Later-Round Quarterback Values: Draft Bargains for Fantasy Football

Once you reach the late rounds of drafts, everyone wants to draft high-upside fliers that can provide a great return on value. You can afford to take risks on a variety of different players, including prospects, forgotten veterans, players returning from injuries, or even skilled players with potential playing time concerns.

It's essential to have at least a handful of sleeper targets at each position heading into your fantasy football drafts, no matter the format. Here are some late-round quarterbacks for you to consider drafting this season.

Our editors have hand-picked these specific NFL players for your draft prep enjoyment. Normally only available to Premium subscribers, the outlooks below are meant to give you a taste of the in-depth analysis you receive with our industry-leading 2022 Draft Kit. Be sure to subscribe today and start reading all 300+ of our 2022 player outlooks, along with many other premium articles and tools available exclusively in our 2022 Draft Kit.

Jared Goff, Lions, Fantasy Football Outlook

Last year was the first season for former Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff with the Detroit Lions. The former No. 1 overall pick finished the season as fantasy QB24. In 14 games, he finished with 494 passing attempts, 3,245 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He rushed 17 times for 87 rushing yards. Goff is not a dual-threat quarterback. And he is not going to impress you with his passing skills overly.

His 6.6 yards per attempt is a three-year downward trend (in 2019, he averaged 7.4, and in 2020 he averaged 7.2). Detroit's reluctance to acquire another quarterback either in free agency or the draft leaves Goff as the only reliable quarterback option in a quarterback room that also boasts Tim Boyle and David Blough. The upside is you can count on Goff playing the entire season if he can stay healthy.

There is also an upgrade in weapons in Detroit. In addition to T.J. Hockenson, D'Andre Swift, and Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit acquired the services of DJ Chark Jr. in free agency and drafted wide receiver Jameson Williams and tight end James Mitchell. According to Fantasy Pros, Goff's current ADP is #169. The National Fantasy Football Championship has Goff as the 27th quarterback, while Sports Illustrated Fantasy views him as QB18.

Detroit's offense ran the ball on average 25.1 times per game (21st) while passing the ball 34.9 times per game (15th), and Goff still only had 494 passing attempts, 25th in the league. The 27-year-old is a fantasy afterthought. He has the weapons and an offensive line that only gave up 11 sacks. Still, a low QB2 is the most you will get out of Goff.

--Gladys Tyler

Ryan Tannehill, Titans, Fantasy Football Outlook

Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill is coming off his worst statistical season since joining the team in 2019. Tannehill managed just 21 touchdowns, his lowest total in a full season since his rookie year. To make matters worse, his 14 interceptions were the most since his second year in the league.

Tannehill did find the end zone seven times in 2021 on the ground, providing a decent floor for fantasy managers. In a shocking draft day trade, the Titans sent star wideout A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles. Tennessee will look to veteran free agent acquisition Robert Woods and rookie Treylon Burks to replace Brown's production.

Tannehill will be 34 when the season starts and was sacked 47 times in 2021, second most in the league. Combine that with the Titans selecting rookie Malik Willis in the third round of the 2022 Draft and it appears that Tannehill's days as the team's starting quarterback are numbered.

While it is unlikely that Willis takes over this season, Tennessee lost two starting offensive linemen to free agency and will continue to be a run-first offense centered around running back Derrick Henry. Tannehill is best viewed as a mid-range QB2.

--Aaron Knight

Carson Wentz, Commanders, Fantasy Football Outlook

After one season with the Indianapolis Colts, quarterback Carson Wentzwas traded to the Washington Commanders for draft picks this offseason. Last year was a tale of two halves for Wentz. He scored as a top-10 fantasy quarterback for the first nine weeks while throwing for 17 touchdowns and three interceptions. The former No.2 overall pick averaged 18.6 fantasy points per game.

He threw 10 touchdowns and three interceptions in the final eight games, averaging 12.2 fantasy points per game. Wentz finished the season as QB13. Now Wentz is in Washington, where his weapons are wide receivers Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, Cam Sims, Dyami Brown; tight end Logan Thomas if he returns and stays healthy; and running backs Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic.

According to Fantasy Pros, Wentz has the fourth easiest quarterback schedule. His current ADP is #156. FFPC best ball drafters are taking Wentz an average of 25th among quarterbacks. In 2021 Washington threw the ball 55% of the time in neutral situations (21st), and they ranked 20th in neutral pace. There is no reason to believe they will suddenly become a team that airs the ball out, as Wentz has the 21st passing grade with the 32nd adjusted completion rate per Pro Football Focus.

