X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Don't Count Out These Quarterback Sleepers

Antonio Losada looks at four deep sleepers at the quarterback position in 2020 fantasy football. Can one of these QBs help you win as a late-round flier?

It's time to dig deep. In fact, it's time to dig deeper. Everybody knows who is a top-tier fantasy asset. Everybody has a clear picture of who to target in the middle rounds of their drafts. That is why you need to study the full roster of available players and look for low-valued bargains with huge upside. And this is what we're here for.

Think for a minute that you're part of a way larger league than an eight or 10-team one. In that case, you'd find yourself desperate to find value wherever you can. You'd need to study the deepest of depth charts and probably the second-string quarterbacks or starters with low projections but huge upside in order to get a good return on investment. Using ADP data from hundreds of  MyFantasyLeague.com fantasy drafts, I have built a dataset to try and find some deep QBs that can be obtained really late in drafts or even for free after the draft is finished.

Here is a look at four quarterbacks that can be considered deep sleepers. Keep an eye on them and track their presence on the draft board as they can become interesting pieces down the road during the development of the 2020 season!

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Tyrod Taylor, Los Angeles Chargers

ADP: 192.1

Running quarterbacks have been labeled "fantasy football cheat codes" recently, even more with the great seasons put together by the likes of Lamar Jackson (mostly), Deshaun Watson, and Josh Allen. I call them what they are, "perfectly legal league winners". Enter Tyrod Taylor, the next starter in line to become part of the sought-after group of rushing QBs in 2020. The Chargers have moved on from Philip Rivers and although they will make Justin Herbert their starter in the long run, it all points toward Taylor's direction at least to kick the 2020 season off.

Taylor is already quite a veteran. He's entering his 10th season as a pro and he's been a starter three years in Buffalo from 2015 (when he was a Pro Bowler) to 2017. In those three seasons, he started 43 games, completed 774 passes for 8,857 yards (205 Yds/G), and threw 51 TDs against only 16 INTs. On top of that, he rushed for 568, 580, and 427 yards respectively, scoring four TDs in 2015 and 2017 and six TDs in 2016.

While rookie Herbert is being drafted with an ADP of 105.8 (QB23), Taylor is going absolutely under the radar with an ADP of 192.1 (QB35). Assuming Taylor starts every game while Herbert learns from him, we'd be talking about a player with the upside to reach 230+ FP in 2020. Taylor could (and should) easily reach 500+ yards on the ground given his past performance and how the league is developing. He will have Austin Ekeler in the backfield but Melvin Gordon III is gone. If Taylor is not the ultimate sleeper then I don't even know.

 

Mitchell Trubisky, Chicago Bears

ADP: 202.0

I had both Nick Foles and Trubisky in the first draft of this column, but ultimately I opted to drop the former due to his "high" ADP of 177.9. Trubisky is much more apt for this exercise, and he also brings one of the highest ROI marks to the table when considering his ADP over 200 and expected FP of 142.3 in 2020 (via PFF projections).

If we're honest here, and even more taking into account the ongoing pandemic and its impact on offseason workouts, Trubisky will most probably start the season leading the Bears on offense. At the very least I'd say he'd play three or four games before Chicago benches him in favor of Foles if things go awry for Mitch (say, no wins in that span). If he can keep the team at least around a .500 winning percentage, though, it is not hard to think Chicago would keep him as the starter. If that happens you would probably have a steal in your hands.

In the very worst of scenarios, Trubisky would be a good waiver addition to stream or a super-deep draft pick in large leagues or 2QB ones. He's projected to finish the season as the QB32 while Foles ranks 33th in the PFF projections. Trubisky is also the only quarterback projected to reach at least 140 FP points while being drafted with an ADP over 200 and QB30+ off the board.

 

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Miami Dolphins

ADP: 210.1

 

The case for Fitzpatrick is very similar to that of Tyrod Taylor, only flipping the rushing prowess of the latter for the booming tendencies of the former. Both are projected to start the season as starting QBs for their respective teams, both have ADPs of 200+, and both are expected to break the 200 FP barrier.

As much as Fitz's approach to the passing game would scare any real-life head coach, it should definitely please every fantasy GM. Last season, playing for a rather mediocre Dolphins team, Fitzpatrick was able to string 12 consecutive games in which he performed at least as a QB2 weekly (min 11.1 FP) and in seven of those games, he did so as a top-12 QB.

While Fitzpatrick threw nine INTs in those 12 games, he also helped his receivers score 19 TDs and added four TDs on the ground rushing the ball by himself. Fitz logged more than 250 passing yards in seven of his 13 starts. Love or hate his wild game, but when you put all of his numbers together you get a top-25 player (that's where he finished last season) with upside to finish the year with 275+ FP if given the chance to start at least 14 games.

With Tua Tagovailoa's health concerns and the Dolphins in the middle of a rebuilding effort, it doesn't make much sense to rush the rookie into the starting role. Almost no fantasy GMs are trusting Fitzpatrick these days but he finished 2019 as a mid-level QB2 and there is no reason not to make him a late-round flier or free waiver addition to stream down the road.

