Introduction to these player comments
Index of player comments
Glossary of terms
Isaac Bruce career statistics
Is this Ram team the biggest fantasy juggernaut of all time?
To find out, I totalled up the VBD for every team since 1970. The Faulk/Warner/Bruce/(Holt) Rams occupy spots 10, 22, and 23 on the list. Nothing to sneeze at, but not as high as I would have guessed.
The top fantasy team since 1970 (the first season for which I have complete data) was the 1975 Bills, led by O.J. Simpson, who had 2200 combined yards and 23 scores in a 14-game season. Amazingly, the Bills' other running back, Jim Braxton, also had over 1000 combined yards and 13 touchdowns. Plus, they had a quarterback and two receivers above the baseline. The rest of the list is populated with the usual suspects: some old Air-Coryell Charger teams, some Marino-led Dolphin squads, and a whole lot of 49ers. San Francisco occupies nine of the top 50 spots.
Here are the top 100 fantasy teams since 1970:
1. 1975 Buffalo Bills - 550
Simpson (281) Ferguson (98) Braxton (83) Chandler (44) Hill (42)
2. 1982 San Diego Chargers - 542
Chandler (190) Fouts (126) Winslow (121) Muncie (92) Brooks (10) Joiner (1)
3. 1994 San Francisco 49ers - 514
Young (208) Rice (140) Watters (98) Jones (67)
4. 1995 Detroit Lions - 478
Mitchell (136) Moore (132) Sanders (121) Perriman (87)
5. 1984 Miami Dolphins - 470
Marino (243) Clayton (145) Duper (76) Nathan (6)
6. 1998 San Francisco 49ers - 467
Young (200) Hearst (137) Owens (81) Rice (46) Stokes (1)
7. 1986 Miami Dolphins - 456
Marino (210) Duper (94) Clayton (76) Hampton (61) Hardy (13)
8. 2000 Minnesota Vikings - 452
Culpepper (170) Moss (123) Smith (87) Carter (70)
9. 1991 Buffalo Bills - 449
Thomas (157) Kelly (143) Reed (80) Lofton (51) McKeller (17)
10. 1999 St. Louis Rams - 435
Faulk (184) Warner (179) Bruce (71)
11. 1993 San Francisco 49ers - 435
Young (152) Rice (147) Watters (81) Jones (34) Taylor (19)
12. 1975 Minnesota Vikings - 430
Foreman (220) Tarkenton (148) Gilliam (58) Voigt (3)
13. 1987 San Francisco 49ers - 428
Rice (215) Montana (160) Craig (51) Frank (0)
14. 2000 Indianapolis Colts - 427
James (179) Manning (121) Harrison (114) Dilger (11) Pollard (1)
15. 1976 Baltimore Colts - 418
Jones (150) Carr (118) Mitchell (114) Doughty (22) Chester (11) McCauley (0)
16. 1992 Dallas Cowboys - 415
Smith (209) Irvin (88) Aikman (71) Novacek (47)
17. 1981 San Diego Chargers - 409
Fouts (130) Muncie (118) Winslow (97) Joiner (63)
18. 1989 San Francisco 49ers - 406
Rice (144) Montana (99) Craig (74) Taylor (59) Jones (27)
19. 1984 St. Louis Cardinals - 402
Lomax (144) Green (124) Anderson (101) Mitchell (16) Marsh (12) Tilley (3)
20. 1995 Green Bay Packers - 399
Favre (173) Brooks (110) Bennett (73) Chmura (42)
21. 1992 San Francisco 49ers - 398
Young (166) Rice (99) Watters (98) Jones (35)
22. 2000 St. Louis Rams - 397
Faulk (215) Bruce (91) Holt (89)
23. 2001 St. Louis Rams - 395
Faulk (205) Warner (120) Holt (49) Bruce (19) Conwell (0)
24. 1998 Denver Broncos - 388
Davis (233) Sharpe (69) McCaffrey (42) Smith (41) Elway (1)
25. 1997 Denver Broncos - 387
Davis (161) Elway (82) Smith (76) Sharpe (66)
26. 1999 Indianapolis Colts - 384
James (185) Harrison (118) Manning (78) Pollard (1)
