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This list has been narrowed down to four names, but it doesn't mean the quarterbacks not on this list, like Tom Brady and Russell Wilson, should be overlooked by any means.
So many quarterbacks stood out in an exciting and interesting 2015-2016 season. Here are four that shined in their own unique ways.
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2015's Fantasy Football Quarterback Studs
1) Cam Newton
It's only fitting to start here.
Newton swept through the NFL with his dab-movement; running, spinning, scoring, and celebrating into the hearts of those in Carolina and throughout the league. But it was his play, his performances before he unveiled the proverbial 'S' on his chest after each score, before bowing his head into his bicep, inducing dabs across the world. The plays before his tradition of handing footballs to children in the stands, that deservedly resulted in Cam Newton being named this season's Most Valuable Player.
Newton finished the 2015-2016 campaign with 3,837 passing yards, 35 passing touchdowns, and kept the turnovers at a minimum with 10 interceptions; the lowest amount of his career. On the ground he rushed for 636 yards, and scored an unprecedented 10 rushing touchdowns, surpassing the total of all but five running backs in the league. The 10 rushing touchdowns were his most since he scored 14 in his rookie season in 2011.
But despite the spotlight that followed him everywhere, all the times he found the end zone, and an MVP award, one piece of hardware was put on someone else's finger.
A Super Bowl ring.
It's a shame that Newton's season will be defined by a loss on the biggest stage. It's a shame that his 18 completions on 41 attempts, one interception, and his "sore-loser" press conference afterwards took away from a truly magical season, especially after scoring four total touchdowns in the NFC Championship against the Arizona Cardinals. It appeared to be a year of destiny for Newton and the Carolina Panthers, but one aging quarterback's legacy needed to finish first before a blossoming legacy could begin.
It's no surprise that Palmer received plenty of MVP consideration as well. Palmer accumulated 4,671 passing yards, fourth most in the NFL, and was tied for second with 35 touchdowns, one shy of Tom Brady's league-leading 36. His 8.70 yards per attempt was the best out of any quarterbacks in 2015. All at the age of 36.
Although, like Newton, it was the final game of Palmer's 2015-2016 season that overshadowed how much he kept father time on the bench. The Cardinals, one of the top teams in the NFL, finished the regular season winning nine of their last 10 games to earn a bye in the first round of the playoffs. After a thrilling overtime victory against the Green Bay Packers, the Cardinals traveled to Carolina where Palmer had easily the worst performance of his awesome season.
Completing 23 passes on 40 attempts for 235 yards, Palmer threw four interceptions. For most of the game, he watched the best offense in the league score 49 points against Arizona's steady defense.
Despite another disappointing finish to another season of Palmer's 14 year storied career, expect him to enter next season even hungrier, hoping to capture his first ever Super Bowl title.
All eyes were on Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, two rookie quarterbacks entering their first NFL season on developing teams. Teams that were set to face each other Week 1. Mariota got the first laugh, outperforming Winston with his four touchdowns and 209 passing yards on only 12 completions. The Tennessee Titans blew out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as Winston struggled early, throwing two picks and completing only 16 passes on 33 attempts. But it was Winston that finished the season stronger.
Winston put together a very impressive rookie season, throwing for over 4,000 yards and 22 touchdowns. This complemented well with his 213 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. He threw five touchdowns against the Philadelphia Eagles Week 11, and threw for over 200 yards in all but two of the 16 games he's started.
His main issue was protecting the ball. Winston turned the ball over 21 times; 15 interceptions and six fumbles. But, all in a day's work as a rookie. Winston will undoubtedly continue to mature, and has abundant potential to be one of the top quarterbacks in years to come. In the season prior to drafting Winston, the Bucs won two games. This past season, they won six. That's gotta count for something.
The most improved quarterback of 2015-2016 goes to Blake Bortles.
After a rookie season in 2014 where he threw six more picks than touchdowns, Bortles turned the tables tremendously, posting 35 touchdowns compared to 18 interceptions. That's still a lot of interceptions, but Bortles is still maturing and he plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars after all. With both Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns though, and a much improved run game thanks to T.J. Yeldon, Jacksonville's offense will continue growing alongside their quarterback.
Bortles finished tied for second in scores, with names like Palmer, Newton, and Eli Manning. No big deal for a second-year quarterback. His 4,428 yards through the air were good for seventh in the league, while he threw a league-high 90-yard touchdown pass to Robinson Week 16 against the New Orleans Saints. Bortles also rushed for an impressive 310 yards on 52 attempts, finding the end zone twice with his feet.
Bortles, like Winston, is certainly on the rise and is a quarterback to watch. With all the developing weapons around him, Bortles enters the 2016-2017 as a top-10 fantasy quarterback.
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