Joe Flacco 2019 Outlook: Go West Old Man
5 years agoIt may be a little harsh to call Joe Flacco old, as he will be entering this season at 34 years of age. In a time where players like Drew Brees and Tom Brady are playing into their 40’s, 34 is not that old. Flacco is a different beast though, as he is only a few seasons removed from a torn ACL, and it was just last season when a hip injury cost him his job in Baltimore.
Going from the East coast to the mountains is a lateral move for Flacco. The run game in Denver is going to be the main focus, with last year’s Cinderella Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman providing the bulk of the offense. Flacco should be able to stay in the pocket as a young core of receivers attempt to get open for him. If Emmanuel Sanders can come back healthy there will at least be a veteran presence on the field. But with his injury and his age of 32, it is hard to know how he will react to treatments and when he might be a full go. This leaves it to Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick and my personal favorite Daesean Hamilton to fill in. There is a good chance no one is this group will sniff a top-12 fantasy finish, which hurts Flacco's ceiling. As a quarterback who loves his tight ends, Flacco does get a little boost with the arrival of Noah Fant, but he is still fighting an uphill battle for fantasy value.
With the run game of Lindsay and Freeman looking to be the driving force of the offense, it will be hard for Flacco to be a fantasy star. Yes, Hamilton and Sutton along with Noah Fant could produce some value for him, but they are not enough to lend credence to drafting him. At best he is a QB2 in two-quarterback leagues. At worse, he is not even a streaming option in standard leagues. Flacco is currently not being drafted in most leagues and this is the right move. He should remain on waivers for the entire season except in the direst of situations. If that situation hits? Your season is probably over anyhow.