Post QB bye week - Do you drop your backup? (1 Viewer)

[solorca]

Looking for some general thoughts from the Shark Pool on how you handle the backup QB situation.

In my case, I currently have Matt Ryan as my only QB, and I've decided to go without a backup for the remainder of the season, barring injury. In my specific league, I held Ryan Fitzpatrick prior to last week, but I dropped him after I got Ryan back from his bye. Now, the only options on my waiver wire at backup QB are Fitzpatrick, Sanchez, Locker, Foles (if he gets the job), and whoever is the Chargers/Chiefs QB in a given week. I don't see anyone there that I would feel comfortable with as a weekly starter anyway, so I'm holding out. In a worst case scenario of an injury, I probably would be trading off some depth for a starter from someone else anyway (or possibly even grab the backup Falcons QB, given the weapons). After our trade deadline in week 11, I may grab someone if it looks like the Falcons are at risk of having nothing to play for in week 16.

I've typically always carried a backup just in case, but it's typically been a wasted roster spot. What do you typically do after your starter's bye week?

 

[Mystery Achiever]

I keep two just in case. I guess it depends on your wire. My team with Rodgers has very slim pickings, so I will keep two after his bye.

 

[doeseatplace]

I don't know what the rest of your team looks like, but losing Ryan for an extended period will probably hurt. If he misses one game, you can take your chances and plug in any of the QBs that are available. But for a longer stretch of games, Locker may have the best chance, IMO, of capturing the largest share of Ryan's lost points. The other option is signing the back-up QB in ATL (one of the McCown boys, I think) and hoping that the Falcons passing scheme and WR/TE studs helps to mitigate the lack of talent under center from a fantasy scoring perspective. It is a waste of roster space until your starter goes down in the playoffs and you have to rely on Ricky Stanzi to lead you to victory. Good luck

 

[Not Sleeping]

I have Vick, so my backup may not be a backup anymore, so maybe I'm not qualified to answer.

It totally depends on your starter and the backup. At the very least, if you happen to have 2 potential QB1's (as a lot of RG3 owners likely do), then you don't want to allow your opponents to potentially upgrade by dropping one of them. Sometimes roster decisions are more about keeping players out of the hands of your opponents.

With that said, Fitzpatrick is completely droppable.

 

[SameSongNDance]

I pretty much own Ryan in every league. I didn't have back-up before the week 7 bye and will obviously not hold one now. I've never been a believer in wasting a roster spot on a second QB when that precious space should obviously be used for a RB. Playing QB carousel with two mediocre options is one thing, but if you have a top scoring QB, or even a top 12 option, what's the point? To me, carrying two QBs is the equivalent of carrying two DSTs. Unless you have RG3 or CHI on a bye, you shouldn't be doing it.

 

[jfranco77]

12-team league, I've got Peyton Manning and Carson Palmer. Best WW guys are Josh Freeman (going to go for crazy FAAB this week I'm sure, he was just cut due to bye weeks), then Weeden, Mark Sanchez, Locker, and Gabbert.

Manning's whole 4 neck surgeries thing is scary enough that I am leaning towards hanging onto Palmer, though I'll throw a couple bucks on Freeman for Palmer just in case.

 

[Quibbler]

In redraft leagues (keepers can obviously cloud the issue) I rarely carry a backup. If your starter goes down for a couple weeks, you can play the matchups or trade for someone else's backup QB on the cheap. If your starter is going to be out for a long time, then you're probably better off trading for a new QB anyway.

And if I had to carry a backup, I'd probably use that spot on a high-upside lottery ticket like Tebow or Kaepernick, rather than a pure backup like Fitz.

 

[Lavachebeadsman]

100% yes.

 

[eNdblu]

In redraft leagues (keepers can obviously cloud the issue) I rarely carry a backup. If your starter goes down for a couple weeks, you can play the matchups or trade for someone else's backup QB on the cheap. If your starter is going to be out for a long time, then you're probably better off trading for a new QB anyway. And if I had to carry a backup, I'd probably use that spot on a high-upside lottery ticket like Tebow or Kaepernick, rather than a pure backup like Fitz.

This is what I do as well. I never carry a backup. If you have a stud QB, there's absolutely no reason to carry a backup QB unless you have another QB1 that fell in the draft (maybe RG3, Luck, Peyton, etc). The difference between the leftover QBs on the waiver wire is minimal to bother rostering one of them. If your stud QB goes down, you either play the WW and go based on matchups or trade for one.

 

[simey]

I have Stafford and Big Ben. Ben was supposed to be my backup, but I've played him more than Stafford thus far. I'm keeping both with hopes that Stafford and the Lions start flying high offensively on a more consistent basis. I also like having the depth incase of injury.

 

[firstseason1988]

It depends on who they are.

