Outlook: At first glance, Brees' QB11 finish would appear to be adequate, but 2017 was a true disappointment for the future hall of fame quarterback. After being selected as the third overall QB in fantasy drafts, Brees fell well short of his expectations. Despite finishing within the QB1 range, he only managed to finish as a top 12 QB in four of his 16 starts, well short of his 60 percent average over the previous five seasons.

But there's reason for optimism, despite concerns about age, changing scheme, and improving defense. 2017 marked Brees' lowest number of pass attempts since 2009 when he had one fewer start and his lowest number of TD passes since 2003. Compared to 2016, Brees attempted more than 8 fewer passes per game. With Mark Ingram's suspension and the seeming reluctance to over-utilize Alvin Kamara during that suspension, Brees will likely see his pass attempts rise slightly. If Brees can regain 3 to 4 passes per game, he'll likely experience some positive TD regression as well.

After mortgaging their 2019 first round pick, it's evident that New Orleans believes they need to win-now during Brees' last remaining seasons. Barring a Peyton Manning-like fall in efficiency, Brees remains a QB1 with top five potential, however, his acquisition cost will likely be close to his finish so the value is slightly limited.

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