If Fantasy Football had a weakness (besides Kicker and Defense), it's the quarterback position. The most important position on the field has been the least important in Fantasy Football! Then came two-quarterback leagues, sometimes in the form of Super-Flex (QB, RB,TE,WR,K). I'll admit the first time I was introduced to this type of league I was disgusted by the idea of building a lineup with two quarterbacks. I was a purist. No team puts two quarterbacks on the field! Unless it's for trickeration. However, once I played in the super-flex league, it changed my life forever. Quarterbacks were more valuable, going much earlier than 1-QB leagues, having equal significance with the RBs and WRs. The more I played in the super-flex league the more I realized you could still wait on QB, obviously not as long, but nearly. After a couple of years I joined my brother-in-law's league, a 3-Quarterback-League. At first, it didn't make any sense. I thought it was too much. But it changed my life forever and it's the most fun I've had in Fantasy.
The 3-Quarterback-League is structured with 2 Mandatory Quarterbacks with a SuperFlex. Usually, the roster trends towards a Quarterback in the Super Flex position, but you still have the option to place a skill player in your Flex. This type of league is best with a 10-team league given that if each team has 3 Quarterbacks, that's 30 and there are only 32 NFL teams. Near the end of the draft we are picking at the bottom of the barrel for our final QB roster position, which may be a guy who never starts in the year. By then, I'm looking for a backup to a starting Quarterback who is likely to get injured. For example last year, my fourth quarterback on my roster was Kyle Allen, which I'm thankful I had because I drafted Cam Newton as my second quarterback who left the season after the second game! I laughed as everyone had to waste all of their bid money on backups last year as Quarterbacks dropped left and right. What a weird season. But you get the idea.
To give you a picture of what the starting lineup could look like, here are 2 examples:
QB Aaron Rodgers QB/GB
QB Cam Newton QB/CAR
RB
RB
WR
WR
WR
TE
SF Sam Darnold QB/NYJ
As you can imagine, that had to change quickly so sometimes it could look like this:
QB Aaron Rodgers QB/GB
QB Kyle Allen QB/CAR
RB
RB
WR
WR
WR
TE
SF Miles Sanders RB/PHI
You might be surprised, I ended up in first place with this small glance at last year's roster. Somehow I made it. Regardless, I hope this makes what I'm saying clear. Flexibility in your roster is important to give us all a fighting chance and keep things fun. Sometimes it even adds more stress with decision making like when you find a running back or wide receiver scoring more points than your quarterback while sitting on the bench.
So now that you understand the structure, allow me to give you the meat and bones of why this type of league is the best:
First point: Value due to scarcity. Finally, the Quarterback position has the value it deserves. Quarterbacks go heavy in the first few rounds because they score the most points and run out much quicker. In fantasy football scarcity adds value more-so than skillset sometimes. In a 1 quarterback league, there's hardly any scarcity. In a 2-Quarterback/Superflex league, scarcity is there, but you can still wait on quarterback and manage to get a solid pair of signal callers. In the 3-Quarterback league, you better pick your quarterbacks fast. They can come off the board heavily in the first round. As pickings get slim, it gets riskier to pass on a quarterback. Regardless of how you view quarterback scoring, you want to have at least a solid pair to compete with. I think if I would have had Cam Newton last year, I would've had a solid pair, which would have made my team more competitive in the playoffs. Aaron had his hot streak and at times Kyle got me through. But in the end, it tanked hard. My skill players carried me, but I will stress, it's more comforting to know your quarterback group is solid. I have strong glutes after last year from clenching so much under stress. Just saying.
For a lot of us Fantasy Football players, Draft Day is the funnest part. The 3-QB system will make your draft the most fun you'll ever have in a draft. Throughout the offseason, I am always pondering strategy over this league over my other leagues, which are 2-QB and 1QB. No matter how many mock drafts I do, I'm always surprised throughout the draft including the first round. The draft is always unpredictable, even more-so now than before. When I started, quarterbacks went very heavy in the first round. Maybe one guy would get cute and try a skill position, but he waited nervously for his second round pick. I've been in the league only for 3 seasons now, and since I've been in, more guys are trying different strategies such as drafting a running back first. Not to mention, everyone thinks vastly different about each player. It forces you to truly draft value. The learning curve is figuring out that value, which also depends on your league's scoring system. I'll get into that later. Most league structures, you can get your mock drafts close to what's going to happen and come up with a plan. With this structure, your mock drafts will look nothing like the actual draft, even the first round. It provides the challenge we crave for as "Fantasy experts." I can assure you, as stressful as it might sound, having surprises coupled with big reactions make all the difference in a draft. It's a roller coaster ride!
