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COUSINS, KIRK - ATL
Kirk Cousins is being tasked with jump-starting a Falcons offense that struggled last season with Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke manning the QB position. Cousins was a consistent fantasy producer during his time in Minnesota, but he tore his Achilles on Oct. 29, and as he heads into his age-36 season, we probably shouldn't assume that he'll continue to provide low-end QB1 value. Before going on IR last season, Cousins was averaging 291.4 passing yards and 2.3 TD passes a game. For fantasy managers, drafting Cousins to be your starting quarterback would be risky, but once he's fully healthy, this proven veteran should at least be able to provide solid QB2 value.
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Jones, Daniel - NYG
Is it far-fetched to think that we might get a rebound from Daniel Jones in 2024 after his ugly, injury-shortened season in 2023? Optimists will note that Jones finished QB9 in fantasy points per game in 2022, fueled by 708 rushing yards and seven TD runs. They'll also point out that with the Giants spending the No. 6 pick in the NFL Draft on Malik Nabers, Jones will have a true No. 1 receiver for the first time in his professional career. The pessimists will note that in the six games Jones played last year before getting hurt, he posted a dismal passer rating of 70.5, with two TD passes and six interceptions. They'll add that Daniels has averaged fewer than 7.0 yards per pass attempt in all five of his NFL seasons. The ceiling for Jones may be higher than some fantasy managers realize, but it's entirely possible that Jones will stumble early in the season and be replaced by Drew Lock.
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Burrow, Joe - CIN
If Joe Burrow gets a full season of good health in 2024, he'll likely be one of the more valuable fantasy assets at the QB position. The 2023 season was a frustrating one for Burrow, who got off to a slow start due in part to a calf injury he sustained in training camp, then went on injured reserve in mid-November with a wrist injury. Four games into the 2023 season, with his ailing calf clearly hindering his mobility and perhaps his throwing mechanics, Burrow was QB31 in fantasy scoring averaging 8.4 fantasy points per game. Then he caught fire, averaging 296.0 yards and 2.4 TD passes over a five-game stretch from Week 5 to Week 10 in which he was QB4 in fantasy points per game. That's the Burrow we hope to see in 2024 if his health cooperates. He'll once again get to work with his longtime LSU and Bengals teammate Ja'Marr Chase, one of the finest wide receivers in the game, not to mention high-quality No. 2 receiver Tee Higgins.
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Herbert, Justin - LAC
Justin Herbert's 2023 season ended after 13 games due to a broken index finger on his throwing hand. Before the injury, he had been providing fantasy managers with low-end QB1 value. Herbert's yearly finishes in fantasy points per game among quarterbacks (six starts minimum): QB7, QB2, QB15, QB10. It would be nice if Herbert could get back to the production level of his first two years in the league. Over the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Herbert averaged 292.2 passing yards, 2.2 TD passes and 23.1 fantasy points per game. Over the last two seasons, he's averaged 262.4 passing yards, 1.5 TD passes and 17.7 fantasy points per game. Herbert has exceptional arm talent and rushing upside, but the Chargers will presumably be run-heavy with new head coach Jim Harbaugh in charge and offensive coordinator Greg Roman calling the plays, potentially capping Herbert's fantasy upside.
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Wilson, Zach - DEN
Zach Wilson traded to DenverThe Broncos have acquired Zach Wilson from the Jets in exchange for a late-round pick swap.Fantasy ImpactThe swap is a sixth round pick for a seventh round pick and the Jets will play around $5.5M of Wilson’s salary. The Broncos now head into the NFL Draft with Jarrett Stidham, Zach Wilson, and Ben DiNucci as the three quarterbacks currently on their roster. Based on the current quarterback group, Wilson could have a chance in camp to compete for the starting quarterback job.
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Watson, Deshaun - CLE
Will we ever again see the early-career version of Deshaun Watson -- the one who was a top-five fantasy quarterback in each of his first three full seasons as an NFL starter? Watson has struggled to recapture the magic of his run with the Texans from 2018 to 2020. He was understandably rusty when he made his Browns debut late in the 2022 season after serving an 11-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal-conduct policy. Watson wasn't significantly better in six 2023 starts for the Browns before a shoulder injury ended his season. In each of his two abbreviated seasons with Cleveland, Watson has averaged 15.1 fantasy points per game. He's completed 59.8% of his passes over the last two years and has averaged 6.5 yards per attempt. Watson turns 29 at the beginning of the 2024 season, and it's seeming less and less likely that he'll ever recapture the electrifying form he showed when he first burst onto the NFL scene. Approach with caution.
