Sports
-
Tristan H. Cockcroft
Jul 24, 2024, 06:47 AM ET
It’s hard to believe it has been a quarter-century since the Y2K bug, “Brennifer” and “The Greatest Show on Turf,” but here we are.
The past 25 years have been significant from a fantasy football perspective as well, most notably our game’s explosion into the mainstream. A whopping 12-plus million people played ESPN’s fantasy football game in 2023 alone.
With our sights set squarely on the past quarter-century, let’s celebrate the occasion by ranking the 25 best players of the 21st century to date. The list accounts for several factors, including player dominance, longevity and reliability. Although some players on this list started their careers way back in the 1990s, we’re taking into account only games they’ve played since the beginning of 2000.
Let’s get started, beginning right at the top. The years listed for each player are the 21st-century seasons (2000 and beyond) in which the player was active.
Sign up for ESPN Fantasy Football today. Play the No. 1 Fantasy game for free!
1. LaDainian Tomlinson, RB (2001-11)
The author of the greatest season in fantasy football history in 2006, during which he set records with 481.1 PPR points and 31 total touchdowns, Tomlinson actually owns two of the five best single-season point totals of the century (his 443.84 in 2003 places fifth). He scored a position-best 3,451.32 PPR fantasy points over his 11-year career, second most among running backs all time. To put his scoring prowess further into perspective, during Tomlinson’s first eight NFL seasons, he scored more fantasy points (2,925.82) than all but five other running backs in history scored over their entire careers. From 2002 to 2007, he finished first or second at his position in fantasy scoring every year.
2. Tom Brady, QB (2000-22)
He sits atop the fantasy career leaderboard with his 5,944.36 points, all scored this century. It’s a total that is a whopping 755.4 ahead of the next-best quarterback and more than 1,500 more than any non-quarterback. Brady’s longevity — his second-best seasonal fantasy point total came as a 44-year-old in 2021 (374.74) — has a lot to do with his high ranking, but he certainly had his peak points, too, leading quarterbacks in scoring in what was (at the time) a record-setting 2007 (390.04) and finishing top three at the position in seven seasons. Brady also delivered for fantasy managers with a top-five positional weekly point total 155 times, 14 more than any other quarterback this century.
3. Drew Brees, QB (2001-20)
It’s remarkable to think Brees scored more than 5,000 fantasy points (5,187.42, to be exact), yet isn’t even regarded as the No. 1 name at his position, if only because of some guy named Brady. Brees’ career peak, however, was among the most extraordinary in the sport’s history, as from 2004 to 2018 (a span of 15 seasons), he placed among the top nine quarterbacks in fantasy scoring every year and started all but four of a possible 240 games. From 2006 to 2013, his prime years, he was a top-three positional scorer in six out of eight seasons.
4. Larry Fitzgerald, WR (2004-20)
He might not feel like one of the decade’s very best, but to put his consistent excellence into perspective, Fitzgerald’s 3,906.12 PPR fantasy points this century not only is the most among wide receivers but also is nearly 850 more than the next-closest total. Although he never led all wide receivers in scoring in any single season, he finished in the overall top seven among wideouts in seven separate seasons and delivered a top-10 weekly point total on 68 occasions, both of those most among wide receivers. Fitzgerald was one of the game’s most sure-handed receivers ever, catching 63.6% of his career targets with a sparkling 1.2% drop rate.
5. Terrell Owens, WR (2000-10)
Owens’ career began back in 1996, but he didn’t realize his elite potential until the turn of the century. From 2000 forward, he caught at least 13 TD passes in six of the century’s first eight seasons. Owens’ numbers stand out in every regard, be it longevity, consistency or whatever, but his most telling statistic is he managed a top-10 weekly positional fantasy point total 65 times this century alone, second best behind only Fitzgerald.
6. Randy Moss, WR (2000-12)
If it feels as if he should be higher on this list, bear in mind that two of his five best seasons, from a PPR fantasy point perspective, came in 1998 and 1999 and therefore don’t count. Nevertheless, Moss’ single-season record 23 receiving touchdowns in 2007 was an extraordinary feat, his 385.3 points was the second most ever at his position at the time (although his total has since been bested four times). His year-over-year volatility — three seasons of sub-210 points coming between his two best single-year totals — is the only thing in the 2000s that held him back from higher list placement.
