Sleepers and Value Plays: Quarterbacks

By The Huddle | August 28, 2013 12:00 am ET

Other Sleepers and Value Plays: Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends

You cannot, in my opinion, call anyone drafted to be a starter as a “sleeper”. To me a sleeper is a player taken as a backup who ends up worthy of being a starter or at least far outplays the draft slot where you selected him. Below are players ranked by the current Average Draft Position (ADP) as found on MyFantasyLeague.com considering all scoring systems as a general basis. I’m assuming a league of 12 teams where most would take two quarterbacks and start one.

Green Players are the values/sleepers I like while Red Players are the ones I do not value high enough to ever draft. If not red or green, the player is slotted pretty close to where I see him.

Average Draft positions taken from MyFantasyLeague.com using only real drafts conducted after August 25th

Starters – Value Plays

ADP	Team	Player	Analysis
1	GBP	Rodgers, Aaron	Always the
2	NOS	Brees, Drew	Three
3	DEN	Manning, Peyton	Amigos
4	NEP	Brady, Tom	Moved up recent weeks. Not what I would do but how can you bet against Tom?
5	CAR	Newton, Cam	Long as he runs he is this good. But not enamored with QB’s after #3 or before #12 really
6	ATL	Ryan, Matt	This is your pick when you want a name but don’t want to pay much. Average FF starer.
7	SFO	Kaepernick, Colin	Just don’t see this. Not bad by any means, but no way he has to throw this much.
8	DET	Stafford, Matthew	Always short on TDs but lock for tons of yards. Nice pick and has risen lately
9	IND	Luck, Andrew	I love this pick but he still gets taken a little early in most drafts for my tastes
10	WAS	Griffin III, Robert	I still don’t like his receivers and don’t think he will 120-815-7 again as a runner. I also prefer my starters to have worn a helmet in the preseason.
11	SEA	Wilson, Russell	Needs to run a lot to merit this but sort of the anti-Stafford. Plenty of TDs but not that many yards.
12	DAL	Romo, Tony	If healthy he always plays better than this. #2 WR and #3 TE in the entire NFL says better than 12th. Not like DAL rushing game looks dominating either.

After the Starters are taken, look for sleepers and avoid bad values for your backup

ADP	Team	Player	Analysis
13	NYG	Manning, Eli	Safe pick not much upside though. Soild backup.
14	PHI	Vick, Michael	To call him green is like getting caught at the club with some woman you said you would never date again. Okay, so this is the crazy chick equivalent, Yeah, I want to see him in Chip Kelly’s offense and so far doesn’t cost you a QB1 price.
15	CIN	Dalton, Andy	Rushing effort should be slightly better and defense too. Just don’t see Dalton any better than this.
16	PIT	Roethlisberger, Ben	I do not ever take a QB who has not lasted 16 games for the last four years. Okay, okay, except for crazy-chick-Vick. Ben never going to get beyond around here and will miss a few games probably when you wanted him.
17	CHI	Cutler, Jay	I like him. I do. I know it is Cutler but in a Trestman offense that should play more to his strengths without getting killed as often is a good thing. I am all over this pick this deep.
18	BAL	Flacco, Joe	Won the superbowl, lost his WR1 and TE1 but did not replace them. Just never make this pick.
19	HOU	Schaub, Matt	Yawn. Why would he throw any more this year?
20	STL	Bradford, Sam	Between Tavon Austin, Chris Givens and Jared Cook, I do like Bradford, I do. This deep? It may be love. I should stop now.
21	ARI	Palmer, Carson	I draft Palmer as my QB2 and I am ripping off my shirt and circling it over my head while I whoop like a Cowboy at the end of a cattledrive. I mean I do that only in my head, but it does happen inside my head. Who would you rather throw the ball to – Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd (both first round studs in the NFL draft). Or would you prefer undrafted Rod Streater and 5th rounder Denarius “I may catch it this time, maybe” Moore? I pick Fitz and Floyd. And I pick Palmer everytime I can get him as a QB2
22	TBB	Freeman, Josh	I think we all agree he is this good but maybe not that much better ever
23	SDC	Rivers, Philip	The only feel I get for the SD offense is the same one is have when I ask the waiter – “where did those oysters come from anyway?”
24	KCC	Smith, Alex	Noodle arm, pop gun. whatever. Any QB in a Andy Reid offense is worth owning and Smith is no different.

Undrafted – Best Value

Team	Player	Analysis
BUF	E.J. Manuel	I am impressed with Manuel. Not sure that means he is ever worth a start in 2013 but I would want to own him in a dynasty league. He may be back at the start of the season but at least keep an eye on him for the waiver wire.
CLE	Weeden, Brandon	You know CLE has to throw and Weeden was getting better. Decent FF backup to me.