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
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

Quarterbacks To Avoid in Drafts?

In the last week without regular-season football for the rest of this year, many fantasy managers will be conducting their fantasy drafts. Zeroing in on your strategy is essential for fantasy success but don't hesitate to zig when others zag.

Fantasy managers need to be flexible and adapt in their drafts. Every draft has its own life.

I recently discussed tight ends to avoid in your draft. I tackle quarterback, the most crucial position in football, in my next installment of players to avoid in your fantasy drafts.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:

 

Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger had a solid 2020 season, throwing for 3,803 yards, 33 touchdowns, and only 10 interceptions. Roethlisberger finished as the QB14 last season. However, there are question marks surrounding him as we head into this season.

His surgically repaired right elbow led to concerning results. His 6.3 yards per attempt ranked 32nd last season and marked the lowest average of his career. He also finished 23rd among all quarterbacks with 6.5 adjusted air yards per attempt. His long ball struggles became more evident towards the end of the season.

The offensive line is a huge question mark. With three new starters on a line that was already ranked as one of the worst in the league, fantasy managers have to be concerned with the 39-year-old Roethlisberger breaking down.

The Steelers' offense will have a new look this season.  Matt Canada is the new offensive coordinator after spending one season as the team's quarterback coach.

Matt Canada should make improving the league's worst running attack his priority. The Steelers invested in their running game by drafting Alabama running back Najee Harris with the 24th pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. The commitment to the running game will assist Big Ben, hopefully having fewer than 600 passing attempts like he toppled last season.

Fewer passing attempts for the Steelers will allow Big Ben a better opportunity to stay healthy and less reliance on his surgically repaired right elbow. He has a potent group of wide receivers but this will limit their fantasy impact with fewer opportunities.

2021 Fantasy Outlook

Big Ben required mass volume to achieve his ranking last season. He is not getting 600+ passing attempts this season which will also coincide with touchdown regression. The Steelers' defense lost valuable pieces and will not be not as potent as years past. Look for the Steelers to be a more run-heavy team and not lead the league in team pass plays per game this season.

A suspect offensive line and a focus on the running game with electrifying rookie Najee Harris should lead to less passing volume. Combine that with his potential of being a turnover machine, the Steelers will rely on the legs of Najee Harris, not the arm of Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger will limit his fantasy success this season as a bye-week fill-in or streamer option, therefore making him a quarterback I am avoiding in my fantasy drafts.

 

Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

Matt Ryan has averaged 290 yards per game in his last two seasons with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and finished as the 12th quarterback in fantasy scoring last season. Ryan reached those stats by leading the league in pass attempts and completions but still was just a borderline QB1 for fantasy managers.

The Falcons offense will look a lot different this season with new head coach Arthur Smith running the offense and swapping all-world wide receiver Julio Jones with their fourth overall pick, tight end Kyle Pitts.

Arthur Smith made NFL fans forget that Ryan Tannehill failed with the Miami Dolphins by raising his game to average the seventh-most fantasy points per game among quarterbacks. Of course, Smith and Tannehill had Derrick Henry to help move the chains to the point of leading the league in rushing.

Smith is a run-first offensive mind, but can he accomplish that in Atlanta? Mike Davis is serviceable, but he is not a game-changer like Derrick Henry. However, his addition will lead to a more balanced offense which should hinder any chance of Ryan leading the league in passing attempts this season. In addition, the Falcons need to keep Ryan upright. Ryan has been sacked 91 times over the last two seasons. Furthermore, they will have two new starters on the offensive line that should raise red flags for Ryan and the Falcons' offense.

The arrival of Pitts should help soften the blow of losing Julio Jones. However, Ryan still has Calvin Ridley, who finished as the WR4 and was the seventh-most targeted wide receiver last season. Ryan will look for Ridley, even more this season with the lack of weapons in the Falcons offense.

