Don't Be Fooled by the Ring: Why Stafford Belongs on Your Fantasy Bench
Fantasy Football quarterbacks change from season to season. They can be selected to start again every year in certain leagues during their reign. However, certain quarterbacks should not be picked up on or given starting roles on any fantasy football manager's team this year. Most of the NFL veterans are getting ready to retire within the next few years, and this year, the one who should take a seat on the bench slot, if any manager picks him up, should be Matthew Stafford. There are many reasons why he may be great, but there are a ton of downfalls for this coming season.
This veteran quarterback has been in the league since 2009. During that time, he was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the first round as the first pick of the 2009 NFL draft. Stafford has had a decent career as a starter in Detroit and the Los Angeles Rams. His first Super Bowl appearance was in 2022 when he led the Rams to beat the Cincinnati Bengals that season. It was his first-ever appearance, and he was marked as the oldest quarterback to ever play in the game in his Super Bowl debut. When he played, he delivered and passed a 79-yard, 15-play drive in the fourth quarter, ending the game with a one-yard touchdown to Cooper Kupp. Since then, Stafford has been starting to slow down.
Last season, his week-to-week production had started to slow down. He was not as consistent as he was in previous seasons. There will be weeks where he throws perfect passes and goes for at least several touchdowns. Then there will be others where he barely does anything the following week. It makes it hard for fantasy managers to become dependent on him as a week-to-week starter. With him getting older and being one of the oldest quarterbacks in the NFL, it may be harder to keep him on starting rosters.
Another area to look at with Staffird is injury concerns. He’s had enough in his career, which has undoubtedly taken a toll on him. If he gets injured in the current season, there is no bounce-back like he used to. At that point, managers may want to let him return on waivers. He’s still a tough quarterback, but managers don’t want a starter who is a risk at this point in his career, like he is.
Stafford also has an aging arm and is still playing at almost 37. His mobility is decreasing more and more. It is not a good look, and the Rams need to start thinking about what they will do with him moving forward, let alone fantasy football managers. His deep ball doesn't go as deep as it used to. If quarterbacks are not considered a dual threat, managers aren’t generally going to go for them because it makes aging quarterbacks like Stafford harder to trust to get the points on the board.
Lastly, the Rams lean heavily on the run game, and last season, that's what the Rams depended on. Stafford doesn’t have that type of mobility and has a narrow target frame with Puka Nacua, among others. This veteran has players who are just coming in and who are used to working with face-paced quarterbacks, an area that Stafford is no longer in. They are better off going with the Rams backup up, even with Stafford still being on the roster. Fantasy Managers will need to think twice before picking him up.
There are plenty of other quarterbacks to look into for this fantasy season. Tua Tagovailoa, Kirk Cousins, Jordan Love, Russell Wilson, and even rookies such as J.J. McCarthy and Jaxson Dart, among others, can be picked up. Stafford is now ranging in the late-round picks. If he goes first round or even second, managers may be looking at a fantasy bust this season. He’s perfect for durable matchups such as playing against the Arizona Cardinals or the Seattle Seahawks. However, playing against San Francisco or Baltimore this season will not be suitable for any fantasy manager. Stafford isn't the greatest to start anymore, but he is a second quarterback to pick up for this season.
