Fantasy football: Best value and sleeper quarterbacks for 2017
In standard leagues, the top ten guys should be gone by the time the 13th round starts. Oftentimes teams will start drafting backups by that point, which they shouldn’t, but when they do it hurts you, who waited for good value that never dropped because everyone else reached. The rest of your team is stacked, but now you need to fill that quarterback spot. Who do you go for?
In 2016, Cam Newton was ESPN’s top-ranked preseason fantasy quarterback. He finished 17th. Dak Prescott came out of nowhere to finish sixth. Tyrod Taylor came in ninth, one spot higher than Russell Wilson. There is talent to be had later in the draft that is often enough not only startable, but better than the guys who went rounds before. Here are five guys with who could be available late but have that potential in 2017.
Startable quarterbacks outside the top ten:
Dak Prescott: currently ranked 11th by ESPN, 10th in ADP.
Prescott will probably be gone by the 13th. He has a bevy of weapons in one of the league’s best offenses and is coming off a 23-touchdown, four-interception season. He’ll regress back to the mean a bit, but he’s still a viable option who can also run the ball.
Marcus Mariota: currently ranked 12th by ESPN, 12th in ADP.
He has new weapons in Eric Decker and Western Michigan rookie Corey Davis, he’s an efficient passer who doesn’t throw interceptions and can run. Low ceiling, high floor.
Matthew Stafford: currently ranked 13th by ESPN, 13th in ADP.
After a disappointing 2014 season, analysts never regained faith in Stafford, who has exceeded fantasy expectations for two seasons. He was ranked 16th in 2015 and finished ninth, then finished ninth again in 2016 after being ranked 15th. Even without Calvin Johnson, the Detroit Lions throw enough to make Stafford fantasy-relevant.
Philip Rivers: currently ranked 16th by ESPN, 18th in ADP.
Rivers throws a lot of interceptions, but, man, does he throw a lot of touchdowns, too. He’s a fantastic matchup-based streaming quarterback and has the potential to put up massive points. If you’re all right with boom-or-bust fliers, Rivers is a viable option.
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Deshaun Watson: currently ranked 29th by ESPN, 16th in ADP.
All he’s got to do is beat out Tom Savage and Watson becomes the starter in Houston. The Texans love him and he’s got all the tools to be a good fantasy quarterback, including an offense that features DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller V (when he returns from injury), Braxton Miller, Lamar Miller and C.J. Fiedorowicz. Watson is my deep-sleeper bet to turn some heads in 2017 and should make an especially excellent dynasty league pickup.