Jordan and I have teamed up to answer some questions about the quarterback position for the 2011 NFL Fantasy Football Season. Read on to see what we think. Stay tuned for Q&A about all other fantasy positions in the weeks to come. If you have any questions for either of us, ask us in the comments.
1) Who should be the first quarterback taken in the 2011 NFL Fantasy Draft?
Andrew:
Aaron Rodgers. I'd assume that the many will opt for Vick, but you have to take injuries into account. Vick's style can get him hurt. Rodgers was incredible at the end of the 2011 season and had a great run through the playoffs. With an actual #1 running back and his big tight end back, he should be even better.
Jordan: Unquestionably, the first QB taken this year should be Michael Vick. His skills are undeniable. Period. He manages games better than ever, and creates when he has to. Where he was once the football version of an in-shape Barron Davis, his game is now more akin that of Chauncey Billups. Yeah, Davis was sexier, but he had a proclivity for LOSING games, being a bit of a ball hog, and generally thinking too highly of himself. Not Billups. Billups made everyone better and sacrificed personal stats for team success. Vick now is the version of Vick that everyone can like. He runs, he can still gun, and he's just generally smarter. While defenses are out of shape and remembering that the line they're going up against is an opponent's, not the buffet line, Vick will feast. When they figure out football again, so will he. His receiving core hasn't peaked and his running stable is filled with studs. This is Vick's year. Pure. Simple.
Andrew: You're wrong. And thanks for adhering to the word limit.
2) Who is the best rookie quarterback of 2011?
Jordan: Cam Newton. I hated saying that, but it's true. I think he's a douche. I think his family is douchy. But, like it or not, he is going to have the biggest fantasy impact this year of any rookie QB. He's a smarter (if you can believe it) version of Vince Young, and I doubt he's going through any major depression right now. Everyone whose anyone is raving about his leadership abilities and competitiveness, which are qualities that are unquantifiable. He wants to win. He knows how to win. He's going to win... at least on your fantasy team.
Andrew:
I don't want to say Cam Newton, and I think that it's justified to count him out due to his setting in Carolina. Short of the Bengals bringing in a veteran to start for them, Andy Dalton could have an impressive rookie outing with a talented, young receivers, they could be a team to look out for in 3-5 years.
3) Who do you have pegged for a sleeper that can be taken outside the first 3 rounds?
Andrew:
Matt Stafford seems to be consistently ranked anywhere from 10-15 this year for QBs, so I don't know if he is a stretch enough to call a sleeper. He'll perform well. Assuming all the hype about his move to the Cardinals, I'm giving my sleeper nod to Kevin Kolb. Fitz pulled in 90 catches for over 1,100 yards last year with laughable QBs. If Kolb goes to the Cards, he could have a decent year.
Jordan: If you call him a sleeper, Josh Freeman. He can probably be drafted on the cheap this year, which will enable anyone that gets him to draft other skilled players and sit on this guy. Let everyone else draft the sure-thing guys: Brees, Brady, Manning(s), Rodgers, Vick, etc. If you can't grab any of the upper-echelon guys, let everyone else panic and draft hastily. Pick your spots and pick this guy up.
4) Who is the most overrated quarterback in the NFL? Which QB will you pass on in the first three rounds?
Jordan: Philip Rivers, Tony Romo, and Joe Flacco. I've ridden Rivers for season, and lost. I've watched Romo lose his mind and THEN get injured. I've bet on Flacco "getting it" twice already. Enough is enough. We've seen the best from these guys. Period.
Andrew:
I'm sure that one of these days we'll agree on something. I'm a Rivers fan this year and am hoping to get him in the second or third round. He has all his weapons back and is consistently a top 5 fantasy QB. Now, for my answer... With injury concerns, Vick falls on my board, but stays in the top 5, so I don't think he counts. To me, Big Ben takes this one. If I had no QB in round 5 and he was still on the board, I'd probably of for a tight end or RB insurance and wait for Stafford or Ryan. In his career he has had maybe two productive seasons out of seven.
