Upside by Mike Anderson
First, Brunell has already been a top 10 QB with Jacksonville 3 times in his career.

Secondly, Head Coach Joe Gibbs is a passing guru who turned average at best QBs like Jay Schroeder, and Mark Rypien into Pro Bowlers. Schroeder threw for 4,109 yards under Gibbs in 1986, earning a Pro Bowl selection. He proceeded to play for the Raiders, Bengals, and Cardinals, never recapturing his success with Gibbs. Rypien posted 3,768 passing yards in 1989, 3,564 passing yards and 28 TDs in 1991, and 3,282 passing yards in 1992 under Gibbs. Shortly after Gibbs retired, Rypien bounced around the NFL with the Browns, Rams, Eagles, Rams again, and the Colts never regaining his form before retiring.

In Gibbs' 12 year stint as the Redskins head coach, he never had an offense that finished with less than 3,200 passing yards (if the strike shortened season is pro rated to 16 games). During those 12 years, the Redskins offense topped 3,600 passing yards, while in the top 12 in passing yards and passing TDs 9 times. Take the height of his success from 1986-1991; In that stretch Gibbs' offenses ranked Top 5 in Passing yards 5 out of 6 years, Top 10 in Yards per passing attempt in 5 out of those six years, and Top 10 in TDs for 5 of those 6 years.

It cannot be denied that Gibbs is an expert at passing in the NFL. Gibbs wouldn't have brought him into Washington under a multimillion dollar contract if he didn't see Brunell as the right fit for his offense.

The other major addition to the Redskins this season is Clinton Portis, who is an excellent safety valve out of the backfield. Look for Portis to cancel out the concerns about Brunell's mobility. Portis will also put pressure on opposing defenses, forcing them to respect the run, opening up the passing attack for Brunell.

Without saying that Brunell is going to lead the league in passing, expect him to be inside the Top 10 of QBs this season, and in doing so, shock his critics.

Downside by Colin Dowling
There is plenty to like about Mark Brunell this season. He's going to be given the keys to a Daddy's Acura and asked not to wreck it on the way to the prom. He's got Portis out of the backfield, solid receivers, and a line that's likely to be improved. Oh yeah, he has Joe Gibbs calling the shots, and Gibbs knows how to move the ball. "But Colin, this is the 'downside' article!" I know. I just wanted to tell you the good stuff, because the 'downside' practically writes itself.

Mark Brunell hasn't been a decent fantasy quarterback in a while. In 2000, he ranked 7th with 2 solid WRs and a reasonable running game. In 2001, he ranked 12th. He hasn't been near QB1 status in the last two seasons (2003 was abbreviated due to injury/Leftwich). In his last 3 seasons as a starter, his TD totals have decreased, his YPA (perhaps the best indicator of QB performance) has decreased, and his number of attempts have decreased. The only thing that has increased is his age. If you believe in trends, especially when evaluating Quarterbacks, there isn't much about Mark Brunell worth getting excited about.

The truth is that Mark Brunell may be the perfect fit for the Redskins offense. He has never been prone to turning the ball over and his completion percentage has hovered around 60% for a while. If he can stay healthy, he'll be a solid, efficient quarterback who controls a game and gives the team a chance to win. Good for the Redskins! However, that doesn't matter in Fantasy football. Gimme touchdowns! Gimme yards!

I think Mark Brunell will have a nice football season. I actually think he'll win the unofficial "comeback player of the year" award as the team exceeds expectations. But I don't see him cracking the top 12, much less the top-5. As a backup or QBBC member, he has some value, and his ADP just screams for a later round selection. But to count on Brunell to be a viable FF starter is to count on something he's not.