Fantasy football strategy is often given uniformly based on what draft pick you have and your league’s scoring settings. However, many sites fail to mention that the size of your league can also considerably change your draft strategy.
Most advice nowadays is centered around 12-team leagues. Today, we’ll break down how your strategy should change in larger leagues (14 teams or more). For our look at strategy on smaller leagues (10 teams or fewer), head here.
QUARTERBACK AND TIGHT END
The quarterback position in fantasy football has changed dramatically over the past decade. Go back 10 years, and the late-round QB strategy was making its way toward the mainstream when fantasy players realized there was minimal difference between the elite QBs and the low-end QB1s.
That’s not really the case anymore; with guys like Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson posting triple-digit fantasy scores on the ground, there is now a real gap between the best fantasy quarterbacks and the cheaper but still viable options. That said, the gap is smaller than it was 3-5 years ago, with QB2-caliber players experiencing a resurgence in recent seasons. This year’s group of QB2s has more rushing upside than a half-decade ago, with Jaxson Dart (8.5 rushing points per game last year), Malik Willis (6.0), and Kyler Murray (4.6) all providing serious ground production. Even options like Bo Nix (3.8) and Tyler Shough (3.3) provide non-negligible fantasy scoring with their legs, plus we’ve seen high-level pass efficiency power guys like Brock Purdy (QB2 last year on a per-game basis) and Matthew Stafford to high-end QB1 outcomes. This is all to say that the quarterback position is as interesting as ever: Allen and Jackson provide unmatched ceilings as elite dual-threat options, but the QB2 tier is better than it used to be.
In best ball, QB2-level players are going significantly earlier this season. Here’s the catch: You don’t need multiple QBs in redraft, as you do in best ball, and the gap between a low-end QB1 and a mid-range QB2 is quite small this year (projection-wise, only about 10 total points over the entire season). That means there’s really no rush to draft a top-10 QB at a high price tag when you can wait and nab someone in the QB13-16 range at a cheaper cost.
We've created the best Draft Kit on the internet.
Our fantasy football Draft Kit Pro was created to prepare you with the highest-quality resources to help you win your league.
Our team of analysts, led by Evan Silva and Adam Levitan, create unmatched content and rankings to make sure you’re ready for draft day. While our Draft Kit is built for competitive fantasy players, we’ve made it fun and easy to consume.
If you aren’t satisfied with our Draft Kit for any reason, just email us within 48 hours of purchase and we’ll provide a full refund.
Full Draft Kit Overview » Already a subscriber? Log In