One of the complaints about the Quarterback position, is that there is not enough separation in scoring. One reason is that most leagues don't penalize Quarterbacks for throwing interceptions enough. Usually they only lose 1 or 2 points. In this type of league, I strongly recommend that interceptions cost the Quarterback at least -3 points. Think about it, just two interceptions negate a touchdown. It values the quarterbacks ability to read defenses and make the right throws. Bonuses add a fantastic spice to your league as well. Touchdowns can make all the difference in scoring at times, but if a quarterback throws for 300 to 400 yards, you would probably say he had a good game regardless of how many touchdowns he lucked out with. Even if that number is zero. Bonuses can counter balance that. Believe me, I had Aaron Rodgers last year. Some games he played well, but did not get any touchdowns. But if he threw for 300 yards, that bonus still reveals a good game. It can make all the difference in scoring and create intense drama for head to head matchups. You will feel alive near the end of the game and your quarterback has 294 yards and you're screaming at the television for him to throw 6 more. Sounds easy, but check the stats of how many are just under 300.
Interestingly, I have found that the research process became more in depth with a 3-QB league, especially when considering -3 interception points. You pay closer attention to the trends that occur every season and you're trying to find that guy who will be the next Lamar Jackson or Ryan Tannehill. I picked Aaron Rodgers with the second overall pick and I did not feel comfortable about it. My feeling was correct and I should've gambled with Christian McAffrey who performed much better. It's fun when you're the guy who picks Alex Smith in his best season ever, or taking the chance with Pat Mahomes the season after, or being the guy to take the risk on Lamar Jackson. So in a sense you could still land a late round quarterback, but you better have at least 2 in those first 3 or 4 rounds. They go fast. Your first quarterback could be a stud or you may get lucky with your third quarterback. Every year is a different story. Every draft in this league is a different story. Not only does your research on quarterbacks increase, but understanding value in a draft means so much more in this type of league. You can feel the weight of each decision you have to make. Do I go left while everyone goes right? What if all the right is gone by the time it gets back to me? How do I structure my team? I want that guy, but I need this position. I do all my research for this league, which makes my 2-QB much easier and my 1-QB league quite boring honestly.
I hope after reading this you will want to give the 3-QB league a try. I dare say you can even add another flex spot with a 10-team league. Let me know your thoughts. Please leave comments or questions. I guarantee it will change your Fantasy Football life!
Thanks for reading!
-Jon-Michael Stone
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Why Teddy Bridgewater is the Perfect QB for The Panthers Right Now
There are mixed fillings among Panthers' fans with the big signing of Teddy Bridgewater as Cam Newton's replacement. Teddy Bridgewater is not the biggest name, but the Panthers announcing the decision with this signing to move on from Cam is. Some fans are ecstatic to see Cam go while others are passionately appalled. If you are Panthers fan that is worried for the new era, let me assure you that this is a great move for the Panthers. Allow me to explain...
A new era is beginning in Charlotte and sometimes new eras feel awkward. The new NFL is heartbreaking often for us fans because we get attached to the players, especially the core players and personalities just to see them retire, get released, or traded away. How do you think Patriots fans feel right now? Ron Rivera has been the head coach for the Carolina Panthers since 2011! That's almost a decade! Now he's just up the road with the Washington Redskins. Luke Keuchly retires! Greg Olsen is let go, Trai Turner is traded away, Mario Addison lost to the Bills, and sure enough Cam Newton is done in Charlotte. Roughly, this core group defined the Panthers for the decade. And now they are gone! Frankly, it feels bizarre. It feels like a new team entirely. What's left? New uniforms? I don't know if could bare it. On the contrary, the Panthers only made one Super Bowl appearance and even that appearance was an embarrassment. In addition, the Panthers' core is aging, Rivera seemed complacent, and overall the team was trending in the wrong direction. Franchises need new eras and fresh starts. This team needs a spark. And Teddy Bridgewater is part of that spark.
