X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

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
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Quarterbacks To Avoid in Drafts?

In the last week without regular-season football for the rest of this year, many fantasy managers will be conducting their fantasy drafts. Zeroing in on your strategy is essential for fantasy success but don't hesitate to zig when others zag.

Fantasy managers need to be flexible and adapt in their drafts. Every draft has its own life.

I recently discussed tight ends to avoid in your draft. I tackle quarterback, the most crucial position in football, in my next installment of players to avoid in your fantasy drafts.

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!

 

Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger had a solid 2020 season, throwing for 3,803 yards, 33 touchdowns, and only 10 interceptions. Roethlisberger finished as the QB14 last season. However, there are question marks surrounding him as we head into this season.

His surgically repaired right elbow led to concerning results. His 6.3 yards per attempt ranked 32nd last season and marked the lowest average of his career. He also finished 23rd among all quarterbacks with 6.5 adjusted air yards per attempt. His long ball struggles became more evident towards the end of the season.

The offensive line is a huge question mark. With three new starters on a line that was already ranked as one of the worst in the league, fantasy managers have to be concerned with the 39-year-old Roethlisberger breaking down.

The Steelers' offense will have a new look this season.  Matt Canada is the new offensive coordinator after spending one season as the team's quarterback coach.

Matt Canada should make improving the league's worst running attack his priority. The Steelers invested in their running game by drafting Alabama running back Najee Harris with the 24th pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. The commitment to the running game will assist Big Ben, hopefully having fewer than 600 passing attempts like he toppled last season.

Fewer passing attempts for the Steelers will allow Big Ben a better opportunity to stay healthy and less reliance on his surgically repaired right elbow. He has a potent group of wide receivers but this will limit their fantasy impact with fewer opportunities.

2021 Fantasy Outlook

Big Ben required mass volume to achieve his ranking last season. He is not getting 600+ passing attempts this season which will also coincide with touchdown regression. The Steelers' defense lost valuable pieces and will not be not as potent as years past. Look for the Steelers to be a more run-heavy team and not lead the league in team pass plays per game this season.

A suspect offensive line and a focus on the running game with electrifying rookie Najee Harris should lead to less passing volume. Combine that with his potential of being a turnover machine, the Steelers will rely on the legs of Najee Harris, not the arm of Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger will limit his fantasy success this season as a bye-week fill-in or streamer option, therefore making him a quarterback I am avoiding in my fantasy drafts.

 

Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

Matt Ryan has averaged 290 yards per game in his last two seasons with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and finished as the 12th quarterback in fantasy scoring last season. Ryan reached those stats by leading the league in pass attempts and completions but still was just a borderline QB1 for fantasy managers.

The Falcons offense will look a lot different this season with new head coach Arthur Smith running the offense and swapping all-world wide receiver Julio Jones with their fourth overall pick, tight end Kyle Pitts.

Arthur Smith made NFL fans forget that Ryan Tannehill failed with the Miami Dolphins by raising his game to average the seventh-most fantasy points per game among quarterbacks. Of course, Smith and Tannehill had Derrick Henry to help move the chains to the point of leading the league in rushing.

Smith is a run-first offensive mind, but can he accomplish that in Atlanta? Mike Davis is serviceable, but he is not a game-changer like Derrick Henry. However, his addition will lead to a more balanced offense which should hinder any chance of Ryan leading the league in passing attempts this season. In addition, the Falcons need to keep Ryan upright. Ryan has been sacked 91 times over the last two seasons. Furthermore, they will have two new starters on the offensive line that should raise red flags for Ryan and the Falcons' offense.

The arrival of Pitts should help soften the blow of losing Julio Jones. However, Ryan still has Calvin Ridley, who finished as the WR4 and was the seventh-most targeted wide receiver last season. Ryan will look for Ridley, even more this season with the lack of weapons in the Falcons offense.

2021 Fantasy Outlook

Matt Ryan is a serviceable fantasy quarterback but don't expect much more out of the inconsistent quarterback. He had one or fewer touchdowns passed in eight games last season. He also produced five 300+ yard games but still finished outside of the top 12 quarterbacks nine times last season.