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SUDFELD, NATE - DET
Sudfeld didn't practice this week due to the illness, but he'll suit up Sunday against the Vikings. As long as Jared Goff stays healthy, Sudfeld will likely remain on the sidelines.
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ALLEN, BRANDON - SF
Allen entered the game for Joe Burrow with 3:42 left in the third quarter and Cincy up 42-7. It was the first time the veteran signal-caller has seen the field in 2022. The Bengals' backup QB will be on bye in Week 10 before taking on the Steelers in Week 11.
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RODGERS, AARON - NYJ
The Jets traded for Aaron Rodgers in 2023 in the hopes that he'd be the solution to their QB problems. Those hopes were dashed on Rodgers' fourth offensive snap with his new team, as he tore his Achilles when he was sacked by the Bills' Leonard Floyd. Rodgers will eventually be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but will he still be able to play at something close to a Hall-of-Fame level this season at age 40? Rodgers experienced some statistical slippage in his final season with the Packers in 2022, and now he's coming off a major injury. Two other reasons for concern about Rodgers 2024 fantasy output: (1) The Jets are likely to play at a slow offensive pace under offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, as was the case when Rodgers and Hackett were paired together in Green Bay, and (2) the Jets have a terrific defense, so Rodgers probably isn't going to be involved in a lot of high-scoring shootouts. Don't overpay for the brand name.
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Thompson-Robinson, Dorian - CLE
Thompson-Robinson had mixed in a little on short-yardage situations recently. P.J. Walker figures to now backup Joe Flacco for the rest of the season.
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Richardson, Anthony - IND
Injuries limited Anthony Richardson to just four games in his rookie season, but that appetizer-sized portion of Richardson left fantasy managers craving an entree-sized portion in 2024. Richardson went on injured reserve in October after sustaining a grade-3 AC joint sprain in Week 5. He also missed a game after a Week 2 concussion. But in the two full games he played, Richardson was dazzling, with 21.9 fantasy points in Week 1 and 29.6 points in Week 4, good for weekly fantasy finishes of QB4 and QB2. Richardson had three TD passes and four TD runs. He averaged 0.43 fantasy points per snap. Putting that into perspective, Josh Allen, who led all QBs in fantasy scoring, averaged 0.36 fantasy points per snap. The 6-4, 244-pound Richardson has a rare combination of size and speed that makes him one of the best running QBs in the league. And based on the small 2023 sample, he may be a more advanced passer than he was billed as in the run-up to the 2023 NFL Draft. Richardson's fantasy stock is ready to soar.
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Levis, Will - TEN
Will Levis quickened the pulses of fantasy football managers when he threw four TD passes against the Falcons in his first NFL start. But after those Levis pyrotechnics in Week 8, the rookie QB couldn't get much cooking for the rest of the season, throwing only four TD passes over his next eight starts. It's hard to tell what to make of Levis for 2024. The book on him coming out of college was that he had the Josh Allen starter kit (rocket arm, good mobility) but was far from a finished product. The good news is that the Titans seem committed to their young quarterback. They signed free-agent WR Calvin Ridley to a four-year, $92 million deal, giving Levis a veteran WR duo of Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins. Tennessee also signed veteran slot receiver Tyler Boyd and made investments in a leaky offensive line. Levis is probably going to encounter rough patches in his first full season as a starter, but a dramatically upgraded supporting cast gives him a fighting chance to be a pleasant fantasy surprise.
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O'Connell, Aidan - LV
O'Connell led the Raiders to their third win in the last four weeks of the season on Sunday afternoon. Going beyond that, the Raiders went 5-4 after the rookie QB took over for good back in Week 9. Over that nine-game span, O'Connell completed 61.5 percent of his passes for an average of nearly 212 yards per contest with an 11-to-5 TD/INT ratio. The fourth-round pick out of Purdue has certainly given the Raiders much to consider regarding the team's future at quarterback. O'Connell certainly could end up being their guy going into next season.
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Bennett, Stetson - LAR
Stetson Bennett to participate in offseason workoutsRams GM Les Snead said the plan is to have Stetson Bennett participate in the team’s offseason workouts.Fantasy ImpactSnead added that Bennett is currently working out in Dallas. His future with the Rams was unclear, but it appears he'll get a chance to remain with the Rams as he works out with them in the team's offseason workouts.
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Wolford, John - TB
Wolford will now return to Los Angeles where he spent the past three seasons. With Matthew Stafford dealing with a thumb injury, Wolford provides an experienced option at quarterback with knowledge of the system in case Stafford misses time.
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