Quarterback is the most important position in all of sports. The success of any NFL team is entirely contingent on the performance of their signal-caller. The successful franchises are those who effectively pinpoint the QBs with consistent production and leadership.
This offseason, many teams will be tasked with determining their starter at the QB position. The decision will likely require months of careful consideration. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Las Vegas Raiders and Minnesota Vikings are among the most intriguing teams with ongoing uncertainty at the position. For these teams, the appointment is likely to be the difference between a playoff berth or yet another disappointing season.
The QB positional battles will also have a big impact on the fantasy football landscape. Every QB has characteristic tendencies that will boost or hinder the fantasy value of weapons in the offense. David Njoku‘s peculiar 2023 season is a great example of this. With Deshaun Watson under center, the TE averaged 4.2 receptions for 38.3 yards per game. Once Joe Flacco was named the starting QB, Njoku’s numbers increased to six receptions and 78 yards per game.
For this reason, it’s important to monitor the status of these ambiguous QB depth charts. Some of the biggest names in fantasy football will be affected by these situations. Below are three training camp battles that are particularly interesting as we head deeper into the offseason.
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NFL Quarterback Position Battles (Fantasy Football)
Pittsburgh Steelers: Russell Wilson (QB – PIT) vs. Justin Fields (QB – PIT)
The Pittsburgh Steelers have suffered from porous QB play ever since the departure of Ben Roethlisberger. The likes of Mason Rudolph, Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett have not been serviceable heirs to the Hall-of-Fame QB.
The Steelers wasted no time addressing their QB depth this offseason. The team acquired both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in the early stages of spring. Like the rest of the Steelers organization, both of these QBs are looking to produce bounce-back seasons. They are coming off career-defining years where they drastically failed to live up to expectations.
As of now, it appears as though Russell Wilson is slightly favored to win the starting job. He has a much better resume in terms of career accolades. He was also the first of the two QBs to put pen to paper with the organization. On the other hand, the speculation around Justin Fields continues to be relatively negative. There have been multiple reports about persistent struggles throughout the offseason. What’s more, rumors surfaced that the Steelers were considering employing Fields as a punt returner in 2024.
Wilson was, by most statistical metrics, the better passer in 2023. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), he outperformed Fields in passing grade, big-time throw percentage and adjusted completion percentage. From a passing-game standpoint, Wilson would be much more beneficial to the offense. If and when he is named starter, the likes of George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth would see a considerable boost in value. It’s important to recall that as Wilson’s primary pass-catcher in 2023, Courtland Sutton had a career year and accumulated 10 receiving touchdowns.
Nevertheless, it’d be unwise for the Steelers to ignore the rushing acumen Fields offers. This is especially true given the fact that newly-appointed OC Arthur Smith is prone to running the ball at a very high rate. In 2023, Fields compiled an impressive 26 missed tackles forced and finished with a rushing grade of 84.9, per PFF. If and when Fields is named starter, he is immediately vaulted into top-10 fantasy QB consideration. The same cannot be said about Wilson, despite his prowess through the air.
Las Vegas Raiders: Gardner Minshew (QB – LV) vs. Aidan O’Connell (QB – LV)
The ongoing competition between Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell is particularly interesting because the two are of very similar caliber. Their 2023 statistical profiles are nearly identical. Minshew’s PFF adjusted completion percentage of 74.2% was marginally better than O’Connell’s (74.0%). O’Connell bested Minshew’s PFF big-time throw percentage of 2.7% by the skin of his teeth, as he finished with a 3.4% clip. Their respective NFL passer ratings were only 0.5 points apart, with Minshew gaining the slight edge in that department.
From an organizational standpoint, it would make plenty of sense for the Raiders to opt for the younger QB in O’Connell. While he struggled at times as a rookie, he showed enough promise to suggest there may be some untapped potential in his game. On the other hand, this is also a team that prides itself on its defense and running game. They may simply be looking for a game-managing QB who will limit turnovers on offense. In this case, Minshew may be the more sound option.
According to PFF, O’Connell graded best on medium (10-19 yards) and deep (20+ yards) throws during his rookie season. His appointment will coincide with an increase in Davante Adams‘ fantasy value. The perennial superstar WR will benefit from frequent targets down the field. On the other hand, Minshew was better on throws closer to the line of scrimmage. Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers owners should hope Minshew is given the starting nod in 2024. In any case, neither O’Connell nor Minshew will be fantasy-viable QBs in non-Superflex formats.
Minnesota Vikings: Sam Darnold (QB – MIN) vs. J.J. McCarthy (QB – MIN)
The Minnesota Vikings offense boasts several talented skill-position players. Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones are all among the elite in their respective positions. Given the talent on their roster, the Vikings simply need a solid QB who can distribute the ball to these playmakers. For many years, Kirk Cousins fulfilled this role admirably.
With Cousins’ departure in free agency, there is a large vacancy at the QB position. Journeyman Sam Darnold and incoming rookie J.J. McCarthy will be competing for the starting spot. As of now, Darnold is leading the race to be the Week 1 starter.
Vikings QB JJ McCarthy has less than a 10% chance of starting Week 1, per @AlbertBreer
"More so, it’s about Kevin O’Connell and Sam Darnold. The former put together a detailed, step-by-step development plan for McCarthy that’ll require the quarterback to hit certain milestones… pic.twitter.com/wZS9lJoRaF
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) June 19, 2024
The question is whether J.J. McCarthy will be able to earn the starting role as the season progresses. Time and time again, we’ve seen rookie QBs play a backup role for the first couple weeks of the season. Once the team feels the rookie is up to speed with the system, he is named the starter. This situation is likely to repeat itself in Minnesota in 2024.
Darnold is yet to prove he can be a consistent starter in the NFL. Across his six seasons as a pro, he’s yet to surpass a PFF passer grade of 66.5. What’s more, his career-adjusted completion percentage of 72.5% and his turnover-worthy play percentage of 4.1% (PFF) leave much to be desired. It’s a matter of time before the team makes the transition to the highly-touted QB prospect.
J.J. McCarthy showed the ability to push the ball downfield during his final season as a Wolverine. On throws 20+ yards downfield, he earned a PFF passer grade of 92.9. When McCarthy inevitably takes over the starting QB role, the weapons in this offense will all see a boost in fantasy value.
McCarthy will be more adept at sustaining drives and generating explosive offensive plays. Most notably, Justin Jefferson will gain immense value once the switch is made. Jefferson, who’s always been an incredible downfield threat, will benefit from increased accuracy on the downfield targets he earns.
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