Tag Archives: Quarterback

Fantasy DC Blitz Podcast – 6/24/10

Leave a reply

Bryan Fontaine and Mike Clay talk NFL News and Notes, Quarterback rankings and draft strategy.

Click here for the podcast link.

News Discussed:

  • Panthers WR Steve Smith breaks arm playing flag football
  • Rams sign veteran safety O.J. Atogwe to multi-year deal
  • Carroll says RB Leon Washington primed for camp
  • Saints T Jammal Brown signs tender, shipped to Redskins
  • Ravens, Marc Bulger agree to deal

Quarterback Rankings

  • Top-10 Rankings
  • Tier 1 QB’s
  • Overrated QB’s
  • Underrated QB’s
  • Draft Strategy

Our podcast airs live every Thursday at 7 PM EST on the Fantasy Sports Channel powered by Blog Talk Radio.  There is always a live chat, and we interact with our listeners and answer questions during the show.

You can subscribe to our show for free using i Tunes.  Click here for the link.

We answer all fantasy football questions from Twitter and e-mail.

Here is how to reach us:

E-Mail: Info@RookieBlitz.com

Twitter: Bryan Fontaine – @RookieBlitz, Mike Clay @FDC_MikeClay

Thank you for listening to our show.  We enjoy all feedback and criticism.

June Update 1.0: Dynasty Rookie QB Rankings

1 Reply

All 32 NFL teams will report for training camps in less than two months, and the excitement for the 2010 season is building.

We continually tweak our rookie rankings for you right up until the season begins, and it is time to release our latest update.

Here are the latest updates:

Sam Bradford:

St. Louis Rams No.1 draft pick quarterback Sam Bradford prepares to run a play during day one of the Rams rookie camp at the teams practice facility in Earth City on April 30, 2010. UPI/Bill Greenblatt Photo via Newscom

The latest headline for Sam Bradford: He is still not getting first team reps.  In a typical slow news story for the local St. Louis media, the Rams are easing Bradford into the starting role.  Bradford is splitting second and third team reps with Keith Null while A.J. Feeley takes the first team reps.  If anything, use this news to your advantage: Bradford will be starting before long and he is the one quarterback in this draft class with the ability to develop into a franchise quarterback.  Bradford remains the top quarterback from our May QB update.

Tim Tebow:

The Broncos cut third-string QB Tom Brandstater this week in a move that made Tim Tebow the third quarterback on the depth chart.  In a more surprising note, Tebow will be given the chance to start in 2010.  Tebow is the most polarizing player in this draft class and arguably in NFL Draft history.  If you aren’t a Tebow supporter, this news won’t change your opinion of him.  For those that believe that Tebow could succeed in the NFL, this news is encouraging and you can comfortably use a late second or early third round pick on Tebow.

Dan LeFevour:

If there was any hope for Dan LeFevour to see the field in 2010, Mike Martz just put those thoughts to rest:

“We don’t give him much right now,” Martz said. “He’s lucky to find the huddle from the sideline right now. That’s kind of the way it goes, really. The worst thing we could do right now is put him in there, and give him a bunch of plays. We’d like to have him be a spectator as much as possible until we put him in there. You can really break a guy’s confidence, too. So we’re very careful about how much [we] give him.”  – Michael C. Wright, ESPN

LeFevour remains an intriguing player in larger dynasty leagues.

The ranking score for each player is based on several factors:

  • Pre-draft scouting reports
  • College production
  • Strength of team scouting department
  • Draft selection
  • Offensive scheme
  • 2010 Team Schedule

Quarterback Rankings (QB) – Previous Ranking in Parenthesis

  1. Sam Bradford – Rams 8.68 (1)
  2. Jimmy Clausen – Panthers 7.86 (2)
  3. Tim Tebow – Broncos 7.76 (3)
  4. Colt McCoy – Browns 6.84 (4)
  5. Jonathan Crompton – Chargers 6.05 (5)
  6. Dan LeFevour – Bears 6.00 (6)
  7. Michael Kafka – Eagles 5.94 (7)
  8. John Skelton – Cardinals 5.83 (8)
  9. Tony Pike – Panthers 5.55 (9)
  10. Levi Brown – Bills 5.42 (10)
  11. Sean Canfield – Saints 5.29 (11)
  12. Zac Robinson – Patriots 5.25 (12)

Can Sam Bradford become a Top-10 Fantasy QB?

