In their first game of the preseason on Friday night, the Bills started Matt Cassel who reportedly has the inside track on the starting job in Buffalo. However, the more impressive of the two Bills’s QB’s was Tyrod Taylor who came in and played well against the Panthers leading the Bills on a pair of scoring drives. Let’s take a look at the Tyrod Taylor fantasy football outlook to see what value if any he has heading into the 2015 season.
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Obviously, Taylor will need to win the job to have any fantasy value whatsoever, but if he does there is some ways he could be valuable. Even if the Bills start the season with Cassel, at some point this year Taylor should get some playing time. Taylor was added by the Bills this offseason after spending his first four years in the NFL backing up Joe Flacco in Baltimore. Taylor didn’t get much experience, but when he was on the field he flashed some potential as both a rusher and a passer.
In the game last night, Taylor looked sharp running for 47 yards on six carries and throwing eight passes five of which were caught for 49 yards. While he didn’t pile up huge numbers, he managed drives well and led a pair of touchdown drives in his first two possessions (both rushing TD’s by running backs). Taylor didn’t totally seize the job from an efficient Cassel who completed seven of his eight passes for 45 yards, but he showed more creativity and “sizzle” which is something Head Coach Rex Ryan is always a big fan of.
Taylor will start the Bills’ second preseason game which comes next week against the Browns on next Thursday night. If Taylor again impresses, he could end up passing Cassel and earning the starting gig for a Bills’ offense that could be decent this season.
The Bills’ receiving corps has weapons with second-year standout Sammy Watkins joined by Percy Harvin, Robert Woods, and Marquise Goodwin. The Bills also added former Dolphins’ TE Charles Clay this offseason which gives the team another versatile weapon if they can define his role. With some yards-after-the-catch potential from that group-especially Harvin and Watkins-there is potential that a Bills’ QB will be fantasy relevant this season at least in dual-QB leagues or when we get to bye weeks.
I definitely wouldn’t consider Taylor for a single-QB league, but if your league requires you to play two QB’s a week, he could be worth a look if he earns the job. Another factor that greatly will affect Taylor’s value in your league is how your league rewards rushing QB’s. Since rushing yards and TD’s would be a big part of what he brings to the offense, if your league reward them with more points than for a passing touchdown that also increases Taylor’s potential value.
At this point, Taylor would be a reach even as a QB2, but he will definitely deserve watching if he continues his strong camp and earns the job. The Tyrod Taylor fantasy outlook is still pretty questionable, but he’s moved onto deep league radar as he challenges Matt Cassel who most people assumed would win the job out of camp.