So why Bridgewater? For one, this offense has been building towards a more short to mid-range passing offense relying on big plays by playmakers. DJ Moore, Curtis Samuel, and of course Christian McAffrey were drafted to break tackles, make guys miss, and create big plays. An offense that for a while did improve Cam's game, but does not quite match Cam's skillset. And now Cam's physical gifts are most likely depleted. I don't see Cam being a pocket passing quarterback consistent enough to win anymore. Bridgewater fits this style of offense, of creative short to mid-range schemes; getting the playmaker the ball, and allow him to make big plays. Cam has a slow release and struggles with accuracy; not to mention his highly questionable decision making. Bridgewater can read defenses and throw accurate passes. Cam struggles in that department and with the potential of losing his greatest quality of being a power running quarterback, we could see a significant drop.
Teddy Bridgewater is the perfect balance of sustaining an offense with potential of becoming a really good quarterback or at minimum, maintain a functional offense until the Panthers draft a top notch Face of the Franchise. There have been rumors that Carolina could tank this season to grab Clemson's quarterback, Sunshine himself, in next year's draft. Now teams don't play any game to lose, but a Franchise can use current talent to acquire draft picks, make loads of cap room, and position themselves with a top draft pick. Dolphins anyone? I'm a Panthers fan, and I would take one horrible season if it means getting the best quarterback prospect we've had in a long time. All we need to see is the team to buy into Matt Rhule's system and be competitive late in the season, which we saw with the Dolphins and now Miami is rich with draft picks and cap space. Yet, still any team, no matter how horrendous they are, needs good quarterback play to prevent injury, properly scout players already on the team, and give the team a chance to compete. Teddy is that again, and potentially, can be more! He's under a 3 year contract, so it's not a long commitment. If he's great, you resign him to a better deal. If not, by then the Panthers will have drafted their guy. I'm secretly hoping that's not Justin Herbert by the way. With that said, Carolina can now focus on other skilled players in this year's draft.
When Cam was Cam, he was great! 2015 MVP and constantly made electrifying plays. However, there is a lot of doubt after the foot and shoulder injuries he acquired. I hope he returns to form, but it's going to be tough. Regardless, he's not a guy you rebuild with; more like a guy you fill in already having all the pieces. With a new regime comes a new philosophy. The Panthers are making that statement now. Cam is not part of that philosophy in his current state. Teddy is a Bridge if not more to the new era (pun intended). Maybe that's why they picked BRIDGEwater. Who knows. Either way, Teddy did show potential, which is worth taking a look at.
Which leads me to my final point. Do you remember how great Teddy played last year replacing Drew Brees?! After one or two rusty games, which is reasonable, the Saints did not miss a beat. The Saints marched into Seattle and crushed a Super Bowl contending Seattle Seahawks team last year. Teddy Bridgewater was a big part of that. Now sure, Carolina does not have Michael Thomas, but DJ Moore broke out and will continue to get better. Curtis Samuel is an electrifying playmaker. Christian McAffrey anyone?! What did Christian not do last year? I would not be surprised if he started kicking field goals. I would not be surprised if the Panthers add another wide receiver either in free agency or the draft. Greg Olsen is gone, but his age is showing with injury after injury and the Panthers have an upcoming tight end that's going to be a stud in Ian Thomas. Maybe that's bold, but I am confident in Thomas. Teddy finished last season with a 67.9% completion percentage, which is an improvement or Cam. That keeps the ball moving. Finally, Teddy won games keeping the Saints in prime position last year before Drew Brees returned.
Keep in mind, it is a new era and building a team takes time. Be patient and wait to see how the plan shakes out. It's a win-win for the Panthers. It may feel like a break-up, but the time will pass and heal all of our hearts. It's time for the Panthers to win a Super Bowl and many believe that Matt Rhule is the guy to take the franchise to the promise land. When it comes to passing, Teddy Bridgewater is better than Cam now. And if not, then Carolina will be in a great position next offseason to draft Sunshine.
-Jon-Michael Stone
A new era is beginning in Charlotte and sometimes new eras feel awkward. The new NFL is heartbreaking often for us fans because we get attached to the players, especially the core players and personalities just to see them retire, get released, or traded away. How do you think Patriots fans feel right now? Ron Rivera has been the head coach for the Carolina Panthers since 2011! That's almost a decade! Now he's just up the road with the Washington Redskins. Luke Keuchly retires! Greg Olsen is let go, Trai Turner is traded away, Mario Addison lost to the Bills, and sure enough Cam Newton is done in Charlotte. Roughly, this core group defined the Panthers for the decade. And now they are gone! Frankly, it feels bizarre. It feels like a new team entirely. What's left? New uniforms? I don't know if could bare it. On the contrary, the Panthers only made one Super Bowl appearance and even that appearance was an embarrassment. In addition, the Panthers' core is aging, Rivera seemed complacent, and overall the team was trending in the wrong direction. Franchises need new eras and fresh starts. This team needs a spark. And Teddy Bridgewater is part of that spark.