3 Replies

Can Sam Bradford become a viable starting fantasy quarterback?

That is the question that many are asking after Bradford was selected first overall by the St. Louis Rams to help turn their franchise around.

To help find the answer to this question, I’ve taken a look back at the 13 quarterbacks taken in the first round since 2005.  Past performance is not indicative of future success, as they say in the financial industry, but taking a look back at the success or failure of recently drafted quarterbacks can set reasonable expectations for Bradford’s career.

St. Louis Rams introduce No. 1 draft pick Sam Bradford

Week 1 Starter

Only four quarterbacks since 2005 have started the first game of the season for their respective teams: Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, Matthew Stafford, and Mark Sanchez.

The only quarterback selected in the first round in the last two years who has not opened the season as the starter was Josh Freeman of the Buccaneers.  Freeman still started nine games after taking the job at midseason.

The recent trend has teams willing to have their new franchise quarterback learn on the job.

New head coach Steve Spagnuolo has already named A.J. Feeley the starter for now; however, Sam Bradford could still earn the job before the season.

Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur has some history of allowing rookie quarterbacks to learn on the sidelines before getting the starting job.   When Shurmur was an assistant coach in Philadelphia, Donovan McNabb sat behind Doug Pederson until November ’99.

While sitting for several games would hurt Bradford’s fantasy value in 2010, it can only help his development for the future.

No. 1 Overall Pick

Sam Bradford is the fourth quarterback selected first overall in the last six years (Alex Smith, JaMarcus Russell, and Matthew Stafford).

JaMarcus Russell is widely regarded as one of the biggest busts in NFL Draft history.  A large portion of blame can be placed on Russell’s poor work ethic and lack of fundamentals.

Alex Smith was not ready for the NFL as a 20-year-old junior from Utah and is just now beginning to show signs of becoming a viable starting quarterback for the 49ers.

Matthew Stafford started 10 games in 2009. He showed enough potential for the Lions to believe they have found their franchise quarterback.  Stafford finished as the 25th best fantasy quarterback despite only 377 passing attempts.

Sam Bradford inherits a situation in St. Louis that is similar to that of Stafford last season.  The Rams lack many offensive weapons and they are currently reshaping their offensive line.

First Round Quarterbacks

St. Louis Rams training camp

There is no exact science to predicting NFL success, and the 13 quarterbacks selected in the past five years have enjoyed success and failure.

The only players that can be considered busts as this point are JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn, both from the 2007 draft class.

Jay Cutler (Bears) and Jason Campbell (Raiders) are already on their second NFL team.

Vince Young, Alex Smith, and Matt Leinart are getting a second chance at the starting job for their respective teams after faltering in their first attempt.

Aaron Rodgers endured a long wait on draft day, and an even further wait until Brett Favre left the Packers.  The wait was worth it as he inherited a playoff-caliber team and has been the No. 1 fantasy quarterback for the past two seasons.

Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco started as rookies in 2008 and the future looks bright for both.

The jury is still out for 2009 draftees Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez, and Josh Freeman.

Having a talented team helps the fantasy prospects of a first round quarterback, but it is not vital to their success.

The Rams are expected to struggle again in 2010; however, Sam Bradford can offer hope for the future as they continue to rebuild into a playoff contender.  Bradford will have plenty of passing attempts as they play from behind often because of the Rams’ weak defense.

