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Fantasy Football: If Tim Tebow Was The Eagles’ Starting QB, Would He Be Fantasy Relevant?

By Robert Townsend

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In case you didn’t get the news, Tim Tebow is back in the NFL, brought to the Philadelphia Eagles by mad-genius or total-idiot Chip Kelly. No one knows why Tebow, a player who gets far more love, hate, and attention than is warranted, was signed by the Eagles. He might not even make it onto the final 53-man roster. But that scenario isn’t a very fun one. Instead, let’s consider that Chip Kelly really loves what he sees in Tebow and gives him a chance. Would he be worthy of a roster spot? Is he even worthy of articles being written about him? Here are some pros and cons for the resurgence of Tim Tebow.

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Pro: He has proven to be a valuable fantasy player. In 2011, Tim Tebow started for 11 games. He had ten or less completions in more than half of his games. Yet he was the 18th fantasy quarterback even without taking into account that most QBs had 5 more starts than him. His running prowess (660 yards and 6TDs) was that valuable. He had 16.6 PPG in the 12 games where he actually attempted a pass. Spread that out over 16 games, and you have the 9th best quarterback in fantasy for 2011. With a strong running back in DeMarco Murray and budding receiver Jordan Matthews, he could very well repeat the success he had on the Broncos from a pure fantasy standpoint.

Con: He has proven to be a terrible traditional professional quarterback. Let me repeat what I said in the above point: He had SIX STARTS (eight when you include the playoffs) with no more than TEN completions. His sub-50% completion percentage is awful, and he looked worse, not better, when he got chances while playing for the Jets. How could you ever put your fantasy team in the hands of such a historically terrible passer? Even as a streamer, Tebow has such a big downside when it comes to his passing ability.

Aug 16, 2013; Foxborough, MA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Andre Neblett (68) pressures New England Patriots quarterback Tim Tebow (5) during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots defeated the Buccaneers 25-21. Mandatory Credit: Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports

Pro: He could have improved during his time away from the game. No matter how much you hate Tebow, you have to appreciate his dedication. Even after being given away by the Broncos and having two more teams barely give him a chance, he still stuck with his preparation for one day becoming a starting quarterback again. Even as pundits and coaches suggested he try a different position, Tebow continued to work with professionals in order to improve his throw. We won’t know what effect this has had until he gets on the field, but it is definitely a unique position he’s in. I can’t even think of anyone to compare it with. Quarterback is possibly the most difficult position in all pro sports, and so many great athletes fail at it. Yet Tebow refuses to give up. Just like his new coach, he’s either very smart and determined, or very dumb.

Con: The number of quarterbacks he has to compete with. Tim Tebow makes four quarterbacks currently on the roster. And, considering there isn’t yet a Oregon quarterback on the roster, Kelly might be tempted to add another one of them too. Sam Bradford and Mark Sanchez both have starting experience and Matt Barkley is almost certainly a more accurate passer just by default. It might be difficult for Tebow to even make the team, let alone get onto the field during a regular season game. There are rumors that he may be specifically used for two-point conversion opportunities, but no one will be able to get any real idea until August.

Pro: The quality of quarterbacks he has to compete with. While there are a lot of quarterbacks in town, there is no Tom Brady on this roster. Bradford is always injured, Sanchez has no mental fortitude, and Barkley probably won’t ever be worthy of the starting job.

If there was one place where Tim Tebow could default into the starting job, the Eagles might be it. And if he is on the field on Sunday and you don’t have one of the stud quarterbacks, you might want to consider throwing him in your starting lineup and hoping for the best.

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