👉 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
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

Three Quarterbacks Who Will Bounce Back to Top Tier Status in 2016

Everyone has been there at some point in a fantasy draft. You take the plunge and draft a quarterback a little early, thinking you've locked up the position for the entire season. Then you come to find out that you got the 2014 version of Cam Newton or 2015 Andrew Luck.

In this article we are going to take a look at three quarterbacks who underperformed in 2015, but are due for a bounce back campaign in 2016.

Editor's Note: Purchase a full season NFL Premium Pass (including Draft Kit + DFS Premium), and also get MLB Premium + DFS for free through October. Premium DFS lineup picks, expert lineups, tools and more - seven days a week. You can see screenshots of our NFL Premium and MLB Premium and DFS tools. What are you waiting for?

Featured Promo: Looking for some more fantasy football action? Adopt a dynasty orphan team over at FFPC. Sign up today and get $25 off any FFPC league. Sign Up Now!

 

Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts

Luck was one of the biggest fantasy disappointments last season. The young signal caller was unanimously the first quarterback off the board in 2015 and had an ADP in the late first round. Part of Luck's issues in 2015 stems from him playing in just seven games before succumbing to shoulder and kidney injuries which held him out for the remainder of the season. Even before the injuries, Luck had been struggling to show the 2014 form which allowed him to become the top-scoring fantasy quarterback. Luck threw for 15 touchdowns in his seven games in 2015, but also did not take care of the ball, throwing 12 interceptions.

With all of this being said, there's reason to be excited about Luck's chances to return to greatness this season. He has a full complement of excellent weapons at his disposal. This includes T.Y. Hilton, Donte Moncrief, Phillip Dorsett, and Dwayne Allen. Hilton is always a threat to go the distance any time he touches the ball and should be happy to see Luck back behind center this season. Moncrief was well on his way to a breakout last season before Luck went down and is a darkhorse candidate to put up WR1 numbers this season and outperform Hilton.

Dorsett, the team's first-round pick in 2015, is expected to see the field more as the Colts are going to run more three-receiver sets. Allen will finally get a chance to take on a full workload at tight end after Coby Fleener left for New Orleans in the offseason. All in all, if you were someone who took Luck in the first or second round last year, you should be thrilled to get him at a discount this season as he's generally going in the fourth round of drafts. There's no reason that Luck can't post the season this year that everyone expected in 2015 and in the process return to being an elite fantasy quarterback.

 

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Rodgers has been one of fantasy's most consistent producers at the quarterback position since taking over the job full-time in 2008. Last year, the veteran was the second quarterback off the board and his owner likely spent a second-round pick to acquire his services. Rodgers went on to finish seventh in fantasy points among quarterbacks last season. Not terrible numbers, but a far cry from what fantasy players expect they are going to get from Mr. Discount Doublecheck.

Rodgers' 31 passing touchdowns last year was his least since the 2009 season (outside of 2013 when he played in only nine games). Many of Green Bay's struggles can be traced back to the loss of field-stretcher and All-Pro wide receiver Jordy Nelson in the preseason. The Packers offense looked markedly different without Nelson, with Randall Cobb struggling as the team's number one receiver and Davante Adams failing to capitalize on the potential that made him a second-round draft pick in 2014. Perhaps overshadowed by the loss of Nelson, however, was the mountain of injuries suffered along the team's offensive line. The team entered the playoffs with just one of five starters active and healthy.

With Nelson and the offensive line fully healthy, things are looking up for Rodgers in 2016. Nelson being back should allow the offense to return to the elite production we have gotten used to seeing over the years. The team also added tight end Jared Cook, who has teased fantasy owners with his potential without ever putting it all together in past years. While it is hard to bank on Cook being productive this season, he is playing with the best quarterback of his NFL career. Rodgers is currently coming off the board as QB2 in the third round of fantasy drafts and has a legitimate shot at reclaiming his crown as the top fantasy quarterback this season.

 

Robert Griffin III, Cleveland Browns

Griffin has nowhere to go but up as he spent the entire 2015 season on Washington's bench, watching his former backup Kirk Cousins run the show out there. In Cleveland, RGIII has a second chance to prove that his amazing 2012 rookie season wasn't a fluke. In 2012, Griffin racked up 3,200 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns while adding 815 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.

While those rushing numbers are likely to be unattainable for Griffin to repeat, he does have an outside chance to finish the year as a low-end QB1 or high-end QB2. It's reasonable to believe that Griffin will be able to improve on the passing numbers he posted in his rookie year as he will be playing with much better weapons than he had surrounding him in 2012. Once Josh Gordon comes off his suspension in Week 5, the Browns will have Gordon, Corey Coleman, and Terrelle Pryor as their top three receivers. All three are capable of creating mismatches all over the field.

