5 Positional Battles To Watch Before Drafting
In fantasy football, all starting quarterbacks have value, especially in deeper leagues. To help you identify which camps are worth watching this preseason, here are five QB position battles to watch closely before the 2014 fantasy football season.
5. Chad Henne vs. Blake Bortles
5. Chad Henne vs. Blake Bortles
Sure, Bortles was selected first overall by the Jags, in this year's NFL Draft but he is still somewhat raw. He will have to learn the entire playbook and prove he can play under center. Henne has always been a game manager and the veteran will be the heavy favorite to open the year as the number one option in Jacksonville. Neither will be worth a starting spot in fantasy, but the winner of the job will have value in deeper mixed leagues.
4. Josh McCown vs. Mike Glennon
4. Josh McCown vs. Mike Glennon
Head coach Lovie Smith didn’t waste time in bringing in veteran QB Josh McCown to take over as the starter. McCown threw 11 touchdowns in five starts last season and showed he could be a low-end fantasy option. Glennon wasn’t exactly horrible last year and he could take over the job if McCown struggles at all. The job is McCown’s for now, but don’t think the super veteran is a safe bet to play in all 16 games.
3. Matt Cassel vs. Teddy Bridgewater vs. Christian Ponder
3. Matt Cassel vs. Teddy Bridgewater vs. Christian Ponder
The QB spot in Minnesota is wide open, as the team currently has three quarterbacks fighting it out. Cassel has taken the most first-team reps at the moment and he appears to be the early favorite for the job. The Vikes are making Bridgewater truly earn the starting gig and it doesn’t appear he will win the job by Week 1. However, fantasy fans should expect the rookie to take over the job by the end of the season.
2. Michael Vick vs. Geno Smith
2. Michael Vick vs. Geno Smith
After one season in the NFL, fantasy fans don’t know what to expect from Geno. He had good games, like the 3-TD outburst against the Falcons. However, he also threw 21 interceptions and completed just 55.8% of his passes. The addition of Vick means that Geno has an even shorter leash and the veteran will likely steal several starts throughout the year. No matter what, though, the QB job for the Jets will be a headache for fantasy fans all year.
1. Johnny Manziel vs. Brian Hoyer
1. Johnny Manziel vs. Brian Hoyer
There is no quarterback competition receiving more attention right now than the Cleveland Browns. Manziel was drafted late in the first round and Johnny Football has been eating up SportsCenter every night. However, Hoyer continues to pull ahead of the rookie and seems to be the favorite to open the year under center for the Dog Pound. Don't expect Hoyer to be a long term solution, but he will get his share of starts in 2014.