There has been a flurry of moves this offseason as teams try to replicate the success that the Rams and Bengals achieved after being aggressive last offseason. Some big quarterback trades have shaken up the fantasy quarterback landscape heading into the 2022 season, and even quarterbacks who’ve stayed put have seen changes to their receiving corps. Here are the biggest free agency winners at the quarterback position.
2022 Free Agency Winners: Quarterbacks
Tua Tagovailoa
Even having missed a few games due to injury, Tua Tagovailoa was impressive as a sophomore, having ranked third in accuracy, first in deep ball completion rate, and first in red-zone completion rate among quarterbacks. With the recent trade for Tyreek Hill, Miami’s offense now features a dangerously fast duo of wide receivers in Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Between those two and Mike McDaniel’s zone run scheme, opposing defenses will be stretched both horizontally and vertically on the field. The Hill trade also overshadows a big free agent signing in Terron Armstead. The Dolphins’ offensive line ranked dead last in the league last year in pass block win rate, and if healthy, Armstead would upgrade the line in a major way. Miami’s improved pass protection and the addition of Hill put Tagovailoa atop the list of quarterback free agency winners.
Derek Carr
Even after the Raiders lost both Henry Ruggs and Jon Gruden to off-field issues last year and with having Darren Waller out with injury for the second half of the season, Derek Carr was surprisingly efficient. Despite uninspiring fantasy production, Carr ranked second in accuracy and seventh in yards per attempt even with a dwindling supporting cast. And in 2020, he was the No. 14 fantasy quarterback with Waller and Hunter Renfrow at his disposal even lacking a true No. 1 wide receiver. Now with the addition of Davante Adams, Carr could finally have a strong receiving corps to bolster his fantasy production en route to a top-12 finish, and perhaps even a top-10 finish. As with Hill and Tagovailoa, the addition of Adams injects newfound potential into the Raiders’ offense and vaults Carr up dynasty rankings.
Ryan Tannehill
Much like Carr, Ryan Tannehill dealt with a less than ideal surrounding cast in 2021. Both A.J. Brown and Julio Jones battled injuries all year long, and the Titans lost Derrick Henry to a foot injury in Week 8. It’s no wonder that Tannehill had his worst season since joining Tennessee after having finished as the No. 7 fantasy quarterback in 2020 and the No. 2 fantasy quarterback in points per game in 10 games as the starter in 2019. The Titans traded just a sixth-round pick for Robert Woods and signed Austin Hooper to a one-year deal, massively upgrading their talent at skill positions behind Brown and Henry. Tannehill should be poised for a big bounce-back in 2022 and is low-key one of the biggest free agency winners at quarterback, making him a strong dynasty buy candidate right now.
Deshaun Watson
Two recent news updates on Deshaun Watson bode well for his dynasty value long-term. First, is the grand jury declining to indict Watson on any criminal charges concerning the allegations of sexual misconduct. Second is the Browns not only trading for him but also guaranteeing an incredible $230 million over the next five years. Even if the NFL decides to issue a suspension in 2022, Cleveland is committed to Watson as their starter for the foreseeable future. There is some risk of continued off-field concerns, but overall, Watson’s fantasy ceiling far outweighs the risks at this point in his legal proceedings. On the field, the Browns already traded for Amari Cooper to add a true No. 1 receiver and should continue building the offense around Watson. His ADP should quickly jump back up into the first round of superflex dynasty startups.
Davis Mills
Houston trading away Watson without having received a quarterback in return as part of the deal also makes Davis Mills among the biggest free agency winners at quarterback. While Mills had an inconsistent 11 games as the starter last season, he led the Texans to a win over the Chargers in Week 16 and nearly beat the Patriots in Week 5. And despite a lack of receiving talent behind Brandin Cooks, Mills ranked fourth in deep ball completion rate and seventh in clean pocket completion rate. The Texans reportedly like Mills and plan to build around him this offseason with their multitude of draft picks coming up in April. Houston can bolster the offensive line and wide receiver room this offseason, as the 2022 draft class features strong prospects at both positions of need. If Mills can develop as a sophomore with a stronger supporting cast, there’s a chance that he could be the long-term answer in Houston.
Honorable Mentions
The trio of Mitch Trubisky, Jameis Winston, and Marcus Mariota all have a chance to start again in 2022 after having been relegated to backup duty in recent seasons. While they lack long-term job security, all three have seen a bump in dynasty value as potential short-term fantasy QB2s for contending teams. Matt Ryan and Kirk Cousins also both see a slight increase in dyansty value as Ryan gets an upgraded offensive line on a contending roster in Indianapolis, and Cousins’s contract extension likely secures his starting job in Minnesota through 2023.
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