A guy in my league has Rodgers and Ryan, he doesn't want to "give" anyone Ryan, so he has to keep him. I have RGIII and RGIII only, about 4 guys are roughly the same on the waiver wire, so why bother. you good man, give yourself some credit for using your head.

 

[NajehHejan]

i drafted rg3 late as my qb1 and took big ben a few rounds later just in case rg3 flopped. based on rg3 playing style, i will absolutely hold big ben until the bitter end because he's performing like a low end qb1. if my backup were fitzpatrick or palmer I'd definitely cut them after rg3 bye. each situation is different

 

[cracKer]

just traded RG3 for AJ Green, rolling with Matt Ryan solo from here on out. I had started the wrong one of the two every week to this point, I almost feel relieved

 

[Clorox]

Define stud QB...my combos are:

Ben/Rivers (12)

Ryan/Ben (10)

Ben/Tannehill (14)

RGIII/Ben (10)

RGIII/Luck (12)

Ben/Schaub (12)

RGIII/Vick (12)

Are RGIII and Ben considered studs?

 

[Jewell]

It depends on the quality of my QB and the quality of my back-up.

If I have an elite guy at QB (Rodgers, Brees, etc.) and a mediocre back-up like Russel Wilson, I'll let the back-up go because the replacement I can get on the waiver wire, should I need one, is comparable to Wilson.

If I have a middling QB as a starter, though, I may keep two QBsto see who gets hot; or if I have an elite QB as a starter but got lucky and drafted someone like RG3 as a back-up, I'll keep both because the replacement on the waiver wire isn't worth the value of my back-up QB. I'd probably try to move one of those QBs in that instance.

 

[Donny Loved Bowling]

just traded RG3 for AJ Green, rolling with Matt Ryan solo from here on out. I had started the wrong one of the two every week to this point, I almost feel relieved

I know how you feel. Im in the same boat, and I just made the same deal.

 

[Cato]

Depends on your league IMO.

10 teamer short bench, with a full WW, and non-restrictive WW moves, yeah go for it. Also depends on who your backup QB is. (if you can flip him for an asset and replace with a lower WW QB2, could both improve your team and help mitigate risk.)

The larger your league, thinner WW, restrictive WW, I'd be less inclined to do it.

Another thought is to flip your QB2, and handcuff your QB provided the backup QB has decent upside. (ie Stafford, Shaun Hill.)

Move has merit, depends how risk/reward averse you want to be.

 

[habsfan]

I pretty much own Ryan in every league. I didn't have back-up before the week 7 bye and will obviously not hold one now. I've never been a believer in wasting a roster spot on a second QB when that precious space should obviously be used for a RB. Playing QB carousel with two mediocre options is one thing, but if you have a top scoring QB, or even a top 12 option, what's the point? To me, carrying two QBs is the equivalent of carrying two DSTs. Unless you have RG3 or CHI on a bye, you shouldn't be doing it.

Is everyone comfortable that Atlanta isn't going to wrap up their division and/or home field prior to Week 15/16? It's probably the one consideration that has me holding onto my backup thus far.

 

[Area51Inhabitant]

I'm just not comfortable without a backup just in case something unexpected late week were to happen. It doesn't even need to be injury related. It could be a family emergency or something else unexpected which might cause your starter to miss the game.

 

[Ace zero1]

I pretty much own Ryan in every league. I didn't have back-up before the week 7 bye and will obviously not hold one now. I've never been a believer in wasting a roster spot on a second QB when that precious space should obviously be used for a RB. Playing QB carousel with two mediocre options is one thing, but if you have a top scoring QB, or even a top 12 option, what's the point? To me, carrying two QBs is the equivalent of carrying two DSTs. Unless you have RG3 or CHI on a bye, you shouldn't be doing it.

Is everyone comfortable that Atlanta isn't going to wrap up their division and/or home field prior to Week 15/16? It's probably the one consideration that has me holding onto my backup thus far.

Hold for that reason.

 

[solorca]

I pretty much own Ryan in every league. I didn't have back-up before the week 7 bye and will obviously not hold one now. I've never been a believer in wasting a roster spot on a second QB when that precious space should obviously be used for a RB. Playing QB carousel with two mediocre options is one thing, but if you have a top scoring QB, or even a top 12 option, what's the point? To me, carrying two QBs is the equivalent of carrying two DSTs. Unless you have RG3 or CHI on a bye, you shouldn't be doing it.

Is everyone comfortable that Atlanta isn't going to wrap up their division and/or home field prior to Week 15/16? It's probably the one consideration that has me holding onto my backup thus far.

My hope is that Atlanta loses a few games soon and is in a battle with New York and San Fran (and maybe Green Bay) to lock up home field advantage and a bye week.

 

[Resident A]

My backup is Big Ben. No way I'm dropping him & helping another team become a contender, that would otherwise be starting Newton or Schaub.

The last time I dumped a solid backup QB to prepare for the playoff push, my starting QB (who was #1 at that point) got hurt the next week & was gone for the season. I had to play musical QBs from the garbage left on the WW & lost in the 1st round of the playoffs.