Top Fantasy Quarterback

Only twice in the past five years has the first quarterback selected gone on to become the best fantasy quarterback from their class:

2005 – 3 Quarterbacks Selected: Top Fantasy QB – Aaron Rodgers (2nd, 24th overall) 20.6 FPT/G

2006 – 3 Quarterbacks Selected: Top Fantasy QB – Jay Cutler (3rd, 11th overall) 18.8 FPT/G

2007 – 2 Quarterbacks Selected: Top Fantasy QB – Brady Quinn (2nd, 22nd overall) 9.8 FPT/G

2008 – 2 Quarterbacks Selected: Top Fantasy QB – Matt Ryan (1st, 3rd overall) 16.2 FPT/G

2009 – 3 Quarterbacks Selected: Top Fantasy QB – Matthew Stafford (1st, 1st overall) 16.1 FPT/G

Sam Bradford is safe bet to become the best fantasy quarterback from the 2010 first round.  Tim Tebow will not start right away, and could need a full season or more on the bench before starting a game in the NFL.

Conclusion

Recent history indicates that Sam Bradford will be a successful fantasy quarterback.

Sam Bradford has a similar skill set to both Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers with his arm strength, intangibles, accuracy, size, and ability to make plays on the run.

The Rams are committed to rebuilding themselves into a playoff contender and they will continue to surround Bradford with offensive weapons.  The Rams will be forced to throw often for the next several years, and Bradford could find himself as a borderline top-10 option in fantasy leagues.

May Update: Rookie QB Rankings

1 Reply
St. Louis Rams training camp

It has been almost a month since the conclusion of the 2010 NFL Draft and it is time to update our dynasty positional rankings for the rookie class.

Several teams have already held minicamps and the beat writers have been out in full force providing us with all the updates we need to further evaluate these prospects.

Here are the latest updates:

Sam Bradford:

Sam Bradford will not be handed the starting quarterback job by the Rams.  As reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Bradford took the majority of his snaps with the second and third units on the first day of organized team activities.

“You can see why he was the No. 1 pick,” Steven Jackson said. “You can see the arm strength, the accuracy and his intellect. He’s really a smart guy. . . . He’s a very humble young man. We did some things together (Monday), and he was very low-key about it. You can tell he was raised right. It’ll be fun to play with him.”

Bradford has moved to the top of our quarterback rankings with the uncertainty surrounding Jimmy Clausen and Tim Tebow.  Bradford may never become a true franchise quarterback; however, he has several factors that will lead him to become a mainstay in the top-10.  Bradford will play half of his games indoors each season on a rebuilding team that will need to pass often that can maximize his arm strength, accuracy and intelligence.  Bradford is a sure-fire pick in the first round of rookie drafts.

Jimmy Clausen:

Early word out of Carolina is that the starting quarterback job is Matt Moore’s to lose.  Charlotte Observer beat writer Darin Gantt observed that rookie Jimmy Clausen “may be the most accurate” quarterback at the recent Panthers minicamp.

Clausen should still be drafted in the second round of dynasty rookie drafts.

Tim Tebow:

Tim Tebow opened the Broncos’ offseason passing camp fourth on the depth chart behind Kyle Orton, Brady Quinn and Tom Brandstater.  By all accounts, he has remained humble despite the fan-fare surround him everywhere he goes.  Tebow will likely start the season as the third quarterback.  Sitting for the season will allow Tebow to continue to develop his new throwing motion with the scout team.

There is no doubting Tebow’s resolve and intangibles, and it would be unwise to write him off as a starting quarterback in the NFL.  Depending on your league size, Tebow is worth a selection in the late second or early third round of your rookie draft.

The ranking score for each player is based on several factors:

  • Pre-draft scouting reports
  • College production
  • Strength of team scouting department
  • Draft selection
  • Offensive scheme
  • 2010 Team Schedule

Quarterback Rankings (QB) – Previous Ranking in Parenthesis

  1. Sam Bradford – Rams 8.20 (2)
  2. Jimmy Clausen – Panthers 7.75 (1)
  3. Tim Tebow – Broncos 7.47 (3)
  4. Colt McCoy – Browns 6.92 (4)
  5. Jonathan Crompton – Chargers 6.48 (5)
  6. Dan LeFevour – Bears 6.14 (6)
  7. Michael Kafka – Eagles 6.06 (10)
  8. John Skelton – Cardinals 5.99 (9)
  9. Tony Pike – Panthers 5.86 (7)
  10. Levi Brown – Bills 5.70 (11)
  11. Sean Canfield – Saints 5.64 (8)
  12. Zac Robinson – Patriots 5.60 (12)

Post Draft Rookie QB Rankings

2 Replies

The three-day 2010 NFL Draft extravaganza is finally in the books and we now know where the top college prospects will begin their professional careers.

