Fantasy Fallout: Drew Brees, Eli Manning combine for record day
— -- Show of hands: Who had either of the two quarterbacks in the New York Giants- New Orleans Saints game?
If you did, you're probably in outstanding shape entering Monday Night Football. After all, the Saints' Drew Brees and Giants' Eli Manning combined for 13 passing scores, the most by two quarterbacks in the same game in NFL history, and their teams combined for 101 points, third-most in the game's history.
In fantasy terms, Brees' 46 points and Manning's 38 resulted in an all-time high of 84 combined between dueling quarterbacks in the same game:
What's more, Brees' 46 fantasy points earned him a tie for the fourth-best single day by a quarterback since 1960:
Both quarterbacks set new career highs: Brees' 46 were nine more than the 37 he scored in Week 17 of the 2013 season, while Manning's 38 were six more than he scored in Week 4 of the 2014 season, which strangely enough was the week before Odell Beckham Jr. made his NFL debut. Since Beckham arrived, incidentally, Manning has scored 336 fantasy points in 20 games, that total sixth best among quarterbacks during that time span.
Brees also scored 28 of his 46 fantasy points before halftime, which tied him for the 10th most by halftime of any quarterback since 2001.
In addition to Brees and Manning, three of their receivers -- we'll lump wide receivers and tight ends together for this section -- also set new career highs, while three more had huge days on Sunday:
? Giants wide receiver Beckham's 31 fantasy points were a new personal best, exceeding his 30 in Week 15 of 2014. They also gave Beckham 301 fantasy points through his first 20 NFL games, which is 30 more than Bob Hayes' 271 (set in 1965-66) through that many career contests.
? Saints wide receiver Willie Snead's 17 fantasy points set a career high, albeit in his seventh NFL game. He previously had a 14-point game in Week 5.
? Giants wide receiver Dwayne Harris' 15 fantasy points represented a new personal best, set in his 60th career game. He now has three games of double-digit fantasy points in his five-year career, and all have happened in the past five weeks (also 11 in Week 4 and 10 in Week 7).
? Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks' 20 fantasy points were one shy of his previous career high of 21, set in Week 8 of 2014. He now has 48 fantasy points in his past four games, which is the most he has had in any four-game span in his career to date.
? Saints tight end Benjamin Watson's 20 fantasy points fell three short of his personal best of 23, set in Week 5 of 2007. Two of his four best single-week fantasy performances have occurred in the past three weeks (also 18 in Week 6).
? Saints wide receiver Marques Colston's 17 fantasy points represent his most since he scored 24 in Week 14 of 2013.
A star is rising in St. Louis
St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley continued to perform like a seasoned veteran. On Sunday, Gurley scored 20 fantasy points, the most by any running back in Week 8 (entering Monday's game) and giving him at least 15 fantasy points in each of his first four NFL starts. He joined Devonta Freeman (Weeks 3-6 of this season) as the only running backs to do that since 2001.
Gurley's 20 also gave him 77 through his first five career games. That put him in exclusive company at his position, as only 13 running backs since 1960 managed more through that many NFL games:
Thursday throwbacks
With his 30 fantasy points Thursday -- that trailing only Brees and Manning among quarterbacks in Week 8 (entering Monday) -- Tom Brady now has 183 fantasy points through seven New England Patriots games. That surpassed Brady's previous best through seven team games, 182 in 2007. It's the third-best total by any quarterback through seven team games since 1960:
In addition, tight end Rob Gronkowski scored 17 fantasy points Thursday, second most by any player at his position thus far in Week 8, which gave him 104 through seven Patriots games. Jimmy Graham (108 in 2013) is the only other tight end to ever have more through his team's first seven games.
Miscellany
? Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. suffered a torn right Achilles on Sunday, ending his season with 82 fantasy points (and 128 in PPR leagues) in seven games, the 11th- and 10th-best totals by a wide receiver in 2015. As Smith has said on numerous occasions that he intends to retire at season's end, his 15-year NFL career might have concluded Sunday with some outstanding fantasy numbers. Here are Smith's rankings among all wide receivers since his NFL debut in Week 1 of 2001 through Week 8 of 2015:
Total fantasy points: 1,816 (second to Reggie Wayne's 1,826).
Total PPR fantasy points: 2,777 (second to Wayne's 2,896).
Ten-point fantasy games: NFL-leading 95.
Twenty-point fantasy games: 18 (fifth, behind Terrell Owens' 31, Randy Moss' 29, Calvin Johnson's 26 and Marvin Harrison's 22).
? Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman scored another 12 fantasy points Sunday, giving him six consecutive games with at least that many. His is the longest such streak by a running back since Arian Foster had seven in a row from Weeks 5-14 last season. Freeman also now has 159 fantasy points through eight games, putting him on pace for 318, which would be the most by any player since Chris Johnson had 329 in 2009.
What's more, with his 318-fantasy-point pace, Freeman is on track to lead all running backs in the category by 100; Chris Ivory of the New York Jets is on pace to finish second, with 218 (assuming he plays every remaining game).
? Sticking with the Falcons, wide receiver Julio Jones' 12-catch, 162-yard, one-touchdown performance Sunday gave him 32 points in standard PPR leagues, second only to Beckham's 39 in Week 8 (entering Monday's action). It also gave Jones 196 PPR fantasy points through eight games, and put him on pace for 392. That would represent the second-best total by any wide receiver since 1960, behind only Jerry Rice's 406 in 1995.
Related Stories
ABC News Live