I always keep a startable backup now. Even if your team is beyond stacked, if you have to run Tannehill or Skelton out there in a playoff game, you're gonna lose most of the time.

 

[NCPanthersFan]

I pretty much own Ryan in every league. I didn't have back-up before the week 7 bye and will obviously not hold one now. I've never been a believer in wasting a roster spot on a second QB when that precious space should obviously be used for a RB. Playing QB carousel with two mediocre options is one thing, but if you have a top scoring QB, or even a top 12 option, what's the point? To me, carrying two QBs is the equivalent of carrying two DSTs. Unless you have RG3 or CHI on a bye, you shouldn't be doing it.

Is everyone comfortable that Atlanta isn't going to wrap up their division and/or home field prior to Week 15/16? It's probably the one consideration that has me holding onto my backup thus far.

My hope is that Atlanta loses a few games soon and is in a battle with New York and San Fran (and maybe Green Bay) to lock up home field advantage and a bye week.

I am keeping Locker for this reason. Right now he is using up an IR slot which is good. It looks like they will hold him out until Wk12. 14-16 is a sweet schedule in case I need him.This probably means nothing but thus far ATL looks like they have the ability to play it safe. I don't think we have seen them press the gas pedal once while holding a lead. To me, right or wrong, this gives me pause for later in the year when I am worrying whether or not he will sit players. Again this is nothing but a feeling but I am holding an additional QB b/c of it.

 

[just_want_2_win]

My backup is Big Ben. No way I'm dropping him & helping another team become a contender, that would otherwise be starting Newton or Schaub.The last time I dumped a solid backup QB to prepare for the playoff push, my starting QB (who was #1 at that point) got hurt the next week & was gone for the season. I had to play musical QBs from the garbage left on the WW & lost in the 1st round of the playoffs. I always keep a startable backup now. Even if your team is beyond stacked, if you have to run Tannehill or Skelton out there in a playoff game, you're gonna lose most of the time.

I certainly wouldn't just dump a back up QB of Big Ben's quality. That'd be silly -- you'd be giving up a lot of value for nothing in return. However, though it's nice to have say a Brady or Brees with Ben sitting there for the bye or in case of injury, to me it's wasteful to just leave him on the bench most of the time. I'd rather trade a great asset like that to a team that needs a better QB so I could shore up a weaker spot on my team. And then I'd try to get a competent backup QB back in the deal or off waivers.One thing that could change the above strategy is if your top QB's bye is say week 8 and it's week 5 or 6 and you see that your opponent that week is strong and/or vying with you for top record, division lead, etc. -- then you might feel that the its worth keeping that topflight QB just for that game. Then afterward you could try to trade him if your league's deadline hasn't passed yet. As far as dropping after the bye week, it depends on the league, my record, bench size, my #1 QB and my #2 QB, what's available on the wire, and if there are other teams that might need my QB. I really have no hard, fast rule about keeping or dumping. If I'm running away with things and have a tight bench, I'd likely trade or, if the backup QB is nothing special, maybe drop them for something more useful, like a defense I could rotate in if it's near the playoffs, or for an additional stash with upside at RB or maybe even WR. I've gone in the past with just Rodgers for instance on my roster...I was always a bit nervous though. So if your risk tolerance isn't high, roster a backup even if you have a stud QB. If you're in a really tight spot and you have a top QB like Brees and a backup of excellent quality like Big Ben, you could even consider trading Brees for a haul and riding Ben.There's just so many variables to consider.

 

[Not Sleeping]

It depends on the quality of my QB and the quality of my back-up.

If I have an elite guy at QB (Rodgers, Brees, etc.) and a mediocre back-up like Russel Wilson, I'll let the back-up go because the replacement I can get on the waiver wire, should I need one, is comparable to Wilson.

If I have a middling QB as a starter, though, I may keep two QBsto see who gets hot; or if I have an elite QB as a starter but got lucky and drafted someone like RG3 as a back-up, I'll keep both because the replacement on the waiver wire isn't worth the value of my back-up QB. I'd probably try to move one of those QBs in that instance.

If Wilson is a mediocre back-up, who's a bad one?

 

[Jewell]

It depends on the quality of my QB and the quality of my back-up.

If I have an elite guy at QB (Rodgers, Brees, etc.) and a mediocre back-up like Russel Wilson, I'll let the back-up go because the replacement I can get on the waiver wire, should I need one, is comparable to Wilson.

If I have a middling QB as a starter, though, I may keep two QBsto see who gets hot; or if I have an elite QB as a starter but got lucky and drafted someone like RG3 as a back-up, I'll keep both because the replacement on the waiver wire isn't worth the value of my back-up QB. I'd probably try to move one of those QBs in that instance.

If Wilson is a mediocre back-up, who's a bad one?

Blaine Gabbert