Fantasy football: New quarterback moves mean new strategies

Possibly it was LeBron James exploiting his energy to NBA house owners. Or Brett Favre forcing bigwigs to maneuver on from a franchise quarterback. Or Peyton Manning’s neck damage demanding a front-office wager like none different. Or maybe it was Tom Brady deciding he simply needed to play elsewhere.

Regardless of the catalyst, quarterback motion within the NFL feels extra sturdy than ever. However these present process a relocation aren’t the one new QB starters fantasy managers have to contemplate this season. There are a number of totally different classes of latest QBs.

On the transfer

The large headlines went to Aaron Rodgers, for good purpose. His transfer from Inexperienced Bay to the Jets mirrors Favre’s comparable journey in 2008. From the Packers to the Jets, each in twilight of their careers, each ushered out in an effort to usher in a brand new QB for the Lambeau Subject crowd.

Granted, it does really feel as if Rodgers has extra left than Favre did then. However that may very well be recency bias. But, there’s little doubt these Jets have higher weapons than the 2008 squad.

Thomas Jones and Leon Washington weren’t horrible operating backs on these 2008 Jets, however they weren’t Dalvin Cook dinner and Breece Corridor. Laveranues Coles was a wonderful receiver, and Jerricho Cotchery wasn’t dangerous, however neither may maintain a candle to Garrett Wilson.

And it’s no shock the crew appears to be making each effort to make Rodgers comfortable. In case you watch “Arduous Knocks,” he seems to be the puppeteer directing the teaching employees. If that’s true, signal us up. The Madman is all for an Aaron Rodgers-led offense.

However there are others who’re acquainted, however will likely be carrying unfamiliar uniforms. Derek Carr is taking his mediocrity from Las Vegas to New Orleans. That’s going to be horrible, proper? Nicely … Davante Adams relocated from Inexperienced Bay (with Rodgers as his QB) to Las Vegas final season (receiving passes from Carr), and his fantasy manufacturing went up.

That isn’t a lot an endorsement of Carr as your fantasy QB, however extra an alert that you just shouldn’t be apprehensive if certainly one of your fantasy receivers is Chris Olave. Carr can ship.

Talking of Adams, his new QB is Jimmy Garoppolo. The identical Jimmy G. who helped Deebo Samuel turn out to be the No. 2 fantasy receiver in 2021. Now, certain, Samuel had some floor recreation fantasy beneficial properties that Adams received’t get pleasure from. However no purpose to panic. Adams ought to get loads of appears to be like, significantly within the pink zone.

Does Baker Mayfield rely? He’s in a battle with Kyle Trask for the Buccaneers’ beginning spot. In truth, we don’t care who wins this. Till one or the opposite proves to us they’ll ship fantasy outcomes, we’re fading the Tampa Bay passing recreation — this implies no Chris Godwin or Mike Evans.

Promoted!

Look, there isn’t a Steve Younger behind Joe Montana, no Rodgers behind Favre, no Danny White behind Roger Staubach (Wait, why is that final one there?). Not less than not that we all know of. So the brand new starters who’ve been elevated from bench roles don’t encourage a variety of fantasy optimism.

If you will choose one who may need a surprisingly good season, it might be the Packers’ Jordan Love. He has a good solid surrounding him. He confirmed one thing adequate for the crew to half methods with an all-time nice in Rodgers.

Now, we is likely to be generally known as the Madman, however that doesn’t imply we’re so delusional as to draft the Falcons’ Desmond Ridder as our fantasy QB. However he may very well be necessary in how you intend to handle receiver Drake London and tight finish Kyle Pitts within the draft.

Pitts didn’t play with Ridder final season, however London’s numbers had been … totally different. In 4 video games with Ridder, he averaged 6.3 catches and 83.3 yards in comparison with 3.6 and 41.0 within the 13 video games prior. The distinction: 4 touchdowns earlier than Ridder, zero TDs with Ridder.

The lesson: TDs are considerably random. Within the 10 earlier video games, he had simply two TDs, together with a streak of six straight video games with out one. So the four-game skid with Ridder wasn’t even London’s worst TD drought of the season. Anticipate higher from London, even for those who don’t bump Pitts and go away Ridder utterly off your fantasy radar.

The Commanders’ Sam Howell is virtually a rookie, a minimum of by way of fantasy information. He performed one recreation final season. Positive, he bought to watch and stuff.

Query: Within the pc age, how straightforward it’s to look at somebody blow via a process whereas sharing their display screen and studying methods to do it your self? Yeah, not straightforward. So we actually don’t know jack about Howell.

Additionally, it isn’t as if we’re flocking to the Washington roster for fantasy solutions. Apart from the tandem of Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson Jr. as late-round depth at operating again, the one different important Commanders participant is Terry McLaurin.

Apologies to Jahan Dotson. He could also be an important receiver, however we could by no means know contemplating his surrounding expertise. McLaurin looks as if a cut price within the fifth spherical, however we might moderately draft D.J. Moore or Chris Godwin or Brandon Aiyuk or Mike Evans; and we might moderately have George Pickens or Jordan Addison or Brandin Cooks than Dotson. Simply keep away from.

12 months 1 wonders?

In case you’re planning to attempt to win your league this yr — not planning for the long run in a keeper league, or fortifying future success in a dynasty league — then you definitely shouldn’t use rookie QBs in your fantasy groups.

Positive, there are a number of who’ve succeeded, however they’re actually few — 2011 Cam Newton, 2020 Justin Herbert and 2012 Robert Griffin III are the one ones to prime the 300-point barrier. So there isn’t a purpose to achieve for a rookie QB in a redraft league, or perhaps a keeper league in case you are taking pictures for a title this season.

However in case you are in a long-standing dynasty league, a two-QB or Superflex league, or another format that has particular circumstances for QBs, then the rookie you need to goal — a minimum of for instant returns — is Anthony Richardson.

He’s on a Colts offense with a top-tier operating again, an above-average offensive line and a minimum of one sturdy goal (WR Michael Pittman Jr.). That’s extra that Bryce Younger can declare with the Panthers, or C.J. Stroud with the Texans. Is it value discussing the Titans’ Will Levis, or can we all simply know he received’t be a 2023 fantasy issue?