 

Marcus Mariota, Las Vegas Raiders

ADP: 228.7

I left Mariota for last because he's the one player with the fewest chances to start the season as the No. 1 quarterback on his team. Actually, he's got no chance and he will be Derek Carr's replacement all year long barring an injury to the latter. That being said, though, Mariota has enough to become a good QB2 if put on the leading role for whatever reason that happens.

Last season, Mariota threw for an average of 223.2 yards per game and launched seven TDs while scoring 19.3 FPPG. The sample is small, sure, but that fantasy average would have ranked 18th among quarterbacks by season's end. Carr's future with the Raiders is murky at best, and we would witness a reverse-Mariota being pulled off in Las Vegas this season if he doesn't keep the team up, though.

Drafting Mariota is a gamble, sure, but at his current price, he could turn into a serious steal by mid-season. Averaging his stats, he should approach 30 attempts and 20 completions per game, around 218 yards per contest, and 1.4 TDs (basically three TDs every two games) for an average of 19 PPG again. Nobody would pass on that at the price Mariota is going these days, the 39th-highest among QBs behind the likes of Taysom Hill, Jalen Hurts, or Jordan Love among others...

More ADP Values and Sleepers




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Justin Verlander

Plans to Pitch in 2026
Junior Caminero

Day-to-Day With Back Tightness
Will Smith

Won't Return When First Eligible
Tyler Soderstrom

Returns to A's Lineup
Tyler Warren

Sidelined on Wednesday with Toe Injury
Jaylen Waddle

Questionable for Week 3 Against Buffalo
Joe Burrow

Bengals Not Closing the Door on Joe Burrow Returning This Year
CFB

LaNorris Sellers to Play Against Missouri?
Kyle Tucker

Progress has "Plateaued"
Isaac Paredes

has "Outside Chance" to Return This Weekend
CFB

Kaidon Salter Expected To Start for Colorado on Saturday
Willson Contreras

Goes on 10-Day Injured List, Done for Season
Justin Fields

Ruled Out for Week 3 Due to Concussion
Jayden Reed

Out Indefinitely After Foot and Shoulder Surgery
Washington Commanders

Preston Smith Signs With Commanders
Trey Jemison III

Joins Knicks on Two-Way Contract
Kevin McCullar Jr.

Signs New Two-Way Deal With Knicks
Matt Ryan

Returns to Knicks on Exhibit 10 Contract
New York Knicks

Alex Len Signs Exhibit 9 Deal With Knicks
Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Expected to Take on Larger Offensive Role With Hawks
Thomas Sorber

Undergoes Surgery
Dominic Canzone

Has Five-Hit, Three-Homer Game Tuesday
Cal Raleigh

Sets Single-Season Home Run Record for a Switch-Hitter
Jayden Reed

Undergoes Clavicle and Foot Surgeries, Out for Foreseeable Future
Bo Bichette

to Miss Rest of Regular Season
Zach Neto

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Hand Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Out on Tuesday, Dealing With "Significant" Ankle Sprain
Aaron Jones Sr.

Vikings Place Aaron Jones Sr. on Injured Reserve With Hamstring Injury
CFB

Diego Pavia Refutes Report of Seeking Seventh Collegiate Season
Christian Kirk

Expected to Return in Week 3
CFB

Diego Pavia Seeking Another Year of Eligibility
Tarik Skubal

on Track to Start Thursday
CFB

Kevorian Barnes Questionable Against SMU
Bo Bichette

has Short-Term Knee Injury, Could Return for Postseason
Tosan Evbuomwan

Joins Knicks
NBA

Kai Jones Links Up With EuroLeague Team
Bismack Biyombo

Returns to Spurs
Bones Hyland

Rejoins Timberwolves
Kobe Bufkin

Moves to Brooklyn
Trey Yesavage

Sets Franchise Strikeout Record On Monday
Yordan Alvarez

To Receive MRI For Sprained Left Ankle On Tuesday
Willson Contreras

Exits Early Monday With Right-Biceps Tightness
Yordan Alvarez

Exits With Ankle Sprain
Brock Bowers

Officially Active on Monday Night
Jauan Jennings

Day-to-Day With Ankle Injury
Logan O'Hoppe

Activated Off Seven-Day Injured List
CBJ

Denton Mateychuk Dealing With Groin Issue
Bo Horvat

Fine for Training Camp
Kirby Dach

on Track to Be Ready for Opening Night
Jose Altuve

Returns Against Rangers
J.J. McCarthy

Expected to Miss 2-4 Weeks With High-Ankle Sprain
J.J. McCarthy

Likely Out for Week 3 With High-Ankle Sprain
Jean Silva

Gets Finished For The First Time In His Career
Aaron Jones Sr.

Unlikely to Play in Week 3 Due to Hamstring Injury
Diego Lopes

Returns To The Win Column
Jayden Daniels

' Week 3 Status in Doubt
Rob Font

Outclassed In The Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
David Martinez

Wins His Second UFC Fight
Jared Gordon

Suffers Brutal TKO Loss At Noche UFC 3
Rafa Garcia

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Brian Thomas Jr.

