In one of the closest races in Player of the Year voting, Carolina running back DeAngelo Williams was named the 2008 Fantasy Football Player of the Year by the members of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (fswa.org).

Williams, who led all NFL skill position players with 20 touchdowns this season, collected 55.3 percent of the first place votes cast.

New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees finished in second place with 113 POY points and 30.3 percent of the first place ballots, followed by Atlanta running back Michael Turner, who claimed third place honors.

Commented one member on his ballot, “Drew Brees was awesome all year, but in the end Williams won many leagues for many people.”

Said Mike Beacom, president and chairman of the FSWA, the 2008 Fantasy Football POY race was one of the most competitive in the past dozen years. “It was exciting to see a wide open competition like this one,” said Beacom. “An argument could be made for a number of fantasy football players in 2008, not just Williams or Brees.”

Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner and Houston wide receiver Andre Johnson also received multiple first-place votes, and finished in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

The FSWA is the official selection body for the player of the year awards for all fantasy sports; in 2009 the organization plans to recognize the first-ever college fantasy football and basketball player of the year winners.

The 2008 FSWA Fantasy Football Player of the Year was New England quarterback Tom Brady.

Organized in 2004, the Fantasy Sports Writers Association is committed to promoting journalistic excellence in the fantasy sports industry. Each spring the organization recognizes the industry’s finest work through its fantasy writing awards.