Building a Winning SuperFlex Strategy for 2019 Fantasy Football

Superflex is the best way to play fantasy football. I did not say the most popular, but it is the best! Why? Because you take an otherwise overlooked position and make it meaningful. It is universally accepted that the Quarterback position is the most important in all of sports. However, in fantasy football, the position is so deep that if you play in a 12-team league with just one QB per team you can wait until the third to last round and nab a starting QB. The only reason you can’t wait even longer is that the final two rounds are for defense and kickers if you have those spots in your leagues. But hey, why am I trying to sell you on super flex leagues, you clicked on a Superflex strategy article, likely meaning you are already sold. And if not, I wrote a whole article on why you should be playing super flex!

If you are new to super flex though, here is a quick excerpt from that article:

“For those unfamiliar with superflex, it is a format that allows owners to use two quarterbacks, but gives them more lineup flexibility than a two QB league. In a standard two QB league, you have no choice but to start two quarterbacks. However, in superflex you have one spot that is solely designated for a quarterback and then you have a superflex position- which can be used for a second QB or a RB/WR/TE like a traditional flex spot.”

Super Flex Strategy

Superflex strategy is completely different from that of any other fantasy football league you will play in. You will not only see Patrick Mahomes go off the board early, but you will also likely see him and perhaps even another QB or two go off the board in the first round. That does not mean you should panic and look to take any QB you can early on. I believe there are six QBs that differentiate themselves from the pack. They are Mahomes, Andrew Luck, Deshaun Watson, Aaron Rodgers, Baker Mayfield, and Russell Wilson.

You do not need to take a QB in the first round to land one of these six, but you do have to be willing to take one in the second round. I participated in a Fantrax Superflex mock draft last month and nabbed Baker Mayfield in round two, with all six of these QBs going off the board by the end of the second round. This fits my superflex strategy, which is to nab my first QB inside the first three rounds. That may sound crazy to you, but with six QBs going off the board in the first two rounds, players at other positions get sent down the draft board. That means there will be quality RBs and WRs available in the third or fourth round that typically would already be off the board.

My superflex strategy incorporates my standard league strategy as well, which is to grab a running back in the first round. Even in super flex, I want to nab one of the RB1s in the first round. Especially since there is a chance one of David Johnson, Melvin Gordon or Le’Veon Bell slides to the back half of the first round with some QBs sprinkled in. The workhorse running back is a dying breed, so I still emphasize grabbing one in the first round. The next two rounds tend to depend on who falls to me. If there is a receiver that I really like, say a JuJu Smith-Schuster, I will still nab the receiver. But one of those next two picks for me will be my first QB. Typically, my superflex roster is made up of one RB, one WR, and one QB through three rounds. The third round is typically a round where a heavy QB run occurs.

Typically I will have my second QB in the fourth or fifth round, depending on the QB runs. That is important advice. You do not want to be at the end of a QB run or worse, avoid taking a second QB and be stuck starting a Nick Foles or Eli Manning every week. However, feel out the room. If everyone is waiting on QBs, then you can wait as well. The QB position is so deep that there are legitimately 22 QBs that I think you should be fine starting as your QB2. There are then another five or six that have upside, but that you would prefer as a QB3 rather than one you have to start weekly.

Here is the QB scoring for recent years, which showcases that the QB position is deeper than ever and there are 20+ options you can have as your QB2:

While you are focusing on when to grab your second QB, I would advocate not forgetting about your tight end. I have been putting a premium on the position this season, typically taking one in the first five or six rounds. If I miss out of the big three, which I typically do, I will not miss out on my tier two tight ends, which includes O.J. Howard, Hunter Henry and Evan Engram. The sixth or seventh round is a good round to target these tight ends since they will be pushed down a bit due the many QBs now being drafted ahead of them.

Additionally, since I advocate taking an RB in the first round, I typically will wait before selecting my second one. If I am starting RB, WR, QB (or vice versa in the second and third round) that means the earliest shot I have at grabbing my RB2 is in the fourth round. Typically, I tend to lean the fourth round WRs over the RBs. Not only do I like the WR talent in this range more than the RB, but the position is also just naturally safer. Think of some running backs who were going in that range just a year ago: LeSean McCoy, Kenyan Drake, Alex Collins, Ronald Jones, Rashaad Penny, Royce Freeman, Jay Ajayi, Marshawn Lynch, Carlos Hyde, Dion Lewis, Jamaal Williams among others.

That does not mean you should pass up on a running back value if one was to fall to you, even if it means grabbing one in round two. No strategy is set in stone and you need to be able to jump on value, like in any draft, but unless you feel like an RB is too good to still be on the board, I tend to go WR in that range.

After selecting your second QB, much of the draft will be normal. You will continue to load up on RB and WR depth and should save defense and kicker for the final two rounds. The only change with Superflex strategy is one of your reserve spots should be used on a third QB. If you play in a 12-team league and every team drafts two QBs, which means 24 of the 32 starters are off the board. That leaves you eight starters to find a reserve. Of those eight, there are multiple spots where we are unsure who will start the season or if there will be a quick change at the position. These situations are the Dolphins, who will have Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen compete for the starting spot, as well as Eli Manning and Joe Flacco, who both could be replaced by first-round draft picks.

If you do not want to get into bed with those situations, then that leaves about five reserve QBs. You will need to nab one of them in round eight or nine. My rule is the worse your QB2 is, the more importance you should put on the third QB. For instance, if you have Russell Wilson and Philip Rivers as your two QBs, you are really only going to need the third QB for those bye weeks, plus you have the option of using an RB or WR in that spot for those weeks. But if you have say a Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson, a less proven QB2, then you should have a solid backup plan like a Derek Carr or Matthew Stafford. Those QB3’s will cost a premium.

If you miss out on one of those five QBs, you should take a shot on one of Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, or Josh Rosen. Not that any would be great, but they are on teams that will not compete and should look to turn from the vets to the kids quickly into the season. Your goal should be to have a third starting QB on your roster, by any means necessary, and this helps you stash one in the case that you miss out. I would also recommend grabbing both QBs from one of those teams. For instance, if you draft Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen, both are cheaper than one of the more premium QB3s, plus you will always have a third starting QB, regardless of who the Dolphins elect to use.

Hopefully, you are not only fully sold on superflex leagues, but now have the Superflex strategy in hand to go out and win one! If you have any further questions, hit me up on Twitter, @MichaelFFlorio.

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Michael Florio is the winner of the 2018 FSWA Baseball Article of the Year and was a finalist for the 2017 Fantasy Football Writer of the Year. He has hosted video/radio shows, written for a number of print and web publications including the AP, NY Daily News and much more!

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