Greg M. Cooper-US Presswire
The quarterback position in the NFL is clearly the deepest position as far as fantasy football is concerned. There are multiple dependable players who fantasy owners can start week in and week out. That said, if you are one of those guys who wants to get a quarterback right away, who do you take?
In past years, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has been a hot commodity, but his stock in this year’s draft has dropped for a multitude of reasons.
Brady’s top option, Rob Gronkowski, underwent a total five surgeries during the off-season on his arm and back. His status for Week 1 is uncertain and we could see Gronk listed as questionable for every game through Week 6.
Even without Gronk, the Patriots and Brady still have a solid option in Aaron Hernandez right? Not the case anymore, as recent news has come out that Hernandez is being questioned for his involvement in a homicide case. Possibly starting Week 1 without his top two tight ends is not a good sign for Brady.
The receiving core for the Patriots has taken a hit with the loss of Wes Welker. He has been replaced by Danny Amendola, who seems to always end up on the injured list at some point during the season. Let’s face it — even if Amendola plays every game for the Patriots, he’s no Welker.
The running game for the Patriots has drastically improved with 24-year old Stevan Ridley. Ridley got the call often last season with 290 attempts and 12 touchdowns. The ball in Ridley’s hands only takes it away from Brady. The offensive game plan for the Patriots has changed immensely since the 2011 season, where we saw Brady throw for 5,235 yards and 39 touchdowns.
The most recent and surprising addition to the team, Tim Tebow, can’t help boost Brady’s stats at all. No one knows how Bill Belichick will use Tebow, but he could replace Brady at the goal line to run one of his jump pass plays.
In the 2013 fantasy football season, Brady is no longer an elite quarterback option and should be placed in the second tier of QBs. If you can’t get your hands on a top tier quarterback, don’t rush to draft Brady.
Tristen Challe is a Fantasy Writer for Rantsports. Follow him on Twitter @TristenChalle
