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

It's Time to Worry About Matthew Stafford

Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford has been a reliable fantasy football quarterback for years but things are starting to change. Richard King explains why Stafford shouldn't be viewed as a QB1 any longer and recommends some pivots for the rest of the season.

During draft season, Matthew Stafford was looked at as one of a handful of decent quarterbacks to select if you were waiting at the position. Stafford has long been viewed as being a consistent but unspectacular quarterback, but one that could get the job done. He had been instilled in the offense a number of years, and while there was a new coach in town he wouldn't try and change things too much.

However, at this point of the season, we know that isn't the case. Stafford has struggled this season, and this article is to try and give that some context, looking at the major factors as to why owners will continue to be disappointed by him.

We will also advise how Stafford owners should handle him for the rest of the season and who might be a viable replacement down the stretch.

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

 

Reasons to Doubt Stafford

Changing Backfield

One of the reasons why Stafford was always looked at as a reliable fantasy quarterback was that there had never been an effective running back in Detroit in recent years. The team was always a running back by committee with various players taking different roles from the backfield. Theo Riddick was the pass catcher and a combination of Ameer Abdullah, Dwayne Washington, and Zach Zenner were the backs who took the ball on first and second down.

However, that changed this season. The team drafted rookie Kerryon Johnson and signed LeGarrette Blount. Johnson was one of the most highly-rated running backs in the draft class able to catch the ball and be an effective runner it gave the team a reliable option in the backfield. That was evidenced in week 3 of this season where Johnson became the first running back for the Lions to rush for over 100 yards in what feels like forever but stretches back to before the 2013 season. Signing Blount, while not spectacular, meant the mentality of the team changed. Having a goal-line specialist on the team meant that they were going to take the ball out of their quarterback's hands and put it in their veteran running back.

Changing Receivers

Over the past few seasons, the Lions have had two main receivers- Golden Tate and Marvin Jones. The attack was relatively straightforward, Jones would run downfield while Tate would stay shallow and let his feet net his big gains. However, this season a new threat emerged and that is the impressive Kenny Golladay.

Golladay looked impressive in parts last season but has really taken a step forward this season. Golladay has already had more yards, receptions, and touchdowns than he did last year. Ultimately that is why the team determined that they could let Golden Tate go- and in doing so lose a large part of their offense overnight.

In the games that he has played since 2016 he has had a target share of over 20% in each season, and over 1,000 yards (except 2018, but he was on target to have over 1,000 yards still) that shows his importance to the team, and the fact that Stafford would look to him when under pressure. While Kenny Golladay has been impressive and will likely become a very effective NFL receiver he doesn't yet have the rapport with Stafford, and that has come to bear in the games since Tate has left town.

Tate's last game was against the Seattle Seahawks- and since then Stafford has amassed 16 sacks in two weeks! Even with the emergence of Golladay- Stafford looks as though he is feeling the pressure in the pocket and while time will tell if that trend continues in matchups against the Chicago Bears & Los Angeles Rams won't have Stafford breathing easy.

The Effectiveness of Quarterbacks

Last year quarterback scoring was low- looking at Pro Football Reference at scoring between 2017 and the current year shows the gap clearly, while pro-rating scoring isn't an exact science it is the easiest way to analyze scoring year to year.

In 2017 the top scoring quarterback was Russell Wilson, who scored 348 points. That would amount to being the 9th in the current season, while the Jared Goff as the QB12 scored 255 points, which would be 18th in the current season. With a lot of games still remaining there have been just under 10,500 passes attempted this season, amounting to a full season total of just under 23,000 there were just 17,283 attempts last season. The NFL has bounced back from the previous season seeing a return of teams using running backs to control the flow of the game and in some style.

We also have a new generation of talent both quarterbacks and play callers who have shown themselves to be aggressive scorers this season- Patrick Mahomes is a prime example of this, stepping in at the start of the season he has taken the Kansas City Chiefs to new heights this season.

Quarterbacks to Pivot

If you are a Stafford owner looking for options, fortunately, there are plenty out there.  Here are some players to target who are available in the majority of leagues:

Baker Mayfield - Since taking over the Browns offense, Mayfield has been a player who has been streamable. With two matchups against the Cincinnati Bengals coming up, he is a great addition. The offense in Cleveland is getting better each week under new OC Freddie Kitchens.

