All About Accuracy

Evaluating quarterbacks is by no means a simple task. A player's size and arm strength are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to truly understanding how effective a signal caller is.

In fact, size and arm strength aren't always parts of the equation, as evidenced by the recent success of quarterbacks who fall short of the 6'2" prototype.

Similarly, a number of NFL quarterbacks with ordinary arm strength have also risen to prominence throughout the years.

The one component that remains a given for any passer to be worth his salt, however, is accuracy.

Accuracy can be a product of arm strength or even just plain throwing a catchable ball. But without it, a quarterback becomes an easy target for defenses that are ready to take advantage of his errant throws.

The name of the game in fantasy football is touchdowns.

A quarterback with a completion percentage of 60 or more is much more likely to consistently lead his offense downfield and put it in position to score.

It's no coincidence that field generals who fell under the 60 percent mark in 2007 are among the least desirable passers from a fantasy standpoint.

These include: Tarvaris Jackson, Brodie Croyle, Josh McCown, Kellen Clemens and Alex Smith.

But simply knowing he the most accurate throwers are isn't enough to provide the complete picture of quarterbacks.

Knowing how well these players perform in the red zone is key statistic that will go a long way in helping you select the right quarterback for your fantasy squad as well as the best backups.

While Tom Brady tops the charts in overall completion percentage with a 68.9 total, he only ranked sixth in red zone accuracy by completing 61.6 percent of his passes within the 20 yard line—still a very good number.

The player who really jumps off the page in terms of red zone accuracy is Houston backup Sage Rosenfels who completed 76.9 percent of his throws inside the 20.

The tall Texan's 14-to-1 touchdown- to- intercept ion ratio in that area over the past two seasons is truly remarkable. New Orleans Saint

Drew Brees was rock solid in both redzone completion percentage (71.4 percent) and overall completion percentage (67.5%).

Some of the more interesting cases involved the completion percentages of Trent Edwards, Marc Bulger and Rex Grossman.

All three has subpar overall completion numbers under the 60 percent benchmark, but all three also ranked in the top five of red zone accuracy.

Some of the more disappointing red zone numbers were posted by some highlyregarded quarterbacks, including Donovan McNabb (47.8 percent) and Derek Anderson (56.5 percent).