2021 Fantasy Outlook

Matt Ryan is a serviceable fantasy quarterback but don't expect much more out of the inconsistent quarterback. He had one or fewer touchdowns passed in eight games last season. He also produced five 300+ yard games but still finished outside of the top 12 quarterbacks nine times last season.

Ryan carries no rushing upside, averaging only a career of 3.1 yards per game. His lack of mobility forces Ryan to achieve enormous passing numbers to reach QB1, which is unlikely in this new Falcons offense.

Ryan is the poster child for best-ball formats. He will have a few boom weeks where he will win weeks for fantasy managers. However, good luck figuring out those weeks!

A new offense with a new head coach, a rebuilt offensive line, and relying on a first-year tight end is not a recipe for fantasy success for Matt Ryan. I don't see any overall improvement for Ryan in 2021. This boom or bust quarterback is not someone I want as my starting quarterback in my fantasy lineups.

 

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

Tagovaila had a terrific college career, leading Alabama to the 2018 National Championship and the 2019 title game. Everyone remembers him being injured in late 2019 when he suffered a dislocated and fractured hip, a broken nose, and a concussion.

Tagovailoa went fifth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins to be their franchise quarterback with his injury concerns.

Tua Tagovailoa struggled in his rookie campaign, passing 1,814 yards with 11 touchdowns in 10 games. Tua didn't see action until week six and was then awarded the starting job in Week 7. However, his underwhelming numbers led him to be benched twice for Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Tagovailoa ranked 30th in QBR and 29th in completion percentage. He was 36th in Air Yards per attempt while ranking 37th in fantasy points per dropback which exemplifies his conservative passing style. NFL defenses exposed his tendency to make the short or intermediate pass and refusing to make throws because no one is wide open.

The lack of elite weapons along with a weak offensive line hampered Tagovailoa in becoming an effective quarterback. The Dolphins had zero players surpass the 800-yard mark in receiving

2021 Fantasy Outlook

Tua will look to improve his play in his second season as the Dolphins' signal-caller. He will have offensive upgrades and more weapons this season. The Dolphins went out and obtained best-ball favorite Will Fuller from the Houston Texans. There will also be a reunion in Miami with Tagovalioa's former Alabama teammate, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle drafted in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Tagovailoa will be drafted outside the top-12 at quarterback, so fantasy managers are looking for him primarily in two-quarterback leagues. I am avoiding Tagovailoa regardless of price. There seems to be a ton riding on his potential upside. Unfortunately, his weapons upgrade won't make the necessary fantasy impact because he doesn't pass enough, ranking 32nd in pass attempts.

His lack of rushing yards diminishes his opportunities to be a top fantasy quarterback. He only rushed for 109 yards last season, and if a quarterback doesn't run the ball, he has no shot of being my fantasy quarterback.

He is being drafted around round 13, and I still think he is overvalued fantasy asset. Please give me the upside of Jameis Winston and Trey Lance or the consistency of Derek Carr over Tagovailoa.

The Dolphins were heavily involved in talks to trade for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. I am not convinced that the Dolphins front office is sold on Tua, and neither should fantasy managers.



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
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Yves Missi21 mins ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
CJ McCollum33 mins ago

Not Likely To Play Friday
Alexander Mattison45 mins ago

Zamir White Miss Practice Again
Brandon Ingram53 mins ago

Questionable For Friday
Shohei Ohtani1 hour ago

Named National League MVP In 2024
Aaron Judge1 hour ago

Wins American League MVP Award
Ja'Kobe Walter1 hour ago

Ready To Go Thursday
Donte DiVincenzo1 hour ago

Available Thursday
Mike Conley1 hour ago

Will Not Play Thursday
Jordan Clarkson2 hours ago

Sits Out Thursday's Game
Ausar Thompson2 hours ago

Won't Play On Thursday
Zach Collins2 hours ago

Cleared To Play Thursday
Domantas Sabonis2 hours ago

Gets Through Full Practice
Chris Paul2 hours ago

Good To Go Thursday
Brock Purdy2 hours ago

Limited Again On Thursday
Malik Monk2 hours ago

Making Progress
George Kittle2 hours ago

Limited Again On Thursday
Tre Mann2 hours ago

Good To Go On Thursday
Miles Bridges2 hours ago

Won't Play On Thursday
Vince Williams Jr.2 hours ago

Out At Least A Month
Scottie Barnes2 hours ago

Returning On Thursday
Alex Ovechkin2 hours ago

To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Fractured Fibula
Paul George3 hours ago