Add in a dominant red zone force such as Gary Barnidge and elusive pass-catching back Duke Johnson, and Griffin could put up big numbers this season. One final factor that is cause for optimism for Griffin is new Browns head coach Hue Jackson. Jackson has enjoyed a good deal of success coaching offense in the NFL and can expected to put Griffin in the best possible situation to succeed. With Griffin coming off the board around the 14th round in fantasy drafts, he's worth targeting if you like to wait on quarterbacks.

 


Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!




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

Tyjae Spears

Figures to be in Backup Pass-Catching Role Again in 2026
Tyler Shough

Looking to Build on Encouraging Close to 2025
Karl-Anthony Towns

Rejoins Knicks Lineup Sunday
Marcelo Mayer

Scratched With Left-Knee Soreness
Zach Neto

Tests Come Back Negative, Dealing With Sprained Hand
Ausar Thompson

Returns to Action Sunday
NFL

Emmett Johnson Could Develop into a Three-Down Workhorse in the NFL
Isaiah Hartenstein

Cleared to Return Sunday
NFL

Does Jordyn Tyson Carry Future WR1 Upside?
Anthony Edwards

Available Sunday
Ollie Gordon II

May Be Buried on Dolphins Running Back Depth Chart
Colby Parkinson

Can Colby Parkinson Build on Breakout 2025 Season?
Christopher Bell

Looking for Redemption, Wins Pole at Las Vegas
Josh Johnson

Signs With Bengals
Denny Hamlin

Should Contend for Another Vegas Win
Chase Briscoe

Qualifies 18th Despite Toyota Dominating at Las Vegas
Devin Duvernay

Signing With Cardinals on One-Year Deal
Chase Elliott

May Fly Under the Radar at Las Vegas
De'Anthony Melton

Held Out Sunday Versus New York
NASCAR

Ross Chastian Has Been As Solid As They Come at Las Vegas
Ty Gibbs

Could Ty Gibbs Finally Break Through With a Win at Las Vegas?
Kristaps Porzingis

Won't Play Sunday Versus Knicks
Brad Keselowski

a Solid DFS Pick at Las Vegas
Kevin Porter Jr.

Sidelined Sunday Versus Pacers
Jarrett Allen

to Miss Fifth Straight Game Sunday
Kyle Filipowski

to Sit Sunday for Rest
Kawhi Leonard

Leaves Saturday's Game with Ankle Injury
Ace Bailey

Ruled Out Sunday Against Kings
Francisco Lindor

is Making Spring Debut on Sunday
Carter Verhaeghe

Anton Lundell Expected to Return Sunday
Kyle Larson

Should Kyle Larson be Considered A Favorite for Las Vegas?
Sam Bennett

Considered Day-to-Day
William Byron

Could Compete for a Top-Five Finish at Las Vegas
Sam Reinhart

Not Traveling on Four-Game Road Trip
Ryan Blaney

Is Ryan Blaney Worth Rostering in Tournament DFS Lineups for Las Vegas?
Michael Rasmussen

Ruled Out for One Week
Tyler Reddick

Could Continue his Top-10 Streak at Las Vegas
Declan Carlile

to Miss 4-5 Weeks
Joey Logano

Should DFS Managers Underestimate Joey Logano for Las Vegas?
Igor Chernyshov

Exits Early Due to Injury Saturday
Chris Buescher

Is Chris Buescher Worth Rostering For Las Vegas DFS Lineups?
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace is A Risky DFS Option Who Could Pay Off at Las Vegas
Josh Berry

