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We previously looked at target and opportunity risers and fallers, based on the first five weeks of XFL data. Now, it's time to evaluate the quarterbacks, for better or worse.
With five weeks already in the rearview mirror and plenty of numbers stored from players showcasing their talent all around the country, it makes sense to crunch some of the data we have at hand to see how things have developed during the games each team has already played halfway through the first XFL season.
In this column, I'll be taking a look at some risers and fallers in fantasy football points regarding the quarterback position and the fantasy tallies they earned in Week 5 compared to the prior ones to see how those varied. Let's get to it!
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Week 1-5 Quarterbacks: Overall View
Five weeks and 20 games in which we've seen 18 quarterbacks attempt a pass or a run (shouts to Nick Fitzgerald for his 10 rushing yards in two attempts without attempting a pass!). A total of 1,291 passes have been attempted so far, with 755 of them being completed for a 58.4% completion rate. The 755 completed passes have allowed quarterbacks to rack up 8,215 yards through the air so far and the touchdowns (56) have gotten up faster--although not much!--than the interceptions (43) to put the TD:INT ratio at 1.30 halfway through the season.
Not that impactful but still important, players at the position have rushed the ball 178 times for a combined 840 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground with just one quarterback (Tampa Bay's Taylor Cornelius) getting into the endzone carrying the ball three times on the season (Seattle's BJ Daniels is the only other QB with at least two rushing touchdowns). As far as extra-points go, 10 quarterbacks have completed at least one of them. Six QBs have scored on 1XP plays, 10 on 2XP ones, and three on 3XP plays. Phillip Walker (Houston Roughnecks) and Josh Johnson (LA Wildcats) are the only QB to have an XP of each variety. Walker has a 1/3/1 split and Johnson a 1/4/1 so far.
Here is how the league's quarterbacks have performed in Week 5 (vertical axis) and the prior weeks (horizontal axis; average value). Those sitting on each axis line mean that they generated no points in that given week(s) or that they didn't play at all.
click image for full-screen view
It's been half a season already. Things should be clear by now--and in fact, they mostly are. Just looking at the chart above we can clearly identify who the no. 1 quarterbacks are around the league (size represents the total passing attempts on the season). The Johnson-Walker-Cornelius trifecta is going nowhere and remains the best trio of quarterbacks in the league on a weekly basis. BJ Daniels took Seattle's reins this weekend and had a great game, while Jordan Ta'Aamu started the year booming but has dropped his level of play in two of the last three games.
Let's take a look at the real risers and fallers from Week 5 to the prior ones next.
Week 1-5 Quarterbacks: Risers and Fallers
I have calculated the difference in PPR points from Week 5 to the ones before it (positive numbers favor Week 5), and here is how things looked after this last weekend's slate of games was over.
The LA-TB showdown of this weekend put both Cornelius and Johnson in the spotlight, making them the two highest-scoring quarterbacks of the week and thus the bigger risers. The clear winners, though, must be Luis Perez and his steady rise during the past three weeks and Tyree Jackson who finally got to replace full-time a benched Cardale Jones (the ultimate faller, who would have thought a month ago...) for the DC Defenders. Brandon Silvers was inactive and Landry Jones injured, thus the drops to zero points.
QB Risers
Luis Perez, NY (+9.1, from 7.9 PPR to 17)
Was it Matt McGloin? Perhaps Marquise Williams? It looks like neither of the two, but Luis Perez instead. While Perez hasn't been close to a game-breaking player for the Guardians, the truth is that he's been on a steady rise since his first part-time outing in Week 3 when he threw five passes, completed four of them, reached 39 yards and scored a touchdown. He improved on that in Week 4 and finally got his best performance--at a true starter level--this past weekend to the tune of 16 completions for 229 yards on 30 attempts and a touchdown against just one interception.
Perez added 18 yards on the ground and although he couldn't cross the goal line on the ground he helped New York with a couple of extra-point plays (one for a single point, another one for two) on the day. The Guardians might still be wanting more for their leaders at the helm, but given how erratic the other two players they tried at the position had played earlier in the season and how Perez is at least getting things done, they should be happy they handed Perez the ball and gave him the chance to lead the franchise.
Taylor Cornelius, TB (+17.1, from 15.4 PPR to 32.5)
Three weeks, folks. Three weeks writing about Cornelius as a riser in this column. I was this close to picking Josh Johnson, and he well merits a mention, but I just couldn't pass on Cornelius even if I sound repetitive. Do you remember Quinton Flowers, Vipers' quarterback? Me neither. Cornelius' last four games have gone for 4.2 PPR to 22, 20, and 32.5 this past weekend. He's attempted more passes each passing week topping at 34 in Week 5 and he also completed the second-most of his season (22) this weekend for a season-high 300 passing yards and two touchdowns. Not happy with that, he rushed the ball seven times for 45 extra yards and another touchdown, making it a three-game streak of scoring on the ground.
Houston's Phillip Walker and LA's Josh Johnson are making things hard for Cornelius to shine over the rest of the field of quarterbacks, but he's the biggest underdog of the three to have a great year and he's definitely getting up there. Again, though, kudos go to Johnson for his great 33.4 PPR game this weekend in which he threw four touchdowns against an interception.
QB Fallers
Jordan Ta'Amu (-10.8, from 19.9 PPR to 9.1)
While I don't think there is much to question about Ta'Amu's ability in the pocket, the truth about his true talent-level is still to be found. The BattleHawk has had three great performances but two other rather mediocre ones, including this past weekend's in that last group. Ta'Amu could only complete 15 passes of the 25 he threw and although he avoided interceptions altogether he couldn't find any player on the end zone nor help them reach it, having no touchdowns to his name. Although the added 31 yards on the ground, those didn't help him get a score either.
Ta'Amu season-average sits at 17.5 PPG halfway through the season, the eight-highest in the XFL and good for QB4 among those with at least three games played. That being said, we'd like him to be more steady and constant/reliable week-to-week. Don't worry about playing yet, but keep an eye on him just in case his first couple of weeks were the outliers of his season-long outings.
Cardale Jones, DC (-11.2, from 10.2 PPR to -1)
To a certain extent, it is sad to find Jones here week after week. Cardale Jones was a start in Ohio State, couldn't find his place in the NFL, and the chance at leading a team in the XFL looked great for him. No wonder he took the league by storm and reached 17.4 and 19.4 PPR points in his first two games of the year throwing for two touchdowns in each of those games and racking up 235+ yards in each of them. DC still held onto him during Week 4 allowing Jones to throw the ball 22 times, of which he could only complete nine passes for 72 yards.
In which seemed to be a do-or-die game for Cardale this weekend, though, two attempts were enough for the Defenders to decide Jones' immediate future: the bench. Jones threw two balls and both throws reached a target, only one of them was a rival that intercepted the pass. That was all Jones lasted in the game, as he was replaced by Tyree Jackson who went on to finish the game with a touchdown and 39 passing yards on a paltry nine completions. Jackson was mediocre, but Jones was horrific. And DC might be too deep in the mud at the quarterback position.
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