Out At Least Two Games
Aaron Gordon3 hours ago

Availability In Question For Friday
Zach Hyman3 hours ago

Expected To Miss 4-7 Days
Kent Johnson3 hours ago

Back For Blue Jackets Thursday
Dorian Finney-Smith3 hours ago

Uncertain To Face The Sixers
Yaroslav Askarov3 hours ago

Makes Sharks Debut Thursday
Jalen Hurts3 hours ago

Practices In Full On Thursday
Nicolas Claxton3 hours ago

Questionable Versus Philly
Nikola Jokic3 hours ago

Absent From Practice On Thursday
Mikael Granlund3 hours ago

Good To Go Thursday
Alexandar Georgiev3 hours ago

Returns To Action Versus Capitals
TB3 hours ago

Nicholas Paul Will Miss Thursday's Game
Frederik Andersen3 hours ago

To Miss 8-12 Weeks
Jake Ferguson3 hours ago

Still Not Practicing
Sam LaPorta4 hours ago

Looking Good For A Week 12 Return
Sam Darnold4 hours ago

Upgrades To Full Participation, On Track To Play
Isiah Pacheco4 hours ago

Remains Limited On Thursday
D'Andre Swift4 hours ago

Upgrades To Limited Participant On Thursday
CeeDee Lamb4 hours ago

Sidelined During Thursday's Practice
Ladd McConkey4 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Thursday
Mike Evans4 hours ago

Logs Full Practice On Thursday
DeVonta Smith5 hours ago

Misses Another Practice
Cody Bellinger6 hours ago

Cubs Looking To Trade Cody Bellinger?
Brandin Cooks6 hours ago

Preparing To Play In Week 12
CeeDee Lamb6 hours ago

Not Seen At Thursday's Practice
7 hours ago

Blake Snell Has Met With Red Sox, Dodgers
Aaron Rodgers7 hours ago

Jets Owner Suggested Benching Aaron Rodgers
Mike Evans9 hours ago

Practicing Again On Thursday
Chandler Stephenson10 hours ago

Registers Three Assists Versus Predators
Jason Robertson10 hours ago

Totals Three Points In Wednesday's Win
Nils Lundkvist10 hours ago

Exits Early With A Lower-Body Injury
Matthew Knies10 hours ago

Sustains An Upper-Body Injury
Mikael Granlund10 hours ago

Exits Late With Injury Wednesday
Patrik Laine10 hours ago

Returns To Practice
Chris Sale21 hours ago

Wins National League Cy Young Award
Tarik Skubal22 hours ago

Wins 2024 American League Cy Young Award
Austin Eckroat23 hours ago

Heads To The RSM Classic After Win
Harris English23 hours ago

Finding Form Heading To The RSM Classic
Ben Griffin23 hours ago

Continues Playing Well Heading To The RSM Classic
Denny McCarthy23 hours ago

Returns to The RSM Classic
Josh Jacobs1 day ago

Limited With Multiple Injuries
DeVonta Smith1 day ago

Misses Practice On Wednesday
Seth Jones1 day ago

Expected To Miss Four Weeks
Sam Darnold1 day ago

Limited With Foot Injury
Max Domi1 day ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Jalen Hurts1 day ago

Limited On Wednesday
Connor Ingram1 day ago

Out Day-To-Day With An Upper-Body Injury
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen1 day ago

Returns To Action Versus Kings
Alex Tuch1 day ago

Available Wednesday
Tage Thompson1 day ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Jordan Eberle1 day ago