We have taken the time to provide you updated dynasty rookie rankings at the quarterback position.

We will add commentary for each player as soon as we learn more about their new roles after team mini-camps begin.

The ranking score for each player is based on several factors:

  • Pre-draft scouting reports
  • College production
  • Strength of team scouting department
  • Draft selection
  • Offensive scheme
  • 2010 Team Schedule

Quarterback Rankings (QB)

  1. Jimmy Clausen – Carolina Panthers (8.76)
  2. Sam Bradford – St. Louis Rams (8.72)
  3. Tim Tebow – Denver Broncos (7.79)
  4. Colt McCoy – Cleveland Browns (7.43)
  5. Jonathan Crompton – San Diego Chargers (7.08)
  6. Dan LeFevour – Chicago Bears (7.00)
  7. Tony Pike – Carolina Panthers (6.99)
  8. Sean Canfield – New Orleans Saints (6.65)
  9. John Skelton – Arizona Cardinals (5.97)
  10. Michael Kafka – Philadelphia Eagles (5.82)
  11. Levi Brown – Buffalo Bills (5.68)
  12. Zac Robinson – New England Patriots (5.63)

Rookie Rankings – Quarterback

1 Reply

We have worked hard at Rookie Blitz headquarters to compile information and game tape for the 2010 NFL Draft class.

We are now ready to release our initial rookie fantasy rankings after reviewing college production, scouting reports, all-star games, and the scouting combine.  We have already reviewed the top tight ends, wide receivers and running backs available.

Top-12 Tight Ends
Top-30 Wide Receivers
Top-30 Running Backs

Quarterback

This group of quarterbacks is reminiscent of the quarterbacks in the 2005 NFL Draft.

Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers were both in contention to be the first quarterback selected.  Eventually, Smith was the first overall selection to San Francisco and Rodgers slipped to Green Bay at pick 24.

Smith was an impressive athlete that was especially productive in the spread offense of Urban Meyer.  Aaron Rodgers was the equal of Smith athletically and learned from one of the best quarterback coaches in the country, Jeff Tedford.

The recent failures of Jeff Tedford quarterbacks in the NFL (Akili Smith, David Carr, Joey Harrington, and Kyle Boller) hurt Rodger’s draft stock in 2005.  What Rodgers had that was overlooked was a 63% completion percentage in a pro-style offense.

If the 2005 draft were held again today, there would be no question that Rodgers would be taken before Smith.

Fast forward to 2010 and NFL general managers face a similar dilemma.

USC v Notre Dame

Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen are now competing to be the first quarterback selected.  Bradford and Alex Smith are very similar players who succeeded in a spread offense in a conference that is not known for defense.  Bradford’s statistics are inflated from throwing many short passes to wide open receivers because of the superior talent that Oklahoma had over the rest of the Big-12 conference.

Jimmy Clausen, like Aaron Rodgers, also has learned from one of the best quarterback coaches in Charlie Weis and has started in a pro-style offense for three seasons.  Weis also tutored recent first round selection Brady Quinn and was an influence on the development of Tom Brady in New England.

The recent struggles of Brady Quinn are fresh in the mind of everyone, which has hurt the draft stock of Clausen. The jury is still out on Quinn, who was recently traded to Denver after only 12 starts for the Cleveland Browns in three seasons.

Clausen has won with less talent than his counterparts, faced a tough schedule and he has completed over 60% of his passes in a traditional pro offense.  The maturity questions remain; however, you cannot discount his fiery leadership and desire to win.

We like Sam Bradford as a player; but Jimmy Clausen will become the better quarterback of the two.

There is steep drop off in talent after our top two quarterbacks.

Colt McCoy may not have the elite arm strength that NFL teams covet, but he has all the intangibles that are required of a starting quarterback in the league.