5) Which top-5 quarterback from last season will fall the farthest in the 2011 campaign?
Andrew:
I doubt Vick can repeat his magic from last year. But I think that Brady doesn't have his 2010 season. He managed 30 TDs last season, seven of them coming in the last half of the season to a no-name tight end. I think the way they drafted getting tackle Nate Solder, and two RBs, Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley, is a sign that they will be converting more to a run game in the red zone.
Jordan: Rivers, without a doubt. I have hated him for awhile. He's big and obnoxious and thinks the sun rises and falls on him. He is Charles Barkley, except he isn't likable. Or historically great. He'd do better to realize his place. For now, though, he's going to be as competitive as he is arrogant, which is saying something. Yes, he's good, but he's not THAT good. Call me an idiot, but comparable or better QBs can be taken at least 2 to 3 rounds after this tool bag.
So, that's that. If you've got questions, make sure you post them in the comments. If you've got friends, make sure you tell them about God Hates Losers. If you like what we have to say, make sure you subscribe to our blog or RSS feed.
So what are your thoughts on Tim Tebow? I've been drafting him in mock drafts in rounds 13-14 as my backup QB or just to hold in case he gets hot. In every draft so far, I've been able to get Vick or Rodgers as my #1 QB. Is Tebow a serviceable backup?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I had another question that is not related to QBs. I'm in a PPR league and am torn between 2 players in the early rounds. Roddy White and LeSean McCoy. I can never get them both. If you had to pick one, who would it be? (Assume that you have no other RBs or WRs yet and Foster, Peterson, Johnson, and Rice are taken.)
Hey @Tyson. It's good to see that you made the transition. We're happy to have you this year.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed thoughts on Tebow. He is one of those players that I mentioned that I pretty much can't stand. For some reason, there is some burning pit of disgust that I have for him. Besides that though, he could make a decent backup for you, especially if you can get him for that cheap.
Right now, it still has to be seen that he will be the starting QB. If he is, you have to imagine him in a John Fox system, which is more of a running group. But Tebow has legs, and could pass if he lives up to the few games he played last year. Hi schedule isn't all that difficult, so he could be a decent play. Personally, I'd rather have Andy Dalton, or even Kevin Kolb if he gets picked up by the Seahawks or Cardinals.
For the second part of you comment, I think that LeSean McCoy would be a good pick here. There are so many top tier WRs this year, so you can get a similar talent to White in round 2 or 3. It is still very early though, so stay tuned watch out for all of our predraft rankings and WR/RB comments. We have a very busy preseason ahead of us.
@GodHatesLosers
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear about that burning pit! I have to admit, I personally really like the guy in RL. Here in Denver, boring game-managing types of QBs aren't what we crave, and though many of us have warmed up to Orton, we're really hoping that Tebow works out for us in the long run. However, I realize that being a "homer" in fantasy football can be a disaster (especially in Denver!), so I am trying to see him in realistic terms. I was mainly considering him for his legs and the fact that he vultured so many TDs from Moreno and Orton last year! By the same token, he is the only Denver player I'm considering drafting (unless D. Williams comes to town), and then only in the late rounds.
@Tyson
ReplyDeleteIf you are getting him as late as you say you are, he might be worth it. Best case scenario, he does really well for you. Worst case, he does poorly and you wasted a 13th rounder that you either drop or use for a bye week.
@GodHatesLosers
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear about that burning pit! I have to admit, I personally really like the guy in RL. Here in Denver, boring game-managing types of QBs aren't what we crave, and though many of us have warmed up to Orton, we're really hoping that Tebow works out for us in the long run. However, I realize that being a "homer" in fantasy football can be a disaster (especially in Denver!), so I am trying to see him in realistic terms. I was mainly considering him for his legs and the fact that he vultured so many TDs from Moreno and Orton last year! By the same token, he is the only Denver player I'm considering drafting (unless D. Williams comes to town), and then only in the late rounds.