To Remain Out On Wednesday
Ludvig Aberg1 day ago

Looks To Defend RSM Classic Title
Si Woo Kim1 day ago

An Intriguing Option At RSM Classic
Maverick McNealy1 day ago

In Solid Form Ahead Of RSM Classic
Eric Cole1 day ago

Chasing First Tour Victory At RSM Classic
2 days ago

Guardians' Stephen Vogt Named AL Manager Of The Year
Milwaukee Brewers2 days ago

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager Of The Year
2 days ago

Nick Pivetta Declines Boston's Qualifying Offer
Jose Siri2 days ago

Mets Acquire Jose Siri From The Rays
2 days ago

Phillies To Meet With Juan Soto
2 days ago

Luis Severino Rejects Qualifying Offer From Mets
2 days ago

Willy Adames Declines Brewers Qualifying Offer
2 days ago

Teoscar Hernandez Declines Qualifying Offer From Dodgers
2 days ago

Juan Soto Declines Yankees' Qualifying Offer
Luis Gil3 days ago

Wins AL Rookie Of The Year Award
Paul Skenes3 days ago

Named 2024 NL Rookie Of The Year
Brady Singer3 days ago

Reds, Royals Discussing Jonathan India, Brady Singer
3 days ago

Sean Manaea To Reject Mets' Qualifying Offer
3 days ago

Braves Have Interest In Walker Buehler
3 days ago

Astros Interested In Willy Adames
Charles Oliveira3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Chandler3 days ago

Gets Dominated At UFC 309
Karine Silva3 days ago

Suffers Her First UFC Loss
Viviane Araujo3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Mauricio Ruffy3 days ago

Extends His Win Streak To Six
James Llontop4 days ago

Loses Clear-Cut Decision In Thrilling Fight At UFC 309
Paul Craig4 days ago

Loses Decision At UFC 309
Bo Nickal4 days ago

Remains Undefeated With Lackluster Performance At UFC 309
Stipe Miocic4 days ago

Retires After UFC 309 Loss
Jon Jones4 days ago

Gets TKO Win At UFC 309 To Defend Heavyweight Title

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Najee Harris - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Week 12 Predictions: Picks and Analysis for Every Game Including Thursday Night Football

After some high-octane matchups over the last couple of Thursday nights, Week 12 kicks off in a more old-school fashion with a classic rivalry game between the Steelers and Browns. There are some fun matchups on this Week 12 slate, however, "Bye-Mageddon" certainly does take a little of the sizzle away, as six teams will […]


TJ Watt - IDP, Pittsburgh Steelers, DST, Defense, Fantasy Football Def

Week 12 Fantasy Football Team Defense Rankings: Steelers D/ST, Chiefs D/ST, Vikings D/ST, Eagles D/ST, Commanders D/ST, Texans D/ST, Broncos D/ST

Fantasy football defenses are largely matchup-dependent, so many fantasy managers opt to stream a different defense each week. If you're in that boat, use our Week 12 fantasy football defense (D/ST) rankings for 2024 to find the top available option. There are just three weeks of the fantasy football regular season left, so it's never […]


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

Steelers vs. Browns TNF Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Jameis Winston, Nick Chubb, David Njoku, Jerry Jeudy, Russell Wilson, Najee Harris, George Pickens

The Week 12 TNF game between two bitter AFC North rivals (Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers) is not likely to end up like the Thursday night game from two weeks ago when two different AFC North teams (Bengals and Ravens) battled to a 35-34 shootout. Somewhere deep in the charter of the Pittsburgh Steelers, I […]


DJ Moore - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 12 - Thursday Updates for Deebo Samuel, D.J. Moore, Jerry Jeudy, Jonathon Brooks, Jauan Jennings, Tank Dell

Many fantasy managers are in must-win situations down the stretch, so it's never been more important to ace your start-or-sit calls. Our Week 12 TNF fantasy football overall rankings for 2024 are here to help. Ahead of the critical Week 12 slate of action, let's find out where players on the start-sit bubble such as […]