Dealing with Wrist Injury
Dustin Stoltzfus

Drops A Decision At Noche UFC 3
Kelvin Gastelum

Gets Back In The Win Column
Diego Ferreira

Suffers Second-Round TKO
Alexander Hernandez

Extends His Win Streak With A Brutal TKO
Quang Le

Suffers First-Round Knockout
Santiago Luna

Shines In His UFC Debut
Christopher Bell

Earns his First Bristol Cup Series Victory
Alex Bowman

Falls Short of Advancing Through Cup Series Playoffs
Chase Briscoe

Collects his Third Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Ryan Blaney

Strong Top-Five Bristol Performance Advances him to the Playoffs
Corey Heim

Earns his First Career Cup Series Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Leads Greece to Bronze Medal
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Drops 28 Points in EuroBasket Finals
CFB

Indiana's Lee Beebe Jr. Out for Season with Knee Injury
Dennis Schröder

Dennis Schroder Named EuroBasket MVP
Bryce Eldridge

Giants to Promote Bryce Eldridge
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Progressing in Recovery
Jonathan Kuminga

Receives New Offer From Warriors
Kenneth Walker III

Bounces Back with Big Week 2 Performance
Bijan Robinson

Rushes for 143 Yards in Week 2
Justin Fields

Currently in Concussion Protocol
Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals Calling Around to Available Free-Agent Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow

to Undergo Surgery, Out at Least Three Months
Emil Heineman

Aiming to Take the "Next Step" This Season
Braeden Cootes

Good to Go for Camp
Ivan Fedotov

Blue Jackets Acquire Ivan Fedotov From Flyers
Quentin Grimes

Still Not Close to a New Contract Agreement
Joel Embiid

"Looking Slender, Spry and in Positive Spirits"
Ty Gibbs

Has Arguably his Best Career Drive, but Only Finishes 10th
Chase Elliott

Despite Crashing Out at Bristol, Chase Elliott Advances to Round of 12
Austin Dillon

Misses Round of 12 After Extremely Mediocre Bristol Run
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Fails to Advance to Round of 12
Josh Berry

Finishes Last in All Three Round of 16 Races to Fail to Advance
CFB

Ryan Williams Explodes In Return To Field
CFB

Drew Allar Plays Mediocre Game In Blowout Win
CFB

LaNorris Sellers Exits Game In Blowout Loss
CFB

DJ Lagway Tosses Five Interceptions In Loss
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Plays Game Manager in Saturday's Win
CFB

CJ Carr Remains Poised In Narrow Loss
CFB

John Mateer Leads Oklahoma In Rout
CFB

Arch Manning Struggles Against UTEP
CFB

Jeremiah Smith Impresses In Win
CFB

Sam Leavitt Shines As Arizona State Rebounds From Week 2 Loss
Ivan Demidov

Turning Heads in Rookie Camp
NHL

Calvin de Haan Signs With Swedish Team
Samuel Girard

Skates With Non-Contact Jersey
Mackenzie Blackwood

Dealing With Injury Ahead of Training Camp
Spencer Knight

Signs Three-Year Extension With Blackhawks
Chris Buescher

May have Another Solid Run at Bristol
Corey Perry

Out 6-8 Weeks Following Surgery
Kyle Busch

Should DFS Managers Roster Kyle Busch at Bristol?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Too Risky to Consider Rostering at Bristol?
Michael McDowell

Could be A Solid Value Option For Bristol DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

Probably Won't Factor in for Bristol Win
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not as Strong at Bristol as Other Short Tracks
Alex Bowman

Needs to Win to Make Round of 12
Ross Chastain

has Never Led at Bristol but Has Been Pretty Consistent
Austin Dillon

Richmond Speed Unlikely to Carry Over to Bristol
Josh Berry

Might Run Well at Bristol, but Almost Certainly Won't Win to Advance
Justin Haley

Bristol One of Justin Haley's Few Recent Bright Spots
CFB

Austin Simmons Listed As Game-Time Decision Against Arkansas
CFB

Nico Iamaleava Struggles In Fourth Straight Loss
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Dealing With a "Tweak"
BUF

Alexandar Georgiev Joins Sabres on One-Year Deal
Corey Perry

Injured During Pre-Camp Skate
CFB

Antonio Williams Out Against Georgia Tech
CFB

CJ Bailey Flashes Again in Win Over Wake Forest
CFB

Jaxson Moi a Game-Time Decision for Tennessee on Saturday
Jean Silva

A Favorite At Noche UFC 3
Diego Lopes

Set For Noche UFC 3 Main Event
Rob Font

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
David Martinez

Set For Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
Rafa Garcia

An Underdog At Noche UFC 3
Jared Gordon

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Dustin Stoltzfus

Looks To Return To The Win Column
Kelvin Gastelum

In Dire Need Of Victory
Diego Ferreira

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Malcolm Brogdon

Heading to Knicks on One-Year Deal
Landry Shamet

Staying with the Knicks

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP