The time is now. There is no time like the present to begin your preparation for your 2023 Fantasy Football Drafts. While the excitement is often focused on the running back and wide receiver positions, it does not mean we should completely neglect the quarterback position. Instead, some creative thinking might be necessary. Depth and the matchup game can certainly work to your advantage in identifying those late-round quarterbacks that can help you compete at the position even if the elite options are all off the board.
This is one position in which you can work the latter stages of a draft with a little more success. We generally have some clarity surrounding roles, situations, and risks at the quarterback position, and value can be found. With that being said, let us dig into three late-round quarterbacks that you can rely upon if you fade the position in the early rounds.
From a strategy perspective, the thought process here is that if you decide to fade quarterbacks in the early rounds of drafts, you would then be the last team to take a starting quarterback. The balancing act though, is that it is important to draft your starting quarterback before other teams begin selecting their backups.
3 Late-Round Quarterbacks for 2023 Fantasy Football Drafts
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Health. That is that the big thing for Stafford entering the 2023 season after he missed the last seven games of 2022 with a spinal cord contusion. The good news is that Stafford was cleared pretty early in the off-season and should not have any limitations in preparing for the upcoming season.
Sean McVay says Matthew Stafford is healthy and ready for football: “There will be no limitations. He’ll be ready to roll.”
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) March 28, 2023
Last year that was not the case for Stafford as he dealt with elbow issues in the off-season that ultimately prevented him from throwing in the spring. Overall, it was a year to forget for both Stafford and the Rams as they finished just 5-12 on the season while Stafford only managed 10 touchdown passes and 2,087 passing yards in nine games. One of the other issues for Stafford was a lack of targets as Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson, and Tyler Higbee also dealt with injuries.
That came a year after Stafford tied his career high with 41 touchdown passes and threw for 4,886 yards. The Rams are not as good a team as they were in 2022, but things are not as bad as they were last year either. Kupp is one of the best receivers in the game, Stafford has a track record of success, and there is not a clear competitor for snaps on the roster either.
Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers
The pedigree is there, or at least the potential, as Pickett was drafted in the first round of last year’s draft as the quarterback presumed to be the most ready for the professional game. Pickett got a delayed beginning to his pro career as he entered the starting lineup for the Steelers in Week 4, and from that standpoint, the rookie really did not get going.
We have to raise the larger question here though, as even though Pickett did start most of the season for the Steelers, he only managed seven touchdown passes and 2,404 passing yards. A quarterback though is only as good as his supporting cast, and Pickett had more to contend with last year than just acclimating himself to the NFL.
Pickett’s yards per attempt last season was just 6.2, which went in line with 4.0 yards after catch, as both marks were the worst in the league in 2022. As much as Pickett experienced growing pains, he was also a victim of a lack of options with Dionte Johnson struggling and George Pickens finding his way as a fellow rookie. The run game with Najee Harris could have been better to take more of the offensive workload from Pickett which would only serve to benefit the quarterback, but ultimately Johnson and Pickens need to continue growing into true, viable threats for their quarterback.
Pittsburgh has clearly committed to Pickett under center so playing time should not be an issue. From a running perspective, Pickett can also chip in a little here as well.
Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Not like they really had a choice, but Green Bay truly committed themselves to Love for at least the upcoming season. It is telling that the Packers guaranteed $13.5 million to Love for 2024.
We have yet to see actual production from Love in the NFL, but he certainly has been around the game and team, so there should not be many surprises despite the fact that he threw for just 195 yards last year. With Sean Clifford behind Love on the depth chart, there are no secrets where Green Bay is going at the position even if Love is still an unknown quantity to a large degree.
The good news for Love is that all of the attention will not be placed on him as the Packers have a strong running game in Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillion. That should help open up things for the passing game. After gaining valuable experience, and showing their potential last season, both Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs could be explosive weapons for Love. Green Bay also committed to Love by adding more young receiving options through the draft, but things would look better if they had a veteran threat to rely on.
What does ground me in Love as being a late-round option to rely on though is his legs. Green Bay has a strong offensive line and if Love puts his athleticism to good use, that running production could provide a solid fantasy floor.
For more great rankings and analysis, make sure to check out our 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Kit!
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— Lisa Ann (@thereallisaann) May 6, 2023