Tom Brady

So Tom Brady is done for the year, and you had high hopes for him, but now that he is out, what are your options? Well, like the Patriots, you can either ride your current backup (you did draft a suitable backup, right?) or you can go fishing through current available quarterbacks, but who would be your best choice of those available? Well, depending on your league, you may have to go looking for a trade, or search through those quarterbacks still on the board - which are likely slim pickings. I'm going to take a look at a dozen quarterbacks that could potentially still be available and what you can expect from each - hopefully, this can give you some direction as to where to go from here:

1) Troy Smith, Baltimore Ravens - word out of Baltimore is that when Smith returns from an injury of his own, that he will take over the reigns to lead the Ravens' offense. This option doesn't seem very viable, in that you will surely be disappointed in the results.

2) Kyle Orton, Chicago Bears - chances are, he is still floating around in most leagues. What he will do for you is be consistent. He has shown flashes of things he is capable of - and he can put a nice touch on his passes. In a bind, Orton can be manageable, but you are looking at 2,500 yards passing on the year - and maybe 15-20 TDs - not very Brady-esque, but who really is?

3) Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers - it's possible Rodgers was drafted on Favre's coat-tails, but in the off-chance that he was not, he does warrant some consideration for the now Brady-less teams. Rodgers performed fairly well on Monday night against a decent Vikings defense. He pulled out the victory, though his numbers were far from spectacular. What he did prove on Monday is that maybe he does belong at the helm of the Packers offense. Is he a fantasy starter? Probably not - but again, if you are in a bind, he will do, for now - and he may surprise as well. Hard to tell what to expect since he has such limited NFL action under his belt.

4) Tarvaris Jackson, Minnesota Vikings - again, Jackson should be available in most formats, but is he someone you want on your fantasy team? That depends. Jackson is very capable of having the big day, and he can score points with his legs, however, he can be very inconsistent, and one thing Brady was always able to provide was consistency - so do you pick up Jackson and roll the dice from week to week? Probably not - but if your backup is sufficient (the backup that has been thrust into your starting lineup with the Brady injury) - then Jackson might be worth your backup job now - in hopes that he flies high in your current starters' off-week.

5) Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons - the Falcons soared in week one against a very weak Detroit Lions defense. If there is one thing that stands out from that game, however, it's that the Falcons will look to run the ball. Ryan had a good game, yes, but A) it was against the poultry Lions defense, and B) with the running game working as well as it was, I would bet many a quarterback can find holes in the secondary. However, if you believe in this offense (of which I was skeptical of before seeing them week 1) then I would give this kid a chance. All the Falcons offensive players seem to have one thing in common, speed - and if Ryan can distribute the ball efficiently, he may just be in for a huge year - just don't expect it since its hard for a rookie quarterback to have much success in this league. Worthwhile consideration, and should do just fine in a pinch.

6) Chris Simms, Tennessee Titans - reports today say that Simms will sign with the Titans - and if Vince Young can't go, it seems Simms will get the playing time in Tennessee. There are a lot of question marks surrounding Simms, and therefore, I would stay away. Again, if you are running thin on options, Simms is worthy of consideration, but just remember, before rupturing his spleen in Tampa, his stats that season were unimpressive, and he hasn't seen any action since. This would be a hard sell to me, but desperate times could call for this as a desperate measure.

7) Jeff Garcia, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Garcia is the unquestioned starter in Tampa, but that doesn't mean he'll provide much value. Garcia's time has likely passed - and given the lethargic Tampa offense, I would stay away from him. However, it is possible he pulls a few good games out of the hat, and he should be consistent from week to week. Being that you might have been a former Brady owner, you might want that level of consistency, and Garcia can provide that - just don't expect his consistent numbers to fly off the page at you - expect 200 yards with 1-2 TD passes on a week to week basis - and all this assuming he remains healthy as well.

8) Chad Pennington, Miami Dolphins - Pennington is similar to Garcia above. He won't give you the flashy, he'll win the game all on his own, games this year, but he should be a fairly consistent presence. He will provide similar number to that of Garcia, but he should be a healthier option. Of course, don't forget that Pennington has been stung by the injury bug throughout his career as well - that, and the Dolphins offense might not perform at a high level this year either. Probably best to stay away from Pennington as well - but again, in a pinch ...

9) Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals - if Warner was not drafted he might be a good option for Brady-owners (or ex-Brady owners). The Cardinals still have the high profile receivers and Warner is smart enough to know how to get them the ball. Warner still has the potential to sling the ball around on a weekly basis - with lots of potential to "go off" in any given week. He might also get hurt, or Leinart could potentially retake the job - but for now, Warner would seem to be a good option - provided he is actually available. If not, you might be able to trade for Warner without being forced to give up too much of your starting lineup.

10) JaMarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders - I would venture a guess that Russell is still available in most leagues - however, I would also tell you to stay away. The Raiders offense doesn't seem to have gotten better this off-season, and Russell is the driving force to that machine. If there aren't any other options, then I would hope you have a more suitable backup already in place. Don't give up on your season by starting Russell on a weekly basis - otherwise, you will be in for a very long, and unpleasant, fantasy football season.

11) J.T. O'Sullivan, San Francisco 49ers - Two words - Mike Martz. I realize Martz went to Detroit and seemed to falter - but his quarterback still threw for 4,000 yards. O'Sullivan won the job in San Francisco and he could potentially pay huge dividends. He is likely still available, and if the Martz-Magic pays off, so could O'Sullivan for his fantasy owners. Remember, Mike Martz is the guy that made a star (and league MVP) out of the unknown Kurt Warner - and O'Sullivan has been around the league for a few years, probably learning lots about reading defenses. O'Sullivan could be a high risk situation, but a very intriguing one as well - if you like risks, I would go for it, otherwise, stick with what is proven and what is consistent. Could be worth a backup position for your now Brady-less team though.

12) Matt Cassel, New England Patriots - or, after all is said and done, you can do what the Patriots seem to be doing - going to the backup. We know what the Patriots offense is capable of with the likes of Maroney, Welker, and Moss - and maybe, just maybe, Cassel can lead that offense. It may not be just as prolific as it would be lead by Brady, himself, but Cassel should be able to see to it that the offense doesn't stall - and that could prove beneficial to, not only the Patriots, but to the owners that are willing to take a chance on a guy that knows the system well and will be throwing to Moss on a weekly basis.

So there are the twelve men that could potentially be available in most leagues, while at the same time could provide some value. If the decision were mine to make (and assuming I didn't have a suitable backup to begin with) I think I would go out on a limb and pick up J.T. O'Sullivan, Matt Cassel, and Matt Ryan, although as I said, I do believe that Warner is a very viable option at this point - but I guess consider me a risk taker. To each their own, and I hope this helps provide you with some options you hadn't considered before. Just remember all is not lost on a fantasy team lacking Tom Brady - assuming you already have a stable core, all you need is to plug in a good enough quarterback to remain competitive. Good luck to all - and sorry for your early season misfortune.