Has Plenty of Upside for Las Vegas DFS Lineups
Ryan Preece

Scores his First Las Vegas Top-10 Starting Spot in Qualifying
Justin Allgaier

Will Fill In for an Injured Alex Bowman at Las Vegas
Nick Scott

Panthers Re-Sign Safety Nick Scott to One-Year Deal
Nico Hischier

has Four-Point Performance on Saturday
Kene Nwangwu

Jets Re-Sign Kene Nwangwu
Seiya Suzuki

Leaves WBC Game on Saturday With Right-Knee Discomfort
Macklin Celebrini

Continues to Dominate With Three Points
Anze Kopitar

Becomes All-Time Leading Scorer for Kings
Linus Ullmark

Posts Shutout Against Ducks
Travis Hunter

Is Travis Hunter Now an IDP-Only Asset?
Blake Corum

Does Blake Corum Have Standalone Flex Value?
Mo Alie-Cox

Re-Signing with Colts
Jaxson Dart

to Benefit from Improved Weaponry in Year 2
Darnell Mooney

Signing with Giants on One-Year Deal
Zach Neto

is Removed After Suffering Hand Injury
TB

Nicholas Paul Rejoins Lightning Lineup
Cole Caufield

Cleared to Play Saturday
Alex Tuch

Set to Return Saturday
Bobby Brink

Remains Out Saturday
J.T. Miller

Returns to Action Saturday
Joe Ryan

Won't Pitch in the World Baseball Classic
Courtland Sutton

Will Courtland Sutton Lose Targets to Younger Teammates?
Rashee Rice

Looking to Return to Rookie Form?
Omarion Hampton

Has High Upside with New Offensive Coordinator
Trey Lance

Returns to the Chargers on a One-Year Deal
A.J. Brown

Rams Out on A.J. Brown, Trade to Patriots Likely?
Calvin Ridley

Restructures Deal with Titans
Zack Wheeler

Throws First Live BP Session on Saturday
Merrill Kelly

Expected to Open Season on the Injured List
Kevin Gausman

Named Toronto's Opening Day Starter
Kyle Stowers

Back in Grapefruit League Lineup
Kevin Porter Jr.

Questionable Against Hawks
Devin Carter

Out Saturday Against Clippers
Russell Westbrook

Set to Return Against Clippers
Derrick White

Expected to Play Saturday Against Wizards
Michael Porter Jr.

Likely to Miss Second Straight Game
Nicolas Claxton

to Rest Saturday Against Philadelphia
Ace Bailey

Leaves Friday's Game Early with Concussion
Radko Gudas

Handed a Five-Game Suspension
Auston Matthews

to Miss Rest of Season
Emil Heineman

Scores Twice Against the Kings
Joel Hofer

Shuts Down the Oilers
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Could Miss Saturday's Game Vs. Hawks
Keegan Murray

to Be Re-Evaluated in Two Weeks
Aaron Gordon

Expected Back Saturday Vs. Lakers
Francisco Lindor

Takes Full Batting Practice on Friday
Brandon Woodruff

Still TBD for Opening Day
Trevor Rogers

to Start on Opening Day for Orioles
Kevin Vallejos

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Josh Emmett

In Dire Need Of Victory
Gillian Robertson

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 114
Amanda Lemos

Set For Co-Main Event
Oumar Sy

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Ion Cutelaba

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Nathan MacKinnon

Racks Up Four Points in Victory Over Kraken
Alexis Lafrenière

Alexis Lafreniere Stays Hot in Winnipeg
Blake Snell

Around Six Weeks From Being Fully Built Up
Zack Wheeler

to Face Hitters in Live Batting Practice on Saturday
Gerrit Cole

Could Pitch in a Spring Game Next Week
Matthew Boyd

Named the Cubs' Opening Day Starter
Francisco Lindor

Remains on Schedule for Opening Day
Bryce Miller

Shuts Down Bullpen Due to More Oblique Discomfort
Zac Gallen

Named Arizona's Opening Day Starter
Kyle Teel

Could Miss 4-6 Weeks With Hamstring Strain
Hideki Matsuyama

Brings Strong Course History to TPC Sawgrass
Adam Scott

in Strong Form Ahead of The Players
Rickie Fowler

on Quite the Run Heading to TPC Sawgrass
Sepp Straka

Needs to Forget What Happened Sunday at Bay Hill
Jordan Spieth

an Enigma Heading to The Players Championship
Justin Rose

Trying to Pick Up the Pieces in Florida
Maverick McNealy

Bounces Back at Arnold Palmer Invitational
Brooks Koepka

Continues His Florida Swing With Some Momentum
Nicolai Hojgaard

in Strong Form Ahead of The Players
Robert MacIntyre

a Volatile Option at The Players
Matt Fitzpatrick

Looks to Return to Top Form at The Players
Sam Burns

a High-Risk, High-Reward Option at The Players
Keegan Bradley

Hard to Trust at The Players
Xander Schauffele

Rounding into Form Heading to Players Championship
Rory McIlroy

Set to Return at Players Championship to Defend Title
Jake Knapp

Set to Return at Players Championship
Viktor Hovland

Continues Strong Start to 2026 Season
Rasmus Hojgaard

Looking for Bounce-Back at Players Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Will Need to Find Putter to Compete at Players Championship
Akshay Bhatia

Continues Improving Heading to Players Championship
Justin Thomas

Continues Competitive Return at The Players Championship
Max Holloway

Drops Decision At UFC 326
Charles Oliveira

Becomes The New BMF Champion
Caio Borralho

Bounces Back
Reinier de Ridder

Reinier De Ridder Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Rob Font

Gets Dominated
Raul Rosas Jr.

Extends His Win Streak
Michael Johnson

Suffers Second-Round Knockout Loss
Drew Dober

Knocks Out Michael Johnson
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF