Vitt: Brees won't be impacted by suspensions: Franchise-tagged quarterback Drew Brees might not be under contract to play for the Saints at this moment, but expectations are that he'll at least sign his one-year tender and be on the Saints in 2012. The same can't be said for head coach and offensive playcaller Sean Payton, who was suspended for the 2012 season as part of the Saints' penalties for their role in "Bountygate." Payton will not be allowed to help the Saints with their game plans for the entire season, and some believe that his absence will hurt the offense. But interim coach Joe Vitt believes that Brees' relationship with offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, who isn't suspended, will keep the offense afloat. "Nobody knows Drew Brees as well as Pete. Nobody knows Pete as well as Drew Brees," Vitt told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "They were tied at the hip in San Diego, so they speak a common language and common verbiage." (Updated 05/16/2012)
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 5/27/12).
Fantasy Analysis
If this were a younger quarterback or a quarterback on a new team, we'd see this as a problem. But Brees has been with the Saints since 2006, working in the same offense for six seasons going on seven. Even without Payton, we don't see Brees falling apart. If anything, we think the Saints defense will struggle this season, which means more passing from Brees. We still view Brees as an elite Fantasy QB worth a first-round pick. (Updated 05/16/2012).
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Drew Brees needs to sign a contract with the Saints, but once that small minor operational detail is taken care of, he'll be in a position to throw all over the place. Brees did exactly that last season, setting the single-season NFL record with 5,476 passing yards with career-highs in completions (468), completion percentage (71.2 percent), passing touchdowns (46) and completions of 20-plus yards (69). He also threw just 14 interceptions, the second-lowest of any season where he played 16 games. And that's just the regular season - his postseason totals (seven touchdowns and 928 yards through the air) made him even better. And counting his postseason he had at least 300 yards passing and at least two touchdowns 13 times in 18 total games, including each of his last nine games. With at least 33 touchdowns and 4,300 yards in each of his last four seasons, Brees has replaced Peyton Manning as the absolute safest pick in Fantasy Football. You can worry about Sean Payton not being in New Orleans all you want, but with Brees entrenched in his offense for the last six seasons you can safely assume that he'll know what to do. Expect him to lean on his strengths and deliver another big season. With the number of elite Fantasy rushers at an all-time low, Brees is worth a first-round pick as a safe weekly must-start option. If you're in a league that starts multiple quarterbacks, Brees is fine as a Top-5 pick. (Updated 5/24/12)
