Fantasy: 2016 Quarterback Primer

Fantasy Position Primers

Quarterbacks

Thanks to today's pass-happy NFL, the depth of fantasy quarterbacks has reached unparalleled levels, with as many as 25 signal-callers who could end the year as a low-end QB1 or better.

In the future, fantasy owners will look back and tell their grandchildren about a time when elite quarterbacks stood so far above the pack they were actually selected in the first two rounds of fantasy drafts. Those days are well behind us.

The average ADP for the top-12 quarterbacks this year is the 66th pick, which is the middle of the sixth round. That's six spots lower than it was two seasons ago, 12 spots lower than it was the year before that and 30 spots lower than it was in 2012.

Waiting on quarterbacks sounds easy, but you still need to determine which fantasy passer to select come draft day. Before you make such an important decision, let's take a look at all the notable names heading into 2016.

It's important to remember that these primers are not intended to be tiers for drafting. You can view our complete quarterback rankings here.

Watch The Throne

Cam Newton, Panthers - Newton may have been upset after losing Super Bowl 50, but fantasy owners couldn't have been happier with his performance in 2015. Newton led the league with 45 total touchdowns (35 passing, 10 rushing), winning the fantasy QB title by over 50 points. He'll have a chance to top those numbers this season with Kelvin Benjamin returning from injury and Devin Funchess poised for a breakout.

Aaron Rodgers, Packers - The Packers offense relies on Jordy Nelson more than people realized. Rodgers finished first or second among fantasy quarterbacks in five of his last seven seasons, the only exceptions being an injury-shortened 2013 campaign and last year without his star receiver. The good news is that Nelson will be back in fine form come Week 1 and so will Rodgers' fantasy value.

Eyeing the Crown

Andrew Luck, Colts - After a forgettable year marred by injuries and ineffectiveness, the highest-paid player in NFL history will have something to prove when he hits the field in 2016. One year removed from a 4,761-yard, 40-touchdown campaign and armed with a talented young receiving corps, Luck will remind people he belongs among the fantasy elite.

Russell Wilson, Seahawks - Wilson started dating Ciara early in 2015 and what followed was a career year, including 4,024 yards and 34 touchdowns with another 553 yards on the ground. He took his game to another level in the second half of the season, as the Seahawks opened up the offense for him. Will marriage help him reach another level?

Old Habits Die Hard

Drew Brees, Saints - With quarterback ADPs dropping, Brees is often available in the sixth or even seventh round of fantasy drafts. That's insane value for a player who has averaged 5,127.4 passing yards and 38.6 touchdowns per year over the last five seasons. The arrival of tight end Coby Fleener and rookie receiver Michael Thomas will help keep the 37-year-old's numbers near the top of the league.

Carson Palmer, Cardinals - At 36 years old, Palmer is another quarterback playing some of his best football late in his career. The Cardinals boast one of the best receiving trios in the league and the upgrades to their line have helped keep Palmer healthy. Another top-five fantasy finish is well within reach.

Eli Manning, Giants - Ben McAdoo's system has been the key to Manning's resurgence the last two seasons, increasing his attempts while improving his efficiency. If rookie Sterling Shepard can provide the team with a second reliable target alongside Odell Beckham, Manning could reach new fantasy heights.

Philip Rivers, Chargers - Rivers threw for more than 4,700 yards a year ago, despite losing his No. 1 receiver for half the season. Not only will he have Keenan Allen in the lineup once again, he'll also add speedster Travis Benjamin stretching the field. Rivers is an excellent option for those waiting till the eighth round or later to address the position.

Health Risks

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers - Big Ben seems to get nicked up on a weekly basis. While he normally plays through his ailments, Roethlisberger was forced to miss four games in 2015. Given the added risk, his current ADP in the fifth round seems rich.

Tyrod Taylor, Bills - Thrill seekers will love rostering Taylor, who puts his body (and season) on the line every time he tucks the ball and runs. However, one doesn't earn a nickname like TyGod for nothing. Taylor averaged QB1 numbers during his 14 starts. If he stays healthy and his top target Sammy Watkins does as well, Taylor will be the steal of every fantasy draft you're in.

Surrounded by Talent

Blake Bortles, Jaguars - Improvements to the running game and the defense might alleviate the need for Bortles to throw the ball around the yard like he did during last year's 4,428-yard, 35-touchdown breakout campaign. Don't tell the Allens (Robinson and Hurns) that though.

Derek Carr, Raiders - Few quarterbacks have a receiving duo as dangerous as Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree. Entering his third season, Carr is set up nicely to challenge for a top-10 spot in fantasy.