27. 2000 San Francisco 49ers - 371
Garcia (166) Owens (113) Garner (79) Rice (11)
28. 1997 Green Bay Packers - 370
Favre (122) Levens (120) Freeman (82) Brooks (29) Chmura (15)
29. 1996 Denver Broncos - 369
Davis (149) Elway (116) Sharpe (103)
30. 1999 Carolina Panthers - 365
Beuerlein (155) Walls (94) Jeffers (61) Muhammad (53)
31. 1980 San Diego Chargers - 360
Jefferson (112) Winslow (109) Fouts (101) Joiner (36)
32. 1995 Dallas Cowboys - 357
Smith (224) Irvin (100) Novacek (32)
33. 1998 Minnesota Vikings - 357
Cunningham (113) Moss (110) Smith (68) Carter (49) Glover (15) Hoard (0)
34. 1983 Washington Redskins - 356
Riggins (131) Theismann (119) Brown (85) Monk (12) Washington (8)
35. 1973 Philadelphia Eagles - 356
Carmichael (121) Gabriel (120) Young (75) Sullivan (39)
36. 1976 Oakland Raiders - 349
Branch (126) Stabler (95) Casper (85) Biletnikoff (26) VanEeghen (15)
37. 1990 Houston Oilers - 344
Moon (174) White (54) Givins (49) Jeffires (43) Hill (22)
38. 1988 Los Angeles Rams - 339
Everett (102) Bell (101) Ellard (93) Holohan (26) Johnson (15)
39. 1989 Cincinnati Bengals - 331
Esiason (89) Brooks (88) Holman (81) McGee (64) Brown (8)
40. 1988 Cincinnati Bengals - 331
Esiason (101) Woods (76) Brown (72) Brooks (66) Holman (15)
41. 1997 Oakland Raiders - 327
George (88) Kaufman (85) Dudley (58) Brown (57) Jett (37)
42. 1987 St. Louis Cardinals - 325
Lomax (114) Smith (94) Awalt (55) Mitchell (42) Green (15) Ferrell (4)
43. 1996 New England Patriots - 325
Martin (125) Bledsoe (103) Coates (59) Glenn (37)
44. 1976 Minnesota Vikings - 325
Foreman (152) White (86) Tarkenton (73) Rashad (13)
45. 1983 Green Bay Packers - 325
Dickey (103) Lofton (91) Coffman (81) Jefferson (34) Ellis (15)
46. 1975 Baltimore Colts - 323
Mitchell (169) Jones (125) Doughty (21) Chester (7)
47. 1984 San Francisco 49ers - 321
Montana (110) Tyler (77) Craig (67) Solomon (44) Clark (21)
48. 1970 San Francisco 49ers - 320
Brodie (128) Washington (122) Willard (69)
49. 1974 Oakland Raiders - 320
Branch (141) Stabler (116) Biletnikoff (43) Hubbard (18)
50. 1982 Los Angeles Raiders - 319
Allen (203) Christensen (62) Branch (51) Plunkett (1)
51. 1998 Atlanta Falcons - 314
Anderson (185) Mathis (55) Chandler (36) Martin (30) Santiago (5)
52. 1989 Los Angeles Rams - 313
Bell (92) Everett (90) Ellard (78) Anderson (35) Holohan (17)
53. 1982 San Francisco 49ers - 313
Montana (126) Clark (120) Moore (65)
54. 1980 Atlanta Falcons - 311
Bartkowski (87) Andrews (78) Cain (40) Miller (39) Jenkins (38) Francis (27)
55. 1981 Cincinnati Bengals - 309
Anderson (117) Johnson (89) Collinsworth (51) Ross (50)
56. 1991 Washington Redskins - 303
Rypien (116) Clark (89) Monk (50) Byner (46)
57. 1970 New York Giants - 300
Johnson (136) Tarkenton (103) Tucker (30) McNeil (29)
58. 1996 Baltimore Ravens - 299
Testaverde (159) Jackson (88) Alexander (48) Morris (2) Kinchen (1)
59. 1994 Green Bay Packers - 297
Favre (141) Sharpe (112) Bennett (43)
60. 1981 Atlanta Falcons - 295
Andrews (129) Jenkins (116) Bartkowski (49)
61. 2000 Denver Broncos - 293
Smith (113) Anderson (97) McCaffrey (75) Carswell (6) Griese (0)
62. 1986 Washington Redskins - 291
Rogers (92) Clark (66) Schroeder (66) Didier (33) Monk (31)