Lamar Jackson - If Joe Flacco is to miss more time, then Jackson is a great player to consider. His rushing ability gives him a really high floor, having rushed for 117 yards on his starting debut. The Ravens have one of the easier schedules for quarterback in the lead-up to the fantasy championship week, with matchups against the Oakland Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Tampa Bay Buccanneers.

Jameis Winston - This is the riskiest player to add, given the way the coaching staff has moved between Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick but whoever the quarterback is will need to throw the ball in order to try and win games, as their defense can't handle much. Winston may now be without tight end OJ Howard, but his relationship with Cameron Brate and a talented receiver corps should pay dividends going forward.

 

Conclusion

Overall, Stafford has performed on a par with where he has been in previous seasons. While Stafford came into the season looking like he would be surrounded by familiar settings, that isn't the case at the midpoint of the season. There has been a change of attacking philosophy with the running backs that are currently rostered, and with Tate leaving town and injuries at wideout, there is some uncertainty of how the offense will look going forward. All of that in a changing quarterback landscape amounts to one thing- the feeling of disappointment with Matthew Stafford.

More Risers and Fallers




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

Kevon Looney

Doubtful for Friday
Marcus Smart

Could Miss Another Game Friday
Shaedon Sharpe

Considered Probable for Friday
Guerschon Yabusele

Likely to Return Friday
Miles McBride

Returning to Knicks Lineup Friday
Dillon Brooks

Remains Unavailable Friday
Jalen Green

Still Out Friday
Bradley Beal

Ready to Return Friday
Sam Merrill

to Miss Friday's Game
Jakob Poeltl

to Miss Second Straight Game Friday
Cameron Johnson

Listed as Probable for Friday
Jamal Murray

in Danger of Missing Friday's Game
Andrew Nembhard

Unavailable Friday
Bennedict Mathurin

Remains Out Friday
Lamar Jackson

Won't Have Any Limitations on Thursday Night
Karl-Anthony Towns

Probable to Face Bulls
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Listed as Questionable for Friday
Jarrett Allen

Diagnosed With Broken Finger
Donovan Mitchell

Listed as Questionable for Friday
Jaylen Brown

Off the Injury Report
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Out on Thursday
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Upgraded to Available
Ilya Mikheyev

a Game-Time Call Thursday
Samuel Ersson

Lands on Injured Reserve
Alexander Romanov

Returns to Action Thursday
Roope Hintz

Still Out Thursday
George Springer

"Strong Possibility" That George Springer Returns in Game 6 of World Series
Matt Duchene