Calvin Ridley - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football FLEX Rankings (RB, WR, TE) - Week 12 Thursday Updates for Chuba Hubbard, Calvin Ridley, Cedric Tillman, Jonnu Smith, Austin Ekeler

It's always tough to compare two flex options at different positions, but bye weeks and key injuries have made those start-sit decisions even tougher. We're here to help guide you with your lineup calls with our Week 12 TNF fantasy football FLEX rankings for 2024. Navigate the rankings below to find out where top flex […]


Tua Tagovailoa - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football Superflex 2QB Rankings for Week 12 - Thursday Updates for Tua Tagovailoa, Bo Nix, Russell Wilson, Austin Ekeler, Jayden Reed

Time is running out to collect "Ws" before the fantasy football playoffs begin, and if you need assistance, our Week 12 fantasy football Superflex rankings (2QB) for fantasy football can assist your start-or-sit efforts. Let's get to it! To begin Week 12 preparation, let's dig into the rankings to find out where key Superflex options […]


Bucky Irving - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Running Back Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday RB Updates for Jonathon Brooks, J.K. Dobbins, Bucky Irving, Najee Harris, Kareem Hunt

We're onto Week 12 of the NFL campaign, which can only mean the fantasy football playoffs are just ahead. Whether you're at the top of your league standings, fighting for a playoff spot, or are just trying to play spoiler, our Week 12 TNF fantasy football running back rankings for 2024 are here to help you […]


Cedric Tillman - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

TNF Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday WR Updates for Cedric Tillman, Jauan Jennings, Josh Downs, Jerry Jeudy, DJ Moore

At the wide receiver spot especially, bye weeks and injuries are major factors in Week 12. If you don't have an excess of must-start WRs and need help identifying the top available options, we're here to help with our Week 12 TNF fantasy football wide receiver rankings for 2024. Let's dive in below to see […]


Jonnu Smith - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Tight End Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday TE Updates for George Kittle, David Njoku, Will Dissly, Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry

In most leagues, only three weeks of the fantasy football regular season remain. If you desperately need a win to clinch a first-round bye or quality for the playoffs, use our Week 12 TNF fantasy football tight end rankings to help you with tough start-or-sit calls at the challenging TE spot. Ahead of the critical Week […]


Tommy DeVito- Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Not All Heroes...Play On Good Teams - Giants, Patriots, and Cowboys Fantasy Football Outlooks

It's well-known at this point that good offenses can help their players light up the scoreboards in fantasy football leagues. The mantra "trust in good players on good offenses" rings true, and some of the best seasons in fantasy football history have been aided by things like good playcalling and a good supporting cast. The […]


Baker Mayfield - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

TNF Quarterback Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday QB Updates for Anthony Richardson, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Bo Nix, C.J. Stroud

It's a critical week for fantasy football, as the playoffs are just around the corner. If you need help to nail your optimal lineups this week, our Week 12 TNF fantasy football quarterback rankings for 2024 are here to assist. Ahead of the all-important Week 12 slate, let's navigate the rankings below and find out […]


Jaylen Waddle - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Jaylen Waddle Fantasy Football Outlook - What's Wrong With Waddle?

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was widely pushed as a potential league-winner in fantasy football in 2024 due to a variety of factors. The explosiveness and big-play ability of the Dolphins offense, the good play of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and his talent were a few of them. It's not worked out that way. It's […]


Isiah Pacheco - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Running Backs

Fantasy Football Injury Reports: Week 12 Updates for Isiah Pacheco, Tyreek Hill, Mike Evans, Jalen Hurts, CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Hurts, George Kittle, Calvin Ridley, more

Week 12 of the NFL's 2024 slate is coming up, and as the fantasy football playoffs draw closer, it's becoming more important than ever to stay ahead of injury news for key players. Leaving a hurt player in your lineup can result in disaster. The author of this article missed out on the fantasy playoffs […]