Streaming the quarterback position is a famous play amongst fantasy leagues. In 10 to 12-team leagues, you can wait until the end of your draft or even refuse to draft a quarterback, choosing to stream the position instead.
This method could help you build your talent elsewhere, and allow you to focus your research on a single-player position weekly. Let’s break down the rules, stats, and strategies necessary to properly stream the most critical position in football.
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Streaming Quarterbacks Guide
Who will be available to stream after your fantasy draft?
We need to understand that there is a list of payers who we are not speaking of within this article because they will be drafted, and you will not have access to them. Here are the top-12 quarterbacks and the tiers in which they belong.
Tier 1:
Josh Allen (BUF), Jalen Hurts (PHI), Patrick Mahomes (KC), Lamar Jackson (BAL)
Tier 2:
C.J. Stroud (HOU), Anthony Richardson (IND), Joe Burrow (CIN), Dak Prescott (DAL), Kyler Murray (ARI)
Tier 3:
Jordan Love (GB), Brock Purdy (SF), Tua Tagovailoa (MIA)
After these top-12 quarterbacks, we must make the right calls on who to utilize weekly while streamlining the quarterback position. So, who do we want to focus on? Well, there are a few things we must consider.
Scouting The Opponent
We will discuss the longevity of your streaming quarterback later in this article. However, we should first focus on next week, as that is the most crucial one. You must not only research who the quarterback is but also the opponent. Are they susceptible to the deep ball? If so, how does this streaming quarterback do on passes over 20+ yards? These are essential factors within the game that help you win every week.
A great example is in Week 1, as you look into your waiver wire and see Will Levis. You know Levis attempted the highest percentage of deep throws last year at 20.8%. Now, you look at his opponent for Week 1. The Bears allowed a low average depth of target (aDot), so the matchup isn’t what you should be looking for in your lineup.
However, if you search down the board, you will find a quarterback in Matthew Stafford, who attempted the 15th most passes that have traveled 20+ yards in the air. Stafford is facing a defense in Week 1 that produced a league-worst 9.5 aDot. This combination, plus Stafford’s healthy weapons, can help you elevate your fantasy team.
Read The Betting Lines
One of the simplest ways to find a quarterback who will produce winning numbers is to watch the Vegas betting lines. We need a quarterback in a high-scoring game. Looking at a quarterback in a game with an O/U of 37 will not help our fantasy teams.
Instead, the sweet spot is 45-50 points. Based on our Stafford example, the Los Angeles Rams vs. the Detroit Lions sits at 51 total points. Stafford is shaping up to be a good week one streaming option quarterback.
Are They A Konami Code Quarterback?
Do they always need to be a Konami Code quarterback? Of course not! However, the threat of a rushing ability does help you create a floor for your fantasy quarterback while extending their ceiling.
Always remember to ask yourself if your player provides this skill. In our example with Matthew Stafford, he does not offer a Konami Code to your fantasy lineup. However, Stafford is still in the mix due to the matchup.
How Are They Trending Lately?
This rule is more important once you enter the season, but you must track QB trends like stocks. If you select a quarterback who has had multiple turnovers each game, the chances that he will turn it around are slim to none. Instead, you must focus on who is on the upward trend or is showing the ability to create splash plays within a game.
Splash plays could allow your player to score quick touchdowns. Quick touchdowns will throw points into your lineup so fast it will make your opponent’s head spin. Always research the last two to four weeks of your future streaming quarterback. If he isn’t trending upward, find yourself another man.
While we are speaking of two to four weeks, another rule of fantasy football for every position is to play in quarters (relating to the season). We have discussed this rule before, but playing for the end of the season can equate to shooting yourself in the foot.
There is no reason to worry about the last few weeks of the season (Week 15-17) if your team can’t contend for the playoffs. Let’s check our schedules for which quarterbacks can help us win our season’s next 2-4 games. Below are a few great examples of this rule.
Minnesota Vikings QBs (J.J. McCarthy/ Sam Darnold)
Week 1: New York Giants
Week 2: San Francisco 49ers
Week 3: Houston Texans
Week 4: Green Bay Packers
Week 1: Carolina Panthers
Week 2: Dallas Cowboys
Week 3: Philadelphia Eagles
Week 4: Atlanta Falcons
Week 1: Detroit Lions
Week 2: Arizona Cardinals
Week 3: San Francisco 49ers
Week 4: Chicago Bears
Week 1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 2: New York Giants
Week 3: Cincinnati Bengals
Week 4: Arizona Cardinals
Streaming Quarterbacks Guide: Players to Avoid
Finally, remember to avoid certain streamable quarterbacks. If they don’t create upside for your lineup, they become a waste of your FAAB or waiver priority. These are the players I would avoid:
It will be tough for him to take off this season. Nix is a completion percentage machine, but we need players who can elevate our team, and Nix doesn’t provide that most weeks with that crew of players around him.
Wilson used to be a great option at quarterback, but we have yet to play fantasy football in the past. He is now in an Arthur Smith offense that leans on the running game, with a weaker wide receiver core. He also has Justin Fields breathing down his back; you’ll be better off moving on and finding someone else.
Gardner Minshew/ Aidan O’Connell (QB-LV)
Both are average (at best) quarterbacks. When researching your streaming options, that is all you need to know about these quarterbacks.
Jones’ best season was in 2019 when he threw 24 touchdowns. He provides rushing, but with only Malik Nabers to throw, too, I don’t expect any weeks where he provides 2.5 touchdowns and 250+ yards.
Remember to read all the fantastic work during the offseason here at FantasyPros. We will continue to help you refine your research and find the best players to draft to help you win your leagues. If you ever need more help, don’t hesitate to contact me on X at @jpep20. Good luck this offseason!
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