Tom Brady sets incredible fantasy record even by his standards

A testament to his longevity as much as his production, Tom Brady is now the holder of a incredible fantasy football record.

Apart from losing almost all of the 2008 season to a torn ACL and a serving four-game suspension in 2016, Tom Brady has started every other game in his career. Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers was his 10th start as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, and he’s having another fine season overall.

A look at Brady’s Pro Football Reference page shows his progression as a fantasy quarterback. From 2002-2004, his first three full seasons as a starter, he was QB10, QB13 and QB11. From 2005-2017, save for the aforementioned 2008 and 2016 seasons, he failed to finish as a top-10 fantasy signal caller once (2013). His final two seasons with the Patriots weren’t as good–QB14 in 2018 and QB12 in 2019, but as “declines” go it they were still pretty good.

During the first half of Sunday’s game, Brady added to his real-life Hall of Fame resume with an incredible fantasy football record.

With 5,143.72 (and counting), Brady has passed Jerry Rice as the all-time leader in fantasy points scored in NFL history. He is a quintessential pocket passer, and hardly a dual threat. But he has supplemented his passing output nicely, with 24 career rushing touchdowns (many of the 1-yard variety).

Rice is inarguably the greatest wide receiver of all-time, with long and prolific career similar to Brady (including Super Bowl rings), and he’s in the conversation as the greatest player in NFL history regardless of position (as is Brady).

Brady will keep adding to his fantasy points record for the rest of this season, and for however many more years he plays. As for who might overtake him as the all-time highest fantasy scorer in the future? Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes feels like the best bet, with a nod to Lamar Jackson if he plays awhile himself.