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
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Backup Quarterbacks To Stash in Superflex Leagues - 2024 Fantasy Football Analysis

Justin Fields - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Andrew Ball identifies three backup quarterbacks to stash in Superflex leagues ahead of the 2024 regular season. Which backup quarterbacks have the best chance to become the regular starter for their respective team?

Backup quarterback: The best job in all of sports.

The fans love their unseen potential as they relax on the sideline and collect checks, free from menacing pass rushers and downhill middle linebackers. When the starter struggles, fans clamor for QB2.

It's also a position not often given a second thought in fantasy football, at least in single-quarterback leagues. In Superflex and 2QB leagues, however, keeping tabs on a reserve signal-caller may be the key to capturing fantasy glory.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Joe Flacco, Indianapolis Colts

Don't put that evil on me, Ricky Bobby! Don't you put that on us!

Anthony Richardson is an injury concern, plain and simple. Avoiding talking about it isn't going to solve the problem. It doesn't matter whether the second-year quarterback is prone to injuries or his style of play is susceptible to bumps and bruises.

Richardson has endured a pair of AC sprains in his shoulder, two concussions, a torn meniscus, plus a handful of minor hamstring ailments since he stepped on campus at the University of Florida. He played just two full games in his rookie season and appeared in four total. From Week 6 through the end of the season, Gardner Minshew was the QB17. It's not pretty, but that production is worthy of a roster spot in Superflex and 2QB leagues.

The Colts let Minshew depart to Las Vegas in the offseason and nabbed veteran Joe Flacco to serve as the backup to Richardson. The 39-year-old and reigning Comeback Player of the Year took the league by storm in just five starts in 2023. Flacco was the QB2 from Weeks 13 to 17, topping 300 yards four times while tossing three touchdowns three times.

With a new uniform and offensive system, adjust Flacco's expectations. Plus, again, he's turning 40 next year. His magic may have already run out. But if it hasn't, he'd be thrust into action on an offense full of weapons. A steady diet of Jonathan Taylor will keep defenses honest, opening up play-action passes to Michael Pittman Jr., Adonai Mitchell, and Josh Downs. Richardson is a consensus top-10 fantasy football quarterback, in part, due to the pieces around him (although the biggest reason is his rushing production). Flacco should be serviceable in his stead if he's called upon.

 

Justin Fields, Pittsburgh Steelers

NFL franchises don't view Justin Fields as a starting-caliber quarterback. The Bears circled the trade market over and over again until finally sending their former first-round pick to Pittsburgh for a 2025 sixth-round pick. There's a noticeable difference in how the fantasy football community views Fields.

He is, and likely won't ever be, a polished passer. But he is electric with the football in his hands.

Fields averaged 50 rushing yards per game in 2023, a figure down from the absurd 76.2 yards he averaged the year prior. For fantasy purposes, that's essentially an extra passing touchdown every game. Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith have historically relied on strong rushing attacks to move an offense.

Fields also happens to be a part of a roster that doesn't have many reliable weapons in the passing game. George Pickens shows promising development as a wideout, but the rest of the room is barren. The team traded Diontae Johnson in the offseason. As much as some (including myself) like Roman Wilson as a prospect, depending on a third-round wide receiver to be the second option is a lot to ask. Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins, and Calvin Austin III won't be demanding targets. Injuries contributed to a regression season for tight end Pat Freiermuth.

Russell Wilson was also acquired in the offseason and will be the Week 1 starter, barring unforeseen circumstances. If he struggles early and the team drops winnable games, there will be calls to start Fields because of how the average fan views him. The Steelers also have a history of winning seasons, even if the roster doesn't stack up with the rest of the league's elites. The fans and front office won't appreciate a losing season.

From Weeks 13 through 18, Fields was QB13, just outside the QB1 range. Lean on the rushing advantage and keep Fields on rosters in case he becomes the starter sometime during the season.

 

Sam Howell, Seattle Seahawks

Geno Smith revitalized his career in Seattle, winning Comeback Player of the Year following the 2022 season and two consecutive Pro Bowls (although the second was a replacement selection). The former second-round pick by the Jets will turn 34 this year, however, and didn't play particularly well for most of last season. A restructured deal keeps Smith under contract for the next two seasons. Still, the Seahawks wanted to snag a backup and potential heir apparent, especially after letting Drew Lock sign with the Giants in free agency.

Sam Howell was acquired for a handful of swapped draft picks, a relatively inexpensive cost for a quarterback who started all 17 games last season as a member of the Washington Commanders. The 2022 fifth-round pick threw for nearly 4,000 yards but registered an even one-to-one touchdown-to-interception ratio and led the league in sacks taken (65).

There's a new coaching staff in the Pacific Northwest, which may or may not be sparking a fake debate about who the Seahawks' starting quarterback will be (spoiler alert: It's still Smith and has been confirmed by both head coach Mike Macdonald and Smith himself).

A change of scenery may be the key to unlocking Howell as a full-time starter in the NFL. The offensive line in Washington was nothing to write home about, but Howell takes some blame for holding on to the ball too long in the pocket. A new offensive scheme and beefy boys up front can change an above-average quarterback's career trajectory. Remember, Howell is just entering his third NFL season and was once regarded as a first-round NFL prospect. The physical tools and competitive nature are there. Now, he needs the right fit and supporting cast.

