[brid video=”1063244″ player=”10951″ title=”RZBL%20FB%202022%20FFF%20QB” duration=”148″ description=”Fantasy Football FFF for Quarterbacks 2022FAVE: Kyler Murray 00:22FLIER: Tua Tagovailoa. 00:58FADE: Aaron Rodgers 01:49″ uploaddate=”2022-07-28″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/snapshot/1063244_th_1658991721.jpg” contentUrl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/sd/1063244.mp4″ width=”480″ height=”270″]
Every year we get burned by fantasy football players we expect to produce for us at a high level. Whether it be from injury, COVID list inactives, suspensions or simply underperforming and losing playing time, it’s important we review each season from a bird’s eye view in addition to our granular approach. Some players just flat out bust. Others don’t return our expectations, but have given us seasons worth of production we can revert back to in hopes of last year’s underwhelming performances being an outlier.
Listed in this article are my Top 5 quarterbacks I’m willing to take a chance on again in 2022 even after a disappointing 2021. You might consider these players “bounce back” candidates.
Tua Tagovailoa (MIA): Tua has underwhelmed in fantasy so far finishing as QB34 and QB23 playing in just 23 of a possible 33 games, but the Dolphins are doing their best to give him a chance to succeed. Miami traded for All-Pro WR Tyreek Hill, have Jaylen Waddle in year two and paid Mike Gesicki this off-season. Add in new HC and play-caller Mike McDaniel from the 49ers and you’ve got a revamp for Tua and the Dolphins. While this seems like a massive upgrade (and it most likely is), Jimmy Garappolo’s aDOT was 29th, 39th and 35th under Kyle Shanahan and McDaniel in San Francisco. The Dolphins have speed, but expect underneath throws and YAC. According to Pro Football Focus, Tua ranked 31st in intermediate throws in 2021. Hill and Waddle can turn a five-yard slant into a 70-yard TD, but don’t expect air-raid offense. I like Tua as a QB2 or QB3 in Super Flex, but he’s a streamer at best in single QB leagues. The Dolphins open up against the Patriots, Ravens and Bills. No thanks.
Matt Ryan (IND): Ryan had a rough season in Atlanta last year, but it wasn’t his fault. Calvin Ridley played five games, Julio Jones was in Tennessee and as well as Russell Gage finished the season, he’s not a true WR1. Plus the Falcons had arguably the worst offensive line in the NFL. Ryan still finished QB20. Over the last five seasons Ryan has quietly finished QB2, QB15, QB3, QB9 and QB13. Ryan failed to throw for 4,000 yards for the first time since 2010 and didn’t throw 25+ touchdowns for just the third time since 2009. If you bump him to 4,000 passing yards and give him 25 touchdowns last season, he goes from QB20 to QB14. Michael Pittman is set to breakout and having defenses focused on Jonathan Taylor will only help play-action for Ryan which the Colts run the 5th most in the league. Ryan was 12th in the NFL from a clean pocket last season behind the NFL’s 28th ranked offensive line. Now, he’s behind the 10th best offensive line. Late round upside.
Jameis Winston (NO): Winston only played seven games in 2021 and four in 2020. However, the Saints retained him and have Michael Thomas coming back, added Jarvis Landry, drafted Chris Olave and still have the dynamic Alvin Kamara (pending suspension). We know what Winston can do, it’s just a matter of the Saints letting him chuck it. He finished QB4 in 2019. If he finishes as QB12 as the 20th QB drafted currently, that’s a late round steal and excellent QB2 or QB3 in Superflex.
Trevor Lawrence (JAC): Lawrence had what felt like a horrendous rookie season… and it was, but like Matt Ryan, little was his own doing. The Urban Meyer experiment was a disaster and Lawrence’s college teammate Travis Etienne going down didn’t help either. Still though, Lawrence was somehow QB23. He had the same amount of expected fantasy points per game as Joe Burrow with 17.1. That would have been good for QB14. Unfortunately, he did not achieve those expectations. The Jaguars brought in Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Evan Engram. They still have Marvin Jones and Laviska Shenault. James Robinson is coming off of injury, but he impressed as a rookie. These aren’t elite weapons, but it’s a much better core than Lawrence had last season. Jacksonville also brought in pass-happy HC Doug Pederson. In five seasons in Philadelphia, Pederson’s Eagles were top-10 in pass attempts four times. If you think Lawrence is better than Carson Wentz and Nick Foles, his QB18 price tag might be value. I think it is.
Daniel Jones (NYG): Jones is not a good passer, but thanks to his rushing ability he doesn’t have to be. He was QB6 at the time of his injury last season and he didn’t play a single game with all of his weapons and Saquon Barkley healthy. Barkley looks great so far in training camp and you’d have to think the receiving corps will stay healthy for a few games together, right? Add in former Bills OC Brian Daboll who helped Josh Allen go from an NFL “bust” as a rookie and QB25 in fantasy to QB6 in his second year under Daboll. If Jones is a “poor man’s Josh Allen”, he could be a late round steal at QB25 off the board. There’s little risk and much upside if you’re streaming QBs.
Honorable mention:
Deshaun Watson (CLE): I know. If he does actually play though, we know he has Top 5 upside. He may be held back in the Browns’ offense which has ranked bottom 10 in pass attempts each season under HC Kevin Stefanski, but Watson’s play-making ability and rushing upside gives him Top 10 upside immediately. Add in Amari Cooper, a top five running game and you’ve got a potential league winner. I obviously don’t condone what he may have done off the field, but if he does play, he’s worth a pick and you’ll never get better value on him than you will this season. If morally you fade these types of players, I 100% understand and have your back.
