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For many years, the late-round quarterback strategy has been an approach preferred by many fantasy gamers. The idea is that instead of selecting one of the top quarterbacks early in drafts, you simply wait and take one who offers similar upside later in the draft. This allows you to find strong options at other positions and still have the advantage of a stud quarterback.
Last year, Brock Purdy and Jordan Love were late-round options who finished as top-six quarterbacks. There are always quality options in the later rounds of drafts, gamers just need to identify who to target. Today, we will examine several potential league-winning quarterbacks going outside the top-100 picks in NFFC drafts.
Make sure you follow RotoBaller on X and check out RotoBaller.com for all your fantasy football needs. Here are five late-round quarterbacks with league-winning upside.
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Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
NFFC ADP: 102.84 Overall, QB14
Drafted second overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, Daniels will provide fantasy gamers with immediate upside thanks to his rushing abilities.
There is no better player in the country than Jayden Daniels.
85 yards TO THE HOUSE. The moment. pic.twitter.com/e0ug9gYr1E
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) November 12, 2023
Daniels ran for 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns in his final collegiate season. If he combines quality passing with this type of rushing ability, then the sky's the limit. Quarterbacks with rushing chops have long been fantasy football cheat codes, so if you miss out on the top quarterbacks in your draft, Daniels is a good fallback option. He has a solid floor and could be a huge steal if he hits the ground running.
Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
NFFC ADP: 136.43 Overall, QB20
Rodgers’ debut season with the Jets ended before things could even begin. He tore his Achilles' tendon four snaps in his first game with his new team. The future Hall of Famer returns in 2024 and is poised to lead the Jets to a postseason berth. New York has done their best to fix the offensive line woes that plagued them last year. The team signed tackle Tyron Smith to a one-year deal in free agency and drafted tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu with the 11th-overall pick in April’s draft. An improved offensive line will greatly benefit Rodgers at this stage of his career.
New York also added veteran receiver Mike Williams in free agency and drafted receiver Malachi Corley in the third round of the NFL Draft. With Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall also in the mix, Rodgers boasts a strong supporting cast. They can help Rodgers rebound after a disappointing season. If things break right, he can return high-end QB2 or even backend QB1 production. If Rodgers returns to MVP form, he would be the steal of all fantasy drafts. He is in the twilight of his career and is a better investment in superflex leagues, but the four-time MVP can still help gamers this year.
Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
NFFC ADP: 142.34 Overall, QB22
Watson’s 2023 season was cut short due to issues with his throwing shoulder. While he struggled with this injury and overall lousy play, Watson still found a way to be productive in fantasy football.
One of the top sleeper options at QB in #FantasyFootball drafts?#Browns QB Deshaun Watson.
His finishes in games he started and finished last year:
QB5
QB27
QB10
QB8There’s still upside here for fantasy football. #NFL
— Dave Ventresca (@FF_Stallion) May 4, 2024
There are still many concerns surrounding the Browns’ signal-caller, He’s only started 12 games in the last three seasons and it’s unclear if he ever regains his previous form.
🚨 INTERCEPTION 🚨
Levi Wallace picks off Deshaun Watson!pic.twitter.com/r6r5XL8zXf
— Steelers Nation (@SteelerNationCP) January 8, 2023
Look, Watson was awful last year. Any metric will show you that. At the end of the day, fantasy football is a game about scoring points. Watson showed last year he can still do that even when playing at a subpar level. Recent reports suggest that Watson has been thriving this summer thanks to changes made in the passing game by new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey. This would bode well for Watson's outlook should it hold true.
If Watson stays healthy, he can smash his ADP and be a massive value. If you adhere to the late-round quarterback strategy, Watson makes for a great selection as he proved last year that he can still return QB1 production.
Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
NFFC ADP: 157.37 Overall, QB24
Tennessee has shown its commitment to building around its young quarterback this offseason. With the seventh pick in the NFL Draft this past April, the Titans selected tackle JC Latham to further improve the Tennessee offensive line. The team also signed Tony Pollard, Calvin Ridley, and Tyler Boyd in free agency to beef up the skill players surrounding Levis. He had an up-and-down rookie season, but the 2023 second-round pick flashed upside throughout the year.
Will Levis slinging it downfield to DeAndre Hopkins for their 3rd TD connection of the day.
Levis looks like that dude for the Titans right now. In one game, it’s clear he’s the QB1. pic.twitter.com/twSX3akqu0
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) October 29, 2023
Among the 33 quarterbacks with 300 dropbacks, Levis ranked dead last in Fantasy Points Data Suite’s Adjusted Completion Percentage. He will need to make improvements in his second season. The 25-year-old Levis has reportedly been working hard this offseason to clean up his footwork and mechanics. This is a good sign for his outlook. New head coach Brian Callahan does have experience working with young quarterbacks as he was instrumental in Joe Burrow’s development in Cincinnati.
We are banking on a team surrounding a young quarterback with an abundance of talent as well as a strong offensive coach developing him and building a system to highlight his strengths. With a plethora of weapons at Levis’ disposal, Tennessee has done everything it can to set him up for success. There is sneaky breakout potential here, and he’s a good option in two-quarterback or superflex leagues. If Levis does break out, then he will blow past his QB24 price tag.
Justin Fields, Pittsburgh Steelers
NFFC ADP: 187.42 Overall, QB28
Fields was traded from the Chicago Bears to the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. The fourth-year signal caller now gets a fresh start and is competing with veteran Russell Wilson for the QB1 spot. Fields entered training camp behind Wilson for the starting job, but recent reports suggest he has pulled even. Should Fields win the starting job, he is an intriguing selection in drafts thanks to his rushing ability.
Justin Fields with the 67-yard TD run 🔥
— NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) November 13, 2022
The club only signed Wilson to a one-year contract, and he is clearly a player in decline. Pittsburgh also has RotoBaller’s third-hardest projected strength of schedule this year. If Wilson does win the QB1 job, it’s entirely possible that the Steelers struggle out of the gate and turn things over to Fields to provide a spark.
For now, gamers in single quarterback leagues can take a flier on Fields with a late-round pick. Superflex managers would be wise to stash him as Fields may see significant playing time at some point. Regardless of format, if Fields does get a run as the starter, he will instantly become a QB1 for fantasy football. He's a great bench stash and can be the shot of adrenaline fantasy owners need down the home stretch to take down a title.
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