7. Antonio Brown, WR (2010-21)
Few players in history have enjoyed the kind of six-year peak Brown did from 2013 to 2018. During that time, he caught at least 101 passes, totaled at least 1,284 receiving yards and scored at least nine receiving touchdowns, for a grand total of 2,301.3 PPR fantasy points. Brown was the No. 1 scoring wide receiver four times, 2014-17, but he scored 200-plus points in only one other season during his career (2011).
8. Aaron Rodgers, QB (2005-present)
No player in the history of the game can match his number of 300-point fantasy seasons (10). Rodgers’ 397.42 fantasy points in 2011 set a then-record for quarterbacks, since exceeded by other players five times. However, he still owns three of the 15 best single-season point totals at the position (2011, sixth; 2020’s 383.26, 13th; and 2016’s 380.02, 15th). He’s the fourth-highest-scoring fantasy player in NFL history, which is a remarkable feat for a player who spent his first three NFL seasons as a scarcely used backup to Brett Favre.
9. Tony Gonzalez, TE (2000-13)
Our first tight end on the list, Gonzalez was one of the game’s most consistently excellent at his position. He exceeded 70 catches in all but one of his 14 seasons this century and scored a total of 3,070.9 PPR fantasy points during that time span, which on its own would have set the positional record for the category. Gonzalez scored 200-plus points 10 times this century — note that he had an 11th such season in 1999 — which is also more than any other tight end.
10. Tiki Barber, RB (2000-06)
Perhaps the first surprise on this list, Barber progressed beyond his fumbling problems around the turn of the century and developed into one of the game’s most durable, dependable running backs. He scored 2,100.1 PPR fantasy points during his seven seasons played this century, topping the position in scoring in 2004 and finishing in the top 10 five additional times.
11. Travis Kelce, TE (2013-present)
He’ll continue to soar up this list as he adds to his career résumé, but his is a pretty good one as is. Kelce led the TE position in PPR fantasy points 2016-20 and in 2022. He has been top three in every one of the past eight seasons (spanning his career peak), and his 2,166.7 total points during said peak was nearly 350 more than the next-closest tight end. He owns the second- (316.3, 2022), third- (312.76, 2020) and sixth-best (294.6, 2018) single-season point totals by a tight end in history.
12. Matt Forte, RB (2008-17)
One of the best dual-threat running backs of his generation, Forte enjoyed five seasons and 57 individual weeks as a top-five scorer at his position, both of which are fourth best this century. He caught at least 50 passes in six of his first seven seasons and finished with 554 career receptions, ninth best among running backs all time — a feat that looks all the more impressive if you consider he worked with 12 different starting quarterbacks over that time.
13. Marvin Harrison Sr., WR (2000-08)
Fantasy’s premier wide receiver at the turn of the century, Harrison put forth a 1999-2004 stretch that rivaled the aforementioned Brown’s 2013-18, although Harrison’s 1999 unfortunately doesn’t count here. Harrison did lead the league in scoring 2000-02 and in 2006, however, and he was a top-eight positional scorer in seven of his eight full seasons this century.
14. Adrian Peterson, RB (2007-21)
At his various career high points, Peterson’s raw skill rivaled that of any great running back to ever play the game. Of greatest note: He tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee on Christmas Eve of 2011, putting an early end to what was a fourth consecutive season placing in the top 10 at his position in PPR fantasy points. He then roared back with a position-best 347.4 points in 2012, despite the typical challenges running backs face with their recovery from that injury. Peterson’s various injuries and off-the-field questions, which cost him 40 games from 2011 to 2017, are the primary thing holding him back from a better rank.
15. Peyton Manning, QB (2000-15)
You’d think a player with his résumé would place higher, but in fantasy terms, Manning leaned more toward being a “consistency king” than a single-handed winner of championships. His 4,220.64 fantasy points since 2000 was more than almost any other quarterback in history has scored in an entire career, with the only exceptions being the three ranked above him (Brady, Brees and Rodgers). He finished among the position’s top six in scoring every season from 2000 to 2010. Oh, yes! There was also that brilliant, record-setting season with 55 TD passes in 2013, in which Manning scored a then-positional-record 409.98 fantasy points.