63. 2000 Kansas City Chiefs - 290
Gonzalez (113) Alexander (93) Grbac (83)
64. 1996 Green Bay Packers - 290
Favre (197) Jackson (47) Freeman (31) Levens (13)
65. 1970 Oakland Raiders - 287
Wells (100) Lamonica (64) Biletnikoff (50) Chester (42) Dixon (16) Smith (12)
66. 1997 Detroit Lions - 285
Sanders (187) Moore (62) Morton (29) Mitchell (6)
67. 1985 San Francisco 49ers - 285
Craig (146) Montana (106) Clark (21) Rice (10)
68. 2001 San Francisco 49ers - 284
Garcia (124) Owens (110) Hearst (50)
69. 1992 Buffalo Bills - 284
Thomas (173) Kelly (51) Reed (23) Lofton (22) Metzelaars (14)
70. 1991 Dallas Cowboys - 283
Smith (141) Irvin (96) Novacek (46)
71. 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers - 283
Harris (110) Bradshaw (89) Swann (83)
72. 1973 Cincinnati Bengals - 283
Curtis (84) Clark (64) Johnson (60) Anderson (53) Trumpy (20)
73. 1982 Cincinnati Bengals - 282
Anderson (101) Johnson (91) Ross (51) Collinsworth (38)
74. 1986 Cincinnati Bengals - 281
Esiason (97) Brooks (93) Collinsworth (59) Brown (21) Holman (9)
75. 1995 San Francisco 49ers - 280
Rice (164) Loville (76) Young (30) Jones (9)
76. 1999 Washington Redskins - 279
Davis (123) Johnson (63) Westbrook (56) Connell (35)
77. 1970 Washington Redskins - 276
Brown (96) Jurgensen (82) Smith (58) Taylor (38)
78. 1995 Minnesota Vikings - 275
Carter (119) Moon (105) Reed (50)
79. 2001 Indianapolis Colts - 275
Harrison (113) Manning (63) Rhodes (51) Pollard (46)
80. 1979 Cleveland Browns - 275
Pruitt (86) Sipe (76) Newsome (60) Logan (40) Rucker (11)
81. 1978 Dallas Cowboys - 274
Staubach (98) Dorsett (82) Dupree (49) Hill (35) Pearson (8)
82. 1975 Washington Redskins - 270
Kilmer (83) Thomas (76) Grant (66) Taylor (43)
83. 1975 St. Louis Cardinals - 265
Gray (99) Metcalf (79) Hart (45) Otis (39)
84. 1991 Houston Oilers - 264
Moon (113) Jeffires (55) Pinkett (36) Hill (30) Givins (28)
85. 1974 New England Patriots - 264
Herron (111) Cunningham (73) Plunkett (59) Vataha (14) Rucker (5)
86. 1988 Philadelphia Eagles - 261
Cunningham (148) Jackson (67) Byars (42) Carter (3)
87. 1979 Dallas Cowboys - 260
Staubach (94) Hill (68) Pearson (53) Dorsett (44)
88. 1990 Philadelphia Eagles - 260
Cunningham (198) Jackson (44) Barnett (12) Williams (5)
89. 1986 New York Jets - 260
Walker (71) O'Brien (67) Toon (63) Shuler (31) McNeil (24) Hector (0)
90. 1994 Dallas Cowboys - 259
Smith (187) Irvin (51) Harper (21)
91. 1998 New York Jets - 258
Martin (91) Testaverde (71) Johnson (61) Chrebet (33)
92. 1989 Green Bay Packers - 258
Majkowski (126) Sharpe (108) Fullwood (13) West (10)
93. 1977 Pittsburgh Steelers - 257
Harris (80) Stallworth (61) Bradshaw (59) Swann (56)
94. 1971 Detroit Lions - 257
Landry (113) Owens (89) Sanders (32) Taylor (11) Walton (8) McCullough (1)
95. 1997 Pittsburgh Steelers - 256
Bettis (99) Stewart (90) Thigpen (66)
96. 1977 Chicago Bears - 255
Payton (217) Scott (31) Latta (7)
97. 1990 San Francisco 49ers - 255
Rice (119) Montana (82) Jones (46) Taylor (7)
98. 1989 Buffalo Bills - 255
Thomas (143) Reed (79) Kelly (32)
99. 1971 Dallas Cowboys - 255
Staubach (92) Hayes (83) Thomas (59) Hill (19)
100. 1973 Denver Broncos - 254
Little (106) Odoms (56) Moses (51) Johnson (40)