Ryan carries no rushing upside, averaging only a career of 3.1 yards per game. His lack of mobility forces Ryan to achieve enormous passing numbers to reach QB1, which is unlikely in this new Falcons offense.

Ryan is the poster child for best-ball formats. He will have a few boom weeks where he will win weeks for fantasy managers. However, good luck figuring out those weeks!

A new offense with a new head coach, a rebuilt offensive line, and relying on a first-year tight end is not a recipe for fantasy success for Matt Ryan. I don't see any overall improvement for Ryan in 2021. This boom or bust quarterback is not someone I want as my starting quarterback in my fantasy lineups.

 

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

Tagovaila had a terrific college career, leading Alabama to the 2018 National Championship and the 2019 title game. Everyone remembers him being injured in late 2019 when he suffered a dislocated and fractured hip, a broken nose, and a concussion.

Tagovailoa went fifth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins to be their franchise quarterback with his injury concerns.

Tua Tagovailoa struggled in his rookie campaign, passing 1,814 yards with 11 touchdowns in 10 games. Tua didn't see action until week six and was then awarded the starting job in Week 7. However, his underwhelming numbers led him to be benched twice for Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Tagovailoa ranked 30th in QBR and 29th in completion percentage. He was 36th in Air Yards per attempt while ranking 37th in fantasy points per dropback which exemplifies his conservative passing style. NFL defenses exposed his tendency to make the short or intermediate pass and refusing to make throws because no one is wide open.

The lack of elite weapons along with a weak offensive line hampered Tagovailoa in becoming an effective quarterback. The Dolphins had zero players surpass the 800-yard mark in receiving

2021 Fantasy Outlook

Tua will look to improve his play in his second season as the Dolphins' signal-caller. He will have offensive upgrades and more weapons this season. The Dolphins went out and obtained best-ball favorite Will Fuller from the Houston Texans. There will also be a reunion in Miami with Tagovalioa's former Alabama teammate, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle drafted in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Tagovailoa will be drafted outside the top-12 at quarterback, so fantasy managers are looking for him primarily in two-quarterback leagues. I am avoiding Tagovailoa regardless of price. There seems to be a ton riding on his potential upside. Unfortunately, his weapons upgrade won't make the necessary fantasy impact because he doesn't pass enough, ranking 32nd in pass attempts.

His lack of rushing yards diminishes his opportunities to be a top fantasy quarterback. He only rushed for 109 yards last season, and if a quarterback doesn't run the ball, he has no shot of being my fantasy quarterback.

He is being drafted around round 13, and I still think he is overvalued fantasy asset. Please give me the upside of Jameis Winston and Trey Lance or the consistency of Derek Carr over Tagovailoa.

The Dolphins were heavily involved in talks to trade for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. I am not convinced that the Dolphins front office is sold on Tua, and neither should fantasy managers.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!




Win More With RotoBaller

Be sure to also check out all of our other daily fantasy football articles and analysis to help you set those winning lineups, including this new RotoBaller YouTube video:

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Nick Senzel1 hour ago

Expected To Miss 3-4 Weeks
Jon Gray1 hour ago

To Start On Sunday
Justin Steele1 hour ago

Likely To Go On Injured List
Anfernee Simons3 hours ago

Out Against The Heat
Max Kepler4 hours ago

X-Rays Come Back Negative On Max Kepler
Keldon Johnson4 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Justin Steele4 hours ago

Has Left-Hamstring Tightness
Matisse Thybulle4 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Davis Bertans4 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Friday
Jusuf Nurkic4 hours ago

Questionable Against Oklahoma City
Dario Saric4 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Noah Clowney4 hours ago