Remains Sidelined Thursday
Martin Necas

Inks Eight-Year Extension With Avalanche
Travis Hunter

Dealing With Knee Injury, Limited in Thursday's Practice
Mathew Barzal

Scratched on Thursday for Disciplinary Reasons
Nico Collins

Clears Concussion Protocol, Says he's "Ready to Play"
Bryce Miller

Not Expected to Need Elbow Surgery
Washington Nationals

Nationals Finalizing a Deal to Hire Blake Butera as Next Manager
Kyler Murray

Cardinals Preparing to Start Kyler Murray in Week 9
Nico Collins

Expected to Clear the Concussion Protocol
CFB

Arch Manning Listed as Questionable for Vanderbilt Matchup
CFB

Arion Carter Listed as Questionable Ahead of Oklahoma Matchup
Zach Werenski

Enjoys Second Consecutive Multi-Point Night
Charlie Coyle

Sets Up Four Goals Wednesday
John Tavares

Joins 500-Goal Club
Zach Hyman

Will Not Return This Week
Robert Thomas

Doubtful for Thursday
Brad Marchand

on Track to Return Saturday
Minnesota Twins

Twins Name Derek Shelton as Their New Manager
Samuel Ersson

Questionable for Thursday
Jordan Greenway

Set for Season Debut Thursday
Conor Garland

Ruled Out for Thursday
Quinn Hughes

to Remain Out Thursday
Logan Cooley

Signs $80 Million Deal With Mammoth
Erik Gudbranson

Remains Out Wednesday
William Nylander

Won't Play on Wednesday
Lamar Jackson

Removed From Injury Report, Will Return on Thursday
Tyler Shough

to Start at QB the Rest of the Season
Terry McLaurin

Re-Injures Quad, Out for Week 9
Brock Bowers

Practicing in Full, "Looking Great"
Myles Garrett

"No Chance" Myles Garrett Gets Traded
Rico Dowdle

to Become Panthers Featured Back in Week 9?
Aidan Hutchinson

Agrees to Four-Year Extension with Lions
Joe Flacco

Week 9 Status in Doubt With AC Joint Sprain
Cam Skattebo

Facing 4-6-Month Recovery Timetable
CFB

Jordyn Tyson Questionable for Iowa State Matchup with Hamstring Injury
Jake Oettinger

Collects First Shutout of the Season
Chuba Hubbard

Panthers Don't Want To Move Chuba Hubbard
George Springer

Not in the Lineup for Game 4 of World Series
Malik Nabers

Should be Ready for Start of Next Season
Lamar Jackson

Says he's "Ready to Go Now"
Isiah Pacheco

Week-to-Week With MCL Sprain
Tyler Shough

Named Saints' Starting Quarterback
Kareem Hunt

Scores Twice in Monday Night Win Over Washington
George Springer

Pulled Early in Game 3 With Side Injury
Terry McLaurin

Questionable to Return in Week 8 After Aggravating Quad Injury
Baltimore Orioles

Orioles Finalizing Deal to Hire Craig Albernaz as the Next Manager
William Byron

Dominates at Martinsville and Advances to the Championship Round
Kyle Larson

Advances to the Championship Round After Top-Five Finish
Ryan Blaney

Falls Short of the Victory and Title Contention at Martinsville
Chase Elliott

Eliminated From 2025 Title Contention Despite Strong Martinsville Run
CFB

Behren Morton Will Start Against Kansas State
CFB

Lane Kiffin Says Money Won't Impact his Decision-Making
CFB

Arch Manning in Concussion Protocol, Misses Practice Monday
Christopher Bell

Eliminated From Championship 4 After a Too Conservative Season
Joey Logano

Lack of Championship-Caliber Speed Leads to Elimination
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Last at Martinsville
Denny Hamlin

Don't Think Denny Hamlin's Engine Failure Affects his Championship Prospects
Ciryl Gane

Fight With Tom Aspinall Ends In No-Contest
Ciryl Gane

Tom Aspinall Vs. Ciryl Gane Ends in No-Contest
Virna Jandiroba

Suffers Unanimous-Decision Loss
Mackenzie Dern

Wins Vacant Strawweight Title
Mario Bautista

Gets Outclassed
Umar Nurmagomedov

Gets Back In The Win Column
Jailton Almeida

Drops Decision
Alexander Volkov

Wins Split Decision At UFC 321
Azamat Murzakanov

Remains Undefeated
Aleksandar Rakic

Suffers First-Round Knockout
Chris Buescher

Is Chris Buescher A Playable DFS option for Martinsville?
Ryan Preece

is an Intriguing DFS Option For Martinsville
Daniel Suarez

May be Worth Rostering in DFS for Martinsville
Austin Dillon

Is Austin Dillon Worth Rostering in DFS for Martinsville This week?
Christopher Bell

Kyle Larson Should Advance to Championship 4
Joey Logano

Don't Expect Joey Logano to Significantly Contend for Championship 4
William Byron

A DFS Must-Start Due to Lap-Leader Points
Ross Chastain

Hail Melon Nostalgia Masks Ross Chastain's Martinsville Mediocrity
Josh Berry

a Top Contender for DFS Place-Differential Points
Brad Keselowski

an Intriguing Martinsville Option
Shane Van Gisbergen

Now Competent on Ovals, but Don't Start Him Here
Kyle Busch

Qualifies Well but Probably Won't Have Staying Power
Carson Hocevar

Lack of Finesse Makes Him a Risky Martinsville Pick

RANKINGS

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