Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB, MIA) - 2020 Fantasy Football Draft Sleeper

4 years ago by Antonio Losada

BALLER MOVE: Target Around ~170 Overall

CURRENT ADP: 180+ (Undrafted)

ANALYSIS: The case for Fitzpatrick is very similar to that of Tyrod Taylor, Mitchell Trubisky, or Derek Carr. The obvious path for all of these quarterbacks is to end on the bench down the road in favor of their start-of-the-season backups (Justin Herbert, Nick Foles, and Marcus Mariota respectively; Tua Tagovailoa as Ryan Fitzpatrick's replacement), but all of them are projected to kick the season off as starting QBs for their respective teams. News is that Tua is healthy enough to make a Week 1 start, but I just don't see Miami putting their future in any type of potential danger due to Tua potentially getting injured early in his career. The Dolphins are still far from real contention, so it's not that they need to play with any fire so soon.

It is going to be hard for Fitz to play all 16 games, sure, but if he did PFF would have him at around 250 fantasy points on the 2020 season, which would rank Fitzpatrick as the QB20 at the very least. If he can add some points rushing he could easily become a high-end QB2 next year (270+ fantasy points). As much as Fitz's approach to the passing game would scare any real-life head coach, it should definitely please every fantasy GM. Last season, playing for a rather mediocre Dolphins team, Fitzpatrick was able to string 12 consecutive games in which he performed at least as a QB2 weekly (min 11.1 FP) and in seven of those games, he did so as a top-12 QB.

While Fitzpatrick threw nine INTs in those 12 games, he also helped his receivers score 19 TDs and added four TDs on the ground rushing the ball by himself. Fitz logged more than 250 passing yards in seven of his 13 starts. Love or hate his wild game, but when you put all of his numbers together you get a top-25 player (that's where he finished last season) with upside to finish the year with 270+ FP if given the chance to start at least 14 games.

Almost no fantasy GMs are trusting Fitzpatrick these days (just look at his undrafted-ADP) but he finished 2019 as a mid-level QB2 and there is no reason not to make him a last-round flier or free waiver addition to stream down the road.