Kirk Cousins, Redskins - Washington knows the limitations of its quarterback and the team is doing its best to build up the talent around him. He may be heading into the year without a long-term contract, but by drafting first-rounder Josh Doctson, the Redskins are giving Cousins every opportunity to succeed.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jets - The contract standoff finally came to an end, setting Fitzpatrick up for another solid fantasy season throwing to Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. With the talent around him Fitzpatrick will once again be in the conversation as a low-end fantasy starter.

Returning From Injury

Joe Flacco, Ravens - Unlike Tony Romo, who should be fully recovered for camp, Flacco still faces some uncertainty as he works his way back from a torn ACL. Assuming he's ready for the season, there could be fantasy gold to mine in Baltimore due to Marc Trestman's pass-heavy approach. The Ravens led the NFL in passing attempts last year.

Tony Romo, Cowboys - During DeMarco Murray's monster season in 2014, Romo threw 34 touchdowns and was a top-10 fantasy quarterback. With Ezekiel Elliott in the backfield, the Cowboys will aim to recreate that offensive attack, allowing Romo to have similar success.

Suspension Looming, Again

Tom Brady, Patriots - For the second straight year we're forced to speculate at Brady's value through the lens of a possible four-game suspension that might be reduced or might be overturned completely. What we do know is that when he's on the field, Brady is a top-five fantasy quarterback.

Sophomore Stars

Jameis Winston, Buccaneers - Winston finds himself in a far more desirable situation than Mariota given the talent that exists in the Tampa offense. Winston also survived a trial by fire as a rookie, putting him in a better position to quickly rise up the fantasy ladder.

Marcus Mariota, Titans - The Titans kept the training wheels on for Mariota during his rookie year. Now the coaching staff is talking up an "Exotic Smashmouth" offense featuring DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry, which could make it tough for the second-year QB to pile up fantasy stats.

Dealing With Change

Brock Osweiler, Texans - Osweiler turned his back on the Broncos to sign in Houston, where his new head coach Bill O'Brien has a history of getting the most from his quarterbacks. Just how much Osweiler has to give remains to be seen.

Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins - For the third time in his young career, Tannehill will spend the offseason getting acclimated to a new offense. Adam Gase is the best offensive mind Tannehill has worked with and the team is loaded with promising talent in the receiving game. He's worth a flier as a post-hype sleeper.

Matthew Stafford, Lions - Fantasy owners will be hoping that saying goodbye to Calvin Johnson doesn't also mean saying goodbye to Stafford's fantasy prospects.

Stuck in the Middle

Andy Dalton, Bengals - With the departures of Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu in free agency and Tyler Eifert's early-season status up in the air due to injury, Dalton will find himself back on the fantasy sidelines.

Matt Ryan, Falcons - Even with Julio Jones recording arguably the third best season by a receiver in NFL history, Ryan only managed to finish 19th among fantasy quarterbacks last year.

Jay Cutler, Bears - If Kevin White emerges as a threat across from Alshon Jeffery, Cutler might escape fantasy exile and be a surprise star in 2016.

Limited by Scheme

Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings - Rookie Laquon Treadwell might make the Vikings' passing game more potent, but this team is built to run the ball and play good defense, meaning pass attempts will always be capped.

Alex Smith, Chiefs - Smith is a sitcom you watch each day, until you eventually realize you're not laughing. The Chiefs' system keeps things contained for their quarterback and protects him from having to put the game on his arm. Andy Reid has found success with Smith at the helm, unfortunately fantasy owners won't.

Redemption Song

Robert Griffin III, Browns - No one would make for a better redemption story than RG3. If Hue Jackson can rebuild Griffin into a competent starter, it will be an even more impressive feat than the Cavaliers bringing an NBA title to Cleveland.

Sam Bradford, Eagles - Bradford is a placeholder in Doug Pederson's offense until rookie Carson Wentz is ready to get under center.

Blaine Gabbert, 49ers - The early edge in the race to be 49ers starting QB goes to Gabbert, who showed signs of life late last season. Can Chip Kelly revive the career of the former top-10 pick?

Mark Sanchez, Broncos - All the weapons are in place for Denver to have a productive offense, with one major exception - quarterback. Sanchez will likely win the starting role coming out of training camp, but his job security will be constantly questioned.

Head of the Class

Jared Goff, Rams - The first overall pick in this year's draft is the only rookie passer with a chance at being fantasy relevant this season. However, unless your fantasy league awards points for handoffs, it's best to avoid Goff.