Dan LeFevour impressed us at the Senior Bowl and he may be the one quarterback in this class that could eventually challenge Bradford or Clausen for top honors in this draft class.

Tim Tebow has dominated draft coverage to date and many scouts question his ability to develop into a starting quarterback.  We love his intangibles and wish him the best in his career, but the reality is that Tebow is a two year project for any team that selects him to correct his mechanics.

West Virginia v Auburn

The one word that sums up Tony Pike, Jarrett Brown, and Jonathan Crompton is potential.   They are the last prospects available that could eventually develop into starters in the right scheme and situation.  Pike needs to fill out his frame, Brown needs more experience, and Crompton needs to tighten up his timing.

Notably missing from the conversation about possible starters is Jevan Snead. Snead is too erratic and inconsistent and made a mistake leaving Mississippi early.

John Skelton has generated buzz as a small school prospect from Fordham.  He likely will be a late round flier but he has some intriguing attributes and could be worth a roster spot in the deepest of dynasty leagues.

1. Jimmy Clausen – Notre Dame
2. Sam Bradford – Oklahoma
3. Colt McCoy – Texas
4. Dan LeFevour – Central Michigan
5. Tim Tebow – Florida
6. Tony Pike – Cincinnati
7. Jarrett Brown – West Virginia
8. Jonathan Crompton – Tennessee
9. Jevan Snead – Mississippi
10. Sean Canfield – Oregon State
11. Armanti Edwards – Appalachian State
12. Levi Brown – Troy
13. Max Hall – Brigham Young
14. John Skelton – Fordham
15. Zac Robinson – Oklahoma State
16. Rusty Smith – Florida Atlantic
17. Tim Hiller – Western Michigan
18. Matt Nichols – Eastern Washington
19. Michael Kafka – Northwestern
20. Juice Williams – Illinois
21. Bill Stull – Pittsburgh
22. Ryan Perriloux – Jacksonville State
23. Thaddeus Lewis – Duke
24. Daryll Clark – Penn State

Early Look: 2010 QB Rankings

Leave a reply
Green Bay Packers v Arizona Cardinals - Wild Card Round

It is never too early to start looking ahead  in fantasy football.  For many dynasty and keeper league owners, there is no offseason.  Now is a great time to set up your team for another run in the fantasy playoffs with some savvy free agent signings and trades.  Information is power, and keeping one step ahead of everyone in your fantasy league is vital.

In the second installment of our 2010 rankings we will breakdown the quarterback position.  A lot can happen between now and September, and these rankings will give you a glimpse of how we evaluated each player before the start of NFL Free Agency and the NFL Draft.

Our rankings are based on the following factors:

Analysis

Aaron Rodgers erased any doubts from his second-ranked finish in 2008 with his top-ranked finish this season.  Peyton Manning is still going strong after his 12th season in the NFL and winning his fourth MVP award.  He may have lost some of his luster, but Tom Brady is still a top option at the position and could be an excellent value in 2010 drafts.  However, we are concerned about Brady’s receiving options with the devastating injury to Wes Welker and the tough schedule the Patriots will face.  Brett Favre silenced many of his critics that he was making a mistake in returning to the NFL at 40 years old.  If Favre returns, he will still be considered a top-10 option in 2010.  Drew Brees and Philip Rivers are worth an early round selection in 2010.  Kyle Orton isn’t a flashy player, but he is one of the best options as your backup quarterback in 2010 with the Broncos’ schedule.  Matt Ryan and Jay Cutler are bounce-back candidates and present excellent value after the 10th round.  The future looks bright for Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez, and Josh Freeman, but they are too green to be considered as starting options in 2010.  Eagles quarterbacks Michael Vick and Kevin Kolb could be on the move this offseason.  Vick has long been rumored as a starting option in St. Louis or Buffalo, and Kolb has already been linked to Cleveland because of the new Browns GM Tom Heckert.  Kurt Warner is considering retirement at this time.  Should Warner return to the Cardinals for another season, they will remain the favorite to win the NFC West again.

[table id=2 /]