Probable For Nets Friday
Jonathan Kuminga4 hours ago

Questionable For Warriors Friday
Jerami Grant4 hours ago

Considered Doubtful For Friday
Dennis Smith4 hours ago

Jr. Probable For Friday
Lauri Markkanen4 hours ago

Questionable Against Houston
Toumani Camara4 hours ago

Will Not Play Friday
Justin Steele5 hours ago

Exits Thursday's Start
Richaun Holmes5 hours ago

Out Versus Pistons
Cameron Johnson5 hours ago

Out Against Chicago On Friday
Luka Doncic5 hours ago

On The Injury Report For Friday
David Bednar5 hours ago

Still Dealing With Lat Injury
Deandre Ayton5 hours ago

Is Questionable For Friday
Rudy Gobert5 hours ago

Might Miss Friday's Game
Tyus Jones5 hours ago

Unavailable For Friday
Zeke Nnaji5 hours ago

Ruled Out Against Minnesota
Jaden Ivey5 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Rhys McKee5 hours ago

Searching For First UFC Win
Anthony Edwards5 hours ago

Uncertain For Friday Night
Chidi Njokuani5 hours ago

Drops Back Down To Welterweight At UFC Atlantic City
Kyle Nelson5 hours ago

An Underdog Again At UFC Atlantic City
Bill Algeo5 hours ago

Eyes Sixth UFC Win
Joaquin Buckley5 hours ago

Gets Ranked Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Vicente Luque5 hours ago

Gets Short-Notice Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Eduardo Rodriguez6 hours ago

Could Throw Off Mound In 5-7 Days
Max Kepler6 hours ago

Leaves On Opening Day With Injury
Nick Senzel6 hours ago

Suffers Broken Thumb
Jason Foley7 hours ago

Earns The Save For Tigers
Tarik Skubal7 hours ago

Tosses Six Scoreless Innings On Opening Day
Corbin Burnes8 hours ago

Pitches A Gem On Opening Day
Royce Lewis8 hours ago

Exits With Quad Injury
Max Scherzer9 hours ago

Throws Bullpen Session
Clayton Kershaw10 hours ago

"Ahead Of Things" Timetable-Wise
Walker Buehler10 hours ago

Ahead Of Schedule
Corey Seager10 hours ago

Active On Opening Day
Oneil Cruz10 hours ago

Batting Sixth On Opening Day
Bryan Reynolds12 hours ago

In Opening Day Lineup
Jordan Romano13 hours ago

Not Expected To Be Out Long
Aaron Ekblad14 hours ago

Returning To Panthers Lineup Thursday
Nikita Kucherov15 hours ago

Establishes New Career High With 42nd Goal
Shane Pinto15 hours ago

Collects Career-High Four Points
Valeri Nichushkin15 hours ago

Nursing A Lower-Body Injury
Samuel Girard15 hours ago

Battling An Illness
J.K. Dobbins15 hours ago

Visiting With Chargers On Thursday
Oskar Sundqvist15 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season With Torn ACL
Ethan Bear15 hours ago

Enters Player Assistance Program
Mark Hubbard1 day ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson1 day ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Akshay Bhatia1 day ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen1 day ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers1 day ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers1 day ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers1 day ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Wyndham Clark1 day ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers1 day ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
Jayden Daniels1 day ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
Tank Bigsby1 day ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Josh Reynolds1 day ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Doug Ghim2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA2 days ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry2 days ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox2 days ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak2 days ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan2 days ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg2 days ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn2 days ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby2 days ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin2 days ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord2 days ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala2 days ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark2 days ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler2 days ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Sam Ryder2 days ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen2 days ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama2 days ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin2 days ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Taylor Moore2 days ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson2 days ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Amon-Ra St. Brown2 days ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff2 days ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins2 days ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams2 days ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
PIT2 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn2 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield2 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR2 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras2 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen2 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb2 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
D'Andre Swift2 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson2 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell2 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans2 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott2 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley2 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs2 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad3 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson3 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Pittsburgh Steelers3 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson3 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Amanda Ribas3 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas3 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan3 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson3 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla3 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo3 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron4 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher4 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley4 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr4 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR4 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain4 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo4 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal4 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman4 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott4 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa4 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams4 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson5 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin5 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala5 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen5 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland5 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron5 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell5 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs5 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 

