7 QBs with (potentially) shaky job security

Two-QB, 12-team and dynasty league formats will force drafters to dive deeper into the QB pool and think long-term about potential scenarios where the Week 1 starter could falter and see the backup promoted to QB1 duties.

Here are seven QB situations where the incumbent or veteran QB might find himself challenged for playing time. Job security for the projected Week 1 starter is rated from 10 (absolutely no chance he loses his job) to 1 (his agent should start making some phone calls).

Group 1: Blue-Chip rookies

Los Angeles Rams

Incumbent: Case Keenum
Challenger: Jared Goff
Job Security: 5

The Rams finished their tenure in St. Louis with 11 starts from Nick Foles and five from Keenum. Given that underwhelming duo, they selected Cal Golden Bears junior Goff with the first overall pick.

Los Angeles appears to have little inclination to rush the development of Goff, so it's likely that Keenum assumes Week 1 duties. Coach Jeff Fisher is no stranger to QB controversy (see: Vince Young), but when the decision is finally made to insert Goff into the starting role, trust that he'll stay in it for good.

For now, the team is Keenum's - but he's not worth drafting in any format. On the other hand, Goff is worth a late-round stash in deeper leagues; it wouldn't be a shock to see the rookie grab the reins by mid-season.

Philadelphia Eagles

Incumbent: Sam Bradford
Challenger: Carson Wentz
Job Security: 4

Bradford was understandably annoyed when the Eagles traded up to draft a QB with the second overall pick. With Wentz in the fold, Philadelphia has an incentive to ready its prospect for starting duties as soon as possible, as it would allow the team to walk away while paying very little of Bradford's 2017 contract if he's cut after the upcoming season.

Bradford offers a steadier hand right now, but don't expect the Eagles to stunt Wentz's development for a win-now approach. Wentz has value in deep re-draft leagues and dynasty leagues.

For single-season leagues, he tops off as being a third QB in 12-team formats for now - at least until the Eagles take a firm stance on the position battle. That means he should go largely undrafted, though expect a flurry of waiver claims if he is named the starter down the stretch.

Denver Broncos

Incumbent: Trevor Siemian
Challengers: Mark Sanchez & Paxton Lynch
Job Security: 2

Fresh off their victory in Super Bowl 50, the Broncos enter 2016 with a starting QB not named Peyton Manning. And the situation is a bit of a mess entering the last days of the preseason, with Siemian seemingly in line to start the season as the No. 1 option.

Siemian - drafted 250th overall by the Broncos in 2015 - isn't without his flaws, but has shown more than either Sanchez or Lynch. The downgrade of Sanchez is particularly concerning, since he was essentially brought in to take over the starting role while Lynch learned from the sidelines.

Regardless of who assume the signal-calling duties for Denver, the receiving corps is set to take a hit. Demaryius Thomas is being drafted earlier than he should, and there's no telling where Emmanuel Sanders will fit into the new-look offense. It's best to fade both players this season.

Group 2: QBs with injury history - and something to prove

Dallas Cowboys

Incumbent: Tony Romo
Challenger: Dak Prescott
Job Security: 9

Having broken his collarbone twice last year, and with a history of back problems, Romo is becoming less and less a sure thing at age 36. While injury can strike any player, it will be important for Romo's fantasy owners to brace themselves for the possibility of a second straight injury-plagued campaign.

Enter Prescott, who has had the best preseason of any quarterback in the league. While the coaching staff has kept things simple with the rookie, Prescott has shown a solid read ability and has kept plays going even when the offensive line breaks down. He should be entrenched as the No. 2.

Fantasy players will have to work under the assumption that Romo is healthy, but deeper leagues would be wise to handcuff a mid-round selection of Romo with a second mid-round QB such as Kirk Cousins or Andy Dalton. Romo will still be the top option most weeks but if his health becomes an issue, you'll be glad to have another option with a track record of success.

Cleveland Browns

Incumbent: Robert Griffin III
Challenger: Josh McCown
Job Security: 3

Griffin probably isn't the future in Cleveland but at least he has a realistic shot of being the present. Injuries have zapped his once-dynamic athleticism and lowered his ceiling dramatically, but there's hope that within a new system and with new personnel around him, the one-time Pro Bowler can make up for lost time after sitting out the entire 2015 season.

On average, Griffin is being taken with the 174.5th pick, per FantasyPros.

Based on recent track records, neither Browns QB will be worth starting this season, though if Griffin can demonstrate anything more than pedestrian skills in the pocket, he could conceivably be an option in two-QB leagues.

Group 3: Teams with coaching regime changes

San Francisco 49ers

Incumbent: Blaine Gabbert
Challenger(s): Colin Kaepernick, Jeff Driskel & Christian Ponder
Job Security: 2

The Niners brought in Chip Kelly to retool a stagnant offense. Kaepernick was a great backup option in fantasy two seasons ago because of the upside his rushing offered, but he lost starts to Gabbert last season and was generally outplayed by his teammate. It's impossible to say who has the edge right now.

Kelly has made things even murkier by singing the praises of all of his QBs through the offseason. Admittedly, Kaepernick's unique skill-set would seem to gel with Kelly's creative offensive sets, but undergoing several surgeries this offseason puts him at a disadvantage for learning the team's new offense.

It's hard to envision Gabbert starting all 16 games; if Kaepernick finds himself starting in Kelly's offense, he'll be worth a waiver claim. There are simply too many unknowns at this point, so the best advice is to stay clear of the 49ers' QB carousel altogether.

Miami Dolphins

Incumbent: Ryan Tannehill
Challengers: Matt Moore & Brandon Doughty
Job Security: 8

Head coach Adam Gase is the new sheriff in town, but all indications are that Ryan Tannehill will have another season to prove his mettle in Miami. The Dolphins' pivot has increased his passing yardage in each of his four years in the NFL while his interception rate has hovered at a respectable two percent for two seasons now.

That said, the Fins can opt out of Tannehill's contract after 2016 with just $6.9 million on the books - a relative pittance. If Gase decides that Tannehill doesn't fit the team's direction under him, he might transition to another QB on the depth chart if the opportunity arises.

If Tannehill struggles early, keep an eye on seventh-round pick Doughty, who is a dark horse candidate to steal snaps if the Dolphins are well outside of contention late in the season and Gase begins to look elsewhere for his QB.

BONUS: Group 4: Week 1 QBs named Jimmy

New England Patriots

Incumbent: Tom Brady
Challenger: Jimmy Garoppolo
Job Security: 0 for first four games; 10 after Week 4

With Brady facing a four-game suspension, Garoppolo will be the man under center Week 1. He hasn't started a game since 2013 at Eastern Illinois, so it's anyone's guess how he'll perform when given a month atop the depth chart.

The Patriots have had good production out of their stop-gap fill-ins in the past, but expecting a solid return on investment from a late-round flier on Garoppolo is silly. Even if he throws for 500 yards per game, his playing time is capped at a quarter of a season, and he won't play more than garbage time from Week 5 onward once Brady is reinstated.