive that he accomplished what he did given the first six weeks of the season. But again, his numbers weren’t MVP material during that time. Several games, and potentially playoff bids, were lost due to Johnson’s slow start. While it is extremely important to finish strong, the ramifications of scoring in just one of his first six games took a fantasy toll on many owners.

QB Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints – His numbers might have landed him top billing other years, but it just wasn’t enough.
RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars – Just two TDs and one 100-yard game over the last six weeks didn’t help.

RB Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens – It won’t be long before Rice climbs this ladder.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:

WR Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants – Fluke touchdown receptions or not, Nicks put up solid rookie numbers and landed a starting role by mid-season. But the difference here was his draft status. Nicks was an afterthought in most re-draft leagues, giving owners exceptional value on D-Day.

RB Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos – Had more yards than Nicks and scored two more touchdowns, but for where he was drafted, his week-to-week totals were too sporadic.  This will probably be a point of contention with others.

RB Chris Wells, Arizona Cardinals – What hurt Wells was his split time with Tim Hightower through Week 12, without which Wells would likely top this list.

WR Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings – Multi-dimensional weapon made for a good flex play from time to time, but as Favre and Sidney Rice began to gel, Harvin, who also missed Week 14 with migraine headaches, faded into the shadows, especially when it counted.

WR Austin Collie, Indianapolis Colts – Collie finished strong with three touchdowns in Weeks 13, 14 and 15 to go with 94 yards Week 16, but trying to decide between him and Pierre Garcon through the middle weeks was like playing bingo most weeks. He was good, but too inconsistent.

Questions, Comments, Smack? Email Conn