Picking the right quarterback(s) in fantasy football is always one of the most difficult things to do for me. Quarterbacks are a puzzling position because unlike running backs where there are only a handful that are so far above everyone else at their position, quarterbacks are much more balanced and never have to share reps with anyone else.
They are also going to be the highest scoring members on your team. That being said, I have never drafted a quarterback before the 5th round in a league in my entire time playing fantasy football. Big name players like Cam Newton and Aaron Rogers are going to go early in drafts. Both players could be gone by the end of the first or second round.
The problem with drafting a quarterback high is that there is so much depth at quarterback and not nearly as much depth at wide receiver or running back. Drafting Aaron Rogers in the 1st could stop you from getting a high caliber receiver. As a result you will be getting much less production at the WR position as you will be playing a WR2 at WR1 and a Flex option WR at WR2. That loss of production at those two positions alone could cost you in close weekly matchups.
Instead of drafting Rogers you have droves of solid quarterback options to play in his absence that you could get much, much later. Here are my top quarterbacks that you should be able to get in the 5th round or later:
- Andrew Luck- a player that we all know has Hall of Fame talent, he just needs to put it all together, and this could be that year. Luck has struggled here and there over the past couple of seasons, but fantasy football experts have never lost faith in the young field general and neither have I. He will always be a consistent starter with upside higher than almost any other quarterback. In my opinion, he is the third best quarterback for this year (After Newton and Rogers) and should be strongly considered in the 5th round or later.
- Ben Roethlisberger- The Steelers have options galore across the field and if Ladarius Green ever gets healthy he has a raw, and highly athletic TE option, something Roethlisberger has never had in Pittsburg. Combine that with Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell, two of the best players at their respective position and Roethlisberger is primed to sling it around for massive amounts of points. The only concern here is injury related. Having missed 4 games last year due to injury, some concern has to creep into the back of your mind when considering him on draft day.
- Tom Brady- Ranked 79th overall comes Tom Brady who is going to miss the first 4 weeks of the season. If you play your cards right, get lucky on another qb late, you can bench Brady for the first four weeks and then trounce the last 12. A possible draft strategy could be to draft both Le’Veon Bell and Brady, give up on the first 4 weeks, and then obliterate the competition the last 12 weeks of the season. Your team would peak roughly at the start of the playoffs and if you squeak out a win or two in the first four weeks you are a lock for the playoffs.
Now, if Rogers or Newton fall into the 4th or 5th rounds, by all means snatch those guys up, but in most leagues, those two will be off the boards rounds before they should be.