The skill set gap between the two quarterbacks isn't very wide, plus Howell can do more with his legs. He's worth stashing in Superflex leagues this season and could become the long-term starter in Seattle if the cards fall in his favor.



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!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Logan Thompson

Exits Loss With Injury
Cristopher Sánchez

Cristopher Sanchez Will Throw A Bullpen On Sunday
Brandon Hagel

Suspended For Game 3
Griffin Conine

To Have Shoulder Surgery On Tuesday
Luke Keaschall

Twins Prospect Luke Keaschall Suffers Broken Forearm
Logan Gilbert

Leaves Friday's Start With Forearm Tightness

Vikings Select Tai Felton To Finish Day 2

Seahawks Select Quarterback Jalen Milroe With The 92nd Pick Overall

Browns Select Dillon Gabriel 94th Overall

Packers Pick Savion Williams At No. 87 overall

Steelers Snag Kaleb Johnson In Round 3

Broncos Select Wide Receiver Pat Bryant With The 74th Overall Pick

Texans Select Jaylin Noel With 79th Pick

Lions Select Wide Receiver Isaac TeSlaa With The 70th Overall Pick
Jack Leiter

To Start On Sunday

Patriots Add Wide Receiver Kyle Williams In Round 3

Browns Draft Harold Fannin Jr. With 67th Pick
Garrett Mitchell

Makes Early Exit
Luke Keaschall

Removed Early On Friday
Blake Snell

Likely Avoids Major Injury
Cole Ragans

Dealing With Mild Groin Strain

Broncos Add RJ Harvey To Backfield With 60th Pick

Raiders Select Jack Bech With 58th Pick

Chargers Add Wide Receiver Tre Harris In Round 2
Detroit Lions

Lions Acquire 57th Pick From Broncos

Seahawks Draft Elijah Arroyo 50th Overall
Carolina Panthers

Panthers Acquire 51st Pick From Broncos
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Snag Will Johnson At No. 47

Jets Add A Pass-Catcher With Mason Taylor At No. 42

Rams Select Terrance Ferguson With 46th Pick
Houston Texans

Texans Acquire 48th Pick From Raiders, Draft Aireontae Ersery

Saints Snag Tyler Shough At No. 40
Brenton Doyle

Out For Personal Reasons On Friday
Brandin Podziemski

Not On Injury Report For Game 3
Jimmy Butler III

Warriors Optimistic About Jimmy Butler III Playing Saturday
Jae'Sean Tate

To Remain Out Saturday
Jock Landale

Unavailable For Game 3
Terry Rozier

Out On Saturday
Jrue Holiday

Ruled Out For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Orlando
Kevin Love

To Miss Saturday's Game
Jaylen Brown

Available For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Magic
Gary Payton II

Iffy For Saturday's Action
Jayson Tatum

Officially Available On Friday For Game 3 Against Magic
Will Smith

Back From Injury On Friday
Luke Kennard

Questionable For Game 4 On Saturday
Darius Garland

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Ja Morant

To Miss Game 4 On Saturday
Rui Hachimura

Available For Game 3 In Minnesota
Aaron Ekblad

Available To Return Saturday
Erik Swanson

Ryan Burr Progressing
Daulton Varsho

To Return On Tuesday At The Latest
Max Scherzer

Takes Positive Step On Friday
Aleksander Barkov

Questionable For Saturday
Gabriel Landeskog

Set For Larger Role In Game 4
Calvin Pickard

To Start Game 3 For Oilers
Randy Arozarena

Resting For First Time This Year
Jonas Siegenthaler

To Play Limited Minutes In Game 3
MLB

Red Sox-Guardians Game Postponed On Friday
Luke Hughes

Remains Out On Friday
MLB

Tigers-Orioles Postponed On Friday
Patrik Laine

A Game-Time Decision Friday
Yainer Diaz

Out On Friday Against Royals
Iván Herrera

Ivan Herrera Hopes To Start Rehab Assignment Next Week
Salvador Perez

Sitting Out For First Time This Season
Jaylen Brown

Questionable For Game 3 On Friday
Brendan Donovan

Back In Action On Friday
Jimmy Butler III

Could Miss Game 3 On Saturday
Carlos Prates

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Ian Machado Garry

Set For UFC Kansas City Main Event
Cade Cunningham

Collects Double-Double In Loss
Jalen Brunson

Drops 30 Points In Game 3
Karl-Anthony Towns

Leads All Scorers In Game 3 Victory
Zhang Mingyang

Scheduled For Co-Main Event
Anthony Smith

Set For His Final UFC Bout
David Onama

Set For Featherweight Bout
Giga Chikadze

Looks To Bounce Back
Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
Nicolas Dalby

An Underdog At UFC Kansas City
Randy Brown

A Favorite At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Set To Open Up UFC Kansas City Main Card
Ikram Aliskerov

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Sergei Bobrovsky

Shuts Out Lightning In Game 2
Cam Fowler

Finishes Thursday's Win With Five Points
Robert Thomas

Posts Four Assists In Game 3 Win
Pavel Buchnevich

Celebrates Hat Trick During Four-Point Performance
Dylan DeMelo

Battling An Illness
Marcus Johansson

Exits Early Thursday
Aleksander Barkov

Hurt In Game 2
Jrue Holiday

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Jayson Tatum

Likely Out Again On Friday
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF