Fantasy Football Sleepers: Late-Round Quarterbacks for Best Ball Drafts
Quarterbacks are typically a divisive topic when it comes to Best Ball drafts. Some will argue that you’re better off using a premium pick and solidifying the position early. Why sweat it when you can simply grab Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, or Josh Allen early?
Others will suggest that QB is a deep-enough position that there is really no need to waste a top pick on one. Using those premium picks on running backs, wide receivers, or tight ends and waiting to select a quarterback is a fantasy football strategy that can pay off in a big way.
Let’s take a look at three quarterbacks worth snagging later in Best Ball drafts that will allow you to build an otherwise deep roster at the skill positions.
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Fantasy Football Sleepers— Quarterbacks
Gardner Minshew, Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders were widely expected to address their quarterback situation this offseason following a disastrously disappointing 2023 campaign. Jimmy Garoppolo was benched at the beginning of November, and rookie Aidan O’Connell didn’t exactly light it up once he was given the chance to start down the stretch of the season.
However, Las Vegas didn’t use a single draft pick on a QB. They also declined to spend the big bucks required to land a Kirk Cousins or Baker Mayfield in free agency. Instead, the Raiders inked Gardner Minshew to a 2-year deal worth $25 million. Minshew spent most of last season starting for the Colts after Anthony Richardson went down with a season-ending shoulder injury.
We know what Minshew is at this point in his career. He’s unlikely to put up monster numbers, but he’s adequate back there. Across 17 games for Indy last season, the Washington State product topped 3,300 passing yards with 15 touchdowns to 9 interceptions. He was hardly a noteworthy week-to-week fantasy commodity, but he’ll be surrounded by quite a bit of talent now that he’s in Vegas.
Davante Adams is fresh off of a frustrating season, yet he still topped 100 catches and 1,100 receiving yards while finding the end zone 8 times. Even a “down” season for Adams puts him among the game’s most prolific receivers. Jakobi Meyers enjoyed a productive season of his own despite the Raiders’ shaky QB play, while the team used its 1st-round pick on Georgia standout tight end, Brock Bowers.
Stacking is a popular strategy in Best Ball. You can use one of your early-round picks on Adams, while you can get the rest of the Raiders stack fairly late. Bowers has a chance to be one of the game’s better pass-catching tight ends as a rookie, while Meyers and Minshew can likely be had with later-round selections.
Minshew isn’t a lock to beat out O’Connell for the Raiders’ QB1 job in training camp, but he has a chance to exceed ADP-related expectations if he does. Minshew has a good chance to start 10+ games, with upside for more.
J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
Quarterbacks flew off the board in the most recent NFL draft. After losing Kirk Cousins to free agency, the Vikings opted to move up to the #10 spot to grab McCarthy out of Michigan. McCarthy was one of the more divisive QB prospects in the class, but he could get the chance to start right away if he can beat out Sam Darnold in training camp.
McCarthy’s athleticism was one of the factors that made him a 1st-round prospect. He took some flak for serving as something resembling a game manager in a run-first Michigan offense, but he has the physical traits to succeed at the next level. McCarthy completed better than 72% of his throws and did a good job of protecting the football in his final season with the Wolverines.
Now that he’s in Minnesota, he’ll have a boatload of talent at his disposal. Justin Jefferson was the consensus #1 pick in drafts heading into the 2023 campaign, though he ultimately fell short of expectations as a result of some injuries. Fellow wideout Jordan Addison (911 receiving yards, 10 TDs) is fresh off of a terrific rookie season, while T.J. Hockenson is among the game’s best receiving tight ends.
The Vikings will also be returning all 5 starters to an offensive line that finished with the 3rd-best pass protection grade from Pro Football Focus a season ago. McCarthy is stepping into a very promising situation, yet he’s typically coming off the board between 24th and 30th among QBs alone in Best Ball drafts this spring.
Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young had a rookie season to forget. He completed less than 60% of his throws for 2,877 yards with just 11 touchdowns to 10 interceptions for a Panthers team that finished with the league’s worst record. Young threw multiple TD passes just twice across 16 games, while he topped 200 yards passing only 5 times.
Carolina sent Frank Reich packing after just 11 games. This offseason, the team hired ex-Buccaneers assistant Dave Canales. Canales has enjoyed success with QB projects in the past. He was the Seahawks’ quarterbacks coach in 2022 when Geno Smith enjoyed a breakout season. Last year, Canales was the OC for a Tampa Bay offense that exceeded expectations with Baker Mayfield at the helm.
It’s easy to forget, but Young was thought of as the no-brainer choice for the Panthers with the #1 overall pick before that calamitous rookie showing. In addition to hiring Canales, the Panthers have seemingly upgraded Young’s weaponry on offense.
Carolina signed veteran receiver Diontae Johnson, who will instantly give Young a much-needed security blanket in the passing attack. The team also added three high-end skill-position prospects via the draft in running back Jonathon Brooks, wide receiver Xavier Legette, and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders via the draft.
The number of young players in this offense could mean a steep learning curve for all involved, but there’s reason for optimism. At the very least, this is a team you can stack very easily without having to use premium picks.
Young’s stock is incredibly low, as his ADP is coming in around 29th among QBs in Best Ball drafts.
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