When I first started playing fantasy football, one of the hardest things to do was find talent after the first couple of rounds. Fantasy football opened me up to more of the NFL aside from just the Dallas Cowboys and with each year that I played, the knowledge of players from across multiple leagues grew.
Still, it’s not always easy to find talent later in the draft. Some players don’t have the time or patience to check every variable to get those guys that may lend to the kind of strategy they want to use.
That’s one of the reasons why I like writing fantasy football articles. I got you guys covered because I’ve got the time. Some draft strategies lend to waiting on fantasy quarterbacks in the later rounds so that you can stack up on better talent at more shallow positions or grab high-end skill players with your earlier picks.
If you’re using this type of strategy, you will need to know what to expect later on in the draft as to who may still be on the board. Always remember that with any strategy, you have to remain fluid and flexible. If there’s a quarterback you feel like you just can’t pass on, take them. But if you’re going to tough it out and wait, here are some guys that you should target in the later rounds of the draft at QB.
Carson Wentz, IND
Right now, Carson Wentz is one of my favorite players to target if I decided to draft a QB late – or to have as my QB2. To start, Carson is no longer an Eagle (yay!) and finds himself reunited with former Eagles offensive coordinator turned head coach, Frank Reich.
You know, the guy Carson Wentz had his career year in Philly back in 2017? Yeah, that guy. Wentz is also on a better-built team with weapons across the board; especially if they give my guy Mo Alie-Cox a spin at the starting TE spot. Wentz now also has a better offensive line than he did in Philly.
Why am I high on the connection that Reich and Wentz share? Because Frank Reich seems to know what he’s doing with his quarterbacks. For example, Philip Rivers‘ deep ball with the Chargers was awful. He completed just 30.7% of his deep ball passes in 2019. Coming to the Colts, that jumped to 45.1% completion in the same stat just a year later. Wentz had a similar problem, as his deep ball completion percentage was just 31.6% in 2020. While this is just one example, it shows that Reich has a system that can improve QB play.
Current ADP – 12.03
Matt Ryan, ATL
The vibe on Matt Ryan right now, at least to me, is that people are overlooking him thinking that he’s done. While I get the premise, I think it couldn’t be further from the truth. The 2020 season was rough for quite a few teams, but I think Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense is better than most will want to give credit. The Falcons defense… is a different story. Let’s stick to Matt Ryan.
Matt Ryan managed to finish as the QB12 for the 2020 season and has been Top-15 QB or better over the last four seasons. Not only that, Ryan has managed to throw 4k yards every year over the same span. The Falcons passing game is one of the more voluminous aerial attacks in the league. Ryan has also thrown for over 600 attempts in the last three seasons. Now with new TE Kyle Pitts and a healthy Julio Jones returning, Ryan is one of the better later-round QBs to target.
Current ADP – 9.12
Baker Mayfield, CLE
I know this might be the sexiest name on my list but it may not be the worst name either. Baker Mayfield was able to bounce back from a horrible 2019 season under new head coach Kevin Stefanski. With a tough o-line and one of the best running back tandems in the league, Baker Mayfield was able to finish the QB17.
Again, that may not be the flashiest of finishes; but that turned out to be just over 4,500 yards passing, a 26:8 TD/INT ratio, as well as averaging a healthy 7.3 yards per attempt, and 15.5 fantasy points per game average.
Baker Mayfield may be the QB you want on your team for the bye week or in a Superflex league as your QB2, but I believe there’s a strong chance for Mayfield to make the jump to the next level. Baker also has a lot of money riding on this season as the Cleveland Browns have picked up his 5th-year option. Mayfield should be highly motivated to put up bigger numbers to secure the bag on a long-term deal.
Current ADP – 11.07
Matthew Stafford, LAR
Matthew Stafford might be one of the more obvious names on the list and for good reason. The Rams offense is just that good. The only thing it may have needed is an upgrade at the quarterback position – and they did that acquiring Stafford.
The Rams ranked 11th in total offensive yardage in 2020, and that number may be able to substantially increase with Stafford under center. Stafford will now be able to throw to Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, both of which should see a boost in fantasy football value for the 2021 season.
On top of that, the run game post-Todd Gurley looks promising with young running back Cam Akers looking to tighten his grip on the lead job with Darrell Henderson likely to come in and taking on passing down duties; another two players that should see increased fantasy football value this season.
Stafford’s numbers are too long to list, but combining him with one of the best head coaches in the regular season and one of the better offenses in the league should bode well for the former Detriot Lion.
Current ADP – 8.11
Kirk Cousins, MIN
I have to admit, I think it’s time to put some “RESPECK” on Kirk Cousins name. He’s been one of the more efficient QBs in the league the last few seasons. Even though he’s had some head scratching moments with the Vikings offense, Cousins was able to finish as a Top-12 quarterback in 2020.
Throwing for 35 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while averaging 19 fantasy football points per game is pretty solid. Not to mention he averaged 8.3 yards per attempt which ranked 3rd among Quarterbacks according to Playerprofiler.com.
Adam Thielen still has a nose for the end-zone and new wide receiver Justin Jefferson is hot off a career rookie season cracking 1,400 receiving yards in 2020. Irv Smith is also on the rise and who can forget about Dalvin Cook. To say the least, Cousins has weapons and opportunity to make things happen. Again, he might not be the sexiest name in the draft but he’s more than earned some attention based on his performance.
Current ADP – 11.06