In 2021, the 29-year-old ranked 16th in pass attempts, 10th in touchdown passes, 15th among quarterbacks in rushing yards, and 14th in total fantasy points. He also ranked in the bottom half of quarterbacks in average depth of throws and finished 32nd overall on-target percentage. Wentz was 21st among all qualified passers as only 54.3% of his throws 15-yards or more were considered on-target passes (per Sports Info Solutions).

The former Philadelphia Eagle has not averaged more than 20 fantasy points since 2018. His ceiling is game dependent. In single quarterback redraft, he is a streaming option best to pick up on waivers. Wentz is an option in Superflex and Two-QB leagues if you can get him in the late rounds as your third quarterback to plug and play.

--Gladys Tyler

Kenny Pickett, Steelers, Fantasy Football Outlook

Kenny Pickett was drafted 20th by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. In fantasy football dynasty leagues, Pickett has a high ceiling with a high price, redraft he has a moderate ceiling with a low price. His ADP in redraft leagues in currently #199. In dynasty leagues he is currently going in round one. In early camps Pickett is currently taking snaps with the third string exclusively.

Mitchell Trubiskyis playing with the ones while Mason Rudolph is taking snaps with the twos. Over the last 15 years 49 quarterbacks have been selected in the first round with five in the 2021 NFL Draft. Thirty-five started more than half of their rookie season, 82% of them started at least five games. Per Pro Football Network only five have finished their rookie dynasty season as a top-12 fantasy quarterback. Eight were inside the top 18, with Mac Jonesfinishing as QB18 last season. Temper the expectations.

Acquiring Pickett in redraft two quarterbacks or flex/super-flex leagues in the sixth-round or later allows you to get a quarterback who finished his college career with a 62.4% completion rate, 12,303 yards, 81 touchdowns, 32 interceptions and 20 rushing touchdowns. He excelled in his last year in the University of Pittsburgh, where he had a 67.2% completion percentage averaging 8.7 yards per attempt with 42 touchdowns. Now he is with the Steelers and above average weapons.

Second year running back Najee Harris, second year tight-end Pat Freiermuthand wide receivers Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool and rookies George Pickens and Calvin Austin. The Steelers' offensive approach last season included 71.5% passes of throws went intermediate or short and we know offensive coordinator Matt Canada want to operate a run-heavy offense with plenty of RPOs. Pickett ran 33 RPOs in his college offense completion 27 of 31 passes with a 96.1% adjusted completion percentage.

He excels at intermediate (10-19 yards) and short (0-9) yards passes. On intermediate throws he posted a 93.7 grade and an 87 grade on short throws (first and second in his class respectively). The drawback is that he will be playing behind Pro Football Focus' 26th ranked offensive line. They were ranked sixth in pressures allowed (142) and 17th in pass blocking grade. But the offensive line was also aided by then quarterback Ben Roethlisberger ability to release the ball in 2.20 seconds.

Pickett's average release time in college was 3.19 seconds. Pickett posted 60 passing grade under pressure last year, which was 34th among quarterbacks with at least 25 dropbacks. Pickett is not a dual-threat quarterback. He had 28 rushing attempts in 2021 and finished his five-year collegiate career with 809 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns. There is a good chance Trubisky starts the season under center for the Steelers. Pickett's value lies in dynasty.

--Gladys Tyler

Baker Mayfield, Panthers, Fantasy Football Outlook

Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was traded to the Carolina Panthers this offseason for a fifth-round pick after four seasons at the helm. After compiling a 29-30 career record as a starter and leading Cleveland to their first playoff win since 1994, things spiraled out of control for Mayfield in 2021 after he tried to play through a torn labrum injury.

He was held out of three games and barely hit 3,000 yards passing while throwing 17 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions as the Browns finished 8-9. The 27-year-old now joins a Panthers team with elite weapons in running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver DJ Moore. With Head Coach Matt Rhule fighting for his job in 2022, Mayfield is likely to be the Week 1 starter after Sam Darnold admitted to "seeing ghosts" last season as well as rookie Matt Corral likely needing more time to develop.

Mayfield doesn't offer much upside in terms of rushing for fantasy, but his value is so low there is room for him to be a value in Superflex formats for 2022. Mayfield had a great rookie campaign in 2018 and was solid in 2020, but his 2019 and 2021 campaigns were less than desirable. Can he regain his form in Carolina and be their quarterback of the future? Mayfield has finished 25th, 25th, and 26th in fantasy PPG in the past three seasons.

He did average 8.2 air yards per attempt in 2021 (good for eighth) and should thrive in the deep passing game with Moore. His current ADP is QB25 and 194.5 overall. Mayfield is nothing more than a streaming option in one quarterback league formats at this time.

--Kyle Lindemann

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