So why Bridgewater? For one, this offense has been building towards a more short to mid-range passing offense relying on big plays by playmakers. DJ Moore, Curtis Samuel, and of course Christian McAffrey were drafted to break tackles, make guys miss, and create big plays. An offense that for a while did improve Cam's game, but does not quite match Cam's skillset. And now Cam's physical gifts are most likely depleted. I don't see Cam being a pocket passing quarterback consistent enough to win anymore. Bridgewater fits this style of offense, of creative short to mid-range schemes; getting the playmaker the ball, and allow him to make big plays. Cam has a slow release and struggles with accuracy; not to mention his highly questionable decision making. Bridgewater can read defenses and throw accurate passes. Cam struggles in that department and with the potential of losing his greatest quality of being a power running quarterback, we could see a significant drop.
Teddy Bridgewater is the perfect balance of sustaining an offense with potential of becoming a really good quarterback or at minimum, maintain a functional offense until the Panthers draft a top notch Face of the Franchise. There have been rumors that Carolina could tank this season to grab Clemson's quarterback, Sunshine himself, in next year's draft. Now teams don't play any game to lose, but a Franchise can use current talent to acquire draft picks, make loads of cap room, and position themselves with a top draft pick. Dolphins anyone? I'm a Panthers fan, and I would take one horrible season if it means getting the best quarterback prospect we've had in a long time. All we need to see is the team to buy into Matt Rhule's system and be competitive late in the season, which we saw with the Dolphins and now Miami is rich with draft picks and cap space. Yet, still any team, no matter how horrendous they are, needs good quarterback play to prevent injury, properly scout players already on the team, and give the team a chance to compete. Teddy is that again, and potentially, can be more! He's under a 3 year contract, so it's not a long commitment. If he's great, you resign him to a better deal. If not, by then the Panthers will have drafted their guy. I'm secretly hoping that's not Justin Herbert by the way. With that said, Carolina can now focus on other skilled players in this year's draft.
When Cam was Cam, he was great! 2015 MVP and constantly made electrifying plays. However, there is a lot of doubt after the foot and shoulder injuries he acquired. I hope he returns to form, but it's going to be tough. Regardless, he's not a guy you rebuild with; more like a guy you fill in already having all the pieces. With a new regime comes a new philosophy. The Panthers are making that statement now. Cam is not part of that philosophy in his current state. Teddy is a Bridge if not more to the new era (pun intended). Maybe that's why they picked BRIDGEwater. Who knows. Either way, Teddy did show potential, which is worth taking a look at.
Which leads me to my final point. Do you remember how great Teddy played last year replacing Drew Brees?! After one or two rusty games, which is reasonable, the Saints did not miss a beat. The Saints marched into Seattle and crushed a Super Bowl contending Seattle Seahawks team last year. Teddy Bridgewater was a big part of that. Now sure, Carolina does not have Michael Thomas, but DJ Moore broke out and will continue to get better. Curtis Samuel is an electrifying playmaker. Christian McAffrey anyone?! What did Christian not do last year? I would not be surprised if he started kicking field goals. I would not be surprised if the Panthers add another wide receiver either in free agency or the draft. Greg Olsen is gone, but his age is showing with injury after injury and the Panthers have an upcoming tight end that's going to be a stud in Ian Thomas. Maybe that's bold, but I am confident in Thomas. Teddy finished last season with a 67.9% completion percentage, which is an improvement or Cam. That keeps the ball moving. Finally, Teddy won games keeping the Saints in prime position last year before Drew Brees returned.
Keep in mind, it is a new era and building a team takes time. Be patient and wait to see how the plan shakes out. It's a win-win for the Panthers. It may feel like a break-up, but the time will pass and heal all of our hearts. It's time for the Panthers to win a Super Bowl and many believe that Matt Rhule is the guy to take the franchise to the promise land. When it comes to passing, Teddy Bridgewater is better than Cam now. And if not, then Carolina will be in a great position next offseason to draft Sunshine.
-Jon-Michael Stone
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)