2024 NFL Draft: Bold Predictions and Potential Surprises for Round 1

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching, we're digging into what might transpire on draft night. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones previews the 2024 NFL Draft and makes some BOLD Predictions about possible surprises and potential landing spots for the first round of the draft. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller!... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Early Look At Wide Receivers In 2024 Fantasy Football Drafts

The upcoming NFL Draft is less than a month away. While everyone is excited for the NFL Draft, fantasy players are looking forward to the regular season. While we won’t have meaningful NFL football for months, it’s never too early to prepare for your fantasy football drafts. Last year, the fantasy football world saw multiple... Read More


Spencer Rattler, College Football Transfers

Underrated Rookie Draft Targets - Early 2024 Sleepers for Dynasty Fantasy Football

We are a month out from the NFL Draft, meaning if you are here, you are probably looking for draft content and reading up on prospects. You probably have all of the information you need on stud prospects like Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. That’s not what you’re here for.  Rookie draft season for... Read More


Breece Hall - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part II

The NFL's offseason, including trades and free agency, can strongly impact a player's fantasy football value. This effect can be positive or negative. For this series, we're focusing on fantasy football players who have seen their fantasy value increase. This can occur via a player's direct movement, such as a trade or signing with a... Read More


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 1: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2024)

It's finally here: the UFL season is set to kick off with two games on Saturday, March 30 and two games on Sunday, March 31. Saturday's games will be broadcast on Fox Sports while Sunday's matchups will be on ESPN. The most anticipated Week 1 matchup pits the 2023 USFL champion Birmingham Stallions against the... Read More


Jared Goff - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Will the Lions Extend Jared Goff's Contract This Offseason? 2024 NFL Outlook

Jared Goff's career in Los Angeles didn't take off like many expected after his appearance in Super Bowl LIII, and he was traded to the Lions for Matthew Stafford. Goff's first season in the Motor City was terrible, but he has completely turned things around over the last two seasons. In 2022, he almost led... Read More


Kyle Pitts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part I

Free agency symbolizes the start of a new NFL season. It's the first opportunity for NFL clubs to start addressing their weaknesses and considerably impacts how the upcoming season plays out. Just as free agency can improve or worsen a team's outlook, a player's fantasy football value is also impacted. Free agency marks the real... Read More


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

Coach Knows Ball: Malik Nabers 2024 NFL Draft Film Breakdown of LSU WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Avoid These Running Backs in 2024: Fantasy Football Outlook

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The staff is already looking ahead to the 2024 season to help our readers get the jump on their competition. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones discusses five Running Backs that you should AVOID in 2024 fantasy football drafts. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller! Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio... Read More


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NCAA College Football, Prospects

Brock Bowers 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Georgia TE Be Selected?

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was arguably the top tight end in college football over the past few years. Bowers was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 56 receptions for 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slightly slipped in 2022 as defenses started to game plan for the star tight end. Bowers had... Read More


Xavier Worthy 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Texas WR Be Selected?

Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy has been one of the top pass-catchers in college football over the past few years. The explosive receiver was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 62 receptions for 981 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slipped in 2022. Worthy had 60 receptions for 760 receiving yards and nine touchdowns... Read More


Blake Corum - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, RB, NFL Draft Sleepers

Blake Corum 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update - When Will the Michigan RB Be Selected?

Former Michigan running back Blake Corum is one of the most popular prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class. The 23-year-old is fresh off a College Football National Championship victory and a 2023 campaign consisting of over 1,300 yards from scrimmage. However, given the devaluation of the running back position and Corum not being an... Read More


Brandon Aiyuk - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News

Will The 49ers Trade Brandon Aiyuk?

Brandon Aiyuk had a career year last season, finishing seventh in the league in receiving yards (1342), second in yards per catch (17.9), and catching seven touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named to the Second-team All-Pro. However, despite many expecting them to do so, the 49ers failed to win Super Bowl LVIII and now... Read More