More people know about Peyton Manning's numbers because of how many fantasy teams he's helped. Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

By Bob Harris, Special to SI.com

While I've enjoyed my offseason hiatus, it's great to be back for another year -- especially heading into a season I believe will be one of the best ever for fantasy owners. And not without good reason.

As somebody who first got into this business back in 1993, the last two years have been most notable for the fact that the entire world seemed to catch on to our little hobby.

And nobody has jumped on board with more vigor than the NFL itself. If all the commercials and Web promotion featuring top players aren't enough to convince you, I offer even more definitive evidence:

The 2004 season.

Last year, a record 732 touchdown passes were thrown, with Peyton Manning's remarkable campaign leading the way. Manning, of course, broke Dan Marino's NFL record for most touchdown passes in a season (49), set the NFL record for most touchdown passes in a month (19 in November), had one six-touchdown game, three five-TD games, two fours, three threes, and five twos.

But this was no one-man show. Overall scoring was up for the 11th consecutive season and averaged more than 40 points per game (43.0). Twenty-four players scored at least 10 touchdowns, tying 1985 and 1995 for the most in history.

You want more?

There were 788 points scored in Week 13, tying Week 1 of 2002 for the most ever in a weekend. The league-wide season passer rating was 82.8 -- the highest in history. In addition, the league-wide completion percentage was another all-time high (59.8).

There were a record number of 100-yard rushing (179) and 300-yard passing games (81).

Four quarterbacks -- Drew Brees, Daunte Culpepper, Manning and Donovan McNabb -- had passer ratings over 100.0, tying 1998 for the most in a season. There were five 4,000-yard passing seasons -- by Culpepper, Brett Favre, Trent Green, Manning and Jake Plummer -- tying 1999 for the most in a season.

Two teams -- Kansas City (418.4) and Indianapolis (404.7) -- averaged 400 yards of offense, tying 2000 for the most such clubs in a season.

And while passing attacks obviously benefited from last year's new emphasis on physical play in the secondary and a re-emphasis of the illegal contact rule that increased penalties in that category by a staggering 141 percent over 2003, running backs also came on strong.

In fact, the league combined to rush for 233.2 yards per game, the second best average since 1987.

So, from a fantasy perspective, we all won!

And we'll keep on winning since league officials are convinced last year's rising offensive totals were anything but offensive and they intend to keep pushing in that direction this year.

According to Atlanta Falcons general manager Rich McKay, co-chairman of the powerful competition committee, officials will be reminded in the 2005 season to keep turning the screws on defenders.

"It will be re-emphasized again in the second year," McKay said in March. "Our feeling has always been that you need to re-emphasize points for at least two years to make sure people understand what conduct is allowed and what isn't allowed and to try to create more consistency with respect to the officiating of the rules themselves."

McKay said annual surveys sent to head coaches revealed a consensus: The coaches like the way downfield contact and pass interference were called and they want it to stay that way, despite the pressure it puts on defenses.

"I think you saw some good football played," Colts head coach Tony Dungy said. "The guys who went on to be Pro Bowl defenders, you can feel like they really were Pro Bowl defenders. I think it separated people who were very good from people who weren't, and I think that's part of what we wanted to see."

As a fantasy player, I couldn't agree more.

Now, I'm not going to tell you that ensuring happiness for fantasy owners is a driving force behind all of this, but I can tell you what Priest Holmes told me back in May.

"I think the NFL has to have a respect for it," the star running back said. "I think that you can't overlook what's going on in the fantasy world because it promotes the Sunday games and promotes the players."

Again, I couldn't agree more.