Eli Manning wants the elite label to stick on him for good. We'll see.
was put on the spot at the start of training camp last season. During a radio interview with ESPN New York’s Michael Kay, the New York Giants quarterback was asked by Kay if he was indeed an elite quarterback.
“Yeah, I think I am,” Manning said.
Kay inquired more, asking Manning if he was in the same class as
Tom Brady.
“I consider myself in that class and Tom Brady is a great quarterback, he's a great player and what you've seen with him is he's gotten better every year and he started off winning championships and I think he's a better quarterback now than what he was, in all honesty, when he was winning those championships,” Manning replied.
Manning backed up those proclamations he made last August by besting Brady and the Patriots again for his second Super Bowl title in four years (Manning now trails Brady by one Super Bowl title and has one more than big brother Peyton) and posting arguably his best statistical season.
The career-best 4,933 yards Manning threw for in 2011 certainly was Brady-esque and his 29 touchdowns were the second-most in his eight-year pro career. Manning also cut down his interceptions (16 from 2010’s career-high 25). From a fantasy perspective, Manning emerged from fringe starter to regular starter.
Entering the 2012 season, Manning is in the second tier of fantasy quarterbacks behind the big three of Brady,
Aaron Rodgers and
Drew Brees. But let’s pump the brakes before putting Manning in that revered fantasy holy land.
One of Manning’s top targets last season,
Hakeem Nicks, is trying to come back from a broken bone in his foot suffered three months ago. Nicks hopes to be ready for the Sept. 5 season opener against Dallas. Another top 2011 target,
Victor Cruz, will be a marked man this year after salsa-dancing his way to an 82-catch, 1,536-yard, 9 TD season a year ago. Another guy Manning look to for key grabs,
Mario Manningham (he of the tippy-toe sideline catch to start the winning TD drive in the Super Bowl), took his talents and Super Bowl ring to San Francisco in the offseason after signing a $7 million free agent contract.
Nicks could return better than ever. Cruz could show that he is not a one-hit wonder.
Domenik Hixon, Ramses Barden, Jerrel Jernigan or rookie
Rueben Randle could easily make up for the absence of Manningham. Manning and the Giants want that to be the case.
Until those questions are answered, let’s not anoint Peyton’s little brother as an elite fantasy performer.
