This article will be the first of three on players available to draft after teams have designated who they are keeping for the year in fantasy football keeper leagues. Every season, there are some quarterbacks that are usually kept on teams, and every season there are articles showing them at the top of the list. Well, what happens if you are in a keeper league, and they are no longer available to draft? This articles goes out to you, the reader, who wants to know who to draft at 1.05 or 3.02.
Most Likely Kept In Most Leagues:
Drew Brees
Tom Brady
Peyton Manning
Philip Rivers
Aaron Rodgers
Tony Romo
Matt Ryan
Kurt Warner
Jay Cutler
Donovan McNabb
Quarterbacks Available In Most Leagues:
1. Matt Schaub (Hou) – Schaub is a player that comes with a big risk/big reward factor to him. When he is healthy, he is among the Top 10. He has Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels. With the emergence of Steve Slaton and Kevin Walter from 2008, Schaub has those weapons to throw to. The problem with him is staying healthy. In the two years since being traded from
2. Matt Hasselbeck (Sea) – Hasselbeck should be the happiest player in
3. Kyle Orton (Den) – Orton’s departure from
4. Ben Roethlisberger (Pit) – Big Ben is a great quarterback, but is not the best fantasy quarterback.
5. Jake Delhomme (Car) – Delhomme is now a year removed from Tommy John surgery and is looking to prove something. He is looking to prove that he is worth his brand new contract extension. With DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart in the backfield, it will take off the pressure of the passing attack. Steve Smith is still in
6. Eli Manning (NYG) – Manning will certainly miss Plaxico Burress, but the team has been trying to acquire the likes of Braylon Edwards or Anquan Boldin to replace Burress. If they fail to do so, this will leave Manning with a rag muffin assortment of wideouts like Amani Toomer, Domenik Hixon, Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Sinorice Moss and Derek Hagan. This does not scream Top 15 quarterback to me.
7. Trent Edwards (Buf) – Edwards was off to a great start last year before the concussion. He is healthy now and has one of the most explosive players in the history of the NFL. Terrell Owens and Lee Evans can become one of the best duos in the game. We cannot forget that the Buffalo Bills also have Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson to take some pressure of the passing attack. Look for Edwards to put up great numbers for you this year.
8. David Garrard (Jac) – Garrard has quietly put up fantasy relevant numbers for two years now. He may not have any great wideouts like a Larry Fitzgerald, Randy Moss or Steve Smith, but he has a great running back in Maurice Jones-Drew to take the pressure off of him.
9. Carson Palmer (Cin) – Palmer, to me, has the most question marks to him entering the season. Is he healthy? Can he get over the loss of Houshmandzadeh? Is Chad Ochocinco going to return to form? Palmer may end up being one of the best sleepers in 2009. As I mentioned before, he has lost Houshmandzadeh, but gained Laveranues Coles. Palmer now has a possession tight end to throw to in Chase Coffman. Palmer is going to look to make a comeback this season, but may fall just short of it with the lack of a good running game.
10. Joe Flacco (Bal) – Flacco entered 2008 as a third-stringer, but ended up starting the season. He was quite productive last year, even though the running game was very shaky. Willis McGahee should be healthy this year. Le’Ron McClain has proven that he can spot start when injuries occur, and the Ravens were in the talks of acquiring Anquan Boldin before the draft. Whether they still will or not remains to be seen. Regardless, Flacco is entering his second season as a starter, and should give you some decent weeks … even if you just need him for a spot start to fill in bye weeks.
11. Matt Cassel (KC) –
12. Jason Campbell (Was) –
13. Chad Pennington (Mia) – Pennington is a player that I hate to draft. With the exception of last year, he has had trouble staying healthy. Out of his nine seasons, he has only played in every game twice. Pennington’s numbers were helped last year with the Wildcat offense being introduced, but teams are on the lookout for it now. Since
14. Shaun Hill (SF) – Hill has alot of promise. With Mike Singletary as head coach,
15. Marc Bulger (StL) – Bulger is another player that has constant trouble playing a full season … in fact, he has only done so once in his career. Entering the 2009 season, he has Donnie Avery as his No. 1 wideout. Look for Steven Jackson to carry this team on his shoulders before he eventually gets injured as well. Do not look for anything special out of Bulger or Avery.