Fantasy Football Quarterbacks (QB)
The quarterback can be one of the most important positions on a fantasy football roster. In standard leagues, each team will have one quarterback slot, meaning making the right decision on who to start is vital to a team’s success.
Drafting
Despite being the highest scoring position in fantasy football, quarterbacks are usually not drafted in the first few rounds of the draft. Quarterbacks are typically taken in the fifth round or later of fantasy football drafts. Sometimes, in the case of star quarterbacks, team owners may opt to draft them a bit earlier. However, it is advised never to take a quarterback in the first round of the draft. This is because, unlike running backs, there is not a huge difference in the points output of top-tier QBs compared to lower-tier starting QBs.
The size of the league also affects when quarterbacks are taken. If you are playing in a smaller league (8-10 teams), you may be able to wait until later rounds to draft a quarterback since there will still be solid options available. If you secure one of the top-ranked quarterbacks, it is typically not recommended to draft a backup QB that occupies a bench spot. However, some owners opt for insurance by drafting a backup quarterback in the late rounds of the draft for bye weeks or in case of injury.
Some owners decide to wait until the very last rounds of the draft to pick a quarterback and employ a streaming tactic. This means they use the waiver wire to pick up different quarterbacks each week throughout the season, which significantly lowers the importance of drafting a quarterback in the early rounds.
Scoring
In standard scoring leagues, a quarterback will receive 1 point for every 25 yards thrown and 4 points per touchdown. However, they will lose 2 points for every interception. Their rushing scoring follows how skill position players earn points, at 1 point per 10 yards and 6 points per touchdown. Quarterbacks are usually the highest scoring player on a fantasy team, and are less touchdown dependent than other positions. Below is a table of quarterback scoring actions and point values in a standard fantasy football league.
| Action | Point Value |
|---|---|
| 25 Passing Yards | 1 point |
| Passing Touchdown | 4 points |
| Interception Thrown | -2 points |
| Passing 2-Point Conversion | 2 points |
| 10 Rushing Yards | 1 point |
| Rushing Touchdown | 6 points |
Strategy
While most fantasy football managers stick with the same quarterback throughout most of the season, some choose to employ a strategy called “streaming.” Streaming is when a position rotates through players from the waiver wire on a roster. This means that a fantasy football manager will cycle through quarterbacks throughout the year. This strategy relies on obtaining a quarterback with a good matchup that week to gain the highest number of points. Managers utilizing this strategy will look at metrics such as a player’s opponent rank and expected points on a weekly basis.
History
There have been many fantastic performances in fantasy history, but the highest number of points scored by a quarterback in a single game was 49.3 by Michael Vick in a 2009 game for the Philadelphia Eagles. His dual threat ability led to 333 yards and 4 touchdowns through the air and 80 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
The greatest entire season for a quarterback occurred in 2018 when Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes had 5,097 passing yards and 50 total touchdowns, resulting in 429.1 fantasy points.
FAQ
When should you draft a quarterback in fantasy football?
Even though it is one of the highest-scoring positions in fantasy football, quarterbacks are typically not taken until after the first three rounds of the draft. This is because there are several quarterbacks in the league that can rack up points, and most will still be available after the first few rounds. The first few rounds should be reserved for star running backs and wide receivers, as they are more rare than quarterbacks that consistently put up points.
What is a quarterback in fantasy football?
In fantasy football, a quarterback is the leader and heart of the team. Quarterbacks are one of the best predictors of how successful a football team will be because he always begins the passing of the ball and, as a result, he is the main target of the defense. Quarterbacks are high-scoring players and are thus one of the most valuable in terms of fantasy points.
What is a QB in fantasy football?
In fantasy football, QB stands for quarterback. This abbreviation is used next to player’s names on rosters and ranking lists as well as in graphics describing the play. The movement of the quarterback guides a lot of overall movement on the field, so it’s important to track where he is moving as he attempts to make a pass.