Fantasy POV: Quarterbacks – 1st Half report card and week 10 picks

The first half of the 2020 NFL schedule is completed and it is time to pass out awards to fantasy football quarterbacks.  The winners include the brightest and best like Russell Wilson of Seattle and Kansas City QB Patrick Mahomes.

The following information lists the quarterback by category and week of the season.  A “1st Half” winner and week 10 selection are included for each category.

Surefire Starters

• Week 1 – Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens; Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys, and Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
• Week 2 – Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs and Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
• Week 3 – Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks and Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
• Week 4 – Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks and Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
• Week 5 – Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks and Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
• Week 6 – Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs; Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals, and Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
• Week 7 – Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs; Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks, and Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
• Week 8 – Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs; Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks, and Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
• Week 9 – Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs; Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks, and Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
• Week 10 – Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks, and Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

1st Half – Two players – Patrick Mahomes and Russell Wilson – have consistently shined as “Surefire Starters” at quarterback.

Summary: Mahomes and Wilson are clearly the leading candidates for fantasy football MVP.  Mahomes had 207.1 fantasy football points (FFP) after completing the 1st eight games of the season.  (He added 30.8 points in week 9’s win over Carolina.)  Wilson leads the league in total yardage as he has been responsible for 2,806 yards.

For week 10, consider starting Russell Wilson and Arizona QB Kyler Murray, who has consistently climbed up the QB ranks in fantasy football.

Riding the Bench

• Week 1 – Ryan Fitzpatrick, Miami Dolphins and Daniel Jones, New York Giants
• Week 2 – Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams and Tyrod Taylor, Los Angeles Chargers
• Week 3 – Drew Lock, Denver Broncos and Tyrod Taylor, Los Angeles Chargers
• Week 4 – Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings and Dwayne Haskins Jr. Washington Football Team
• Week 5 – Drew Lock, Denver Broncos and Tyrod Taylor, Los Angeles Chargers
• Week 6 – All due to “Bye” week – Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders; Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers; Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints, and Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
• Week 7 – All due to “Bye” week – Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens; Philp Rivers, Indianapolis Colts; Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins, and Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
• Week 8 – All due to “Bye” week – Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals; Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans, and Gardner MInshew II, Jacksonville Jaguars
• Week 9 – All due to “Bye” week – Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns; Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals;  Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams quarterback, and Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles
• Week 10 – All due to “Bye” week – Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons; Garrett Gilbert, Dallas Cowboys; Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs, and Joe Flacco, New York Jets
• 1st Half – Tyrod Taylor, Los Angeles Chargers

Summary:  Since our articles include quarterbacks who had “Bye” weeks as “Riding the Bench”, the “winner” of this category is the Tyrod Taylor whose quarterback rating of 28.8 led to his benching in favor of rookie Justin Herbert.

Underrated

• Week 1 – Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
• Week 2 – Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
• Week 3 – Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams
• Week 4 – Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
• Week 5 – Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans
• Week 6 – Ryan Fitzpatrick, Miami Dolphins
• Week 7 – Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Week 8 – Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles
• Week 9 – Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
• Week 10 – Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
• 1st Half – Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Summary: Aaron Rodgers has thrown 24 touchdown passes and 2 interceptions. He is the most “Underrated” QB of the first half of the season.

Justin Herbert was the Chargers first selection in the 2020 NFL draft and, as a rookie quarterback, fits the role of the “Underrated” QB for week 10.

Overrated

• Week 1 – Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles
• Week 2 – Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns
• Week 3 – Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
• Week 4 – Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
• Week 5 – Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
• Week 6 – Joe Flacco, New York Jets
• Week 7 – Teddy Bridgewater, Carolina Panthers
• Week 8 – Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
• Week 9 – Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
• Week 10 – Nick Foles, Chicago Bears
• 1st Half – Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

Summary: Kirk Cousins is ranked No. 22 among starting quarterbacks with a 15.5 FFP per game average.  Cousins’ touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio is 3:2 based on his 15 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions.

 Nick Foles of Chicago is week 10’s “Overrated” quarterback based on the Bears current losing streak and his erratic performance.

Sleeper QB of the Week

• Week 1 – Mitch Trubisky, Chicago Bears
• Week 2 – Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
• Week 3 – Cam Newton, New England Patriots
• Week 4 – Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
• Week 5 – Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Week 6 – Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
• Week 7 – Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
• Week 8 – Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee TItans
• Week 9 – Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Week 10 – Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
• 1st Half – Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Summary: Josh Allen’s tenacity is reminiscent of former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly.  Allen is currently ranked No. 4 among quarterbacks based on his 179.58 FFP.  He has thrown 16 touchdown passes and run for 4 touchdowns.

Rookie Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is the week 10 “Sleeper QB”.  Tagovailoa has thrown for 350 yards and 3 touchdowns and appears to face another rookie quarterback, Justin Herbert, and the Los Angeles Chargers in a Sunday afternoon game.