16. Davante Adams, WR (2014-present)
Rodgers’ “go-to receiver” during most of their eight seasons playing together in Green Bay (also the first eight of Adams’ career), Adams placed top three at his position in PPR fantasy points in 2018, 2020 and 2021. He was then traded to Las Vegas, where he promptly scored a third-best 335.5 points while working with former Fresno State teammate Derek Carr. Adams’ five-year peak (2018-22) resulted in a larger fantasy point total than any receiver had besides the already-ranked Brown and Harrison.
17. Reggie Wayne, WR (2001-14)
Harrison’s successor as Manning’s main man, Wayne caught 75-plus passes every season from 2004 to 2012 and has scored the position’s third-most PPR fantasy points this century (2,986.5). He was also as reliable as they come, playing 189 consecutive games between 2001 and 2013, the third-longest streak by a wide receiver in NFL history.
18. LeSean McCoy, RB (2009-20)
Only three running backs this century have scored more PPR fantasy points than McCoy’s 2,528: Tomlinson, Frank Gore and Peterson. “Shady’s” career peak was remarkably lengthy for a running back, as he finished 19th or better among RBs in points in each of his age 22 through 29 seasons, and in the top five in four of those (2010, 2011, 2013 and 2016).
19. Jason Witten, TE (2003-17, 2019-20)
In an era dominated by tight ends such as Gonzalez, Antonio Gates, Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski, one might not expect Witten to be the next one to grace this list. However, consider the résumé: His 2,970.28 PPR fantasy points is second best among tight ends behind Gonzalez for this century and for all time. He had seven seasons with a top-five positional point total and eight 200-point campaigns. Plus, his eight-year peak amounted to more points than for Graham or Gronkowski even though they had greater career-year totals. Consistency counts!
20. Christian McCaffrey, RB (2017-present)
The youngest player on this list, McCaffrey earns his spot thanks to his recent dominance, which included the second-best season in fantasy football history (471.2 PPR points, 2019) as well as the 13th- and 15th-best single-season totals by a running back (391.3, 2023; and 385.5, 2018). McCaffrey’s injury history has been oft-cited, but his successes more than outweigh the negatives, as his tally of four seasons of 350-plus points is already the second most this century.
21. Tyreek Hill, WR (2016-present)
Another current player, Hill enjoyed a five-year span of dominance in Kansas City, then was traded to Miami in March 2022, where he took things to an even higher level, scoring 347.2 and 376.4 points in his two seasons thus far with the Dolphins. Hill has been a top-six wide receiver in each of the past five seasons and was top two in three of those, during which time he has scored 2,333.5 points, fourth most this century for any wide receiver over a five-year span.
22. Antonio Gates, TE (2003-18)
If we’re talking consistency at the tight end position, Gates was king. He scored at least seven receiving touchdowns in 11 seasons, two more than any other tight end has had in a career. Beyond that, he was a top-four scoring tight end every season from 2004 to 2010.
23. Patrick Mahomes, QB (2017-present)
It speaks volumes that a player who didn’t break into the starting lineup until December 2017 already places among the century’s top 25 overall players, but Mahomes is something truly special. He owns the two highest single-season fantasy point totals by a quarterback (417.4 in 2022 and 417.08 in 2018), and he has never finished lower than eighth at his position in scoring in any of his six seasons thus far as a full-time starter.
24. Frank Gore, RB (2005-20)
His 3,024.5 PPR fantasy points this century ranks second among running backs, behind only Tomlinson. Although Gore’s peak pales in comparison with those of some of the names above — he never finished better than fifth among running backs in scoring in any single season — his year-over-year reliability mattered. Twelve times he finished among the top 25 running backs in scoring, twice more than anyone else at the position, and he had nine seasons of at least 1,000 rushing yards.
25. Julio Jones, WR (2011-present)
Although he never seemed to be as elite a performer at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome as he was away from it during his career, Jones put up some stellar statistics despite the home-road split. He was a top-seven wide receiver in PPR fantasy points every season from 2014 to 2019, and delivered a top-10 weekly positional score on 52 occasions, tied for the position’s fourth most this century.
The “just-missed” crew: WR Torry Holt, RB Alvin Kamara, WR Calvin Johnson, RB Edgerrin James, QB Russell Wilson, TE Rob Gronkowski, RB Ezekiel Elliott, WR Brandon Marshall, WR Andre Johnson, TE Jimmy Graham, RB Shaun Alexander, QB Josh Allen, WR Steve Smith, RB Steven Jackson, WR Mike Evans.
