With 2-QB fantasy football drafts getting into the swing of things it can be hard for 2-QBers to find super sleepers at the quarterback position. The likes of Tyrod Taylor, Tim Tebow, and Austin Davis are already being targeted by those drafting in fantasy leagues that start more than one quarterback.
Being cognizant of the quarterback depth charts for each NFL franchise is a great way to be one step ahead of your opponents. You have to go beyond just knowing who the real-life QB2 is of a specific team, and need to immerse yourself deeper into the depths of the back-up quarterback underworld, where third and fourth string quarterbacks are found. OurLads is the top resource for depth chart information.
While there is no guarantee that a Jameill Showers, Cody Fajardo, or Trevor Siemian will be fantasy relevant in 2015, you can’t quite say for certain they won’t. According to FFToday stats, 67 quarterbacks last season scored at least two fantasy points. We’ve also seen over the past few seasons how former unknowns such as Matt McGloin, Scott Tolzien, and Case Keenum suddenly became fantasy relevant in 2-QB leagues.
In-season injuries and ineffective play will lead to opportunities at the quarterback position, and if you put in the time to research depth charts now you’ll be prepared to pounce on newly minted starting quarterbacks in your 2-QB league before your league-mates even scour the waiver wire.
Pre-season gives us a chance to get to know current back-ups and third-stringers, and we already have one causality at the position in Geno Smith that has upended one team’s depth chart.
In a bizarre locker room brawl involving wizards, pinball machines, and peanut butter cookies (maybe? details are fuzzy) Geno Smith suffered a broken jaw that will sideline him for at least the next 6-10 weeks. Ryan Fitzpatrick will be taking over the quarterbacking reigns for the Jets, but it’s quite likely he’s a name already on your radar.
There have been numerous offseason articles preparing you for the potential of a Ryan Fitzpatrick-Chain Gailey reunion in New York, so I won’t delve too much into the Amish Rifle’s newfound starting job and it’s fantasy impact. This article from PFF Fantasy Scribe Patrick Thorman is a good place to start.
One name I do want to focus on is someone who isn’t even on the Jets’ roster, but is a name you will want to keep in your back pocket for draft day, just in case the Jets sign him. That man? Jared Lorenzen.
The Hefty Lefty. The Pillsbury Throwboy. Use whatever nickname you want, but if the former Super Bowl winning quarterback finds his way onto the Jets’ roster there’s a good possibility he might find himself on your 2-QB roster.
Umm @nyjets just saying I already look great in green. #ComingbacktoNYC #ThrowboyTees pic.twitter.com/upoPxJx3NU
— jared lorenzen (@JaredLorenzen22) August 11, 2015
In his four career appearances for the New York Giants in 2006 and 2007, Lorenzen sported a 50% completion rate, throwing for 28 yards. He also tacked on four rushing yards. Those numbers would have put him right in that QB68 range last year.
For a quarterback currently without an ADP you could do worse. Tyrod Taylor, who might be the starting quarterback for the Buffalo Bills this year, and a trendy name in 2-QB circles, scored -0.3 fantasy points last year. Lorenzen’s career numbers show he would have been on pace to outscore Taylor last season, and would cost less than the Bills’ signal caller in 2-QB drafts. As an example, Taylor went in the 11th round of an in-progress redraft 2-QB best ball league; Lorenzen has yet to be drafted.
Lorenzen was a prolific college quarterback, throwing 10,354 yards in his career, with a 78:41 passing touchdown to interception ratio, and an adjusted passing yards per attempt mark of 6.7. He also added 12 career rushing touchdowns.
While the former Kentucky Mr. Football hasn’t stepped foot on a National Football League field in nearly a decade he showed during his Continental Indoor Football League stint with the Northern Kentucky River Monsters that he can still throw the football. And is nimble on his feet.
https://vine.co/v/MaaQAJE2m69
The 6’4″, 320-pounder (according to this ESPN article) would also be an intriguing red zone and two-point specialist, marking an opportunity at some cheap #KonamiCode fantasy points.
With Bryce Petty and Jake Heaps the only quarterbacks listed on the Jets’ depth chart after Ryan Fitzpatrick it’s not out of the question to see Lorenzen leapfrog both of them if signed by New York.
https://vine.co/v/OlpdKUiz5VO
We’ve already seen one injury shake-up the Jets’ depth chart this offseason. If Fitzpatrick were to get injured or play poorly we could see Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall catch passes from the Pillsbury Throwboy. 2-QBers need to be prepared now for such a possibility.
*Stats used in this article courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference, College-Football-Reference, and FFToday
**Sign this Change.org petition if you think the New York Jets should sign Jared Lorenzen.
